The Journey From Couch Potato to Half-Marathoner

Signing Off

2010-01-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

Dearest Readers,

A 'thank you' doesn't even begin to describe my appreciation to you and your willingness to follow me along on this journey.

It is commonly known that most runners, after completing their first major milestone like a marathon or half-marathon, sometimes feel mild depression or sadness. Think about it...months and months of training, sacrificing, and giving everything you have for one day. The one day comes, you succeed, and the day is over. I can imagine why it is so hard. But I did not have this problem. I was overjoyed and ecstatic the half-marathon was over. I came home, I blogged, and I stalled for time, not wanting to face the inevitable. Today I am sad. Today I am mildly depressed. Because today is the day of my last post on this blog and I'm here, staring the inevitable in the face.

For nearly a year, this place has been my comfort. I can pour out exactly what I'm thinking and feeling, whether I'm sad, happy, anxious, terrified, proud, nervous, ecstatic, and everything between. And you, dear readers, must think I'm a complete nut-job...what with all the highs and lows and emotion! Oh, dear!

But this has been my experience, my life, my journal, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. We runners raised almost $24,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and that makes my heart sing. Thank you to all of you, whether you donated or supported me with your love and kindness!

So, although this blog will not continue, fear not. I have two projects in the works that I'm excited to share with you.

First, The Journey From Couch Potato to Half Marathoner blog is currently being turned into a book! That's right, a beautiful, hardcover, coffee-table book! I'm so excited to be working on this project and it will be a way for me to technically never have to say goodbye to this blog (I'm not so good at letting go). Order your copy today!

Secondly, my NEW BLOG is up and running (although under construction). Yes, that's right. I just love blogging too much to give up completely. I know it's time for closure with this blog (and I'm okay with that now) and that's why I have a new address and a new look. Please visit me here now and keep me bookmarked for our new adventure:

http://laura-powers.blogspot.com/

Thank you, dear readers. I hope you all take the advice to heart that I gave Landon in my last post...it applies to us all. Believe in yourself, persevere no matter what, and trust in God. I challenge you to go out and do the thing you think you cannot do. Because you know what? You can.

Signing off.
Love,
Laura

Houston Half-Marathon, Part III: My Letter to Landon

2010-01-23T16:55:00.001-08:00

Dear Landon,

We did it! We conquered this challenge together, and I want you to know that picturing your face kept me going the entire time. Even though it was hard to walk when it was over, I could have gone a million more miles knowing you were at the finish line.

I hope you had fun on your trip to Houston...there was so much to see:

And that shirt your mom made was just the best:

You and I are so blessed to have a family that loves us so much:

And friends who go the extra mile to show us how much they care:

But the best part of all this, Landon, was you. Through this whole process, people have been telling me what an inspiration I am, but the truth is, you are more of an inspiration than I will ever be. You make me want to be a better person in every way and I would do anything in the world for you. When I took on this challenge a year ago, I wanted to accomplish a lot of things. Yes, I wanted to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, but most of all, I wanted to prove a point to you. I wanted to prove to you that a circumstance does not have to define you or make the great things you want to do impossible. It is my promise to you that I will do everything in my power to help you realize and chase your goals and dreams, however big or small they may be.

In a family like ours, we are raised with tons of love, faith, values, encouragement, and support. There will come a day in your life that you will be tested and you'll need to have all of these things within yourself. This past year, I was tested, and I learned that I didn't always believe in myself as I was taught to do. It seemed that everyone I knew believed I could finish this race except me, and that's not the way it should be. Perhaps I was afraid of failure. Perhaps I didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially you. So many doubts and fears could have been avoided by just believing in myself, and you should know how important that is. A wise person once said, "Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." This is so true, Landon. You are a special, beautiful, wonderful, and gifted person, and God created you knowing exactly what He was doing. Believe in yourself always.

Another important lesson I learned was perseverance. You will have moments in life...some successful and some that don't feel successful...but as long as you persevere and do your best, the outcome is just an outcome. If I hadn't been able to finish this race, it would have been okay. To know that you do your best at whatever comes your way will make you a better man, whether the outcome turns out the way you want it to or not. Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.

Finally, and most importantly, always know how much God loves you. When life is going great, or when life is not going your way, you will always be able to count on Him. Look for the everyday things He puts in your life and be so thankful for them. He promises you and me, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my right hand." Praise God when you are happy, and lean on him when you are sad...I promise He'll always come through for you.

What a year. What an adventure. I'm looking forward to so many more with you, Landon. You will never know the depth to which I love you, and I speak for our entire family as I write this. No matter what, they have always been there for me, and they will do the same for you. You are an absolute miracle to all of us. Always believe, always persevere, always trust. I love you.

-Aunt Laura

To all my faithful readers who have been so supportive, thank you! Please stay tuned for information on the future of this blog and some special words for you. Love, Laura.

Houston Half-Marathon, Part II

2010-01-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

I didn't sleep a wink. Not one full hour. But definitely not for lack of trying. For over a week, I had been training my body to wake up earlier and earlier each morning, forcing me to go to sleep earlier and earlier each night. Before the half, I was going to bed normally around 8:00 pm and rising at 4:00 am. It seemed like such a fool-proof plan to force me to get plenty of sleep the night before the race, but as it turns out it was all a giant waste of time.

Saturday night, I was in bed by 8:00 pm, tossed and turned for a couple of hours, remember feeling exhausted and trying to force myself to sleep but the nerves were too great. I lay in bed until the wake up call came at 4:00 am and when it did, I felt a sense of dread. I slipped quietly into the bathroom of our hotel room so as not to wake Scott and took a hot bath to loosen up some of my leg muscles, the calf in particular. I forced down half a banana, took two bites of a Pop Tart (LOADED with carbs!) but I wanted to vomit from the nerves so I had to stop eating.

I grabbed our room key, a handful of cards with inspirational sayings on them that my mom had made for me and left the room to look for a quiet place to do my 45-minute stretching routine. The only place I could find was the elevator lobby but it was silent and not one person got on or off the elevator the entire time I was there...It was my little sanctuary.

I sat down in the elevator lobby on the 9th floor and started reading my cards. The very first one: When you are ready to give up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place. Landon. Enough said. "Alright, Laura," I told myself. "It's time to stop being a baby and a giant weiner about all of this. It's here. Deal with it. Do what you came to do."

I finished stretching, returned to the room to get dressed and we headed downstairs, every second and every step getting closer and closer to the starting line.
Down in the lobby we met up with the rest of the half-marathon gang (Cas, of course, and my best friend Jenni and her husband Rad) and seeing them helped my nerves so much. We were all in the same boat and we were all nervous and that was okay.
We headed into the frigid, dark morning toward the starting corral. As we got closer I realized one last bathroom break wouldn't be a bad idea. A lot of you have been asking about my stomach since it always acts up when I'm nervous but truth be told, I took enough Immodium to tranquilize a horse the night before so my stomach felt great! I had been hydrating so I thought a pee stop would be smart. WRONG AGAIN!

We waited forever for a port-a-pottie (along with everyone else) and once I finally got one, I pulled down my shorts, sat down to go, and my rear end got soaked from about 100 other people's pee! EWWW, GROSS! I know, right?! In very un-Laura like fashion, I forced myself to laugh, praised the Good Lord that I had brought my own toilet paper (cause my stall was out), and decided I would have to let this incident roll off my back so I could get out there and start this run.

We moved through the masses of people which formed a strange ring of body heat in the cold morning air. I remember feeling grateful for that. Usually body heat freaks me out but not today.

We heard the gun go off and after a few minutes, people started walking forward. Then walks turned into jogs, and finally, I crossed the start line, synching my watch at the same time.

Me and Cas starting the race:

The crowd was thick and everyone kept a pretty slow pace. We went uphill on a large bridge for what seemed like a lot of Mile 1. I remember thinking that whoever made Houston's course famous for being "fast and flat" was a complete liar. To start off on a hill wasn't the best but I still had the adrenaline propelling me forward and I just tried to keep my breathing slow and steady.

Miles 1-3 were pretty much a blur. The uphill climb at Mile 1 got me warmed up faster than I would have liked and I was thirsty by the water stop at Mile 2. I saw a sign marking Mile 3 and was impressed how fast they seemed to be flying by.

As we approached Mile 4, I walked up another giant hill to save the energy and finally started to look at my surroundings. There were dogs everywhere. People cheered but I couldn't hear them because of my ipod. Water stations started to look more and more trashed and littered. We were in the second wave which meant an entire wave of marathoners and half-marathoners had already come through and left their mark behind. It was here that I realized my calf had made it 4 miles, and I had told myself if I could get it to 4, I thought it would be okay. I looked at Scott, told him I was going to finish, and told him to not let me give up for anything. We kept going.
Mile 5 got interesting. I clearly remember this as the marker where I got fatigued and I was surprised since I had trained to 8 miles. I thought I needed food so I took a bite of an energy bar. I was so freakin thirsty and think I drank too much water at this stop which caused my stomach to cramp a little. I walked to try and get it all digested.

Mile 6 I thought was going to eat me for lunch but went by quickly and then we hit Mile 7. Dreaded Mile 7. It was at Mile 7 that the course took us down a big hill under an overpass and then back up...you guessed it...a huge hill on the other side. Whatever I did to get my body up this ginormous hill made my calf very angry, and it was here that it threw it's temper tantrum. I felt it, and I felt it hard and it got worse with every step. It was here, at dreaded Mile 7, that was the reason I had to walk most of the rest of the way to the finish line.

Miles 8 and 9 were hell on earth. I want to block it from my memory. Permanently.

Mile 10 is where I lost it emotionally. My calf hurt so bad I can't even describe. But I knew at Mile 10 that I was going to finish. Then I thought about still having to go 3 more miles. But then I realized I had made it this far and I would finish. And Landon would be there waiting. So many mixed emotions all at once. I bawled. Thank goodness for sunglasses. It was an emotional mile.

Mile 11 is where we merged with the marathoners. It was depressing because they were doing twice my distance in the same amount of time. I forced myself to not worry about them and just focus on finishing. It was here that out of the blue, my music really started to annoy me and I ripped my earbuds from my ears. My hydration belt also drove me nuts. I never wanted to see Gatorade ever again so I tossed it at Scott and told him to chunk it. He held onto it instead, claiming it was a perfectly good hydration belt. I told him I would never need it again so I didn't care.

Mile 12: So close, yet so far away. Until I saw him...my dad. Standing on the corner in downtown Houston all by himself and grinning ear to ear. He came to walk with us and I can't explain what that did to my morale. It was like a jolt of energy! I started babbling to Scott about what we were going to do in our finish line picture. Scott said that's how he knew I was going to be okay...if I was worried about looking cute in the finish line picture, then I would be just fine.

Mile 13: There he was. A little blond-headed boy in a blue shirt bearing the words "She did it for me." Sweet Landon. He was with his mom and she was grinning ear to ear, too. I was so glad to see them!! It was another jolt of adrenaline and I wanted to run the rest of the way but I also wanted to stop and hug him. I couldn't. I had to keep going and I teared up and started to cry again. About a block ahead of them I heard a whole group of screaming and looked up to see my entire family waving and flashing cameras! I saw relatives I had no idea would be there and at first I was confused but then I was just plain happy to see all those familiar faces! I looked at Scott and told him we were going to jog across that finish line if it ripped my calf muscle from my leg. He grabbed my hand and we headed deep into the finish chute under the banners, balloons, music, and camera flashes. I saw my foot cross the painted line on the ground. I cried the entire time.

Mile 13.1: We did it. 13.1 miles. We were finished.

The saga continues and the best post is yet to come. Please check back, as this adventure isn't quite over yet....

Houston Half-Marathon, Part I

2010-01-19T17:40:00.000-08:00

The week before the half-marathon is when my anxiety and fears kicked into high gear. Every day that drew me closer to Sunday, I could feel my heart race a little faster, my stomach cramp a little tighter, and my nerves get closer to shot.

By Friday, I was a mess, an absolute mess. My calf was still tender, my bags were packed, and I was at the point of no return, facing an unknown abyss. Everyone was rooting for me and I had more support than I could have ever dreamed. Emails, phone calls, and text messages poured in. The ladies at work made me feel like a rock star surprising me with flowers and pink, sparkly goodies (my favorite!). And yes, that's a rhinestone-encrusted visor with pink fur and a crown on top...love it! They are the best!
All of the support started to get me pumped and suddenly I was excited about Sunday! After a great night's sleep, I woke up on Saturday, saw the suitcase on the floor and realized the half-marathon was TOMORROW! And then the wave of panic crept back in and wouldn't go away. Today was the day we would travel to Houston. This was it.

Fortunately, my friend Cas and I knew we were going to need a distraction on this oh-so-important day, so what's a girl to do? Book manicures of course! Saturday morning we headed to the spa, we chatted with the friendly girls helping us, we laughed, we talked about movies, and we forgot all about the half. It was just what I needed. Later I realized if I was going to end up face first on the pavement, at least my nails would look darn good!
The moment of truth finally did come. We packed up the car. We drove to Houston. We ate at the Olive Garden on the way in to the hotel. Well, I didn't eat at the Olive Garden but everyone else needed carbs so I obliged. I had to baby my stomach and take it easy (darn you, IBS!) so I pulled out my turkey sandwich and plain potato chips and had to endure stares from the waiter and others in the restaurant. It was a great sandwich.

As we left the restaurant, a street sign caught Cassie's eye:
She thought it was quite amusing there was a street in Houston called "Dacoma St." She said we were going to be in "Da coma" when this was all over. Haha, I laughed nervously. Very funny, Cas.

We arrived to the hotel and stood in a line full of buff, fit people also waiting to check in. The Hilton Americas was lovely and we had stayed here before so I felt comfortable with my surroundings. We threw our stuff in the room and headed down to the lobby to meet up with my family who had arrived earlier that afternoon. Seeing them started a whole time period I have dubbed the "24-hour emotional roller coaster." It began when I saw the look of joy and pride in my family's face and didn't end until the night the half was over (more on that later).

