Snow, Vegas & your HELP, PLEASE!

We woke up Sunday morning to this

I love waking up to know!  So much fun!  The weather has been beautiful here!  A few nights ago I got to witness this...

Pretty amazing and spectacular.  Apparently I wasn't the only one who thought so because facebook was exploding with pictures from people in our area with the same type of pictures.

Vegas!  We are headed there soon, my husband and I.  He has a company meeting and I'm tagging along.  Though I won't see him much due to meetings and dinners...I'm still pumped to go.  Relaxing is my middle name, well...not really, but I love to relax.  Vegas isn't nessisarily my town of choice since I like to sleep and I don't gamble more than a $1 at a time...I guess that's not the Vegas way????  But I think I can find some things to do or not to do.   One of my husbands, co-worker's, wife will be coming so I will have someone to hang with.  I'm bummed that it's not warm enough to hang by the pool, but there will be enough to do between, shopping, movies, shows and coffee.  I plan on doing some running since the pools aren't open to swim, oh I will miss my swimming.  

Do you know any great places to run?  The strip doesn't seem like a great place to run due to the fact that you can't just cross a street without bridges, escalators...you get my drift.  So if you have any great idea...let me know.  Maybe I could try and have lunch with the sister wives? Or play tennis with Andre Agassi?  I will ride the New York, New York roller coaster!  Love that!

Also...any tips on Good Food that doesn't cost a load of money?  Any shows that you enjoyed and would recommend?  I have seen Mystere and loved it.  Food, shows, sightseeing, shopping, any recommendations are helpful?  Anything...please share!  

We are renting a car so we can get around town very easy!  Cab rides in Vegas aren't cheap.

Also...any good books?  I have recently read, The Help, Sarah's Key, The Hunger Game Series, The Long Run and am just finishing Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.  All of these have been A-Mazing and it's so hard to find great books.  I just downloaded "You are an Ironman" on my kindle...seemed like a great time to read it.  Please give some suggestions...I could use them.  I love Autobiographies too!   

Trainer Time!

Monday was the day!  

I finally got to hang out on this sweet ride.  Don't be jealous of this beauty or my dirty carpet!  I'm just living the dream!  

When I first set-up the trainer...it wasn't hard, at ALL!  Clearly something was wrong.  Spoke with the owner of the trainer, my friend and we got it all figured out.  A little tightening...and the workout was ON.  It was not so easy anymore and the sweat started pouring out!  It was awesome to be able to wear a sports bra, watch TV, sit-back, relax and enjoy the ride.  Best Day!  35-minutes and 300 calories later...we called it a day and got off the bike!

Sweaty after that workout...job well done I would say!

Cole woke up while I was cooling down and just watched me on the trainer!  And of course he wanted to ride the trainer or put his own bike on it.  Do they make bike trainers in kid size?  Yes-no...probably not, but if so Cole would love to try it.  So Cole did the next best thing...only after throwing a fit, crying, whining, moving the van out of the garage and then...he could ride his bike.  

 


Cole on his new Baseball bike!



What's better than burning 300 calories on the trainer?  Watching my son follow in my footsteps, bike pedals..well his bike pedals.  I love being an example to my kids!  It keeps me motivated to keep on keeping on!

3-T-T...Do it!

Lets DO THIS...

THREE THINGS THURSDAY

1. Do what you LOVE!  Swim! 

This is where I swim with the Masters Swim Team...sweet pool, huh!

2. Do what makes you feel like a kid!  Bike! 

My first Triathlon

3. Push yourself to do things... that make you PUSH yourself!  Run! 

Finishing my FIRST marathon!

If you live life by doing these...I think a lot of GREAT things can happen!  
What are your 3-things?  or 1 or 2...

Please Pray for Sherry

Please be praying for a friend in bloggy land.  I know most bloggers have heard about this, but other friends and family that read my blog might not know about it.  Never hurts to ask for more prayer!

