13 Races in 2013- Recap + Plans for 14 in 2014!

I've achieved a whole lot in 2013, if I do say so myself :) I finished the 13 in 2013 challenge, which means I completed:

• Five 5Ks
• One 5 miler
• Two 10Ks
• One 15K
• Two Half Marathonsas 
• One 18 mile Bike race
• One unofficial Thanksgiving Day family run

For a total of 13 Fitness Events in 2013!! Hot Damn!! Here are some picture highlights:

Commitment Day 

Superbowl 5k

Corktown 5k

Falcon 5 Miler

Dexter-Ann Arbor 10k

Labor Day 30k bike ride

Heroes on Hines- 1st Half Marathon!

Detroit Free Press- 2nd Half Marathon!

In 2014, I have a few overall goals I'd like to knock off the check list:

• a Trail Run
• a Mini Tri
• my first Marathon

and I've set my sights on completing 14 races in 2014! Now that I've done a year of racing, there are a few races I know I'd like to repeat, some I could live without doing ever again, and a few new exciting ones I didn't get to this year. They're listed in chronological order: 

Draft 2014 Race schedule (repeat races are underlined with notes)

1. 1/1/2014 Commitment Day, Farmington Hills - 5k Run (w/ Mike!)
• A REALLY fun/COLD way to start the year off right!
2. 2/2/14 SuperBowl 5k, Novi - 5k Run
• This is on Superbowl day- a great way to manage calories for an otherwise wreck of a day!
3. 3/2/14 Fight for Air Climb, Detroit - 70 flights of stairs!
4. 3/16/14 Kona St. Patrick’s Day, Plymouth - 10k Run  (w/ Mike!)
5. 3/22/14 No Frills All Thrills, Brighton - 8k Trail Run
6. 4/12/14 Martian race series, Ann Arbor  - Half Marathon
7. 4/11/14 Falcon 5 Miler, Bowling Green OH - 5 Miler
• It was about 35 degrees this year. A nice outdoor Spring race to prep for a longer Fall race
8. 5/4/14 Kalamazoo Marathon, Kzoo - Half or Full Marathon (w/ Mike!)
9. 6/1/14 Dexter-Ann Arbor Race, Ann Arbor - Half Marathon
• I did the 10k this year and enjoyed running a local race. Looking to do the Half this year.
10. 7/4/14 Volkslaufe, Frankenmuth - 20k Run
11. 8/13/14 Triceratops Tri, Brighton - .5 Swim, 12.4 Bike, 3.1 Run
12. 9/6/14 Hippe Half @ Run Woodstock, Pinckney - Half Marathon
13. 9/30/14 Labor Day 30k, Milford - 30k Run
• Did this 18 mi bike race w/ my fam this year- will run it as mileage build up for a  marathon.
14. 10/5/13 Sleeping Bear Marathon, Empire - Marathon

Overall, I'm trying to scale up my race distances month by month. I'm not sure if I want to try for a Spring Marathon, or one in the Fall? I did several Halfs this fall, so it shouldn't be out of the question to complete a Full in the Spring, right? I have taken somewhat of a running hiatus, but I'm beginning again this week and it seems that I'd have 20-21 weeks to train and build up my mileage.

The second big question is "Which Marathon should I choose?" I'd like to do a Michigan marathon for my first one, since it's my home. Right now I'm thinking about the Kalamazoo Marathon or the Sleeping Bear Marathon. Kzoo is in early May, and Sleeping Bear is in October. We're headed to for the Kzoo set of races either way- I think I've convinced/encouraged my hubs to do his first Half Marathon this year, and we've chosen to make a trip out of the Kzoo Marathon/Borgess Health Half Marathon. SO I could either train like a boss for May 4th, or I could make that a Half, and do several more halfs in prep for the Sleeping Bear Marathon in October.

Any thoughts from you runners out there? 

What races are missing that I shouldn't leave out? 

Is a Fall Marathon "easier" to train for than a Spring one?

The Well-worn Road of Health and Fitness

Hi friends,

I have had a tough couple of months here, although I think I am turning a corner, finally.

