15 Questions People Were Dying to Know......

I thought it would be fun to connect with my readers over on my Facebook "like" page "From Skinnyfat to Fit", so I had them ask me some questions they wanted answered.  I did get 15 good questions in my messages, honestly, I didn't think I would get any!  YOU ALL ARE SO SHY!! LOL  Thank you and I hope these questions help you to get to know me better, and the reasons I do what I do, and love what I do as well!  

Just a few friendly reminders:

• The 7 Day Shakeology Challenge group is filling up!!  If you want in email me before July 12th at Hunnieshadow@yahoo.com OR message me on my Facebook page for more details.  We start on July 22nd!
• The 60 day Focus Challenge group starts on August 19th!!  Order your Focus T25 Challenge pack BEFORE August 1st to save $90!  And make sure to message me for entry into our secret, and ultra private group! 

On to the questions!!

Questions:

I noticed that you talk about what Shakeology has done for others, but what has it done for you?

Great question!!!  I've been taking Shakeology for a little over a year.  I noticed some pretty nice changes within 3-4 days of taking it.  First off, I've never really been a "regular" person if you catch my drift.  I've always "went" maybe once every week or two weeks, I kid you not!!  Once I started taking Shakeology I noticed that it revved up my gut and I started to become more regular and bloating that I never knew I had started to disappear!!  I also noticed that my skin clears up pretty nicely as well.  I don't feel like I need sweets all the time (huge sweet tooth thanks to practically my whole family owning bakeries)  and I feel full and satisfied if I chose to use Shakeology as a meal replacement.  Most of the time I use it as a snack though.  I also notice that I have more energy through out the day, honestly, I just feel good when I drink it!!  Knowing that I'm getting all the amazing Super foods, antioxidants, and all the vitamins my body needs for as little as $4 a day is amazing!  My husband drinks it as well, and notices changes in his body, he always asks me WHY don't more people drink this stuff.....I really have no clue!  I stopped drinking it for a couple of months to see if maybe it was all in my head, and my skin went back to being bad, my bowel habits started to suck again, and I started to get bloated, my mood was raunchy....that was proof enough of why I love my Shake-o!  Totally worth the $$$, and I haven't been sick in over a year!  No flu, no colds, and worked with people that were constantly getting sick.  That alone paid for itself with not having to call in sick or go to the doctors!!  My movers packed my Shakeology before I could grab it, during our move to California.....uggg that was a hard few weeks ;-P

Why do post so much on Facebook?

I know, I know.....I post a LOT.  I just want to make sure you all get the amazing sales that Beachbody has, or make sure you're all aware of the challenges I put on.  I want you all to know that I'm here for you, to help make those changes happen!  Also, I love to fill my family in on what I've been up to with my life with my amazing husband.

Do you really like to workout?

Actually, I use to hate it, and I'm pretty lazy.....just to be honest with you guys.  I'd rather sit on the couch and read, or cross stitch or pet my cats than workout.  When my husband and I first got married, he was a HUGE gym freak (still works out, but mostly at home now) and he would push me to go with him, and I would literally CRY, throw fits, pretend I had a headache......it was bad.  I hated the gym more than the workout itself.  I got into running in 2005 and I've been okay with working out ever since.  I've noticed the older I get, the more the foods I eat start to show up on my body.  I've never had that problem before, so I just do some "preventive maintenance" workout and all is well.  When I started doing Beachbody programs, I found my "other world" the world where I didn't have to go to the gym, and that helps me focus more on getting it done and not focus on what other people where doing. 

Where are you from?

I'm from a tiny town of about 2000 people!  It's called Weedsport and it's in Upstate NY.  A lot of people kinda hated growing up in a small town, but I've always liked it there.  

Why no children?

This could get long.....but I'll keep it pretty short.  I have PCOS, and need some magic pills to help me get pregnant.  I'd rather not take those pills due to possible case of multiples (think Jon and Kate plus 8)  If it was meant to be for Devin and I, it would have happened.  Plus the older I get, I'm 36 now, the more I just really enjoy my time with my husband.  I have 2 nephews, and 4 nieces and another little one on the way.....and that's just amazing and I love them to bits and pieces!!!  Devin and I definitely don't hate children, we get asked that, can you believe it????  Children are fun, amazing, curious, beautiful little people and I can't wait until Devin retires and we can have our nieces and nephews visit us closer to home!!

Do you still use Derm Exclusive?

YES!!  I LOVE Derm Exclusive!  I do the 3 month supply and it last me about 5 or 6 months.  It fades any dark marks I get from pimples and it just gives my face a nice feel to it.  Plus the smell is a light orange smell, I think it's super nice!  I'm not really sure why I don't post more about Derm Exclusive.  It really is a great product! 

