Out of my funk........

I was in a funk this week! I didn't go to the gym at all. My goal was to go to 2 power lift classes and get all of my runs in. Major fail on my part! I think I just had a lot to do at work, and it was easier to work through my lunches. The last time I ran was Monday for 5 miles. That run was hard, it was hot, HOT, HOTTT!!!!

I survived the run, but took a couple of days off from my fitness. Friday morning I got up at 3:45 am and got ready to meet my sister Jenny and SIL Susie, we had to run 7 miles. Jenny is on vacation so she was not here this morning for our group training run with the S2S group. So Susie and I agreed to run with her Friday morning.

It was a great run! The 1st half we ran in the dark, I thought it was perfect, we stopped at 1 mile to adjust some things and I realized I was covered in sweat. I hadn't noticed until then. It was humid, but at least that sun wasn't beating down on us.

Anyways, it was a great run, 7 miles in 1:15:08! I was super stoked.

I will be running the same run tomorrow morning with Susie, Bridget and Donna. Bridget and Donna are doing it for the first time. Susie and I are doing it again, I have 2 missed runs to make up for, so the 7 miles is perfect.

I bought a 1-piece swimsuit and goggles today. Now when Joby and the teens are at the gym working out, I will be in the pool with the cool little kids, swimming laps.

Time to get back on track. The next month at work will be busy. End of quarter. A lot of accounting work to be done. But I am determined to stay on track!

Later! I have to get ready for a cookout!

Sharing Saturday.......

As promised, I am going to share one of my favorite cupcake recipes....its perfect for a summer get together.
Cold Oven Poundcake with Peach Butter Cream Frosting (yummo!)

I borrowed this picture from the internet, I don't have a picture of mine, sorry!

Cold Oven Poundcake Cupakes 2 Dozen, maybe more

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter (i usually do 1 cup unsalted and 1/2 cup salted)
3 cups sugar
6 cold eggs
3 cups cake flour, sifted (I use Swans Down, red box)
1 cup cold milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

1. In your mixer, beat butter until it's whipped
2. Add in the sugar and beat until mixed.
3. Beat in the sifted flour, alternating with milk (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup flour)
4. Add extracts to mix and beat on med-high for a minute or two.
5. Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 full (i use a large melon baller to fill my liners, less drips)
6. Place on middle rack of a COLD oven and bake for 1 hour @ 275 degrees.
7. Remove and cool.

Peach Buttercream Frosting
** You can use any fresh fruit here, wash them, slice and dice. If you are piping your frosting on, you will want to make sure the pieces are small enough to fit through the tip. You may have to use a food processor.

1 1/2 cups butter (again I do 1 cup unsalted, 1/2 cup salted). You want your butter chilled room temp. Not warm, not straight out of the fridge.
1 tsp vanilla (or almond) extract
6 - 8 cups confectionary sugar
fruit (1 peach, 4-6 strawberries)

Beat butter until its whipped........poor butter!
add 1 cup of confectionary sugar at a time and whip it in the butter mix.
Add 1 tsp of extract.
Add in cut up fruit and mix until blended.
Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!!

Note: Frosting, I have learned can be an exact science, and then you can use some of your judgment. As you are adding in the cups of sugar, around cup 5, I add the diced/pureed fruit, the juices in the fruit are going to make the frosting consistency different. Then I add more C-sugar 1 cup at a time to get back to a consistency great for piping. Depending on the fruit and the amount I add in, determines the cups of C-sugar I use. You want it "stiff" to pipe it. Good luck! If you have any questions, ask.

Sometimes plans fall through........

I was really hoping by now that I would have been able to mark off a few of my goals for the week. So far I have missed both Power Lift classes and skipped 2 runs. I'm looking at myself like "who is this girl", I get so excited about both of those. Well, life happened. Aiveen wasn't teaching class on Tuesday so I skipped out of fear that the sub would kill us. I didn't want to have sore legs all week because of all my planned runs.

Susie and I were suppose to run last night and she had back problems (which I totally understand). I was actually happy that we weren't running. It gave me time to spend with the kids. And AND I brought work home with me. I worked for 3 1/2 hours at home. Not my idea of fun! After this I think I was just frustrated, so when my alarm went off at 4 AM this morning, I turned it off. I was too tired to get up and run. I think it was more of a defeated attitude.

