28 Day Clean Eating Challenge

In the beginning of September, I took the plunge and decided to become an Arbonne Independent Consultant. After attending a Healthy Happy Hour event near me, I knew that Arbonne would be a great fit for me. I especially loved the opportunity for growth and income originally, but now I love every aspect of it — from the AMAZING products to the wonderful, encouraging, helpful, driven ladies I get to work with!

The Healthy Happy Hour was an Arbonne party promoting their 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge. At the Healthy Happy Hour, we learned all about all of the toxins and chemicals that we put into our bodies, both externally, through make up and skin care products, but also through everything that we consume. The 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge is a great way to flush all of the toxins and chemicals from your system and, as it turns out, most people lose weight doing it! It also is a great way to find out, if anything, what things can cause you problems. After the 28 days are over, every third day, you add one thing back into your diet (dairy, gluten, white flour, etc.) and this helps you to see what your body may not agree with. One of my friends used to have horrible migraines – I’m talking multiple times a week – and by doing the 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge, she figured out they were caused by dairy. She said she was at an event, ate a cube of cheese and literally had a migraine within 30 minutes!

Going in, I was pretty content with my starting weight (thanks to running and body pump!) and I probably ate a much healthier diet than most, just because I enjoy healthy food. However, I was so excited to rid my body of all of the chemicals and toxins and kick start healthy and clean habits that would last a lifetime. I also had pretty bad acid reflux and the occasional migraine and I was eager to see if they had specific triggers.

Now, obviously, I can’t spill all of the beans about the 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge, because I’d love for you to do it too! But I can tell you that how it works, is that you eliminate a lot of things that are known to be allergens from your diet. If you decide to do the challenge, you get added to a secret Facebook group, where you’ll get all of the information about what you can and can’t eat as well as weekly meal plans and grocery lists. The recipes are simple AND delicious, but if you don’t like them, no worries because you can eat whatever you want as long as it all falls into the “allowed” category.

Now, where does Arbonne come into play in this 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge, you ask? Arbonne has an AMAZING (yes, I’m biased, but they really are that great) line of nutritional products that play a pretty big role in the challenge. There are vanilla and chocolate protein powders, fiber boost (powder), digestion plus (powder containing prebiotics, probiotics and enzymes), herbal detox tea, energy fizz sticks (add to water and contain caffeine), and the 7 day body cleanse (used in 3rd week to support GI system), all of which you’ll use throughout the month.

From L to R: Arbonne chocolate protein powder, Arbonne vanilla protein powder, Arbonne fiber boost powder, fizz sticks, digestion plus, herbal detox tea & 7 day body cleanse.

Now, I want to take you through my experience on the challenge. I apologize as this part is a little lengthy!

Day 1: My products had not arrived yet, so I made a veggie omelet for breakfast and oatmeal with raspberries and almonds for lunch. I’m feeling pretty good so far, but the lack of caffeine is a bit of a struggle. I had a pretty bad migraine in the evening. 

Veggie omelet with homemade guacamole

Day 2: Headaches continued… I ran and it seemed to get a little better. Wishing I could have something sweet after dinner, but aside from that I didn’t have cravings and the food was keeping me full!

Chipotle Black Bean & Rice Skillet – Basically Mexican fried rice! This was even better as leftovers!

Day 3: Still headaches, and still eating eggs for breakfast since I didn’t have my protein. Lunch was leftovers from dinners.

Day 4: First day without horrible headaches, only minor. 

Day 5: Last night I had my 2nd Launch Party for Arbonne, so I took home the extra fizz sticks samples and drank some in the morning. I was in a MUCH better mood and feeling good! My protein was waiting outside my door by lunch, so I was able to start having shakes each day, but just without the fiber and digestion plus. 

Day 6: I went to OSU for the football game and for my brother’s dad’s day and my parents had already paid for us to eat at their event, which got BBQ catered. I did opt for turkey instead of brisket, but the only side options were potato salad and baked beans, so I went ahead and broke the rules. I didn’t have any of the white bread, or sweet tea, however. Then, we went by Andrew’s parents’ tailgate and I couldn’t resist their cookie bars or jalapeno poppers. This, I regretted. Don’t get me wrong, they were so good, but I had been doing so well with the challenge thus far. At the next tailgate I ate some grilled bell peppers and onions and after the game I got a burrito bowl from Qdoba with chicken, black beans, veggies, pico and guac. It was delicious and I felt much better about eating it even though I’m sure it wasn’t organic. 

