Peru bound!

Today my son and I, along with forty other high school students and chaperones are headed to Peru! We will be gone for ten days touring the country from the city to the mountains down to the rain forest and ending on the coast. It is a jam packed ten days no doubt.

I will do my best to post some pictures while we are gone, but may be limited to Internet access. Please keep the whole group in prayer for safety, food, health and lots of fun. This is a once in a lifetime trip for most of us so the excitement is overwhelming. I am definitely dreading the airport which is always a major issue when you travel with this many kids so all the adults need prayers for patience!

I hope to share pictures soon and keep you up to date on my new adventure!

Sole Sisters!

We did another local 5k at Crescent Elementary and what a great job for a first time race. The course was challenging but we had a lot of fun.... Check out the pictures... Buddies make it worth it! You gotta be a kid at heart!

This is really why we run the races... it has nothing to do with liking running
And don't forget to bring.... little buddies too!

Raise them right and when they grow old they shall not part from it! Little Divas!

Had a bad day!

I hate to say it, but sometimes your workout doesn't go the way you planned and it turns into a suck situation. I had one of those nights tonight. We did a workout called "FRAN".... 65 lb thrusters and pull ups... a round of 21- round of 15- round of 9 for time. A quick workout, but not easy. I really had a bad day!  I started out with the prescribed weight for women which was 65lbs, but just four reps into it, I knew it was too much. I was struggling with balance and getting the weight above my head. I should've been able to do it... but I couldn't for whatever reason.

I dropped to 45lbs and went on through the workout no problems, but was not happy at the end. Disappointed mostly, but the thing is this....If it doesn't feel right use your common sense and back off. It was one night; I will get over it. It just wasn't the night for me. Maybe it was mental or physical but either way it wasn't worth risking an injury if my heart, mind, or body wasn't in it.

It has been my experience to move on and not let it detour you to reaching your goal. I will get 65lbs soon, maybe even next time.  The night before was a victory with thee kipping pull up, but tonight sucked so life goes on.

I go in tomorrow with a new day, a new workout , and a new challenge and I am better for it. gotta lose some so you enjoy the victories more!

Until next time... keep pushing even when you had a bad day!

Kipping Pullup!

Kipping Pull up? What in the world is a Kipping pull up? These are pull ups in crossfit were you create a rocking motion to help get you above the bar. Hard to explain so I will show you a video of somebody doing one....

OK so this video explains the technique and you can see how they are doing it. I must admit that I am not this eloquent in my attempts to do the Kipping pull up; however, my goal was just to be able to do it! So now I get it. The goal is to get better... more eloquent and graceful so that it looks effortless and of course to be able to do multiple Kipping pull ups without stopping.

I must also admit that it was by accident... mistake.. however you want to put it that I did it. As the people will tell you that were hanging out listening to the Coach trying to help me get there.. .I did it and was just as surprised as they were. So much so I forgot how to drop from the bar and about sprang my ankle getting down. You have to understand that I way underestimate myself most times so when I do something like this I am completely caught off guard, but when I do it...it is like finding the prize egg on Easter! Great feeling!

I have a long way to go yet, but doing one puts me half way there and doing two (which I did tonight) proves it was not a fluke and I can do this so the mental game is over and now I just have to work on the technique and strength to do more at once.

If I haven't said it lately, Crossfit is awesome and Preacher, the coach, is awesome. He is also the one who helped me with the hand stand push up (another story told earlier)! 

Very exciting...... so until next time ... keep trying at whatever it is and you will get it.. your effort will not be in vain!

Music helps you hit the mark!

When I run music helps get me pumped especially if I am doing  a longer run (45 minutes or more). Sometimes it is the beat that pumps me up and gets me moving. My running buddies say they can always tell when a song comes on that I like because I pick up thee pace and run faster. Sometimes it's just a fun song and sometimes there is a catch phrase that stands out in the song that sticks in my mind and helps me get through a tough period. I tend to go to certain songs on my ipod when I am dragging or if I hit a hill that I need to push my self like " Push it" by Salt and Pepa. My running buddies really get a kick out of me singing and panting "push it" up the hill, but hey it works for me. AND... almost 90% of the time as I am nearing the finish line in a race or finish point during a weekly run, I play one particular song to get me across that line quicker.... "Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band. Don't ask me why, but it is probably my all time favorite song. I have lots of favorites, but this is number one for me.

As new songs come out and motivate me I make a new playlist to change things up. I usually start with a slower song and gradually progress up in the beat to get me moving and stay moving until the finish.  The thing about music is you get to singing and before you know it the run is over. So when you are making a playlist it needs to be those great sing- a- long songs so that you don't pay attention to time or pain and before you know it you are through.

My new playlist that has got me moving includes the following songs:

45 minute run for this playlist.

Rolling With the Deep- Adele

DJ got us Falling in Love- Usher

Born This Way- Lady Gaga

Tonight I 'm Loving you- Julio Eglesias/ Ludacris

The Time (Dirty Bit) Black Eyed Peas

Hey Baby- Pitbull

Forget You- Cee Lo Green

Misery- Maroon 5

More- Usher

Hold It Against Me- Britney Spears

Just Can't Get Enough- Black Eyed Peas

But, I always have the old stand by of songs (the 80's -90's collection ) tells my age , oh well...

70 minute Run (5 warm-up, 60 run, 5 cool down)

Start Me Up- The Rolling Stones

Take Me Home Tonight- Eddie Money

Talking In Your Sleep- The Romantics

Push It- Salt-n-Pepa

Fame- David Bowie

Harden My Heart- Quarter Flash

I Feel for you- Chaka Khan

Loverboy- Billy Ocean

Rebel Yell- Billy Idol

What you Need - INXS

Another one Bites the Dust- Queen

Anyway You Want It- Journey

Bad Case of Loving You- Robert Palmer

Don't Do Me Like That- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight- Cutting Crew

Obsession- Animotion

One Thing Leads to Another- The Fixx

Renegade- Styx

Remember running is mental, if you can get your mind off what you are doing, music helps do this, you will hit your mark. In the end, you had fun singing along to great songs and running (all those endorphins) it helps relieve stress. It is a great way to clear your head and start fresh. Create a playlist of go to songs and have it handy and saved in a playlist on your ipod for your next run or walk.

Until next time.... put on your " boogie shoes" and hit the road running!