{Indy Half Marathon}

Hello there blogging friends! I hope your Mother's Day Sunday is treating you well:)
I finished the Half Marathon yesterday and am really paying for it today:)
I am super sore and ended up with a yucky sinus infection.....
but....it was WORTH it!!
There is nothing like having a goal and achieving it.

We went to Indy for the whole weekend and we had a lot of fun:)
We went down with our friends who also ran the race. My friend Jamie is a certified personal trainer and she ROCKS!!! She ran the race in 1 hour and 36 minutes.....AMAZING:)
Anywho....I had to have a little glass of vino the night before the race.....
Just one though:)

Got up in the morning and headed down to the start line....
It was FREEZING and WINDY....

I had my husband/cheerleader with me!! What a trooper to go and sit out there in that weather for me:)
Oh and he got his own personal best....
the first to get a wrist band for the beer garden!!! He was tailgating our run!
Here I am getting ready for take off:)

I look like such a dork!! My hair was just crazy. Owell....I never worry about what I look like when I workout! I was just excited to do the run:)

Do you worry about how you look when you workout?!?!

And the AFTER!
I was so darn proud of myself....I may have shed a tear when I crossed that finish line! That is what I love about doing things like this!
There are times in when I am training that I feel like ...... why do I do this....
But then when you meet your goal......there is NO feeling like that in the world:)

My only goal for this run was to do it in a 10 min/mile pace ....

And I did....and that was even with stopping for a bathroom break! I know it's not super fast....but not too bad for my first half marathon.....well really it was my second but my first one I walked the whole time....
I just couldn't believe I actually did it!
and I have already decided that i'll do another one with a different goal in mind! I'll keep you posted!

After all that.....it was time for some lunch and you guessed it.....VINO:)

After lunch we got ourselves cutesified up and went out on the town:)

fun....fun....fun!!! :) :) :)

There you have it! Don't ever give up on your goals and dreams!! With a little hard work and determination they will come true and you'll be so proud of yourself:)

It truly is the little things in life that make me the happiest!

Hope you have a really wonderful week! I know i'll just be hoping I feel better soon:)

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."
~Eddie Robinson~

{runner girl}

Hello & Happy Humpday!!!
That's no joke:)
Is it wrong to enjoy a glass of vino after running?!?! Haha..
I starting my preliminary training for the half-marathon in May on Monday....
Ran a measily 3.25 miles and am still sore today!
I am always amazed that I can kill myself in spinning...do p90x legs {it's hard}...do 45 minutes on the elliptical and STILL be sore from just a simple little run!! Owell...that's why I am starting to build my base before actually starting to train!!
I don't enjoy distance running as much as I love cycling so we'll see how it goes:)
And.....

That's probably more the reality!
Have a happy rest of your week!!!!!!!!!!


"We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." - Will Rogers

{Fresh Friday}

Hi everyone!!!
Thanks so very much for all of your comments that I might actually be inspiring you to become a little more fit and healthy!!
I am super happy to inspire people and I too am inspired by others!! I find it very inspiring to get so many nice comments!! So keep them coming...I appreciate it.
For me, inspiration turns into to motivation which then turns into action:)

Whenever you have health and fitness goals....I think there are some pretty important activities that will help you achieve or at least start on the path to achieving them...

....surround yourself with positive, happy people that will keep you motivated.
I am lucky to have great friends that are very positive about my goals and one is even a personal trainer...I mean, if I am not inspired and motivated by her abs....I don't know what would inspire me! Check 'um out~

.....read, read, read.
I read everything, blogs, magazines, books and anything else I can get my hands on to stay motivated! There are so many great blogs out there just full of inspiration and motivation...but don't stay on the couch too long:)
I also love, love, love Oxygen Magazine.. I think the girls in the magazine are more realistic looking (motivating to me) and more of what I hope to someday achieve. I am not much a fashion magazine kind of girl b/c personally, I don't find fashion magazine girls very inspiring or motivating. I think they look scrawny and hungry:) But that's just my opinion. I am motivated by fit looking girls~

.....keep it clean. Food that is.
don't make it complicated when starting out....just start eating things that are actually food! Whole grains, eggs and chicken (if you eat meat), veggies and fruits, beans, nuts, dark leafy greens etc.
See how easy it is?!?!? Then be creative in how you cook those things!! Don't be afraid to experiment!

