Things I am Loving This Spring Weekend

Finally the sun decided to come out and bless us with it's presence, the temperatures were not all that great, high 50's low 6o's, but heck I will take it any day. This weekend was spent mostly with my parents. Craig is busy out helping his farmers plant their seed for planting season. This time is always the hardest for me, I have to learn how to keep myself busy. He did make it off work a little early last night around 7 to take me out for a yummy dinner down by the river. We then came home and watched Country Strong, which was an "okay" movie. Here are some items that really highlighted my weekend: A Nike tank top I was able to find at a garage sale for 3 bucks!
Mom surprised me with this new flavor of syrup for a late b-day present

My afternoon snack of whipped cottage cheese and cereal and almond butter

A trip to Whole Foods with the parents and a late birthday lunch

Mom and I this afternoon after lunch

Two good book finds for a dollar each at a garage sale on Saturday

Green Peppers on sale 2 for a buck

Propel Water, I bought a 24 pack Friday and it is already halfway gone..eeekkk


As you can see, I was able to find alot of good finds this weekend, hence the garage sales. During the summer, my Mom and I love the adventure of going out for a good bargain.

Workout Progress

Friday: 40 minute elliptical and 10 minutes cycle/Ab circuit

Saturday: 4 MILER!! About 1 minute slower than my pace but hey, four miles after over training is good for me :)

Questions: Do you like shopping at garage sales or thrift stores for a good deal?

I love finding a good deal, it is worth the time and effort if it is cheap and worthwhile!

What is your favorite afternoon snack?

Mine is usually oats, protein powder and almond butter but sometimes I mix it up with a protein bar or cereal.

B-Day Bliss

Yesterday was an enjoyable perfect day for a Birthday. The kids had a field trip to the farm and when we returned from school they presented me with a gift card for a massage....my kind of treat. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the movie "BABE," and enjoying the loads of cookies and cupcakes a few of my parents dropped off as a surprise. It was a unteachable day if you must say so. It seems as if there are always more of these days as school starts to wind down and the summer gets closer....3 more weeks!!!

My students were in sugar overload after all the birthday treats!

Then came the best surprise of all....flowers from my love sent to school! I told him specifically "NO FLOWERS!" You know how those boys can be....Saturday we are going to officially celebrate my birthday with a dinner at my favorite restaurant Bone Fish and then we are going to look at rings...SO PUMPED!!

Workout Progress:

Monday: 3 mile Run, 10 minutes elliptical followed by 10 minutes of cycle

Shoulder and Chest Lift moderate weights, 2 exercises with 12 reps

Tuesday: Elliptical 35 minutes, Cycle 10 minutes

Hamstrings/Legs lift-core work

Thursday: 2 1/2 mile run, 10 minute elliptical and 12 minute cycle (ranging from level 3 to level 8)

Bi and Tri workout: Bicep curl 15 pounds 2x12

Standing Bicep Curl-20 pounds 2x12

Tricep Pull Down: 60 pounds 2x12

Tricep Machine pull down: 35 pounds 2x12

My legs were a little stiff and sore this morning, adding some leg work into my routines has been harder than I thought it would be. It is a good feeling to be sore, but at the same time it makes my runs alot harder with stiff legs. I think the more weight I keep lifting the easier and less stiff and sore I will become. You may ask what my goal is...well I have no rush to get back into running 5-6 milers at a hard pace 3 times a week (that is the reason why I over trained). I would like to get back up to just running on average a good 4 miler 2 times per week and then add in more strength training and one longer run (at max 6 miles). I think a good enjoyable race for me is 10ks. So I would like to keep up my endurance for those races.

What are your future goals...running wise or strength training?

Do you find it hard to add in strength training to your routine?

A Birthday Flashback-28 years!

Yes, today I turned 28. It seems as if the older I get, the less I want to celebrate. In honor of my 28th birthday, I have selected random photos from my past, a birthday flashback just for your viewing eyes!


