I'm still running! And a challenge

On Saturday I headed out for a run. I had intended to do some interval training to help get my pace improved, but when I went to start running, I ran into my neighbor. I used to run with her a lot last summer, but since I was pregnant, I couldn't run. She's an avid runner, so I was intimidated to run with her, but I knew she'd help get my pace improved.

My MapMyRun app (which I highly suggest!) farted out, so I am not sure how accurate it is with the mileage, time and pace, but here it is:

Distance: 1.75 miles
There was not a time, so, I am not sure on that one, and I am pretty sure I ran longer than that......so......
My initial pace was 10:30 min/mile and then 11:35 min/mile, so much improved from my last run.

How is everyone else doing?

Anyone interested in doing a "run 30 miles in 30 days challenge" with me? Tomorrow is June 1st....so what are you waiting for? If you don't like to run, maybe you could do an "exercise for 30 hours in 30 days?"

I challenge you to do one or both together! what are you waiting for? Get out there and start!

My goal for the week.......exercise three days this week.

I did it!

The sun is finally out here in Maine after an eight day hiatus. My motivation was nowhere to be found. I even dressed "the part" on Monday planning to work out, but, guess what? It never happened.
Hey, getting dressed to exercise is one step closer to actually doing, it right?

On Wednesday, it was a beautiful afternoon. Kevin came home and I promised myself I would run. And run, I did....

Distance: 2.34 miles (getting closer to that 3 mile mark)
Time: 29.20 - definitely not proud of a 12 minute pace, but, I will take it....

A good friend of mine suggested running "telephone poles" - so for the first part of my run, I alternated running and walking with each telephone pole. By half of my run, I was starting to feel good, so I decided to run as far as I could. I was able to run the last part without walking. It felt pretty good, but a bit disappointing considering I was running 9-10 minute miles before I had a baby.

Then today, I promised myself I would run again. And I did.

I had told myself to run a little further than I did on Wednesday. When I got out there, it felt good, so I kept going until I reached the 1.5 mile mark and then I turned around.

Today, I ran:

3.0 miles in 36:20 ----- my first 5K since last summer! While I am not proud of my time, I am proud of being able to run 3 miles just shy of 7 weeks of giving birth.

I think I am finally starting to feel that motivation to keep going.....summer is just about here and this mamma needs to get herself back in shape again!

How is everyone else doing?

Staying Motivated

It's been a rainy mess here in Maine and it looks like it will be a while before the sun comes out. I don't know about you, but for me, cloudy days gives me absolutely NO motivation to do much of anything, especially exercise.

Check out my "blog frog" community to the right.....(click on the link "how do you stay motivated" to join a discussion)

Let's talk about staying motivated and how you do it.....I'd love some ideas and I am sure others would, too!

"A" for Effort

I am still alive. Just barely.

Last week I had these grandiose ideas of running or exercising at least three days.

It didn't happen.

On Thursday, I scheduled a babysitter in hopes of hitting the roads for a "run" - but, best laid plans....Kevin's parents were coming into town and I had to hit the store. I had asked Kevin to vacuum and mop the kitchen and living room the night before, and well, you know what happens after that (let's just say the wine won)....yeah, didn't happen and my work out consisted of washing and vacuuming floors. I wasn't a happy camper!

Wednesday, I cleaned the entire house. Have you ever put on a heart rate monitor while cleaning? I didn't do it this time, but, I have done it in the past, and you'll be amazed at how many calories you burn during a good house cleaning. It isn't exactly my favorite way to exercise, but at least you know it is doing something. 


Kevin's parents have been in town from Florida since Thursday, so I didn't exercise at all. I really need to get myself into a good groove and starting it is the hardest thing! So, that is my goal for the week, too bad it is going to rain all week so I will be relying on Jillian to get me started!

Then today, Kevin and I planned on "shredding" this evening.

What did I say before? Best laid plans.....

Of course Callum was awake. Clara was getting into trouble and then Lilah dropped a weight (3lbs) on Maireads toe. Then the phone rang. Twice. Then Clara wanted to "help" swing Callum. Callum wanted to be held. When it was time to do abs, I had to share my mat with two girls and a third who wanted to lay on top of me while doing them. Then it was dinner time. I got Callum back to sleep and attempted to work out again. BUST. Callum woke up and wanted to be held. I guess it wasn't in the cards to get a work out in tonight.

So, I poured a glass of wine and called it a night. Sometimes it just doesn't "work out"

My first run

Well, I did it. I ran for the first time since last summer.

Believe me, I use the term "ran" very loosely.

When I woke up this morning it was a beautiful spring morning and I felt pretty good, so I thought I'd try running a bit. My body was still a little sore from the Shred on Wednesday, but I felt good enough to run.

I dug out all my little do-dads for running - my iPhone (for my IPod and MapMyRun App), my ear buds, running sneaks, heart rate monitor, hair tie and was on my merry way.

