Race Recap- Gritty Goddess

Last weekend my BRF and I spent the weekend in Galveston and participated in the Gritty Goddess, a 5K Mud Obstacle course that was touted at one that any Goddess to could do. 

 

From the first obstacle we were pretty confident that the advertising on that was true   We both had a waterproof disposable camera, and this being an untimed obstacle course, we decided to each pose at the obstacles and take pictures. 

At first, because Jessica is definitely faster than me, she was ahead of me on the obstacles, so we got lots of pictures of her behind……

But, being the smart girl that she is, eventually she said, “Let me run to the front of the obstacle, take a picture of you and then I’ll run back around and you can take a picture of me LOLOLOL….  There was an option to skip all of the obstacles, so this was very easy to do…

Most of the obstacles were really not that difficult at all, which at first was kind of disappointing, but in hindsight I think it was actually a great race for our first obstacle course.  And, the people at Gritty Goddess DID advertise it that ANYONE could do it.  We just built it up in our brains. 

This one caught me off guard….  See the ladies behind me?  They’re PUSHING ME OVER IT LOL…  It had an outside shell that spun around and I fell on my BUTT LOL…..

My two favorite obstacles were the “Precious Cargo” and the MUD of course

Oh, and surprisingly I enjoyed the walk through the lazy river.  It was early in the race, about half way, just as we were starting to get a little warm.  I did not expect the water to be as cold as it was, but it was actually nice

All in all, it was a really fun race, and a great way to spend the weekend before our birthday.  Would I do it again?  Maybe…  except they changed the dates to warmer months, so probably not.  Was it a good experience?  YES!  Was it was was advertised?  Mostly…  Temptation Island was lacking a little, but that was one good cookie I ate…  LOL….  If you have never done a race like this and you want something a little more adventurous I totally recommend it….  Even if you’re not a runner….  Walking was totally allowed….. 

And, I’d do just about anything with my BRF Jessica

Next up for us….  THE COLOR RUN! 

Menu Monday 7/30

 

Ok, 1/2 Marathon is complete, time to get serious about life now LOL…  I’ll post a recap this week on that….

I’ll also post an in-depth post on where I’m at on my weight loss…  Most likely Wednesday…

This week I’m going to alternate High/Low carb days, as Chris Powell Talks about in his book, Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution, and see how it goes...  I’m not a person who believes in a completely low anything diet…  But what he says makes sense, so we’ll give it a whirl….

Monday: (LC)  Grilled Chicken and Asparagus

Tuesday: (FREE) Pizza for the kids, Date Night for Mikey and I

Wednesday: (LC)  Zucchini Boats

Thursday: (HC) Steak and Potatoes

Friday: (LC) Asian Wraps

Saturday: (HC)  Southwest Chicken Salad 

Sunday: (HC)  Pork Loin, Potatoes

Menu Monday- 7/23

Quick Menu this week…  Trying to get back into the swing of things….

Monday:  Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday:  Burgers, and potato grillers

Wednesday:  Chicken Alfredo?

Thursday:  Tacos (Grego leaves for Waco and it’s what he wants)

Friday:  Pizza Night

Saturday:  Five Guys.  It’s my race reward food.  I’ll probably have a milkshake too, since I’m doing a half Marathon (my first!!!!)

Sunday:  Chicken and Asparagus

Hello, My Name is Semalee, and I’m an Addict…..

Thoughtful Thursday

I RAN how many miles?

I can remember it like it was yesterday…  The first day I tried to run…..  I am NOT exaggerating when I tell you I literally tried to run for 1/4 mile and made it less than 3 minutes and I was done for the day.  REALLY.  I’m not kidding!

Have you been there?  Are you there?

I had a friend take up running a couple of years ago, and I asked her how she was doing it and she said something like, “You just run a little and walk a little and build it up gradually…  If I can do it you can too!”…  And I thought to myself, RIGHT… I am NOT a runner.

Almost a year later, my walking buddy said something along the lines of, “I think we should run a little.  It just takes SO long to go 5 miles…  What if we could go 5 miles in less time and earn more activity points too?”  I thought to myself, RIGHT… I am NOT a runner.

