PROUD TO BE A FIT MOM

Running for me is life

2012-02-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Today I headed out for a 6km run. My final run of the week and I was going to make it a hard one. 10 minutes before heading out my 9 year old daughter asked me if she could run with me. So we did. And it was amazing. She was amazing.
When I watch her run, I see so much potential. I see HER. I see her spirit and her youth. I see her entire life ahead of her, full of triumphs and disappointments. I see myself all over again before I made all the mistakes I made that I can't erase....and I am filled with so much hope and joy and love for her.

When I run I get to forget my past. I get to move on, and conquer once again. I get another chance to push myself past my limit of what I think I can achieve. Running proves to me that I'm still here. I have not given up and there is still so much hope left in ME. There are triumphs still waiting.

To share that with my daughter brings me a joy I can hardly put into words. When I watch the video below I get the same feeling as I do when I see her run.When I see any of our four beautiful children accomplish anything amazing..which is all the time. I get the same feeling when I conquer another km, another milestone. Another run.

Running has also allowed me to let go. To let God take control of every day,every run, and every step. Every run is not a record, but every run and every step is a victory....know what I mean??

Watch the video. Know that YOU too can conquer anything. Any fear. Any desire. You just have to want it bad enough and believe in yourself.

This video for me is also not just about victory. It is not just about getting up and finishing after falling. It is about believing who you are. Who God made you to be. That girl KNEW she would win that race. She knew deep in her heart that she was the fastest runner there. She did not allow a fall to take that from her.

So what will I do the next time life knocks me down? What will YOU do?

Fitness is More than Running

2012-02-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned this MANY times before, but physical exercise is only a PART of fitness. Other parts include stress reduction, hydration, sleep, diet, and flexibility.  We are complicated beings, and if we neglect one part, we will see the effects in another.

In order to have optimal energy and recovery for my training, I NEED to take care of the other parts in my life. This year I am focusing on hydration, sleep, and fueling my body with as much nutrition as possible.

Alcohol and caffeine dehydrate you. There is no if and's, or but's about it. You will never be at your optimum health if you don't quit these addictions. At least that is what I have been feeling for a while. Instead I've been working on replacing them with healthy shakes, packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and water. When I'm drinking these I have MORE energy, and my moods are SO MUCH BETTER, that I tend to not want to grab a coffee anymore.    My skin is also clearer, and I'm noticing a little belly fat beginning to disappear.

I believe that watching my nutrition a little closer, and getting AMPLE sleep at night is really helping my cortisol levels. I just feel more balanced and that is a nice place to be.

I sometimes need a little motivation, and some extra help. I think I've mentioned her before, but Shan Larter has an INCREDIBLE website that can help you find the motivation, and knowledge you need to reach your full potential health wise. She has a VERY cool and FREE resource to help you kick the coffee habit. I know printing off the ill effects of its use, and pasting it above my coffee maker really helped me. Have I mentioned it is FREE??   Don't be alarmed by the words 'eating disorder'. 99% of us have 'disordered eating' habits in North America any way. Seriously. Check her out.....and no I am not being paid to tell you this. Nor did she ask me to. I refuse to recommend anything I have not checked out myself or love.

So that's it.
I'm off to make myself something nutritious to eat.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Plugging along...

2012-02-02T06:52:00.000-08:00

I'm alive!! Busy..But alive I promise.

My marathon training is on it's way. This week I ran over 50kms!!! Can you believe it? I can't. No really...I can't believe it. I have NEVER run that much in my entire life, and my knee doesn't even hurt!!!
I get a little bored with the drudgery, but my body is holding up and that is important. I notice I'm even getting a little faster. This month I will continue with simple runs, continuing to build my kms. I will add core strength and stretching so keep strong. in MARCH, when my body is used to the long kms, I will begin to add track workouts once a week. This will make me stronger and allow me to pick up my pace during the longer runs.

It is my HOPE, that when I run the 1/2 marathon April 22nd, that I will be able to run it at PACE... That means I will be aiming for a 145-150min time. That is 10-15 FASTER than what I ran it last year, but considering last year I only ran 3x a week and did not do much else, I think it is doable.

This winter has been STRANGE. It has been extremely ICY. I'm not exaggerating when I say that most of my runs are done on shear ice. I am getting a little tired of it. I'm not sure if I want to wish for snow and blizzards though. How about cold, CLEAR weather??

I've started a little picture series called NO EXCUSES for fun. My running partner Anita and I have been running in the craziest weather and are trying to laugh at it. Below is an attempt at poking fun of our night runs.

I need your support

2012-01-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

Please take a second to read this. At the end if you don’t care about supporting Mito Canada and my friend, then will you please support ME by helping me raise the money for Mito Canada? Every dollar will make a difference. Would you also forward this to someone else that may be willing to help me?

So here it is….

Running has helped me overcome obstacles in my life. In fact, I believe it is running that has helped me overcome my addictions. I run for stress relief. I run for the adrenalin. I run for the fitness. I run to prove to myself that I can do it. I run for me.

Training for my marathon is about MY goals. MY dreams, and well…me. But I don’t want life to be all about me me me. So how can I take a passion of mine and use it to help someone else? After all, I believe God calls us to use our talents and passions to help others. So I am trying to use my passion just that way.

I am running the Ottawa Marathon, May 2012. Training for a marathon is done one step at a time, one km at a time. In fact, marathon included, I will be running 1125kms to train for the event.

My goal is to raise one dollar for every km I run. The marathon is a journey, and I want every step of the way to be about something greater than myself.

I decided to raise money for Mito Canada for 2 reasons:

One, because my friend Sarah has a son with Mitochondrial disease. I can’t be there to help her with her daily struggles, and I can’t fix her son. So what can I do to show her that I care?? I can raise money that will go directly to her family and other families in Canada that struggle with the same thing. Since the money raised will not only go towards desperately needed research, but also help her directly, this is my way of telling her that I care.

The second reason is because of Mito's slogan "running for those that can't ". After becoming paralyzed from a tumor that was crushing my spinal cord, and doctors telling me that I may never walk again, I can't tell you how grateful I am every time I step out the door to run. God gave me back the use of my legs and using them to help others seems to be a good way to say thank you.

Running has always cured my ailments, and it is my prayer that my running can in turn cure someone else.

Thank you for taking the time to support not only me on my journey, but also Team Mito. Every little bit of support helps to make a difference in the lives of those affected by this terrible disease, and some of them are in your neighborhood.

Please…If you could support me on my journey I would really appreciate it. Donating is EASY. Just click on the link that I provided. Donating is done on line and is secure. You even get a tax receipt. If the link below does not work, simply go to Mitocanada.org, find the donations page and type in Alyson McNish to link up with my page.

Thank you for helping me.

Alyson.

Click below to access my page

My donation page

NO EXCUSES ALLOWED

2012-01-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

I can't begin to explain to you the weather outside right now. Yesterday is was ICE...as in we were worried about a SEVERE ice storm circa 1998. This morning it was POURING rain, and then 20 minutes later snow flakes fell the size of my nose. Seriously.

I had to make an executive decision. I say executive because I have complete control over my fitness. Yesterday I made the executive decision to be EXTREMELY lazy and eat potatoes at 9pm (for which I am suffering for today )

Anyway, I was scheduled to do a 10km run today, and a 10km hill workout tomorrow. I knew that if I did not get my run today I would steer off course. I begged any friend I had to put me on their guest list at the YMCA today so I could at least hit the treadmill. BUT then I realized that TOMORROW is supposed to look like today BUT also be 15C COLDER.

So out I went......... 10km in 54minutes. ;) No excuses.

It made all the difference in the world having THESE PUPPIES...a gift for me from the best running partner ever ;)

The YMCA will just have to wait until tomorrow...maybe ;)

How we busy mom's 'do it'

2012-01-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ab workout number two complete for the week. How did I fit in mothering a toddler, cleaning, painting, chickens, making kids lunches, supper prep, baking cookies, blogging, AND ab workout?? Not to mention my 10km run tonight??

Easy. Planning.

AND

Who says I can't do sit ups while watching my Young and the Restless?? I have half an hour of complete silence and down time before Audrey wakes up and the kids get off the bus. I CHOOSE to sit at the computer while watching something fluffy on t.v, and blogging to you. It is all about priorities.
Oh, and I'm running with my friend while our kids are at a program tonight. The program is 1.5hrs. Perfect time for a 10km and stretch no?

Besides...

I'll be home by 8:30pm tonight and I will put my PJ's on and throw myself onto the couch for an hour before bed. I get down time, and that down time is sooooo nice when I know I've put in a days work.

Oh.... and that is just today. Every day can be as active and lazy as I want. The day I clean my house is NOT the day I do much other physical activity. It is all about balance, and frankly if I want to choose to 'take the day off' and do as little as I can I certainly will thank you very much...Sometimes The Young and the Restless needs my full undivided attention ;)

My Fundraising page is up!

2012-01-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

I ran hills and my first 12km run last week and feel great. I am ready and pumped up to train for this marathon. Now all I need is your support. Will you help me help an amazing family? Will you show me your support and encouragement by supporting my cause? I REALLY want to raise 1$ for every km I run. I really want and NEED the motivation to keep training, and would love to know that my friends and family support me.

CLICK HERE for a link to my fundraising site.

Thank you in advance for helping me help others and making this year not only about my goal, but about sacrificing my life and comfort for someone else.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Week One Complete

2012-01-08T04:58:00.000-08:00

I ran hills for the first time in YEARS yesterday. I was expecting not to be able to walk today but surprisingly feel great. That completes my first week of training for a FULL MARATHON. I only have 1100kms to go. Seems like a LOT of kms, but I'm no longer overwhelmed. One km at a time, one goal at a time, one week at a time and before I know it race day will be HERE!!

Tomorrow I run 12kms and I'm fine with that. I feel strong today. My experience with the half taught me that I will have good weeks and terrible weeks and that is O.K.

I'm looking forward to being able to start collecting money for TEAM MITO. My clothing order will arrive sometimes in February, and I just purchased a new pair of running shoes. The money I need to spend to train pales in comparison to the money my friend needs to spend to care for her son with Mitochondrial disease. This is my way of supporting her and helping her out so I'm o.k with stretching our budget for a great cause.
Mito Canada's goal is to raise awareness for this tragic disease, raise funds to support the family's dealing with it, and raise money for research to find a cure or medicines that help these kids. I love knowing that every km I run is for Nicholas and Sarah. It is not about me. It is about them and making a difference in their lives.
Will you consider helping me help them??

Alyson

Do as I do

2012-01-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

How do we teach our children character? How do we teach them to be healthy and enjoy an active lifestyle?

The same way we taught them how to walk and talk....

We lead by example.

It takes 20 minutes of your time. It takes staying in your pj's. It takes putting that coffee and book down you are enjoying in your sunporch. It takes buying used equipment. It takes doing it for yourself as well as for them.

BIGGEST training mistakes

2012-01-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

There are a few pretty big mistakes people make while training. I find the following to be one of the worst ;

Going out too fast in the beginning of the run. The thought process ( If I run faster in the beginning, I'll go further, and that will compensate for when I get slower the second half. I'll run further/faster than the people who go slower and steadier or run/walk.)

WRONG!!!!!! WRONG!!!!! WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you go too fast in the beginning you will deplete yourself and thus your second half will be WAY slower than your first. Those people pacing themselves will PASS you as you chug a lug. Also the people who went a tiny bit slower than you in the beginning will have way MORE energy for the second half and be FASTER than their first half.

Think of the Tortoise and the Hare story. Only in this scenario the hare has nothing left in the gas tank.

So how do you know how fast to go??????

When you train, do at least one run a week where you go out for a distance and turn around and come back. At the turn around, check your watch. Your second half should be faster than your first. Simple.

There is nothing worse than DYING at the end of a run and having everyone pass you, and no better feeling than WHIZZING past everyone at the end. Especially the ones that past you in the beginning and thought they were all that ;) In a short 5km, the people who went out too fast for their bodies, will get passed at about the 1.5km mark. Not fun.

Yes you can go TOO slow in the beginning, experience will help you with that. I use the breathing test. The first half of my run my breathing is up but I can talk to you. For my long slow runs I can talk to you the entire time, but the last few kms I stop. On a short run, I don't want to mutter a word the second half because my lungs are busy.

GO test yourself. With a little training you will know how fast you can start off, and the more races you do, the more you will know just how fast you can push yourself.

MAKING the time

2012-01-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Drove to my mother's, dropped the kids off and ran home...the long way. When I schedule my runs, look at the week ahead and MAKE it work, I am better off. I am day two in my marathon journey.
Yesterday I ran 2km with my daughter, and today I ran a hilly 10km route in the fluffy snow.

If I can do this so can anyone. It is about the journey. Not the destination. So take the scenic route and take a deep breath.
Happy Running,
Alyson

Sunshine Vitamin

2011-12-29T09:59:00.000-08:00

Vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin...the happy vitamin is a VERY important part to any healthy lifestyle. Sure, the only skin exposed to such a vitamin may be your face, but a little is better than nothing.
There is something about a cold snowy day, when the wind stops and the sun shines that lifts our spirits more than anything else.

Have you had your vitamin D today??

Picture perfect Moments

2011-12-28T13:33:00.000-08:00

There we were. Me the ninja dressed in my fancy black running gear from head to toe. And head to toe meaning hat, headband, and fuzzy neck thingy pulled up over my nose. With sun glasses. Her.. In four layers of clothing. Husbands sweater with hood pulled tight around her face,slushy pants pulled up to her nipples, and my ski goggles.

There we were.

Running 7 km and not caring at all what anybody thought.

We were running. And chatting. And running some more.

Not allowing the weather to stop us.

That my friends...is commitment....and memories ;)

2011-12-28T05:59:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I'm slightly overwhelmed at the number of kms I will need to run in the next 5 months to train for the Marathon. I calculated the official kms in my training program and they total 1125kms !!!!
I added them up because I will be trying to raise 1$ for every km I run. The money goes towards Mito Canada, a very worthy cause.

Wow, 1125 kms is a LOT. One step at a time right? One dollar at a time right? Perhaps when I order my Team Mito running gear I will feel more 'marathony'.

The key is for me not to look at the big numbers. The key is to accomplish one goal at a time. Running 4 days a week, then a 10k race, then a half, and to take everything one step at a time.

It helps knowing that I am running for team Mito Canada and my friend Sarah. It will also help knowing that my friends and family are supporting me every step of the way as you support Mito Canada. I can't do this by myself. Sarah needs your support and so do I. I'll let you know soon how you can help.