.....move, move, move and then move some more:)
again when you start out...don't make it complicated just move! walk when you can, do squats when you brush your teeth,do side bends when your making dinner...you get the idea!
When you get used to all of this....then you can pump your workout regimine up!
I love to exercise and find that I am most motivated when I have goals I am working towards...see my right side bar....those are the things I have signed up for so far this year! So far it's a half marathon and a centruy bike ride!! But there might be more to come....woohoo 2010

As I move along...I am learning more and more and tweaking things that I eat and how I train so that I can be in the best shape I can be in:) Same for you....as you get going you'll keep learning and tweaking!

So there you go.....just start! It's as simple as that!!!!!!

Don't let those New Year's goals go by the wayside:)

OK....Now
One thing about eating...is that you have to find what works for your body and your morals....

I was vegan for a bit...but I just felt too restricted. And I never felt like I was eating enough protein for my activity level...So I have been enjoying some wonderful fish again!!!! But you have to do what works for you:)

~Seafood Spiced Mahi with Grapefruit Fennel Salsa~ Mahi Mahi....frozen unless you are lucky enough to live where you can get fresh:)
Any kind of seafood seasoning
cook the fish in the oven on 450 for about 20 min.

Make the salsa...
grapefruit
fennel
cucumber
red onion
lime juice
red wine vinegar
sugar
crushed red pepper
Chop everything up and put as much of everything as you want in a bowl

This was just so darn good!! I served it with asparagus and sweet potatoes. YUMMY!!

Now if you don't like grapefruit...that's ok..just switch it out with oranges, mangos or whatever else you might like.

That's the best thing about cooking...you can be creative!!! Be adventerous...try new things and don't be shy to swap things out in recipes.

Hope you have a happy, healthy weekend!!! TGIF~

"Success in anything seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes but don't quit. They hang on after others have let go".
~ Unknown

{Happy Monday}

Have a really wonderful Monday!!
Even though it's Monday....make it a Happy Monday:)

And don't forget about all those goals you made on New Year's!!! Stay focused and you can acheive your dreams.....

But above all else....just be happy!! :)

“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” James Dean

{Happy Birthday}

Hi everyone...
It's another birthday for me today:) 35 woohoo
I have to tell you that I am NOT a fan of the 5's...25, 35, 45 etc. I don't know why I just feel like it's the tipping point to the next decade! Owell..
Now I am not a resolution kind of girl on the new year...but I do think a birthday is the perfect time to take a moment and evaluate your life. My birthday just happens to land on New Year's Eve.
Last year I was really feeling like I had to get my health and fitness back in order. I think I did a pretty good job in this department. I did not meet my weight goal but I am still moving in that direction.
More importantly I finally found myself again.
As I started to think about my birthday post I really started to think about all the things I accomplished & did this past year..
Take a look.

1. Key West , 2. Healthy Food, 3. Friends, 4. Def Leppard, 5. 35, 6. Pond, 7. Nephew Time, 8. Key West, 9. Camping, 10. Saugatuck, 11. Wine Drive, 12. Bike Ride
This mosaic really makes me realize just how hard on myself I am. When I stop for a moment to take a look at all I did last year I feel proud.
~Rode 75 miles in a bike ride.
~Spent great times with my wonderful friends.
~Had some fun parties at my home.
~Started getting really into cooking and started Fresh Friday's on simpledaisy.
~Did tons of crafting this year...
~Built a pond all by myself.
~Spent a lot of fun times with my husband in all the local beachy towns.
~Went to a Def Leppard concert.
~Spent time with my adorable nephew.
~Tore out the carpeting in our bedroom so that my husband HAD to put in a new floor:)
~Painted 2 rooms in our house.
~Got a new puppy.
on and on and on...

