Weigh in Day!

A quick post before I meet the group and run this morning - I weighed in and I lost 1.2 pounds this week bringing me to a new all time low weight of 168.4! The gain from two weeks ago is gone and then some! I have now lost 94.1 pounds total! I am a mere 4.4 pounds away from my weight watchers goal of 164!

There has been some people in my life concerned that I wasn't eating enough and lately I have been really starving most of the time - I consulted with a nutritionist that knows about running and food and she confirmed that with my higher mileage I was not giving my body what it need. She told me how many calories I should be eating on regular days and on long run days and I have been following that for almost two weeks and I'm still losing, but am no longer starving all the time. I have also noticed that my long runs go better as well. I feel so much better after doing them with enough food!

There is also the connection of food in San Francisco and my success at Nike - I PR'ed and didn't really try to and I didn't feel like I was pushing myself too hard - I stopped and took pictures along the way had a great time chatting with V-jam and just had a really good experience! I even walked around for quite a while afterwards with the left over energy I had! I think that was another wake up call for me. I did so well because I basically ate what I wanted and when I was hungry for the two days before that in San Francisco. I ate way more calories than I would have if I was home and I was rewarded for it in an awesome race. Like a good friend says - the car doesn't run with no fuel in the tank!!

4 Bridges Half Marathon

No I didn't run a half marathon the day after my 20 miler, but I was there! I cheered on some of our group that was running and my boy did the Kid's Scary Scamper! We have been training him for the CIM Marafun Run that is 2.62 miles and on December 6th - part of what I have been training him to do is pace himself and he is doing much better than I did in the beginning! Once he completes the training program they have set up for us and the 2.62 miles he will have completed the cumulative mileage of a full marathon 26.2! He has a little watch that he uses to time himself and he is just too cute! So the scary scamper was 1 mile and here are a couple of Pics!

This was about the halfway point! Isn't he adorable with his bib number on??

Him at the finish - his finishing picture looks like most of mine - looking down and turning off the timer on the watch! They got to cross the same finish line as the half marathoners did!

Here he is with his official time 7:54:85!

After the run and seeing some people finish we went to the Folsom zoo and had a great time!

Sacfit Saturday and Weigh in!

Weigh in first - Up at 5AM to weigh in at 6AM before running at 7AM! I'm at 169.6 - losing 1.4 of the 2.2 pounds I gained last week! I'm happy with that! :) (VERY happy to be back in the 160's)

Today I ran 20 miles - I am ready now to taper (10 miles next week - 5 the following week) and ready for my full marathon! I feel so confident this evening that I can totally do this!

BUT - I'm very tired and I'm going to go to bed now - just didn't want to do that without posting my regular Sacfit post and weigh in post!

I ran like a girl! Nike Women's Half Marathon 2009!

I don't even know where to start - the day was so awesome and I'm going to be in tears again writing this. I met our group of Sacfitters at 6:15AM so we would be together and start together. Here we are bright and early and ready to run! Vanessa - the one in the red shirt did the full marathon - the rest of us did the half.


Me crossing the start line about 20ish minutes after the race started - there was music blaring, everyone was so excited and we had to wait a while for our pace group to be let out of our "corral" so all the faster pace group could go. It was great for building the excitement!! We started out running between tall skyscrapers and just taking in the view - it was amazing! So cool running through the big city! Then we went out onto the Embarcadero. We could see the Bay bridge and there was a cruise ship docked that wasn't there the day before and the pier was all quiet - you could see Alcatraz and it was the perfect weather for running. A little cool with a slight breeze. Just amazing!!



This is me in the middle of climbing one of the hills - in fact I think it was "The big one" - Alcatraz is in the background!

Vanessa with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge - we ran almost 10 miles together and had so much fun! I also after finishing thought I could see her since the full marathon people split from us and then met back right before a split again by the finish line so I went to find her at her mile 16 and only waited about 15 minutes! At that point she was having pain when she ran, but only had 10 miles to go and she planned on walking and finishing!

These were some inspirational signs at the top of another hill - pretty cool shot with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background!

I ran what I felt was a comfortable pace and I kept thinking I could break 3 hours (my previous best time was 3:03:45 but a very different course) We walked all the hills (my angel on my shoulder telling me the whole time to not slow down, walk with authority!) and recovered some at the top and the ran the rest skipping some walk breaks at times and I felt so good. The miles flew by! I don't think I really believed I could break the 3 hours mark until I hit mile 12 and my Garmin said I was at 2:45 - I thought - I could power walk this last mile and still break 3! I ran the entire last mile with no walk breaks and came in with an official chip time of 2:56:01!! I was crying at the finish and some woman came in behind me and was crying and I told her I needed to hug someone and she grabbed me and hugged me, we must have stood there crying and hugging for several minutes! This was her first half marathon! Someone took our picture and after asked us our names, I don't know if it was media or race people, but I hope to find the picture! The rest of the finishers chute was a blur. I do remember sexy guys in Tuxes standing around, but couldn't tell you what the guy who handed me my necklace looked like (can you tell I'm happily married?? it's not about the guy it's about the bling!). They gave us a bag and then lots of food, drink, samples of stuff and a nice little aluminum foil blanket to keep us warm, the finish line was right by the ocean and it was cold and breezy!

