Self Motivation

Once again, I've lost it. The stress of buying a house and a lot of new wells being drilled at work led to me being busy and making excuses for my poor eating habits. Weekend before last, I was up till 430AM drinking with my friends... it's funny how you invite one friend over to "break in the new house" and it ends up being a drunk beer-pong-palooza! Then this past weekend was a family reunion out of town which = 7 hrs in a pool drinking beer then heading out to a bar for 2 more hours of drinking.... WHOOOO WHEE I did not make any good food decisions in that time haha. 

Lemme be clear: I DO NOT REGRET ANYTHING. But now it's time to get back on track! My lowest weight ever was 164 I believe and I am now 180 :( But hey, my fault & no one else's!! I officially have a muffin top again so getting rid of that is my main priority!

I begin marathon training August 5th, so I've collected a couple of motivational posters to keep me going. 

I'm currently training to maintain a long distance of around 8 miles, because according to the marathon training plan I chose (think I posted it a few blogs back), my first long run is 8 miles. That's also the week of my 25th birthday so I may actually skip that long run all together but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

My diet is the main thing I am working on right now. I'm not doing a whole30 again but I am being pretty strict. I am eating grains (steel-cut oats, quinoa, gluten-free English muffins..) and dairy (mainly Greek yogurt) but the majority is natural & not processed. 

My only concern is the HEAT! I feel like I'm running in a convection oven, for real. May 29 I ran 6 miles at a 10:15/ mile pace. Last week I was 11:14/ mile. It's like running with a garbage bag over your face & body; the wind barely even feels good. But the actual marathon is in December so I doubt I have much to worry about!

Wounded Warrior Half Marathon

What a WEEKEND!!! 

I took half a day off on Friday and drove up to New Braunfels to stay the night with my grandma. We went to eat at the Gristmill and I finally got to see Gruene! What a beautiful little area, I can't wait to go back & really explore it. After dinner, we put our swimsuits on & sat in the hot tub then the pool for awhile & got to have some girl talk & catch up. She woke me up about 6 on Saturday morning because I had to continue on to Irving :(

I-35 is NUTS! I took the toll road just outside of Austin but when it was time to get back on 35 I was miserable! I got to my friend's apartment in Euless (right outside of Irving) right about noon so we went to get our carb-load lunch on! Then we found a Lululemon store and bought some new running gear. I was so excited, I've never been to their store, only ordered online since there isn't one near me! Then we kept walking around window shopping for awhile, laid by the pool, hit up Super Target (that's dangerous!!) & picked up some sandwiches for dinner.

We both woke up at 4:30AM to make sure we had enough time to eat & digest & of course when we checked the radar there was a crazy storm that had appeared out of NOWHERE. Race start was 6:45 & it started raining right at 6:30.. they don't let you run if there's lightning so the start time was delayed to 7:45. We just hung out in the closest parking garage with basically every other runner that was present...

It rained pretty consistently the first 4 miles then slowly lightened up & eventually stopped by about mile 6. The course was out & back so when we got back around to about mile 10, the trail had completely flooded over for about 1/4 mile so had to trudge through that and finish strong w/ sopping wet shoes adding to the challenge ;)

The rain, fear of slipping, and heavy wet shoes slowed me up so I didn't reach my goal time but I am still happy with my performance overall! Me & Whit had packed bags with clean clothes with intentions of hanging around post-race but we were both so miserable wet & dirty that we just headed home to clean up!

We went to IHOP to grub then I wanted to see Ari since I'm never in Dallas so we met up at a cafe for my 2nd breakfast.. haha. I didn't leave downtown Dallas until 3:30pm!! Then I stopped in West for kolaches of course & stopped once more to pee along the way & with all the construction & pit stops, I was home by 10:45. Talk about exhausted! But it was so worth it; supporting Wounded Warrior Project and seeing 2 amazing friends.

Happy Memorial Day!

First off, thanks to every man and woman that has, is, or will serve our nation's military. I pray for those who lost their lives and for the families that have lost loved ones. My family has a large military presence but I thank God that I didn't lose anyone while they were serving. 

I spent the holiday weekend with my parents at the farm & I'm so glad I did! The farm had about 2.5 - 2.75 inches of rain so it was GREEN. There is even water in our pond.

All the calves hung around each other, it was too cute!

I laid under my favorite tree and read for hours =) Love that the corn is growing and offered privacy from the highway!

And of course this man never fails to entertain me... 

I'm finally getting back on track with my diet. Binged a tad this weekend (Crofutt's cookies were involved so I couldn't resist...) but otherwise all is well! 

It's finally the moment that I need to crack the whip on my spending habits... Closing on the house June 14 & my student loan repayments begin June 4 or something... SHIT.

Wounded Warrior Half Marathon & the Stress of Buying a House!

These last 2 months have been such a wild ride! Who knew buying a house was so damn stressful!? Haha I should've known... 

