Amy posted this in
Emotions, Funny, Races on
July 27th, 2010
Last weekend, I completed my first half marathon. I wasn’t first, and I wasn’t last. My time was, well, twice that of some of my friends, but in the end it didn’t matter. I checked the ol’ half marathon off my bucket list. I also learned some valuable lessons throughout training and the race itself. Oh, and I got a kick-arse medal. Let’s not forget about the medal.
Before the race:
Pee. Trust me on this.- Drink lots of water all week long, especially the day before and morning of the race. This is why #1 is important.
- Don’t drink four margaritas 18 hours pre-race, even if you tell yourself it’s okay because you’re getting top-shelf margaritas on the rocks with extra lime and salt on the rim. Margarita salt is not an acceptable substitute for an electrolyte sports drink.
- Go to the race expo. Pick up your packet. Make some impulse purchases you will later regret because everyone else is buying that balance bracelet. Stare at your race bib. Smack yourself in the head for thinking you could actually do a half marathon.
- Follow a training plan. There are so many plans out there – find one that works for you and your schedule. Mine included 3 days/week of walking and/or running, 1-2 cross training or strength training days and 1 active recovery/yoga/pilates/easy walk day.
- Don’t be afraid to modify the plan. I suffered many setbacks due to knee problems and a sprained foot/ankle. I made adjustments (like biking or doing the elliptical instead of walking or running because they were low-impact). I had to cut one long “run” short because my foot hurt so bad.
» Continue reading Lessons I learned from my first endurance race
Amy posted this in
Funny on
May 21st, 2010
Confession #1: I am wearing a denim skirt today.
Confession #1: I put body glide on my inner thighs before leaving [...]
Amy posted this in
Funny, exercise on
May 12th, 2010
If you’re embarrassed by underwear talk, move on to the next blog. We’re talking about ladies underthingies and working out. Gentlemen, take a deep breath.
This is a question I’ve had for awhile, but I didn’t really know how to bring it up.
What is the best underwear to wear when working out?
The few times I’ve worn a pair of cotton underwear to work out, I’ve regretted it. So, I know that those are definitely out (I only have a few anyways, I prefer the good stuff). I’ve already moved beyond cotton socks and am slowly working on my non-cotton workout wardrobe.
But now, I’m at the underthings stage and am not sure where to start. Add my larger size to the mix and it gets complicated. Any larger ladies have this problem?
While some runners love to talk about their running clothes, they become a little more reserved when it comes to undergarments and — as a result — suffer in silence wearing uncomfortable underwear. The “synthetic material/no cotton” rule also applies to underwear. Make sure you wear tight-fitting, non-cotton underwear so any moisture is wicked away and you avoid chafing. Most uncomfortable underwear issues can be avoided [...]
Amy posted this in
Funny, exercise on
May 5th, 2010
For the past week, I watched the family dogs while everyone was in Minnesota visiting our extended family for my cousin’s confirmation (I had calendar complications i.e. I thought it was next weekend).
I took the dogs on walks daily, occasionally doing 1-2 block running intervals. Usually, though, I felt “weighed down” by the dogs… like I could have gone faster if they weren’t with me. But, I cherish every minute I have with them (they are my babies).
Yesterday, I took them on a 4 mile walk. Our pace was by far not my best… but not my worst, either. I received the following e-mail from my dad tonight:
Amy:
I can really tell that YOU have been “walking” the dogs at a much faster pace than me and Mom. I took the dogs for a walk after supper and as soon as we went through the gate it was off to the races. Or were they talking me for a walk?
Dad
Teehee. I really didn’t think we were walking [...]
Amy posted this in
Fotos, Funny, Stats on
March 24th, 2010
These are my jeans. My go-to jeans. My “wear-almost-every-day-of-the-week” jeans. Even washing them every few days doesn’t keep them small enough anymore. Do you see what I’m dealing with people? Saggy butt jeans. They are officially retired (at least until I get them to a seamstress or something). I was getting lunch at work today and quickly ran across the street. In the process, my pants fell almost all the way off my ass. In the middle of Brown Deer Road. At noon. The sun may have been shining but some drivers got a nice view of the full moon.
Obviously, I need some new jeans.
But I digress.
I weighed in this morning at 261.2, down 2 pounds from last week for a total of 13 pounds in 11 weeks. I can’t wait to take measurements next Wednesday to see where I’m at with that. Last time I measured, I was down a total of 13 inches overall, so next week has the potential of being epic.
A few other notes:
I’ve had two coworkers in the past 3 days tell me my face is looking thinner.
I’ve also had a couple of people say my calves are looking toned.
I turned down dessert. Twice.
Together, we have [...]
