tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78220126276520747222024-03-13T18:28:57.760-04:00A Mary Little LifeThis is my journey of running, training, racing, and life.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-28301997561193906142018-01-04T12:55:00.005-05:002018-01-04T12:55:48.506-05:00New Year, New MeNew Year, A New Me --<br />
This is something we always hear around the beginning of every year. I've never been one for having a resolution like loosing weight or starting to workout because I generally am pretty active during the year. This past year was different, though, since I was pregnant the first half the year. My baby girl born on June 20th. I actively did crossfit until about May when it became too hard on my body. I truly thought I was going to be that mom that was back in the gym as soon as my doctor gave me the go ahead. But during my maternity leave I was instead packing up our house in Maryland to move back home to New Jersey. Once I got the official 'cleared' from my OB, I just didn't have the time or motivation to get back to the gym. I wanted to snuggle my baby as much as I could. Plus with breastfeeding, I felt like I could barely leave her because she was so unpredictable.<br />
<br />Well, here I am six months later and haven't gotten back into any sort of workout groove. I think I ran maybe a mile once or twice so far. While half of me is upset at myself, then other half is perfectly content with this new life I created. I have chosen to spend my time with my little one and husband rather than at the gym.<br />
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Two years ago, I tried Beachbody, more so, Shakeology and the 3-Day Refresh. I didn't really get into the workouts because I was going to crossfit. But now I've come to a place where I'm thinking that this may be my solution. Now I have <b>never</b> been one to do at home workouts, I honestly just plop down on my couch instead of pressing play. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to commit and squeeze these workouts in around time with my girl. I signed up and am awaiting the arrival on my Shakeology and accessories.<br />
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Their new program is called <i>80 Day Obsession</i> and it's what really caught my eye. I had a huge success with the macro diet while crossfitting before my wedding. So the fact that this nutrition plan seemed to mimic what I learned with that made me believe in it's capability. It won't be as intense as counting every single gram of protein/fat/carb, which this new mom appreciates. All the details for the program come out on the 8th and I can't' wait to fully read about the nutrition plan and workouts!<br />
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This year I also want to really get back into running! I miss it. I have a jogging stroller, but she was too little to go in it before. I'm hoping big spring she'll be ready to see the streets because I'm ready to get back out there. I'd love to try another half marathon, but I know we want to grow our family some more, so only time will tell about that...Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-21360625627914897772016-02-23T07:50:00.001-05:002016-02-23T07:50:14.402-05:00Yoga<div class="x_MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Andrew and I have been going to LA Fitness once or twice a week to do yoga. He really needs it for his flexibility and I need it to relax. I am enjoying it much more than I thought I would!! My main issues is that it’s so late. Okay, okay… 8PM isn’t terribly late, but when get up for a brutal CrossFit class at 6am and plan to do it all over the next day, I need my rest and sleep. CrossFit also had an instructor come in for a yoga session this past weekend. It was different than the yoga at LA Fitness. He focused much more on technique. The class didn’t really flow as you would imagine a yoga class would, so I would definitely love to see how one of his actual classes, because he was so informative! I’m crossing my fingers CrossFit decided to bring him back for a regular thing. I also believe that Andrew and I would benefit more from a yoga instructor that takes into consideration that we CrossFit. For example… a couple weeks ago we were squatting really heavy and we went to yoga that night and we had to hold so many chair poses and warriors and my leg strength was just gone, they needed a rest!</div>
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I have been looking into getting some Yoga DVDs instead of going to the gym. This would not only allow me to press play whenever I want, but would save us some money from having two gym memberships. Does anyone have good recommendation? Thanks in advance!</div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-82898739842865415342016-02-09T13:48:00.001-05:002016-02-09T13:48:13.608-05:00Shakeology<div class="MsoNormal" original_font_attr="-1" original_line_height_attr="" style="font-size: 13.001pt; line-height: 140%;">
Okay so I’ll admit that when I first heard about Shakeology a long time ago, I thought it wouldn’t be for me. There was no need for me to have a meal replacement, I would just eat a healthy well-balance meal. I drink protein shakes any
day that I go to the gym and I tend to get enough protein throughout the day. So why would I need Shakeology? Well.. did you also know that I’m slightly addicted to coffee? Almost everyone knows that I
<b original_font_attr="-1" original_line_height_attr="" style="font-size: 13.001pt; line-height: 140%;">need</b> my morning cup as soon as I wake up or I am not a happy person. I tried to always stick to one cup per day, but that didn’t always work. Some days I found myself drinking two or, if I was really tired, three cups. I did one of those “tea detoxes”
last summer. Awful.. absolutely NOT worth it. I would never recommend them because although they were tasty, I never felt the same as I did with coffee. It was also supposed to help with bloating and did not help at all. I looked the same on day one as
I did at the end. And I found myself counting down the days until I could get back to my morning bliss. Anywho…</div>
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I decided to give Shakeology a try after seeing so many great results from groups I was in on social media (granted I know I don’t really need to lose weight, but I do want to get toned). And they had just release a Café Latte flavor –
sounded delicious! So I ordered it and couldn’t wait to give it a try. I will be honest, when I first looked into the nutrition, I thought that it had more carbs than I would prefer in a meal replacement. But after I started drinking it, I realized why.
To give me energy!!! I have not had a drop of coffee in a week… A WEEK! That is insane, people. And I have so much energy! Now I know I won’t stay off of coffee forever, but to not be relying on it is a blessing. I also never got the headache that comes
when you don’t drink coffee, added bonus! I’ll also be honest and say that my body was not used to Stevia. I not only don’t use artificial sugar, but I don’t really eat much sugar (unless in the form of a chocolate bar or the occasional baked good). I definitely
don’t add it to my coffee or tea or anything like that. So it took me a couple days to get used to it, but now my body doesn’t seem to notice.</div>
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I’ve tried a few of the recipes that came with my bag of Shakeology. Honestly, it’s super tasty with just water or a cup of unsweetened almond milk. But if I want something a little more substantial, I’ll add in half of a frozen banana
or a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. I’ve also done a teaspoon of honey. I may explore a couple of the other recipes, but when I have a couple of good “go to” ones that are easy it is hard to change it up. What I truly love about Shakeology is how
easy it is. After a rough morning workout, I need to be able to shower and get out the door for work. I can just put a scoop of Shakeology in water in my blender cup, shake, and go!</div>
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I cannot wait to try a couple other flavors! I’ll review those later!</div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-64958348540838665462016-02-03T18:59:00.002-05:002016-02-03T18:59:16.769-05:00Shoe Battle<div aria-label="Conversation" autoid="_rp_2" role="list" style="background-color: white; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif;" tabindex="-1">
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In 2013 I was fitted for running shoes the first time. I was really neat to see the process at Road Runner and I became a VIP there since I knew I’d be back. I went in the beginning of this year, to a different location, and I got a completely different reading. Before I was told I was a neutral runner. This time the man told me I needed a stability shoe… “But I could do neutral, too.” I was very confused after speaking with him. My husband and I did lots of research in the next week about running styles, over pronation, arches, and we came to the conclusion that I may have been fitted wrong. I know they say your feet can change over the years, but I did two runs in the shoes they recommended and my shins started to hurt. It could be because I hadn’t run in a while, but that never happened to me before. So the next week I ordered some neutral running shoes from their website. And cue the snow. There goes my shot of testing them out on the road! Currently I have four pairs of running shoes sitting in my closet (two being the same shoe in two different sizes – I forgot New Balance ran a little snug). I’m down to two, and they’re both a neutral shoe. I’m heading to Jersey this weekend, the store that originally fit me. So I’m going to return two of the shoes and have them retest me to see what they say.</div>
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What type of running shoe do you wear? What’s your favorite brand of running shoes?</div>
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Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-36127217340832968642016-01-31T12:18:00.002-05:002016-01-31T12:18:26.035-05:003 Day Refresh Review<div class="x_MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