Do you really make money doing Beachbody, what's your paycheck like?

Yes!  It's basically what you put into your business.  This IS a business, and it's fun and amazing to watch people transform and reach their goals.  The money to me is a nice bonus, but not something that drives me as much as helping people does.  I've made anywhere from $250 a week to 0 a week but really "the sky's the limit" I have friends that make $1000+ a week, some of my teammates make upwards of $4000 a week!!!  The thing is, you've got to want to help people reach their goals.  I have friends and teammates that Beachbody coaching is their only job now.   These people come from being bankrupt to being millionaires, or paying off their homes and living comfortably with their families.  It's all about what you make of it!  Being a military spouse, it was a no brainer to become a coach, because it's free to sign up!!  I love Beachbody products and what they stand for, so it's easy for me to endorse them.  I wanted to help people reach their health goals, and I want to help contribute to getting out of debt.  Plus this business MOVES with you, such a big plus when we move around so much!  

What exactly is SkinnyFat?

Basically, Skinnyfat is when you have too much fat and too little muscle on a small frame.  Think about how you see skinny people, but something isn't right, they look like their skin is melting off of them, or they might look a little bloated in the middle.....that's basically it!  Here's a link that will help describe "Skinnyfat" better than I can LOL

You're skinny now, so why do you workout?

I feel right now, I'm at a perfect weight.  Working out doesn't always have to be about losing weight!  I workout to keep the pesky fat away, make sure my heart is healthy, to have a strong back and core (main reason for back problems!!) and it's an amazing stress reliever!  I would have never thought!  But when I'm super stressed or mad, I pop in a DVD or go for a run, and let it ALL OUT!!  It feels so good when you're done, that's reason in itself to workout!

What other Beachbody supplements do you take?

I occasionally take Energy and Endurance , but it's rare.  I take Results and Recovery after EVERY workout.....it's sooo yummy, I swear I workout just to drink this ;-P  Joint Support Super Formula is a MUST for runners!  I LOVE IT!!!  AND OF COURSE Shakeology!!

What motivates you to workout?

Knowing that I only have one life, and one body!  I want my body to be strong and healthy.  Motivation comes from within.  If you constantly tell yourself you can't or you don't have time....you won't!!  You have to have the mindset, you have to really want it!!  What makes you different from the person who is 5'4 weighs 350....popped in their Insanity and finished 60 days 50 pounds lighter?  They said they could, they never said Insanity is too hard for me.  They believed in themselves and went for it at their own pace.  If they can, why can't you????

Do you diet?  What is your daily eating schedule like?

Na, I don't follow a diet.  I do try to eat on the healthy side, but yes, I'm human and I love my pizza and some Gelato at times!!  My morning is usually a fresh fruit salad with greek yogurt.  Or scrambled eggs with Ezekiel bread topped with peanut butter and honey, or Shakeology with greek yogurt.  Lunch I'll do a Shakeology (if I haven't had it yet) with half a turkey sandwich....yes I put mayo on it.....with swiss cheese.  Dinner, well, yeah......it can be anywhere from grilled chicken with a veggie and quinoa, to pizza, burgers, pasta.  I do drink, but I try to save that for the weekend and I only pick one day to have a few :-)  I know this sounds weird, but when you do workouts like Insanity, or ChaLean Extreme, P90X ect, you really need to up your calorie intake a bit.  Your body needs those calories to get through these workouts, and if you deplete your body of nutrients, it'll stop eating at your fat and eat at you muscle!  So make sure you're eating enough!!!  (another reason for Skinnyfat)

Why so much focus on Focus T25?

This program is AMAZING!!  I got mine in the mail a few days ago, and CAN'T WAIT to start it in August!!  What's NOT to love about doing a workout with Shaun T????  25 minutes a day, heck, everyone has time for that!!!  5 days a week....even better.....and only 50 days?  Why spend your summer working out for longer than 45 minutes, when that could be time away from doing fun stuff with the kiddos???  Or shopping??  Or whatever you love to do!!  The results I'm seeing from friends so far are crazy!  Insanity results in half the time!  What's not to love?

Do you eat fast food?

Yes, unfortunately I do.  Usually once every two months, sometimes once a month.  

You seem to move a lot, where have you lived?

I started out my life in a small town in Upstate NY, went to college in Boston, moved to New Jersey (Jersey City).....then moved back to Upstate NY for a while before I met Devin.  We got engaged and a few months before the wedding I moved to Mystic Connecticut, then we moved to Ocean Springs Mississippi, from there we moved to Newport Rhode Island, and then off to the West coast.  Astoria Oregon became our home for a while, and now we are in Petaluma California!  Hopefully we stay here for 4 years, but I have a feeling we're moving again next year.......

