day 120

Summer is already here and it will only get hotter. The temps were already in the 90s this week. Fortunately Greg was home this morning so I got my run in early. I ran outside & I'm not sure how far I went. I know it wasn't 3 miles. The whole time I was running I kept wondering how we did 3 miles in 33 minutes?

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 120

Back to running again...2.43 difficult miles completed! My littlest guy woke up about 12 minutes in, but THANKFULLY Uncle JJ was home and hung out with him until I finished up!

day 119

Another day of walking. Yipeeeee!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 119

Another 30 minute walk on the treadmill. I read Fitness Magazine and got myself psyched up for a run tomorrow!

day 118

I was going to text you today while I was out running...just to inspire you! :) Greg stayed home and did OT with Lexi and I got to run outside. Which was good. I just couldn't face the treadmill today. Running/walking with you last week was such great experience it has made doing it on my own a lot less fun. :( So...let's walk tomorrow & we'll both run Friday. Deal? We gotta hold each other to it and get our motivation back. Oh, and I need to find another 5K. I can't let you get more races under your belt than me.

Love ya friend.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 118

No surprise here...another walk...and a leisurely one at that :) I figure my body could use a little break, but I need to get going again since my next 5K is only 2 weeks from Saturday!! Maybe tomorrow...

day 117

Another low motivation kind of day. I just ended up walking on the treadmill and flipping through a National Geographic Magazine. I wish we could run together tomorrow. I'm having Rebecca withdrawals!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 117

I got called into work today, so there went my naptime to do my 30 minutes. I've been feeling twinges in my left knee, ankle and big toe, so I decided to take it easy again today...not to mention my motivation is still lacking. So, I convinced the boys to go for a walk in the evening rather than play with their mowers. :) Now this evening calls for ice, Ibuprofen, and laziness!

day 116

Wow. I could copy and paste your post and use it as mine. I'm feeling the same exact way.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 116

I probably should have run today, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. So, I walked instead. Missing you!!

day 115

Homeward bound...another day of taking walk breaks at rest stops. The wind in Kansas was a killer!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 115

I got my 30 minutes out of the way first thing this morning in a silent house while reading a magazine! A good way to start out the day for sure!

Yesterday I got some extra time in on my feet doing the March for Babies. It was a beautiful day, we all did it together, and we raised $275 for March of Dimes...thank you to all that donated and helped us meet our goal!! Here's a pic of my boys and me on the walk!Thinking of you as you and your family are on the road back home! It was so wonderful to have you here for a week!!

Day 114

We completed our Earth Day 5K Run on this beautiful, sunny morning and crossed the finish line together at 33:10! What a thrill to be able to do a race together!

Before our 5K, sporting our matching Husker visors that we picked up at Scheel's on our girls night out!

And we're off!!

ALMOST THERE!!!

Sprinting across the finish line TOGETHER at 33:10!! WOOOOOOOOO!!!

SO SO SO happy to be done and surrounded by our little cheerleaders!!

Extra Happy Trails,

and Jessy

Day 113

It turned out to be a gorgeous afternoon and since Jacob was home while the boys napped, I slipped out for a nice walk around the park. I'm so glad it's going to work out for us to do the Earth Day 5k together tomorrow!

day 113

It was hard to be positive on my walk today...knowing that we are in the same town & not walking together...Boo! But I got 'er done. I'm super stoked for tomorrow's 5K. Sure beats doing a race alone!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 112

Sorry we weren't able to do our 30 minutes together today, but chatting with you on the phone as I walked on the treadmill was definitely the next best thing! :) I'm really looking forward to Girl's Night Out tonight too!! Man, am I going to miss having you in town next week!!!

day 112

30 minute walk on the treadmill is done. Now I'm off to eat lots of buttery movie theatre popcorn. I love how it all balances out.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 111

It rained all morning long and because we had plans to meet during naptime for a run we were going to be all hardcore and run in the rain. But as you can see from our before photo, the sun came out and it was beautiful for a run TOGETHER!!!
We were actually a little scared to run together...afraid one ran a faster pace than the other or that the other would hear some heavy breathing or we'd have to take a walk break. In the end, it was AWESOME! We pushed each other just the right amount and it made for a wonderful run!

