SLACKIN'

I know, I know... I thought posting my weekly workouts would force me to keep up with my training, but this past week I have been slacking. I don't know what has gotten into me, but working out seemed more like a choir than an escape. Last week's workout was supposed to end with a 10 mile run that I was thrilled about at one point. I wanted to run the new trail but Sunday came and went. But Sunday wasn't all a waste... My hilarious, cute and active niece and I went to the beach. I need to work on a base tan before Jamaica and of course, spend some time with fam. She is a smart cookie who wants to be a vet or marine biologist when she grows up. We stopped by Pacific Marine Mammal Center were we got to see rescued seals.

At the front entrance there were actual whale bones. I love that my niece is so into these things. Then we were off to Laguna Beach. The water was so beautiful and clear. We splashed in the water and at times got knocked over. One wave hit me so hard it felt like I did a belly dive. My niece got a kick out of my grunt. So my 10 miles was moved into this weeks workout. And did I mention, I was SLACKIN'??? Here is my pathetic workout week...more like a "rest" week.

Mon: Rest
Tue: 5 mile run x 2.
Wed: Rest.
Thur: Still nothing
Fri: Yup... nada
Sat: 5K run with my sisters. Planning a second run after work.
Sun: Planning on doing a 12 mile run.

So.... that means I owe myself (not including the runs I have not done yet) 12 miles (2-3 mile runs and a 6 mile run) I will "pay" myself back these miles tonight and next week.

I will NOT walk!

This morning I woke up at 5AM. It's no secret that I am not a morning person, however, I was surprisingly alert and upbeat this morning. My youngest sister wanted to run a 5k without stopping or walking, so we trained some and signed up for a pretty flat street race. We ran it in 40 mins flat. Not bad for my sister's 2nd 5K and she accomplished her goal!

We took advantage of waiting in line by the porta-Johns for a photo opt. And waiting at the finish line was my love and lil Ms. Jayla.

Afterwards my mom treated us to breakfast. I had a veggie omelet with potatoes and a pancake. It was a little hole in the wall place, but really good. I love it that my family does active things together and as the years go by I feel like we are growing closer and closer.

Catching up with some H.S. buddies

Wow... it's been 12 years since I've seen these gals. It's crazy how much time has passed and to see where people are in there lives. We started off at Chomps Sushi which has to be my favorite sushi place. There tons of great memories there and they have a Sexy Mutha roll that is out of this world!!!

This meet up started through a social networking site where Ruby and I got caught up on the last decade and arranged a meet up. We were supposed to hang out last week but I got called into work, so had to reschedule. I remember going to elementary school with Ruby and our corny teacher Mrs. Unland. We didn't go to the same Jr high, but did meet up again in H.S.

I met Lisa in Jr. High we had some classes together like choir (yes, at one point in my life I actually thought I could hold a tune) and we went off to the same H.S. too.

I am trying to jog my memory about Debbie. She remembered me and gave me a warm embrace, so I will have to search the yearbook and jog that memory of mine. We had great conversations about travels, dreams, goals, men, school, exs and people we have bumped into since H.S. It was a really nice dinner. A common comment during the night was "you look EXACTLY" the same!!" I hope they are talking about my freshman, Sophomore and maybe Jr year and not my senior year because I was a chuck by then.
We headed off to an awesome lounge with great ambiance. We talked some more, had drinks and people watched and Erika stopped by. Later on we went to a bar that I have been to before with Jay and Santa. But it was getting late, well I guess not THAT late for a Friday night... 11:30ish. But I did have a long drive to do to get back home, was planning on running the next morning with my sis and had to work the next day AND to top it off a lot of people were smoking in the patio and I don't do well with cig smoke... so I said my good byes. It was a cool night. And I was surprised that I was able to "hang" with only 3 hours of sleep...maybe I am not THAT "old."

