I'M BACK... and still running!

The fact remains...I'm a horrible blogger! Last time I blogged, I was just finishing Week 3 of Couch to 5k. Since then, I've lost a bit of my momentum as my work hours have increased in addition to preparing to move! My days and nights have been jammed packed with work, church, quality time with friends and family,back and forth trips to Owensboro and packing!
So confession time... I missed a few workouts over the past couple weeks. Those missed workouts put me even further behind as I felt that I need to repeat some trainings to get back to where I was. As of now, I'm one workout shy of being on Week 6. That one workout is the 2 mile run (no walking, mind you!). So I'm repeating Week 5 so I will survive the 2 mile run without my lungs exploding. (All of you real runners out there... give me grace, I'm out of shape!)
I attribute part of my slacking to shin splints (I know... excuses, excuses). I realized a few weeks ago that I only got shin splints when I did long runs two days in a row... so I have been trying to avoid back to back C25K workouts.

All that to say... I haven't fallen off the running wagon yet!! And I'm still alive!

1/3 of the way done!

I made it through week 3! I have to admit that this blog is getting kind of boring, cause there is really nothing more to say than I finished a week of training. BUT, I do have to say, I am enjoying running more and more. I'm not huffing and puffing as much as I stride around the neighborhood and it's becoming a time to think about the Lord and life, rather than about running. It did occur to me as I looked to my next week of training, that in 2 short weeks, I am supposed to be running 2 miles, non-stop with no walking! That might not seem like a big deal, but ladies and gents... that is HUGE for me. I sometimes doubt that I will really be able to do it, but each week I realize that as I am faithful to get my body in shape, that God has been faithful to give me a body that is able to do so much more than what I expect. It is the Lord that sustains my every breath and it is such a blessing to remember that as I run.

Until next week...

Week 2-DONE!

Just a short post saying that I have not fallen off the wagon yet! :) I finished Week Two of "Couch to 5k"! This week was a pleasant running week... the workouts were relatively easy and almost enjoyable. However, this next week requires alot more running and alot less walking but I'm determined to keep going and make it to the 5k!

Week One- CHECK!

One week down... 8 to go!

I'm really liking this running plan. I'm so surprised how a little change in my schedule can help me think more about my diet and health. I mean who wants to eat junk food when you've worked so hard to burn it off! And the running pays off on the scale as well... I lost 3 lbs this week (which is probably due to producing large amounts of sweat on Saturdays run... whew! it was hot!).

In other news, this weekend was Ross and I's 1st Anniversary! We had alot going on at church, but we managed to get away for a fun afternoon in Nashville... pics to come!

Couch to 5K

I'm a bad blogger.

Let's just get that out of the way.

But in efforts to be a better blogger and a healthier person... I have started the "Couch to 5K" program and want to blog my experiences with it as a sort of accountability!

For those who don't know, the "Couch to 5K" is a 9-week program to train beginner runners to being able to run a 5k through a 3-day/ a week workouts. Growing up in Bowling Green, I've always wanted to run the Medical Center Classic in October. So that's my goal... to be able to run (notice there is no time expectation... I may will be slow!) on October 31st!

I actually started the training on Sunday. During the first week, the schedule is to do a 25 minute workout consisting of a 5 minute warm-up, and then running 60 seconds, followed by a 90 second recovery walk and repeating. Thankfully, this workout was a piece of cake (maybe cake isn't the best word to use as I aim to lose weight!) easy for me!! I found myself wanting to run for longer than 60 seconds, which ended up making the workout 30 minutes. However, I'm not too naive about myself to know that the coming weeks of workouts are going to be much tougher!

I <3 Giveaways!

I've never had much luck with winning stuff....
but you better bet I'm gonna try!
There are some great giveaways this week at
LaurenNicoleGifts.blogspot.com, including these:























*Please excuse this shameless opportunity to get more entries into the giveaways* :)

Things I Love From This Week...

I thought I'd share just some of the little things that I love from this week...


PEDICURES!!! I feel that pedicures are my one guilty/ expensive pleasure in life (well, and J.Crew but that's another story!). My mom and I went and got pedicures just in case this warm weather keeps up and we'll be able to wear sandals anytime soon! (Another blessing... we got to use a 2 year expired gift certificate just because the ladies there are so nice to us!)










SPRING!! I've just about had enough of this winter. Cold, dreary weather makes me so sad, unless it's Christmas time. Last week, we got a few days of spring followed by snow. This week, I expected more winter, but we've actually gotten some spring! Still a little cool, but atleast it looks like spring with all the trees and flowers blooming. And it's still nice enough to go on walks!!




Yesterday was one of those where I knew I had alot to get done both a work and for seminary. I was really kind of dreading the day. I got home from work and tried to take quick power nap so I would be able to study the rest of the night. To my surprise, my wonderful husband walks in with a bouquet of my fav flowers! I'm a big fan of fresh flowers (gerber daisies- he finally remembered!) but our budget doesn't really allow for it, so it was such a surprise!