Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Love it or hate it....

Waking up feeling like you have been run over by a truck.....

I have a love/hate relationship with this feeling. I love it, knowing that I am working my body harder than normal, but hate it because it makes that day's workout that much harder....and let's just face it, walking around looking like you have a stick shoved up your ass isn't very attractive! ;P

That is how I have felt for the past 2 days. I guess that Nike Training Camp app really kicked my butt! Hahaha!

Today's boot camp workout was the same as last Tuesday's, only with an extra set of "until fatigue" exercises. I sucked on my wall sits this morning since I was so sore. Again, I pushed through and made it to the end! :D

It was such a beautiful, cool morning, so I took advantage of the extra time I had (since it IS Tuesday) and went for a short little run in my neighborhood instead of doing the cardio part of the workout on the treadmill. It felt so great to get outside!!!


I must have died for a few minutes between my leg workout and my run, because shortly after starting the run I realized that my heart rate monitor wasn't detecting my pulse.....hmmmm......So, I had to end the "workout" and start a new one!

After my run I came in and did 15 minutes worth of stretching on the Nike Training Camp app. It was Shawn Johnson's stretching routine. I just love her! She is so darn cute! Hehehe!!!! And being a former gymnast, I have tons of respect for that chick! <3

Last night I was sore and decided that it would be a brilliant idea (sorry, been watching too much Top Gear UK....their slang is rubbing off on me!) to utilize my foam roller. I really need to start using that contraption more often.....my muscles will definitely thank me, and I need them to like me! LOL!!!

Rollin' one out!
That is an old picture of me foam rollin', but I didn't take any last night! LOL!!!

We also have been having some weird weather and thunderstorms are in the forecast for today....

That might explain the slight humidity that was in the air this morning... ;)

We did have a gorgeous sunset though! The sky was all orange and was really crazy looking. I love when nature plays with colors like that!!!! <3 So gorgeous, but totally weird for SoCal in July!!!

In celebration of the orange sky last night (but mostly because my calves are so sore.....) I am sport in' my bright orange compression socks today!


So attractive, I know! ;) Sorry boys, I am a taken woman! I actually got the orange for the Ragnar Race next year! Woo! Can't wait for that!!!!!

Speaking of races, I do have a little surprise coming up! Oh yes!!!! That will be for another day, though! ;D Sorry to leave you hanging! Hehehe!!!

Oh, and those awesome socks......well they are on sale!!! I just love my ProCompression socks! If you enter coupon code SOCKS you will receive half off! So normally $50 a pair, you get them for $25 AND free shipping! Not going to tell you which color I ordered.....it's a surprise....but go ahead and take a guess! Hehehehehe!!!!!!

Monday, July 30, 2012

Here we go again!

Week 2 of boot camp started this morning!

My legs were so sore from yesterday's workout....good thing today was arms again! ;) I decided to push myself harder and use heavier weights! Last week I only used my 5 pound weights to complete the exercises......this morning I used 10 and 15 pounders! Woooooo!!!! I also pushed through more reps before I fatigued! Getting stronger each day! Love it!

After burnin' up my arms, it was time for a little treadmill run! I decided to still run on the recovery portions of the HIIT workout, but at a slower speed than my intense interval. I completed the 20 minutes and then did a nice cool down.....and added a 1 minute sprint into it! Hehehe! Just to kick it up a notch for me!

Love burning those calories! :D
Last night I decided to cut up my dragon fruit I had bought from the Farmer's Market (I had honestly forgot about it being in my fridge....hehe). They are just such an amazingly beautiful fruit.....probably the most amazing fruit EVER!!!!


No filter needed for this beauty!


