day 181

3 mile run in 31:35. Nothing too exciting. IT band is a little sore. I'm having a hard time finding a good pace lately. I'm wondering if that's causing the IT band pain? Maybe I'm running too slow and sloppy so to counteract that I speed up my pace which causes me to be sloppy as well. Hmm...

Happy sloppy trails,

Jessy

Day 181

9:34 mile on the treadmill with a walk to finish out my 30 minutes. Hopefully my foot won't suffer because of my choice...it's just been too long since I've run! I'm hoping to buy new shoes this weekend!!

Day 180

A walk and a book on the treadmill! :)

day 180

Back to the 10K training. Two mile run (22 minutes) then finished off the rest of the time by walking (slowly)! :)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 179

Today should've been a running day but I'm having a pain on the inside of my right foot extending into my arch when I walk on occasion. I think I should probably get new shoes soon!! Anyways, I opted for a long walk instead...my mom and I walked with the boys all the way to the library and back...2.35 miles...Dax rode is bike pretty much the whole time...impressive!! :) This was not a feat I would have tried without extra hands to help!! Thanks Mom!! :) I hope you're enjoying your day, Jess...eat some cake for me!!! ;)

day 179

Happy 4th birthday to my little cheerleader, Nora Jo! :)

Glad I got my 3o minutes done so I could enjoy some yummy birthday cake!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 178

We went out for a walk after dinner, and our neighbors happened to be headed out for a walk at the same time, so we all walked together...nice change of pace. :)

day 178

Man I was a grumpasaur today! A walk during the kiddos nap time helped clear my head. Its been a long weekend!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 177

We had a busy day today, so I didn't get on the treadmill until 9:45 p.m...UGH!!

day 177

I was supposed to run 5 miles for my 10K training today. The day seemed to have other plans and I didn't get to it. That, and the fact that 5 miles seems like a really big deal mentally so it was hard to find the motivation. I finally ended up walking around 8pm. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 176

I got on the treadmill not knowing what I wanted to accomplish today...so, after a 5 minute warm-up, I started running. After the first minute I just wanted to stop...I was thinking that I'd just run another day. Right about then, Stronger by Kanye West came on and something switched in my head...I started to feel really good and felt like pushing myself. Needless to say, that song got repeated for the rest of my run, and I ended up doing 2.42 miles in 25 minutes, which is my best treadmill run this year!!
Pretty sure I proved to myself today that running is HUGELY mental for me, and the right song is HUGELY motivating too!!!!

day 176

I have never been so happy to walk for 30 minutes! This first week of 10K training has worn me out!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 175

We spent all day at Coco Key today...we had a blast, but I technically didn't do 30 minutes of walking there...not all at once anyway! Thankfully it's a beautiful evening, so my mom and I headed out for a walk while Craig got the older boys down for the night! Now it's movie time (along with some popcorn and OJ of course!!).

day 175

Oh man. I am sore from yesterday's run. I really wasn't looking forward to running 4 miles today. I mean, I really, really, really didn't want to run 4! It was hard to see the 30 minute mark go by and have to keep running. I had lots on my mind and I had trouble finding my "happy pace." In spite of it all I finished in 46:19. I am so tired. Had to put some ice on my knees. I am super proud of myself for sticking with the training plan even though I didn't want to. :)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 174

My dad and I got out for a run this morning...two times around our park...he came home and announced to my mom, "She kicked my butt!" He's so funny! ;)

day 174

Today was a 3 mile run. I did it in 33 minutes.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 173

It was hot and humid for a walk outside, BUT I got to walk with my mom!!!!! Next up, a run with my dad tomorrow..how nice to have company this week! ;)

day 173

Whew! I'm tired. After my second "aerobic interval" I was more than ready to be done. By "AI" number three I was pooped. Number four was just all around rough. My mantra was "race ready" which helped me push through the tough spots.

Tough spots aside, it feels really good to have something to train for!

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 172

Let the 10K training begin! I absolutely love training programs that begin with a "rest day!" Isn't that great!?! :) But, instead of resting I walked. Tonight I am getting myself mentally prepared for three runs in a row! Yikes!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 172

My parents are getting here today, so I know that I'm gonna want naptime to clean up the house, and I certainly don't want to have to worry about exercise once they arrive today! So I headed down to the treadmill bright and early this morning before the boys got up. I really wanted to go outside but it was still storming and downpouring! I just did a walk...it's so nice to have it out of the way!! Looking SOOOOOO forward to having my parents here for the next week!!!

