Nikstergirl's Blog

Yup, it's recovery week again.  I was looking forward to this week as the last three have been really tough.  I think they've been especially tough since I was still recovering from the 25k for the last two weeks.  Well, I finally feel like my legs are getting back to normal and things are settling back in.  The first week after the race I could barely do any of the Yoga and Legs & Back was a joke!!!  This week was much better and I was able to really push myself again in the workouts. I also got some new weights and am able to push a little harder with some heavier weights when/where I can.  I think I'm slowly becoming an 8-10 rep person instead of a 12-15 rep person... I want muscles!!!

So the P90X is going great.  Diet's been really good (except for yesterday, but we all make mistakes and I'm not going to beat myself up about a piece of homemade peanut butter pie... no way!).  I had to get some new protein powder since the one I had before has changed it's formula and is no longer exactly what I need.  I got a new one from GNC which is more expensive, but it's delicious and has about the same amount of protein in 3 scoops, but less fat and less carbs, so that's good.  I'm going to stick with that for at least the next month or so and see where I end up at the end of the next phase.  I'll be weighing in and taking pics again at the end of this week so I'm looking forward to seeing what this phase has done for my body.  Realistically I don't have far to go, but I want more muscle definition and less body fat %, so that's my main goal right now, the scale is nearly at my goal weight anyway.

I'm going to check into a few more 5k's and 10k's to run early this summer, I have a couple in mind that I need to register for, so I can work a bit on my speed.  Then soon I'll start really kicking it in for the marathon training.  Kind of nervous but excited about that.  I have a feeling that race will kick my butt in a serious way, but I really want to do it and knock it off my bucket list!!!

Today is awesome because it's Memorial Day and the weather is fantastic (if you like it hot, which I do) so I got up early and did the Yoga X which was on my schedule, went to the parade to watch my son in the marching band and all the tractors and vets and kids and tractors and cars and did I mention tractors???  Yes, I live in a small town and it's all about the tractors, but they are fun to see.  Hubby and I had a healthy lunch (ok, I had a healthy lunch, he had french fries, but whatever, he's in desperate need of a lifestyle change) and now he's getting ready to head on the road again.  I'm doing my laundry for the week and then I'm going to drive out to the beach and walk the pier/boardwalk for a while.  It's my favorite summer thing to do and as it's hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, it should be really nice out there even if it's windy.  Maybe I'll have company, my sister may join me, but even if I'm alone I'll love every minute of it!!!!  I do love summer!

Have a great day everyone, and keep MOVING!!!!  Core Syn tomorrow... I'm pumped!!!

So a few weeks ago I sat down and basically scheduled out my workouts for the next 6 months give or take.  Why did I do that?  Well, I'm a planner when it comes to fitness.  And I have a goal to run my first marathon on October 21 which means I have a lot of running to do.  Also I want to get as fit as possible so I want to incorporate as much strength training as I can stand!!!  Today, I'm re-thinking that plan.  I'm not giving up on it, but it's going to change.  A little.

Today is Day 45 of my first ever round of P90X!!!  I have so far missed only one workout (the day of my 25k, don't shoot me) and have only "cheated" on my diet the one weekend of my birthday.  Other than that, I've had no alcohol, no sweets, and have stayed really on track with my nutrition.  Of course I had to carb load for the race, but I kept that in check as well.  So far I'd say this program is amazing.  The workouts are a beast, just as they should be, and I'm seeing major progress in regards to my fitness, not to mention the couple of inches I've lost around my waist!!!!  I can honestly say I never figured I'd get this far in the program and now that I have I never want to stop!  My plan is to finish this round, take about a week (maybe 10 days) off and then start all over again.  After this I can see myself trying a different Beachbody program like Insanity or P90X2... we'll see what I feel like this fall, most likely after the marathon.