We visited for a while and then had to head across the street to pick up our packets so the time for goodbyes came. It would be the last time I would see their faces until this was all over, for better or worse. I cried at their last minute words of encouragement and the confidence they had in me. I love them so much.
Then it was off to packet pick-up. The convention center was packed. I looked at everyone and felt relief every time I saw someone overweight (like me) carrying around their goody bag and t-shirt. I didn't want to feel like everyone in this was going to be an uber-athlete and to my surprise, they weren't.

We headed into the check-in line and it was hard to forget why we were here (thank you, huge signs everywhere reminding me that tomorrow my two feet were supposed to carry me 13.1 miles):
We fell into line and looked calm while picking up our packets:
But this is what it really felt like:
We gathered our goodies and headed back to the hotel for some R&R and an early bedtime. As we headed out the door, we passed a large sign and the words "Run For A Reason" caught my eye. I stopped, looked at the list, saw the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on it, and immediately remembered why I was here.
I thought of Landon and how much I love him. I thought of how desperate I was to finish the half. I took a deep breath, stepped outside into the cold air and couldn't believe that what I had been working a year for would be here in just a few short hours...

Thank You For Your Patience...

2010-01-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Part I of the Half-Marathon saga will be posted tomorrow evening. Until then, here's a little taste of victory to tide you over:

Boo yah!!!

We Did It!!!!!

2010-01-17T13:19:00.001-08:00

I did it. The Houston Half-Marathon. All 13.1 grueling miles.

The "I" up there should actually be "we." I could have not done it without my support system rooting for me and of course the 2010 Houston Half/5k team. We all did what we set out to do and I hope each and every one of you are so proud of yourselves!

My next post is gonna be awesome so keep checking back. Boy, do I have some stories to tell about this weekend...And pictures! Oh, the pictures are great too! Just need a day or two to recover. I'm very sore, very exhausted and wish to do absolutely nothing for now.

I still can't believe it's over. I feel happy.

Love,
Laura

This Is It

2010-01-16T02:48:00.001-08:00

This will be my last post until this is over, for better or worse.

I'm up at 4:15 this morning, sitting in the quiet, listening to the rain, and ready to cry. My calf is tender and at this point I know it's the only thing capable of stopping me tomorrow.

I don't like the unknown. I don't like thinking I may not finish but it's a possibility for anyone who goes out there to start a half marathon.

You all have been so supportive of me...the outpouring of love has been unreal. And now my bags are packed. I've done all I can do and now we just wait and see.

Thank you all for everything.

Love,
Laura

Even the Dog Looks Worried...

2010-01-15T02:58:00.001-08:00

Man, 4:30 sure came early this morning! I'm trying to be productive and take care of laundry and housework but blogging seems like a much better alternative this time of day!

Last night started the packing process. The picture makes the suitcase look small but it's actually one of those huge suitcases on wheels. I was able to fit 2 weeks of clothes and shoes in here during our Alaskan cruise this summer and now I'm using it for one night...something seems wrong about that...

Yes, you see Gatorade in there. Yes, you see a fan. I don't normally take a fan with me when I travel but I always sleep best with a little bit of noise. Too bad Penny won't fit! She sure looks like she wants to hop in and be a stow-away!

We'll head out for Houston Saturday around lunch time. My stomach has been in knots for a few days now and it's getting more intense. Everyone tells me not to worry but that's a lot easier said than done!

I hope to post one final time before we leave and then again with the outcome of this adventure. Keep checking back!

Sleepy Time

2010-01-13T03:36:00.001-08:00

Good morning all! It's 5:00 a.m. here and the mornings just get earlier and earlier! I'm trying to train my body to wake up 15 minutes earlier every morning with the idea that I go to bed earlier, which will help me the night before the race (I plan on getting up around 4:00 a.m. this Sunday so I need to go to bed around 8:00!). Okay, okay, I know this is a tad overboard but can't you tell I'm doing everything in my power to make this Sunday a success and not a total flop?
And, a bit of good news for all you worriers out there (including me). My husband announced the other night that he has decided to stay with me through the entire race instead of finishing his race and then coming back to get me towards the end. He wants to make sure I'm okay and said he will do anything along the way that I need him to (carry my phone, my Gatorade, etc.). I wonder if this includes strapping me to his back and carrying me most of the way....probably not.

Isn't he the greatest?

Let the Countdown Begin

2010-01-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd be here...7 days out. 1 week. And yet here I am and it's getting closer and closer with every passing minute.

I defeated the illness. I have defeated the calf strain (for now...let's just hope it holds up on race day). The steroids did not make me sick, but actually had the opposite effect and made me feel a sense of euphoria for the past 3 days. Pretty awesome if I must say so. The hip feels great. And, most scarily, I am done training. I did a short 3-miler on the treadmill at the gym yesterday to see how my calf would hold up and it did great. This means my last long run was my 8-miler about 2 weeks ago. This is probably not the best training-wise, but my sports doc is a genius and I believe him when he tells me to rest this week and not risk doing any more long runs. After all, I'm not going into this trying to win it...

I will continue to cycle this week at the gym and I'll be doing a lot of stretching to keep everything tuned up. My mind will be the biggest obstacle this week...this is when all the nerves, doubts, fears and anxiety go into overdrive and it takes everything I have to find something else to think about and focus on.

I will be alright no matter how this turns out. I have so much support and such a loving group of people behind me that are there for me no matter what. I truly appreciate that more than they will ever know.

I plan to update this week with details about next weekend. Check back soon!

Pity Party

2010-01-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Bad:
I'm sick. I'm on the way to a hot whirlpool bath. My sinus cavities feel like they are going to explode. I'm sneezing my head off. I got my last cortisone shot to the hip this morning and it hurts. I actually got 2 shots in two different places in the hip so it hurts twice as bad. My calf is still on the mend. I start a 6-day oral steroid tomorrow to help heal it faster and keep inflammation down on race day. Side effects I might experience are extreme thirst/urination, stomach upset, dizziness, insomnia, and vomit that looks like coffee grounds.

Good:
The doc was positive about my calf and said I will be okay by race day. I can start cycling as soon as I'm not sick anymore, even if my calf is still tender. I've taken enough drugs in the last 6 hours to knock me out for the night. My hip will feel better tomorrow. And most importantly, if I'm experiencing all of this this week, think how much better I'll feel next week with all this behind me.

But for now, I feel like poo so time for bath and bed.

Mayday! Mayday!

2010-01-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

Well, of course it's not smooth sailing over here but I am not surprised.

After a great 8-miler last weekend, I gave my body 3 days off to rest and recover (which is essential) and on the fourth day, tried to go out and complete an easy 3.5-4 miles. I got to mile 2.75 and stopped dead in my tracks from an all-too-familiar feeling in my left calf muscle. I walked home which turned out to be at least half a mile, put the ice on and started to panic. The pain usually strengthens within 24 hours and I knew immediately I would be out for 7 days. That was Thursday. Today is Sunday. There are 14 days left until the half. You do the math.

Anyone who knows me knows I have spent the last 2 days panicking and then my next course of action was to make a plan.

Here's the plan: Nothing until Thursday. This stinks but I have to stay off it, even if that means not getting any training in. Thursday, depending on how it feels, I will attempt a run and determine once I get going how far it's going to last. If all goes great, hooray. If it doesn't, I will have 10 additional days before the half to cross my fingers and hope for the best.

Reality is really setting in. Many people have expressed concern in me even attempting the half but I have to try. I just have to. If a 250 lb., 55 year old man with knee problems on The Biggest Loser can finish a marathon (even though it took him 18 hours), then I can do this. All my timing expectations have gone out the window. I'm no longer hoping to come in under 4 hours. Now I'm just hoping to come in at all and it may take a really, really long time.

So that's the plan. I used to hate the phrase, "It is what it is," but I'm kind of living that right now. I can't do much about recovering faster. I can't do anything about the time I have left. I am heating, icing, light stretching, massaging, keeping it wrapped, and staying off of it and that's all I can do.

Please pray for my healing and pray hard. I really need to do this.

Let's Talk Fashion

2009-12-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

One more long run before the big day! I hope to make it 9 miles this weekend and then taper down to 6 next weekend, the final weekend before race day. Here is the outfit I have decided on for race day.
No, I'm not this skinny in it, but a girl can dream, can't she? I'm making sure to wear this on my weekend long runs to get used to it and make sure it's comfortable with minimal chaffing...some people make the mistake of buying a brand new outfit just for race day but I've seen what that can do to people and it ain't pretty.

I've got my white running cap to block out the sun and my pink Oakley's my husband got for me for my birthday last year. The capris are tight but I prefer that over loose shorts so nothing is rubbing where it shouldn't be. And, as for the pink shirt, I know it doesn't fit in the whole running4landon color scheme, but I couldn't find anything blue and yellow that was cute, my size, and appropriate for running. So, I settled on the bright pink, a complete contrast to the color of asphalt so that if I end up face down on the pavement, I'll be easy to spot.

I'll also be loaded down with my ipod, possibly gloves and ear cover (determined by weather), a hydration belt, a knee brace, a sports bra, special UnderArmour underwear (that have a tendency to give a wedgie on the right side only), and of course my trusty shoes and socks. Wait a second...is it me or does all this seem like a lot of crap to lug around 13.1 miles?.....

So if you dare come out that day, look for the bright pink shirt (my face will also be a similar shade of fuchsia). Happy New Year everybody!

8 Miles

2009-12-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I ran 8 miles. The run itself went great. It's the aftermath that leaves me wondering why people do this to themselves.

Miles 1-4 yesterday went better than ever. The weather was perfect and I felt strong. At around mile 5 is when I started to feel fatigued. I really feel it in the hips and pelvis area more than anywhere else. I never actually started to breathe hard which meant I had a good handle on my breathing...I tried to keep my breaths slow, steady and shallow and even when I was done with 8, I still had never started breathing hard. I sure wish my body would catch up to my lungs. The body becomes so fatigued...all the muscles scream out in pain but I just kept pressing forward. I really had to push it miles 6-8 but the run surprisingly went by very quickly and before I knew it I was done!

Easy, right? Wrong! All day yesterday, I was completely out of commission. I couldn't move my legs and thought my hip was going to burst (time for my final cortisone shot...hooray!). I had to lay down all afternoon, then ended up falling asleep at 8:30 pm and I just woke up at 8:00 am this morning. I'm still amazed at just how much this takes out of me...it's completely draining, completely exhausting and I would by lying if I said I weren't ready for it to be over.

Now I have one more long run left and then the day will be here. Please keep me in your prayers!!!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-12-26T06:27:00.000-08:00

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!

This week has been a whirlwind of fun and exciting things. I try to keep myself focused on these things to keep my mind off the fact that the half marathon is only 22 days away! I'm starting to panic and anxiety attacks are just around the corner.

Back to the fun stuff, it all started just a few days ago with my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. We celebrated, we ate, we drank, we laughed. It's hard to tell someone just how much their commitment to each other means to all of us. Without their union, our whole family wouldn't exist so to say we owe them a lot would be the understatement of the century.

December 23, 1949

December 23, 2009

How blessed! We love you Mama and Papa!

Next it was on to Christmas! This was my first Christmas with Landon (I missed his first one last year since we were out of town) so it gave me so much joy to see him open presents and enjoy this special holiday. He ran around in his Christmas pj's and his little hands worked so hard tearing paper and trying to pull off ribbons. He is such a total cutie!
It was such a wonderful day! I love my family so much and value all the time we spend together--another thing my words cannot fully express. I thank them for their giving hearts and endless love, not just at Christmas, but all the time...I am so, so lucky.

And now, this brings us to today and I find myself switching gears to another important day...my husband's birthday! Again, I'm at a loss for words to describe how lucky I am to have Scott as my husband and best friend. For five long years, I had a crush on this guy and dreamed about us one day being married...I had no idea God would actually let that come true for me and let me live my dream. So to my wonderful, loving husband, I wish you a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you so very much!
For now, it's time to celebrate but tomorrow will be back to training. I'm attempting 8 miles tomorrow but have been feeling another calf issue so I have no idea how far I'll get. I'm to the point now where I know if I can get to the start line without an injury, I could finish (slowly, but I could finish). We are 22 days out and I'm trying so hard not to be klutzy Laura-- running into doorways, jamming toes, tripping, etc., etc. It's really difficult but I'm in the home stretch and just trying to make it there!

7 Miles

2009-12-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Today, I conquered 7 miles. It was tough but not brutal which is good because this is only a little over halfway to 13.1. I think on race day, I am going to be completely spent when this is over. Right now, it's hard to walk and everything from the waist down puts a new meaning to the word "fatigued." Nothing is in pain, which is great and makes me ecstatic but I've never felt these levels of exhaustion before.

If/when I cross the finish, I will need help walking. I might vomit (today came close). I will need help getting back to the hotel, taking a shower, getting stuff downstairs, and packing up the car. It's going to be difficult, and I think that is an understatement.

The great news is that I know I can make it to 7 by getting through this run today. And now I'm going to go enjoy the fruits of my labor: A Cheddar's grilled chicken salad (my wonderful husband has lovingly gone to pick it up for me). And before you say "Oh, Laura, how healthy of you!," I must also add that there's a side of chips and queso with that salad. This will be the laziest afternoon I've had in quite a while.

T SHIRTS ARE HERE!

2009-12-13T15:34:00.000-08:00

Want to be in on all the running4landon fun? Want to be as cute as everyone who already has one? Well, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE! Running4Landon t-shirts are here and they're only $10 each so get 'em while they're hot! They make GREAT stocking stuffers and will promote the cause without you having to say a word! Contact me at laura@running4landon.com if you're interested! Who can resist the adorable picture of Landon on the front with the humorous phrase, "She's no runner...but she's running for me!" The front also has running shoe footprints going across the shirt and the back has our website. Hurry, supplies are limited!

