Ya Girl is RUNNAN!

Boy oh boy was I SO proud of myself after yesterdays run! Luckily I had a group to run with and a person here and there to keep me going, cause my slacker friend Susan ditched me for her bed and sleepy time. She says she slept thru her alarm. She also slept thru my phone call and text. A phone on "silent" just isn't loud enough. Oh well. I did my run without her and I know I don't have to rely on someone else to push me!

I got up at 5:15 to meet the group at 6:00AM in town. I tried to protect my blister with THREE bandaids. They all sucked and came off midrun. Luckily it didn't hurt. I was able to pull thru with a pretty good pace. I was happy with my time! Because of a couple of different reasons to stop my watch, I did. So add about 10mins to my timing. I'm still happy with it.

Talking with Leah the other day, we decided that the first three miles are the hardest and after you get past that, it gets easier. So true! At one point I looked at my watch and was feeling mighty good at 5.25 miles! Surprisingly I was cruising good. Unfortunately, downtown in this town is completely up and down hill. I booked it down hill everytime to make up time for walking uphill so much. Atleast its getting easier each time with the hills!

The other day I mentioned "weird things about running". What I learned from yesterdays run?..... the "getting a cramp out" thing did NOT work and I felt like an idiot exhaling and stomping to get it out. I could not even tell that it eased it. So, tell me if it works for you. Also, I smelled like a SEWER. Somehow, at 5:15 in the morning I remembered to crab a towel this week. Normally I slip and slid of my leather seats and drip drip drip. Disgusting.

ANYWAY- Chocolate milk was the first thing gulped after. I chowed down on my normal Saturday after run breakfast. MMMMM.

Then I had to hurry to get ready for a special little girls four year old birthday party!

My wrapping was fab if I do say so myself. Saylee Grace thought the present was fab too. I didn't hear her yell as loud at anybody else's gifts! Score :) I'll toot my own horn......... TOOT TOOT.

Because I don't want to use last names, we will call these my "B" babies! I love them all way too much.

Birthday Girl all hot and sweaty from playing in the Moon Bounce!



Mary Morgan



John Thomas and his ice cream face

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As soon as the party was over, I drove over to hang out/shop with Jessica!

And looky what I found! and bought. Darn cost of running. OH WELL!

Got my SPIbelt! and some socks to prevent blisters.

I miss my girl so much and can't wait to have a sleep over Wednesday night :)) She is letting me share her bed so I have a quicker trip to the airport at 5AM to see ANDREW! What a pal!

Then I went to see Leah and Joseph.

And we made it an all night thing! Not seeing those two every month like old times hurts my heart when I think about it. I love yall! Joseph slaved over some yummy enchilada casserole, mexican rice, and refried beans! Then cookies for dessert. I enjoyed the yumminess a little too much! It felt good to branch out of my everyday menus!

Then we watched The Last Song! Joseph was such a trooper with the chick flick! You may applaud.

They know how to treat their moochers guests. Woke up and had a yummy breakfast! <insert pic of: Peanut butter toast, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon>

Then Leah thru her back out :(( Just know, she couldn't move all day. Finally about 2 hours ago she was able to walk around, with LOTS of pain. I hated leaving her in the bed with a heating pad and ice pack all by herself so that I could go to work. She has survived, but hobbling I'm sure.

So... work, then shoe shopping! I'm so excited to wear these babies! Way comfortable too!

Now my night is ending with Men Tell All on the Bachelorette!

Friday!

Too bad it wasn't payday or I would be a little more excited. No workout today because it was REST DAY.

I started my morning off with Multi-grain Cherrios with blueberries. Yummm!

Obviously I was sinning when I went thru the Wendy's drive-thru at lunch. I just bought this a month ago. Maybe I should make it a habit to fill in my check register instead of cramming receipts in there.

Lunch was good tho. Grilled chicken go-wrap. the sauce on it was ahhhhmazing!

