6 miles...

Today we ran 6miles at the Rose Bowl trails. Even though I felt great last week, I wanted to make sure that I kept feeling great so I made sure to really stretch and warm up. We were off in out pacing groups in no time and I a few strides later I began to cramp up. Crap! This is how it started the first time I was feeling pain. I slowed down during my walks take those extra long strides and stretch my calves. It helped a bit, but I still felt a little uncomfortable. We were also running faster than our actual pace so we spoke up and slowed it down.

My group is pacing at a 17min mile and I have no problem with it. At first I was a bit disappointed in myself because I knew I could do better. But then look what happened, started too fast, pushed too hard and bam! Shin Splints. So I am really starting to learn what my body can take and how fast it can take it. And right now my body is telling me that I should stick with my pace group and not push it too fast. I'm already on pace to finish strong, I know I can get stronger, but I still have a full 9 weeks to get me there. I'm finally in no hurry. Took me 6 weeks to listen to my body, slow down, and be ok with it. But hey, at least I'm there.

So, I have no problem slowing down. Coaches say that when you slow down you are actually training your body to burn fat and strengthening those muscles. And strong muscles is what I need right now. Get my skinny legs going!

5 Miles...

5 miles came and went today. I say it just like that because it felt REALLY good. I think taking two weeks off from impact running really helped my shins and legs rest a little. Aqua Jogging and the elliptical at the gym still allowed me to train and strengthen, but without the hard impact. 

I was a bit nervous because I remember how crappy I felt before when running. This would be the first time in 2 weeks that I would be attempting to run again. I wanted it to feel good and not hurt. And I didn't! :) 

I made sure to get to the Rose Bowl early to give myself enough time to warm up and stretch well. I think that was one of the main culprits for my aches - not enough stretching. I would stretch, but I don't think I was getting the deep stretches that I needed. I concentrated on my calves mostly since they begin to cramp up when I'm out there running. 

We went off with our 17min/mile pace group and began our walk/run ratio. At the 1mi mark, we looked at our watches and realized we were at a 14min/mile pace - too fast. Although we all felt good and were able to keep going, Coach Pete slowed us down to the 17min/mile pace. He wanted to make sure we felt good finishing. And we did. Had we kept the 14min mile pace, I don't think that I would have felt as strong as I did when I finished. 

I think I am finally starting to get the hand of this whole patience thing. When I first started I wanted to finish fast because I knew I could. I was wrong. My quick start out of the gates was probably one of the main causes for my shins getting injured the way they did. I am fine with slow and easy training. If I keep up this pace, I'm sure that in no time I will be moving up to the 16 and 15min/mile group. But for now, I'm good with my 17min/mile pace.

Next Saturday, 6miles. Aint no thang...  

Aqua Jogging...

I went Aqua Jogging today! "What the heck is that?" Is what you may be asking. Well aqua jogging it just what it sounds like - jogging in the water. It is meant to work out the muscles in your legs and feet without the impact of the ground. With my shins being the way they are, this was the perfect exercise for me. 

I did take the week off like I was supposed to, but I couldn't just sit out while the rest of the team met up for regular Saturday practice. Coach Kiley suggested Aqua Jogging. Since I don't know how to swim, anything with the word aqua in it makes me cringe a little. But he assured that I would be OK and that I would not drown. OK... 

So I met up with Coach Nat at 6am at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center. She is not actually one of the coaches for the Fall season but still graciously agreed to meet me to show me the ropes on aqua jogging. The rest of the team went for a 75min jog around the Rose Bowl, so I was to go for 75min in the pool. We wrapped these flotation belts around our waists and into the water we went. 80degree water at 6am feels wonderfuuuuuuuul! That made things a little easier. Coach Nat showed me proper form as we trucked along the lane. We weren't just going along like we would on the track, we were really raising and dropping our legs. It was basically an exaggerated form of how you would be running on land. It felt good and I wasn't (too) scared. It was 7feet of water and if that flotation belt came off....