But, to make her happy, I demonstrated for her….  She wanted to go 1/4 mile, which seemed SO far to me….  I told her I’d go as far as I could….  And we took off……  About 2:45 minutes later I  was D.O.N.E. Done.  And I told her something along the lines of…..  I told you, I am NOT  a runner.

But, she really got me thinking…  My free time had gotten so small to the point that many days I didn’t even go for my walk because I had to be out the door so early….  Maybe I DID need to try to run, because I was not earning enough activity points and I was still eating them LOL…

I’ve told the story before about how I found a program that eased in to running even slower than C25K and committed to 3 weeks.  I made a deal with myself that if I still couldn’t do it at the end of that program I would quit.

And….. I made it through the program…..  So, I went to the next program and before I knew it, I RAN my first 5K!  Many people said to me, now you need to do a 1/2 Marathon!  I thought to myself, RIGHT… I am NOT a runner.

Wait….  WHAT?  Where did that voice come from????  What am I talking about???  Why is that reel still playing in my head???

Have you been there?  Are you there now??

Still it plays in my head…. Then after I ran my first 5K, I felt TERRIBLE…  It was starting to heat up in Houston, and the heat had gotten to me.  I had not hydrated well enough and I was paying.  I was finding in my regular runs too, that the heat was affecting me more than I expected it to.  I am a person who NEVER gets hot, I wear a sweater all summer because it’s so blessed cold in every building….  But when running, the heat really affects me.  I live in Houston, so heat is a big part of our lives…  I considered stopping running altogether…  But, I was already committed to an organized even a month, so I went to the June race and gave myself permission to have walk breaks.  I didn’t want to get overheated again.  And I finished fine….  Slow, but fine….

Then I heard about the Hot Mama Virtual Half Marathon.  I have NO idea WHY, but I was intrigued…  LOL…  I guess it’s because it had options- you could complete the distance over the course of the month, as a relay, or all at once.  And, it came with a MEDAL.    Ok, it was the MEDAL LOL….  I wanted a medal…  There, I said it…  LOL  And, it was only $11.  So, I decided that would be my July race.  I signed up for the medal division (you could do it for free if you didn’t care about the medal)…  And got to thinking…  If I’m going to get a medal, I want it to mean something….  So I decided I had to do the 1/2 at one time…..  And then, because I’m completely crazy  to help myself stay committed, I asked some friends if they were interested in doing it with me.  And a few said yes….  Darn..  Oh yeah!  This is going to be fun…  Then I thought to myself, RIGHT… I am NOT a runner.

Here comes that stupid voice again…

But, I’m a person who, if I commit to something I do it.  So, I decided I better find a training program and start training.  A friend had told me about Jeff Galloway, and his run/walk method.  I bought his book, Marathon: You Can Do It!.  I really like his thought process that running should be fun.  And if you need to go slow to make it fun, then go slow!  He also talks a LOT about the heat and how it affects our ability to run, and that we should NOT try for PR’s in the summer months.  THANK YOU.  I now had validation that it was OK that suddenly when it turned to summer I was almost back to square one with my running….  I decided that I would do interval training at least through the summer months and work on continuous training again when it cools off.

So, yesterday I had a training run of SEVEN MILES…  Do you know how far SEVEN MILES is????  LOL!!  It’s FAR!  LOL…  But, I mapped out the first part of our race course for the Hot Mama…  So, I accomplished that and my longest run EVER all in one day.  I really didn’t know if I would make it.  But I just told myself, I will do 3/1 intervals and walk more if I have to.  I will not stop until I’ve gone 7 miles, no matter how long it takes, but running will make it faster LOL…  And, I kept a slow pace on the running parts too.  I had to remind myself over and over and over and over…  The goal is DISTANCE..  Not pace…  And I wanted to finish strong, so I’m not afraid of the next training run LOL…  My pace was slow…  between 12:45/13:15 the whole way.  I could have almost walked that speed, but I was running.  And, at the end of the seven miles I felt GOOD!  I felt like I could go the 8 on the next long run.  And, I felt accomplished because I maintained the 3/1 interval the entire time.  I just did 1 3 minute segment at a time…

I write this because I know there are other people out there who are slow and feel inferior because of it.  Don’t.

