Wow!! All I can say is…WOW! Where did 2018 go???? I feel like I just started writing a post for 2017 going INTO 2018. I kind of fell of the radar a bit this year from the Blogosphere. I’m not really sure I have a good explanation, but I know #MomLife is busy! This is truly the definition of mishaps in my life. 3M for LIFE!
I started this blog 5 years ago, this month! I want to say my first post was right around NYE, so this time of year is always a little bit more special for me. It is always fun to look back and see the year brought me. I can’t say that I had an overly exciting 2018, but I did have a few things to share…..
I completed my FIRST half marathon in April . I was EXTREMELY afraid to do this distance, I am not going to lie! I was convinced by my running friends from Junior High (YES!!! You read that correctly….JUNIOR HIGH!). See, we have participated in the Star Wars run in previous years. This year was year #3, so “we” decided to do the challenge. WHAT is the challenge, you ask? Friday-5k; Saturday-10k; Sunday-Half. Sounds doable, right? Sounds like a piece of cake, right? #thatsaNO. 5 and 10k days were fine, but Sunday rolled around and for the first time in a LONG time….I was afraid. What did I possible get myself in to, that I know I can’t possibly get myself out of?? I set a goal for 3 hours, because I honestly had NO clue what to expect. I prepared, using my Nike+ running app, however my longest run was only 9 miles! (good ol’ #MomLife getting in the way!) . Many told me, even the guy on the bus ride back from the 10k, told me not to worry! He/they were right! I mean, I am by NO means supporting lack of preparation to complete a race…it’s just for me…it WAS enough. Given working full time, 2 active kiddos, and being a commuter, I figured it had to be enough. I found myself very emotional at mile 12. This is when I realized…in my best Shalane Flanagan voice…that I.WAS.DOING.THIS!! (she used some other words, but folks, I gotta keep it family friendly! LOL🤣)
I FINALLY got under 30 minutes for a 5k!! I still don’t know how the hell that happened…but I did it! My sister and I ran a Turkey Trot this year in Haymarket, VA. We’ve done this race before…and as per usual…she kicked my a**! This chick even HATES running! Don’t you LOVE to HATE people like her??
We got up on a VERY cold Virginia morning – 27 degrees to be EXACT- and went for a run. I felt good..and I figured to day was going to be a decent race. I’ve gotten past the pressure I put on myself to ALWAYS be good. I have some good races, I have some bad races, but this one, I would consider a GREAT race. First mile, Nike+ tells me “Distance, one mile; average pace 8:58 per mile”. Ummm, excuse me? Did the cold get to my watch? Did the weather freeze my brain to point of no comprehension? Did my AirPods magically sync with someone else’s watch? These are all plausible explanations to ME, other than I actually did a mile in 8 FREAKING 58! By the time I had completely registered my brain around that first mile, seems as if the race was done! Chip time- 28:41 (Pace of 9:14/mile). I HAVE NOT seen a pace or time like this in a YEAR!! I will keep plugging along and working hard to see that time again!
My diet FINALLY made sense to me! I decided after training for the half (and after a trip…more to come on that) that I needed to do something about my eating. I am very active and I know that you can’t run or work out enough to compensate for a bad diet. You are fooling yourself that you can…and once I realized that…it began to change for me. My husband was my inspiration, really. He has LOST 100 pounds and has managed to KEEP it off for 2 years! I decided to try the plan Hubs did, called Ideal Protein. It is a medically supervised ketogenic diet that has taught me so much about nutrition. *****DISCLAIMER: While I am a health professional, I am simply expressing my OWN opinions on a plan that worked for me. Anyone that may be considering starting ANY diet plan/program should consult their medical provider prior to initiation. This is NOT an advertisement and I have not been compensated for my opinions in this post.****** . I learned how to balance the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and how my body can utilize it for weight loss. I scaled back on my running, sticking to just interval training walking on the DREADmill and strength training, while I was on the plan. Let me say, plan, as in what I had to follow and learned to maintain. This is NOT a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. Maybe I will do another post of the plan and how I am living now. But I will tell you, that I lost the pesky 20 pounds that have been paying for homeownership on my body since I turned 40, almost 7 years ago! You may not see the difference from my pictures above…but trust me..it is there!
What I have also seen is my running is different. You do not realize how 20 pounds affects your body. Outside of the cold…that probably why my butt moved fast at my last 5k in VA! 🤣
I placed in a race. Yep… you read that right! 3M over here placed in her AG! I did the Santa’s Run for Our Kids in Winter Haven, FL. This race is special to me because it was my FIRST 10k 3 years ago. I missed it last year, but I couldn’t wait to do this event this year. Mostly because it my friend’s FIRST 10k and I wanted to be there to share the experience with her. I was able to cut 3 minutes off of my last 10k and I missed getting under 1 hour by 2 MINUTES!! (Chip time 1:02..ugh!). My friend came in 20 seconds behind me! I had another friend that swore she heard my name when they were announcing awards. I told her to not worry, because that NEVER happens! Come to find out…it actual does happen! Now..before you get all excited for me..there were only 6 in my AG! So, throwing confetti and streamers in a parade for me is a liiiiiiiiitle much but I’ll take the win!
Spain…here I come! I could probably do an entire SERIES of posts on this trip. Hubs and I got to visit the Andalusia region of Spain this year. As a matter of fact, it was right after my half marathon. This trip was nothing short of PERFECTION!
Suffice to say, this was a trip of a lifetime! These pictures are only a small sample of all the wonder and glory of this beautiful country.
I went to my first OrangeTheory Fitness class. I’ve wanted to try this class since my sister started going about a year ago. I am always looking to try something new, like when I tried Pure Barre in 2017. I have to say…I loved it! I have only been with my sister twice- once on vacation in Hilton Head Island and during Turkey Day break in Gainesville, VA. It.is.EVERYTHING! I like the interval training and it mixes the workout up, so there is no room for boredom. They use treadmills, rowers, free weights, TRX and floor exercises in each class depending on the type of class (strength, endurance, etc). There are two OTF in my two, which I am equidistant from both facilities. The question is…when can I get there again???
J got his license! This is another one of my “OMG’ moments in parenthood, when your baby can now LEGALLY drive a car, on his or her own! He received his license the DAY BEFORE his junior year of high school. He has been driving to school on his own (a little bit more every day), but I am still a nervous wreck! Who said they could grow so fast???
I am sure that there are some other things that happened in 2018 that I have no doubt forgot, but these are the special ones that come to mind!
Tell me….what have you been up to this year???
I want to wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2019! I can’t wait to see what is in store for us all!! #cheers
#truth
#5kDONE
This MEDAL,though!!!
Me, Kim, and Terri (the infamous “Let’s do the Challenge” friend! 😂). ❤️ them !!
Didn’t have to wait TOO long for Kylo Ren this year!
It was a really easy 10k. I honestly didn’t feel a struggle at all during the run. I kept an even pace (slower than I would have liked honestly) and just ran. 
The medals just keep getting better and better….
Denise (aka BB-8), Me, and Terri
I was so happy to have done this race and I got to share it with my friends!!! 
(I think Kim took the picture and that’s why she isn’t here! 😢)
These medals!!! The half marathon medal is the Storm Trooper and Kylo Ren…yeah…he’s the Challenge medal! #yeaBABY
Cute, ain’t he??
Mom, Miles, and Mishaps...... 