curse you,macaroni and cheese!

gah! talk about temptation! usually i can stay strong...usually.
2 small bites later i had to give the kids their share and put the rest in the fridge-way in the back so it would take effort to get into.
ha!
yeah i know,2 small bites wont kill me. BUT it was 2 small bites i didnt need.....
augh.
cant dwell on it,so i wont.

i did have a pretty great workout even though i wanted to stay home and sleep.
giant  and supersets all the way baby!
4x10 pullups wide and close grips
4x15
reverse prone DB flys
prone DB hammer curls
pikes on ex ball

4x12 DB rows
4x15 concentration curls
4x25 v-ups

giant set
4x12 woodchops
4x15 hi cabel curls
4x15 kneeling lat pulldowns

superset
4x12 cable rows
4x15 lateral cable curls

superset
4x12 weighted crunchdown
4x12 russian twists

THEN went to do sprints..
i really didn't feel like doing this.
but i managed to get in 5 min warm up and 24:30 min of 1 min on/1 min off with an extra 30 seconds at the end
1 min "on" ranged from 9.0-11.0mph (6:39-5:27 pace) and "off" was @ 8 min pace
3.6 miles-average 6:40ish pace
1 mile warmup/cooldown
the ipod kept me going
i was exhausted!
then it was go time to get the kids from school,homework done,a fast dinner prepared (hence the mac and cheese-boo!) and then off to a (long) baseball practice....
lil M did NOT want to stay in the running stroller,did not want to stay still and was all over the place....and so i was i trying to keep up with her...and her sister.up the hills,down the hills,on the playground,in the dirt,rolling in the grass...totally perfect for the fall weather!
i only saw bits and pieces of my sons practice...
got home,got baths done for all 3 monkeys,but the baby down to bed
and finally have  a free minute to sit and breathe....
next week 3 a days start...
and i know energy levels will only decrease from there...
time to put the "I'm pretending i have all the energy in the world to do anything"face on,tie that red cape on a little tighter and play super supermom like no ones business!!
:D
happy Thursday yall!
have you ever had to mask your physical tiredness in front of others? 

crazy leg day and motivation

I'm feeling much better today.
my source of motivation in the gym:

take a look at the top 3 in each class
http://www.thenaturalmusclenetwork.com/IFPA/Contests/resultsIFPA20101023DC.html

yup,I've got to be comparable to these ladies.
and yup,i have to make my backside fit into that tiny suit,
i have to keep the fullness i have now,but add in the detail work.
i have to make myself stand out on stage.
i don't want to be overlooked or overshadowed,
i want to make this my best physique to date on stage
i want to make top 3...

so the workout today:
crazy.
plain and simple.
15-20 seconds between supersets
generally about 4 sets,30 reps
single leg jump press ss with
weighted ski lunge
lying leg curl ss w
weighted jump lunge
4x15,12,10,8,4 heavy leg extension ss w
4x12 blurpies with explosive jump tuck
3x15 machine dead leg lifts ss w
3x lateral sprint to end of weight room,go immediately to mountain climbers for 45 sec,then lateral sprint back to machine,drop and do another 45 sec of mountain climbers *LOVE*******
4x30 hip add ss w
hip abd
4x12 mule kicks
and ended with an easy 5 miles on the TM
exhaustion never felt so good!!!!
so glad i redeemed myself from yesterdays workout!
tomorrow is back/bis and HIIT..or maybe another attempt at 400 repeats....

hope all are having a great Wednesday!
when was the last time you really pushed yourself and why???

exhausted!

the last week of workouts and such has caught up with me.
today i hit the wall.
i "bonked"
or something like that.
i had to drag myself on the TM for morning cardio and all i could muster was 30 min of (*gasp!*)incline power walking. i felt like my legs were moving in molasses (or maybe caramel..mmmmmm)
and trying to muster the energy to get in the gym...yeah i was that tired.
add a teething grumpy baby in the mix of things.......
and i get a workout like today. wasn't easy but i pushed through:
 4x15 giant set of
press downs
single arm high cable curl
reverse pressdowns
giant set of 4x15
DB flat bench
overhead extensions
v-ups
 superset of:
4x21 21's
4x15 cable crossovers
giant set of:
4x12 kickbacks
4x12 pushups off DB
4x15 DB tri curl (5 reps standard curl,5 reps lateral curl,5reps hammer)
3x20 giant set of:
roll outs on ex ball
pikes on ex ball
4x45 plank on elbows w lateral arm movements
whew! i was toast after this. i really wanted to lie on the floor and take a nap. it may or may not have taken me a minute (or 4) to get off the exercise mat and do cardio
  8x400 repeats were on the menu.