You can read Beth's blog here

You can also read more info here

Beth's cousin, Sherry went for a run early Saturday morning and never came home. They found her shoe, but that is it.  

Please pray for answers and that God would direct the investigators to clues and any leads that bring them to answers.  We pray for Sherry's family and friends as they go into their 6th day with no answers.  We pray that God would bring them great comfort during this tragic time.  We pray that Sherry would be found safe and unharmed.  

This is also a reminder to all of us runners or anyone who is out and about...to be AWARE of your surroundings and tell people where you are going.  Be safe!  

Tri vs Road Bike?

Oh yah...its about to get real serious here!

Ok, well not so much, but maybe?

It's crazy what focus does to me!  I become obsessed about things when I get focused.  I wish I had tons of money so I could get want I want when I want it?  Wouldn't that be nice.  Oh I could take the high road and say something like...oh but the saving and earning and waiting is all worth it, builds character...uh no, I will take it NOW please.  Unfortunately that isn't my life so I have to shop, think, save, shop and research to find the right thing.  I have started my bike hunt.  Hoping I might have a connection for a deal on a bike through my brother-runner, but we will see.  Either way I started shopping to find my bike.

For $3,200 you could have this bike!  Sweet deal, huh?

Totally was going with a tri-bike, makes sense, since I'm going to be doing triathlons, right?  Well slow down a little Jilly, Jill!  Pays to talk with people and since I'm really good at talking about all my current obsessions and then some...people get to hear everything that's going on in my head.  Oh gosh...my poor friends!  Anyway...was talking to my friend who is quite the athlete and she said wait on the tri-bike and go for a road bike.  A tri-bike is strictly for Tri-s and aren't that comfortable for joy riding.  Which if you read my tidbit above about money...I can't really spring for all sorts of bikes at the moment and need to limit my purchase to one bike, right now.  And my proposed sponsors haven't gotten back to me...maybe they haven't heard about my 2012 goals yet?  I know bummer, right.  So good thing I decided that before I went into start checking these cars, I mean bikes out.  (It's sad that you could actually by a car for the same price of these bikes!  Sometimes I wonder what the world has come to when we are spending this kind of money on a bike...who gets the last laugh?)

What, you don't have $12,700 to buy me this bike?

Have any of you ever walked into a store where you had NO idea at all what you needed?  Running stores couldn't be like that for non-runners? Could they?  Deer in headlights...I know nothing about bikes and it's a whole other world in those bikes shops.  I want 2 tires, a seat...some handle bars, Can you help a sister out???  (And it's not a cheap sport either.)  Had no idea I could get completely fitted for a bike...like everything can be fit for you personally?  Wow...are we at Nordstrom or the bike shop?  Is there even a difference?

The first place told me about some bikes but wouldn't let me test ride or get the size I need, unless I was buying? Really?  Ok...so no, this place was not like Nordy's!  Gosh...were they on to my plan...my plan to just use them for my correct size?  Maybe someone told them about me?  Shoot...Either way I thought that was lame, so I went to another bike shop and they were totally helpful.  Sized me for a bike and let me test drive and I love it.  Nothing makes you feel like a kid the same way biking, swimming and swinging does!

A nice bike makes all the difference and I was ready to trade in my Honda Odyssey for the bike, but then I was snapped back into reality and realized the bike would never hold both kids, the dog, my hubby and my phone charger?  Plus...way too many memories in the Odyssey to give it up like that!  Can I get a HOLLA-BACK!

I am keeping my eye out for a bike to borrow, shopping craigslist and hoping brother-runner can hook a sister up!  Something will work!  I will keep researching and gaining knowledge in the bike world. I think my hubby might have to join in on the research because his idea of $100 bike was a LOL moment and then his other great idea when I pulled out the mountain bike....he was totally serious when he said this "We can just get new handle bars for this bike"  Really, really?  Are you serious...yes, yes he was!  I tried to explain that a road bike and mountain bike are a little different!  Maybe I know a little more about the bike world than I realized!