Meanwhile I'll strap on my shoes and get out that door. Oh, and order my Team Mito running gear. Maybe if I look the part it will help me to run faster.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Getting started on your journey

2011-12-26T05:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas dinner will NOT make you fat. One dinner cannot put 10 pounds on your body. Eating cookies and giant meals almost daily between Christmas and New Year's, and drinking alcohol will. 10 pounds, I'm not so sure. The extra salt will add water more than anything, and sure, you will most likely pack on a few pounds.

Here is a word of advice....

Who cares. Enjoy. Have fun.

Be more concerned about what you eat between New Year's and NEXT Christmas. The daily good habits you establish all the time will do more for you throughout the year than the rules you press on yourself during the most tempting time of the year. Trust me, although you may take a break and get a little off track during the holidays, it won't be enough to ruin you forever. Just start again in January. We all deserve to eat drink and be merry every once in a while.

Dieting is the worst thing you can do in January. Make changes to your habits, but remember not to do it all at once. This will set you up for failure as you rebel against yourself. Instead of going all out on your list, I have one suggestion for you.

Pick one change a month
for example...

Jan Move more. take the stairs at work. Dance with your kids.
Feb Drink water every day. Cut out juice and Pop.
Mar eat a fruit or veggie with EVERY meal.
ect...ect....

If you have trouble making changes doing things one step at a time can help. Of course my ultimate suggestion is to get out the door for a 'walk' 3x a week. 10 mins out, turn around, come back. I don't care what the weather is...bundle up. You will be back before the start of your next show, will de stress and sleep better. It will also motivate you to start the changes listed above.

Happy running! ( or getting off the couch )
Alyson

I'm a stupid runner

2011-12-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

I ran 7km tonight. It was 2C/36F and POURING rain. My running partner and I were completely soaked through to our undies, but it felt fantastic. Tonight I felt like I was floating...like I came alive again after a long day feeling grumpy. I was pumped at the thought of pushing my limits with the marathon this spring, and the first words out of my mouth after the run were 'That was a AMAZING!!'.
I then VERY quickly drove home to a hot shower before the hypothermia set in. I still think it was a great run and seeing this button makes me want to run again. lol

Happy running,
Alyson

Morning Runs

2011-12-17T03:30:00.000-08:00

I have never liked morning running. It takes me a while to wake up, and I would much rather run with full sun on my face.
With the 4 kids, and farm chores (chickens for me, cattle for Adam), making it into town for 8am is not going to be easy. Especially since this morning I booked a riding lesson for Lara at 9:30. My husband will need to readjust his schedule to accommodate me, get all the kids ready in the morning, and interrupt his farming chores.

In fact, training for the marathon, like the Half will require A LOT of time and sacrifice from my family.

The kids being in school this year will free up SOME time for me, but with the 4 kids, the farm, my husbands other 40-80 hr/week job, and my own household duties, fitting in the time for running is not easy.

Like I've always said before, there is always time to be found. It just means that some days I will be watching the sun come up. Today I am up before dawn to get my morning coffee in and chores before the run.

Like all things in life you need to weigh the pros and cons and either choose to make it a priority or not. My health is a priority and on this early snowy December morning I am glad to have made that choice.

Fitness is not easy. Choosing a healthy lifestyle is not easy all the time, but anything easy is not worth doing. The results are a happier Alyson, a calmer mother, and an enthusiastic and supportive wife. I think for those reasons my family is also on board ;)

Happy Running,
Alyson

Marathon 2012 Here I come!!

2011-12-15T18:28:00.000-08:00

It's official. I pressed send on the sign up page and paid the fee for my first Marathon. Good God what am I getting myself into?? lol

I know exactly what. Every step of the way will be for my friend Sarah and her son who has Mitochondrial disease. After all. A marathon may be my running dream, but the run not being about me just makes it that much better.

I'm looking forward to the challenge. I absolutely loved running the half last year and so I feel like I'm prepared for the challenges ahead of me. My running partner who is equally crazy will also be training for equally idiotic distances, so I'll have some company.

So there you have it. It's official. I pressed the button. I hope this gives you enough time to save up the money I will ask you to donate to a VERY worthy cause. This should also give my crazy and supportive friends enough time to make some motivational signs for me ;)

INSPIRATION

2011-12-14T10:01:00.001-08:00

No Words. Just Inspiration

Our gluten free/Dairy free journey... an update

2011-12-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

Suffer from chronic pain and/or arthritis? Carrying around some extra weight in your abdomen? Try a gluten free and/or dairy free diet for 10 days. The results just might AMAZE you.

A few months ago it was confirmed my son is allergic to dairy and gluten...Annoying yes, but it was the fire I needed to actually research dairy and wheat.

I have a hard time cutting dairy out completely. I have cut back, we buy almond and rice milk, and the occasional raw milk, but nothing beats cream in my coffee. O.K so coffee is another issue but whatever... I never said I was perfect now did I?

Anyway, my point is that cutting gluten out of my diet has been easier than I thought it would be. In the morning I eat eggs (fresh from my backyard), spinach, tomatoes and the occasional bacon from a local farmer. I simply cut out the toast.
I find if I'm going to consume gluten it is at lunch time. I love my sandwiches and wrap and have yet to find a gluten free bread that I like. With the kids I've been able to get around sandwiches by serving up gluten free muffins and a fruit/veggie shake for lunch, or rice pasta with pesto. I will admit that they also get the occasional organic peanut butter and honey sandwich with normal bread. Whatever... it tastes good and again...not perfect here.

Anyway, my point is that I'm finding it easier than I thought. I found a myriad of 'pastas' at the store and I'm happy to report that our family is loving the rice pasta. I seem to alternate between rice pasta, rice, and potatoes to accompany whatever we are eating. My kids don't do very well with casserole type of things. They would prefer to balk at all the nasty things I'm feeding them separately. lol
Here is an idea of what I feed my kids. Please keep in mind that I HATE COOKING. This means my meals are simple, straight forward and relatively easy on my budget.

breakfast things:
gluten free and/or organic cereal (yes I love cereal. too bad)
bananas
yogurt with fruit
organic oatmeal with frozen berries
eggs

lunch type of things:
raw carrots,cucumbers
shakes
muffins
yogurt and fruit
gluten free pasta with pesto for the boy...cheese sauce for the girl
sandwiches with peanut butter/almond butter/sunflower butter
fruit
gnocchi

dinner type of things:
potatoes cooked all sorts of ways
rice cooked in my homemade chicken broth that I freezer
rice pasta. We did not like the corn pasta
roasted chicken (ours)
chicken breast,or legs, thighs or wings (again..ours)
meat of some sort (again.our own meat)
frozen vegetable of some sort. broccoli,peas, edamame,
Salad, Salad, Salad, with whatever raw veggie is on hand
Homemade pizza...our dough is the white bread type. Again...not perfect.
Fish of some sort. salmon if I'm feeling rich, or trout from a local fish farmer

With a growing family of 6 I've noticed my eldest is developing a hollow leg. To help her in life I've noticed that I MUST make more starches to fill her up. That is why I'm all about pasta/potatoes/rice. It is cheap and feeds a poor but athletic family. As long as she eats all her veggies, she is more than welcome to fill her toes with anything else.

I also will admit that milk is a big of a filler around here. We don't do juice, and there is only so much water a person can drink.

That is all I have for today. Just thought I would share how we do things and how our gluten free/dairy free journey is coming along. We are on a learning curve that is for sure, and I'm SURE there are things I've left out of our food list. But you get an idea.

Oh!!!! on another note, my horrible cold is gone, and I get to go for a run tonight after a 3 week hiatus. I'm very excited to get back to my stress relief.

Stupid things I do...Like sign up for my first Marathon ;)

2011-12-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

I have a horrible cold. It started over two weeks ago in my head and has now migrated into my lungs. I'm not running and I am wondering at this point if antibiotics a week ago really would have helped.

So this means I'm about to miss my third Wednesday in a row of running, and all other physical activity other than breathing. This also means that pressing the Send button on the Sign up Page for the 2012 Ottawa Marathon seems really...really...stupid

Oh Well. I have to get better eventually right?? ;)

ONE DAY

2011-11-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

Skinny jeggings... Great idea. But when I buy a size too small they don't do much for my ego! The power of a great pair of FITTING jeans is unbelievable...but so is the power of a pair that just does not cover enough ladies ;) Today I'm allowed to say that it is not ME..it's the JEANS ;)

I like the idea of owning the 'One Day Jeans'. Not the 'Someday I will fit into these jeans' jeans...No. I'm talking about the ' Pair that is a size too BIG that I'll put on for ONE DAY and convince myself that I lost weight so I can worry about sticking to my diet tomorrow jeans'

I'm just sayin' :)

My weight loss plan for you...Because I love you ;)

2011-11-30T04:53:00.000-08:00

Do you remember almost two years ago when I mentioned that my diet plan was to eat as natural as possible? My goal was to cut out as much processed food as I could, eliminating chemicals and hormones in my food. Ever since I've done that I've maintained my weight. I don't yoyo like a lot of people. I also don't crave sweets much anymore. I also find that I am not as 'addicted' to food as I used to be. I feel like I can eat less and feel more full, and be satisfied with what I am eating. I've also noticed that when I am eating more processed food I just don't feel as good. My stomach looks flabbier, my skin is not quite as radiant, I'm more tired, and my moods suffer.

When I say processed food I am not talking cheese in a can type of thing. What I'm talking about is simple store bought breads and canned tomato sauce type of thing.

So why? why does it make SUCH a big difference when I eat whole foods? I started looking into things and I finally have the answers. Well, at least SOME of the answers. I'm not an expert by any means and I'm sure there is a TON of things I don't know, but for now I do feel more empowered with answers.

SO... if you have been struggling with 'dieting', weight loss and weight gain I have a couple of resources for you. In fact...there is a new book out by a man I respect in the industry that puts all the knowledge together for people like you. No I'm not plugging his book. I will not benefit from this in anyway...but YOU will.

The name of the book is 'The Dark Side of Fat Loss' and I encourage anyone struggling with weight to read it. You will be blown away by the information in it that will empower you with the knowledge to finally beat your weight struggles.

If you don't trust me or the book I have a few other starter places for you. Some are short videos that will get you to think about food a little differently.

Here you Go:

Book: Wheat Belly. Read it. devour it.
Book: Toxic Relief. I like it for the information in the first half.
Video: Sugar:The bitter Truth. you can watch the full 1.5 long video or the Short Version.
Videos....Go to YouTube: type in Shan larter and watch her videos on eating disorder recovery. If you don't believe you have an eating disorder, watching her videos on sugar addiction may convince you other wise :)
Videos...YouTube: Sean Croxton at UndergroundWellness. Start with the video Is God Stupid? Then go on from there. His videos are short and to the point and packed with science and information.

OR: Don't do all of the above. Try eating as natural as you possibly can for a week and see how you feel. But EAT!!! The worse thing you can do when trying to lose weight is to cut your calories. you NEED to eat but eat the right foods and you NEED to move and work your body.

That's it. Any questions? feel free to ask me.

love Fit mom ;)

Updates and Information...

2011-11-28T06:33:00.000-08:00

I have not been posting much because I will be honest with you...I have not been running much and have felt a little less fit than usual. I don't like to post the negative too much because I would much rather be inspiring than for you to read about my slump.

I've been running at least once or twice a week since taking the summer off of running. I've lost the 3 or so pounds I gained exercising too little and eating too much over the summer. My body likes to run so I knew it would not be long before I felt comfortable in my jeans again.

I will admit to you that most of my slump has to do with not liking what I see in the mirror. This age thing is not sitting well with me, and I would have MUCH rather have seen my birthday come and go without notice. Unfortunately the ever increasing grey hair, wrinkles and saggy skin just does not go away. I know I'm being completely vain and that is a problem. I need to embrace my age as it is inevitable, but I'm just being honest here. I don't like my body right now but I have not yet found the motivation to begin the weight training that I know I should.
Weight training is the ONLY thing that WILL help my muscles and skin tone. I know that. I guess I was and am still sort of hoping that I will be the only human being this rule does not apply to. Running keeps me skinny, but skinny and flabby is not so pretty ;)

Moving on...

Other than wallowing in self pity for a few months I have also been doing a TON of research. My son has been suffering from a SERIOUS rash since April of this year. He has undergone a series of testing and we have concluded that he is allergic to both wheat and dairy. This new information has sparked research on my part about wheat and dairy.

I have been BLOWN AWAY by the information I've acquired. My new found knowledge is too vast for this one blog post so I will just say this....

The Wheat and Dairy industry is KILLING US. That was pretty harsh right? Well I have reasons for saying that but for now just trust me when I say that if you limit your wheat and dairy intake for a week or so you most likely will see HUGE improvements in your overall health. That sounds a little better doesn't it?

If you don't believe me I urge you to read the book Wheat Belly NOW. If you don't want to do that, go to YouTube and type in Underground Wellness and check out Sean Croxton's short and informative videos on wheat and dairy.

You will thank me later. ESPECIALLY if you are overweight in any way and are wondering WHY YOU ARE NOT LOSING THE FAT!! (yes I'm yelling at you ), if you suffer from depression, arthritis or any other autoimmune disease.

Moving on again....

This is what I get for not blogging in way way too long.

I do have more exciting news for you.

1) One, I had the opportunity to teach 2 health and nutrition classes in my kids school this past month. THAT was probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me for so many different reasons...

2) It looks like the FULL MARATHON is now back on my event list for 2012. This I will definitely talk more about later as I'm doing it for a dear friend and her incredible boy and I'm going to be asking you once again to help me this year to change a life.

3) I've been working on giving up my addictions and crutches. This is a struggle for me but something I feel is necessary in order for me to become fit in mind body and soul. You can pray for me on this one because let's be honest here...I'm a human being and I struggle just like you do. When I'm feeling a little stronger I will blog about it but right now I feel like remaining a little more anonymous about my issues.

That's it. I need to blog more often....

Perhaps soon.
Alyson

Proud Moments

2011-10-16T12:55:00.000-07:00

I'll do one more post for today...Only because I really am a Proud Mama and have a few extra minutes to share a piece of our life with you.

Last week I ran a 5km in 32 mins and is was the BEST run ever because I ran right beside my SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER who never ever ever EVER gave up. 21 minute 5k personal best has NOTHING on that.