I've been going on many dates

...with "Bob." I had to come into work this morning bright and early for day shift coverage. Yup, a 12-hr shift from 6a-6p. Tonight I am hanging out with a ol' friend at my favorite sushi place, so probably will be home late. Why is this all important? Well, that means I would have to workout tonight when I got home OR this morning before work. Last night (or should I say this morning?) I didn't get to bed until til passed midnight, so when my alarm went off at 3:30AM you KNOW I turned it off and tried to get more ZZZ's, but couldn't. Jay came into the room before 4AM to help motivate me to get out of bed. Did I mention I am not a morning person? Poor guy got to see my ugly side (just a little). I turned off my next 2 alarms and just decided to go do my run, so at 4AM before the sun was peeking thru the clouds, I was on another date with Bob. We did a 3 mile run and then parted ways. Until our next date...

Yup, I'm bragging...

...cuz I am proud of myself! I'm taking calculus over the summer at a local junior college because my school requires that I take the prior prerequisites within the last 3 quarters. They offered me entrance into college algebra (which I have already taken), but I didn't want to push back graduating any more then I already have to. Plus, who wants to take more math then they need to? Unless you love it or are majoring it, most people try to avoid it.

Calculus is challenging. It's a 6 week course that covers 7 chapters and a test every week. The very first week we covered 2 chapters and about 200 pages of material and on the first test I got a D. I was feel discouraged and contemplated dropping the course. I didn't want to spend waste my summer taking a class that I would have to take again. Then came test #2. Luckily it was just on one chapter, however, I studied and studied and just wasn't getting it. I texted Jay the day of the test after studying for about 4 hours and told him I was planning on dropping the class. I didn't tho. I took the test and just hoped for a passing score and I improved a little from the first test with a C grade.

And then... test #3 and #4.. TAH DAH!!!!
This coming week I have a final that will cover 2 chapters of new material and on stuff I was tested on before. Wish me luck! After next Thursday summer will officially begin for me.

Completing a month of training

Time to celebrate that month! WOOHOO!!!! A part of me didn't want to post this week because I really enjoy logging onto my blog and seeing the picture of Beyonce. It was VERY motivating. I want those abs!!! Nonetheless, I found someone else whose body also motivates me. This week was pretty exciting for me because I found a new running trail that I LOVE!! I worked 2 day shifts and one of our officers is on light duty due to pregnancy, so we got to chatting about working out. She recommended a trail by her house and even though the trail is pretty far from my house, it is well worth the drive. It used to be a railroad, but it has been converted to a side-by-side paved and dirt trail which is ideal for my training because it will allow me to ween myself off dirt paths for the marathon that is solely on asphalt and concrete. The first trail map I saw was deceiving because it has these numbers on it from 1-5 that are supposed to be mile markers (that eventually add up to 6 miles one way); however, on mapmyrun.com my run was 4.52 miles at my turnaround point. Maybe it is right mileage on the trail map, I don't know... but what I DO know is that it took FOREVER! I am used to running on a treadmill where I visually see my pace, time, and distance, but out in the open I do not have that. For training purposes this is a good trail because the race is also like that. I do know that a few time robbers that I have to account for are the stop lights, water break at a near by park and the walking I did for about 15 minutes, but all in all it took me 2 whole hrs to get to my car. Yes, 2 hours!!! That means I ran for like 1:45 which also means my pace was approximately between 11.64-13.33. Since I don't have a Nike+, Garmin or some other running device, I don't know my "true" time. No, I don't have a iPhone with an app either. I plan on getting something to track my pace next time though. When is next time you ask? Next week... 10 miles!
My workout schedule this week:

Mon: I honestly can't recall if I worked out, so by default I a will have to put it as a rest day. It was 4th of July and I know I worked from 1800-2330, but can't recall if I workout before work. Oh well.... If I did, it would've been a 3 miles run.