Today was a busy full day at work, I went in 1 1/2 early, to get some things done. And my lunch got interrupted with work. Now I am sitting here waiting to go to a meeting at the school. I really just want to crawl in bed!

Oh poor pitiful Holly! lol! This too shall pass. I will make up my runs, I will get back to the gym and life will go on! This obviously just isn't my week.

Introducing my Family...

The biggest and best part of my life is without a doubt my family. I wanted to introduce them, since without all of their help, support and encouragement I would not be able to run and have time to do the things I love. (and yes, these are wedding pictures, I haven't had time to get pictures taken since the wedding, I need to get that done asap)

Joby is my super sweet and supportive husband. I am lucky to have him, he never holds me back, always makes sure I get to go get my runs in and listens to my never ending chatter about my pains, shoes, running plans and acts as interested as he possibly can. Love you baby!



Gavin is my 7 year old. He's a perfect angel, hahahaha! He is a clown. He loves football and hunting.



Collin is my 13 year old. He's into football and girls. He is very helpful with the yard and dogs and helps me keep Gavin in line.



Destiny is my 13 year old step daughter. She loves to dance, text (5,000+ a month), graffiti and clothes!



Sydnee is my 10 year old who loves gymnastics, babies and making things with me.



I am so grateful that they put up with me. They fend for themselves a lot so I can go run! They keep me beyond busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Love y'all!

Fitness Bucket List

Since I am posting about goals, I wanted to post a Bucket List of sorts. Now it's known and published. The list will consist of races, goals, etc. that I hope to acheive in the future.

This post will get it started. Im sure it will grow over time and just so you know I dont think these are in any particular order, I just want to be able to mark them off!

Pinterest Fitness Bucket List

#1. It's About the Shirt half marathon (this will be my first one)

#2. Gulf Coast half marathon - Mandeville, LA

#3. Color Run - New Orleans 11/17

#4. Warrior Dash - anywhere

#5. Clean Eating



#6. Disney Princess half marathon (who doesn't want to be a Princess, even if just for a day)

#7. Azalea Trail Run 10K I missed it this year thanks to my gimped up hip.

#8. First Light Marathon - Relay Team

#9. Being a "fit example" for my kids



#10. Continue running with Sole 2 Soul Sisters!


Well....I think that's enough for right now! I am sure there will be more to come.

Weekly Chase Monday!!

I decided to participate in a weekly goal posting, thanks to a post from Mindy on her blog Road Runner Girl. I have learned that goals are very important. It helps to keep me accountable. I usually make everything in my life known, because I am an open book. But some things I have kept to myself and I have noticed that I normally don't follow through with them. So this is a great way for me to get my goals out there and get encouragement along the way.


This started on a blog, that I will now be following as well: Live, Love & Run Every week bloggers will post their goals for the week and link up over on Live, Love & Run so that they can support each other. Since I have no followers yet (lol!) this will be the only way I can get the support. I suppose I should start telling people about the blog, so I can build up my followers.

So let's get started with my goals for the week!

#1. Attend 2 power lift classes and complete all of my runs for the week. Do better stretching. I go to the YMCA in Mobile on my lunch hour. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to the best workout class, Powerlift taught by the great Aiveen. I look forward to this class all week and never miss, unless something comes up like work or kids.

#2. Find a Low-Cal menu for next week and prepare my shopping list. As hard as I have been working out and running, I am still struggling with my weight. So the fact that I keep reading 70% of it is food and 30% is in the gym, I would think by now, I would believe it and follow through. Food is my weakness. Well, chocolate is my weakness. So I need to do better in this area.




#3. Make 2 workout tanks from t-shirts! This I am super excited about. My hubby and I own a Decal business. We do mostly car window decals and at Christmas time I make ornaments. But I came across a new idea, thanks to Pinterest! I just love these workout tanks that you can make from a t-shirt. I was going to buy one from a lady on Etsy, but then I got the great idea to just make them myself. I have everything I need to do them. So a new business idea is born! So if anyone is interested in a personalized tank, let me know!


So there you have it, my goals for the week. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! Yikes!!

I did mention baking, didn't I?

