I cannot believe the first month of 2010 is already over! January went by so quickly. In an attempt to get more organized, (and since I don't have a fancy Garmin!) I created an excel spreadsheet to keep track of my runs and other forms of exercise. I am pleased I was able to keep up with it because it will be a good thing to look back on for future training. The spreadsheet started out fairly basic and I continued to add things as the month went on. It needs some tweaking, but so far I am happy with it. I kept track of distance run, time, pace, weather, any workouts I completed at the gym, and had a Notes section.
During the month of January I ran 85.75 miles. My longest run was 6 miles, and I ran 23 out of 31 days. I went tot he gym 14 out of 31 days and mostly took the group fitness classes. The classes I took at the gym included: FIT, Pilates, Yoga (various types), and Kickboxing. I usually make it to the gym 3-4 days a week.
January was a bit unusual because I was in Mexico for 5 days, caught 2 colds, and, oh yeah, it was (is) FREAKING FREEZING. In New Jersey, anyway. Actually, I have to admit, the cold weather doesn't usually keep me away from running, but it definitely shortens the run, which is why I ran so many 5Ks this month. Overall, I am pleased with this month's performance. I hope to give each run more purpose in February, and not exhaust my legs with wasted miles a la Run Less, Run Faster. Also in the spirit of Run Less, Run Faster, I bought a speedo bathing suit! A swimmer, I am not, however, I figured if I look the part, maybe I can manage to crank out a few laps in the pool. Conversely, if I look the part, then people will actually think I can swim, so when I get into the water and make a fool of myself I will be even more embarrassed. I'm going to try to focus on the former :)
Being that this IS a RUNNING blog, I plan to start posting more specific weekly updates about my fitness routine. I haven't been posting much about running lately because I haven't been training for anything specific, mostly just enjoying being able to head out and do whatever I want during a run (something I wasn't able to do while training for Philly.) With the spring racing season quickly approaching, its time to get my butt in gear and get serious. Last week my Dad and I hit the track for the first time in months for a couple of 400s. My first race of the season will be the Morristown St. Patty's Day 5K on March 13 and yes, I need to update my "Upcoming Races" section of this blog, so look for that soon!
How do you keep track of your runs/workouts? Do you bother to keep track or just do it for fun?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Where in the World Wednesday- Cruise Edition
Where in the World Wednesday- Cruise Edition
I am so excited for WITWW this week. Ever since I posted Last Week's WITWW Post I knew I should have done this topic, so I am doing it this week! Thank you to Classy in Philadelphia for providing the perfect feature for this story!
My Where in the World Wednesday this week takes place on a spring break cruise I took senior year in college, and the reason it is so important to me is because it is where Dan and I met!
On this ship, the Norwegian Spirit, almost 4 years ago, I met Dan on spring break with my girlfriends. The cruise left from Manhattan, and sailed to Cocoa Beach, Fl; Miami; and the Bahamas.
At the Atlantis in the Bahamas
Dan and I met the 2nd night. My 3 friends and I were at a "New Years Eve" themed party and Dan and his 3 friends were sitting right next to us. It was not love at first sight but we started talking.
Our first pic
Our last night...
After the cruise, Dan and I kept in touch. I went back to Gettysburg and he went back to Manhattan College. He called me that first night we got back to our respective schools, and the following weekend I went to NY visited him at school. We had a great time and that next weekend him and a friend came to stay with me at Gettysburg.
4 years later...and here we are...
XOXO
Weekend Recap!
Hello :)
I know this is a little late being that it is already Tuesday, but I had a busy weekend (and Monday, obviously since I didn't post) so I figured I would post it today.
After work on Friday, I had a Starbucks date with my friend, Vonelle and after I went out for a 5-miler with my Dad. After the run I went back to the apartment to shower and get ready because Dan was taking me to dinner! We rarely go out to a nice dinner just the two of us, and it was fun! He took me to Shogun, a hibachi restaurant not to far. I ordered the shrimp and scallop hibachi and a glass of red wine. We sat with a great group of people and we all ended up doing a sake bomb together after dinner because it was one of the woman's birthdays.