Until then...I will put some miles on the SWEET mountain bike on the trainer!  Hey...I'm making it work!  Gotta do, what you gotta do...clearly!

You know you want to enlarge this picture and see this sweet ride!
Really I don't see a TON of difference from the 2 bikes above...2-tires,  a seat...handle bars and we can just switch those out!  LOL..

My jeans never felt so good...after a RUN!

(rambling post)

Every fall I gain weight!  I know its going to happen, I try to prevent it, but no luck...well at least up until this point, but hoping 2012 will be different.  The weather is awful in the fall and dark early and cold and the only thing I want to do is sleep, watch TV and wear pants with elastic!  (you can hear the motivation...can't you!...but with all that said...

Running makes my Jeans feel good!

You know the feeling right?

You know I'm right!

Though the scale hasn't moved and your jeans were tight yesterday...you go on a run, come back and put your jeans on...they just feel better.  Now this is completely mental, I'm sure...but don't jeans or any clothes for that matter...feel better after you workout?

I just bought a pair of skinny jeans to wear with my boots.  Why are they called skinny jeans?  Aren't they just jeans with a tapered leg?  I guess fitting skinny into the description of any clothes so I can feel worse about not being skinny works for those darn clothing designers.  Why?

Anyway...my point is I put my tapered jeans (skinny jeans)...on the other day, felt fat...muffin top and all...(oh muffin top...you know you are the best part of a muffin) then the next day I went for a run, came home and put them on again...I'm pretty sure that my run helped my drop a pant size because those jeans were hanging off me...weren't as tight.  And that is not because they had stretched out or anything!

It is so mental though, I swear.  After running a long training run of 16 miles for my marathon I remember going to lunch and wearing my jeans and just feeling skinnier.  It is the best feeling.  I remember thinking, nothing makes you feel skinnier than a 16-mile run.  

Eating well and exercising often, puts me into a better mood and makes my clothes feel better, even if the scale doesn't always show it.  Not doing one of those things...doesn't ever make me jeans feel lose!

Brother-Runner

Ahh...so nice!

Picture perfect!  Foggy, sailboat and a pier!  

Met my brother for his first run.  I still haven't caught-up on my sleep from my new routine, but was glad I didn't miss our running date.  Sleeping in is great...I love sleeping, but there will always be time to sleep.  Met up at Ruston at 8am at it was perfect running weather.  A little cold and wet, but nothing horrible.  Nothing my cute Lulu Lemon top and Lucy running pants can't handle!  Love both these items.  I have been running in Nike tights forever and they are great, but the lucy tights are thicker and fit great.  The lulu lemon top is a little thicker than my usual winter tops so I stay nice and toasty with just the top...no layering.  Perfect!

My brother started stretching, I never stretch...before or after...very rarely.  We started our jog and it was nice just to hang out with my brother.  He works for a big company and heads up there PR department and travels the world so we don't get to see each other near enough.  I'm so excited that running might change all that.  We ran for a little less than a mile and walked.  We passed a female running group, 20-30 women getting started and then we started running again.  We walked, ran and then walked until the last 1/4 mile and then I told him we are running to a certain point...goals are way better than just stopping.  He did great and I know he will keep getting better if he keeps it up.

We went to Starbucks after to warm up and enjoy a skinny mocha and oatmeal!  And of course more chatting!  Best morning.  By the way have you tried the Skinny Mocha?  It's new?  I thought it just meant, NF milk and no whip...but no.  They now have skinny chocolate!  I usually only get 1-1/2 pumps of chocolate instead of the usual 3 pumps in my tall mocha...(I haven't been getting mocha lately, but when I do...this is what I did.)  With the skinny mocha the full amount is perfect.  Check it out...you will like it!

Starbucks explains it like this...
Haven’t tried it yet? Really, you should! A My Starbucks Idea suggestion brought to life, the new Skinny Mocha has the rich flavor of our Caffè Mocha, but with fewer calories - only 110 calories in a Tall (12 fl oz).  How did we do it? We kept all the things that you love about Mocha and came up with some alternatives for things you could do without.  It’s the perfect combination of espresso, bittersweet skinny mocha sauce and steamed nonfat milk, topped with foam in a light, decadent treat. This is one sweet chocolaty indulgence you can feel good about.

