Five Pennies Makes a Nickel

Yesterday I was reading a running magazine and a writer mentioned "Five pennies make a nickel"

Today I learned this is part of a jingle intended to help teach children about coins and how they add up.

Five pennies make a nickel

Two nickels make a dime...

 
The statement in the magazine was in regards to all the little things we do that eventually add up to something much bigger.  It really struck me and it's kind of how I'm trying to live my life.
 
One penny may seem insignificant.  I mean really, is there ANYTHING left in the world that you can buy for a penny?

 
But, to quote from the jingle, with five pennies you have a nickel.  With two nickels you have a dime.  With two dimes & a nickel you have a quarter.  With four quarters you have a dollar.
 
And with a dollar (in some non-tax states) you can buy something to eat at a fast food joint!  Maybe not the healthiest item, but the point is you can buy something.
 
Same goes for a healthier lifestyle.  Every little positive change you make adds up to make a big difference.
 
If you can eliminate/reduce one unhealthy food, drink more water, consume less alcohol, run/walk a little more, challenge your muscles ... it all adds up.
 
I suppose the same could be said in the other direction.  For every unhealthy choice you make, you slow your progress by that little bit.
 

Think about the little changes you are, or aren't, making on a daily basis.  Are they leading up to the healthy lifestyle you want to lead?  Are they holding you back from being everything you want to be?  What is one little change you can make to move you one step closer to your goals?

 

 

Make a change today towards the positive!

 

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Back on the Coaster

Apparently the Roller Coaster ride is not completely over.  Two weeks ago I decided to really buckle down and get serious about losing some more weight.  I had a hugely successful week one.

I vowed last week that I would "just have to keep the momentum up. No fizzling after one successful week. "

Well .... I sort of fizzled!

I did track my food and stay within my points range every day except Sunday & Monday.  Despite that, I still was showing about a 1 lb gain.  I do daily weigh-in's and weeks like this make me glad that I do.  I'm attributing that 1 lb gain to it being ovulation week.  Not sure why, but that often equals a little gain for me.

Come Sunday though ... after the race, I definitely loosened the reins.  I indulged in my son's ice cream cake and then my husband suggested we have steak dinner to celebrate our race.  Probably not too damaging really.  I didn't weigh myself Monday morning.  I did OK during the day, but late in the afternoon I met up with my husband and son at McDonald's and spur of the moment decided to have a cheeseburger.  Again, not the end of the world.  It did put me 1 measly point over for the day, but I wouldn't sweat that.

The trouble came later in the evening.  We had been out with my husband's friend and he asked to take us to a Chinese restaurant he really likes.  He is Chinese and said the food here was very authentic.  I shouldn't have gone.  I wasn't hungry and really had things I needed to do at home.  But I felt sort of like I should.  Ended up eating more than I needed to, late at night.  And Chinese food ... we all know what that does to you.

My penance .... 4.2 gain! (edited: bad math ... 3.6 gain)

Overall results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4 - 146.8

May 11 - 150.4

Gain - 1.0 lb.

So, this weeks results, while disappointing, will not derail me.  I know WHY it happened and I WILL learn from it.  I'm also aware that alot of that is water weight due to the sodium.  If I stay clean it will be gone in no time.

It would be so easy to not post about this.  Not like anyone would notice or care.  But I notice.  I care.  I'm done with hiding from bad weigh-ins. 

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sun Run Race Report

What a weekend!  I am E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D!!!!

Friday morning I went into Vancouver with a few of my running friends.  We had to pick up our race packages and figured while we were down there we would do a little, easy run on the Stanley Park Seawall.  It was an absoluely gorgeous day and I REALLY enjoyed myself.  Afterwards we went to a nice little Sushi place .. YUM!

I had been having some pretty big fears about getting an upset stomach again during a race.  So all day Saturday I was pretty obsessed about what I ate.  I ate pretty clean and included a banana and basically plain pasta (which I like) for dinner - which was eaten early.

