Lucky Number 7

I did it.

I ran a total of 7 miles today.

It wasn't consecutive though, but that means I could, if I really wanted to.

I ran 5 miles, did my weight lifting, and went back to run 2 more. I could have probably even ran more, but I didn't want to hurt myself.

I'm pretty excited.

If its Not Forever, If Its Just Tonight

A long time ago, back when Chris and I first met, he told me to listen to this song by Kings of Leon: "Sex on Fire." I did and IMMEDIATELY loved it. It has remained a favorite since then. I, however, am a country girl at heart. One day, probably a year after I heard the Kings of Leon version, I picked up Sugarland's "Live on the Inside" CD. And on that CD would be a cover of "Sex on Fire" done by Sugarland, obviously. Let me tell you, it is the BEST REMAKE OF A SONG EVER. It is slightly twangy, and the piano is amazing. I'm a sucker for piano, and I just love it. Jennifer Nettles has such an amazing and raw voice for the song, that it sounds so great. So, for your listening pleasure:

In other news, I've ran 9.3 miles this week and it feels amazing. I've been plugging along and although Monday and Tuesday were easier runs, I just keep going, and then I sprint to the finish. It feels great. All of it has been under 30 mins and 30 seconds (Monday was under 30 mins).

A Little Bit Country

Every time I hear this song, I want to throw on my boots, and a flowery skirt, kick up my heels, fake a southern drawl, and dance around like a crazy girl.

I love this song. When I was visiting my family, I went out with my sister and her friends, to a "pub" that had country night which is clearly, right up my alley. They had a live band, and it was pretty awesome. The drinks were strong, so worth the $$$.

Little Sister (Danielle), and her best friends Leah and Katelyn.

Me and the sister

Katelyn and myself. We don't dance, we drink beer.

Take a listen, and a look, at Mr. Bryan

I have a GIGANTIC crush on Luke Bryan. Damn him for having a GORGEOUS wife.

Anyway, I have this, I don't like to use the word fetish, it sounds so bad, but I have this strong like for country men and their jeans. It just goes hand in hand.

Country singer + good jeans = hotter than a desert day in July.

Here's my list, if you needed to check it out yourself:

1. Luke Bryan

2. Rodney Atkins

3. Jason Aldean

4. Tim McGraw

5. Blake Shelton

6. Charles Kelley

7. Jerrod Niemann

I think you get the hint.

Hope you're having a sensational day!

Oh, I ran 4 miles today. But that's all. One week of vacation killed me. Building back up again.

Five Things on a Saturday

1.

I got a great workout in today. I love running more than anything else; but I should probably start branching out on my cardiovascular endeavors and cross train a little.

2.

Taking Chris shopping, even for household stuff, is not as fun as just going by myself. I love having him with me, but after about 5 mins, he's done. Love the guy, but I'll run errands by myself. (Although we did buy a few ingredients for our end of summer/Labor Day surprise!)

3.

San Diego has the best weather. It was fabulous today. Be jealous, I know you want to.

4.

Mmm... my favorite comfort foods: pasta, and lots of it. I could really go for some mac and cheese, but the lasagna I had for dinner will definitely suffice.

And drumroll please.....

5.

We made these:

Graham Cracker + marshmallow + chocolate = HEAVEN

It was the perfect way to end our night and hope that summer never ends, well, I guess here it doesn't end until January, then there's winter until March, and we're back at summer again. Hope you had a great Saturday. Go make s'mores.

Not to brag, because I know there are plenty who find this an easy run, but I ran 5 miles again today. Over 5 in 50 mins. I'm slowly quickening my pace. I waver between 9:40 and 10:00 min miles. I could have ran forever. I know its because I had lots of carbs for breakfast. Both times I've been able to run that far I had eaten only carbs. My body had plenty of fuel.