Hot pink is my favorite color (and magenta.....) and this fruit is definitely the definition of my favorite color! Maybe that is why I love it so much! If you have never had one before, I highly recommend you try it, at least once. The taste is nothing exciting, in fact, it doesn't have much flavor/sweetness to it. If you were to close your eyes and eat it, you would think you were eating a kiwi with little flavor. It is said to have some great health benefits:


Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit:

  • As dragon fruit is a good source of antioxidants, it prevents free radicals and protects from causing cancer and other health detriments from entering your body.
  • This fruit helps in neutralizing the toxic substances such as heavy metals. Besides, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels can be reduced by consuming dragon fruit.
  • Regular consumption of this aids in fighting against cough and asthma.
  • This has high amounts of vitamin C and helps in healing bruises and cuts quickly, and enhancing the immune system.
  • Vitamin B2 present in dragon fruit acts like a multivitamin and helps to improve and recover the loss of appetite.
  • Vitamin B1 in this fruit helps in increasing the energy production and also in metabolizing carbohydrates.
  • Due to the presence of vitamin B3, it helps in lowering bad cholesterol levels. It improves the appearance of your skin by smoothing and moisturizing it.
  • It improves eyesight and prevents hypertension.
  • As it is a good source of phosphorus and calcium, it reinforces bones, helps in tissue formation and forms healthy teeth.
  • Regular consumption of dragon fruit decreases weight, thereby creates a well-balanced body.
  • Dragon fruit is also helpful in reducing blood sugar levels in people suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Not too bad for some weird fruit, huh? LOL!!!! 


So go try and find one and see what you think!!! :D

Have a great Monday! <3
Amy

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Making Time....


I haven't made much time to blog the last few days, but I have definitely made the time to workout!

Boot camp continued on Thursday with a great, sweat inducing workout!

I did Workout C from the boot camp schedule and then a 20 minute run! As a pre-workout snack I ate that Detour protein bar up there that I received in my Bulu Box this month! I don't normally like protein bars like this, but this one was actually quite tasty. Texture wise it was like a typical "bar", but the flavor wasn't too shabby! :) 

Workout C was a whole body challenge. The walking plank exercise was tough for me. I pushed through for 45 seconds for 3 sets! I was a sweaty mess after those supersets.....and then it was time for the run! 

Thursday's workout took me about 50 minutes and burned about 340 calories! Not too bad! :)

Friday's workout was just another HIIT workout on the treadmill for me. I didn't have a lot of time (though I DID make time for my workout) so instead of doing 45 minutes like I did on Wednesday, I cut it down 5 minutes and completed a 40 minute run! I pushed myself a little harder since I wasn't doing the whole 45 minutes, and I also skipped out on the core workout.


.....425 calories burned later!!! Oh yeah! Felt so great! 

I found this saying on Instagram and it was just perfect for my Friday workout. I start work at 7:30 on Fridays and have to make the time to workout, even if that means that I have to get out of bed earlier! At 5:39 (the time at which I took that screen shot), I was already done with my workout....which was at 40 minutes! It's always so great to have my workout completed in the morning! I love the endorphins I have to get me through a rough work day!!!!

During my lunch break on Friday when I came home, I had to go check on Billy again.....since we all know how he can sleep through just about anything. Here is what I found lying in my bed....

Mommy's home, but don't worry about getting out of bed! ;)

A pug's life......

Saturday was a rest day for me. I slept in, headed to a 1 year old's birthday party, and then relaxed at home with the hubby. It was nice to just take it easy for the day. Saturdays tend to be rest days for me anyway, so this is nothing new. The hubby and I sat and watched many episodes of Top Gear UK and Modern Family. If you have never watched Top Gear UK, you are missing out. If you have NetFlix, I highly recommend you watch it ASAP! Hilarious!!!!!! It's a car show, so if cars are TOTALLY not your thing, you won't find it amusing, but as the British would say, the show is brilliant! 

Sunday morning came and I had to start doing my chores! Ugh....cleaning house just plain sucks! I decided to make it a little more motivating and strapped on my heart rate monitor. I cleaned house for about an hour and a half and burned only a few calories.



I thought I would have "cleaned" off more calories than that, but I guess 200 is better than the small amount I would have burned while sitting on the couch! 

After cleaning I had worked up a bit of an appetite and decided to make myself a protein shake. 


This shake was so delicious! 

PB2 Banana Protein Shake
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 TBSP PB2
  • 1 serving (2 scoops for me) vanilla protein powder
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend well!

It wasn't very cold, so you could add ice to it, and it was very thick......like a milkshake......but very yummy! It filled me up and fueled me for my workout! I decided to break into my Nike Training Camp app and find a workout on there to do for my "optional cardio" day of boot camp. While looking for a good routine on there, I jumped in with both feet and went for an advanced workout. A 45 minute advanced toning exercise was chosen and off I went to give this a shot!

