May 2018 – ever-changing evermore

Week #6 of 6 Weeks to Drop 7 – And Done

May 25, 2018May 31, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

Week 6 Statistics (Ending 05/25/2018)

Weight (152.8 last week): 153.6 pounds
- Gained 0.6 pounds
- Down 3.4 pounds from start
Body Fat % (23.7% last week): 23.9%
- Gained 0.2%
- Down 0.8% from start
BMI (24.0 last week): x
- Lost x points
- Down x points from start
Time Spent Being Active (>= 6 hours): 6 Hours 4 Minutes 26 Seconds
- Miles Run: 17.81 Miles
- Number of Runs (>=4 runs a week): 4 Runs
Days within Calorie Goals per MFP (1200): 6 days

Exercise:
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Rest
- Monday – 3X800 and cool down(47:27)
- Tuesday – 5K and Cool Down (36:05)
- Wednesday – Hill Training (43:20); CDF MMA Speed with Weights (25:13); CDF 5-Min Core (5:03); Yard Work (42:42); Upper Body (20:32); Abs (12:03)
- Thursday – Ran 4.0 sunny miles and walked 0.6 (50:25); Abs (12:03)
- Friday – CDF MMA Power (46:24); Abs and lifting (23:09)
Notes:
- Not a great start to the week, I’ve not been feeling it
- Making this a +1 week because I’ve been so off (digestive, diet, exercise, so busy with end-of-school year stuff)
- This did not go how I wanted it to go, but that’s OK – 3.6 pounds is better than nothing
Picture of the Week

We’re setting summer goals here and one of them, for each of the boys, will be to run at least a full mile without stopping. We ran our baseline on Sunday and Matthew did 0.35 miles and Bryson did 0.5 miles. So… Their end of summer goals will be 1.25 miles (Matthew) and 1.4 miles (Bryson).

Let’s go, boys!!!

The Week’s Workouts

Starting Statistics on 04/17/2018 (A Tuesday – not the typical Friday)
- Weight: 157.0 pounds
- Body Fat %: 24.7%
- BMI: 24.6

So Yeah…

May 23, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

This week has been tough with getting ready for summer, so… I’m adding a +1 week to my “6 Weeks to drop 7” plan. I need a week to regroup (the +1 week), which is this week.

I’ll still run stats and post on Friday, but it will not be the final week.

Just wanted to lay it all out there!

Relay Complete!

May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health, Uncategorized

I ran a 75-mile relay last weekend with the same team I did last year, but with a few subs because one of the gals up and moved, another’s son was running for a college recruiter, and another one went off and got pregnant right after we signed up last summer. All good reasons to not run with the team, but I did miss each and every one of them.

We welcomed 4 new gals to the team and they were fun, but it wasn’t the same. I knew going into this relay that this would very likely be my last year running it (third year in a row), but by the end of the race, I knew I was done. We had an amazing lake house to stay at the night before the race, we had a full 8-woman team, we had a killer 15-passenger van with room to stand up and change inside (we removed 4 seats so there was room to walk back and grab snacks even while on the road), we had an awesome app that helped us arrive at each checkpoint in time for the specified runner, and we had perfect running weather (but not perfect spectator weather – a bit chilly). To have the same great setup again seems pretty impossible! The van was the best part, and it was supposed to be smaller but the company upgraded us for free – unlikely to happen again) and I don’t know if I could happily do this again in a smaller vehicle. It’s best to go out on a high note. AND… I was the final runner this time and got to lead us across the finish line. It was a great way to end this phase of running. If I do it again, I want to do it with a coed team with my husband.

I wasn’t as fast as I was last year, and that was OK with me. The first leg was pretty darned fast at an 8:19 pace. The second leg was an 8:42 pace, way off from last year but I didn’t care. The final leg was an 8:57 pace in the rain, and I was perfectly happy with that! To do all 3 legs under a 9:00 pace was my goal, and I met that goal. My average pace for the full 12.5 miles was 8:43. That works because I told my team to plan on me running an average of 8:45!

