One Year Later...

Facebook has been reminding me daily of all my life events throughout the years. Today's could not have made for a better start, for one year ago at about this time, I got a taste of my first Spartan. Facebook chose this photo to remind me of it.

Under it, I wrote this "Vowed I'd never take on a Spartan race. Have registered for multiple obstacle races in the past and chickened out at the end. Huge thanks to these awesome ladies who in 4 months gave me the confidence to toe the start line. Some obstacles went better than others, but am incredibly grateful to them and look forward to gaining more strength and doing another!"

This could not be more true. I talk a lot about how much I have grown at bodyco, so not going to get too much into that, but you always know when you achieved something great, when you look back at it, now a year later and still get butterflies.

Looking back, I find it so crazy how far I've come since this day. I remember the morning leading up to it, pacing the grounds for an hour, nauseated, teary and wondering what I was really doing. When I got the start line and found out I had to get over a wall before I could even start the race I almost left. Luckily, I was running as part of the Biggest Loser Challenge, and they wouldn't let me. Not only did I follow through that day, I broke from the pack half way and finished solo.

Since then I have completed two more Spartans and four half marathons. This weekend i'll be taking on my 5th for the year in Philly, followed by two Spartans the following week and an OCR the week after that. With dad's anniversary looming, I know these next couple of weeks are going to be a toll on me, but to be able to channel my emotions in a positive way helps tremendously.

Things I've learned this year...
~Mind over matter. As much as you may think your body can't handle something, if you can train your mind to push on, you will get there.
~Don't be afraid to ask for help. If someone is offering their assistance it's probably because they want to. Let them in.
~As you change, you will gain wonderful people in your life. You will also lose some. Accept it. Embrace it, and move on.
~Push yourself. If you don't, you will remain the same. You will feel better after, I promise.
~Do what makes YOU happy. This was certainly the hardest thing for me because I have always been the one to do things for others and make sure everyone else is happy. I never took time for me nor pursued anything that I was really passionate about. By re evaluating this, I have become a much better person, which in turn has made me a stronger person.
~Learn from your mistakes. You will definitely make them. You will slip up. You are human. It's allowed. Just don't dwell on them. Pick yourself up and keep going.
~Smile. It helps. A lot. 

This morning both of these ladies took my class, which I would have never even thought possible a year ago. They constantly push me to be better in all aspects of fitness, and when I try to slack, have no problem with calling me out. It has certainly paid off, and they have motivated and inspired me to help spark that in others.

From Beers to Berries

I keep saying I'm going to update this more often and then slack. Today was kind of a big reflection day for me, so what better time to write than now? As my dad's first anniversary gets closer, and we plan his mass I am beginning to get really, really melancholy. I am good at the fake smile and plugging along, but today I got to genuinely smile when I needed it most.

As you all see from my multitude of social media posts, I am working real hard at getting myself more fit. I am at bodyco about 5 days a week and training for some upcoming OCR's and half marathons. I am teaching Spinning twice a week at bodyco and Fitness Balanced, as well as studying to be a certified trainer. From what started out as a way to blow off steam & stress during a difficult time, the awesome folks at bodyco have challenged me to become stronger and happier than I ever have been in the past. Being able to be pushed beyond what my mind things I can achieve is something I adore, and taking that encouragement to push others in my class to do the same is awesome.

One thing that always seems to haunt me however, is the scale. I sweat like crazy all over the gym, burning hundreds (sometimes over 1,000) calories at a time, yet the scale never moves...and many times when it does it's in the opposite direction. I often hover within a 4lb range and over the last 6 months or so have not been able to get out of that. After some persuasion, my desperation to move the scale, and really having nothing to lose except my sanity I took on the Advocare cleanse over the last week and a half. It just so happened that my home scale broke 2 weeks ago, so I couldn't continually weigh every day. I weighed at the gym the day before I started, 4 days in, and this morning (11 days from the start). Within  the first 4 days the dreaded 4lbs were gone (still within my range), but mid way struggled a bit. I started to feel sluggish, heavy, and was certain I was gaining weight. I did have one slip up that night but promised myself that I would carry it out.

This morning before class & training I got back on the scale again to see that I was down another 2lbs. Weeks ago this number would have defeated me. For the last two weeks I've given up coffee, breads, alcohol and sugars. Without a doubt I would've thought the scale would've showed that, but it didn't. The old me would've either instantly cried, or stopped at Bagel World on my way to work because why not, i'm not making progress. However, I took a before and after picture of myself (as well as had one from March) & can physically see my body changing. I've had people mention to me that I "look fit" or "look great," but I often times don't believe it myself. It's definitely a photo that I will be keeping to a select few, but without a doubt gave me the confidence I needed to push even harder than I have and work to my goals of where I want to be. I have learned so much about myself in these past few weeks. The biggest being that I don't need all the terrible things I was putting into my body. I went from drinking multiple coffees to get me through my day to none at all. My love for tuna minus the mayo was still great and eating a baked sweet potato instead of fries didn't kill me. I felt so much more energy in workouts after trading my bagels for oatmeal and fruit and even was able to have a day out with friends drinking nothing but water.

I have a while to go before I am where I want to be, but after seeing in print where I came from, a spark was lit under me to work harder towards not going back. Towards the end of today's workout, when I thought I had nothing left in me, Jody told me I couldn't leave 'til I did 100 push ups. I felt myself about to get emotional & "I can't" was about to come out of my mouth, but knowing she wouldn't make me do anything she didn't think I could, I pushed through them piece by piece. Though a trainer is a support for their client, everyone at bodyco goes above and beyond that. Getting to work so closely with them, especially Jody inspires me to push harder. I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed a tear this afternoon when comparing my photo from March. I can't wait to see what's next!

Welcome Fall

It's absolutely crazy to think that the summer has ended and we are nearing October next week! As I read back my previous post, I feel like I was just reflecting on my year at bodyco, which apparently was three months ago. In reading that post I saw that one of the mentions was my want to give back to others what I have had the pleasure of receiving this last year and a half. This was getting my "old self back" and turning some of my free time into the athlete that I have wanted to be for quite a while. I am so stoked to say that this summer I've done just that. I've brought my passion for Spinning to fruition and became a Certified Instructor. I currently sub at bodyco as needed, and just became an instructor at Fitness Balance in Wakefield. (Come check out one of my classes at either place!) I also completed a course in personal training over the summer, so once I can find a little time to study and take my exam i'll be picking up more classes. :) I'm so excited to have found something I truly love and look forward to doing more of it!