Wellll, that's it!! Hopefully this answered some of your burning questions.....and for those that didn't ask any, I hope you found this somewhat interesting!!  Thanks for the feedback!! 

7 Day Shakeology Challenge!!

Alright, this blog post is going to be short and sweet until Friday's blog.  Friday, I will be featuring questions that have been asked of me from all the followers on my "Like" page "From Skinnyfat to Fit".  If you'd like to ask me a question, like my page and message me your question! :-)

Also, on Friday I will be announcing July's specials and kinda going over what I've been up to since the last blog post.

SOOOOOO the actual reason I'm posting this blog is because the new Vanilla Shakeology has come out, and it's amazing!!  I will be getting my individual packets very, very soon and would LOVE to do a small 7 day Shakeology challenge group!!  If you've been thinking about trying Shakeology, and wondering what it can do for you, this is a great opportunity.  It's also an amazing opportunity to see how supportive challenge groups can be, and maybe get you started in my August 19th Focus Challenge Group!

The group will be small, so if you want a spot let me know ASAP....I will be closing it off on July 12th so I can set up the group, send out the individual packets and post recipes.

Message me for more details :-)

Focus T25 is OUT!! Here is Some Info.....

Just ordered MINE (Focus T25 that is), and I'm ready to help those that want to join my Focus Challenge Group on August 15th.  Like I said in a previous blog post, I'm doing it a little later for those that would like to try Shakeology and find the perfect flavor/s for them.  Please let me know ASAP so I can get those free sample out to you!!  This is going to be a lot of fun, and perfect for those busy mom's, and people that just don't have enough time in the day to get more than 45 minutes of workout out in their day.  Who can't do 25 minutes, 5 days a week for 50 days????  It's a no brainer!!!

So here is the challenge pack breakdown.....this deal is AMAZING and that's why I'm pushing it, you'll love me for it.  I promise you that Shakeology is really ALL THAT.

Basically, the cost of just the program is $119, if you get it BEFORE July 7th, you'll get free shipping.  After July 7th shipping WILL NOT BE FREE UNLESS you get the challenge pack.

 Soooo the Challenge pack is $180 UNTIL the END OF JULY.  Once August hits, it'll be $205.  The Challenge pack COMES with SHAKEOLOGY and is a whopping $90 savings if you order BEFORE August!!!!  Shakeology usually cost about $120 a bag (unless you're a coach and then you get 25% off) but if you go the Challenge pack route, you'll only be spending $60 on the most amazing meal of the day (or snack if you prefer) so that's HALF OFF!!!!!  CRAZY, and the best part is, you can sign up to be a coach with a challenge pack and save 25% on the rest of your Shakeology orders plus anything else you buy from Beachbody, PLUS the $40 one time fee is waved!  What a deal!!!  And you certainly DO NOT have to sell anything if you don't want!  Some people just sign up to be a coach JUST for the discount.  Want more info on coaching?  Click THIS.

Here's a breakdown if you'd like to become a coach just for the Shakeology discount:

$33 off of Shakeology with your 25% discount + 12 shipping = $45 - $16 for the monthly fee = $29 off of Shakeology!!!

If you are Military or a Military spouse, your savings will look like this:
$33 off of Shakeology with your 25% discount + 12 shipping = $45 - $0 for monthly fee (waived) = $45 off of Shakeology!!!!

So, here's a little more info on the actual workout:

• Every workout in this program is 25 minutes.
• The schedule for the program is 5 days per week for Monday-Friday.
• You do a different workout each day of the week.
• The entire program is 10 weeks long with two phases which are each 5 weeks
• The Alpha Phase is the first phase which is 5 weeks. There is no equipment, no weights, and it’s a progressive workout where the focus is on getting the correct form. Shaun T described it as “Gym Class 101″. So, regardless of your current fitness level, you can do this!
• The Beta Phase is the second phase which is also 5 weeks. This is where you ramp it up a notch and use what you learned in the first phase to work hard. This phase is all about strengthening your core.
• There is an optional Gamma Phase that can be purchased separately as an add-on which is where he starts to incorporate weights.....and remember, if your a coach, you get 25% off ;-)
• This workout is awesome for both men and women. If the program is too intense, you can always follow the modifier named Tania who does a lower-impact version of all of the moves.

