In between Challenges-Mixed CHAT Thread-Week 4 (04/29-05/04)
 

Happy Monday all!

Hope everyone had a great OP Weekend. The days go by too quickly. I wish there was a way to slow down the time.

Yesterday was a non-stop day of activity for me, but I'm feeling extra tired this morning.

Here's to a great week ahead.

Here are a few pics from my extremely rainy half marathon.

Pre-race, rocking the trash bag
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...65413078_n.jpg

Just past the 15k mark. The stinging rain and wind to the face was a bit much, and I got pretty pissy for a while. :lol:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...23848291_n.jpg

About a mile later, when I decided to quit being whiny and not lose my PR to a temper tantrum.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...38700097_n.jpg

Post race, mouth full of muffin, showing off the bleeding hair dye. It was so bad that the insides of my shoes are stained pink. :lol:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...41132830_n.jpg

Post shower and dry clothes showing off our fierceness. They are 2 of my friends from way back in middle school, and now we're all running buddies. :carrot:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...27276999_n.jpg

We were staying at the host hotel, and they did the most magical thing. We walked back to the hotel, and they had some people set up wrapping towels around the runners. When he put mine on me, I realized it was even better -they were warming the towels! :cloud9:

Nicole- Awesome job in what looks to be craptastic conditions! Thanks for sharing the pics. Warmed towels sound divine. Glad they took good care of you.

Keep up the awesome work!

That's epic Nicole, great job! I don't know if I could have fought off the bad attitude due to the conditions, so props for that. Congrats on finishing :)

Mel - the days really do go by too quickly! I swear April just started, and now May's coming? Crazy. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we had tons of snow up until a few days ago, so it was a veeeeery long winter, which made it feel like we were still back in early March this whole time.

Now that the snow's off the ground though, I've been getting out and walking a lot more. I tried to start C25K a few weeks back, but the cold just wouldn't let up and it was way too hard on my lungs/icy trails are not exactly fun. It's beautiful out now though, so I might even get back at it tonight! I've been kind of at a standstill weight wise, but it's looking up.

Just a quick flyby to say a huge congrats to Nikel1979 for your latest accomplishment!! You are an inspiration :)

You know it's going to be a fantastic week when a co-worker brings you a jar of homemade 'Nutella' just because! I love that stuff...and the best thing is, is it's all natural foods...no refined sugar at all! It actually tastes a bit like Ferrero Rocher Chocolates too...and who doesn't love those!? :)

The problem now will be keeping it away from the kids! lol

Hope everyone has an awesome week! I can't believe it's almost May already! Mel, you're right...I wish there was a way to slow the days down...sigh

Yes indeed, the days are flying by! But thanks to staying OP and working very hard out in the vegetable garden, my starting weight won't be 225 but (for now) 217! I'm in the teens!!! Wonderland here I come!

Onederland!
 

Doragone: Yay Onederland is so close for us both! I'm hoping to reach Onederland during the Spring into Action competition! Good for you for growing your own vegetables. That's awesome!

Nikel:Congrats on doing the half marathon. Oh, what I wouldn't do to be able to run! (bad knee, but it's getting better, maybe someday!)

I agree Mel, time is absolutely flying by.
Ncole amazing job, well done. It is a goal of mine to participate in marathons/fun runs. Thanks for the inspiration :)
Thinkfit best of luck with C225k. Glad the weather is getting better
Mmmmmm Armygirl home made nutella sounds awesome, kind of glad im not any where near it lol
Congratulations Doragone, thats fantastic!
Kayin hope your knee feels better soon

Ive been OP with food, but slow on exercise the last week. Managed to lose 1.5 pounds which im very pleased with:carrot:

Hi everyone -- NIkel love the pics......I'm hanging in there, have started going to a aqua bootcamp class with a girlfriend....it kicks my butt, but it's a lot of fun.

Everyone hang in there, it's really getting warmer.....so drink water!

I can't believe it's already May! I have 3 months before I start training for my full marathon, so I'm changing things up for a bit. I'm taking a break from long races, nothing longer than 10k on my calendar until fall. I'm dropping my distances way back, going from 3 days running to 4, and slowly building back up. I'll be doing some speed work & hill training and adding in some strength training. I'm also adding a day of just fun exercise - swimming, hiking, kayaking, etc. I really want to hit onederland by the time I start marathon training. That's 15 weeks, so 25ish lbs isn't unreasonable.

Friday already?! WTH?
Anywhoooo hope everyone has had a good week. I've let my eating slide a bit, not slide. I haven't been monitoring my bread intake. Just upping my carbs for my race tomorrow. A little freaked about the 15k distance. But since I've never run that far, whatever time will be a PR.
Weather is looking half-way decent too so I'm hopeful.
Plus I have a lava flow drink with my name on it afterwards ;)
What are your plans this weekend?

CanadaMel: Have a great race tomorrow!

I'm going out on Sunday to cheer on the Vancouver Marathon runners. They are a crazy bunch! Good for them! There's also a half marathon, and an 8k, and I'm hoping to maybe do the 8k next year, so watching them will be inspiring!

Hope you have a great race Mel!

I'm so glad the week is over. I only have 1 more final on Tues, and then this semester is over. :carrot: I've started focusing more on strength training and getting weight off, since I don't have any big races until the fall. More weight off = faster pace. With 26.2 miles looming only 32 weeks away, I'll take all the help I can get with pace. ;) It's weird to be changing focus, even if it's just for a little while.

]+|*,^}!{!~, just lost my post TWICE!!!!!!

Nikel, you're amazing. I have yet to voluntarily run in the rain. Love your running skirt, too.

The trainer continues to kick my a$$ and stroke my ego. Way to keep me coming back! ;-)

I tried his "yoga for athletes" class today. It was great, but he didn't mention it was a hot class. I felt wrung out afterward, and now I'm wired. :-D

I FINALLY lost some weight this week - just over a pound! Yahoo!!! Still not all I gained on vaca, though.

Tomorrow I'm doing the local MS walk. I managed to raise over $300, even though I forgot to start until last weekend. Weather should be perfect, thank goodness.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Survived the race and met my 2 goals- finish under 1:45, my time was 1:40:43 and not come in last.
Not sure if I'll try for the half at the en of June.
I wasn't happen at the 14k mark- can't imagine how I'd feel at 19k!

I'm pleased that my legs aren't too sore. Just my big toe is tender. All in all happy it's done.

Riddy- the yoga for athletes sounds like fun.

Nickel- it will be interesting to see how your body responds to the change in training.
Have a great Sunday all!