We walked around for a while, walked over to see Vanessa and a TNT friend that was there cheering people on and then we got on the bus to go back to the Hotel and start our trip home. I was really emotional last night and again this morning, I guess it took a lot out of me. It was such an amazing weekend with so many positives, I don't think it could have been any better! I also want to thank my hubby for making the weekend so special and being so supportive. I am the luckiest girl in the world!!

And of course and picture of the bling!!! (poor lighting in this picture makes it look gold - it is actually silver - I will take another picture later and post it.)

Twas the Night before Nike!

Original title to my post huh?? Today was once again an amazing day! We did a little shopping, we did a little more sightseeing, we rode the cable car from one end of the city to the other (twice!) I have lots more amazing pictures that I will work on posting when I get home. I met a friend when she came into town and we picked up her packet and then I went back to the room and rested before meeting some members of my running group for a wonderful dinner. We walked over to the start area and decided where we will try and meet up so we can run together for at least a little while. Tomorrow is going to be so amazing! I have my angel on my shoulder and I plan on finishing strong and making her proud!!

Twas the Friday before Nike!

Today was an amazing day! After stopping by weight watchers (I had a 2.2 gain - after a very challenging week) We drove to San Fran and only hit traffic on the bay bridge, found our hotel right away, they had a room ready and we checked in - got stuff in the room and then headed out for the expo. I got my goodie bag and my number and timing chip. We wandered around the expo for a bit and then headed over to Niketown. What an amazing store! I bought a new running cap and we ended up going back later on to buy a t-shirt. I found my name on "the wall" Outside the store all the registered participants are listed on the wall and I took a pic, I will post some pics after I get home. We went and did a little shopping and then went and had lunch at The Cheesecake factory and had the best Red velvet cake cheesecake for dessert! Yum!! We did more shopping and more walking, found chinatown and toured most of union square. I'm so ready for bed now!

Twas the Thursday before Nike!

I'm so excited I can't stand it!! This trip is going to be so great! It has been the first time hubby and I have gone anywhere in a long time without children. The main reason we are going on Friday instead on Saturday. We still don't know for sure what we will do there but I think we will figure something out! I would like to go into Chinatown and there is a little place we want to check out for breakfast and then of course the shopping at Union square, the race expo and other assorted stuff that we don't do when we go because we always go to the tourist areas and don't venture out past there!

Then of course on Sunday is the run! I am torn between racin it and trying to break 3 hours or taking it slow and taking lots of pictures and enjoying the scenery! I have pretty much decided that that I won't decide until I'm running and see how things go. I have decided to play it smart though and walk the hills!

Hubby has taken today off to get things packed, Logan packed and ready to go to Granny and Papa's house and the animals situated and such. Tomorrow morning we get up, take Logan to school, run to weight watchers to weigh in and then leave for San Francisco!!

I shall wear purple!

So I expect there will be a few posts leading up to Nike this week - this is my first. I have decided what to wear and I have made it my own. I have a dear friend that just got a cancer diagnosis and I called her this afternoon and told her I'm running this half-marathon (my fifth!) in her honor. Purple is her favorite color, so I will be wearing my purple running shirt, but I didn't want to just stop there. I have a coaches shirt that has my name on the back, but I want people to cheer me on by name when I run past the spectators (I have been told there are lots!). So I added my name to the front, my bib number will go under it.

My other addition is this V - sitting on my shouder. She will be my angel on my shouder for 13.1 miles!

Love you my dear! Soldier on!!

Weigh In and SacFit Saturday - all in one post!

So I stopped by WW and weighed in before the run on Saturday and I stayed the same so I didn't really think it deserved it own post anyway - so I'm the same as I was last week and I'm fine with that - with the higher mileage I'm putting in I'm still eating healthy and such, but not obsessing about everything and making sure my body still gets what it needs to do what I want it to do.

So on the schedule for those of us training for a full marathon was an 18 mile training run! I have been really focused on Nike San Francisco coming up (next week!!) so I don't know if that is why I wasn't really nervous about the 18 miler or if I have truly changed my mindset by breaking that 14 mile barrier and now I have to confidence to do it. Yes some runs are harder than others, but I have to tell you - this one was amazing!! I ran it slower and we also changed our intervals to 2 minutes running and one minute walking and I can't believe the difference it made. I didn't have to walk anymore than just our walk intervals (on the 16.5 miler I had walked a long hot section) and I came in strong and felt amazing! I started out with two people who were really cool to talk to and they kept me in check making sure I didn't run too fast and then after a stop to administer first aid to a team mate I went with another from our group who is normally faster, but she slowed down some and I ran 9.5 miles with her and she was so great to talk to and I had so much fun! The miles just flew by! I will tell you it does help to run with someone who has done the mileage already - they have the confidence that they can complete the mileage because they have. Two of the ladies I ran with has done a marathon before so it was so great getting their perspective!