I ran a bit and walked a lot in the beginning. I'd say probably 50/50 in the beginning, but once I hit the 13 minute mark, I started to get that energy surge I used to get last year. I ran the last half and it felt surprisingly good. I got no side stitches at all.

So, since I did the same run I did for my very first run EVER here is the comparison:
I ran/walked for 24:08 minutes
Distance: 1.74 miles
Pace: 13.47 min/mile


Today: 
Duration: 23:00
Distance: 1.8 miles
Pace: 12:48 mins/mile


PART of me wants to scream FUCKKKKKKKK...........I did the same as I did when I was heavier, and completely out of shape, but part of me is proud of myself - this run actually felt good where as my first few runs sucked and was just horrible. I didn't feel as though I was dying when I ran this morning. OK, I won't be so hard on myself.....it's a start, and not a bad one.


Can't wait to get back out there again and again....and start feeling this good everyday! 


How did you all do today? Did you get out there? 

Inspiring Others

Last year I used this blog as an outlet to create accountability for myself.

I knew that it would be too easy to make excuses for myself as to why I couldn't exercise "that" day - you know things like - too tired, too busy, too many things to do around the house, the kids were driving me crazy, etc etc etc. I could go on and on with all the excuses I could create.

I didn't start a blog for any other reason. If I knew people, even strangers, were reading my blog, then I knew I would have to follow through with what I said I would do. And do you know what? It worked.

My 90 day challenge last year did more for me than I ever thought possible. I inspired myself. I inspired others. I realized just how great it was to feel good about myself and what a crappy self image I had before that I never realized I had.

So....as I begin to exercise after being pregnant and on activity restrictions for 9 months, I want to do something to help others.

I want this blog to be an outlet for others who are just like me and wanting to change their life.

I want this blog to inspire others, complete strangers, to work out, to continue working out and to achieve the goal they set for themselves.

This is my challenge.

In the meantime, I want everyone who visits/reads my blog to comment below and give me ideas on what they'd like to see on this blog.

(If you look on the top of the right hand bar, you will see a "community" - click on that and chat/discuss there)

We can learn so much from each other from diet ideas to exercise ideas to questions to helping each other continue with our goals.

Should we have a weekly post about our goals?

What about some sort of chat application on here?

What else? Let's help motivate!

It actually happened...

I no longer have an excuse about not exercising.

Our sweet little prince, Callum John was born on Friday, April 8th at 4:05pm. After a fast (like 15minute fast) labor, he was born weighing in at 6lbs4oz. He was born perfectly healthy, but soon after birth he developed respiratory distress that only continued to get worse. He ended up being transferred to a NICU where he was intubated and diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. If you're interested in his story, you can read it here. Thankfully after 12 days in the NICU, he was discharged home and has been doing very well. 

Of course his NICU stay delayed my intentions of getting back into shape, but, there were more important things! Now that Callum has been growing and doing everything he should, I finally got the energy to start working out....wait, have I mentioned that I foolishly signed myself (and Kevin) up for the Mother's Day 5K? Yeah. Crazy...and thinking that I would actually have time to try and prepare for it was even more foolish, especially after having a critically ill newborn in an intensive care unit! 

Today, I finally broke down and worked out. I know I had every intention of starting to exercise during the last month or two of my pregnancy, but it just didn't work out. I ended up having a fairly rough last few weeks of pregnancy. I had strep throat, shingles and a stomach bug - not to mention a few family stresses thrown in there, too! Oh yeah, and just being pregnant with three small girls at home made it tough, too....so, while I am not trying to make excuses, I had every intention of exercising lightly.....but, I didn't! 

I did level 1 of the Shred. I did a light to moderate work out, and definitely didn't break that much of a sweat. My heart rate never went above 155 the entire work out and I still burned about 170 calories. Because I am nursing a newborn and just 3.5 weeks post partum, I have to make sure I am consuming plenty of calories, drinking a ton and not pushing myself...I just want to start.....slowly. It isn't about losing weight right now.... it's about taking time for me and feeling good about myself. 

The workout felt amazingly good and definitely gave me that urge to keep doing it and want to get moving...so I will! 

I have to say I am amazed at how fast my body has jumped back after having a baby. When I started my 90 day challenge I believe I weighed about 130lbs......and when I got pregnant with Callum, I weighed 112lbs. Today, I weighed in at 122lbs at just 3.5 weeks post partum. My max weight during pregnancy was close to 140lbs. 

Here I am the day before Callum's birth:

Here I am this morning at 122lbs:

So, here I go.......I will start to relearn how to run and hopefully I will enjoy it as much as I did last year at this time! I can't wait to feel amazing again! 

If anyone else is interested in joining my exercise challenge, comment below.........it's great to have support of others!