Though I didn't take on as many races as I wanted to over the summer, I was able to get in a Spartan Sprint and the Virginia Beach Half Marathon. The Spartan specifically went really, really well and was a great validation to how much strength training is working for me. This was the first obstacle course race that I've ever done alone, and wasn't sure how I would fare. Most people are really good about helping out at obstacles, but I don't do well with asking for help, especially from strangers. If I can't do it, and someone doesn't offer a hand, i'll generally go right to my burpees. Though I did fail 5 obstacles (monkey bars, multi bars, rope climb, stairway to Sparta & 12 foot wall), I was really proud of my results. I came in 31st of 216 in my age group and finished in a little under 2 hours. For the first time ever, I was able to get over the 6ft wall alone...and the other 5 of them throughout the course. I got some great pics along the way, including this gem.

As you can see, it was a muddy one, but I can't wait to do another! I also had the opportunity to take my mom to the race. Not sure if i'd do that again, since the walking terrain is less than ideal, but I'm pretty sure she had more fun than I did.
My other summer race was the Virginia Beach Half, which I did not train for quite as well. I signed up for another September half marathon so that I would have all summer to train. Well the summer got ahead of me, and previous to the race, the longest distance I had run since my Tough Mudder in June was five miles. Despite the circumstances, I was going to a beautiful place, with one of my best friends, so was determined to make the most of it and run my own race. The weather was about 70, and raining off and on, which made for perfect running weather. The first six miles were great, but as my miles increased, my lack of preparation became more apparent. I ended up walking a good portion of miles 10-11, but still finished in 2:22, which is one of my "better" times.

I was so sore, exhausted and cramped that I laid on the side of the finish and allowed a random man to stretch me out (not part of the race staff), but certainly took it as a positive and reminder of how important training really is. I also learned that i'm beginning to get bored with half marathons. I've bitten the OCR apple and really want to focus on that for next year.
With the cooler weather on our heels, race season is coming to an end, but I do have a few more exciting adventures soon! I am running the Philly Half Marathon on Halloween, then taking on the Fenway Spartan both Saturday and Sunday of the following week. The Carolina Spartan was my very first OCR and it is taking place the week after Fenway. I am still going back and forth as to whether to do it, but I really, really want to. It was the day that I landed back from that very race, where I was told my dad would probably not last more than two weeks (which was accurate within 2 days) and that weekend will be the one year anniversary of his wake & funeral. I really want to honor his memory and do something positive with the day. I think it will bring everything full circle and give me some much needed closure. Since I fly for free, I can play it by ear...but i'm really thinking of it if I can work it out with my schedule.

You all know how much I hate running on a treadmill, but I am going to try and make a better effort of training for my half marathons. I am already registered for two halves in Jacksonville in January and February, so need to keep up my mileage after Philly. If I can get myself into a more regimented schedule, I think I can make it happen. I'm starting to plan out what races I want to do next year, so if you want a buddy to race with, let me know! :-)

Oh! and I have a new niece! She has been keeping me nice and busy when i'm not at work/ training and I can't wait to take her on my running adventures next spring!

One Year Reflection...

Tomorrow marks one year since I began working out with the bodyco team. I don't remember a ton of things that happened last year, but one of the few I do is how much getting back into working out got me through the last 12 months and made me a significantly better person than I was a year and a half ago. In January of last year, having recently moved away from a place I spent the first 30 years of my life, dad getting his terminal diagnosis, I having to leave my job that I loved, and having no friends or support system around me I spun out of control. Not only did I eat terribly, was not active in any way, I was a mental and emotional mess.

I am pretty introverted and am not one to express my feelings with others. I never opened up to many about this, but feel it sets the tone for the past year and the better place I have been able to move to. I happened to have a routine physical in early June of last year and my doc whom I generally adore told me I was not only overweight, but moving toward obesity. I was a complete mess & completely offended. This was the day before I found bodyco. Reading back on blogs over the last year, it was obvious that my doctor was exactly right.  I was a hot mess. As you have read previously, I joined, hated it, but something kept me coming back. Looking back now I didn't hate it, I hated me. I was scared. Scared to fail, scared to look like a fool, scared to succeed even.

I can't thank them, specifically Jody, enough for not giving up on me, for dealing with my bitching, crying, failures, and eventually getting me to where I am now. She cheered for me when I couldn't cheer for myself. The little things like random check ins and positive feedback, to big things like pushing me to do more and register for races with the bodyco team added up to me being the strongest I ever have in my life. Being able to sweat all over their gym (and that's one thing i'm good at) I was able to prove to myself that I could keep up with most of the other members. I give myself a lot of grief about not losing much weight, but I have grown leaps and bounds both physically and mentally by putting in the work at bodyco. Never would I have ever imagined completing five half marathons (and being registered for two more!), two Spartan races (and being registered for three more!) and most especially a Tough Mudder in the last twelve months. The pic below shows exactly that. The ones on the left were taken the week I joined bodyco, and the right were from two weeks ago. I can not only see a physical change in my body, but a genuine smile, something I was missing for a while.

I can't say enough about how awesome and supportive bodyco is. From staff to fellow members, it's an incredibly welcoming environment. I look forward to seeing what the next year brings. I hope to one day be able to give back and help others as they have helped me. Until then, AROO!, HOORAH!, and THANK YOU!

I'm A Mudder!

This weekend was quite crazy. I laughed, I cried, but most importantly I muddered and finished.

It started Friday afternoon where because of a few issues I had to rent a Hertz car to head up to Mt Snow. They were very kind and I got to take an Accord up for very cheap since it was a body damage & they couldn't rent it. Even with the delay I still got to the inn at about 4. Got a really great chicken pasta meal for dinner & hit the hay early in prep for the race Saturday. We ended up getting a noon start time, which for me is not ideal because it allows time for my mind to wander and second guess everything. Had I known what time we were starting before I booked the place, I would've never stood Friday. The drive up would have killed time and kept my mind off the race, and when I got there it would be go time. Instead I ate breakfast at 7:30 and laid around the room until I finally couldn't deal anymore and headed to the mountain at about 10. I met the rest of the team, and as my nerves would have it I lost my bib within 5 minutes. I was able to locate it a few minutes later, but not off to a great start. We got to the warm up area and got the "Tough Mudder Speech" before heading up the mountain. Eighteen obstacles were before us- and if I could do it all over or have advice for others, it's focus on leg work and train on hills! They were more brutal than any obstacle that was before us. The very last hill was pretty much vertical and almost took me out. I am so grateful for the leg work we were given to do at bodyco, and though I definitely could have used more, would never have completed the race otherwise.