heavy legs
tired body
tired mind
i try to tell myself to not think about it,to just do it!
so on the TM i go
the first 2 400's are OK.
and then i start feeling queasy.
i tell myself ill push through
3rd 400..ugh.
4th 400 i felt the puke come up,but i force it down and stop and walk.
wth????
yeah i confess,me the runner,me the cardio queen....
was a total pansy today.
3:11 for 2 miles (about a 6:34 pace)
i jump on elliptical for a few minutes to cool down.
i get a cold coffee protein shake in hopes it will help...
eh.
i didnt start feeling better until i added in an extra meal.a mini re feed.
and then i remembered
*yesterdays busy day left me a meal short*
 and my body let me know about it today.
lesson semi-learned.
time to get this tired body to bed and get ready for tomorrows plyo day..
good times.
good times!!!!!
anyone else ever have these days during prep?
happy tuesday yall!!!

more workouts...

first,thank you for all those who commented on my last post! it really means so much to have so much support in blogger land!

yesterday was heavy back and i had my husband to work out with.
the good thing about him being there is that he makes me want to work harder,the bad thing is that he makes me lift heavier...(i may or may not have an ego around him)
and I'm so sore-
the workout
4x10 pullups (2 close,2 narrow)
4x 12,10,10,6  DB lawnmowers
4x12,10,8,6,2 cable rows
4x15 straight arm lat pulldowns
4x15,12,10,8 kneeling cable lat pulldowns
4x12 prone DB incline reverse flys
and then i finished up with an additional 8 miles on the TM.....

doesn't sound like alot,but i left the gym feeling exhausted.
and today was no different with leg day
4x20 single leg extension
4x12 DB dead leg lift on upside down BOSU
4x20 DB traveling lunges
4x20 DB reverse traveling lunges
4x12 lying leg curls
4x24 single leg jump press ss w
4x24 jump lunge
3x12 ATG cable squats ss w
3x24 single leg step up with glute squeeze...
then ended with 3.1 miles on the TM in 26 min

then a busy night with both of the older kids having baseball and T ball at the same time,same park...
and running between the fields to cheer them on in conjunction with chasing lil M all around all over the place.
I'm one tired mama right now!
tomorrow is chest/tris and bis and HIIT or 400 repeats....
hope the baby sleeps most the night for me-she is teething and has been a baby bear....
hope all have a happy Monday!

5wks out.........pics and workouts

first a quick shout out to the lovely Mrs Brown who is competing today!!!
I'm sure she will do awesome!!!!!
oh and Natalia,to answer your question about nutrition and such click HERE
its just a summary of sorts-feel free to email me though!!
 and Tess,about running and training for figure-very controversial subject,but since I've been a competitive runner for over 15yrs now,my body is used to doing speed work and long distances,and genetically,I'm able to gain muscle fast-i have to run at least 85-100+ miles a week to see a decrease in any muscle mass.its a blessing and a curse i tell ya! now if i were doing full marathons(I'm good with 1/2 mary training and competing though),i don't think i could be competitive and highly successful in both figure AND Marathoning-one or the other would have to suffer
:D
SO in other news.....
 its been a busy week!!!!!
lots going on with the kids sports and such-life is rolling along rapidly and sometimes i feel like i don't have time to sit down and relax..
BUT I've stepped my game up in the gym. (and running)
next week it will be stepped up even more.
my driving force?
(other than to make top 5-lots of $$$ to win!)
is to be able to fit into the teeeeeeny tiny suit i ordered today.
yup,new suit,with very little coverage in the back.
very little.
ugh.
I've been hitting glutes/legs and back HARD.
cardio is slowly increasing
HIIT and speed training will kick into high gear next week (3x per week,not 2x and yes 400 repeats will be done with vengeance! half marathon in 10 weeks!!!)
nutrition is on point.
I'm excited!
just gotta keep this ball rolling.
35 days is all i have left to bring my best ever to the pro stage.
measurements are looking good.
waist-21"
hips-30.5"
legs-14.9"
arm-9.6"
I'm about 0.5" bigger in my hip/glute area at this point than i was this time last prep 5wks out. but I'm ok with that. I'm planning on coming in still lean and highly conditioned,but just a touch fuller and of course with a stronger V....
not really feeling lean enough at this point,but i know i just have to trust the process....