Every time I pull up my email, the loan officer needs something else from me. Shit,  I don't know where my 2010 W-2 & 1040 are... I have a copy of every other year but that one apparently ha. Stress leads to me chewing on my nails & cuticles so I had to woman-up & get fake nails so I wouldn't look like I have a hand disease. Now I look like a diva announcing the sex of her baby w/ baby blue tips (my mom didn't find that joke funny when I told her). 

Speaking of babies, I LOOK pregnant because I seriously fell off the healthy eating bandwagon and fell HARD. Graduating, moving, training for the marathon, changing jobs, and now buying a house has led me to way too many nights out with friends & lots of beer drinking. Oh & I go to lunch way too much now, too. 

THAT ENDS NOW.

I do not regret any of times I've been out lately. Concerts are my favorite form of entertainment but I know I need to ease up on the beer since I'm not burning as many calories. & Whataburger needs to be illegal because it's even better after 4+ Michelob Ultras. 

I did just sign up for another half marathon though & I'm always healthier when I'm training!  I'm running the Wounded Warrior Half Marathon, June 9th in Irving, TX! A good friend of mine from high school lives in Dallas & she's letting me stay w/ her & she's also running it. It'll be nice to spend that time with her because she just told me she's moving to NC in September =( 

I'm trying to think of a reward to get myself when I get back to the body I LOVED! I am currently up almost 20 pounds... I weigh more today than I did before my tummy tuck which is unacceptable! I don't look bad (advantage of being tall!) but my clothes aren't anywhere near loose anymore & I look bloated. I was thinking about getting the tattoo I've been wanting but I need to save money for the house so I'm thinking a new running top, James Avery ring, or a spa service =) I'd say a concert but I go almost one a week so that's nothing new... Off the top of my head, so far this year I have seen:

1. Reckless Kelly
2. Wade Bowen
3. Stoney Larue
4. Turnpike Troubadours
5. Max Stalling
6. Cory Morrow
7. Spazmatics
8. Vallejo
9. Ryan Bingham this coming Saturday
10. Wade Bowen again next Thursday =)

I have an addiction!!

Another Marathon on the Horizon...

Hahaha, didn't I just say it'd be awhile before I ran another marathon? Well, I'm bad at keeping my word..

It's not official (registration isn't even open for another month) BUT my old boss told me there is a full in College Station. I looked up the date & course map & it looks fun! Flat, fast course through Bryan, College Station, and the TAMU campus, of course. It's December 8, so I looked up an intermediate training program & settled on Hal Higdon's Intermediate plan. I changed it up a bit since I like my long runs on Saturday (because I like to have at least ONE weekend night to go out w/ friends and this allows me to go to 9AM service on Sunday w/out having to get up at 4!)

Spent some time this morning putting together my training schedule. I am going to begin training on schedule but will probably register as late as possible (unless they offer an early discount) just in case of any injuries that may occur during training. I'm excited! I think having the run in C-Stat would mean a lot more of my friends would come support because I know a LOT of Aggies! 

200 Miles & ATX 10/20

For the past 3 years, I have used MapMyRun to track my mileage, pace, & routes. I was on it the other day & starting wondering... how many miles have I ran this year? I've been training for a marathon, so I'm sure it's a lot!

January:   119.83 miles
February: 82.70 miles
TOTAL:    202.53 MILES!

Holy shit! I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit when I saw that. I was also not really surprised. & proud of myself!

Finally got up to Bandera this past weekend. Dad went up with me, which made it an adventure of course! I can't count how much beer I drank but I know I had a damn good time. Only misfortune was being bit by a dog during my run on Saturday morning...

I have a particular route that I follow when I run in Bandera & it's just around the neighborhood. They're on the outskirts of town so there is not a lot of traffic, if there's any at all (I think I saw 3 cars during my 30 minute stint). While running toward the highway, there were 2 dogs running loose on my right (I ALWAYS run against traffic) that made no motion or threat towards me so I thought nothing of it. On my way back, running right next to them, one ignored me & the other apparently felt threatened & bit my right calf. Reported it with the sheriff, got a bit of the bite, yada yada... Healing just fine!

Signed up for my next run; the Austin 10/20! 10 miles, 20 bands. Should be a lot of fun!

I'M A MARATHONER!

I can't believe it's over... ~3 months of training & an additional 9 lbs to my body, I have completed a full 26.2 mile marathon! What an awesome experience

The weather started out chilly (~42º) and by the time I finished, it was almost 70º! The sun was shining the entire time, so I have a nice sports bra tan, along with a tan line from my shorts and from my knee brace.

I was aiming for a 12 min mile pace but man those hills in Austin are KILLER! I ended with about a 14:40 pace I think. I was good up until mile 16 when I had to start walking intermittently but I'm still so proud of myself!

What really kept me going was the supporters. My best friend & her husband drove up for the race and were at the start, finish, and several places in between. It was cool not knowing where they'd be so I had something to look forward to. A co-worker of mine also came up to see me along with her daughter and husband; that was a surprise, I wasn't expecting Jorge to be there, too! Somewhere before/after mile 22, I had started walking & all of a sudden my mom was running up next to me! Her & my sister were heading to the finish line to wait for me. 

