Another Charity 5K

My goal this year was to finish the Annual Thanksgiving 5K in 30 minutes or less.  I did not make that goal.  

We did however have fabulous sunny weather.  And I pushed myself even harder.  I know that some people look at my times and speeds and think – is she even moving.  To me, I think – I may not be the fastest, but I’ve come a long way from the 59 minute finishes in the past. 

I love this run, because it has such a diverse collection of participants.  From babies in strollers to seniors with canes and all walks between.  There are the ones that finish in 16 minutes and those that it is a social event and cross the finish line for hours.   The major thing is, everyone is having a fantastic time. 

Could be the giving back before we splurge on our holiday meal!

Last year the clock said 40:24 when I crossed the finish line.  Due to the extra-large crowds I decreased my time by 1 minute to come up with a final time of 39:24.

This year I crossed the finishline at 38:30.  Since I wanted to determine how long it took to hit the start line and forgot my watch, I used my MP3 player.  From the time they shot the gun to the time I crossed the start line passed on my first running tune.  Wow, they (my family) were about right on the assessment of time lost in the beginning.  This would mean about 35:30 for me this year. 

Forward motion is good!

My sincere gratitude

I just want to thank whom ever used my referral link and signed up at Ebates.  I decided to post about the Free Money and am so surprised that someone took me up on the offer!  The miracle of the Internet, we really are all connected.

I want you to know I truly appreciate that you used my link.  I think Ebates is a wonderful site.  They deliver what they promise and it is free money if you only use it on things you need.  Like I do! 

Could there be one more person out there on the fence about Ebates?  Come on, you know that you want to do some Christmas shopping online.  After all, those crowds are terrible.  You will be amazed how many big name stores are paying rebates through Ebates.  It’s like having a coupon on every purchase. 

Plus, like when the last secret person signed up, you will earn a $10 bonus after completing your first sale.  As long as you do it by November 30th.  With a bonus of $10 for me.  Plus, if another one of you signs and completes the deal before November 30th, I get an extra $10 bonus!

Check out my last post for more information.  I just know you love free money!  Maybe you can use it, and I, for health related items.

Do you worry?

Funny that not long after posting about my nervous feelings for the coming holiday, I receive an email from Spark People about The Destructive Power Of Worry.  Maybe they read my blog?

The email starts with a very true quote:

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength. - Corrie Ten Boom, author and human rights activist

I’ve lost many a day to worry.  Worry about my kids, family, money, debt, and lets not forget about that ever growing body size. 

My husband says I worry too much.  I know he is right, but I find it incredibly hard to stop.  My mind is like a rushing tidal wave of thoughts of worry:

• will my child pass in school
• do my kids eat enough healthy food
• am I a good parent
• will I die young because of my unhealthy body
• am I doing all I can to help my husband live a better happier and healthier life
• will our jobs keep us working
• will our bills be paid
• will the recession touch us
• will I run the 5k in less time this year

This is just a tiny bit screaming in my head at the moment.  I mean TINY. 

If you happen to worry too much too, here is what the email said – it is an eye opener. 

Legend has it that 90% of what we worry about never comes to pass. Whether that is statistically precise or not, there’s probably some truth to it in your life. How much of our lives do we miss because we’re agonizing over what might happen down the road? How often do we fail to act–even if it’s the right thing to do–because we fear any number of possible consequences? Fretting over the future doesn’t solve any impending problems. It only paralyzes your actions of the present. It stresses you out, makes you mentally and physically tired, and saps all the fun out of what could have been another great day. Next time you start to worry about what might happen, think of this: You can prepare, but you cannot predict. So do what you can and forget what you cannot.

I’m nervous!

Thanksgiving is only 2 days away and I feel blah!

I have a huge amount of cooking to do.  I’m finding it odd that my contribution to the family gathering is everything with a zillion calories.  Not that this is new, I have always been the baker in the family.  To give you an idea of my contributions, here is what I am bringing:

• Sweet Potato Bake
• Green Bean Casserole
• Pecan Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap crust

Can you say ‘go buy new pants 2 sizes larger’?

Generally, I’m not one to stuff myself on Thanksgiving.  Not only do I hate the feeling that your going to burst, but I think my style of eating is a little of everything over time.  Maybe you could call me a nibbler?

There is also another possible reason for my nervousness and my in ability to get stuffed on Thanksgiving.  With this holiday comes my families annual 5K run.  It isn’t a race really.  Although, most of us try to do our best and surpass the prior year.  My brother is the winner every year. 

This particular 5k is for charity.  There is a $25 entrance fee and the money goes to fill the food pantries in the area.  This one event feeds the hungry about 165 days out of the year.  It is huge. 

There are all types of participants, from babies in strollers to seniors.  Some walk.  Some Run.  Some do a combination.  Along the way there are drink stops. 

To me and my family, both immediate and extended, it is about gathering together and doing something for the world.  A moment when we can reflect on the many blessings we have with thank-fullness.  Then reach out and pay it forward. 

This is a spectacular tradition.  With its early morning start, it sets you in the most fabulous place for your day of gratitude – Thanksgiving!

All that said, I doubt I will be breaking any records this year.  I so miss my trainer.  I just feel blah!

1 Hour Glute Toner

Today I decided to give myself a day off in between Jillian days.  She is killing me, in a good way!  She may be the thing I need to break my downward spiral. 

So far this week I went from 169.8 lbs to 166.8.  That is the first positive movement I have seen in months.  Not all at once.  I’ve watched the scale drop by tenths daily. 

