The {not so} naked truth

So it has been a rough start.

Weekends are rough for me since I work super late Fridays and therefore have no energy Saturday or Sunday. It also didn't help that it was a friends last night so we celebrated with a few pints. 

Willpower and beer are a hard mix for me.

I did manage to eat alright. 

My new go to snack is apples topped with cinnamon and dipped in PB.

I also put together a Mediterranean style dinner that was healthy (ish). Pork and lamb gyros with Kale-slaw and (not fried) falafel.

However, exercise wise was not so great. I managed 75 squats and a mile walk on Sunday. Yup. That's it!

I could blame the heat, but I'd rather say I was to busy playing with this beauty

 So if I'm going to do this, I suppose I need a picture of myself to compare to.

Perhaps posting some very unflattering pictures will help me get my sh*t together! 

Here goes

And here's to a better, more active week. 

Back on track

I need to get back on track. I have fallen so far off the track that I need binoculars to see it!
I think I started derailing slowly after I finished the Carlsbad Half.
Preceding the race I was in relatively good shape and eating healthily. I felt wonderful and had confidence.

I did manage to run 3 more half marathons to date: La Jolla Half in April; Rock-n-Roll in June; and AFC in August <--- but if I'm honest I walk/ran the last 6 miles due to heat and under-training.
Since the last race, I've ran a handful of times and stopped most fitness activity. I have let myself "go". My pants are tight, my legs don't feel as strong, and my beer belly can hold about a keg now.

Change is in the near future!
I want NEED to get this train wreck back on track! Maybe even surpass my previous level.
So I'm blowing the dust off my blog, and reaching out to whoever wants to listen.

The change includes only 2 things:
getting back into running/fitness
 consuming healthier/clean food

I will keep myself accountable through six 9 eleven.
This may be a bumpy ride, so hold on!

Carlsbad Half Marathon Race Recap

I did it!!

I truly can't believe I actually did it!!

I completed my FIRST HALF MARATHON!!!!

I was pretty nervous going in to it, because the longest distance I'd completed was 10 miles.

We (my running buddy Jessica and I) made it to the expo Saturday, about an hour before it closed. The reality that I would be running the distance the following day still hadn't set in. We collected our bibs and tech T's, and I stocked up on some Nuun. The expo was relatively small and not very busy, so we were in and out.

I managed to carb load with tortellini and get to bed at 9:00 without too many nerves.

The next morning I woke promptly at 5:00 am and realized as I started the coffee that my hands were shaking. Ok, nerves had definitely set in at this point!

We found parking on a random off street which worked out really well. We had about a mile walk to the start. 

After a quick trip to the porta potties, we had about 30 minutes to keep ourselves warm until the 7:45 start time.

At 7:35, we arrived in our corral with nerves flying and everything feeling surreal.

Wave 1, 2, and 3 were off and before we knew it; our wave was toeing the start.

The first mile flew by so fast as did the second mile. At mile 3 we climbed a hill, and before we knew it 5K was under our {fuel} belts.

We rounded the corner and were awarded with the ocean view this race boasts about. My legs were feeling great, the weather was perfect, and the views were beautiful.

 Right before we hit the halfway point, which was also the turnaround, we encountered our fourth (and longest) hill.
Once we turned around, I knew we'd have to tackle that same hill again.

I don't know if it was the hill or the nerves, but I hit a wall around mile 8. This made me feel disappointed because I thought at this point I would hit my runners high. I just kept trekking along, and thanks to Jessica, moving at a great pace.

To help climb over my "wall",  I decided I should take in more calories, so I took half a Clif shot that was handed out on the course. (I had been snacking on my go to Clif Bar.) I also had a couple oranges that someone was handing out.

 A wonderful spectator at mile 12 was handing out beer and I gladly took the small 3 oz stout. {Not so} Surprisingly this was exactly what I needed. Then the crowd began to thicken which could only mean we were coming up on mile 13 and the finish! At this point I was smiling because I knew I would finish (and be done)!

We did it! Finishers!! First half marathon DONE!!
Finish- 2:12:31

We chugged our finish line waters and ate the delicious banana while trekking back to the car. 

Overall the race was beautiful with aid stations every mile and plenty of spectators to keep you occupied.  Everything seemed well organized and so many port-a potties the lines weren't a thing to worry about. It was also nice they had a tent set up to keep warm pre-race.

Victory lap was held at Pizza Port where we indulged in a well deserved beer and pizza.
It'll be hard to wipe this smile off my face for a while!

Cheers!