Now, onto other exciting news. I finished my SECOND 6-mile run this morning. I was able to run everything up to mile marker 5.6 because I thought I felt a tweak in my calf and I didn't want to chance it. So at the first sign of anything abnormal, I immediately stopped jogging, started walking, and finished the other .4 miles to complete 6. This one was MUCH easier than the first 6 miler last weekend, but I guess it will be a short-lived celebration because next weekend will be my attempt at seven miles! Yipes!

Diet-wise, well, it's the holidays and I don't have a lot of self-control. One special event this past week had me happily throw my diet rules out the window because my best friend graduated law school and we celebrated at a Brazilian restaurant afterward! First and foremost, congratulations Jenni! The graduation was at the amazing First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth:

Jen graciously agreed to be a part of Team Landon and run the half-marathon as well, so she's been going through the whole training process while in law school! How amazing!!

Strip

2009-12-10T03:53:00.000-08:00

What a great week! Work has finally slowed down, workouts have been great, I'm injury free, and Christmas is almost here...hooray!

Yesterday I did a very comfortable 4 miler faster than I have ever done and had no soreness or pain. I think 4 miles is becoming my new comfort distance. This weekend I'll either do 6 or 7 with some walking mixed in. I've got to increase fast...we only have about a month left!!

I've still maintained my weight at the 35 lb. mark and finally had to break down and buy a new bra. Apparently clothes aren't the only thing you have to buy when you lose weight. I used to dread bra shopping. Going to Victoria's Secret, not having a clue what size I actually was, and then having to see larger-than-life posters of VS models up on the walls everywhere was not the best experience. But this time was better, thanks to the dressing room. I actually got fitted which I highly recommend to all you ladies out there because the bra I had on at the time was 2 sizes too big!

Now, back to the dressing room. If you any of you have any connections to VS, let me know because next time they remodel their stores, I must get my hands on one of the dressing room mirrors! Who wouldn't want a floor to ceiling framed mirror, propped up on the floor and backlit with flattering lighting and donning a pink, neon sign on top that spells out STRIP???

Now I know this sounds tacky but next time you're at the mall, swing in there and check out what I'm saying. The light is flattering. The angle of the mirror makes you look skinny. Runway music is blasting. And there's a pink neon sign that makes you feel anything but self-conscious.

So after help from the nice lady and being wooed by the dressing room, I think I walked out with three news bras (one of those is Heidi Klum's favorite so I had to have it of course). The moral of the story is: go out and buy something nice for yourself that makes you feel good about yourself. Whether it's a bra or a mirror with a giant neon sign on top (which is totally on my Christmas list now).

And who knows, maybe I'll grace the runway at the VS fashion show next year. Heidi. Giselle. Alessandra. Laura.

Ha!

RETRACTION!!

2009-12-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Sorry folks! I don't know if anyone caught the last post but after reading it a day later, I just realized it TOTALLY did not turn out the way I intended!! There were some phrases in there that, well, let's just say I meant one thing but they sounded like another.

I will paraphrase for those of you that missed it. And for those of you that didn't miss it...my sincere apologies.

---Paraphrase of Yesterdays' Post---
I completed a 6 mile run. I ran the whole thing. It was very difficult and today I am very sore. I reached a milestone. Hooray!

Time to Buckle Down

2009-12-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

We are reaching the final 6 weeks until the half, and now it's crunch time! To my friends and family...please don't be offended these next several weeks if you ask me if I want to do something fun and I decline. I've been semi-serious for the last 9 months but now I have to get super-duper serious. I have two days a week that I will not be training, so if you do want to do something fun with me, perhaps we can work it in those two days.

Okay, that's tacky, you all know I always have time for you! But seriously, please try to take pity on me until January 17th. If you see me, you could offer me a neck/shoulder rub or a foot massage. I'm just saying...

Just finished a 4.5 miler and it was great! People driving by slowed down to do double takes of me in my shorts and short-sleeve shirt in 30 degree temperatures. I'm all about keeping the extremities warm so I did have gloves and ear cover on. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for 6 miles. I have never seen 6 miles. These runs always frighten me. If I can finish it, I will have completed almost half of a half marathon.

Holy schnikees.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-30T17:58:00.000-08:00

Happy belated turkey day! Hope you all had a great one! I am still trying to grasp the fact that tomorrow marks the first day of December! I really need everything to slow down a little, but time...that funny creature...is going to continue to tick tock away!

I spent Thanksgiving day at work (bleh) while one of the things I am most thankful for, my family, was patient and kind enough to postpone our celebration until the day after Thanksgiving. And when it finally did roll around, it was glorious. Time spent with everyone, the smells of a home cooked feast, football on in the background...everything Thanksgiving should be and more.

I gained two pounds. I ran 5 miles to burn it off. My calf didn't hurt. I was thankful for that alone.

It was also a special day because I got to spend it with my buddy Landon. Until now, I haven't been 100 percent convinced that he knows who I am or that we are related. But this day, we played on the floor for what seemed like hours. He was totally immersed in what we were doing and I was surprised he seemed to like me. He laughed, he squealed, we played chase. I love his sense of wonder and curiosity. It was like we were in our own little world and I loved watching him study every toy and every movement we made. You could actually see him learning as we played with shapes and colors. Amazing.

Look at that face so focused...I wish I could read his mind!

Thank you to my wonderful family for the willingness to celebrate such a special day a day late! I know it's not the same but I love all of you for doing it for me. And to me, it felt just like Thanksgiving, no matter what day it was!

Yeesh

2009-11-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, yeesh. After that 5-miler on Monday, the pain definitely creeped back into my lower calf and I once again had to say off it all week. This time I'm going to let it heal completely, I promise! In the meantime I have been cycling like a mad-woman at the gym. I did a really rigorous 40-minute cycle yesterday and my legs felt like jello, which is always a good sign. I guess cycling doesn't work the calves too hard because it didn't bother me one bit. I've been keeping it wrapped, iced and elevated and now I just wait until I can get back out there again (hopefully this week). I plan on doing some indoor swimming this week and I'm really excited about that! I haven't trained in a pool since my triathlon-training days a year and a half ago!

You may be thinking I am sounding awfully calm about this whole thing and I've come to the sort of calm place before the storm. Right now I feel like I could do 13 miles (slowly of course). Granted, it would be really tough but I think I'm in the kind of shape now where I could finish if I absolutely had to. After these 5 mile runs, I have felt like I could do much more if it weren't for the little injuries that crop up. The plan on race day is to ignore these injuries when they crop up and continue on to the finish line. I usually stop when I feel the slightest twinge of anything but I'm sure I could press on to finish and just have to suck up the damage I'm going to do 24 hours after the race is over. Exciting, huh?!

Some more exciting news...I've reached my 35 lb. weight loss mark and am 2 lbs. away from my original goal! I think I'm changing that goal though, because even if I lost 2 more lbs. I would still look and feel overweight. So I'm thinking of trying to drop another 20 but we'll see how that goes. Right now I'm excited because I got rid of all my fat clothes this weekend and am pulling out stuff from college which was 4 sizes smaller than what I was wearing before all this started! Hooray! It feels so great to get back into my Banana Republic pants...I've missed you!!!

No, this isn't me modeling the pants, but they are so fabulous, they deserve a shout out!

I'm Back! Hopefully...

2009-11-16T17:28:00.001-08:00

Just finished 5 miles and am typing this in between breaths and stretching. I felt like I finally returned to where I was before that annoying little calf injury. This run was awesome! I tried to let my calf heal for the last week and wrapped it up good and tight tonight. It's currently being iced so I can't feel anything but here's to hoping no pain returns in the morning!

Fingers crossed!!

Lessons Learned

2009-11-14T16:49:00.001-08:00

2 months left until the half-marathon. Many lessons have been learned and I learned a very important one this week: Never purchase the official half-marathon merchandise until you actually complete the half-marathon.

This past week started off not-so-great. I did my usual Tuesday evening run (3.5 miles) and it went horribly wrong. It was hot and muggy out, my food hadn't digested well enough so I got the horrible side cramp, I wasn't hydrated, and all these things combined contributed in some capacity to a strained calf muscle. Little things like this are starting to pop up more often, probably because I'm taking my body to a whole new realm its never seen before. And it's making me panic. I had to stay off the leg for a couple of days and went out and did an easy 2-miler on Friday thinking it was all better. It wasn't and now I've got to stay off it another couple of days to get it healed properly. In my mind, all I can think is, I don't have time for this! I've really got to keep consistent and on track with my training and I've allotted a little wiggle room, but that is running out quickly!

And just as a little icing on the cake....mmmmmm, cake....I received a package in the mail yesterday and I turned into Debbie Downer immediately upon opening it. You see, back in July when I registered for the half, I was given the option at check-out to pre-purchase the official merchandise since they usually sell out quickly. Well I just HAD to have the beautiful blue fleece jacket with the official half-marathon logo on it! And this was soooo NOT the week they should have shipped it to me! To have the doubts of not finishing set in and then receive the half-marathon jacket in the mail made me depressed to say the least. I don't even have the heart to try it on because to wear it, I should earn it...and I am far from that now.

All week I've been in panic mode, wondering if I will even make it to the start line...they say getting to the start line on race day is half the battle and just accomplishing that is a feat in itself. Now I understand this statement with complete clarity. I just need to get there. If I can get to race day injury free, I'll do anything to cross the finish line. But I can't start a race with a pulled muscle or anything of the sorts.

So please pray for me and pray hard. I have so many reasons to finish and now I have another...I really want to wear the jacket:

Hurts So Good...

2009-11-08T15:23:00.001-08:00

Yes, this is the actual needle that penetrated my skin, went into my hip and injected my inflamed bursa with the magical stuff I call Cortisone. Sure, the Good Doc and Good Nurse thought I was a complete weirdo for asking if I could take a picture of this ginormous needle but after telling them about my blog, they were happy to oblige. The Good Nurse even held it against the light wall so the metallic luster of the needle would really show well. They are so good to me there.

I had looked forward to this moment for the last 2 weeks. I could tell the benefits of the first shot were wearing off and I could not wait to get the relief this one would be providing. There's just one catch...and one that I had forgotten about: The pain.

I was cheerfully yapping to the Good Doc and Nurse about my training progress and how I could not believe I had done five miles. As I began to lay down on my left side I happily went on about why I was wearing knee high, bright red reindeer Christmas socks (I'm sure they also found me a complete weirdo for that one but they're the only ones that go up high enough with my knee high boots so I have to wear them).

Before I knew it, the Good Nurse yanked my pants down on the right side and covered me with one of those paper sterile cloths. Hmmm, I don't remember this part, I remember thinking. I also didn't recall the sterile wipes cause I don't recall there being any blood last time.

So I'm caught mid-sentence by the Good Doctor saying, "Small stick," after which I felt a small stick. And just as I was thinking, Oh, that was just a small little stick, I then felt the needle slide through my bursa sack and begin to fill it with the medication that's supposed to hurt worse before it gives any relief. If I had to describe it, I'd say it felt like sticking a needle into a water balloon. Only the water balloon is an irritated, inflamed, angry balloon from which all leg pain radiates from that single, pinpoint area. And then one finds that exact, bruised, irritated area and jams a sharp needle into it.

The pain radiated all throughout my hip, thigh, leg, and butt. There was blood. It's like I wanted to punch the Good Doctor in the face but I also wanted to hug him cause I knew it was going to feel SO good later. All I could do was squeeze my eyes closed, make a fist, and bang it down next to me on the padded table. I had to lay there and take it until he was done moving it around inside my hip to cover all the areas. This was Friday and I spent the rest of the night Friday and all day Saturday limping around the house with strict instructions to take it easy.

Today (Sunday) I got back on schedule and got to the gym for a 40-minute cycle workout. This put absolutely no stress on the hip so it was perfect for getting in my cardio and my mandatory cross-training. I'm feeling much better today but will still be taking my anti-inflammatory meds before my runs this week.

More to come later! Hope I didn't gross you guys out too much!

YANKEES WIN!

2009-11-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

O happy day, the Yanks win the World Series!!!

Just had to say it.

Channeling NYC

2009-11-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Another Halloween has come and gone...Around our house, Thanksgiving colors replace the glitter skulls and other morose things I consider "fun" Halloween decor. This weekend was not just filled with ghosts and goblins. It was not just about the Aggies whipping some tail at Kyle Field (thank goodness). It was also about me. Jogging 5 miles. The entire thing without stopping to walk.

---angels sing here---

Yeah, I don't know how it happened. I awoke at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning and was refreshed by my early bedtime the night before and the extra hour of sleep (thank you, Mr. Daylight Savings man!). I checked the temperature outside: 47 degrees. Naturally, I put on my spandex shorts and a short sleeve running t-shirt. I chose to forgo the jacket and it's a good thing because after about 2 minutes I would have taken it off anyway.

Miles 1 and 2 are always the most difficult but at the end of mile two, I suddenly remembered something: today was the New York City Marathon. Then it hit me as I glanced at my watch: they are running right now just like me.

Now most of you might be saying, "Yeah, I don't give a flying flip about New York," but there's just something about that city that I love. I first went to the Big Apple at age 15 and instantly felt at home. It's a city of magic, a city of fun, a city of love--all the things that captivate me and my hopeless romantic imagination...I forever am indebted to it--it will always be the city that brought my husband and me together.

As I'm running I'm thinking about all of these things and started to imagine what it was like to be there..running in the mecca of all marathons. I kind of pretended I was there. The air was cold, just like I knew it was in New York. Instead of still houses and lifeless streets where I was running, I imagined Central Park with people cheering me on to the finish.

We all know good and well I will never complete a marathon (and for good reason) but that one simple visualization kept me going, foot in front of foot until...Shazaam! 5 miles done and I wasn't even out of breath! The hip is another story but I don't want to ruin a good thing here so we'll just forget about that for now.