Day 7: I had a pretty bad migraine most of the day, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do with eating things the day before that I hadn’t had in a while. 

Day 8: Woke up feeling great! I didn’t have any headaches at all AND by the time I got home for lunch my other package had arrived, so I finally had all of my supplies! I did 2 shakes this day, in an effort to compensate for my mess up on Saturday. 

Strawberry, Lemon & Basil Protein Shake — So refreshing!

Day 9: Used the detox tea in the morning and at night. I added the digestion plus and the fiber to my protein smoothie for breakfast. After spending most of my afternoon at the hospital with my mom (my dad had an appendectomy), I was so tired and ended up having another smoothie with fiber for dinner. 

Day 10: At this point, I was starting to love my new routine of a smoothie for breakfast. I was feeling great and found that with one fizz stick right when I got to work and one after lunch, I had a ton of energy throughout the day. I also was getting used to eating smaller meals and snacking throughout the day. I started carrying a bag to work with snacks, just in case I would be out somewhere and get hungry. I was on the go for lunch so I grabbed an organic salad from Whole Foods. For dinner, my parents ordered in mexican, so I just ate chicken fajita meat and grilled veggies with salsa. I also snacked on carrots and an apple with almond butter. After dinner my sister and mom had ice cream for dessert (my favorite) and I wasn’t even jealous OR tempted to eat some. THIS WAS HUGE FOR ME. 

Day 11: I was feeling great! I was only having the occasional teensy tiny sweet craving that was quickly satisfied with a homemade protein ball! For dinner I had a baked sweet potato topped with a little taco seasoning, avocado and salsa — so filling and tasty!

THE BEST: Homemade protein balls

Day 12: My boyfriend got home from a 2 week work trip, so he hadn’t seen me since before the challenge started, and he could tell that I’d lost a little bit of weight! It’s always nice to get a little reassurance from time to time that what you’re doing is working!

Day 13: I had a pumpkin pie protein smoothie for breakfast that was SO delicious! I’m telling you, these smoothie recipes taste more like dessert than anything else! My energy was up and I was just feeling really good all around! I also was noticing that my reflux was significantly reduced — so exciting! 

Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie

Day 14: Still feeling great! 

Day 15:This is the first day of using the 7 day cleanse. It is a liquid that you mix with 32 oz of water. I learned that you’re supposed to drink it throughout the day, not all at once, for optimal results. The first day I pretty much chugged it because I really like the taste of it! Haha! 

Day 16: Didn’t get enough sleep last night because I had a lot going on between work and moving apartments, but after a fizz stick this morning, I was wide awake and feeling great! 

Day 17: Made quinoa crusted chicken parmesan for dinner and it was better than some of the unhealthier versions I’ve had! I’m definitely making this again!

Quinoa Crusted Chicken Parmesan with salad with homemade Italian dressing

Day 18: By this point, I had gotten good about planning ahead and bringing snacks when I knew I wouldn’t be near something that would qualify as “clean eating.” 

Day 19: I began to realize that I was looking forward to my daily shake(s). As I mentioned, they’re really more like desserts and I never get sick of the endless options! Plus, they couldn’t be easier, which is great when you need something quick or on the go! 

Day 20: Had a very productive day, was full of energy and got everything done! At the end of even the craziest of days, I love relaxing with a calming Herbal Detox Tea (caffeine free). 

Herbal Detox Tea

Day 21: This was the start of a crazy week at work. With an event the following weekend, I knew I’d be working long hours. I had to be sure to bring snacks and meals I would be able to eat because “clean eating” isn’t available at most  quick or delivery restaurants that I’d usually go to on a week like this. 

Burger with avocado, mozzarella (dairy free) & salsa, roasted delicata squash and a salad with homemade avocado and lemon dressing.

Day 22: At this point I realized that I was no longer STARVING when it was time for my next meal. By eating snacks every 2-3 hours, I had helped to maintain my blood sugar (without spikes) that can cause that super hungry feeling that normally results in over eating.