The really good thing for me was watching my BMI go back down.  I had worked it back up to 27.  It has been declining with the weight and is at 24.5 now. 

Plus, my bone mass pounds have come back up to 6.4.  Along with my water to 53.2.

I’m not holding my breath but I am hopeful.

Back to the treadmill.  I selected the pre-programmed Glute Toner in the Fat Burn area today.  I increased the initial time of 30 minutes to 60 minutes and let the machine do the work.  In this area it goes from 0-12.5 incline at various points and from 1.8 to 2.6 mph. 

In order to maximize my Glute Toner, when the incline would rise I would do deep lunges.  Generally any incline above 5.  And when the speed was up, I would utilize my arms and exaggerate the walk to insure some cardio. 

It was almost boring this slow, but I need to burn fat!!!!!

Free Money

I know this is off topic, but with the economy in the tank and the holidays in front of us, I wanted to share. 

There is a site called Ebates that is giving away $10 to anyone who signs up, using my link, by December 31, 2008. 

Things about Ebates:

1. It is free to sign-up.
2. Ebates is a site you go to, before you go shopping online.  Linking in to the store from their site automatically earns you a REBATE, cash back. 
3. Rebates are a percentage of your purchase.  Each store is different.
4. Ebates does all the tracking and receiving of your cash back.  You do nothing more then link through.
5. Ebates sends your rebates to you every quarter – 2/15, 5/15, 8/15 and 11/15.

This has been easy money for me for a couple of years.  I use this site alot for the holidays.  No crowds and easy shopping. 

If you sign-up, which you should if you aren’t already, you should know that you can double up on savings.  After linking through Ebates into my store of choice, I always check for other coupon and discount codes.  This is a fabulous perk of Ebates, because you don’t have to chose one savings over the other, you can get them all.

Also, the $10 FREE Money is credited to your account after you make your first qualified purchase.  No limit. 

One more thing, if you are gracious enough to use my link to sign up, they are giving me a $10 bonus too.  If 2 or more of you sign-up I could receive $30.  No pressure, but thanks if you consider this.

No workout yesterday

I spent the majority of my day in the car.  So, I had no set time to workout.  I did do some small exercises with my weights while watching television last night.  Nothing big though it did make the house feel warm.  Which was a treat since I am keeping the furnace low to conserve.

Today, I did the Jillian workout on my new digital cable again.  Then I tread-milled for another 20 minutes.  Making it a 50 minute workout.  I’m good and tired now.  My muscles even feel tight. 

The strange thing is while going with the television, I feel that I push myself to get the max.  Maybe because I watched the show first.  So, I know it will end.  I keep telling myself ‘your almost there’ and ‘don’t give up’.  Especially with the push-ups!  I stink at these.  I was better before, with the trainer.  Not anymore!

I just left!!!

I can not tell you how many times I have arrived at the local health club that is supposed to open at 5am and it isn’t open.  My morning class that I have been attending begins at 5:15am.  This is a terrible business practice.  Leaving me to feel like I was robbed of not only my work-out, but my time and money to get there. 

In the past, they have opened up prior to 5:10am.  Today, I sat there until 5:20am and then left!  I wasn’t the first to drive off.  There was a parking lot, as usual, full of cars waiting. 

I am one of those people who can not stand to be late.  Drives me bonkers.  I even have issues with showing up on time.  I just like to be early.  I believe it reflects the individual.  It is the responsible attitude.

If I was the owner of this club, that employee would be fired.  Since it is not an employee that opens 90% of the time, I would need to reflect on myself to see if this was what I truly had in mind.  Maybe I need to hire a morning person.  Maybe I would need to look into selling the business, before I lose my clientele.   Maybe I just needed to get to bed earlier and have a reliable alarm clock. 

What I would not do, is let it go unchecked. 

On a side note, these particular business owners, complain about their rent.  As a customer, I don’t want to hear it.  As a commercial property owner and landlord I would tell them it is based on price per square foot and that they knew this going in.  I know for a fact, because I do work for this particular property owner.

The time to complain and look for other accommodations was before the hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent to renovate the location. 

I love my morning class.  I doubt with this situations continuation that I will get myself out of bed and over in the cold, wasting my gas, only to sit and wait for someone to open the club.

167 lbs, 167 lbs, 167 lbs – I hate 167 lbs

Seems like I got firmly planted at this weight level.  Oh sure, every few days I will climb on and see 165 but 98% of the time I am 167-167.8 lbs.  How did this happen?

How did I go from a nice steady decline to nothing?  Why isn’t my body cooperating?  I don’t know what to do anymore.  I am still over-weight by this number.  My fat percent is not in a nice place either. 

I just feel like nothing is working anymore.  I need something to move positively to re-ignite my momentum.

Heart Monitor

Today I put on my treadmills heart monitor.  I selected the pre-programmed selection that targets fat burn.  I never had a speed higher then 3.6 mph.  And that was only temporary.  My average speed at the end was 3.2 mph.

I barely even broke a sweat.  I was sweating, but not with the soaken wetness I usually experience. 

So, if it is true that to burn fat you must go slower and maintain a lower heart rate, have I been wasting my time?  Have I only been working on my target cardio rate? 

Don’t get me wrong.  Strengthening the heart is important.  I just want to burn fat.  Could it be I have been doing this all wrong?  For 3 1/2 years?

I really want to get want of those heart monitoring systems (watch and belt) that you wear and it tells you what your burning through out the day.  Like the Biggest Loser people wear. 

If that 1 hour was in my target heart zone for fat burning, I’m in trouble.  My machine says I only burned just over 250 calories.