As I posted some of these photos, memories filled my mind. I have had some crazy and hard times throughout my life...but those experiences are what make me, me. Right now, being 28, living with the wonderful guy I love, working as an elementary teacher, I am as happy as I have every been. I hope as the years pass me by, I can add more photos to my collection of memories. Hopes of photos of more good friends, close family members, and additions to my own family of Cooper and Craig as well. Enjoy!

4th of July at the cabin

Collage World Series

Halloween

Best Friend's Wedding

This crazy kid is the love of my life

Girl's Night Out

Singing to My Own Tune

A Long Night of Tailgating

Go Skers!!

College Graduation Party

Graduation from University of Omaha

Welcome to the gun show!!

Yes I do have some crazy curls

To be 21 again...

A Short Spring Break

Cooper sporting his new red collar Mommy bought him today

Spring Break if finally here, after three days of teaching and 1 day of meetings it has arrived. Too bad it is just a four day weekend and not an entire week...ahh how I miss you collage days.

To kick off my break I had to get a Route Canal done :( Yes, I spent my morning strapped to a dentist chair while he drilled away for several hours. The other part of today was spent getting my hair highlighted, hitting up Target for some of my essentials, taking Cooper out for a walk, and making some yummy protein pancakes with a side of sliced green peppers with spicy mustard.







Protein Pancakes made with 1/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1/2 cup Cottage Cheese and topped with strawberry jam!


Vitamin Water and 100 Calorie Almonds

Now I am relaxing on the couch and enjoying the evening, Craig has been super busy with planting season going on right now so I have the place to myself most evenings till late.

Workout Update: Wednesday/Friday workouts
Treadmill 2 mile runs at 11 minute mile pace
Warm up on elliptical for 10 minutes
Cool down on bike for 10 minutes
Light weight lifting (um ahem this should show you how out of shape my lower body is from lifting, I managed to do two sets of lunges using 8 pound dumbbells...wowser I am still sore today!)

I don't know what my deal has been this week, my body has been trying to fight off a bug of some sort. Tuesday I had a scratchy sore throat, went away Wednesday, and yesterday/today I have just felt icky. Not lay in bed flu like (considering I have still worked out), just not right. Craig has been sick with a horrible cold for the past two weeks, so I am not surprised that I picked up something. I am just a little irked, would like my energy to return before the big weekend and feel 100%!
Weekend Plans: Hitting up the cabin in Columbus for a nice Easter celebration with Craig's family. I am super excited for a good time with family and friends, wine, and just relaxing out by the lake with Cooper and Craig.
What are your Easter plans?
Do you ever eat breakfast for dinner?
Sometimes I tend to eat oatmeal three times a day, I love it!!

Busy Bee

Wow the weeks tend to fly by when you are so busy! Some good news here, looks like my legs are recovering very nicely. Being it Monday it has been about 2 1/2 weeks since my total crash out overtrained burnout. I have been keeping up a steady pace of going to the gym 4 days a week and upping my distance/speed each time I go to the gym. Saturday was my attempt back on the treadmill, I averaged a 15 minute run/walk at a pace starting at 5.0-5.2. I know crazy, three weeks ago I was running a 5 miler at a 6.0 pace and that was easy. I am sure I can push it more, but I want to be nice to my body and not fall back to square one again. Today I managed to get in another 15 minute walk/run after my 20 minutes on the elliptical. This time I ran up to 5.4 and felt great afterwords, no fatigue. Other body issues, it seems as if with my body when it rains it sure does poor! Early last week my tooth really started aching, which turned into an infection and caused my whole side of my face to swell up. I was in severe pain and lacking sleep. Made it to the dentist and was zapped on pain killers and antibiotics. Now looks as if I am heading back to the dentist again on Friday, my Spring Break, to get a root canal..blah. Craig has been home the past week with a horrible cold that started with a sore throat. Well, woke up this morning to a what...SORE THROAT! Grrr...I get rid of the tooth pain to come to a sore throat. So I have been popping VC the entire morning and drinking more fluids than a human should be allowed to, I just hate getting sick! Did I mention...just 23 1/2 days left of school until I am out for SUMMER VACATION!! This last month of school has been a long one.... Well that is all I got right now, I promise to return with more exciting details in my life and no more deppressing downfalls with my health!