It seems that running has taken over my life. I tend to hyper-focus on certain activities for a period of time and then move on. Only two have remained constant: running and cupcakes! I absolutely love baking. This is a new love for me. I started baking so that I could bake the cupcakes for our DIY Wedding in March 2011.

The wedding has come and gone (it was so much fun, so personal and I did it all by myself). But I am still loving to bake. For a while I was baking to sell them and plotting in my head my wonderful escape from my day job to becoming a world famous cupcake maker. Now, I want to go back to baking for the pure joy of it. It really makes everyone happy.

Why do I bring this up? I need to find a spectacular cupcake recipe for Saturday. Jobys' boss is having a get together and there will be a dessert contest. Of course i want to win. So I will be hunting for the perfect cupcake and I will share it here.

Mini vacation

We were asked by some of our good friends to stay the weekend in Destin. They had a few honey-do's for Joby Friday afternoon but then we had the rest of the weekend to play. Since this trip was not planned we came with little to no budget. But who can pass up a free place to stay and a day on their boat.

Friday night we went to AJ's, it's one of Sean and Kim's favorite places. I am still not a fan. Saturday we loaded up the boat and headed to Crab Island. That is a great way to spend a day. We floated, listened to music, grilled and had a great time.

After we got cleaned up we headed out for dinner at Outback, again Sean's pick but no complaints, my Filet foccacio sandwich was yummy! Then we rode over to Bay Towne. The tram ride to and from the shopping area was so funny. Sean and Joby are clowns. We walked around Bay Towne for about an hour before heading home to bed. That sun all day wore me out.

This morning I woke up to look at the radar to check on Tropical Storm Debby, to see this radar map. We have to travel home today, in a jeep with only a bra top and no doors. I'm not sure what we will do! Yikes!

Side note: I missed the S2S group run this weekend, it was 5 miles. I need to make that up this week for sure.

Am I crazy???

Wow, I must be crazy, I actually set my alarm Tuesday to wake up at 4 am so I could go run!! I actually loved it. It's such a better alternative to the South Alabama steamy evenings.

So Tuesday morning Bridget and I met up with other S2S ladies and got a 3 mile run in. It's so nice going to work and already having my run done. At lunch I decided to go to Powerlift. I am so glad I did. It was a high heart rate class. Boy did I burn some calories Tuesday.

Tonight I had the house to myself. My kids went to spend 5 days with their dad, DES went to a Friends house and Joby played poker! Such a quiet night. I decided to transform an oversize T shirt Into a cute workout tank. I have iron-on vinyl being shipped to me. Cute inspirational tanks will be in the works soon!!! Woo hoo!!

Tonight was a rest day, tomorrow is powerlifting and running. We are also joining another gym tomorrow night. Joby is going to work on his fitness too! I'm going to get some much needed sleep! Night!!

Spinning!

Today at lunch I decided it was time to go back to the gym. I took last week off. I was still running, in fact I upped my mileage a good bit. I was a little nervous about starting back at spin, but it wasn't too bad. We had a sub, Ben. He likes hills and jumps. I don't usually do the jumps. I did some of them, and was finally able to stay out of the saddle for all of the hills he did. Class was 45 minutes and he said we rode about 15 miles. That's pretty good cardio.

I am getting up at 4 am to go run with the S2S group. 5K here I come!

Long run complete!

Sunday we ran our first group run with the Half marathon group. It went great. There were around 20 ladies that showed up, so there were plenty of pace partners.

I started out in the front and was amazed that I was able to hold that position for the whole run! There were around 5 or 6 of us running together. My time was 6.0 miles in 1:03:06. That's the longest run yet! I can run longer than my lunch hour, woo hoo!!

My new shoes were great. Very light yet had a good amount of cushion for my high arches. So far I am happy!

Runs this week....

On Monday, Jenny, Susie and myself met 2 ladies in Daphne to get in our 5.5 mile run. Wow, talk about HOT and steamy. We had a great run though. My garmin said 5.48 miles in 59:08. I always forget to restart my watch after a water stop. We ran 5.6, but who's counting (lol!) To say I was tired after this run would be an understatement!

