Virtual Half Marathoner

It was 40 degrees on Christmas Eve but I wasn't an island punk that day. I completed my entire 1st Virtual Half Marathon outside via a Dualthon. Each race participant was encouraged to make it their own unique Half Marathon on 5k so I did. It was unconventional and uniquely mine. I pushed myself by biking on Thunder Road's hilly race route which had me huffing and buffing but it was enjoyable overall. This was also my first Dualthon which can be challenging; however, I plan on doing one in 2013. This is my last race of 2012. 

16 days until 2013...tick tock

Have you stopped long enough to realize we have "only" 16 days left in 2012?

That's scary to me. There's several things on my to-do list to get accomplished and they will be done. They must as I'm pumping my fist at my PC, lol. I'm grateful after December 21st, I will not be working again until Jan. 2nd, so that gives me time to "get my life" in order. I urge everyone to asses their year and see what they can accomplish in the next 16 days.

Whether we want to believe it or not, the year is swiftly coming to an end and we can't do anything about it.

Are there any things you wish to accomplish by December, 31st, 2012?

5 yr anniversary leads to unthinkable milestone

It's official!! I'm a Half Marathoner now;). I found running said distance to be crazy (and I still do) but to celebrate my 5 yr anniversary of keeping off 80 lbs, I decided to make it special, challenging & memorable. I pinned a pic of myself at my heaviest weight to chest & finished strong with an aching outer knee pain. The Reggae Marathon was perfect since I'm an islander, never been to Jamaica, never been to a foreign country by myself & it was their 50th anniversary. God is amazing!! I felt slow like a snail but finished in 2:10 & ranked 155 of 465 Half runners. 

Whatever you do, make sure there's a purpose because it "will" get tough & having a reason will get you through it. 

Yea Mon, it was surreal and so has been my journey!! 

Curiosity can stem progress-Ran my furthest today

I've been told how much of a strong runner I am from the time I hit the pavement a year ago, (blah, blah, lol) but I decided this running journey will be on my own time with God's guidance. Well, I was curious how 13.1 miles would feel so I scratched my scheduled miles for today and penciled in a half marathon distance. A lot of pre planning went into it (carb loading since Friday, sauna, steam room and hot whirlpool session along with hot yoga 24-48 hours prior). I was nervous and didn't sleep much (never due before my long runs) but my running twin and I got in it (she ran her first half marathon in September). I'm training for my first "cliff" race so this was a good practice. Never let anyone push you to do anything before you're fully ready to do so. Running is all mental so this is a must in this scenario. I'm at work today and will lead a run this evening; and expect to feel good due to my ice bath.

What have you atempted recently?

My fitness conception, birth & journey~~

Reflection and humility is a gift from God.

Six years ago, I was conceived with the “I’m fed up” will power to make the creation inside of me finally come to life. No one really knew the desire, the dreams and the energy used to think about this creation but God. I recall sitting on my favorite sofa as still as possible daydreaming each year and finally, it was concluded that 2006 had to be the year. I had to conceive this intangible gift & bring it to life. My personal due date of delivery was in 19 months but it was delivered in 11 months.

As I sit here and think about it, the conception date was 9/11/2006; hence, September is very special to me. The journey leading up to birthing my special gift taught me a lot and allowed me to rediscovery the unconditional love God has for us. It also showed me that everything I needed to succeed was within me and it was best to endure this journey on my own (just God & I). You see, I quickly realized people's good intentions had no place on this journey and doing it alone would leave plenty of room for flexibility and creativity. And besides, there weren’t that many committed people on a local level being so intentional about what they were conceiving. Looking back, I would do it the same.

Naturally, there were bitter sweet experiences once my gift was fully "developed". I "had to learn" that people's hurtful and hateful comments/or jokes were only a reflection of themselves. My gift was pleasing to myself and God yet some found fault though they had no hand in its creation. During this stage of my life, I was tested to be slow with the tongue and learn not to allow others “words” to adversely affect me; but we’re all humans and crappy comments can get to you if only for a few moments. There's nothing worst than working indubitably hard for something or to get somewhere and have people, esp those "said" to be in any of your circles (lordy it has been a journey with folks) be less than supportive (or make it known rather). But, as a wiser woman, I have learnt to thank God each time he shows me such behaviors and govern myself accordingly.   

