It's been over a year!!

Finally....it's been over a year since I blogged.  I have so many things to write about but I decided to write about my experience running my first full marathon.  Believe me when I say this...I had a lot of doubts in my head after I signed up, can I finish the whole race, what if I didn't train hard enough, did I bring enough to eat, when will I hit the wall?  I started running last year after I saw a friend post on his facebook status that he registered for the Disney half.

Here is a link to one of the vendor's I saw at the Disney expo.  I love all the sayings and can relate...can you? http://www.onemoremilerunning.com/.  When I was running halfs..I got the shirt that said

  I checked it out and said why not?  I had about 6 months to train so I signed up.  Only problem was I didn't completely think it through.  I never ran in my life...what if I didn't like running?  I decided it would only be for 6 months so I went into training with no real expectations.  Can I tell you how expensive running is?  Between the proper shoes, dri-fit clothes, fees, garmin watches...I hoped I would like it.  And did I know how much training and dedication I would need to put in before the actual race?  I had my running schedule marked in my calendar so I knew how many miles or minutes I had to run on each day.  After the half...I was hooked.  I've read where you know if you are a runner or not after your first race.  Either you are glad you did it and will never run another half/full again...or you are looking for your next race.  Yep...that was me.  But something happened after I ran the Long Beach half.  I stayed around for a bit and saw the marathoners coming to the finish line.  I would say they were about close to 7 hours into it.  Had no clue who anyone was but everyone running inspired me.  I had that little thought...could I actually do a full marathon?  I could do a half...but now that is only the halfway point..could I carve out enough time for the training?  Did I tell you I am a slow runner??  Very slow!  If you are a power walker, you would probably pass me...and I am not kidding.  And that is with me jogging/running...LOL.  Training started and I will not bore you with the details.  Let's move to the day itself.  During the week leading up to the marathon..I found myself glued to the weather report.  Forecast was rain on Sunday.  Hmmm...never ran in the rain before.  Not looking good.  I couldn't back out so now I had to search for more clothing...more $ spent.  Note to self...plan ahead.  I knew from training that I needed fuel during the race- not just gu and chomps but actual food.  So, I also did a first and ran with a backpack.  It wasn't so bad and at least I had bananas, oranges, PB, bagels with me.  I packed way more than I needed..but better safe than sorry.

LA is a point to point race meaning we started at Dodger Stadium and ended up in Santa Monica.  I psyched myself so much I had dreams about missing my shuttle bus.  It didn't make total sense but I remember in my dream that I had fallen asleep in the hotel lobby in Palm Springs and when I woke up the shuttle bus had left.  I started crying in the middle of the hotel wondering how I was going to make it to Dodger Staduim for the race.  I couldn't see myself crossing the finish line no matter how hard I tried...let's face it- I knew I didn't train hard enough the weeks before the marathon and now it would show.  I didn't have a time in mind...all I wanted to do is finish and stick to half's. 

Race day...I made it on time and didn't miss the shuttle.  Still wasn't sure if it would rain...so I dressed appropriately.  Thank goodness I had gotten a wind/rain resistant jacket years ago that came in handy.  Rain poncho and trash bag on...I boarded the bus.  The last available time slot was 4:30 am...so needless to say I didn't get much sleep on Saturday night.  Got to Dodger stadium and chilled for a while.  Tried to use the "real" bathroom a couple of times before heading out to the start.  Finally....it was time.  Got in the corral and waited...and waited some more.  If you have never been to a race...it's a pretty cool feeling.  You see people of all age groups, all shapes and sizes and there is somewhat of an unspoken kinship.  Our goals might be different, our trainings might be different but the goal of finishing the race is common. 