But it didn't! Coach Nat stuck around with me for about 30min and made sure I was comfortable with doing it on my own. I was, really I was. So I kept on going up and down the lanes for another 45min. After a while I began to sweat - odd when you are in the water - but I could really feel my heart going and my forehead beginning to clam up. I could actually feel it working out my legs. It was nice! People have always said that swimming and working out in the water is a great low impact work out, but because I can't swim, I can't take advantage of it. So this is the next best thing. Yay! I still get to work out, strengthen my muscles, and give my shins a break. Things are looking good!

After I was done, I met up with the rest of the team and finished off practice. We had a mini potluck as we had Dr. Smith come out and assess our team. He did a few strength tests and would let you know what your weak areas were. When it came to my turn, I mentioned my shins and calves. He did the quick tests and told me a few exercises and stretches I could do to help my legs out. 

I will definitely be working on those because these shins need to stop hurting already! 

They want me to do WHAT?!...

STOP RUNNING!? :'( 

Yeah. The sports medicine doctor and the physical therapist told me that I should take a few weeks off from running. Um.. que QUE!?

Diagnosis is that my feet are too weak and there is not enough muscle in my legs to keep up with all the running that I have been doing lately. I have been running at least 2-3 times a week for about 30min and then doing my long run at the end of the week. Well, apparently my legs haven't been liking that too much.

The folks at Casa Colina mentioned that taking some time off from running and focusing on strengthening my muscles, will help out with the pains. I completely understand and it makes total sense, but how will I be ready come marathon time? When I told them that my run was going to be at the beginning of September, they gave me a worried look - not reassuring at all. Thanks Doc. They were probably thinking the same thing I was. "If I take time off, I will have to start all over and start training from the beginning, I wont be able to keep up with the rest of the team, then I'll train too hard and re-injure myself again" OR. Maybe that is just what was going on in my crazy non stop mind. 

But if I take 3 weeks off, how was I supposed to be ready in time for my run in September? I broke down. I couldn't picture taking so much time off from training and still be able to make it across the finish line. I just couldn't... 

So I did what a worried person in training would do, I emailed my coach. I expressed my anxiety and frustration with the plan and here is what he said...

If the half marathon was tomorrow and you were 100% healthy you could finish by sheer will.  It may not be comfortable and you would probably feel pretty beat up, but you could do it. There are definitely x-training solutions.  Don't stress. You can overcome this "setback"

His message really helped calm me down. I know I could finish the race beat up and what not, but the overachiever in me wants to finish STRONG. 

I will be taking a week off from x-training and running, but will be back with the team on Saturday. I will take my Motrin, continue icing, and rest. Hopefully this helps come Saturday... it better. 

GO TEAM! 

60min Run...

This Saturday we went back to the Rose Bowl and were scheduled to run for 60min. I was a bit nervous since my shins had been bothering me all week. I made sure to wrap up my shins and wear my ankle brace before getting to the run. At this point, I looked like a beat up athlete - wraps, braces, etc. But I'm doing what I can to prevent further injury. PS. I really like the sound of that - Athlete. I don't think I am quite there yet, but I'll be there soon enough. 

I hit the pavement with my pace group and we went for our 60min run/walk. My calves began to cramp up again but that went away after mile 2. We went for a total of about 4miles and I wasn't as beat up as I felt the week before. The wrapping definitely helped.

I still didn't like that I was having pain when running. Yes, it was less pain than before but it was still pain. I talked to the coaches and they mentioned Casa Colina. They have a sports injury assessment clinic on Sunday's right in Pomona. So I will be going tomorrow to see what they tell me. Hopefully it isn't too bad and I can get rid of those darn shin splints soon. 

Shin Splints ...

Shin splints are painful and they suuuuuuck!  :( 

During last Saturday's practice, I was having a pain in my right calf, like a tightness. I just assumed it was because I didn't stretch as well as I should have. Once we finished, I made sure to stretched it out well and the pain was gone. 