not too happy about pictures-(hence the frowny eyes)why cant i make my abs show in pics?
but anyways....

yesterday was crazy leg day.
and i am so sore today.
the workout:
4x30 single leg press jumps
4x15 lying leg curls  ss w
4x30 weighted ski lunge
4x15 weighted cable ATG (a$$ to grass) squats
4x12 DB dead leg lifts on upside down BOSU (*love!*) ss w
4x20 traveling weighted forward lunges ss w
4x20 traveling weighted backward lunges (*love!*****)
3x20 rapid fire weighted step up on high box with glute squeeze-3x20 single leg,rest 10 seconds,repeat 3x then repeat on opposite leg...whew!!!!
did 2 miles on elliptical then at home got in 4.5 miles on the TM

today's workout was chest/tris/shoulders and abs
4x30 dirty 30's
3x15 upright rows
giant set of
4x15 DB flat bech with arnold twist
4x12 skullcrushers
4x25 v-ups off bench
superset of
4x12 DB flys
4x12 supine french curls
giant set of:
4x12 staggard (one hand on med ball,one on floor) single leg push up off ex ball (**love!!!!!!!**)
4x15 prone DB kickbacks
4x15 rollouts on ex ball
giant set of shoulder molders:
3x15 DB military with arnold twists
3x15 DB front raises
3x10 lateral raises
(ouch!!!!)
ended with 3x30 weighted russian twists and
3x15 weighted cable crunch downs..
tomorrow will be LSD and back/biceps....

more pics coming later....

happy weekend yall!!!!!

conversation with a lunatic...

great workout today
its been much too long since ive done just straight plyometrics!

however,what ran through my mind today while doing plyos and sprints today was like having a conversation with a lunatic,LOL!!!
my rational voice: ok,i haven't done plyos in a while.i NEED to do them. by lower half NEEDS it. im short on time so ill do plyos AND sprints.
loony voice: um,you haven't done plyos in about 8 weeks. you cant do that and sprint afterwards.you will be so sore. nope,you cant do it. too much too soon. just do light legs and light cardio and call it a day.
prep mode voice: awww hell no. ive done this before plenty of times. i can do this and then some.
rational voice: Ok,so maybe dont do weighted everything for plyos. it has been a while. ease into it but still work EXTRA hard.
prep mode voice. do weighted plyos. go until you get to the puke barrier and then push past it.
loony voice: man I'm tired. its raining,I'm going to skip the gym.
loony voice after 1 cycle in: ugh. I'm done. stop now and just do elliptical.
rational voice: keep going,keep form,drop weight if needed. just MOVE.
prep mode voice: burn baby burn,gotta get glutes tight,don't you DARE drop weight you little pansy barbie #@!^#@!
rational voice after 2 cycles: go,go,go! you can do this,you NEED this!
prep mode voice: less than 6 weeks out! you CANT stop now,you aint dead yet,true soldiers never die! get your butt off your butt and GO!!!!!
loony voice: I'm done at 2 cycles.
rational voice start of 3rd cycle: 1 more left. i got this.
loony voice: stop now.your tired,you need to just do light cardio.
prep mode voice: come on slacker,don't let anyone out work you!!! whats your competition doing right now? more than YOU,so GO!!!!
so i went and what got done:

totally wanted to puke!
got in 3 cycles of:
box jumps (high to low)
weighted ski lunge
blurpies
lateral sprints
REST 1 minute
jump lunge
mountain climbers
pushup to side plank
gazelle bounds
REST 1 minute
weighted sumo squat with jump
traveling Russian jumps
explosive jump tucks
lateral sprints
REST 1 minute
then repeat 3x...

did sprints right afterwards...
conversation in my head:
loony voice: just jog it or go on elliptical,don't do sprints.you'll be so tired.
rational voice: 30 minutes left to get in something. make the most of your time on the TM.
prep mode voice: 400 repeats or 1 min on/1 min off? how about 1 min sprints. go all out. you NEED this.you will NOT be outworked. balls to the wall baby!
loony voice: I'm going on elliptical.
rational voice: warm up and take the first sprint slow and go from there.
loony voice 8 minutes in: ugh,i don't want to do this,slow down and just jog
prep mode voice; SHUT UP AND RUN!!!!
rational voice: you can do this,1 minute at a time,don't worry about going all out just yet.
loony voice: you cant go fast,you'll be sore and tired. don't go fast now,you cant do it!
prep mode voice 8 minutes in: GO FASTER

rational voice: don't worry about going faster than usual now,focus on the here and now,1 minute at a time.
prep mode voice: get your butt off your butt and GO!!!!
loony voice 15 minutes in: stop,go home
prep mode voice. SHUT UP AND RUN!
and run i did. not as fast as i have before,but pretty darn decent for how my legs were feeling!
12x1 minute sprints-alternated speeds between 6:39 and 5:32 pace

jogged 1 minute between @ 8min pace
3.5 miles in 24 minutes (average 6:50 mile pace)
1 mile wu/cd
yup,totally puketastic!