That workout kicked my ass!!! Holy molys! I was dripping sweat 10 minutes into it and probably added 5 pounds to my weight with all the sweat that my clothes soaked up. My legs and arms were shaky and it was tough, but like always, I pushed through!


If you want a killer workout, download this app and get going!

Davey and I went to In N Out after. I got a cheeseburger, protein style, and of course fries.....can't pass up french fries! ;)

Now it's time to get ready for the week ahead! My work schedule should be back to normal, which I am thankful for! 

I am thinking of getting off my lazy ass and taking my fatty, Scrappy, for a walk. We weighed in today.....I stayed the same.....114.7 pounds.....Scrappy weighed in at a staggering 39 pounds!!!! For a pug, that is morbidly obese!!!! Oh goodness......

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Oh Wednesday....

Yesterday morning I headed out early to meet my friend, Chelsea, for breakfast. We went to this amazing little cafe in my town called Penfold's. They have been around for ages and their food is just simply delicious! Chelsea is in town from Alabama where she is currently residing due to education needs.....she is one semester away from graduating with her master's in speech pathology! Woo hoo! Way to go Chels!

I knew right away that I wanted an omelet since Penfold's makes the BEST omelets ever!!! I ended up ordering an egg white omelet with feta cheese, onions, spinach, and jalapeƱos! Yum yum! The meal came with a side of fruit and biscuits and gravy (which I had boxed up and took home for the doggies to eat).


I topped the omelet with some Cholula as well. Yum! I ate every bite that was on that plate! It was so delicious!!! A great, healthy breakfast after yesterday's workout.

Chelsea and I chatted a bit and then I had to skedattle to get to work! I made a quick pit-stop at my house though to feed the dogs the treats I had brought for them! The 3 of them always get so excited for special treats....especially Penfold's B&G!!!!

Billy digging in!

Gravy train!

Yummies!

Why me mommy??? Can't she eat somewhere else? :(
My poor Scrappy!!!! Gravy on his bottom lip and all.....don't feel sorry for him though......hehehe! ;)

Fast forward to this morning!

Oh goodness! I woke up and am soooooooo sore from that leg killer Tina put us through yesterday. I love waking up sore, knowing that I really worked myself the day before and am working muscles that I don't normally use. I was starting to feel the ache last night after work on my drive home. It actually hurt to push the clutch in....LOL! Thankfully I only have a 3 mile drive......hehehe! Despite being sore, and tired, I got up and was ready to tackle today's boot camp workout!

So how I felt this morning!
I drank my water and coffee and ate a hard boiled egg. Knowing that today's workout was going to be a tad bit longer than the other days, I decided to eat something so yummy! I created it in my morning delusion, but it worked great!

PB Banana Clif Snack



  • 1/2 small banana
  • 1 tsp peanut butter 
  • 1/4 Clif bar of choice
Cut the banana in half, length wise (after you cut it in half sideways). Spread the peanut butter on one side of the banana. Squish the Clif bar so it flattens out and place on top of PB. Top with the other side of the banana and enjoy!

I know it sounds weird, but was oh so delicious! GIVE IT A SHOT!!!!



Now, back to boot camp.....Wednesday, oh Wednesday.....you called for a core workout! Damn you! I hate core work outs, which is probably the reason why my core is flabby.....and unsupportive of my hips and causes me to waddle when I walk (this was a diagnosis I got from a doctor.....LOL)!!! I remembered the core workout from the first Best Body Boot Camp and was dreading today's as well! I pushed through 3 sets and then set off to do the cardio portion!

On the agenda were intervals!!! 45 minutes of them! Thank God I love running!!!! I was a sweaty, stinky mess after, but felt great!


Boot Camp Day 3 is officially conquered!!!

After I hopped off the treadmill, I did some stretching (this needs to be a goal of mine for next week....)! Zoey laid down and decided to do some stretches herself......

I had to snap this pic of her since her tongue was sticking out! Hehehe!

Now it's time to enjoy my bowl of oatmeal and head to work! Oh joy.....

Have a great day!!! <3

Amy

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Clean Eating Turkey Meatballs and some Lean Legs!

Good morning and happy Tuesday.....if Tuesday can be a happy day! ;) I hate Tuesdays and Wednesdays since they are my late days at work. Going to take advantage of the late start and meeting a friend for breakfast!!! Can't wait!