And here's what the Focus T25 Challenge Pack includes:

• 11 Workouts on 9 DVDs that are each exactly 25 minutes
• 10-Week Schedule for the Alpha and Beta Phases showing you which workout to do each day
• Red resistance bands which you’ll use in the Beta phase
• 5-day Quick-start Guide including a workout schedule and menu plan
• T25 ‘Get it Done’ Nutrition Guide with recipes and meal plans
• BONUS – If you order through a coach like me, you’ll also get the “Core Speed” bonus DVD.
• Info on how to get a FREE “T25 – Nailed It!” T-shirt from Beachbody.
• With the Challenge Pack, you’ll also get a 30-day supply of Shakeology in your choice of flavor: Chocolate, Vegan Chocolate, Vegan Tropical Strawberry, Greenberry or the NEW Vanilla flavor.
• And, you get ME as your coach to support you through the program.

Now that you have the info, USE IT!!!  And get your FOCUS T25 program  or Challenge pack TODAY!!!  If you have any questions, please email me at Hunnieshadow@yahoo.com OR message me on my Facebook Page "From Skinnyfat to Fit"

Settled in....and Exciting Beachbody News!!

I'm really loving it here in California, and we are pretty much settled in.  We received the last of our boxes and my treadmill this last week and all of our rooms are finally done!  We have all of our pictures up downstairs, and now just have a few to put upstairs.  Things are moving right along, and I'm feeling really good about how things are moving in our life.  I can't believe our 12 year anniversary is coming up, and about a month after, Devin's 16th year in the Coast Guard will be here!  I seriously cannot believe he can retire in almost 4 year if he wants!!  We got outstanding news a few days ago that he was #1 on a test he recently took, but due to some points that were taken away from his last advancement, and his low time in service and time in his rank (he was going against people that still had all their points, and more than 20 years in service and 4+ years in their rank) he dropped to #4.......BUT that's good enough and he'll most likely be making the next rank in 2014!!!  The last few years they've made 12 or 13 so 4 is a pretty good number to sit at, but you never know what they'll do for the next year, so we are optimistic, but still a tiny bit cautious.  Once he makes the cut (the first one comes out around September, and then quarterly) we will PARTY!!  I have the perfect week-day get away planned.......week-day because it'll be less crowded and the hotel will be less expensive.......we will be heading to Disneyland!!!!!!!

Last week Devin brought me to the Korbel Californian Champagne house and it was beautiful, fun and only 35 minutes away!!!  We ate, walked around, and then had a tour........once the tour was done, our tour guide had a private tasting waiting for us on their deck, and it was simply a gorgeous day!!  I thought that Korbel only did the Champagne thing, but they had some wine, port, sherry and brandy as well.

Here are some pics of our day :-)

Walking up to Korbel

Old Brandy making tower

Wine Barrels

Largest bottle of Champagne 

All of Korbel's Champagne, wine, port, sherry, and brandy

Celebrating Devin's #1!!

Of course, there is always Beachbody news, and the news I'm about to give you is AWESOME!!!!!  As I've told you in a past blog, they've changed the flavor of Greenberry Shakeology, and it's really, really good!!!  BUT Beachbody has outdone itself and finally found the right combination to make a healthy, all natural Vanilla Shakeology!!!!!  For years the CEO of Beachbody, Carl Daikeler would not release a Vanilla due to the un-natural flavoring they would have to add to make it taste more like the vanilla we are use to.  Anything that says natural vanilla flavoring, really isn't, it's enhanced by artificial vanilla.  Carl wasn't having any of that.......so for years Carl and the Shakeology crew kept trying, and they finally have it!!!!  Rumor has it it's AMAZING, and I have my sample packs on order and will have it available for individual order on July 12th, so you can "try it before you buy it".  If you just want your own supply, ORDER NOW until July 7th for your One-Time free shipping, or just do an HD order and get it monthly and always have free shipping........

Click here to ORDER your supply

In other Beachbody news..........the kick ass Shaun T of Insanity, Asylum I and II, Hip-Hop Abs and Rockin' Body has done it again!!!  He's coming out with Focus T25, 25 INTENSE minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 50 days.  Right now I'm doing Insanity, and YES it's insane, but honestly, if you go at your own pace, and give it all you've got, anyone can do it!!  I'll be on my 3rd week starting Monday, and I already see my body change, and my eating habits have been less than stellar.....I can only imagine how amazing my results would be if I had a better eating plan........Oh well........anyways, so YES, Focus T25 will be out THIS MONDAY the 24th, and do you know what that means??????  CHALLENGE GROUP!!!