Tue: Ran 3 miles (29:38) and did weight training. Lunges w/ weights, kettle bell swings, squats w weights, wobble board, arms, dead lifts and calf raises :)

Wed: Ran 4 miles (39:28) AND did an Insanity DVD workout with Crystal.

Thur: Didn't workout! I should've..but I worked a 6a-5p shift AND went to class from 6-9:15 and had to work the next day, so pussed out.

Fri: I was supposed to workout with Cristy but pregnancy 1st trimester illness got to her and so I went home a took a nap and didn't wake up until midnight. So much for working out.

Sat: Ran 9:02 miles :)

Sun:.... and so here I am due for a double workout because the sleepies got to me and because I can't remember if I worked out on Monday. I am about to go on a 3 mile run and then do 30 mins of cross training. On the list is 50 burpees and the rest I will play it by ear.

All you can EAT!!!

Every qtr the "bio group" tries to get together and hang out. We all meet up to catch up. Some of us have classes together, but for the most part we don't and only see each other during these times. Well what was supposed to be a group get together turned out to be a part of 3.

Nonetheless, we had fun and ate a whole lot. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we checked off tons of rolls off the all you can eat menu. That picture is just half of what we ordered...WOW! The forgot some of the sashimi, but we didn't mention it.

Maddy's 3rd birthday

I was going to post and realized I had all these old post saved under draft mode. Oops! So I guess, I should go back and officially them! Seeing how this party was back in what May????
Our goddaughter is growing up! It amazes me how much she has developed in the last year. She is speaking full sentences and loves to share. Her party was Tangled themed and Santa made cupcakes that had Rapunzel and Pascal. They must've taken forever! It was super cute!! And the cake with a coffee and nut middle was so yummy! Nowadays the groom is having a grooms cake, well I want my very one cake too and I want it to be white with that filling. I know I am greedy, but if you had it, you would be thinking the same thing.

Any who... back to the celebration! Do you see Jayla up in front? She is getting so tall.

Naturally, I am ALWAYS trying to get a shot of Jay and I. I was some what successful but this won't be a candidate for our xmas card.

One little one that is NOT camera shy, is my niece Lizzy. She was watching a friend's soccer team and was just down the street so stopped by to take part of the party.

And can you believe she broke the pinata...YAY! Go Lizzy!!

It was a fun time! Happy Birthday Maddy!!

When I look in the mirror...

I want to look like her! I JUST saw the Destiny's Child video for the song "Cater 2 You." Holy crap when I saw Beyonce is in her black bathing suit I became insantly motivated!!!! No joke, I am buying at least ONE picture of her in a bathing suit to put in front of my treadmill.

And I am pretty sure Jay won't mind having a picture of her up in the garage :)

So with that said I have 2 days left in my official 3rd week of training. I have a cross-training day and a 5 mile day left. I work 'til 10pm, so tonight will be my x-training night. And since this is where I am keeping a log of my workouts for the next 14weeks, here was this week's schedule.

Mon: Rest day

Tue: Rest day

Wed: Double run 4 miles (40:02) in the afternoon and 3 miles (28:12) in the evening

Thur: Evening 3 mile run at the track with Santa

Fri: Rest day

Sat: I will be doing a Insanity DVD, squats, lunges, and burpees after work

Sun: 5 mile run at the park is planned

And Jamaica is what, 6 weeks away? I think so, time to get a little more serious!!!!!!

2-tiered Diaper Cake

Jay's marine buddy is having a baby girl and today is the baby shower. I work so won't be able to go to the shower, but just HAD to make his marine buddy & the mommy-to-be a diaper cake. The first one I ever did was for Santa after seeing premade ones online that you could order. For hers I used stuff she had registered for, but I didn't know if the parents-to-be registered and was kinda in a rush, so just bought some essentials like lotion, bottles, bibs, baby powder, etc (and of course diapers)

I placed the cake on a cute pink design decorative plate. It's only the 3rd one I've done ever and really I hope they like it!