Where the New Plans come in are in regards to my running.  I love to run.  I plan on running a LOT this summer, not only in training for the marathon, but just because I love it!  There will also be some other races thrown in.  For sure I'm going to do the same half marathon I did last fall and at least a 5k and maybe even a 10k and more.  Thinking about a Warrior Dash, but not super sure about that as well as a Color Run in August.  The change in the plans is simply the marathon training plan.  In April I printed out a plan that was 26 weeks long to get me ready for the plan.  I think it's too much.  It had me doing an 18 mile run already last weekend and I simply wasn't ready after the 25k the weekend before!!!!  (I'm still not ready for more than 10 miles again so soon).  So, I've decided to re-vamp that plan and take a very short reprieve from heavy training until June when I'll make a 16 week plan instead.  I'll be ready, I'm sure of it.  I've used the 16 week plans for both my half marathons and they were amazing.  Until then, I'll keep running and P90X-ing, but I'll be putting in mileage I know I can handle instead of trying to kill myself over a few extra miles that I probably don't need right now anyway.  When I start my second round of P90X in July, I'll sub out the cardio for running.  I'll miss Plyo and Kenpo, but I know it's for the best.  I may even switch which days I do Yoga, but will NOT skip it because I know it's doing me a world of good!!!!

Flexibility.  It's something I work on not only in Yoga but also in life.  I'm not as young as I once was and I have to remember that just because it's a plan doesn't mean it can't be changed or tweaked to fit the circumstances at the time.  I will finish P90X, and I'll finish it twice!  Then, because I know this is my year to do so, I'll run my first full marathon!  Maybe my only one, maybe not... I've learned never to say never, and it feels so good to see the possibilities this life can bring!

No, I didn't win the race, not even close.  I didn't expect to!  But it was a win for me.  Why is that?  Well, I had never run 25k before.  The closest I came was a 14 mile long run.  The last mile and a half was just that button I'd never pushed before.  I knew I could do it, but hadn't tried.  I had hoped to be under 2:45 for a time, but finishing was obviously my goal.  I kind of figured I could beat 2:45, so that's where I would have been happy. 

I started by lining up between the 9:30 pacer and the 10 min pacer.  I thought that was probably where I'd like my pace to start, I knew I could maintain that for a while.  The first 6 miles of the race were pretty flat, so if I had to slow down on the second half I was ok with that.  Mind you, there were over 5000 racers in this event!  It took nearly 4 minutes after the gun went off for me to cross the start line, but I was at a good jog by then.  Then the crowd started moving.  I found a lane and just started moving.  I passed people, got passed by people.  Listened to music that other's had going on their headphones, listened to conversations people were having.  Seriously, this was like a regular run for some people?  Not for me, I was focused and trying to run my own race. 

There were water stops every 1.5 miles.  There were porta-potty's along the way.  I thought it was funny that there was a line at the first one, not even 2 miles into the race!  Seriously?  Did you not JUST use the bathroom like I did before we started?  Seriously?  Whatever, I'm passing more people and getting busy.

Every water station I grabbed a cup of water and Gatorade.  I have trained with that so I knew my tummy could handle it.  I had 2 bags of sport beans in my pack and chewed those around miles 5 and 10.  The weather was overcast, a couple light sprinkles and in the 60's, perfect in my opinion!  There were crowds at many different points along the way cheering and rooting us on.  I was touched by this more than I could explain.  The little one's holding signs saying "run Mommy Run!" really got to me.  They weren't my kids, but I wanted to high five them... and some of them let me!  Thanks to the cheerleaders from Grandville High School, and Lowell High School and South Christian (I think) High School and it seems like another one I may have missed. 

Thanks to the 4 different live bands for playing awesome rocking music and feeding our energy!  Thanks to the woman with the sound system rocking the air guitar!  Thanks to all the volunteers holding water and Gatorade and ice and oranges along the way, especially the families who were doing it together.  You made the race so much more than just another run.  It was an event to remember!

Thanks most especially to my BeachBody Coach David.  He not only came out to cheer his friends on (there were several that I knew of) but he made me A SIGN!!!!  I can't tell you the emotions I felt when he held up a sign that said "RUN NIKKI RUN!!!"  I almost started to hyperventilate!!!!!  I got my emotions back in check.. still had many miles to go (he was just past the 8 mile mark).  I dug deep (which is what my headband said) and pushed up and down those hills.  I never walked them. I never stopped.  I made it past the last hill!