This has been such a year of Highs and Lows. On the High side, I've learned and thought a LOT (too much!) about healthy eating, clean eating, Paleo eating, high-fat low-carb eating. I've hit some great physical benchmarks- completing my first and second Half Marathons, finishing 12 (will be 13) races in a year, loosing over 30 lbs, squatting more than my body weight. I've developed a regular gym habit, which I've sustained for over a year.

I have also struggled with a lot  of Lows this year. Over the past 12 months I have struggled with loosing my period (in February of 2013) and going through a series of tests & doctor visits to try to figure out what is going on, Getting down past my "Goal Weight" to a place that was not very healthy or realistic for me to maintain, a very tough transition of leaving a job at an organization I thought I'd be with for the next 5 years, intentionally having to gain weight back (and then some) in an attempt to regulate my period, and trying to make the transition to this new, great job as a normal, functioning employee who feels valued and respected. On top of all of that, I'm feeling ready and excited and even anxious to start a family with my hubs, yet I cannot do so because of the lack of a menstrual cycle.

The past 5 months, particularly, have been pretty low. Feeling like I have lost a lot of the physical progress I made due to intentional weight gain and then emotional eating. At first, I was gaining weight back to be at a body fat % where my period might return. Now I am definitely in a safe zone there, and probably heading back into the overweight category without successfully regaining my period. This has been a huge blow to my self-confidence and self-esteem. I'm now in the process, with the help of a counselor, of building my self-esteem back up.

I have learned some truly life-changing thing about myself in the past 12 months:

• I have huge issues with  burying feelings that I can't manage and "dealing with them" through emotional eating. This "coping" mechanisms has been super destructive to my life in the past several years. 
• I withdraw from friends and family when experience severe emotional distress, rather than reaching out, which is silly!
• I have really missed music and  involvement in the Jewish community, two things I gradually, unintentionally stepped away from. I don't know how I became so disconnected from them, but I need them as a emotional and spiritual outlet.

While these two things are hard truths to bear, they will help inform my focuses for next year:

• Reach out, connect, and put myself out there
• Open myself back up to exercise- I can still have exercise goals without heading down a Disordered Eating pathway again.
• Accept what comes next- if I get my period back, great! If not, we'll continue down the adoption path
• My body is capable of amazing things- Running farther than I ever thought possible, lifting heavy things, and functioning on high efficiency when I treat it well

The summary of all this craziness is this: I can't and WILL NOT let fear and anxiety run my life any more. The best way for me to respect myself is to treat myself well. Fuel my body with whole, nutritious foods (with some treats in there too!), Get out and be active most days, and Continue to build and grow my awareness of myself and others.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me on this roller coaster of a ride! I'm looking forward to 2014 and renewing my commitment to this fulfilling journey I have started.

Race Recap- Detroit Free Press US Half Marathon 2013

Sunday, I ran the Detroit Free Press US Half Marathon the racing event I've been training for for the better part of a year! It was amazing, and lots of fun. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a well-organized Half in a big city that's lots of fun. I though I'd share some pics before I do the full recap, since I'm short on time tonight.

Here's me inside Cobo before the start of the race, getting all my gear on.
The US Half started at 10am, but it was still pretty cold outside as I was getting ready!

Hubs told me to do some poses- he specifically requested Reverse Warrior.
This is a conservative, non-race bib-ripping version of it.

There's me cruising through the start- right under the banner.
Can you spot me?

Action shot, right around Mile 10. Lookin' good!

I don't have pics of me at the actual finish until the official photos are shared.
Here's me at home right after the race with my bling!

Me and my love :) Freep 2013!!

I finished in 2:09:23- nearly 10 minutes better than my Heroes on Hines time of 2:18:10. I'm still on a runner's high from this race! More details and pictures to come in the next few days. Thanks SO much to my hubs, my mom and dad, and Mike's Uncle and Aunt who came out to cheer me on- you guys helped keep me moving :)

Race Recap - Kensington Challenge 15K

This past weekend I competed in my longest race to date- the 30th annual Kensington Challenge 15k race at Kensington Park! I registered for it several weeks ago, as I had begun to panic about when I could fit in a longer practice race to gear up for the Freep.

The Kensington Challenge was a really nice course this year- somewhat hilly, which was tough, but a beautiful course though! It was chilly that morning- I must have taken on and off my top layer 10 times, trying to decide whether or not to race with it on. I opted to leave it off, which was a good call in retrospect.

