Spring Break...Two weeks!!! Elated!!!!

This week has been pretty amazing. First Kenny-Jean was released from the hospital!! Hooray! Nick cam home on Wednesday, and it was so great to have him back home. He brought with him a list of foods he cannot eat because of the heart issue in his family jeans, so we sill be focusing on ubber-healthy eating. I have already started this five weeks ago when I stared running, so the transition shouldn't be that difficult.

So let's talk about yesterday's run. I told a co-worker I was going on a mile run and she wanted to join me. Around 6th period I noticed it was coming a blizzard outside and went to my friends classroom to tell her about and she said, "Why you don't want to go?" I said, "I am in if you are.." So on my scary drive home over the pass I was getting intimidated of the weather, and started to think of excuses to back out of the outdoor and go to the gym. Funny thing, she texted me around 4:45 (thirty minutes before our go time) and backed out. I was thinking I should go to the gym, but then a crazy fire of ambition wrapped my body and I was determined to give it go anyway. I hadn't ever run in the snow and was kind of excited, and exhilarated.

So I layered up, got out the ole gloves and hat and went for it. The first mile was brutal, the wind and snowflakes were whipping me in the face. As always the first mile is my killer, but once I get over the mile mark it clicks and running becomes FUN! Yes I said it, fun! The second mile I changed directions and noticed the sun tried poking through the clouds. I ran by a neighbors house and she was outside rooting me on! I couldn't stop to talk, but it was so great to be encouraged by such a great friend.

Then the last mile..it was so easy. I hit my stride, jamming out to tunes, and had the biggest grin from ear to ear. I love the feeling I get around 2.5 miles. I am addicted. Then instead of stopping at my 3 mile marker I continued all the way to my house, through my neighborhood. I couldn't believe it. What an awesome run. Plus when I looked at my time I had completed it in 39 minutes!! !3 minute miles. I am so pumped!! Can't wait for my run with Julie tomorrow. Another 3 miler, ten miles this week.

The cat is away...

What an amazing weekend, minus the fact that my wonderful husband is still out of town visiting his father. Thank-you God Kenny is doing well. My weekend consisted of die hard exercise and healthy eating. That's right I said..exercise and healthy. Lets review.

Thursday I ran 3 miles outside on the frontage road. 3 miles outside for the first time. The run was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Then I got into the car and went to the gym for an hour of weight lifting. Nine different exercises for arms and abs-3 sets of 12 reps each!

Friday was off from exercise but I went over my girlfriend's Julie's house and I cooked salmon with spinach and strawberry salad topped with fat free poppyseed. Poppyseed is my new favorite dressing, plus it is fat free. Yum.

Friday the girls talked me into going out and seeing the B-side players at the Knotty Pine, I knew I had to get up and run 3 miles with Julie, so I went but only had ONE beer and was home by 12:00 to bed!

Sat-I got up and went over to Julie's house and we effortlessly ran 3 miles then I went home and hit the gym for an HOUR lifting weights. Kari called and asked to go snowboarding.

Tri-athlete! After all day of exercise I rented a couple of movies and took a long bubble bath, stretched, and fell fast asleep.

Sun- I woke up and went on a 2 mile run with Steph near my house and brought all of the dogs. With her dog, Harper , and the two strays that went jogging with us we had a full on dog possse! Such a beautiful day I changed into my bikini (and didn't throw up) and really noticed for the first time by body changing. Getting fit, sculpted, and more defined!! Yay!! It is working!!! Sunday night I grilled for the first time without Nick. And may I just say..not to shabby. Turkey Kabobs with green peppers, purple onion, and mushrooms. Plus a strawberry and cucumber salad with poppyseed dressing, fat free of course! Stellar meal I have to say and practically zero fat!

I decided to start recording all that I eat and found this great app on the iphone that sets goals for my ideal weight and then allows me to enter all that I consume in a day and the app tells me just how many calories I have left for the day. GWG (my girls with goals weight lose club)- I am not out of the contest yet. I pledged to lose 19 pounds and by god I am going to lose 19 pounds. If I lose it then the money from the pot 1,200 bucks goes to buying new clothes that will fit my new body. Pretty amazing that five weeks ago I was running 3 minutes and walking two minutes on the treadmill. I think I have created a monster! Until next time.

Week four and I am starting to see results...

Yesterday I pushed myself again. 3 mile run outside for the first time, and it was fabulous! I had so much energy towards the last half mile that I sprinted to the stop sign. Who-rah! I spent majority of Sunday afternoon downloading music into my iphone to get me pumped up while and I run. It is working. Then , like a maniac when I am finished with the run I went to the gym for an hour of weight lifting. Eight different exercises, three sets each! 240 reps of arm, shoulder, and back and sit-ups!! I am so surprised by my new found love of exercise. Running is so great. I feel so energized I can barley sleep at night! Plus, going to gym I am obsessed with weight lifting and looking in the mirror at the changes in my arms. I know I am a goober, but I can't help it. My whole life I always thought of myself as a non-runner. Never in a million years did I think I could run 3 miles after work. Four times a week. It has been really great. I am eating healthier, shopping healthier, not smoking, and cut down severely on the drinking. I just feel like a whole new me, the best I have ever felt. I probably owe it to Nick, and to Dad, and to the women at school that talked me into a The 10k in the first place. Thank-you all of you.

When it rains it pours...

Nick jumped on a pane to fly home today to visit his family. I will be at the house solo for a week. Boo.

Poor Kenny had some chest pains at work the other day, and today he is having open heart surgery for a quadruple by-pass!! This has not been my year for family drama, with my dad, my mother having surgery and then almost going blind in one eye, Tucker getting his eye shot out with a be-be, granddad beating cancer-which was actually a great thing but still very scary, Maggie-Jean's dad passing nine days after mine, and now Kenny. It is only March! I hope this is all the bad things for the year, they just happened to all be bunched up early in the year.

Tucker will see, and his eye is doing much better. And Mom too. So I guess it could have been worse, but I am still very positive and hoping for the best with Kenny's surgery. Super scary stuff.

Outside anyone??

Today was glorious outside, slightly warmer than it has been and the sun shinning. I decided to take it to the roads. Just to start off two miles and see how it feels. This would be the first run off the treadmill and on the pavement. A friend told me it would be easier to run north the first mile and then turn around and run with the wind at my back for the last mile. Did I listen to her advice? Heck NO!

I wanted to run with the sun on my face. So I started running south with the wind at my back. The first mile felt pretty good. I was not running to hard, and I really enjoyed being outside. Then when I got to the turn around marker I peeked at my stopwatch. 12 minutes! I ran the first mile in 12 minutes. This was a new all time record.

The last mile was a killer. I couldn't understand why I was so out of breath. I knew the north mile was uphill and boy could I feel it. After completed the entire two miles and I peeked again at the stopwatch I ran two miles in 24 minutes and thirty three seconds! I couldn't believe it! No wonder I was so winded. I had run into the wind, uphill, and faster than any other run. But it still felt so good. I was out of breath when I stopped and now know I need to pace myself better. I truly am not running for speed right now, just distance. I kept telling myself during the run to slow it down, but somehow I ended up running the fastest two miles yet!

2 miler outside.

3 mile marker..CHECK!!

Today was the kind of day where I couldn't wait to go for my run. I had two miles for my goal, and after Saturday I knew this would be no problemo. I surfed the internet all day long for inspirational quotes, stories, and advice. I read all about beginning runners plight and begin to feel so motivated I could hardly wait to get home.

I pull into the parking lot with my brand new sneakers on, roaring to go. When I pulled into the parking space I put the car into park and said to myself, I am gong to run three miles today.

Whoa. Who said that?

My goal for today on my schedule is only 2 miles. I am not supposed to run three miles until two Saturdays from now. What am I thinking?

I am going to run 3 miles today.

There it was again. Looping around in my mind. 3 miles. OK then.

Lets do this.

I walk into the gym with a pep in my step, if you will. There he is. Mr. Treadmill. My nemeses. Lets do this. Begin.

Running, running, and more running. The first mile and a half were the worst. Once I got over that hump I started catching myself actually think about other things. Zoning out to my music and not looking at the distance. Running in the zone and the next thing I know I cracked the to mile mark. Whoot Whoot! I was going to do it. With ease. Well, ease may not be the best adjective, but I wasn't dying. Huffing and puffing yes, but not dying. I also had the audacity to increase the speed faster than I had ever run before. Man, I was actually enjoying myself. Loving the rush and how good I felt. Who Knew?

Then I cool down and made my way off the treadmill. My tendon in the back of my leg around my knee was killing me. Looks like I may have to take the day off tomorrow and rest.

Ahh, the life of a runner.

Saturday the DREADED 2 miler!!

This morning I awoke with a knot in my stomach. I didn't even get out of bed until nine am. I slept in until Nick came bouncing into the bedroom asking me if I had planned to sleep all day. Lucky for him I didn't. I wake up and move my morning ritual to the living room to drown away the sleepiness with fresh coffee.

The two miler.

Today I was going to prove to myself that I can be a runner. I have always heard the first two miles are the hardest and after that it becomes enjoyable. I wish I could fast forward to the enjoyable part because I was terrified of failing. I do not want to set Mr. Treadmill for two miles only to realize that I would have to walk parts because my leg or lungs would give out.

The phone rings and Stephanie is on the other end encouraging me to meet her at the gym to get our run over with. The knot grew bigger.

Two miles.

So I poured out the rest of my coffee and switched to water. Changed clothes and headed out.