During the summer of 2015 a friend had told me about the 3 Day Refresh. It spiked my interest, I researched it a bit but then I forgot about amidst planning the wedding. Now that my life has calmed down I decided to take another look at it. I ordered a challenge pack, which included the 3 Day Refresh, along and the new Café Latte Shakeology (review to come later). I received in on a Thursday and planned to start Monday with a couple people, but with blizzard Jonas approaching I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to start. Out grocery store happened to be open on Sunday and we ventured out so I could get the ingredients I needed, and got “real food” for the hubby. The food wasn’t too far off from my normal, just more veggies and less protein (but that’s what they shakes are for). I was excited that I would be able to start on Monday, and even better, I happened to not have to go into the office! I would be able to gauge how I would feel without being at work – I can be super grumpy when I’m hungry, so I was nervous for my co-workers. Here is a breakdown of my three days on the refresh…</div>
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<b>Day One:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>8:30am: Woke up and drank my water.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>9:00am: Drank my Shakeology and ate half of a banana. Then I went out and shoveled snow for about an hour with my husband.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>10:00am: Had a nice hot cup of Lipton Mandarin Green Tea.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>11:00am: Fiber Sweep. I was really scared to drink this because most of the reviews I read said this was the worst part. Even my coach said to just chug it. I mixed it with cold water and after I took the first sip, I realized I didn’t mind it that much. Sure it was slightly gritty, but the taste was a lot more pleasant than I anticipated!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>1:00pm: Lunch time! I mashed up some avocado and cut up a red pepper. Then I blended together my Vanilla Refresh, banana, and a handful of ice. This was super tasty! And I was really full after eating.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>3:30pm: Afternoon snack. I had cucumbers and hummus, which I was looking forward to! I hadn’t had hummus in forever and I love hummus!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>4:30pm: Afternoon tea, same kind as the morning.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>6:15pm: Dinner. While my husband ordered dumplings and an egg roll from my favorite Chinese place, I had the Coconut Steamed Veggies. I actually found it really tasty! I could definitely see this as regular with a little protein on top. I also put in a dash of cinnamon into my Vanilla Fresh and loved that! I gave my husband a sip and he said he liked it</div>
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The rest of the night I just drank my water and relaxed, knowing that my snowed in time from the blizzard was coming to an end. But I will say that I was surprised how good I felt. Not too hungry and energized! No headaches, which was one thing I read in other reviews and I was afraid of.</div>
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<b>Day Two:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>7:00am: Woke up and chugged some water. Decided to hop on the scale, just to see if there was any movement. I was the exact same weight, but was not discouraged either. The world wasn’t built in a day!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>7:30am: Had my half of a banana and Shakeology before heading back to work after a long, relaxing weekend. My husband drove me since our roads were still slippery, but it was also his birthday so I was happy to get to spend a little extra time with him!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>9:30am: Morning Tea.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>11:00am: Fiber Sweep. I still found this to be okay, not complaining about it!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>1:30pm: Lunch. I’m boring and don’t mind having the same thing days at a time.. So my meals are going to be repetitive (also is easier to meal prep in bulk). Peppers and avocado, but since I was at work I just ate the banana and drank the Vanilla Refresh separate.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>I was not hungry at all for my afternoon snack. So I asked my coach if I should squeeze it in or just skip it. She suggested if I wasn’t hungry to just skip it and add some extra veggies to dinner.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>6:00pm: Dinner. Tonight I made the Cucumber and Tomato Salad. I really enjoyed this salad; it was full of flavor and filling! I can definitely see myself making it on the regular. Then I blended my Vanilla Refresh with some cinnamon and ice. I ended up making it a tad too think, so it took forever to drink.</div>
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I could not believe how full and energized I was today!! No headaches or lightheadedness today either. Looking forward to finishing up tomorrow and see the results on Thursday!</div>
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<b>Day Three:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>7:00am: Woke up (well I was rolling around since 6:00, in and out of sleep, but still felt refreshed) and chugged some water. I wasn’t going to, but I weighed myself again… down 1.5 pounds!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>7:30am: Had my half of a banana and Shakeology.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>9:45am: Morning Tea. I more so needed this for warmth than anything else. But does anyone ever get “work tired?” I’m not tired at all and I’ll be full of energy as soon as I leave work. But while I’m at my desk I just seem to have no energy!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>11:45am: Fiber Sweep. I just couldn’t find a second to leave my desk at 11:00. So I was a little late drinking this today. Last one down, and I still didn’t mind the taste.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>1:30pm: Lunch. Same as yesterday. Peppers, avocado, banana, and Vanilla Refresh.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Skipped my afternoon snack again – what?! No hunger here.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>6:00pm: Dinner. Tonight I made with the Spinach Salad. I thought I would have loved this dish, hence why I saved it for last. But I was not a fan, and I won’t be making this again. I think for me it was the dressing, wasn’t feeling the lemon-y flavor.</div>
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<b>Results:</b></div>
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I was so excited to wake up on Day 4 that I was up before my alarm! When I started 3 Day Refresh I weighed 128.6 pounds. That morning the scale said 125.8! Wait - what?! I thought that I would stay around the 1.5 mark… but almost 2.8 pounds. I was amazed. I lost a quarter inch in my waist and a quarter inch around my hips.</div>
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<b>The Day After:</b></div>
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I was so worried that I would instantly put back on all, if not just some, of the weight I had lost from eating “normal” again. So of course I had to weigh myself on Day 5 (Friday). 125.6 pounds… that was .2 pounds less and brought me to an even three pound loss in a week! I’ll tell you what a typical day looks for me though (lunch and dinner will always vary):</div>
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7:30: Shakeology with frozen mini banana, peanut butter, water and ice blended.</div>
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9:30: Tea</div>
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11:00am: Triple Zero Greek Yogurt</div>
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1:30: Chicken, ketchup, cucumber, mashed avocado (leftover from the 3 day refresh), and a small gala apple</div>
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6:00: Egg whites, cup of broccoli, ketchup, and a little granted parm cheese</div>
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7:30: And because I could I had a handful… a BIG handful… of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a tablespoon or two of peanut butter. The peanut butter is a normal night time thing for me – but not the chocolate.</div>
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<i>Would I do it again?</i></div>
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Definitely, I would. If I needed a kick in the butt, like I did after this blizzard, to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon, I would definitely do another. </div>
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<i>Would I recommend this to others?</i></div>
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Absolutely! The program is so simple to follow, which makes it so much easier to stick with! And you just have to tell yourself that you can do anything for just three days.</div>
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<i>Final thoughts.</i></div>
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If you ask my husband, he’ll tell you that I need to eat every two hours to be a pleasant person. And I think these past three days has proved that wrong! I will say that I put all my food into My Fitness Pal, just to see where I was each day. I was low on calories, but my carbs were around what I would eat on a typical “rest day” from my Macro diet. That could have contributed to why I felt so full, but regardless I loved the 3 day refresh!!</div>
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**Disclaimer: I am a Beach Body Coach, but I did pay for this product and this review is my honest opinion. If it sparks your interest enough to try it… you can email me (mpleczynski@outlook.com), leave a comment below, or find me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/coachmarybpoppins/).</div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-9960580507727170662016-01-24T09:26:00.002-05:002016-01-24T09:26:39.005-05:00Blizzard Jonas 2016Sometimes all we need is a little snow. But there are other times it is just entirely <i>too much</i> snow. It's hard to tell exactly how much fell at our house because of the drifts, definitely 2 feet, if not more. Sadly, my parents were supposed to visit last night through today but there was no way they would have made it. Not sure when they'll make it down next. Andrew and I took the morning to relax, which we both needed (especially him since he shoveled twice during the storm on Friday to get a head start). We decided that we wanted to finish setting up the dining room since we painted it last weekend. The furniture was put back in place and then we hung a clock we've been dying to put up for months and a wine rack. That inspired us to hang a couple other pictures and canvas painting around the house. And it also made me want to reorganize the kitchen. In all fairness, I've been wanting to do this for a while, so the inspiration from the wine rack was the push I needed. I feel like I've been using the kitchen for almost a year and I know what works and what doesn't... does anyone ever feel the need to reorganize often?<br />