When I woke up at 6AM on Sunday my tummy felt off, but an hour later everything was fine.  I didn't eat breakfast, as planned.  I wasn't hungry at all and I didn't want to risk anything.  We left home around 7:20.  We had planned to take the Sky Train downtown (as is suggested) but my husband missed the turn-off and traffic was flowing so nicely that we just kept going.  It turned out to be a good choice.  We got there way faster than we would have on transit and even managed to find free parking - a small miracle in itself downtown Vancouver. 

Though the parking we did find was about 2Km or so away from the start.  We jogged very slowly over to the start, with a short bathroom stop at a Starbucks (WAY better than the huge line-ups for the porta-potties at the start area).

We still had plenty of time and walked through the crowds to find our starting corral.  When we got there we found a couple of people from the walkers division had pushed their way in.  This really bothers me.  I heard them talking and they were planning to walk the whole thing anyway.  So why would you jump the line and get in other peoples way???  I found out today that at least one of these people didn't even finish the race.

This was from us to the starting line.  There was probably 10 times this many people behind us.

Towards the start

Now ... you know it's going to be a good race when your bib numbers include two of your favourite numbers (17 and 7).

Waiting to get into the corrals

The elites took off then it was our turn to move towards the start line. We managed to get ourselves up pretty close to the start line. That was wonderful! Immediately we got off to a good pace. About 10 seconds into the race my husband gave me a kiss and said he'd see me at the finish line.

The start was incredible!  We moved up a division from last year and it was an awesome decision.  Yes, there was still alot of weaving, but in general most of us were pretty even paced and most runners in this section seemed experienced and were respectful of each others space.  So nice!

I felt fantastic.  I've been having off/on pain in my leg and have been taking things pretty easy to let it heal.  I had NO pain during the run ... and still don't.

I heard my Garmin go off at mile 1.  It seemed early and I debated looking at it, but caved ... so curious.  I nearly fell over! 7:25 for my first mile.  WHAT?  I have NEVER done a 7:25 mile, even on a single mile.  I think a grin came on my face then that never really went away for the rest of the day.  My aim was to have an average pace of 8:30/mile.    I was ecstatic to have so much wiggle room.

Mile 2 my average pace was still well below my goal.  Then mile 3 ... I was still well below ... 7:42 average.  My time at the 5K mark was 23:53 - blowing nearly a minute off my previous 5K PR ... and this was for a 10K.  I was in shock. 

Though in all fairness I will say that this course leads itself to giving you a wicked time on the first 5K.  Alot of gradual downhill and easy flats.  Not there is much in the way of hills on this course, but they are definitely in the second half of the course.

It was getting pretty hot and I could feel fatigue setting in.  I started dreaming of finish times that I had not even considered.  I already knew I was up for a killer time and decided to just enjoy the rest of the race.  I could kill myself, but decided to leave a little on the table and just be super happy with what was going on.

I had to take a moment to pull out my camera when these guys went passed.  They were hilarious and it was quite fun running in their vicinity for the last few Kms because the crowd really got going for them.

Around 8K I was T-I-R-E-D.  My body felt fine and my breathing was fine ... I was just a bit drained.  The heat was probably the biggest factor as we haven't had very warm weather lately.  We came up over the last bridge and I picked it up a notch.  Finished my last 1/2 Km at 7:19 pace.

Final time .....

50:59 (chip time)

60 / 1203 Age Group (35-39)

3885 / 39855 Overall

I was in the top 10%.  WHOA!  I still can't believe it.

My goal for this year was to run a 10K under 52 minutes.  WOOOHOOO!

And yes ... I did follow through on my promise.  Here is me with my shirt off on the streets of Vancouver. 

Though I don't believe I made the news as there was a stabbing incident going on at this time.  We didn't witness it, but did see an ambulance about 10 minutes after this picture was taken.  There apparently was also a death later that day, which police have classified a suicide. Something about a man taking off his clothes (including a race day shirt) and going into the water. 