I made sure to rest on Sunday to prepare myself for the midweek runs during the week. Thinking proactively. Monday I went out for my usual run. I was doing OK and implementing the 1:1 pace ratio but about 5 minutes into the run I had to stop. The pain in my calf was so bad that I had to stop and stretch it out. I walked it off and it was fine so I started to run again. Nope! I was done. It hurt way too much that I stopped all together. By this point walking was also hurting. I got scared. "Would I be able to continue training? What kind of injury is this? How will I possibly finish the 13.1 miles if I cant finish a 30min run? Why are my feet so stupid?" 

I mildly freaked out, but Jay would tell you that I totally flipped out and shut the world out, so maybe I did.... 

I was quickly heading towards The Dark Side. Fear leading to anger. Anger leading to hate.. Keep up people!  I had genuine fear that this injury would take me out of the game completely. I had trouble sleeping that night and was hoping and wishing the pain would be gone when I woke up - it wasn't... 

I emailed my Coach and explained what happened, what I felt, and what he suggested I do. I was going to see him at x-training that day so he suggested I get there early so we could discuss the severity of it and discuss other alternatives. He said I definitely had shin splints and suggested a few exercises to do to strengthen my muscles in my legs and work out the kinks. Coaches suggested I lay off running and strenuous leg work but that it was OK to still do a little cross training but I should stop if bad pain occurs. They also suggested I get new shoes or at least get fitted for insoles to put in my shoes. I may not have enough support with the current shoes I have. He also  gave me the address of a local Clinic that does free sports injury assessment and treatment. Definitely going to that next Sunday. 

So my homework for these splints: 

Rest

No strenuous workouts

Buy new Kicks 

Ice

Stretch

Visit the Dr 

Ahhh.. We'll see how this goes. I promise to try and stay calm... 

Fundraising: Pt 2...

I broke $1,000 this weekend!!! ....... (!!!!!) 

Yes, I AM excited. I have only been fundraising for a month and have already collected $1,000. I thank all of you who have donated in one way or another. And for those of you reading my blog and haven't.... here is a friendly nudge to do so....   ::nudge::  

But seriously, thank you all. Your donations are helping better so many lives. 

That being said, let me remind you of a few ways you can help out AND receive something in return (besides a warm feeling in your heart)!  I am selling cupcakes, brownies, cakes, cookies, and other treats to fund raise. 100% of the profits will go to my efforts. So why not order some goodies and help fight cancer?! 

CUPCAKES! These are some of the cupcakes I have made recently. I am selling them at $15/doz. Last week I had an order for 72 of these babies! 

CAKES! These are 10inch round, double layered, filled, and frosted cakes. $20 and you get to take one of these home! 

Other Goodies! Some of  my other crowd pleasers. 

Triple layered brownies: a layer of cookie dough, an Oreo, and a layer of brownie batter. $1 each.

Salted double Chocolate Chip Cookies: adapted from the Jacques Torres recipe, try having just one. $10/doz

Caramel Apples: who doesn't like a good ol' fashioned caramel apple? I can make several designs of these, but since I am doing the Disneyland marathon, thought I would showcase the Mickey and Minnie. :) 

Please let me know if I can make you any of these goodies for your next party, shower, gathering, or even if you just have a sweet tooth like me. 

Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions or would like to place an order: meredyth00@gmail.com  

Thanks again to all who have already purchased and donated! 

Walk/Run Ratio, 1:1...

Second team practice: check! Yesterday was our second team practice. We met at the Rose Bowl again at 7am to train. We would be placed in our Pace Groups this week and run with them. 

Last week we ran a 5k and recorded our time. TNT took that time and developed Pacing Groups, grouping us with other people who ran similar times. I was in 17min mile group. This meant that during race time, we should be running each mile somewhere between 16-18min. This was a lot slower than what I have been doing (11:30-13:30/mile). But that was just ONE mile. Would I be able to keep running like that for the entire 13miles? Doubt it. But a 17min/mile does seem more realistic. Coach Kiley mentioned that these pacing groups could change for us depending on our training in the next few weeks. I'm good with the group I'm in now, and here is why. 