I tried to start off the race at an intentionally slow pace, aiming for a negative split in the second half. It was a tough mental feat to talk myself through those 9.3 miles- that's quite a distance to run without a race buddy! I eyed several potential people and finally settled on a couple of fellow runners with a similar pace to me to be my secret pacers.

Once I finished the first 5k, I was feeling pretty good. When I finished the 2nd 5k, I was just focusing on finishing strong. At mile 8, I tried to kick it into gear for the last 1.3, and had a strong finish, coming in directly behind my anonymous pacers- thanks guys!!

My finishing time was 1:29:59 - an average of 9:40 minute mile. I'm really happy with the time! My main goal for this race was to run the entire thing, no walking breaks, which I did!

I'm glad I did the Kensington Challenge. I feel much more prepared for my half marathon now! I still have a few other races coming up in between; the Heroes on Hines half on October 5th, and Run Scream Run 10k on Oct 12th. I'm looking forward to each one, and hopefully bettering my times!

It's Time... for a Whole 30-inspired Re-Set!

It's that time folks. As you might remember, back in January of this year, I tried mt first Whole 30 experience- NO gluten, grains, legumes, alcohol or added sugars for 30 Days. It was challenging, it was refreshing, it was exasperating, it was awesome. After the first few days of eating only whole, complete foods, I felt great! When the program ended, I decided to continue in a modified Whole 30 type of lifestyle;

• No gluten
• Added in very seldom rice & other non-gluten grains
• No cheese with the excepts of cottage cheese
• No Dairy with the exceptions of Greek Yogurt
• Added in Legumes

For the most part, I have stuck to this "diet" fairly well- I'd say 95% of the time. I have only had pasta once since January, pizza only twice. I haven't had bread/tortillas since January. I occasionally have a little bit of rice with a meal- maybe twice a month. I have only had cheese (with the exception of cottage cheese) 3-4 times, and I try very hard to avoid milk and dairy, minus greek yogurt. On this type of "diet", I've felt great, I've had a lot of energy, and I've avoided the frequent stomach problems I used to have that came with eating lots of bread, cheese, and other dairy.

Fast Forward to now:
The biggest pitfalls for me in the last 6 months have been, weirdly, "healthy" snacks with gluten. Things like graham crackers and granola bars that don't appear to be too bad for me are little tricksters; I eat one, and then I want another, and suddenly, I've had 7. No one needs to eat 7 granola bars in a day, friends.

I think the reason why these snacks have been my pitfalls is because they are foods on "the edge" of health. Granola bars can be gluten free and low sugar- they still really shouldn't take the place of a meal. Graham crackers have wheat, and they've been the small treat I allow myself, but I can't seem to have them in moderation, and they're a gateway to other sweets that I've been bingeing on lately; cookies, crackers, etc.

Overall, I've still been eating mostly whole foods, but added sugars have crept up bit by bit each week, and little cookie-cracker treats have been appearing more and more. Yesterday, I ate almost a whole cheese pizza. What?!

I feel that a 2nd Whole 30 can function as a re-set for me. I need to get back to basics, and really focus on those staple whole foods that I've gotten used to incorporating my diet, but are easy to replace with cheats, snacks and treats. Since I've done one already, and I have a good understanding about what irritates my body, today I will start a modified Whole 30 journey. I'll essentially be getting back to following my first Whole 30 post-plan:

That means NO:

• Grains 
• Gluten
• Alcohol
• Added sugars
• Dairy, including cheese

Exceptions:

• Oats- only regular or thick rolled oats, no granola bars or added sugars
• Legumes- I just can't eat/afford as much meat as Whole30 requires. Eating legumes will help me get in protein!
• Greek Yogurt- plain, no sugar added
• Cottage cheese- no salt or sugar added

Let's Go!!!

A Recharge- Vacation in North Carolina

Last Thursday was my last day with the nonprofit I've worked for for over 2.5 years. The past week has been a time of reflection, thinking about the future, and hope for brighter employment to come. 

Luckily, all of this emo reflection took place on a very well-timed family vacation. Last week, my parents and I packed up to head to Lake Nantahala, NC, to meet most of my dad's side of the family for a week-long stay in the hills of Western North Carolina. 

