JANUARY Challenge.

Hey all! The holiday season is ending and I thought I would let you know what is on tap for January!

Challenge Accepted: Perform a headstand by the end of January - January 31.

Challenge Presented by: Anna Gardner

Requirements: YOGA, Abs, arms, legs - FOCUSING on the strength training.

Now most of you have been following me on my RUNNING challenges. You know I can complete those, you have seen it a couple times now. But this is a new area for me. I am going to continue to run my booty off - but now, I am challenging myself to add in one more element - STRENGTH! I will be blogging like normal (hopefully more photos). I will update on my progress and where I am needing more more (and where I am succeeding)! Let me know if there is anything specific anyone wants me to blog about!

I have found that running has given me a new LIFE but I am missing something great. I have been convinced if I were to add in STRENGTH, it would do me WONDERS!

Anna is going to help me with the Yogi side - She, already, is a YOGA guru- and can preform headstands. She is going to get me on track to completing this challenge by the end of the month. 

Here she is BELOW. This is from our AMAZING Portland trip a few weeks ago.

FOLLOW US! I am pumped. Getting ready inspiration: New leggings (bright purple), homemade inspirational board, re-visit my goals and go for a hike!

50 DONE

Challenge on 11/5 - Run 50 miles by Christmas Day. Challenge Completed: 12/20 (5 days early). 

Now, what most of you don't know, I was only counting the WHOLE MILES. No rounding up - just what the whole number said. Some days I would run 2.5 miles, but I was only logging the 2. So, FOR THE TOTAL miles ran, it was 54.63 miles during the challenge time!

My legs were sore and tired after Anna and I thought to finish the last 5 miles (actually did six!) on an INCREDIBLY rainy Saturday. But even when I suggested we run indoors, she said GET YOUR RAIN GEAR ON - adventure awaits. The rain didn't let up AT ALL but we had moments of encouragement when other runners gave us "the Nod" as they jogged past. 

See, Washington is wet and cold during this time of year, and we realized that it is just water and it is nothing that a hot shower and tea can't fix in the afternoon. The satisfaction of knowing that I almost completed a 10K was worth all the rain, cold, pain and emotional struggle to keep going. I have learned this Fall/Winter that I can't stop now - even when the weather doesn't permit it. I just have to work around it. 

Here is our one pic - since we were unable to use our phones in the rain (for fear of them drowning). As you can kind of see, we are soaked to the bone. Literally, I had to ask Anna's kind husband for a garbage bag to just remove my first layer of clothing - I could wring them out they were so saturated. I shivered the whole drive home, but goodness, I was smiling. 

CHALLENGE COMPLETE!

OH and if you all are wondering, Anna and I have come up with a NEW challenge for January. A little different, but it is going to be a new change from the normal! Running still incorporated  I will have a blog up this week with the details. Follow along! 

Thanks for all your support!

35 - 45 MILES. YEAH

Holy CRUD! Hah - 45 miles???? What is this nonsense?? Five more to go and I am about to accomplish that in one rainy morning. Sorry for the lack of blogging - lets just say a couple weeks or CRAZY insued. But I am back. I am off for a good break and going to try and write here more often. 

Near miles 30ish, I have been taking these out in 4 mile increments. I mean, why not get this over with? It is rainy, cold and just dogone miserable outside. Anna has been taking on this challenge as well and we are almost complete. With our almost-matching outfits, reflective gear and all the courage in the WORLD, we are hitting the streets. What is it with this DARK? By the time we are done with work and commuting, it is dark. I have to say, I feel like my eyesight has become SUPER POWER CHARGED in the dark. 

SELFIE - It is funny how the older you get, the less you remember to take pictures. Maybe that is just me but I told Anna "this run, I need some sort of photos so the friends and followers know I am actually doing this."

Who says running needs to look boring!? COLORFUL shoes make us happy. Fleece lined pants for the cold evenings (BEST PURCHASE EVER). 

Five more to go! Blog up later this weekend!

28 through 34. On. My. WAY.