Never in a million years did I think I'd be able to run 5 miles. And as I walked into my house to stretch when it was over I walked in the door and had to smile at what I saw:
The New York City skyline framed by an autumn branch in our living room. Hey, I may never run the NYC Marathon, but these little goals make me feel just as good as crossing that finish line in Central Park. I challenge you to set a goal for yourself and work hard to reach it...nothing is impossible!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm a day early, but due to the fact that Aggie football does not rest on holidays and requires me to work said days, I must jump the gun and post early. So just pretend it's Halloween, if you will.

My first 5-mile workout will be this weekend so I'm a little nervous. This is a very, very long way for me. I probably won't run the whole thing but I think I can finish with some walking and a water bottle strapped around my waist (I tend to suck down fluids like a camel).

And, while I have managed to stay away from all the tempting Halloween candy, I have not managed to stay away from all the last-minute Halloween deals. Take this for example...I have no interest in voodoo, sorcery or ghosts but I could not for the life of me turn down this sparkly glitter skull from Pottery Barn (it's sparklier in person):

I do love all things Halloween. And I do love my Landon. And Landon loves his sock monkey:

So wouldn't it be natural for him to dress up like one for Halloween?

And run around collecting all the candy he can get his little fingers on (hey buddy, please don't offer any to Aunt Laura, okay? It'll go straight to my hiney!)Oh, and Landon...Halloween is such a magical time with memories that will stay with you, even when you are all grown up. Always let a little piece of you be the kid in the sock monkey outfit.

The End

The Training Schedule

2009-10-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I just finished my second 4-mile jaunt and am proud to say I ran the whole thing. I think from my blog posts, my training seems pretty random and sporadic so if you want to see my exact training schedule you can click here. I'm already on week 2!

This looks like a grueling training schedule...it's got me doing something 5-6 days out of the week but I kind of loosely interpret this since I know I'm not going to be a distance runner anytime soon. The four miles this morning has left me a little sore and a little spent. I was aware of my hip the whole time but tried to ignore it and push on. I go back in a week and a half for another cortisone shot into the bursa sack (gosh, that sounds so fun!). After my follow up appointment with the doc this past week, we've decided I will have two more shots to get me through training and race day and oddly enough, I'm looking forward to them because of the instant relief they bring! Hooray for steroids!

It's been a wonderful weekend so far...great family time yesterday (happy belated birthday, Dad!), wonderful weather and a photo shoot of a certain someone in his Halloween Costume...Now, I don't want to give away the full details until my special, spooky Halloween day post, but...is that?...could it be?...yes...that's a runaway sock monkey I see!

Mwa ah ah! Happy almost Halloween!!!

Picture Perfect

2009-10-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

What an amazing weekend! Notice it's Monday as I say this. That's because I had today off and it was fabulous!

Saturday I did an easy three miles (when did running 3 miles become easy?!) and then got to meet my wonderful friend Meghan for a ritual that is to go untouched for the rest of time...eating at Cheddar's. Meghan lives far, far away in the land of Tennessee but still visits Texas and I snatch her up when I hear she is coming this way. We always go to Cheddar's (don't ask me why but I'm sure it has something to do with the queso), and we stay there chatting for hours until the waitress gives us the evil eye and we are forced to relinquish our booth. She is the best...so encouraging, hilarious, smart, and not to mention a very faithful reader of my blog...so here's your shout out, Meg!! I miss you girl and I will be dreaming of our queso until we meet again!

Sunday brought another fun day. Scott and I drove to Austin with gorgeous weather all around us and did an outdoor photo shoot with 11 little kids. That's right, I said ELEVEN! Now, I've done shoots with small children before but this was totally new for me...and well worth the experience! My cousin Jessica and her hubby Keri have two cutie-pie little girls, Avery and Grace. They have tons of cutie-pie neighborhood friends that have grown together through the years and I had the pleasure of shooting their yearly group photo:
To make things even more exciting, these beautiful moms all pitched in and made a generous donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation which I will be posting through running4landon.com soon! Thank you all so very much for your support!

We had a few tears yesterday but nothing a few red balloons couldn't cure...

Ahhhhh, the magic of childhood!!

Before and Almost-After

2009-10-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

So what does 30 pounds look like? Yeesh, I can't believe I'm about to post the most heinous picture EVER of me that exists but for documentation purposes, I really need to get it in my head what a difference 30 pounds can make...

October 2009

About 20 more lbs. to go before I reach my goal! I wonder if I'll ever be self-confident enough to dance around in my underwear like this handsome young fellow. I sure hope so!

Huh??!!!!???!!!

2009-10-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Today is a milestone.
I don't know if it was the temperature outside, the light rain/drizzle falling from the sky or the music from my ipod. I don't know how it happened but somehow, today, I ran 4.2 miles straight without slowing down or walking. And it seemed easy. That's 1/3 of the half-marathon and I am bewildered.

A lot had to do with the fact that I look 3 Advil one hour before jogging to nix the hip pain. Probably not the best thing for me but I've got to wing it until January and it works. Nonetheless, I started out just like any other workout before. The neighborhood was quiet and no one was out due to the cold and the rain. Mile 1 went by really fast and before I knew it, I was at the end of Mile 2 and wondering why I wasn't out of breath or ready to stop like I usually am. My goal had been 3 miles but about halfway through 3, I realized I still wasn't tired or out of breath so I continued on. Okay, we'll go for four and see what happens. Mile 4 came and went and I looked at my watch: 54:33. Had I really run for almost an hour and I'm not out of breath?? What on earth is going on?

Now, this is not the fastest time, but it's within the time limit for race day and I just didn't get what was happening. I had finished my 4 mile route and then I didn't know what to do (I hadn't planned for this scenario) so I jogged the rest of the way back to our house, still not breathing hard or ready to quit. A total of 4.2 miles. I strolled into the house, immediately got ice on my hip per the good doctor's recommendation and started my stretching routine. After that I just kind of sat there scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on. That's not supposed to be easy. Why was that easy?

It's hours later and I still don't have the answer but I'll take it with no complaints! I am grateful because today, for the first time since I started this endeavor in February, I feel like a runner. I haven't felt like a runner this whole time (and I may not ever again) but today I do and to say it felt wonderful doesn't begin to describe it! Guess we'll have to see what this week's workouts bring!

My Top 10

2009-10-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

FINALLY! A great workout! Just got done with 3 miles...I'm slowly but surely working back up again. I can feel the hip but I wouldn't say I'm in pain...just kind of a nagging feeling but today I plowed through it, stretched like I was supposed to and am now enjoying some homemade guacamole with organic avocado, tomato, onion, hot sauce, lemon juice, and low-fat sour cream...yum!

And a quick shout-out to my mom, the birthday girl. Well, okay her birthday was last week but we just celebrated and she got a new ipod--I promise I will help you download some songs mom!
Here's my "top ten" on my ipod...some of these are part of the reason I stay motivated to run...music helps!

1. "I Gotta Feelin'" by The Black Eyed Peas (this song just makes me happy cause it's got a good, positive vibe)
2. "My Way" by Limp Bizkit (this is my nod to old school! Yes, it's older than dirt but I still want to bust out dancing in the street when it comes on)
3. "She Wolf" by Shakira (I really don't want to like this song. I am not a Shakira fan. Never have been. But something about this song gets my feet off the pavement)
4. "Ice Cream Paint Job" by Dorrough (just because somewhere, deep down inside of me, I am a rapper)
5. "Not Enough" by Our Lady Peace (one of my favorite songs of all time...this is good stuff)
6. "Violin Theme from Schindler's List" by Itzhak Pearlman (I saw him play this in person from about 20 feet away and have rarely been moved by music like I was then. Plus, it helps slow down my breathing)
7. "Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship (the lead singer of this now-popular band used to be in a smaller band that I adored in college. My friend Cas and I used to hang with them. And now he's uber-famous)
8. "Shake It" by Metro Station (well, because it makes me feel okay about things shakin' when I run)
9. "You are My Joy" by Reindeer Section (one of those little-known songs that no one's ever heard of but is just so great)
10. "Keeps Gettin' Better" by Christina Aguilera (because I really need to get better and better!)

Any suggestions? What do YOU think I should download to make these workouts a little more fun?

Can I Get an 'Amen'?

2009-10-02T04:27:00.001-07:00

Another morning, another weigh in....
And I've finally reached 30 lbs.!!!!
That sounds like so much weight to me but I still don't feel like I look 30 lbs. lighter. Oh, well, I'll take it anyway. Now I get to make that massage appointment for the spa. Let me tell you people, if you need a good weight loss plan, go on the "for every ten pounds I lose, I get an hour massage at the spa" plan...it's worked wonders for me because the incentive of the massage alone is worth losing weight for!
I will have a dandy day with this exciting news....I hope all of you have one, too!

Back to the Gym

2009-09-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

Honestly speaking, I haven't been to the gym in forever! I started more of a running program a couple of months ago and gave the wallet a break with the personal training (no offense Bergernator but personal training does get pricey). Now that my running program is temporarily on hold due to my little "setback" I've had to scramble to come up with something new to keep me in shape while I'm giving the leg a rest.

Last week proved to be a really rough week for me...all this news about my injury, work was crazy, I was super bummed and really considered switching over to the 5k race instead of the half. Don't worry, I didn't.

I had to work yesterday (Saturday) and was exhausted but I came home and my super sweet husband whisked me off to the movies...which is one of my favorite things to do so it really got my mind off things. On our way home I told him all of my frustrations, fears and doubts about all of this and he was so encouraging. When I told him I was scared I would have to walk the whole thing and they would shut down the course around me, he said, "Who cares? Let them...you'll walk on the sidewalk." When I told him I wouldn't make it under the time limit of four hours he said, "Who cares? You'll finish and that's all that matters." And when I told him I would come in dead last across the finish line he said, "Don't worry. I'll come back and and find you and we'll do it together."

I don't think he saw me cry (it was dark) but I did. Scott has always been there for me, cheering me on no matter how hard it is to believe in myself.
Which brings me back to today and a way more positive outlook on things. The first thing Scott and I decided to do was to get back to the gym and focus on everything I could do. I can cycle, I can do weights, I can row...I need to do all the things right now to keep my stamina up and not lose too much of what I've worked up to. We'll see what the week brings but today I did a 30-minute hard cycle and felt no pain in the hip which was awesome. It actually felt good to sweat!

Please continue to pray for me...you all have been so supportive and your thoughts, kind words and encouragement are what's keeping me going (not to mention a little retail therapy once in a while, too)! Thank you so very much! I love you all!!

The Good Doctor

2009-09-23T03:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went and saw the good doctor about my hip. He was awesome and specializes in sports medicine and knew exactly what he was talking about. After an x-ray, some poking, prodding, and stretching, he told me what I knew all along: Laura, you have hip bursitis. Actually, I blurted it out before he could and he was impressed with my self-diagnosis. Dang it, I should have gone to med school.

He proceeded to give me a pamphlet full of stretches that I will need to do to heal the area. In the meantime, I could take an anti-inflammatory and he could also give me a cortisone shot to the hip to mask the pain for the next month or so and then I could go back for another one before the run. I have a pretty high pain threshold (I hear those things hurt) so I said, "Give it to me doc."

The nurse pulled out a 4" needle on a huge syringe filled with white stuff and the good doctor put it right into my hip, and instantly I could feel the exact area that the pain radiated from. It was like having a huge bruise and someone was pressing their finger smack dab into the middle of it. But I didn't care...anything to ease the pain and let me run again.

After that was over he said the words that still I don't know if I should laugh or cry over. When he asked how far up I was on my mileage and I said 4 miles, he looked concerned and shook his head. His exact words were, "Laura, I'm going to be honest and realistic with you. You are not going to be able to run a half-marathon...not this one, not any half-marathon. Some people can distance run, some people can't, and you can't. I don't want you to have any false expectations."

Wow. He said it out loud. I can't do it. I've known all along I would be walking a big portion of the half, but I don't know if hearing him say that should be a relief so that any pressure I've had on myself is taken off, or if I should cry because now I'm really going to come in dead last on race day and might be in some serious pain when it's over.

The good doctor told me that he would do everything in his power to get me across the finish line and he re-vamped some of my training to include more walking and less running in my workouts.

Now I'm left with the realization that this half-marathon will without a doubt be the hardest physical thing I've ever done in my life. I will be in pain. My knees and ankles are going to start to bother me next (says the doc), and if I do finish, it's not going to be a pretty picture. I hope you can all come out on race day...not so much to cheer me on anymore, but to carry me out of there if I can cross that line.

So what do you think? Should I feel relieved or terrified?

I Stink.

2009-09-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

No, really. I literally stink. I just finished my best run yet...2.5 miles straight without stopping to walk AND I came in under the time limit (usually I walk parts of my 3-4 mile workouts so not walking on this one was huge for me!).

This awesome workout meant that I sweated a lot. A whole lot. It was gross. I don't like the smell of anyone's sweat, let alone my own and it made me want to barf.

That is all. You may call me Stinky Girl.

Oh, and 4 MONTHS exactly until the big day!!!

Running in the Rain

2009-09-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

This entire training process has been a real learning experience. I've come to the realization today that pretty much every week I'm doing something for the first time...I ran 2 minutes straight for the first time, then 5, then 10, then my first mile. I ran 2 and 3 miles for the first time. And today was a new first...Today I ran for the first time in the rain.

My alarm went off at an early 6:30 am this Saturday morning but I didn't roll out of bed until 20 minutes later. I could hear the rain pounding on the roof and as I lay there listening for thunder and watching for lightening through the window, they never came. Just the rain, hard and steady. Of course I debated going back to sleep but without thunder or lightening I knew I had no excuse to get out there and start my 4-miler.

From then until I headed out the door, it was a blur. I don't think I actually woke up until I closed the front door and stepped into the street and started to jog. Within about 2 minutes, I was drenched but oddly, I liked it. It was cool and refreshing. I had a cap on so I didn't have to worry about my eyes or face. The wind wasn't blowing...it was just a cool, quiet rain. I had the entire neighborhood to myself, as no walkers or joggers would be stupid enough to voluntarily run in the rain when they could be sleeping. There weren't even any cars out so I took the liberty of running in the street to get a feel for what race day would be like (minus the bajillion people).