Had a Berry-Almond Chicken Half Salad also :)

After work, I did some shopping for a special little girl who turns FOUR tomorrow. We get to play in a moon bounce thing and all. Yes, I'm gonna reach inside for my inner child and go nuts! I came out of the store with two more boxes of candy. This was the remains of the Sour Patch Kids. I was sad when I realized they were almost gone. Got even more sad when I thought about how much I just ate.

I also got home and hate the Jolly Rancher gummies too. No more candy for me.

Dinner helped me load up on carbs for my long run tomorrow! We are doing 8.5miles (including warmup) so I had Chicken Parmesan pasta and a GRAPE Powerade Zero :)

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Tonight I watched the last Marathon Makeover Dvd (weeks 9-10). It talked about 'Wierd things about running'. Here's the breakdown on what I learned....

• The fabric that running close is made of is going to stink. No use in wearing deodorant because your still not going to smell like roses. The technical fabric pulls moisture from your skin, and it sticks to the material. Gross. But awesome.
• After you finish a long distance run, you will notice salt on your skin? Apparently you can just wipe a hand over your skin and salt will just fall off. I'm waiting to see this happen. I'm fascinated.
• Pains in your side? Well, first everyone knows to take deep breaths in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Next, exhale FORCEFULLY as your opposite foot strikes the ground. It will take the pain away most of the time. Yeah, I'm totally giving this a try tomorrow morning because I don't go on a single run that I don't get a cramp in my side. I hear its from your colon and diaphragm slamming against each other and that causes the pain. weird.

I have such a busy weekend starting at 5:15 in the moanan so I need my beauty rest. Macie (our cat we rescued on Fathers Day last year) is already getting hers I guess.

Hope your Friday night is more fun than mine!

Saying Goodbye

Workout:: 30min run, 2.42mi

Amazingly I hopped out of bed today at 5:20 to meet Susan at the park to run this morning. Clothes I had layed out made me feel fun. at 5:30 in the moanan. So you get the privilege of seeing my no makeup face. Lucky you.... that doesn't happen often.

I laced up my shoes and could already feel the blister rubbing. ugh.. I kept the same bandaid on yesterday (oh like you don't do that) because it was the only one left that was sweat resistant. Gotta do what ya gotta do. I layered another cheaper bandaid on top of the other one, hoping it would hold. Anyway, it still didn't work. We were trucking along for about 10 mins after our warmup and it was rubbing. I tried not to pay attention because the wind was blowing and it was actually cool outside! Well, cool for summer. in MS. I also had tummy troubles and THAT uncomfortable feeling was inconvenient. So, when I got home I realized this-

Fun times! Not. It actually got blood on my sock and my brand new shoe! But I did make it through my run so no complaining Nicole!

Did close to 3mi with our warmup walk before watches started

I kept a good pace and didn't feel miserable at '2min remaining" as I usually do. It makes me so happy to see my progress with how it gets a little easier each time. My legs and feet don't scream at me nonstop anymore. Incorporating hills has got to be helping too. They get easier each time, and I don't huff and puff as badly. I try so hard to concentrate on diaphramatic breathing (expanding the belly, not chest). Breathing only out of my nose is also helping keep my lungs full too. When I would attempt to run before all my training, I would mouth breath and that would shoot me down fast. I would last 2mins at the most. I have come so far and it makes my heart smile every day knowing that I did it again!! Progress, progress progress. FYI, this Saturday we do 8-9 miles! And the full trainers are on a fall back week so I will have my running partner the entire time!!!

I started my morning with a SmartOnes breakfast sandwich and some OJ - in the 100% huggable mug :) ha

My morning at work was pretty slow with patients and crazy with trying to pull off a "secret" going away party for two of my co-workers. Because I knew what the boss was planning to BUY for lunch, and it was free, I packed some veggies to eat with my lunch so I could limit the massive amount of slices of pizza I wanted.

oops

If you follow long enough, you will soon realize that no matter how hard I try, I can NOT resist pizza. It is my all time favorite food to eat! I'm just trying to be smarter about it now. When I crave it, I like to buy a Lean Cuizine pizza and it works great.