We were supposed to have thunderstorms along the entire route all day long, but somehow, we stayed ahead of it until the very end (my final leg). We got lucky, and honestly, the weather was perfect for running. Last year, it was really, really hot by 2:00 in the afternoon, but this year, it never got hot. It was nice. I didn’t mind the rain at the end either, because I knew I was done and it was a bit refreshing.

We finished the 75 miles in 12:40:35. That’s a 9:59 average pace which is what we told the race coordinators it would be (for staging purposes). Not too shabby!

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Week #5 of 6 Weeks to Drop 7

May 19, 2018May 23, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

Week 5 Statistics (Ending 05/18/2018)

Weight (153.8 last week): 152.8 pounds
- Lost 1.0 pound
- Down 4.2 pounds from start
Body Fat % (24.1% last week): 23.7%
- Lost 0.4%
- Down 1.0% from start
BMI (24.2 last week): 24
- Lost 0.2 points
- Down 0.6 points from start
Time Spent Being Active (>= 6 hours): 8 Hours 2 Minutes 22 Seconds
- Miles Run: 31.64 Miles
- Number of Runs (>=4 runs a week): 5 Runs
Days within Calorie Goals per MFP (1200): 6 days

Exercise:
- Saturday – Ran 12.54 miles in M2M Relay (1:48:38)
- Sunday – Rest
- Monday – 3X600 and 1.5 Mile walk (60:41); Abs (12:44)
- Tuesday – 5K and Cool Down (43:47); Upper Body and Abs (45:00)
- Wednesday – Morning lawn (53:36); Abs (12:11)
- Thursday – Run and cool down (54:19); Upper Body and Abs (40:08)
- Friday – Stroller Pushing 5K and cool down (41:18) ; Abs (11:00)
Notes:
- Chugging along, beating my body to death with too much running (did not plan to run Friday)
- Need to kick it is high gear to hit goals next Friday
Picture of the Week

The Week’s Workouts

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Starting Statistics on 04/17/2018 (A Tuesday – not the typical Friday)
Weight: 157.0 pounds
Body Fat %: 24.7%
BMI: 24.6

Week #4 of 6 Weeks to Drop 7

May 11, 2018May 12, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

Week 4 Statistics (Ending 05/11/2018)

Weight (153.2 last week): 153.8 pounds
- Gained 0.6 pounds
- Down 3.2 pounds from start
Body Fat % (23.9% last week): 24.1%
- Gained 0.2%
- Down 0.8% from start
BMI (24 last week): 24.2
- Gained 0.2 points
- Down 0.4 points from start
Time Spent Being Active (>= 6 hours): 7 Hours 28 Minutes 20 Seconds
- Miles Run: 22.1 Miles
- Number of Runs (>=4 runs a week): 4 Runs
Days within Calorie Goals per MFP (1200): 6 days

Exercise:
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Half Marathon #2 (2:05:49)
- Monday – Rest
- Tuesday – 5K and Cool Down (36:45)
- Wednesday – Tempo 25 and Cool Down (56:20); Free Weights and Abs (44:05)
- Thursday – 5K (28:17); CDF 5-Min Core (5:20); Upper Body (30:36); Abs (13:07); Yard Work (1:10:01)
- Friday – CDF MMA Speed with weighed gloves (26:00); Abs (12:00)
Notes:
- Being perfectly honest, I relaxed this weekend after the half marathon in Sunday. I had to rest on Saturday and Monday, so yeah…
- I have 11+ miles to run on Saturday, so even tonight (Thursday night, as I enter this note), I don’t care what my weight is on Friday morning. I’m going to burn more than I can possibly eat on Saturday given I’ll be in the car for 12 hours doing this relay – it will be energy waffles and PB&J’s all day long
Picture of the Week

This is, by far, the best race photo I’ve ever had taken! I am NOT a waver, but they told me to wave so I did. So glad I did as I was told!

