And Three Months Later........

Wow!!!  Where does time go?

Every week I sit down and plan to get back on here, and then by the time I get through with work, working out, and a few other things I crash when I sit down.  That whole not planning ahead thing really comes back to bite me in the backside on things like this.

So - as a new month approaches, I'm hoping a new plan and process can keep me on track with my blog.

A decent amount has happened in the past three months.........vacation, a birthday, lots of races, and marathon training just to name a few.

Our family vacation to Perdido Key, FL was great.  My grandmother treats us all to a week away every summer.  It's a time that she enjoys to have her two daughters and their families all together.  There were 8 of us that spent the week there.  There are now 4 generations that come from Memphis, Itta Bena, MS, Jackson, MS, and Dothan, AL.

I've also experience another birthday.  I'm officially in my mid-thirties now.  I can proudly say that this year on my birthday I was 10 lbs lighter than last year and in much better shape over all.  So my birthday gift to myself was definitely my health.

And speaking of losing weight and health.  I'm still working on that but with marathon training in full swing the focus is more on listening to my body than trying to lose weight as my top priority.   At this point the weight has stalled in the 138-140 lbs range BUT my body fat % has continued to drop.  I'm still taking that as a BIG win.

Training has been going GREAT.  I'm on track to be able to take 45 minutes to an hour off of my time of 5:50 last year.

I've had several races over the last few months that have given me a real confidence boost with my running.  I'm still not the fastest one out there (or anywhere close to it), but I have PR'd every distance that I've run since July!!!

I signed up for the Road Race Series this year through MRTC and have run at least one of each distance so far (the series consists of 10 races, 2 of each distance - 5K, 5 Mile, 10K, 10 Mile, and 1/2 Marathon).  Only the 2 Half Marathons remain and I've got to figure out a way to work at least one of them into my marathon training as they fall on the weekends of my 20 and 22 mile training runs.

I also ran the Cooper Young 4 Miler.  It was a blast as usual!!

I did something completely new for me as well.  I finished my first Triathlon - the Annie Oakley Super Sprint.  It consisted of a 400m swim, 11 Mile bike, and a 2 mile trail run.  I finished it in 1:29:12 (18/28 in my age group and 95/129 overall).

My running buddies Anna, Heather, Rachel and I before the start of the Annie Oakley Tri.

Here are my running races and results since we last talked.......

Road Race Series 2nd 5K

30:56 (9:57 pace) New PR***

82/129 Age Group

389/715 Female

824/1268 Overall

Previous PR for this distance was 34:15.

Road Race Series 1st 5Miler

54:35 (10:55 pace)  New PR***

70/117 Age Group

345/646 Female

732/1168 Overall

Previous PR was for this distance was 1:00:25

Road Race Series 1st 10K

1:07:04 (10:47 pace)

59/101 Age Group

333/616 Female

714/1109 Overall

Previous PR for this distance was 1:09:39

Cooper Young 4 Miler

39:34 (9:53 Pace) New PR***

100/291 Age Group

418/1324 Female

1021/2263 Overall

Previous PR for this distance was 44:35

Celebrating with Anna (on the right) after great runs at Cooper Young 4 Miler

Road Race Series 2nd 10K

1:03:06 (10:09 Pace) New PR***

57/113 Age Group

293/601 Female

636/1074 Overall

This was a PR of 4minutes over the same course 2 weeks earlier!!!

Road Race Series 2nd 10 Miler (AKA The Beast)

1:50:26 (11:03 Pace) New PR***

51/83 Age Group

548/854 Overall

Previous PR for this distance was 2:02:19

Lots of hard work has gone into this.  I still have plenty of room to improve - but I'm thrilled with the year that I've been having and hope it continues on through the races I have planned.  

~Kathryn

Workout/Weigh In Wednesday

I've been doing good to get in 2 posts in a week here lately - and somehow I'm getting in 2 today alone!!

Today, I'm linking back up with Skinny Meg for Workout Wednesday as well as Heather, Ash, Bailey, and Amy for Weigh In Wednesday.

Wednesday, July 3
I posted here about the Stars and Stripes 5K that I ran here in Memphis.  It was a great time (except for the train), and I'll definitely be returning to this race!

Thursday, July 4

I took the 4th a little easy and went to the pool for some laps.  I got in 950 yards in 30 minutes.  I still have a ways to go with my swimming, but that was the most I have gotten in in a 30 minute swim.

Friday, July 5

Today was HEAT Class.  We began the class with 8 minutes of burpees (I did 101!!!), followed by this workout which I finished in 22:14.

This one actually wasn't too bad - in comparison to others we have done.

