I completed a half marathon?!?!

yes, i did... i know it sounds unbelievable...especially if you know me, but i have the finisher's medal to prove it...

let me start at the beginning. last night i had a race day nightmare... i was heading to the start line and realized i had no where to store my wallet, so i had to run home and drop it off...but that wasn't the worst of it...then when i finally got to the finish line, everyone had already taken off and the race officials were gonna make me pay! I had to jump 5 feet 7 inches in order to start...so here i am, jumping like a fool, trying my darndest to get where i'm going and finally i can go... fade to black (i wake up).

I'm up now. Its race day. I can do anything. Oh yes i can. Atleast this is what i'm telling myself after the nightmare last night! So i get up, shower and get dressed. My shirt reads: SUADI in the front. Thats an acronym we made up quite a while ago....Shut Up And Do It. *this phrase will get me far today*...on the back i have my name with a crown, cuz i'm a queen, but thats entirely different post lol

So we're off.... speeding down the highway because we're a little late. We get to our location and park in the parking garage...i dont even want to TALK about that hassle....

So we line up, we're walking to the start. Go Us! We're going to do this! Well truth of the matter after about the first mile and a half...Chantyl was on her own. They were gone. So i turned on the radio and went to task. Wow, this is not so bad i thought when i got to the 5 mile marker. Hmph, who wuddathunk it could be so simple. I took heed to Betty's advice, start off slow and then slow down..... Not to much sooner i caught up to the girls who were taking a restroom break. At this point I was really really really jamming. They were doing the top 40 countdown. My jam "billionaire" came on and i was off again.... i hung out with the girls for a while and then something happened around mile 8. My hip starting hurting like nobody's business....

Slow down Chantyl. Thats a 12 yr old injurt screaming at you. You cannot afford to mess yourself up again.

SO once again, i'm alone. But i'm not worried. I'm gonna finish this race. Even if i have to crawl to the finish (who-da thunk that was going to be intriguing a little later).

Somewhere between mile 10 and 11, i get a glimpse of one of the girls...sure my hip hurts but i think i can meet up with her, so i pick up my pace (and trust me that's a super duper slow pace lol)..... boy was that a bad idea

I got a ton of simulataneous cramps in my right calf....so here i am with a sore hip and i dont think i'm gonna make it. i pull off the path to stretch (and say a little prayer). Its not helping. My calf is done.

Maybe i need to be done. I think i need to be done.

A race staffer came to my aid to see if i needed to end this journey. I told him i was fine.

So The last 3 miles or so were the slowest i've ever walked. The crowd still cheered me on "come on chantyl" "lookin good chantyl" "you can do it chantyl"

So i said, I need to SUADI. Once more, I channeled my inner LCF's Betty and Gina. Gina has a saying about what "winning races". And i took that to heart.

Now the sign says "1.25 miles to finish". Woo hoo...Woo hoo. My feet are burning, my calf is still cramping, my hip is saying "YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS"

i wondered if i could drop to the floor and just roll to the finish. Maybe i could channel my inner baby and crawl.

SUADI Chantyl. I walked across that finish, they crowned me with my finishers medal and this huge sense of accomplishment came over me. I was hurting. I was in pain. But i finished. I won.

I Shut Up AND DID IT!

Of course, at this moment i'm too aware of my soreness to say another half marathon is in my future, BUT i'm sure there will be other races!

-Chantyl

Failure for a real runner..for ME..VICTORY!

Well, i woke up after a 30 min long snoozefest to go and run. Today, though, i was doing something different. Last night i went to family dollar and bought a cheap am/fm radio with headsets. I was not going to be left up to my own devices. Nope. Nope. So...off i went to the park.

On the way in, 3 cars. Woot. No runners remorse for me...or at least not yet... lol... so i plug in my headset, listen to kiss and set my garmin goal for 4 miles in 1 hour. That would mean a continuous 15 min mile pace. Not too shabby i thought...

So i did the unthinkable...i ran slow...really really really slow. So slow in fact that not only could i carry on a conversation, but i could SING...and i did! It was an awesome run. I was so wrapped up in the music that i ran the entire first mile without bothering with my run/walk ratio. I kept running and finally walked...and i also walked really really really slow. So slow, in fact that my garmin said i was walking an 18:32 pace LOL. too slow...oh well... its my long run, i can take it easy....