Of course we had to have cake to "celebrate".

It's not much of a celebration for me because I'm gonna miss these two tons. We have lost several people in our therapy department in the last year. So this leaves me left of the original.

I did good right? Hey, I try.

Well, after all this yumminess the afternoon went sour. The monthly monster showed up and made me feel AWFUL. I was so so thankful I got my run in early this morning and had the rest of the day and all day tomorrow to rest and be lazy cause I felt like ish. Boo Eve for eating that dang apple.

I left work an hour early and immediately went straight home and got in my comfy clothes. Gotta love the boyfriends old shirts :) I feel loved and comforted even tho he is not here when I feel bad.

After medicine and sleeping for a few mins I felt a little better. And mom made her chicken and dumplings (my fav). Can't get much better than that for dinner!

Squirrel loves it too. My dog isn't spoiled. What? You don't feed yours his own portion too? Mom doesn't like to share her leftovers. and I def don't.

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I keep forgetting to tell some exciting news! One of my best friends, Courtney, is expecting her first baby! She is 5months and so so freakin cute! We found out Tuesday she is having a GIRL-Katie Lauren! She is gonna be such a great momma. I love you Court!

I Mean... I LOVE to EAT!

Workout:: 30min elliptical, abs, bi's/tri's, shoulders

Waking up with light outside my window was....ahhhhmazing. Today was a break day from running, and replaced with cross-training! Luckily Susan and I both needed a break and now we are both feeling better. My achillies/heels didn't bother me today at all :)

My blog is Running Nonstop, but I'm thinking it may need to be EATING Nonstop. I seem to be talking more about food than working out/ training. Do you agree? Maybe I should just say this blog also keeps me accountable for eating healthy too. I don't want to take pictures of rib sticking meals that make me gain 5lbs, so I eat healthy, so I can show you. And nobody can stop me.

Today is Wednesday and the hospital cooks breakfast on Wednesdays(the only day of the week for employees, and we still have to buy it). Don't worry, its really healthy. That's what I keep telling myself. I felt worst about the bacon. oh well.

Lunch was a hospital salad with lots of veggies topped with my leftover salmon. Is that nasty that I mixed fish with salad? Whatever, it was worth a try. It will not be something I eat often at all. That is all I took with me today, and I needed more food and tried to be good.

Monica from Run,Eat,Repeat has me craving watermelon lately, so I was pretty pumped when I saw it!

After a day of work, I needed some energy to do my workout. and to not leave after 20mins. This stuff works soooo good!

It def boosts my energy level and helps me get the best out of my workout! I went hard on the elliptical (atleast it felt like it) on "cross-train" program for 30mins.

Iron Chef America also played its part and kept my mind off of it.

I did abs and obliques and then got ready for arms! I love arm workouts ever since I got a trainer back in the fall. I hated to give him up after 3months but decided I had learned enough and my money could go elsewhere.

I'm not a weight hog or anything...... and please don't talk to me and break my concentration. I never go to the gym with people because talking takes up too much time. and I'm ADD so I can't do two things at once. well sometimes, but not workout. It's also annoying to keep having to take out an earbud cause I have to hear what you are saying. Those panasonic's are working like a champ.

Today was probably the best I have felt for cross-training since I started half marathon training! I had three sets going in rotation at a time. Every time I finished, I was looking for something else. I mean, this workout was bom-diggity. If you have never tried NOxplode, get some.

One the way home I got a picture of beauty. I think so atleast. God's Glory shining thru :)

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OK. Why oh why do I have to love food so dang much??!!? I stopped at the store for 4 cans of chicken broth and came out with this too. Are SmartOnes a good health choice? Well, its a good "tasty" choice. Breakfast SO's are my fav. I don't eat the others.