After I finished, I grabbed my shit from gear check, chatted with/thanked Holly & Christian for coming, & we grabbed a pedi-cab back to the car. Got to the hotel, took an ice bath, hot shower, then hit up my first food truck for some Thai tacos (yum, but hello nose run). Dinner was Kerbey Lane where I ate a huge plate of Pumpkin Bread French Toast (best I've ever had!!) and some homefries. Took a muscle relaxer & slept for almost 12 hours. 

The most painful part was the night of the race. My ankles and knees were killing me & I was basically hobbling everywhere. The next day it was my hips that were bothering me & today & yesterday I just feel like a walking, all-over bruise. I can start running tomorrow but my foot is slightly sore & swollen so I'll wait until the weekend to get new shoes & hit the trail.

Overall, it's something I would do again. But it's gonna be YEARS if I even do; & I'LL TRAIN WITH HILLS!!

Not Gonna Lie...

I'm a little scared of change and there is a BIG ONE COMING!!

I START A NEW JOB FEBRUARY 19!

I love every single person that I work with and all the experience I've had in this business over the past 4+ years but I'm not being used to my potential. My MBA is collecting dust in my head & I graduated less than 2 months ago. My mother was at a meeting when someone mentioned an opening for a Regulatory Compliance Agent. The regulatory side of oil & gas is not my favorite but I was looking for more money & more work so I emailed my resume to the company handling the hiring. She emailed back within 10 minutes about meeting for lunch the next day. 

First thing she says is "I already filled the position you applied for but I have something else in mind for you." OOOOOOk. After telling me about the company and position for quite awhile, I finally asked what company it was; turns out it's a guy I did some projects for a couple years ago so I knew I would fit in well with them. About a week later (which unfortunately included the death of my beautiful great Aunt Viola) I sat down with my new boss to hear his offer. GOOD LORD ALMIGHTY; THAT is what an MBA should make!! 

I told him I needed to give at least 2 weeks notice because of course I respect my current boss & that's the least I can do. But Monday the 18th is the day after my marathon & who knows if I'll be able to walk haha so we agreed on Tuesday the 19th!

I will mainly be helping the accountant but also taking over the production reporting and filing forms with the potential of growing into the office manager position very soon. I thank God for this amazing opportunity and feel SO blessed!


This past weekend, me, my mom, & my sister went to Austin to see the Lion King play. It was incredible! I love how the "animals" actually walk through the crowd to get onto the stage. We stayed at our favorite Holiday Inn on Town Lake and this was our beautiful view

We will be back here in less than 2 weeks for the marathon!! I can't believe it's so soon... & no, I haven't stopped eating

Pros and Cons of Marathon Training and the Oil & Gas Business

This training is NO JOKE. Not that I ever thought it would be, but I am constantly thinking about my next run: where will I run; morning or evening?; am I gonna have to poop after 3 miles? (TMI but it's been happening lately!); WILL I MAKE IT TO THE PORTA-POTTY ON TIME? 

Pros: 

• I can eat constantly & not gain weight or feel guilty.
• I can eat tons of carbs ;)
• My legs look AMAZING.
• I am amazed at my endurance. I can't believe I can run 18+ miles...

Cons:

• TMI: I'm constantly peeing but not regular in the OTHER category.
• I've used a porta-potty more than my own bathroom over the past 2 months.
• My knees will probably fail by the end of this adventure.

In other life news.... I have nothing. When I'm not at work, I'm running or reading. Went to the farm this weekend, laid in a lounger in the sun, and started reading World Without End.

Diablo was SO excited to be going to the farm! He kept peeking his head next to me & snorting. Gah I love him so much

In more depressing news... the pipeline is almost complete =( I have a love/hate relationship with the oil business. It employs so many hard-working men and women, brings a ton of revenue to the state, and I also work for a petroleum company. However, it destroys precious landscapes, like this one on our farmland, including taking out a tree my sister had carved her initials in as a child

The left is from October 2012 (the land had been cleared over a year ago for another pipeline) and this is the same spot as of January 20, 2013. So depressing!

My sister, standing majestically on a dirt hill overlooking the pipeline...

We have vowed to plant many, many, MANY new trees when we are able to. 

Updated Tummy Tuck Pictures! & other random events

This past month has been a complete whirlwind! Graduated on December 15; celebrated by going to WaterStreet for lunch with my parents, sister, godmother, best friend & her hubby. Went out that night where most of my friends got insanely drunk & I was perfectly fine =)

The holidays were a fun time! Had family over on Christmas Eve and on New Year's Eve. I went to Cory's for midnight on NYE where the guys proceeded to light an indescribable amount of (illegal) fireworks. It was a good time!

Christmas actually marked 7 months since my tummy tuck! It hasn't felt like 7 months... 

I'm training for my first FULL MARATHON! I signed up for the Austin LiveStrong marathon, February 17.  My sister is running the half & it's her first one, so proud of her!