Day 212

My walk today consisted of following Dax the engineer around the "train tracks" of the Sunken Gardens! Man, that kid has a lot of energy!!!

day 212

Yay! I had walking partners today!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 211

Happy 10th Anniversary to my amazing husband!!! With a nursling still in the house, we weren't able to get very far away, so we decided to do ten things in Lincoln that we hadn't done together before. And here we are on one of our ten outings...a walk on a trail we'd never walked on! See how dedicated I am to our challenge? I even factored in a 30 minute walk when we planned our day! ;)

day 211

We're hittin' the road today so that means my walks will be here & there during rest stops.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 210

A slow walk on the treadmill with a gradually increasing incline and a new book! :)

day 210

8 hours of walking around Sea World will count for my time today. :) Man, I love this place!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 209

It was good to get back to running today after several days of not!

day 209

Well, today the treadmill was loaded up into the ABF moving trailer so...that meant I had to brave the heat and take a walk outside. I do think I should get credit for helping move the treamill into the trailer. That thing is stinkin' heavy!

Happy trails,

Jessy

(see it back there on the left?)

Day 208

Eleven laps of pushing a child in a tube around the Lazy River and five runs up the stairs to the big water slides at Coco Key = 30 minutes!!! Yes, I actually timed it! :)

day 208

Things are through the roof busy around here and will be for the next few days. Getting a walk in is going to be tough and at the bottom of my list of things to do! But at the same time I think it's good that I have to make 30 minutes of time just for me amidst this craziness!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 207

I just squeezed in a treadmill walk this evening...now off to bed to attempt a good night of sleep; not sure that exists in my world right now!

day 207

Another walk. I'm feeling like I should run. But it's kinda nice not to have to run for training purposes at this point. I need to start looking around for another race I think. ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 206

My brother's wedding day today!!! Dax and I spent nearly 5 hours in the car going back and forth between home and Glenwood (where the wedding site was located)! I admittedly did not get 30 straight minutes in, but I kicked off my heels and walked around the property of the wedding site as often as I could. My little explorers enjoyed walking up and down a hill at the reception too, so I followed them up and down that several times! I no doubt accumulated 30 minutes of walking throughout this busy, but exciting day!!

Uncle JJ and Dax:

My perfect little Bible Boy:

The Happy Couple:

My Men in Black:
Uncle JJ and Aunt Areli with my boyos:

day 206

Wow. I am more sore today than I was yesterday. Even my arms are sore today. Weird. I took advantage of the time the kids & I were at the pool and did a lot of stretching in the water. That felt great! I made it through my 30 minute walk, but I am beat.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 205

I am super sore today. Mostly my left IT band and my feet. I need new shoes, but I'm sure most of the soreness is from the rocky trails at the race. Can you believe I thought about running today? I just love the inspiration that comes along with running a race!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 205

Got a walk in with my aunt today!

day 204~Los Chupacabras de la Noche 10K!

I saw several of these little guys during my run, an armadillo, and lots of glowing beady little eyes staring at me. Maybe one was a chupacabra? Aaaaheeeee!Route marker.
Headlamp? Check. Music? Check. Pre-race jitters? Big old check!
It's 9pm and we're off. The sea of headlamps winding their way through the woods was impressive. Looking ahead and behind the lights were like a snake winding along the trails.Yay! Crossing the road at mile 4 and it's time for a drink. It was so humid and running through the trees meant we got very little breeze.
This race was amazing and probably the hardest I've done so far! We started running for about 3/4 of a mile on the road then narrowed onto a small paved trail for about 1/2 mile when we finally hit dirt, roots, and rocks. Everyone slowed down as we got used to the terrain and tried to focus on keeping our feet under us.

There were so many variations on the trail. Some points were wide open with soft grass. Other parts were narrow and we had to run single file. During these parts I literally could keep up a fast walk and still be right behind the person in front of me. Several sections were only as wide as a single bike tire! After mile 4 the trail got more hilly with more roots and lots more rocks!

I loved the camaraderie between the runners. If somebody fell on the rocks we would stop, make sure they were ok before we kept on. If someone stumbled on a root or a rock they would shout out "root!" at the top of their lungs so others wouldn't trip. This actually saved me from wiping out several times!

Anyway, enough rambling. I could go on & on about how much fun it was! I didn't necessarily love every mile, but seeing that finish line made it all worth it. I'm so glad I did it! Now I'm off to put some ice on my knees.