Let me know what you think?

Happy running!

Swimming makes me HAPPY!

What makes you happy?

It's truth time!  I love swimming!  I probably have mentioned that before.  Why I have waited so long to get back into it...I will never really know.  Clearly I have some fear issues that holds me back from things.  I have no idea why?

A friend told me about masters swim a while back.  I loved the idea of getting back into the pool.  I used to swim when I was in grade school, but never wanted to compete.  I have no idea why but always thought it took the fun out of what I was doing.  I would get nervous and I hated that feeling!  So I never competed, never joined the swim team in high school, nothing...notta.  Bummer!  Who knows where I could have gone with it?  It makes me think that I need to push my kids if they have a natural ability towards something.

Geez I ramble a lot!  Stay focused, Jill!  Anyways since I decided a month or ago I wanted to focus on Tri's this summer I knew I needed to get focused in the pool.  I finally bit the bullet, texted a few of you and went to Masters Swimming...

It was AMAZING!  (I swear I repeat myself throughout this blog)  I haven't been this excited about something in a long time.  I feel at home in the pool and I don't know what it is but it's just the best thing for me.  I never feel like its hard or tough and maybe that's why I love it?  Even when I'm too tired to go, I go and am on such a high afterwards!  It's the best feeling and I haven't had it in a while.  Feels great!

What's great about Masters Swim is that they coach you, which I love because I want to know how I can improve.  

Of course this is me...

When I swim I really have no goal except for time and I just go as hard as I can.  Well...now that I have joined masters swim and have someone coaching me...well that has changed.  I wear my heart-rate monitor and she has made me s-l-o-w down, which is not easy but very beneficial to build endurance.  I typically stay in the 70% zone.  Who knew?  Clearly I did not.  The idea is to slow down so that you can learn to go fast longer!  Yah, I guess that works in running too!

This has helped me improve just in the short time I have been going.  I have improved on my stroke and my endurance.  Having to count my strokes and limit it to 18 in 25 yards...try it, it's not that easy!  I have already learned how to kick more efficiently, moving my body differently while doing certain strokes so that I don't strain areas that aren't supposed to be strained and I am learning to keep my head down...guess I wasn't putting it down enough...again, I had no idea!  Man I love when I can improve.  I can totally tell that all those things have helped BIG TIME!

My coach invited me to do a Postal Swim at the end of the month.  The Hour Swim is a great way to make an appropriate assessment of where I am vs where I should be.  This will be a great tool so we can put a training plan together.  There will be someone to count laps so all I have to do is swim.  Very anxious to see what I can do.  Have you ever done one of these?  How did you do?

SWIMMING MAKES ME HAPPY!   What makes you happy? 

5:30 AM is early!

This week has been FULL!  I have started life-guarding a couple days a week from 5:30-10am...yah...you read that right, AM!   I quit teaching swimming in the fall due to not wanting to deal with 1-5 year olds.  I love them and I love teaching, but 2 years of teaching little kids, I was ready for a break.  It was nice having a break and its really nice to just be life-guarding now.  Whats really cool is I can swim while I'm working!  PERFECT!  With all that said...getting up at 5:30 am is exhausting especially because I can't just go home and sleep.

Yah, I save lives!  It just my job!  

This has thrown my life into a major routine which I was due for anyways!  Lovely how that all works out.  After working I will weight train with my friend/trainer while Cole is in swimming for an hour.  I will swim Monday and Wednesday and run on Friday.  Ahhh....doesn't that sound great?  Yah, I'm totally stoked.  Oh and I finally am  official and registered for Masters Swim.  Couldn't be more excited about this!

So biking, yah...

I need a road bike!  I realized I could still use my mountain/road bike until I find a road bike.  In other great news, I have secured a trainer so I will be able to train on the bike at home!  Oh yah...we are really moving!