Miles one and two were great. Mile three I felt a pain come back in my right thigh and hip area that has been bugging me for a while on my long runs. By mile 3.75 I had to call it quits as the nagging pain turned into a burning, scorching, seering pain that made me feel like the joint where my hip and pelvis meet was going to come apart inside my body.

On one hand I was really bummed that I missed my goal by a quarter of a mile but on the other hand I was really excited because if it hadn't have been for the little injury, I felt like I could have gone forever. My breathing felt great and the rest of my body felt like it could have run all 4 miles. Dang that stupid leg pain!!

On another bright side, a lot of rain always brings a really cool rainbow. And, no, there wasn't a pot of gold at our house despite it being at the end of the rainbow...

Wooooo hoooooo!

2009-09-11T04:06:00.000-07:00

I don't like to post useless, meaningless posts but today it's necessary...It's Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo hooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be doing a 4-miler so keep me in your thoughts!

-Laura

Check Him Out...

2009-09-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I totally thought Twitter would be the most useless tool I could ever use, but it has put the community of Cystic Fibrosis supporters right at my fingertips...I follow their tweets about new and interesting CF-related stories and they follow mine (which I am trying to make more positive and less "Ugh, I'm a fattyboombalatty and I'm never going to be a runner").

During my tweet searching, I ran across the most fascinating person. He is my age. He is training for a half-marathon. He loves his girlfriend and his dog. He has an amazing sense of humor and positive attitude. He is upbeat about any and all of his training progress (which I am also working on). His name is Ronnie and he has CF.

He and his girlfriend have created a website/blog to honestly talk about his life and what it's like on a daily basis...the good, the bad, and everything in between. I find it fascinating (and humorous, as they also post videos of themselves singing karaoke in the car with the dog chillaxing in the back seat).

Check it out...what an inspiration!!! http://runsickboyrun.com/

I Never Thought I'd Say This...

2009-09-02T18:35:00.001-07:00

...but you can now find me on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/CFRunner
Check me out...I have followers, and am following, some great and interesting people!

Just finished an awesome 2-mile run...This is my first time to run later in the evening and I really like it (morning is too scary and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, right after work it's too hot...this is just perfect!).

Still holding steady at the 24 lb. mark. I seem to have been at this plateau forever! Any suggestions?

And on a totally random note, happy Aggie football season! Whoop!

Garage Sale Mania!

2009-08-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we did it! Lots of donations, love, and time were put into the ultimate garage sale this past weekend at my house! I can't thank everyone enough for coming out to help, donating their time, donating their things, and doing it all so selflessly!

It was a crazy morning and we were swamped with tons of people!

The work crew (don't be fooled...the little chihuahua riding on the man's shoulder didn't do anything to help...lazy bum)

I'm not sure what was so funny but I love this picture...

Cas is the best...she came all the way in from San Antonio to help out! What a trooper--I sooo owe her big time! She even helped count all the cash...we get to send over $600 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!!!

It was only suiting to celebrate by doing our usual ritual...cooking! This time it was the famous bruschetta from the movie "Julie and Julia." A little bread in some olive oil....

And voila! Just like the movie...
DELICIOUS!

Say It Isn't So!!!

2009-08-24T19:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal: THE SPRINKLES CUPCAKE AFTER PARTY IS OFF! Boo hoo! It was my strong hope that after completing this 13.1 mile mayhem, anyone and everyone who wanted to celebrate would gather round the table at Sprinkles Cupcakes which was supposed to have been open by now in the galleria area.

I just received the news that construction has been delayed 9 months which means no Sprinkles Cupcake store will exist in Houston by January. Oh, say it isn't so! All night long, dreams fill my head of me, having just completed a half-marathon, lounging back to enjoy a nice tall glass of ice cold skim milk and a Sprinkles peanut butter chocolate cupcake (yes, that really exists...see picture above).

Is this an omen that I have romanticized this notion a little too far? I think reality is telling me this could be a good thing because I'm going to be teaching myself to re-walk after the half-marathon anyway, and that won't leave much time for eating cupcakes. Oh well, here's some little slices of heaven for us all to salivate over (aren't they so chic?!):

Klutz-o-rific

2009-08-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Just got done with a 3-miler and it was awesome! It has been the first run in a while where I really felt good and strong. I ran the first two miles, powerwalked a couple of laps and then finished the 3 with a jog so I felt pretty good. Even though I have a long way to go, whenever I get frustrated, I just think back to when I never thought I'd be able to even run a mile at one time!

Today I think I only tripped two times versus my usual four or five. Seriously folks, I have got to be the klutziest person on the face of the earth and that's probably not a good thing when you're trying to run 13.1 miles. But I am what I am, and so I have to accept that I will continue to run into walls, doorways, furniture, etc. I will continue to trip when walking and running, so let's remain optimistic and just hope I don't face plant into the ground.

In other workout news, I've lost 24 pounds total now (which some days I feel like it and some days I don't) and this brings me to over halfway to my goal of 40 lbs. total....come on, fat, melt away already! I would love to be at my goal weight when I run in January, but not just because I want to look good in spandex. I think it would help my running so much more if I was carrying around less junk in the trunk.

So that's the word around here. I've got my first 5-mile workout coming up soon...please pray for me!

Oh, and here's the picture of the week. Isn't Landon getting SO big? He looks like a little boy in this picture! Which, he IS a little boy, so that makes perfect sense...but what happened to that little baby?? He's such a cutie, don't you think?! What's more precious: the little hand waving, the "duck duck moose" onesie, or the sippie cup in the background?

Under the Knife

2009-08-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hello blogworld! I'm back!

It's only been a week, I know, but I hope to blog more often than I have the last month or so. Life gets crazy and this training schedule of mine keeps me busy every minute of the day it seems.

I had a minor setback last week that only allowed me to workout once! Last Sunday, I did a 4.1 mile workout and felt pretty good. Tuesday I had to go in for a minor medical procedure (don't panic blog fans, it was no biggie and everything turned out fine) but I was left with about 15 stitches in two different places...and that is SO not conducive for working out! So, I took it easy Tuesday through Sunday and let myself heal. Sunday afternoon I headed to the gym thinking I had lost everything I had trained for and felt doomed to start over. But I had a great 2 mile "intro back into running" workout and it totally put my mind at ease that my body didn't forget what it's taken 6 months to learn!

Today around lunchtime I went in to have my stitches removed and everything went great. I was so pumped about going to jog after work and so excited that my body was back to normal and healed and able to run. I changed my clothes and just as the positive thoughts flowed through my mind, I went to pick up my gym back and pop! I heard the pop ring through my head internally and then felt the weird feeling. The feeling of a wound being open that was not supposed to be open. And boy was it open.

So, here I am, at home blogging about the whole thing instead of being at the gym working out like I need to be. A coworker told me there was no way I could go do a workout...the risk of sweating and getting all that bacteria in an open wound was the worst thing I could do. All that's left to do is wait to call the doc in the morning. Thankfully there's no blood involved, so I guess I've healed to a certain point.

Ew, this is getting gross. In happier running4landon news, I'm just now starting to get the word out about my site. I have emails and letters yet to send, candy and pens yet to give out, advertising yet to do and it's all going to keep me busy for a while. But, the most fun thing I'd have to say are the CAR DECALS which I couldn't wait to get on the vehicles! I've never had a personalized decal before:

Look, a big one for the big car...

...and a little one for the little car!

Yes, I get way too excited about things like this, but it's the little things that are exciting and fun!
More to come soon!

Holdin' Steady

2009-08-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not in denial anymore...I've reached a plateau. I lost 22 lbs as of a couple of weeks ago and not one ounce since then. Still holding steady on the weight but I will have to try some workouts to shock my body back into a weight loss cycle (boy that sure does sound like I know what I'm doing, huh?).

This morning I was up at 6:00 am for a 4.2 miler. I only did 4.1 cause I was d-o-n-e when I got that far. Miles one and two went really well. I jogged them both in good time and felt pretty good. The sun started to rise and the air was still and humid so I power walked miles 3 and 4. I kid you not, I can practically power walk just as fast as I can jog. My indoor gym didn't open until noon today and I knew I had to get this done before that...so I braved the outdoors and almost melted into a pile of fatty goo on the sidewalk.

Saturday I got to see one of my favorite people in the world...my friend from college, Michelle. She makes me laugh and she makes me laugh hard. She and her wonderful husband donated a ton of cool stuff for my garage sale (August 29th people...mark your calendars!) so I'm giving them a shout-out. And thanks for the healthy lunch, too (Michelle can really rock it out in the kitchen).

Speaking of food, if you are on a diet, don't go see the movie Julie & Julia. They cook a lot of delicious food in the movie and they use a ton of butter which made me salivate through the whole thing.

Update from the CF Foundation

2009-08-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I received the following email from the CF Foundation. It sounds so promising and I ask for your prayers that it can be the drug to cure the thousands of people living with CF!

"Dear Friend,

We’ve reached an exciting milestone in the search for a cure.
One of our most promising potential therapies, VX-770, is moving forward in clinical trials. This compound has the potential to be one of the first drugs ever to treat the basic genetic defect in cystic fibrosis.

VX-770 (developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals) is already being tested in adults. This week, for the first time, Vertex initiated a clinical trial in patients aged 6 to 11. Once the studies are complete, the FDA will determine if VX-770 is safe, effective and acceptable for approval. To find out more about VX-770, read the full story. You can also read a very exciting article in today's Xconomy, quoting CF researcher Bonnie Ramsey and highlighting the work of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation."

Emotional Wreck

2009-08-05T18:41:00.001-07:00

I admit it...I am an emotional wreck. On one hand, workouts are great, I'm doing more and more with each run I do and couldn't be happier about that. The Bergernator has been in Argentina on vacation and I've surprisingly done well without someone forcing me to workout until the verge of passing out--now I just do it on my own!

The diet is going....eh.....just okay. I did just get home from a trip to Baskin Robbins, but a girl has to have a Baskin Robbins (kids scoop mind you!) at some points during a summer heat wave! It was chocolate and it was bliss, and if I really ever needed ice cream, today was the day.

I don't know if I can talk about this but I'll try. Here goes. Here's the reason I'm an emotional mess:

I got rid of my car.
I got rid of a hooptie...but she was my hooptie. She was a 12-year old 4Runner with 180,000 miles, superglue holding on certain parts, duct tape holding together other parts. The antenna snapped off long ago in a car wash, the clock wouldn't work if the A/C was on, and the interior was covered in Golden Retriever fur and snot (I always thought the snot looked like love notes my dog had written to me on the window, but whatever).

And now she's gone. I didn't plan on getting rid of her...the Cash 4 Clunkers deal loomed over our heads and there was a beautiful Highlander calling our names on the lot. I was swept up in lust and passion and next thing I know, we're signing and shaking hands and taking this picture:
But then reality set in and someone told me I had to clean out my car and say goodbye.
What?! Say goodbye? Like for good???
"Yes," replied our sales guy. "We're going to drill a hole through the engine and then another through the transmission and then it's going to be demolished in a junkyard."

They were going to kill her.

It was then that I started to bawl. Scott and the sales guy were looking at me as if I'd lost my mind. As I went through the nooks and crannies of my beautiful baby, memories flooded back. This car had been with me through so much of my life and she felt like a friend that I knew I'd never see again. I felt like such a traitor! I apologized, kissed the steering wheel and thanked her for always carrying me safely, even when I may not have been the world's best driver.
Scott, being the wonderful guy he is, took me to our favorite Mexican food joint to cheer me up and I cried there. Then I called my mom and she probably thought something was terribly wrong when she heard me blubbering on the other end of the line. I cried to her. I cried in the shower the next morning. And I'm crying now as I write this. Don't get me wrong, I feel so lucky and grateful to have a beautiful (and safe!) new car to hold all the new memories in my life (and boy does it smell good inside!). It's still hard to say goodbye though.

So that explains the Baskin Robbins. I'm sorry I broke down but you can understand, right?

I Heart the Rec

2009-08-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I don't do this Texas heat so well. The other night it took all I had to do a run outside. It was 8:00 pm, still 100 degrees, humid, and still. Ick. Within the first 15 seconds of jogging, I started sweating profusely.

Which is why I am now a proud owner of a guest pass to the Rec Center on campus! Let me just tell you...it's the best of both worlds! There's an indoor track (I prefer that over treadmills any day...treadmills get boring) AND it's air conditioned! How can you beat that?! I have been to my fair share of Houston Marathons (strictly as a spectator) and every year it is colder than all get out. So, don't think of my A/C requirement as lazy or anything...I'm just trying to train in the most similar conditions to those of race day. Ha!

Today was 4 miles and I did it!!! Again, lots of power walking but it took me right at an hour which was my goal. This body has never, and I mean never, seen 4 miles in one workout so I've reached a new threshold. I totally felt like I was going to collapse when it was over but that's to be expected. My bum is super sore already so I can't wait to see how it's going to feel tomorrow.

In other exciting news, I've designed the official Running4Landon t-shirts and they are being printed this week!! So if you've already signed up for one (or made a donation of $100 to get it free!), I should have them in hand by the end of next week. Woo hoo!

Speaking of the cutie-pie himself, isn't this picture adorable?
Geez, I could use his energy on race day!!
www.running4landon.com

Let the Fundraising Begin!

2009-07-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

Here we go! Check out my race website and please forward to everyone you know!

www.running4landon.com

Just Beat It

2009-07-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, that's a cheesy ode to Michael Jackson, sorry. What the post title should say is "just beat ME!" I just got back from a 3.8 miler and I am beat! This is the farthest distance I've gone in a single workout and next week will be 4.2 miles so that's making me a little nervous.

