Our Las Vegas Trip is Booked!

Last night my husband and I booked our Las Vegas trip for my first half marathon in November.  We decided to book the Mirage because it will be near the finish line (provided they don't change the route to much from last year) and the hotel seems to get pretty great reviews.  And really who doesn't want an exploding volcano outside their hotel right?

We will fly into Vegas on the morning of November 14th and fly out the evening of November 18th.  We were able to get a direct flight there but will have a short stop over in Seattle on the way back.  Hopefully our stop over in Seattle won't turn out to be as long as last time I was there.  Imagine 6 kids (ages 5-16) and 6 adults stuck in the Seattle airport for about 6 hours.  Arghhhh! Thank god for portable DVD players.

Next is to save up some spending money (aka casino money) for while we are there.  I also need to make a list of what I want to see while we are there.

I managed to get in 2 runs last week.  I was going to get outside on Saturday for a run, the weather was much better than it has been, but than everyone abandoned me at the house with the kids so that didn't happen.  I can't wait for warmer weather and more day light hours.  I miss running outside.

I have 3 runs planned for this week.  I am hoping things work out and I can sneak out to the gym tonight for one of my runs.  The other 2 runs will probably be this weekend.  Only 12 more days until my St Patrick's Day Trail Run 10k, I need to get my runs in!

I seem to be in somewhat of a weight loss slump this week from what the scale is showing me so far.  I think it may be my snacking on nuts and dried fruits so I am going to try to cut down on those for a while.  We'll see what the scale says tomorrow for my weekly weigh in.

Have you been to Las Vegas?  Any must sees that you recommend?  Will you be running in the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Marathon/Half Marathon?

Weigh in Wednesday

So my plan to run each day is not starting out well.  Between the kid's activities and hubby's hockey and work I haven't been able to get to the gym after work.  It is dark before and after work so I am uncomfortable running by myself outside.  Tonight is also not looking good for a run as hubby has a hockey game to coach.  I guess I will just stick to the running 3 days a week plan.  Maybe once it stays light outside for a while after work I try working on running each day.

Got some potentially upsetting news about my nephew yesterday.  There is a possibility he might have Lymphoma, he is going for more tests today.  They were going to make him wait 2-3 weeks for the tests but my brother got them to move up the tests to today.  My nephew will be 16 on Friday.  I am hoping the tests come back with good news.

Since hearing about my nephew I googled Lymphoma to find out some more information and I looked at Team in Training.  I had looked at it in the past but the amount of fundraising you need to do kind of makes me nervous.  Now that this disease might hit close to home I am looking more into possibily joining Team in Training for a race.

I will keep you all posted on my nephew and if anything comes of Team in Training.

On to the weekly weigh in...

Starting Weight: 192.8
Last Week: 173
This Week: 171

2 pound loss!

My weight loss seems to be leveling off since the big loss I had the first week I was doing the paleo diet which I was expecting.

How was your week?  Any experience or thoughts on Team in Training?

Sorry I have been MIA

Wow!  It has been just over a month since I last posted.  I didn't mean to go MIA.  The week of January 21st was a busy week and I didn't get in any of my runs.  Actually I haven't run since but I am planning to change that, I need to change that.  I also fell off the eating healthy wagon for about 3 weeks as well and had gained a few pounds back.  That has changed though.  On February 12th I texted my hubby at work and told him that I wanted to go Paleo for Lent.  I am not a really religious person but I thought what the heck.  So far so good.  I have stuck to the Paleo way of eating and have lost a bunch of weight doing it so far.

I know it is not Wednesday but since I missed posting a few weekly weigh ins thought I would post what I weighed in at last Wednesday.

Starting Weight: 192.8
Last Weigh in (Jan 23): 177.4
This past Wednesday (Feb 20): 173

4.4 pound loss!