I'm trying to really focus on clean eating. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies as it is, so I just want to up it. I'm thinking that this would be what I would eat, or something similar:

Breakfast:

oatmeal

berries

water

coffee (can't give it up)

Snack:

hardboiled eggs

carrots

Lunch:

salad with lots of veggies

chicken

Snack:

turkey slices

string cheese

baby tomatoes

Dinner:

beef/chicken/fish

two veggies

Snack:

yogurt

berries/apple

That's really a lot of food, but I have to fuel myself and not be tempted by the CRAP that my coworkers always have. Chips, cookies, cake, candy, etc. The snack before dinner will change whether I'm going to the gym or not, if I am, it will be less protein, more carbs, like an apple or something. Let's hope I can manage this.

My Favorite Healthy Things

These are some of my favorite healthy things and why I love them.

ONE:

running

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I love running. It is my favorite workout. Its so hard on my joints, but it is my absolute favorite. I love running on the treadmill and outside, but my allergies have made outside running more and more difficult. So, indoors it is. Anyone can run. And you don't have to run fast. Just run.

TWO:

water

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I'd be lying if I told you I only drink water BUT I mostly drink water. Especially during the week. During the week it is coffee in the morning and water. That's it. I don't need any other beverages. I've given up my diet soda habit, and I only treat myself to soda on the weekends. I like my water super cold, and I ALWAYS have some with me.

THREE:

carrots

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I love carrots. Baby carrots are so portable and easy to snack on. The crunch replaces chips and crackers. I like them plain, personally, but they are good with hummus or ranch dressing (in moderation).

FOUR:

spinach

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I love spinach. It is excellent in salads, I kind of even like eating it plain. I'm very strange.

FIVE:

apples

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There's nothing better than a crunchy, crispy apple. Red Delicious and Pink Lady apples are my favorite, but I will eat any.

SIX:

blueberries

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These are my favorite berries. I love all berries, but I could eat that whole container. I try to hold back, but I love eating them. Delicious!

SEVEN:

heirloom tomatoes

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I love tomatoes, and if I had to pick a favorite, it would be heirloom. I know that the odd colors make them look strange, but they are DELICIOUS. And since they come in so many colors they really make salads and things look so lovely.

These are my favorite healthy things, I usually eat, drink, or do these things everyday.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I should probably refrain from quoting Ren & Stimpy.

I doubt it is very becoming for a girl of my age.

I am happy though. I'm upping my mileage or my speed each workout. Today was speed, I shaved one whole minute off my 3 mile run. I'd say that's impressive, for me at least. My triceps feel like complete jell-o and my last set of chest presses was so beyond unbearably painful, that I am without a doubt that I will be in pain tomorrow. Which works out because tomorrow will be a leg and ab torture day. Keep up the good work body. You're doing well.

I'm still a work in progress. And I think I am okay with that, finally. Each day, even when I have mental, emotional, and physical set backs, I realize, that I can only be so much or do so many things. At the end of each day I have to be happy and content. That's what is most important. If that means coffee in the morning, and ice cream at night, then that's what I plan on doing. These days it has been lost of healthy eating (hello giant salad I had for lunch today) and exercising, which I plan on stepping up, just a little. I am making slightly more realistic weight loss goals, and if I make them, a reward, and if I don't, I will not be beating myself up over it.

I can not live my life and expect people to like me or treat me well if I can not treat myself that way. I am this huge canvas or this empty journal with so many different ways of finishing it. It might have tons of line-outs and eraser marks, or the red might eventually be covered by blue, but what matters is I am constantly growing; and I am happy.

Smile. Love. Laugh. Be Happy.

Super Saturday

These are the reasons why today was awesome:

(ONE)

Yeah, I ran 5 miles today. I am that awesome.

I also lifted weights after.

And I am alive to talk about it.

(TWO)

I went shopping and bought these:

$6.24 each

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FREAKS

1. I found this video about "Freaky Eaters"

These people are so weird.

Here is one video you might enjoy

2. Here is another kind of Freak, I prefer being this kind.

3. Oh and I am a running freak. That's a good kind of freak.

I'm upping my runs. Woo hoo, I can't run that far, but 3.4 miles is perfect.