Saturday morning I drove to my parents house to do a 6-miler with my Dad. The run was great. It was a beautiful day, and the run felt great. With less than a mile to go, we had to stop at a traffic light. I looked down and saw this:
Yes, that is blood. The first thing I thought was MY SHOES!! I had been doing such a good job keeping them so nice and clean. My Dad was a bit more freaked out, but honestly it didn't hurt. I had no idea I was even bleeding until I looked down. Unfortunately it was a little late for my shoes...When we got back to the house I took off my sneaker to investigate. My sock looked even worse than the shoe (don't worry I didn't take a picture of that!) Turns out, I had the tiniest little cut on one of my toes that I guess a toenail made and kept digging into it. It was so tiny it took me awhile to find it. I could not believe it made so much blood. Fortunately, my foot is doing fine. I wish I could say the same for my shoe.
Saturday night we went to dinner with a friend of Dan's and his wife. We went to an amazing restaurant they chose called Bueno Sera in Redbank (NJ). It was soooo good but I probably won't get to go back anytime soon because it was a bit pricey.
Sunday morning I met my Mom for Pilates (one of my new fav classes...I am starting feel a difference in my core- a post on that soon!) After class, I went for a run (5 miles) then back to the apartment to EAT because I was starving! Of course I ate before Pilates, but I made a veggie omelet immediately when I got home.
Pardon my cooking skills...its not the prettiest omelet but it was delicious! It was a 2 egg omelet with spinach, mushrooms, olives, mozzarella cheese, and of course some hot sauce on top. And a green tea on the side.
Dan had gone to watch the Jets game with some friends so I spent a lot of Sunday writing. Then, Sunday evening, I went back to the gym to meet my Mom for Yoga and Meditation class. Neither one of us had taken this class before, and I almost didn't go, but I am soooo glad I did because it was amazing! Such a good class. It was so packed they were actually turning people away. Good thing we got there early! By the time I got out of class Dan was home so I picked up a pizza and headed back to relax with him.
I hope everyone's weeks are going well...
I know this is a little late being that it is already Tuesday, but I had a busy weekend (and Monday, obviously since I didn't post) so I figured I would post it today.
After work on Friday, I had a Starbucks date with my friend, Vonelle and after I went out for a 5-miler with my Dad. After the run I went back to the apartment to shower and get ready because Dan was taking me to dinner! We rarely go out to a nice dinner just the two of us, and it was fun! He took me to Shogun, a hibachi restaurant not to far. I ordered the shrimp and scallop hibachi and a glass of red wine. We sat with a great group of people and we all ended up doing a sake bomb together after dinner because it was one of the woman's birthdays.
Saturday morning I drove to my parents house to do a 6-miler with my Dad. The run was great. It was a beautiful day, and the run felt great. With less than a mile to go, we had to stop at a traffic light. I looked down and saw this:
Yes, that is blood. The first thing I thought was MY SHOES!! I had been doing such a good job keeping them so nice and clean. My Dad was a bit more freaked out, but honestly it didn't hurt. I had no idea I was even bleeding until I looked down. Unfortunately it was a little late for my shoes...When we got back to the house I took off my sneaker to investigate. My sock looked even worse than the shoe (don't worry I didn't take a picture of that!) Turns out, I had the tiniest little cut on one of my toes that I guess a toenail made and kept digging into it. It was so tiny it took me awhile to find it. I could not believe it made so much blood. Fortunately, my foot is doing fine. I wish I could say the same for my shoe.
Saturday night we went to dinner with a friend of Dan's and his wife. We went to an amazing restaurant they chose called Bueno Sera in Redbank (NJ). It was soooo good but I probably won't get to go back anytime soon because it was a bit pricey.
Sunday morning I met my Mom for Pilates (one of my new fav classes...I am starting feel a difference in my core- a post on that soon!) After class, I went for a run (5 miles) then back to the apartment to EAT because I was starving! Of course I ate before Pilates, but I made a veggie omelet immediately when I got home.
Pardon my cooking skills...its not the prettiest omelet but it was delicious! It was a 2 egg omelet with spinach, mushrooms, olives, mozzarella cheese, and of course some hot sauce on top. And a green tea on the side.
Dan had gone to watch the Jets game with some friends so I spent a lot of Sunday writing. Then, Sunday evening, I went back to the gym to meet my Mom for Yoga and Meditation class. Neither one of us had taken this class before, and I almost didn't go, but I am soooo glad I did because it was amazing! Such a good class. It was so packed they were actually turning people away. Good thing we got there early! By the time I got out of class Dan was home so I picked up a pizza and headed back to relax with him.