I didn't get my normal nap after the run, we watched a movie and I just wanted to spend time with the family - so when I went to bed I slept so good and woke up this morning feeling great! My legs feel great, my body feels strong and my only issue is a slight headache, I hydrated great during the run (with a little help from my friends) but didn't drink that much after I got home, so today I will hydrate and start getting stuff ready for my trip to San Fransisco to run the Nike Women's Half!

Soldier on Bre!

It has been a while since I have showed off one of the men in my life - he used to reside on my shoe, but then switching shoes every week I got tired of lacing him into new shoes so I needed to find a new place for him - so I thought about it and decided I don't need him as much any more. I don't him him on my shorter weekday runs, I got those down. I do however still need him to be with me on my longer runs, so he now resides on my long run water belt (which I love BTW!!). He will be with me as I run 18 miles on Saturday just hanging out like most men do, staring at my butt and reminding me to soldier on!

Cowtown half!

What a great day! Lots of people running today I think one report said 4200 people was registered. I felt pretty good and the shoes felt pretty good - my ankle started bothering me a little over mile 8 - but then quit bothering me until I stopped running at the end, but ice for a bit and some food and I felt much better! One thing I was super excited about was this was my very first half marathon last year - so I was anxious to see when the front runners of the full marathoner (they do a double loop of the couse) would pass me. I went almost a whole mile farther before the passed me this year! I felt really good until I was about 1 1/2 miles from the finish. I realized at the end of it I didn't fuel myself like I should have and it had been quite sometime since I had eaten anything, I did gu's at twice but then nothing and by the time your energy level gets that low and you only have a mile to go it is too late. I pushed myself and got to the finish line tired, with leg cramps and a blister on the end of one of my toes, but also with a new PR! I wasn't supposed to be racing it, but I did take it easy the first several miles and the pace I was running felt really good. My Parkway half time was 3:05:10 and my cowtown time was 3:03:45 - I know if I had been smarter with my nutrition I would have broken 3 hours - that is how good I felt the whole run!

I took my camera with me, but then had hubby take all our extra stuff to the car after the run so we could want for the rest of our people come in and forgot to keep the camera out Duh! My parents were out there twice on the route cheering us on - Dad was taking pics and mom was ringing the cowbell I told her to bring. She said she had a lot of fun standing on the corner and ringing the bell - Maybe there is a seasonal job in her future? ;)

Here is a video from the start of the race - my hubby is in it (at 2:45 right behind the reporter black jacket, blue hat), but I started behind him a ways so I'm not in it.

Here is a pic our head coach took before the start! She was getting pics of everyone with the stuffed cow - so cute!!!

My season of races....

At the beginning of this season I had some lofty goals - I had signed up for the lottery for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco (if I got picked I would be doing the half) and I wanted to train for my first full marathon as well. I didn't know how well those two would go together, but I signed up for Nike not knowing if I would even get in, but if I did I would run it. Well I got in! Hotel is booked, days off requested and everything is in place - my only concern is how would it fit in my full marathon training schedule? Thanks goodness it fits in pretty well! This has been my season of races starting with a fun little fourth of July race, then buffalo stampede, but now we get into the big ones - Cowtown is tomorrow where I get to see the new members of our group this season complete their first ever half marathon! For me it is a training run to log the miles. I have to keep telling myself it is a training run - don't race it - don't mess up your full marathon goal. You put a bib number and a timing ship on me and I tend to run really fast...

In two weeks is Nike San Francisco - my second half marathon for the season which also has to be ran as a training run, nice and slow - this will be the biggest run I have ever done and I think it is going to be so amazing! I'm taking my little camera with me and I plan on having a great time and see the sights!

On November 14th is Run The River - my first full marathon! This is what it all comes down to this season - completing my first full marathon - this will put me in an elite group as only about one-tenth of 1 percent of the population will complete a marathon.

But wait - there's more! - On December 6th (three days after I turn 40) - I will run with three awesome ladies in a relay team at the California International Marathon - they are letting me do the last leg since it is my "Birthday Run" and I'm super excited about being part of this run. CIM is the run that put the running bug in my head -I watched the front runners finish in 2005 when my son was doing a fun run with his teacher and I was amazed - I thought to myself one day I would love to run - but at that time I was not fit, overweight and definitely not a runner. It took me some time to change that, but I did it and now I will be a small part of the run that started it all!

Weigh in Day!

Still woke up before the sun came up to weigh in this morning even though our run is tomorrow - don't want to skip a weigh in though! I am in the 160's!!! My stats for this week down 1.8 to 168.8 - Total lost 93.7 pounds. This week I made sure I used all my flex and about half of my activity and I lost weight - I know what my body needs me to do, but even after doing this for over two years it seems weird to eat so much and lose weight. I earned 56 activity points last week and only had 22 left at the end.

I have adjusted my WW goal weight so I can get there a little faster - my range is 135 to 164 and I had set my goal at the 100 pound loss mark, well my leader pointed out I can still lose the 100, but have my goal at 164 so I can get there a tad faster (think free membership once I hit my goal and stay within two pounds of it for 6 weeks.) So my official goal weight is now 164 - meaning with this weigh in I am 4.8 pounds away from my goal! I'm so close I can hardly stand it!!