Exciting news! My husband starts working directly for his company come Monday! Parking will be paid for, woohoo!

More exciting news! I'll have a new nephew by Friday!

Random news: My truck has been cleaned out, washed, and vacuumed.

Running news: I hit 5 miles on Tuesday in 58.03! I did 2.11 miles in 26.51 on Wednesday and 4.73 in 1.03.01 yesterday. The good news about yesterday's run, even though it was slow, was that I conquered the hill between my house and the end of the road not once, but TWICE. It's a long hill, but I ran up it both times.

Running update

I'm so excited to say that my last 2 times out, I've run, yes RUN, 4.25 miles. I did not stop to walk either time! If it had not been so foggy when I finished running this afternoon, I would have tried to hit 4.5 miles. Aiming for that Monday morning. I believe I have enough time before the Cooper River Bridge run to add 0.25 a week and be able to run it all. Haven't signed up for it though. I don't want to run it alone, so I need to find out if someone wants to go with me.

Feeling bloggy today

Not sure why, but I'm feeling bloggy today. A couple nights ago, I had the urge to put pen to paper. That doesn't happen real often, but when it does, I go with it just as I'm going with this today.

I'm a week into the healthyfitfamilies.com challenge. I'm eating more veggies and fruit than I thought possible...and enjoying them for the most part. I'm able to crank out the sit-ups without a problem. Still amazed that I can do that. I pulled out a FIRM work out DVD yesterday and was able to get through it relatively painlessly, nevermind the fact that I almost tripped over the fanny lifter while doing some step and kicked it over doing some cardio. It was a good work out. I'm a little sore today, but it's a good sore. Was going to do another one this morning since it is raining and I couldn't get my run in, but didn't feel like changing out of pj pants or putting shoes on, so Wii Fit Plus won out. I did 30 minutes and have also done 100 jumping jacks and 100 squats since then. Looking forward to a good run tomorrow.

Did another 4 miles Monday and felt great. Hoping to increase by at least 0.25 when I go out Saturday morning.

Speaking of Saturday, my best friend, Leslie, and her family are coming to visit on their way to their new home in Virginia. I can't wait to see them and spend the day with them. We've been friends/sisters for 20+ years. I don't get to see her much because we've lived pretty far apart for the last 12.5 years.

Now that I have the bloggy feeling out of my system, it's time to refill my water cup and get back to work.

Awesomeness

I seem to have gotten my groove back as far as running goes. I ran Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, and Friday morning last week. I covered 3.7, 2.0, and 4.0 miles respectively. I am still walking a little each run, but I am most definitely running more than I walk. My walking distances are usually about 0.1 each time I slow to a walk and total about 0.2 each run. I'm down to 83.62 miles in my hundred mile challenge.

I've also joined another challenge that requires 20 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 30 minutes of exercise, 3.5 servings of fruit, 3.5 servings of veggies, and giving up a vice for the duration of the challenge. My vice is coffee after 4:00. I tend to drink a cup while I'm cooking supper. So, I'm on day 4 of this challenge. Who knew I could do full fledged sit-ups after having 2 kids? I surely didn't, but I can. Mondays are my "official" weigh-in days. And by official, I mean I chose that day to weigh-in each week.

2012

It's a new year, 3 days into it already. I'm not one to make resolutions, but I do have a few goals I want to meet this year. I have started reading through the Bible on my droid through the Daily Bible app. That's one goal: to read through the Bible. I also have a book downloaded on my Kindle that has to do with the names of God. I want to read through that. I've started. I've chosen a word to be my word of the year, so to speak. It's "perspective." After this past year (and all that is not done yet), I feel I need to have perspective on what this year will bring. I want to have God's perspective. I want to see through HIS eyes and not my own. Tough? You betcha'. BUT, with him, all things are possible. If I ask according to his will, it will be done.

Physically, I have a mini goal of losing 10 more pounds by March 1. That's do-able. I also have a goal to run 100 miles by February 29. That's do-able as well. My plan is to run 3 times a week and hit at least 3.7 miles each time out. If I do that 25 days, then I'll hit the 100 miles. Of course, I'm also trying to turn my 5K running into 10K training, so hopefully I'll be adding at least a little distance each time out.

I'm excited about what the new year will bring.

Weight loss to date: 27.2 pounds.

Once a week

It must be time for my once a week update. I mean, I'm here, it's been a week, so why not? I'm fighting a cold or sinus infection or something. Runny nose, coughing, sinus drainage. Yay. And just in time for tonight's Messiah performance.

Running has taken a backseat once again. At least until I get over whatever is making me cough my head off. I've signed up to do a 100 mile challenge. The goal is to run at least 100 miles by the end of February. It's doable...if I would start doing. I'm 6.68 miles in. My last run was this past Friday and I did 3.58 miles in 42.44 minutes. At least I'm fairly consistent. I hope I can be back out by the end of this week. I want to start 10K training at the beginning of January, so I need to be more consistent between now and then.

That's about all the news that is news for now.

Nothing new to report here. I've not run in almost a week. Tomorrow will change that, though, since the school has running club. I am planning on starting 10K training come Monday. Last time I used the training plan on active.com, but I think I'll go with Podrunner: Intervals Freeway to 10K this time. The training plan there is laid out in intervals rather than longer runs once a week. I'm thinking I can probably start at week 3 or 4 since there is walking involved.

We're getting ready for Christmas around here. The tree has been up since the day after Thanksgiving. I've bought all of two presents, though. I'm thinking that will be my project this weekend: finishing Christmas shopping and hopefully with Clayton. The kids will be at his parents' house Friday night to spend the night, so why not turn our date night into a shopping night?

Besides Christmas shopping, I really need to get out and buy a black dress. Like yesterday. I need it for Tuesday night when my church choir does Handel's Messiah as a sing-a-long with the community. I'm really looking forward to that, but need a dress.

I've been exercising at the top of every hour still. If nothing else, it's helping me maintain my weight within half a pound. I know getting back to running will help it start dropping again.