I thought Kroger had a deal, but calculated up Walmarts price for that amount and I paid about $1 more. Boo. I have always sucked at math so maybe I'm wrong.

Walking in the door my face lit up when I saw more fresh cut fruit!

I'm not a huge honeydew fan, but it will do! For some reason it tastes buttery to me. Anybody else get that? Weird, but it does to me.

Dinner is still pending....and I'm starving. But good news, I don't have TB. Just in case you were dying to know.

Solo Run and EATS!

Workout:: 30min run- 2.47mi -somewhat hilly

This morning I got a text from Susan saying she was still having pain in her foot and was going to stay off of it for the day. Boo. That meant I had to make the decision to get off my lazy butt out of bed and fly solo. Don't think I'm joking when I tell you there was some serious debating in this head. When I realized I'd be in the same boat as yesterday, dreading the run after work, I jumped up at 5:30 and headed out.

For my solo runs, I go to a neighborhood about 7mins from my house. Its really big and there are many different routes to take to change it up. It's also where my MM group does our long runs on Saturdays. I was doing great, until the blister that starting forming yesterday from the new running shoes rubbed and rubbed until it was painful.

It felt worse than it looks

My idiot self forgot about a bandaid so I was out of luck. All I could think was "Great, another day of walking. I'm gonna be behind". However, when I tried walking, it actually hurt worse! So, it was what kept me going. I was still slow with 12:16/mi. Call me slow-poke but whatever. I'm proud of myself for dragging my booty out of bed and going by myself AND running with only 1min walk breaks. I really stuck to the 4/1 today. Go me! What stinks is when I was running, I started feeling some pain in both my achillies tendons. Not bad, just uncomfortable. It def concerned me, so when I got to work, I asked my PT (I am a PTA) what was going on and what I could do to fix it. He worked with me a little and showed me some stretches. As the day went on the pain moved from my achillies into the top of my heel. Of course I complained, and he said to give it a day. The pain "moved" so we will see if it was a good or bad move. Its way to early in the game to have an injury. I CAN NOT AFFORD A SETBACK! I'm done complaining for now and will celebrate that I ran good this morning :)

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Just a warning...... The following pics are of todays eats. It may not be your favorite, but my day wasn't that interesting much like my life.

• Breakfast: wheat toast with peanut butter and sliced banana. yes :)



def winner!

• Lunch: spinach salad with rotisseri chicken, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. I also sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese. and topped it with Poppyseed dressing! Bought it yesterday and it is more of a vinegarette unlike the other one in our fridge.



I get a little crazy with my fruits!



Bertiful :))


• Snacks: Hershey's DARK chocolate (my fav!!!!), and Skinny Cow crisp candy bar.



• Dinner: Salmon topped with MY mango salsa (yes I contributed to this meal. I don't completely mooch), moms sauteed squash, and cherries of course.

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I figured now was as good of a time as any to introduce you to my dog Squirrel....

He isn't so much in to pictures as I am

His story? Sure I'll tell you.

Squirrel was my little cousin JR's dog since he was a puppy. He got his name because of how fast he could run, and when he curls up to sleep he looks like a wittle squirrel with his curly tail. He is a Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix. I thought he was the ugliest and meanest dog every when we would visit. All he did was bark and growl. Then one day my grandparents decided JR needed to get rid of him because he wasn't taking care of him like he should have. My dad thought he should "stay in the family", so on a Father's Day about 4 years ago we brought him home. Now I can't imagine I how ever thought he was ugly! He is my snuggle buddy at night..... I welcome is body heat in the winter. My parents and I argue about who he is going to sleep with every night now that it is summer. Little bug just wants love. 





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What kind of animals do you have?

       -I also have a cat named Macie that we rescued LAST Fathers day when she was only 7 weeks old!  

         She will be another post for another day. 

Do you like running alone or with a partner better?

       -Running with someone is ALWAYS better. Even if you can't talk bc of the huffing and puffing.