In the same week my eldest daughter killed a few races coming in 2nd, 6th and 4th at her cross country meets WITH a severe head cold and ear infection ;) Great job girls!!!

O.K enough bragging...back to listening.

Running the Race....

2011-10-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

I know I have not posted much. I have been doing that on purpose. I put the kids in school this year to have a little more time to think. I still have 2 babies with me most of the time and so life is still very busy. Not homeschooling has simply freed up a little more mental time for me.

I have not been blogging much as I have been taking this time to be still and hear God's voice. I have been praying more, reading more, and listening a lot more.

I have been working on me. The person deep inside this body of mine and listening to her voice. Sometimes the voice inside clashes with God's voice and we duke it out. Lately God is winning and I'm slowly allowing Him to take control.

I am writing today because I believe that I have found MY verse. The verse that speaks to me. The verse that keeps me going both spiritually, physically and emotionally...and as always I can apply it directly to running ;)

Hebrews 12: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won't become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

These 3 verses our not only for running but for life as well.

I'm seeing a Marathon in my future....I'm just sayin' ;)

A Little ME Time

2011-09-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Today I waved goodbye to my 3 oldest babies as they climbed the bus to school while my husband took the baby to the farm.
I then plugged in my ipod shuffle and headed down the road for a morning run. The weather was crisp, the sun was out, and I waved to the neighbors. I came home, stretched in front of 'Regis and Kelly', and showered. By the time I made breakfast and some coffee Adam was back with Audrey for the day. It was a surreal moment for me.

You see I have ALWAYS dreamed of being a morning runner. You know the type. The mom that straps on her running shoes, heads out the door, waves good morning to the neighbors, and then comes home to do all the domestic stuff while the kids are in school. Every time that scene in a movie or commercial comes on I think how wonderful it would be if that were me..if that were MY life....Then I hold onto my coffee a little tighter and remind my children not to talk to me before my first sip ;) lol

My point is that I did not think I could ever be a morning runner. Of course I also never dreamed I would put my children on a school bus and wave goodbye.

My other point is that it felt great.

Running in the morning makes me feel alive and ready for the day. I don't know how many times I'll get a chance to do this and I don't know how many times I'll be able to pry myself away from my morning coffee.

Frankly I think it just felt good to get back to running again. I've taken the summer off and my waistline shows it. I'm no longer comfortable in my skin and I hate that feeling. Running is mine and I love that.

Sometimes it is nice when I allow myself to live my life for 'ME'.

Vacation Eating Tips

2011-09-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

This summer I travelled out west with my girls. I thought I would share a few pointers on how to eat healthy when on vacation and not break the bank.

Family road trips always seem to revolve around food, and finding where to eat when you are not familiar with the area is not an easy thing to do. It is so easy and comforting to head to the familiar fast food restaurant. Think about how often you eat out in a normal week at home. When travelling, sometimes you are doing that 3 times a day and after a week, the money AND the calories will add up.

Here are some things that worked for me:

1) Head to the nearest grocery store (EVERY TOWN HAS ONE!!) and stock up!!!!! Do NOT make the mistake of buying chips or candy for the trip. You will mindlessly munch away and before you know it you will consume 1000's of calories before stopping for a meal. Instead, stock your car or backpack up with:

bananas,grapes,baby carrots,organic apples, and any other fruit you don't have to cut up or wash.

Grab a box of healthy granola bars, or 100% fruit snacks.

If you have a tiny cooler bag, cheese strings are always a favorite with my kids.

For hotels we also buy pre made sandwiches and muffins. You can even buy boxes of crackers, although I don't or just like chips the entire box would be gone in an hour!!

One of my favorites is those bottles of 'green juice'. They are premade juice/greens mixtures usually found where the sandwiches are. Yop (yogurt in a bottle) is a favorite with my kids. Some hotels are equiped with mini fridges, and it is a great idea for hungry little ones that want breakfast NOW when all you want to do is drink your complimentary hotel room coffee and watch tv on channels you don't get at home.

Shopping and stocking up at the grocery store saves you a TON of money. Most importantly it allows you to eat some nutritious food in between stops at a restaurant or fast food joint.

If you are planning a trip somewhere (like in a gondola up a mountain)...pack a lunch!!!!!

But at some point you have to stop somewhere.... So where??

Chip wagons or fast food for the fries only ( and to fill up our water bottles). Milk is an option at most fast food as well.
Subway or Quiznos ( If I have to choose a comforting chain)
Sushi
When in a mall I choose places like Jugo Juice, or a wrap or smoothie bar. You would be surprised how unbelievably filling smoothies are. Most big malls have a ton of options.
Mom and pop coffee shops are a good choice as well. Most of these usually have some sort of homemade sandwiches or food. A great alternative to food chains and a great place to ask about the area you are in.

What about restaurants???
To be honest, those don't happen every day, and when they do I choose the cheapest thing on the menu. I don't need the pancake special. Two eggs and toast will do thank you. For supper soup is a GREAT option.

There is NOTHING wrong with treating yourself to something quick and yummy. But not every day and certainly NOT three times a day. You wallet and your body will thank you later.

The end of Vacation.....

2011-08-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

I've taken the summer off. Both in the blogosphere and with my nutrition and exercise....and it SHOWS!!
I don't regret taking the summer off. It has been one of the hottest summers I can remember, and frankly after all that hard work and routine training for the 1/2 marathon I wanted a break from focusing on my body.
BUT.....

I have gained 5 pounds or so. Normally I would not care but if I don't get back to running, my jeans are NOT going to fit this fall!!! Already they are tight and uncomfortable and I do not like that feeling at all. The best thing about being in shape is the NON-FACTOR of weight and size, meaning I can just throw on clothes and go...no fussing, pulling, or feeling self conscious. It is a nice place to be, one that I am looking forward to feeling again.

With school coming up, and the start up of programs for the children, I have no doubt I will get back to my running schedule as well. It will be good for my body as well as my mind...Like the return of an old friend.

I have a lot to say but you will just have to wait a little longer. The kids head to the school system in 8 days. I am busy holding onto them and enjoying them as much as I can. After that I have a feeling you will hear from me more often as I blog about our school experience.

Till then....

2011-08-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

After my brother left I contracted a pretty bad head cold. I thought my week was DOOMED to misery. Instead I discovered the magic of sudafed. I think I'm going to invest ;) Seriously though, in the past 9 years I have usually been pregnant of breastfeeding, or pregnant again so I have not had the pleasure of taking medication to help me cope through a sinus cold.
Wow!! The things I accomplished last week!

Now I'm off to Alberta for my Grandmothers 95th Birthday celebration. That's right...95!!!! If there is one lady to take mind body and soule fitness advice from it is THAT lady! She's amazing. I love her.

Maybe I'll come back a little wiser....

It 'Runs' in the Family :)

2011-07-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

My brother is visiting from Vancouver and tonight we ran together. It was our first time. In fact it was our first time working out like EVER!
So fun to be able to share a passion of mine with my one and only brother. He lives so incredibly far away and has been gone for such a long time. I love that the older we get the more in common we seem to have. I love it. Of course I wonder if he realizes this means that every time we see each other now the race is on!!! lol.

He is also another shinning example of someone else in my life who 'hated running' but now 'needs it'. Yes!! Another convert. I'm telling you people. Anyone can become a runner. If I can do it....So can you!!!! Yay B!! You kicked my butt tonight!!

Vacation

2011-07-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Camp today for a week with 3 of my babies. Every year our church runs a children's camp. Although we will be busy there will be no dishes to clean or beds to be made. No chickens to feed, house to vacuum, no dusting, and no meals to be made. There is also no t.v, no Internet, and no phone.
THAT is a vacation if you ask me!! I will be doing one thing at a time and I will have time to listen to my thoughts and hear God's voice. I may even get to bed before 11pm.

A break. Part of my fitness routine that I need and am looking forward to ;)
See you in a week.

Happy Canada Day run Eh!!

2011-07-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Canada day around here means a 7am start for the children's Fun Run. This year 3 of my babies ran it.

Erin ran her first race ever and came 2nd in her age category.

That is Lara in the red tank top racing with the older kids. Coming in 12th place is pretty good for a 9 year old racing with 13's and under. She came in 3rd for her age category and was the 4th GIRL to cross the finish line.

Peyton did a GREAT job of not quitting. And hey... at least there were TWO kids behind us ;)

And of course little Audrey did a wonderful job as cheerleader and post snack eater ;)

As for me, I ran the 5km in 23:38. Not a pb BUT WAY faster than I planned on, and faster then I have ran it in a few years. I'm pretty convinced now that running is mental....In a few ways ;) Seriously though, after running 21kms, I just kept saying to myself that 5kms is sooo short. I knowing it would be over in less than 25minutes kept me motivated enough to keep pushing through the pain and sweat.

See the red face? I'm pretty sure this is about the time I thought I was going to vomit ;)

So after a nap and a coffee I'm ready for the Canada Day festivities. Happy Canada Day Eh!!

Goals are Good...And it is O.K if they are someone else's.

2011-06-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

I ran my first 10km since my 1/2 Marathon exactly one month ago today. At least I don't THINK I've ran 10k since?? Anyway, it felt nice to push myself.
I ran with a running partner, but forgot my water. The running partner helped to keep me going..The lack of water did not. Ouch.

I have days where I think I could run the full, or just 'go run another half'. Then I run 10k and realize just how far that really is!

I'm glad I did it, I'm glad I'm still running, but I'm glad that I am taking a break from serious training. Some day again I will set a new goal. For now I am happy to be running alongside someone else while they pursue theirs ;)

2011-06-27T19:37:00.001-07:00

Perfectly Imperfect.

I'm not Perfect....

2011-06-24T05:08:00.000-07:00

I should not admit this but it is the truth and part of my 'fitness'. Lol not really, but I'll share in my stupidity with you all.

I gain and loose weight pretty easily. Right now I am trying to lose about 3 pounds. This is quite difficult for me as I work out regularly and eat pretty well most of the time. In order to annoy my metabolism and force it to change I find tricking it for a couple of days works.
Yes I can just cut back on my food intake a bit, and and I can ramp up my running. BUT I will admit that sometimes I am just lazy, and don't have the control to stop eating at night!!!

So I bought some caffeine free, zero calorie 'cola'. The fuzz fills my stomach and gives me the satisfaction of filling my stomach without the calories.

Yes pop makes you bloated.
Yes this is stupid.
Yes Aspartame causes cancer.
No this is not long term

Oh my word....have you ever read the ingredients list on a can of pop???? There is NOTHING good in it. In fact, it not only contains cancer causing ingredients, but it contains nasty chemicals!! NOTHING good. Why do they sell this stuff??? Of course they still sell cigarettes don't they!

I'll admit that sometimes I'm an idiot. I'm hungry this morning and bloated.

Back to accountability and getting out for a run, and snacking on vegetables.

Support and Accountability

2011-06-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

I have been a little sick, the weather has been hot, and we are busy here on the farm. I could not have cared less about running and I noticed I was starting to get into a 'rutt'. When I don't run I get grumpy as running is stress relief for me, but when I'm grumpy and tired it is SO much harder to put on my running shoes and get out that door.

Last night I met my friend for an evening 5km run. It was raining but we did not give each other permission to cancel.
It was a great run, we had great conversation, and when I returned home I slept better than I have been sleeping. As always I am better for it.

It is so important to have support in a fitness journey. This is the same for weight loss or diet issues. I totally believe that if I did not have a husband that would notice that all the cookies went missing in an hour and give me that 'look', I would be much much bigger than I am. For me, having that accountability to someone helps me stay on a positive track.

I am grateful for the support and accountability I have and can't stress enough the importance of it. We were not meant to be alone. We are built for community. Just make sure you are living in a good one ;)

Post Running Weight Gain

2011-06-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've gained a few pounds since I stopped training hard for my 1/2 Marathon. No big deal, but since my shorts and pants are too snug to be comfortable I would like to scale back 3 pounds. I know some of it is water weight (yes I've gained more than 3 pounds), but some of it is undeniably fat. Training for the Half has also trained my body to hold onto some of the food I consume for later use during long runs.
No big deal, but if I don't make some slight changes, before I know it I will be 10 pounds heavier in the fall and feeling quite uncomfortable in my own skin.

Being a Fit Mom takes constant effort. Fitness takes constant adjustment and I just need to tweak my diet a little to accommodate the less energy expenditure I'm doing.

What works for me....

-No snacking after supper. (This is NOT easy for me to do)

-Increase my water intake.

-Decrease my Carb intake at meal time. To do this I fill everyone else's plate first. I then give myself a child size portion of carbs (noodles/rice/potatoes), I make sure my plate is at least 1/2 filled with salad and vegetables, and keep a normal portion of protein.

-I make sure I eat breakfast. This is key. I will have energy for the day and burn it off in the waking hours. If you skip breakfast you will be so hungry later in the afternoon/evening that you will crave sugar and increase your chances of binging.

-Finally, I will simply eat a tiny bit less. I will NOT pick at food while I make lunches, and I will try to only eat lunch when my tummy is hungry. I will Sit down for my lunch and consume only what is there. You would be AMAZED at the amount of calories consumed while eating a bite of this and a bite of that throughout the course of a day.

Simple yes, but not easy to do. I love food and love to eat. But I love to feel good in my clothes too and can do this. Being a Fit Mom is a balance and a constant adjustment. It takes work but is sooo worth it. I'm worth it. So are you.

Full Marathon yes, Summer off Yes Yes!!

2011-06-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

I've come to a conclusion. Actually I already knew this but it was just confirmed to me yesterday as I ran in the sweltering humidity....

I HATE running in the summertime in Eastern Ontario. ALMOST as much as I hate soccer...ALMOST ;) (all 3 kids scored goals tonight because they decided to stop picking dandelions) ...I digress.

I hate running in the summer and I have decided NOT to train for the full marathon in the fall. I like to relax my schedule in the summer. I like being able to fly by the seat of our pants and do whatever. I'm pretty sure that I run the rest of the year so I can look decent in my bathing suit. Then for two months I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

O.K and there is just no way I think running a 20km Sunday run in this humidity is any fun at all. So I'm not doing it. I've decided I WILL continue running a couple of times a week so I don't lose ALL of my training. I'll pick it up in the fall to build my base when my kids are back in their programs and the weather cools down.

Then in January I'll begin training for the FULL. I will do exactly what I did for the half but with higher kms and with a stronger base. I am completely happy with that goal.