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The snow comes at a bad time, though, because I just got new running shoes in the mail. I want to try them out, and I don't own or use treadmills currently. I think today I'll try them during a home workout to get an idea if I like them, but running will be the ultimate test. My right arch still irradiates me on some days and these new shoes seem to have really good arch support alone, and I'm adding in custom insoles so hopefully that doesn't the trick!<br />
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I'm hoping I can get out to go food shopping today. I was hoping to start 3 Day Refresh tomorrow!! I'm thinking that I may have to push it to Tuesday, which happens to be Andrew's birthday. I feel bad I'll be doing it on his birthday, but he doesn't like to make a big deal about that day anyway. We just have plans to go to Fogo de Chao on Friday night, his favorite!<br />
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I have been drinking Shakeology since Thursday. I'll admit... I was a little skeptical since I'm already a healthy eater and use protein shakes almost daily. So far I am in love! The Cafe Latte flavor is amazing! It''s like a tasty cold latte if just shaken with water, and like a frappuccino when blended with ice. Yesterday I mixed with water, almond milk, banana, and peanut butter... OMG heaven!! I can't wait to try a bunch of new recipes with it. AND I have not had coffee since my cup Thursday morning. That is a <b>huge</b> deal for me, the person who needs at least one cup daily. But I've been having a cup of tea instead (mostly for the warmth). I'm not saying I'll forever give up coffee, but it's nice feeling like I don't need it every single day.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-2644487447421697032016-01-14T07:32:00.000-05:002016-01-16T10:39:35.249-05:00New YearOkay, so I don't even know if anyone reads this because I'll admit I'm not the best blogger. But as I've always done, I'm going to write for me.. for my own memories. But if you happen to read this, I would love to know!<br />
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Last update was September 2014 (has it really been that long?!). I attempted using WordPress but I wasn't a fan. Plus all my memories are here.<br />
In August 2014 I moved to Maryland to be with my (then) boyfriend. We got engaged on November 8, 2014. We got married on December 5, 2015. It was honestly the best day of my life. I'll do a post just for a couple pictures later. We went on an amazing honeyumoon - two days in DisneyWorld and then eight days in Jamaica. And better yet we had friends get married the week after us and they and a couple of their friends met us at the same Sandals resort in Jamaica after their wedding. It was so much fun!<br />
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I've been back at crossfit since December 2014.. because of the move I had about a four month leave. It was difficult getting back into it (the soreness was insane), but I found an awesome gym here with amazing people! I've let running slack a little since all the wedding craziness. I did the Hot Chocolate 15K in Philadelphia back in April 2015 and the Annapolis Running Classic 10K in November. They were both fun, and I didn't really train for either so no PRs for this girl.<br />
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One thing (besides getting married) that has changed my life was a challenge we did at the gym. It was called the Fall Transformation Challenge. It wasn't about losing weight. We instead focused on our eating habits and losing body fat. Our coach put together an amazing template to teach us about Macros. I was amazed to learn that what I thought was healthy before was actually hindering any changes from happening. I actually came in third in the challenge!!! I lost 3.7% of my body fat. I did not think that would happen because I honestly didn't think I could lose that much. But I'm definitely going to continue to use this knowledge forever. Now I just want to see if I can mix that and 21 Day Fix together. 21 Day Fix is just so much simpler to follow in a busy day.<br />
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Now I'm toying with the idea of running the Disney Marathon in January 2017. I'm nervous and scared because to me that just seems like a <i>really </i>long time to run. But I'm also not throwing out the idea of just doing the half. I just have to see if it's even possible for me to get off work at that time since it's our busy time of the year (cross your fingers!). Until then I'm considering a local half or 10 miler to see how it feels to be back at running.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-89283059037162577322014-09-16T18:43:00.001-04:002014-09-16T18:43:50.623-04:00Love Run Philadelphia and Nike Women's Half Marathon DC<br />
When I entered the random drawing I never thought in a million years that I would be selected. I think I read that one in every five people was selected. I'm not that lucky. After a long month of waiting, the email came one night after a long, exhausting day of work. I opened my email on my phone and the first thing that popped up was from "Nike Women's Half Ma..." and below said "Your entry to the 2014 Nike Women's..." That was such a tease and I was actually nervous to open it. I opened the email and I had been ACCEPTED! This half fell four weeks after the Love Run so good thing I already had a training plan in place.<br />
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I started crossfit in December and I started training in the new year. I could definitely tell a difference in my running after lifting weights, I felt stronger. We had one of the worst winters in New Jersey. My training was no where near where it should have been, just mostly long (cold) runs on the weekend. My best friend had decided that the Love Run was going to be her first half and I was so excited to have a training partner. We live around the corner from each other so it's really convenient. We did a couple long runs together but some alone. I started having some pain in my right foot while preparing for this run. Some runs I had to call my boyfriend to pick me up four miles away from my house. It would come and go but all in all I felt prepared.</div>
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The Love Run approached and the weather forecast wasn't looking too good. Rain. Of course, something I have never experienced while running distances. I had hopes that it would change, but it didn't. I ran 13.1 miles in the rain. We wore trash bags to the start. For the first couple of miles in was a light rain/mist. So we decided to shed the trash bags around mile 4 - big mistake. Around mile 6 is was real, cold rain. I was soaked to the bone. My fingers seemed useless, it was so difficult to open my GUs. I don't know if it was the company, the weather, or crossfit, but I felt so incredible during this race. I had to slow down in the last couple miles for my friend, but I still finished with a PR!</div>
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Two half marathons four weeks apart was not ideal for me, but alas I was doing it. The pain in my foot continued. I went to my local running store and had them fit me for insoles and pick up new shoes. The insoles helped for a little, but I didn't run more than 6 miles in between the two races. I didn't feel as confident going down to DC.</div>
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We drove to DC Saturday morning. I hadn't felt good since breakfast at Bob Evans. It was an hour and a half drive. We were too early to check in so we valeted the car and took the subway/walked to the packet pick up. I still wasn't feel right and my boyfriend could tell. Once we got to check in we decided to relax a bit before heading out into the city. That's when I new I was in trouble. Here came the stomach bug - a minor one compared to what I had previously that year. We still did a couple tourist-y things before hitting the hay. It was a early wake up, I felt better but not 100%. I decided that I just wanted to finish. I felt fantastic through the first four miles! I even spotted my boyfriend in the sea of people and got a kiss around mile 3. Around mile 6 I saw a pacer that would give me a PR. I stayed with her for a bit, but then lost her. The spectators were fantastic! The second half of the race was a disaster. The pain in my foot came back. I slowed and just wanted it to be over. I finally saw the finish and couldn't have been happier. I got my necklace and found my boyfriend and friends. I wasn't a happy camper.</div>
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Rain for the first race and not feeling well on the second - a great way to start 2014 races. I think this deterred me from running for a while. I'm literally now getting back into running (besides anything at crossfit which was usually a half mile or mile). I love running. I love the feeling I get when I finish a race or even just a short run around the neighborhood. I hope that I can put my races in the past and start anew.</div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-44057872411504499072014-09-15T20:54:00.002-04:002014-09-15T20:54:20.031-04:00M.I.A.So I attempted to start fresh thinking it would help me be a better blogger, I was wrong. So let me update you on everything that's happened.<div>
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First of all let me tell you that I have made a huge change in my life. My boyfriend got a job two hours away in April. We decided that I should start looking for a new job just to see what's out there (and seeing that I've never interviewed before - the more practice, the better). Surprisingly I got offered a job at the end of July to start mid August. I was so excited and scared out of my mind at the same time. I was leaving my home, my family, my house, my friends. But after a month of living here, I couldn't be happier.</div>
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<li>The Gipis App was not for me. I went back to my intervals and training schedule that I created.</li>
<li>My entry to the Nike Women's Half was chosen! I'll post a (super late) recap on that later.</li>