Day 23: Really learned how helpful (and lifesaving) fizz sticks can be when you’re sleep deprived. Normally, when I don’t get enough sleep I over compensate with coffee and end up with pretty bad headaches. This week, I got plenty of caffeine from the fizz sticks and hadn’t had a single headache yet!

Day 24: My sweet boyfriend said I was psycho when I told him I brought my blender to work to make a smoothie for lunch. Haha! He doesn’t quite get it yet. 🙂 

Day 25: I just couldn’t wait 3 more days to share my results with y’all! I will note, sharing pics like this is not normally my cup of tea, but I decided to do it just for y’all!  

Now for the results….

I am feeling so great, that I wouldn’t want to go back to some of my old ways! No, I’m not going to keep following the 28 day challenge rules as strictly, but I’m definitely going to continue to have daily protein shakes and eat clean as much as possible. That’s not to say I won’t enjoy the occasional treat or glass of wine, but I just love how clean eating makes me feel! And I definitely can’t complain with how my body responded to it either! Even though my changes maybe aren’t super drastic, I am feeling much more confident and happy!

Here are a few more results pictures from some other participants. Most people try to lose weight to get skinny. It makes me so happy to see people get healthy, which results in achieving those weight loss goals! Who wouldn’t want that confidence?

If you’re at all interested in the 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge, just let me know and I’d be happy to send you more information! There are so many possibilities here: I can invite you to a local Healthy Happy Hour, you can host a Healthy Happy Hour and I’ll come do the presentation for you and a group of friends, or I can send you a link to a Healthy Happy Hour presentation for you to watch and even help you get signed up and get your products if you’d like! To participate in the 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge, it doesn’t matter at all if you live near or far, because you will be given all of the tools you need via the Facebook group! The next challenge will begin Monday, October 13th, so the sooner we can get you signed up, the more likely you’ll be to get your products in time! We start a new challenge on the 2nd Monday of each month, so if October doesn’t work for you, just let me know when does. But I just have to say, what better time for the challenge than right before the holidays?

Email me with any and all questions at jackiendavey@gmail.com. I’d love to help!

Workout Accessories

As I’m sure you’ve gathered from all of my past running posts, I really enjoy working out. And yes, I’ll always enjoy running but I also enjoy body pump, Pilates, yoga, core classes and even hiking, and water and snow skiing. Whether I’m hopping on the elliptical for 30 minutes or taking a body pump class at my gym, a good sweat session is good, not only for the body, but for the mind and soul.

I recently signed up for my second half marathon. Yep, I’m doing it again! This time at Disney World!!! I am beyond excited to combine two of my favorite things! Plus, what better excuse to go back to Disney World?! Needless to say, this is the inspiration for this post. Obviously different types of workouts require different types of gear and accessories, but today I’m going to share with you some of my personal faves.

1. Yurbuds
No, this is not a typo. Yurbuds are the world’s best ear buds, in my opinion. They are a little pricey, ranging anywhere from $30 to $60 (for the type I like), but they are oh so worth it. The company was founded by a triathlete and a marathoner, who, I’m sure, are very aware of ear bud issues. They can be uncomfortable, fall out, etc. They designed the shape of Yurbuds specifically for athletes and it allows them to sort of lock into you ears and not fall out, even with all the bouncing around while you’re running. Yurbuds are also sweat proof! I’ve always had trouble finding earbuds I liked until my dad suggested these to me. Yurbuds definitely take the cake in the ear bud category!

Shout out to my Nona and Grandpa for my current aqua ‘Inspire Pro for Women’ Yurbuds that I got for my birthday! Tate ate my old pink ones the week after my half marathon. I guess he was done with me leaving him to go run all of the time! Haha!

2. Shoe Insoles
Once I committed to my first half marathon last spring, I knew I needed to get the best running shoes. Everyone has different types of shoes they prefer for running, my personal favorites being Asics, but even more important than the shoes are the insoles.

When I decided to invest in some good running shoes, I went to a local running shop called Red Coyote. They have this really cool set up where they have you run barefoot (it was so weird) on a treadmill and they videoed your feet from behind. Then, you get off and they slow down the video and analyze how your feet are hitting the treadmill while you run. This is when I discovered that I slightly roll my arches while running. Without the proper insoles, running could become very painful, especially on my knees and ankles. Early on in my training for my first half, I accidentally wore my old running shoes (purchased before my Red Coyote experience) that did not have my insoles. I only ran 4 miles in the old shoes, but wow did I notice a huge difference! By the end, my knees were really hurting, which rarely happens with my insoles. So, for obvious reasons, I am now a big believer in making sure you have the proper support you need in a shoe.