My gift I so passionately dreamt of and worked hard to see come to life is called "sound fitness". Granted there are plenty goals not achieved yet with more steadily being added and all; but that is what makes me who I am. I cannot function without a brain and journal full of task and goals. Now, into my fifth year of maintaining said gift, I decided to celebrate in a unique manner.

Well, I was a bit frustrated a few months ago and decided to somewhat punishment though it created some mini gifts ;). It's simply amazing how God works things out on His time). My crazy challenge was: 1500 jump rope, 1000 abs & 500 push ups on a weekly basis for seven weeks. Though the challenge is officially over, I'm still sticking with it.

My challenge allowed me to complete:

10,500 jump rope; 7000 abs; 3500 push ups; 600+ miles of biking, running, walking & swimming. I'm truly humble because that though my gift is visible by everyone my passion that conceived it is still burning ever so bright and hot inside.

Never say Never--I did it again...

I completed my 2nd 50k Bike race on September, 30th, though I wasn't sure about ever doing another one. It was challenging yet enjoyable:). I see more bike races in my future (did I say that out loud?).

I lived through my First 50K Bike Race

I completed my first 50K Bike Race in Davidson, NC. There were 20+ monstrous hills on the route throughout Rowan and Iredell Counties. By far, it was the most challenging thing I've every done in my life. Thankfully, once it was finished, I didn't feel like I had lifted a finger for the day. However, I was sure it would catch up with me on Sunday but I woke up feeling refreshed and without any soreness or fatigue. I did enjoy my free post race stretch by Chiropractor Dr. Zimmerman. It was great to lie still for a few moments. There were pre race snacks and post race free food and live entertainmet. Naturally, nothing was vegan friendly so I give my tokens to my race buddies. I ate plenty of banana and peanut butter along the route so I was okay though disappointed. The vegetarian restaurant present had goat cheese in everything  (interesting indeed). I was energized once back at home but forced a nap and hydrated with electrolytes well into Sunday evening. It’s one for the books alrighty ;)!!!

 Would I do that route next year? @__@!!!

Have you had an ice bath?

So, I've heard about the many benefits of taking an ice bath after a very intense run, workout or sport activity and it finally happened. Last Wednesday, my trainer wore me out during our upper body 5:30 am session and I survived long enough to complete my hill repeats of 4 miles at 7 pm that evening. Well, common sense told me to pull up my granny undies and do the unthinkable in hopes of being "less" sore than the week before. That experience cannot be explained successfully. Lets just say I was sore everywhere so my ice bath was in the nude from head to toe. I did have my portable heater going in the bathroom, music playing, total stillness and plenty of prayers as I waited impatiently for my 15 minute session to be completed. At one point, I asked the Lord to take the wheel and please make my alarm sound off ASAP. Needless to say, it did and I was the happiest sore chick to "stand". LOL

I did it again on Wednesday after my swim session Tuesday evening and another beat down in the gym but of my lower body by my trainer. I first went to the YMCA and got in the sauna, steam room then finally headed home to repeat said torture. I was still terribly sore but it wasn't as bad as the week prior.

Have you tried an ice bath before? If so, how was it? O_o

Grilled pear?? You bet....

 While in South Carolina by my daddy, I not only picked veggies posted in an earlier post, but I also picked pears from his tree. Though they were very hard, I decided to bring many back and share some while brainstorming on ways to enjoy them. While in the field with daddy, we talked a lot about fresh food and I shared my interest in a dehydrator which I later found out he had one; so he dehydrated some pears with cinnamon and they were yummy. With that in mind, I made sure to pick some pear and research various dehydrators for a future purchase. Well, I've looked at a few but haven't decided on any yet so it was only a matter of time before my creative juices kicked in. Shoot, I have to do something with all these pears, lol. After grilling egg plant on Friday and grilling up some homemade veggie burgers last night, I opted to experiment with grilling pears since I had plenty left after sharing with friends. I added some cinnamon like daddy did and it's a keeper. They were enjoyed with vegan "chickenless" salad for breakfast after having a few pieces hot off the grill. Since my first batch, I've made two more batches and will enjoy grilled pear as a snack and a part of my breakfasts this week. I'm enjoying the challenge of finding creative ways of using my grill in a plant based lifestyle.  

~Have you tried something different in the kitchen recently?

How intentional are you about your food & exercise?

