2013 - Living Beautifully

I've been thinking a bit about the "things" I would like to do this year and about how I am going to do them, and the key is (for me) to just DO THEM!

Here are some of my things:
 - take my little man out and explore local
    - this means, local walks, hikes etc
 - take the little guy snowshoeing before the end of March 2013
 - get a pass for both of us to Capilano Suspension Bridge (you pay to go 1 time and can go all year)
 - be more active in my work (volunteer for events, take more courses)  I did this at Christmas and it felt oh so good
 - run a loop of the new IMCanada course in Whistler
 - go watch IMCanada (doesn't have to be a girls weekend)
 - plan a long weekend family trip to either Oregon or Tofino to be taken before August 2013
 - first "Girls Trip" mom, sister, me and my niece - April 2013 BOSTON
 - Family vacay to Anaheim - woohoo 2013
 - Sub 1:30 1/2 mary
 - if in town either run or go cheer at Seawheeze
 - make a 10, 5 and 1 year goal list
 - watch my hubs take the "neverendingproject" out on the track and race
 - watch the little guy "race" his Puffo
 - keep donating locally (I found out when I give our old shoes to the emergency dept they go directly to patients that don't have shoes AND the condition doesn't matter) LOVE this!  AND there's more, I found a spot to donate our old clothes that go directly to the streets where there are needed the most.
 - keep being inspired by what other people are doing, my little person OMG does he ever inspire me!

Be Present - Meet New People - Embrace Opportunity - Explore - Try New Things - LIVE BEAUTIFULLY!

Good Eats/LuluWHS/and More Local Pretty

I don't know what is going on with the weather here right now, but I am certainly NOT complaining.  It's chilly, but oh so pretty.  Running has my head turned to one side looking at the mountains and just embracing our beautiful skyline.  I don't know if it's because I expect it to rain almost all the time, that everyday it's not downpouring I feel like it's a blessing:)  This past week, I was outside EVERY day at lunch either running, walking or Friday when I left work and headed down to the LuluWHS.

The Lululemon WHS = completion of my moms and my Boston outfit options.  (I may pick us up a short sleeved option if I am able to find one in that "Paris Pink" - I don't know if that is the name of it, but that is what I'm calling it).  I've been on the lookout for the short sleeved shirt for a long time and haven't seen it at the stores, online or at the outlet - so anyone, if you see the short sleeved option before Boston, send me a note please.

I wanted to go back down on Saturday to see Jackie Carr speak about goal setting, but we've had some plans in place that didn't allow for it.  The STAFF at Lulu are some pretty great people that made the event a fantastic shopping experience.  The music was great and so was the rest of the vibe.  For those of you that are able to make it down today (sunday), I hear it's still VERY much worth it.  So  GOOOOOOOO BC Place people!

Boston is about 2.5 months away and I am getting pretty excited to celebrate with my Mom.  Have I mentioned on here how PROUD of her I am?  Turns out the trip is going to be a "Girl's Trip" as my sister and my niece will be joining us as well - So FUN!

Training - well my longest run that I've done since just after my marathon in September is 10 miles.  I'm going to have to step that up a bit in the coming weeks so I am able to complete Boston.

I've registered for my 1st 1/2 marathon which will be March 2nd and I will use that run just to see where I am at.  I really need to stop eating like a "jack-a**" at some point too, otherwise no 1/2 mary goal will be achieved.

Cheers to eating more food like this:

One of our go to faves:

Greens

black beans

light feta

tomatos

corn

cucumber

dates
hardboiled egg

prawns

salad dressing - whatever kind you feel like.  I added ranch last night.

so simple and so tasty

Building Back - It's Sllllooooowwww But Steady

The last couple of weeks I have been running "free". Outside mostly with no garmin, just my music and the scenary below.

So pretty!

I've done a couple of runs at the gym, but they are slow. The only thing I am doing a tiny bit of, is increasing my incline on the tready. I feel I've been at this long enough, that I know coming off a break NO SPEED, it just doesn't work for me. Weights and Core have been key the last couple of weeks as well. I have been trying to do core 3 times per week and it really is minimal - like 5 min or 3 1 min planks and 3 other exercises. Right now, I figure something is better than nothing.

Weights - the goal is 2 times per week, but really I am happy with 1. I plan to continue with this plan increasing my mileage slowly, however, next week will be a bit of break as at the end of this week I will have completed a 3 week build and will cut it back next week. Probably just 3 runs and 2 cross training sessions, but we will see.

Cheers!

Hiking at Cleveland Dam

One thing I would like to continue to do this year, is embrace local beauty.  This past weekend I went on a little hike at Cleveland Dam. 

It was so beautiful.  The day was overcast, so it wasn't as clear as I've seen it before, but still ever so beautiful.  There were quite a few people out too.

Here are some pics:

Get out and embrace your local adventures!

Cheers!

New York Or BUST - Gunning for a Sub 1:30 1/2 in 2013

Races for 2013

B Race:  March 2, 2013 - Honey Wagon 1/2 Marathon  (goal to see where I am at hopefully a 1:35)

For A Race:  March 4, 2013 - 3 month focus plan begins

A+ Race:  April 15, 2013 - BOSTON with Mom woohoo!

A Race:  May 26, 2013 - Run for Water 1/2 Marathon - sub 1:30 or bust

Other Races:

Scotiabank 1/2 June 23, 2013

Seawheeze Lulu 1/2 August 11, 2013

There may be more, there may be less but the focus goal for this year is a sub 1:30 1/2.  It's a BIG goal for me.  I AM GOING AFTER IT!  Going to make IT Happen.  I want New York.  

Motivational pic - I need THAT pace for my A RACE - only 7 more miles;)

This week I started back to running more.  The last 6 weeks I had been running less than 1 time per week and saw/felt my body get out of shape.  That was the plan though.  I have a standard 8 mile go-to run which is 8 miles and the last few weeks by mile 5 it felt like I had ran a fast 10k.  In December I felt like I needed some sort of challenge, but with no pressure, so I decided to do as many "workouts" as I could in December.  The plan was always to take Christmas off, so the most would be 30 in 31.  I made it for 29 in 31.  The workouts were only 1hr of cardio (no more, no less) and whatever I felt like doing that day.  I liked the challenge.  In the summer I really want to do the 30 runs in 30 days.

This week I started tracking my workouts again and adding core and weights back in.  The first couple weeks of January I also made a deal with myself that I can only do 4 runs per week.  I am ready to run, but don't want to get injured.  In addition to that, nothing fast through Janaury.  I don't know if it's because of age or years of pounding on my body, but if I'm even 5 pounds over race weight (which is definitley where I am at now), I get injured doing speed work.  I LOVE running, so there will be NO speed work right now.  Slow and steady to the goal this year.

Happy New Year - make YOUR Dreams HAPPEN!