My insoles are ‘Berry’ made by Super Feet, but I’m sure you could find some at any running store.

Another random running shoe tip that I learned at Red Coyote is to buy your running shoes a half size bigger. This is because when you run, especially longer distances, your feet expand. I can only imagine all of the blisters that could be caused by a smaller shoe!

3. Apparel
This one I feel like I can’t classify as a necessity, however I find that I am so much more excited and motivated to workout when I have cute workout clothes. Silly, I know, but it’s true! I used to always work out in my “college uniform,” aka Nike tempo running shorts and oversized tshirts, but I’ve learned that the softer and lighter materials used for workout clothes really make you more comfortable while working out.

There is a Nike outlet not too far down the road, so I first took my search for workout apparel there. I found a few things but I didn’t go crazy because I realized that even at an outlet store, workout clothes can add up quickly! I got by for quite a while, only adding a few tops and leggings to my workout wardrobe.

This summer, Andrew told me about a company called Fabletics. It is a monthly subscription as well as an online store for workout apparel. Kate Hudson is one of the co-founders. After researching it further, I decided to sign up. The difference between Fabletics and other monthly subscriptions is that you don’t just pay a flat rate and then they send you whatever. Fabletics has you take a quiz when you sign up about what types of workouts you do, etc. and then they give you outfit options each month. On the 1st of the month, you receive an email with your outfit options (along with their prices) for that month. The outfits tend to run about $50 each. You make your selection by the 5th of the month, or you can opt out of that month. If you opt out, you do not pay. This is what enticed me to sign up. I think it’s cool, but I probably don’t need a new $50 outfit each month. But, knowing I can keep my membership and just opt out from time to time is really nice.

So far, I’ve been nothing but pleased with my outfits. The first one fit perfectly, and I love it! It was only $30 because when you join, the first one is half off! You can’t beat $30 for a bra, leggings AND a cute workout top!

My 1st Fabletics outfit.

The next one’s top and bra were a little big, so I just sent them back for a smaller size, no extra charge to me. It was super easy and I had my replacements in no time!

My 2nd Fabletics outfit.

One of my friends did say that they tend to run out of colors and sizes pretty quickly and since they do a new line each month, they don’t replenish their stock. So, if you decide to join, I’d recommend picking your outfit as soon as you get your email on the 1st.

Here is a link if you want to join Fabletics:  http://www.fabletics.com/invite/52606868/

If you have any questions about any of my suggestions, don’t hesitate to ask!

I promise, none of these companies paid me to say any of this. (I wish!) These are completely my personal opinions that I formed after using all of these products.

First Half Marathon: Complete

First off, I apologize for the delay in this post! This is the busiest time of the year at work — gala season. But, that’s another story.

Next, I did it!!! A week ago Sunday, I completed the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon! It wasn’t easy, but I loved it! This definitely won’t be my last half marathon! I’m still a little unsure about a full marathon, but we shall see what the future holds…

My bib.

Now, I’ll take you through the day before and the day of the big race.

Saturday, I had a pretty busy day. Andrew (my boyfriend) and I volunteered at the Oklahoma City Arts Festival in a drink tent from 2:00pm – 6:00pm. When signing up for this, I didn’t really think much about the fact that I’d be standing the majority of the time. Luckily, we were able to drink whatever we wanted while we were working, so I drank a lot of water. I had read that hydration the day before your race is key. Normally, I probably would’ve opted for the free beer, but I knew that it would only dehydrate me, so I stuck with water.

Andrew & I at the Energy game.

After volunteering, we had to go straight to the Oklahoma City Energy’s first home game. The Oklahoma City Energy is OKC’s new professional soccer team and Andrew has season tickets! I would have liked to carbo-load with a pasta dinner, but since we had to be quick, my only food options were the various tents at the Arts Festival (which didn’t include pasta). I went with a brisket baked potato. As far as dinner before a race goes, I’d read so many contradicting suggestions. Some people suggested carbo-loading the whole week prior to your race, some said just have pasta for dinner the night before, and some said to just stick to your regular routine. I wouldn’t say a brisket potato is a staple in my diet, but it also isn’t something completely weird that I’d never order, so I guess I fell somewhere in the middle of all of these suggestions, which seemed to work well for me.