Before our run:
After our run:
Happy Trails,

AND Jessy

Day 110

My walk got put off until the end of the day today, but I got grocery shopping done!! I walked on the treadmill during The Biggest Loser...always motivating!

day 110

It's bummer that things didn't work out for us to walk together today. If only our kiddos could all nap together & at the same time (and we had someone home to watch them). I managed to walk on the Grandparents treadmill while my munchkins slept. Then I took a little cat nap too. I needed it!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 109

Finally, after 108 days, we had the chance to do our challenge TOGETHER! Super cool.

Now let's go eat some icecream!Happy trails,
Jessy &

Day 108

Dax had his last day at soccer today, so he requested a celebration at Red Robin! We love that place, but I was not loving it so much when I got on the treadmill after we got back. Ugh!! That was the most painful, slow walk ever!!

day 108

The kids and I had a good walk this morning in the field behind the Grandparents house. The land just down the road is being cleared for development which means there are huge piles of dirt that are oh so fun to climb. At one point Jack came running down a dirt pile and yelled, "Mom, I'm getting my energy out!" I didn't necessarily get my heartrate elevated but it was a fun family walk and if all this "challenge" does is raise my awareness about my activity level then I'd call it a success.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 107

My Novartis Run was a success!! After I finished my State Farm 5K, Craig challenged me to finish my 2 mile race under 21 minutes. I tried to work on my speed but never got to that point in my training, so I really didn't think I could pull it off. Somehow I did!! My chip time was 20:43!! Yay!! So, my day was off to a great start and then YOU called me and told me you were coming to town!! What an awesome day!!!

Coming across the finish line!!!

My cheerleaders and me post race! Dax and Ian were so excited to be able to cheer me on. Throughout the day they've brought up the fact that they cheered Mommy on. When I tell Dax, "Thank you so much for cheering me on!" Dax always replies, "Thanks for cheering me on at soccer Mommy!" So sweet!

day 107

When I woke up this morning I had no idea that in a few hours the kids & I would be on the road. Instead of getting a walk in at home I spent my time walking the dog around a rest stop in Waco, TX. Not the ideal situation. But it worked.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 106

There was a break in the rain this afternoon so I headed outdoors for a run. Boy oh boy, did it ever get humid! But it was great to be outside and take a break from the treadmill! I'm not sure how far I ran though. Oh, and I drank 96 ounces of water again today...plus two cups of coffee this morning and the glass of OJ I'm about to have with my popcorn. ;)

Thinking of you tomorrow. Call me and let me know how it goes. You will do awesome!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 106

30 minute walk on the treadmill? Check!

Day 105

So, my plan this week was for runs Monday/Tuesday/Thursday so I'd have a day to rest before the Novartis Run on Saturday. I did not get enough sleep last night and did not feel up for a full run today at all. While I was walking on my treadmill, I looked over at my Couch to 5K training schedule and decided to follow Week One, Day One but run at a faster pace than I normally do. So, I ran for 60 seconds and walked for 90 seconds. When I ran, I alternated between 6.0 and 7.0 (ouch!). My total mileage was 2.14 miles, which was mileage I didn't see until Week 5 when I completed the program the first time!!
I got to thinking after my walk/run today that maybe I'll do the program all over again but run and walk faster, since right now my goal is to work on my speed (there's not much more I can do in 30 minutes a day!). I think I'll only do the program 2x/week and on the third day, I'll do a full run to keep my endurance up.
As far as the water goal, I'm finding myself getting my 3rd Nalgene bottle in during the late evenings after the boys are down. I've always prided myself in being a good water drinker, but I've obviously gone down hill, so I'm glad I'm paying attention again!

day 105

Rain, rain, rain! I don't think it has stopped raining here since Tuesday. But it has been refreshing and so wonderful to actually have a green spring! It's the first time in 3 years we've been out of a drought!

I had a leisurely 2 mile walk on the treadmill as I listened to Here & Now on NPR. Greg got the kids down for naps and I'm thinking I might just put on some comfy sweatpants and watch a movie.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 104

These little cuties led the way today! :)

day 104

Another 2.8 miles with an incline of 1. But I don't think anything can compare to those cuties you have to keep you company! ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

ps~I drank 96 ounces of water today!

day 103

Wowee, today was busy! I managed to get a walk in this morning while the kids played which I am so thankful for. Today was crazy with school, errands, OT for Lexi, and swimming lessons for the other kiddos. It was great to have nap time free. I was able to clean up the kitchen then had a minute to catch up with Greg before another night of work.