Finally...the race started- OK after the first mile...had to stop to use the bathroom.  Me and porta pottys are friends now.  I used to hate using them and would avoid at all costs.  Umm...now if you are a runner...and a slow runner at that, when you have to go...unless you find a bush or something, the porta potty will become your new BFF.  After a while...they aren't so bad.  The race started off OK for me...didn't go out too fast etc and was enjoying the scenery, the people cheering, the bands etc.  Then my worst fear happened....I was too slow and they had us move to the sidewalk.  They started cleaning the streets and opening the roads.  Although I was still determined to finish...I know I mentally checked out.  I didn't keep up my intervals and ended up walking.  Honestly, I don't even remember what mile it was...but at least I was over the half way point.  At some point..I wondered if it was even worth it...and would I ever do another full?  Would I even get a medal or had everyone packed up and left?  Finally...I finished.  Yes...most had packed up and left but at least I got my medal.  Did I mention how many times I had to use the bathroom?  A lot...since I was drinking at every water station...I was hydrated but wasn't sweating it out.  As a runner..you are always wanting to get that PR or at least beat your last time.  I was more concerned if I could hold it to the next porta potty...not really but there is some truth to it.  After I got my medal...I wondered where is my car and the more important question how far do I need to walk?  After getting conflicting answers, I started walking.  A few blocks up..I realized I didn't pick up my gear check.  Turned around...and said forget it.  I could barely walk at this point.  Please...God let me get to my car and home was the only thing on my mind.  After a hot shower and ice on the knees...I was done.  For all of you who are wondering...that night I did make up my mind to do another full...I know I can beat my time. 

Now I will need this shirt...

Highlights of my experince..the good, bad and ugly

-dream that I got left behind and missed the race completely.

-thinking trash bags are a running accessory.

-enjoying the crowds cheering

-the wonderful people that had oranges, pretzels, water and snacks along the way

-having to use a lot of porta potties along the way

-walking against the wind and wondering if I would get blown away

-getting my cap blown off my head and running after it.(I just bought the cap the day before and wasn't ready to part with it yet.)

-getting my cap blown off for the 2nd time and running after it again.

-having dri fit underwear was a good investment

-using the porta potty with less than .2 miles to go

-wanting to cry when I realized I didn't know where my car was

-not picking up my gear check and thought about going back but didn't

-finishing and getting my medal

-made the decision to sign up for another marathon.

-a power walker can pass me
-asking the Jamba Juice employee if I was walking the right direction
-having no cell phone with me to call to get picked up

I also discovered how supportive runners in general are.  I know I will never be the fastest...heck I was in the bottom 5 in my age group.  OK..and I will admit it weighed heavy on me.  Am I cut out to run a half/full?  I think everyone to some degree...wants to do more, to do better.  I am no different.  Every person that I shared my time with was very supportive even when they could tell I was getting a little down on myself.  I accomplished something that nobody can take away from me.  I finished the race. 

This race meant more to me than just running.  It makes me look at life different.  We all put limits on ourselves or make excuses for not doing something- whether it is going back to school, getting that degree, pursuing your dream, your business...anything that is important.  God does not put these limits on us, we do.  We start believing that we can't so why bother. Here is one of my favorite Bible verses...

If you have faith as a grainof mustard seed, you will say to your
     mountain, "MOVE!" and it  WILL move...and NOTHING will be
     impossible for YOU!                                                                                     - Matthew 17:20

Back to basics weekend

Wow...it is amazing how we take little things for granted...and how we don't even think twice about it.

This weekend started off like any other weekend...plans to go to the gym, run errands, church...the normal routine.

It started off with the TV going dark...no problem, I figured something happened to Time Warner and didn't think much about it. When I came home AFTER grocery shopping...I realized now there was no electricity. At this point...I didn't think much about it other than it being an inconvenience. Luckily it was still light...so I was able to shower and get ready for church. I called Edison and then found out that we might not have power until Sunday morning. OK...great- now I need to find the flashlight just in case. Should have thought about getting ice but it didn't even enter my mind. I also thought they gave me the worse case scenario so it didn't dawn on me that this was as serious as it was.

I got home after 9:00 to find about 7-8 trucks lined up in the car port area. Something major...and it finally hit me that I probably wouldn't have power for a while. Asked some guy and he said maybe Sunday morning. Well..Sunday morning turned into Sunday evening. Good thing I picked up some batteries and one of those hand free lights in order to walk my dog, Princess. Sunday...I ran errands again but who really wants to sit in the house alone with a dog? LOL. On the bright side...I did bring her to get her pictures taken at Petco (the picture people)...so in about 3 weeks I will be sharing pictures. I realized while driving around- mainly to charge my cell phone battery...how much we depend on things like electricity and we don't even think about what happens when we don't have it. No TV, no stove, no microwave etc. And to top it off..it started raining on Sunday. I hoped they would continue working...and thankfully they did. Towards the end of Sunday...because it was already getting dark...my neighbors and myself were standing around just waiting with the Edison people...hoping whatever they did worked. Thank God...it did. I was never so happy to see light!! Good news/bad news- I had to throw away a lot of food-including what I bought the previous day...but now I have a fresh start. I am not sure I am at the place where I can eat 100% healthy but I can say at least 75% of the items now will be healthy foods. The rest will probably be little snacks or my baking supplies.