Going... going.... almost THERE.

34 miles ran. 34 more lessons learned. It keeps getting easier - I keep getting stronger. Anna and I thought, lets run 4.5 miles Friday... and yeah, we nailed it. 

I never thought I would be a runner, excited for new shoes, STOKED to get off work to run around in the freezing cold.... to be ready for the next challenge, eating right, thinking right, new outlook. Running has opened up a new part of life. 26 has never been better! It is so funny, but I am feeling younger, feeling like I am living more than I ever have before. It is addictive, gets my heart racing and keeping me going.

16 miles to go. PIECE OF CAKE. Here we go.

19 through 27! DANG

So it has been a while, but the challenge is still going STRONG. Running, hiking, speed walking - all have been apart of my life this past week. RAIN or SHINE. Mostly rain, which in the summer I was looking forward to. But now, it is kinda yucky. 

Last Saturday, my two best friends and I celebrated Anna's Birthday! Potter painting and this then happened... no, no tattoos this time, but we did get piercings! Hey, I mean 26 is still young enough to do some crazy things right??!! RIGHT. 

After the piercings were good and calmed down... HAH I could barely smile after it was done because the awkwardness of something in my nose and the pain were all I could think of. SO WORTH IT. Call us crazy, we love them!

ANYWAY - back to the running/hiking/walking LYFE - This Thanksgiving, Rick and I woke up at 4AM to hike five miles in the mountains. Time for a RUNNING break - I thought a hike would be good on the joints. Joined by my brother, his fiancé, her family and my bro's best friend - it was quite a group! Headlamps on, fleece leggings ready we hiked. Pitch black - we were climbing to see the sun rise. We had an hour or so to make it to the top and man, the view was SO worth it. 

EDITED PIC OBVI. But still you get the idea. BEAUTIFUL. 

Rick and I after making it to the top! Aren't we just the cutest? :) He rocks. Especially in those socks. 

The top of this hike is the jump off of all the hang gliders in the area. We stayed up there for a good 20 minutes before our bodies stared to cool down and we realized it was REALLY cold! Back down we went. Five miles total and I made it up in lighting speed! 

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week! I am so thankful for family and friends that encourage me, legs that can climb mountains, air in my lungs and a God who blesses us with views like that one above.

13-18 - Imma Get This DONE

YES - 48 degrees... THANK YOU GOD! Trust me, this spike in temp made my night SO much better. Then, bring in the strained ankle and WHALA! Barely and running for Megan. Anna and I ran around Lakeland tonight but soon after we got 1.5 miles in, the ankle was like "HEY - you! Um STOP this madness!" Okay. okay... so we listened. But that didn't stop us from getting 3.4 miles in of speed walking the rest.

Miles 13-15 were OH SO difficult. Cold weather, terrible breathing, maybe eating too much pizza on Friday night and just being plain ol' lazy. But despite the minor hiccups, I am on track, actually ahead of the game by 3-ish miles! WOO!

Look at me GO! Just for you all know, Mrs. Anna Gardner is doing this challenge right along with me! Her and I are both on track and are going to make it! This has been a great motivator to get us off  our butts and get moving! Check her out at the link above - Ragamuffin! 

Winter RUNNER. Miles 9-12

Okay..... so. it is COLD. Goodness, where did this come from??? Usually we have time to enjoy sweaters, leggings and cute light scarfs for a couple months. BUT NO - break out the wool coats, bean boots and wool socks! I actually needed a heated blanket!

 

So this challenge is being tested. Since it is SO cold, I am SO not wanting to be outside. Wednesday was a mile and some change. One loop before it got too dark to be out in my neighborhood alone. I am still laughing from this evening experience - I thought I could still wear capri workout pants and still be okay. BOY was I wrong. I got about 0.25 miles away from my house and lost it. Every swear word you could think of was coming out of my mouth. REGRET. Capris are now being tucked away for the winter. NEVER AGAIN.