I woke every morning, around 7am, to this sight

Lake Nantahala, in Topton, NC

and retired each evening after watching the sun set over Lake Nantahala

Sunset on Lake Nantahala

Each day, I was able to hike, kayak, walk, or swim

Myself and my mom and dad on the Forney Creek Trail, near Clingman's Dome

Hiked on the Appalachian Trail for the first time ever!

Tellico Gap

I saw amazing views

The view from the firetower at the top of Wesser Bald on the AT

 Got to spend much needed and well-appreciated time with my family

me and my dad at the top of Wesser Bald!

 Even got to see a few sights!

The Biltmore House in Asheville, NC

Gardens, of course, were involved

Gardens @ Biltmore

somehow snuck in a Farmers Market visit 

Western North Carolina Farmers Market in Asheville, NC

Check Great Smoky Mountains National Park off of my list!

What a nice Visitors Ctr!

 Highest point in the Smokies

Clingman's Dome- 6,642 ft.

Even fit in a (Historic) farm visit

 more mountain views

It was amazing to spend time for relaxation and just being. I was able to truly appreciate the muscles and fitness level I've cultivated over the last year. That's the true value of the nearly-30 lbs I've lost. It's not really the number on the scale, or even the # on the side of the weights I lift: 

My success was evident every day on my vacation. 

Kayaking for a hour without tiring. 

Hiking 13.4 miles in one afternoon on the Appalachian Trail and keeping up with my dad and my cousin, both inspirational outdoorsy-types. 

Spontaneous breaking into a trail run because I felt like running. 

Walking the Clingman's Dome trail like it was no big deal (it's a damn steep little trail to the top!) 

When people ask about my weight loss and my new "trim figure" (their words, not mine!), these are the accomplishments that truly indicate the lifestyle change I've achieved.
They are both the proof of and the reward for my hard work.

2013 Goals - Halfway point Check-in!

It's about that time, folks- it's halfway through the calendar year! Time to review the goals I set back in January and my progress towards them. Stopping to look back is always helpful, I find. Even if there are areas left to improve upon!

Health and Fitness Process goals

Work out 6 x a week for 60 minutes Have cut down to 4-5 days/week for 60 minutes, but still consistently working out! On track!

Body Stats and Calorie Intake

• Up calorie intake to 1450/day + extra workout calories 
• Progress as of 5/13/2013:  Upped to 1350 per day, considering 1400. On track!
• Maintain weight at 110 lbs +/- 2 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13: 108 lbs! Held strong at 109-110 since mid-Feb! Beat it!

Body fat percentage: 

• 20% by 3/7/13  
• Was at 17.8% at my 3/7/13 check in! Beat it!
• 16% by 6/7/2013 Progress as of 5/13:  
• Not sure! Won't know until 6/7 On track!

Fitness Benchmark Goals

Improve run times (by 12/31/2013)

• 5k time: under 26 minutes 
• Corktown 5k in March- 25:54! Beat it!
• 10k time: under 50 minutes 
• Progress as of 5/13: 5 miler in 42:42 On track!
• Complete a Half Marathon in under 2 hours 
• Progress as of 5/13: Training is not going very well, although I am running a lot. Severe lack of long run motivation. Race-wise, I am scaling up (doing my first 10k in a few weeks) so I'll make it to 13.1 slow & steadily! On track!

13 in 2013 Challenge (by 12/31/2013)

•  Complete 13 fitness events in 2013 (see my list of events on the right)! On track!

Pull-ups (by 12/31/2013)

• Do 10 consecutive pull-ups! 
• Progress as of 5/13:  5 consecutive pulls ups! On track!

Strong Lifts (by 8/1/2013)

• Squat 150 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13:  125 lbs On track!
• Overhead Press 70 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13:  60 lbs On track!
• Bench Press 90 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13:  80 lbs On track!
• Row 90 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13:  70 lbs Needs some more work
• Deadlift 150 lbs 
• Progress as of 5/13:  125 lbs On track!

Crossing some things off my bucket list for 2013 as well- hell yeah! :) How's your year going so far?

Race Recap- Falcon 5 Miler, Bowling Green OH

For my 4th 13 in 2013 challenge race of the year, I chose the Falcon 5 Miler in Bowling Green, Ohio! It was a fundrasier for the BGSU Track/CC Teams, which is great, and it was a 5 mile run- something I was searching for! Since I'm training for the Freep Half Marathon in October, I've been trying to plan my monthly races accordingly, so I am building up my mileage in training and in racing as well.

