Random Thoughts About Challenges and Other Shameless Plugs

Last week, we ended our Love My Abs Challenge and moved onto another one, Pushing Our Luck.  If you missed my ab progress, you should check it out because it’s “abs”olutley amazing.  😉

As for March’s pushups challenge, basically we’re following the One Hundred Push Ups Program.  We’re only week one into it and it’s going well, but then, I love push-ups.  Swing back this Thursday to read a full rundown on my first week.  There’s a linky party too if you want push your luck along with us.

And while I’m a self-promoting and on a shameless plug roll, I would like to inform all local bloggers about the next installment of the Tampa Bay Bloggers event to be held at Square 1 Burgers on March 24 at 5:00 p.m.  It will be a great opportunity to connect network with other local bloggers and of course, there will be swag bags!

Oh and one more shameless plug!  I was selected to be a regular contributor for 5 Minutes for Moms’ newest feature, 5 Minutes for Food.  Stop by 5 Minutes for Mom this Thursday to see what recipe I share. I’ll give you a hint. It’s something sweet for St. Patrick’s Day and no, it’s not green.

Last Friday, I was like a kid in a candy store at the Gasparilla Race Weekend’s 8 On Your Side Health and Fitness Expo.  Besides a bountiful of cool free food and goodies, there were a ton of vendors and really cool running threads.  Of course, I wanted everything, but bought nothing. I really, really love these tees by Raw Threads.

Thankfully, friendships are free and I was so happy to finally meet my cyberspace BFF and virtual running partner @leighspannwfla.  Leigh is part of the Storm Team 8 for News Channel 8 (our local NBC affiliate).  Much like her morning forecasts, Leigh’s tweets are full of sunshine and warm-fuzzies and she’s just as adorable in person as you’d expect her to be.  Thank you for all your support and encouragement, Leigh!  See you at the next race!

Since I had two half marathons so close together, there haven’t been much training runs.  Then, Little Lion Man caught some green snot cold, so naturally, I caught it and I just wanted to rest.  Now with the colds and half marathons behind me, I’m ready to start training hard again.  This morning I was ready for some speed work.

1.2 mile warm-up

Time 11:22

Ave Pace 9:29

Max 7:58

 

Lap 1 – 0.25 mile

Time 1:45

Ave Pace 6:56

Max 5:26

 

Lap 2 – 0.25 mile

Time 1:45

Ave Pace7:06

Max 5:36

 

Lap 3 – 0.27 mile

Time 2:12

Ave Pace 8:15

Max Pace 5:52

 

Lap 4 – 0.25

Time 1:58

Ave Pace 7:52

Max Pace 6:31

 

1 mile cool down

Time 9:53

Max Pace7:48

I’ve been volunteering after school every Tuesday to assist with my girls’ school’s running club and since I have Little Lion Man in tow, it means that I have been running 1-2 miles in the late afternoon with a stroller every week or what I like to call “resistance training”.  Have I mentioned how much I hate running with a stroller?  But if it makes my girls happy to see me out there with them, then it’s worth it.  Even on days like today when the wind is blowing so hard and the stroller catches every breeze like a kite and I feel like I’m running backwards instead of forward.  Yep, totally worth it.

I have two more races this month: Armadillo 10K and the Spring Sprint 5K.  My goal for the 10K is to finish under an hour, but since I’m running the Spring Sprint with my girls, my only goal is to keep them motivated and moving forward, much like the after school running club.

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Yellow-Bellied Beauties

Kristi of Live and Love…Out Loud and Alicia of Project Alicia are hosting Crazy Days of Summer Photo Challenge.  This week’s theme is “yellow” which immediately reminded me of a photo I took on Easter of my sister, Simone and Allana because both beauties chose to wear yellow on that lovely spring day.  The color really suits them and I love their sunshine smiley faces in this photo.

Whenever Allana wears something yellow, she always says, “I love to wear yellow because it looks so good on me. It’s my color.”  Yep, no self-esteem issues with my little fashionista.

Random Thoughts about Running, Bikinis and Boobs

My SIL, Kirsten, has been trying to shed some weight, which she cleverly nicknamed Operation Shed a Small Child.  The other day, we were discussing our weight loss progress and how certain foods cause us retain water which makes the numbers on the scale fluctuate.  I mentioned how I only weigh myself once a week, if I remember to weigh myself at all.  I prefer to use my clothes as the tool to measure my success.

However, for the past month, my weight is holding strong at 135, which is still about 10 pounds heavier than I was before my last pregnancy.  The last 10 pounds have been a struggle for me.  But like I said before, I try not to pay attention to the numbers on the scale.  Obviously, I’m losing inches and slimming down because I am fitting into all my old clothes.  Sure, some things are still a bit tight, but I’m getting there.

Oddly, I’m not losing weight it my chest.  I’m not complaining, mind you, but I figured with all the running, exercising and weight loss, I would lose my boobs, but these bad boys are still holding strong.  Could that be why my weight is not dropping on the scale?  They’re not that big, but my boobs have been the topic of conversation more than once with my girlfriends frequently commenting and complimenting me on my recent…eh hem…developments.