<li>I started crossfit in December. I love it! I unfortunately had to stop in August due to moving and it's just not in the budget to continue at the moment.</li>
<li>I tried paleo back in February while my boyfriend was traveling for two weeks. I've been trying to find a balance since then. But September we have been doing it together.</li>
<li>We joined the Annapolis Striders last week. We signed up for a 10K running class (my boyfriend is NOT a runner but has decided to do this with me). We missed the first week, but will hopefully make it tomorrow!</li>
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Let's hope that I can keep this up for my own motivation sake! Any tips or suggestions, let me know!</div>
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Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-13430103259545897652013-11-11T17:27:00.002-05:002013-11-11T17:27:41.645-05:00New beginningsSo the last night I had a new computer was when I graduated high school in 2006. This computer got me though my undergrad degree plus my extra classes after I graduated. When I started working full time, I had my computer at work so I never saw a reason to get a new one. Because my family owns the company, the computer was practically mine anyway, right? In September my computer crashed and I was afraid I lost all my pictures and word documents. Luckily I have an amazing computer guy in the family and he saved everything. I immediately brought in my personal external hard drive and backed up all my things (why I never did that before, I have no idea!). Now I had purchased an iPad for an ex-boyfriend and he left it when he moved out back in 2011, but I never got on the iPad wagon. I used it to go on Facebook, Pinterest, play candy crush, but other than that it just sat in my drawer. My old college laptop still works, I can burn CDs and update my iPod for running, but it's so long and needs to be plugged in to work at all. Secretly I wanted to buy a new computer, but to spent extra money on something I didn't <i>need</i> didn't make sense. Alas I found online yard sales on Facebook and started selling random things I didn't want or need anymore. My mom decided to buy my iPad off me to entertain my niece when she's babysitting. <b>So here I am posting from my new laptop!</b> It's small with not much memory, but I have a huge external hard drive and it's perfect for me (and my wallet).<br />
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Okay onto running... I was randomly searching fitness apps on my phone and found one called Gipis. Now I have no idea what that stands for, but it takes your last timed run and a goal you have in mind and creates a training plan for you. I'm a big believer in the Galloway method, intervals of running and walking. That' show I survived my two first half marathons, but I figured I'll try something new - why not?<br />
Why am I so excited for this new app? Oh, I registered for the new Philly half marathon, the Love Run, on March 30th! I ran Saturday morning and felt great. After we got home from dinner my boyfriend convinced me to just register. As much as I wished he would run with me, knowing that I'll have a cheerleader waiting for me at finish line is just as exciting. My friend signed up for the half last night, so this will be the first half I have a partner in crime. She's never done a run, besides The Color Run, so she's beyond excited. All day we talked about training and tips and just running in general. I'm trying to talk another friend into coming with us, too, but she's nervous, and with a new, time consuming job she's worried about having the time to train. I understand that all, but I know deep down she wants to do it so I'm hoping to provide that extra push that she needs.<br />
I had my second training run today. This plan has me running time lengths of time for the first month, but all the runs are supposed to be slow. Slow to the point that I actually can't go as slow as they're asking me to go. I'll have no problem going right back to the intervals if I'm not feeling this plan, but I figured why not try something new.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-28639303693537711582013-11-07T13:27:00.003-05:002013-11-07T13:27:48.259-05:00Entered and WaitingEver since I heard about the Nike Womens Half Marathon in DC it's been on my dream list. I happened to think of it and look it up at a good time because the registration had opened! I sucked the high cost up and pulled out my credit card with hopes of being picked. Now the torture awaits... the drawing isn't until December. <br />
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I also discovered a new half marathon in Philly - the Love Run. It's a month before the Nike half, totally doable. It's only $76 and you seem to get a lot for the money. But with having slight car trouble and Christmas and tons of birthdays right around the corner I'm wondering if it's a smart idea to register for that one.<br />
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I'm the type of runner that if I pay for a race, I'll train and try to do my best. I wish I had the motivation to do without paying all this money, but I don't. I want to be able to leave my house on a weekend and just run, but I'm exhumed from working that it won't happen unless it <i>has</i> to. I also wish I had a friend or a couple who were into racing. I've had friends say they'd like to try but they don't' stick with it. I had a friend do a half randomly but said she'll never do one again. Trying to convince my boyfriend that it's fun is like trying to get a cat to like getting a bath.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-56642917892432039782013-09-03T11:28:00.003-04:002013-09-03T11:28:44.264-04:00RacesSo I think I've got the racing bug, again. It could be that fall is coming which means great running weather or could be I just saw a bunch of pictures from the Disney half marathon and Dumbo Challenge! But of course all the races that are around me currently have super high price tags because they're in a couple months. As much as I want to race, I refuse to shell out $100+! I found one that's only $35 (strange because I'm used to seeing Disney prices). Problem is it's in four weeks, I'm not sure I could be ready by then. Then there's the problem I saw you may not be able to wear headphones - I'm not sure I could run 13.1 miles without my music motivation! I sent an e-mail to them to check if that was correct, so we'll see about that one.<br />
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I just miss the way I felt when I was training. I dreaded those long runs, but boy, did I feel good about myself. Part of me then thinks I need to just force myself to do long runs of the weekends, pretend I'm training for something. Then I don't need to spend money. The feeling of completing a race, though, that's what I miss.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-58271611366719660542013-08-20T07:16:00.002-04:002013-08-20T07:16:46.454-04:00BikesI finally sucked it up and bought a bike. I had been talking about it for about 2 years so I figured it was time. What's hard for me is that I don't fit on adult size (26" tires) bikes. My legs are short so youth it is for me. I knew I wanted a mountain bike, but there are so many cute cruisers that it was almost hard to pass them up. I didn't want to spend too much because I hadn't been on a bike in probably 10+ years, so I found one on sale for $85. Ordered it online and it was delivered on Friday. Luckily I have an awesome boyfriend who put it together for me. After he finished he told me to try it out, I just went down the driveway, but boy did it feel weird.<br />
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On Saturday I had planned to clean the house, which turned into a major organization fest. Then I decided to go on a nice bike ride. Took me a couple minutes to find my groove and the entire ride to work on the gears/friction (which I'm still not totally sure if I got right). But it was a nice switch from just running. I went almost seven miles but about half way through, the seat hurt so bad. I ordered a gel cushion the next morning. So we'll see how this new adventure goes.</div>
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On the running side of things - I've been trying to get out there a couple times a week. I did 2 miles straight last Thursday and 2.5 last night. I'm trying to build my endurance back up and then maybe I'll work back in higher distances.</div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-74545516790123978432013-08-06T07:47:00.001-04:002013-08-06T07:47:35.777-04:00Shoes, socks, and charity<a href="http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/NB/wr1400bp_nb_02_i?$dw_detail_main$" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Limited Edition 1400, Blue with Pink" border="0" height="147" src="http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/NB/wr1400bp_nb_02_i?$dw_detail_main$" width="200" /></a>So I absolutely love my running shoes. They've gotten me through two half marathons and many training runs. What is my favorite thing about them... they are so light sometimes I forget when I put them on. All my previous running shoes had been heavy with no support, so these were my savior! So when it came time to order a new shoe, of course I went the same one but a different color (and I even found them on sale - score!!). I fear change for the simple fact that if I get it wrong I'll be upset at myself. I have noticed that after long runs I'll sometimes get blisters on the top of a couple of my toes which I thought was a little strange. I didn't think anything too much about it until I took a (long) hiatus from running. I had been running with socks that were years old.<br />
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<a href="http://img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/14/06/14068730_130225074850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="C9 By Champion® Women's 4-Pack No Show Socks - Assorted Colors " border="0" height="200" src="http://img1.targetimg1.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/14/06/14068730_130225074850.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
So this week I went to target, since that was the type of sock I had before and loved. I know they're not "running socks" but I'm not spending $15 on a pair of socks, it's just not in my budget right now. I was debating between to pairs, one with a heel protector and one low-cut. I'm very, very indecisive, one thing I hate about myself. But I realized I've never had a problem with my heel rubbing so I didn't need that. I went for my first run in the new socks yesterday and what a difference! They had extra cushioning from being new and I felt great. I actually ended up doing a longer run than I had originally anticipated! So maybe I'll be back and enjoying running before we know it!<br />