I had a really great, fun and happy year!

Sometimes is nice to take a moment and reflect on one's accomplishments.....
It can help put things in perspective.

For me, I just think I need to take a moment and start being more appreciative of WHO I AM. Life goes by so fast and sometimes I focus so much what is NOT going right that I don't even see what is going right!
So my main goal this year is to just be PRESENT....
Really be appreciative for all the moments of my life and try NOT to be too hard on myself!!

I should be thankful that I am the kind of girl who doesn't wait around for things to happen....I make them happen! I have been accused of being bossy...but if bossy means getting things done and knowing what I want...then I guess I am bossy:)

Sometimes in life I think it's so important to stop and take a moment to really think about who you are..and are you comfortable with that person!
For me...I like most everything about myself {minus the superficial things, weight, etc} except that I am just too hard on myself. Nothing I do is ever enough and I don't always take the time to just appreciate the day!
So those are my goals this year!
......appreciate each and every day!
......not be so hard on myself!

Of course I still have my little fitness goals
ride the century
run a half marathon
complete a dualathon

but now I am confident those things will happen! Last year it was a major goal of mine just to get fit again and here I am! More fit than I have been in years! It just goes to show...when you have a goal and set your mind to something....anything can be accomplished!!

Whether you do or don't make goals...I think it's a super idea to just take a moment and check yourself at least once a year!

What do you like?!?!
What do you wish to change?!?!
Once you decide just get out there and do it~
You won't ever regret making positive changes in your life:)

*****Have a wonderful New Year*****

"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same." ~Francesca Reigler

{Oh, the weather outside is .....}

frightful. But the fire is so delightful. So let it snow, let is snow, let it snow.

Brrrrr.....I am sure if you live anywhere within the mid-west you are feeling the effects of this HUGE winter storm!! So I decided to come home and enjoy the evening. I let the dogs play outside and then came in to enjoy some vino, sit in the hot tub and enjoy some yummy pizza!! Oh and I definately enjoyed it in my dining room with my honey and the candles lit!!! Even the little reindeer are cold and snowy~

At least my house is starting to look like christmas with the twinkle lights and snow~

I just made sure to sit extra close to the fire tonight:)

And I drank my vino sitting right next to fire...that is after I got out of the hot tub:)

I love to sit in the hot tub when it's FREEZING out!! Soooo relaxing:)

If you didn't notice...I made new pillows for my dining room!!! I LOVE them!! I think it's just the pop of color it needed!! Now I am all ready for my party this saturday:)OH and you know I love my vino!! well, here is the perfect way to use those extra reisling bottles I have! {maybe you have them too} I used them in my holiday decor. I painted branches silver and then hung simple ornaments on them!! Simple and cute~

Anywho......

I love pizza and thoughout my mission to get healthy...I have learned some tips and tricks to make naughty foods into super healthy foods!! I now make my pizzas from scratch and I roll the crust SUPER thin so that I can enjoy more of it without the extra calories:) Now.....I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I have gained a "tiny" bit of weight since winter has come on...but, guess what, it's OK!!!

Winter is super tough for me...no matter how happy I try to make it!! I live in carb city during the winter. Recently, I have started trying on my summer clothes to make sure they still fit for KEY WEST next week....I now must FACE it, that some of them are too tight:) That's winter in the mid-west for you~

After the holidays it's GAME-ON again for me!! Time for the last part of my fit and healthy mission!!

Sometimes things take a little longer than anticipated and that's just fine! I think as long as you have a goal and your moving towards that goals, even when you backslide, it's OK!!

How are you fairing with this WINTER STORM.....that is, for the not so lucky people who DON'T live in Florida:) Hope you are staying warm and cozy wherever you are:)

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." Jimmy Dean