So, I’ve lost a few more inches and things seem to be firming and sizing up a bit around here, which means I keep braving my bikini in more public places, like the beach and the YMCA.  I was feeling so confident about my somewhat 6-pack abs that I bought myself a new bikini with a leftover gift card from Christmas.

My first public appearance in my new suit was at my friend, Chrissy’s pool.   My girlfriends wanted me to model my new swimsuit for them.  So I slipped into the suit but somehow it didn’t fit like it did in the store.  The top seemed baggy and I was disappointed although my girlfriends liked it.  Then, Chrissy realized the top was on upside down.  Yeah, it fit much better right side up and my girlfriends liked that look even better.

I joined the Striders last Tuesday for some intervals.  At 5:30 a.m., it was ridiculously hot and humid.  It felt like I was running in a sauna.  I couldn’t even get a good pace going to get the strength to do any intervals.  I could barely keep up with the pack.  I attempted 4 miles with short sprints to catch up with crowd.

4 miles

Time 42:37

Ave Pace 10:39

Max Pace 7:18

On Wednesday morning, I joined Tracey at Suncoast Running for 6 miles.  It was another hot and humid morning, but at least there was a breeze for some relief.  I guess the short sprints paid off because my time was two minutes faster this week.

6.2 miles

Time 1:09

Ave Pace 11:08

Max Pace 8:36

I wanted to join the Striders on Thursday morning but my legs were too tired.  I couldn’t move.  So I rested on Thursday and Friday.  On Saturday, I had all intentions to join the Striders again at Starkey Trail, but I flaked and overslept.  My body must have thanked me for all the rest, because I ran a hard 7 miles. It was a good run!

7 miles

Time 1:16:13

Ave Pace 10:54

Max Pace 8:37

I rested on Sunday and on Monday, I schlepped around Busch Gardens with the kids instead of running.  This morning, I tried my damndest to get out of bed to join the Striders for intervals again, but after a long day at Busch Gardens, I just couldn’t do it and sadly, I flaked again.  However, I did run 4 miles an hour later in my neighborhood and my time was nearly two minutes faster than last Tuesday!

4 miles

Time 40:46

Ave Pace 10:12

Max Pace 7:49

I really like this two minute faster trend.  Now if only my weight would show the some progress.

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Random Thoughts About Being Back in a Flash

I’m slowly but surely returning to the world of group running because I have really missed running with a group, especially the Suncoast Striders.  I’ve missed the laughs, the camaraderie, the support and the accountability.  I need a crowd to pace me and push me along.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve become a regular at the Suncoast Running Wednesday morning group run as well.  Last week, I was feeling a bit under the weather and my 6 mile run wasn’t the greatest but at least I got out there and did it.

6.2 miles

Time 1:11:04

Ave Pace 11:28

Max Pace 8:40

The Striders didn’t meet on Saturday due to the Rap River Run.  Instead they met for a make-up run on Sunday and Coach Jackie demanded my presence at that event.  Even though I was tired from two races, I showed up to the park for an easy 3 mile run just to please Coach Jackie.

3.25 miles

Time 34:37

Ave Pace10:40

Max Pace 9:03

Most everyone was shocked and surprised to see me and it felt good to be in the company of some fabulously fast athletes.  Plus I had forgotten how much fun the post-run social hour was!  Great company and yummy treats to replenish all the calories everyone worked so hard to burn off moments ago.

Strider Barbara served slices of Karen’s cinnamon cake.  As a precaution, I asked if there were nuts in the cake and was told it was nut free.  As I began to eat the cake, Melanie alerted me that she tasted pecans in her slice.  Good God!  I spat my piece out immediately and washed my mouth out.  Since I had forgotten my EpiPen, I began to panic.  Another Strider offered me prescription strength Allegra, just in case.  Although I seemed to dodge anaphylactic shock for the time being, I was worried about my drive home.

Moments later, I felt a bit wheezy but thankfully all seemed calm on the allergy front.  I continued to chat with my fellow Striders as David, our fearless leader, snapped photos of my miraculous return to the group and Jackie admired my blue Fila sports top.

“Is there a built-in bra in that top? Jackie asked me.

“Yes, there is”, I replied and I pulled down my top just enough for my nipple to pop out.  Although my girlfriends and I are known to let it all hang out, I had forgotten I was in the company with men.  Whoops.  Looks like I’m back in a flash with the Striders.

I don’t know if David caught my peek-a-boob moment wardrobe malfunction on film or not.  I just hope that photo doesn’t make it into the Striders scrapbook.  But like fellow Strider Alex said, it’s not a big deal.  No really.  It isn’t.

That’s what he said.

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Random Thoughts about 26 Miles and A Review

Last Friday, I finished the Joggermom Marathon with another 4 miles under my fuel belt, a total of 26.4 miles with an extra 0.2 of a mile because I’m an overachiever.  Yeah, that’s how I roll.