Well then that runner remorse kicked in....CRAP..my shoes are about a half size too small. My toes feel scrunched and i don't like it. I need to get new shoes. So i will have to put in for my mileage check to i can get fitted again. CRAP!

Oh well...Lady Gaga gets me back in gear. Oh man telephone comes on, boy do i love that song. I ran and ran...Beyonces part comes on and i go wild...next thing you know i'm running a little too fast, can't really sing my favorite part so i get slower and slower.

Well.... before i know it, i look down and only have a quarter mile left. Damn. I missed when the garmin went off after the hour? or had I?

I had LOL.

4 miles: 1:08:57.... might be a failure for a real runner but for me...it was VICTORY!!!!

3 mile run...check

Got off of work and went running at the park.

3 miles: 48:46 min

not impressive by normal standards but i'm more worried about getting the miles in than pace.

Runner's World Quote of the Day

I don't train to beat another runner. We are out there together, competing with the marathon, and I train to run the marathon as fast as I can.

Juma Ikangaa, Marathon runner from Tanzania

I also love Gina, my LCF's, approach to winning in racing:

*My definition of win: I didn't quit, they didn't close the course on me, and I didn't throw up*

Just a little motivation!

Wind beneath my wings... errr ummm....

It is a beautiful day in DFW. It started off really ugly with random spurts of heavy showers. But by noon it was absolutely gorgeous. I HAD to go out and enjoy this weather!

So my training schedule said today i should do: 2 miles or cross train. Hmmm...well all the books/websites say cross training might be something like biking or swimming or walking. Well, i don't own a real bike. I'm not even sure if i can still ride a bike....i know...i know... but i don't believe cliches that might end with me face down on the pavement with bruises all over my legs...

So biking was out if i was going to go outside. (I have an exercise bike in the neighborhood gym but its gorgeous outside)....so option 2...swimming...

Ummm...I can't. I dunno how. I was traumatized as a kid when i was learning and never tried to learn again. So no swimming.

So what did i do? I walked! 2.5 miles actually. It was so beautiful i didn't want to stop. I went to the park and was so impressed by all the average joe type of ppl there. Were there "real" runners. YUP! But did they outnumber us? Nope. I blended in just fine. So i walked, no music, just me and the wind beneath my wings...err...umm... no this is not the bachelor. (i digress...my apologies).

But the wind felt great against my skin. I enjoyed it so much. There was one woman however that kept giving me funny looks when we passed eachother. Most just smiled or said hi. She rolled her eyes the first time we passed each other. The second time she looked at my feet and snarled. I had to check myself...do i stink? (casually raised arms and checked)...NOPE... i did look down and realized i was doing a Mo'Nique. (very hairy legs, but is that offensive). Then the 3rd time we passed i saw her stare at my chest before she stared at my feet. I must have food all over me.... NOPE...

I looked down and realized i was wearing my turtle shirt instead of my cupids chase shirt. They are both long sleeved and white. But turtule shirt has the cutest turtle on it and above it reads "Shut the Shell UP". LOLz. Didn't mean to offend her but that sure cracked me up.

I really enjoyed my walk. 3 miles tomorrow (plus strength training):

Meals today:

b: 3 hotdogs with mustard

l: pork chop with macafoni and cheese

d: cinnamon pork crunch. (yum)

Training...

Well folks...training officially starts this week! Training for what you ask!?!?

Ahhhhh....the HALF MARATHON! Am i freaking? Yes. I cannot believe i allowed my friends to convince me that running 13.1 miles was a smart and healthy...and worse yet...FUN thing to do! LOL.

Woke up this morning, about 30 min later than planned. Ya know me and buttcrack time really don't get along. But got up nonetheless and ran my 3 miles. Because i was late i didn't bother going to the park. Just jumped on the treadmill. Let me tell you, it was fabulous. Well not at first. At first i kept wondering why the hell i thought it was a good idea to go running at 530 in the morning, but about 1/2 a mile into my run i felt great. I'm running for much longer spurts which is a big deal for slow nelly me. I have a 2 mile run planned for tomorrow. I think i will save my park runs for the weekends fri-sat.