At the start of the race we all agreed we would run our own race, but do the obstacles together for the most part.

A little breakdown of the obstacles...

1) Kiss of Mud- Basically a barbed wire crawl through the mud. Not difficult, just dirty. Tip- learn to stay low and army crawl. Hands and knees won't do it for most.

2) Quagmire- More mud. This time you had to go down a slope into mud about thigh high and sticky. Not terribly difficult, but definitely something that you can wipe out on if you loose footing...like me. I face planted the mud and nailed my knee on a rock that was in the mud. My blue knee looks worse than it actually felt. I jumped back up and was fine, aside for the sand in my contacts. Tip- go slow through it.

3) Liberator- Basically moving pegs up a 12-15 foot wall as you climb. This got the best of me at first, but some nice dude gave me lift and I used one of my hand pegs for my foot and pulled myself over. Tip- Focus on upper body strength for this one!

4) Bale Bonds- Huge hay bails you had to climb/ jump over. This one was pretty fun. You don't need a lot of prep for it. Just go at it and climb.

5) Beached Whale- A 15ish foot blow up tube that you have to climb up and over. This was the first obstacle that I really had to rely on my team for. There is no way you can really run and jump up. The two guys on our team got up there first, then reached their hands and pulled the rest of us up. I got a running start and though missed the first time, got a little more speed and nailed their hand on the second. Tip- practice run and jumps. Maybe box jumps could be helpful here as well. Also trust your team. Going into my first run I had "he will never be able to lift my ass" in my head and didn't go at it with full power. If I wanted to get over it I had to trust my team and go all in. It was a great set up to our next obstacle...

6) Everest- Basically a half pipe sort of thing with a rounded top. Again, get a running start and do your best to reach for those above you. This time all three guys headed up. There was a rope that they could drop down some, which was really helpful because if you couldn't run straight up, you could grab the rope and pull up enough for someone to grab any possible part of your body and you both pull up together. Again, definitely not something you can conquer alone.

7) Birth Canal- A small enclosed wood frame with a tarp above you and water pushing you down. Tip- stay as far to the side as you can and bear crawl through. Again, hands and knees are going to make it harder.

8) Funky Monkey- Just as it sounds. Monkey bars above the water that then transition to a straight moving bar. It's all upper body strength so if you're lacking in that department like me, just be ready to swim. It took me a second because I wanted to get a few bars in so I wouldn't smack my head on the ledge, finally just dove forward and in.

9) Prairie Dog- A long black tube that you push yourself through ending up in more mud. I kind of liked this one. If you're scared of small spaces I can see how it might freak someone out, but it was pretty fun.

10) Skid Marked- An inverted wall about 8 feet high. Tip- utilize the people above the wall and below with you. A nice guy gave me a lift and I pulled myself around the side, but Jesse was at the top ready to help pull me over if needed.

11) Devil's Beard- A huge heavy cargo net (maybe 50 feet) that you have to get through. We rolled the entire way, which was ok until I had to stand up at the end and thought I was going to fall over. Had to sit and collect my head again before continuing. A group behind us when I got up were all walking under it together in line, which seemed to work well.

12) Warrior Carry- Carry your partner half of a distance (maybe 100 yards) then switch. Andy carried me half, then we walked the last half. I was going to give it a go and carry him but he wouldn't let me.

13) Balls Out- You have to get yourself across an inverted wall using a series of ropes to swing from one to the other. This was one of two obstacles that I failed. I got two across and couldn't grab on to the third. Got back up and fell back off on the 4th. Tip- people seemed to have a good rhythm and moved fast through it. I think if you hold on and stay in one place too long (as I did) you will wear down your hands quick. Grip strength is very important on this one.

14) Arctic Enema- Slide into a dumpster of ice, jump over a wall halfway into the dumpster then back in the water and out the other side. I was told by many that this was the worst obstacle. I am always cold, so my friends were sure this would kill me more than anything else on the course. I actually found it to not be that bad. I had just failed the previous obstacle, so I think I was in redemption mode, but I would certainly do this one again before a few others. Tip- move fast. That's about it.

15) Walk the Plank- Jumped off a 15 foot plank into 12 feet of water, then swim out the other side. This was one of two obstacles I didn't do. I was feeling a little below average and didn't trust my ability to swim up from 12ft deep water.

16) Cry Baby- Crawl through a chamber filled with some sort of vapor rub tear gas. This was the second obstacle I didn't do. I would have certainly done it, had I got gashed my elbow at some point a little bit before and had to go to the medical station to get patched up. They took forever to wash and bandage it and when I was done, my team was already waiting for me on the other side.

17) Berlin Walls- Climb up and over a 12 foot wall. This was the second obstacle I failed. There is no groove in the wall to get a lift on and I couldn't get good footing on the side support to get myself high enough to reach Jesse. I gave it a few tries, but at that point we were so close to being done that I didn't want to hold anyone up.

18) Electroshock Therapy- Run about 50 feet through live wires. The rest of the team got to bypass this obstacle since they are legionaries (have done a mudder before)  and complete something else, so I was flying solo on this one. Again, this was the other one people told me I was crazy for doing and I didn't think it was half bad. I got hit once on the top of my head, but it hit my headband so I barely felt it. I did see a few people get knocked down though.

For the above reason, I ended up going through the finish line by myself. I was so jacked up about finishing that I was ready to jump into the arms of anyone, whether stranger or teammate. I however did neither, and instead squatted on the side of the finish line, reflected and shed a tear while I waited for my team. I was a little aggravated that the wall got the best of me, but was over it in about a minute considering all the positives that came out of the day. I never expected to do as well as I did, especially by myself on many things.

We spent Saturday night celebrating with some good dinner, a little dancing, and hot tub action, which included my leg giving out on me as I was getting in and I landing on top of Rick. #awkward

I rode back early Sunday solo, but with some new found confidence in myself. I've already been asked if I would ever do another one & the answer is, with the right people (including those I teamed up with this weekend), yes! It was a difficult course, but definitely something I encourage everyone to try once. Go at your own pace, and get out there and put in the work. In the end, there is no time on your orange headband, so earn it however you choose!