When I started the Paleo diet on February 13th I was at 179, which means I lost 6 pounds in the first week.  Most likely the reason I lost so much so fast was because I had been eating horrible the previous 3 weeks.  I am back on track eating and weight loss wise.  I just need to get back on track with my running.  I signed up for a race on March 17th so I have about 3 weeks to get back in shape to complete a 10k.  Yikes!   Need to get my butt in gear!  I also have my Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon coming up in November that I need to stay in shape for.

I had signed up for round 2 of the Run Your A$$ Off Diet Bet.  It wasn't looking good at first with my horrible eating and lack of running but it ended today and I made my goal!  Woohoo!  So glad I turned it around. =)

I am going to try to run each day this week, provided I can make my schedule work with me, even if most days it is just a mile or 2.

How have you been this last month?  Have you tried the Paleo diet?  What are your plans for the week?

Weigh in Wednesday & Tackle the Miles Virtual Race

Tried to get my 4 mile run in last night but when I went to my Y it was packed.  No treadmills we available and most of the ellipticals were taken as well.  Decided to put off my run until today and do something else last night.  Thought I would try out my new Zumba game for the Xbox Kinect but couldn't do that since hockey is back and hubby was busy watching a couple of games.  Than I thought I would do one of the exercise videos I have at home on the other tv after the kids went to bed.  That didn't work out because I ended up falling asleep while putting my son to bed.

My hubby has a hockey practice planned as long as it doesn't get to cold (it is an outside rink practice).  If that happens I will do my Zumba game while he is at his practice and when he gets home I will run off to the Y (hopefully it isn't as packed tonight) and get my 4 miles in.

On to the weekly weigh in....

Starting Weight: 192.8
Last Week: 179
This Week: 177.4

1.6 pound loss!

Total weight lost: 15.4 pounds

After I had reported my weight for the week on Myfitnesspal it told me I should reevaluate my goals so I did.  I get 50 less calories a day now.  Boohoo!  I am sure I will be fine but it is slightly scarey on the days I don't run so don't get the extra calories.

I will be participating in the Tackle the Miles Virtual Race in February as one of my #13in2013 races.  I can run any distance (5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, or trail run) between Februrary 1-8.  Looking at my upcoming running schedule I decided to run a 10k on February 3.  I already have a 6 mile run planned for that day so I will just run an extra 0.2 miles to make it a 10k.

There is no cost for this virtual race and there will be prizes.  The run is sponsored by Mizuno, Choice Organic Teas, Active Approach, Fit Approach, and Spright.

How was your week?  If you go to a gym, have you been having problems lately getting a machine?  Are you participating in any virtual races?

Weekly Workouts - Jan 14-20

I got in all my planned runs in this week except for my 2 miles on Saturday.

Last Week's Workouts:

Monday - 4 miles in 55:45 (13:56 pace) - I had this run originally scheduled for Tuesday but it was looking like it was going to be a crazy day so I changed it to Monday.
Tuesday - Rest Day
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 4 miles in 53.47 (13:26 pace) - This run felt great after 2 days of rest.
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - 2 miles Rest Day - Originally planned to do 2 miles but it just didn't happen. =(
Sunday - 5 miles in 68:10 approx. (13:38 pace) - I found out that the treadmills at the Y force you into cooldown once it hits 60 mins.  After fighting with it for a minute or so I ended up stopping it, making not of the time I had already run, and starting it again.  Unfortunately I forgot to look at the distance and ended up guesstimating how much further I had to go.

Total miles ran: 13 miles

This coming week I have 5 runs planned and it is going to be a challenge to get them all in with my husband's hockey coach meeting, hockey practices, and a scheduled late night for work.  I think I have it figured out but we will have to see how it all works out.

Weekly Weigh In

So for the couple of weeks now the scale has been bouncing between 180 and 181 (I am still weighing myself daily).  It has been some what frustrating but have been trying to keep the faith that it would eventually reflect all the work I have been doing with my runs and healthier eating.  The scale seems to have decided to finally be nice to me.

Last week: 181.8
This week: 179

2.8 pound loss!

I am very happy with this!  I am out of the 180s! Woohoo!  I have been following my running plan and eating healthier.  I eat treats here and there but for the most part I am eating healthy.  I turn down treats my co-workers or parents offer all the time and treat myself to candy or chocolate once in a while.  I am feeling better and my clothes seem to fit better lately.