After mile 14 my legs were tired but still felt good.  I was passing people.  I kept going.  There was another water station at mile 15.  I felt great so I skipped it.  I ran right past it with my eyes on the prize!  People were fading.  People were walking.  I kept running.  I knew my pace was good enough to crush my goal.  I figured it would be about a 2:35 finish time.  I kept going.

The last few blocks before the finish were uphill.  Yes, complete torture.  I'm pushing to the finish and it's UPHILL!!!  Yikes!  Well, just keep going, you can see the end!  The announcer is calling off names as they cross the line.  Suddenly I hear my name.  MY NAME!  I'm here!  I finished!  I ran the whole freaking thing!  I was breathing hard.  I looked at the clock.  It said 2:34 something. I beat my goal!!!! I got my medal.  I walked a bit to cool down and grabbed some food.  I was famished, but I was happy.

Later I got my chip time.  I knew it was good, but it was better than I could have imagined.  2:30:13 is nearly 15 minutes faster than my goal.  I was stunned.  I still am!!!  I achieved my goal and surpassed it.  I ran a 25k.  Ran.  Not jogged.  Kept a pace around 9:30 the whole time.  I feel like a rock star!  My legs are stiff.  I'm tired and hungry.  I eat not caring about macros for the rest of the day.  I recover.

Today is Monday and I'm back on my program.  Back to 40/40/20 ratios.  Back to P90X as scheduled.  I'm not letting this win get away from me.  I'm going to revel in it a while.  I know I can do a marathon now.  Will it be easy?  Heck no!  Will it require an attitude of never quit?  Absolutely.  At this point I know I can.  The training will continue.  I will never give up.  I want to be that woman.  I am that woman.  She's pretty freaking awesome.  I'm proud of who I've become.  This weekend marks my 2 year anniversary of getting off the couch and starting C25K.  If I can do this, anyone can.  You just have to do the work!!!!!

I call this winning.  I'm a winner!!!!

I'm happy to say I've officially completed Phase I of P90X!!!!  I haven't missed a single workout, I've run three days a week according to my marathon training plan (except one) and I've stuck to my diet and no booze or sweets (except my birthday) and I'm super proud of my results so far!

I've lost 5 pounds!!!!  I've lost 4.25 inches, and 1% body fat.  I know it's not much, but I'm not far from my goal, so this is huge for me!!!  I thought I was destined to be stuck forever at 134ish... but today I'm 129!!!!!  I'm hoping the next 8 weeks will continue to see progress, although I realize I may not lose another 10 pounds (don't need to lose that much) I still hope I lose a little weight and some more inches.  If that continues I know I'll be showing off some nice guns and a flatter tummy than I've ever had.  I also realize that my tummy will never be pretty (without surgery) because of the amount of stretch marks and icky skin there, but if it's flatter and looks better in my clothes I'll be thrilled!

Hot  mama coming your way!!! Watch out!

Oh, and this coming weekend is my 25k.  I'm prepared, I have a plan for my workouts.  I wasn't going to start Phase II until next week but I've been encouraged to do it and switch a couple things around instead so I don't have wasted legs at the beginning of the race.  Of course, this means I'll try to do Kenpo on Sunday after running 15.5 miles the day before, which could be pretty hilarious, but I'll try and that's all I can say!  I'm meeting up with a group to carpool to the race so I don't have to find my way around with 50,000 people in the city!  It's intimidating, and I'm nervous, but I'm excited and as prepared as I can be.  Just hoping to finish, hoping for under 2:45 for a time, and hoping to not be too dead afterward!!!!

In the meantime, I'm sticking to the plan. It's working!!!!  Seriously thinking of starting Shakeology soon, but need to cancel my gym membership first.  If I cancel that not only will I have some of the money for Shakeology, but I'll be more likely to add to my Beachbody DVD collection eventually.  I know I'll do at least another round of P90X after this one, but after that if I'm bored with it I may move on to another program.  We'll see how I feel in October!!!!!

Bring it, people... it WORKS!