I run to be physically and mentally fit and I like taking my summers off of a scheduled routine. I'm afraid that pushing through this heat will turn me off of running for a while. Besides...I REALLY don't want to HAVE to go for a run.

So there you have it.
My decision.

The No Excuse Run

2011-06-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

I had an MRI for my knee today this afternoon and wanted/needed to head out for a run to irritate whatever it is that is being irritated when I run.
Unfortunately I just could not get away as I needed to be with all 4 babies. My 9 year old is pretty smart and trustworthy but I have a feeling Children's Aid would not be too happy with me. Well o.k and I would not really trust Lara for more than 5 minutes either.

My point is that I was home with my 4 children and no I don't own a treadmill.

I strapped on my running shoes and decided to run up and down my driveway. I DID run around the property but the grass was too cushiony. Also, the 80F heat and humidity was UNBELIEVABLE!! Bad...not good.
So up and down I ran on my hard and shaded driveway.

For 30 minutes, half of which I pushed Audrey in the stroller. The other Half I did sprints while she played in the sandbox.

So there you have it.
Where there is a will there is a way....So no more excuses. Yes I a busy mom. And yes my little one tried to run with me on the lawn. And yes the neighbors think I'm crazy. I don't care. I'm proud to be a fit mom ;)

Healthy does not have to be Hard

2011-06-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I don't enjoy cooking. I love healthy good for me food, but I do not enjoy spending time in the kitchen. Not only that, I'm cheap. The healthier, easier and cheaper the better. Healthy food does not have to take time or money. It just takes a little knowledge.

You really cannot get any easier, cheaper or healthier than this....

Homemade chicken broth. Packed full of Goodness...

I put chicken broth in EVERYTHING. Well not really, but I do use it to make soup (obviously), potatoes,noodles and rice. You could also thaw it to stir fry vegetables and really anytime you need to add a little liquid. Not muffins though. That would just be gross. It is FULL of nutrients and all that honest to goodness good for you flu bug killer stuff.

It is EXTREMELY SIMPLE to make. I thought I would share my secret recipe.

After roasting chicken (bone in skin on), I place all the bones in a pot. I add carrots, celery, dash of salt, broccoli stems ( I cut them and place them in a freezer bag to save for this purpose), garlic and chunks of onion.

Add Cold water and let sit for 20 minutes or so. ( I do all this as I'm cleaning up from our roast chicken supper).

Turn the stove onto medium high. As soon as it begins to bubble I turn it to low and let it simmer FOR HOURS. I put in on the lowest setting all night.

In the morning I strain it into another bowl and place in the fridge to cool. After a few hours the fat will accumulate at the top. You can choose to skim it off but I leave it. The fat adds amazing flavor and overall it is not that much 'fat' in your dish. It also contains lots of good stuff. Think about how much butter you add to mashed potatoes. This just saves you a step.

When cooled the broth should look like slightly underdone jello. The jellyness of it is the marrow taken from the bones. This is the stuff why 'Grandma's' chicken soup was the answer to the common cold.

I separate the broth and put it in used yogurt containers. I usually get 3 servings out of it.

That's it! It is really that simple.

The Marathon?

2011-06-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

Three days post 1/2 Marathon and my body has fully recovered. A few people have asked me if I have plans to run the Full Marathon. My answer is maybe. The FULL Marathon has always been my dream as a runner. I'm not discounting my Half in ANYWAY. It was still a HUGE goal and accomplishment and I am quite proud of it. However, the Full has always and may always be there beckoning me.

I'm FULLY going to ENJOY taking a couple weeks off of serious training no matter what my decision is. Training for this Half has taken up a lot of time and commitment and I'm looking forward to some more relaxing weeks. I think my husband is as well, and to be honest if I told him TODAY I was running the FULL in the fall I don't think he would be thrilled. Supportive yes, Thrilled no.

The ONLY thing I'm thinking about it the fact that I'm ALREADY HALF WAY THERE!!! Why stop now and start ALL OVER again?? Really, Sunday could be looked at as just another LONG RUN. I do also like the idea of making that commitment. That will probably be the only thing that will keep me running in the summer heat! Besides, my friend is training for her first Half so I'll have a running partner. Hmmmm.. Something to seriously think about.

Regardless of my decision I am not committing to anything for TWO WEEKS. I WANT and welcome the break in my schedule a little.

Then and ONLY THEN will I decide ;)

Meanwhile it will be my goal to stop eating like I'm training for a Half! lol.

Crossed One Off the Bucket List today!!

2011-05-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

21 km Ottawa 1/2 Marathon
Official Chip Time: 2hrs 1minute 10 seconds
10km split time: 1:00:16 (this means my 2nd half was WAY faster than my first half)
Pace: Avg 5:55/km
Placed 296th out of 818 in my Age/gender Category
1409th out of 5309 Females.

Not bad for a first 1/2 Marathon. It was very humid and started to rain but it was an incredible course and I surprised myself with a 3km sprint at the end. I was aiming for 2:20 but 10 minutes in the run I knew that goal would be left behind!

I expected the run to hurt. Badly. Instead it was incredible. I felt NO PAIN. Only a little hamstring tightness at the 14km mark. I honestly think I smiled the entire 21kms. I took it easy in the beginning. I didn't want the adrenaline rush to push me out to fast, but after about 10 minutes I realized that I could go way faster than I was planning on. I still wanted to enjoy and soak up every moment so I was talking the entire first half. I realize now that if I pushed a little more I would have accomplished a sub 2hrs 1/2!!!!! Oh well. Racing was not my goal. Finishing was and I'm happy I enjoyed every minute.

The race was more than I could have ever asked for and an experience I will NEVER FORGET.

I had a WONDERFUL 2 DAYS. On Saturday I got to watch one of my bff's cross the finish line for her first 5km run EVER, and then head out for a pre race pasta supper.

Here are some pictures of the days events......

Kirsten and I at The Grand

After picking up my race package and attending the fitness expo. My nerves were a little shot until I held that race package in my hands. Here I was starting to get a little excited in that ' I'm going to barf kind of way '

Don't let my husbands face fool you. He really was just as excited as I was. Well...at least he was humoring me ;)

This is me and my friend Grace before the race. She ran it to keep me company. Wasn't that nice of her? She was so much fun and kept me going. I've never ran with anyone who kept thanking the people on the sidelines for their support. Great woman.

This is me around 13kms in. I lost Grace a couple of kms back at the Gatorade station and was lonely. At the same time the rain came down :( I did not really feel the rain however because prior to that we were ALL soaked with sweat due to the incredible humidity. THANK THE LORD the sun did not decide to shine! I think I would have died. Seeing my husband and Grace's husband was a big boost.

The below picture is funny for one reason. Notice the lady in black second from the left? That is Grace SPRINTING to catch up to me after Adam told her I was a little ahead. God love her because I don't think I could have sprinted to catch up to her! Anyway...we found each other again thanks to her. Not thanks to me. I'm the one who apparently left her at the Gatorade station :(

This is me at the 17km mark just passing the National Art Gallery. It was pouring rain but I could hardly feel it. Seeing my friends at this point was a HUGE boost. After this there was only 4km to go, into the amazing crowd and HOME to the finish line. I seriously RAN the last 3 kms. I felt no pain, and it was incredible. I think it was also downhill, which kind of helped :)

I found my friends again on the sidelines just after I crossed the finish line. This is one of the signs they made for me. I have the best friends EVER. And not just the ones that stood in the rain and screamed like idiots on the side of the road ;) ( that's what good friends do you see)

Done! Did it. I'm kind of in shock here. And sweaty. And Wet.

My soaked to the bone husband. Cheering on those sidelines was NOT for sissies. Supportive, screaming and amazing people yes....but not sissies.

Oh here is another. My friend Kirsten. The one that ran the 5km yesterday? Well she came BACK to support me. She was wet too. See what great peeps I have??

The after shot. See I found Grace. O.K yes she found me. I did not realize just how soaked I was until I started shivering in the car. I also can't see a thing. My sunglasses are prescription but were all foggy.

I'm not sure why I just posted this. It could be the combination of Robax Platinum and smelly Icy/Hot body rub cream that is making me do it. Anyway whatever...Post race lunch. Yummm

Some of my support crew. At least the sideline screaming idiots anyway. Not the kids...the grown adults...lol (They know I love them)

So?? Now what? I'm not sure what is next. I don't really care to be honest. This 1/2 Marathon training has taught me to just enjoy the Journey and right now I'm still in the moment.

Thanks again to my husband and kids who endured countless hours of my absence as I pounded the pavement. Thank you to my friends and family who supported me with words of encouragement and their money as I surpassed my fund raising goal. Thank you to my parents who entertained my babies to allow me to enjoy the weekend worry free. Thank you to my running partners Anita and Grace. Also, Thank you GOD for allowing me to run after being told 7 years ago that I may never be able to walk again. Thank you for showing me that All things are possible through Christ who gives me that strength.

One step at a time anything is possible....

Till then,

Keep running the race my friends.

Alyson

Here we Go!!

2011-05-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

It is Saturday and off to Ottawa I go! I'm ready for this. A little nervous about my knee but sooooo looking forward to running. It feels like a dream. Sort of like when I had our last child. I knew she would arrive eventually but I never really believed she would one day be in my arms. Monday morning I will be sitting here with a medal in my hands.

It IS happening and will be amazing even if I have to crawl across the finish line. I don't really care what my time is. I just want to do it. I have to say that this feeling is quite motivating to go ALL THE WAY. To run the FULL in the fall. I'm already half way there! Why not continue on towards my ultimate goal?

lol. We'll see after running half of it tomorrow if I feel the same way.

I'm going to take it all in today. Attend the fitness expo, take a bus tour of the route, drop off used runners for charity, watch the 5km, and meet my friends for a pre race pasta supper. Then tomorrow morning it will be MY TURN!!!!

I have no more words...just smiles.

See you after the race!!

2 Days to Go!!!

2011-05-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

2 days to go and I'm getting pretty excited! I am PETRIFIED to run as I don't want anything to happen to my body!

I went for a short 30 minute run yesterday while the older girls biked beside me. I had to laugh at how fast 30 minutes went by.

Today I had my last Chiropractor appointment and booked an hour long massage for myself. This afternoon I cross trained on the bike while the kids were in swimming lessons.

Tomorrow I run another 30 minutes and will stretch and do my core workout.

Saturday I leave for Ottawa and all the excitement. I get to watch one of my closest friends cross the 5km finish line for the first time and enjoy a late night pasta dinner. The excitment of watching her cross will be just as great as when I cross Sunday. I know how much this means to her and it will be no different.

Sunday morning 9am will be here before I know it.

I'm ready. I've been ready for this for what feels like years. Now where did I put my shoes??

A Post From DECEMBER 2008

2011-05-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

After writing the previous post, I found THIS POST tucked away in my blog from December 2008.
It brings tears to my eyes because in 6 days, after a knee injury and another pregnancy, I am about to do it....

Here is the post:

REMEMBERING ALYSON
My friend Cathy has just given birth to her SIXTH child. She is on a Journey to find herself again. This is reflected in her new blog Titled just that....Finding Cathy.

This has been a long fall. My husband has been away training and I've been taking care of my three kids and a farm (which is all new to me). I'm loving life and I'm getting through BUT I've come to the realization that I've also lost myself.

Part is the fact that I just turned 30 and yes I'll admit that I'm not taking it very well.
The other part is that I have not gone for a run for over a month. That is huge as that is one thing that makes me...me.
I've just been caught up in surviving these last few months and I've HAD to deny myself on so many levels just to cope.
This is reflected not only in my lack of coffee dates but unfortunately my lack of showering and make up lately. hmmm.

I know that something is amiss when I pick up my running room magazine and start to cry when I read the titles "my first marathon" and "living my dream"...I seriously cried on the toilet.

So...why was I crying?

I think a part of me felt that sense of longing. The feeling that all runners get that we just NEED to get out and run. Also, I felt a sense of disappointment that I won't accomplish my life goal of running a marathon. I felt it in the pit of my stomach.

The ONLY thing I want to stop that is if I become pregnant again. Right now that goal just seems SO UNATTAINABLE...and IMPOSSIBLE.

So what am I going to do?

Sulk?
complain?
Cry?
be angry and resentful?

NOPE.

I AM GOING TO setup a PLAN AND DO IT. I am going to find the marathon, set a plan in place. Because I'm worth it.

I am still alive and I am still a person with goals and dreams and desires...and I will do this.....I will do this for myself, and in turn for my family.

January will be the start. Adam will be finished all of his training and we will settle into somewhat more 'normalcy' around here...if that is ever possible :)

6 Days to go!

2011-05-22T05:56:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe that next Sunday I will be standing at the starting line about to run my first 1/2 Marathon. I feel a little like I did 8 years ago when I ran my first race EVER. Just like then, I picked a HUGE race to run. Then I was amongst 50 000 other people at the Vancouver Sun Run, and this time I will be jammed with thousands of other hopefuls in Ottawa.

I did not think I would run a Half Marathon. Not because I did not think I could do it, but because my ultimate goal is a Full. I figured if I trained for a Half I would realize just how much further I would have to go to run a full! Kind of stupid thinking. Only because if I were training for a full I would eventually be at a point where my TRAINING RUNS are half marathons! So really...If I were to train for a FULL marathon it would make sense to look at this 'race' as just another run. I think if I were to do a FULL, then I should just keep going.

Although I don't like the idea of running in the summer heat, or the hours of training it would take, I REALLY REALLY like the idea of 'getting it over with'. I mean really...I'm half way there!! I might as well continue on.

Hmmm....Something to think about.

Let's see....More hours of running, more physio appointments, more gel packs to buy,more ice baths and running shoes, more blood sweat and tears, and more time away from my family. The positive?? ONE MORE THING CROSSED OFF MY BUCKET LIST. I think the last point makes the first ones all worth it no?

The Marathon finish line feels daunting at this point. But then so did the 1/2 Marathon 6 months ago. I'm ready for the 21kms because I did it one step at a time. Literally. I CAN do the full and must admit that it excites me that I may accomplish something that always seemed so far out of reach.

Again...Something to think about.

Never Ever Give Up

2011-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's not over till it's over.
Amen.

Little Motivators and Dream Makers

2011-05-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

12 days to go before the BIG RUN! I can hardly believe it. I headed out the door today for my first ever 19km run. It took me FOREVER but I did it.

