Thursday Training Update

I fee like I'm finally getting back into the groove, nothing like setting 2016 goals to get you moving again!
I have a great step streak going, 11 days in a row so far, and lots of packing has also been going on.
So back to the workouts....
Sunday I decided to get off my lazy butt, and I put out the call on Facebook, and luckily my friend Joy was headed out for a 20 miler. Noooo, I didn't do 20, but we did speed walk 10 together. Total blogger fail, no pics of us together, but I did take some.

Monday I was super sore from the trail walk, but I managed to torture myself some more with some Hammer and Chisel, ISO Strength Chisel.

Tuesday I was even more sore,so I stuck with PiYo, but Sculpt was up on the calendar so I don't think I did myself any favors! I also had a run on the schedule, but it was raining. I'm not totally against running in the rain, but I feel like I'm fighting a cold, so I did a 4 mile Power Walk DVD instead. I also made a few decisions about some future races....

Crazy right? If I add the 2017 Disney Marathon to my schedule I will be a Double Agent. Score! 

Ok, so back to my workouts.

Wednesday is my weigh in day with Weight Watchers. My goal for my first week back, and learning a new plan, was to maintain. Let's be real, losing weight is hard and it's even harder during Christmas! 

Can you see the fine print? One pound gone! I came home after my meeting, got some housework done, and hit the road and got in 3 miles. A perfect day.

Today I plan to do PiYo and Hammer and Chisel before we hit the beach club for NYE. The hubs is home after 3 days away, however, and if he suggests something else I will definitely change my plans!

Tomorrow starts my Word Workout Challenge. I will be posting them daily on Instagram. Look me up! @BarkingMadRun

Here is a sneak peek....

Will you be joining me? Be sure to tag me on IG and use the hashtag! 

Wordless WW Wednesday

2016 Achievement Board

After a lot of consideration, I chose words instead of a word for my 2016 goals. In the past I have used Persevere, Relentless, and Believe. This year, I chose I Can. Because I can. It's definitely something I need to keep reminding myself.
I can finish the NYC marathon.
I can continue to follow Weight Watchers and ultimately reach my goal.
I can.
I used circles for my goals this year, like the dot on the letter i. As I reach my goals, I will color them in. Last year I used red and green. The year before was lime and aqua. I haven't quite decided what colors to use yet, maybe some that relate to our big move to SC in February?

So here are my goals (so far) for 2016. As I reach some of them, I will add more. Not all are running related, or even health related, but most are.

1. Run the NYC marathon (I'm in, I deferred last year)

2. 30 day plank streak

3. Lose 5 pounds (I have more to lose. Baby steps.)

4. Complete Hammer & Chisel

5. Run in 2 new states

6. Coach GOTR (there is a chapter in SC, yay!)

7. Read 40 books

8. 1000 moonjogger miles

9. Run 500 miles

10. Do one pull up

11. Complete a round of PiYo

12. Complete a monthly challenge

13. Join a SC running club

14. Run 30 races, any distance

15. 2750 Instagram followers

16. 1500 facebook followers

17. 2750 twitter followers

18. 750 Pinterest followers

19. Reach Mt. Ararat, 48 books already owned

20. Pop Sugar reading challenge

21. 2000 moonjogger miles

22. 16 weeks of Weight Watchers meetings 

Merry Christmas

Wordless Wednesday, January Challenge and Shower Pill Discount Code

Ok, almost wordless. I made my own challenge for January. Each day of the month, match the letters of that day's word to the exercise list for a new unique workout each day!
When you are done sweating, use a Shower Pill to clean yourself up!

Mainly Marathons, 5 Races, 5 Days, 5 States. One free race!

I was surprised this morning to see that a race series I have heard about but never particpated in, was offering one free race to every runner in 2016! Holy heck!
I immediately went to their site to check for a race in SC, since that is where I am moving to in February!
They have an Appalachian series, with a race in SC, in October. Hooray!
I signed up for the marathon  (following the directions, and emailing instead of registering via the website) to use as a practice run for NYC. Double holy heck!
Jump on over to Mainly Marathons and see if the are coming to an area you want to race in! You don't have to do all 5 races to get one free!
I am in no way affiliated with this race series, nor have I ever run one of their races. I just like to share a great deal when I find one!

Happy 1st Day of Winter

... from the Jersey Shore, where it's 60 degrees out, and supposed to hit 70 on Christmas Day! I think Jersey is trying to prep us for our move to South Carolina!

2016 Reading Challenges

I love to read. Our new house will actually have a library, every book nerd's dream! Each year I take on the Goodreads.com Reading Challenge, where you set a goal and try to read that many books during the course of the year. This year I exceeded my goal of 30 books, so my 2016 goal is 40.
Some gals in my Facebook Reading Club turned me on to a new challenge:

The rules are simple:

You set a goal and read. The catch? It's books you already own. Yikes. I have a lot of those. 20 books on the shelf, 22 on my kindle. My nook is charging but I'm pretty sure the number there is over 100. It's a lot of fluff, and a few classics. What is fluff? You know, those predictable romance novels you can't help but down load when they are free on BookBub? I have dozens. Possible over a hundred. It's a sickness. But.they.were.free.