This Challenge group will start on August 15th, I know, I know.  Some of you are asking WHY SO LATE???  Well, first I want to finish up Insanity, BUT most importantly, I want ANYONE who is seriously looking into doing this challenge group to try a few samples of Shakeology for FREEEEE before they buy their Focus T25 Challenge packs!!!  Yes, you read that right!!  If you are serious about joining my Focus T25 group e-mail me at Hunnieshadow@yahoo.com for more details, OR find me on my FB page From Skinnyfat to Fit  (don't forget to like my page).

Well, I guess that's it for now!!  Thanks for reading :-)

Petaluma Life So Far

Boy, it's been a crazy week!!  Movers came on the 28th and 29th of May to pack.  They came back on the 30th to haul it all away.  I'm a little worried on how our stuff will show up on the 7th.  They packed the truck rather sloppy, putting things on Devin's bike, and stuff on my treadmill, the grill next to our brand new box springs........ugggggg!!

My treadmill better be okay.....

 We left our house on May 31st for the first part of our trip.  Our cats did really well, Hunnie only got sick once and little Shadow is always a trooper!!  Hunnie seems to throw up the first 5 minutes of any trip, so I always throw a towel that we won't use in his carrier, and take it out and throw it away once he's done getting sick.  Our first day we drove 6.5 hours, it went by pretty fast.  We passed some forest fires in Grants Pass (about an hour from our hotel), the smoke was really thick, fire trucks and police where everywhere.  It was crazy!  Wish I got a picture, but we wanted to get the heck outta there!    

******Fast forward to today***** I typed the top half about 1.5 weeks ago and never finished!!!  Ugggg!  Anyways, we are pretty much settled into our new place, and to be honest?  It's a lot nicer than I thought.  For some reason, I've always been opposed to living in Military housing.  I've always heard so much iffy stuff, so far I am truly blown away with how awesome the housing is here, how helpful the housing people are, how nice the base is, the wild life is amazing, the views are gorgeous, and I get to hear our National Anthem at 8am, and Taps at sunset everyday!!!  We have a cute coffee shop (think Starbucks) bowling alley, bar, pizza joint, subway, a new movie theater that plays movies BEFORE they come out.  Also there's a sweet running trail/path and Devin get's to walk to work (actually, you can walk everywhere on this base!)...the list goes on and on!! One of the things I was worried about was privacy, even though we have town homes on either side of us, it still feels really private, we have a nice fenced in yard.

Grass has since been mowed and in the process of becoming greener

I've actually decorated, and been hanging pictures all over, something we haven't done since we lived in Mystic CT almost 11 years ago!  We just never got around to making our houses feel like a home.  So far, the house our home is almost done, along with the 50 trips to Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond and Michael's.  Now we're just waiting on about 16 more boxes and some big items, like the bottom of my treadmill :-(  NOT sure how the moving company managed to bring my top half, but not the bottom.........I'm a little ticked off, since we only had 5,500 pounds of stuff (we're aloud 11,000 before they start charging us).  We keep calling the moving company, and no one answers or calls us back!  We've left several messages!!!

On to the health aspect of my life, once we got to our new place, Devin and I ended up doing the 3 day Shakeology cleanse.  It was pretty tough this go around, because my husband always wants to eat, eat,
eat.  But we managed, and my sweet cravings have been reduced, and I feel so much better!!  I was also going to re-start P90X  but instead, my other half talked me into doing Insanity, since we don't have all my weights (due to those boxes that haven't arrived)  Soooooo we started Insanity on Monday (the 10th) and so far I'm really liking it!  The good thing is, it's only two months, so if I do get picked  up to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon (I should know in a few days!!!!), I can do two months of Insanity/running, and then concentrate solely on running until my half.  Once I'm done with the half, I think I'll do Rev ABS and then Body Beast.  I'll try P90X again after I do those two programs.

So, that's a wrap for now, I'll try and start blogging on a regular basis.  I'll even have pretty pictures of our place all set up!!!  But for now, here's a few pictures of a beautiful winery in Sonoma......Sonoma and Napa are sooooo close, this could mean trouble ;-)

Can you say.....HECTIC???

I shouldn't even be typing this now, actually, I should be cleaning our weight room, garage, and kitchen (with the help of my handsome husband).  Getting rid of things we haven't touched in the last year or so.  Our move is getting closer and closer and like I've written before, I'm going to miss Oregon.  Our spacious, beautiful home, with the amazing views.  I'm going to regret not getting to Seattle more, visiting Victoria like we had planned, seeing Haystack Rock again (even playing on Cannon beach in the pouring rain!) and hiking Saddle Mountain one last time.  Boy this 3 years (well, 3 years in July) have flown by, faster than I would have thought.  I'm thinking my next blog will be a tribute to all the fun things, we've done here in Oregon!