Freshly picked & tastefully enjoyed

I had not seen my South Carolina daddy for the year so my visit to see him was overdue. In addition, we were in the middle of July so most of his veggies and fruits grown were gone so it was imperative that visit ASAP. I left work early on July 17th, and headed south to see him, visit the fields and get away for a few days. It was a nice escape as always. He lives a few minutes from Myrtle Beach so I spent time there; the highlight of my beach visit was living vicariously through some toddlers having a blast with the sand and waves as carefree as possible. It’s as though I was frozen in time because I did not move from that spot. At times, I simply laughed out loud with and at them. Prior to hitting the beach, I accompanied daddy to one of his fields and we picked all the veggies seen and unseen behind of me. I immediately washed, sliced and oven roasted egg plant, bell peppers and winter squash. I enjoyed that mixture with food prepared prior to hitting the road. I cooked linguine, vegan Italian sausage, steamed mixed veggies & had it with a slice of avocado. I do not travel without food (that's a no no for a vegan in my book). Having food readily available to eat at any given moment makes my trips more enjoyable. I also took apples, oranges, raw almonds, raisins, kale and avocado salad, green tea, brown sugar, oats and perhaps a few other things. Ironically, it was only a two night trip but I eat every two to three hours; hence having plenty of snacks and meals are crucial. I love going home to my lovely master suite, vegetable fields and fruit trees in the year and to see daddy of course, lol.  

I'll be back down there before the year ends.

Get creative with your veggies;)

Get creative with your veggies everyone. I wanted chips so this was suffice & a keeper. They were sliced, seasoned with garlic sea salt & grilled.

Longest run in honor of the Olympics-

With a lot on my mind and wanting to step outside of my comfort zone in honor of the Olympics, I ran my furthest today. It was roughly 13 miles and it was a mental challenge 100 %. After having lots of water with electrolytes powder, half a banana and a protein shake post running, I got in a parking lot yoga session and lots of stretching at home. Once I took a quick nap, my meal of choice was my pasta dish above (veggie pasta, scrambled tofu and stewed lentils). About an hour later, I had Kashi's Lean berry scramble cereal with Almond milk. I had about three hours of sleep last evening so being fatigue was an understatement. The evening was met with my massage foam roll set seen above after a late afternoon nap. Let's just say my body isn't too pleased about all those miles (shock mode).

Well, to celebrate a great day, my running s(hero) and I are hitting the streets O_o. She's in town from Charleston and it was wonderful to run with her (it's like chasing a tiger during the last few miles of a run). 

Have you stepped out of your fitness box lately? 

Historical July 2012.....

I had a historical July 2012 to say the least....

It was very busy, expensive, rewarding and emotional at the same time. Most of the busyness surrounded 12-14 hour days as I got ready for my Triathlon on July 15 th. It was expensive since I purchased my Ironman watch and frequented the grocery store too often early in the month due to not grocery shopping until the 20 th. Rewarding due to the successful completion of my Tri and stepping outward into long distance running. And emotional due to the humbly experiences encountered due to hard work, spending time with one of my favorite person's in her last weeks of pregnancy and having to deal with a sister needing emergency surgery (expensive due to impromptu plane ticket and not being there during her first days in the hospital).

And, I'm proud to report that with all of that going on, a third payment was made towards my SLs. Woot, woot!! Four payments were made in June due to three pay checks so I'm super excited since no payments were made last year yet twelve has already been made in 2012.

Live life well~

First run in my new Brooks..

I decided to test out my first pair of Brooks during my Thursday AM workout. 
Exercise: 3 mi run; 200 abs; 100 push-ups; 300 jumping jacks.
It was very hot and humid after 5:30 am; hence my soaked body after a 3 mile run. My shoes are one full size bigger than what I would normally wear so it will take some getting use to. My mizuno's were a size nine but the  fitologist suggested I got up to a 9.5 due to my longer runs. They felt okay for the first run and strength training session. I'll see how they hold up on my long run this coming Saturday. My day ended with some laps and drills in the pool with my swim coach. I really enjoy cross training. 

My three new fitness gifts to myself!!!

A few days before my Triathlon, I invested in Timex Ironman Run Trainer Triathlon GPS watch after looking at several dozen watches; I'm still learning to work the darn thing since it has everything you can think of on it (alarms for eating, drinking, etc). I really settled on it because I can swim with it and most GPS watches doesn't have this feature or only allow you to kick around in a kiddy pool. I'm really curious how many calories are being burned during my workout so I purchased the one with the heart rate monitor. It was quite expensive; however essential for my current and long term fitness goals. Besides, I work hard and shall play smart instead of stashing all my pennies in the bank...