Another thing I need to do is start logging my workouts on dailymile!  I have been absent for a while now.  Have you missed me...of course you have, why should I even ask?

I'm really excited because tomorrow I will be running with my brother!  Yes, it was a surprise when he told me the other day he wanted to start running and I jumped all over it.  He travels a lot so we rarely see each other and running is such a great way to catch up.  Its great that he wants to start some active things like running and biking.  I might have found a Tri-buddy....or shall I say a Tri-Brother?  Well, who knows, but I can talk him into it tomorrow.  He said he is scared to run with me!  Is it weird that I'm flattered when people feel that way...for some reason they imagine me as this amazing, fast runner?  I'm sure he has had me on a major running pedestal for the last few years...I'm a little bummed that I WILL be shattering that...LOL. Maybe I should cancel the run?  Ha...ha!

Dreams, Goals...2012

It's the stuff that dreams are made of!

Goals...goals lead us to our dreams.  A long time ago I had a crazy dream to run a marathon.  Now when I thought of that dream it was something I never thought I would actually do...run for 20 or so miles, I don't even think I knew it was actually 26.2 miles when I was dreaming this impossible dream.  I just knew I could and would never be able to do it...but wait...I did do it..in June 2010. 

So whats funny about our goals is that they turn into dreams that actually become our reality...well then that allows us to dream more.   So what beyond a marathon did I dream about...an Ironman.  Well to be honest I really never thought I would actually do that...I mean a marathon is one thing, but an IRONMAN, a FULL IRONMAN...now that is crazy.  And lets be honest...to run a marathon you have to be a little crazy, but to do an ironman...now that is all out INSANE!

I have noticed quite a few bloggers recently that have moved from strictly running to triathlons.  What's cool about your friends is they do things and then it makes you wonder...could I do that?  We have all done that right?  Yes, yes we have.  Before even realizing I had friends doing this...I was thinking about goals for 2012...maybe run another marathon since I didn't do any in 2011.  In fact I took it very easy in 2011 and have missed having something to work towards.  I thought for sure a marathon, I have done that...I know what to expect!  But then I realized I don't always love running and in fact it can be hard for me at times and I'm not great at it.  Why not do something I love like swimming...ok, ok...it's time to get serious and do what I had said I would do a while back, focus on triathlons.  This might seem kind of funny since I have only done 1 sprint triathlon!  That was the Best DAY!  I loved every minute of it.

First mile of my sprint Tri!

My dad and I finishing our first Triathlon together.
September 2009

So that is my goal...to do an IRONMAN.  Ok, lets slow down a little bit.  I have no idea if I will actually do one, but I can at least get my feet wet and start doing some sprint and Olympic distance triathlons and see what I think.  If I like it I can train for a half ironman and then we will see if I want to go to Kona and race with Chrissie Wellington for the Ironaman World Championship!  I was in Kona a week before this years championship and watched people train...so I think that totally prepared me...um...yah!  Wouldn't that be nice if it was that easy!

I love to swim...like really LOVE it.  And it's one of the only things I can say I love and I'm actually kind of good at.   I have joined the local Masters Swim team in my area and I haven't been more excited about something in a long time.  I do need a new bike and am going to be working on that in the next few months.  Might have to use the mountain bike for a bit.

I'm really pumped to be going after another dream of mine.  Nothing better than working on something new!  I love breaking barriers down by overcoming fears!

I was watching "Biggest Loser, Where are they Now" around Thanksgiving and Tara, one of the finalists a couple seasons back ran Kona Ironman this last October and something she said really stuck with me...she said "Instead of saying, I can't, I said to myself...Why can't I".  I love that!  I like to tell myself a lot that I can't do that because it's much too hard...but really, why can't I?  

At least I can Tri!!!

Though 2012 won't be the year of the IRONMAN, it will be the year of preparing for something down the road...or at least TRI'ing.

2012...Let's Do This!