Our 2nd weekly run didn't happen again until Friday morning at 4:45 am. Seriously, I had to wake up at 4 am. I was finally able to talk Jenny and Susie in to joining us for an early morning run. This is the 2nd early morning run with the S2S girls. It was a great flat 3 mile course. We finished before the sun came up. 3.1 miles in 32 minutes, that I can live with. I ran and got back to the house before my alarm even went off for work. I could get use to that!

I am loving running more, adding the miles. I would love to add another run too. I do currently spin, power lift and do yoga during the week on my lunch hours. Power lift is my favorite. We have an amazing instructor, Aiveen. I skipped the gym this week, but plan to get back this week coming up!

I thought I would share this Ryan Gosling pic. I just love him!

Have a great day/night!

New Shoes!!!

Jenny, Susie, Bridget, myself and our little girls went to a running store today in Mobile called Run N Tri. I was really impressed with their Gait analysis machine. I was surprised to find out that I have a neutral foot. Not over pronating as I have been told. Also, I thought wearing a 9 was the right size, according to the machine, I should be in a 9.5, dango! Next they videoed us while running on the treadmill. Everything looked great. I thought the next part, actually picking out the shoe would be easy. And for Jenny and Susie it was. Not so much for me. I really loved the Mizunos I tried on. But, after standing around waiting on Bridget to get fitted I realized my heels were hurting.

I was thankful that they took some more time and after 5 more pairs I finally picked the K Swiss Blade Light Run shoe. It feels minimal like the Mizunos, but has more cushion by my ankles. I was skeptical about a KSwiss shoe, but I have read some really great reviews. I will update you as my running progresses.

Tomorrow is our first official long run with the Sole 2 Soul half marathon group. This run will tell if I picked the correct shoe or not. I am really excited for tomorrow. Yay!!

My FIRST official 5K!

This year I finally ran (ran the whole race) my first 5K. I had been working so long to get to this point. I would start and quit the C25K program a few times. Then once I finally joined a group of women runner's I was 7 weeks in to the 9 week process of C25K and wouldn't you know it, I hurt my hip. I was devastated and stubborn. I would try to run through the pain, only to prolong my recovery and deepen my frustration. Finally I quit trying and gave in to all the treatment that I was receiving from the wonderful Dr. Justin at Eastern Shore Chiropractor. I was released for activity 7 weeks later and I have been running (spinning, yoga-ing and lifting weights) strong ever since. Of course I have been very aware of my activity and stretch, roll and slow down when I need to.

On April 22nd I ran the Young Life 5K in 5 Rivers Park on the Causeway. It was a road/trail mix run at 4 pm. Who in their right mind schedules a race in Alabama at 4 pm. Lordy it was hot! But I was overly impressed with my time. My goal for 2012 was to run a 5K in under 33 minutes. Well.........now I need an updated goal!



As you can see, my sister was very nice to let me run in to the finish 1 second ahead of her. Bridget was out of town and not able to run with us, but Susie, Jenny and myself raced and then enjoyed the after run crawfish boil with our families. I am so glad to finally have that first race under my belt.

Finally the rain stops!

We live in South Alabama and have been plaqued with 3 days of non-stop rain. That makes it next to impossible to get a run in. I am not about to get on a treadmill, I can't walk straight on a moving belt let alone let go of the bar. Graceful, I am not! So tonight after 5 days off from running we set out for our last long run before we officially started the half marathon training. 5.50 miles was on the agenda, and I mapped out a decent run on Mapmyrun. With that, we were off! A little over an hour later, we were finally done. I think I sweat at least 3 pounds, that is so gross! There were some hills, but it was a mostly flat course on sidewalks and a couple subdivisions. There was a decent wind. I feel really good about this run. We have 1 more run this week, then on Fathers Day, we meet for Group run #1! Tonight's run was 5.60 miles at 1:02. That I can live with!

Half Marathon Training

I am super excited! I received the first email from the group that I am training with for my first Half Marathon! I have been blessed to run with the Sole2Soul Sisters running group. I know without their support and my great friends and family, I would still be trying to do the Couch to 5K. So, on Father's Day morning at 6 am, I along with Jenny and Susie and many other S2S women will start our first run towards the half marathon in Fairhope on September 30th Its About the Shirt Half Marathon.
I plan to use this blog as my journal through this process!