It went well though...I did 3.8 in about 51 minutes which puts me right at the time limit (you have to do the first 9 miles of the half at a 13:45 pace). And let me tell you...it ain't gonna get much faster than that. There was quite a bit of power walking today but it got the job done so I was pleased. The only part I wasn't pleased with was the way I look when I power walk, but when I'm in the moment, I really couldn't give a darn. Thinking back, it must look pretty funny...My arms are like propellers and my rear has to shake to get the right momentum going. If I could see it on tape, I imagine it would look something like an ostrich flapping its wings, attempting to take flight. It's interesting how when you reach a certain amount of exhaustion, though, you really don't care what you look like in the least bit. This makes me very excited to see how the professional pictures (taken by photographers placed strategically on the course) of the half-marathon turn out.

In other news, I'm about ready to release my official fundraising website!!! Get excited, people--there's going to be t-shirts, goody bags, the chance to run a 5k and more, so I'll be posting the site soon!!!

And a special thanks to my bff Jenni for doing a workout with me this week! I like to call her skinny-jenni or mini-jenni but I can't hold it against her for being thin! She is going to rock this half-marathon's ass! Thanks for running with me Jen...I still can't believe we actually ran together. In all the years we've been friends, we've never done a run together! It was a blast girl!

Endurance.

2009-07-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, my husband and I decided to go out for lunch. As we left our house, we noticed a dog in the neighborhood that was loose, and being the dog lover that I am, can never just drive by and ignore an animal that my get hurt if I choose to ignore it.

The dog had no tags, a beautiful brown face, and he was so scared. Then I saw how skinny he was and I knew he hadn't eaten (and possibly not had anything to drink) in a very long time. He came up to me, tail between his legs and then got spooked and started to run down the street, coming to rest underneath a shaded truck in a driveway. Scott went to get a bowl of water since it was so hot outside and I called animal control because I knew food, water, and air conditioning at the animal shelter was better than what this dog was enduring.

It took them about 20 minutes to arrive and during that time I sat in the driveway watching this incredible animal. As we sat in the searing heat, he panted, lost fluid from his mouth, and seemed to look at me begging for help. I imagined what this dog had been through in the last day, the last week, the last month. I could see his ribs and his hips and yet he still had the resilience to go on.

Do not fear, the story has a happy ending. A lovely young lady from animal control came and rescued this dog from under the truck. We gave it food and water right then and there and the look of gratitude on the dog's face is something I will never forget (I think there were even some tail wags!). I hope he will make someone very happy someday soon...he is a very special dog.

And come January, when I am in the middle of this crazy half-marathon and I want to give up, I will think of that dog. I will think of the endurance and resilience that one animal had to make it through a very tough, and probably painful time--and know that he made it. Though he was hungry, thirsty, hot, scared, and exhausted, he hadn't yet given up...it was the hardest thing to witness, but his endurance level amazed me and he will inspire me to press onward every step of the way.

Thank you, sweet doggie.

20 lbs. Baby!!

2009-07-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, that's right! 20 lbs gone and I'm almost halfway to my goal of 50!!

And you know what that means...another 10 lb. loss, another massage! Woo hoo!!!

It's Official!

2009-07-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's official. Today, at 5:00 a.m. this morning, I signed up for the Houston Half-Marathon on January 17, 2010.

Holy cow.

I was so sleepy and bleary-eyed that while filling out my information, I mistook the section for personal donations for the section where you sign up for Run for a Reason (which is what I want to do). So, I selected the CF Foundation, typed in my goal of $3,000 and the next thing I know it's asking me to confirm that $3,065.00 will be charged to my credit card ($65 for the entry fee).

WHAT?!!! Oopsie. Guess I didn't read carefully that the Run for a Reason signup was on a separate page and what I was filling out was if I wanted to give a one-time donation.
I totally almost hit "Finish" instead of "Edit" but I caught myself just in time and can spare my husband the risk of passing out from me telling him I just charged $3,000 to our credit card. On the bright side, it would have gotten me to my goal!

Lesson to be learned here: You should never do anything important at 5:00 a.m. Ever.

Garage Sales: Good. Vomit: Bad

2009-07-13T19:42:00.001-07:00

Okay, we'll start with the good news first:
My first garage sale made $150!!! Woo hoo!! This wasn't even THE garage sale so if you have any crap, still feel free to call me (the real garage sale will be in September/Octoberish). This was the most impromptu, ill-prepared garage sale I've ever had. Nothing was organized. Nothing was priced. I just threw the stuff out on the driveway and bargained with people left and right. And, kazaaaam: $150 smackeroos for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation! It was an early morning, but well worth 3 hours of work! Hooray! I was sold out by 9:00 a.m. which is great because it started to get h-o-t outside!

Later that evening was my Class of 1999 10-year reunion! We had a blast! It was so fun seeing everyone and catching up!!
And to top of the rest of the good news, Scott and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this weekend. He took me to Christopher's which is special to us because it's where we had one of our first dates as well as the rehearsal dinner before our wedding.

We even got a special treat from the chef:

Happy 5th babe...I love you so much! And, yes, I wore the same cardigan to the reunion. What can I say, this girl likes a good cardigan!

Now for the bad news. For the first time ever, in my entire life, I totally vomited today during my workout. I won't go into details but it was bad. The Bergernator was actually kind of happy and proud as if I'd reached some rite of passage. When I told him about the incident, he smiled and said, "Oh, yeah, people throw up all the time. I've thrown up 5 or 6 times and my clients do too." To which I replied, "Seriously???!!!"
Hooray for vomit.

Let Them Eat Cake!

2009-07-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Happy July 4th! You know what that means...a 3-day weekend, family, fireworks, and you guessed it...an excuse to eat a piece of oh-so-wonderful cake! It's got fruit so that makes it healthier, right?

You can see just how excited I was about this rare treat:
We spent the fourth hanging out with family, watching Landon run and talk (wow, he is getting so big!) and just relaxing. But before I did all that, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and did 3.25 miles. It was still so hot and muggy, even when the sun wasn't up! I still had to walk the last mile or so but I had an amazing revelation while doing this particular morning workout. Here it is:
Some people are natural runners. Some people are born to run. My husband is one of these people. I am not. And, with this whole new outlook I'm trying to have on things, instead of getting down in the dumps because I'm not a natural runner, I look at the bright side: I may not have inherited any running genes, but power-walking genes, I did! My mom is the world's fastest, most awesomely superhuman power-walker ever! She was born to power-walk, and I think these genes she has passed on to me are totally going to come in handy in January. Heck, I jog so slow, that I could probably power-walk the whole thing faster. But I'm remaining optimistic and hopefully I'll reach a new plateau here soon with the running.

And, just for grins, here's the picture of the week. I was riding in the backseat with my main man Landon the other day and just like it was the most natural thing ever, he crossed his legs and sat back in his seat to relax. Too funny! And I love his little feet and toes!

It's All About Perspective

2009-07-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Obstacle of the day: Serious craving for Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with a dollop (or three) of Jif peanut butter on top

Now onto the post...
Sometimes I think God sends us little reminders (or blaring flashing lights) that we need to stop and slow down a little bit. As someone who is a bit of a control freak, uh, I mean....organizer...yes, that's better...I can rack my brains planning, thinking, wondering, and worrying. But here lately I just haven't felt the need to be that way. When I came back from vacation a couple of weeks ago, I felt like someone was giving me tranquilizer darts. I used my time on our trip to stop and take in and enjoy everything around me, I was able to enjoy every moment of every day. All the sights and sounds and smells and experiences...Things that I should do at home in every day life but most of the time don't.

This blissful feeling has lasted a good week and a half. I returned to work hoping no one would think I had been sipping on wine before coming in. Things seemed to roll off my back and nothing could get to me--not a dirty house, dirty dishes--all the usual stuff that would normally drive me nuts!

And then today it happened...the life I knew before vacation started to creep back and take control. I woke up this morning the sorest I have been in a long time. I started to whine. I ran out of milk while pouring it over my cereal. I had nothing to wear. My hair wouldn't do right. My car was almost out of gas. Boo hoo boo hoo boo hoo, etc. etc.

I'm at a stoplight on the way to work thinking about how tired I am and how good that cup of coffee was going to be when I got there. An old, ratty truck pulls up beside me and out of the corner of my eye I see the passenger in the vehicle trying desperately to get my attention. My first thought, Come on, dude, can't you just leave me alone?

Movement continues and I refuse to look because I'm scared some weirdo is going to be mooning me or yelling an obscenity to me or something along those lines. Seriously, it's only 7:30 a.m. and I can't even enjoy my quiet commute to work?! I could only see out of my periphery and now we were at the light so long that I was going to have to look. Not because I wanted to but because I was annoyed beyond belief that this person obviously wanted my attention and was not going to give up.

So I snapped my head to the left as if to say "What the heck do you want?!" and God himself could not have slapped me any harder at that moment. It was the biggest wake up call I've had in a long time and just slammed me with the fact that attitude is everything. As my eyes met the eyes of the Golden Retriever grinning at me in the passenger seat, I wanted to cry. I was letting the everyday chaos seep back in and right then I apologized to God for being such an a-hole and vowed to look for the amazing things in life every single day.
Then, because it's me and I carry a camera with me at all times like a dork, I whipped it out and took a picture and laughed and smiled all day long. I think I will put it on my bathroom mirror to remind me of God's wake up call to me, how wonderful life is, and how my perspective on things makes a huge difference.

Vacation and Perspiration

2009-06-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hello world! After taking a short blogging hiatus, I'm ready to get back into it full swing. The past couple of weeks have been very interesting to say the least. I'll start with honesty and the obvious: I was a bum on vacation. Okay, okay, it's not the worst thing in the world, but I went on that Alaskan cruise thinking I was going to jog every day and hit the ship gym, and well, it just didn't happen. I did pretty well on day two as you can see:
After this day, though, we just got so busy! We made our way into ports that had so many fascinating things to explore. I justified to myself that since we were doing a TON of walking, that would somehow count as working out. And I'm sure it does a little. But after 11 days of not getting to the gym OR doing serious cardio, I was in trouble when I got back. More about that in a minute...

I maintained my weight throughout the vacation, but I'm sure I ate just as much I was burning off by walking and hiking. In Skagway, Scott and I took a train into the mountains where it dropped us off and we did a 5-mile hike through the Alaskan rainforest with an elevation gain of 1,000 ft. This was a serious hike and I would by lying if I said it wasn't difficult. It was SO hard but probably the best workout I got all week (and no, that fanny pack isn't mine...our guides made us wear them):

The Sawtooth Mountain River at the end of the trail:

Trying to avoid another "field of nightmares" scenario:

Back on ship, we also did a Walk for Wishes with our ship captain to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation. This was a 1-mile walk on one of our days at sea but I should have done more:

Diet-wise, I tried to get plenty of Omega-3's:

I only had one day where the IBS (yeah, ew) bothered me, but, hey, one day out of 11 I won't complain!:

And now here I am, a week back from one of the best vacations I have ever been on and it's back to business!! I started back with my trainer Monday and all over again, it felt like he was trying to kill me. That was to be expected. I tried to do a run as well and could only do half of what I was doing before I left. It's amazing what you can lose just by "taking some time off." I can't afford to do that between now and January because it scared the living poo out of me to see how much of a step backwards I had taken.

As the week went on, I felt more energy coming back, and getting back into a routine was the main thing I needed to do.

And today was a huge marker in my workouts because I officially started my scheduled running program to get me through January! My wonderful husband has the next six months of running planned out for me and all I have to do is do them. I'm so thankful to have his expertise because he knows what he's doing when it comes to running! Today I had to start at 3 miles and it wasn't easy, but I did it. I woke up at 5:45 am (yes, on a Saturday, thank you) and started jogging the neighborhood. I was able to jog the 2 miles but had to powerwalk the 3rd. This is okay, because my goal is to finish the Half...whatever it takes to finish, even if that means powerwalking.

Then the day got really interesting...I came in, took a shower, ate breakfast and then the soreness hit...not so much from the run but from the strenuous gym workouts all week long. I took two naps today and got NOTHING done, and I mean nothing. I think I slept from 9:00 am-11:00 am and then again from 1:00 pm-6:00 pm. Are you kidding me?! I NEVER take naps, let alone sleep an entire day away but apparently my body was telling me that's what it needed. It's now 10:00 pm and trust me, I think I'm still going to sleep well tonight!

I feel a little kooky and off-kilter but I guess it's all part of the process. We'll see how the week starts out....more to come soon!

Penny the Horse

2009-06-24T04:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Landon,

Thank you for coming over for lunch and playtime the other day. Aunt Laura really needed a pick-me-up because her body still thinks it's on vacation and is having some hard workouts! I'm sorry Penny kept licking your hands and wanting your snacks. She is not used to little kids but I can tell she loves you and tried her best to be gentle. She is a big girl, so I understand why you cried. Penny says no hard feelings, okay?

We Love You!
Aunt Laura & Cousin Penny

And We're Back!!

2009-06-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Back from Alaska, and it was indeed a blast-ka! Stories and pictures coming soon!

Bon Voyage!

2009-06-11T05:31:00.000-07:00

Check back in about 9 days for a new post...I'm sure I'll have interesting workout stories to bring back from Alaska!

Good for the Soul

2009-06-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a weekend...and a great one at that!

I've made it back to the 2-mile mark, thanks to an EARLY morning run Saturday morning. And yes, I had another encounter with a snake that morning (this time I thought it was a coral but red was touching black, so isn't that "you're okay Jack")? I debated killing it with a stick nearby but I was in a good mood so I let the little b@$tard live.

Then it was time to hit the shower, get purtied up, and drive to Corsicana for a wedding. Matt & Kate are a GORGEOUS couple that I've known for years and they had the most fabulous wedding! Ahhh, I love weddings...they're just good for the soul. I was not the official photographer for their wedding but managed to sneak a few shots from my spot in the pew. Aren't they just exquisite??!
We made it home around midnight last night but managed to hoist ourselves out of bed this morning for church (which I'm glad we did considering we won't be able to go for the next 2 weeks). Then it was on to my parents' house for some sun, swimming, and bbq (we were joined by Landon of course which is always fun). He is now walking all over the place and it makes me a nervous wreck because he wobbles around much like someone who's had a wee too much to drink! Funny stuff.