Day 171

Stormy day in Nebraska today! So, back to the treadmill I went while Craig and I watched a movie during naptime (ah, how sweet it is that he's not doing homework anymore!). I did my mile on the treadmill in 9:29 today and walked before and after!
Happy Father's Day Craig! You amaze me daily in your role as a daddy, and your love and support of me means the world to me! Dax, Ian, Jude, and I are abundantly blessed to have you in our lives...thank you for everything!

day 171

Happy Father's Day to my greatest fan. Thanks for being so amazing!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 170

After naps (and yes, we all napped today!), we headed out for a walk around our park as a family. Dax and Ian got these wooden push-toy ducks at the Farmers' Market this morning and they are attached to them...so they actually walked around the whole trail pushing their ducks without a mention of the playground today!

day 170

Oh how I love the weekends when we can get away. What a wonderful break it is to get off the treadmill and do some hiking or running outdoors. We spent today hiking around Pedernales Falls State Park and cooling off in the beautiful river. I am really going to miss the Texas State Parks!

Happy Trails,

Jessy

Day 169

My walk got put off until the end of the day, but it's done!

day 169

Today was supposed to be a running day. But the weather outside was frightfully hot. Around 9am we discovered that our a/c wasn't working. The heat index outside reached well over 1oo so you can only imagine how hot the house was! I didn't get on the treadmill until after the repairman made it here and the house was cooled back down. By then it was 8pm so I did a walk on the treadmill and caught up with my friend Jennie who just moved to WA.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 168

Treadmill run today...blah! I checked out Losing It With Jillian online while I did a run that varied in speeds between 5.3-5.6 mph. I completed a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down and ran for 20 minutes for a total of 2.35 miles. I wasn't really sure if I was actually going to run today, but there's something about Jillian that can motivate you pretty quick. ;)

day 168

So...yesterday as I struggled through that "great" run I realized that I needed to set a new goal or I'd be going nowhere fast with this challenge. After I got the kids down for the night I began my online search for another race. As much as I knew I needed a challenge I also wasn't looking forward to a race since it is so stinkin' hot here.

You do not want to be running outside in Texas during the summer unless you are crazy.

Just when I was about to give up on my search,

because I'm not crazy, I stumbled upon something.

A 10K at night! What a great idea! Sign me up!

On July 23rd at 9pm I will be running the 3rd Annual San Antonio Los Chupacabras de la Noche 10K. The official website describes it like this:

The course runs through heavily wooded dirt trails in the dark. A flashlight or headlamp is required. The trails can be very rocky with tree roots in places, as well as low branches so paying attention is critical. Trails will be marked with flour on the ground and glow sticks in the trees.

Next up, finding a 5 week training plan for a 10K.

I am SUPER (!!!!) excited for this race, my last one in Texas!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 167

Got my walk in for the day. I finished Marathoning for Mortals today too...thanks again for the suggestion...what a great book!! I'll definitely be checking it out again when I start training for a half marathon!! Next year, maybe? :)
Oh, and I think it's about that time for new shoes...I'm finding myself breaking out the ice pack and ibuprofen again! It has been almost 6 months since I bought them...crazy!!!

Waddle on...

day 167

Right on track...another great run. Remember, 'great' doesn't always mean 'easy.'

I think it just means, "Great, I ran, it's great to be done!"

Happy (easy) trails,

Jessy

Day 166

I did a mile run outside today...lucky for me it was beautiful outside and my bro stayed here while the boys napped!! I shaved 30 seconds off my initial mile (on the treadmill)...did it in 9:19. There's no way I could keep that pace for much further!! I was more than happy to walk the rest of my 30 minutes!

day 166

All righty, so far so good this week. Today was a walk day. Greg had the day off so I got my walk in early. I love it when that happens!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 165

Well, I tried to walk on the treadmill during naptime, but Jude had other ideas! I got about 6 minutes into my walk and he woke up...I tried to do too much stuff before finally hopping on!! So, unfortunately, my treadmill walk happened after the boys were down for the night! But now I'm enjoying chips and salsa from La Paz...YUM!! Now for some job searching...

day 165

I'm trying to get back into a regular running routine here. So this morning while Greg had the kids out of the house and I waited for the real estate photographer I hopped on the treadmill for a run. I was still a bit sore from Saturday's race, but I actually had a good run! I kept the pace slow enough (5.3) to enjoy myself and not feel like I was going to die.