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<img src="http://fortcollinshumanrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Charity_Miles_Logo.jpg" /><br />
I recently discovered an app, well I heard about it a while ago but never downloaded it. Charity Miles. It is awesome! I don't always carry my phone with me when I run, but when I do it's running in the background. It's so simple and it donates $.25 for every mile you run or $.10 for every mile you bike to the charity of your choice. You simply open the app, swipe through the charities, and go. I usually go for ASPCA, but occasionally I'll pick a different one to change it up. It makes running more appealing knowing that I'm helping out by getting out there.<br />
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Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-61269763506002012142013-08-05T14:17:00.002-04:002013-08-05T14:17:46.778-04:00Back again.So after finishing up my half in April, I totally fell off the bandwagon - with exercising and eating. I know I wanted a break, but not to this point where I'm dying getting back out there. The heat played a role in this decision, too. There was no way I was getting out there in 90+ degrees and I work too early in the morning to try that option. I rejoined my gym hoping to get back into kickboxing. June went well and then I didn't go at all in July (it was a busy month - birthdays, 4th of July, crazy storms). I did play field hockey every Tuesday, so that was something!<br />
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I finally hopped on the scale again and I wasn't too please with the number, but I couldn't be mad either because it was my fault. So here I am trying to get back into the swing of things. The weather is starting to cool down so that'll make runs easier and more frequent. I do so well with my diet during the week, but as soon as the weekend hits it's as if I don't remember to be good - food, desserts, drinks, it all adds up unfortunately.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-89758546196657687182013-05-01T12:18:00.003-04:002013-05-01T12:18:29.458-04:00Let's play catch up. (long post with lots of pictures)I have been completely MIA. And it was through the best part of my journey, training and Disney!! Training proved to be difficult, especially since I was running a couple long runs in snow and freezing weather. I'll admit that I did not stick to the plan I had set out for myself, but it worked in the end. I stuck with the long runs on the weekends (minus the weekend I went snowboarding), but I definitely didn't do enough short runs during the week. But that was because, at the time, I did not have a gym membership so running outside wasn't always the easiest option.<br />
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On to the trip to Disney!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi92kXjoCcWcvvecwJn7wUBLD4T1wdH-neT2ZjsWLezSSDUNGiOQt_rs6v35ctnCzHK4WKNCyYdnBAGogQADyd1scDxeys8knmVxkaLfUk1MtYOUpRvOPekWHqd1hd58EU77RVUlXxDKo/s1600/DSC01504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi92kXjoCcWcvvecwJn7wUBLD4T1wdH-neT2ZjsWLezSSDUNGiOQt_rs6v35ctnCzHK4WKNCyYdnBAGogQADyd1scDxeys8knmVxkaLfUk1MtYOUpRvOPekWHqd1hd58EU77RVUlXxDKo/s200/DSC01504.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5rcFpl-z7B89xgUiCHPUsDzfk2FpGSPfzc4fBeHNQu7ktNXOG2ecYzNn2wkOTeHsY2I0yjAH_36KuPhM2g0Z1DJmAcd1ho6E4Ulkl5Fxsx1q2u3o9ElJuw1t0Q6KnkfAZndyAv1iMbE/s1600/DSC01505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5rcFpl-z7B89xgUiCHPUsDzfk2FpGSPfzc4fBeHNQu7ktNXOG2ecYzNn2wkOTeHsY2I0yjAH_36KuPhM2g0Z1DJmAcd1ho6E4Ulkl5Fxsx1q2u3o9ElJuw1t0Q6KnkfAZndyAv1iMbE/s200/DSC01505.JPG" width="200" /></a><b><u>Thursday</u></b> morning I woke up <i>bright and early</i> since our flight was scheduled for like 7:30 AM. The Atlantic City airport is nice, though, because it's so small - we were probably one of two planes waiting to board in the whole place. I thought I'd get a nap on the flight, but I didn't, I was too excited! We landed around 9:45 AM. We got our bags and headed to the Magical Express! We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, which we had never been to before. The resort was gorgeous! Our room wasn't ready, but they found us a different one. It was on the completely other side of the resort in Magnolia, but we were right next to the East bus depot which was great! We had ordered from Garden Grocers (best idea ever!!) so we had the bell hop bring it to our room. It was great having two cases of water, snacks, and bagels on hand. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NIbZxtwWnZcnq1oEVXTPjuj8WE0zEHajCuP5S-iLRuFWEyyTcJu_RjR7nxGFoVPmOQzeNimql_gJVh9Uwbn_R_NQpA9aIk9YuXbE21e6m-Jq4B4p8bcwb5Lm0ZEaBffU6CCApeEWmvk/s1600/DSC01508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NIbZxtwWnZcnq1oEVXTPjuj8WE0zEHajCuP5S-iLRuFWEyyTcJu_RjR7nxGFoVPmOQzeNimql_gJVh9Uwbn_R_NQpA9aIk9YuXbE21e6m-Jq4B4p8bcwb5Lm0ZEaBffU6CCApeEWmvk/s200/DSC01508.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Once we had our groceries and we were settled in the room, we headed out to Animal Kingdom. My mom had never been here before because the last time she was in Disney was probably 1996 (ouch)! Now let me start by saying my mom is NOT a ride person, especially roller coasters. We headed to Dinoland USA and grabbed lunch. We decided that there were going to be NO diets in Disney. We got bacon cheeseburgers and loaded up on the toppings - lettuce, tomato, friend onions, mushrooms, and pickles for me. We hit up the Dinosaur ride, she loved it! Then we did A Bugs' Life and after headed to the Safari. It was amazing and totally worth the wait we had. I made her do Everest, she didn't appreciate that ride, but I was proud of her for doing it! She wanted to do Dinosaur again so we did. We headed back to the hotel to try the cafeteria. So many options and such good food!! I don't even remember what we got, I just remember it being delicious!</div>
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<b><u>Friday</u> </b>we woke up and planned to go to the Expo. We got there right before it opened, but the line wasn't bad. We moved quickly inside and went to get our bibs. This was a piece of cake - got my half bib and both my mom's and mine for the 5K in about 5-10 minutes. The rest of the expo did not go so smoothly. I headed for the Official Merchandise area. My questions is why they made it so small! I went in by myself but couldn't handle it so I ventured out to find my mom and we went back in together. This was the best strategy because she could stand in line and I could go look at something. Once we had a plan of attack, it wasn't too bad. I got a black zip-up, an "I Did It" shirt, and a mug. After we made it out of there we went to go pick up our shirts. This was the real mess and made me angry. They apparently had a separate line for each size, which is great, if it were organized the right way. At one point we had no idea if we were still in the right line because we hadn't moved in what seemed like forever. My mom went and got our 5K shirts in a matter of a couple minutes while I continued to stand in line. As we got closer we saw that there was another line for the medium shirts coming from another direction. The staff should have properly marked lines and kept up with it. I also felt bad for the vendors that were completely surrounded by the lines, it didn't look like they were getting much business and that wasn't fair to them. Once we finally got everything, she decided that she wanted to make a sign for me, so we did then and then headed out. Our plan was to drop off our stuff at the hotel and go to Hollywood Studios.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9bEYkgq1ZWPoHVWZ9fNFC2k4A1GL3VRkuA5hNvrkRgySvJ1dBSMrHaJwozCGyNyC5xKxGfm7tgra6YRN1rwXT21yzKIBKh0G_G0G6CmtpVPgFNLUUDZVJSnUri4I5VkuDkbPv1RytFc/s1600/DSC01551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9bEYkgq1ZWPoHVWZ9fNFC2k4A1GL3VRkuA5hNvrkRgySvJ1dBSMrHaJwozCGyNyC5xKxGfm7tgra6YRN1rwXT21yzKIBKh0G_G0G6CmtpVPgFNLUUDZVJSnUri4I5VkuDkbPv1RytFc/s200/DSC01551.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLCoSO4HjqRfI4Vje2ZdilQP1WPzm-H5SVDtpxzn5vUyvWP3X8iTNSnzWRONN-UFlGkxhLVkWKL9aW6vT3I1Aejxk9RY-wpaWdAcBWTvoq626J6VGk2wi8saNmK6GYjZyHJRsuGM9LUo/s1600/DSC01554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLCoSO4HjqRfI4Vje2ZdilQP1WPzm-H5SVDtpxzn5vUyvWP3X8iTNSnzWRONN-UFlGkxhLVkWKL9aW6vT3I1Aejxk9RY-wpaWdAcBWTvoq626J6VGk2wi8saNmK6GYjZyHJRsuGM9LUo/s200/DSC01554.JPG" width="200" /></a>We started with the great movie ride. I had to get a picture with the horse from Mary Poppins, of course, since that's my dad's nickname for me. We did the Little Mermaid show. And then I convinced my mom to head to Tower of Terror. She wasn't too excited, but she knew this was coming because I <b>love</b> rides. This was probably the longest times we waited for a ride, but it's one of my favorites! Once we got off this ride, we headed to Rockin' Roller Coaster. We waited a while again because there was something wrong. We ended up towards the back, which is definitely better for my mom. After we got off she told me that she clenched her teeth the entire ride and was holding on for dear life! Now in my defense I did not remember this ride having loops, so I told my mom it wasn't too bad. But I felt so bad! The Toy Story ride had an outrageous wait so we decided to skip it, even though we both were looking forward to it. We shopped around a bit and then headed back to the hotel. We had dinner back at the hotel and laid down for a bit. Then we went to Magic Kingdom to souvenir shop. When we got there one of their light shows was starting so the street were packed! We both bought some things and headed back home. We knew we had to be up early the next morning so it had to be an early night! It was hard setting the alarm clock for 3:00AM, but I was ready to have a blast!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QakgJZHMBepe_bYha13L5j0PfjIfFH8nqQR4c7F1aRq_JAt60u6UEw0Zrd3jeEm7JwGOF6TDRq1L5O0Sjh7CesRiDxC9NuRrdXLVmYjfkktw-XQTcfHbJsC3Kak2J_6yxdBPhJ8XI3o/s1600/DSC01612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QakgJZHMBepe_bYha13L5j0PfjIfFH8nqQR4c7F1aRq_JAt60u6UEw0Zrd3jeEm7JwGOF6TDRq1L5O0Sjh7CesRiDxC9NuRrdXLVmYjfkktw-XQTcfHbJsC3Kak2J_6yxdBPhJ8XI3o/s200/DSC01612.