Anyway...tis all!

Meals:
post workout: strawberry lemonade protein shake
l: pork rinds and water (i know not much of a lunch but i am at a school all day and only have 20 mins)
d: pork chops with macafoni and cheese! yum!

then i'll be off to work AGAIN!

Long time...bloggy

Sorry about the delay in posts. I am still running (albeit slowly...slow enough that walkers pass me).

I regressed this week. I was totally pumped about going to the park to run. I came home after work and got dressed. Snapped on the garmin and headed to the park. When i arrived, what did i see!?!?


A bunch of "real" runners. They were every where. Some shirtless, glistening, running faster than i have ever run. Some with really cool running gear. They were everywhere.

I felt totally defeated. Like i didn't deserve to run with them. So what did i do?!!?

Hopped in the car and went back home. Did i workout still? Yes. In the privacy of my own home. But i didn't run. You cannot make up miles you never run. Ugh!

So anyway, next week, i start official half marathon training. I will be posting more frequently then. I will have to follow it to a T!

I'm not sure if i prefer mornings or evening yet. next week i will start with mornings and see how its goes.

Anyway,

Tyl Lata

TGIF

Well my dears... i cannot tell you how happy i am that this week is over. What a crappy start to my day. My alarm clock did not go off. I was supposed to wake up super super early (u know, buttcrack time) and work on some things for work. Well, um... that didn't happen.

So i quickly get ready and put some things together. Great i'm ready to talk to the kiddos about reproductive anatomy. Sweet let's head out.

Eh hemmmm..... i'm driving on my merry way. Gonna teach the kiddos...TGIF

then... BAM... i get rear ended. I pull into a gas station and jump out the car. Please Lord, let my Purdy be ok. Whewwwww... she's fine. Just a minor bump. Ok. Not too bad.

But what was bad? The young woman who ran into me is cheery...how can you possibly be bubbly when u just drove your car into me?!!? Well i didn't get it...and it irritated and infuriated me. She wasn't genuine at all when she apologized.

But since Purdy was fine, i went on my merry way.

TGIF... I'm so over it.

So anyway, i went for a run after work today, i was feeling pretty crappy. The garmin read: 2 miles, 34:29! Beat my sub 35min goal! go me! go me! Gonna run in the morning and see if i can do 34.

Meals:
b: sausage and an atkins bar
l: chicken taco salad and coke zero
s: (post workout) strawberry lemonday protein shake
d: minute steak and salad

Thursday...oh Thursday

Well yesterday was interesting...i heard a commercial for a 5k at Cowboys Stadium and signed up for it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME????

The press release was really neat....there is gonna be a performance by a secret celebrity and the finish will be inside cowboy stadium and as you go across the finish you will be displayed in HD on the Cowboy Stadium Video Board.

Well at least i know it won't snow! lol

Meals:

b: salad (chicken, cheese, olives, bacon, lettuce w blue cheese dressing)
l: garlic parm wing
d: pronut holes

Yum!

Having a Garmin Loving Time

Well, as you all know, my honey bought me a garmin gps watch. Well, this afternoon i took that sucker out for a test run.

So i said to myself "self, lets take it easy this afternoon and use the garmin at the park...lets say 2 miles."

That sounded great and doable and easy.

Well let me tell you something folks. If you've been running on a treadmill, the road is really really different. The treadmill keeps you running the same pace consistently. Let me tell you, trying to find a comfortable pace for my easy run was not as easy as pushing 3.5 on the tready. In fact, it was much more difficult. At one point i looked at the garmin and i was running a 15:32 pace.... then i was running (really walking) 17:28. I was all over the place. LOL. But how cool was it knowing what i was doing. Super cool!

I programed my garmin for an easy run of 2 miles with a goal of 30 min. Well it beeped when 30 min was up and i wasn't done. Did i care, well no not really. The point of an easy run is that you take it easy and so, that's exactly what i did.

Finally finished her up. The garmin read: 2 miles, 35:09 min. Cool. Really cool.