Race Highlights

Pre-Race Training:

I'd scaled back my running about a month ago, and had been building back up in preparation for this race. I was a bit nervous going into it that I hadn't run enough 5 mile practices to be ready, but in the 2 weeks before, I ran 2 practice 5's. In my two practice 5's I'd finished with times of 44:09 and 44:00, so for race day I was aiming for a time of 43:00.

Registration and Packet Pick-up:

Since the run was in Bowling Green (about 1 hr 5 minutes from my home), I didn't go pick up my packet early. On Friday, I changed into my race clothes and left work around 4:00pm to head down to BG. It was cold and overcast- not looking like the early Spring day I was hoping for. I'd guess it was about 40 degrees out, tops. Packet pick-up was easy and quick. Bibs were the "old-fashioned kind" where there's a perforated bottom strip that tears off, and that's where your time gets written! No fancy QR codes this time lol!

Race Day and Course:

Luckily I had packed clothing for all types of weather! I ended up going with my spandex running tights, a thermal long-sleeve shirt and my cute black and pink jacket, with a winter hat. I was worried I'd be too cold, but I'm glad I didn't layer up any more- once I started running, I warmed up pretty quickly. The race started at Sebo Athletic Center, which is attached to BGSU's Football stadium. 

I was REALLY surprised at the size of the group of runners- It seemed like less that 50 people! When I later looked at the results, the final # was 108, but that's a big difference from my last race, the 9,000+ Corktown 5K!

Everyone was bundled up pretty intensly, and we all lined up outside the stadium on the road. The began, and we  were off! We swung around the stadium and headed back towards campus, running past the student center, lots of residence halls, the library.. there were BGSU track/cc members along the course periodically with directional signs, encouraging us along! Although it was cold, they were all pretty cheery. I get a lot of motivation from a simple "Great job!" so it was nice to have strategically placed encouragement along the route! 

Another surprise was the water stop- I assumed there would be a 1.5 mile water stop and a 3 mile, but instead there was just one stop at the 2.5 mark. I ended up pushing through though, and once I got to the 3 mile mark, I was able to push myself forward- just make it to mile 4. Right before mile 4, we turned away from campus and began our approach back to the stadium. It was nice to be able to see our destination for the last mile, and I knew I could make it the rest of the way.

My Results: 

When I crossed the finish line, the clock said 42:42. I had started a few second behind the front pack, so I estimate my true time to be 42:40- awesome!!! The track/cc team members had been calling out our times each mile, so I know that I started out slow (first mile was 9:07), and built up speed after mile 1 (2nd mile 17:17, don't remember 3rd mile, 4th mile was 34:20). 

I'm really happy with my time- 42:40 is an 8:32/mile average, which is pretty great for a 5 mile run! Also, I'm proud to say that I ran the entire race- no stops, no walking. THAT is an accomplishment!

Race Swag: 

All race registrants got a Falcon 5 Miler t-shirt! They are uni-sex shirts, which is disapointing because they don't fit too flatteringly, but oh well. 

Overall Thoughts:

I really enjoyed my first 5 mile race! I wish the weather had been warmer, but there's no controlling that! Both participants and track/cc team members were friendly, helpful, and encouraging. The race was well organized, and it was kind of fun to run through campus. Overall, a cold-but-well worth it race day.

If you're looking for a small, friendly Spring race that raises money so others can run, consider the Falcon 5 Miler next year!

How Whole30 Changed the Way I Eat

It's been over 2 months since I completed my first-ever Whole30 program. Time flies! Today I'm taking a look back to where I started my Whole30, where I ended on January 30th, where I am now in terms of eating habits, and where I'd like to be.

As a reminder, Whole30 is essentially a 30 day commitment to eliminate inflammatory and unhealthy foods from your diet. This includes getting rid of gluten and all grains, beans and legumes, soy and dairy, as well as added sugar and alcohol. Bascially a BIG focus on meat protein, vegetables and fruit.