hope all are having a great day!
and Natalia and Tara,ill answer your questions soon! promise!

never say never.....

nope,I'm not talking about Justin beiber here...
I'm talking about doing something i swore i would NEVER never ever ever do........

yeah,both girls entered their very first natural beauty pageant.
the ONLY way my husband and I let them do it is because it was natural,and NOT a full glitz pageant like the ones you see on TV. now some makeup was allowed,but no fake hair,teeth or eyelashes allowed,and dress could be Sunday best or semi glitz.....

well, we went the natural route,and it showed. most pf the other gals had glitzy glitz dresses and we were middle of the road.
oh well,
Alex won the most photogenic award and royal princess crown, and lil M got a royal princess crown as well. no big titles for them,but i wasn't expecting so.
my older daughter absolutely LOVED being on stage and fell in love doing this.i have never seen her so excited and she was so at ease performing her routine. she nailed it and had the crowd rolling!
 she wants to do another pageant SOON and is so sweet talking daddy.

ugh. i think i created a monster!
yesterday was such a long day with both girls,and even though they had FUN,mommy and daddy were exhausted.
theres no way i could have gotten through the long day without help from my girl TRACY!!!
(i love her and owe her BIG!)
 i really don't ever see myself as a pageant mom. oh and no,the environment was NOTHING like you see on TV at this event. it was just a small local pageant,with no (over the top) crazy pageant moms running around,lol!

so,i think if she wants to do another one,she has really got to do her chores and be on best behavior to "earn" her way to another pageant.
this is an expensive hobby! and we aren't even doing full glitz stuff!!!(and yes i say never to this,promise!)
she told me last night that she wants to keep doing these shows until she wins the biggest crown and highest title....

oh boy,seems like she has got some of my(and daddy's!!) competitive spirit!

in other news,the camera broke(at the pageant-i don't any pics save for the one posted of the girls pageant!!!!)
 and the progress pics i took were erased. so hopefully when its fixed there will be weekly progress pics!!
i  finally started FMC this morning.
I've been slacking in this area,i know! but 6 weeks is plenty of time...
i got this!!!!!!
40 days left!
The World Cup stage better watch out!

happy Monday yall!

5k recap! its been a full year of races!

this morning when i woke up,i really did not feel like running. i was up most the night with a teething baby and eventually she wound up in bed with me and daddy.
i was tired and my tummy wasn't feeling good. i was SO close to just staying home.i dragged my feet contemplating and when i realized this would be the last 5k for a few weeks,i finally pushed myself out the door,a whole lot tad bit of grumpy....
on the way to the race,i missed my turn off and had to go the long way.....i was already running behind so i had a mere 4 minutes to park,(no spots left,made my own spot in the grass)frantically find a check to pay for the race, and run to registration table and chip pick up. my warm up was a 2 min SPRINT,lol!

i make my way in the crowd to the start line,with 2 minutes to spare....
i forgot my watch so i would be running naked.
guns goes off,i slowly make my way to the top pack.
no idea how many ppl are running and how far up the lead female is. all i know is that i had to move up in the pack if i wanted a chance for top 3 overall. money to win.
i zone in on females and pick them off one by one.
most of them are high school kids.
all of a sudden i see mile 1 marker-really??? that went by fast!

I'm feeling good at this point,the cool weather is helping.(50ish) my tummy no longer feels all bleh and i see some more HS girls in front of me,and the lead runner has turned around (out and back course). i start counting females....( passed the 3 high school girls while doing so!)
in the process I'm cheering like a fool for the top pack of men,and then holler like crazy when i see lead female-i tell her shes the lead and to go cause #2 is right behind her!
and then i make the turn around-oh snap! I'm #3! can i catch these ladies?
they must have listened to me holler cause the #1 and 2 gals really took off....
i focus on the small pack of men in front of me and pick them off one by one...oh i see #2 gals pony tail! she seems so far!!!
i hear ppl cheering for all of us,some lady told me i was #3 and I'm pretty sure i gave a cheesy smile and thumbs up...
somewhere i pass mile 2marker-my legs feel good still,its just my breathing is hard to get a hold of.
some guy passes me,i pass him back,him and younger kid pass me up...i zone in on their heels and make it a point to catch them again...
and i do close to the 3 mile mark.
yup.
they.
got.
chicked.
silently,i was like YES!!! but i still hollered at them to stay with me...
i see the 3mile mark,and try to give a small kick....
cross the line at 21:10.
and hang around to cheer for all the others.