It is raining and cold today and I actually turned back once outside the door, tail between my legs. I pictured being soaking wet, blisters and 2 hours of torture. I took off my shoes,put my water bottles in the fridge, and started figuring out how to change my running schedule for the next two weeks to accommodate this crappy weather.

No go. I HAD to run. In fact I was supposed to run yesterday but did not have the chance.

My nine year old looked at me and said " Mom just go. With all your training and your race so close, you just have to go. So just do it.''

She was right. Rain is rain and I would have to stop running eventually, so on my shoes went again and out the door I flew.

Today I did it for her. To show her that even mommy's can accomplish dreams ;) Thanks Lara.

Vitamin D...a necessity for any health regime

2011-05-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

The sun has been shinning for 3 days now and the weather a beautiful 20C +. In the 70's for you Americans out there.

My gardens have been tilled and mostly planted, the laundry is on the line and I've been able to spend the afternoons playing outside with the kids.

To top off a great day I ended it with a moderate 8km run in the breeze and setting sunshine. After washing off all the grit and sweat from the day I feel completely calm and relaxed as I sink into my bean bag chair.

It is AMAZING what sunshine does for my mood. I feel it is a DEFINITE need in my health care plan.

Other mood boosters to include in your diet and lifestyle are:

Good night sleep
Asparagus
lemons
Brazil nuts
Foods high in Omega's such as almonds,avocados and salmon
Exercise for 20-40 minutes
Sex ;)
20 minutes of complete relaxation

I'm sure there are more but that is a start. Sometimes just getting your out the door for a walk. The best time to do it is when you REALLY don't want to. Just say to yourself that you will go out for 10mins and turn around. You can be back on the couch in time for your next t.v show and you will feel MUCH better.

Support...another training 'NEED'

2011-05-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

I don't get nervous about the 1/2 Marathon until I see the number countdown on the sidebar. 20 days!! I can hardly believe it.

I'm about to head out the door for a 17km run this afternoon. Happy Mothers Day to me. The best present I can get from my family is support for my passion and that is just what they have given me. Training for this has involved countless hours of running and appointments. My husband has been so supportive and patient and I am so grateful for that. Thank you Adam for allowing me to be 'me'. Thank you for honoring that.

I feel blessed to have such a supportive and loving family today

Happy Mother's Day :)

Knee Diagnosis...Another one.

2011-05-05T04:40:00.000-07:00

I spent a good part of yesterday in treatment with an Osteopath. It was amazing. Her entire career is about the link between muscles bones and nerves. You see, 5 years ago my back was ripped open to remove a tumor from my spinal cord. This on top of having 4 babies and probably some other activities in my life has caused my pelvis to twist and tilt.

This movement from my pelvis has caused all my muscles to pull or tighten in places they are not happy about. It makes sense but today I'm off to the Dr. to talk about my knee specifically and see if an MRI is in order.

I think at this point my pelvis is causing a bunch of problems. As much as I may need to treat the pelvic tilt I still need to treat all the other symptoms.

So frustrating. I just want to run.

I had an amazing 18km run Sunday, and a Good 10km run last night. This morning my hamstrings are REALLY tight and my knee is tender once again.

Off to the Dr.

Oh!!! I almost forgot. she looked at me in HORROR when I told her I have not done my CORE AB WORK in 3 months. She said to help my pelvis all I need to do is strengthen my core. It looks like me and the big blue bouncy ball are about to become friends again.

Making Every Step Count

2011-05-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

I feel GREAT! I ran 18kms on Sunday and am ready to run a steady 10km tonight. I am refreshed and renewed. I think all the prayers and doctors appointments are readying me for this run. I feel as though all the effort, training, and time are paying off.

On another note, I am still running for charity. I am running 'on my own' but I want every step I take to be about someone else both literally and figuratively.

Thank you for all of you who have supported my journey so far. My goal is to raise 1$ for every km I run. I am still short of my goal and every DOLLAR counts. If you could find it in your heart to support me. Even a DOLLAR I would really appreciate it.

It means a lot to me that my friends and family are 'running with me'. Not only for this life goal of a 1/2 marathon but in my life journey.

Donating is SUPER EASY and SECURE. Just follow this Link!!!!

http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=11649

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Long Distance Running Nutrition and recovery Tips for Optimal Performance

2011-05-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

Training to run 10km+ is completely different than 5kms and Fueling your body properly becomes essential.

Every runner knows that to be able to run efficiently and recover properly you need to be consuming a diet rich in vitamins minerals. Your body is a machine and to function at its peak it needs to be filled with the right stuff. To recover properly the same rules apply.

So what are some things you can do to help your body?

1) Start your workout hydrated. Your body needs water to perform its functions and to recover. Keep yourself hydrated at all time with water.
Tip: Stop drinking water 2 hrs before a run. Running while needing to pee is not fun. I also like to start my day with 'Emergen C'.

2) Sweat means salt lost. Replacing your electrolytes becomes important. ESPECIALLY if you sweat alot.
Tip: lick your skin. If you taste salty you are losing salt (obviously). In the heat this is what causes heat exhaustion. You can buy electrolyte replacements to add to your water. Be careful of commercial Gatorade as it is not marketed to athletes and contains glucose-fructose.

3) Fuel your body the night before with glycogen. 'fill your muscles' with it.

4) Post workout within 20minutes you need some sugar/starch/protein type of things. Here you can choose to eat what you like. This is what I do...

When I first arrive home I take L-Glutamine and some water. Then within 20mins I consume something. Chocolate milk, banana,bagel with cream cheese. O.K I'll admit that today I ate a bunch of chips ;) But for supper I'm refueling with an amazing spaghetti dinner. So there.

5) Some vitamins/minerals that are SUPER important.... B's ( I take a complex B in the AM), IRON, antioxidants and Calcium. I'm sure there are others but that is what I can think off the top of my head.
Tip: Exercise is a good stress but a stress nonetheless on your body. It needs to recover. It needs to heal. Take care of it.

6) SLEEP and rest. You NEED at least 8hrs of sleep to properly recover and you NEED to take a day or two off. If you DON'T, your NEXT WORKOUT WILL SUCK. There you have it. Listen to your body. Mine likes 2 days between runs especially at this level.

Hmmmm that is all I can think of for now...Happy running.

18 kms down...3 more to go!

2011-05-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Amazing run this afternoon

First 18km
First time running with a tank top this year
First time in my new runners
First long run with a water belt
First time trying electrolytes in my water and a get package at the 1hr mark.

It went MUCH better than anticipated. I ran the first 10km (that was hilly) with my friend Anita. Talking to her instead of myself helped the time and distance go by quickly. As she is not 'YET' training for a Half she stopped at the 11km mark. I continued by my lonesome another 8 or so kms.

I felt very good. My knee did not bother me one bit.

The last 2 kms were QUITE painful. It was as though my body said ENOUGH! First my foot, then the rest of my leg muscles seized. No big deal. I was just glad I was able to run 16km with virtually no problems. I expected the last part to be hard.

In fact, I EXPECT the last 2-3 kms of the Half Marathon to feel like that.

So recovery drink and ICE BATH later, I feel alright. Sore and tired but I once again have high hopes for this marathon stuff.

Update...30 days to go..

2011-04-28T08:16:00.001-07:00

Really? ONLY 30 days until I run my first 1/2 Marathon ever? Oh my.

At this point I've been sidelined with an injury. I've been doing my best to rehab it. It looks like bad shoes and a swollen bursa sac beneath my Sartorius muscle may be the culprit. The cause of that? possibly running down the left side of a slanting country road for all those kms.

I've got my new running belt for motivation and the treadmill and I are about to become best friends.

I'm also now better acquainted with my doctor, Chiropractor,Massage Therapist, Athletic Therapist, Reflexologist and Osteopath. Sigh..... Thank Goodness for Health coverage!!

Today I am headed to the gym to use the bike and tomorrow I will run on the treadmill with my new shoes.

I'm a little frustrated but I can't lose sight of my goal. I will walk that entire 21kms if I have to!!

Alyson...

Still Running....

2011-04-22T04:33:00.000-07:00

I'm here and I'm alive I promise. I have just been busy. Not crazy busy, but busy enough that I just have not felt like blogging much. Not a bad thing. Sometimes I sort things out in my head. Sometimes I just don't feel like sharing, and sometimes I just have nothing to say.

There IS a lot going on but I'll focus on my training for now....

So how is it going you ask?

Well I was sidelined last week with the flu. Not so good for training. That and the increased mileage have caused some pretty wicked injuries on my body.

The injuries are as follows:
extremely painful feet
left calf pain
left knee pain
EXTREMELY tight hamstrings
left hip pain

So what have I done about it?

Reflexology,massage therapy,Chiropractor, Physio AND consult with Running experts.

The conclusion??

1) Buying cheap running shoes at Winners was NOT such a good idea. New Mizuno Riders will be gracing my feet within a few days.
2) Running on the left side of the road for 30km a week caused my left leg to be an INCH longer than the right.
3) My hips are twisted and off center. Consequences of having 4 babies I would assume.
4) I may have a slight meniscus tear
5) I also may have pulled my hamstring
6) Physio and Chiro with stretching and massage of hamstrings are necessary for the next few weeks. Having my Chiro put my hips back in place to even my legs out...kind of important. I have a feeling that this is causing ALL the muscle imbalances
7) Ice baths and yoga will become my best friends.

I tell you. This 1/2 Marathon training is not for the weak. I have a completely new appreciation for Joe Blo Citizen who attempts this. You need a strong body, Strong Mind AND good health coverage ;)

Last Sunday you would have picked me up in your car out of pity if you saw me running.
This week I am feeling renewed. I have better knowledge this week and will be heading out for a run with a better mind set. Well that and my long run is 'only' 14km this week and not 18.

That's it for now...

Oh, and I still need donations!!! Please check out my web page at CanadaHelps.org I am trying to raise 1$ for every km I run. Seriously. Donate just one dollar!!!!! I just want to reach my goal.

O.K now THAT'S it for now..

Side Note..

2011-04-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

I can't figure out why my blog is all scrunched together and not allowing me to use paragraphs....I'll try to fix it soon. Sorry about that.

Self Motivation

2011-04-10T04:06:00.001-07:00

A few months leading up to my wedding I ate well and was exercising. I lost a little weight and looked fantastic in my wedding dress. All good right? Sort of. At the point where I looked great something happened. I either gave myself permission to eat more and relax a bit because I was where I wanted to be, And/OR I started FREAKING out and eating A LOT and then not working out because I realized that it was ACTUALLY happening!!

You see I'm a stress eater. I'm a binge eater. An addict. I eat food first because it is available. I would grab a glass a wine to calm myself down but drinking every night scares me. So I eat. Well NORMALLY I run as a positive way to combat the stress but sometimes I just can't help it. And then I eat, then I feel fat, then I feel miserable, then I don't want to get into spandex, then I get tired, then I lay there on the couch....then I eat more out of my misery. It is a terrible slippery slope that is torture to try to stop. It is much easier to slide downhill then to try to hold on or climb up. The worst part is that it IS a lonely place as I am the only one who can climb out. That is the good and the bad of it.

So even though it was a very important moment in my life I had lost control. The day of my wedding my dress barely fit and because I was squished into it and feeling horrible about my body and myself my memories of that day are a little tainted. I was just disappointed in myself.

Side Note: Little did I also know that I was about to ovulate for the first time in a year on my wedding night and thus Lara arriving 9 months later giving reason to the binge eating and hormonal stress for two weeks prior...

My point..... I'm doing the same thing again. The Half Marathon is approaching FAST. I feel the panic and the binge eating creeping up. I've gained weight which upsets me and makes me want to binge eat. When I eat like this I don't want to exercise and then I get mad and eat MORE! I would drink a glass of wine every night instead but again that scares me and frankly I get sooo dehydrated. I think my hormones are playing a role as usual. Does not make it any easier to deal with.

My feet also hurt quite badly and I hurt my knee again the other week which adds to my misery. I'm having a bad week. I gave myself a week to cool off. I would rather rest for a week than have 4 horrible runs. I think No runs would be better than crappy ones. ?

Today I MUST head out for a slow and steady run. If I don't I will fall too far behind in my training and hurt myself on race day. So out I go. Into the sunshine and I KNOW that I will come back and all will be well again. It is time to pick up my heals, let go of the past week and focus on my goals and what I want for myself. I'm worth it. I deserve to accomplish a life long dream and I'll be a monkeys uncle if I let myself sabotage it.

Training Jitters

2011-04-06T04:20:00.001-07:00

I'm still alive I promise! I think my weeks are blending into each other and I don't want to bore everyone with my training. So far I've raised over 100$ for Charity. My last few runs have been for the kids so thank you so much for those who have donated. There is still time and I still need your support! Last week was an AMAZING week for my running. I felt like I hit another level. I ran 16 km without a problem, ran 10 km like it was nothing. Then on Friday I ran 7km in what felt like lightning speed (for me). I felt GREAT and had confidence that I can conquer this distance training stuff. Then I ran this past Sunday another 16k. Then I ran was a little over confident and ran too fast and took too little breaks... Then my legs were sore, and my hip, and my feet, and my knee and other weird parts. I made a trip to the Reflexologist and she showed me just how 'off' kilter my hips are. At this point I NEED to be stretching more, eating better, resting more, cross training more....blah blah blah... If I don't I'm going to see the injuries creep up. She even mentioned the DREADED Plantar fasciitis !!! If that happens my marathon dream will NOT happen. So needless to say I'm a little nervous today and I feel so incredibly unprepared for this marathon stuff. My body is achy and I'm tired. I'm trying to keep my cool and just do what I can and not freak out. One foot in front of the other......right?

Gaining weight..Huh?

2011-03-30T07:05:00.001-07:00

I think I'm the only person on the planet that can GAIN weight while training for a Half Marathon. What's up with THAT? I actually know the answer but it is still annoying. There are several explanations : 1) I'm building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. But my pants don't fit! That is because the muscle is building UNDER the fat already there thus making me 'thicker'. 2)Another explanation is that my body is learning to store carbohydrates as fuel (glycogen) for my long runs. Those glycogen stores are important to completing my long runs and marathon without "hitting the wall". I am also seeing a couple extra pounds because my body also requires additional water to break down and store the glycogen, adding extra weight. 3) I could also be consuming way more calories than I thought. Although I need to refuel to recharge an replenish my body I could be consuming WAY more thinking I CAN. Sigh....Regardless I'm not liking this

Run WITH me!!

2011-03-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. I am training for my first ever 1/2 Marathon onMay 29th.