So, I chose Mt. Ararat. 48 books.

Here are the levels:

Pike's Peak...12 books

Mount Blanc... 24 books

Mount Vancouver... 36 books

Mount Ararat... 48 books

Mount Kilimanjaro... 60 books

El Toro... 75 books

Mount Everest... 100 books

Mount Olympus... 150+ books

I don't know who invented this challenge, but they are a genius!

There is also the Pop Sugar Challenge, which I printed out last year and got halfway through....

Will you be joining me for either....or both.... challenges?

Wordless Wednesday Winner! Nektar Naturals Edition

Zooma Run Love Virtual Race.... Coming Soon!

As a Zooma Ambassador, it is my pleasure to tell you about the first event of 2016, a Virtual 5k and 10k!
The Zooma Run Love Virtual Race is a great way to stay active through the winter, with the event taking place on February 14.

It's a great deal, too. Included in your registration is a sweatshirt, Feetures! socks, and a medal! Plus, you can join their Facebook group  for support and they will send you an email after registration with links to training plans! 

You might be wondering how one does a virtual race. Virtual races are perfect for beginners, seasoned runners, and everyone in between. You run on your own time, at your own pace, on the roads or in a gym, whatever works best for you! You usually receive your swag in advance, so you can post pics after your race, holding your medal and wearing your shirt! Zooma will be mailing swag out the week of January 18, so you will have it in plenty of time!

So, who is joining me?

Flat Mama Friday Star Wars Edition

Tomorrow is a Star Wars Tribute Run/Walk, 2 miles of fun and nerdiness! Shockingly, I have very little actual Star Wars running gear, so this will have to do!

Thursday Training Update

This last week has been insane! The hubs and I went to Charlotte to look at houses, found one, made an offer, signed paperwork. Plus, he stayed behind to start his new job and I came home to work and to single parent for the week. You never realize how much you count on someone until they're not around! Yikes I'm tired!
I did manage to get some workouts in, though....

I've also been jogging on front of the TV at night. I have a 14 day step streak going, 10k a day. I've been super tired and fightomg a cold, but. I'm not giving that streak up! 

I tested out Hammer and Chisel, but I'll be officially starting it on Monday. With all of the travel and craziness, I haven't been able to get to the grocery store, but I'll be srocked up and ready to go by Monday!

How was your week, are you ready for Christmas?

Wordless Wednesday

Cold and Flu Season, Nektar Honey Crystals, and a #beesweet #Giveaway

When I am not running, working out, house hunting, or blogging, I am a Nanny. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it before, isn't that funny? I work with two amazing little girls, two days a week each. They are both pre schoolers, which means I am constantly subjected to germs. Every year I get at least one really fabulous cold. Yay.
Thanks to Sweat Pink and Nektar Honey Crystals, I have something yummy to put into my tea when I start feeling froggy and thick headed. I received this box set in exchange for an honest review!

 

 

No more thick, sticky mess when I make my tea, this honey and cane sugar delight pours easily, and mixes in quickly, and I can enjoy my tea without the mess! Special thanks to Nektar for including a measuring spoon set to help me! 

 

 

Nektar Honey Crystals aren't just for tea either! You can add it to an apple, along with some cinnamon, raisins, walnuts, and butter (core out the center of the apple and pour everything right in there) and then bake at 375' for about an hour.  Deliciousness! Check out Nektar Naturals for even more recipes!

The college girl got a peek at my newest find and I had to fight her for it! Luckily, I can get more at Walmart, and I will be sure to get some before she returns for the Spring semester. As a Musical Theater major, she drinks a LOT of tea!

As a special Christmas gift to one of my lucky readers, I have a 6 oz. bottle of Nektar Honey Crystals! This giveaway is for US citizens only, and my friends at Nektar are asking that if you win a bottle from another giveaway, that you share the love and let me pick a new winner. This giveaway will go live tonight and I will choose the winner a week from today, on December 15th!

How do you enter? It's easy! Just check out...........

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


So, what are you waiting for? Start entering!!!While you are doing that, I am going to start on my Achievement Board for 2016......

Moving....a Grand Adventure

The hubs and I took another trip to Charlotte, and this time we found a house! He is making an offer this week, fingers crossed that it's accepted and everything works out as it should! We still have to sell our house, so there will be some juggling!
While we were here, we made sure to get some movement in, and we found a great Greenway to walk through each morning!
We also found that the Carolina Thread Trail passes right behind our house!
Some pictures......

Thursday Training Update

Lots of running this past week and Hammer and Chisel is finally out, so I am hoping to Kickstart a great winter full of workouts!