Today, I finally parted ways with my running shoes purchased last October which had over 3 million steps on it. My old ones were Mizuno's which I really liked but decided to try out the Brooks Deyance since they have a DNA in them that remembers your feet movement etc along with a gel at the heal and sides that felt darn good during my gait analysis. My old ones were on closeout for 60 % cheaper than the Brooks but now that I'm running doing LRs; I decided to get the ones that felt most comfortable. 

Last but not least, I finally purchased a 3-in-1 massage foam roll which has been on my radar since 2011. It is said to be a runner's toothbrush and we should not be without it. The foam rolls are really good for sore muscles; I've used them in the gym and felt relief within hours. While on lunch, I also froze my Sports & Fitness Gym membership since I haven't used it in months. I've been using my YMCA's membership which allows me to swim there in addition to exercise. It's frozen for the next six months so I do have time to decide what to do with it. I did look for a jump rope and hydration belt; however, the store didn't have either of them. I'll attempt to find them before the month ends to wrap up my shopping. What a productive lunch hour, don't you agree?

Well, that's it for now on my fitness gifts to myself. 

Multiple exercises & feeling great!!!

Full of energy & feeling AWESOME!
4a: 10 mile run (new route-easy run); 7a: 100 push-ups & 200 abs; 8a: 10 mile bike (rolling hills but fun). The weather was perfect for outdoor exercises. I've become a two or three a day exercise chick and it has greatly increased my endurance level. 

How is your fitness journey going?

Ramblin' Rose Triathlon July, 15, 2012

I did my Ramblin' Rose Triathlon on July 15, 2012

I tested my physical abilities on July 7th!!

July 7th, 2012

Fitness Test 

During the days leading up to Saturday, July 7th, I toiled with the idea of completing my long run (LR) training and also partaking in my final Tri It For Life programs bike ride before the Triathlon on July 15th. In addition to those two trainings, I had my monthly two hour self defense seminar to attend (4am; 7am & 12 pm). Well, I decided the only way to really find out how fit and mentally strong I am was to "test myself". I didn't get enough sleep so I was tired for our 4 am 10 miler but ironically, I managed to shave five minutes off of my 10 miler completed two weeks prior. My goal was to simply finish and the last mile on this hilly route is a steady incline. In the end, I was glad to walk around the parking lot, wait for the other ladies and wring sweat out of my shirt. My confidence is building but LRs are ugly especially when you opt to run the entire distance.

 Part two included more hills but I was thankful to be sitting down instead of running. Before getting there, I stopped home to get my bike and had to change "everything", including my shoes which were wet. I was unsure how many miles we were going to do but I secretly thought ten miles would be great. The group finished AT 9.8 miles so I kept riding until I reached 10 miles. Although the bike ride was shorter than the run, in the moment I wondered which one was worst. I caught a Charlie horse in my left calf and decided to kick it off since setbacks weren't allowed (smile..I was in a zone). I missed the past two bike sessions and finally met the massive hill on Charlotte's Triathlon route which was the devil himself. All I could say was "faddah help me as I pedaled that hill and noted this was the worst day for this hill". Thankfully I survived both trainings and affirmed to myself I'm clueless as to how strong I really am.

Part three was my self defense course which I really didn't feel like attending after becoming "one" with my favorite sofa but knew the techniques being thought were vital so I attended.

Treat time: I'm starting to believe Chipotle vegetarian burrito is my LR recovery treat. I had one after my Mock Tri on 6/16/2012 and it's a keeper. Now folks that know me would tell you I rarely eat out more than ten times annually (vacation meals excluded) but LRs are new to my fitness regiment so this has become an exception to the rule. I loved looking forward to my treat and eating every bite as I smiled from ear to ear. In the end, I told myself job well done girly. You ROCKED IT OUT ;).

Student Loan payment surprise in June*

I entered the month of June like most previous months except there was a Mock Triathlon on the 16 th to conquer but everything else was normal. Well, I get paid bi-weekly so there are two months in every year where we're paid three times in a month instead of two and June happened to be one of them. I was overly busy training for my Tri with 14-16 hours days until I realized something....