 

Thursday was 3 miles - HOORAA! It was super cold and my muscles were not wanting to move (because of my previous two evenings of circuit trainings). But I got to use my new jacket! It comes down over the hands to keep secure under my gloves :)

 

Still on target for the challenge. I have to saw, running more miles in an evening than just one is more exhilarating - knowing you have more to run keeps my thoughts in check. I am thinking this 3 mile loop will become a trend.

 

Friday will be a break day for me - After work I am going to spend the evening quilting, sipping tea and enjoying my family.

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

 

 

Miles 7-8

I have weak ankles. This is what I have been told this weekend when I found myself limping around my condo. Weak ankles? Never even thought! Am I really at that age?? Hah - well, 26 is still young, but geesh, things are starting to not be as easy as it was when I was 18!

 

So I took a break on Saturday to rest these weaklings. Then up Sunday for a run with my soon-to-be sister-in-law. 1 mile on the track of the JR High we both attended at some point. Felt great to be in the rain and wind - NOT. Hah... once it started to let up, it felt great to be out in the cool forested air. An running on a track was difficult yet FUN. I mean, difficult as in you can see your ending point and knowing when you need to stop sometimes mentally messes you up. But running with a friend makes it easier. I had a small ankle brace on and it seemed to help. Calf raises and other ankle exercises are in my NEAR future!

 

Monday was tough - this getting dark at 4:30PM is really killing me. I mean, I can't go out alone running in the pitch dark. So last night, with no one able to run with me, I made two and a half loops of my small neighborhood to cap it at 1 mile. SO COLD. I was all bundled and totally out of it. I wasn't in the right mind set and kept looking at my mileage hoping it would be over. Bad mindset to be in!

 

Today (Tuesday) I will hopefully bank a couple more miles as I have a friend to run with!

I am still ahead of schedule with my miles and am excited to continue this challenge!

 

Check out this new REFLECTIVE GEAR! This is what I look like when a car drives by - aint gonna miss me now! PS - That shirt ISN'T originally white - it is actually Blue!

Also, new beats for my runs. Slower in pace but total album is a success! LOVE ME SOME YELLOWCARD.

 

Any tips for my running in the cold? Let me know!

Miles 4-6!

Past couple days, we have ran 1 and then 2 more miles! It varies from day to day - how I feel about the weather, life and health. Somedays I am like "LETS DO THIS" and sometimes I am like "No, please not today!" 

Today was a new location - a sort of CONGRATS you finished a long week of work. BEST. REWARD. EVER. I never thought I would be excited for a Friday night run. Look at that SUNSET. Seattle sunsets in the Fall are just lovely!

Tonight, I learned that I am no longer a "beginner runner." I. AM. A. RUNNER. No more excuses. I CAN do this. I am able to pick up my feet, breathe gently and count the miles. I am still going for distance and speed, but I am doing it. I feel my muscles in my legs getting stronger and noticing my stomach getting tighter. My body is becoming more adapt to the strides and actually craving the movement.

These past couple months have been a big awakening for me. I have begun to LISTEN to my body. I can tell when it is needing nutrients, what it is lacking and when it needs movement. Just today, my back was flaring, my shoulders were tight and I was on the brink of a migraine. TIME. TO. RUN.

After, I felt refreshed, wanting clean eats and wasn't in any pain. For a brief 30 minutes, I was back to me. Feeling alive and happy. Today, I am going to strive for better. The bad food, the bad habits and bad routines need to be altered.

Who knew that simply picking up my feet and moving would be life-changing. This has been the best thing I have ever done for myself and my life.

Two more miles down. Happy happy day. 

3 miles DONE.

Miles 1-3! Got those done in ONE rainy and dark evening! So Anna came over and it was dark - real dark. But with the little street lights and our bright outfits, we thought, THATS OKAY. We are going to get this run in!

 

Rain Rain Rain - but I have to tell you, running in the rain was AMAZING. We started off running and kept going and going and going! I have ran further (without stopping) last night than I ever have! Must have ran around a half mile without stopping! Now, for some of you that is a piece of cake. But for a girl who has only taken up running in her 26th year of living, that is a HUGE accomplishment.