I hope everyone's weeks are going well...
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Run Less, Run Faster Book Review!
Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary FIRST Training Program
by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss
Summary
The authors of Run Less, Run Faster aim to help all people in achieving their highest running potential. They acknowledge that the majority of runners are real people who lead busy lives filled with families, work and errands to run. Through extensive research, they have developed The FIRST program, which not only fits nicely into "real people's" busy lives, but actually only works if you incorporate the rest days and cross training days.
What they Recommend: 3 days of running, with 2 days of cross training. Of those 3 running days, one is a track workout, one a tempo run, and one a long run. (Note: Not Long, Slow Run- this workout is meant to be faster than your typical LSR). You are not supposed to run on 2 consecutive days, and ideally, your forms of cross training should be different (i.e., bike and swim).
The program also addresses other aspects that will help improve your fitness such as cross training (biking, using the elliptical, swimming, etc.), stretching, strength training, and nutrition. They also discuss various other performance factors such as, injuries and running in extreme conditions.
In Addition, the book includes times and paces for runners of all abilities and includes a bonus section on "Getting to Boston." (um, yes please!) It is further enhanced with personal success stories, thank you notes, and "Real Runner Reports".
Pros and Cons of the FIRST Program
Pros
1.) Almost a guaranteed PR
2.) Built in recovery days to prevent injury
3.) Easy to schedule workouts when you only have to run 3 days a week.
4.) Scientifically proven to work for runners of all abilities.
Cons
1.) I am a RUNNER! I don't want to cross train, I want to RUN! And more than 3 days a week...
2.) The workouts are HARD. All of them. If every time I go out for a run, it is for a HARD workout, I worry it will cause me to dread running...
3.) In order to prevent injury and keep your body strong, the authors strongly discourage running more than 4 races a year. Furthermore, of those 4 races, each should be a different distance, (i.e., 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, marathon.) 4 races?! Thats all? Last year I ran 16...oops. I love racing too much to cut it back that much, and while I understand their reasoning, (injury prevention, giving your body time to recover, etc.) I just don't think I could do it. I am not and will never be an elite runner, and while I do want to reach my full potential, I am not sure I could make that sacrifice...
My Thoughts:
After reading Run Less, Run Faster, I have decided that for me, it is not a philosophy I can adopt ALL THE TIME. I LOVE to RUN and therefore, would probably go crazy if I could only run 3 days a week and every time I went for a run it was HARD. I would miss just heading out after a rough day, without my watch to clear my head and just RUN, not worrying about time, speed, or distance. Its why I love running so much. HOWEVER; I think this is a great book and a great program and I would be happy to adapt my running route for a mere 16-18 weeks to improve my running ability and marathon times! Ultimately, I want to use it to qualify for Boston.
Have you read this book? What do you guys think about running 3 days a week and cross training 2 days?
*Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions, questions, or comments. This is my first book review, so let me know if I missed anything!
by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss
Summary
The authors of Run Less, Run Faster aim to help all people in achieving their highest running potential. They acknowledge that the majority of runners are real people who lead busy lives filled with families, work and errands to run. Through extensive research, they have developed The FIRST program, which not only fits nicely into "real people's" busy lives, but actually only works if you incorporate the rest days and cross training days.
What they Recommend: 3 days of running, with 2 days of cross training. Of those 3 running days, one is a track workout, one a tempo run, and one a long run. (Note: Not Long, Slow Run- this workout is meant to be faster than your typical LSR). You are not supposed to run on 2 consecutive days, and ideally, your forms of cross training should be different (i.e., bike and swim).
The program also addresses other aspects that will help improve your fitness such as cross training (biking, using the elliptical, swimming, etc.), stretching, strength training, and nutrition. They also discuss various other performance factors such as, injuries and running in extreme conditions.
In Addition, the book includes times and paces for runners of all abilities and includes a bonus section on "Getting to Boston." (um, yes please!) It is further enhanced with personal success stories, thank you notes, and "Real Runner Reports".
Pros and Cons of the FIRST Program
Pros
1.) Almost a guaranteed PR
2.) Built in recovery days to prevent injury
3.) Easy to schedule workouts when you only have to run 3 days a week.
4.) Scientifically proven to work for runners of all abilities.
Cons
1.) I am a RUNNER! I don't want to cross train, I want to RUN! And more than 3 days a week...
2.) The workouts are HARD. All of them. If every time I go out for a run, it is for a HARD workout, I worry it will cause me to dread running...
3.) In order to prevent injury and keep your body strong, the authors strongly discourage running more than 4 races a year. Furthermore, of those 4 races, each should be a different distance, (i.e., 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon, marathon.) 4 races?! Thats all? Last year I ran 16...oops. I love racing too much to cut it back that much, and while I understand their reasoning, (injury prevention, giving your body time to recover, etc.) I just don't think I could do it. I am not and will never be an elite runner, and while I do want to reach my full potential, I am not sure I could make that sacrifice...
My Thoughts:
After reading Run Less, Run Faster, I have decided that for me, it is not a philosophy I can adopt ALL THE TIME. I LOVE to RUN and therefore, would probably go crazy if I could only run 3 days a week and every time I went for a run it was HARD. I would miss just heading out after a rough day, without my watch to clear my head and just RUN, not worrying about time, speed, or distance. Its why I love running so much. HOWEVER; I think this is a great book and a great program and I would be happy to adapt my running route for a mere 16-18 weeks to improve my running ability and marathon times! Ultimately, I want to use it to qualify for Boston.
Have you read this book? What do you guys think about running 3 days a week and cross training 2 days?
*Also, please let me know if you have any suggestions, questions, or comments. This is my first book review, so let me know if I missed anything!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
It's Here!
Yay! My Snuggie that is...it arrived today from Miss Belle at
The Tale of a Southern Belle I love it already and even better...it matches my apartment! I mentioned this to a certain boyfriend of mine and he called me "a nerd." Whatever I love it. And I think he does too because he took a pic on his phone of me in the snuggie that now shows up whenever I call him.
Testing it out with the book I am reading; Run Less, Run Faster. (Great book! I will post a review when I am finished...)
**Please pardon my post-shower, no make-up look! Although, I do think I look better than this guy:
And I'm the nerd?? PLEASE! Dan~ Leopard print isn't your best look! :)
The Tale of a Southern Belle I love it already and even better...it matches my apartment! I mentioned this to a certain boyfriend of mine and he called me "a nerd." Whatever I love it. And I think he does too because he took a pic on his phone of me in the snuggie that now shows up whenever I call him.
Testing it out with the book I am reading; Run Less, Run Faster. (Great book! I will post a review when I am finished...)
**Please pardon my post-shower, no make-up look! Although, I do think I look better than this guy:
And I'm the nerd?? PLEASE! Dan~ Leopard print isn't your best look! :)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Where in the World Wednesday
Yay for Where in the World Wednesday!
"The idea of WITWW is to post a picture of you in someplace in the world...it doesn't have to be somewhere foreign or tropical. Just a picture of you somewhere that you consider traveling."
~Classy in Philadelphia
This is my first WITWW Post! The only thing I am worried about is running out of places to post...I am starting with me in Long Beach, California:
Biking in Long Beach
Dan and I went to Long Beach in November 2008 to visit our friends that moved out there awhile ago and we had a blast! I love the fitness and healthy mentality of southern California. All the restaurants we went to had healthy options, juice bars everywhere and even row machines on the beach! It was crazy! Completely my scene. Out of all the towns and cities we saw on our Cali trip, I liked Long Beach the best!
Immune Boost!
As I mentioned in my Last Post, I have caught yet another cold! I really think I have caught every cold, flu, or other contagious virus that has come my way this cold season. I used to think that because I run/exercise so much I would have a strong immune system but now I think that all the exercising is part of the problem.
When I first started running half marathons, I would get sick after each one I ran! Literally the next day, I would come down with a cold. According to The Complete Book of Running for Women, by Claire Kowalchik, as well as many other sources (I believe Runner's World also touched on this, I just don't remember what issue!) "Though running generally strengthens your immune system, too much running can wear it down, which is why it is not uncommon for a runner to catch a cold after completing a marathon." For this reason, The Runner's World article I read, recommended avoiding public places, i.e., airports, malls, SCHOOLS. Unfortunately, since I am a TEACHER, avoiding school is not exactly an option (although sometimes I wish it was :) And interestingly, I scheduled a personal day the Monday after my Sunday Marathon and I didn't get sick!
After catching a mild version of the flu, (possibly swine because my student teacher had it!) a chest/coughing virus, and then a regular cold a week later, I had HAD it! Inspired by some of my favorite healthy living bloggers:
Lily's Health Pad, Jenna at
Eat, Live, Run, and Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point, (If you haven't already, you should check out the blogs of these amazing ladies!) I decided to take a trip to Whole Foods! As of a few weeks ago, I had already increased my tea intake to 3-5 cups a day, and started eating 1 yogurt a day, and I was still getting sick! To be clear, I did catch an unusual amount of colds/viruses this flu season, but I also noticed that they tended to be milder and more short lived than everyone else around me. Also, since I teach special ed (kids with severe Autism, ED, etc.) I come into contact with more germs than your typical teacher. I figured I needed to do more in terms of healthy eating, so I decided to decrease my meat intake and increase the veggies and whole grains. I am unable to do allll of my shopping at Whole Foods (I am a teacher, remember :) but I was able to get a few essential items:
As you can see from the picture, not ALL of the items are from Whole Foods, and all the items I bought were not photographed (I am relatively new to this blogging thing and didn't think to take a pic until after I put everything away!) Regardless, these items are my attempt to eat healthier! In this picture we have: Yogi teas (my new fav), Amy's soup and an Amy's veggie burrito (I have been reading so many good things about this brand and now I know why! I am obsessed...must buy more!) some Greek yogurt (which I haven't tried yet) and some regular organic yogurt just in case I don't like the Greek yogurt. I also got some unpictured soy yogurt which I LOVED btw. There is also some Tofu, which I incorporated into tonight's dinner, chick peas (love), fresh ground peanut butter and almond butter, and of course Oatmeal (another new kick of mine). Since this picture was taken, the oatmeal, almond butter, and burrito are already gone. Guess I will have to go back to Whole Foods sooner than I thought! I think I need a raise...
I promise an actual post about RUNNING is coming soon!
When I first started running half marathons, I would get sick after each one I ran! Literally the next day, I would come down with a cold. According to The Complete Book of Running for Women, by Claire Kowalchik, as well as many other sources (I believe Runner's World also touched on this, I just don't remember what issue!) "Though running generally strengthens your immune system, too much running can wear it down, which is why it is not uncommon for a runner to catch a cold after completing a marathon." For this reason, The Runner's World article I read, recommended avoiding public places, i.e., airports, malls, SCHOOLS. Unfortunately, since I am a TEACHER, avoiding school is not exactly an option (although sometimes I wish it was :) And interestingly, I scheduled a personal day the Monday after my Sunday Marathon and I didn't get sick!
After catching a mild version of the flu, (possibly swine because my student teacher had it!) a chest/coughing virus, and then a regular cold a week later, I had HAD it! Inspired by some of my favorite healthy living bloggers:
Lily's Health Pad, Jenna at
Eat, Live, Run, and Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point, (If you haven't already, you should check out the blogs of these amazing ladies!) I decided to take a trip to Whole Foods! As of a few weeks ago, I had already increased my tea intake to 3-5 cups a day, and started eating 1 yogurt a day, and I was still getting sick! To be clear, I did catch an unusual amount of colds/viruses this flu season, but I also noticed that they tended to be milder and more short lived than everyone else around me. Also, since I teach special ed (kids with severe Autism, ED, etc.) I come into contact with more germs than your typical teacher. I figured I needed to do more in terms of healthy eating, so I decided to decrease my meat intake and increase the veggies and whole grains. I am unable to do allll of my shopping at Whole Foods (I am a teacher, remember :) but I was able to get a few essential items:
As you can see from the picture, not ALL of the items are from Whole Foods, and all the items I bought were not photographed (I am relatively new to this blogging thing and didn't think to take a pic until after I put everything away!) Regardless, these items are my attempt to eat healthier! In this picture we have: Yogi teas (my new fav), Amy's soup and an Amy's veggie burrito (I have been reading so many good things about this brand and now I know why! I am obsessed...must buy more!) some Greek yogurt (which I haven't tried yet) and some regular organic yogurt just in case I don't like the Greek yogurt. I also got some unpictured soy yogurt which I LOVED btw. There is also some Tofu, which I incorporated into tonight's dinner, chick peas (love), fresh ground peanut butter and almond butter, and of course Oatmeal (another new kick of mine). Since this picture was taken, the oatmeal, almond butter, and burrito are already gone. Guess I will have to go back to Whole Foods sooner than I thought! I think I need a raise...
I promise an actual post about RUNNING is coming soon!
Monday, January 18, 2010
3 Day Weekend
Yay for Martin Luther King Day! Gotta love 3-day weekends :) Yesterday we celebrated my Mom's Birthday and had a great time! Dan and I went to my parents' house and then out to dinner with my parents, my sister (Christine), and her boyfriend. We went to a local restaurant called Martini's, a staple for birthday dinners or celebratory occasions in my family. After dinner we went back to my parents' house for dessert (carrot cake and coffee - yum!) Over dessert, we played a game (with the Jets game on in the background of course. We are all Giants fans, but since they clearly disappointed this season, we are throwing our support to the Jets!) Dan got my mom this game that we always play with his family, called Left, Right, Center. Its a great game, mainly because there is gambling involved! (JK but seriously it is more fun that way...) We each threw in 3 dollars and the winner takes the pot. Since there were 6 of us, the pot was $18 and my sister won, which was funny because she definitely needed the money the most! All in all it was a refreshingly fun night.
Here are some pics:
Mom and Daughters
Sisters and Boyfriends
Family <3 For my day off today, I spent it my favorite way...running and taking exercise classes at the gym! (Dan thinks I am thoroughly crazy for spending my day off this way but to each his own, right?) Since I have caught yet ANOTHER cold (more on this in a different post) and I am feeling under the weather, I decided to take it easy today, but I was NOT going to let it ruin my big day off plans! I decided to skip out on the 9 o'clock class at the gym to take my time waking up, clearing my stuffy head and eating a good breakfast. After breakfast I met my Mom at the gym for Fitness Pilates with Valerie. After Pilates I went for a short run with my Dad. He's sick with a cold too so we cut it short and hit up Starbucks :) Then I made a quick stop at Sports Authority. I have been thinking about purchasing a bathing suit to swim laps in at the gym. I'm thinking that if I had an appropriate suit I might actually give swimming a decent shot. Right now I have a ridiculous amount of string bikinis, but no actual athletic suit so I thought I would check it out. I found some cute ones but I'm not sure if I NEED to spend $50 on a bathing suit that I might not even use right now so I didn't get it, but maybe I will go back. I did, however, purchase an adorable gym bag! I have been needing one as this is what I have been using:
And while this bag works just fine, I wanted something cuter. So I bought this:
I absolutely love it! I'm about to go test it out...back to the gym for Athletic Yoga and Kickboxing!
Xoxo
Here are some pics:
Mom and Daughters
Sisters and Boyfriends
Family <3 For my day off today, I spent it my favorite way...running and taking exercise classes at the gym! (Dan thinks I am thoroughly crazy for spending my day off this way but to each his own, right?) Since I have caught yet ANOTHER cold (more on this in a different post) and I am feeling under the weather, I decided to take it easy today, but I was NOT going to let it ruin my big day off plans! I decided to skip out on the 9 o'clock class at the gym to take my time waking up, clearing my stuffy head and eating a good breakfast. After breakfast I met my Mom at the gym for Fitness Pilates with Valerie. After Pilates I went for a short run with my Dad. He's sick with a cold too so we cut it short and hit up Starbucks :) Then I made a quick stop at Sports Authority. I have been thinking about purchasing a bathing suit to swim laps in at the gym. I'm thinking that if I had an appropriate suit I might actually give swimming a decent shot. Right now I have a ridiculous amount of string bikinis, but no actual athletic suit so I thought I would check it out. I found some cute ones but I'm not sure if I NEED to spend $50 on a bathing suit that I might not even use right now so I didn't get it, but maybe I will go back. I did, however, purchase an adorable gym bag! I have been needing one as this is what I have been using:
And while this bag works just fine, I wanted something cuter. So I bought this:
I absolutely love it! I'm about to go test it out...back to the gym for Athletic Yoga and Kickboxing!
Xoxo
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Happy Birthday Mom!
Happy Birthday to my Wonderful Mom!
Tomorrow is my beautiful Mother's birthday. She's is not only the world's greatest mom, but also my gym partner, shopping partner, role model and friend. She is the reason I am who I am today and I am so grateful and lucky to have her.
Isn't she the cutest??
Doesn't she look great for 49? Seriously, she's 49!
Don't I look like a giant compared to my Mom? I'm actually not...I'm only 5'2"
So Happy Birthday Mom, I love you.
Tomorrow is my beautiful Mother's birthday. She's is not only the world's greatest mom, but also my gym partner, shopping partner, role model and friend. She is the reason I am who I am today and I am so grateful and lucky to have her.
Isn't she the cutest??
Doesn't she look great for 49? Seriously, she's 49!
Don't I look like a giant compared to my Mom? I'm actually not...I'm only 5'2"
So Happy Birthday Mom, I love you.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Mexico Recap!
Mexico Recap!
So, as I mentioned, Dan and I went to Mexico for a friend's wedding last week. We left on Wednesday morning and got back to the apartment late Sunday night (around 1ish). Of course we both had to work Monday morning but it was worth it. We flew into Cancun and then took a boat to a tiny island about 20 minutes away called Isla Mujeres. It was beautiful! The all inclusive resort we stayed in was called Privilege Aluxes. Dan was in the wedding (along with 9 other guys!)and it was a friend of his that he has known for about 20 years. Not only was the bridal party huge but there were a lot of guests for a destination wedding. There were almost 100 people there! We arrived at the resort on Wednesday at about 1 o'clock (their time) and were greeted by the bride and groom and champagne from the resort staff. The weather was in the 70s but it was a little windy, but compared to the freezing cold temps in NJ it felt like a sauna. The wedding wasn't until Friday and a bunch of the wedding guests/wedding party was already there so we got some lunch/drinks (yay for all inclusive!)We spent the rest of the day going back and forth between the beach and the pool. We just wanted to stay outside in the gorgeous weather!
Beautiful Sunsets
After the sun went down we headed back up to the room to shower and go to dinner. Turns out...almost no one made it to dinner! There were 6 of us there out of like 20! I guess open bar/all inclusive will do that to people, but not us! Dan and I were there :) We were exhausted from traveling (and our 4am wake up!) so after dinner we went to bed (at 9:30) but at least we lasted longer than the others :)
Thursday was the day before the wedding, so we laid out in the sun for most of the day (it was another beautiful one). There was no rehearsal but they did have a rehearsal dinner.
The groom
Friday was wedding day and the weather was the most beautiful day so far. The groom wanted to get all the boys together to play baseball the morning before the wedding so the ladies and I laid out on the beach until they returned.
When they got back we had a quick lunch on the beach and then had to shower up for the 3 o'clock wedding. The beach was set up beautifully.
Handsome Groomsmen
Lovely Ladies
The ceremony was very different from what am I am used to and the weddings I have been going to but it was nice. The bride is originally from Mexico so the ceremony was in both English and Spanish and it was nice to experience the Mexican culture. There were some strange things, like, after the minister pronounced them man and wife and they kissed...
everything stopped so they could sign some forms at the altar and then everyone walked back down the aisle. Very different. After the ceremony, cocktail hour started immediately but the girlfriends/wives and Istalked followed the bridal party down the beach to steal pics.
Then we headed to the cocktail hour and took some more pics:
After cocktail hour we had a wonderful dinner and then headed back out to the beach for dancing!
Cutting the cake:
Then we danced for hours and hours. The wedding was literally 10 hours long. It lasted from 3 until 1 am. I danced for at least 3 hours! I danced so much I was sore the next day and I counted the dancing as my workout for the day, because it seriously was. Often at weddings people may drink a lot (not that I have ever done that before :) but at this wedding I was too busy dancing to even drink! I had a few drinks and the cocktail hour and some wine with dinner and then burnt it all off! So fun!
The next day it rained. Did I write rain? I should have said monsooned. Oh and it was windyyy. Like hurricane winds. So much that a palm tree fell over! So we slept in and I sat on the balcony with a few necessary items:
When Dan woke up we got breakfast and then massages! So nice. Then we showered, napped, and got ready for dinner. We went to the Thai restaurant in the resort. It was my first time trying Thai and I loved it! After dinner we all went to bed because we were pretty tired from the wedding.
Sunday was our last day. The rain stopped but it was pretty cold so I finally hit the gym!(I promised my Dad I would not run alone in Mexico) It was a very small gym but I used the treadmill for 45 minutes. I'm not exactly sure how far I went because the treadmill was in kilometers but it was somewhere around 5 miles. I hate the treadmill and don't know how some people are able to do 20 miles on them because I struggled with 45 minutes! After the gym I went back to the room and had some time before we had to get ready to go to the airport so I decided to take a bubble bath in our outdoor hot tub! I hadn't take a bubble bath in yearsss and was so excited. I wore a bathing suit of course :)
Pre-bubbles
Uh-oh...maybe I shouldn't have poured the whole bottle of bubbles in...