Healing My Mind

Monday, ahh a new week another new start to recovery. To be honest, last week was a rough week for me, just really having a hard time dealing with my emotions, feeling fatigued after short workouts, etc. The more time goes on, the more accepting I am becoming for what has happened and that I am going to be okay. Life goes on. Last week I managed to go to the gym on Tuesday/Thursday and Saturday. Each time consisted of 30-40 minutes of light low impact bike riding and walking followed by short very light weight lifting. Each time I left, my legs were stiff and bloated and I felt fatigued. I have really had some time to think of what I want to do when my energy returns. Whatever it is I decide, if that being going back to running or focusing more on weight lifting (I have got one skinny flabby butt now lol) I know I can't go back full blown and continue to pound it out day after day. I am getting back into the groove of my life again. Reading before I go to bed instead of spending all my time on the internet looking at running websites, spending my mornings walking Cooper as well as my afternoons. Putting a little more effort into my schoolwork and of course spending more time with Craig in the evenings just vegging out on the couch instead of going to bed by 8:30 to wake up at 4:30am. I am slowly breaking away from this funk and starting to see that I can be happy with just who I am and not what I am defined as, that be a runner, a teacher, or just someone who likes to get out and stay active. Well I am off to finish watching Gossip Girl..... Todays Activity 15 minutes on the Elliptical Level 1 15 minutes on the bike 10 minutes on the Treadmill walking speed level 4 Light weights with chest and shoulders (15 minutes) A 20 minute walk with Cooper Sat on my butt the entire day trying to stay awake during a LONG meeting lol! Chels

Trying to Consume Time

Okay so it has been a rough couple of days emotionally. My mood swings have been through the roof the past few days with me not working out. The weekend was the hardest, finding something to consume the time on Saturday and Sunday morning was difficult. I am so used to waking up early, hitting the gym and being productive. Friday night I had "movie night," with all my girls. It really helped bring my mood up being around my friends and discussing things other than running and knowing that their is life outside the treadmill. Saturday, I went to the gym for a 20 minute cycle ride with no resistance and 10 min walk on the treadmill. My legs felt it, they were heavy and stiff. On my way home, I saw a young girl running and broke into tears. I know I am being a complete baby, but this is hard. I feel as if someone has kicked me out from under my feet and I am lying on my butt now and I have to start all over. Then again, this is my fault. Deep inside, I knew that I was playing with fire but I pushed it to the side and told myself that my body is now stronger than it was before and that I can do this much this week. I should have listened to the no sleep, the twitching eye, the moodiness and of course my blood sugar levels. Sunday was better mood wise. Woke up early, went to church, ran some errands and then Craig and I headed out to a nearby lake to play fetch with Cooper and take him for a walk. It felt good to do something active that just did not involve me. Lately I really have just worped my mind into the world of running, and that is it running. So tomorrow is another new day. My plans for the day are to try the gym again, but once again real light cardio and light lifting. I am praying that my blood sugar levels stay stable. I know for some of you this may be difficult to understand, but it is more than just overtraining. Ever since I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, these epsisodes return and I have to re-work my body up the endurance level. This happened to me two years ago (the second time after me intitially getting CFS) and it took about two to three months to get back to the gym 3-4 times a week doing 45 min of cardio and 20 minutes of lifting moderate weight. I have read the longer you have had CFS, the shorter the episodes will last. I am still unsure at this point how long it will take me to get back on the treadmill. If I had it my way, I could start easy running again a mile or two this week. But, it could be another month or so before I get my feet back to running. I guess this is officially my third time around with this and I hope that I have learned my lesson. Yes, I want to be like those elite athletes and run for hours, but my body was not made for that. Not anymore. There is a reason, and God just does not want me to be a long distance runner and weather or like it I have got to come to terms with it. I have to be happy with what I can do, weather that be 10ks or 8ks or 5ks. I need to scarifice what God has given me and be thankful that I can do what I am doing and not struggle or be in pain.