Fitness Friday: Thoughts for the Day

I don't remember where many of these quotes came from and Pinterest is now *gasp* BLOCKED at work so giving credit and using images is difficult (I had to wait until I came home for lunch to add the images - how rude!).  If any of you have races or long runs or a tough bike ride or hard workout planned this weekend, these quotes are for you.

Source: Pinterest

 

You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it. -Maya Angelou

Strive for progress, not perfection. -Unknown

Source: Pinterest

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. -Lou Holtz

The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race. -Unknown

Just do it.™ -Nike

Source: Pinterest

 

3 Things Thursday: More About Me

I've received a few more questions to add to "Another 20 Questions" page, but not enough to get to 20 yet, so I thought today I would answer 3 of those questions. (I apologize that I can no longer remember who submitted each question.)

1. Have you ever chosen Dare in a game of Truth or Dare and what was craziest dare you ever dared? Yes, I've chosen the dare and probably the craziest dare was skinny dipping. There might be others but right now I can't think of any.
2. Has running changed your social life? and how? Oh my word has it! I wouldn't have ever pushed myself to run past 3 miles if it weren't for social media. I thank the Shrinking Jeans sisters for getting me outside my comfort zone and supporting me while I've trained (from that first 1/2 marathon to the full marathon). Also, the majority of my closest friends are runners who I've met through blogging, twitter (and subsequently Fitbloggin' 11) or races I've done.  I love running with these friends now, but it sucks because (with the exception of a few people) we are spread all over the country and can rarely see each other.
3. How did you decide on your chosen profession?  I am a Speech-Language Pathologist and I came upon the profession by accident.  Back in high school, I had to take one of those "career" tests and this was one of the professions that came up.  I didn't give it much thought, other than observing a therapist in a hospital once.  When I went away to college, I really thought I was going to go pre-med (I wanted to be a neurosurgeon).  I loved science but I ended up hating the math classes I had to take and really wasn't ambitious enough for med school.  I switched to psychology but decided the clinical aspect really wasn't for me.  I took a speech/language class as part of the psychology program and loved it. Never looked back. I ended up switching my major to Communication Disorders and double minored in psychology and child development.  I worked in a private practice doing neurologic rehab (think strokes and traumatic brain injuries) then worked at a rehab hospital on the brain injury team.  I got burnt out after about 6 years and for the past 8 years or so I've been in the public schools and I love it.  I joke that I "play all day" but teaching kids strategies to help them learn and improve their speech is really fun.  If it doesn't feel like work, it's the job for you.

So there you have it...3 little ditties about me.  Do you have any questions you'd like me to answer in a future post?  Leave them in the comments or hit me up on twitter!

Wonderful Wednesday

Somehow, spring forgot to make a stop in West Michigan this year because we've jumped from snow about a week ago to 75 degrees today.  I feel bad sorta for my friends who ran today at lunch - holy crap it was hot out there!  Granted, I'm really loving wearing sandals and a summer dress today.  One of my 2nd grade students even said, "You look really pretty" - she got an A today :)

This is generally check-in day, so to get that out of the way, I'm down 2.6 pounds this week :) I'm not going to lie, that makes me happy, but I'm really trying to focus on more than just the number on the scale, like increasing the weight I'm lifting.  Remember this picture from Monday?  So true!

This week I busted by ass butt and started doubling up the NROLFW workouts because my sports chiro wants me laying off the leg work (ie, no squats, lunges, etc).  I did do the deadlifts on Monday and really felt it in my hamstrings on my run yesterday.  If my legs don't start cooperating, I'm cutting deadlifts out too.

Speaking of running, I feel like I'm getting some of my groove back (I ran 8 on Saturday and 4 yesterday with minimal pain and a much faster pace than I've been running) but today my shins and calves are REALLY sore again.  How much Aleve and Advil is too much?  I have an appointment with the chiro again tonight, so I'm sure I will leave with a whole new set of bruises to go with the ones he left last week.  I'm also hitting up the running store tonight for some compression calf sleeves.  I have compression socks but hate the "sock" part of them.  Sleeves make more sense because I can just wear the socks I love.

So, do you wear compression gear?  What color calf sleeves should I get?  If they have any kind of a print, I think I'm gonna be all over that.  I don't think I want plain black.

Happy #runDisney Tuesday!

Lately, my Tuesday posts have been full of gloom and doom and generally not being very nice to myself.  

Not today.

Today the sun is shining and I'm getting ready to go for a run (even brought my running clothes to school so I could squeeze it in before picking up K from track).

I even registered for another race today :)

 

Yep!  I'm going to be running the 2012 Wine and Dine Half Marathon at Walt Disney World in November so I can earn my Disney Coast-to-Coast medal!!   This will be my first-ever night-time race, which scares me a bit because how in the heck do you train for that???? But I'm going to be running with some girlfriends again and then partying it up at Epcot until 3 am.  

Is it really only March?  This year needs to get moving - I've got people to visit and races to run!

Monday Motivation

My girl, JB, sent me this through Twitter this weekend. I have no clue where she found it or how to give credit, but I thought we could all use the reminder.

Much love,
B


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Menu Plan Monday

So last week's attempt at menu planning turned out pretty well - the kids actually liked the new items and we stuck to the plan for 6/7 days.  I'd call that a resounding success given my family of picky eaters.

This week's menu plan is resulting in some additional challenges.  I have parent-teacher conferences 2 nights this week and on Saturday we will be out of town all day for a jazz competition.  The good thing - I don't have to cook as much.  The bad - more opportunities for crap eating.

Anyhoo...this is what's on the menu for the week.

Monday: Kids will make themselves dinner (probably sandwiches, a frozen pizza, something like that).  I'll eat whatever the parent group feeds us so I have no clue if it will be healthy for me.

Tuesday:  Skillet Lasagna (this is a kid favorite and is more skillet pizza than lasagna. I should post the recipe sometime).  Salad and garlic bread

Wednesday:  Burgers on the grill (I'll eat a veggie burger probably), tater tots, green beans.

Thursday: Kids fend for themselves again while I eat whatever the school provides.

Friday: Turkey tacos (we always make our tacos with turkey burger) & refried beans (for K's tacos cuz she doesn't eat taco meat)

Saturday: Jazz Competition at WMU.  Go out to lunch and dinner and hope to make 1/2 way decent choices. 

Sunday: Shoyu Chicken Thighs (these got bumped last week), broccoli, brown rice.

Not very original this week, but sometimes we have weeks like this where the schedule is just crazy and goes out the window.  

LLRB 365: 2012 Week 10

Sunday

3-4-12

She always steals my spot as soon as I get up.

Monday

3-5-12

Loved the mix of sun and clouds.

Tuesday 

3-6-12

Happy Birthday, Oreo!

Wednesday

3-7-12

Been taking a lot of these lately - stupid legs.

Thursday

3-8-12

I'm desperate enough to start bringing my foam roller to work.

Friday

3-9-12

Quiet evening with friends.

Saturday

3-10-12

Not too shabby - legs hurt but not unbearable.

Overall it turned out to be a pretty decent week.  My calf/shin/quad issue seems to be slowly improving to the point that I'm sure I'll finish my half marathon on April 1st but have resigned myself to the fact that my time will probably not be anywhere close to where it could've been if my training hadn't tanked her in the past few weeks.  

I hope these first days of March have been lovely where you live.  Anything fun or exciting happen for you this week?