The coaches had our group running a 1:1 walk/run ration. Meaning we would alternate walking for a minute and then running for a minute for the full 45minutes. For me, this was harder than it sounded. "Oh, I can run for a minute and walk for a minute, I have been running most of my 30min runs during the week". It wasn't that easy. I realized that I am more out of shape than I thought since this was so difficult for me. I was able to keep up with the group, but I was definitely the last one in the pack. 

I honestly wasn't too happy with my performance, but I also didn't let it get to me TOO much.. just a little. :) 

After the run, we had a representative from "Run With Us" come out and talk to us about shoes and gear when running. Run With Us is a running specialty store that carries a ton of different types of shoes for all kinds of runners and walkers (no, not these walkers, folks who walk marathons). From the information we received, I don't think I have the right shoes on. I bought them at FootLocker because they looked cute. Yes, guilty. Don't get me wrong, they don't hurt or anything, I just don't know if my feet are getting the full support they need. My shins hurt every now and then, and that may be because of the shoes. I don't  know, but I am for sure going to check out the shop and see what they tell me. 

Next week consists of more "Easy 30s"-running for 30min. No matter the distance, just get your shoes on and run. So I will. It's going to only get tougher from now on so, no use in skipping runs. 

Anyone up for joining me for a run? 

X-Training, soreness, consistency...

Yup. I was right. So sore after X-Training...

On Tuesday, I went out to Arcadia High School after work to meet with Coach Kiley and Coach Pete to do a little Cross Training. These exercise sessions help with muscle strengthening and toning. Very important since we will soon  be running a lot more, we need our muscles to be ready for this. 

The group that showed up was about 25. I like these smaller scale settings because there is more opportunity to meet folks. I'm still getting to know peoples names but I really need to stop being so shy get out there and make new friends! Running buddies! 

We did about 12 different exercises that consisted of leg, ab, core, and more leg workouts. Knee raises, side leg lifts, bridging, planking, and the lunges. Oh how the lunges killed me! I think Coach Pete felt a little bad because he let me turn around a little earlier than we had to. Here is a quick video of us doing the lunges on the field. That's me, 4th from the end,  half-Tebow-ing. Hehe.

We finished up and ended at about 8pm. But not before they told us that next week we will be doing TWO SETS of the exercises. Oh man... I could barely do ONE! We'll see how next week goes. Not loosing faith! 

It is Thursday now and I am still sore from Tuesday's work out! To be fair, I did go do another set of Easy 30 yesterday. I knew I would  be sore, but I wanted to keep my training days consistent.

I did my usual treadmill warm up and went upstairs for my 30min run. I wasn't able to go the 1mi without stopping because  I was pretty sore. So I was alternating with jogging 3 laps and walking 2. This worked out nicely because I was able to push myself a bit during those 3 laps because I knew I was going to be walking in a few. I felt good. I still managed to do 2.2mi in the 30min - the same as Monday. I took it as a good sign. 

I am able to be consistent with my work days and my actual workout times/distance. Not pushing my body too hard too fast. I have a long ways to go and on a good pace right now. Aaaaaaand I'm actually having fun! So far I've worked out 4 times in a week! I've never, ever done that. I'm sore, but I feel great! 

Next up: Saturday, 7:30am Call time at the Rose Bowl for a 45min jog with our pace groups. We will also have a Shoe and Gear clinic. I may just walk away with some nice swag. :) 

Easy 30 - 2.2 miles...

Today,  I went to the gym to complete my “Easy 30”. Essentially 30min of easy paced jogging. They  mentioned my pace should be at one that I could hold a conversation with someone without my words trailing off and losing  my breath. Well I was running alone, but I tried to sing myself a song. That didn't really work. I just went pretty slow but enough to get a good work out in.

At first I thought to myself, “how am I supposed to run 30min?! I’ve only ever ran for about 15!” Then I remember that I had JUST gone for 42min when I did my 5K this past Saturday. So I told myself to (wo)man up, and hit it! Well I did, and it wasn’t too bad!