Saturday, July 6

Today I headed to Breakaway Germantown to run with the St Jude Marathon Training group.  They have a 24 week training plan and this was week 2.  We had a 5 mile run on the Greenway, which is nice since you don't have to dodge any traffic.  My pace was a LOT slower than Wednesday - which is attributed to the heat and humidity........even at 7:00am.

Sunday, July 7

I headed to my favorite yoga class today then followed it up with a 12.5 bike ride with a friend of mine.  She wasn't feeling 100% so we took it a little easy, but still finished in ~1:10.

Monday, July 8

This was a super busy day.  My first workout was HEAT class.

We had so many people that we had to stagger where we started.  We all started with the 800M run, then I went to the ball slams and worked my way through the exercises in order with the exception of the jumping jacks.  They were at the end for everyone.  I finished in 25:20.

Immediately after HEAT, I headed out to Shelby Farms for the first night of the Memphis Run/Walk Program.  I am helping coach the Intermediate I group of runners.  We began with a 5 minute walk then alternated running and walking for 3 minutes each for ~35 minutes followed by a cool down walk back to our starting location.  

This is my first year as a coach and it so good to see so many women getting out and being active.  At this time there are well over 1000 women registered in the program and it is still open for registration until the end of the month.  The program will finish in early September with a graduation 5K for all the women.

Tuesday, July 9

REST!!!!!!

Now for the Weigh In!!

Previous Weight - 141.6
Today's weight - 141.0
Difference - -.6

It's not much, but it's still going in the right direction.  The challenge coming up is going to be vacation.  I will be leaving Friday to head to the beach for a week.  I don't want to ruin all the hard work that I have done in the last month, so I have motivation to be "somewhat" good while I am there.  My goal for the trip is to not gain - therefore I am planning to get in either a run or a bike ride everyday we are down there.

Until next time!!!

~Kathryn

Race Recap - The Race that Got Stopped by a Train - Stars & Stripes 5K

I'm FINALLY getting around to recapping the race that I participated in LAST Wednesday night.  

Poppy is always near and wanted in on the pic action

The Stars & Stripes 5K is a 2nd year race here in Memphis at Tiger Lane at the Liberty Bowl Stadium.  It began last year when the very popular Firecracker 5K, that was held at the Racquet Club, ceased to exist.  This was my first year running it and I thought the race was put together very well except for one thing.......

Yep - that's a train in the middle of a race - at .4 miles into it.  I would say that between 1/3 and 1/2 of the runners managed to beat the train.  I, unfortunately, was one that did not.  I will say that there were some insane people that went under and around the barriers right as the train was getting to the road we were on. 

Once that happened, I decided to just enjoy the run as there was no way a PR was going to happen. The weather was actually pretty cool for a July Memphis night.  It was a relatively flat course that was essentially a big square.  The start and finish were both at the Liberty Bowl.  After the delay by the train, we turned on Southern and headed to the Cooper Young area where there were several people cheering us on during their dinners at the local restaurants there.  We ran up to Central Ave and turned there to smell Central BBQ then head back to the Liberty Bowl for the finish.  After the finish there were plenty of hamburgers and hotdogs to go around.....and watermelon!!

My "official" race time was 40:49.  No where near a PR, but if the train hadn't interrupted us it would have been as my "moving" time was exactly 8 minutes faster than my official time!  My current 5K PR is 34:15, I believe, so I'm definitely making progress towards my goal of at 30min 5K.

Here are my race stats:

Overall 852/1399 (61%)

Gender 353/765 (46%)

Age Group 74/150 (49%)

I'll take that - especially considering that 2.7 miles were essentially a nice, easy training run!!

I'll be back later today with my Workout/Weigh In Wednesday!

~Kathryn

Weigh In Wednesday - It's still coming off!!

Ok, so for the month of June, blogging was pretty much non-existent for me.  Getting back into consistent blogging is one of my goals for July.

I'm going to link up again with Weigh In Wednesday.

  

I am still on the Macros plan that I talked about here.  On this plan, I'm consistently losing weight for the first time in several years!!  I am loving this plan so much that I just changed from working with Ashley on a month to month basis to buying a 3 month package.  At the rate that I'm losing I should be close to my goal by then!!

I don't feel "confined" on this plan.  I get to actually eat - a lot.  In fact some days I get tired of eating.  One of the biggest things is that I'm learning to make better choices.  This will be put to the test in 10 days when I head to the beach for a week. And speaking of heading to the beach, I'm so excited that this year I will weigh less than I did when we went last year!!