Jan 1st, 2013- Started Whole30
I started my Whole 30 experience on January 1st, 2013. I had a definite sugar addition, I was still eating a lot of gluten and dairy, and not REALLY connecting the gross feelings I had after eating them with the foods themselves.

I was eating what I thought was a lot of vegetables, but still filling in with a lot of bread products, which was again causing irritation and inflammation.

Jan 30th, 2013- Post Whole30 Results
The best result of Whole30, for me, was that it really helped me to identify foods that cause inflammation in my body. I can objectively look at foods like pizza or big chunks of bread, and know the feelings of discomfort I will experience after eating them. That's powerful, to have reconnected with those signals my body is sending.

I chose to willing divorce several parts of Whole30 that don't currently fit into my lifestyle. One was complete elimination of dairy- I still wanted to have limited dairy in my life. The other part was the amount of meat I was eating. When you're on Whole 30, you eat a LOT of meat! It's expensive, and as a former vegetarian who wants to source as much of my meat in a local, organic way I didn't feel like it was really necessary for me to eat THAT much meat.

April 8th, 2013- 2 months post Whole30
The biggest part of Whole30 that I've carried on with me is saying no to inflammatory foods like dairy and gluten products. While I have re-introduced limited dairy into my diet (greek yogurt and cottage cheese), and will occasionally have tofu, beans, or lentils, I have stayed away from other dairy products, and have been eating a lot less grains and gluten. This has resulted in a lighter, happier me! 

I can consider before I eat tofu and beans and decide if it's worth the gas I'll experience later. I've only had pizza once since I finished Whole30- it used to be a go-to junk food for me and I'd eat it at least once a week. Now that I can associate it with (TMI, sorry) staying in the bathroom for an hour afterwards, it doesn't seem that appealing!

The biggest dietary struggle I've continued to wrestle with post-Whole30 is eliminating wheat and added sugars. For me, these two are often linked into the mostly unnecessary foods we call baked goods. I've been able to avoid other grains pretty successfully (making hamburgers with no bun, taco salads vs. a burrito, haven't had pasta in 3 months), but when I get stressed, I still want to chow down on a cookie. Or two! Not only do I think I might be sensitive to gluten products, but for me, things made of wheat or other grains often represent empty calories. There are foods made with whole grains that can be really good for you, but when you're eating conservatively to maintain your weight & fitness level, a 170 calorie tortilla is just hard to fit into your day. Same with a burger bun, or 2oz of pasta that is 220 calories!

The future- Incorporating Whole30 into my diet
My strategy lately has been to make sure I'm bringing enough whole foods to work for lunch and snacks, so I don't turn to filler foods I don't need. I've also taken to carrying around a few oranges, Picky Bars, or Kind bars, so I have a less-processed snack option available if I start to get hungry. Mostly, I've been able to find that I don't need that piece of toast, that roll, or that bagel. If you don't really need it, why eat it?

• Limited dairy I've added into my diet has been working well for me so far- no real issues. 
• Minus the baked goods debacle, I'm pretty successful at avoiding wheat and grains, although I'd like to be a bit more vigilant about it. 
• I have beans or tofu 1-2 times a week, and that has been a good balance. 
• My sugar intake has picked up- only in the dessert area. Otherwise, I am really good at screening out unnecessary sugars from my diet. 
• LOTS more fruits and veggies, which has been AWESOME!

I plan to continue on eating in these ways, since the limited re-introduction of these products has worked for me.

Overall, I've been able to incorporate a lot of what I learned during my Whole30 into my day-to-day living, and I've benefited from it. I'll continue to do so, and I'm happy with that!

Reached my "target weight"; Now the real work begins!

Why Hello! :) I'm doing a very self-congratulatory post today, so sorry in advance! I want to re-cap my fitness journey so far, because Monday I reached an exciting milestone- my "goal weight". (Sound the trumpets!)

When I started this journey back in 2010, I weighed 145 lbs, which was my highest recorded weight. As a 5' 0" shortie, that's a fair amount of extra fat, or at least it was on me!

This is me in Dec of 2010, folks.

After 2 years of trying out different exercise programs, and slowly loosing and gaining back 8 lbs (through P90X, gym memberships, yoga videos, etc.), something finally clicked in my brain; in Sept of 2012 I was ready to ACTUALLY make a change. I joined my local Community College's gym this past September, got a fitness assessment, and started working out 5-6 days a week, for a total of 300-400 minutes per week, as well as truly monitoring my calories here on MPF, on a 1200/per day routine. I set some goals, both weight related and otherwise, and set to achieving them!