i got 3rd overall female,$50 and a plaque.....
oh and i did a pullup challenge and won a "pain is weakness leaving the body" water bottle.
crazy sue beat me by 10 seconds though! boo!

1 minute faster than last race,and over 3 minutes faster than this time last year.
(still a good 2 minutes and change slower than where i want to be though.im hoping i see 19's again!!)
yup,this time last year this race was my first race after having the baby. a mere 7 weeks after....
http://melissacunninghamifpapro.blogspot.com/2010/09/5k-recap-first-pp-race.html

i guess its official. I've come full circle in a year in regards to running in this state of VA.
i really wished my kids could have been here,but my son had a baseball game today.(they won!4-3) so hubs was home with the troop while mommy was running...

ill be off to the gym soon.
yesterdays back and shoulder workout was insane.
today is bis/tris and some more cardio
tomorrow is LSD
Monday marks more serious business.
6 weeks out TODAY!!! pics coming soon!!!!

Be Awesome Today!!!

 So I found a good post from Tenicia,who got it from another blog...
hope you don't mind me passing this along,T!
too good not to share--
go check it out! 
Waking up full of awesome

no go out there and be awesome!

running with the baby...and a stranger?

me and lil M headed out this morning to get some miles in (her in the running stroller) when we got there,i noticed a woman throwing her bike in her car,checking her watch and then she quickly asked me how far i was running and about what pace...i told her i wasn't quite sure,maybe 8 min pace or so and at least 5 miles-she asked if she could join in with me-she was doing a BRICK and really didn't feel like running and needed some motivation to just RUN. so of course i said "sure!"
Turns out she just got into triathlons about a year ago and running was her weakest link. i talked with her the entire 4.2 miles we ran-tried to keep her going up the hills-she is 53 (looked like she was 38!) and was trying to hold a 9;30 pace.she was struggling and fatigued from her 20+ hilly bike ride.i kept her going strong the first 2 miles in and then she needed to slow down some. i didn't mind though. good conversation,we talked a lot about training,and at the end of the run,she gave me a big sweaty hug and exchanged emails-she had some questions about strength training and speed work in conjunction with tri training..
guess she didn't know she would be running with someone like me today,lol!!!!
lifting weights and running,now those are 2 of my most favorite things-combine the 2,and im happier than a kid in a candy store!


after she left i finished another 4.2 in 36:02...more hills with the baby! but its all good.
love it how runners/endurance athletes seem to just have a certain sense of comradity!glad i was able to get some miles in with a fellow runner,a complete stranger,but she was such a good person,with a competitive spirit! i do hope she does well at her triathlon this weekend!!

 now im hoping the baby takes a good nap so i can get in some gym time before i get the other kids from school!

im sore form yesterdays workout. i got in legs and abs and 8x400 repeats!i don't know what i was thinking,but in hindsight i was glad i got it done.
the workout:

4x15 single leg box dead leg lifts
4x30 backwards traveling DB lunges
4x30 traveling DB lunges
4x30 single leg leg press jumps
4x15 single leg extensions
4x12 single leg curl
4x20 hip abd
4x20 hip add
4x12 weighted deep squat on upside down BOSU
giant set of:
3x20 weighted hip ups
3x30 weighted up and overs,alternating
3x1 min plank on elbows,with alternating lateral arm movement

immediately after i decided to do 8x400 repeats-what was i thinking?lol!
not a good idea after the day before touch of stomach bug(or something i ate?) and then trying to get these in  after that brutal leg workout...


1rst 400-6:40 mile pace, jogged 400 @ 7:55ish mile pace in between "sprints"
2nd was at 6:35mile pace,
3rd at 6:18 mile pace
4th at 6 min mile pace,
5th at 5:53 mile pace
6th at 5:49
7th at 5:39
8th at 5:32

really felt totally out of running shape!boo!
but i got it done and today i needed that 8.4 miles of shaking things out in my legs. still sore,but i love it!
happy Thursday!

calming the inner voices--100 things...