Starting late also means I get to sleep in a bit before having to drag my tired ass out of bed to workout! I LOVE working out, but getting out of bed is so hard to do!!!! At 4:30 I finally crawled out from under the blankets and got moving. Had a quick little pre-workout snack (1/4 of a dark cherry almond Clif Bar), lots of water, and a few sips of coffee.....NEED that coffee! LOL!

Today was day 2 of the Best Body Boot Camp and it was all about the leggies!!!! My arms are quite sore from yesterday's workout, so it was nice to work a different muscle group (you aren't supposed to work the same muscle group 2 days in a row).

The workout started right off the bat with wall sits!!! Oh goodness.....wall sits! I pushed myself so hard on the first one that I think it made the rest of my workout that much harder! Hahaha! Gotta love pushing yourself! It took me about 35 minutes to complete the "weight" portion of the workout and then it was on to the cardio.

Yesterday we did intervals, today was just a nice steady cardio workout. I chose (as always) to use my treadmill for this.

Came in just under 2 miles, but I was ok with this since my legs were wobbly from working them pretty hard!

I was a sweaty mess after today's boot camp session and was loving the endorphin high it gave me!!!

Check out those wall sit times....especially the first one! ;) Killed it! <3

HR stats!!!
I busted some balls on today's workout.....burning a whopping 452 calories! Oh yeah!!!! Gonna go eat me a good breakfast now! ;)

Speaking of balls (hehehe), I love meatballs! Davey, on the other hand, could go the rest of his life without ever eating one and still die happy! Who can do that? What kind of many did I marry?? Oh well, I guess that means more balls made of meat for me!!!! ;)

On my path of trying to eat clean, I am having to get creative with my meals. One thing I have been craving were meatballs, but they often contain ingredients that aren't so healthy, like bread crumbs, lots of salt, and are usually skillet fried in oil. That is no way to start off with a new [even] healthier lifestyle!!!

When I cook, I just throw whatever sounds good at the time into whatever mixture I am creating and hope for the best. Sometimes the recipe works out great, and other times it becomes a flop. These meatballs, though, were no flop! :D

Here is my first super healthy recipe for you all!!! I told you, changes were happening!!!! ;)

Turkey Meatballs
(created by me!)




INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound of 99/1 ground turkey (or ground chicken)
  • 1/8 cup Egg Beaters
  • Feta Cheese Crumbles (didn't measure.....)
  • Fresh Oregano, chopped (again, didn't measure, and it was fresh from my garden)
  • Fresh Cilantro, chopped 
  • ChoppedOnion 
  • Garlic powder
  • Fresh Ground Pepper
  • Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning
  • 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's or Costco has their own....
  • Crushed Red Pepper
  • 1 TBSP Flaxseed Meal
  • 1 TBSP Oat Flour
  • EVOO



DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or your oil-less fryer like I used)
  • Mix all ingredients except the EVOO in a large bowl until all ingredients are incorporated
  • Form meatballs any size you want and place on cookie sheet, or in oil-less fryer
  • Spritz with a few sprays of EVOO and bake for 5 minutes
  • Flip meatballs over and spray again with the EVOO and let bake for 5-8 more minutes
  • Remove from heat source and enjoy!!!

These would be great mixed with some veggies, or in a salad, or even a healthy wrap! Yum!!!!

Hope you enjoy, and don't forget what I said......step outside your foodie comfort zone and give these a try! You just may be surprised on how yummy they are!!!! :D

Now, to end this long post with one quick cutie!!!! <3


Oh how I love my Bill Bill!!! <3


Have a great day all!

<3
Amy

Monday, July 23, 2012

All About Arms!

This morning I got up dark and ugly (4:30am to be exact) to start my latest boot camp journey!

I prepped last night by going through today's workout and making sure I knew how to do all the exercises. There is nothing worse than having to stop to look up proper form for an exercise in the middle of your training.

Today's workout was all about arms! I had bought a 10lbs barbell over the weekend and forgot it in my car, so I used my 5 pounders......even though it wasn't as heavy as the 10 would have been, my arms were definitely feeling the burn.

A few of the exercises in the supersets were set to "until fatigue". I liked this better than having a set number of reps so I could really push myself and get more out of the workout.

The second half of the workout was all cardio....a 20 minute HIIT!!! It felt good to run again, even if it was on the treadmill. For the last interval, I kept up the high intensity for 2 minutes instead of 1 and then did a nice little cool down.

The entire workout took me probably about 50 minutes, but burned some good calories (not A LOT, but a decent amount)!

I had a hard boiled egg as my pre-workout fuel! ;)
Tomorrow will bring a whole new set of exercises.......until then, I have to share with you some super cute pictures I got of Scrappy last night!!!! :)


I was trying to make my bed last night and he decided to come jump up while I was putting the fitted sheet on.....He wouldn't move and I had to keep pulling the sheet out from under him.....I finally got the bed made though and he was still passed out! ;)

Lookin' all sad cuz mommy was messin' with him while making the bed.....


Sleeping with his memory foam pillow!!! Yes, my dogs are THAT spoiled!!! They deserve to be spoiled though! Gotta love 'em! <3


Here he is this morning, still sleeping! I love how "humanly" he looks. Half covered by the blanket, feet hanging out (for cooling purposes, of course), and holding onto the pillow! Hahaha!!!! He sleeps just like his daddy! ;) So precious!!!! <3

And for the word.....you will NEVER find a child as cute as my pugs!!!! :P

Have a great day!
<3
Amy
<3

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Boot Camp!!!

Tomorrow starts a new journey for me! I am, once again, headed to boot camp!







Remember when I did the Best Body Boot Camp before my first half marathon? Well, Tina has decided to do a second round of her amazing boot camp and I am signed up and ready to start. I signed up about a month ago and have been anxiously awaiting July 23rd!!!!

I got my phase 1 plan emailed to me and the first week looks a tad bit more intimidating than the phase 1 in the first boot camp. I am looking forward to the challenge and can't wait to [hopefully] see the transformation in my body over the next 8 weeks.

Unlike the last boot camp, I have decided to take before and after measurements. Since I have to wake up early tomorrow morning to do my first workout, I thought it would be best to get all my measurements today!! :D

So here they are:

STARTING MEASUREMENTS

Weight: 114.7 lbs
Neck: 12.1"
Left Arm: 11.1"
Right Arm: 11.1"
Chest: 30.5"
Waist: 26"
Hips: 32"
Right Thigh: 20.5"
Left Thigh: 20.1"

The boot camp will be 8 weeks, and end on September 16th.

BUT......


Boot camp won't end there for me!!!! Oh no! On September 10th, so a week before the end of the Best Body Boot Camp, I start another 8 week regimen.....


I got in early and registered for the FitMixer Boot Camp!!!! Woo! I have all my FitMixer products ordered and can't wait. This one is slightly different....there is a meal plan (which we all know is something that is hard for me to follow), and workout videos are emailed to you daily.

Over the next 15 weeks, I am hoping to see a good change in my body. I am not looking to lose any more weight, but to tone up!!! Healthier eating habits is a MUST for me starting tomorrow!!! Going to try to eat clean most of the time and stay away from too many processed foods. In this attempt, I have sworn off my beloved froyo (omg....will I survive???) until November 4th....well, with the exception of having it on my birthday next month, but that will be a total cheat day....sorry, but it's my birthday dammit and I will eat what I want. It will only be one day and won't kill me....and if it does, then shit, at least I will die happy! ;)

The blog here will change during my boot camp time.....not too many baked goodies, and my recipes will be healthy! Please don't get bummed out with the lack of sugary-filled yummies because the recipes I will post will be just as satisfying!!!! If they sound scary, step out of your box and give it a try.....you might be surprised and find that you actually like it!!!! 

Until tomorrow.......DAY 1!!!!

<3
Amy
<3

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Menifee Half Marathon



Remember this post???

How awesomely amazing my run was and how stoked I was about running 13.1 miles!?!?

Yeah, so do I......

Wish I could say the same about this post......


May 20th, 2012, exactly 3 weeks after the La Jolla Half Marathon, I was signed up to run the inaugural Menifee Half Marathon! This race was put on by the awesome people that also put together the annual Tinsel Triathlon in Hemet, CA. I have raced in the TT twice and plan on doing it every year until I can no longer move! It's a fun event, Christmas themed, and a great time. The peeps that put the TT together asked if anyone was interested in a half marathon. I am assuming that they had enough crazies to say "yes!!!" because I soon received an email about them hosting one!! I was stoked! It was to start and end at the Menifee campus of MSJC. This is fairly close to my house (only about 15 miles) and I am very familiar with the area. I quickly signed up and anxiously awaited this run!

The morning of the race started off the same as my other races.....put on my race gear, laced up my super cute new Mizunos, ate my normal pre-race breakfast, along with some delicious Click, and headed out the door. I was feeling great!!!! I could not wait for this run to start!

Compression socks and Mizunos

Click'n it up in my Starbucks cup!


I got to the campus and signed in, got my race bib, and prepared to start! I looked over to my left and to my surprise I saw one of my patients [Chris] at my work walking towards me. He decided last minute to run the race (after I bugged him to sign up the day prior ;) hehehe) and was there to run 13.1! He has finished an Ironman triathlon and is training for his second one this month, so this was a training run for him!!!! I was really happy to have someone at the start line with me!!!

Before the race

About to head to the start!

And we're off.....


Backing up a little on the story, let me fill you in about Menifee.....if you aren't familiar with the town. It is the complete opposite of the savvy beach town of La Jolla. Menifee is inland, warmer temps, dryer air, deserty feeling. The race had a start time of 8am (which is fairly late for a mid-May run in Southern California.....).

At the sound of the gun, the weather was nice. Not at all chilly, but not too warm either. I started off strong once again. I had no doubts that I couldn't finish this race. By now, longer distance running has become a piece of cake for me. A 3 mile run feels like I am shorting myself of a good workout. 8 miles is a decent run.......11+ is a great run for me! :) 13.1 miles, I got this shit in the bag!


After a mile and half (I made sure to have my Garmin fully charged this time), the first water station came up (there was also a 5k happening). I grabbed my cup of water and kept going. The temperature started to rise and I could feel the heat radiating off the black topped streets. All was good though. I was used to exercising in the heat. I kept playing "tag" with the same couple of people, and even struck up a conversation with this young boy who was having shoe issues. I told him he needed a new pair of shoes and he told me that he knows that, but his parents don't understand why he needs a new pair every other month.....and that he runs about 400 miles a month!!! Don't know if he was exaggerating, but you never know. I felt bad for him and ran with him for awhile to keep him company. Eventually he slowed down and I kept going. We went through some rural areas and on dirt roads. After the 7 mile marker (according to my Garmin since miles weren't marked on the course), I passed Chris on the opposite side (he was trailing behind) and told him at the turn around was 7 miles.....we are half way done! He then slowed to snap a picture of me!!! :D
Is that food in my hand again? What is with me and having pix taken while eating my Gu's??? I am such a porker....

 I took water from every water station. No electrolyte type drinks were given out, which was a huge disappointment. I guess when you're used to putting on a sprint tri you don't realize how important electrolytes are......especially in the summer time.

The heat started to take a toll on me. I ate one of my Gu gels at mile 7 and took some more water. I got to a point where I was all alone.....there were runners in front of me and behind me, but I was running solo. The music coming through my headphones was not motivating me at all. I kept changing the song in hopes that a better one would come on. Fail after fail......

Around mile 9 I took another Gu gel (didn't have to take 2 at La Jolla) in hopes that it would give me some more energy to keep on chugging. It did for a very short period of time (I'd say about half a mile) and then I was bogging again. Blah......Then the worst happened......

Cramping......in the calves! Dammit! At mile 10 my right calf started to cramp and twitch. NOT good! I still have 3 more fucking miles to go and the cramping is going to start NOW!?!?! I tried to push through it, but that only made matters worse. My left calf started to cramp up as well. Do you know how hard it is to run with 2 cramping calves???? If you don't, you really don't want to know.

I would run for about 30 seconds and then walk for a few minutes. I was really hoping for a sub 2 time to PR. I would have had that if it wasn't for the leg cramping. I pushed through and hated the fact that, the last half mile, was filled with spectators and I looked as though I couldn't run 13 miles to save my life. I could finally see the finish line and I put in EVERYTHING I had to get across it!

I did!!! I finished! Not strong, but I still finished! I didn't care what my time was, I just wanted to rest. I grabbed an orange slice, my bottle of water, and decided.....I have to go back and look for Chris! I need to finish with him!!!