Oh...and because my WW meeting is on Sunday...I didn't sleep well Saturday night because I was worried my cell phone battery would die and I wouldn't hear the alarm. Luckily I did...made my meeting and lost another 2.2 lbs for the week!

Monday afternoon post

Sorry I didn't post yesterday...too many things to do and ran out of time.

Yesterday was my weigh in. Hmmm...not sure if any of you have little routines/obessions when it comes to losing weight. Not sure why this started...but I weigh myself every morning. I know...it's only supposed to be once a week but it's a hard habit to break for me. It also gives me a clear picture how much the body flucuates...because I know that I ate pretty much clean and my weight might go up and then the next day down. So...my indicator is usually Saturday. If the scale is going down...by Sunday I know that I have lost weight. And Sunday morning...I can prepare myself for the actual weigh in. I know that my clothes weigh exactly one lb (although yesterday was a little more) and that my scale at home is off up to a half a lb lighter that the WW scale. So...come yesterday morning..my scale showed that I gained about half a lb. Guess I do it because I don't like surprises...LOL. Sure enough, I gained 4 ounces. Not a lot...but this is the first time in 9 weeks that I gained.

It made me think...well there is nothing I can do about it now...but let me think back to what I could have done different. Went back to my tracking and even if I underestimated, I had about half of my weeklies left. The only thing that stuck out to me was my exercise. I usually have a pretty set routine when it comes to working out...but because of commitments and other things I made it to the gym only twice. And that to me played a major part as to my gain.

Taking this learning experience and filing it away. I need to stay focused and realize that we only have today.

As one of my goals this year...I have decided to try a new recipe each week. Sunday's are the best day for me to do this...and yesterday I made the apple fritters. I will be honest...I wasn't too impressed with them...not sure what I expected but it didn't do it for me. I ate about half of one...and said I would rather use my points on food I enjoyed...so unfortunately for me...I won't be making this again.

Learning so much about myself...

I am making a commitment to blog each Sunday.  Why Sunday?  Because it is my weigh-in day.  Today...I finally was able to get my 10 lb sticker.  In fact I lost 2.2 lbs. 

So what have I learned so far during my journey.  That I can lose weight...and that is a biggie for me.  For years I struggled to lose weight by myself..through exercise and diet.  And in that order.  As I know now...I got it backwards.  And now I believe what others have been saying for years.  I need the support of others and somebody to hold me accountable.  I still need to reach out to somebody local in my meeting...but just the fact that I am weighing in is always in the back of my mind.

I also learned that I am a hoarder.  I was listening to a Christian show in the car this morning and the pastor was saying that it is not good to hoard.  Yes...it is good to plan for the future but not in excess.  And so I thought about WW and how I don't like to use my weekly allowance points.  They are there to use...and it's not like I can save them after the week..so why not use them?  I tend to splurge a little on Saturday...only because I know I can at that point.  But am I really using the program as intended?  Probably not...because I should be using the majority of my allowance points so I can enjoy food and not feel deprived.  My goal now is to splurge every week...but only after I see how many points I will be using.  It's been over 8 weeks since I've been to In-and Out burger, or a good burger and fries.  The only thing now is that I don't crave a lot of things I used to...or after looking at the points I decide it's not worth the points. 

I have become more active in church lately and there is food everywhere I go.  But luckily there are healthy options...and I now seek them out.  Last Sunday was the first small group study I went to...and of course we had snacks and then dessert.  Luckily I had 7 points to spare before the meeting...but now I know I can have my dessert and still stay within points.  It's all about the planning.

It is enlightening to have this revealed to me...and it was only today.  Why am I hoarding my weekly allowance points?  What am I fearful of?  What is the worse than can happen?  I use all my allowance points and have to hit my daily points instead of going over? Hmmm...I have been doing this for the past 8 weeks.  That I don't lose weight?  I need to believe in the system and have faith it works.  OK..to be honest I don't know if I can use all my points only because I want some sort of cushion in case I underestimated during the week. 

Unfortunately this is not the only area where I tend to hoard...and God is revealing this to me.  In the past when stores used to really double coupons...I would get things just because they were free or cheap.  Who needs 10 jars of pasta sauce?  And I don't eat pasta on a weekly basis anyways...LOL  Now...I am trying to plan my meals based more on what I already have at home...and then buy what ingredients I don't have.  I used to collect beanie babies and now they are sitting in a bag in the "junk" room along with crafting supplies that I haven't touched in years.  So...one of my goals is to de-clutter my house and donate things I don't need to a battered women's shelter. 