 

After about 1.8 miles (one loop around my neighborhood), Anna was like "Wanna do another loop?" WHY NOT? So my coat was dropped off at the house, and back to the pavement we went. After another 20+ minutes we finished loop 2! Three miles PEOPLE! In night one! So, I am predicting those 50 miles will be done sooner than Christmas. If that is the case, I will be running through Christmas.

 

Per Anna, this is our SUPER-CREEPY-BLAIR-WITCH-PROJECT-PHOTO. First photo of our AWESOME Challenge.

Here is my CHECKSHEET. Three miles DONE! And man, it wasn't too hard to do! I am actually EXCITED for Thursday's run! Hoping to at least get one mile in!

Have a happy day and rest of your week!

 

 

50 Miles till Christmas!

HELLO ALL! It has been a few weeks and MAN did I miss the daily runs. So here is what you missed!

1. I am MARRIED! Yay!

2. I now have a permanent BOY roommate (husband) and so far, boy roommates ROCK! 

3. Had an eight day vacation to Maui and OH MAN, it was SO relaxing. Just what I needed!

4. TIME FOR A NEW CHALLENGE

So, I got out of running for a bit with all the wedding shenanigans, but now that we are back to normal schedules, I thought a new challenge was best into getting me back on track.

50 Miles till Christmas! My bestie Anna is going to join me. Everyday, until Christmas, we are going to run at least one mile. Starting Wednesday 11/5, we will have exactly 50 days until Christmas! If we skip a day because of LIFE getting in the way, we can make it up by running two or more another day. My goal is to make that one mile mark EVERYDAY.

Can I do this? I think I can get pretty close. Back in August I ran everyday for 31 days, and BOY it was SO amazing to get into that groove. It was something by day 10-15 that I was actually looking forward to accomplishing.

So here we go - Posting as I run. Anna will be joining me, as I said before, in this challenge and will appear in the posts as we go!

Join us for the challenge or for a few days - trust me - nothing beats getting your feet on the pavement and feeling your body move the way it was meant to! After a long day at the office, it is just what my body craves - outdoors, crisp air and the cold pavement beneath my feet.

Cheers and follow the journey!

Okay, lets start OVER.

Well... that went well. Sick for a total of 5 days... That hasn't happened to me in YEARS! What a buzz kill. So because of my set back, I have decided to start this up again - but instead of running everyday, I am going to make sure to take at least 30 minutes a day to re-center, re-focus and strengthen my body! T-minus 16 days till WEDDING. Whoa! That came up fast!

Short and sweet post - starting tonight, I will be beginning my 16 days till VACATION/WEDDING/ADVENTURES! I am so excited!

Thanks for staying tuned while I brought myself back to better health!

-Megan

Day 2 & 3 & 4 - Oh no, not the sickness!

Hey guys - you have been probably wondering where I have been. Well, maybe not, but I will tell you anyways. Through all the stress of work, wedding and fitting in this challenge, I have become sick. UGH. Today is Saturday and I am feeling a lot better but still have this annoying cough. COUGH COUGH. 

So my caring fiancé told me to take a couple days off, rest and get better for the wedding festivities to come. So that is what I have been doing. I am not happy about it but I have got to get better.

I don't see this as quitting the challenge, I see this as a road block. Life sometimes gets in the way of fitness and man, you just need to listen to your body. When it says STOP you do it.

So hoping on Sunday I will be back kicking. Thank you for all your support and Love! Off to snuggle in with tea and get ready for the Day!

-Megan 

Day 1 - AGAIN

Hey again! So I have to tell you, starting this up again, I was a little "NON MOTIVATED." Okay so the exercising part is good, I was okay with that. But the everyday thing.... yeah, not so much.

BUT I am here and I am GOING TO DO THIS! And the cool thing is, people are joining me! So far I have two other "runners" that are joining this challenge! Hopefully more to come.