Two weeks ago when I weighed in on here, I was at 143.4.  Well, today I am at 141.6!!  That's almost another 2 lbs gone.  For the month of June (plus a few days) I lost 7.6 lbs!!!  To hit my goal I only have 21.6 to go - that sounds SO much better than the almost 30 that I had a month ago.

Something about this plan just clicked with me - added to the fact that I weigh in with Ashley each week.  That accountability is a big deal.

If you would like to get in touch with Ashley, you can email her here.  She is great to work with, and you will not regret it.

That's all for now.  I still have a few posts that I need to do from June - hopefully those will come soon.

Enjoy the 4th everyone!!!

~Kathryn

SweatPink

I am so excited and honored to announce that as of this week I am a new Sweat Pink Ambassador!!!

So what is SweatPink??

SweatPink is a FitApproach movement with the following mission:

We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick.

I feel that this is exactly where I am right now.  I have been trying to be a better me and am finally on the right path.  I hope that through Sweat Pink I can inspire and encourage others to strive for a better self.  I know first hand that it's not an easy task and there are many bumps in the road and Sweat Pink is there to smooth all of that out. 

~Kathryn

Weigh In Wednesday - SUCCESS!!!

I'm Back!!!

The last few weeks have been kind of crazy and the last thing I wanted to touch outside of work was my computer.  So, now that things seems to be calming down, I'm back to blogging.

With all of the craziness, workouts haven't been the most consistent - so I'll be getting back Workout Wednesday next week.

This week, I'm doing something new.  I'm linking up with Heather, Ash, Bailey and Amy for Weigh-In Wednesday.

This actually ties in with something new that I started this month.  I've been on a mission to lose ~30 lbs for some time now.  I've "tried" to eat better, changed and increased my workouts, and have essentially gotten no where.  Well, last month I was reading Elle Noel's blog and she was talking about a new meal plan/way of eating that she was starting.  It's based on Macros (the ratio or Protein, Carbs, and Fat in your diet).  I wanted to check it out and see what it was all about.

I started following Ashley Leahy on Instagram (she is the one that did the meal plan).  Ashley works with women to help them achieve their fitness goals.  After seeing the progress of a few of her clients, I decided to email her and find out more.  I immediately knew that I wanted to give working with Ashley a try.

I started the plan on Sunday, June 2.  What she gives you is not a cookie cutter plan.  It is a plan based on you.  You let her know about you and your goals and she devises the plan around that.  I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything either.  In fact, there are some days that I feel like all I do it eat - but the foods that I am eating are much better choices than I was having previously.  You know the numbers that you are supposed to hit every day.  That way if there is something that you are wanting or you go out to eat, you can build the rest of the day around that if you need to.  Once a week I have a high carb day and that is my day to enjoy my beloved Chipotle!

Whether it's just losing weight, toning up, or preparing for bikini competitions (she is literally a Pro competitor herself), she is there for you 100%.  I check in with her every 5-7 days with what is going on and my progress and she always has encouragement for me.  She also makes adjustments as needed to your plan to keep you on track to meet your goals.

So, what has this plan done for me?  Well, last time I weighed in here was on May 29.  That day I was 149.2 lbs.  My official start weight for the program was 147.2lbs on June 2.  Today I am at 143.4!!!  So that's a loss of 3.8 lbs since I started with Ashley 17 days ago and a loss of 5.8 lbs since my last weigh in on here 3 weeks ago.  It doesn't sound like much - but I'm 5'1" so it makes a big difference.  My clothes are fitting better and I've even had people take notice and say something already.  I'd say that is a success!!!

If you are interested in contacting Ashley you can email her here.  She not only provides the meal plan program but also workout plans. I am just doing the meal plan right now, but am looking at possibly adding the workouts after my Tri in  August.  She is wonderful to work with and has also created a community of clients that can become a support system for you during your journey.

I'm SO glad that I found Ashley as it seems that this plan was exactly what my body needed.   I can't wait to see where this journey leads me and I'll take you along for the ride as I track my progress on here.

Next week - back to Workout (and Weigh-In) Wedneday!!

~Kathryn

Workout Wednesday

I love long weekends, but at the same time they tend to throw me off.  I'm definitely not complaining about a short work week - just feel off this week.

So with the holiday weekend came travel to MS.  I did better than I figured I would on the working out, but the eating was a different story.  

Here's how my week went.....

Thursday

I ran the Zoom Through the Zoo 4 mile race.  4 miles in 44:15.  It was pretty hot and humid, but I just need to get used to it as summer in Memphis isn't going anywhere any time soon.

Friday

Today was a rest day as I had an event to go to Friday night.  I missed my HEAT class and can't wait to get back to it next week.

