Running Buddies and Training Days

Another day, another blog!  Today was productive….and quite frankly, one of those days where I just wanted a nice big bowl of cold cereal for breakfast.  Munched on this glorious creation:

1 Cup Warm Cinnamon Kashi Heart to Heart

3/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch

1 Medium Banana

1 Cup Skim Milk

So yummy, and filling!  Devoured that bowl quickly and then started working on some Spin-A-Thon stuff!  The YMCA is doing a Spin-A-Thon this Saturday and all proceeds are going to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief.  We have 17 bikes, and we are doing four-one hour sessions that people can “buy” for $10.00.  So far we have the first two sessions full and the third and fourth are almost full!  I am super excited.  This is one of the first things at the Y that has sort of been my “brain child” so I am really hoping it goes well.  I am planning it with my WONDERFUL friend Christie and I think we are going to have a blast on Saturday (tons of updates on that will be coming, trust me!)  Did I mention Panera is catering?!?!?!?  Score.

Met Emily in JC for a run.  It was time for our 8 miler.  We met up and were ready to take on the world, one mile at a time.

Also fueled up with this little bad boy about an hour before we got started:

We got started and it was freeeeeeezing.  Funny thing about running is no matter HOW cold it is, 20 minutes into it I am ready to strip down and sweat to death.  Oh well.  I felt really good throughout the whole thing, and we tried to maintain about an 8:30 pace….oh my Garmin, how I love thee:

1:09 which translates into 8:30ish mile which was the goal!  woot!  It is SOOOOOO awesome to run with Emily because we go at the exact same speed!  Its so nice to be in misery, but then to look over and see her and be like “ok….but it is sucking for both of us.”  Plus I feel like there are times when I push her, and then times where she pushes me!  I am so lucky to have her!  *tear*  haha, seriously….here we are in post run glory:

All in all I feel really good about where we are pace and distance wise.  Here is hoping we will break a new PR together at the end of next month, I am getting sooooo excited already!  Can’t wait to tackle that 13.1 again!

After the run we came to Panera where Emily got the half veggie sandwich, and the new veggie soup with pesto.  (whole grain baguette on the side):

And I got the new “Trail Mix” bagel with the organic yogurt/granola cup, and an apple.  The bagel was SO good!

Yummmmm!    In this extreme close up you can see the yumminess of the bagel with the sunflower seeds all over the top.  This bad boy also had dried cherries/bananas inside….so good!  Also, what good is Panera without a huge coffee swimming in skim milk???

Lunch=Accomplished.  Now I am just relaxing and updating the bloggy at Panera while Emily studies for her Occupational Therapist Board Test (say that three times fast.)  Gotta catch up on my fellow blogs, and then to the YMCA to work on Spin-A-Thon stuff!  Fun fun!  I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday!!!!

The epic…or not, first post. :D

Where to begin?!  After many, many months of reading some of my favorite foody/active girl blogs, I have decided it is finally time for this “blog boy” to start one of his own!  Sheesh, we have alot to talk about and get caught up on so I will start off about 3 years ago.  I weighed 318 pounds and was completely miserable:

My typical meals included TONS of fast food, and anything greasy and/or fried.  I was probably consuming roughly 5,000-6,000 calories per day.  I randomly had to go to the doctor and was told that I was pre-diabetic, and needed to go on high blood pressure medication.  That was enough of a wake up call for me.  I decided right then and there to change my life.  That was my “this is it” click that it took to get my butt in shape, and to do it the right way.  I started working out and eating healthy and dropped the weight over the span of three years.  Fast forward to today:

I am a happy and healthy 180 lbs!  I am not going to say it was easy…far from it.  However, I have never felt better in my life, and try to use my story to inspire others.  I work for the YMCA and teach group exercise classes there.  I teach cycling, and a total body weight conditioning class.  I absolutely adore teaching fitness classes and know that it will be a life long calling.  It is my true passion in life to inspire others to feel as good as I do!  I also teach at another local gym as a cycling instructor.

I am an avid runner and consider it a passion as well.  I just completed my first half marathon in October and actually placed third in my age group!  I was shocked and delighted!  Ran that race with my AMAZING friend Emily who runs the exact same pace as me  (she got FIRST in her age group, and I was totally jealous!).  It was so great having her right by my side the whole time.  Made 13 miles not seem so intense!  Here we are in race glory:

Thats all I can think of for right now!  I *attempt* to eat all organic, and cannot wait to share stories of food and fun times!  If you have any questions leave me a comment and I will be sure to get back with ya!  I hope this blog will be a nice way for my to catalog my life in a way, and keep me on track!  Planning an 8 miler tomorrow (prepping for another half at the end of Feb) so I am already thinking about breakfast….hmmmmm….