I started with a 15min warm up walking on the treadmill and did about 3/4^ths of a mile. I went upstairs and started jogging around the track. Laps came and went and before I could think of it, I had jogged a mile nonstop. Yay me! my endurance was building! I finished that mile with a 12:34 time. Was a bit disappointed because just the week before I had finished with 11:39. But I realized that it wasn’t about how fast I finished that first mile, but about how my pacing was. I need to work on distance. The speed will come naturally as I keep practicing and my body keeps building endurance. Soon, you will all be calling me Speedy González. :)

I didn’t want to keep an eye on my watch too much because I wanted to just focus on going and going. I would jog 2-3 laps and walk 1. That seemed like a nice doable pace for me. At the end of 30min I ended up with 2.2miles of jogging distance. Right on point with what I wanted. I finished up with a cool down of 10min on the stationary bike and went for about 1.5miles. I was tired and sweaty but I felt good. I was done with my first official day of  my training schedule and I was happy. I am having less and less of a hard time getting up and training. AND I also have more of a desire to eat fruits and veggies and MILK, (who’d have thunk?!) This is a good sign and it will only get better!

Total work out time: 55min. Total distance: 4.45miles 

Tomorrow: Cross Training with the team at Arcadia High School. Muscle strengthening and toning! I’m going to be so sore on Wednesday…. Stay tuned.

1st Official Practice…

Saturday was my first official practice with Team in Training! It was really a GREAT day. And it started with a 5:30am wake up call. I think THAT was the toughest part, really. Had to be at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena by 7am to get things started, so the 5:30am alarm clock rang… and rang.

I was surprised and actually happy to see that everyone was so cheery at 7am! All the mentors, coaches, teammates, and staff were all smiles that morning, greeting us all and making us feel really welcomed. It was greatly appreciated. Looking forward to really getting to know all these great people.

First things first, fill out any necessary paperwork and get some general logistics out of the way. They introduced all the coaches and mentors that will be our support team throughout this process. SO many of them! Awesome!  We also talked more about what the general training schedule would look like and what we can expect. Nothing too crazy given that I AM training for a half marathon. Although the mileage is going to keep increasing as the summer goes on. Next thing you know my midweek runs will consist of 5, 7, and 9 miles. Brang it!

So we headed off to do our Pace Assessment. Basically to determine what groups we will be put into while we train depending on how fast we finish our miles. We were to run a 5k. 3.1miles. Now, this normally wouldn’t make me nervous, but I had been sick for a week with two full days in bed with a nasty cough and the flu. I was not really excited to run these miles. But I trekked on around the Rose Bowl. Fun Fact: the loop around the Rose Bowl is roughly a 5k. Real nice and easy way to tell how far you’ve gone. So all we had to do was follow the fences.

The miles were marked in chalk and had a mentor at each mile cheering you on. It was a nice way to push you to keep going and a good reminder that we were not alone on this. Mile 1 came and went pretty quickly, but the rest were a little harder.  At mile 2 I had one of the mentors run with me for a little while and pumping me up. It helped! Had me smiling and laughing when all I wanted to do was finish. Pictures of were taken of us running. Here I am in all my running glory. :) 

And just like that mile 3 was gone and I finished with a time of 42:21. That puts me at a 13:39/mile pace. Again, I’ve done better on my midweek runs, but I was getting over a bad cough and chest congestion, so I cut myself some slack. I’ll get there. Patience.

After our run we headed back for waffles and chocolate milk! While we ate we had a fundraising clinic. Folks shared some tips and guidance on fundraising. I started early so I have a nice jump. $800+ before training officially started! Thanks to all who have donated! If you still haven’t but would like to, click that little widget on the top left-hand corner of my page and donate away. Really appreciate it folks!!

So this coming Monday my training schedule will officially be on. It will consist of short 30min runs, cross training, resting, and more running. Next Saturday at the Rose Bowl again at 7am!

Let’s. Do. This. 

Cupcakes!...

I have officially added cupcakes to my list of goodies to see to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Below are some that I did for a sweet 16!  I think they came out kinda fancy! I will be working on more cupcake creations with different colors, frostings and fillings.

