11.24.2011

Thanksgiving 2011

I woke up thinking I was going to my race today. Instead, I woke up coughing and congested and really didn't feel like I could make it. I was devastated. This was my last race of 2011 and I was feeling like a failure. The worst part of missing the race was my daughter calling me to let me know she was heading to the finish line to meet me. Too bad I wasn't there. This was not the time for me to get sick.


After sulking for a few hours, I got up and got ready for our family dinner. It was a nice afternoon with my parents and my sister's family. We even got a surprise visit from my granddaughter. That's enough to brighten anyone's day!

I must say that I was a little disappointed that my healthier options were not accepted by my family. I made a berry crumble that I found on the Dr Oz website. Here is the recipe.... Mixed Berry Crumble


I thought it was fine, but just mentioning that it was a healthier version of a fruit cobbler made them refuse to try it. I'm used to eating meals with lower sugar and fat but my family is not there yet. I wanted to make some things that my parents could eat without worrying about their blood sugar, since they have been recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic. My dad is more on board with watching his sugar intake than my mom. She still eats whatever she wants. My sister's family feels that they should be able to eat whatever they want and do not agree with me in trying to make healthier dishes. The seven layer salad I made was a hit, as it usually is. I'm glad about that. I also made a pumpkin spice cake but it didn't stand a chance against my sister's multiple desserts consisting of a coconut cake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cookies and boiled custard. If you are not familiar with the boiled custard, it is probably more of a southern tradition. It's basically a mixture of milk, eggs and sugar boiled until it is thick. It's good but way too sweet for me. Since, its Thanksgiving I don't feel right complaining so much. I just feel disappointed that some people not only don't want to try new things, but tease me for trying. Gripe session is now over. ;)

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and enjoyed your time with your family.


Question of the day....How do you incorporate healthy dishes on holidays? If your family isn't ready to try healthier dishes, how do you deal with that?

11.22.2011

Thanksgiving week is upon us

Its my last workday until the Thanksgiving holiday. I'm glad I took a few extra days off. I needed that. I'm gearing up for my 4 mile run on Thanksgiving morning in my town. It's called Borodash! I did this one last year and it was lots of fun. I'm hoping to finish under the 1:11 it took me last year. Since I've been running 5k's this year and have been able to cut several minutes off my pace, I definitely believe I can do this! There's no feeling like running across that finish line!

Borodash 2011
Thanksgiving is usually a time to sit back and think about what we are thankful for. I know I am very thankful for my supportive family and my health. I am also thankful for a good job and having a great boss to work for. I am thankful for my sweet granddaughter who just turned a month old. I am also thankful for so many good friends, especially those who motivate me to keep running even when I'm feeling inadequate or frustrated. Thank you Lord for all the blessings you have given me. I am truly thankful.





What are you thankful for? I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and spend lots of quality time with your family!

11.19.2011

Mayor's 5k Challenge in Nashville

On Sunday, November 13, I participated in the Mayor's 5k challenge in Nashville. It was a great experience. Mayor Karl Dean urged Nashvilians to get out and get healthy by running with him. I also took this as an opportunity to get one more 5k in before my next event on Thanksgiving, which is a 4-miler. It's less than a week away and I walked/ran the course today. This is my second year doing Borodash so I was familiar with the course. It's mostly flat - which I like and this morning was fine weather-wise.

Finish line at the top of the hill!



I hope you enjoy my pictures. Nashville is a great place to run! But there are lots of hills. I'm hoping to end 2012 strong on my last race next week.

11.14.2011

Reflection on 2011

I've been blogging for about a year now. I hope I've been able to inspire others to get healthy. Here is a link to my first post last year. Loving Life - first blog post 2010.

A year ago I could not run a mile. I could not walk a 5k without pain. Now its November 2011 and I see how far I've come. I have done 4 walks for charities and 4 5k's this year so far. My longest event was 9 miles and the shortest was 1 mile. I'm also proud to say that my 5k pace is 6 minutes faster than my first one. I've also been involved in other fitness activities such as Zumba for Cystic Fibrosis and Tae Bo. This is my motivation to keep going. In 2012, I am hoping to do a longer race than a 5k. Thanks to my family and friends for support and encouragement when I'm feeling frustration. I'm proud of myself for not giving up even when I have felt like it.

Running changes everything. I enjoy looking back at my running pictures over the year. This keeps me motivated and encouraged for 2012. I look forward to setting new goals for myself and living life to the fullest.











11.05.2011

Running goals to finish 2011 strong

I try not to compare my running to others that are more experienced than me. But sometimes its hard to do. A friend ran her first 5k in 30 minutes today and it made me feel....rather discouraged. I have been very happy over the past few months, watching my 5k pace become faster with each race. I went from walking/running a 5k in 50 minutes to my current pace of 46 minutes. But, I still have a long way to go. I know each person is different and we all have different activity levels. As long as I continue to improve, I WILL NOT get discouraged! I try to remember that "I may be slow, but at least I'm lapping everyone still on the couch!"

BoroDash - Thanksgiving 2010


I have a 5k next weekend, then a 4 mile run on Thanksgiving Day. I'm going to use this as an opportunity to push myself! I noticed during the Komen for the Cure race, I was able to run for the majority of the first mile but didn't run again until after mile 2. I need to work on sticking to the running intervals to get more running time in. That should surely help my pace.Goal: next 5k - 44 minutes.

I am also going to try to only compare my running to other races I have done - not other people. I'm in much better shape than I was this time last year. That is a success for me. I will concentrate on my small victories rather than getting frustrated.


11.04.2011

Welcome weekend!

I'm glad it's the weekend. A few days rest then back to work again. There are no races planned this weekend but I signed up for a last minute 5k for next weekend. (Am I addicted to this running thing?) The mayor in Nashville has challenged the city of Nashville to walk/run a 5k with him. It's a free event and takes place in downtown Nashville. I'm looking forward to the challenge! I think it's great Mayor Dean is taking steps to make Nashville a healthier place to live. The south has a reputation of obesity and this is a great way to change that. Here's more information about the challenge:
Mayor's 5k Challenge

Nashville Centennial Park

Here is a map of the course: http://maps.nashville.gov/Mayors5K_Challenge/

But this weekend I will rest and enjoy time with my family. Tonight we are playing Rock Band in our living room and having a blast! I hope to spend some time with my one week old grand-daughter too!

Phoenix