Happy trails

Jessy

Day 164

I got to run with my hubby today!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited for this! Uncle JJ stayed home while the boys napped and Craig and I took off for a run. This was the first time we've run together. :) We did 2.45 miles in 25 minutes...not too shabby. I loved running with my sweetie...hoping we can do it again soon!

day 164

Oh friends. This day started out like many, many other Sundays. A lazy morning lounging around in pjs, a load of laundry in the dryer, coffee brewing. I had just settled down at the table to do some coloring with Jack when I heard a scream upstairs. Grace came running down yelling, "Mom! Nora's foot is stuck!"

Now, knowing Nora and all the predicaments she gets in I wasn't too surprised. I ran upstairs and as soon as I saw that she was by the treadmill my stomach and heart collided somewhere in the middle. I raced over to her and assessed the situation. Her toes were stuck in the bottom. Chaos ensued. I tried to pull her foot out. It wouldn't budge. I tried to break the treadmill. I wasn't strong enough. Greg was gone to work and I knew there was no way I was going to get her out on my own. So I called 911. Then I remembered seeing our neighbor outside watering his yard just a few minutes before. I sent Grace & Jack to get his help. He was here in a flash, he was calm, and he was strong. With his help he got Nora's foot out.

A quick trip to the ER for x-rays showed that nothing was broken, just a sprain. But we all learned a big lesson.
I had a hard time wanting to walk on the treadmill this evening. But as I walked I counted my blessings...all my little ones were safely tucked in bed and all in one piece!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 163

I put my adorable little walking partner in the wagon for the first time and set out for a walk while the rest of my guys were still napping! He wasn't so sure about the wagon at first but he warmed up to the idea...holding onto that yellow ball for dear life seemed to make him feel better! :)


and

day 163~another 5K!

Texas sized hills & Texas sized winds pretty much summed up the morning. The Lavender farm was a beautiful place to run though. A quaint little community, adorable houses, gorgeous flowers, & lots of wildlife. An armadillo even waddled across the road right in front of me!

The race course was tough, but I think the biggest battle I had was a mental one. I did the first mile in 10 minutes which felt great. But at the turn around it was all up hill and against the wind so I slowed down quite a bit. I started to get discouraged as I saw the minutes slip away. My official time was 35:40. The time feels a bit disappointing being 163 days into it. But, keeping things in perspective, it was a good morning to be out with the family and I am glad I did it.

Happy (Texas-sized) trails,

Jessy

ps~happy birthday to Grace! thanks for being the world's greatest cheerleader!

Day 162

Unless I'm taking the boys out for the purpose of walking my 30 minutes, I don't usually count walking on our outings. But today, since I was sweating like a pig chasing them up and down hills and stairs and trails, I'm gonna go ahead and count it!! Happy Friday to you friend! Excited for your 5K tomorrow...glad it's not me! ;)
Run Jessy Run!!!

day 162

A nice day to walk before tomorrow's race. I'm really nervous about it!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 161

The Lincoln Track Club's next run is on July 11 and it is the Lincoln Mile. I wasn't going to do it, but now I'm thinking this might be a fun challenge vs. the 2.5-3 mile runs I've been doing lately...gotta mix it up a little!! So, I'm going to try and work on my 1-mile time. Today I hopped on the treadmill to run a mile with a quick warm up and cool down. I did a mile in 9:49, so my goal is to keep shaving that number down little by little until July 11. ;) I did the rest of my 30 minutes outside this evening after the kids were down for the night.

day 161

Nothing exciting here. It's so stinkin' hot outside! Just did a run on the treadmill...thinking about Saturday's 5k, yikes!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 160

A walk while reading on the treadmill during naptime...nice to have it out of the way!

day 160

Hi friend. Had a good walk on the treadmill today. Since I was walking I wanted to throw in a little challenge so I set the incline to 5. I'm glad to say it was the first time in a long time that I've enjoyed my 30 minutes. Don't know what my deal has been lately (other than stressors of life). Anyways, that's about it.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 159

Jacob was home today, so I was able to get outside for a run. I didn't really want to run, but I'm feeling the need to push myself to improve. It was in the low 80s today, so not too bad. I felt really good for about a mile and then it got hard. I walked two times today and stopped myself at 30:32. I wasn't feeling great about my distance, but I just mapped it and it was 3.05 miles!!! No wonder I was dying by the end!!! I am pleasantly surprised! :)

day 159

Today's run was tough on so many levels! First, I had no desire to run. I had a huge mental battle to fight just to get on the treadmill let alone actually run. I spent the rest of my 30 minutes putting kids back down for naps. In between that, I smelled something burning and realized I forgot to turn the beans off. Yikes!