Here are the stats:

overall place: 536/1000

overall place by gender: 235/516

average pace: 13:30

gun time: 1:29:14

And most importantly...

chip time: 1:23:53

Very happy trails,

Jessy

Day 204

I wasn't planning on running again today, but my Dad wanted to go for a run. I couldn't let him go alone. ;) It was nice to just go out for a run and not pay attention to distance and speed. All I know is that I got my 30 minutes in and had my Dad by my side!
I'm a little worried about finding 30 minutes in the busyness of the next couple days to get out and walk, but I should have plenty of options for company when I do!! Can't wait to hear all about your awesome 10K tonight!!!!!!
Now off to continue getting ready for our next set of guests! :)

Day 203

Knowing my mom was here to intercept any waking boys, I hopped on the treadmill determined to give it my all. I did 2.5 miles in 25:23...pretty good for a treadmill run. Oh, and I also signed Dax and myself up for the Thunder Run on August 7...a 1 mile run for Dax and a 5K for me! We're both really excited for this one!!

day 203

I went to pickup my packet for the 10K tomorrow night. Can you believe I stood in line for an hour just to get my race number!? The kids were amazingly patient the whole time. Getting nervous for the race. Yikes!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 202

A walk with my mom and the boys!

day 202

Another walk today.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 201

I finally made it through my 30 minutes without interruption...barely! Today I figured if I had to be on the treadmill, I might as well run. I ran 2 miles in 21:44 and walked for a warm up and cool down. Now back to prepping the house for our first set of guests for J's wedding...my parents, Jer and his wife!! Looking so forward to this time with family...it's gonna be crazy, but good!

day 201

Today was a walk day. Thank goodness! I enjoyed every slow step! ;)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 200!!!!

We're moving right along, huh?!?! I was trying for a run again today...Ian and Jude had other plans for me! So, first half=run, second half=very slow walk while holding Jude! We'll see what tomorrow has in store. :)

day 200!!

200 days! Congrats my friend. Maybe we should start Christmas shopping?! ;)

Went 3 miles today. I feel tired & sluggish & very stressed by the upcoming changes our family is about to undertake. Walking or running is the last thing I want to be doing right now.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 199

I never realized how much of a mental thing exercise is for me. I am really struggling with that this weekend.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 199

Between staying up late for a house project and Jude waking up every 2 hours thanks to whatever is causing his fevers, it was a cruddy night of sleep. I had been planning to run today, but I was afraid I didn't have enough energy. Craig encouraged me to give it a try though, saying being so tired might be a good thing because I'd be numb to the pain. :) Seemed logical enough to this tired brain, so I hopped on the treadmill for a fairly easy run...I was happy with my ability to pull out a 2 1/2 mile run in 27 minutes the way I'm feeling!! Woot! ;)

day 198

walkin' on...

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 198

Jude is running fevers again, so he and I stayed home from church while Craig took Dax and Ian. After I got Jude down for a morning nap, I was so motivated to run in my silent house! I got about halfway into my run and my little napper woke up...talk about a pathetic excuse for a nap!! By the time I got back on the treadmill for the other half of my workout, all motivation to run had vanished!

Day 197

I was up at 5:20 a.m. and in continuing education all day in Omaha, so I was drained by the time I got home...no motivation for a run today!! I knew I needed to get it out of the way as soon as I got home so I didn't completely bonk, so I took Jude and Ian for a walk at the park while Dax stayed home to do some lawn work with Daddy. This is definitely one of those days that I exercised strictly because of this challenge! :)

day 197

Oh man I am behind on blogging! Just another great day to go for a walk!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 196

I literally walked on my treadmill holding the laptop while I searched for clothes for Ian and Jude for Uncle JJ's wedding...I didn't realize how difficult this clothing hunt would be!! I only walked at 3.0 mph but apparently holding up a laptop at the same time burns extra calories because I was sweating!!! :)

day 196

My lovely crazy dreads up in a ponytail & I'm off for a run. Three miles today, should have been four but after numerous interruptions from an obstinate napper and the UPS man (which I didn't mind that interruption) I was done.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 195

Thanks for the inspiration and motivation to run 3 miles today! I actually did it while Jude napped...I let Dax and Ian come downstairs and have 30 extra minutes of TV time today while I ran and told them we'd all go in the pool after I finished! It worked beautifully thanks to Jude taking a decent morning nap for once!!
I did 3 miles in 31:29 and then the three of us hit the pool...so refreshing!!!

day 195

Heat index in the triple digits makes me extra thankful for my treadmill, fans, and air conditioning! And oh yes, a popsicle after a run! :)

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 194

Dax and Jude accompanied me on a walk after dinner this evening. Ian is fighting a tummy bug, so he stayed home and out of the heat with Daddy! It was gross out, but I was glad to get it out of the way so I didn't have to face the treadmill after the boys went to bed! I was also glad I wasn't running!!!! I really despise humidity!!!

day 194

I was totally trying to beat your time from yesterday (not that this is a competition or anything). Hehe. But it's good to have goals, right? ;)