My BBQ brisket baked potato.

Andrew’s Energy tickets are in the “Fan Zone,” which was exciting, but also involved standing the entire game. My old neighbor is actually on the team, so it was pretty cool to see him score the Energy’s only goal of the night. Unfortunately, the Energy lost, but the game was really fun! By the time I got home that night, it was around 10:00pm, so I showered and went straight to bed. I was a little nervous about how badly my feet were hurting, but there wasn’t much I could do about it at that point.

The next morning, the race was scheduled to start at 6:30am. After reading several blogs with tips about running a half marathon, I decided to wake up at 4:30am to make breakfast and make sure I had plenty of time to get ready and go to the restroom and all that jazz. I wanted to eat a banana, but all of mine were frozen, so I opted for banana protein pancakes. (Recipe here.)

My dad, who ran the half with me, came to my apartment, which is just a couple of blocks from the start, and we walked over about 6:00am. We knew the weather forecast wasn’t good, but at this point it was just sprinkling on and off, so we headed over anyway. Right as we were getting to our designated corral, there was an announcement that the start was delayed until 7:00am because of weather. They weren’t worried so much about the possibility of hail (yes, there was a possibility of hail!), as they were about the lightning. Apparently, the policy is that the race cannot start if there is lightning within 10 miles of any part of the race route. This is when it came in handy that I live so close. We went back to my apartment and turned on the news, which was also giving updates about the status of the marathon. Around 6:45am I checked Twitter and found out that the race had been delayed to 7:15am. Around 7:00am, I checked again and it was delayed until 8:00am. At this point, we started to get a little nervous that they would cancel the race because on the news they said that after 8:00am there were concerns about being able to keep the roads closed long enough for everyone to finish.

Also, keep in mind that this was an hour and a half after the time we had been scheduled to start. This is when I started to get hungry. I continued to drink water, but tried not to over-do it because I didn’t want to have to stop running and wait in line for a porta-potty during the race. I also ate a piece of bread and 3 Clif Shot Bloks. Yes, these are the shot bloks I normally eat while running, so I figured it’d be okay to eat some prior to the race.

At 7:50am, we still hadn’t heard of further delay of the race, so we headed over, despite the lightning and rain. Right as we got into the corral, they announced it was delayed until 8:15am. We decided just to wait there, because the corrals were starting to fill up. Since we weren’t moving yet, the rain was pretty chilly. I began to wonder how miserable this race was going to be.

Pre-race selfie with dad in the rain. This pic makes me giggle.

It was at this point that I realized bringing my phone and headphones to listen to music was a bad idea. It would’ve been fine if I had like an arm band but normally I just carry my phone. So, my phone was getting wet AND my Pandora and Spotify weren’t working because there were so many people — over 26,000 runners, not to mention the spectators! I ended up just carrying my phone and not even listening to music, which was a little annoying. I will admit though, having my phone after the race made finding people much easier.

Our view of downtown OKC waiting on the race to start.

I think it actually was closer to 8:20am when they finally let the first corral start the race. We were in the last corral, which didn’t start until probably closer to 8:35am or maybe a little after. The feeling of being in with over 26,000 other runners is one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced! Like any race I’ve run, getting into your pace is a little tricky, especially at the beginning because you’re constantly dodging other runners and walkers. I enjoyed the music playing along various parts of the route and a bunch of the spectators were even handing out snacks, or spraying us with water, which was awesome! Of course, there were also the designated water stations that typically had water, powerade, and pretzels. A few of them also had soaked sponges, goos, oranges and bananas for the runners.

So many runners had signs pinned to the back of their shirt saying who they were running in honor of. It was a constant reminder that we were all running to remember the 168 that were lost on that tragic April day 19 years ago. There were also quite a few firefighters walking the route in their fire-fighting suits (I’m not really sure what the term for them is..) which I thought was pretty awesome.

At first, my dad and I stuck together, but around 2 miles in, we ended up separating. He generally runs a little faster than me anyway, but trying to dodge people and stay together proved to be quite challenging. You’d think that running that far without a buddy or music would be horrible, but I actually really enjoyed it. I was just another runner in the midst of the 26,000. All the other people were more than enough encouragement to keep me going.