Saturday

I got up and got in an 11 mile bike ride in just under an hour before I headed to Jackson.  I knew this was the only way that I could get in a workout that day.

Sunday

I slept in longer than I had planned, but still managed to get in a slow 3 mile run in 35:36.  I thought I had had hot runs already this year, but this one was horrible.  It was hot and humid and no shade the entire route.

Monday

Today was another rest day.  I was traveling back home and the gym also closed at 5:00 - so again, no HEAT class.  

Tuesday

I got in a 4 mile run in 45:18.  I had major cramping in my calves again.  I've got to get this under control.

Wednesday

I got in my Yoga class this morning and I'm planning for a run and a swim this afternoon.  I think I'm going to start loging my workouts Wednesday-Tuesday instead of Thursday-Wednesday since my main workouts on Wednesday are typically after I post.

Weekly Weigh In

Last week - 148.8

This week - 149.2

Weekly change - +.6

This was actually better than I expected.  This weekend had 4 cookouts and 2 batches of homemade ice cream.  I'm SO ready to get back to better eating.  

I'm linking up with Skinny Meg again this week.  Check her out.....

~Kathryn

Race Racap - Zoom Through the Zoo

Last night I (along with about 1400 friends) participated in the Zoom Through the Zoo 4 Mile Race here in Memphis.  This race has been on my race list for a while now, and I was excited to get to run in it this year.  

Based on what I've been running, I was hoping for a time in the 43-44 minute range.  I had a plan break the race up into 2-2 mile segments and go from there.  Well, that plan went out the window the moment the race started.  I immediately felt super tight calves in both legs and the shin splints flared up in my left leg.  I decided to take the race one mile at a time.

The course starts just outside the zoo then finds its way into the zoo for a little over a mile before heading back out to Overton Park for about 2.5 miles.  There were a few smaller animals out and about 2 elephants.  With the heat and humidity that comes in late May in Memphis, it highlighted the "smells" of the zoo......not what you want to be smelling while running.  The finish is literally at the zoo's gate.....and it wouldn't be a race in Memphis if it wasn't followed by BBQ!

I ran the first mile in about 9:30 - which is really good for me, but too fast at the same time.  I was feeling major tightness in both hamstrings at that point (in addition to the calves and shin splints) and realized that my "A" goal of 43:00 probably wasn't going to happen.  I felt like I was in yoga when they tell you to listen to your body and see what was talking to you.  Well, the legs weren't talking, but rather screaming!  I decided to take a walk break at each mile and see how I was feeling.  Finally around mile 3 the hamstrings loosened up and my legs settled into it.  That's fine on a long run, but for this the race was 3/4 of the way over by then.  

In the end, it wasn't the race I wanted, but it was still a PR, so I'm happy about that!!  

Time: 44:35

(that was clock time - my watch said 44:15 and 4.07 miles start line to finish line)

734/1392 Overall

358/861 Females

81/196 30-34 Age Group

~Kathryn

Workout Wednesday

It's been another week of somewhat consistent workouts - but not where I want them to be.  I've really got to get my head in the game and just get a game plan together.

Here's how my workouts happened this week......

Thursday
I got in 4 mile run in just over 44 minutes.  Not great - but hey, it was a run!  After that I went to the gym for some time in the pool.  I got in 800 yards in 30 minutes.

Friday

Rest Day

Saturday

After a day of running errands I set out on what was planned to be another 4 mile run.  The humidity was unreal!  I decided to call it a 3 mile run.  I finished in just under 33 minutes, and I looked like I had gone for a swim when I got back home even though it was at 7:30 at night.

Sunday

I made it to my favorite Yoga class today!!  After that I headed to Shelby Farms to get in a bike ride on the Greenline.  I got in 12.11 miles in 1:03:57.  Considering that's only my second really bike ride of distance, I'm pretty pleased.  After that I decided to walk around Patriot Lake.....that's about 1.75 miles.

Monday

I managed to work it out with work to work 7:30-4:30 on Monday's so that I can still make HEAT!!  The class was a killer this week.  We had 4 exercises (Burpee-Barrier Jumps, Pull Ups, Push Ups, and Leap Ups).  We started with a round of 20 reps of each, then a round of 19 reps of each and so on.  I managed to finish the round of 8 reps of each about the time that we had to stop......that was after 47 minutes and 728 total reps.  I think if there hadn't been a class at 6:00 in the same room that our instructor would have had us go until we either finished or passed out.....my bet is that the passing out would have come first!

Tuesday

This was an unplanned rest day.  The weather was horrible and my body was still exhausted from Monday's class.