One more day!

After reluctantly registering for the Tough Mudder 10 weeks ago, we are at 18 hours 'til go time! As I mentioned before, this was a race that I said I would never take on. I've always said I was going to keep my feet on the ground. My dad instilled in me to avoid danger. He was super protective and nervous of anything that involved danger and kept me steer clear of it. He was the type of guy that would freak out about anything and everything, and called to check in with both Gina and I multiple times a day, for things as little as car rides because "it's always the other person that will hurt you." With this, fears drilled into my head constantly and I've grown to do exactly that- fear the unknown.

On several occasions I have registered for races, promised friends I'd do something with them or go on a new ride at an amusement park, then at the last minute chicken out and cancel. I had the opportunity to be part of the Biggest Loser team for the SC Spartan in October and went out on a limb and did it. It would be a watered down version, I could test the waters without penalty, and there would be volunteers with us to assist when needed. It was one of the best decisions I had made for myself in a while, and though some obstacles went better than others, I followed through.

In March, when the bodyco team was created for the Tough Mudder, I was invited to join them and without hesitation gave them a big old no. I had my limits and in my mind Tough Mudder was where the line was drawn in the sand. They persisted. I am not very good at peer pressure. I found a coupon and before my mind could catch up to what I was doing, I registered. They didn't know this (well now they do) but my plan was to silence the peer pressure, then find some way to back out.

A few weeks later I got invited to a friends wedding, which was taking place the same day as the race. Done! I was out! Now I just had to decide when a good time to tell them was. I dragged my feet for multiple weeks and continued to train, some of which went so well that I was torn whether to back out.  Three weeks ago I decided I would tell Jody that day. I went into the training session unfocused and not in work mode. I was a complete jerk the entire time. Thinking back on it, I would've sent me home if I was on the other side of the fence. I was wasting my time and hers. However she didn't let up. Every time I bitched, she made me do it anyway. After the session, when I was supposed to head out for a 4 mile trail run and it started to rain, she gave me another circuit to do, so I wouldn't do nothing. She wouldn't let me off the hook. Her care for her clients are nothing that I've had experience with before and I again, chickened out....this time it being to my advantage. I headed to work and thought hard about everything- my past, the work that I have put in at bodyco in the almost year that I've been there, the time, dedication and great work Jody has put in with me, and the fact that I am constantly running from every fear I have. I booked my hotel for VT the next day.

I have spent the last few weeks looking to tomorow and though as i lay in my hotel room I am nervous as hell, I am even more excited. I have been watching Tough Mudder videos all weekend, and cannot wait to earn my orange head band. It will definitely be a tough course, but something i'm ready to take on full throttle. I have always had people relying on me, and am not good with relying on others, but Saturday I am ready to let my guard down and make things happen.

Hopefully the next time I write I will be in one piece and have some good stories to tell. In the meantime...let's do this Team bodyco!

Be in the Moment If You Want to Make a Difference

Three weeks 'til Tough Mudder. Crazy. That's exactly what people are telling me I am. I am sort of letting that sink in and beginning to think that myself.

Despite the negativity I am being fed, thus far I am trudging on. This week has been particularly strong. I am beginning to see a difference in how far I've come in sessions compared to when I started at bodyco, or even just since this winter. I can now last through a whole class without feeling like i'm going to pass out or throw up and for the first time, asked Jody this week to give me all she had. If I was going to make the time to go to the gym and better myself I want to be all in during that time. I realized this week that many times I wasn't. I was moving through the motions, but mentally not there. Months ago, if I had the opportunity to cut corners, skip reps, or go light with weights I would do so without hesitation. In my mind, if was there, I was doing what I was supposed to. It wasn't until last week, when I really wanted to focus on TM training and another confirmation Wednesday morning that the light truly turned on.

I haven't been to many 5:30am classes lately (and in doing so these last 2 weeks i'm not sure how I did it on a consistent basis), but since going back have found that it is quite the packed place! Our workout Wednesday morning consisted of various 20 rep exercises (burpees, jump squats, stair runs, etc) with a lap around the plaza in between. About 1/4 of the way through the class it seemed as if one of the ladies was racing me. I figured I was crazy, and still being half asleep brushed it off, but by halfway through she had made it pretty clear. My competitive side turned on and it was game on! At one point I had a full lap on her, but she skipped one of the runs, doubled up on a rep and caught up. I was fired up, but again just stood in my own zone. The only person she had to answer to was herself and if that was going to make her feel better, then go for it. Our last exercise was 5 stair runs, then finishing with a lap. At this point she was behind me, so as long as I could out run her, I was good. After 4 runs, she headed out for the lap. At this point I was completely fired up, bolted up and down the stairs and sprinted outside. I was able to catch up to her at the final straightaway at which point she glared at me and took off. For a few quick seconds I debated on whether to empty my tank and blow ahead, but then thought- what if she really is not racing me...I always hate when people show off. Just finish as you would.

After panting my way back into the gym I wanted to say something, but realized that I used to do exactly that. If I was not being watched, i'd stop working out. If I was told to do 50 of something i'd end at 45. The only person I was cheating was myself, and I hated it. Deep down, I was (and sort of still am) scared to fail. I wanted to keep with the exercises I knew I could finish and excel at. If I even had a thought about not being able to complete it, I would go right into modification mode, stop halfway or just skip it all together.

She was in fact racing me, as she came up to me a few minutes later to let me know I kept her on her toes the whole class. She followed it up by saying the first person she wanted to keep up with ended up starting too fast for her, but I really did appreciate the challenge. I was in the zone for the entire 45 minutes and probably worked out harder in class that morning than I have in a class in a while. I promised myself that every time I walked into the gym I'd give 100%.

Walking into training on Friday, I feel like I did exactly that. I asked Jody to not let up on me. I wanted to go hard. And I wasn't going to half ass anything she gave me. I left there with a bit more confidence & maybe a bit of pride that I got through unscathed. We will see what the next three weeks bring, but i'm pretty certain that if I get my orange headband I will also shed a tear or two.

5k PR's x2!