The Week’s Workouts

Starting Statistics on 04/17/2018 (A Tuesday – not the typical Friday)
Weight: 157.0 pounds
Body Fat %: 24.7%
BMI: 24.6

Half Marathon #2 of 2018

May 6, 2018May 8, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

It did not go well. Ha!

The weather was PERFECT, I actually was more prepared than two weeks ago, and it started out solid and strong. My paces per mile started out similar to my first half marathon of the season, and I was shaving off time through mile 3. Then mile 4 hit, and I slowed a bit, but it was still recoverable. Then I got to mile 7 and I fell apart.

I was exhausted, and honestly, I think I was just beaten down because the course going into mile #7 got boring and dreadful. Very little crowd support, a trail with no signs of life (other than water stations and other runners) for 5.5 miles. I decided right then and there that I prefer road running and that if the bulk of a race is in this particular park, that I will not do it. I knew that half of this race would be at this park, and I was hoping I could mentally get through it. I couldn’t.

The field wasn’t very competitive either. Not like it’s the job of other runners to motivate me, but I am more motivated when I’m surrounded by fast runners. People were walking early and for long stretches. My finish time, although respectable, wasn’t worthy of being in the top 21% in my division and the top 24% of women.

But, and there’s always a BUT, the weather was spectacular and the post-race party was the best I’ve ever attended. It was a great way to end the race, with a glass of sangria surrounded by friends and family!

AND….

It wasn’t my slowest half marathon pace in the last 3 years, so I can live with it (which is great because I have to live with it!).

This year’s race stats are (I did not run this last year or ever before):

263/1106 Overall (22.67%)
259/1090 Women (23.76%)
25/120 Division (20.83%)
Finish Time 2:05:49 = 9:37 Avg Pace

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Half-Way Done – 6 Weeks to Drop 7!

May 5, 2018May 6, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

I’m already half-way through my 6-week challenge and I’m happy with my progress. Below are my goals and my progress on each:

Goals for these 6 Weeks (actually 5.5 weeks since I weighed in on a Tuesday):

Finish on 05/25/2018 with a body weight loss of 7 pounds or more (minimum target weight is 150 pounds)
- Today, I weigh 153.2 pounds, a loss so far of 3.8 pounds. I am on target and should reach that 7 pound goal
I am targeting a loss of 1.5% or more of body fat as reported on my scale
- Today, my body fat percentage was 23.9%, so a loss so far of 0.8%. I am on target and should reach my goal of losing 1.5% body fat
I want to see major changes in my physique since I’ve been there before and know I can look a lot better
- Already seeing progress, which is encouraging
- My abs are coming back!
- My shoulders have popped – they’re always the first thing to shape up
- For my photos, I chose the absolutely most unflattering pants in my closet – which was not smart but does let you see the progress better
- See progress photos below
Complete 6+ hours a week of dedicated exercise
- Not a problem AT ALL!
Run 4 times a week at minimum (following my trusty 6-week half marathon training plan)
- Exceeding this goal! 13 runs in 3 weeks so far
Lift or do weight training at least 3 days a week
- Exceeding this goal! I’ve done weight training 10 times in 3 weeks
Use Core De Force for strength training and additional cardio
- Doing this consistently
Do abdominal work at least 4 days a week
- Meeting this goal at 12 ab workouts in 3 weeks
Stay within daily net calorie goal of 1200 calories at least 6 days a week
- Messed up one week where I stayed on target 5 days instead of 6
Report into My Fitness Pal daily (478 day streak already!)
- Met – I login multiple times a day!