There was more money than days in June to the point where I had to make sure all my recurring bills were already paid. Guess what?? They were paid so I was a bit confused, elated and thankful to say the least. I jokingly told myself remaining busy has its advantages. Of course there were a million things I could have done with the extra money but one particular debt of mines came to mind. Do you know what it is? You guessed correctly...it was my student loans. By this time, I had already made the two payments I’m committed to on a monthly basis; after cracking at the calculator for a few, I decided to make TWO additional payments on my student loan. Outside of my AP, I do not know anyone else that would have done that but we have committed to our selves and each other to have our SLs off our backs as soon as possible.

I know she'll be super happy to hear said news :).

*I wish financially this amount could be paid towards my SLs monthly; it's actually the amount I've daydreamed about paying every 30 days (sad I know).

From 6.2 to 10.35 miles overnight!!!

One of my running buddies is training for her very first Marathon so she asked if anyone would run 10 miles at 4 am (crickets). Well, after much choice words and numerous discussions, seven crazy ladies including myself stepped up to the challenge. I never committed publicly about attending but secretly talked my running twin into doing it with me and she did hesitantly. I won her over by letting her know we could do interval training since neither of us had ever run beyond 6.2 miles. On last night, I upped my bio-freeze application on my knees, iced my knees, increased my glucosamine and prayed numerous times over them. We were so nervous about the additional four miles we did not ease into that I prayed over both our knees when the other ladies took off running. 

End results:

We ran the entire hilly route without stopping and completed 10.35 miles in 1:48 minutes. Of the eight of us that ran this morning, it was only one other lady that never ran so far and we managed to finish well before half of our crew. It was a challenge during the last 1.5 miles which had two never ending hills and then we ended on an incline. The bad part about it is getting more bullying about doing in half marathon ASAP. The Lead Ambassador of Black Girls Run! nicely brought it to my attention that 'she know of less than a handful of distant runners who are able to run 10 more less 10.35 miles under 2 hours so I'll be signing up and running a half this year. She said she's not listening to me complain or whine about 13.1 miles after killing those miles and finishing at least 12 minutes quicker than most people without training" (sigh).

They say running is mental; and I agree because that is exactly what got me through that long, early and hilly run. Will I do it again? Sure, assuming I do not wake up in the middle of the night to finding I'm actually running in my sleep while still somewhat asleep. Try dreaming you're running then wake to find yourself sweating because you were running in a laying position only to realize you have 10 more miles to run and it will be on the pavement. I also pushed through by focusing on all my older and younger relatives that were/are track stars and or number one athletes. My dad brought it to my attention this week about younger cousins holding the current title as the best cricket and or soccer players in their respective countries (that helped a lot this morning).

Never let your mind tell your body what it cannot do..test your abilities sometimes~;)!

From Bubble blower to Triathlete in <90 days

I overcame my fear after nearly drowning in a pool several years ago and became a Triathlete (at least 4 diff strokes were showcased) today at the Triathlon. I have the Ramblin Rose's Triathlon on July 15th so I'll still have an intense workout schedule. 


Yes, I became tired and nervous at times but that water didn't defeat me. I didn't just finish but destroyed it. I've learnt it's not where you are but rather the fire w/in propelling you towards your goals. #Swimmer & Triathlete concurrently.  I had plenty of cheerleaders, my God and a plethora of training to keep me swimming. I made myself & everyone else proud. The bike route included two devilish hills that had to be done twice; the run part was icing on a vegan cake.


I treated myself to a homemade double protein smoothie and my favorite burrito. The entire meal was devoured in minutes ;).

Infuse your life with people that want to see you succeed and will push you until you do. I'm loving this journey on a spiritual, physical, emotional and mental level.

My new toy, Char-char Marley!!!

Meet Char-char Marley!!

 He's a 2012 Hybrid bike that I purchased on May 25. Above, that's me getting ready for my 7:30 am bike run on the 26th. I ended up doing 14 miles with other ladies training for Ramblin Rose Triathlon. I attempted to train on my current mountain bike but that was a disaster to say the least. It's at least 15 lbs heavier than a Hybrid and 30 lbs of a road bike. I tried a road bike but didn't feel too comfortable and balanced on it (awkward handles and skinny tires). The mountain bike WILL give you a serious workout since you're working at least 10x harder than everyone else but I didn't like how much slower I was going compared to everyone else. I'm at least 10x physically active than the other ladies but their bikes left me wondering which direction they went and feeling like a frustrated Fat Albert (I was so exhausted during our bike rides). I took Char-char for his second bike ride of 11 miles on Memorial Day and we had an awesome ride throughout the city. He was a pretty expensive toy but I'm happy. So far, so good.   