Haystack on a rainy windy day

Haystack when it's sunny

Saddle Mountain in bloom

My last day of work was the 22nd, and I tried my hardest to not show how truly sad, overwhelmed and emotional I really felt.  It seems like each job I have, it gets harder and harder to say goodbye.  Thank God for Facebook!!  I miss my Walgreen family, I had an amazing supportive manager, and super great assistant managers.........and wonderful co-workers.  My going away consist of a beautiful cake, and red velvet cupcakes...mmmmmmmmmmmm and also a very heart touching card with little messages from everyone, and I couldn't really read it until I got home.  I'm so glad I waited, talk about fountain of tears, I finally let it go.  I did so well at work.

I'm also a little upset at myself for not completing P90X for the 3rd time now.  I did 1.5 months, and then like I said, life got hectic with the 1/2 marathon looming, Devin coming home after 2 months, and our move.  Did I fail??  I'd like to think I didn't, because failures are those that completely give up....and I haven't!!  Actually, I'm starting over again, and starting it with Devin!!!  Once we move in and get settled, I will complete the WHOLE 3 months!!  I know I've said it before, but I should have never made the promise to begin with last time.  There was just too much going on to make P90X possible.  So my new start date will be June 10th.  New measurements and pictures to follow!!

Not that I'm trying to do P90X 7 or 8 times........hopefully this will be my last attempt, because I really want the t-shirt and to try Rev Abs and then Body Beast for the New Year.  But I'm really missing my true love ChaLean Extreme......

I still can't believe in less than a week, I'll be living in northern California!!  Until then, check out my view from my upper balcony......sigh.......I'm not liking the idea of living so far from the water :-(  

Washington Mountains in the distance

Astoria on the far right 

  

My First 1/2 Marathon!

I know it's been a while.....I've been crazy busy with work, my hubby coming home, new car, getting ready to move and training for my first 1/2 Marathon and of course doing P90X!  From here on out, I'm going to make this not only my blog for Beachbody, but more personal as well.

I want to say, I have been doing my P90X and I should just be getting done with month 2 BUT I took two weeks off to really concentrate on my 1/2.  I wanted to finish under 2:30....did it pay off?  You'll have to read on to find out ;-)  I will be starting month 2 of P90X over again, as to not cheat myself of doing the full program.

Now on to the good stuff!!  My hubby finally came home from his last patrol......probably not his last patrol ever, actually I can bet my life that it won't be his last patrol LOL, but it was his last patrol on the Steadfast.  Below is a picture of them coming home from my window.  It's so exciting watching them come home, but it was the worst watching them leave!  Oh wait, I'm sure this isn't the "good stuff" you were waiting for, huh?  Okay, on to my half marathon!!

I don't even know where to begin!  The Monday before the race, I started to drink a gallon of water a day, much to my co-workers delight (think potty breaks every half hour)  I really think this helped me out big time for the actual race day.  I did a few training runs and P90X's Core Synergistics during the week.  I was a little nervous because I tried for a "last long run" on Monday (8 miles, but ended up doing 3.5) and it was all messed up, felt gross, sluggish, just not into it, crampy.  I had felt like that on a couple of runs before my last "long run" and although I felt good on a previous run of 11.6 miles, my upper legs also felt like they were going to fall off.  It also had been a good 2 weeks since that run as well, so I felt a little defeated already!  So I decided to do a couple of hill training runs during the week....well, that didn't pan out so well, the Wednesday and Thursday runs didn't happen.  I ended up dreaming that I couldn't run up hills Thursday night, and it bugged me all of Friday, so I ran a hilly 6.5 miles.....and it was surprisingly easy!  It felt amazing, but then I quickly realized, my race is on Sunday!!!  Was the hilly 6.5 a mistake?  It went by so fast I didn't even realize I went that far!  I made sure I stretched out really well after that run.  Just a side note,  I have one of those amazing NordicTrack Incline treadmills that you can plug in your running course.  It downloads into the machine, and it'll adjust the hills for you, so I know exactly what I'm getting into!!  LOVE THIS MACHINE!!!  One of the BEST purchases I've made!  It inclines to 40% and declines -6%.  This bit of info will help later on in my super long 1/2 marathon post. ANYWAYS:

So here comes Saturday!!!  I packed my super cute outfit the night before along with everything else, and off I went to pick up my running partner Jill!  We always stay the night in Portland so we don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn (I'm NOT a morning person) to drive 2 hours in our dress up outfits (because dressing up is a must) to the early morning races.  Instead we hop out of bed, get all ready with our mad cuteness and walk a few blocks to the start.  SOOOO easy!!!  *Another side note: I never started doing races until I moved to Oregon.  Before that I was just running to run!  My first race was actually the Ragnar Relay, and the rest I've been with my girl Jill!!  She's really pushed me in a good way to become active in these races!  I would have never signed up for my first solo race without her!!*    Off we went at noon to the Portland Expo Center to pick up our packets!