Starting Statistics on 04/17/2018 (A Tuesday – not the typical Friday) and Today’s Stats:

Starting Weight: 157.0 pounds
- 153.2 today

Starting Body Fat %: 24.7%
- 23.9% today
Starting BMI: 24.6
- 24.0 today

Starting Measurements:

Starting Natural Waist: 29.5 inches
- 29 inches (loss of 0.5 inches)
Starting Belly Button: 33 inches
- 32.75 inches (loss of 0.25 inches)
Starting Hips: 37.5 inches
- 37 inches (loss of 0.5 inches)
Starting Chest: 35.25 inches
- 35 inches (loss of 0.25 inches)

The Workout Plan Versus Reality:

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Before and Mid-Way Photos

Week #3 of 6 Weeks to Drop 7

May 5, 2018May 5, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

Week 3 Statistics (Ending 05/04/2018)

Weight (154.8 last week): 153.2 pounds
- Lost 1.6 pounds
- Down 3.8 pounds from start
Body Fat % (24.2% last week): 23.9%
- Lost/gained 0.3%
- Down 0.8% from start
BMI (24.2 last week): xx
- Lost/gained 0.2 points
- Down 0.4 points from start
Time Spent Being Active (>= 6 hours): 6 Hours 28 Minutes 20 Seconds
- Miles Run: 19.03 Miles
- Number of Runs (>=4 runs a week): 5 Runs
Days within Calorie Goals per MFP (1200): 5 days

Exercise:
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Tempo and Cool Down (46:57); Abs (10:05); Upper Body (10:49)
- Monday – 5K and Cool Down (36:32) and Abs (13:54)
- Tuesday – CDF MMA Speed And Speed 2.0 (51:01); Hammer Abs (12:01)
- Wednesday – Easy run and Cool Down (35:54); free weights and abs (30:04)
- Thursday – 5K and Cool Down (35:22); Attempt at CDF (7:23); Abs (12:34)
- Friday – Easy run and Cool Down (43:34): Mowed Lawn (42:10)
Notes:
- My eating has not been on point this week – need to get that under control
- I looked up my stats from this past April and last year, and it turns out I ran more in this crappy weather than in last year’s nice weather. By 2.01 miles, but still!
- Another half on Sunday – should be OK as it’s a flat flat course! Not nervous at all, but not necessarily looking forward to it
- Back on track with weight and fat loss, actually ahead of schedule now!
Picture of the Week

102.0 miles in April of this year versus 99.9 miles in April 2017. What a site to see! I better out-do 102 miles in May!!!

The Week’s Workouts

Starting Statistics on 04/17/2018 (A Tuesday – not the typical Friday)
Weight: 157.0 pounds
Body Fat %: 24.7%
BMI: 24.6

Week #2 of 6 Weeks to Drop 7

May 2, 2018 by Courtney, posted in 2018 Racing, 6 Weeks To Drop 7, Fitness and Health

Week 2 Statistics (Ending 04/27/2018)

Weight (155.6 last week): 154.8 pounds
- Lost 0.8 pounds
- Down 2.2 pounds from start
Body Fat % (24.4% last week): 24.2%
- Lost/gained 0.2%
- Down 0.5% from start
BMI (24.2 last week): xx
- Lost/gained 0.2 points
- Down 0.4 points from start
Time Spent Being Active (>= 6 hours): 8 Hours 7 Minutes 34 Seconds
- Miles Run: 24.28 Miles
- Number of Runs (>=4 runs a week): 4 Runs
Days within Calorie Goals per MFP (1200): 6 days

Exercise:
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Half Marathon (2:02:47)
- Monday – Strength (32:38) and Abs (16:05)
- Tuesday – Interval run (41:24) and walk (11:11); Abs (12:07)
- Wednesday – Ran 5K (27:56); walked (6:45); CDF Strength (46:27); CDF 5-min Core (5:08); extra abs (7:14)
- Thursday – CDF MMA Power (47:07); Hammer Abs (12:10)
- Friday – Hill Training (59:16); abs (12:11); Upper body (27:08)
Notes:
- Super happy with my half marathon on Sunday!
- Great week in regards to exercise – great cross training
- Weather has finally turned!!!
Picture of the Week