Once I walked into the gym the knot into my stomach disappeared. Reminded me of what Nick always says, "The hardest part about going to the gym for a good workout is leaving the house." Today, he was right. There he was. Mr. Treadmill. Looking so sleek. So inviting. So I started walking. Normally it is a five minute warm-up, but this particular day Stephanie was late so I ended up walking about twenty minutes. No problem I am really warmed up and ready to go.

Set Mr. Treadmill for two miles. Check.

Start the 'amp me up" music in the IPod. Check.

Begin.

One mile. Not bad. Good pace. Breathing is regular.

One and a half mile. Feeling good. Don't look at the distance, instead change setting to calories. Burning over 200 calories. (including the warmup!) Starting to feel the burn in the legs. Feels good. Starting to sweat tons! Feels Great!!

Thirty minutes=Two miles!! Yea!

I actually did it! Two mile without stopping and I felt great. I could have kept on going. I could not believe it. I am a runner! Never in a million years would I ever thought those words would come out of my mouth. I am a runner. Hooray!!

Now I desperately need to get new running shoes. Check!

Stepped up trainning-10k here I come

Day Five:

I will not allow my knee bug me as much.

I will never wrap that knee again without knowing what the heck I am doing.

I will step up the training to big-girl training!

First day of big-girl training and my plan was simple: Reintroduce myself to Mr. Treadmill and kick some butt. No more walking between sets instead my plan was to set the treadmill for distance and run without stopping that distance. Mine was: a mile. One stupid measly little ole mile. Guess what..mission accomplished! A five minute warm up before and after the run and I was golden. I was winded, but felt like I could have kept going. I was energized and inspired. I have never run a mile without stopping before! And why would I? Now I felt the addiction starting to seep into my veins. Could it be? Was it so? Was I, Jennifer Marlar, actually beginning to enjoy running? Nah, couldn't be.

Day Six:

I am on fire and feeling Hot Hot Hot!! Today I bump up my run to one and one half miles! Miles! Plural!! Meaning more than one mile at a time. I turned on my music and was amped. Success! The day I am dreading is the two mile marker. I am not sure but I think I have a mental block about surpassing the two mile mark. The run is Sat. I will run it with Steph for inspiration and encouragement. Keep you posted.

Signed up for my first race! 10K

Ok, I am 32 years old and have never been a runner. Never ran a day in my life. Hiking yes, running no. Even in middle school and high school I played basketball, but some how I always got around the running drills. I didn't last very long in high school playing basketball.

I am very surprised to say last Sat I ran two miles on the treadmill. Without stopping. Now, I want to to make it known I wasn't walking by the treadmill thinking to myself, "Self, jump n this treadmill and show it who is boss!"

Uh, no. But wait let me back up to when it all started..

I joined a club at school with fellow teachers...Girls With Goals= GWG. The ladies have all come together and planned to go to Rexburg, Id. June 12th for a race. There are several races,a full marathon, a half, 10k and a 5k. I know myself and I know I would have given up on the running if I signed up for a full or half marathon. Really? So, instead I planned wisely and picked the 10K. 6.2 miles! 6.2 miles. Seems very do-able to me even if I have never run a day in my life. 6.2 miles...sheesh.

So I wiped the dust off of my gym membership card and thought I would head in. The evil treadmill row was desolate. Empty. Not even a single person was in shouting range. Perfect, now is my chance to look like a fool and no one will know. I planned on seeing how long I could run, or how far I could go when a moment of clarity struck me-'you have to crawl before you can walk'. So I chose to head the advice and run for three minutes and walk for three minutes alternating for thirty minutes. Thirty minutes flew by and I was winded. Not defeated but nicely winded. I noticed every time I began to jog my knee would really tweek out and bug me. Not excruciating, but annoying. For the most part..the very first attempt was successful.

Day Two:

Before I headed back to the gym for a hot sweaty date with Mr. Treadmill I had a brillant idea that I should wrap my knee with an Ace bandage for extra support. When I walked into the gym this time I had a smidge more confidence so I decided I would run 5 minutes and walk one. I repeated this four times. I may have gone a mile. When I got home and took off the Ace bandage my ligament behind my knee was killing me! What an idiot I was to wrap that leg, I had no idea what I was doing and I think I may have injured myself.

Day Three: Rest. Wow, this training for a race is great. Work two days then already I have a rest day. I totally got this! While I rest up I am hoping my ligament will stop hurting. It is pretty sore when I stand straight leg. Grumpy.

Day Four:

Back to the gym for a hot sweaty date with Mr. Treadmill. My ligament stopped hurting and I began to realize that I may not be in as bad of shape as I once thought, and that maybe I should start stepping it up a notch. So I ran 10 minutes and walked one. Repeat.

This was a little more challenging, but it felt so good when I was finished. I am really thinking I will like this sport. My leg is doing OK.