Every month i receive a figure competitor news letter from Nancy Gorges. its always good stuff to read,but this months message leaped out at me and it was too good not to share,and it hit close to home for me.
i know a handful who are going to be competing soon,and a few who just competed over the past couple of weeks. i think anyone who has ever prepared for an event like this,or is even considering the idea, (or even those on a weight loss  journey)can benefit from this message from Nancy:

Issue: #42
September / 2011
Tip of the Month

It is hard enough to hush the voices of our well-meaning friends and family members as it relates to our contest journey. I know many in our tribe are concerned about our health and well-being. In addition to that, when we are getting ready for a show we don't go out to dinner with them, stay up late, and over all maintain a way to regimented daily program that must be "unhealthy". But what about our own inner critic, how do we quiet it? Although there is nothing within reason we can do to "change" our friends and family there is something we can do about ourselves to create a more peaceful mental state of mind as we get ready for a show.

Figure/ Bikini Tip of The Month

Transforming The Inner Critic

Let's see if you can relate to this: It is two weeks out, I am not ready, I have cellulite, wrinkles, sagging skin, big ears, big butt, need more definition, depressed because I don't look like Nicole Wilkins for my first show, tired, hungry, not really sure if this is worth all the effort, and I can't seem to get that last little bit of body fat to come off.

Sound familiar? We know we are doing it, and even if someone tells us not to worry about being perfect, let's face it, the nature of this sport is to look for flaws and then fix them. This sport in and of itself is not about health, it is about beauty and appearance. That is one reason why our well-meaning friends are concerned about us when we drag our tired bodies to work with greasy hair, because, why should we bother washing it when we are just going to go to the gym again in a few hours?

So rather than say STOP doing that. Because, I know that won't work. I want to first say that you are not alone in this seemingly psychotic obsession with perfection. It makes me feel better when I know that I am not the only one looking at every detail of my body and micro managing the process every millisecond of the day. But how can we go from knowing what we are doing, to creating new patterns that are more beneficial to our mental health and well-being.

The competition journey is about physical achievements, weight loss, increased definition, the ability to stick to a program and to finish what we start. But the competition journey is also about feeling better about who we are on the inside. In fact that is why we started in the first place. We thought that by having a better body we would feel better about ourselves, for whatever reason.

So do you feel better about yourself right before a show? Are you creating the mental nurturing environment where you say to yourself: "Good job" or "I am proud of you" or "Way to go" or "You are on the right track"? These little pick me ups help to remind us to take care of our mind in addition to our body. To go easy on the goal of perfection and be ok with ourselves as we are.

I like to make lists of things that I can appreciate about myself. I start with easy things, and once I get going it is actually hard to stop myself from ranting on about how wonderful I am.

If you are feeling like you need a little support, try this exercise. Make a list of all of the positive things about yourself. Keep going until you get to 100. Appreciate your dedication, commitment and passion for excellence. But more importantly, make yourself consciously aware that you appreciate you.




Mentally and physically, NOW you are ready to step on stage, feeling great about who you are on the inside in addition to what you have sculpted on the outside.

.....................-------------................................
this is just the message i needed to receive.
its been a rough week,we all have them during prep.
i am being my own worst critic yet AGAIN,and again.
the voices in my head screaming at me,telling me I'm not where i need to be at this point in prep,
that super ability of seeing ALL my flaws and none of my strengths is creeping in....
so what do i do to quiet the inner critic,that ugly demon rearing its head laughing as feel like i will never reach this huge goal???

I'm going to fight negative with positive.
my list of 100 starts today.
if i put 2 things on my list everyday (once a week add 3 things)
then by show day i will have my list of 100 positive things about me.....

so,to my fellow competitors,or to those who find them selves struggling with calming the inner critic lately,
when are YOU starting your "100 things?"

5k recap,9/11 and other ramblings-7wks out!