Summer salad at its best~

I love the creative possibilities....

Organic salad mix w/jalapeno peppers, grape tomatoes, mango salsa, red onions, fresh strawberries/blueberries, cucumber, scrambled tofu, flaxseed oil and almonds.

Swimming update~

Thursday May 17th, 2012 

Simmons YMCA;

70 minutes of swimming

I got there a few moments before my one hour session and reunited myself with the pool. Once my instructor got there, he asked me what I wanted to work on and I opted try something new. I completed a lap (down and back) of three different strokes which reassured me that I didn’t forget how to do them after being absent from the water for a few weeks (first time going all the way to the deep end and back). This particular pool is six feet deep.

My freestyle took up the remainder of my swim session as I’m still working on improving my abilities to breathe-turn-roll etc to keep from stopping on this particular stroke. I got frustrated a few times but it only lasted a  second before I was back under the water (continuously). Naturally, I told my swim instructor to expect improvements by next Thursday. Early on he mentioned that my kicks are extremely strong and asked a few times if I wasn’t exhausted due to the power of my kicks. After being asked this a few times, I informed him that I was neither tired nor had time to be after missing so many days out of the pool (he laughed at my facial expression and comment). Finally, he emphasized that I'm swimming and hope it builds my confidence in the water.  

Before my ear infection, I was getting in the pool 3-5x per week so I was elated to see my acquired skills were still there. I'm actually four weeks out from my Mock Triathlon (June 16th) and eight weeks out from the Triathlon (July 15th). There is still a lot to learn and improve on but for right now, I'm gratefully to be getting back on track (practice, practice). None of the other ladies came so I had one on one coaching which was greatly needed and appreciated ;). 

Stay tune for another update in two weeks regarding my freestyle stroke. Praying to report I'm able to get from one end to the next without stopping.

# I shall swim like a fish eventually 

The awesomeness of Graduations

Congratulations my dearest sister!!

We're so proud of you.

It has been a long road but you finished strong, with honors.

Being there to witness it all brought back many memories of dropping you off and the journey itself.

You're official--a college grad;)!!

Fitness Recap May 6-12

Sun:   2 hour swim session

Mon:  60 min weight training

Tues:  0 min

Wed:  30 min treadmill/stair climber

Thurs: 70 min run at BWI

Fri:     129 mins walked the National Mall and Monument Park

Sat:     0 min

Since last Saturday was the first day getting back to exercising, I opted not to push myself too much in the gym or on the pavement especially with vacation from Wednesday through Sunday. Shoot nobody likes to be sore and or sick on vacation. I'm proned to be sore with all my morning weight training so I only weight trained on Monday morning. Surprisingly, Thursday's run was great. As of my April 14th race, I decided to put running on the back burner while trying to fit in more swimming and was happy to feel strong on my run. The best part of running at the airport (my hotel was about a half mile from the terminal) was having employees tell me they started running as I came on their premises with a big smile on my face. It was my most memorable run to date.

Who would have thought running throughout an airport would be so much fun???

Fitness Recap April 29-May 5

Sun: none

Mon: none "home sick from work"

Tues: none "home sick from work"

Wed: none

Thurs: none

Fri: none

Sat: Bike 7.4 mi/run 1.8 miles (a runners worst nightmare)

I was an emotional wreck since I rarely get sick; and missing any workouts have never happened due to an illness in the past five years (never having an ear infection then getting two at the same time in the same ear was awful). Naturally, after shutting down physically, it only made sense to ease back into my training so I attended my Saturday training even though many suggested I did not. My attitude was I'm laid around for seven days and ready to get back to normalcy before insanity crept in.

Of course it was a struggle especially on that darn mountain bike on our hilly route but I survived and felt great about attending. Two hours later, I had my monthly self defense class which was good also. It's the last day of the week but I felt like the first day since my pity party was ending ;).

April 22-28th Fitness Recap

Sun:   2 hour swim session
Mon:  60 min weight training
Mon:  2 mile run
Mon:  90 min swim session
Tues:  45 min swim practice
Wed:  42 min; 7 mile bike ride; 35 min road safety & assessment
Thurs: 60 min swim session (am)
Thurs: 60 min swim session (pm)
Fri:     70 min ( lawn care-mow, edge & clean up)
Sat:     0 min

*And after all of that, I intentionally slept through Wednesday and Friday's early morning weight training session. I am certain my body enjoyed every extra minute of rest it received. It was super busy professionally and personally.