4 Miles

Time 45:30

Ave Pace 11:22

Max Pace 8:39

I still need to record all the miles on my excel spreadsheet to qualify for any of the prizes, but at least I remembered to have hubbie snap a photo of me in my Joggermom Marathon race bib and if you notice, I’m proudly wearing my finisher’s medal in my sidebar.

Sunday morning, I went for a post-apocalypse 6 mile run in my new Wilson La Divine Capri Pants.  Why not? After all the Wilson pants match my Fila top so nicely.

According to Wilson:

“The Wilson La Davine Capri Pant is a compression fit Capri that is lightweight, breathable, and flattering. The premium technical fabric and design allow for maximum moisture wicking and comfort. The Capri has versatile functionality whether training in the gym, playing on the tennis court, or just out and about running errands.”

Given that it felt hotter than hell Sunday morning, I worried about my choice of running apparel and overheating.  However, the light-weight, dry-wick design kept me cool and they were COMFORTABLE, which next to overheating is crucial and the pants built-in SPF 30 protection is also critical in the hot Florida sun.  As another added bonus, the size small capri pants fit true to size and its mesh gusset at the crotch prevented an unsightly situation from occuring.

These Wilson Capri pants have nifty inverted pockets which are handy for holding tennis balls, although I couldn’t find any tennis balls to test the durability of the pockets.  I tried tucking my MP3 player in the pockets but the player felt as though it would slip out, so I stashed it in the pocket of my Fila top.

About 3 miles into my 6 mile Sunday run, I stumbled upon a small Strawberry Shortcake doll lying on the sidewalk that I knew my little Emmalynn would love, so I grabbed the doll as a surprise for her.  I carried it for a few paces, until my sweaty hand began smelling of strawberries.  Then I remembered about the pockets.  Would the pocket keep Strawberry safe and secure?  Her head was pretty bulgy and round like a tennis ball.

Sure enough, Strawberry Shortcake stayed tucked in there!

The real bonus was my pants would smell like strawberries, which smells a whole lot better than sweat.  But neither the strawberry smell nor sweaty stench lasted long due to the pants mesh weave design to minimize odor. And for that, I’m grateful.

Although I was very pleased with my new Wilson Capri Pants, I wish I could say the same about my 6 miles.

6 miles

1:08:40

Ave Pace 11:05

Max Pace 8:46

To view and locate a pair of Wilson La Divine Capri Pants or other Wilson Tennis Apparel in your area, visit http://www.wilson.com/en-us/tennis/apparel/ .

*Proudly submitted to Stacy Uncorked, because when I blog about my training, it’s usually pretty random.*

Missed the Boat

When I saw this year’s Gasparilla Distance Classic Marathon shirt, it made me sad all over again to have missed the boat on Tampa’s very last marathon.

 

 

Crocs Winner!

With the help of random.org, a winner has been selected!

 

 

Congratulations to Marathon Mom!  I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience. As always, thanks to all the ladies who participated in the giveaway! 🙂

Giveaway: A Small Feat for Small Feet

For the past 30 days, my girls and I have been giving many gifts, but our 30 Gifts in 30 Days challenge draws to an end just as the season of giving begins.  Therefore, I thought I would offer one more gift to celebrate the end of our successful challenge and the start of the gift giving season.

 

The Fuchsia Beach Crocs I received as part of my Women’s Half Marathon goodie bag are too small.  When I registered for the race, I ordered the wrong size (small W6-7/M4-5), but my mistake is another’s gain or what I prefer to call “My Small Feat for Small Feet Giveaway”.

 

 

So, if you would like to win these pretty in hot pink Crocs, then simply leave a comment below.  These size W6-7/M4-5 Beach Crocs would be a great treat for a petite feet friend.  One lucky winner will be randomly selected on Tuesday, December 8, 2009.

 

For additional entries:

• Follow @denisermt and @Crocs on Twitter.
• Tweet about this giveaway.  Add a new comment for each time you tweet: @denisermt Run DMT’s #crocs #giveaway- Win a hot pink pair http://tinyurl.com/yht6xgn
• Become a fan of Crocs on Facebook.
• Visit Crocs.com. Check out the Holiday Gift Guide and all the great new styles for winter.
• Visit the Crocs Blog and a comment to one of the posts.

Crocs Winner!

With the help of random.org, a winner has been selected!

  

 

 

Congratulations to FiddleDeeDee!  As the winner, she can choose a new pair of Crocs up to $50 in value!  And after her recent spill in her heeled Crocs, she might be looking for a more flat, sneaker-like pair, such as the Torrey.

 

Thanks for everyone who participated in this giveaway!  Stay tuned for giveaways this fall! 🙂

One More Mile Winner!

 

Congratulations to Marathon Mom!  She has won the One More Mile t-shirt of her choice!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who entered the giveaway! 🙂