Today started off rushed. LONG night with the kids,(all week actually) so it was a mad dash to get all of us up and out the door,but we made it to the 5k. i pre registered me and my son so we were good but i still had to get the girls registered. run run run to check in and then to get our chips. by the time we all got bibs and pins,we had literally 1 minute to get to the start line.
(WHICH btw,was marked with a HUGE American flag,and the street lined with about 6 fire trucks,firemen all decked out in full uniform (this was Race for Grace and Fireman's Chase). perfect way to start the 5k,especially in light of today's 10yr anniversary of 9/11)
the anthem was played, the gun went off and off we all went.

i see the gal i narrowly beat at last race. i keep my sights on her and just go. up about 400-600 yards there is a turn around,which throws a curve ball in my pace but gives me a chance to see the lead runners...oh snap! im in the top pack and only see 2 females in front of me. I'm 3rd overall female. gotta keep in lead pack,gotta catch 2nd place gal...

after many turns and a few hills and a few places trekked in grass,i looked at my watch-9:12-this told me i was over a mile in the race. no markers set up anywhere. i see a turning point and see my husband and children running-i holler for them and then i catch sight of the lead runner-I'm still in top pack so i pick it up slightly to close the gap between me and 2nd place girl. i pass 2 men and focus on the guy ahead. downhill,water station and then uphill.ugh. drained me. but after a slight downhill i am 2 ppl away from gal in front of me..
i feel the heat,i feel the uncomfortable feeling of just not feeling in a good rhythm. i try to catch the guy in front of me. focus on his heels,closer, closer,pass.
 ok,just one person left to pass to get closer!
more turns and grass cut throughs,(nope,no shortcuts,lol!just placesin the grass to cut through parkinglots)i see my family again and holler at my son to keep running! (he was walking)
i make the last turn around which is downhill until the finish. gal in front of me turned her jets on. i see her get further away from me so i try to pick things up. about 400m left the same guy i passed earlier passes me and my momentum was lost. i ran across the line,under the huge American flag still in 3rd place...
bleh!
21:50
disappointing to say the least.
oh well.
tired,hot,humid,i turned around and went back after my son.

about a mile or so in i found him and my husband. hubs took off with the girls and me and my son tried to get a good pace to finish. he was hot and tired.his legs were sore from yesterdays 2hour baseball practice.we walked and jogged the rest of the way in (not without much complaining on his end though!)
i made him run the last 400m and we finished strong at the line,and he was so happy to see that he had shaved over 2 minutes off his last time!
THAT made him really excited!

and the it was time for the girls to run the 300yrd fireman's chase.
what made this fun for the kids is that they all had to "chase" the firemen.
this was lil M's very first race and let me tell ya i was so excited for her!
my 5yr old took off after the command and finished with a 2nd place finish!
me and M,well we started off strong-the first 100yrds,Mckinnley was running! and then the firemen came around and she didn't like that so she cried until the finish. we were last to cross the line,but hey,we beat the firemen!

the rest of the time waiting for awards was fun with the family. there was a 1 mile fireman's chase and yes,these firemen were in full gear running in the heat. the first kid to cross the line was 6:04. the first fireman to cross was at 7:33. which  is pretty dern impressive i think!
this was really fun for all the kids competing!

so on to awards. i was 11th overall,3rd overall female and got a 2nd in AG award.
even though i was disappointed with my time and place,this was a really good day to spend with the family...and we all raced today! even the baby!
this totally made my heart smile and i have been in a great mood all day!

(yes i forgot my camera so pics were taken when we got home)

SO,a great day all around,a good experience in light of today's 9/11 anniversary.

I'm sure many of us remember where we were at this same day 10 years ago.
i was in computer class my junior year in college.
as we were working on designing web pages,i heard a basketball player say
"Holy F***, the twin towers!"
just as the professor was correcting the bad language,she stopped in her tracks and we all looked at the computer screens in silence,watching the 2nd plane hit...

class was shortly dismissed and soon after a large prayer circle was made on campus.(i went to a small private college, 600 kids total)
i found my XC team and a few of them had parents who worked either in the pentagon or the WTC.
it was a somber time.
a sad time.
classes were canceled the rest of the day.
but we still had cross country practice.
mile repeats on campus.
i don't remember my spilts that day.
i do remember my mind being all over the place.
the race scheduled for that weekend was rescheduled so i traveled 300miles back home to see my husband (then fiance),feeling very thankful and blessed.
what i remember most was feeling anger,my sense of safety shaken,and of course a feeling of empathy for all those who lost loved ones.
and despite the tragedy,i felt proud to be an American,proud that we all stood UNITED. we all came together to those in need. for a moment in time,we went back to our founding fathers true intentions and stood united,one nation,under god,indivisible....
my heart goes out to all the heros who died,for all the innocent lives taken,and for all the families of those effected directly and indirectly.....
God bless america and those who defend our Country!!!!