See, we got this. Just make time, once a day to run/walk mix and go at least a mile. COME ON. So doable - especially once you know how long a mile really is. Not that bad!

So here is a little follow up to my next couple weeks of the challenge.

Yeah, so we had an AWESOME TIME AT THE CONCERT! Guess who we saw by my tee below!? 

(Should be pretty easy :) )

My girls and I had an AMAZING Bachelorette/Birthday weekend in the mountains. No phones, no Facebook, no power... just this. And a few bottles of wine. :)

Anna and I have been on many adventures since my past challenge was over. This below was taken right before we ended a approximate 5 mile run/walk! 

SO HERE IS MY DAY 1 CHALLENGE PICS:

Anna (my late evening running friend) and I trekked around Auburn in search of high hills and good ol' fashioned distance! And we did it! 3.93 Miles of running/walking and HIKING. Oh, did I tell you the hills in her little town are KILLER? Yeah, well they are. 

Me - yeah kinda weird photo but HEY. I was like "Oh shoot, I am blogging again!" and took this real quick. PROOF. I did it!

So there you have it - Day 1 OVER. Onto another 23 for me - which means 23 days until I am the new Mrs. Judd! :)

It's Been a While!

Hey all! Whew! it has been a while since I have updated you all on my FITNESS JOURNEY. Well I have to say, there are days that I am a total SLACKER and then there are days that I kick BUTT. 

But the COOLEST thing is tomorrow - WEDNESDAY - I will be starting the 24 day running/walking challenge! Basically I am doing it again! But this time, my awesome BROTHER Kyle is joining me! We will be running/walking everyday and then blogging about it! I am going to try and lump in 1-2 days in each post since I am in complete WEDDING MODE! Um, yes Rick and I have 25 days till wedding!

So, with all that being said, fitting in running during this last 4 weeks of wedding prep is going to be tricky! But I am down for a challenge. I was able to complete 31 days, I think I can do this one.

Join us if you like! The weather is changing and it is almost ideal for running/exercising outside!

Day one starts TOMORROW. Here. We. Go.

Top Ten!

Okay - so here is my TOP TEN THINGS - What I learned and What I will do DIFFERENTLY!

WHAT I LEARNED:

ONE. If I run every other day a long pace like 2 miles or more, I seem to run faster and more further distance in my interval strides

TWO. Once you start running, eating healthy will fall into place. You will come to find that eating unhealthily will completely slow you down, make you sick while running, and totally take your mood away from wanting to run. You might have a few areas to tweak but most of your food will clean itself up on its own. Eating well will have you perform better, run longer and feel better about everything. 

THREE. I learned that you go through shoes really quick. I bought one pair of shoes at the beginning of the summer and by September 1 they were done. Arches were gone. Running equals expensive. Also, maybe investing in a BETTER shoe would help it to last longer. 

FOUR. Working out alone is OKAY. I was always wanting a buddy - I would base my work out on if I had a friend or not with me. And if I based my health off a friend, I would surely fail. Friends are AMAZING encouragers when they are available. But they have lives too! I had to learn to relay on me and my health - doing this for me. Making time.

FIVE. If you work 40 hours a week and still have housework, family/friends to see, you can still work out. I was putting off working out because I thought "I didn't have time" I had the time, I just didn't make the time. I chose to relax and eat and watch TV over my health. It is a sacrifice, but as I have seen, it is worth it. 20-40 minutes a day, mixing it up (cardio/weights) and being healthy - it is worth all the Netflix in the world.

WHAT I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY:

ONE. I will do more stretching, warm-up and cool down exercises.  When I didn't stretch or warm-up, my shins started to hurt really bad. By the 20th day or so they were able to run without needing to stretches often - but still needed to be worked. Gave myself time to get the muscles ready or cooled down.

TWO. Running on cement all the time is bad for the bones and bad for the arches. I have been advised to incorporate running in the dirt or running on trails. Getting off road for a little bit is better on the joints. I will be trying to incorporate some trail runs when my friends/family are able to accompany me. Give my body a break from the hard cement and hit the soft ground.