Up until a few weeks ago I hadn't done any 5k races since last summer some time. At that time I was averaging about a 34-35 minute race time. Though I wasn't training consistently for them, I have since completed 5 half marathons from September to April and was looking forward to enjoying the shorter distance. I'm not sure if I was overzealous by not having to run for 13.1 miles, or just felt good on the Saturday of the BAA 5k, but was able to knock off a solid 5 minutes, completing the race in 29:34! I spent the first mile or so weaving around people, but once I got into a groove, didn't struggle until the final straightaway where I was beginning to lose steam. I wasn't paying attention to my watch, just letting my body move as it felt comfortable doing, and was super excited when I found to be under 30 minutes! :-)

Just when I thought I couldn't break that time, I went down to Disney last week and did just that. This race was far more painful to run than the BAA, not because the course was difficult, but because I need to start planning my vacation races with the race at the beginning, as opposed to the end...or be more diligent about not drinking before a race.

Going to Disney with Mike, a big part of the trip consisted of a lot of theme park adventures and drinking. Day drinking, night drinking, breakfast drinking (Mike, not I). Luckily Disney is so big that we were literally walking 8-10 miles a day, so "sort of" walked of some of the excess calories. With that came my Expedition Everest race struggle (which turned into a PR). Mike and I spent a portion of the day in Animal Kingdom, which in the past has been our "drink through the park" day. That day was sort of consistent with that and by race time I was four margaritas and a beer in. By the start I had thought I rehydrated well and was ready to race. The gun went off and I headed out full speed ahead. Caitlin lagged behind for a bit and yelled at me for starting too quick. We needed to back off if we were going to do well. By mile 2 she was flying and at that point I had lost all steam in the tank. I wasn't sure if I was going to vomit or pass out, but knew I needed it to be done. I was beginning to fall behind, but she kept pushing me and we crossed the 5k mark in 27:46! We had passed a good amount of people, so I knew we were in a good spot going into the scavenger hunt. We decided to take this part a little slower with the running at first, but it took us so long to figure out the first clue, that I was completely recovered and ready to continue running.

The scavenger hunt was pretty hard. I knew if we were going to do well in the total race, we needed to get ahead in the 5k, because I am terrible at puzzles. Our overall time ended up being 1:03:50, which is pretty crazy considering it took more than double to cover less than 2 miles when we completed 3.1 in 27:46. We still finished in 49th place out of 634 female teams, so was pretty psyched. It was a ton of fun though and so glad I got to participate with Cait. It was the last year of Expedition Everest and we got a pretty sweet medal that is actually a working compass. I can't find my way out of a paper bag, so that will not help me much, but it looks good on my wall. :-) They said they are making a "bigger and better" race to replace it, so I'm thinking Spartan! Who's coming with me?!?!? :-)

Side note- this was the first question/clue. I will buy you a coffee if you can tell me the answer to this question without googling it (I am a trust worthy person ;))... "You are climbing a mountain for 24 hours and wearing an analog watch. How many times will your watch display three of the same numbers in a row during that period not using military time?"

I have realized that I am not a fast runner, but a slow and steady consistent runner. My goal is to train all summer in an attempt to PR the Philly Half on Halloween (an extra bonus if I can also PR Virginia Beach Labor Day weekend), so I am hoping to do a few more 5k's to use as speed workouts. I have also learned that when running alone, I tend to go at a much slower pace, so hoping "competition" will do me good.

My next stop is Tough Mudder on June 6th at Mount Snow. To think I had 2.5 months to train, I really can't believe it is so close. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, because I very much am terrified, but am looking forward to seeing how much of it I can actually do. I am really going to focus over the next month to get in whatever training I can. I have trail shoes and a camelback now, so really have no excuses to get out there and work. Shooting to get in about 3 classes and 1-2 trainings a week for the next several and see where that takes me. I feel like I am beginning to be able to do more lately than I could in the past (i.e. a whole set of assisted pull ups this week!) but still know I have a long way to go. With that, I'll be doing my work and updating soon!

Rock & Roll Raleigh Half

After going two years without ever getting bumped from a flight i'm sitting in the Raleigh airport having yet again not having a seat on my scheduled plane. I have two hours to kill until the next shot, so why not update this guy.

Going into this week, I pretty much had minimal to no gym time/ running. I was hitting the gym pretty hard in March, but life and work has gotten ahead of me these last few weeks, and not to get into too much detail, point being my last "solid run" was during the Gasparilla half I'm February. 

I didn't have too much of an expectation going into this race for the above reasons, but was really disappointed in myself for yet again not properly training. I would love to see what kind of time I can get if I can only get my act together. This is definitely going to be a priority for the summer, since my next scheduled half is not until Labor Day weekend. 

Anyhow, we had to be parked by 530 this morning because they were closing the streets shortly after. I generally don't do well when I have a lot of free time pre race because my mind gets the best of me. I ended up hanging out in the Marriott lobby about a block or two from the start and kept myself busy with work stuff so it wasn't too bad until about 615 when my stomach decided it wanted to go against me. I tried to shake it by hydrating, but had a feeling in the back of my head that I might pay for it on the course. 

Today marks 5 months since dad passed and the race proceeds benefit cancer research. I wanted to honor his memory and run for him, but as the course started and cancer fighting related signs popped up at the "memory mile" it sort of got the best of me. I spent 9 minutes of mile 5.5 sick. I began to feel it at the start of mile 4, but couldn't shake it. Positive side of it, it happened and I moved on. It made for a negative "official" split in the long run.

The course itself was crazy hilly, which made for some really hard, then really easy sections. I ended up having to walk up a few of the steep guys, but it made for a wonderful down hill fly! I wish I had set my run keeper, because I would have loved to see my per mile times. Overall it was a really scenic course. Raleigh during this time of year is gorgeous  (coming from a Boston gal). I would certainly do it again...and train on hills. :)

I didn't stretch as well as I shouldve so feeling a little tight and sore, but otherwise feel pretty good.

I saw this quote on my run today & think it's definitely worth sharing.

As I was about to finish the race, Drift Away came onto my Pandora. I know dad would think I'm absolutely crazy for doing all these adventures but that was a true indication to know he is here with me.

Training hiccups & Mad points :)

After three solid weeks of training, I hit a few hiccups this week. I feel like I'm repeating my insane schedule of last year, but trying to motivate myself to get some road running in, now that the weather is finally letting up. Thursday evening after a slew of crazy events, I packed up a sleeping Aaliyah in the jogging stroller and got in about 3 miles. I forgot how insane the hills on my property are! I definitely need to spend some extra time over the next month or so just hitting those, because they quickly got the best of me. We also have a newly renovated gym on my property with all new equipment, a spin studio and boxing simulator that I want to make time to take advantage of when I can't get to bodyco. I had the place all to myself the other night, but found myself just walking in circles and start/stopping with getting a minimal sweat on.

