I really need to keep up better with this! Last week’s training included:

Tuesday- 3 miles on treadmill

Friday- 3 miles on treadmill

Saturday- 5 miles on treadmill

Total mileage- 11

I was SUPER busy last week with lululemon training during the day and catching up with my regular job at night. I just didn’t have the time to put in for training and still maintain balance with rest and work. I only missed one run and a cross-training workout, but I feel like last week could have been so much better.

Unfortunately, my knee pain from last year returned during last night’s run. I spent last night and today’s lunch hour icing it.

This week’s training schedule has been tweaked a little to help my knee recover because I’m running the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon this weekend!

I ran 3 miles last night (Tuesday), but I’m going to take the rest of the week off until Saturday night to help my knee recover. It’s already feeling better, but I don’t want to take any chances. I realize I’m not quite prepared for a half-marathon as my longest run recently was 8 miles, but I’m really just running this for fun. Of course, I’d like to run a sub 3-hour half, but we’ll see what happens since I’ve barely run outdoors in a while. We are supposed to get a cool front this weekend, so maybe it won’t be so humid!

If you’re running Wine & Dine, stop by the lululemon Orlando outlet for a complimentary water bottle on Friday. You must bring your bib.

Well, it’s time to rest the knee and get settled in for what looks like a really awesome Ghost Hunters episode!

Here it is almost the end of Week 3 of marathon training, and I haven’t updated you all on Week 2. Sorry! I’ve been extra busy working two jobs and possibly adding a third. So here’s how Week 2 went down:

Tuesday- 3 miles on the treadmill

Wednesday- 3 miles on the treadmill

Friday- 3 miles outside

Saturday- 7 miles on the treadmill (yes, I did 7 miles on the treadmill. It’s not too bad if there’s good HGTV on)

Sunday- 3.78 mile walk for cross-training

Total running mileage- 16

Fail on the cross-training. I’ve been meaning to get to the gym for weight lifting and yoga. I will, however, be fitting in more yoga with my new lululemon friends!

Please excuse the post with no pictures or anything exciting to say.

I’ll just leave you with this quote from the lululemon manifesto… “Jealousy works the opposite way you want it to.”

Happy Friday! To celebrate the fact that it’s the end of the work week and that it’s cooling down in Florida (it was 80 at 10am this morning), I stopped at Starbucks this morning for one of my favorite things!

1. I’m in love with Iced Raspberry Non-fat Lattes from Starbucks. They remind me of Chicago. I ordered my first ever raspberry latte when I was in Chicago for HLS. And it reminds me of my trip to Colorado because I ordered one before taking my mortgage license exam. I rarely treat myself to Starbucks, so today was a special day!

2. Speaking of Colorado, I regret not moving there every single day. I know I shouldn’t live with regrets and that I’m exactly where I should be, and I normally think everything happens for a reason, but I do regret my decision not to move there. That’s not to say I’m unhappy here in Orlando. I just know where I’d rather be, and that’s ok.

3. Training for my new job at Lululemon begins on Monday! I simply cannot wait to join the team! I’ll be spending this weekend reading all of the training materials.

4. I’m starting a third job as a babysitter very soon! Wow, marathon training and 3 jobs. What the heck am I thinking? Oh, that’s right… paying off major debt!

5. New fall TV season starts next week! I’m especially looking forward to Grey’s Anatomy, Biggest Loser, and Person of Interest. Ghost Hunters, my absolute favorite prime-time show, started a few weeks ago, and it’s been a killer season so far! Which shows are you looking forward to?

What’s making you happy this Friday?

Without even really realizing it, this week was the first week of marathon training. This morning, I decided to really get down to business and train for the marathon. I had been training for a half-marathon, but since I was too late to register for Wine & Dine, I was training to run a half-marathon solo. But it’s time to buckle down and really think about the marathon, which is ultimately my real goal right now. After last year’s disappointing race, it’s time to go back for redemption!

I found Hal Higdon’s 18-week marathon training plan for novices. Since there’s only 17 weeks left until the race, I already completed my own week 1.

Week 1

Monday- 3 miles

Tuesday- 60 minute yoga class

Wednesday- Rest

Thursday- 5 miles

Friday- Rest

Saturday- 8 miles

Sunday- Rest

Total mileage- 16

Hal Higdon’s program will have me running 4 times a week instead of 3, and he only has 1 cross training day every week. I’m going to try and incorporate at least 1 day of yoga and 2 days of weight training.