Three thumbs up.

She's Got Legs

She knows how to use them.

Thanks ZZ Top.

I like to us my legs.

I like to run.

No, I don't run that much.

But I totally understand why people would want to run this:

Bad to the Bone

This is the Badwater Ultramarathon starting in Death Valley and ending at Mt. Whitney.

Oh and it is in July? Yeah, so 100 miles in 110+ degree heat.

But I know why they run it. I know why people run marathons. I know why they run 5Ks. It is all for the feeling of air in your lungs; your legs carrying you and not giving out; sometimes running to cure cancer or end child abuse; but it is for that feeling you get running. Whether you are running 1 mile or 100. It is an indescribable feeling. Or at least I think it is.

I had a good run today.

Now I am ready for bed.

Book Review and a Killer Workout

I will start with what is definitely most exciting. I just finished reading this:

I am going to tell you that I COULD NOT put it down. I put it on my document holder at work so I could read while I was doing other things (and should have been working). I was reading it at the beach, at lunch, on my break, and at night. I stayed up late to read it. It was just that good.

I would definitely recommend it. It flows really well, and like I said, you just can not put it down. It is historical fiction, written by someone with a talent and a knack for the genre and the era. Look up her biography and you know how well she could associate herself with the book.

There was more than one character, and I like the going back and forth between the different characters and their thoughts. It puts an interesting spin on the story. It is set in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. In the heart of the Civil Rights movement. The whole story revolved around this, and it truly put a spin on it that only someone from the south, who grew up near the era could have ever done.

I am pretty excited to see the movie. In fact, I can't wait, and I might even shell out the big bucks to go see it in the theater. Maybe I'll take the day off and see it as a matinee. I'm kind of a cheapskate. Anyway, it is definitely worth reading.

I will give you this though: I was reading reviews and message boards about the movie and I can not even begin to fathom how people can say it is terrible. The author was not trying to make it look as though black women back then were bad or ignorant. In fact, if anything, I think she portrayed them with strength and dignity. She made the white women look terrible, as many were back then, and the black women shone against that. She told it like it was between black and whites and those who might have been somewhere in the middle. It is a part of our history, and we can not take any of it back. We can apologize and hope that this never happens again, but racism will forever be in this world and this country. We will all, always be different. If we weren't different there would be no interesting things in this world, but these differences are also what make us fearful of the others; yet at the end of the day, we all do want the same thing, to be happy and healthy. Anyway, GO READ IT!

WORKOUT:

I decided I'd spice things up and do an intense interval work out. It went something like this:

5 min - 4.0 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 6.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 7.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 6.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 7.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 6.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 7.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

1 min - 6.5 mph

3 min - 5.5 mph

5 min - 4.0 mph

It killed me. But it was so worth it.

Run Forrest Run

For those who read this and are seasoned runners, you can laugh at my terrible excuses for runs. I'm new to running, but I do enjoy it, treadmill or on the streets. Treadmill is easier though, my allergies + outdoor runs = migraines. Today I did 3.36 miles (total 30 mins plus 5 mins cool down). Not too impressive BUT impressive for me. Then I died, literally.

I'm working my way up though. And since I lost my gym card and have been coming in without it for months (seriously since like November), I'm seeing if I can get a new one for free. I don't usually lose things, so I think one of the old personal trainers picked it up, pocketed it, and lost it.

Ugh, I feel like dying right now. But, it is slowly subsiding. All for the love of running, right?

Sometimes I wish my body didn't hate me...

Yes, that sounds quite harsh, BUT yesterday and today, my body has decided, ice cream would be so much better than running. Oh really body, is that so? You think it is the brain, but no, it is the body. My brain knew what to do and was ready for it, but my body, ha, it laughed at my brain. I guess as long as I don't turn into ice cream and can keep on keepin on, then it won't matter.

Ignore this blog for today. It was lame.