Friday I complained about not feeling to well at work and struggled to get motivated and energized to clean but finally did so after taking longer than normal. My ear began to bother me more than it did while at work as the hours progressed; I decided to trade my Saturday bike and run session for Urgent Care. The doctor concluded I had an external and middle ear infection which was indeed painful on every level. I inquired if it was swimmer's ear since I started swimming sessions a month prior but he noted there were no signs of it. Needless  to say, my very busy weekend of physical and fun activities took the backseat to antibiotics and ear drops. It is still a roller coaster six days later hence my late post regarding last week's recap. Too be continued regarding the infections.

Busy, busy Triathlon training indeed ;)

April 15-21st Fitness Recap

Sun: 2 hour swim session
Mon: 70 weight training
Tues: 45 min swim practice
Wed: 65 min weight training
Thurs: 60 min swim session (am)
Thurs: 40 mins swim session (pm)
Fri:     70 mins weight & cross fit training
Sat:    75 min bike assessment & 1.8 mile walk

*And after all of that, I intentionally omitted running and I'm glad I did; there was no room for it (really lol). The upcoming week will have biking and running added to the above madness.

Your money & potential interest

We all know our interest rates our bank accounts aren't what they use to be; however, we still need to shop around.

We all received our 2011interest statements from our respective bank's to file our taxes recently and many of us simply shook our heads as how low it was, right?

Well, if you're fed up and would like a more reputable place to stash your pennies, consider your local credit union. By far their overall business practices and interest are better than those of the mainstream banks.

With that being said, I pleased so far with 2012's interest. I have earned roughly $60 off of my savings accounts with the CU as of early April.

My goal is to research ways to have my money grow faster without drastic risk.

How much interest have your earned in 2012 thus far?Do you know your interest rate and/or shopped around for better places to put your funds. If so, do share with everyone.

April is Financial Fitness Month at my job so there will be many articles available. And yes, I will make the time to read, apply and invest in my financial future. Do not worry, I'll be sure to share some information with you. I know my AP will love to read it ALL (LOL).

Me, Taxes & Big brother

Taxes~

No one likes paying them, right? Well perhaps only the 1% who gets taxed a third of what the rest 99% of the working people do. Now, I'm still baffled who came up with that theory and more importantly, why hasn't it been changed YET since there are more of us than them. But in our society it all boils down to who holds the most power and that of course is tied to the big dollars.

Well, as a working citizen without any children, paying taxes became the norm for several years to the point where my taxes were always done at the last minute or with an extension. Part of it may be that I do not have enough taxes taken out tthroughout the year but who said tax refunds were guaranteed or that I'll be alive each spring to get what shouldn't have be deducted in the first place (my analogy and I'm sticking to it...lol). 

At any rate, I've been having to pay back less and less in the past three years and FINALLY this time around; I'm getting back a refund from both the State and Federal (whoooo). Last year I got back for one but owed on the other which was still better than the year before of paying roughly one thousand dollars (and with that being the least ever owed, I sped to the credit union just before closing to get a cashier's check). That's correct, I was that excited. 

So, the question toiling in my head is what should be done with my refund coming to me.....let's face it my small refund is nothing in comparison to what the average American gets but it's almost doubled what I received last year.

I do plan on making good use of "some" of it in a way that will be visible to me. The options are endless (well not really but you get my point). Can you tell I'm excited? 

I'll have an update by May 20th to outline how it was used if not sooner.  

Swimming-I must learn this sport!!!

The sport of swimming and I have collided and we must end up best friends ASAP!!!!

What is the urgency and why now may be questions swirling around in your head right now?? Well, I've decided to train and complete my first Triathlon on July 15, 2012; Ramblin Rose, Rock Hill, SC. It includes swimming, running and biking and currently I'm in the bubble blower category (below the beginners). This is a huge task to achieve since I nearly drowned at Atlanta's Six Flags theme park with a lifeguard standing right there (he tried to tell me to swim as I'm trying but could not tell him I cannot...bad memories). So, I do have pool fears and phobias to overcome as I work on learning how to swim and eventually becoming a great swimmer.