Despite my concerns the day before and the morning of, the race actually went quite smoothly for me. It wasn’t until about the last mile and a half that I started wanting to walk. But, I took my friend Claire’s advise (mentioned here) and didn’t stop. I only slowed down through 3 of the water stations, because the first part of the race was pretty muggy and I realized I was sweating more than usual. One thing that I found a little challenging, was that I never knew what mile I was on or how far I had left. A couple of points had race clocks, but I wasn’t exactly sure what time the clocks were at when I started, so they weren’t much help. I based when I ate my shot bloks off of time. I ate 3 around 45 minutes in, which seemed to work out well for me.

I loved all of the people and volunteers along the route cheering us on. It was pretty cool to know that complete strangers were rooting for me. My favorite part of the race was the last leg on Broadway. Once you turn that corner, you could see the finish line. Everyone starts to speed up and there are crowds on both sides of the street yelling and cheering. I didn’t even see anyone I knew, but I loved it! Come to find out Andrew was along that leg and snapped this pic!

Almost to the finish line!

Right after I crossed the finish line, I was handed my medal. Then, there were tents with drinks and food. I grabbed a fruit cup and a water. I knew I was going to lunch with my parents so I wasn’t too concerned about eating a bunch at the tents. My dad didn’t have his phone so I was a little worried about finding him, but right after I got my food and water, I turned the corner and there he was! Then, since Andrew had seen me finish, he came over and found us.

Post-race with AP!

After a delicious, HUGE meal at Ted’s with my parents (of course margaritas were involved), I went home in an attempt to rest. I was pretty exhausted. This was when I started to not feel so hot. I had a pretty bad headache on top of the sore legs, which I expected. I later realized the headache was probably because I was dehydrated. In the future, I’d make sure to drink lots more water.

Dad and I after the race in front of the memorial.

To sum it all up, I loved running a half marathon and I would encourage everyone who has even slightly considered it to go for it! I am so proud of myself for completing it and can’t wait to do it again! Next I’m thinking maybe the Disney Princess Half… Who’s with me? 🙂

Half Marathon Training Update

I am now into the 8th week of my 10 week half marathon training program. I’ll give you a little recap of how training has been going.

The first 3 weeks of training went really well. The longer runs were hard, but I managed to get through them just fine.

Next, I made a big mistake… I missed the 4th and 5th weeks of training because of my Disney World trip and preparing for my Disney World trip. I was supposed to run 7 miles the Saturday after I returned from my trip, but after not running at all, I only managed 5 miles. The next day, I decided to try for 7 again. I made it 6 miles and immediately regretted it. Normally, after running, especially the longer runs, I feel great. Not in this case. Going from not running to running 11 miles in 2 days was too much for my body. My lower back hurt so bad immediately after the 6 mile run I began to think I had seriously injured myself and wouldn’t be able to run the race.

Luckily for me (and my bank account), my dad is an orthopedist. Driving home from the gym, I called my dad. He knows that I am the queen of complaining and whining, so he said I probably just strained my back. He advised me to take a couple of days off, take some ibuprofen and do some core and back strengthening in the mean time. The next night, I was complaining to my boyfriend because my back was still really hurting, despite following my dad’s instructions. It even hurt to walk. He also gets sick of my complaining, so he suggested I call his dad, who is a physical therapist (double win for my bank account). His dad walked me through some stretches over the phone and then suggested icing my back. Since I never really got injured growing up, I was pretty unfamiliar with icing body parts and the idea of it wasn’t so appealing. Nevertheless, I did the stretches and then laid on an ice pack and it was actually wonderful! I continued doing the stretches throughout the week and then decided I should ease back into my training.

That Wednesday, after taking 2 days off, I decided to give running another go. I ran 3 miles on the treadmill and felt fine. I was still having minor back pain but it was mostly gone — nothing like before. I went ahead and took Thursday (and accidentally Friday) off. Saturday I ran 5 miles without any trouble.

The following Monday, I ran 8 miles. I had been nervous about this run because it was my first outdoor run by myself, not to mention the fact that the furthest I had run thus far was only 6 and it had been a while. Yes, I had been running on the treadmill at the gym prior to this. This was partially because it had been cold and getting dark early, but partially because I didn’t have anyone to go with and the idea of running outdoors alone freaked me out. I thought if I didn’t have the treadmill or a buddy to keep me going, that I couldn’t do it. As I’ve mentioned before, running is completely a mental thing. The only reason you can’t do it is because you don’t think you can.