On the plus side, March Madness officially finished at bodyco and I took second place!

Motivating myself is always a challenge, but when working with/ against others my competitive side comes out. This is most likely why I can never get as good of a minute per mile on training runs as I do in the actual race. This is also why I get sick in the actual race.... :) A new racing PR is definitely on my goal list for this year, so with upcoming races looming I hope to be able to limit the "post race sick."

I also really want to start trail running to better prepare for the Mudder and Spartan. I got a Camelbak this week thanks to my awesome co worker. Now I just need to find some good trails. And maybe a running buddy...let me know if that's you. :)

Last upcoming goal is to focus on losing some excess fat/ gain some muscle to help with all the previous goals above. One of the many things that the doc spoke to my mom about was her eating habits, and Gina and I have both agreed that we are going to change things within the house. Hopefully, if we can follow through with this as a family, it will make things much easier and peer pressure to make bad choices will be lessened.

I will again be at the finish line of the Boston Marathon as part of the medals team! If you're running, let me know so I can find you!!

I'm Gonna Be A Mudder...

After spending all of last week deliberating whether to train for the Tough Mudder in June, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and registered. I have been reading through fitness blogs/ reviews from others who have done the race so far this year, talking to a few people who have done it, and watching an embarrassing amount of YouTube videos of both people doing the race with Go Pro's and the Mudder organization itself showing details of the obstacles.

This week of training went pretty well. We just finished week 2 of March Madness at bodyco, and though I spent the first half of this week battling a cold, I made it a point to work as hard as I could to see if this race was something I'd be able to handle. In Monday's training Jody put me through the ringer. From pull ups to farmer carries it was non stop. I am pretty sure I sweat out 75% of my germs. I felt really good post workout, but it was Saturday Slaughter yesterday that solidified my choice to register. One of the exercises we had to do were towel pull ups. Right out of the gun my response was "those towels won't hold me" and "I won't even be able to get one of these, nevermind 50." For the first half hour I kept staring at the pull up bar, then going onto something else. I finally jumped up, did two, and got off. As I was doing so, I remembered my first slaughter class I had ever taken at bodyco, to which I left in tears. We had to do 50 pull ups and I couldn't even do one. Yesterday I told myself to suck it up and get it done. I busted out the 50, then after class had 15 minutes to kill and did another 15. Before I could mentally talk myself out of it, I came home and registered.

I have spent time today at work researching key exercises that will prepare me best for the race, as well as local hiking trails that I can start running over the next few weeks (if the snow ever melts). I would love to really focus on a goal and train properly for it...so here it goes! If I can get solid training under my belt for this, I will feel much more confident going into my Spartan race two weeks later. That last wall from October still haunts me. :)

I have been making an effort over the last few weeks to eat and train better and I definitely feel stronger. I am not one to take "before and after" photos, but I wanted to see if there would be a change in my body if I focused on making better choices. In the last two weeks, I am beginning to see that. It's motivating me to stay on the path and get it done!

The Stronger I Get, the More I Think I'm Losing My Mind

So it's been a few weeks since Gasparilla. I felt pretty good through both races, so there was no real "recovery" to have to deal with, but I took a little time off from running. The week following Tampa Gina and I took mom on a last minute mother/ daughter weekend trip to Disney. Friday would be the one year anniversary of when our lives got flipped upside down and I owed it to mom to get her away for a bit after her staying back from the Jacksonville trip. We literally decided on Wednesday that we were going to surprise her and leave Friday. I guess this is one of our great free fly benefits. :-) I brought my running stuff, but only ended up getting in a short run on Sunday. I worked overnight Thursday, so was completely exhausted when we arrived on Friday, and it rained all day Saturday, so opt to skip that run. Sunday was absolutely beautiful and though of course it was the day we had to leave, we still were able to get in a great day of swimming and lazy river riding! It was worth every penny that Gina and I spent, as mom was like a child all weekend, and happier than we have seen her in quite a while. This photo does little justice, but was one of my favorites from the weekend...

The following week was a bit of a mess with nutrition with my birthday looming and being taken out by family/ friends and being super busy with work. I spent Friday drinking copious amounts of wine and eating some amazing Mediterranean food with my two best friends and rang in 31 with them. I did get in a few solid workouts, but as we all know, you can't out train a bad diet.

Bodyco started a March Madness challenge and I hopped back on the wagon this week, completing it's first week. I have been eating a bit better and got in 6 solid workouts Monday through Saturday. They also created a team for the upcoming Tough Mudder at Mt. Snow in June...and therein lies my dilemma. To Mudder or not to Mudder? My initial reaction was a straight no. Yes, I said the same thing about doing a Spartan, but that was all physical. I knew I wasn't going to be able to complete all the obstacles, but I knew I was comfortable (I use that term loosely) with doing burpees, so would be able to complete the race. I was also going to be part of the Biggest Loser team, where I would have the opportunity to opt out of whatever I was not comfortable with and there were volunteers who would be with us through the whole race (until I got brave and ran ahead on my own). Tough Mudder however, challenges your mental grit, something that I struggle with more than any physical challenge I am handed to me.  I hate anything that drops me from a distance, or has my feet higher than my height. I don't do water slides, spinning rides and stay clear of jumping up/down from anything more than a few steps.

I've realized lately in bodyco that I can do more than I think I can if I only let my mind get out of my body's way, but it is a huge struggle for me. Because I am sort of crazy, I have been spending countless hours researching everything Tough Mudder related from obstacles to tips. If you know me well, you know I take no risks. As my grandmother said when I recently talked to her "you were afraid of the merry go round, how could you ever think of doing this race?" That would be completely true and I keep going back and forth as to whether to do it, but deep down I think it's something I need to overcome. I talked to a few of my closest friends and both stated that it would certainly be a stretch for me, but something they would love to see me do. I recently stumbled upon this quote someone posted to facebook and it struck me pretty hard...

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

With that, one question lies- go for it?