These past 5 months have been life changing! I've started doing heavier weight lifting, I lost 26.7 lbs, and my body fat percentage went from 31.4% to 20.2%! I started clean eating, I completed a Whole30 program, I've run 3 5ks, I'm now training for a half marathon. While the weight loss is awesome, and the new clothes are great, THE BEST result of all these changes is that fitness and healthy eating are my lifestyle now.

This lifestyle is easy(ish) to maintain because of YOU! My #runchat buddies, my fellow crazy runners doing 13 races in 2013, my friends at work, who have been really supportive as well and great gym buddies, my dad, who is a constant fitness inspiration, and my husband, who has made me feel great at whatever weight!

I know now that I'm not finished! Just because I reached some number on a scale does not mean that I get to quit eating healthy and stop going to the gym or that I don't have room for improvement, greater success, or to challenge myself!

My plans to keep myself motivated this year:

• I'm running 13 races in 2013, including 5 5ks, 3 10ks, a Mini-Tri and at least 1 Half Marathon!
• I'm working on building my strength by doing the Strong Lifts program- today for my workout I'll be able to squat 105 lbs and deadlift 110 lbs- my exact body weight now! 
• I'm hoping to get my 5k time down to under 26 minutes! My first 5k time in 2008 was 38 minutes, and this past Nov my time was 29:42. 
• Continuing to blog here about my fitness journey, so I can share with others, give back some of the support I've received and remind myself of how far I've come!

SO after rambling on- THANK YOU, friends and family, both IRL and virtual, for your support now and into the future! Also for those of you still struggling, know that it's possible to achieve your goals and redefine yourself! See you out there- at the gym, on the track, on the road :)

Race Recap- Super 5K, Novi MI

On Sunday, I ran the Super 5K, a Superbowl Day 5K (as the name implies) in Novi, Michigan. It was my first time running the Super 5K, and I guess it was a new route, but it was new to me anyway! Overall, a great race! 

Race Highlights

Pre-Race Training: Since I'm doing 13 running events this year, I have been consistently training since I ran the Turkey Trot in November of last year. To prep for the Super 5K I had been running 3 times a week, 2 short(er) days of 2.5-4 miles a day, with one long run where I am building up mileage, simultaneously working up towards the Freep Half Marathon in October! I knew I could run a 5K already, having 2 others under my belt in the past 3 months.

Registration and Packet Pick-up: Registration was online through the RunningFit website, which was nice and easy. There was an optional pre-race day packet pick up at the Novi Civic Center (on race site) the Saturday before, and I chose to go and get my bib and swag early- nice option! Packet pick-up was pretty straight forward, and early pick-up helped me to mentally prepare for "race-mode"!

Race Day and Course:  It was a brisk- ok who am I kidding, damn cold- 10 degrees outside on race day, and was a bit windy as well! Luckily I had swung by Running Fit, a local chain of running apparel stores, to get a cold-weather top. I was decked out in a sweat-wicking base layer, a thermal shirt over that, and my new asics running top over that (pic on the right)! I put on my new tech beanie, and a winter hat on over that, and I had on two pairs of spandex pants and two pairs of socks on!

The participants mosied towards the start line, and at 9AM we were off. I was way at the back of the pack, since I had to use the restroom before the race and stood in line for 20 minutes to do so (Never Again!!). It was funny because I didn't hear any starting gun or starting announcements, so when the pack took off, it felt like a sudden start to the race! The course was nice loop down Taft Rd. through a neighborhood near the Novi High School campus, and leading back out onto Taft Rd again for the finish. there were a few small hills that I didn't expect-a good reminder to do some higher-incline treadmill workouts in my next month of training!

I felt really good and strong in Mile 1, and warmed up quickly. Mile 2 seemed to take a while to come, but I kept busy by keeping my eyes on the roads to make sure I didn't slip and do a faceplant! We finished circling through the neighborhood and came out onto Taft Rd for the end of Mile 2, and hit Mile 3 right before the finish, turning back into the High School complex. There were also GREAT volunteers along the route that were encouraging participants as they went; I really appreciated that. I always wave at the volunteers, and a returned wave, smile or cheer can keep me going strong for the next quarter to half mile sometimes! There were lots of folks cheering at the end, which is always a good last half-mile pick-me-up!