Running has helped me to overcome a lot of things and I am on my way to accomplishing a life goal.
Training for this Half has taught taught me in a very practical way that life is about the Journey and I want my journey not to be a selfish one.

Although I am running alone I decided that I don't want to run for myself. I would like to know that every painful step I take out there is for someone else. After all...life is not about me and neither should my running be.

So...I could really use your support out there. It would be nice to know that while I train you are 'running with me'. It would also be motivating to know that every km means one more dollar for a child.

So will you help me? I would like to raise 366 Dollars. One dollar for every km left to go...race included.

I set up a page at www.CanadaHelps.org with the charities I chose to run for. It is a VERY SAFE AND SECURE website and the money goes TO THE CHARITY. Not to me. I just get to see the total given.

To give just go to www.CanadaHelps.org and go to GIVING PAGES. Search Alyson McNish. or try the following link http://www.canadahelps.org/gp/11649

Thank you in advance for helping me with my journey...and thank you from the kids you are about to help!!! Alyson McNish

I have to admit...that I suck.

2011-03-19T04:47:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that I tried...again to get off coffee. I have to admit that I'm nicer on coffee and I'm drinking it 'for the kids sake'. Bad excuse I know....

I just can't seem to shake my addictions. I know I am actually nicer when the withdrawl symptoms pass but I can't seem to make it! I'm a little frustrated with myself.

I have to admit that knowing I ONLY have 64 days until the Half Marathon is not so good.

Why do I rebel against the 'Have To's'??? ALL THE TIME? I'm only hurting myself.

That is it.....I WILL run TODAY!!!!!!

Off Track

2011-03-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

I'm off schedule this week. I ran my 13km on Monday. The run itself was fine. It was all the extra stuff we did this week that caused me to spend the rest of Wednesday afternoon and evening on the couch.

It is spring on the farm and there is a TON of things that need to get done. Including cleaning chicken coops from a winters worth of poop, boiling maple syrup AND entertaining overnight guests.

My leg muscles were super tight Tuesday and Wednesday. I also had one glass of wine too many Tuesday night. The extra physical labor and too much wine are not good combinations when you are training for a half Marathon....I really need to get serious about this training stuff because I've wasted a week of running. I've certainly not wasted my life as it has been a great March break, but my running needs to get on track.

I've decided as much as I like the challenge of running this distance I'm not liking the 'have to'. Running has always been a release for me...not a chore and right now it is a chore.

Hopefully I'll get back on track next week?

No more caffeine...Again ;)

2011-03-10T17:11:00.001-08:00

My Children told me that I should give up coffee for Lent. I looked at them with a look of (sure if you want a grumpy mommy for 40 days). Then I remembered how amazing I felt in December when I kicked the habit and how I've become a little more moody and dependent on my caffeine fix since starting again on the cruise.

FINE! I'll do it. What better way than to PRACTICALLY show my reliance on God (because I know I'll need it every morning). If I want to be a Fit Mom for my kids then I need to show them in practical ways by EXAMPLE. This goes for spiritual as well as for physical things.

So here I go again... no coffee for me until Easter morning. If it brings me closer to God every day than I'm really o.k with that.

Fit Mind Body and Spirit right? Oh Pray for me ;)

First 12km run Complete

2011-03-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

I managed to complete my first ever 12km training run today. I have to admit that it was not as bad or painful as I expected it to be.

The Prep:

We had pasta the last two nights and I made sure I started the day hydrated.

The Result:

I ran it in 1 hr and 12mins. I walked every 10mins for 1min, and during that break sipped 1-2oz of water and about a half an ounce of that goopy energy get stuff.

I ran faster the second half than the first and did not feel any muscle tightening in my legs until about 48mins. I stretched my calves and hamstrings for a moment and that seemed to make a huge difference in the last part of my run.

I discovered that running with a metal water bottle SUCKS. I also discovered that I could only handle 6-7 ounces of water over the hour. Things may change when the weather warms up. I'm thinking of buying a tiny water bottle for each hand, and replace them halfway during the run. I would just have to drive the route ahead of time and put the bottles alongside the road.

Recovery Plans:

Lots of stretching, a small sandwich and a bunch of 1% chocolate milk. Tonight lasagna is on the menu and of course water.

I was supposed to run Sunday and have today off. If I'm going to get my 4 runs in this week I may have to run tomorrow. If I do I won't do the recommended hill workout but instead Thursdays EASY 5km. We'll see....

Until Then!

Natural Running Drinks

2011-03-07T04:44:00.000-08:00

I posted a comment left yesterday. A natural running drink. Good idea. I'm sure I will try this. Thanks!!!

Hi Alyson, I am also training for the Ottawa Half. I didn't want to use Gatorade for so many reasons including some of the ones you suggested. I found some great recipes for easy home-made drinks. For the last few longer runs (between 13 and 17 k) I have been drinking a combination of:

2 tbsp lemon juice
2 c water
1 tbsp agave nectar
sea salt to taste

It's delicious, refreshing and I feel great. A running coach also suggested replacing the agave and lemon juice in the recipe with just a half a cup of fresh squeezed o.j.

I am NOT running in THIS!

2011-03-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

It rained for 24 hrs yesterday and this morning I woke up to a blizzard. Needless to say I am NOT going out in this. I just can't muster up the energy or care.

Adam is off tomorrow so it looks like Monday will be my day to run. I think I'll do my Monday chores today after church instead.

Life changes and sometimes we just need to go with it.

Until then...

Running partners and Fuel Needs

2011-03-05T13:51:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'm about to run my first 12km training run. My husband and I have the rare opportunity to run together so he is going to run it with me. I'm not sure if I'm glad he is coming with me to keep me company or annoyed that he can just head out for a 12km run when he is NOT doing any other running!!!!! I would die...That is all I have to say.

I purchased my first running fuel to consume on the run. I tried 'Emergen-C' as an energy source in my water bottle. (As recommended by my fitness guru friend). I managed to run 50mins on the treadmill without dying so I think it worked but the bubbles...not so good.

After buying something WAY too expensive at the local overpriced and over marketed 'health supplement store' from an arrogant juiced up grease monkey I found THIS stuff and was all too happy to return the first purchase.

This stuff SEEMS to have what I want. Carbs,electrolytes, amino acids and no added food dye or yucky chemicals.

The label on the back makes me laugh. Quote '' Hammer Gel Does not contain artificial flavors,colours or sweeteners; wheat, gluten, dairy components, added simple sugars, stimulants, fad ingredients (take THAT grease monkey guy), or anything unhealthy.''

I'll let you know tomorrow what happens! Apparently I need to consume 2-4 tablespoons per hour along with a bunch of water.

Happy Running!!

Next Phase of Training: Strength Building

2011-03-01T05:02:00.001-08:00

I've slowly been increasing my endurance with 3 days a week of running. Now I start running 4 days a week adding Tempo runs and Hill work as well as continually increasing my distance.

I'm still using THIS training plan if you would like to take a peek at it.

I'll admit to being a little nervous. I am not quite sure how to add another run in my already busy schedule. I have a terrible feeling I'm going to have to do a few pre dawn runs in the spring just to fit everything in. It is all worth it right??

I am looking forward to the challenge of figuring out this water and electrolyte thing on the run. It is kind of fun to have something completely new to play with. Hopefully it will keep my mind occupied while motivating me to push myself a little more.

We are all sick here so I'll be running on a little Sudafed. I am not allowing myself to take the week off. I'm already a week behind and I MUST stay on track or I won't build enough endurance to make it.

Hydration Tips for Runners

2011-03-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

I'm entering a phase I have never been in before. I am now running over an hour during my long runs. There are two things I have NEVER done before. 1) Run with water and 2) used electrolyte stuff.

I've done a little research an this is what I found:

First that it is importand to have good glycogen stores so pasta suppers are going to become the norm around here.

Second, I must start off hydrated. No more wine the night before and I must drink more water. I don't think I have been drinking enough water lately. Coffee is fine in the morning but I should consume at least 3 hours prior to running.

Third, I should consume water no later than 2 hours prior to running so I'm not making a bunch of trips to the bathroom or finding myself peeing on the side of the road.

Another great Tip: Drinking colder fluids has proven to help enduance so I will try filling my water bottle with water/Gatorade (or similar) half way, freeze it and then fill the rest of the way before the run.

My midrun fluid needs depend on how long I'm running :

ONE HOUR OR LESS
Three to six ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. Water is usually fine. For a tough run over 30 minutes, consider a sports drink to give you a kick of energy at the end.

ONE TO FOUR HOURS
Three to six ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. A sports drink with carbs and electrolytes will replenish sodium. Prefer gels? Chase them with water to avoid sugar overload.

POSTRUN
Replace fluids, drinking enough so you have to use the bathroom within 60 to 90 minutes postrun. Usually eight to 24 ounces is fine, but it varies based on running conditions.

Here we Go!!!

Sunday Sunny Silence

2011-02-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

Went for my long run today. At one point everything was still. There was no wind, no cars, no train, no animals...nothing. Just me, the sun, and the earth. All I could hear was the rhythm of my feet on the gravel and the sound of my breathing.

I just wanted to stop for a moment but right then it was just me and the world. It is a very hard feeling to describe but listening to the sound of my body pushing through the silence was amazing. I felt alive and powerful, yet humbled and small.

How often are we surrounded by such silence É(french keyboard on thanks to Audrey...that is a question mark)

We are constantly surrounded by noise of all sorts, always thinking and processing. I was able to focus on the sun, focus on the trees and the road and just BREATHE....

It was MY time...MY worship and I thank God for it.

THIS is why I run.

Food vs Poison

2011-02-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

I know, the title of this blog is pretty harsh but I am starting to feel pretty strongly about this. I am just sick and tired of being fed crap at the grocery store without knowing that I am eating crap. I am tired of only finding out about certain foods after a good friend tells me or I do the research myself.

I want to see proper commercials for REAL food and AND AND I want to see proper nutrition classes taught in the school system.

I'm not here to rant...just give you the facts or at least some of them.

This can was cheap. Seems good right? The company has been around since the 1800's and so it must be good old fashioned goodness. The can has a nice picture on it. There are vegetables and spices in it and it is 'premium' so it must be GREAT FOR ME right? oh and convenient and fast because lets me honest I'm a Mom of 4 and hate cooking.
The nutritional information looks good. 10% daily iron that's good right? Some Vitamin C and A, Calcium. All Good stuff. Whoa!!! 1/2 Cup of sauce has 24% of my DAILY salt intake? O.K so a little high but won't kill me.

You know what WILL KILL ME? (Kill me as eventually cause chronic disease such as hypertension, diabetes,obesity, depression, hormone problems and cancer) The GLUCOSE-FRUCTOSE, Corn Syrup Sugar and last but not least the BPA the can is lined with.

Thanks for that.

Here is an alternative that is most likely sitting on your grocery shelf waiting for you to buy her.

Tomatoes from OUR COUNTRY (support your local farmer), and Tomato juice.

Tomatoes and Tomato juice. No sugar, No BPA. Did you know that Eden organic is one of the company's out there that has not used BPA in their cans? Did you know there are others? Did you know that most other cans ARE poisoning us?

Well you do now.

My point.....

You have choices. They are out there and some of the choices over time with save you and your family from chronic diseases. Seriously. I would tell you about the Glucose Fructose but you all watched the video I posted earlier and know already right ? ;) And the more you buy these choices the cheaper they will get...

Oh...and sauce convenience?

Put in pot. Add a little salt, oregano and basil. Heat.

Serve with pasta.

And my quest for real food continues......Happy Eating!!

20 minute CARBON run

2011-02-18T17:36:00.000-08:00

The temperature soared today melting the snow on the sidewalks and the sun came out. A PERFECT combination for a great run. I felt like a butterfly emerging from her winter cocoon.

I ran....HARD....for 20 minutes in the downtown air. It felt like I was flying and it felt oh so good. I then ran back to the YMCA where I did my ball workout and hit the bike for 10minutes.

My knee tends to hate me when I run hard and biking seems to help strengthen the muscles that support it. I think I will make this the 'norm' for my Friday runs. Later when it is light out past 730pm I'll go for evening bike rides but for now this will do.

Going slow and steady and increasing my mileage is very important for this Half Marathon, but doing a workout like this will help me with my endurance as well. I won't go into the boring details of why so just trust me that getting the 'carbon' out as I like to call it is both practical for body AND mind ;)

Runner's Log

2011-02-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

I ran 60minutes today. It is raining, I had a belly full of chocolate and I REALLY did not want to do it.

I don't know about this Half Marathon stuff. I think it was the dumbest idea I have come up with to date. I know....not very motivating but seriously. I have to run for over 2hrs? How boring. I must admit that for the first 50 minutes I was sort of grumbling to myself in boredom. I need to go slow and so I had too much left over energy to grumble and complain. At this pace my lungs don't feel like they are working at all but I know I need to stay slow and steady for my leg muscles to make it.

I can see HUGE benefits running with a partner for long runs. Misery loves company???

Perhaps this is how I felt when first training for a 5km? Maybe I will be able to push the pace in the future and feel like I worked out? I DID push the pace for the last 10minutes..mainly because I knew I was headed home!! :) Only then did I feel I had a great work out.

I'm glad I did it. This marathon stuff certainly is mostly mental and I'm sure I will be grateful for the challenge and accomplishment. Right now however I'm going to nap. Glycogen depletion maybe???

I'm done complaining because I really am glad I went....and managed to run for an ENTIRE HOUR!

Why we are fat: Life changing eye opening video

2011-02-11T19:08:00.001-08:00

After the birth of my fourth child over a year ago I adopted a diet of 'real food'. I am not perfect and could still make changes but I just started to eat real food all the time. I've also got an extensive fitness background and know how to be healthy. I lost the weight, have energy and last week looked pretty good in my bikini. Sometimes I forget WHY I do things. I don't always remember where my knowledge came from and sometimes I also forget things. So it is WONDERFUL to be reminded of why I believe what I do and it was a good kick in the pants to make more things from scratch and be different from society.

One of my closest friends posted this video on her site. I was hesitant to watch it as it would consume over an hour of my life but tonight I did. It will SHOCK YOU.
PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO....It just may change your life and I hope it does. Don't turn on the t.v tonight. Grab a glass of red wine. (one glass not the entire bottle), sit back and watch it.

If it does not work on my site please go to hers Healthy Food,Health mind,Healthy Me
The video is titled the bitter truth about sugar.