Will use her again on Friday afternoon for another easy 2 miler. This time i will aim for 35 min. I'm not worried about pace at all at this point. Just getting in my miles for the week.

Holla!


Meals for today:

Breakfast: protein shake (one scoop strawberry protein shake and water and lemon crystal light)
lunch: taco salad: lettuce, pico, ground beef, cheese, sour cram, gauc, salsa
snack: (post workout) another protein shake made the same as above
dinner: wasnt too hungry so i had a cup of peach tea w/ cream and faux apple crisp

Best Gift Ever

Did I ever mention my incredibly awesome, loving, giving boyfriend? Well if i haven't, my apologies. He is absolutely amazing.

Today i checked my mailbox and what did i find, my incredible bf sent me a gift. What was it you ask? Well of course you want to know, who am i kidding:

I got a GPS watch.

Now some of you will read this and not be nearly as excited as you should be. Now i know my first (real) 5k was a HAM. It was. But that is NOT stopping me. I have another 5k scheduled in just 6 weeks. And then I have a 10k the next month. Lastly, I have a half marathon scheduled in May.

Wth am i thinking? Good question. No. GREAT Question. I'm turning my low carb life into a more fit life as well. And i'm trying running. I used to be one of those people who would respond to questions about running with "I don't run unless i'm being chased". But dangit. There's a great weightloss saying:

"Diet makes you look good with your clothes on. Exercise makes you look good naked"

And well.... I want to look good naked. I also want to be as healthy as possible. So, why not choose another type of exercise. Good question. I have. And while i have enjoyed some (read: most) things more than running, i need some real accountability. What better way to stay motivated than to have a race on your calendar. Or at least that's my logic.

So anyway, back to the point. I'm going to take my gps watch out for a spin tomorrow! I want to try running in the evening because, well, i want to sleep. LOL Waking up early is just not fun.

Will let you know how it goes:

Meals yesterday:
brunch: steak, eggs and cheese
dinner: pepperoni and black olive pizza on a lc crust
s: lc cookies and 85% cocoa

Today:
breakfast: faux apple crisp
lunch: salad: romaine, chicken, black olives, cheese and ceasar dressing
dinner: minute steak and green beans
l:

today's meals

b--cup of tea w hwc
l--roasted chicken w creamed spinach and green beans
d--garlic parm wings
s--lc spice cookies

As if...

As if my first (real) 5k wasn't torturous enough...i awake this morning to pain from my hips to my knees (on both side). Well ok then, first (real) 5k exerperience.

Its like the gift that keeps on giving. A really bad gift that you get from a tacky aunt.

Well i'm going to stretch it out. Something that i didn't do (i know bad. bad. bad) yesterday at the lake because it was just sooooooo cold i was in so much pain.

I suppose its a lesson learned at the end of the day: Gotta take care of you no matter how inconvenient it may seem... or else you'll suffer the consequences.

-Chantyl

Today's meals

b: noatmeal with a splash of heavy cream and irish cream davinci syrup
l: pepperoni pizza (made with a lc pork rind crust...so good)
d: roast chicken (leg and thigh) with creamed spinach.

Good day! minus the whole 5k thing. lol

My first (real) 5k

This morning I embarked on my first (real) 5k. Not that i've completed an unreal or fantasy 5k. Just this one was supposed to be competitive, while i've just walked for causes in the past. Well how'd it go, you ask!?!?

Well...i woke up at the butt crack of dawn. Ok, fine, it was 5:30 am. Closer to daylight than i want to let on. I got ready, put on my only sports bra that can hold my ta-tas down. Threw on some sweats, my running sleeveless shirt and my lucky tigger sweater on top. I started running through my pre-race day check sheet:

breakfast (Noatmeal)--check
pins for my bib-- check
ipod--check
running shoes-- check
the address of the site-- check

Ok well i'm off. Or so i thought. The nerves made me stop in the bathroom (TMI, i know). Ok bathroom--check!

So there i was driving all the way to dallas just to run 3.1 measley miles. Whoa. There is still a ton of snow everywhere. Well, certainly the race path is clear so i'll just enjoy the beauty of it all.

