July 2016 – ever-changing evermore

A Happy Heart

July 31, 2016July 31, 2016 by Courtney, posted in 41st Year, Fitness and Health

My husband and I go out on dates pretty regularly, but yesterday, we had the sitter scheduled EXTRA early. We’d planned on going to this fancy farm dinner that started at 4:30 but changed our minds as the cost sunk in (it was crazy – STUPID – expensive). Once we settled on a better dinner plan, we had to figure out what to do between 4:00 and 6:30 because we were NOT pushing back the sitter start time. No way! Go shopping? Run errands? Swap out my phone?

My husband and I met through fitness. He was my kickboxing instructor and we fell in love. He was a runner so I took up running and then started a pretty successful running club. We started mountain biking together and then got into adventure racing together as a coed team (and winning!). Fitness was the foundation of our relationship.

Then we started the baby-making process which took years and lots of science/shots/IVF/anxiety while he started a new, intense (but super exciting) job. Fitness sort-of fell by the wayside for both of us. I got back into it, obviously, once our youngest was 1 but with two kids, we were both running solo, literally. Going for runs together just isn’t an option right now.

So yesterday morning, after I said, “I’d love to run Hillside this weekend,” he said, “how about we do that together before dinner?”

❤

Our sitter was here at 3:55 and we were dressed for running when she walked in the door! We’d packed bags for showering and dinner afterwards and we were in the car, driving to Center Trails, by 4:05!

It was so awesome running with him again! No music, just running and talking…. and reminiscing about our past races and biking adventures on those same trails so many years ago.

My heart has not been that happy in a very, very long time!

You Know You’re a Runner When…

July 30, 2016 by Courtney, posted in Fitness and Health

… You take enough running clothes with you for half of the days you’ll be on your short family trip, even though you have no idea if there will be places to run or not.

We rented a cabin at a state park this past week for 3 nights and I did no research into what types of roads and trails they had, or how long those roads/trails could be. I packed my road shoes and my trail shoes and two complete running outfits and headed on my way. My husband was disappointed that he hadn’t planned the same way as I did, because there were serious paved trails and singletrack trails there! The first morning (Monday), I ran 3.25 miles of paved trails (taking it easy coming off of my half marathon the Saturday two days prior) and the second morning, I went for a 3.0 single track trail run.

Ready for anything – that’s my motto!

131140200596739485 — I smiled the entire time I ran this trail! And don’t worry – my husband bought some running shorts down the road from the park and ran on Tuesday as well 😉

Half Marathon training FB Style AGAIN

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016 by Courtney, posted in 2016 Race Training, 41st Year, Fitness and Health

Like last time, I logged every training run for this half marathon in my FB group. I just love the motivation and accountability that comes with checking in with others with similar goals. I love it so much that I created a new FB group for those who I know like to run and want a place to check in and share tips and goals.

Here is every single training run post from my second half marathon to my third. I didn’t miss a single training run!

Half Marathon #3 is Done!

July 24, 2016 by Courtney, posted in 2016 Race Training, 41st Year, Fitness and Health

I traveled to Castle Rock, Colorado with some great blog friends this past weekend to run another half. I was scared to death of the elevation/altitude, being an Iowa girl and all. One of the gals met me early and we went up to Estes to hike for a couple of days, so that was a great way to prepare! Running and hiking at 9,000-10,000 feet will prep those lungs!

We ran 3 miles on day 1 and although we could feel the elevation, we knew we’d be fine for the half at 6,000 feet. We then hiked another three miles that first day and then seven the next day (up to 10,000 feet). We were ready!

I had targeted a 10:00 pace for this race given the altitude which would have brought me in around 2:10:30. I pulled across the finish at 2:05:48 with a 9:36 average pace! I came in 92/260 (35.38%) overall, 41/160 (25.63%) of all women, and 8/43 (18.6%) in my division.

I am thrilled!!!!!

Feels Like a Hiatus

July 7, 2016 by Courtney, posted in 2016 Race Training, 41st Year, Fitness and Health

Where in the hell have I been, huh?

I’ve been in a funk for about 4 weeks. Four weeks ago yesterday, we were told that my favorite maternal aunt had 3-4 weeks to live with her liver cancer. Four days later, she was gone (I got up to see her and had a proper goodbye). Three weeks ago yesterday, we had her visitation and three weeks ago today, we buried her. Since that phone call four weeks ago, I pretty much have been depressed, eating everything tasty, and doing no exercise but running.

I’ve gotten soft and gained 3-4 pounds.

Today, I told myself it’s time to get back at taking care of myself. None of my training runs had slipped off the radar because running brings me peace, but the other body maintenance stuff disappeared from sight. Last night, I did ab work after running a 5.4 mile interval training run, and today, I ran a 5k, lifted weights, and did ab work. I got back on point with my eating yesterday too.

It’s time.

Tonight, I’ll sign up for another half marathon.

I’m back. 🏃

Why I Did Coolscupting

July 1, 2016 by Courtney, posted in CoolSc*lpting

As my coolsculpting results kept getting better and better as the weeks went by, I sort of forgot why I did this. I was so excited about how things looked naked, and because it is summer and not really “jeans season” for me, I spaced off my most important reason for doing this procedure.

Jeans. I LOVE jeans! But I did not love how the right side of my tush looked in jeans.

Well…. I love how my tush looks now in jeans! No, it’s not perfect, but it never will be. No, It’s not lifted and firm, but whatever! What it is is equal and not bulging. And THAT was the goal!

I’m beyond thrilled, and the $1,750 spent on this was worth every single penny!