Running Inspiration

Holy smokes!  Where has the time gone?  So many amazing things happening.  I am in LOVE with this time of the year.  The brisk chill in the morning air makes me smile.  Although riding a bike in 40 degree weather makes me get a little RT.  Yeah, I had to turn the heater on this morning.  They are predicting am showers with possibility of snow.  SNOW!  What in the world is going on? 

I finally nailed down the final design on the head badges and they are off to manufacturing.  I am so excited how the final design turned out.  Here is the new design.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to be commissioned to take the Mesa Falls Marathon photos.  It was an absolute pleasure!  I had  a lot of great help from my fabulous mother, and friend Kelly.  The pain in the butt came when we had to index all 800 plus photos.  Wow, what a job.  It was such an amazing experience watching these individuals run/walk the race.  So many different types of people.  There were young people my children's age.  Older folk, my grandmother's age.  Larger boned bodies. . . . small and petite.  They were running for the gold, or finishing as a gift to a love one who had passed.  I LOVED every minute of it!  They made me realize that anything is possible.  You just keep one foot in front of the other and keep pressing on.  Check out some of the amazing runners here www.lifephoto.smugmug.com

3 MONTH CHALLENGE UPDATE - Week 2

PLUS 1 pound (total weight loss -4)

EXERCISE - beyond slacker

So I could say

• 
  
  That I was super busy
• 
  
  The kids made me eat that
• 
  
  My body hurt too bad to exercise
• 
  
  I had NO time
• 
  
  My dog ate my kids homework so I had to stay up late helping them.

or I could just say that I have NO excuse for why I was not 100% this week.  Life happens!  Goals for this coming week.

• 
  
  Prepare meals - check
• 
  
  4 days weights
• 
  
  4 days cardio

Can't wait for Monday!  It's time to kick some serious buttahh!

3 Month Challenge Update

THREE MONTH CHALLENGE - MONDAY UPDATE

Weight Training (4 days)
Cardio Training (5 days)
Healthy Weight Loss (-5 Pounds) Too much for one week, but things will slow down next week.  Off to a great start.

(I am not being compensated in any way for doing this program .  The only thing being compensated will be my rear end!)

I have to say that I learned a lot this week about myself and my family.  I learned that no matter how prepared you are - things are going to come up.  You have to be able to deal with the challenges, and accept the consequences of your choices.  I learned that in order to be successful at any healthy eating journey you HAVE to focus on YOU! 

Let me explain (THIS SECTION MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR ADULT EARS)

• Dishes, dishes everywhere - Do I do the dishes, or go workout?  Well, this is my response for the week. . . . SCREW the dishes!  It's 8:00 at night and I haven't worked out - now if I want to be successful at changing things I need to say NO to something.  So, yup the dishes are going to have to wait.
• Reading time with kids - Well, again it's late at night - I'm pooped and I have spent all day with the children entertaining them.  I don't have to feel guilty for not reading tonight so again - SCREW the reading!  I'm off to workout.
• There should be a rule that people can't wake up before 5:30am.  That is just not a time of day that people can function.  Well, this week 5:30am came way too early.  Again, SCREW the sleep . . . it's time to workout!

Again, I apologise for the foul language, but I am trying to get a point across.  If you want something bad enough, you have to make sacrifices.  The sacrifices you make will end up making you stronger and healthier. 

Challenges - Brian made some yummy huckleberry apple pie.  Freak, how can you pass this up?  Well, one bite won't hurt.

Positives about Living the Life

Even though the first few days I wanted to just scream for a chocolate bar it ended up being alright.  I felt prepared with what I was going to eat and when I was going to eat it.  I never felt hungry!  I was eating all the time (right proportions, right combinations).  Well, one week down and a lifetime to be healthy!  Can't wait.

Fit Day

(Jess, sporting the new Bella Rosa jersey)

It has been a fun past few days. 

We have had so many visitors up in our neck of the woods. 

We were able to visit with Stephanie, Jill, Michelle, and Jessica.  They all came up individually to get fit properly on their new bikes.  Jessica, came up to get fit for a new Titanium cross bike.  Cross season - soon to start up. 

(Steph getting a good fit)

(Stephanie and her husband Jeff)

I get so excited for them because I know how much happier/comfortable they will be riding with a good fit.  People comment often on how their custom bike has solved their neck or back pain.  They comment on how the proper fit has made it so their knees don't ache.   Brian is a bike magician.   He has worked with bikes since was 12 years old.  He is ONE with the bike.  He can make you one with your bike. 

Michelle - close to 6 feet tall -  now has zero neck pain.

(Jessica getting fit for her new Titanium cross bike)

Here is a new cross bike Brian is building for Randy- It's crazy AWESOME!

So girls, if you are having trouble with your current bicycle and your ride is just not 100% satisfying - come on up for a visit.  We would LOVE to see you.

A Healthier Lifestyle

Ever since I was a child I have been active. I mean extremely active. You name a sport, I played it. . . . a lot of it. I would spend hours in a court cranking on racquetballs against my elder brothers . Yeah, it felt great to pelt them in the buttocks every now and again. My weekends and weekdays were filled with trips to the local crag - climbing with good friends. Don’t forget the weekday trips to the mountain. It felt good to ride fast down the steepest of slops after a good rain. Mud, how I loved the mud.