I drank 64 ounces of water today too! I didn't start until this afternoon which was probably a mistake (I think I'll be peeing all night). But day one of our water challenge is complete. Maybe if I start earlier tomorrow I could get three Nalgene bottles down. ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 103

Jacob stayed with the boys today, so I could get out for a run. I drove over to Holmes Lake since that's where my Saturday run will be. It was beautiful but so windy!!!! I didn't have a course map, so I just ran around the whole lake with one walk break because I had a side cramp that I just couldn't run through. It's always nice to run in a new place!

Day 102

I was so not feeling the motivation to run today! I'm really hoping it's just a "case of the Mondays" because I need my motivation back for the run I signed up for on Saturday. I ran on the treadmill today and it took me 21:41 to complete 2 miles...I too was all over the place with my speed ranging from 5.2-6.0. Ugh!! I was using slower speeds to catch my breath without walking, and then hoping to catch up, I'd run fast; too fast. It was a rough run for me but I made it.
And...I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT!! Maybe saying that on here will make me do it! ;) I know my body is changing with all the running and walking, but if I want to get better at running and not injure myself, I need to get this baby weight off once and for all!! I think I have this exercise thing down; now I need to look at fueling my body with the right foods. I know you don't have the baby weight to take off, but I know we've talked about fueling our bodies before. Can we start coming up with weekly food challenges? Just one simple thing each week or two? What do you think? I'm thinking of starting with upping my water intake this week. Are you game?

day 102

I was pretty much all over the place in terms of speed with my run, but the one constant I had was my incline which was set at 1.5 the whole time. I managed to squeak out 2.85 miles in 30 minutes. I almost kept going to make it an even 3 miles, but those last 5 minutes felt like a lifetime. I was more than happy to press the "stop" button when the clock hit 30!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 101

Sundays get to be really busy around our household, and today was no exception! By the time all the boys were tucked in bed, I still hadn't gotten my 30 minutes in. Normally, I really hate leaving it until the last minute, but it was an absolutely gorgeous spring evening for a walk! It was just the thing I needed to decompress after a long day and get ready for the week ahead.

day 101

Another day, another walk...well, I tired to squeeze in a couple minutes of running too since I didn't get a run in on Friday.

Happy trails,

Jessy

DAY 100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This day feels SO BIG to me...we've come a long way baby!!
My 30 minutes were well spent walking and talking with a friend today. On our walk we discovered that it had actually been months since we'd gotten together (yes, we both live in Lincoln!), so it was so nice to catch up for a little bit.
I thought about making this post all reflective and sharing things that I've learned over the past 100 days, but now all I wanna do is eat my popcorn, drink my OJ, watch a movie and get my feet rubbed...Craig agreed that a foot rub was a fair reward for making it through 100 days of walking or running. :)

day 100!!!

Happy day 100 friend!

And now I'm off to eat some cake!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 99

Note to self: Do not eat a Sonic Cheeseburger with extra pickles before going out for a run!!

day 99

Today I walked through Guadalupe River SP with Nora. It was slow. And peaceful. And just what we needed. Piles of grass became bears. Rocks became frogs. And she was pretty sure the ants were out to eat us. Her imagination is beautiful.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 98

Nothing outstanding about today's walk, other than the fact I'm glad it was a walk day! ;) Greg has been gone the past 6 out of 7 nights. I always have a hard time sleeping when he's away but last night I actually made it to bed early. Yay for me. Around 1am our smoke alarm downstairs decides to go haywire. Talk about a rude awakening. Anyway, that's about as exciting as it gets around here. Here's to a calm relaxing weekend (knock on wood).

Happy trails,

Jessy

ps~we're almost to 100 days! how are we going to celebrate?

Day 98

30 minutes and 1.90 miles walked on the treadmill while catching up on a little Grey's Anatomy online. :)

Day 97

I did my run on the treadmill again today and shaved off about 40 seconds of my 2 mile run...total mileage was 2.46 today. I really have to push myself to keep going at that speed, so it's going to be interesting to try and keep my feet moving so fast once I run outside again.

day 97

I really, really, really didn't want to run today. But this morning I registered for this 5K and knew I needed to get my rear in gear. Since the 5K will be in the hill country I decided to focus on adding a good amount of incline while I ran today. Hopefully that will prepare me for race day.

