My Second 5K and Our First One Together

Sunday I ran my second 5K - the Hair of the Dog 5K at Silver Decoy Winery. I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep the night before. I kept tossing and turning and stressing about the rain. I don't like running in the rain and especially wasn't happy about the possibility of running in pouring rain. I know, Wah Wah. Thankfully, I was accountable. For one, Hubby and I were running this one together and there was no way I was telling him I'm not going to do it. Two, I know how bad I would I feel if I stayed home and it stopped raining! So I got up Sunday morning, had my coffee and started getting excited! Since the weather wasn't that great, we ended up dropping Little Beast to his grandparents instead of bringing him along. Our original plan was to meet up with some friends and enjoy the festival and some wine after the run but it rained on our parade so we decided to leave after the 5K.

We arrived, parked, registered, peed, stretched, peed again, stretched some more, peed yet again (you can never pee enough before a race!) and found our way to the starting line. The course was pretty flat and since it was a race to benefit dog rescue, there were tons of people running with their dogs. Hearing the jingling of collars and leashes behind you is definitely different. There were also tons of kids galloping away and then stopping abruptly. It was a great atmosphere. At the 1 mile mark, the clock said 8:20, my running app told me a 8:06. I was happy with my pace and kept on running. I hit 2 miles at 17:06, and 16 something on my phone. Somewhere after 2 miles, I started cramping on my left side. It was bad and I wanted to stop but I told myself I couldn't. I did run a lot slower and when the pain eased, I found my pace again. I finished at 27:21, a new PR! At the finish line, I saw Hubby and told him I was going to throw up. I sprinted at the end when I saw 27 to ensure I made it under 28 minutes, my goal, and I did. Hubby also PR'd, at 24:50!

Happy with our PR's

So my second 5K and my first 5K with Hubby was a success! I am excited to run many more races with him and hope to one day beat him! He's pretty fast so I'm not sure if I will ever be faster than him but I'm going to try my best! We signed up for our next race together - The Rugged Maniac -  and will most likely run this one together. I never thought I would sign up for a 5K with obstacles but I'm excited. That will be my 3rd 5K this year!

I'm also happy to say that I went shopping with Bestie last week and everything fit so much better. I have noticed a drastic decrease in my muffin top. Dresses fit better and pants were more flattering - Thank you Trainer for making me do so many squats! It's been a month since I started working with Trainer and people are now starting to notice a difference in my body. I can't wait to see what another month of working with her will do!

Going back to Running, Running, Running

Though my fitness goals have evolved and I'm focusing on strength training as well as running, I have by no means forgotten my first love - running (no offense Michael, you know what I mean!). I love running. In fact, I miss my long distance runs. Scheduling time with my trainer has affected my running because I feel guilty taking too much time away from Little Beast. That said, lately I have been focusing on speed and improving my 5K time. My second 5K is this weekend at Silver Decoy Winery. I'm hoping to run it in 27 minutes. My First 5K was in March and I ran it in 30:44. Taking 3 minutes off my time will be tough but I think I'll be able to do it. To be honest, strength training has helped me become faster. My legs and butt (woohoo!) already feel stronger and I'm excited to see what Sunday brings.

Yesterday I took Little Beast out on a run in the jogging stroller and even though I only ran 2.6 miles, I ran it at the same pace as my first 5K, at roughly 10 min/mile. My first 5K was actually a little over 10 min/mile so the fact that I could push the jogging stroller and run at a faster pace makes me thankful I started strength training.

Tonight I have another strength training session with Trainer. I'm looking forward to it. She really kicks my ass. The last workout, two days ago, I squatted 75 pounds, worked on my kettlebell swing, did some ab work, lunges and burpees followed by kettlebell swings. It was absolutely insane. I don't really like burpees but the fact that I'm getting better at them makes me like them. Strange huh? The fact that they are so hard makes people avoid them but they work pretty much your entire body!

Ever since I have switched the focus from getting skinny to being strong, I feel a weight lifted off me (no pun intended!) I do find myself looking at my body more to see changes and while people may not notice them yet, I certainly do. I'm excited to publish before and after pictures in the next couple months for you all to see. Hopefully I have made significant changes by then.

Of course, running and strength training are only part of it. I have been working on eating better and it's been a huge challenge. I now drink a daily green juice which includes spinach, kale, parsley, celery, broccoli,  green apple, and a little lemon. It's actually pretty good!

YUM!

I also recently bought almond butter to put on rice cakes as a snack. I started with peanut butter and made the slow transition to almond butter. It's not peanut butter but it's okay, just takes some getting used to. If you're wondering where I get these ideas, I am following the advice of my coworker's nutritionist. With spending money on the gym as well as crossfit box (eventually!), I have no money to spend on a nutritionist. So I get tips here and there and am figuring it out as I go. If you have any healthy recipes or want to share your daily meals, go ahead and comment! I'm always looking for something that's healthy and tastes good!