A very unproductive, mentally challenging run today. Bleh.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 158

Today was a walk day. Can you tell I'm feeling uninspired? ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 158

We got our new Sit N Stand Stroller delivered today, so we had to take it for a test run/walk. We had an early dinner and went out together as a family for a nice, long leisurely stroll. :)

day 157

Are you sitting down?

You're not going to believe this!

I actually ran today!

I was so nervous, but I guess it's just like riding a bike.

It's good to know my legs still knew what to do. :)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 157

A walk with my hubby this evening...a perfect way to end a wonderful weekend!!

Day 156

Today was my Havelock Charity 3k Run. I was actually pretty excited for this one because I did it with a team of wonderful ladies from my Mommies Group...our team was the Sole Sisters, and you can see our results if you click on the link above. :)

Our team kicked the sponsor team's butt and raised $75 for our charity~ People's City Mission. I was slightly disappointed with my personal time of 19:04, only because my goal was to finish in under 19 minutes...if only I had gotten myself out of that sea of people quicker! ;)

day 156

While the kids swam here...I took off down the trails for a little run.We had a great day at Lost Maples SP. Kinda sad as we drove away knowing that it was probably the last time we'll ever be there. We've had a lot of good memories there watching our little ones play & grow. Sigh...

Happy (memorable) trails,

Jessy

day 155

1 week until my next 5k (Texas lavender 5K). I'm really looking forward to being in the area. In the 4 years we've been here I've always wanted, but never made it, to see the fields of lavender in bloom. I'm not really feeling gung-ho about the run. I don't feel ready. So I'm trying to tell myself that it's ok if I don't set a PR. I know I won't. I am going to spend this week letting go any unrealistic expectations and focus on relaxing and enjoying the run.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 155

A hot and humid walk with the boys and our neighbors promptly followed by running through the sprinkler!!
AND Hip Hip Hooray to no more night shifts for Greg and no more classes for Craig!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh happy, happy day!!!

day 154

I am a "stress-pot." I am stressed right now. When I am stressed I do not want to move. I want to mope, and stew, and feel sorry for myself. And all that moping, and stewing, and sorryness goes really good with a bowl of ice cream. But I usually feel better if I skip the sweets and hit my feet. So here's to 30 minutes of taking a step in the right direction.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Found this article about stress & exercise...interesting.

Day 154

I thought I'd better get out on one more run before my Havelock Charity Run on Saturday morning (it's only a 3K, and I'm quite happy about that!). I mapped out a run that equaled a 3K (1.87 miles) distance because I wanted a time to beat on Saturday. Well, I didn't set the bar too high! Time to beat = a whopping 20:37! I did, however, have the following factors working against me:

*It's 85 degrees and sunny.
*I was pushing the jogging stroller.
*I had a whole JJs veggie sandwich and a Juice Stop only 3 hours before my run (OINK, I know!)
*My mp3 player ran out of batteries right at the beginning of my run...I hate running without music!

So, I better beat that time on Saturday morning! I'm excited for this run because it's a team run and if our averaged times beat the Pinnacle Bank 3K team, we earn $75 for our charity, which is People's City Mission. So, all the more reason to book it!! :)

day 153

Only 212 days to go! ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 153

I'm going to wait until tomorrow to run. My right knee has been a little achy lately...is it time for new shoes already?

While I was walking on the treadmill (big bummer that I was stuck on that thing when it was so beautiful and cool out today), I was reading Marathoning for Mortals again. I kind of laughed when I read this: "...it's during sleep that your body secretes the highest amounts of growth hormone, the hormone responsible for healing and strengthening your muscles. Give your body rest and it will adapt, grow stronger, and--as if by magic--be able to run or walk longer and faster." Oh, to sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time...it will be magical!

day 152

I had to do something different today. I didn't get out early and I wasn't about to walk in the heat (96 deg). The treadmill just wasn't doing anything for me.

So I took advantage of the 2 1/2 hrs the kids and I were at the pool this afternoon and did some running in the water.

That was kinda fun. :)

I wonder if I could do my next 5K in the pool?

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 152

As I walked outside today, all I could think was "I'M SO GLAD I'M NOT RUNNING TODAY!!!!!!!"