The parking was insane, and we had to walk quite a way from the lot to the center and it was pouring out....okay, it wasn't really that bad, but when you know you're going to be running 13.1 miles the next day, you want to preserve.....or maybe I'm just lazy ;-P  We got inside the expo and it was AMAZING and well organized.  It took Jill and I about a minute to pick up our packets, get our picture taken with a mannequin holding the race medal, get our t-shirts and our little grab bag......not bad really!  Then they shuffle you off to another area where you can buy Rock 'n Roll Portland T-shirts and other memorabilia.  They also had another area with games that you could play, and a gait analysis area, which I did.  It was super interesting.  I found out that my left leg is normal and I have a slight pronate and swing on my right leg.  Totally explains why I sometimes get cramping in my right toes while I run!!  Once we were set with the games, we went on to the real fun stuff.....free samples!! HAHAHA  We got free mini Chobani Greek yogurts, I had the Raspberry Dark Chocolate Chip and Jill had the Coffee Dark Chocolate chips and they were soo good!  We got to sample energy bars, goo's, jelly beans, Nuun water, and a ton of other neat things!  BUT THE BEST was our amazing discovery of the Handband!!!!!  I was just thinking, about two weeks ago, how I can NEVER find an arm band that fits and if they do fit, it cuts my circulation off and gives me weird cramps and shooting pains in my arm while I run.  Jill and I first walked by because I think we were totally stunned by this magnificent invention, we both stopped, looked at each other and headed back to the stand.  I'm telling you, this product was everything I dreamed of and more!  I usually run with my phone in my hand, but this is sooo much better!!!  I forgot I had it on.  The model I have you can fit your ID in, and also if you want to ride a bike or need your hands, it comes with an extra band for the arm, and it FITS!!!  Got it for $20 and I'm pretty sure it's the best $20 I've spent in a long time!!  I could go on and on about this product, but I'll spare you all.

After the Expo, Jill and I headed to our hotel in Downtown Portland, where we carb loaded, drank water, and relaxed.....oh and of course took a few silly pictures.  I don't have any of me, because I wasn't feeling really well after my mega carb load........:-(  Good think Jill knows how to make me laugh.  I'm sure going to miss here when I move.......

We fell asleep about 10:30ish and I felt like a million bucks when I woke up at 6am.  This is VERY RARE, because I hate mornings with a passion.  I hardly ever feel refreshed when I wake up.  Maybe it was all the spooning with Jill.....TOTALLY KIDDING!! HAHAAHAA  Anyways.....I had a few bites of a yogurt parfait and about 15oz of water while I was dressing in my amazing dress up exaggerated '80's outfit.  You need to exaggerate these things to make them more fun!!!  Here's the end result:

Once we dressed, we were ready to ROCK N ROLL!!!  I mean, they don't call it a Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon for 'nuthing.  Our excitement was obvious as we made our way to the Waterfront......along the way we were stopped by paparazzi  camera men for the event, and of course we willingly posed, for all 5 of them.....we felt so special!!!!  Once we got to the event, we beelined it to marker C to meet up with my long lost friend Katie and her BFF Dani (check her funny, amazing blog Run Daniella Run out!!)  It was so nice to FINALLY meet Dani!  I've known her through FB for a little while, and she's just as sweet and sassy as her blog!!  LOVED meeting up with them, although it was way to short :-(  After our "good lucks" we went to our corrals, and waited.......

I think I remember hearing there were 23 corrals.  We were #16.  It took about 15 minutes to get to the starting line, but it was enough time to really pump me up!  I kept thinking in my head...."this is my first half!!!  I'm going to ROCK IT!!"  Positive thinking always wins :-)  Off we went!!!!!  I wanted to keep my pace relatively slow because I knew I would be doing some massive hills and I needed my energy for that.  I was also going to try and stay hydrated by doing a "run by" at all the water stations (and there where plenty!!) and eat a non caffeinated Gu Chomp every 2-3 miles.  The first 2 miles went by super fast, and my first real water station came up.......I sucked.......I tried keeping my pace while drinking and it went up my nose, all over my face and on my shirt (that part actually felt good).  I've practiced on the treadmill with my water bottle.......should have known it would be completely different.  I hardly got any water, but I still felt hydrated.  I was thinking of a game plan for the next station, and that quickly came up, maybe it was all my planning but WOW mile 4-4.25ish was already here with my next water station.  Like I said, I sucked...and my new plan to slow it down didn't work either, and I ended up with more water up my nose than anywhere else.  So I figured, I would have to actually stop, which was not what I wanted, but something I had to do.  Shortly after mile 5 was my next water station......yes, this is really all I thought about for the first 5 miles, how I was going to conquer the water stations, oh and also how great the bands and cheerleaders where, and how fast it was all going.  THIS water station was a success and of course my lucky number (5) so off I went with a new found joy of stopping for a second for water, because if you're stopping for water, you're not really stopping, right?  I'll keep practicing on those water stations.........