I knocked 8 MINUTES off of last years time.  Never, in my wildest dreams......

Funny thing, there are four ladies I went to school with that do this race together every year.  They have been WAY faster than me.  Last year 3 of them finished under 49 minutes.  This year ... I beat them all!  Two of them by less than a second .. but still. 

My husband rocked his time too.  Last year he was about 52:40 ... he took 7 minutes off and finished in 45:43.  WOW!  I bow to him.  Doubt I'll ever be that fast.

What an amazing day and an amazing race.

I had a smile on my face ALL day!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Sun Run 10K Goals

3 days until my next (and possibly last for a while) race.  I'm feeling pretty excited.  I don't know why THIS race means so much to me.  Something about it makes me feel like THIS is the race to be measured ... don't know why.  I hate crowds and really there should be nothing about this race that I like, but I do.  Around here so many runners do this race and it's so popular that everyone knows about it - even if they aren't a runner.  When you talk to someone about running they ask if you are doing it and what your time was last year. 

The weather can change here on a whim, but at the moment we're expecting highs of around 16C/60F and mainly sunny.  I can't think of anything better for the "Sun" Run.  It's actually named after the newspaper that hosts the run, The Vancouver Sun.  This would be perfect running weather and it's a beautiful route.

Tomorrow I'm going downtown with a few girlfriends to pick up our race packages.  Then we're going to do a little run along the seawall.  I've always wanted to do that!  I'm really looking forward to it.

Actually this is a bit of a crazy weekend:

Friday - pick-up race packages during the day and tool around Vancouver.  In the evening we are having a surprise party for my son's 16th.  I've ordered the COOLEST cake!  Though he's just come down with his annual birthday flu.  Hopefully I don't have to cancel it.

Saturday - My husband & son are going to their favourite bi-annual diesel truck event (snore).  Then in the evening there is a UFC event and my daughters last jazz dance competition.

Sunday - The SUN RUN!  Could I be more excited????

Monday - My son's 16th b-day.  He'll be going to test for his L (Learner's Driver License). My daughter also has her last dance competition (this one in Hip Hop).

So ... my goals for this year's Sun Run .....

Last year my goal was to finish under 1 hour and I came in at 58:56.  This year I'm setting a few goals:

1) under 57:00 - I'm pretty confident that I'll surpass this one.
2) under 55:00 - I think I can probably beat this one too.
3) under 53:00 - If I beat this one you will see me on the news as the crazy lady running around downtown Vancouver, ripping her shirt off and screaming at the top of her lungs. 

Secretly, I really hope to be that woman on the news!  I have actually run 10K on my own under 53 minutes a few times.  But I also know that this is a super crowded course and that anything can happen in a race. 

Realistically I expect to be in the 54-55 minute range.  I will be happy with that.  This is the race that I will give it my all, so I will have no regrets.  There will be no holding back!

As for my fears .... well, I'll have to let them be.  I can't control everything and I will try not to get worked up about it.  I have a bit of a game plan, just in case.  Should I get hit by the bathroom bug, I will stop my watch for any necessary stops, and the time on my Garmin will determine my finish time (not the chip time).  This is MY race, MY time.  I'm not out to win any awards.  I'm out to see what I can accomplish.

Not sure if I'll get to posting tomorrow, or over the weekend.  Everyone who is racing this weekend ... I wish you the best of luck.  I know off the top of my head that Syl has a very meaningful 5K on Sunday and Lynsey has a 5K that shes going to rock on Saturday.  On Saturday I will run a 5K to support Lynsey (though I will do a nice, easy pace as I have my big run the next day).  I will definitely be taking you guys along with me during my race.  I will be wearing Syl's necklace and will definitely use it as motivation to give it my all.  Let's do this ladies!!!!!

**GIVEAWAY**

Julie is having a great giveaway to celebrate having 100 followers

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Setting Goals

Setting & achieving goals ..... how do you approach it?

I've had a few people mention recently that I'm pretty successful at reaching the goals I set.  It got me thinking a bit.  Yes, I have been pretty successful, but I think it's more about the way I approach SETTING my goals.

Personally I think there are a few ways to set goals:

1) LOW & EASILY ACHIEVABLE - You set your goals for the bare minimum.  Something you absolutely know you can achieve without too much effort.  For some people this keeps the pressure low and they feel successful, which may lead to them reaching further than they thought they could - thus achieving way more than their original goal.

2) HAPPY MEDIUM - You set your goals for something that seems a little outside of comfortable and definitely a challenge, but that you are pretty confident you can achieve with effort.  The pressure isn't too high, it isn't overwhelming, but in order to reach the goal you have to stay focused and determined or it will slip away from you.

3) HIGH & CHALLENGING - You set your goals super high, maybe even higher than is even possible.  This puts a ton of pressure on you, but maybe that drives you.  Perhaps you feel that by aiming way up high, even if you don't achieve the goal you originally set, you achieve more than someone who sets a more moderate goal. 

My husband believes in setting his goals VERY high, almost unattainable.  His reasoning is that if he sets them super high and doesn't quite achieve them that he achieves more than if he were to set his goals too low.  This has worked quite well for him.  But he has a very different personality than me.  He accepts the (perceived) failure of not quite reaching his goals with the knowledge that he has still achieved more than most people ever would have aimed for.  For example, while someone may aim to lose 2 lbs in a month and lose just those 2 lbs (thus success in reaching their goal) ... he would aim to lose 20 lbs and end up losing 12.  Did he reach his goal?  Nope, not even close.  But he still got a lot further than the person who only aimed for 2lbs.  This method works well for him, not so much for me.

Personally .... I rarely will set a goal unless I firmly believe I can achieve it. I'm the type that goes for the Happy Medium. I sit and think "hmmmm, what can I realistically do". I am uncomfortable with failure, so to set my goals super high would be a dangerous slope. I would feel defeated or frustrated and likely give up. But, I also know that if I set my goals on the low side, I would sit back and just achieve that bare minimum - never challenging myself. Like I said the other day, I'm way too stubborn to not meet my goals, so I know that by setting them just a bit out of reach I will work hard to get there.

I also try to set goals that are within my control.  For the most part ...

• I CAN control how many miles I run, how often I exercise. 
• I CAN control keeping a food journal. 
• I CAN control how often I eat out, order in, or eat junk food. 

However ... I CAN NOT control the scale or the measuring tape.  We all know there are times when you can do everything 100% right and your body will not do what is expected.  Therefore, it is rare that I will set concrete weight/measurement goals.  Yes, I set them in the sense of having an idea of where I want to be and when, but I'm realistic in knowing that the stars may not align just because I set a goal. 

I also know I CAN NOT (realistically) preplan every single meal and expect to follow it 100%.  I do try to do a fair amount of preplanning but there is always wiggle room.  What if the tomatoes you had planned are suddenly in a shortage situation from suppliers?  Or they're all rotten at the store?  Sure you can try another store, but I'd much rather allow for adjustments where necessary.  Plus, what if I had planned roast chicken for Thursday night and come Thursday night the thought of eating that makes me gag.  Should I still go ahead???  Yeah, not me!

So .... what type of goal setter are you? 

Each method has it's advantages and disadvantages.  Everyone will have something that works better for them.  No method is outright wrong or right.  You just have to find which one suits you best.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

Roller Coaster Ride is O-V-E-R

Did ya catch Biggest Loser last night???  OMG, did anyone else think that Sam is now a total hottie????  WOW, that boy looks good.  I don't say that about a lot of men, especially people on TV, but he looked great!  Best makeover of the night.  He has such a great personality too.  I'm so happy for him & Stephanie.  That's cool!

I wasn't going to share this next bit until I came across Darcy's most recent post.  I was hoping to get a couple weeks under my belt and then share ... but I think it will benefit me most to get this out there.  Stop being afraid of failure. 

Over the last few weeks I've hinted on and off that I was struggling.  After my disappointing first half in March I was really left feeling down.  I slacked on the workouts, then I started slacking on my eating as well.  I was already struggling with eating a bit before the half ... but afterwards it got worse.

This post is I think where I really started to make that first step back off that ledge.  It's been a HUGE, LONG step and it's been tough.  I had let it all unravel so fast and it has been quite the struggle to reel it back in.  I think I find it harder to repair and restart the engine than to get it started the very first time.

I spent weeks having do-overs.  Wake up with the greatest plans and let it fall apart by mid-day, or certainly before the day was up.    Eventually I turned back to counting Weight Watchers points (the most successful method for me) ... but that was slow to take hold too.  I spent a couple weeks counting .. in my head, but rarely ever writing things down.  Then there were the days I'd write it down, but it would get ugly and I'd not finish the day or I'd rip out the page to start fresh the next day.

The workouts were back in order by mid-April, but the eating was still an issue.

A week ago I finally called BULLSH&T!  Enough of this half-assing around.  Do I want to lose this last pudgy tummy roll or not?  Yes ... yes I do.  It HAS to come from my diet.  I can't put garbage in and expect diamonds.  I work too hard for this.

I don't even know exactly what my total damage was.  At some point in March I was 146.2, but I think that was a fleeting moment.  I've bounced between 147-149 regularly and it was becoming more and more on the higher end.  It definitely bounced up to over 151 at one point.  I was 143.6 last November so I had put on about 8 lbs!

Last Tuesday I finally wrote down my weight and since then I have gotten back to what works for me.  Every night I preplan my meals for the next day.  Every morning and night I get on that scale AND write down my weight ...although I only "count" my weekly weight.  EVERY day I write down what I've eaten and record the points.

The results ...

Apr 27 - 149.4

May 4  - 146.8

Loss - 2.6 lbs

I'm super happy with that.  Now I just have to keep the momentum up.  No fizzling after one successful week.  The roller coaster ride is O-V-E-R!

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥

May Goals

Have you seen this guy?  MARATHON QUEST 250

He was on the local news Saturday morning.  He's from Cochrane, Alberta but was in town for the Vancouver Marathon tomorrow.  250 Marathons in a YEAR!  WOW!!!  And I can barely imagine doing one.  He typically runs 5 days in a row then 2 rest days (with some exceptions of course). 

Reading through his blog and seeing some of the weather and things he goes through on his daily marathons is amazing.  Makes me re-think the times that I've skipped a workout because I'm tired, or it's cold/hot outside.

Here's another summer dress I picked up recently.  I have a thing for bright colors ... or black & white.  This IS going to be the summer I wear more dresses.  Now if the weather could just cooperate!

MAY 2010 GOALS

♥ Run 80+ Miles - reducing this one a bit this month.  In the back of my head I want to do 100 again.  If I can stay uninjured I will go for the 100, but I want to leave a little wiggle room.  80 I should be able to comfortably do.

♥ 10 Strength Sessions - not a huge number, but more than I have been doing.  This is once every 3 days and is likely to fit my schedule.

♥ Plan! Prepare! Organize! - this worked so well last month that I'm going to keep this up.  One thing that really helps is to prepare food on the weekends, especially for lunches (veggies, fruit, boiled eggs, leftovers).  Also, making large batches of meals that can be reheated quickly after work. 

♥ Races:

May 9 - Vancouver Sun Run 10K (goals for this TBA)

May 30 - Run for Water Half Marathon (tentative)

I may or may not do the May 30th Half.  That was the one I was originally planning to do next, but some of my friends are doing one at the end of June and I may do that one instead with them.  In a perfect world I'd do both, but financially I'll probably just do one.  Race fees for myself wouldn't be so bad, but it's me AND my husband and they add up. 

May is going to be a busy month and hopefully full of lots of exciting things!  I'm really looking forward to it.  I'm feeling ALOT more energy and focus than I have for quite a long time.

Heidi

♥♥♥♥♥