Hope everyone has a great week and until next Sunday.

Catching up..this and that

So...this blog thing has suffered since I've been busy or have forgotten to blog...LOL  I will attempt to blog at least once a week on what is important to me or what has been going on in my life..

Earlier this week during work, our founder talked about enrolling others and how we need to step out of our comfort zones at times and just go for it.  This message hit home because for too long...I've let life pass me by.  Thought about an invitation and later declined with the saying...maybe or I'll get back to you on that type of thing.  Imagine the possibilites if I would have said yes without even blinking an eye.  Of course, I still believe there is a balance of doing things/ rest/ family time etc...but I think we can all do our part in enrolling others or becoming more enrolled ourselves.

I've always thought about..maybe I should volunteer for this, or go to this event etc but when the time comes...either I forget or back down saying I am too tired or whatever the excuse of the day is.  Well..going forward, I am going to stop doing this...and enjoy life.  There are a few things that either are my passion or something that catches my interest so those are the things I will focus on.

First...I would have to say to get more involved in church.  Nothing I do will work in the long run without letting God guide me.  I've already got the ball rolling by starting to bake for our church's homeless ministry.  My first drop off is tomorrow before service.  And to get more active...not sure yet what that will be...whether it be a bible study, small group, volunteering etc.  I will let the Lord guide me where I should go.

Second...would be to pursue my baking passion.  I see the doors starting to open in this area and it's exciting.  For now, it's baking for co-workers but who knows where this will lead.  I am almost half way through my cake decorating class.  And let me tell you...it has been quite a humbling experience...knowing that I am not as good as I thought I was.  I've always had problems icing cakes...and to have it come to light showed me I need more guidance and practice.  The class is pretty cool since we are doing it at a bakery.  And the instructor is more than willing to talk to us after/before class about any questions we might have.  There is also a cupcakecampLA that I was interested in.  My first thought was to bake for this event..but I am leaning towards volunteering this year and then next year baking.  I have also come across different contests that I've always thought about entering but never did anything about it...well, I think as long as I write down my goals..it will keep me more focused.  Keep checking back to see my progress...

Third...working out/fitness.  This I will combine as my personal goals as well as enrolling others to become more physically fit.  As I mentioned in my last post...eating has and is my issue.  I love food..plain and simple.  And probably all the "bad" food.  I will admit things have not gotten any better since my last post but being aware is part of the battle won.  Working out has suffered just a little...and I do miss my evening classes at the gym.  But...with doing P90X at lunchtime..I guess I am not pushing myself as hard to get my 2nd workout in.  Can I say...I still love P90X?
 
I also need to focus more on my beachbody coaching business.  I read an article on yahoo a couple of weeks ago and I believe it mentioned by the year 2020 75% of Americans will be overweight.  That is 3 out of 4 people!!  Each person needs to be accountable to stop this trend.  Even if it is not a Beachbody product or workout...society as a whole needs to start moving more and eating more healthier.  Come check out website if you would like to order a workout program or have questions regarding any of the products.  I am definitely a "product of the product".  http://teambeachbody.com/mom2princess

Forth is getting involved with either a local animal shelter or a rescue group.  My girl has played such an important part of my life for the last 10 years and it breaks my heart that so many dogs (and cats) are without a forever home.  Speaking of cats...we have a few semi-feral cats that live in my condo complex.  One in particular is named Lucky.  A cute all black cat that has gotten friendlier over the years.  She finally got spayed thanks to my neighbor Shannon..but that was after I think her 3rd or 4th litter. When Lucky was a kitten..for some odd reason she would approach my dog, Princess.  It was really cute to see Lucky come running out of nowhere anytime she saw us walking.  She knows where we live and stalks us from time to time.  This morning she was waiting for us to come out for our morning walk...BTW..can cats tell time??  Princess being a dog needs to smell her behind...and then they touch noses and then Lucky rolls around on the ground.  But don't mess with Lucky either.  I have seen her stand up to other dogs that are in her "territory".  Last night...it was the cutest thing because while we were out...here comes Lucky and her daughter Smokey.  Smokey is a lot more hyper than Lucky and although she is getting used to approaching Princess...I am still very cautious.  Well...Smokey got a little too close (although Princess didn't do anything) and ran back to Lucky.  Lucky started meowing at her and then smacked her on the head.  I guess momma was telling her to be more careful...LOL

Til next blog...
Doreen

My baking adventures this week...