I write this because I know there are other people out there who can’t run continuously for long periods of time and feel inferior because of it.  Don’t.

I write this because I know there are other people out there who think to themselves, RIGHT… I am NOT a runner.  Don’t.

Time to Reprogram your brain:

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get.
You just run."
--John Bingham

Menu Monday- 7/9

I’ve got my family back!  Yay!  It feels so good to have everyone back under one roof again….  It’s been a long couple of weeks, but well worth it all.  My husband and son are so thankful to everyone who helped them get to Sri Lanka for this mission.  It was truly a lifetime experience.  Anyway, last week I didn’t plan a menu because I basically went with whatever the Sri Lankan travellers wanted LOL   They really missed Beef   This week the novelty of them being home is gone, so they’ll eat what I fix LOL

Here’s the menu:

Monday:  Baked French Toast, Fruit Salad

Tuesday:   Chicken Tacos

Wednesday:  Baked Chicken in the Happy Pot Dinner

Thursday:  Beef Stroganoff

Friday:  Pizza Night!

Saturday:  Burgers, Potato Grillers, Watermelon

Sunday:  Michael and I have been married 16 Years today!  I ain’t cookin’

 

 

 

 

Thoughtful Thursday

Thoughtful Thursday- Applause!

Menu Monday 6/11

Ok, I’m beginning to get back into the swing of things, still not great, but better….  Of course, I’m gearing up for my husband and oldest son to be gone on the other side of the world for two weeks, so there’s not telling what we’ll be eating while they’re gone and I’m feeding my lonely genes because that what I do when I’m lonely…..

Anyway…..

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday:  Chicken Dinner in the Happy Pot with Garlic Bread

Tuesday:  Junk Food Dinner

Wednesday:  Grilled Chicken and Borracho Beans

Thursday:  Cheeseburger Mac

Friday:  Pizza

Saturday:  Pork Loin and Mashed Potatoes

Sunday: (Father’s Day) Fuddruckers

Thoughtful Thursday- Don’t Quit

Weight Loss Wednesday- Next Challenge

 

Ok, I did the Impact a Hero 5K over the weekend, and it was pretty hot again, so I had to walk a little, so my time wasn’t that good.  I’m disappointed, but trying to be real with myself about the fact that it is hot and it’s much more important to run a safe race.  I’ll keep training to work on personal bests this fall.  I’m still on track with my “one organized race a month” goal I set for myself, IAH was my June race.

Because it is getting so hot, for July I’m going to do something different, I’m going to only do a Virtual Race.  Normally I don’t count these for my goal, but it’s just so hot, I need to get out there earlier than the races are scheduled for.  So, since I’m only doing a Virtual Race I’m going to do the Hot Mama Virtual Half Marathon!  You can do it as a relay if you want, or break it into a couple of legs, but I’m going to do it all in one day.  I don’t know how much of it I am going to run, I think I’ll do a little running and probably a lot of walking.  You can sign up for free, or the medal division for $11.  The last day to register is June 8th, though, so if you are interested, you better get signed up!

I need to really work on my distance, and my cardio vascular endurance, so I’m starting a new training program that should help with that.  It’s the Training Program in The Beginning Runner’s Handbook:

 

Because I’ve been running for a while, I’m going to start at week 6.  I like, thought that is has me running longer periods of time.  I need to get up to a regular 5 miles I think, and I want to run a half marathon…..

On the WW front, I showed a gain last week, and it looks like I’ll show another one this week.  It is incredibly frustrating, but my body IS changing, and, thankfully, I can see the difference.  It’s funny, I started running to lose weight, and now I am kind of running because it makes me feel so good, regardless of what my weight is….  WEIRD LOL

Anyway, I still go to my meetings and I’m still tracking and working the program, I’m just trying not to get discouraged.  My body is going to fluctuate, and I need to work with it, not against it.  One thing is for sure, if I stop going to the meetings I’ll be in the kitchen with a crazed look on my face and a pan of brownies I refuse to share with anyone, including, but not limited to threatening bodily harm to anyone who comes near me…..

