I Can and Will Do This!!

For some reason, I am very inspired today after my weight watcher meeting.  We listened to a husband and wife share their story and it was amazing (today is actually called "One Amazing Day" at weight watchers). The man had lost over 100 pounds and was off all of his high blood pressure and other medications and the woman had lost a lot of weight and had put some back on and is once again taking it off.  It really made me feel like I can do this too!
Back in 2010 I weighed 151 lbs and I remember needing a new winter coat and the frustration of not being able to find one that I could fit around my hips and zip up.  That moment forced me to head back to weight watchers and take the weight off once again.  I did it...lost 25 pounds and felt great!   After that I went up and down and I am happy to say I am once again heading down!
This week I lost 1.4 and even though I feel like I worked my butt off and should have lost more, I am still happy!  Slow and steady wins the race....
For anyone who is folllowing me on Twitter (Bethjl96), I am going to start tweeting my weigh in results each week.  I am not doing this for anyone to congratulate me or to be a show off, but I am using it a way to hold myself accountable.  You know I do not want to post that I gained weight so I am hoping this will make me try even harder.

Well Hello 2013!

I guess you can say I survived the holidays and here we are in a new year!  So far this year two cool things have happened for me!
1.  I ran in the Millennium Mile (with no pain) which is a local one mile downhill race, and ended up with a PR!  It was so unexpected since I have been taking a break from running after my hip flexor injury.  Maybe the rest helped me!
2. I was chosen as a Girl Gone Sporty Ambassador!  I had applied for this months ago and was so surprised to get the email last night saying I was chosen.  They only take a certain number each year so be among one of them is an honor!
What else will be in store for me for 2013?
Hmmm.......

It's My Party and I Will Cry if I Want To

Tonight I am having a bit of a pity party for myself.  I am realizing that my hip is just not going to get better if I continue to run on it.   I talked to my trainer at the gym I go to and he recommended no running for at least three weeks...I think he saw the look of dismay on my face and knew that was not what I wanted to hear from him.  So he recommended low impact cardio machines like the elliptical and the arc trainers followed by 15-20 minutes of stretching.  I should probably continue with upper body weights on top of that but he did not mention that.   I have been wanting to get back into some yoga as well but never could really find the time to fit it in with strength training at the gym and running, so this will be a good time to do that.
Well, gotta get going and do some research for some good stretches and a better yoga video to do in the basement!!
Wish me luck!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Month

Oh don't worry this post is not about my "time of the month"  Ha, Ha!
It is about the arrival of a new Runners World Magazine!!!  I enjoy this magazine so much and I think I read every singe inch of every issue...and I don't throw them out either....which my husband thinks is a problem.

OK so maybe it is a problem...but I have had issues that I have actually gone back to and read again!  One of my favorites is an issue that talked about the Chicago Marathon and the year it went so terribly wrong...kinda like a train wreck that you can't help but watch even though you should look away. 
I do learn a lot from Runners World Magazine and sometimes I share different tips or things that I have learned with other runners :)
On another subject...I got out on a run today and even though I was not pain free it was SO nice.  It was a 3.1 trail run with good conversation and good company.  It certainly did not feel like December out there!
Until next time, enjoy your runs everyone!!!

Am I Ready?

Tomorrow I am headed out for my first run after a week of complete rest from running and gym workouts after injuring my hip flexor at my past two races. I am praying that it is healed enough so that I can run pain free and enjoy this much needed run!
Wish me luck!!

Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

I'm the Santa on the Right!

Last weekend, I ran in The Santa Shuffle in Manchester, NH.  This was the second year for this race and let me tell you it was quite the sight to see!  Imagine 2500 Santa's running down the street...along with the Easter bunny, some elves, and one man in only a red speedo.  It's this kind of fun race that makes me glad to be a runner.
All this being said, this race was quite a challenge for me.  The day of the race it was snowing and this made the road quite slippery.  I could feel the snow building up in my treads making it hard to grip the road.  I was also in pain...I pulled my hip flexor in the Fisher Cat 5K on Thanksgiving day and I thought it was healed, but I was wrong.  So it has been a week of complete rest for me hoping to heal and be ready to really get my butt in gear for the new year that is fast approaching. 

Runners are Good People

As I have posted about before, I am a member of  the Millennium Running Social Club and I just can't say enough about these people in the club.  They have become some of my best friends and I find that we all really stick together like a family.  Just like any family we have been through many happy fun times together at the races and our weekly social runs, and we have been through some harder times like loss of loved ones (people and pets), and injuries.  We share stories about running, about our lives outside of running (yes and sometimes we even see each other in normal clothes!), offer advice and support too.  I honestly do not believe that the founder of this group, John Mortimer, ever imagined this club would turn into such a close knit group of people!