Major Slacker Here

With 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.

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!

I am so excited that it is almost fall!  This is my favorite time of the year.  Not only is the weather awesome 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!
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! :)

10K?

Ran Monday night... just shy of 2.5 miles without 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!

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.

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.

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.

Disney 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)!

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.

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!

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.

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.

Field Hockey

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 know 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.

Slacker

This week I have been severely slacking on my training.  Monday I went to Kickboxing.  Tuesday I set my alarm for my morning run, but slept right through it.  I couldn't fall asleep until almost midnight, so that's why. I had a field hockey game Tuesday night, though, and I did a lot more running/sprints than I usually do.  Yesterday I missed kickboxing, and felt horrible about it.  I had dinner with my parents, we had business to discuss.  My car decided not to work when I went to leave work yesterday, so I had to get a ride home (I only live a minute or two away) and my mom had to pick me up for work this morning.  Again I decided to sleep through my running alarm this morning.  I'm feeling so tired this week.  I don't know if it's the crazy heat wave we're having, but I'm not falling asleep as easily.  My uncle came to the rescue and fixed my car today, so I'm definitely going to the gym tonight.  Maybe I'll force myself to hit the cardio room before class... we'll see.

Today's the Day!!

Well it is registration day for the Princess half, a day I know a lot of us have been waiting for!

I am so thankful to have a wonderful, amazing, and awesome mother who has graciously decided to pay for my registration for both the half and the 5K!  My grandma was in town for a week and she's been in and out (mostly out) of work and knows that it was hard on me.  Once worked calmed down from all the usual morning craziness, she told me that she had talked to my dad and they decided that she was going to do this for me.  I love her with all my heart and I'm so happy that she's going to Florida with me and participating in the 5K!

I've been debating with the idea of doing a race beforehand.  Not only is there the possibility I could be bumped up to a different corral because of the time, I also think it'll help the nerves subside a bit.  As much as I would love to do the Hershey half in October, it's not practical because of the travel distance.  So right now I'm really considering the Atlantic City marathon race series in October.  It still gives me plenty of time to train.  Now the question is whether to just go for the 10K or try the half!

This is also the first week of my training!  I'm going to try and follow it the best I can!  I love Jeff Galloway, but I'm going with Hal Higdon's training program.  12 weeks.  I can do this!
Yesterday was a Stretch & Strengthen day so I went to Kickboxing.  Amy and I also inquired about getting a personal trainer, so we'll see the cost of that.
Today was a 3 mile run which I did this morning!  I have my first field hockey game of the season tonight.

Weekend Roundup

This weekend was a pretty relaxing one.  Saturday I got a huge tree removed that fell in my yard a couple of months ago and two other trees taken down.  My backyard looks so big now!  I can't wait to fix it up and "landscape."  I do not have a green thumb by any means but I'm going to try because I want a fun summer backyard.  I'm thinking a fire pit and a cute little area to lay out in.  I went out with a friend Saturday night, for her friend's birthday.  Got home at like 2AM, late for me!

Sunday was another field hockey game!  I got to play defense the entire game, still no subs, though!  So 45 minutes of internals - run/sprint/walk with a few breaks of nothing when the ball was at the other end.  I think I pulled 2 muscles, so I look really awkward walking today.  We lost terribly.  So we celebrated that by going to the local ice cream place after the game!  Yumm!

It's raining today and add the pain I'm in, so I'm not sure I'll get a run in.

Catch Up

Thursday I convinced my running buddy to come over after work.  She's been having a hard time with motivation lately, so I'm trying to help her out.  We ran two miles, at her pace, and then ended to walking and chit chatting for the two miles home.  I figured, though, that we did something which  was better than nothing.

Saturday I woke up with the intention to run, but after I ate breakfast I realized that I had close to no food in my house.  Needless to say, food shopping won that battle - but I made sure to buy a lot of yummy fruits and veggies.  Then I got ready to head to Brigantine, my family has a shore house there so that's where my mother was.  I spent the afternoon with them, and we went out to dinner.  It would have been nice to stay the night, but I didn't want to have to wake up extra early to make it to my field hockey game in the morning.

Sunday I played indoor field hockey, with some friends I haven't seen in a while (it was so nice to see them and hang out with them again).  I haven't picked up a stick in about six years, so I didn't know how it would go, but as long as I had fun I knew I would be happy.  Our team lost, terribly 11-1, but I did have fun!  I even scored our only goal!!  That's extra awesome, because I think it may have been my first goal ever, in eight years of playing in school - I did play defense.  Oh my, was it a workout though.  I had to play the front and mid and defense positions during the 40 minute game, and we didn't have any subs.  I thought I was going to die once or twice.  I can run, at my slow-ish pace, for miles, but now I see why every says interval training is so great.  Those bursts of spirits killed me.  And just the way your body has to move, pivoting and bending down, uses muscles that I usually don't - my butt is hurting.

I'm so frustrated!!  How do I keep gaining weight?  I eat pretty healthy and I work out.  I just don't understand!  I mean I suppose this weekend I didn't do too well with eating, with mother's day cake and a few other goodies.  But it just stinks to get on the scale in the AM and have it go up - not a good way to start the day!

If you haven't already checked out Bethi's blog, you definitely should!  She's currently having a giveaway of a SPI belt that looks super cute!  It looks small, but it expands to fit your necessities!  I love Minnie Mouse and this belt is red and white polka dots, just like her!  She has the different ways to enter, so go take a look.  She's also a huge inspiration during her journey to running a half marathon!

Tess is also having a giveaway!  Super cute workout shirts that have great motivational sayings!  If you need that extra boost to get you out the door to run or workout, these would sure help!  I think that when you look and feel good, you have an easier time getting out there.  And the best part, is that they custom make shirts if you don't find one you like!!  Esty has surely become my new favorite place to find little treasures!