Wednesday

I made it to Yoga at 6:00 this morning again this week!!!  

Weekly Weigh In

Last week - 149.8 lbs

This week - 148.8 lbs

Weekly Change - -1lbs

Not much, but at least it's in the right direction.

I'm heading out of town again the weekend, so my goal is to be better about my eating and workouts over the weekend.

Check out SkinnyMeg for her Workout Wednesday Link-Up.  You may find something that is just the motivation you need to keep on going.....

~Kathryn

Where'd the Weekend Go

Why do the weekends go by so fast!!!!

I could really go for a 3 day weekend and a 4 day work week......every week and not just holiday weeks.

My weekend started out Friday night when Rodan + Fields corporate came to town.  We had a business presentation Friday followed by Groundswell Training Saturday morning.  It was a great time and I got to meet several of the top consultants in the area.....one day I'll hopefully be up there with them.

Saturday afternoon was a mish mash of a lot of things.  

First off, Miss Poppy had a BADLY needed day at the groomer.  She went from this......

to this.......

She looks like a completely different dog, but it's the same fun loving Poppy.  Now we can see her eyes!!

Saturday was also a time for running errands and I finally joined Costco.  Boy, that is going to be dangerous!!!  Yeah, the cheap gas is nice, but I'm scared of what all I may come out with when I go there to shop!!

After a VERY HUMID 3 mile run at 7:30 Saturday night (Hello summer in Memphis!) I decided to try out some new nail polish colors.

First off, I tried Orly in Frisky.  Previous to this, I had only used the Orly base coat.  The polish is ok to me. I feel like I have better coverage from some of the others that I use.  As for the color, it's a bright turquoise and is so not me, but I like it.  Not one that I will do very often, but sometimes the summer just calls for something different on your toes.

Orly Polish in Frisky

For my hands, I used Essie in Come Here!!  I love Essie polish!  This one is pretty bright - kind of a coral color.  I wasn't too sure about it at first, but it's really growing on me now.  I'm usually pretty "traditional" when it comes to polish and I decided I needed to step out of my comfort zone.  I did, and I'm loving it!!

Essie Polish in Come Here!

I had plans to be on the road by 6:00 am Sunday morning to head down to Tunica, MS, to watch the Memphis in May Olympic Distance Triathlon.  Several of my friends that I run with were participating and I wanted to go support them (and I didn't feel that it would be a bad idea to go watch with me getting ready to my first triathlon in August).  Well, the morning didn't start quite as planned......I rolled over and looked at my clock and it was 5:46!!!  I somehow had turned off my alarm and had gone back to sleep.  I hurriedly got ready and got on the road.  I was still able to make the 7:00 start.....somehow!!

I met up with some other friends and once everyone was in the water we went to find another place to see them swimming before heading to watch transition.  Once they were all off on their bikes we went and found a spot at bike dismount to sit and watch.  We saw a little bit of everything.  Some dismounts left you wondering when they actually got off the bike.....you'd see them riding, then all of a sudden they were running while carrying their bike.  Some were not so graceful.  A few couldn't get out of their clips and either asked to be caught or they ended up on the ground.  

The three we were watching got kind of spread out on the bike so we stayed to watch them come in and missed all but one heading out on their run.  We didn't have long before the first one was getting ready to come in on her run so we went and found a good place near the finish to camp out until they were all finished.  

I had a great time down there watching everything (and getting sun burned......I realized I forgot my sunscreen when I was half way to Tunica).  

I headed home around lunch time and had a ton of house work to do.  I got just enough done to say I'd done something when I decided to head to Yoga.  From there I decided to go for a bike ride on the Shelby Farms Greenline.  12 miles and just over an hour later I decided I wasn't through.  I had though about running around Patriot Lake, but since it wasn't planned when I left home I didn't have my running shoes with me.  I went on and walked the 1.75 miles just to get the feel of moving my legs like that after a bike ride.  Let's just say I have a lot of work to do between now and August!!

By the time I got home I was hungry and exhausted.  At that point it was pretty much dinner, shower, sleep.  

My list of what all needs to be done at the house is still there and growing.  I can always do that stuff later!!

Monday morning came too fast!!  I'm already looking forward to this coming weekend.....and getting a 3 day weekend!!

Hope everyone has a great week and it goes by fast!!

~Kathryn

R+F Friday

Today I'm not talking about any products in particular, but rather the excitement that is building for Rodan + Fields in the Memphis area.