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdunDhG9vJjGILAfzaPEhDaBPABBVh9l8Y4-DnYEl6avRZA-s13bTOXjZUsYNI5p4g8IidhoQH2CehmHiF92fdzahwPAQRBwkdx8rWTIjVr11Ilv32FtXlgZjeUsxHPbVQl9-43a7OTVQ/s1600/DSC01572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdunDhG9vJjGILAfzaPEhDaBPABBVh9l8Y4-DnYEl6avRZA-s13bTOXjZUsYNI5p4g8IidhoQH2CehmHiF92fdzahwPAQRBwkdx8rWTIjVr11Ilv32FtXlgZjeUsxHPbVQl9-43a7OTVQ/s200/DSC01572.JPG" width="200" /></a><u style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday</u>'s early start went better than expected. The excitement kicked in and I forgot the insane hour that I was awake. I made us matching tutus and shirts. My friend actually did the Minnie head on the front and I did the back. A couple years ago I got her a necklace with two hearts saying "Mother Daughter Friends Forever" and I knew that would be a great idea for the shirts! And I put the date of the race on the sleeve. She got more into the idea of dressing up than I thought she would. We did get a lot of compliments on the shirts so that made me happy! The bus was pretty much full by the time we got on and everyone was so chipper in the dark hours of the morning. We headed to our corral when we got off the bus. I had B and she had C, so I moved back to be with her. We waited for a while, but getting to see all the awesome costumes and our excitement made time fly by! When the first corral got to go to the start line everyone in the corrals were so pumped up! The fireworks went off and off they went. We did that again for Corral B and then it was finally our turn to make our way to the start line! Our countdown began and our fireworks went off and it was time to go. It was so crowded that even if we wanted to run, it would have been very difficult. My mom has bad knees we our plan was to walk the 5K anyway. We made our way through Epcot's parking lots and through the back areas. All the workers that we passed were so nice and cheerful, they definitely made the run even more magical! We finally made our way into the back of Epcot. We decided to pass up the first character stop - Belle. I convinced my mom to stop for Aladdin and Jasmine because we were there for fun and I heard that they really don't sweep for the 5K. After the picture stop my mom got this burst of energy and she wanted to run a little! We did a really short distance but I was so proud of her! We did that a couple times and before we knew it were at mile marker three. We decided that we were going to run across the finish line, together. I could not have been more happy to have her by my side at that moment. She's my rock and I'm so blessed that she took this journey with me!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdQ_IDjnWSINevlyf4N5wrzrQaNfdGpUfQtUge8ZflKl3DAgpY3B4K2d6Tyg2xOLTtNMqOqtVNf-XHqcldusqtfWM5fLDs30p4tFBEp4me5IiSRRPTnbP4dtvsa0JaeEN7ootm5xvTjA/s1600/DSC01610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdQ_IDjnWSINevlyf4N5wrzrQaNfdGpUfQtUge8ZflKl3DAgpY3B4K2d6Tyg2xOLTtNMqOqtVNf-XHqcldusqtfWM5fLDs30p4tFBEp4me5IiSRRPTnbP4dtvsa0JaeEN7ootm5xvTjA/s200/DSC01610.JPG" width="200" /></a>We got our medals and walked to the finisher area, getting our water or Gatorade on the way. We got our picture with our medals and then our goody box of snacks and a banana. I was pleased with the snacks they gave, except the seed mixture, which luckily my mom liked. We saw that Mickey and Minnie were there to take pictures with. We figured since our bus wasn't there we'd get in the line for Minnie. It wasn't as long as a wait as I had anticipated. We got back on the bus to our hotel and we had planned a pool day since I had the half marathon the next day. We grabbed lunch and then changed into our bathing suits. It was pretty nice out, but I had a fear of getting burnt (that would not have been comfortable to run with!) so I only stayed out there for about an hour. We showered and got ready and headed to Downtown Disney, which I don't think my mom had ever been to. We walked around the shops and grabbed some dinner. I can't believe they have an entire store dedicated to Disney Christmas stuff - oh if I were rich... We stopped to get Ghirardelli's ice cream before we decided to head back so I could get to sleep early. I made sure everything was ready to go for the next morning while my mom planned her route to follow me! Finally, although it felt weird being so early, I drifted to sleep.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaNTaJlrbWAN4T8_Ftu5nfoCE5pSMVJnWmLKblrLbBdT2LLHIYpRUIZuiyOAVlhhQGi39KSYPVCQ0wkTZaqyzvGvU7eLSq9GjH5x5GGFJ_cQ2IkluF2GVqIsLu0TAcY_C3R3grfXDlTY/s1600/DSC01625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaNTaJlrbWAN4T8_Ftu5nfoCE5pSMVJnWmLKblrLbBdT2LLHIYpRUIZuiyOAVlhhQGi39KSYPVCQ0wkTZaqyzvGvU7eLSq9GjH5x5GGFJ_cQ2IkluF2GVqIsLu0TAcY_C3R3grfXDlTY/s200/DSC01625.JPG" width="200" /></a>I never thought I'd have to set an alarm for 2:00AM, but alas that is what came about <u style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</u> morning. I was actually texting friends that were still up from their night out and here I was starting my dad. I kind of felt like I was in a daze for a little bit. I rolled out of bed, started the coffee and got my bagel and banana. As I ate I got my outfit ready. When I first made my tutu, I wasn't pleased with it, but I added some pink ribbon and found a darker purple tulle to add to it, and now I was so excited to wear it! I was slightly afraid that I would be annoying and I'd have to lose it sometime during the race. I made sure to add my pink and purple flowers in my hair (so Rapunzel) and my tiara headband. We were soon out there door, and I was getting more and more nervous. I think my mom was just as nervous as me. She's not great with directions and now here she was, trying to follow me along the course by herself. I told her to follow everyone else, they were probably trying to do the same thing she was and she'd be fine. I didn't need to check a bag since I had my SPI belt and my mom had a bag that I could throw things in. She and I hung out in Epcot's parking lot for somewhere between a half hour and hour. Around 4:30 I hugged my mom and I made my way to the corrals - I was in E! The walk was nice, I got to clear my head and prepare for this new journey. I got into the corral and started stretching, I sat down and relaxed since it was still pretty empty at this point. As it got closer to the start of the race, the runners started pouring in. The official race start was finally here and we were all so excited. The fairy godmother sent off the first corral and fireworks went off. It was another half hour before my corral was up in the front, ready to go! I kept telling myself to stick with my intervals (2:1) and have fun!! The same routine went off for our start and I was so nervous and excited. I ran through my first walk break because I was overcome with adrenaline. I did a bunch of weaving, and little did I know about the bottle necks to come about later in the race! The first photo op was pirates - and they're not my thing so I skipped it. I saw the princes, maybe around mile 2.5-ish and that was the one photo I told myself that I <b>needed</b>. The line was long, but I didn't care. As I was standing in line, the winner passed us! It seemed so insane that she was almost done and my race had only just begun. Of course the one picture I wanted badly came out blurry, but I still have it. I also decided that I would stop my Garmin for my picture stops and what not. But what I didn't anticipate was it going into power save mode because I can usually hear the beeping, but I couldn't over all the excitement. So I had to start the run over, and I wouldn't have an accurate time for myself. I was disappointed, but you live and learn. I made a stop at the port o potties - of course I pick the slowest line. And managing a tutu was not easy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlbw3TRECRqeiwwTgUYnekeg0NuwaQUB0aILhTNzPcRf1LrVZMbNfWtOEuM8NLWJMDtKiLP5Jn0ck3PzsUZbA87gI697hXngvrsRwUaPEe9sNIdJpqpj15ztEmO4Bs_az6_a-GHrB6xs/s1600/DSC01681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJXxfBlj1r0EECWRyc12ALmUxk_eht3NHqdkS2Qx9fnCpAHG9KAeAMyhLx0mf5660_BeqqgwpOvX_vI7nZk0uvZ10QGro_rwfByAJNY0cs-VenqFl358pyzpaedTWJzJwrPvWMThLk3A/s1600/DSC01663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJXxfBlj1r0EECWRyc12ALmUxk_eht3NHqdkS2Qx9fnCpAHG9KAeAMyhLx0mf5660_BeqqgwpOvX_vI7nZk0uvZ10QGro_rwfByAJNY0cs-VenqFl358pyzpaedTWJzJwrPvWMThLk3A/s200/DSC01663.JPG" width="150" /></a>I ran towards Magic Kingdom and this was the first time that I could have seen my mom, but no luck! I saw the balloon people (I think) around mile four or five, but I zipped right past them and never saw them again. The moment I saw Main Street and turned the corner towards the castle, I was so incredibly happy. I didn't see my mom this time either, but it was still overwhelming with the huge crowd. I found a photographer to snap my picture and was off again. I was looking forward to running through the castle, but by the time I got there it was pretty much at a stand still. The princesses had to walk (which means I didn't have a castle picture), and most importantly I missed the experience of actually running through the castle. After running through some more of Magic Kingdom we were on the back roads. I was surprised at how well I felt, the crowd and adrenaline definitely help push you during a half! I saw the best shirts - Rapunzel and Rapunzel's Dad, it was so sweet! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlbw3TRECRqeiwwTgUYnekeg0NuwaQUB0aILhTNzPcRf1LrVZMbNfWtOEuM8NLWJMDtKiLP5Jn0ck3PzsUZbA87gI697hXngvrsRwUaPEe9sNIdJpqpj15ztEmO4Bs_az6_a-GHrB6xs/s1600/DSC01681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlbw3TRECRqeiwwTgUYnekeg0NuwaQUB0aILhTNzPcRf1LrVZMbNfWtOEuM8NLWJMDtKiLP5Jn0ck3PzsUZbA87gI697hXngvrsRwUaPEe9sNIdJpqpj15ztEmO4Bs_az6_a-GHrB6xs/s200/DSC01681.