Well, I’ll be honest. This 8 mile run was pretty hard. The first couple of miles were the worst. I kept thinking I wouldn’t be able to run the half, and that I should just quit and pay my dad back for the registration fee. About 2 miles in, I had to stop to wait for a light to turn so that I could cross the street. It was then that I told myself, ‘you know what, you can do this!’ I thought of the 5K I ran on Thanksgiving and how so many people, both much older and much younger than me, do it. I thought of all of my friends that would say ‘told you so’ if I quit. This was the perfect motivation. Instead of all of those negative thoughts. I started focusing on where I was going and how beautiful the area was on that sunny evening. I didn’t stop again until I had completed the 8 miles. It was the best feeling in the world! I had finally experienced the runner’s high! I know people hate when other people post about working out or fitness on social media all the time, but I just felt so great and was so proud of myself that I wanted to share it with others, so I tweeted about it. Sorry everyone, I guess that makes me that girl. Oh well!

It was that 8 mile run, when I knew I could run the half. I also realized that I really love running. I had been toying with the idea of other races in the future, but kept thinking I’d have to wait and see how my first half went. This run was pretty much the deciding factor for me. My first half most likely won’t be my last. This run also opened my eyes to how much better running outside is than on a treadmill.

That week I was able to catch up to where I should have been in my training. That Saturday, which was this past weekend, I ran 9 miles. The best part about it was that I felt like I could’ve kept going. The 3 mile recovery run I did Sunday was honestly harder than the 9 miles on Saturday (mostly because my legs were sore).

So this is where I am now: back on schedule in my 8th week. I’m actually starting to get excited for the half. I just really hope it isn’t freezing or rainy… I’m a wuss when it comes to the elements.

I almost forgot, I have a couple of tips to share for fellow runners training for a half! My older sister, Megan, who has done a million races (okay, I’m elaborating, but she has done a bunch), told me that I needed to start thinking about what kind of energy/food thing I was going to use during the race. This had not even crossed my mind. She said that I need to try some out while I’m training so I find one I like and can use it for the race. I had heard of the goos and nothing about them sounded appealing to me — especially the texture. Yuck! Megan told me her favorite are Shot Bloks, which are made by the Cliff Bar company. I found them at Target and bought a pack. One pack has 6 bloks and Megan said to eat 3 about 40-45 minutes into a long run. The first run I tried this on was the 8 mile run. I bought the strawberry flavor and they were actually pretty good! They are essentially big gummies, so they’re easy to eat while you’re running. The only thing I didn’t like, which would be the same for any of these energy things I guess, was that I had to carry them with me. Megan suggested a running belt to hold them, but that’s basically a glorified fanny pack, which I’m not crazy about. I used the second half of my pack of Shot Bloks on the 9 mile run and decided that they are what I will use on race day. I still haven’t resolved the issue of carrying them, but I still have a little time to figure that out…

My other tip came from my friend Claire. She has completed a half marathon and prior to that, to my knowledge, hadn’t been a big runner, so I really valued what she had to say since I’m in a similar position. Now that I’m thinking about it, she may have done cross country in high school, but I don’t really remember her running much in college. Anyway, Claire said no matter what you do, or how slow you have to go, don’t stop running. She said when you start walking, it is so much harder to run again. I think this is true, just from my long runs. I’m not a fast runner by any means, in fact sometimes I feel like I’m barely moving. Every time I feel like stopping I just think of Claire telling me to keep going. It really does make it easier! When I say I’m slow that is no exaggeration. I run a pretty consistent 10-minute mile. In the future I hope to get faster, but for my first half, I just hope to run the whole thing without stopping.

That’s all for now! I’m sure I’ll post again soon with another update since the race is coming up so quickly!

Half Marathon Training Program

Well, I’ve chosen my half marathon training program. I looked through a bunch of them, but this one just seemed right up my alley. I found it on Pinterest (shocking, I know) via I Heart Vegetables’ blog but it looks like it is originally from Fitness Magazine. Since this is a 10 week program, I will officially start it on Monday, February 17th. So, since that is a little ways off, for now I’m just continuing to run 3-4 times a week and cross-train the other 3-4 days. At this point, the furthest I’ve gone is 4 miles and boy, it felt good!