THREE. Set different goals. Going for distance her rather than pace. Or incorporating more interval training on days that I decide not to run long distance. My body was getting used to the normal 1+ miles on the same route. I will try and switch it up and find new routes.

FOUR. No more cheat days - as in no more food fests. No more gorging on food. I have found that it slowed me down and gave me this "hung-over" feel even though I didn't consume any alcohol. Incorporate one or two things within the week that you can have a little of - like a small bowl of frozen yogurt or a few fries off my fiancé's plate. Keep it moderate, keep living but know that food is to keep you alive! Enjoy it but not so much that you are sick. 

FIVE. Running and weights. Last night I did a circuit rotation with a friend and found that my arms are SO WEAK. Running was defiantly good for the leg and abs but my arms were SO neglected. I have learned that running 2-3 times a week and then incorporating light running/walking and then circuit training into the other 4 days will balance it all out.

There you have it! I have learned so much more but these were the top! Today was my first day using my new shoes - feeling lighter, getting stronger. My journey to good health is just starting. 

PHASE 2 comences! Circuits, Cardio blasters, Running, Weights, Abs/Arms/Legs, DANCE. It is time to mix it up. 

Join ME. I will be posting workouts, recipes, and letting you know how I am doing. Stick around, and see this girl change all the unhealthy choices she made in the past three years. Turning my CAN'TS into CANS.

Day 31 - Victory Lap

Day 31 - Challenge COMPLETED. Whew! That was fun! I can't believe for 31 days I was able to run/walk everyday! I didn't skip any day! There is so much that a learned and will do differently in my next 30 days of transformation. But that will be in my next blog later tonight.

TOTAL Miles ran in 31 days = 53.87 miles RAN/WALKED

WHOA HELLO! I think we have ourselves a beginner/average runner! Can I get a WHAT WHAT!?

Happy happy today - so thankful for all the encouragement from friends and family. The ones that encouraged me to keep going even when I was tired. And I have to say the first 2 weeks were HARD. But I am so much stronger and so much more happy that all that sacrifice was worth it.

So stick around - this blog isn't going anywhere. I have decided to keep it up, incorporate new exercises and runs in. Maybe show a recipe or two. Something that I can keep myself accountable with and to continue to inspire others to do the same.

Here is to health and HAPPINESS!

Day 31 COMPLETE - Here comes the next chapter!

Day 30 - Rain Seattle Rain!

Day 30 - What a wonderful way to wake on this lazy Saturday. By the pitter-patter of rain on the windows. Oh my heart is FULL. I strapped my shoes on, excited to try a rain-run/walk. It was amazing! 1.69 miles and good cool weather.

Wet pavement makes me HAPPY. I mean, for now. I don't know how I will feel in a few months. 

Day 30 was great - I was able to run in the quiet morning and collect thoughts from the week. I was able to re-start and re-boot. I have come to find that running/walking has helped me to re-focus and re-center myself. It is a moment of peace in this crazy life. Sometimes I am silent, sometimes I have music, sometimes a pray. It is a time for me - time to come back.

OH and just for kicks and giggles, Rick sent this to me today in the midst of cleaning, and I just had to share. He is SO FUNNY. I am so blessed.

Day 30 - Done. Tomorrow = Last Day!

Day 29 - Friday Friday Friday!

Day 29 - oh thank goodness for Friday AND a THREE day weekend. It was about time. I am so thankful. Got out of work a little early and was able to get a run/walk in. 

Here it is - I have lost 10 POUNDS since the start of my fitness change in late June/Early July! HOLY COW. And most of that was lost in the past 29 days (about 6 of those were). I am SO happy. 

To honor these 10 lbs gone, I decided to bring along (2) 5lb weights to get some ARMS in while I was running/walking. And MAN that was hard. I never knew how much 10lbs actually felt like. And the funny thing was, my time today was around 14:30-15:30 average pace - the pace I was when I started this whole thing. I was spent by the end of the 1.7 miles. 