Fit Mom Embracing the weather

2011-02-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

When some people think of 'fitness', they think gym, weights or workout. Being a Fit Mom and Fit Family is more than crunches and push ups. Being a Fit Mom is a lifestyle. It is embracing a life of activity and fun!

We returned from our vacation to HUGE amounts of snow! It would be super easy to hibernate and not venture out. In fact the more the cold snowy days continue the easier it is to do just that. Enjoying board games and watching movies is super fun to do in the middle the day every once in a while. But I don't want my body to go into 'hibernation mode'. The less I force myself outside the easier it is to do this.

Today I really did FORCE myself. But the sun came out so it was an opportunity no to be missed. The girls tried on snow shoes for the first time (bought at a garage sale for 5$), Audrey walked as much as she could and then enjoyed the Vit D sitting in her sled. Peyton pulled a sled around and I helped Lara build a snow fort.

It was no 30 minute jog but every form of activity helps. I have also noticed that as long as I'm outside doing SOMETHING, the kids will also stay outside. Leading by example is so important and I'm not ashamed to admit that today it was THEM that helped me get outside. I tried to channel my inner child and have some FUN!!

I'm looking forward to finding some used cross country skis. We have a huge field in our backyard and a snowmobile trail that leads into the forest. We can't change the weather and so why not embrace it.

On that note...I'm off to the YMCA tonight to run INSIDE with my friend while the girls are at Clubhouse. See!! no excuses not to work out. NO EXCUSES.

oh!!! and what better way to reward yourself with fun and exercise outside than homemade cocoa!!

recipe : milk (can use soy or rice milk),water, 100%organic cocoa,and agave nectar. Heat, wisk and serve!!! yum!!!!!!

Back From Vacation!

2011-02-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

I had an AMAZING vacation with my husband. It was filled with sun, fun and relaxation. I have come back feeling renewed in my mind body and soul.

Working as hard as I did on my body before leaving for the cruise paid off. I felt great and my body was not an issue for me. I was able to be in my bathing suit without caring at all what I looked like.

I even managed to get to the gym a few times with my husband. I'm sure I've fallen behind on my half marathon running schedule but I could not care less. With over a 100 days left to train I was thankful for the break.

The last few days of the trip I did eat more than usual. I definitely allowed myself to indulge...like a lot. I did not care as a couple of days of over indulgence is really no big deal. However I am suffering the consequences a little bit today. I am craving more sugar and fat and finding it less appealing to make myself something healthy. I find that so interesting how sometimes it just takes a couple of days 'off' to get back into old habits and unhealthy choices. Being a healthy and fit mom really does take effort and is a life long journey.

As funny as it was to realize that in one day I consumed about 4000Cals it would not be so funny if that continued. I'm a fit mom so I can allow myself those kinds of indulgences, but every day no. Oh...and most of those calories consumed were found in things like eggs Benedict, chocolate,and a giant pizza thingy from a fast food join. Oh my poor heart!!

I'm allowing myself one more day of 'vacation' eating. Tomorrow I need to get back on the wagon if I'm going to have enough energy and stamina to home school my children, keep a farm house, raise chickens,train for a marathon and still have enough enthusiasm left for my husband.

Oh y'a...I promised a before and after picture of my efforts to get into my bikini. I have the after shots but if you can believe it, I LOST MY MEMORY CARD for my camera the day before the trip. I had a spare but it did contain 1500pictures not yet downloaded or printed off :( So no before pics.

What I Feed My Kids

2011-01-25T05:55:00.000-08:00

I get asked what I feed my children so I thought I would share what was and is on the menu today.

I like fresh, fast and REAL food with a minimal amount of chemicals or preservatives. The fast is a very very important part.

This morning they had organic oatmeal with frozen berries and agave nectar. Lara does not like it so she had 2 eggs fried in coconut oil and a piece of non-preservative harvest rye bread with butter and homemade jam.

For snack they all had yogurt and arrowroot cookies. I would say homemade muffins but I was busy cleaning the house and they had to fend for themselves. I love muffins because I can jam a whole bunch of crazy stuff in there like zucchini, carrots, flax and nuts.

Lunch was a shake (banana, frozen strawberries,spinach and almond milk). With that they had a plate of carrots,celery,pear,boiled egg, tofu slice,cheese,almonds (they got to pick what they wanted).

Since we are having fish and rice tomorrow I decided to make an Alyson version of chicken corn chowder to fill our bellies. organic small farm chicken, home made chicken broth and organic frozen veggies n stuff with potatoes from my garden. They are not looking so great anymore so in the pot they go!!

I'm not picky about having a fruit or veggie at EVERY meal, just most and if they are being picky more gets stuffed into the shakes to 'hide' it.

Long Distance Woes

2011-01-24T05:04:00.001-08:00

I went for my long run yesterday. It was supposed to be an hour but I cut it short at 55minutes. It was -28C with the wind chill and I was bundled in 5 layers of clothes. Once I got moving the cold did not bother me....unless my neck thingy slipped below my ears but that was nothing that could not be fixed.

So my legs felt pretty good. My lungs are not a problem and my energy was good. I took a walk break every 15 minutes or so to rest my knee as I am increasing my distance.

One problem.....

After running 35 minutes I looked at my watch and thought really??? 25 more minutes of running? I wanted to stop. Not because I HAD to but because I was bored of running. Was it because it was so cold? Was it because I did not have my friend to chat with? Not sure but the thought of running longer than an hour or training for a Marathon bored me.

Sigh..... Oh well. I bet when the sun starts shinning again and I can enjoy its warmth on my face I will look forward to my long runs again.

Till then I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other and remembering my goals.

Happy Running,
Alyson

ReFuel that Body!

2011-01-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

It is VERY important to rest your body from working out. The reason is muscle recovery. Your muscles need time to repair, and your glycogen stores need replenishing.

The rest needed will depend on they type of exercise you did, the intensity, and your fitness level. A good gauge is how TIRED you feel during your NEXT workout. If you don't have as much 'juice', then you may be over training, or just did not eat enough to re fuel your body.

Eating to recover properly is a tricky one especially if you are trying to lose weight. The best thing for your body after a workout is to eat within one hour after your workout. It just needs to be small. A little carbohydrate mixed with a protein. I am training for endurance so my body needs the glycogen replacement. That comes from complex carbohydrates like whole grains. I can get that in a shake with a bunch of stuff but the easiest and simplest is pasta. As I continue to train my body is learning how to efficiently use the glycogen in my muscles FIRST for energy so I need it. I will naturally start to burn more fat at rest or by doing a less intense exercise because my metabolism will increase. This is the same concept for weight training. The more muscle I have the higher my metabolism and the less chance my body will want to store the food I eat as fat.

So workout and eat properly but make sure you are eating enough to refuel your body....

It's kind of complicated but simple at the same time.

Make sure you are also sleeping enough and as a side note....Sometimes if you are having a really tired day it may be because your period is coming.

Happy Running!

A Rebuttal of Sorts.....

2011-01-16T16:58:00.001-08:00

O.K I'm back. Sorry about shutting everyone out. I just needed some space. I don't feel like going into details so I'll just move on.

I went for my first 50 minute long run today and it felt great. I decided to run 10 minutes and walk a minute. I think I will do that for every long run until I am confident my knee can hold up. I may even run the Half that way. I always thought that was sort of cheating, but walking for 10 minutes total in a 2 hr run can actually INCREASE my time at the finish so I don't really care. Besides..if it helps me get ACROSS the finish line than I am fine with that.

I am also feeling REALLY good now. You see I have bad days. I am on a journey and I'm walking with God. I am listening to what He needs from me and it is making changes in my life. I feel the need to stress that I am not doing things alone. I am praying and listening and walking with God here. But sometimes I rebel. The sinful part of me screams and wants to ruin the spirit God is trying to put in me. As a former food and drug addict my reaction is to really really want to do these things.

So am I restricting myself too much? No. I'm not restricting things at all. Instead I have been listening to what God needs from me. For me that was to shed the rest of the addictions in my life and focus on what God wants me to do. Not what I SHOULDN'T do....what I SHOULD. For me that meant changing my diet to include much more healthy food. Less dehydrating drinks and mood killers such as alcohol and coffee. For ME these two things needed to go for a bit to help me rely on HIM. Yes I know a glass of red wine and a cup of coffee are kinda good for you...but for ME they were a crutch...o.k?

Do I feel better? Absolutely. My mood went from EXTREMELY depressed to DOING ALRIGHT MOST DAYS.

I have to laugh at God's timing though because this strong urge to change my diet came right before I decided to run a Half Marathon. And with God's help I am now feeling healthy enough that I can run it.

As for Happiness I will make this statement.....Happiness for me is when I am walking alongside God on my journey. When I am in sink with HIS plan for my life. Every time I try to do things on my own I seem to fail and it is only when I stop resisting, start praying and listening that I feel a contentment like non other.
Sometimes I need to do things in my life, or NOT do things in my life for the better....for my own good. Sometimes I rebel against it. That's just my own stupidity as I sabotage myself. God never promised that following His lead was the easy road. But it is a road that will lead to far greater things than my narrow mind can understand.

And as for worrying about my weight or fitness level.....I am not trying to lose weight. I am trying to be fit enough to run a Half Marathon. I've also had 4 babies and am just being realistic about what my body has become. I don't put my 'happiness' on what I look like, but being fit and not having my stomach roll over my pants IS a goal that I want to achieve so you can't fault me for wanting to be sexy for my husband.

I know, I said I wasn't going to talk about why I went offline but there you go. I was upset by a comment left (that I deleted). I was upset because whoever it was that left the comment did not understand me at all and it bothered me. It bothered me because they say they read my blog all the time and thought something that was just well....not me.

I was wondering why I blog if I'm going to be misread all the time. I don't say EVERYTHING that is going on in my life or the reasons why I do things. I do keep some things private. I wrote about my bad day because I want to keep things real. I want people out there know that I am human as well and have bad days. I am a 'fit mom' but sometimes life is hard. That was it. I was also trying to explain that I did not eat enough and it was contributing to my bad mood...and not because I was starving myself. Just that I should have eaten more than the two eggs and shake I had for breakfast an HOUR earlier. I was TRYING to write a post about how important it is to eat eat eat and that most people think NOT eating is the answer. I was TRYING to say that when you DON'T eat enough during the day that your body will start to crave crappy food and that eating more healthy food early on in the day will help curb a binge at night.

I was TRYING to make it more personal by sharing my bad day as it was happening.

I was going to delete the post. But no. This is my blog. I started it for myself. So I could have a voice without 'voicing' my opinion to people that don't want to listen. If people don't want to read about what I have to say then they don't have to click here!! So I have decided to continue to just be me. To be raw and real. If I help someone else along the road than that makes me happy.

So that's it. Thanks for the comment (that I deleted) because it actually helped me realize that I am on the right track and doing what is best for ME. I love how God works because the sermon at church today also spoke about listening to what God is telling you and acting on what you know you need to do.

So I'm not mad at you whoever you are. I'm thankful. Thankful that your comment forced me to evaluate that I was doing the right things with my life.

Funny enough too...I am 'happier' today because of it.

See! Even I have bad days...

2011-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm having a bad day today. I'm not sure if it is the lack of sleep due to a teething baby and sick kids. Not sure if it is the lack of sun. I'm not sure if it is the fact that I have 2 weeks to feel good in a bathing suit and HATE the way my stomach feels and looks. Not sure. But what I do know is that when I am feeling this way I get verbal about it and get grumpy.

To not be so grumpy and take it out of people I know I need to do something positive. It is so much easier to drink a coffee (for a fake high), or to eat to stuff down those feelings and feel a sense of 'satisfaction'. In fact the urge to eat is really strong right now. So much so that I know eating a healthy portion size is not easy for me....I want to STUFF MY FACE!!!

The SHITTY part is that last night I lost a little self control and ate TWO sandwiches at like 8pm. (I must not have eaten enough during the day) and so this morning I don't WANT to eat. I want to eat really well. I want to shed the last two pounds or so I need to before the cruise. I want to be able to drink smoothies and brown rice (blech) The problem with that? The problem is that when I focus on what I don't want to do, I want to do it even more.

Want to know something crazy? The fact that I was so grumpy was because I had been up since 530am. I also did not eat my crazy amazing morning greens shake and was hungry. So my brain was grumpy. But grumpy brain wants COMFORT food. not vegetables or shakes.

So what did I do???

I ATE. I put together a nice hearty wrap filled with vegetables and drank a big glass of water. I also reluctantly made myself a shake full of lots of good vegetables. Problem solved. Now I have a full belly full of good stuff. I also have the rest of the day to burn it off. I am less grumpy and feel SO much better. I am also losing the urge to eat the REST of the wraps as I write this (distractions are a good thing sometimes).

What to know something ever crazier??
Because I ate during the day and early I will not be starving, my metabolism is revved up, I have energy for my day, my mood is better AND late tonight I will not crave sugar and thus screw up my entire diet. I will also be able to make better choices come an afternoon snack and dinner. Funny eh? Funny how when you eat at regular intervals you have more self control, are happy and healthier.

So there you have it. Reality of a chick trying to eat well and make good choices. Just keeping it real here. It is not always easy for me. In fact when I am tired it is VERY EASY to slip into old patterns. I'm actually typing this right now to stop from making a coffee.

Life...not always easy but it IS possible to triumph...and now I'm going to leave with the kids and go to the library to stop myself from returning to the kitchen.

Running Log

2011-01-13T05:11:00.000-08:00

I increased my mileage. The last two runs I went up to 40mins. So far so good. I need to remember to stretch well though as my hamstrings tighten up. I was not planning on doing an extra 20 minutes this week but my fabulous running partner Anita and I just wanted to keep going. I hope I don't regret it at the end of the week. I think to be safe friday I may but my 30 minute run a few minutes short. I just don't want to overdo it. If I stick to 30 minutes on friday that will be a total of 110 minutes for the week.

I have to admit that I'm starting to like this slow and steady stuff. More time to run and chat and have alone time ;)

Babies are still sick around here and the baby just puked. I pray I don't get sick now or before my cruise. I can handle set backs but enough is enough!! I know we can handle anything

1/2 Marathon Training Step TWO

2011-01-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

Step One : Commit to run 3x a week for 3 weeks for a total of 1.5hrs a week.

