Happy New Year

Well, clearly I am the worst "blogger" ever because I haven't posted in a while. HA! I'm sure that there is rules and ways to do this "properly" but I clearly don't know them, or care.  I shall continue on my sporadic, ( but hopefully a little more frequent ) posts.

2014! Holey COW.  Where did that come from.  2013 was a pretty darn good year for me.  I finally took my health back in my own control, dropped 50lbs!!  I ran my FIRST half marathon and in Las Vegas to boot.  Perhaps I'll dedicate a post to that soon too, after all it really deserves its own post.

Now, to the New Years Resolutions.  I know that a lot of people think that the whole new years resolution thing is a waste of time, or silly.  I think "to each there own" and I like to make a couple of goals come the start of the new year.  I like the idea of a fresh clean year that YOU get to make of it what YOU want.  You get 12 brand new months to make goals, reach goals and do the things that make you happy.   Sure, there will be obstacles, and plain shitty days on your journey to whatever the goal is you set, but that's all part of the magic.  I often see that saying in the running forums etc " if it were easy, everyone would do it" and I think that applies to everything! 
My "Goals" as I prefer to call them for the new year go something like this:
1: Run as often as I can, but no less than 3 days per week.
2: Drink more water, ALOT more water.  80oz minimum a day
3: Clean up my diet. Eliminate excess sugar, processed JUNK, and just eat good whole clean foods.
4: Achieve my goal weight. at this point that means to lose 15 lbs.
5: Incorporate weight lifting back into my life
6: Run at least 2 half marathons in 2014
7: Have fun, stress less, practise meditation/yoga to teach myself to be a calmer person.


I am looking forward to where I can take my body fitness wise this year.... Lose a bit more weight, tone up and be in the best physical shape of my life.  Running has given me and outlet, strength and pushed me further than I ever thought I could push my body.  Its not for everybody, and some days I don't even feel like its for me!, but its changed me for the better and that's the most important part of it all!

T- 5 Days

So, I'm super duper excited over here.  We leave for Vegas in just 5 days.  I cannot wait.  I got my confirmation email with my bib number ( 34300! ) and my corral number (34) the other day as well as all the other important info I need to know about my race next Sunday!  I cant believe I'm this close to it already!  Its so weird, because its not an easy thing to describe, and people think I'm crazy for being totally wound up and super nervous and all those things....but I just feel like I have put so much into this and its consumed my thoughts and my days for the last 4 months that it really is crazy that its only 1 week away!!  We fly in on Thursday night, and we already have a show planned for that night.  We are going to see Anthony Cools:  

**warning, he's dirty! **

 He is a hypnotist and his show is pretty darn hilarious!  Couple years ago we went to another hypnotist in Vegas by the name of Marc Savard, and I got up on stage.  Yeah, we have the DVD, and I'm constantly hiding it so it doesn't randomly "appear" when we have company over, weird how that happens right?!

Yesterday I did an easy 5km run, and tomorrow I may meet up with a friend and get another 5 k in.  Then I'll probably go for a light 3-5 k on Monday, same for Wednesday, and that's it till the big race!  Wed night were having people over for my better half's 32 birthday, cant wait for that.. and Bon Voyage Thursday! wooot!!

The Last Long Run

Today was my last long run before my Half marathon coming up in just 22 days! I can't even believe how close it is.  Even though today was my last long run before the big 21 km run, it was yet another milestone for me as the furthest distance I've run yet.  Today I did 18km!   I was nervous going into it, because they way it played out was going to give me a feel for how ready I am for my half marathon.  I should probably give myself a little more credit, I mean I have been training for this run since July.  I have sacrificed,  I have been sore,  I have had bad runs and good runs, but bottom line is I have stuck to the plan, pushing myself to get to a goal.  And I am ALMOST there. I can see it the finish line.  I think some people think " why would you want to run 21 km, or for 2+ hours?? " or " what do you get out of running?"  For me, I get a feeling of accomplishment after every run, whether it was 5k or 18k, fast or slow,  I feel accomplished.  Its me and my dog, music in my ears and the pavement beneath my feet.  And, of course, the smaller waistline is a major bonus!


The next couple weeks will likely play out as:
 5k on Monday (28th Oct )
 5k on Wed (30th Oct )
 8k on Fri (1st Nov)
 4k on Mon (4th Nov)
 4k on Wed (6th Nov)
 6k on Fri (8th Nov )
 3k on Mon (11th Nov)
 3k on Wed (13th Nov)
 14th-Leave for VEGAS!
 17th-Half Marathon!


Happy Running!

26 days till my first 1/2 Marathon!

Today I am just 26 days out to my first 1/2 Marathon which will be taking place in awesome LAS VEGAS! I am SO excited. Vegas just so happens to be our favourite place to vacation, there is just something about the atmosphere there that continually pulls us back in.  I recall the first time I was there ( August 2011 ) and we stayed at the Bellagio hotel.  I remember taking our stuff up to the hotel room and pretty much immediately heading back out to take on Vegas for our first night there.  We walked out the front lobby and just as we did the famous fountains started there show complete with classic Vegas tunes.  There was people lined up all the way around the railing and it was hot but you could feel the spray from the fountains mist hitting your face.  I was like something straight out of a movie! Like I was in the Oceans 11 movie, and I could look to my left and see George Clooney or something!


Bellagio Fountains

SO, what better place to run my very first half Marathon?? I cant think of one.  The race is Novemeber 17th, 2013.  We are staying at the Luxor Hotel and Casino.  We have never stayed there before,  so I am quite looking forward to it.   We will be arriving in Vegas on November 14th, 2013 which is one day after my main squeeze's birthday.  How awesome is he? taking me to Vegas to run a 1/2 marathon on HIS birthday. I am a lucky girl!  Being there a few days before the race means  I am going to have to behave myself and avoid the lovely rich and delicious foods Vegas has to offer for a few days until after the race.   Then, its PARTY time.  We are staying for a week so there will be plenty of time to get wild and do Vegas right ;)

The goal for this blog, is going to be a way for me to write about my experiences as I become a better runner, to hopefully write about the many races that I would like to be doing in the future.  I know nothing about blogging, and to be honest know very little about running, but I am learning as I go, and here I will write about the things I discover, the things that work the things that don't, and everything in-between!