Ahhh content :)
So, as I mentioned, Dan and I went to Mexico for a friend's wedding last week. We left on Wednesday morning and got back to the apartment late Sunday night (around 1ish). Of course we both had to work Monday morning but it was worth it. We flew into Cancun and then took a boat to a tiny island about 20 minutes away called Isla Mujeres. It was beautiful! The all inclusive resort we stayed in was called Privilege Aluxes. Dan was in the wedding (along with 9 other guys!)and it was a friend of his that he has known for about 20 years. Not only was the bridal party huge but there were a lot of guests for a destination wedding. There were almost 100 people there! We arrived at the resort on Wednesday at about 1 o'clock (their time) and were greeted by the bride and groom and champagne from the resort staff. The weather was in the 70s but it was a little windy, but compared to the freezing cold temps in NJ it felt like a sauna. The wedding wasn't until Friday and a bunch of the wedding guests/wedding party was already there so we got some lunch/drinks (yay for all inclusive!)We spent the rest of the day going back and forth between the beach and the pool. We just wanted to stay outside in the gorgeous weather!
Beautiful Sunsets
After the sun went down we headed back up to the room to shower and go to dinner. Turns out...almost no one made it to dinner! There were 6 of us there out of like 20! I guess open bar/all inclusive will do that to people, but not us! Dan and I were there :) We were exhausted from traveling (and our 4am wake up!) so after dinner we went to bed (at 9:30) but at least we lasted longer than the others :)
Thursday was the day before the wedding, so we laid out in the sun for most of the day (it was another beautiful one). There was no rehearsal but they did have a rehearsal dinner.
The groom
Friday was wedding day and the weather was the most beautiful day so far. The groom wanted to get all the boys together to play baseball the morning before the wedding so the ladies and I laid out on the beach until they returned.
When they got back we had a quick lunch on the beach and then had to shower up for the 3 o'clock wedding. The beach was set up beautifully.
Handsome Groomsmen
Lovely Ladies
The ceremony was very different from what am I am used to and the weddings I have been going to but it was nice. The bride is originally from Mexico so the ceremony was in both English and Spanish and it was nice to experience the Mexican culture. There were some strange things, like, after the minister pronounced them man and wife and they kissed...
everything stopped so they could sign some forms at the altar and then everyone walked back down the aisle. Very different. After the ceremony, cocktail hour started immediately but the girlfriends/wives and I
Then we headed to the cocktail hour and took some more pics:
After cocktail hour we had a wonderful dinner and then headed back out to the beach for dancing!
Cutting the cake:
Then we danced for hours and hours. The wedding was literally 10 hours long. It lasted from 3 until 1 am. I danced for at least 3 hours! I danced so much I was sore the next day and I counted the dancing as my workout for the day, because it seriously was. Often at weddings people may drink a lot (not that I have ever done that before :) but at this wedding I was too busy dancing to even drink! I had a few drinks and the cocktail hour and some wine with dinner and then burnt it all off! So fun!
The next day it rained. Did I write rain? I should have said monsooned. Oh and it was windyyy. Like hurricane winds. So much that a palm tree fell over! So we slept in and I sat on the balcony with a few necessary items:
When Dan woke up we got breakfast and then massages! So nice. Then we showered, napped, and got ready for dinner. We went to the Thai restaurant in the resort. It was my first time trying Thai and I loved it! After dinner we all went to bed because we were pretty tired from the wedding.
Sunday was our last day. The rain stopped but it was pretty cold so I finally hit the gym!(I promised my Dad I would not run alone in Mexico) It was a very small gym but I used the treadmill for 45 minutes. I'm not exactly sure how far I went because the treadmill was in kilometers but it was somewhere around 5 miles. I hate the treadmill and don't know how some people are able to do 20 miles on them because I struggled with 45 minutes! After the gym I went back to the room and had some time before we had to get ready to go to the airport so I decided to take a bubble bath in our outdoor hot tub! I hadn't take a bubble bath in yearsss and was so excited. I wore a bathing suit of course :)
Pre-bubbles
Uh-oh...maybe I shouldn't have poured the whole bottle of bubbles in...
Ahhh content :)
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