Adventures in Tampa- Half marathon #2- Gasparilla

After traveling to Jacksonville last week, I came back to Boston to work for a few days before heading back down to Florida to take on another running adventure. Doing back to back half marathons in a week sounded good months ago when registering, but as the event got closer, I wasn't totally sure it was my best decision. My uncle lives in Tampa, so I took the opportunity to spend a few extra days in the beautiful weather and left Thursday. Though the first two days I was there it was their only "Florida winter" and in the 50's, I certainly enjoyed letting them layer up, while I enjoyed the gorgeous sun. We had a great few days together and for me much of it was spent laying around the couch/ yard and forcing myself to relax, something I never do in Boston. To say that they spoiled me was an understatement and I enjoyed all my favorite home cooked meals. My pants endorse that this week...

I left for downtown Tampa after breakfast on Saturday and met Marcia and Melissa at the race expo. After getting our race stuff and some free swag, we indulged in the local food fare and got Cubans at this amazing place called Victoria's. If you're in the area, go. You won't regret it. It was my first "Cuban experience" and it was wonderful. :-)

We spent the afternoon touring Ybor city by way of our fabulous tour guide Marcia, with multiple libation stops, most notably Columbia. Best. Sangria. Ever. In fact, we drank more sangria than I ever would the night before a race. I hold my alcohol well, but generally don't partake at least a day or two before race days. I had actually stopped drinking for a while during BCM training, so my tolerance was a little lower. The food at Columbia also smelled amazing (more on that in a bit).  We ended the night at the Spaghetti Factory, to carb up (and drink a bit more Sangria) and were back to the house to prep for race day by 9. I was passed out 15 minutes later.

I did wake with some dehydration, but surprisingly enough, some peanut butter crackers, a banana and chugging a bottle of water took care of that pretty well.

Though I always thought I was pretty solid at planning things down to a dime, Marcia is definitely the most efficient time manager I know. The race was starting at 6am and although we were supposed to be in the last corral and probably wouldn't start until 6:20 or so, she ensured us that waking at 5 would be plenty of time. We were out of the house at 5:20, made a pit stop at Starbucks, parked the car blocks away, used the porta potties and still made it to the start line at 5:55. They weren't really sectioning people off...so we jumped into the barrier about 10 people behind the elites. We were off at 6:02! Marcia and Melissa run with the Jeff Galloway interval method, and though I never have, was looking forward to trying it out. We did 2:1's the whole way, which was pretty great, since I was not running at 100%. We finished in 2:35 on the nose, and aside for some discomfort from a blister I got in the race last week, had no pain or soreness at all! I will certainly incorporate intervals into future training!

The course itself was beautiful, with most of it along the Tampa shore. For a race having over 30,000 runners, I never felt like we were crowded. There was hydration at every mile and 2 stops with Gatorade chews, which I really appreciated since, GU is not my thing.

After finishing, we took some photos with the legendary Gaspar boat and got some amazing food, supplied by the delicious Columbia restaurant that we were at the night before. Paella, rice and beans, salad...so good! If the line wasn't so long, seconds would've been had by all.

I don't think I've ever sweat that much in my life, and would refrain from indulging so much before I future race, but given the circumstances was really happy with our time. In my competitive mind, I wonder what time I would've had if I gave my all, but told myself going into the race that I was going to do it for fun, so no regrets here!

After cleaning up, we grabbed brunch at Datz, another awesome place to go if you're in the Tampa area! I left for the airport at about 1:30, hoping to get on the 4:00 flight, but for the first time, had no luck on standby. I spent the following 5 hours in the Tampa airport, only to get denied at 9pm as well. With school vacation and snow birds, traveling I would have to try again in the morning. Monday morning I was able to get to DC, which would get me at least halfway. Luckily an hour and a half after landing in DC hopped on a plane home.

I cannot stress enough the importance of cross training, most importantly weight training. We earned one of the coolest medals ever, and I completed a challenge that a mere few days prior I was questioning. With the exception of the Breast Cancer Half I completed last week, each of the previous long races I have done I ended up in pain for days. After both of these races I felt great and either trained or took class the following day without any soreness. My longest run before last week was 6.5 miles, but made sure to get to bodyco at least four days a week, training at least one of those days. Though I may complain during the process, hard work does pay off & I look forward to seeing how I can improve my times and performance in future races. Now to find a new adventure...

6th Time's A Charm! 2015 Breast Cancer Marathon

As many of you know by my multitude of posts these past few weeks, I was again registered to take on the 26.2 with Donna- the National Marathon to FINISH Breast Cancer. This would be my sixth time taking on the race, and each year it becomes more near and dear to me. I have not only raced and raised money for this amazing organization, but have had the opportunity to help promote the race at local expos and such in Boston. It has gone from "a race I was trying to find to use as a workout goal" to something of passion.

The race itself is an unbelievable experience. The entire city comes out to support those who are running and throughout the race you can find anyone from "your average resident" cheering and giving high fives to breast cancer survivors and current women going through treatment thanking and hugging you along the route. If inspiration to get you through is what you need- this is the race for you! If you want to find an organization where 100% of your money raised will go to research to find a cure for the disease and give money to help pay bills of those battling it, this race is for you! If you want to spend time in Florida during cold snowy February, this race is for you!

This year, this race meant more to me than ever before. Though my dad didn't agree with everything Gina and I did (cue Spartan races and karate) he always supported us. This race on the other hand he always bragged about. He always talked about his "daughter who ran cancer races vs his daughter who shopped." Any time someone would call the house for some type of donation, his answer was always "I give money to my daughter who runs to fight cancer." As fate would have it, just two days after completing the 26.2 with Donna last year, we rushed dad to the hospital to find out a few hours later that he had "one of the worst esophageal cancers that ED had ever seen." One week later we found out it would take his life in six months. Running to raise money to help families battling this dreadful disease was one thing, but to experience it first hand took my love for this race to a whole different level. Dad's wish was to pass at home. He tried as hard as he could to do this, but the day before he passed, he asked to be taken to the hospital. While lying in the ED struggling to get comfortable, he told his nurse "you know, my daughter does cancer races so we can find a cure for this shit." It was then I promised him that I would continue to do so as long as I physically could, and there was no way I was letting him down this weekend.

The 26.2 was going to be taking place the day after Valentine's Day this year and with all my mom went through over the last year, I thought it would be a perfect treat for her to join me on my race journey. She is by far the most supportive person of any activity I take on, whether it be theater, half marathons, Spartan races or anything in between. (It took a while for me to break her from telling people that I did American Ninja Warrior in October). This would be her first Valentine's Day without my dad, so to keep her mind off things and get to see me cross a finish line of a race was going to be perfect.