My Results: I was hoping to finish the race with a time of 28 minutes or less. My last recorded 5K time was 29:42 at the Smoke the Turkey run in November, although we did the Commitment Day 5K on Jan 1st and I estimated my time to be 29:00. Although I've been running a 5K on the treadmill indoors in between 26:14-26:50, that doesn't include the 30 second water breaks I take every 10 minutes. The 28:00 goal time also factored in the cold, which is always a bit of a shock to the system! I kicked it into high gear for the last .25 mile, and crossed the finish line strong!

The finish line clock said 29:32, and I was a bit disappointed. I started a mental cheerleading routine- 

"That's an improvement from your Smoke the Turkey time- any improvement is something to be proud of..",

and then remembered that the counter reflected the race start time, not my start time! I practically ran indoors to the after-party to see where the results had been posted, and got to see my REAL finishing time: 27:17! Out of my Age Group (Females 24-29) I finished 18th out of 86- not too shabby! Considering the cold weather and the fact that during the race I ran the entire thing (vs taking water breaks like in training), I am SO happy with my time, and it's better than I had hoped for!

Race Swag: In addition to the great tech beanie, which is an awesome addition to my running apparel drawer, the first 2,000 finishers received a cool pint glass!

Overall thoughts: This was a fun, enjoyable Winter race, and a good idea, since I totally pigged out at our Superbowl Party later in the afternoon. Pretty close to home, great swag, well organized race, timely posting of race results; not too much more you can ask for!

If you're lining up your running schedule for 2014, consider adding the Super 5K to your list!

Day 31: My Post Whole30 Wrap-up!

Yesterday was the day, friends. The LAST day of my #Whole30 program, which I started on January 1st! It's been quite an adventure. Some days seemed never-ending, and others flew by. Most days, I felt excited, refreshed, and challenged by this new lifestyle. Some days, I felt defeated and felt like quitting. But I did it!!

Post Whole30 Reflections

Biggest Challenges: 

• Going out to eat and staying compliant
• Resisting the Jewish Grandmother-offered snacks, with a side of guilt about why I'm "so thin now"

Easier than I Thought:

• Because there were lots of strict rules, it was easier than I thought to follow them

Favorite benefit:

• I don't think I can choose- but I feel great and that's probably the best benefit for me. No bloated feeling, no cheese-induced bathroom trips.. so nice!

Before Whole30

• 117 lbs
• Always noshing on chocolate in the afternoon
• Afternoon tiredness hit me every day at 3pm
• Trouble turning down unhealthy foods when offered
• Potential sensitivities to gluten and lactose
• Lots of guilt around what I ate that didn't make me feel good

After Whole30

• 111 lbs
• I have "pre"-abs that are starting to show!
• Have almost eliminated "bored snacking"
• Comfortable with no added sugar in Tea, Sweet Potatoes, other "desserts"
• Found lots of new ways to incorporate more veggies into my diet, as well as protein
• Knowing that I "Eat Clean" makes me feel good, mentally & physically

Challenges Ahead:

• Going "off-plan" and still being able to eat healthfully 
• Reincorporating gluten and grains without going overboard and becoming the Pasta Queen again!
• Figuring out a way to fit occasional healthy desserts into my diet without it being an every-day occasion.

So off I go! For the next few days I am going to try to re-incorporate some dairy products- namely cottage cheese and greek yogurt. I am nervous for the way my stomach might feel when I eat these things, but I know that if they bother me, I can simply eliminate them from my diet!

My Plan for the weeks ahead

Eat Clean(er)

• 6-8 servings Vegetables/day
• 2-3 servings of protein/day from:
•  sustainable meat & eggs
• legumes
• nut butters
• cottage cheese/greek yogurt
•  2-3 servings of Fruits/day
• 2-3 servings of Whole grains/day
• Chocolate in moderation (2-3 servings per week)

• Avoid:
• Refined/enriched grain items 
• Milk and cheese (not including cottage cheese/greek yogurt)
• Added sugars, although prioritizing honey & maple syrup as sweeteners when applicable