Since taking my cake decorating classes I learned new recipes, improved my techniques, and overall expanded my baking skills. Such a small investment but I definitely learned a lot. Just how I will keep on running, I will keep on practicing and make more and more yummy creations! Let me know if you would like to purchase some! 100% of the profit will go to my fundraising. I’m at 38% of my goal! Please consider donating or purchasing some goodies to help those fighting cancer every day. 

Inspiration and Excitement...

Today I drove down to Culver City and met the TNT Summer teams. It really was a great time. I got to meet some of the coaches, mentors, and other teammates from the SGV team. Along with cancer survivors. It was truly inspiring to hear some of their stories, made me that much more excited to be doing this. 

Everyone seemed great and all were really excited. A bunch of people getting together to fight cancer, who wouldn’t be excited? As part of the program we heard from a cancer survivor, Kyle Garlett: 2 different types of cancer, 4 different times, chemo, remission, heart transplant, hip replacement, shoulder surgery, and a ton of other side effects from the amount of medication he received. Even with all of that, he is still running Ironman Triathlons. Truly inspiring. Makes you look at your own life and issues and forget about them. I know I did. Read more about his story here. 

I got my schedule for the next two months. I'll be starting to get really strict and consistent with my schedule starting on Monday. It isn't anything too bad: cross training, easy 30, more cross training, resting, and ending the week with our team runs. After our team runs on Saturdays we will be having a series of clinics that I am looking forward to. More to come on that! 

I picked up some swag today too! Got my official LLS TNT shirt today! It conveniently matches my Reeboks :) I didn't have a gym bag, so I stopped by Ross and picked one up. I'm looking pretty official now! I'll start feeling more official when the training really kicks in. 

Needless to say, I'm ready to take this on and more excited than ever! 

Go Team! 

Seeing Improvement….

I didn’t want to get discouraged after my run on Saturday. It WAS my first run in a very long time and I had to keep that in mind. I gave myself a few days rest, made sure to continue to nurse my Achilles, and got back out on the track.

Getting to the gym, I decided to do a bit more this time. I know I can’t run too much too fast, but I still wanted to train and get the excersize in. So I decided to hop on the treadmill  and go for 10min. Worked up a little sweat and went for half a mile. Good warm up. I hit the track afterwards. I was surprised that I was able to run half the mile without stopping. The rest of the mile I walked/jogged and finished with an 11:39 time. :)

Already seeing improvement! Almost two minutes better than the last time and only my second run. I was quite happy and quite covered in sweat. But sweat is fat crying so, sweat away!

I did a cool down by doing 10min on the stationary bike. Ended up going 1.8miles on that. And I felt really good. I didn’t want to get too caught  up on the adrenaline buzz of exercise so I packed it up and went home. Iced, drank my chocolate milk, and hit the shower. 

Total work out time: 31:39. Total distance: 3.3 miles

Things are looking good. My Achilles continues to bug me a bit, but when talking to the TNT head run coach, he mentioned that it was ok to be sore and to take the extra day of rest if needed. I still have 4 months to train and can definitely take my time getting there. I’m sticking to the RICE method. Hoping it helps.

This Saturday is “Kick Off” for the Team in Training teams. I’ll be up early and in Culver City by 10am to meet the teams, meet the folks of the LLS, and be more inspired to do this for a great cause.

Now, off to cake decorating class! I’ll be posting pictures of my cakes soon—also up for sale to raise $$!

Weight: 137lbs 

Distance: 1 mile

Time: 11:39

First Run...

I went for my first run today. Did my mile in 13:35. Not the greatest. At this rate I will be finishing my run in about 4 hours. I'm trying not to worry about this too much since I have a solid 16 weeks to train and get to a better time. Hoping my Achilles tendonitis doesn't mess with me too much. 


I still haven't gotten my running shoes. TNT let me know that we will be having a shoe clinic coming up, and Run With Us will be giving a sweet discount. So waiting till then. I am crossing my fingers in hopes that the shoes that best fit me will be cute. Hey, just because I am training doesn't mean I can't be cute! Anywho, currently icing my ankle, watching Parks and Rec, and drinking a chocolate milk icee. I really like that chocolate milk is an after run snack. 