Tri It For Life is a 12 week program that can help you get ready for your Triathlon so with this knowledge and in expensive way of learning how to swim, I signed up for a Triathlon. At first I turned down the dozens of invitations due to my private concerns and circumstances above but reality finally kicked in when I looked at it rationally (12 weeks of training session (16 weeks for bubble blowers) once a week for a nominal cost of $50 along with a mock triathlon; and numerous sessions on running, biking, adequate gear safety and the priceless opportunity to meet other women overcoming their own fears). There are a lot of vital mechanics to learn and it will take plenty of patience and practice to become successful. Naturally, I am grateful not to be a novice runner or bike rider as well (that would be a bit too much even though many ladies are novice in all three categories). I missed my third swimming session while in Charleston, SC for Cooper but I did make it up. It was possible due to finally getting a YMCA membership at an affordable rate thanks to a family plan. 

I picked up my membership card on Thursday and did a solo swim session on Saturday for seventy minutes. I put it on my mental calendar and made myself go even though I really did not want to especially after a hilly 6.2 mile run. The water felt great and I practiced a few of my techniques and successfully back floated from one end of the pool to the next and turned right back around without having to stop. I'm so proud of myself since three weeks ago at the assessment my instructor could not successfully help me float. The next Sunday a different instructor worked with me and I improved a lot. However, I do know it's imperative that I get in the pool weekly to practice. My AP is a runner like myself and since she's working on improving her running skills, she decided to borrow books from the library and suggested I pick up some on swimming. I did; and I'm learning a lot so far (reading the information, seeing it on video and putting it to practice will help me). Three swimming books were read through over the weekend as I worked on my To Do List. 

Swimming highlight to date:

Finally, I met a gentleman in the pool (4/7/2012) who took one lesson and is now teaching himself how to swim. I was able to pass along a few tips to him and look forward to seeing him in the pool and thriving on his exceptional level of motivation and tenacity to learn how to swim (even if I never see him again).

Last year I picked up running and it came somewhat natural to me and this year it is swimming and "boy" is it a challenge. Nonetheless, I live for a good challenge and this surely is one~swimming. 

My next goal is to explore swimming videos and incorporate swimming into my weekly physical activities ASAP. 

Look out for an update really soon :)! 

My 1st 10K~Cooper River Bridge~

Who would have thought I would be running??? Not me this time last year...boy can things quickly change and or evolve in one's life.

I really wanted to get my legs toned so my gym buddy from the YMCA finally begged me enough to come out and walk the massive hills with them at 5 am during the week. I felt as though no further progress was happening so I decided to give it a try and everything slowly progressed from there. At this point, my AP was training via C25k to gear up for her 5K run (3.1 miles) and clueless me didn't have a clue about the program or the distance associated with the various races (5K, 10K, 13.1K etc). Like I said, running was not on the radar. Eventually, I invited a friend to join us in the mornings and walking the hills finally turned into sprinting them. A month later, I found out about Black Girls RUN! and joined my local group which allowed me to meet/run with various newbie runners and a few veterans also. I call it a huge fitness party with TONS of support, accountability and encouragement.

During the fall months, I ran one to three times per week, weight trained in the mornings and continued to sprint the hills (before going to the gym) weekly until the weather got too cold for me. In late October and early November, I ran my first two 5K's and never thought twice about running a 10K (6.2 miles) race. Well, the Cooper River Bridge Race scared and excited me tremendously due to the popularity and size but I finally took a leap of faith and signed on up for it (I always wanted to visit Charleston, SC and many of my running buddies were doing it for the first time) in January.  Here's my results:

Distance	10K
Clock Time	1:19:41
Chip Time	1:01:44
Overall Place	10871 / 36751
Gender Place	4158 / 21821
Division Place	752 / 3183
Age Grade	49.3%
5K	0:31:20
Pace	9:57

My goal was a 10 minute pace; so I'm especially happy with the final results since my knees were bothering me since early February due to intense cross fit and weight training. Furthermore, once the race started, my left knee along with my right and left sides began paining me but stopping was not an option so I prayed and laid hands on those areas while running. My mind said keep it moving up and over that darn bridge. Naturally, I plan on beating my time at the second go round.

With 44,000 runners, it was quite an experience despite the race starting over an hour late and being lied to as we stood in our corrals anxiously waiting to begin. Besides the mentioned hiccups above, I had a challenging yet pleasant race.

See you next year COOPER!!!