I headed back out onto the course. I walked and walked and walked and couldn't find him. He couldn't have been that far behind me, now could he? Finally I spotted his red shirt and ran to him. He said he needed some fuel and asked if I had any......I had eaten both of my Gu's, but I DID have some oh so yummy, life saving, Swedish Fish!!!! Skinny Runner swears by them for long runs.....and if she says its true, it's got to be true!!!! Anyway, Chris scarfed down those candies like he had been lost on a desert island for a week and was starving to death! LOL! Poor guy. We slowly made it back to the finish line. I was still cramping up and cut off right before he finished! We snacked on some more oranges and water and hung out for a few......driving a stick after running over 14 miles is NOT easy.....especially with calf cramping.

At least we look happy!!!! :D


My medal!!! <3




Although this race was hard on me, I DID manage to somehow PR!!! Not by much, but non-the-less, I still PR'ed!!!!

Official Time: 2:11:24


I honestly cannot wait until my next race. I don't have one lined up yet, but once I do, you will know about it! I am still planning on doing the Danskin Triathlon in October, the Color Run in November, and the Tinsel Triathlon in December. 2013 brings a whole new race calendar with many more running events though!!!!

Until then.....
Much <3!
Amy


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Bike Ride....Wine Country Style!

It is HOT here......H-O-T hot!!! Temps spiked to about 100 and that finally forced us to turn on the AC. I am a cheap-o and wait until it's just plain unbearable before I think of even flipping the switch on the thermostat.

See, quite a scorcher. I think it actually got hotter than that, but this is what the weather app said.....

My amazing friend Lori came up this morning to do a bike ride with me through the wineries. I live right at the bottom of wine country and had a fabulous route planned out for us! We got started around 6:30am, just in time for the sun to be coming up over the mountains and to watch all the hot air balloons tour the vineyards!




We headed off on our ride. The air was crisp and perfect....just a slight chill, but warmed up quickly. It takes about 1.75 miles before we hit "wine country" from my house. The view was just so gorgeous that Lori wanted to stop to snap some pictures!

So jealous of her and her new Lululemon cycling gear....




Why hello there! :D

The ride was quite hilly, but we were both prepared! Give us those hills, Temecula! Don't hold back! <3

Here is me climbing up one of the hills! :)
Lori is a beast, so she was a FANTASTIC riding partner!!! No whining (although we both wanted to do some wine-ing....hehehe) and kept pushing through. No stopping for rest breaks, only picture breaks! Didn't slow me down! She is one awesome fitness buddy! <3

We stopped at the top of that hill to take some more pictures....
Leoness Cellars

We finally got back on the road....which by the way, do you see the "bike lane" we have??? Or should we call it the "bike line" like Lori did!?!? Yeah, DANGEROUS roads for us to be riding on.....so we had to keep our focus on traffic! After so much climbing we got some "pity" from the road and had some great downhill coasting, hitting about 23mph!!! That is pretty damn fast on a mountain bike! :) The downhill was nice, but didn't last long before we hit another hill. All was good and we enjoyed the burn!

The route I chose for us took us on a big loop through the back woods of wine country, as well as down the "ever-so-popular" De Portola Wine Trail. We made it back to Rancho California Rd. and made a bee-line pedal to the nearest Starbucks! LOL!!! I ordered myself a Venti Iced Blonde Coffee (just coffee and ice) and Lori got an Iced Mocha!

Sippin' on some strawberry lemonade Nuun as well as my coffee!

The iced coffee hit the spot and gave us that caffeine high to get us the rest of the way back to my house.....only a mere 1.5 miles, but we had one more hill to tackle leading up to my place.

Once back at my place, Lori loaded up her bike and we chatted a bit more. We made it back just in time for the heat to come. I swear, the second we dismounted our bikes the heat rolled in and smacked our asses (may have had something to do with the black bike shorts I was wearing......)

We said our good byes and planned on another bike ride in the near future.....only this time I would head down her way and we would ride around Dana Point or somewhere in San Diego!

Lori and I did just over 24 miles today and if felt amazing! Here are the stats from our ride!!!!

Lovely chipped nail polish......


What a great way to start off a Tuesday!!!! <3