Half Marathon Training BEGINS!

Hi there! - yes that is a photo of Mount Everest above!

Today was day one in my upward climb for building myself up to handle longer runs.
The Walt disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon will be held in Orlando -with a firework start at the ESPN Wide world of Sports -TEN PM RACE START!!!!! 
- with a magically lit night time run through Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and finishing at Epcot! There will be a finish line party and Epcot will be open until 3 am . .  but I'm not sure how hippy skippy I'll be after the half marathon to be zooming around Epcot in the middle of the night watching my adoring fans -- AKA my family eat.

I am so very super thrilled about this race!!!! It will be so fun and entertaining to run through disney things at night!! OHHhHhHH I need to start planning my perfect running outfit LOL!!

- Anyway My goal is to run this in a faster time than my last half  - which was the Iron Girl Clearwater. .  . read my blog below. . .we are taking torrential downpours and two massive bridges toward the end of the race . .  LOL Disney is a flat course and from what I hear everyone plans on zooming it. . .but then gets sidetracked stopping for photo ops with Disney Characters LOL!!!

I wish I had someone to run this with me as I think it would be such a fun experience to share. . . But everyone I know who is a runner is either a lot faster than me and I would feel guilty slowing them down . . or they don't want to shell out the super high Disney prices.

As of right now the race is 80% full. I've reminded my friends but. .  .sadly I don't think they will hop on the trail with me!! Boo HOO!!! I guess I will just have to lug along my iphone for pics (so you know it REALLY HAPPENED!!)  and look forward to my darling husband Matty, my Mom and Dad - who will be waiting for me at the finish line!!!

Today was not a push it crazy style run - easy pace. . feeling strong - lots of gas in the tank, just getting my feet wet again after taking some running time off and playing around more with barbell classes, cardio dance classes and Zumba etc -- everything but running outside in FLORIDA LOL

3 miles
31 mins.

My plan is to run easy three times a week doing 3-4 miles then have a long run on either saturday or sunday starting with 6 miles then moving up to 8 - then 10  then drop back to 5 then up to 9 then 12 then down to 8 then 14 over time. And somewhere incorporate a speed day.Kind of staggering my long runs to be up and down each week so its not this crazy shock. I'm not stuck totally on that specific schedule, that is just a rough outline I've come up with right now to my approach.

I don't know how much to cut back on all the other stuff I'm doing. I really enjoy body pump and zumba . I really want to focus on improving this.

- I am not by nature a runner. My body is more suited for dance or swim. It takes a lot of major suffering to do this  -- but maybe thats why I like it. . . it makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. It makes me feel like I belong in this world of hearts beating and pouring sweat.
I love that bone tired feeling when I lay in bed and stretch my legs out and feel deliriously sleepy!

alright - take care . .
Min

Minda, Matt, Teddy Bear and Tuscan

Just a quick few pictures of my mini family! Just married November 2011!

The Bikes Barbells and Babes - Oh MY!

Hello Party People!!!!
 - It has been a little while since my last post. I had to really settle into some new ideas with regards to workouts and nutrition.
I'm very much into Body Pump, Spin Class and the Elliptical machine lately! This is this underground shift the past few weeks in comparison to the past few months of kind of stagnating. Though I am working out diligently - obsessively?, I needed to really up the ante. I adore my zumba classes because I just LOVE to dance!!! - Unfortunately it won't blast my body to the level of fitness I am aiming for.

As a feature of joining Lifestyles Family Fitness Gym - you get two free sessions with a personal trainer. Session 1 we talked about my goals and did a basic assessment. My trainer Tania, said its obvious i'm very motivated to work out- and now I need to focus upon nutrition. I have a VERY difficult time eating in the morning and drinking enough fluid throughout the day. . . I've changed this and my body is jump starting into action better. - I also am taking her advice to ustilize more of the machines on the floor.
- She told me shes seen people who'd bodies have never changed - in 6 years! even though they go to all the classes and never miss one, week in and week out. - She said if I want to change my body to get out of those classes.
- I find that super difficult as  I love the classes and feel challenged by them , but I can tell by adding a couple extra machines to my work out - My body is shifting!! Hrmmrmrmrm!!! Something to explore!!
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The second session with Tania, was all bout learning the machines. I've got an awesome list of machiens to work on a- and I"m not so intimidated by the machines or the big burly guys on the floor.

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The above picture is me setting up for body pump!! we use barbells - and the benches and mats are for when we do chest presses and tricep push ups - and then regular press ups and abs.

This photo above is my amazing Beyond Yoga SWAG BAG!!! I won about 600$ worth of items from a facebook promo! How exciting! I love my pink  crops and striped tank the most! The other two tanks were too small for me and I gave them to my friends who love them!! Yay! Swag for all!
- If you know anything about me, you know I ADORE activewear! it is more than just having something functional to work out in - it is the mindset too! The mindset of - YOU CAN'T BEAT ME DOWN! I'M GONNA SURVIVE THIS WORKOUT!!! . . . even if I finish last!
lol.

Anyway - As the summer heats up - and YES it does heat up more than what it is currently here in SUNNY Florida .. . .  I find myself hiding more and more indoors for my workouts. I know if I want to be tough and really kill it this fall to improve my half marathon time - I NEED to get my ass outside and run outside. . . . hrmmm
I will be working on that!
 Til next time!!!! - xoxox
Min