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsV3b_AN3wDX7GQvshhkKvL6rfAkwjzzfwA3wHb2gMUDfCHXzKeJMxiIOKK3IO-xDbcfJORheCVsJUIiEYknUp5cEUWIWLHeDeOJ1H00Qbk_uN1a93lobPDgnhPXccQeBh7Z3PCrTo1M/s1600/DSC01695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsV3b_AN3wDX7GQvshhkKvL6rfAkwjzzfwA3wHb2gMUDfCHXzKeJMxiIOKK3IO-xDbcfJORheCVsJUIiEYknUp5cEUWIWLHeDeOJ1H00Qbk_uN1a93lobPDgnhPXccQeBh7Z3PCrTo1M/s320/DSC01695.JPG" width="240" /></a>I saw a picture opportunity that I wasn't expecting - Mary Poppins!! That is my dad's nickname for me, so of course I had to stop. A couple stopped in line behind me dressed as Mary and Bert, adorable! The long stretch of back road was boring, but looking at all the costumes and scenery held me over. Once I hit the exit ramp - around mile 10, I think? I knew it was almost over and that I almost completely my journey! I was dreading this "hill" but it wasn't bad at all!! With my walk/run intervals it was easy-peasy. I started to hit a wall right before I got into Epcot, but I told myself that I just had to push through it. I ran towards the big ball and was surprised when I saw a really short line for the Fairy Godmother! I must say, I look pretty decent for running almost 13 miles in this picture! As I made my way around the little time we had in Epcot, they moved some cones to change the course slightly since people were starting to arrive. But alas I saw the finish line. I throw my hands up in triumph because I just did something I never thought I'd be able to do - run a half marathon! I went through the finisher's chute and got my medal and Gatorade and snack pack. I made my way to the family tent to wait for my mom. She greeted me with the biggest hug ever and said she was so proud of me! :) I was on cloud nine. We made our way to our bus and all I think think about was getting a nice cold shower. Running in heat and humidity was definitely different than the cold, 15 degree weather I trained in! I opted for skipping a nap and we headed straight back to Epcot. I knew I wouldn't last long. So we first got a fast pass for Soar - my mom had been looking forward to this, and got lunch. We made our way back across the park and did Test Track and Mission Space. We had some time to kill before our fast pass so I got some coffee and we just sat and talked. I was fading faster than I thought I would, but waking up at 2:00AM will do that to you! Finally it was our time for Soar. As soon as the ride was over we headed back to the buses and I crashed. Woke up for dinner and then went right back to sleep! The big day was finally over, and I couldn't have been happier!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK43u3ztlRRiqrQNRMfuiAKSiqKuO8xvSuCCaE_E46hzG-XuDuRmvl7TDiOMvMFV8RaV0MqO-rzniyUU4zNr4fV8ywlaL0dxlqi4xO9v1rYtXBVukq-OW6b57ivKaG_qv1kDNw_w6DRo/s1600/DSC01713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK43u3ztlRRiqrQNRMfuiAKSiqKuO8xvSuCCaE_E46hzG-XuDuRmvl7TDiOMvMFV8RaV0MqO-rzniyUU4zNr4fV8ywlaL0dxlqi4xO9v1rYtXBVukq-OW6b57ivKaG_qv1kDNw_w6DRo/s200/DSC01713.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Qdt3qUrQXbk_IkYAABhhRWt38azP6amXJJXw2z78MmjlmC_hgtkUDuY5egsOksALKWtI8hWEwpcl6HVFEUpbikoWGyfKfSCwyMmeGnQo268dM2i6-CMjDbVdXcOkG4H6y2S0fO4CzCc/s1600/DSC01802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Qdt3qUrQXbk_IkYAABhhRWt38azP6amXJJXw2z78MmjlmC_hgtkUDuY5egsOksALKWtI8hWEwpcl6HVFEUpbikoWGyfKfSCwyMmeGnQo268dM2i6-CMjDbVdXcOkG4H6y2S0fO4CzCc/s200/DSC01802.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEK43u3ztlRRiqrQNRMfuiAKSiqKuO8xvSuCCaE_E46hzG-XuDuRmvl7TDiOMvMFV8RaV0MqO-rzniyUU4zNr4fV8ywlaL0dxlqi4xO9v1rYtXBVukq-OW6b57ivKaG_qv1kDNw_w6DRo/s1600/DSC01713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_9V4nS5PKzl5ZnO5F_LJucGQayBNtibkcqlg0DWDY751f_QcQV6dzb0_8f0yBfERHoHbXXvS2-Z2NmKUQr3NVduIcD1R3J3c4Dzie1xMnuJ2cQIqi5US_JUeAkrKGN6bMqZJsvfAjw4/s1600/DSC01801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_9V4nS5PKzl5ZnO5F_LJucGQayBNtibkcqlg0DWDY751f_QcQV6dzb0_8f0yBfERHoHbXXvS2-Z2NmKUQr3NVduIcD1R3J3c4Dzie1xMnuJ2cQIqi5US_JUeAkrKGN6bMqZJsvfAjw4/s200/DSC01801.JPG" width="150" /></a>Good thing about going to bed so early, is being up early. We planned to get one "Disney" breakfast and today was the day. We got up and ready for our last day in Disney. :( Our hotel had amazing food for lunch and dinner so of course the breakfast was just as delicious. I had to get a Mickey Waffle! We saved the best park for last - Magic Kingdom! We got there before it opened so we saw the show with the characters on the train. That was a nice surprise. We headed straight for Space Mountain because we wanted to get there before the crowd. We did that, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin (I won), and Stitch's Great Escape in <b>Tomorrowland </b>- all really quickly. Then we headed to <b>Fantasyland </b>and to the <i>one ride</i> that my mom had been waiting for the entire trip - the tea cups! But of course they broke down right as we got in line! So we opted for the Brainstormer and on the way back the teacups were fixed! She had the biggest smile while we were spinning around like crazy, which made me equally happy! We ventured off into the <i>new</i> <b>Fantasyland</b>. We saw the awesome new castles, but everything had a super long wait so we decided to come back later. We got a fast pass and made our way to <b>Liberty Square</b> to go to the Haunted Mansion. Then we walked to <b>Frontierland</b>. Splash Mountain was closed, but that was okay because I don't think my mom really wanted to go on a ride to get wet, and I can live without that feeling, too. So we did Big Thunder Mountain Railroad instead! Then we made our way to <b>Adventureland</b>! Pirates of the Carribbean was up first. Only bad thing about this ride, was the wait - we had the couple in front of us that couldn't keep their hands off of each other, it was gross. After that we headed to the Jungle Cruise, which is always a good time. And as silly as it was, we did the Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride. We had good timing because it was almost time for our fast pass! We did Mickey's Philharmagic and Peter Pan's Flight. And we were going to be done but we decided to give in and wait for It's a Small World. We conquered a lot and we headed back to the hotel. Got our last dinner and indulged in dessert. We packed everything up. Tuesday our flight left at 10:45, which means we caught the Magical Express around 7/7:30. We got back home around 12:55 and the magical vacation was officially over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCPau7KmDVHoKkdL7ep_W2ZMleyKWjQj1i9x8NNMkTDV0EH4Htr5Hp2TJ7qCwp3lhBGuOLf8TzwZHPdimI9oVOf6PKXzGEIULDZ99Px1B_EX3R8KleXUyfDZeGOk6LNZHYn2YbeaBQ7k/s1600/princess+half+running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCPau7KmDVHoKkdL7ep_W2ZMleyKWjQj1i9x8NNMkTDV0EH4Htr5Hp2TJ7qCwp3lhBGuOLf8TzwZHPdimI9oVOf6PKXzGEIULDZ99Px1B_EX3R8KleXUyfDZeGOk6LNZHYn2YbeaBQ7k/s320/princess+half+running.jpg" width="212" /></a>Marathon Foto didn't do the best job capturing me running, but I did get a couple good ones.<br />
Overall - the journey was fun and magical and I would do it all over again in a heart beat.<br />
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Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-85651918581479675852012-11-06T10:16:00.000-05:002012-11-06T10:16:02.468-05:00Back in ActionSo I have been the worst blogger ever, it's been over a month since my last post. Part of the reason is because I have really been slacking with my running. I did my first official race on October 20, 2012. I had originally signed up for the 10K, but I didn't feel prepared. So when I went to pick up my bib, I switched to the 5K. My friend was doing the 5K, too, so I figured she wouldn't be waiting around forever for me to finish my race. I hadn't run in a week or two before the race so I wasn't expecting a great time. My time was okay, just over 34 minutes. It was definitely fun running on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. And I got my first medal for running, which was a great experience!<br />
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In training news: my friend decided to make up a challenge of running 3 miles a day in November. Knowing that I have do start actually doing my long runs, we decided that I could just do a total of 90 miles in November. I did three miles on the first. Yesterday I did 5.25 miles! It was cold and I <b>didn't walk </b>at all!! I was so proud of myself. I kept up an awesome pace (for me), of about 10:30. I definitely could have gone longer, too, but it was getting dark and super chilly. I definitely need to start wearing my gloves (which I just found last night while I was organizing my closet) because I could barely move my thumbs when I was finished.<br />
I think I've given up on the gym and kickboxing. I haven't been there since the beginning of August. It's just too late at night (7:30-8:30) for me to want to get back up once I relax after work. I'd probably like to have the treadmill available once we get some snow, but I'll just have to figure something out. I'm obviously still going to need to train. I will still have my membership until December, though, so we'll see what happens.<br />
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In personal news: I met a great guy. :) He came with me to my cousin's wedding on October 27th. He fit in pretty well with my family. And he <u>loves</u> Disney, how awesome is that! He actually did a college internship program there a couple years ago. So I think I've convinced him to run a Disney half with me at some point. He would have done the Princess with me if it was a mother/daughter trip. So right now we're shooting for Disneyland half in September. That way I could get my Coast to Coast, as well!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-36143180965128790962012-09-27T12:56:00.002-04:002012-09-27T12:56:28.912-04:00Slight Freak OutAlthough I thought I had mentally prepared myself that I'm going to run 13.1 miles in February, seeing posts about Galloway Training Programs starting next week freaked me out, <strike>just a little</strike>. That means in 22 short weeks I will be flying down Florida with my mom. I'm debating which program I want to "follow"... the beginning 22 week program or the 19 week experienced runner: To Finish in the Upright Position program. I put follow in quotations because I generally adapt the programs to fit me and mix it slightly with a Hal Hidgon program I found. I wouldn't call myself an experienced runner, but I can do the first few weeks of the beginners program without a problem. I'll probably just go with the flow and see how I feel next week. Sometimes field hockey makes it harder to run, depends how sore I feel Tuesdays after playing 2-3 games between Sunday mornings and Monday nights. <br />