Landon also got to be the guest of honor and my Pampered Chef show last week. 15 women ooooed and ahhhhed over him and we raised $120 from our purchases to go toward the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!! A big thank you to everyone who made it possible! We got to cook some delicious food, shop, and use some of Pampered Chef's cute decor...I felt just like Martha Stewart (minus the whole jail thing)!
And now it's time to focus on vacation!! Now THAT is good for the soul! A time to rest, rejuvenate, and yes, continue working out. We'll spend a little time in Seattle and then be off cruising to Alaska! I've planned my workouts accordingly, don't worry...on the days we have shore excursions, we will be doing high-calorie burning activities--hiking and whitewater rafting and walking. Lots and lots of walking. On the days at sea, I plan to wake up, get the cardio over with in the ship gym and then spend the rest of the day sitting on deck with a warm coffee or hot chocolate, a good book, a blankie, and my camera. And maybe a donut. Oops, I meant to say "salad."

Now go out and find the things that are good for your soul!!

Schedules, Snakes, and Ipods

2009-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here's where we are on the workout status and all things half-marathon:

1. I got an email today from the director of the Gulf Coast CF Chapter to inform me that they were accepted as being one of the official charities of the Houston Marathon for the first time this year (they were probably tired of all my pesky emails, but hey, whatever works, right?)! This is great news because for the last 3 months I've been training but haven't known for sure if I will officially be able to fundraise in the Run for a Reason program. Read more about it here: http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Marathon/Run_for_a_Reason.htm

2. Scott, my I-run-marathons-and-make-it-look-easy husband, has mapped out a schedule for me. Not just any schedule. A training schedule. Up till now it's been all about getting in better shape, getting some pounds off (14.5 thank you very much!) and reducing the amount of weight I will have to carry around when I run. Oh, but now....he started explaining the next 6 months to me last night and I think I blacked out for a moment when he started talking about the weekends this fall and winter that I'll be having to do 9, 10, and 11 mile runs. Good times.

3. As I sit here blogging, covered in sweat, I'm realizing I just had one of the worst workouts ever. A couple of weeks ago I was able to reach the two mile mark on an early, crisp, cool, no-humid morning. This afternoon I had to run in 92 degree humidity with the sun beating down and I just couldn't do it. I tried to zone out and just let the ipod blare while thinking in my head, "shavasna, shavasna." "Shavasna" is an actual thing..I haven't gone looney. I go to a Thursday gentle yoga class and at the end of every class we practice shavasna...where we lay down, completely relaxed from head to toe and focus on the breathing. I've found that if I repeat it in my head, I have better control over my posture and breathing. But that's another story...

Anywho, I go to pass a couple that I thought had stopped on the sidewalk to let me by since they had a big, jumpy dog with them. But because the ipod was blaring and I was zoned out in my own little world, I started to pass them and the guy actually reached out and stopped me with his arm. I was about to whip out some ninja self-defense moves on him but then I looked down and saw it....a snake, about a foot long, with a diamond pattern on it's back and...what was that...a rattle on it's tail?!! I ripped the ipod from my ears and then could hear the warning that made me want curl into a fetal position.

So I said "screw it" and walked the rest of the way home.

These workouts are a lot like life...some days are awesome, some days are awful, some days are alright, and some days it's easy to get caught up in so much other stuff that we can't see what's right in front of us. Deep, I know.

Got Junk in YOUR Trunk?

2009-05-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Well, then give it to me! No, seriously, I need your junk.

I'm proud to announce that I will happily be hosting a monster, mammoth, no-holds-barred garage sale this summer in which ALL the proceeds will go toward the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. There's just one problem: I need stuff to sell!

I need you to hunt, gather, and pillage your homes if you have to! Get rid of all that crap that just sits around collecting dust. Run amock through your attic, your junk drawers, your spare closets, and even your spouse's things (trust me, they'll never know you did!).

I am more than willing to make house calls to pick up your stuff (insert disclaimer here for all of my wonderful friends and family scattered from Houston to Austin to Nashville).

If you can't tell, I'm pretty desperate...I have my fare share of crapola, don't get me wrong, but I sure don't have enough to make this the biggest, baddest-ass garage sale my street has ever seen.

So let me get that junk out of YOUR trunk for you! It'll feel great, I promise!!

My pack-rat guest room closet. Stuff goes in and never makes it out. Including the house guests.
Don't laugh. You know you have one, too. Now let's purge it people! Go! Go! Go!

And He's Off!!

2009-05-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

Boy, Landon has been busy lately! He's started to get adventurous taking his first steps (which can be an amusing spectacle to witness....see video below). And as I speak, my little man is in Hawaii with his parents and Grams and Pops! I'm sure his super cute diaper-butt in board shorts will steal all the hearts of the ladies on the beach and I can't wait to see pictures of his first vacation!

I, on the other hand, am recovering from an insanely crazy week at work. I only got a couple of workouts in and the diet wasn't much better but on the bright side, I've gotten up to the 2-mile mark now that I've picked back up again! Today Scott and I went shopping and reached the dawn of a new era: new running shoes. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but I officially went from the old ratty tennis shoes I've had for over a year to the specialized Brooks running shoe (complete with orthotics...boy that makes me sound old)!
We got my feet analyzed by someone who actually knows what they're talking about and as it turns out, I have arches that are about to collapse, causing me pronation. Hooray. Not to mention that I am carrying around more weight than most runners, so a nice stability shoe was just what I needed. We'll see how many times I trip in them before adjusting--they feel a lot different than the old ones! Now THAT will be a video worth posting...

Fiddle-dee-dee, I'm a Leprechaun You See!

2009-05-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so several of you have inquired about this tire-flipping thing that I have referred to in past posts, and today I thought I'd give you a little video snippet so you can get the whole picture. Keep in mind, I usually do several sets of these tire-flipping things, and in the video I seem to make it look kind of easy, but rest assured, it's not. Especially since the Bergernator has me do sprints after I get done with the last flip (I do not sprint in this video...there's a little too much shaking and flopping going on when I sprint!).

Also, sorry about all the bum you are about to see...The angle really doesn't accentuate, well, anything, but you get a nice butt-shot, that's for sure (my apologies)!

And another thing...you may be curious about the title of today's post. When I first watched this video, I laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants. I kind of look like a leprechaun with a giant tire and the bending over is just really funny looking. Plus, if you have sound you'll notice birds singing against the green backdrop, just like in good ol' Ireland! So, feel free to have a good laugh at my expense...I sure did!

Oh Happy Day!

2009-05-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great day! I mean, who doesn't love Saturdays anyway, but this one was exceptional! I actually got to sleep in for once which happens less and less often these days so I cherish them when they do happen.

After a leisurely breakfast, I went for a jog around the trail in our neighborhood and made it the furthest yet..about 1.65 miles! It was really hot and muggy and I think I could have done more, but it felt great to do even that much since I have never gotten that far before!

Next it was time to shower and the grand event of the day: a one-hour massage to celebrate the first 10 lb. loss! I had been counting down the hours and let me tell you...it was heaven on earth! I've had a fair share of massages in my day and I was a little nervous about trying someone new, but I really think this was the best of the best to date. For one hour, only the sounds of soothing music filled my ears. I snuggled down into the most comfortable, heated massage table I have ever been on, with the softest sheets, ever. The room was dark with no windows and no natural light and I had to force myself not to fall asleep. My mind turned to mush and I stayed in a dream-like state while the awesome masseuse massaged my back, legs, arms, feet, hands, and my personal favorite: the head and neck/shoulder area. When she told me she was finished, I almost said out loud, "No." For future reference, they do offer an 85-minute massage...

I went home all loosey-goosey and when I got there, Scott wanted to go to a movie. Wow, I am on a roll today...sleep, workout, massage, AND a movie?! Sweet!

At first, I was less than thrilled that he wanted to go see the new movie Star Trek (no, neither of us are Trekkies nor do we even like sci-fi). But I gave in, because, hey, we are both so busy these days that I just wanted to be with my man at the movies..no matter what movie. And it turned out to actually be pretty darned good (not to mention that we snuck in Freebirds!).

And last but definitely not least, I even got around to editing the pictures from Landon's 1st birthday party. My sister and her husband did a great job planning the party and it was so much fun!

Landon all smiles waiting for his party to begin..

My sister made THE most adorable monkey cupcakes!

Monkeys everywhere!

I love his little feet!

Great Papa and Mama are here!

Show time! Amy not wanting Landon to go for the candle!

Landon hearing the happy birthday song for the first time and wondering what he should do with that thing in front of him...

Presents! Is that a monkey box I see??

Elmo knows how to make Landon laugh!

Birthday Boy with Grams and Pops...

Landon, Uncle Brad and cousin Chris

Love your shirt Landon! Happy birthday my love!

Do You Hear That???

2009-05-05T20:20:00.001-07:00

Shhhh....do you hear that? Yes, that's correct. That, my friends, is the sound of angels singing!!!
"Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Laura reached the 10 pound mark! Hallelujah!"

Oh, but not just the 10 lb. mark, but actually 10.5 pounds to be exact! And you know what that means...massage time! --insert angels singing again here--

Needless to say, that definitely started my day off on the right track! I'm a little sore today since my training session yesterday was a little different. Usually I have a training session followed by a good cardio workout but yesterday I was on a weird schedule and did cardio first. I ran 1.5 miles straight on the treadmill at the gym and I thought Wade was going to take it easy on me since I had already been working my legs...but, it was still leg day, and he made me do it anyway...and I made it through! Which now leads me to wonder if I should start doing cardio first...it was a great workout (and almost a little easier than usual)!

And did anyone catch "The Biggest Loser" tonight? Wow, talk about emotional! I don't usually watch that show but they were making the 4 finalists run a marathon and they all did it! Two of them even walked the whole thing! It was very inspirational and watching them really made me see that I can do this...I am working hard and I can get there--it's just so easy to doubt myself. I still have a really long way to go but I've made great strides in the past 10 weeks so I'm looking forward to the next 8 months!

Eat Your Heart Out Betty Crocker...

2009-05-03T18:38:00.001-07:00

Yesterday a dear friend of mine from college came in for a visit. Cassie is one of those friends who would do anything for you...she encourages, is genuinely interested in what you have to say, and she makes you laugh...A LOT!

Cas, like myself, is a busy girl, and on this particular visit we were only going to have a couple of hours to see each other for lunch. Now, normally on these short visits, we would dash over to one of our favorite restaurants, Cheddar's, order the chips and queso and go to town. Well, I would go to town on the queso and Cas would be lucky if she got a few morsels down before I devoured the whole thing (come to think of it, this happens with Meghan, too...sorry Meghan!).

Being the awesome friend that she is, she agreed to cook in at my house as a healthier alternative to the chicken tender salad with ranch dressing at Cheddar's. Cas came over with a recipe of whole wheat pasta, zucchini, onions, garlic, tomatoes and EVOO (that's extra virgin olive oil for all you non-Rachael Ray fans). She even brought me my very own apron from Anthropologie (which I have been wanting forever!).

We immediately went to work and before we knew, it...bam! A perfect lunch complete with yummy bruschetta!

A recipe for a great afternoon:

1. Fresh, organic ingredients

2. The right pots, pans, and utensils
3. A good brand of whole-wheat pasta

4. Simmered and sauteed vegetables

5. Desert! Orange slices and strawberries dipped in dark chocolate

6. A great friend, a ton of laughs, and time to act like a nut without a care in the world!

Dang You, You Stupid Half a Pound!

2009-04-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

How ironic is it that as soon as I develop and implement an incentive program, it stops working?! The deal was: for every 10 lbs. lost I get a massage at the spa. I devised this plan when I reached a loss of 9.5 pounds because I really wanted a massage and figured hey, how hard can it be to drop this little half a pound?
Well, there goes that theory. This dang half a pound just will not go away!

I had a brief stint last week where I wasn't able to workout for 5 days, and I tried to watch my diet during that time, but it's just proof that I have to exercise or I won't see results. Between my day job, photography on the side, several trips out of town, and trying to take care of all the other "stuff" in life, I just didn't make it to the gym and I felt so guilty!

On the bright side, when I finally did workout yesterday, I went nuts! I woke up at 5:00 a.m., ran more than a mile, walked a mile and then did all that over again the same afternoon. I just finished a session with Wade at the gym this evening and I went into it so proud that I was finally able to run over a mile and a half! The Bergernator was proud too, but his idea of celebrating was to work me harder than ever before. It was my dreaded leg day which makes me cringe.

About halfway into it, my legs started to feel like jello and they just got more and more wobbly. There was a point at the end that I really didn't think I would be able to finish, but that's the great part about trainers...they know you can do things even when you don't think you can. So they push (much harder than I would ever push myself) and it gets the job done. I feel so great when it's all over, but man, some workouts are just waaaaay tougher than others!

In the scheme of things, I am so happy with my progress so far, and I have so much to be thankful for! My family is the best and I was so blessed to have a wonderful (and much needed) visit with them this past weekend to celebrate my great aunt and uncle's 60th wedding anniversary!

So much to be thankful for:

60 years of marriage...

...and those about to start a new one

A new generation of family members to cherish...

...And the generation that taught us how to cherish each other
We're a family that loves to smile and laugh...

...and can get a little goofy, too

We work hard with our hands, both in the kitchen...

...and outdoors

And even though we all may live in different cities...

...There's always time to get together, laugh, and eat lots of cake!
Happy anniversary Aunt Amora Lee and Uncle Wayne!

Happy Happy Birthday...

2009-04-27T17:59:00.001-07:00

Dear Landon,

Happy, happy birthday, kiddo! One year ago today (almost exactly to the minute) I watched you come into this world and take your very first breath. I remember thinking that of all the places I have traveled to in this big, big world, nothing I had ever seen was as special and wonderful and miraculous as you.
My heart melts when you smile and laugh, my heart breaks when you cry. I love your pudgy little hands and feet and how you think I'm sooooo funny when I sing or make funny voices to you.
I want you to always find joy in the small things in life...I am trying to be better at that because of you. You find joy during bathtime, you find joy outdoors riding through the woods with your mom and dad, you find joy when you eat something good, or when someone you love walks into the room. Always cherish these things and try really hard not to take them for granted...these are the things that will bring you true happiness.
I am so blessed by you and love you so very much! Happy 1st birthday, Landon!