Today I looked at what I have accomplished in the last couple of months.  I started eating healthier on November 16th.  Since than  I have lost 13.8 pounds, which is approximately 1.6 pounds a week which is awesome!  I started running again on November 25th.  My first 2 mile run was run at a 15 min/mile pace.  On a recent 2 mile run on Saturday I ran it at a 13:39 min/mile pace.  Not to bad!  In December I ran a total of 31 miles.  Since the beginning of January I have already run 31 miles. =)

I am liking that my running pace has gotten faster.  I still have a ways to go but I think my progress is great!  One of my 2013 goals was to get to a 12 min/mile and I can totally see that happening and possibly even faster.  We'll see. =)

Dietbet Update

So the Dietbet that I am participating in is just over half way down.  I am currently down 5.6 of the 7.4 pounds I need to lose, 1.8 more to go.  I am sure I can get this done as long as I stick to my running plan and healier eating.  The Dietbet game has been fun. 

I get concerned with some of the comments I see in the posts.  I know the point of the game is to lose weight but some of the comments concern me that they aren't doing it in a healthy way.  Some seem to get worried when they eat 1 unhealthy food like it is going to have a huge effect on their weight.  Some have said they feel the scales doesn't move unless they are starving.  I just want to shake some sense into these people.

Sure they might lose the weight they need to to win the game but from the sounds of it not in a sustainable, healthy way.  I think you need to have a realistic meal plan.  Ask yourself can you eat this way for the rest of your life?  This should be a lifestyle change not a diet.  I have treats here and there just not all the time.  I eat the same things just in smaller, normal portions not in super sized portions.  I am still losing weight.  I am positive that if I keep up with what I am doing I will get to my goal weight and I will be able to maintain that weight because I am not doing anything drastic.  I am not cuting out anything, including treats.  I am not depriving myself of anything.

Sorry went off on a bit of a rant there, it just concerns me when I see some of the comments in the posts on Dietbet.

How was your week?  What are your thoughts on the whole dieting vs lifestyle change?

Weekly Weigh In and Running Schedule

I did my weekly weigh in yesterday but didn't get a chance to make a post.  I weigh myself pretty much every morning but I don't really count them, my "official" weigh in day is Wednesday.

Last Week: 181.2
This Week: 181.8

0.6 pound gain!

I was not expecting a gain.  I had weighed myself the night before and it showed I was about the same weight as I was at my last Wednesday weigh in.  I almost always weigh more before I go to bed than when I wake up.  Some how I gained some weight over night.  I weighed myself this morning (Thursday) and it showing that I am at a loss now.   I will stay on track, eat healthy and keep up my running plan.

I check the Running Room website almost everyday to see what upcoming races there are.  I know I saw the 3rd Annual Spring Thaw Run on the list a month or two ago and now it is not there.  Was hoping to run the race again as it was my first race last year. 

The other day I noticed that the Loops for the Troops race is scheduled again this year for June.  I did the 10k race with my Dad last year and even though it was pretty hard for me (I didn't train for it), it was a great experience to run a race with my Dad.  I plan to run this race again this year.

A bunch of the people that I follow on twitter are in WDW or on their way there to run in the WDW Marathon weekend.  They so make me wish I signed up for a runDisney race this year, it just wasn't in the budget.  Hopefully next year I can sign up for a runDisney race.  I would love to do the new Dumbo Double Dare Challenge in 2014.  The Dumbo Double Dare Challenge to run the 10k and half marathon in the same Disneyland Half Marathon weekend.  Running through Disney would be a great experience, the sights, the excitement, the characters.  3 medals, 3 shirts, and sooo many happy memories.

I got all of my runs in this past week, 14 miles total.  Woohoo!  My running plan for this coming week is:

Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - 2 miles
Sunday - 4 miles
Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - 4 miles

How did you do this week?  Are you running in the WDW Marathon weekend?