This weekend is the beginning of something BIG in Memphis.  Corporate has come to town!!  Tonight they are hosting a Business Presentation and tomorrow is the beginning of Groundswell Training for Memphis.  This area has barely begun to develop and Corporate sees the potential that we do - that's why they are here.  They want to put R+F on the map in Memphis and are here to help us do so.  I am SO excited for this.

Next weekend is another big weekend as well.  On Friday night 2 consultants from north Mississippi will be in town to be presented their Lexus.  There are less than 100 consultants that have earned a Lexus and once these 2 get theirs that will make 6 from Mississippi, several in Nashville and NONE in Memphis!!  That right there tells you that Memphis is ready to explode with R+F.  I mean - who doesn't want a brand new shiny Lexus - all paid for?  I know I would love it!!  And with R+F there is no reason you (or I) can't reach this goal.

YES, PLEASE!!!

Right now there are 12 consultants that are considered the creme de la creme.  They are what is called RFx. Currently, they are on an all expense paid trip to the Four Seasons Resort in Bora Bora.  Let me tell you - seeing the pictures and hearing the stories are so inspiring.

None of this existed 5 years ago and now R+F is literally taking people all over the world (next year RFx consultants will be going to Paris!!), giving people cars and changing lives of consultants and customers. And we are only just beginning.  12 RFx consultants.  18 Elite Consultants.  Less than 100 Lexus earners.  Less than 500 Level V Consultants.  In the top 100 of Global Direct Sales companies (and we're only in the US). And now this.......

Rodan + Fields has been named a finalist in the Consumer Products category in the 2013 American Business Awards, the nation’s premier business awards program. More than 3,200 nominations from organizations of all sizes, and in virtually every industry, were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. We are honored to be a finalist in the Consumers Products group.

We will begin our introduction into the global market in 2014.  

I'm still in disbelief that all of this has happened in just 5 years....and there are some states that are still virtually untouched by R+F - Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas just to name a few.  There are no limits to where Rodan + Fields can take you.  I truly believe in this company and what it has to offer me.  I can't wait to see where I go with it.  I'd love to share it with you.  If you are even remotely interested, I love to tell you more about this company.  This is the time.  R+F is going places and wants to take all of us along for the ride.

kathrync.myrandf.biz

~Kathryn

Workout Wednesday

This past week started out not so good in the work out department.  I'm not sure how I ended up with workouts 4 of the last 7 days actually.  My goal is to get to 5-6 days a week with activity.  

So here's the recap......

Thursdsay

I had great plans of getting in a 3 mile run then heading to the gym for 30 min of swimming.....then at 4:00 I got invited over to a friend's house for a cook out.  The shins needed a break anyway so I wasn't too upset about that.

Friday

I made it to HEAT class before heading out of town for the weekend.

The Tabata portion wasn't too bad at the time (8 rounds of 20 seconds with a 10 second rest in between for each exercise), but Sunday and Monday I felt the calf raises BIG TIME.  In fact it was a very slow process of being able to put my heels flat on the floor. My lowest score for rows was 24, for push press was 22, and for calf raises was 27.

Every Minute on the Minute was a rough one (the faster you complete the exercises the longer rest you get before the next minute starts....but you pay the price) - by the time you get to the last few rounds you have barely finished the exercises before you start again.

I sort of got a break on As Many Rounds as Possible.  My group started with the sit-ups and worked up to Man Makers.  That meant that unless I got to the final exercise on my round when 25 minutes was over I wouldn't have to do man makers that round.  I completed 7 full rounds just barely finished the pull ups when the timer went off.  I was a literal hot mess when class was over.....perfect for driving 3 hours with 3 dogs in the car.

Saturday & Sunday

I had hoped to get in a run or two while I was at my aunt's house, but that didn't happen.  That might have been a blessing in disguise though as my shin splints gave me fits during class on Friday and they really needed some rest.

Monday

I got a 3 mile run in today.  My pace is getting better, but not where I want it to be.  I'm going to have to start doing some speed work.  I'm also hoping that losing some of this extra weight I'm carrying around will help as well - it's makes sense that it would.  My shin splints were much better after a few days rest.  They've been screaming at me on most of my runs lately.  Today they just sort of whispered to me beginning around mile 2. Progress!!  Now I just need to keep babying them a bit more and also figure out what's causing them.

Tuesday

Today was HEAT class again.  I am really loving this class.  Unfortunately I have things the next 2 Friday nights and won't get to go.  They are also moving the Tuesday class to Monday's at 5:00.  I'm going to see if I can work out working 7:30-4:30 on Monday's at work so that I can keep attending the class - I REALLY don't want to miss it!!