You are fast girl! I went 2 miles in 20:21. Not too shabby. But maybe after this 10K I'll start working on time just so I can keep up with ya!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 193

It was a cool, rainy day today, so I decided to wait until Craig got home to go outside for a run! Unfortunately, by that time, the sun was out and it was HUMID...but still in the upper 70s, so who am I to complain?!?! Anyways, this was a weird run...I started off feeling really good, but then I just felt like I was running in slow motion and I couldn't seem to do anything about it. I had no idea how far I was going or what course I was taking, I just went. So, I just mapped my run and apparently I went 2.06 miles in 19:30. Wow! I had no idea, but I'll take that!! ;)

day 193

So, so, so happy to go for a walk today. I thought about running. And then I got out of bed & started moving. I am super sore from yesterday's run!

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 192

5 mile run? Check!
It feels SO good to have actually gotten this run done! It was such a huge mental hurdle for me.
And now I'm off to eat some ice cream!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 192

I did the Lincoln Mile today!! I was actually really nervous about this one. Anyways, I've been bringing down my time gradually, so I knew I wanted my best mile time to happen on race day. So, I set a goal for myself of under 9 minutes and I knew I didn't want to be last in my age/gender division! Well, I made my goal by one second!!! My chip time was 8:59 and I finished 7th of 11 (30-34 year old females).

Determined to get across that finish line under the 9 minute mark:
With my little guys after the race:

day 191

Well...yeah. I was up at 6am, peeked out the window and it was still too dark for my liking to go for a run. It's just asking to be kidnapped! Maybe I've read one too many John Grisham books? A busy day; church, lunch with friends, naps, and more time spent on "the dreads" I didn't make time for my 30 minutes until late in the day...and at that point running was out of the question. So, I'm feeling pretty bad about this, knowing I need the mileage before race day. I'm hoping I can find the mental stamina to do it tomorrow. Greg will be at work which means it will have to be done on the treadmill. Boo.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 191

We took the boys' tricycles over to Holmes Lake and we all took a nice walk by the lake. Just what I needed today!

Day 190

There really was no rhyme or reason to how I did my 30 minutes today. I got on the treadmill; sometimes I walked and sometimes I ran, totaling 2.25 miles.

day 190

190 days, wow! It was pouring rain during naps today. I love the rain, especially since we don't get much of it down here. While I listened to the rain I took a nice leisurely stroll on the treadmill. I'm supposed to run 5 miles tomorrow...yikes!

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 189

It was a gorgeous day today, but time-wise it made most sense to do the treadmill during naptime...blah! I did a mile run today at 9:24; not too shabby for a treadmill run. I'm a little nervous for my run on Sunday...I know it's just a mile, but it's different!!

day 189

Busy day, glad for a walk.

Happy trails,

Jessy

day 188

I made it outside for a run! A hot run, mind you. It was already 91 degrees at 9:30, but I managed to make it 4 miles in 44 minutes. I stumbled upon this fella, which may have helped me run a little bit faster too. ;)

Happy slithery trails,

Jessy

Day 188

I strapped on my non-sleeping baby koala at 6:25 a.m. and walked in the cool, quiet of the morning. I stayed up way too late last night and then he had me up at 5:50 a.m. after being awake at 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. I knew there was NO WAY I'd want to do anything during naptime or after the boys' bedtime this evening, so it's done...out of the way!!! I do like being out in the morning, but I'd rather do it after a refreshing night of sleep!!

Day 187

I got out for my run at about 8:30 this evening. I don't usually like putting off my 30 minutes until the end of the day, but it was nice to have the temp cool enough to run outside comfortably. I did one mile today in 9:02. I'm kind of questioning whether I mapped that one right since we had a big spaghetti dinner tonight and I was feeling a little weighed down. Oh well...it couldn't have been that far off!
So, I got home from my run and checked my mail and to my surprise, I had a little something waiting for me!! Thank you friend...you are amazing too!! :)

day 187

3 mile run in 32 minutes. My knees are sore and my mind has not been in the game lately. It's hotter than blazes here but I really need to do a run outside. Maybe tomorrow. That would help. On the bright side, I'm not coughing as much but I'm still stuffy. I think I may be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with this nasty cold.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 186

Yay for new shoes!!! I finally got into Lincoln Running Co. today...It was a great day for a run outside to break in my new loves...75 degrees, overcast, and a little drizzly! I did 2.51 miles in 25:18.

day 186

2 mile run and then walking out the rest of the time. Can't seem to find any energy today.

Happy trails,

Jessy

Day 185

I squeezed in 30 minutes on the treadmill between putting the boys down for the night and getting outside to watch some neighborhood fireworks!!
Happy 4th of July!!!