So I’m running a half marathon…

I’ve always been a pretty healthy person. I tend to like healthy food and I enjoy working out from time to time. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to take care of your body. As my mom always says, you only get one!

I grew up dancing, which I loved, but this isn’t really something you can continue throughout your life. The only way to keep dancing is basically if you become a professional, which wasn’t ever something I was interested in pursuing.

In college, I would go through phases of working out a lot and then not at all. Junior year, my older sister, Megan, who is a runner and what I like to call a “workoutaholic,” convinced my family to all run in our town’s Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning. I downloaded a “Couch to 5K” training app on my phone and started the program. I realize it sounds silly to train for a 5K, but I hadn’t really run before. A few weeks went by and my desire to continue with the training app fizzled. Next thing I knew, it was time for the Turkey Trot. I completed it, but probably walked close to half of it. Even though I wasn’t thrilled with how I did, I loved the race environment and that everyone was out there doing it together.

Over the years, the Turkey Trot has become a Thanksgiving family tradition. Since the original Turkey Trot, my dad has taken up running. A few years ago, Megan talked him into running a half marathon in San Antonio with her. He continues to run on a pretty regular basis.

My whole family is athletic and has no problem running a random 5K, like said Turkey Trot. I already mentioned that Megan runs all of the time, but she also competes in triathlons! Rachel, my younger sister, has always been athletic and even more so, determined. She played soccer when she was younger, and then moved on to cheerleading and golf. Scott, my little brother, picked up swimming his sophomore year of high school and by senior year, he made state! My dad played sports all throughout his childhood, and as I mentioned now runs all the time. The only one who can’t run the Turkey Trot is my mom. She used to run all of the time until she got really bad bersitis in her hip. After a stint filled with painful shots that required extremely long needles and the ugliest hip brace you have ever seen, she was forced to give up running forever. Being the competitive person I am, I decided this year that I wasn’t going to be the only one in my family (mom excluded) not to run the entire Turkey Trot. This, combined with my desire to take care of my body, lead me to start running.

I went to the gym two or three times a week and ran a mile or two each time, in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Before I knew it, it was the week before the race and the furthest I had run was 2 miles. Thursday, exactly a week prior to the Turkey Trot, I told myself it was the day to run 3 miles. Up until then, I didn’t know if I could do it. That day, I ran 3 miles without a problem and I realized that I was completely capable. This is when it occurred to me how much of a mental thing running is. The only thing holding me back was all of the negative thoughts in my head — that I was bored or tired, or that I just couldn’t do it.

This year, I ran the entire Turkey Trot. I may not be fast, but I ran all 3.1 miles of it. I was so proud of myself. It felt so good to succeed at something that I didn’t used to think I could do. This is when I realized that I enjoy running. It doesn’t hurt that it is also a great stress reliever and good for my body. The “runner’s high” afterward isn’t too bad either!

Clearly my dad picked up on this. A week or two later I got a text from him asking me to do the Oklahoma City Memorial Half Marathon with him in April. At first I was hesitant. The most I had ever run was 3.1 miles! How could I commit to 13.1 miles?! The more I thought about it, the more I realized how awesome it would be to be able to say I ran a half marathon. I remembered that race atmosphere that was so inspiring at the Turkey Trot. If that was how I felt at a little 5K, how awesome would a half marathon be?! Needless to say, I gave in. My dad and I are signed up to run the Memorial Half on April 27th.

When I told some of my friends, the response was “Oh Jackie…” or “You mean you’re going to do it again, huh?” or even just laughter. You may think this is mean, but they’re right. I was signed up to run the half several years ago. I piddled around and never trained for it. As the race got closer, I ended up saying that I had an injury, which allowed me to defer my registration to the following year. I did not run it that year either. Basically, I was lazy and that is exactly my motivation this go-round. I am going to prove to everyone, and more importantly myself, that I can do it.

Training for a half definitely won’t be easy. It is going to be a journey. I’m sure there will be days when I want to quit training and just give up. I’m hoping that sharing my experiences publicly will get me through those hard days and keep me motivated. We’ll see how it goes! I guess this is just the first of many new adventures for me in 2014!