SWEATY PIC ALERT. Had to at least show you how hard I was working!

And to end a good Friday, I spent the evening with NEW family and fiancé. What a great night for baseball. And the seats weren't to shabby either! :)

Day 29 - Get OUTTA HERE. 2 days to go! 

Day 28 - empire state of mind.

Day 28 - this song, JAY Z got me through today. Tired limbs and a tired mind limped along. But keeping up. After all this running and walking, I am able to walk SUPER fast. I was able to make a mile in 13:14 walking... HECK YEAH! Almost around an average run speed. I was SUPER fast today. And not thinking about what I was doing caused a small muscle strain in my quad.... OUCH. I could feel it, coming on as I jogged on further.

PUSH THROUGH I thought, DAY 28, you got this. So I jogged through. Better. Way better.

Haha, you know when you are running and that ONE song comes on and you just can't help but think you are in a movie? Jogging with a little more pep, punching the air, singing a little out loud? Yeah, that was me today. Until an older couple saw me and gave me a look. Weirdo. Yeah, I know. I am cool. 

They sky was LIKE WHAT?! Beauty.

Another goodie - for the running and quick steps. Or the occasional dance move mixed in the run. Why not? HAH.

DAY 28 - DONE. 3 to go! I GOT THIS.

Day 27 - Wednesday Distance

Day 27 - so a friend of mine said to focus more on distance rather than speed. She said speed will come naturally once you gain distance. So instead of listing to my run keeper average pace, I kept up with the total distance.

2.08 miles tonight. Average okay pace - but I am trying to not let that hold me back. Tomorrow I will go for a longer run. Since I had limited time tonight, I was held back on how far I could go. 

Pictured above are my new shoes - my prize for completing this challenge! It is so hard to look at them everyday, just sitting on my counter BEGGING to be worn. I am SO excited.

Day 27 - Ending with a tossed chicken salad, episode of Criminal Minds, and laughing with my fiancé. 

4 MORE DAYS!

Day 26 - Tuesday Shenanigans

Day 26 - Tuesday WAS HOT HOT HOT. Oh goodness and the food was SO good. I knew that I had to get a short run in before dinner or else I would be too stuffed to workout. So I quickly laced up my shoes before the weekly Tuesday shenanigans started. Sara joined me today - we decided to hill climb.

Time wasn't recorded but we were able to get 1.45 miles in. When we were complete, Sara completed the ice bucket challenge. It was SO hard to watch. But it looks zoo refreshing once it was over. It was defiantly an evening for ice cold beers (water for me!), BBQ on the grill and hanging with great friends. 

Did I mention the food was good? Hah - barely nothing left on the table! Almost a crime knowing the ketchup was gone!

Day 26 - OVER. 5 more days left!

Day 25 - 6 to GO!

Day 25 - Okay so I totally got this. 25 days - no skipping, just running with the occasionally long walk. Everyday! I am so happy! I can't believe I have came this far! Who knew, a working 40 hour a week, wedding planning, keeping up with family/friends, housework WOMAN could incorporate all this fitness time! Man! No more excuses! Seriously, I will never say again "I don't have time to workout." It is all about PRIORITIES!

Whether it is night, afternoon or early morning, I will make it happen. YES.

Today, I was tired. So a quick 1.68 mile walk/run was what I needed. Rick joined me today too! So fun getting to be active together! 

I was a little excited to have Rick with me today! (forgive the random awkward hand).

When complete with the run/walk, It was time that I did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that has been sweeping the social media world! So below is the "after" - not looking to shabby! To be honest, if you are nominated to participate in this great cause, do this after a hot run. WOW that ice water was cold but goodness it felt AMAZING!

 To sum it up - this quote was spoken to me a week or so ago. It just stuck with me! What a wonderful concept of what life should be like. What wonderful lives we would leave if we just stayed hungry for life and never really fully "grew up."

Day 25 - PEACE OUT.