(warrior society photo)

It wasn’t until my third child that I realized that the buns of steel were no longer rock hard. When it was time to sit down at the dinner table I had to unbutton my pants so I wouldn’t poke an eye out with a flying button.

Exercise has never been a problem for me, but eating a few extra treats has brought me a few extra unwanted pounds. Sure, I am satisfied with my body, but there are several things that I can change that would make me smile just a little more. I know my closet would increase in size from clothes that have been stored for years with tags saying “skinny clothes”. I don’t know one woman who could honestly say that she loves herself whole heartedly 110%. Sad, isn’t it?

I learned something amazing the other day while doing a photo shoot for a friend. I told her daughter that she looked beautiful in her summer dress. Her mom replied to her daughter. What makes us pretty? She asked her little girl. The little girl responded with “MY HEART” makes me pretty. I feel truly blessed to have such a strong body. I am so greatful for my heart that beats each and every day without fail.

I feel that now is the time to start living a healthier lifestyle. Even though exercise makes my heart strong, the foods I eat have a dramatic effect on how I feel the rest of my life. So, I have committed myself and family to eating healthier.

My friends over at Live the Life take the guess work out of planning and preparing your weekly meals.  For three months I will document my progress. I will give you weekly updates on the positives and negatives of Living the Life. I will share with you my experience of becoming a beautiful person from the inside out – just like the little girl in the story.

So, for now . . . I will finish off these chocolate chip cookies that are saying “eat me, eat me”. Just joking. Off to the grocery store for some cabbage – YUM!

Favorite Protein Shake

Do protein shakes make you want to vomit?  Do you have this nasty chalk taste left in your mouth after you gag it down?  Well, I am here to attest that you no longer have to vomit up your next protein shake.  My friends over at Live the Life know how to make shakes.  Here is one of my favorites

add one scoop of this . . .

add 1/2 frozen banana - yum

add 3 drops of this . . .

add 1/4 cup frozen berries or my favorite  - fresh huckleberries

add 4 ice cubes and blend away.

I always make this drink first thing in the morning right before I workout.  I don't think that my family enjoys the early morning 5:00am noise that the mixer makes, but it sure makes my belly say YUM.  You can also use it as a post exercise shake.  Don't be afraid to mix in 1/4 cup blended oats.  Heart healthy!

Early Morning Rides

What a fantastic summer it has been.  Early morning road rides, walks by the river and mud in the face from wet mountain bike rides make me happy.  I am in LOVE with summer.  I love the smells, and the open air that this majestic land offers.  I don't want one day to go by without appreciating it's amazing beauty.   I wish you were here to see how absolutely beautiful it is.  I wish I could also experience your morning rides.  The mountains in your neck of the woods.  The smells from your green pastures.  

This week I met up with some old friends and one new friend.  We headed out to the mountains for a morning ride.  The air was clean from the rain storm that rolled in the previous night.  My tires were pumped to maximum capacity and we were ready to roll.  

I have been hearing some pretty amazing BEAR stories from the Fish and Game.  BEWARE OF BEARS!!  BEWARE OF BEARS!!  It just so happens that we were riding the trial that the grizzly was spotted on a week before.  Usually these things don't really sketch me out much, but this morning I was feeling a little uneasy.  Kelly was there with her camera to do a little filming.  As she waved goodbye from the top of the mountain we headed toward the last opening until the final downhill.  I stopped for a moment to see something pretty glorious.  It was a valley with hundreds of trees.  These trees had all been scrapped by some kind of animal.  Alright, so I almost pooped my chamois.  It kind of freaked me out.  I wish more than anything I had taken my camera to document this amazing find.  After pulling myself together and singing several songs LOUDLY we headed for the single track downhill.  

It was freakin awesome.  I was super stoked to not have been eaten by a grizzly.  We had a great time, with great friends.  So try getting out this week to your favorite mountain trail.  It's worth waking up to. 

Break Down Barriers Featured Writer - Jennica Hirrlinger

Today is a good day. I'm sitting in a camp chair under cover of rustling aspen leaves, listening to my husband teach fundamentals as he throws passes to the kids. They, are tan skinned and sun-bleached and loving this active summer. Duke, our yellow lab, has placed himself in the "monkey in the middle position" and is happily chewing on a softball. The mountains on the horizon fade into the blue sky as the lillies stretch toward the sun. The grass is soft on my bare feet and my ankle has a gentle ache from my first post-sprain 10 miler. And my belly is full of fresh summer salads and chocolate chip cookies.

"Put it in the numbers, Linc!" says Jimmy to encourage proper quarter-backing technique. I hear the reciever giggle as the ball is caught, tucked, and carried back across the line of scrimmage. Cutting right to avoid a tackle makes the ball carrier's arms and legs look strong and the definition of the sinews would make even a seasoned athlete jealous.

Like I said, it's a really good day and it motivates me to get off the couch and resume tough training now that my ankle has healed enough. I have done a few workouts in the last couple weeks that have induced some disappointment with the back-slide of my fitness level and I have been forced to evaluate what training and racing really mean to me. It's tough to start over. It's tough to hurt again and work through sore muscles. But, experiencing this perfect day in the shade of my tree and watching my family and my football star, I'm reminded that it's worth it.

Um, did I mention that this particular football star is my 7 year old daughter?

Start over if you have to, break down barriers, and rock on, girls!