Oh, and I also have to work around my schedule at my new job at Lululemon!

(photo source)

I feel so honored to be chosen to work for such an amazing company!

I’ll be spending the rest of today cleaning the house and visiting Magic Kingdom with a friend!

On a day like this, I couldn’t think of a better way to remember those lost on 9/11, the heroes, the volunteers, and our military than to share “Golden Dream”, the finale at the American Adventure in Epcot. Our country couldn’t make me more proud.

It was time again for another Orlando Lady Bloggers Dinner. Did you miss the recap of the last one? This time, Jackie (MomJovi) organized our dinner at El Bodegon, a Spanish tapas restaurant in Winter Park.

I had so much fun seeing familiar faces, as well as new ones!

Starting on the left side of the table, and moving clockwise, these awesome ladies are Claudia of Sanford 365, Roz of RozPearcy.com, Jackie of MomJovi, Carolina of Peas in a Blog, me, Michelle of Crazy*Running*Legs, Dina of DinaRuns.com, Katherina of Zephyr Runs (we actually share a mutual friend… small world!), and Kristina of Love and Zest. (photo courtesy of Claudia)

I enjoyed the beef empanadas and the red bliss potatoes with a spicy sauce. I tried to take pictures, but my camera wasn’t behaving.

I always love the conversations we have at our blogger dinners. They range from boys to yoga to blogger ad networks and marathon training. They’re all such smart, clever, beautiful women!

Photos courtesy of Michelle

I feel so lucky to live in an area where blogging is so popular, and I can create new friendships with such awesome ladies!

If you are a Central Florida blogger and want to join us next time, leave me a comment, and I’ll send you the details!

I’m often asked a lot of questions by readers about how I got started running and how they can as well, so what better place to share all of my tips than my blog!

(Before you start any new exercise program, please consult your physician!)

Think You’re Not Ready to Run a Race?

• Volunteer to work at a race. You can help at water stops or at registration. In the late summer of 2009, I volunteered to work at a Sprint Triathlon. I marked their bodies with their numbers (good way to touch hot men ) and helped at a water spot. This race singlehandedly motivated me to register for the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I saw many women with my shape finish very strong. I knew that if they could do it, so could I!
• Sign up for the race anyway. Even if you’re a few weeks in to your training, participate in a 5K. Most allow walkers. This will allow you to get a feel of race day, and it will also ease the intimidation. There’s always going to be other newbies there, too.
• Try run/walk intervals. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t run the whole time. Run what you can and walk the rest. Some programs have you run 3/1 intervals, or 2/1. (2/1= run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute) I worked my way up to 10/1 for half-marathon training. Walking is OK!

Necessary Gear

• Get fitted for proper running shoes. The last thing I would want you to do is go out for some runs in your old shoes and risk injury and end up thinking you’re the problem when it’s actually the shoes you’re wearing. If you run in old shoes, you can risk getting blisters, and shin splints might plague you instantly. Any running store with trained staff should be able to give you a free gait analysis. They will record your foot placement as you run on a treadmill. By examining your foot placement, they can suggest some shoes that will work well for you. Everyone has different feet, different foot placement, and different strides, so asking someone else what they wear won’t really help you. You can read about my gait analysis experience.

• The second most important piece of gear in your arsenal should be a really good, supportive sports bra. Don’t even attempt to cheap out in this department. I personally suggest Moving Comfort. The cup sizes range from A to E. I wear the Fiona style. It has a back closure and adjustable, velcro straps. Not to be all TMI, but I’m a D-cup and the girls don’t move AT ALL in this bra.

Photo source

• It’s also important to wear the proper clothes, but I don’t want you to spend a lot of money upfront. When you’re in the beginning stages of running, you won’t be running too many miles at one time, so it’s not entirely necessary to wear sweat-wicking clothes. It’s ok to wear the gym gear you already own. We can talk about other running clothes when you start running more miles. However, if you do want to spend the extra money now, purchase some sweat-wicking socks such as Balega or Feetures. Your feet will thank you!