This was one of our longer workouts.  We did 7 rounds for time and I finished in just under 40 minutes.  By round 6 and 7 the Burpees just plain suck at that point.  I actually had to take a breather after those as I didn't want to pass out.  Toes to the Bar and Farmer Carry (with 40 lb dumbells in each hand) are difficult for me because I don't have a good grip.  I'm hoping that doing exercises like this will help with that.  

I was completely exhausted and looked like I had been in a swimming pool when I got finished.  It was a great workout!!

Wednesday Morning

I actually got my not-a morning-person butt up and out of bed this morning to head to yoga.  It felt great after last night's workout.  I used to go to this class all the time, but got out of the habit of it.  The instructor that I really like that teaches the Sunday class that I go to (when I can make it) now teaches the Wednesday morning class as well.  I think I may have to make this a regular class again.  It was a good stretch for my tight muscles and a great way to start the day.

I'm planning to run and swim this afternoon, but I'll save that for next week.

Weekly Weigh In

Last week - 150.4 lbs

This week - 149.8 lbs

Weekly Change - -.6 lbs

Not really losing much at all, but not gaining.

This weekend was BAD eating for me. So I really didn't expect much of anything for this weigh in.  One thing I continually notice is my body changing shape and getting firmer.  Clothes are not as tight and I've had people ask if I've lost weight (which I haven't).  I'm ok with the small drops on the scale while this is happening because I know that my body is still changing for the better.  I'm trying to focus more on my eating this week, so hopefully that is going to help.

Bye for now!!!

~Kathryn

Tuesday's Random Thoughts.......

I've had a lot of random thoughts running through my head the last few days.  Of course now that I'm finally writing them down, I'll probably forget half of them.  Let's see what I can remember.

*You know you watch too much on the DVR when you try to fast forward through commercials on live TV. I've actually been guilty of this several times this past week.....most recently last night during the Grizzlies game.

*Speaking of the Grizzlies, you sure know how to give a city a heart attack.  I'm glad for the win, but did we really have to go 17 down in the first half......and then go into over time to top it off.

*Days after 8:30 tip off Grizz games need to start at like 9:00 or 10:00.  

*My beach vacation begins 2 months from yesterday.....YAY for vacation, BOO for not being bikini ready. My fat butt needs to get in high gear!

*Another big YAY for Rodan + Fields payday!!!  I LOVE getting paid just for sharing about some of the most amazing skin care products out there!  

*One more R+F random - Oprah love our new Macro Exfoliator.  This isn't the first time she's mentioned one of our products and we all know how much Oprah has to be in love with something for her to mention it!

*The jackpot is when you have a friend that has impeccable taste in shoes (and wears the same size as you do) clean out her closet.  Most of these have either never been worn or only worn once!!  I just cleaned out my closet, now I'm filling it back up....

*Shin Splints are the devil - seriously!!  At least they didn't start talking to me until about mile 2 of my 3 mile run yesterday.....last week they were screaming after only going about 1/2 a mile.  They are getting better but I'm ready for them to be GONE!

*I'm going to have to find TV shows to keep me entertained this summer (suggestions please).  I love season finales, but that means re-runs until September/October.  I have Netflix and Apple TV, so surely I can
find something to entertain me.

*I'm not a big reader, but do love Dan Brown novels.  His new one came out today.  Do I go on and read it now, or save it for vacay??

*Summer in Memphis is coming whether I like it or not.  Highs are already hitting the upper 80s and it's only going to get worse.  Lot's of sweaty runs in my future.

*I'm doing my first Triathlon in August......I've got a LONG way to go!!

*Trying to eat good when with my family is nearly impossible.  

*Blogging may actually stick this time.  I have 2 failed attempts in the past.

*How do you keep a house clean when there are 3 dogs running in and out and all around?  Seriously, I feel like I mop the floors 2x a day every day and there is nothing to show for it!

*Pay attention to how you park in a parking garage - especially if it's a tight fit to begin with.  There is a lady that always parks straight in an angled spot making it hard for people to park next to her (she's in a truck).  Then today she only pulled halfway into her spot so she is sticking way out and you literally have to drive around her.  I know I'm bad a parking, but I at least try to make it right.

That's all I've got for now.  I'm sure I'll have a lot  more rattling around in my head later, but I'll save that for another day.

~Kathryn

Where'd the Weekend Go - Mother's Day

As usual - it was another weekend that went by WAY too fast!!

Though they may drive me crazy sometimes - I love my family and I got to spend this weekend with them.