Step Two: For the next 6 weeks I will build my base. I will still run 3x a week for a minimum of 30mins each time. I will increase my TIME no more than 10% a week. This is to get my body used to the distances. For example: This week I ran about 90 minutes (give or take a couple of minutes). Next week I will run 10% more, so I will just add 10minutes (The extra minute is no big deal).

I can add the entire 10 minutes to one 'long' run, or I can split up the time into 2 runs. I think for the first week I will do that just to build slowly. I have 19 weeks or so until my race so there is PLENTY of time I build faster later. I would rather be cautious at this point.

Since I am going on a cruise at the end of January I will be adding core work on my stability ball EVERY DAY with some stretching exercises. This will help me as a strong core is essential for distance running. I am also and EXTREMELY tight runner and this will FORCE me to stretch.

So there you have it. My plan for the next 6 weeks.

3x a week for 3 weeks complete

2011-01-07T16:58:00.001-08:00

I started off today on my run and my knee hurt. It hurt to the point that I turned around at 4mins to come home. I think it may have something to do with trying to show my friend how I run by using exaggerated running and sprints. Not smart.

I can't believe I have knee problems but I'm not going to focus on that right now. I will take one day of running at a time and just focus on that.

I SLOWED RIGHT DOWN, and by the time I passed my house 4 minutes later the pain was gone. so I kept running past the house. I managed to get the rest of the run finished without pain.

This marathon stuff is not going to be easy for me. I like to run and I like to run fast but there is NO WAY I will be able to run long distances at a crazy pace. I need to build the endurance and build it slowly. I just picture what it will be like to cross that finish line in May and I tear up. It will be worth it.

So here I go....Week 3 of 3x a week COMPLETE.

Flat Tummy Plans

2011-01-07T05:36:00.001-08:00

I hate sit ups. I really do. That is a pretty good reason why I don't have a nice stomach. Well that and I carry ANY extra weight in my tummy. I always have.

I need to be in a bikini amongst a bunch of strangers soon and I want to feel as confident as possible.

I have 23 days to make some changes. I've taken some before pictures and after two weeks I'll post if there is a difference. I'm too embarrassed to post yet.

My plan?

Sit ups and crunches on a big blue ball 30mins a day during a favorite T.V show (to keep my mind off the crunches)
NO eating whatsoever past supper time. I find if I snack at night I always seem bloated in the morning.
Lots of fibre in good shakes to keep the food moving along in my system. Being regular definitely cuts down on tummy bulk ;) I'm also going to try really really hard not to OVER eat. Eat yes and plenty of it, but I'm going to try not to OVER do it at any meal.
I am running 3x a week and will be increasing my mileage by 10% a week to train for the Half so that HAS to make a little bit of difference.
Stretching and yoga.

Shaky Advice

2011-01-05T04:28:00.000-08:00

I've kicked my coffee habit. I wake up every morning and make myself some water and lemon or add green tea.

The lemon helps to stimulate the digestive system in the morning. I'm waking it up telling it that it is time to eat and burn energy!

I need to eat for energy. I also need vitamins,minerals and antioxidants. I need all of these things to function at a higher level than I have been. This is also going to help my moods and my sleeping patterns. So on top of my pretty o.k diet I've been stuffing as much good for me things into my diet as possible lately.

This mornings wake up shake was this.....

One whole pear,frozen blueberries,filtered water,ginger root,lemon,avocado and a splash of Vit D/fish oil supplement. This tastes like crap but that is why I hid it in the shake ;)

Yummy!!! Even my kids drank some and LOVED IT!!!

I needed a change from my usual chunky Greens shake and I am glad I did.

The usual ingredients I play with are

apples/pears
blueberries/strawberries
avocado
spinach
parsley
romaine lettuce/arugula
celery
lemon/ginger
coconut milk/almond milk/rice milk
almonds
chia seeds/flax seeds
bananas
almond butter/organic natural peanut butter
organic cocoa powder
Agave nectar

This way I can have a berry type shake, cocoa type shake, tropical, greens type depending on my mood. This is also a GREAT WAY TO GET MY KIDS TO EAT stuff they normally won't touch.

So go ahead and experiment!!
My friend Kirsten over at Healthy Body/Healthy Mind has done a great little post on tips to get you started in the shake department as well. check her out. We all do things a little different and the more ideas the better !!!!

Not how I planned it

2011-01-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

I spent New Year's Eve sick with the stomach flu. I was planning on losing 3 pounds for my cruise at the end of January put not like this !! As I write this I am also missing the first race of the reason. I am upright and slowly sanitizing the house and doing laundry but that is about it.

Not the way I was hoping to start 2011. I'm still optimistic it will be a good year though. I may have missed my run today but I will head out as soon as I am able to. I have 20 weeks until the Ottawa Half Marathon. Plenty of time to increase my distance and train.

Life does not always go according to plan. There is no sense in worrying about it. I will just have to put one foot in front of the other another day.

Drug Rehab

2010-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

I take what I said in my last post back ;) I feel a little tired,cranky,headachy, and sick. I laid down and almost fell asleep on the couch at 11am. I almost took it out on the kids. All I wanted to do was to have a nap and let the time pass but I had to run. I planned to meet my friend.

I showed up feeling like I was being forced to run during rehab. I told Anita to ignore my swearing.

She did ;)

I thought I would come home and have a coffee so I could have energy for our party tonight.

Instead I have more energy and I just consumed another one of Shan's shakes. This one had cocoa and banana in it. I'll take the little bit of caffeine in the cocoa if it means I can be a good hostess tonight.

So there you have it. Fitness is not always easy to do but I did it and I'm better off for it. If I can do it, so can you ;)

Interview and Caffeine Free!!

2010-12-29T05:58:00.000-08:00

Part Two of my interview with Annett Davis is up. Thank you Annett for editing my verbal diarrhea so well ;). You can find it by clicking on Fitmomsfitkidsclub.com. Today it is on the main page but it can also be found under the news heading and Fit Chat with Annett.

On another note....

I'm Day 2 of being COFFEE FREE!! I didn't think I could do it. I like my morning coffee and I was dreading the 4 day coffee withdrawal symptoms. I wanted to cut out the addiction as I prepare to train for the Half Marathon. I need to optimize my nutrition and limit dehydration. Getting off coffee will also stabilize my moods. Saying that coffee makes me nicer is just the addiction talking. I would be much nicer and less grumpy if I did not crave caffeine in the first place.

So far however I have yet to experience a headache. I'm a little more tired than usual in the afternoon but that will change in a few days.

Every morning I wake up and have hot water and lemon as the lemon helps to stimulate my digestive tract. Then I continue with my Good AM greens Shake as described on Shan larter's website.
At first drinking parsley,celery and lettuce made me gag, but after adding more lemon, ginger root and water I LOVE IT!!

Running as a Metaphor for my Life

2010-12-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

I managed an entire week with 3 runs. One week down and 2 to go and I get to start my training program to run my first Half Marathon in May.

I'm taking it one run at a time as I build up my endurance. I need to go really slow if I'm going to increase my mileage. I have ALWAYS done things at full speed. That is why I like the 5k races. As I was enjoying a slow and steady run yesterday, forcing myself to slow down I realized that training for this half just may be a metaphor for my life....

Always at full speed. Reckless by nature. Concerned mostly about the here and now and not about the long term not really caring about the consequences of my actions.

But training for a Marathon IS about the goal. It IS about the finish line. Just as my Christian walk NEEDS to be about the finish line and the eternal and not about the here and NOW. Oddly enough, thinking about the FUTURE goal ALSO makes the JOURNEY that much BETTER. My journey is now steadier and more enjoyable. There are less bumps and bruises along the road. I believe that training for the half will be just like that. Slow and steady wins the race.

I believe that doing things this way will teach me more. It will teach me about commitment. About longevity. About determination and strength. About wisdom.

I am looking forward to the next 6 months of training just as I have enjoyed the last 10 years of knowing Christ. My life is better and what better way to celebrate it than with a physical challenge.

Establishing a habit

2010-12-23T05:30:00.001-08:00

Ran for the second time this week. My goal is a slow 5km three times a week for three weeks. I have not been running enough to do anything more intense and if I'm going to train for a half marathon I need to build a base.

I also need to get the habit back. I have made it a PRIORITY on my schedule again and I'm not allowed any excuse not to go. I find this part the hardest. Sort of like in physics how a body at rest likes to stay at rest and a body in motion also likes to stay that way.

I am also ignoring all the other 'should not do's' in my life because when I'm running I WANT to eat better anyway. That is also a plus.....Remind me WHY I STOPPED RUNNING FOR SO LONG because at this point I am wondering what else could be better ??

So far all is good. I'm sleeping like a ROCK. I forgot how much better I sleep when I run in the evening. It is a great feeling. I laugh because it has only been twice in a week....you wouldn't think it would make that much of a difference but it does....

OH happy running and Merry Christmas to me ;)

My Interview....Part 1

2010-12-22T05:05:00.001-08:00

Fit Chat with Annett Davis

2010-12-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

My interview is on the web!!

I did an interview with Annett Davis back in September. Annett is a pro VolleyBall player in the US and Olympic athlete. She started a blog called Fit Moms Fit Kids.

I tried to post the video here but couldn't so you will just have to find it!!!

Go to www.fitmomsfitkidsclub.com It is under News and then Fit chat with Annett Davis. I think right now it is on the main section.

So there you have it!

Thanks Annett for interviewing me. It was a great experience.

Good Days are Surely to Come

2010-12-19T13:34:00.001-08:00

Great run today. Thanks to my mom for coming over and holding the fort while I got out for 30mins. I know now 100% that running for me is a stress relief and when I am doing it all the other things in my life fall into place. I also sleep better, eat better and lose the desire to drink wine, coffee and crappy food.

Amazing...and all I have to do is put one foot in front of the other.

Today I am grateful I am able to run. Grateful that my legs work and that I found the strength deep inside to make healthy choices.

Now that is a good day.

2011 is the Year of the Selfish

2010-12-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

So this is my Christmas present to myself. The year 2011 is a HUGE year for me. 10 Years since my first date with my husband, 10years since becoming a Christian, 10 years of marriage, and 10 years since first becoming pregnant with our firstborn.

I declared 2011 the year Adam and I take some time and money and spend it on ourselves. Yes we are selfish but it is well deserved I would think. After all....a family is only as strong as the marriage that holds it together.

So other than doing some fun things together as a couple I have also decided that it is time for me to do something that I love. Something that will require a little bit of sacrifice from everybody else. You see other than being a wife and homeschooling mother of 4 I am also a person. A woman with desires and interests. Most of the things I do on a daily basis are not about me. Not that I'm complaining AT ALL. I've chosen this wonderful life I live.

So because of that I've decided that it is time to fulfill one of my hearts desires. It is time for me to train for the half Marathon. It is just time. Time to love myself enough to allow myself to accomplish something I have always wanted to do.

I blogged a while ago how tired I am of being tired. I can't stand waking up every morning and grumbling until I have a coffee. I'm tired of not being as fit physically and mentally as I want and need to be.

Running has always been my thing. Always been my stress relief and it is time to do this.

So....Step one...

1) Set up a schedule for running and stick to it.
2) Set up a base for 3-4 weeks to build my endurance. Slow and steady is the key here. I need to be able to run 60-90 minutes a WEEK, so I'll break that up into 3 or 4 days.
3) Get rid of bad habits that cause me to be dehydrated and sluggish all the time. Yup...I'm giving up coffee folks
4) Begin my training program.....

The idea of the Half

2010-12-12T06:27:00.001-08:00

I've been asked several times now to run the Ottawa Half Marathon at the end of May. I've also had the pleasure of speaking to several motivated runners. Talking about it stirs up a lot of emotion inside. The fire ignites about running. My passion for the sport begins to rev up, and then I start to tear up. I tear up because I know how badly I want it to happen. I tear up because it is a dream of mine and It would be amazing to actually accomplish it. But then I tear up because the painful memory of training for my last marathon is all too real. The knee pain, the time commitment and the discouragement.
I want to do it but I will not commit until I can run three times a week for three weeks without it being a huge fuss around here. Running the half will require some extra massage and Chiro appointments and time to run. I have to admit that I was not very happy with the comment that if I want to run I can always do it at 5am. To me that is just not supportive and frankly I am not a morning runner so I am feeling discouraged before I even begin.

I will pray about it....and get my butt outside for a run and see where that leads me. After all....running is about placing one foot down in front of another. It is about the journey and not the goal so I need to focus on today.

Happy running,
Alyson

Leading by example

2010-12-07T04:46:00.000-08:00

I am a personal trainer by trade, and former military woman. So I know how important leading by example is.
In University I decided that I was not allowed to coach anyone else about fitness until I lost weight and got to the gym myself. I decided that I didn't have a right to tell anyone else the how to's until I gained enough self control to do it myself.

I try to do the same thing with my children, but too often I just want to shout out 'Just do as I say not what I do!!'

I am trying to teach my kids about healthy nutrition but just can't kick this coffee habit. I preach about fitting fitness into your daily life and making it a priority but I've just allowed another week to go by without running.

I know that I don't need to be 'perfect' to share my knowledge of health and fitness but I should start listening to my own advice!!

I was asked if I would like to run the Ottawa Half Marathon in May. I would LOVE to. It is still my dream. A goal. A love. But it feels so unreachable at this point in my life. I need to dig deep and rediscover myself. Ignite the fire within that burns. I can't let these 4 kids, a husband, the farm, and the Ontario winter to get the best of me. I can't let ME get the best of me.

Enough is enough....

Enough Already

2010-12-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

I am tired of being tired. I no longer wish to wake up and 'need' my coffee. I've made huge changes over the past year but now it is time to make more.

I am 'hungry' enough for change. I am in my thirties and I want to maximize the energy and youth I have left. There is just no excuse any more. Life here is short and I am no longer willing to sacrifice my body mind and soul for brief moments 'pleasure'.

I am giving up and alcohol. I'm doing it for several reasons but to be completely honest it is just not worth it anymore.

I know I need to give up my morning coffee as it as well does nothing for me. The excuse that it makes me a 'happy' mommy is only because I'm ADDICTED to it and without it I am cranky. That is just not how I want to live my life anymore. That is not who I want to be.

Step 1) Start to make changes. I can never focus on NOT doing something. Instead I focus on what I should DO.

Step 2) Drink the most disgusting Green Shake EVER created, wonder what I was thinking and THEN add the apple I forgot.

Step 3)Taste parsley in my mouth all day.

Step 4) Poop like I've never pooped before.... Thanks A LOT SHAN!!!