I  will only be running a mile at a time for a bit. Testing out my ankle and my patience. I have a loooong way to go and it will not be easy. Let's do this! 

Date: May 12

Weight: 136lbs

Distance: 1mile

Time: 13:35

Fundraising...

Along side my training, I will also be raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They are the  world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and services. And they do it because the need is critical:

• Every four minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer.  
• Every 10 minutes, someone dies
• Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20.

My goal is to raise $2,200 by August 15th. I am already up to $532 and it is only May 9th. I know I can do this with the help of all of you amazing people!  I am raising money with several ways. 

• You can donate directly online at my fundraising page No amount is too small- Really! 

• I am selling Cancer Fighting Brownies at $1 a piece. They include a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough, an Oreo, and topping it off with a layer of fudge brownie. I don't praise my goodies too often, but these are really good! Email me if you would like to place an order!

• I recently made these party bags for my cousins birthday and everyone seemed to like them. I am actually making more for a party this summer. I can make more designs too. So if you have a party coming up and might need goodie bags, let me know and I can hook you up! 

• I will begin making my dark chocolate salted chocolate chip cookies soon. So stay tuned for those, they are another crowd-pleaser, you wont be disappointed. 

You can also check out a bunch of other crafts and goodies I make. Cupcakes, caramel apples, stuffed figurines, cakes, ice cream! My photo album has a bunch of these. If you are interested in some, let me know!


Like I mentioned before, I am doing all of this to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. I dont need your money, those who are living with cancer do. 100% of the profit made from these sales will go to them.


Thanks for stopping by and please let me know if I can make you anything ! 

Eating healthier...

For a while now I have been wanting to eat healthier and make better choices. I am a big foodie and love to try new things - even if that new thing is a chocolate covered bacon donut (yum! btw) But let's be honest - I've put on a few lbs and those extra lbs will not help with my running. This marathon was the last push I needed to make better choices on what I eat.

So today for lunch I have prepared a "Salad in a Jar" I look around a few food blogs and this recipe caught my attention. I'm pretty busy most of the time so cooking dinner and preparing lunch is not something I do often. This recipe is perfect for the quick and easy lunch. I can pack a few at the beginning of the week and BAM! lunch for a a few days. 

This specific one has...

• Light Italian Dressing
• Chicken Breast 
• Garbanzo Beans
• Carrots
• Beets (bears eat beets, you know) 
• Broccoli 
• Spinach
• and a few crumbles of Fetta you cant see 

You can easily replace the chicken with tuna, tofu, etc. You can also play around with the veggie combinations. I picked up some olives, peppers, and cucumbers for other salads. I plan on making a few of these and possibly throwing it in a wrap. Switching it up a bit, because I can get tired of the same thing for lunch, real quick. 

I found this drawing and decided to follow the suggestions on what ingredients goes wear.  Just shake it up and you  have your lunch!  Let me know of any of your favorite lunches or suggestions on meals to eat when training! 

It starts...

SO, I have decided to run a half-marathon! Yeah, crazy right? Yeah, I think so too. Sept 2nd is only 117 days away. 


I had been thinking about upping my running for a while now. I had done a few 5Ks and a 10K already, so why not up it to the next one? I was going back and forth on this for a while until I heard about  Team in Training. They are an AMAZING organization that not only raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, but also works with you to make sure you make it across the finish line with tons of training (since I was a little scared of taking that marathon leap, this was a big plus) So I looked up the next few runs and behold they are training for a run at (drum roll......) Disneyland! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge Disney nerd. That was all the convincing I needed: raise money for an amazing cause AND get to run around Disneyland?! Where do I sign? 


So there it is.. the start of my journey to finish the 13.1 miles. Come on back to stay updated on what I am up to and how the training and fundraising is going.

Next up: meet my coach, acquire good running shoes, find a nice running spot (partners welcomed!) and START my training.