After class at the gym Friday night, I (along with 3 dogs!) hopped in the car and drove south 3 hours to Jackson, MS to my aunt's house.  Thank goodness the dogs like to sleep in the car or it would have been a VERY unpleasant drive.  Once I got there, I was greeted by my mom, grandmother, aunt, uncle, teenage cousin and their 2 dogs.  Yep, you counted correctly.....that's now 5 dogs in one house for the weekend.  It was late and we were all tired, but all the dogs were WAY too excited to let anyone sleep at that point.  Here are my aunt's 2 dogs......

Meet Dixie.  The most docile Pitt/Lab mix you'll ever meet

This is Sophie - a 4 y/o Wheaten Mix that thinks she runs the house.

After a restless night of sleep (all the dogs wanted to be with each other) Saturday brought lots of family time.  My other cousin, his wife, and their 14 month old came up from Dothan, AL for the weekend.  I don't think I've seen BA (the baby) since New Year's.  They spent most of the day with us before heading to his mom's parents for dinner.  It was so much fun to see my 82 year old grandmother get to play with her great-granddaughter.

BA was interested in the TV.

After B, Katie and BA left we had just enough time to run and errand or two then get back to watch the Grizzlies.  I believe there were 3 tvs on in the house and all three had the game on.  I had told my family earlier last week that as long as I could watch the Grizz game at 4:00 I would be happy.  Well, we were all interested in the game, so we decided that we would grill out for dinner rather than go out to eat.  We all enjoyed some yummy steaks (dog included) and a great basketball game!!  The Thunder have been a thorn in the Grizzlies' side since this same series 2 years ago......maybe, just maybe the Grizz can pull it out this year.

This is what my dogs thought of the basketball game......

Sunday was church then more time for family and food.  After we got in from church we took the obligatory family photos (all the pics that I'm in were taken on my uncle's camera so I don't have any of those :( )  I mentioned in a previous post about the bond that my grandmother and my dog, Lily, have.  Here they are and they would stay like this all day long if they could.  The funniest moment was when my grandmother was holding BA and Lily had a fit.  She thinks she's human and somebody else had her Muma (what my cousin dubbed my grandmother when he was a child) and she was NOT happy about it.

Here's my teenage cousin.  He's a sucker for a dog just like I am.  Rose figure that out pretty quick and had him giving belly rubs all weekend.  We all think Will would make a wonderful vet, but he'd have to go to Mississippi State for that, and he's and Ole Miss fan......and trying to talk a 17 y/o into a school other than "his" just isn't happening.  Will and his dad were working hard on my aunt to adopt Rose.  My aunt spent the weekend saying no and as I left admitted that the reason that she didn't spend time with Rose was that she was scared that she would fall for her and give in on adopting her......yep, family full of suckers when it comes to dogs!!

B, Katie, and BA came back over for lunch on Sunday and we had a good ole Southern Fish Fry (clean eating for the rest of the week can't make up for this past weekend at this point!!).  They had to leave kind of early to head back to Dothan - it's a pretty good drive from Jackson and there isn't a good straight shot to get there.  We should get to see them again in 2 months when we all head to Perdido Key for a week.  (OMG - only 2 months until then?!?!?!?  I'm SO not ready to be out on a beach in a swim suit  Time to get my fat butt in gear!)

B (Benjamin), Katie, and BA

I still had a job to do before I could head back home.  Apparently I'm the one in the family that everyone looks to for help in cleaning out closets.  My aunt's neighborhood yard sale is this coming weekend so we headed to tackle her's.  I wish I would have gotten a picture of it!  We only got through 2 sections, while I was there and I probably got her to put about a 1/3 of it into the yard sale pile......then I saw the shoes. Don't even get me started on those.  It was an emergency situation.  I need to take her shoe shopping.  I swear there were only brown and black shoes in there other than some tennis shoes (mostly my old running shoes - she and my mom get my old ones when they aren't good for running any more) and the one pair of while sandals that I let her keep.

I moved last October, so I had already gotten rid of a lot of stuff at that time, but I decided to go through my closets and house and see what I could take to contribute to the yard sale (getting rid of things I don't wear and making money on it - heck yes!!!).  The back of my Tahoe was full - and this pics doesn't do it justice since the tables block the view of several bags of clothes.  The sad thing is that I did this in a rush and if I had the time to REALLY go through stuff I could have brought twice as much.....it will just have to wait until the next time!

I finally loaded the girls (dogs) up around 7:00 and headed back home to Memphis.  They were asleep in the car in less than 5 minutes and stayed that way until we turned into the driveway.  

I'm starting the week tired from the weekend and getting home after 10:00 last night.  The Grizzlies don't play until 8:30 tonight......at this point, sleep is just over rated.  I'll catch up on it at some point, just not sure when yet.  You miss too much when you sleep!!

~Kathryn