Training Programs

• The most widely used program for new runners is the Couch to 5K program by Cool Running. Active.com has an app to go with it (it’s $1.99, and you can sync your music with the program). There are free apps available as well. The apps will tell you when to walk and when to run. Or you can just print out the program and take it to the treadmill. This program is designed to move you up every week with more time running and less time walking. My advice is to not get discouraged if you find a particular week too challenging. You do not have to move to the next week if you are struggling. Try that week again. Honestly, it took me five tries before I graduated the program. Believe me, once you start this program and find yourself moving forward, you will be amazed with yourself! You’re stronger than you think!
• Another tidbit of advice- this program was designed by professionals. You only need to run 3 times a week during this program. Please don’t try to get too confident and start skipping weeks or adding more running days to your week. You could over-train and get injured. I strongly encourage you to stick with 3 days a week of running and doing cross-training on other days like weight training, cycling, swimming, etc. Rest days are equally as important as training days.
• Week 5 Day 3 will most likely scare you. You’re going from 2 8-minute runs to a 20-minute run with no walk breaks. My tip for this- just start out slower than your normal pace and work your way up to a faster pace after a few minutes.

Fuel & Preparation

• When you first start out, you’re not running enough miles to warrant on-the-go fuel, but you will want to make sure you are properly hydrated before running to prevent cramping. (Your pee should be a pale yellow)
• Everyone’s stomach reacts differently to different foods, so start now to see what your body can handle before a run. Try to eat low-fiber foods before a run such as white bread, fig newtons, crackers with peanut butter. Avoid juice and dairy.
• You should eat 1-2 hours before a run, depending on what your stomach can handle.
• You should ingest protein after a run such as a protein drink. To help recovery, you should eat/drink 1 hour following the run.
• Stretching- stretching is important. However, I urge you not to stretch without warming up first. Think of it as taking a rubber band out of the freezer and trying to stretch it. Spend about 5 minutes doing a fast-paced walk or a slow jog and then stretch. You should also stretch after you run so your muscles don’t stiffen up.

Other Things to Consider

• Always carry ID with you when you run.
• Log your mileage on a site like dailymile.
• Start out every run a little slower than you think you should be going. Fatigue will overcome you if you start out too fast.
• Running does not always equal weight loss.

I think this is everything that I wish someone would have told me when I first started running. Come back for more tips on what to wear, what to eat, and what kind of gadgets to buy when you start packing in more mileage.

Does anyone else have tips for beginner runners?

I’ve really enjoyed reading some other bloggers’ 10-year vision posts, inspired by lululemon. Lululemon recommends creating vision boards and vision maps starting with your 10-year goals and work your way to your 5-year and 1-year goals. But like Maria von Trapp, I tend to start at the very beginning.

One’s vision details one’s ideal life and identifies the goals one needs to achieve to earn this ideal life. Your vision should inspire you, excite you, and even scare you. You should strive for things you find to be impossible at the moment because once you make it a goal, you can focus on it, and it becomes more attainable.

I’ve been writing this one-year vision post for a few weeks now, and I think it may be finalized… for now. We all need to update things once in a while, but I’m sticking with this for now.

September 2012

I am thirty years old (almost 31). In an effort to save money, start paying off debt, and start a retirement fund, I have spent the last 12 months earning money at a second job I love, and I have started my own business. I have moved out of Celebration and into a less expensive apartment. (I’m reserving the right to change where I may be living next year. It could either be Orlando or another area of the country).

My business has had a tremendously successful first year, and I have at least 5 brokers (pretty much all I can handle right now with no employees to help me yet) who send me their business every month. I have paid off my Jeep and my tax bill. I am no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

I am in a relationship with a mature, attractive, successful man. He enjoys quiet nights in watching ridiculous reality TV as much as he likes going out to a romantic dinner or to the Disney parks. He also enjoys an active lifestyle, and we encourage each other to succeed in all areas of our lives. He will not be living with his parents when he meets me.

I am still running and am training for my third Walt Disney World marathon. I am incorporating more cross-training like spinning, yoga, weight training, and swimming. I am not focusing on the scale. Instead, I’m focusing on being fit, toned, and healthy.

My new home is decorated with my favorite things and colors. It has a screened-in porch so I can enjoy the mornings outside while eating breakfast and the evenings after a long run. I finally feel “home” in my own space.

I stay in contact with my family with daily emails and phone calls, and I fly home to visit at least twice a year, and they come to see me twice a year as well.

(I just realized how much we all look alike! It’s crazy!)

I’m enjoying life and look forward to what the next year brings!

I encourage you to start thinking about your 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year goals. Please share them with me once you write them out. I’d love to read them!