 no easy way to transition to another topic,so ....
moving to other news....
today marks 7 weeks out!
i know i promised pictures,but after taking them,i didn't want to post.
lets just say that TOM has made the bloating factor horrific,and really made me want to throw in the towel!
BUT yall know thats not how i roll....
just gotta get past this bump and still push through.
workouts have been on point and killer!
heavy back yesterday-I'm LOVING it!
in phase 2 of operation:big back so i am drop setting heavy.
will add in FMC this week...
mileage will be gradually increasing,
400 repeats will be bumped up in speed.
I'm tired of running in the 21's!
this chick is ready to be fast again.
no more excuses.
time to stop talking about it and
BE about it!

for those still reading....
bless your hearts!
enjoy your weekend!!!

legs/abs/HIIT-progress pics coming soon!

today was legs/abs and HIIT in the gym.
to be honest,i was really not wanting to workout today. i wanted to stay in bed and sleep.
I'm tired! (what mommy of 3 isnt?)
but once i actually got in the gym,i was glad i went,and once i forced myself on the TM,i was glad i made myself get in a HIIT-
the run down:
4x30 single leg jump press
4x20 hip add
4x20 hip abd
4x15 leg extension
4x15 leg curl
4x15 DB dead leg lift on upside BOSU (*LOVE!*)
4x20 backward traveling lunges (yeah,i didn't get crazy looks with this one,ha!)
4x20 weighted russian twist
4x20 weighted crunches
4x20 up and overs for
4x45 second plank on elbows to side plank,alternating

THEN had to give myself a pep talk to do the HIIT
what i got in:
1 min on 1 min off

("off was @ 7:53 mile pace)
"on" was alternating between 6:40 and 6:18 mile pace for the first half
then between a 6min and 5:23 pace the last half
really feeling off my game with running this past week and a half,what gives?

anyways,will be resting my legs the rest of this week-5k this weekend!
i know I've been promising progress pics for forever,so they will be up this weekend as well,
if they're not,just yell at me!
:D

shoulders,abs,and slow progressive miles

heavy shoulders today.
4x 12,10,8,6
DB military press
lateral raises
front raises
upright rows
reverse flys
then abs
4x20+
v-ups
4x1 min weighted plank
weighted russian twists
pike on ex ball
 then ended with 6 miles on TM
SLOW progression
took me 3 miles to find a good rhythm-i felt "off"

but after that the miles felt better
mile 1-9:11
mile 2-8:34
mile 3-8:12
mile 4-7:56
mile 5-7:30
mile 6-6:44
 i must say i hit a mental block on the last mile and really wanted to stop due to just being mad that i started so slow and felt "off"
i pushed though by breaking the mile up into 400m at a time,made the minutes go by faster that way..
after i was done i was glad i got the miles in
:D

happy Tuesday yall!

skunked

yup,bright and early this morning,there was an awful smell.
lets just say that our dog

thought it would be fun to try and kill the black cat with a white stripe down its back......
after 2 baths(with hydrogen peroxide,baking soda and dish detergent mix) she still stinks,but not near as bad.
what a way to start the day!

the family did manage to squeeze in some gym time in a VERY crowded gym.
only got in 5 exercises for legs and 5 miles on the bike,but i can feel the soreness creeping in,so maybe it was beneficial...(or maybe its this rain rolling in)
4x15-30 of:
seated leg curl
jump lunges
single leg leg press jumps
DB dead leg lifts
DB curtsy lunges

tomorrow is heavy shoulders,abs and triceps and at least a good 8-10 mile run.
6 more days until 5k race....
will be trying to channel my inner cheetah this week!

7wks and 6 days out from the biggest show of my life...
time to play the game....

back attack and HIIT

so after 2 days away from the gym due to my middle baby being sick,
i unleashed a killer workout in the gym.
was short on time and had to cut rest times but managed to get in:
4x10 pullups (2 sets close,2 sets wide grips)
4x12,10,8,6
reverse flys
latpulldows
close grip cable rows
3x12 woodchops
4x15 straight arm lat pulldowns
quad set of:
3x15
Russian twists
roll out on ex ball
pikes on exercise ball
1 min plank on elbows
only had 30 min left to run so i did 6x400 repeats
a little bit faster than last time,but not much..
first 400-6:39 mile pace
2nd 400-6:18 pace
3rd-6 min mile pace
4th-5:56
5th-5:52 mile pace
6th-5:42 pace
i felt like i was dying!i feel so unconditioned for running,its almost funny.
 id rather laugh than cry any day,so I'm choosing to remain positive that my speed can and WILL come back...
:D

hope yall have a happy and safe labor day weekend!!!