I ended up going 2.62 miles. When Greg came in the room he found me laying on the floor dripping with sweat. I ran my tooshy off on those hills. As I told Greg all about my various inclines and speeds I was so pumped about my run. It was such a mental challenge today. The most amazing moment came when I literally felt everything click. My body went from tired & heavy to feeling completely aligned. I felt the shift. I could hear my body saying, "Ah, there it is" when I found my groove. It feels so good to be at this point of my running journey. I can only imagine what the next 268 days will bring!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 96

I walked on the treadmill for 1.82 miles while I watched the first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution online. I thought I'd check it out since I've been examining a little closer the food we're eating here at home. And speaking of food, your Peeps ain't got nothin' on my Cadbury Eggs! ;)

day 96

Must...stop...eating...the...Peeps!

Hoppy trails,

Jessy

Day 95

Back to the treadmill today, and I think it's a good thing I did. I felt like I was running super fast, so I'm sure my pace outside is not what it should be! I'm trying to work on my speed for the 2 mile run in a couple weeks, so today I did 2 miles in 21:43 and it nearly killed me. ;) My total mileage was 2.45 in 30 minutes. I'm hoping I can improve that 2 mile time, but I'm not feeling too optimistic judging by how tough that was today. :) We shall see...

day 95

The stitches are out and I hit the road for a tiring RUN outside. Of course, I did this after I slathered on the sunscreen!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 94

I took a walk around the park with my cranky baby in the stroller while Craig studied and the older two slept. The fresh air and sunshine were good for both of us!! Happy Easter to you too! Did you get some good candy? :)

day 94

I can't believe that one week ago today was my 5K! It feels like it has been months. And yet every time I think about it a little pride swells up inside. I started reading this book during my walk today. I love Jodi Picoult.

Happy trails & Happy Easter,

Jessy

day 93

I am so sleepy today. Lexi was up lots last night. I'm tellin' ya I do not miss those sleepless nights that come with a newborn (you are amazing). Anyway, I hopped on the treadmill quick after I got the kids down for naps. I got my walk in and felt more energized afterwards but knew I needed a nap or I wouldn't make it through tonight. Only one more day until I get my stitches out! Yay!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 93

I am loving this Spring weather!! I took 30 minutes to myself today and just walked through the neighborhood appreciating all the budding and blooming trees and flowers and all the activity that Spring brings...squirrels chasing each other, robins preening their feathers, families doing yardwork together, kids riding their bikes, a father and son getting ready to go play golf, others out walking and running, and a man washing his car. I'm so thankful for Spring today and for all the Easter candy I'm about to sneak as I fill Easter baskets for my boys! ;)

Day 92

Today's weather was not what was forecasted...it was so nice out...too perfect not to run! Jacob was home again when I got the boys down for naps, so I grabbed my MP3 player and headed out for a run! Not sure what kind of mileage I completed, but I felt like I was able to keep a quicker pace and catch my breath a bit better than at my 5K. I really need to get on my treadmill to get a better idea of my pace, but I just can't stay in when it's so nice!!! Happy Friday my friend!!

day 92

A cloudy, misty morning here but we still made it out to Government Canyon SP. After hiking around the back country trails for 2 hours we are all worn out!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 91

I was able to get all 3 boys down for a nap at approximately the same time today! I actually had them all down 45 minutes before my bro had to leave for work, so I walked outside...I had to take advantage of this nice day before it gets cooler and rainy tomorrow. I went without music to be alone with my thoughts...I have a lot on my mind and am feeling a little overwhelmed by the prospect of moving to who knows where and when!?!? At the end of my walk, there was an Adopt-a-Park sign that had Prov. 3:6 written on it..."In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." A simple verse that I've known from childhood, but today it really spoke to me! :)

Now it's time for my first homemade smoothie of the year! Yum!!

day 91

I have my very own personal Nurse and he recommended that I don't run until I get my stitches out. Thanks Greg. ;) So, I walked at 4mph with an incline of 5. I get my stitches out on Monday. I need a plan to get me to my next 5k. Any ideas?

Happy trails,

Jessy