Mile 6 came up and I realized that the hills that my treadmill showed in the first half, were not as bad as they were on my treadmill!  Did I even run any hills??????  Should I pick it up?  Then I remembered there was this part, at about mile 6.75 that was basically running almost straight up a hill for a little less than a mile.  So I stayed at the pace I was at (about 10:20)  Good thing, because it was a monster!!  There was this girl, I could tell she was slightly faster than me, that was edging ahead of me.  I took that as a sign and made myself stay with her the whole way until the hill was done (almost to mile 8) I felt elated that I pushed myself, but started to worry about how I would feel for the next 5.1 miles, the good news was, I was already more than half way there!!  Then I got nervous due to the fact that there were more big hills on the way (per my treadmill) so I kept the pace I had while doing the hill (10:30ish) I felt pretty good, and not sore, or tired at all so I picked it up a bit after I had my Gu Gel (they handed them out around mile 8, and I thought, why not) but still held back.  I kept thinking in my head, once I hit mile 12 I'm golden.  The farthest I've run was 11.6 miles, so for some reason mile 12 was like the Holy Grail to me.  The miles went by faster than I though, and before I knew it, I headed into mile 10.5 and a hill...here it was 20 something incline on my treadmill........the other big one that I had been saving my energy for.......ended up being a dud!  Easier than the hill at mile 6.75ish!!  I knew there was one more coming the end of mile 11, was it going to be this lame?  Should I push myself?  I did pick up my pace a little more, but was still a little nervous to really go with it.  Not sure what I was so afraid of really.  Maybe that it seemed to "easy"? BY NO MEANS am I saying a 1/2 Marathon is EASY....but for some reason I just really thought it would be more of a mental game for me, more pushing myself to not stop, I thought I would be exhausted and hurting like my last run of 11.6 about 3 weeks ago.  But for some reason my body was enjoying it??????  It was too good to be true!!!  2+ hours flashed by, and mile 12 was here!  I was at my Holy Grail and was ALMOST DONE!!  I started to get a little teary eyed, my longest run ever!  If something happened to me at this point, at least I had my longest run under me! HAHAH.  I picked it up a bit, I felt great, I had energy still but at this point, I remember saying to myself, I will NEVER do a Full Marathon.  I don't know why, but I just don't think I will.  Everyone says, "you never know", "don't ever say never" but I'm pretty sure I like half marathons and below :-)  Props definitely go out to those that have done a full!!

So into mile 13 I come, and the crowd is amazing!!  The energy at the finish was electric, and I crossed the finish line in 2:17:24!!!!  Way better than my 2:30 prediction!  I figured it was my first 1/2 and I wanted to savor it, so I gave myself a very reasonable first time "time frame", but I enjoyed it at the 10:29 pace as well, and like I said, I feel like I did hold back some, and I really regret that.  My treadmill is usually dead on, but this time, it made some of these hills look like mountains and that scared me to go a little slower.  Lesson learned.  But hey, I'm not in it to win it, I'm in it to get the free bling!!  Oh and of course because these races are fun and addicting!  Actually, I'm pretty sure I'll be running the Rock 'n Roll half in Vegas come November.....This is breaking news because as I was typing this, my amazing girl Jill text me this bit of info ;-)  She asked if I was in, and I said F*CK YEAH!!  So I'll be running a half in October if my group gets picked for the Nike Women's half OR the November Rock 'n Roll Race in Vegas!

The finish line was crazy, free chocolate milk, water, Jamba Juice, protein bars, bagels, Gator Aid and of course my medal.  I finally got out of the mess, and back out to the finish line to cheer my girl Jill on, who came in shortly after I did!!  It was amazing to feel so accomplished, we totally did it!  Our first 1/2 Marathons!

Sorry this was so long, I wanted to get it all down so I'll always remember the amazing experience!  The actual race was really put together well, the spectators where fired up, the cheerleaders every 1/2 mile helped, the bands every mile made me smile,  the volunteers always had great words of encouragement and big smiles on their faces, the police department kept us safe and cheered us on as well.

And if you got this far thank you for reading and here's a final pic: