SO proud!!! (Jenn)

I just wanted to come on here and say  How very proud I am of Kelly. I am not one for all that mushy crap but she really is an awesome friend and I don't think i get to say that enough. She is awesome with my girls and Luke and is always there when we need her. And I am so very proud that she is running the Broad Street Run tomorrow, by herself. Well with 29,999 other runners but without me. I knew that she could do this and that she stuck to the training without me. She is such an inspiration for me now to get back into this running and get back on track. I know she is going to do awesome!
I was signed up for running but I have had a hard couple months. I had my baby, was sick 3 times after that and ended up in the ER and then the next day I had my Gall Bladder out. Then I got sick again, mastitis. Once all that crap was done I went back into training and got to 5.5 miles. Then I got strep throat, went to the Dr and got meds. the next week strep again so I was down for two more weeks. It freaking sucked. So I deferred my spot for next years Broad street run! So I now have one year to get to 10 miles...lol NOT It won't take me that long. I am going to start training again b/c I have a bunch of 5k's and 10 mud runDown and Dirty a duathalonShe Rox to train for this summer. I would like to see myself do the Rock and Roll half in Sept Rock n Roll Half That is going to be my new goal if I can get to 10 I will definitely sign up for it! I also have to start riding my bike so that I can do the Duathlon on August and do upper body workouts to do the mud run. So by the end of the summer I should be in the best shape ever!
All this while raising 3 kids! LOL! Wish me luck!!
Pain the the fear leaving your body, Pain=Fat!!

Making progress...(kelly)

So my trimming down continues along with my running and riding. I'm down 2.4bls this week for a total of 13.6lbs weight lose since I started on Jan 11th - so it's been 10 weeks not overnight and not easy but I'm getting there. The week before last I had a gain so it hasn't all been losses.  One thing about tracking what you eat is you know why you have a gain and why you have a loss.  Tracking anything will help you figure out what you are doing right or wrong....budgets (which I need to do b/c I swear a little gobblin is stealing my money) is great too- you can see everything coming in and out...I use to be great at it when I worked at the Credit Union but I've fallen off track.

This weather has been so beautiful that I decided to run outside this week and bike outside which is so nice. Monday did a great run with Jenn and last night some hill repeats on my bike to build up my strength and endurance.  I just need to start adding more miles to my running - I'd like to be at 5 miles by the end of March and then ramp it up in April.  I think its do-able......

Go out and enjoy this beautiful weather - - - - nothing like wearing sandals in March!! =)

Thanks Barb! (jenn)

The Rainbow Bridge Poem

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Trucking along! (jenn)

Well this has been a hard couple days for me. My dog, Rocky, passed away! He was a crazy and neurotic dog but I loved him and he was great! It has been hard for me, but I am not going to stop, I am going to get through this and keep running! Even though yesterday I went for my run and i cried almost though out the whole thing. On top of that I have a cold. I will get through this and it is going to take time for my heart to stop hurting. But I have my most awesome Husband, Brian and Best friend, Kelly who were with me all day when he went to doggie heaven. I also have the best parents and brother(who knew that would ever come out of my mouth) and family in thew world. The support and memories that we all have in raising Rocky will always be remembered! We had a little run down memory lane last night remembering some of the crazy things he has done! I know that they will all be there for me, we are all dog lovers so that will help too! And if I ever feel lonely I will go and visit Molsen or Bruce. Or just kidnap them and run away! Only Kidding!
ON to my training now that I had my second crying session today! So far so good!
Me getting back into the running isn't about the being out of shape it is the breathing. I have to teach myself how to breath again. On top of having to train I have a cold. I feel like crap and don't want to run but I am not letting anything else come in my way of running. I feel like my head is about to explode and my body feels restless and achy...but I am going to keep on training! I figure I will sweat it all out of me! My goal is to be up to 4 miles but the end of the month and then April will be an insane training month to get to 8.5 or 9 before broad street! 
I have Kelly who is inspiring me to keep at it! With her losing her weight and staying focused on her working out that makes me want to keep doing it too. It is a little harder this time around b/c of Brian's schedule and me breastfeeding but, i try and run with her or go to the gym with her when the time allows it! which this past week it hasn't! LOL! But I am still running and so is she!

Struggles, Motivation, and Patience (Kelly)

So we all have our struggles and setbacks but what is important is that we don't give up and we keep going.  Jenn has had more than her share of setbacks this year already, (especially for a girl who never seems to get sick at least not sick enough to end up at the doctors or hospital) but she hasn't stopped and is still going.  I know it's not easy to find time to workout when you've been sick and recouping from surgery along with 3 kids (one a newborn) and a husband who works shift work - so I give her a lot of credit for sticking with it and running when she can - - I know she wants to be further along in her running and I know she's worried about Broad St but I think she keeps forgetting that she's not alone - - she's got me and I know I need her.  Can she do it on her own - absolutely I believe in her, can I do it on my own - absolutely but do I want to ? No - - I don't know if she realizes it but Jenn makes me a better, stronger person and with her I know we can do anything we put our minds to - Broad St, a half, a mudrun, a trip to Reading =)  - - Jenn is the one who pushed me to do more miles than I have ever done even if it was me that got her to sign up for Broad st in the first place - - I remember a night in April last year when we ran the longest we ever run in prep for Broad and I wanted to stop many times but she wouldn't let me and kept us going and wouldn't tell me how far we had already run so that I wouldn't want to stop- - I wouldn't have run that far without her - without her pushing and saying we could do it!!!   I do these runs and races to prove to myself that I can do it but also to run and accomplish goals with my best friend, my sister....without her there is no one to really share the joy with , no one who understands the stuggle, no one to motivate me, no one to look to when i'm struggling to finish and see she's not giving up and she won't let me give up.....no one gets me the way Jenn gets me.  

So while we may struggle, we may falter - we won't quit , we will keep each other motivated, and we will help each other with patience - - we will accomplish what we set out to do and we will do it together.

So to anyone that reads this find that inner strength we all have inside ourselves to accomplish any of the goals you set for yourself (doesn't have to be fitness or runs) and then if you are lucky enough to know someone like my Jenn find that person and lean on each other.

down in the dumps!!!! (jenn)

Well apparently two surgeries and an infection in my breast makes it very difficult to train for a ten mile run! WTH right! I have been back to the gym for a week now and on the treadmill, which I never did before, i am up to a mile and a half and hoping to do 2 miles by Wednesday. I am just so freaking tired today! I was going to make tomorrow my rest day but I had to switch it to today b/c my body feels like it is going to fall apart....Between the gym, stressing that I won't be able to do the run, taking care of three kids and a handicapped dog......I am feeling a little tired! My mind is going in ten different directions. I am feeling defeated. I am feeling like i will never get to 3 miles let alone 10. I might have to throw out my treadmill training plan and just run outside!  I get this way when my husband works 4 days or more in a row. I have one more night and then He will be here for a couple days to help out and then go to day work!
All I can do right now is pray Luke sleeps the night and Rocky doesn't have any issues and then I get up and go to the gym before the kids wake and then it will be done and I have the rest of the day to try and organize my house! LOL! Good Luck to me!

Another Bump in the road!!! (JENN)

Well after my wonderful rant the other day I went to bed Saturday night feeling like crap. I was going to go to the gym and do a little running nothing crazy. But I stayed in bed till 1030 the next morning b/c i felt like such crap. Apparently I have Mastitis, which is a clogged milk duct which is infected!! And it give you chills, fever, aches and pains.....OMG who knew something like that could take you down. I mean I couldn't even get out of bed. Thank god I have an Awesome husband and baby b/c I would have been calling my parents if he wasn't home. My husband said "damm this kids is really tearing you up!
I am going to the Doctors today. I am feeling better but from what i read i should go to the doctors if i get those symptoms. So off to the doctors today...FUN!
Lets just say that if I didn't get fixed after I had Luke my husband would have been making an appointment to get fixed....I love all my kids but come on already...since I have had him I have been sick 4 times and had my gallbladder out! WTH!  So I am done at beig sick I am done done done!!!

So on a happier note, my friend Tom who we do runs with tried to get into Broad Street couldn't register, which really sucked b/c we did it last year with him and it was fun....fun seeing him complete it half hour before us, LOL!  So he put his name in the lottery for the extra 2500 and he got in!!! Kelly hecked the site this morning and then I went on and saw his name and took a picture so he can see that he got selected! I am so happy for him! He was very bummed that he didn't get in! So now he has to earn his tailgating food just like the rest of us! WHOOO HOOOO!

So looking at my calender I have 9 weeks to get ready for broad! I think i can do it if I run at least 4 times a week and add one mile a week I will be  good! Just NO MORE set back!!!

Better....I think! (jenn)

OK! i think I felt a little better after my rant yesterday! Today I am going to the Sports Expo and I am hoping that it gives me the jump start I need. My husband is on his break this week so I have all the time I need get back to the gym! I have no excuses! I am hoping to maybe find a new pair of sneakers and look at some jogging strollers, if they have them! I just got down in the dumps with this last bump in the road and I need to get back into the game! I don't have a lot of time before i have to run 10 miles. my goals is 8.5 miles before broad b/c then I can run the last 1.5 if I ran that far! Well off to try on some pants to see if they fit! That always put me ina good mood! LOL!

BLah! (Jenn)

Ok so just after a week or so of getting back to the gym and working on my running...I freaking get sick!
I have a gallbladder attack and need my gallbladder out! WTF! SO now that is a week and a half of prime workout time that I freaking Missed! I am so mad that I get mad when I see Kelly and her post about going spinning and running 3 miles....FUCK!!! Sorry i had to do it! I am just so frustrated! So what happens when I get frustrated! I Eat! I told my friend Stacey that I am getting rid of all the junk food in the house....by eating it! LOL!
on the good note i lost three pounds while I was in the hospital! But I probably gained it all back in the last week! I can't wait till Ihave no pain and I can go running!
I am very proud of Kelly and her weight loss and with her going to the gym! But I am also so freaking jealous b/c I have this belly hanging in front of me and i can't do anything right now about it! UGH! NO MORE! I need to work out!
Ok I am done!

Endurance Sports Expo (Kelly)

This weekend is the endurance sports expo in Oaks, PA - - I went last year with Jenn and family and it was a cool expo if you are into running, biking, or swimming. They have awesome bikes, cool running gear, swim gear, and all kinds of accessories and nutrition plus you can get information about a lot of different events in the area.
http://www.endurancesportsexpo.com/
If you buy your tix from the website it's $8 and $10 at the door so not bad prices. Hopefully I'll find some info about some cool upcoming run events and mud runs.

SheRox!!!! (Kelly)

I am sooo happy to see that SheRox is going to be doing the Duathlon again this year.  I'm registered in the Du as of today and can't wait for Aug 5th!!  I did this last year and had a lot of fun but it was hard and I didn't train as well as I could have- -- and also at that point last year i didn't know what was wrong with my ankles except they felt like they were going to break.   Fingers-crossed this year that I make it to August with no ankle issues.   
So the Du is 2 mile run , 15.5 mile bike ride, and then a 5K - I have to say I was very nervous last year because I didn't know what to expect - - it ended up being a really fun time. There are really all levels there - - - women all geared up to women on what I would call boardwalk bikes - also all ages - its just a great day with women of all ages and fitness levels.  
I'm also sooo happy that Jenn can do it this year......I won't have to make my poor dad get up at 4am to go down with me - - - - although I still might make my parents come to cheer me on.   So now my goal is to get Jenn riding enough so she doesn't kill me for getting her to sign up for this - - - we need to get her a bike so if you know anyone looking to get ride of a hybrid or road bike let us know ( I don't know Jenn's size yet but those who know her know she is a short little thing =)     )     - - official training will commence in June after Broad St.

So excited!!!!! Now just need to find a good MudRun to do ....... maybe I'll pick up some good info at the Endurance Sports Expo this weekend!!!

GOAL!!! (Kelly)

So today is my weigh-in day for WW online and I hit my goal...actually passed it slightly. My goal for WW lifetime has been 145lbs for sometime now and today I hit 144.2lbs - so in 5 wks I have lost a total of 10.8lbs.  I have been losing an average of 2.2lbs a week.  It hasn't been easy and I have had my give in moments but I got back on track and continued to workout. I had a week where i only lost .2oz but then i had a week where i lost 4lbs so you can't give up.  Since i reached my lifetime goal (and what that means is if i was going to physical meetings i wouldn't have to pay as long as i stay within 2lbs of that goal) i decided to change it because ideally i would like to be between 135 -140lbs -.  I know I'm not going to be supermodel thin at 110lbs -that's just not my body type and I think women need to accept that - - we are not all meant to be one size and weight looks different on different people - WW says a healthy range for someone my height 5'7" is 128-160 and that's a wide range but i think it takes into account all different shapes and sizes of people. When I was 135 I was in a smaller size then when i weighed 125 so its not all about a number when you get down closer to a healthy you.  I know that weight fluctuates so that's why i say 135-140 - that's a healthy goal for me and realistic because i'm not going to lie i LOVE food and I hate to deny myself anything - i'd rather workout hard then eat rice cakes.  And I haven't denied myself on WW either - I have had my pizza and candy bars and treats just less portions than i would have had before....that's hard for me because i'm a fast eater and always think i'm hungry.
Well today is the day to sign up for Broad St so time to start seriously training again....!

"I'm Back in the saddle again!!!(jenn)

Good morning Everyone! (well the 4 people who probably read this)
I am back...Went to the Doctors and he told me.."You are Free" WHOOO HOOO! Even though I went back to the gym on Sunday and started my training! But then Wed I went to the Gym and then Thursday I did a Nike Training Workout in the morning, which thanks to Kelly is an awesome app on the I-touch/Phone. I did the beginners and it was a little tough. Then last night I went spinning! I LOVE SPINNING! My first time and I did a 25.7 mile ride. I wasn't able to go as fast at the instructor was saying i stay anywhere from 5 to 10 rpms below what she was saying just b/c it was my first time and to be honest my legs were freaking burning after the first 15 mins and it is an hour class!! LOL! But I still did the whole thing.
Came home all sweaty and nasty and had to feed the monster child who was very cranky last night! Poor thing had some gas! "Baby's got gas!!" LOL little Nutty professor reference!
So I am excite to be back to working out and getting my fat butt to the gym and back to running! It make me a better person and Mom to have that 45 mins to an hour to do that! This way when my kids start playing sports they won't have a fat mom on the sideline I will be out there running the sidelines yelling and screaming! LOL! No not really but I will be able to run around with them and not be out of shape! I won't have a set workout schedule b/c of my husbands schedule but I will be there or outside when the weather lets me training again for broad street and throwing some spinning in there to help me get ready for the Biathlon in the summer so I can do that with Kelly.....AND i want to do a mud run so I am going to continue the Nike training workouts and in a little bit start up the insanity dvds again!
And a little THANK YOU to kelly for making me the reason she stopped working out and gained weight!! I guess I can blame my husband for my reason of gaining weight and not working out! 80)
Have a great day everyone!!

Spinning!(Kelly)

If you ever wanted to get in a good cardio workout but don't like to run you have to go to spinning!  It is an awesome workout that will have you sweating.  You can go at your own pace so don't worry - - being in spinning with a good instructor and good music is much more fun that sitting on a boring stationary bike.  Even if you don't like biking you will like spinning and in all honesty spinning is not like riding outside - believe me I do both (just like running on a treadmill is not the same as running outside).  When you finish that 45 min or hour class you know you worked your butt off and it gives you this high (similiar to a runner's high after a good run).  You feel accomplished and you can feel your legs getting stronger - it is a great cross training class for the runners out there....you can't just run so spinning is a great way to work different leg muscles that will make you a stronger runner and it's easy on the old joints =) .

Well that's my two cents on spinning.....tonight I spin (hopefully Jenn can join me)!!!!!

Still Alive, Still working out just a lazy writer.....

Hey it's me, Kelly, yes I know I've been away for a long time and its all because I'm a lazy writer - - I get going and then I fall off but I wanted to write a note to catch up.  Some things have happened since my last post -- - I did do a duathlon (running and biking) which I loved except for the fact that my ankles were in so much pain I could barely walk let alone run but I finished it  - taped up ankles and all and hope to do one again this year. Before that event I didn't do a lot of training again because my ankles hurt and after the event was done I just stopped all together - it hurt to much.   I didn't have a lot of motivation - my ankles hurt and I didn't know why and I lost my partner Jenn - - - she as you know was pregnant and couldn't run.  I'm good at sticking to something I put my mind to but I'm better at it when I have a partner in crime so I got lazy - stopped working out all together and ate and ate - - hey it happens!

 Sept rolled around and I thought lets try running again only this time I could barely go 1/4 mile without being in pain - and I mean the type that felt like my ankle was going to break so I decided to call up a sports medicine dr. and make and appt. - - turns out I had post-tibular tendentious and a seriously strained ankle bone almost to the point of a stress fracture - - the cure - a lovely boot and no running for about 6 - 8 weeks. So I wore my boot and sat and sat and ate and ate - - - boot came off and I was given the ok to start to try and run but very slowly - - at this point it was November and my motivation was completely gone - I had run in months and the last memories I had of running was pain so I wasn't too thrilled about trying it again - - - then it was getting cold and I HATE cold weather  - - Jenn loves cold weather so she would drag my ass out in the winter to run last year and this year I didn't have her there to get my ass up.

 Now I'm not one to weight myself every day but I know when I"m adding weight by my clothes and by christmas things weren't fitting the way they should and I was just feeling crappy so with the new year approaching , Jenn ready to give birth(I blame this on Jenn b/c I had sympathy weight gain )  and the Broad St to look forward to (among other goals I have set for myself) I decided to get back on the bandwagon and start training again and doing my best to eat better.  I joined LA Fitness and got back into spinning (which I love) and running on the treadmill (which I hate) and doing some other classes (more classes to take but need to wait for Jenn b/c I don't want to embarrass myself and need Jenn to look ridiculous with me  - like Zumba and Aqua Fit w the old ladies).  I also got back into Weight Watchers - I know its not for everybody but for me it does work and it does teach you some good lessons - this time I did the online version because you can download apps to your phone - so I logged on from my computer, iphone, and ipad so no excuse to miss writing anything down or missing any good tips and recipes. It's been 4 weeks and I"m down 9.2lbs.   It hasn't been easy I'm not going to lie - I love to eat and I have had to pay attention to what I eat but I've still had my treats like pizza and cake and pastas just in better portions then I normally would have and I've been working my ass off at the gym.
Well I have rattled on way too much - - - have a great day everyone!!!

I am on my way home!!! Jenn

Good morning! I am back. Last post I was 7 months prego and now I have a beautiful baby Boy Named Lucas...aka Luke, sky walker, young Jedi......Yes didn't even think that naming my son Luke was going to result in Star wars nick names....I should have since I grew up on the movies..I am OK with is b/c he definitely looks like a Luke.
So right now I am about 2 weeks and 3 days post C-Section. I have about a week before I can start at least doing some walking and another week before i can start My couch to 5k. I can't wait to walk into the gym and start working out. Kelly wants me to take a water aerobics class. Which is filled with old people but I think it might be a good start for after surgery. I just have to get the OK from the doctors. Then I can do spinning, boot camp, RUNNING!!!! I can't wait!
I am going to start Eating better and counting calories. That way when I start working out I will have that part already taking care of. Even though I am not eating bad now but I know I need to watch my snacking.
Below this post is the birth announcement for Lucas...See everyone VERY VERY soon!
PS.....going to start the Insanity again....not now of course but when get the OK...

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