I get to White Rock Lake. Park the car. Register--Check. Attach bibb-- check. Put D-tag on shoe laces --check. Ok i'm ready. But its cold so i will sit in the car for a while and wait. Afterall, i still have 40 mins till showtime.

Whoa...what is this I see...They've started without me!?!? Why would they do that?! I didn't see them line up!?!? Oh wait they have different colored bibbs. A-ha! There is already a race that crosses our races path... intersante. Ok ok... time to line up.

I head to the back of the pack. I'm not used to running in below freezing temps so i'm gonna take it easy esp starting off. (There's only 60 or so of us, a few older folks and some babes...ha! i'll def beat them)

On your mark....get set.... GO!

And i'm off. Going at my own (slow pace) taking in one breath at a time. Ok its cold cold breaths that don't quit feel right but breaths non-theless. I know i'm gonna do well. I've got beyonce singing a sweet song in my ear and i'm pumped. Dude, its kinda hard to breathe this cold air. But smash into you is on and i'm so pumped i don't even care. Then BAM.... beyonce cuts off. WTH? I charged my ipod completely. I'm only .5 miles in. I pull her out. Try and power her on. Nothing. I'll be left to my own devices, cuz the ipod is dead.

My feet start to feel like ice blocks underneath me. Its soooo cold. Well at least there's no snow. If there were snow, my feet would get wet. Thank God there's no snow.

Oh wait we're turning onto the trail. My Lord, there is snow EVERY where. Along the entire path minus foot prints. Well those ahead of me are running on it. So will I.

Slip.... Slide... ok slow down girl. Slow down.

Slip....

Slide...

Slide....

Ok i gotta walk before i break something. And thats what i end up doing the other 2 miles (with the exception of the last .2 miles or so that are clear). Do you know how hard it is to speed walk when your feet are wet and numb and your treking on snow, slush and dirt. Its pretty tough. Or it was for me. It sucked. It hurt. It was darn right miserable. No beyonce to help me along the way...breathing short.... slipping and sliding. Ugh is it almost over. I check my cell phone. Its been 40 min and i can't see the finish OMG. How slow am i going....

Well...fast forward...i can see the finish. I'm gonna finish. There's no snow in my way. I BOLT.... look up at the clock. 51:27?!? It took me 50 + minutes to finish 3.1 miles. Ya know what...in those conditions i'm mighty proud. Of course the older folks and the kiddos all beat me, but i gotta be honest, once i hit the snow i didn't want to go any further. I wanted to turn around and go to my car. When my feet felt like ice blocks i just wanted to stop. But i trekked on. And for that i'm thankful.

It wasn't what i envisioned for my first (real) 5k. But, alas. It was what it was. I know the next (real) one will be much better.

PS. i'm gonna have to get my garmin watch. Cuz i'm gonna start running on the road.

Low Carbin

Well i've been lowcarbing for a year and a half now. I used to use another site to discuss my ups and downs but don't like it as much anymore. So here I am using a blog that most (if anyone) will never see. I feel kind of good about that.

The other reason i'm starting this blog is that i am joining a weight loss group for support. I called goal a long time ago, but have since decided that i'd like to go down one more dress size. I, of course, would prefer to eat the same and just workout more. And i want to try that. But if exercise alone doesn't help, well i can reduce my carbs again.

Oh yea, and the leader of my weightloss group said we needed to journal our meals as of two days ago. Well needless to say, i'm starting today LOL. But i think i remember yesterday:

breakfast: a yummy chicken salad (parm/hazelnut flour crusted chicken tenders shredded, mayo, mustard, a little sf relish)
snack: pork rinds and water (i didn't have much of a lunch break, i was at a school and super super busy)
dinner: spinach dip and pork rinds

a lot of salt yesterday but that's what happens when you're not so prepared. I will do better.

Today i'm having:

breakfast: the last of my chicken salad
lunch: chicken and veggie stirfry (mushrooms, green beans, broc with soy sauce, ginger and seasame oil) yum!
s: tea with heavy cream and xylitol
s: more tea
d: leftover veggie stirfry

Well thats all i have for now folks! Will post tomorrow!