Menu Monday- 6/4

It’s June, it’s summer, and it’s hot in Houston!  Holy cow it heated up quick!  It’s time for me to return to my quick meals that require no baking and little time on the stove…..  I love a good salad, so that’s good at least

Speaking of Salad, I had the Southwest Chicken Salad last night, and it hit the spot, as always.   I really really like that salad, but I have to be careful not to over make it…  So this week I will make another of my favorites, Layered Salad.  Pioneer Woman introduced me to this salad, and my life is completely changed LOL    If you’ve never had it, you must make it.  Be aware, though, it is better if it has had time to sit in the fridge, so if you’re going to make it for the evening you really really need to make it first thing in the morning, or better make it the night before. 

Here’s the menu:

Monday:  Sausage, salad, Tiramisu

Tuesday:  Junk food dinner

Wednesday:  Mac and Cheese and Hot Dogs

Thursday:  Layered Salad, Grilled Chicken

Friday:  Pizza Night

Saturday:  Party at a friend’s house

Sunday:  Chicken Dinner in the Happy Pot

Thoughtful Thursday

Weight Loss Wednesday- 1 5K Run, 1 to Go!

Ok, sorry I didn’t post WLW last week, I do want to let everyone know, though, that I did run the 5K all the way through!  Yay me!  I was exhausted, and hot, and had tunnel vision at the end, but I did it!  My finish time was 38:48 with a pace of 12:31/M.  I finished 286th out of 566 racers, so I wasn’t last!  LOL 

No, if you’re a runner, you know my time is pretty bad…  I run

s…l….o…..w… but I WAS running LOL.  I figure the more I run the more my pace will pick up.

I am scheduled to run another 5K this weekend.  Because I felt so terrible at the end of the Girls on the Run 5K I am going to allow myself walking breaks.  I think what I’m going to do is walk through the water stations and walk for a minute after 20 minutes of running, or at the 1/2 way point whichever I feel like would be the best.  While I want to run the whole thing through again, it’s really hot here in Houston, and I don’t want to make myself sick.  I think the responsible thing to do is to listen to myself during the race and walk.  I’ll run another one straight through this fall (I’ve set a goal to participate in at least 12 races this year), and I’ll try to beat my time then.  I let you know how it goes next week

Which brings me to my next subject.  I have been doing the Run/Walk 5K Training Program for the past 8 weeks and have found it to be very very helpful in keeping me on track and out there running.  Now that I’ve run my first 5K I’m trying to figure out what to train for next.  I know enough to know that if I don’t have a goal eventually I’ll just give up….  especially when I see myself in pictures and see how big I still am….  (my race picture was not forgiving….  fat flapping EVERYWHERE)……

Actually, it was worse on my race picture.  I’m going to order it, though, and pay the $6 because this was the first 5K I ran all the way through.  And that’s something to be proud of.  Besides, when I’m a Weight Watcher Leader I’ll need a picture to show everyone that shows how fat I used to be

I recently finished a few books I would recommend, Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity which is a hilarious book written by two women about running and being moms... I liked it so much I almost bought Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line - and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity, but then I actually WON a copy for completing a Virtual 5K! I can't wait to get started on it. The other book I read that I really liked was The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key To Running Inspired because he really helps you to believe that you can succeed at running, and helps you remember why you want to do this crazy thing LOL

As soon as my Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line - and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity gets here I’ll be choosing my next training program.  I’ll let you know what I choose

I find it kind of amusing, I recently told you about a blog that I’ve been reading, Runs for Cookies, and she just finished her first Marathon.  While these two things are SO. NOT. THE. SAME.  I find that I really related to her when she talked about getting back on a goal.  She also let her readers know about a contest from Under Armor, a chance to win a $50 gift card… You should go enter!  And then come show me your new duds and run with me