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On a different note I started to make the tutus for that weekend! I made mine for the 5K. Next is my Halloween costume/half marathon outfit. And then onto my mom's for the 5K. I also have to find someone to make shirts for my mom and I.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-15293093139675878732012-09-14T12:11:00.002-04:002012-09-14T12:11:48.914-04:00Did that just happen?So after looking on my MapMyRun app I realized that I hadn't run since August 24th!! Two and a half weeks off made my Tuesday run a real struggle. I was shooting for 3-4 miles, the first mile and a half, maybe a little more, went great. After that I just fell apart and I gave up at 2.85 miles. I know I should have pushed through, but that time off really hit me. My thighs were <i>killing </i>me on Wednesday so I took the day off. I was debating a run yesterday since it was warmer than it has been, but a friend told me I should just go, so I did. I am so happy that I went! It was hot, but I ran <b>6.2 miles!!!</b> I was aiming for 4, then 5, then a 10K to prepare for next month. The last half mile was really difficult, but I pushed through. My time wasn't amazing, about an hour and nine minutes, so about an 11 minute pace. It was actually just a thirty second increase in pace from my longest run (7.1 miles), so I guess it isn't too bad. All I'm thinking is that this is really possible now - the 10K and half marathon!! I'm one happy girl today.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-44756248131901209322012-09-11T11:56:00.000-04:002012-09-11T11:58:10.929-04:00Major Slacker HereWith the end of summer camp and the start of the new school year. I feel like I've been so busy. This extends to my blogging and my training. I have not been to the gym in a month! It started out with doctor appointments, a class to take for work, and other odds and ends. Then I just got extremely lazy and once you get out of the swing of things it is so hard to start back up again. I thought a friend was on board to go last night with me, but I didn't hear from her until it was about time to leave for kickboxing, and at that point I was over it. I've been running once or twice a week, most of the time. I did sign up for the 10K in October! I realized I really need to get back on track since that's in a little over a month. I think I'll be okay for that, though.<br />
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We made it to the first round of playoffs in field hockey. We had to play the first place team, so I knew it was a long shot, but we did surprisingly well and were winning the entire first half. It was a good season. I'm signed up for 2 leagues for the fall - indoor on Sundays and outdoor Monday nights. That should be interesting. It starts this Sunday, with a double header!<br />
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I am so excited that it is almost fall! This is my favorite time of the year. Not only is the weather <b>awesome</b> but everything is pumpkin - coffee, cookies, pie, I love it all! I also can't wait for Halloween, I have to start making my costumes for work. I have never been pumpkin picking or carved a pumpkin, so my goal this year is to definitely do that!<br />
Along with fall comes football season is here and I couldn't be happier! I spent Sunday on the couch watching all day. I also made dinner (this does not happen often) for a friend's birthday - Hawaiian BBQ Chicken in a crock pot with rice and broccoli and funfetti cupcakes decorate as footballs for dessert! :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-30970656765673641422012-08-15T07:53:00.001-04:002012-08-15T07:53:47.109-04:0010K?Ran Monday night... just shy of 2.5 miles <i>without</i> walking! I was shooting for three miles, but knowing that I hadn't run in over a week I kind of knew that wasn't going to happen. I was still surprised by the not walking thing. I skipped kickboxing for this, but I'm okay with that. Now I just need to keep this up!<br />
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Yesterday we had our last field hockey game of the regular season. We lost 0-1. I blame the grass, it wasn't cut and so thick. You could barely see the bright orange ball in it! I still think we have a good shot of making playoffs next week. Top 8 teams make it and right now we're in 8th and just a couple of teams play tonight.<br />
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I think I'm going to sign up for the Atlantic City 10K today. My friend just signed up for the 5K last night, so we can drive down together and she'll just have to wait for me to finished. But I think that would help my nerves just I bit.<br />
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The green smoothies taste better than I thought they would. I'm not sure if they're helping any, but I'm going to give them a month to see if they work.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-48146985971601964202012-08-09T11:31:00.000-04:002012-08-09T11:31:18.437-04:00Disney Here I Come!Plane tickets are purchased. The hotel is booked. I'm all ready to head to Disney in February!! I'm so excited, but really nervous for the half. I definitely need this vacation, though (it's only been about 5 years since I've been on a vacation)!<br />
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Last Friday night I went to my parents neighborhood and ran 3.1 miles and then went for a 15 minute swim. I did my first mile faster than I intended, and that's something I really need to work on. It was a 9:16, which is awesome for me, but at the same time I need to think about longer runs and I can't start that fast when I'm increasing my mileage.<br />
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Field hockey on Tuesday was good, scored my second goal in outdoor!! As long as we have the subs, I really don't mind being a back/middie now. I get an awesome workout doing that! I'm thinking I may count my games as my runs. I only have like one left unless we make playoffs. Then indoor will start in September, and I've heard talks of another outdoor league in the fall. If that happens then I'll have two games a week which means two awesome workouts!<br />
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I really need to get back on track with my running, though. I'm just really struggling with the idea of getting up before work to run, but it's finally starting to cool down so I think I'll be okay. I'm thinking of skipping the gym tonight for a run and swim.<br />
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I also think I'm trying those green smoothies. My friend started because her neighbor did really well with them. She told our other friend about it and now she wants to try them. So I think we're going grocery shopping today after work. I've been at such a plateau lately that I just need something to work.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-16258612572582808012012-08-03T08:49:00.001-04:002012-08-03T08:49:24.665-04:00Small VictoriesLost a half a pound this week. And that was after eating a <b>huge</b> bowl of fro-yo last night. A friend and I went to the <i>doctors </i>and we rewarded ourselves with frozen yogurt. But I feel great after seeing that slight change.<br />
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I am loving the Olympics! Team USA is doing such an amazing job and they are such an inspiration! I saw a tweet last night... <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“</span><a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" data-screen-name="MensHumor" href="https://twitter.com/MensHumor" style="background-color: white; color: #cc3366; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #e084a3; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: inherit; font-weight: normal;">MensHumor</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">: We live in a country where we care about being "16 and Pregnant" more than "16 and an Olympian" </span>and it's crazy how it's true. Hopefully teenagers and young adults will start to look up to these Olympians. I wish I was good enough at a sport to be a part of the Olympics. Think if I start training now I'll be good in 4 or 8 years? :)<br />
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I'm researching new shoes and I feel like there are just so many brands and kinds that I just get confused. <b>What are your favorite shoes for running and working out?</b>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-32196923512760938102012-08-01T08:08:00.001-04:002012-08-01T08:08:07.513-04:00Field Hockey<a href="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/536635_10150819517476078_1429125896_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/536635_10150819517476078_1429125896_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>The last two field hockey games have been amazing for me! I'm not one to brag, but I definitely think that I've gotten better. Everyone on the team says I do a good job, I love getting the compliments, but I'm just so hard on myself I wonder if they're just saying it to say it or if it's actually true. I've left the comfort of defending my circle and goal and have been pushing up to a defense/mid position. It's strange because I kind of don't know how to act once I cross the 50, but I like it. I almost scored last week, but was just outside the circle (darn it), but in my defense the lines were poorly painted on the field. And this week, I redeemed myself!! Scored on a corner in the first half! :) I'm so proud of myself. I still think I prefer to defend over playing offense, but just because that's what I'm comfortable with. It sucks because I only have two more games of outdoor and then it's back to indoor in September. And while I love indoor, I think I'm better outdoor because I love to drive the ball and I <i>know</i> I'm good at that, but you can't do that indoors. As long as I get to play, though, I'm a happy girl.<br />
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<img height="213" src="http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/526710_10150819517801078_513162768_n.jpg" width="320" />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7822012627652074722.post-67714996439628747992012-07-27T11:32:00.003-04:002012-07-27T11:32:43.442-04:00Compliments are the bestField hockey was great this week! It was a 7:30 game, so it was just a little cooler but it seemed to help a great deal. We only had one sub because a few girls were on vacation and one was a the doctors, but in the end it was fine. I pushed up more (more running!!) and I almost scored once! And we won! The best part was the compliments, one of the other defense players said that she thinks mid fielder is my calling. I don't believe that, but it was really nice to hear that I did well!<br />
I had to skip kickboxing Wednesday because I was cooking for my work pot luck. Made Sweet Potato Chili, and it was delicious!!<br />
Back to the gym last night. This class was intense, because we only had seven people. I haven't sweat like that at kickboxing in a while.<br />
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I'm planning my outfits, and my moms, already for the Disney races!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07663660175829840268noreply@blogger.com0