Love,
Aunt Laura

Oh, Geez, the Hotel Room is Booked...

2009-04-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

This whole thing is starting to feel very real lately! I have 268 days left until the big day (which sounds like forever, I know), but I've officially booked the hotel room. That's a big step people!

Okay, so for all the throngs of you that would like to come out and cheer me on/drag me to the finish line, the host hotel for the Chevron Houston Marathon will once again be the Hilton Americas Hotel in downtown Houston. It is literally steps from the start and finish line and this is very important to me in case I am not able to walk when it's over.

The marathon website says hotel information will be posted on May 1st but I made a call today straight to the Hilton and they're already booking rooms with the special discount rate ($159). Once they post it online, the hotel will sell out, trust me, so if you are at all interested in coming out I would advise booking early (rest easy, they won't charge your credit card yet).

Many of you have have been so nice to support me in this crazy endeavor but keep in mind there's also a 5k run/walk that day that YOU can participate in to "Run for Landon" as well! I have done this and it's super fun (and you get free food when you finish!)...I encourage you all to give it a try! Need more incentive? If I indeed finish the half, there will be a celebratory victory party at Sprinkles Cupcakes afterward and you're all invited! And, yes, I fully intend on trying every cupcake in the store.

So, come on out, treat yourself to a night at the Hilton, and let's run/walk our butts off for a great cause! And then stuff ourselves with cupcakes!

The marathon start/finish line view from our room at the Hilton last year:

Le Grand Finale:

The Proof is in the Pita

2009-04-20T18:26:00.001-07:00

Okay, so honestly, when I signed up for this half-marathon gig, I didn't really realize how much my lifestyle was going to have to change because of it. For the first few weeks, it didn't click for me that in order to complete the half-marathon, I would have to be in great shape. And to be in great shape, I needed to have stamina and strong lungs. And to have stamina and strong lungs, I would need to lose weight. And to lose weight, I would have to exercise. That's it, right?

Wrong! Oh, the dreaded d-word...D.I.E.T.!! It has to be the one thing about this whole process that I have the hardest time overcoming. If you are reading this, it's because you know me, and if you know me, you know I just love food! Try as I may to look at food as just fuel for the body, it's not that easy...Food is so good! Carbs are soooo good! Mexican food is soooo good! And to be brutally honest, if I wasn't seeing results right now like I am, I would totally be enjoying a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with peanut butter on top while watching House Hunters.

I try really hard, I do. Below is what I eat for lunch every day with lowfat cottage cheese:But at the end of the week, there's a beast inside me that feels like if I don't have the 6 oz. filet mignon and mashed potatoes at Texas Roadhouse, I will put my fist through a wall (don't worry Bergernator, I don't usually act upon this). The point is, how can I make myself not want the cookies, pasta, breads, and brownies? I am forcing myself now not to eat it, but at what point will I not even desire it? Any suggestions or ideas anyone???

And a quick shoutout to my friend Cas...she inspired me to photograph my food...who knew whole grain pita could look so good?

Calling All Masseuses

2009-04-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

I am hereby implementing the LP Incentive Program:
For every 10 lbs. lost, I get a 1-hour massage at the spa.
So there.
I am one measly pound away from the first 10-pound mark and I always look for little ways to celebrate victories such as this. The real victory will be (hopefully) completing the half-marathon but that is soooo far away and I find it important to find little things to keep my chin up and keep me working hard. Pre-workout days, the celebration would have consisted of going out to eat, followed by a sweet treat at Baskin Robbins perhaps. But those days are gone and I think a 1-hour massage is the perfect way to mark the milestones! And hey, my muscles are sore so really it could be beneficial to my overall health and well-being, too...

Craaaaaazy Laura

2009-04-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

I feel a little crazy today. I was on a high this morning after discovering I had lost another pound this week, bringing the grand total to 8! Then, something just flipped like a lightswitch and I didn't feel like doing anything! I wanted to be at home, in my favorite pajama pants and on the couch vegging out. I think I miss that so much because I really don't get to do it anymore.

So, after a long day at work, I trudged into the gym for another session and Perky Wade was ready to get started. We went outside to a field beside the gym where Marethouse (www.marethouse.com) usually holds boot camps. Yes, boot camps. There is a reason I never signed up for the military, people, and that's because I'm a giant wuss!

There happened to be a bootcamp taking place at that very moment and I was in awe of how all the girls there didn't look like they even needed bootcamp...they were toned, slender, and they all had great legs! I thought I would be self-conscious working out near them, but as soon as I got through one round of lunges and squats, I was breathing so hard I didn't care anymore what I looked like or who was watching! What can I say, some days you "feel it," some days you don't. Today....not so much.

I made it through 30 minutes of lunging, side shuffles, high skipping, squats with what felt like a 100 lb. bar, jogging down the street, and more squats with a ball (lightweight, thank goodness!). I was in a better mood when we finished and thought about heading straight home but I forced myself to get on the rowing machine for 25 minutes and I'm glad I did. Working out can be a pain in the rear in the moment (and quite literally today as I think I've pulled something in my left buttcheek) but the rewards afterward are worth it.

Another shoutout...I think I'm going to make shoutouts a regular part of my blog just because I like the word 'shoutout'...this one is for my best friend, Jenni, who with her help, I completed my first triathlon almost exactly a year ago.

My bum hurts...

2009-04-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, the bum bum hurts but we're seeing progress....7 pounds down, 2 inches off the waist, and 1 inch off each leg in 7 weeks! I love progress! This, however, means that when the Easter Bunny visits my house tomorrow morning, he will not be bringing chocolates, jelly beans, or any other sweet treats (yes, I'm 28 but I still celebrate each and every holiday like a little kid!). Instead, he will hop in and bring some fun herbal tea, black bean salsa, a bar of 88% dark chocolate, and some really cool Norwegian bottled water.

In other news, the workouts are going great! Yesterday was cardio and I felt like a track star as I ran strategically around the parking lot. I ran slow, I ran fast, I ran sideways, I ran forward. The weather was perfect and I think I even whined less than usual (hats off to personal trainers because they hear a lot of whining...I try to keep it to a minimum, but boy are they patient!).

Speaking of patience, I have to give another hats off to my husband...since training began in late February, I don't think he's had a decent home-cooked meal! I love to cook and used to come home almost every day and whip up dinner, but these days, there's just no time! He hasn't complained once because he knows how important this is to me...so thank you babe!

And last, but not least, a shout-out to the birthday girl...Happy 2nd bday Penny!

Sleeeeeeep

2009-04-09T04:10:00.000-07:00

It's 6:00 am and for the first time in a long time, I feel as though I've been plowed over by a truck. Last night was tough! When I got to the gym and met up with Wade he told me we would be doing legs today, which instantly instilled fear in me...for some weird reason I really like working on arms and upper body on machines vs. the lunges and squats that are associated with legs. But then I thought Duh, Laura, your legs are what's going to have to get you through 13.1 miles so you might as well start enjoying it! So, there I was...lunging, squatting, rolling ginormous tires over and over in the parking lot, and hopping all over the place on what I can only describe as a big squishy ball with a flat bottom.

When we were done (30 minutes flies by fast!) my legs felt like jello but I went and hopped on the treadmill anyway. You see, I had brought with me a little piece of paper with walk/run times on it from a year ago. One year ago exactly, I had been training for my first triathlon and it had taken me about 4 months to work up to the notes on the piece of paper which has been taped on my treadmill at home for the last year (3 mins walk, 7 mins run, 4 mins walk, 7 mins run, etc.). I made it my goal yesterday to do what was on that list...what took me 4 months to work up to before, I wanted to do it after only 6 weeks of training.

41 minutes later, I was done (and boy did I feel like it). I had just completed a leg workout followed by "the list." I was so happy but could only celebrate by making my way home, into a hot bath, and finally into bed!

15 Minutes Down...

2009-04-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Short post, but I just had to document that for the first time today, I was able to run 15 minutes straight without stopping or walking (that's over a mile!)! I started with a 5 minute warm-up and then just went for it. Too bad it was on the treadmill at my house where I didn't have witnesses to prove it, but I did it nonetheless! A special thanks to Johnny Cash, Our Lady Peace, Itzhak Pearlman, Nirvana, Beyonce, and Eminem for joining me on this momentous occassion--what would I do without the ipod?

Ahhh, the Weekend!

2009-04-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

Lah de dah, I am in such a terrific mood! Don't get me wrong, I feel great when I work out, but Wade has warned me not to burn myself out and that's just what I think I'll do today...not work out! I pushed it the hardest yet this past Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (30-minute training sessions followed by a hard 30 min. cardio workout). I should take back my words about the soreness being gone...it came back a little this week as we tried some new machines and started working muscle groups harder (not to mention the tractor-tire flipping!). But, I feel like a pro at this soreness thing and in a weird way, it almost feels good. Almost.
Tomorrow starts back up another week of workouts and as my body changes and becomes stronger, I look forward to the exercise more and more.
For today, though, it's time to walk the dog, do some laundry, rent a good movie, and relax!

Week 5

2009-04-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Here we are at week 5! Some parts of me feel like I have been working out forever and other parts feel like I just started! I have such a long way to go but have seen such a dramatic difference in the past 5 weeks, which keeps me hopeful that in 10 months I'll reach that 13.1 mile mark (yikes...I'm still having the self-doubt issues!). I mean, this sounds crazy, right?!

I'll have to backtrack again and let you know how these last five weeks played out. After not getting picked for the radio/fitness contest I referred to in my last post, I realized quickly that if I wanted to even remotely get in shape before I started a running program, I would HAVE to get a personal trainer. I've never been a "personal trainer kind of person" before but for 10 years I've been trying to lose weight on my own and that obviously hasn't worked.

The thought of a trainer terrified me. They are in great physical shape, take really good care of their bodies, and the thought of them watching me workout while things shook and produced sweat did not really appeal to me. Plus, they weigh you! Yeah, I know. What's worse?...the weighing part or the part where they take my measurements and have to wrap that skinny little tape around the rolls and cellulite?! Yeesh.

Well, it was now or never I decided. I picked up the phone and called Marethouse Fitness (www.marethouse.com) and set up a consultation. I chose Marethouse because they were the ones that were holding the contest that had been advertised on the radio. Why on earth would you choose to train with the people that did not choose you for the contest, you may be asking. And I don't really know the answer. Yes, I was upset that I didn't win but the fact that they were giving away life transformations to people just to be nice and give back to the community was a good reason to support them, even if I wasn't one of the "chosen few."

After a consultation with Bear Moore (scary name, nice guy!) I felt a little more comfortable but the gym was still a threatening place to me...lots of fit people in spandex all over the place. Before I knew it, I was signed up for 4 weeks of training and I was to start the very next week with Wade Berger.

You'll read in my previous post that I couldn't move my body for the first three weeks of training and I would now say it was well worth it. It felt as if Wade (aka The Bergernator) was torturing me but the fact was I was just SO out of shape that any exercise I would have done would have resulted in the indescribable soreness I felt for three weeks straight. It felt as though it would never go away, and simple tasks like getting off the commode turned into moments of fear and dread. Everything hurt all the time. Until the three week mark. I woke up the next morning after one of our workout sessions, got out of bed, waited for the pain to reveal itself...and it never came! This was my first milestone and needless to say, I felt like I had made a huge accomplishment!

And now here we are the 5 week mark and I feel great! I've lost 6 pounds, a couple of inches here and there and I'm just stronger! Yesterday was the first workout with Wade of our new 4-week session and he has definitely up'd the difficulty levels! The neatest part is knowing I could never have done these things 4 weeks ago and now here I am such a short time later and I'm doing them. Woo hoo! More to come!

Week Three and a Half

2009-03-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering why this first post is at week three and a half...Easy. For the first time in three and a half weeks, I am able to move my body (including fingers) without soreness...hooray! But let me step back and tell you how this all started....

About six weeks ago a local radio station was having a contest giving away 12 weeks of personal training to six lucky listeners. I jumped at the opportunity (along with 300 other people) and spent days working on what I thought was a pretty darn good resume of why I should be picked. I just knew, I was positive I was going to be chosen for this once in a lifetime chance!
Well, I wasn't. And boy was I bummed about it. I sulked for days about not getting picked--I really wanted to change my body, improve my health, and just be physically fit for once! I walked around the house thinking why not me?! I totally need this! I should have trusted in my firm belief that everything happens for a reason. And I was about to find that out in a big way.

The very next week I was still sulking at how the winners of the contest had begun their workouts and probably had already lost their first ten pounds. And then I got the call. The call that ranks up there with the calls you never want to receive in life. My nine-month old nephew, Landon, had just been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.

It was agony. I cried. I was angry. I didn't understand why this had to happen to my family. I think those things are very normal to feel, but eventually those thoughts were replaced with, "Okay, now what can I DO about it." After pouring myself into CF research, one conclusion always came up: Money buys research and research saves lives. Okay, so what does that mean to me? I thought I could have a fundraiser but no bake sale or garage sale was going to make the difference I wanted to make. I had to think bigger...much bigger!

I thought about all the things I could do, but then I started to think of all the things I thought I couldn't do. I don't ever want Landon to not believe in himself--I want him to know he can do anything he puts his mind to. So, I came up with the ultimate challenge to raise money for CF research: I was going to complete a half-marathon.

Some of you might not think this is a big deal. But as someone who is overweight, out of shape, and can't run to the mailbox without feeling like I'm going to pass out, this is a big deal. I am dedicating 11 months of my life to do something I never thought possible...to gain as much support over those 11 months as possible...and to find a cure for a disease that was never thought possible. Because ALL things are possible!