This week was a very busy baking week for me..I think it was actually a record!!!  I had an order for my signature pineapple cake for Monday.  This cake has been my go-to cake for years now.  It's very moist and light although when you carry it...it's heavy because of the different layers..go figure??  Today I had 3 orders due.  And I had adventures along the way.  Since all the orders were due on the same day...I started baking what I could on Wednesday night.  I hate stressing out about baking..so I try to take the natural steps when I can and bake on different nights.  So..Wednesday night I made the brownie base for my brownie cheesecake.  I always am tempted to try different brownie recipes but at the end of the day, I always go to my favorite recipe which is the one bowl brownie.  Next was the chocolate mayonnaise cupcake.  This was the first time I made this recipe and am so thankful for my co-workers that are my guinea pigs.  My co-worker (the birthday girl) wanted a praline frosting so I looked online and the closest thing I could find was the nutella frosting.  I substituted the praline spread she gave me for the nutella and it was pretty good.  I had the idea that I wanted the frosting to also double as filling in the middle but need to work on getting more in the cupcake to get the full effect.  My last cake was a "Laker" cake.  I've made the design before..but I got an idea that I wanted one layer of the cake purple and the other gold.  My first attempt was not successful I think.  I wasn't happy with how the purple layer came out...so I tossed it.  I should have tried to look on the inside to see if it was purple or not..but I was so disappointed that it went in the trash last night.  Figured the food coloring wasn't strong enough..so Thursday night I would use the Wilton gel.  So..now my schedule got a little backed up since I had to make the Laker cake again last night.  Baked the Laker cake...baked the cheesecake and frosted the cupcakes.  I still wasn't happy with the cake but I had no choice.  It was past 10:00 and still had to decorate the cake.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that it did turn out purple.

I know it looks blue-ish in the picture but in real life it is purple!!  Oh...and on top of this on Tuesday I had my first cake decorating class.  Indeed it was a busy baking week for me. 

Jumping back on the fitness journey

Lately I haven't been as dedicated to my workouts like I should be.  And today my journey starts again.  I will be honest and say that I know there is something holding me back from my fitness goals.  And it's not the workouts...it's the eating.  I seem to always sabotage myself when I start losing a few lbs and before you know it..I've gained it back and more. Losing weight for me is SOO hard...and while others lose a lb or two a week the healthy way...I will be lucky if I lose a half lb.  Very discouraging...but being honest I haven't always put 100% effort in what I put in my mouth.  A couple of years ago I got a personal trainer @ 24 Hour Fitness.  Tom was teaching lift at the time..so I trusted he would get me back on the right track.  And he did...but still I was not happy with my results 100%.  During these 8 training sessions...I did everything right- worked out 5-6 days a week, logged my food and still didn't lose the weight I thought I should have.  I think even Tom felt bad for me so he offered me another half hour session to boost my mood.  I should have realized then that my journey might be a little harder than some...but that I should never give up.

I guess the good news is that I love to workout!  If there is a good group x class...I will be there.  I love turbo kick, Body Pump, Hot Hula, cycle etc...not too many classes I don't like.  And plus now I am re-dedicating the next 90 days to P90X.  Today was day 1...and I forgot how challenging these exercises were.  I was very surprised how much I fell in love with P90X the first time I did my first round back in February.  I'm more of the dancey type person motivated my music...so I was shocked that I couldn't wait until the next P90X workout.  I have probably the majority of the Beachbody workout DVD's but I have to consider myself a P90X girl now...LOL

So...my eating has to change as well as how I view food in general.  I guess I don't have any goals written down as to how my eating should be.  I will be evaluating my eating habits as well as what is non-negotiable for me.  For instance...I am not a big left over's type of person...so given the choice although I may start out with good intentions...come lunch time something better will come along so I end up spending money as well as eating more calories than I should.  I also know I sometimes have an all-or-nothing mentally so if I blow it...my eating is out of control for the rest of the day.  I know logging food is very important...so why don't I do it consistently?  Things I need to figure out as I go along.  There isn't any excuses I can come up that is vaild.  One side of my head comes up with an excuse the the other side has the rebuttal...haha.  I will come up with my eating goals soon and post here so I can go back and remind myself of them.