Mother Nature however, felt the need to challenge that. If the beginning of school vacation wasn't challenging enough to get on an airplane standby, the foot of snow that she was bringing would take care of that. As the days to race day got closer, flights were selling out and on Thursday there were no open flights anywhere on the East Cost heading South. Gina tried everything she could to get us there, but in the end our only option was going to be to sleep in the airport Friday night and hope someone missed their flight. I contemplated driving down from Boston, but sleeping on it overnight realized it would be over my head to drive alone. I decided that if she could just fly me halfway I'd take care of the rest. The entire week leading up to the race I was an emotional mess. I wanted to do this race as well as I could and make dad proud, but the miles I got in over the last few months were sub par. My longest run was 6.5 miles. I had been training fairly regularly at bodyco, but running wasn't in that training by choice of my own laziness. With that emotion came a drained body. Friday night came and when I left work decided to go home and get some sleep as oppose to bunk at the airport. I would get there early Saturday and pray to the airline Gods to get me anywhere close to Florida. Gina and I also decided that night that we would leave mom behind. If there was only one seat on a flight it would be worse for my mom to see me get on it while she stood back, than to just promise her a trip some time soon. She took it relatively well (better than I did) and now we will be heading back to Disney next month (win!).

I got to the airport bright and early and as luck would have it got to Savannah Georgia! I rented a car and headed and hour and 45 minutes South to Jacksonville. I was going to be able to race. I am not sure I've been that stoked in a while and was so fired up that I barely slept Saturday night.

I also got the opportunity to attend the Mayo Clinic reception Saturday evening, which was overwhelming and a true confirmation of how much has been accomplished with the funds raised over the last 8 years. Not only is there now going to be a vaccine, but a multitude of new clinical trials, all supported by the 26.2 with Donna. We also got to meet one of the women that received funds from The Donna Foundation to be able to get her breast cancer surgery, that she was otherwise not able to pay for. Her touching story had everyone in tears, and if that was not enough energy to send me into race morning, what she said to me after sealed the deal for me. A few of us spoke with her after the reception. I thanked her for giving me that extra push for the morning and while hugging me said "what you do saved my life, and for that I cannot thank you enough." Tears and a full heart commence yet again.

 

I don't think we could've had better running weather. It was around 50 when we started and 60 or so when we finished. I told myself I wanted to do the best I could, but also didn't want to jump out of the gun too soon. Every year for the last five, I've crumped by mile 9, and struggled, contemplating why I took on this race again (of course that always changes a few hours after crossing the finish line). I never once had that feeling this year. At mile 10 I actually thought I was dreaming about passing the mile marker. Mile 11 got sick, but felt so good that I didn't even know until it happened, then killed the final two miles faster than all the previous. I pretty much ran the majority of the time, only walking through water stops (though this photo sort of looks otherwise ;) )

I ended up placing in the top 25% of my gender and top third of my age group, which is certainly a first for me. I got a 16.5 minute PR on the course from all my times over the last six years and beat last years time by a half hour. If I wasn't dehydrated when crossing the finish line I most likely would have shed more tears, but pretty sure I dove across the finish in excitement.

I feel super blessed and lucky to have stumbled upon this race years ago and very grateful to have found such a caring environment at bodyco where I have been able to grow physically. With the crazy weather, I haven't run outside since November. Thus, the minimal running I did (6.5 miles was my longest) was on the treadmill. I wasn't sure how prepared I'd be, but for emotional reasons was so ready to take it on. It was by far my training and bootcamps under Jody and Lauren that not only prepared my body for 13 miles, but strengthened my muscles enough to get me to that course PR. This weekend has truly been amazing and although was a completely draining process to get to, would not have changed a thing once I arrived.

 

When I return from races Aaliyah always enjoys running around with any new race medals I bring home. Here she is wearing all six of my 26.w with Donna medals. That only lasted about 30 seconds, but enough for a cute shot. :)

I am heading back down to FL this weekend to take on another half with some 26.2 with Donna ladies and get to marathon distance in a week. I'll be taking this one as a "fun run." More details on that next week. :-)

New Year, New Adventures

New Year's Eve Mike and I headed to what has become our new tradition of ringing in the New Year at Hong Kong Dragon with the amazing staff. In the past few years this has become a dangerous situation. We get tons of free food and drink, which is wonderful in the moment and later/ the next day turns into some regret. This year I scheduled myself to work at Hertz early in the morning to try and minimize these regrets and I am happy to say that I held up pretty well. I didn't eat any of the Chinese, and held myself to two drinks, plus one glass of champagne (although they gave Mike and I our own full bottle!...which is what made for almost 24 hours of regrets the following day last year). In the midst of the celebration Mike and I always tell each other our 5 best things from that year, 5 worst, and 5 goals/things to look forward to in the following year. We had never talked of a Spartan trifecta before (I would have never even thought of it), but one of Mike's goals for me was to complete one this year. He clearly had to do his research, since again I never mentioned anything of it, but it truly meant a lot, coming from someone who isn't into fitness. I definitely think it's going to take a lot of hard work, but having it come from someone who has known me for so long and to have that confidence in me makes me want to give it a go...

As the New Year has come, one of my main goals that I set for myself was to make the most of every moment and try my best to improve my fitness and nutrition. I know there will be days that are better than others, but I am not going to dwell upon those, as I had in the past.

So far, things are going well, and with this new goal I feel like I'm getting more out of my workouts. This past week has gone particularly well and I've felt really strong in all my sessions and classes. Lauren gave me an extra push yesterday, which I really appreciated and moved me from the 10lb to the 25lb plate for stair runs. I felt it by the afternoon, but it's a sore I've come to welcome. My half marathon is a mere 5 weeks away (and 6 weeks since i'm insane and decided to do back to back races to "try to get in 26.2"). I haven't been the best at long runs, but got in a few 5 milers this week. Tuesday I'm forcing myself to get 7, even if it means I have to do some treadmill walking.

Monday starts Phase I of the Wellness Project that I got into. We have been in the Pre Phase since the 1st and in my first week I am down 4.2lbs. I also had a slight GI bug Monday, so that could've contributed a bit, but i'll take every once the scale is willing to give. I have cut sweetener out of my coffee, and am doing a little better with food prep to bring to work. On Monday I cut out all sugars and carbs for 10 days....my apologies to everyone that comes near me in that time. I'll post how that goes soon!

Happy Weekend! Stay warm!