Nike Women's Marathon: 2011 Mission Accomplished!

Mom and I are ready to start the Nike Women's Marathon 2011.  This is mom's hand!

  

Cruisin along the Embarcadero.  Living in the Bay Area, at times, I forget how beautiful the city really is.  Along this area, Glide Memorial Gospel Choir is singing some awesome songs and you can't help but to stop and clap and thank God for the opportunity.

Walking along Fort Mason/Chrissy Fields enjoying the view of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The Sports Basement is also along this section of the course.  This is my restroom pit stop and only opportunity to use a 'real bathroom'.  This stop, I had hoped to buy some aspirin.  I was beginning to feel sore.  This was also the part of the course where I saw my former TNT coaches, Tom and Alice.  It's always a pleasure to get a hug along the way.

  .      

Moving toward the Presidio. Rolling hills are in the very near future. UGH!  Lots of TNT support is in this area because it's such a tough spot on the course.  This is also where you will see faces of honorees or those who have lost the battle to a blood related cancer.  Lots of reflective moments happen here because my body hurts, I'm tired, and I'm ready to be done.  But than I remember...this is much more easier than chemo or being on my death bed.  I keep it moving.

Heading out of the Presidio and now entering rolling hills zone.  This was an excellent time to run into a mentor I had when I was training with TNT for my first full marathon in 2004, Nancy.  God love her!  She walked me up the hills, literally.  At this point, I was looking for the 'sag-wag'.  I was done and ready to finish, but with assistance.  Nancy let me know that I didn't need the 'sag-wag' and I was doing great.  In my head, I really wanted that ride!  She's probably in her 70s and has done 45+ marathons (fulls and halfs).  She was truly an inspiration and I'm so glad I saw her.  At the top, I gave her the biggest hug.  Thank you, Nancy!

 

At this point, I was truly in the home stretch making my way down hill towards Ocean Beach.  My mom had called me just as I was at mile 10.  I was really getting excited about what I was about to accomplish.  

 

I was so glad to turn that corner from Golden Gate Park to see The Great Highway.  The best part of The Great Highway?  The FINISH line!  Woo-hoo!!  

 

As always, mom was waiting for me at the finish.  I was happy, hungry, and sore all at the same time.  I usually stop to grab all of the freebies, but all I accepted this finish was my blue Tiffany box with my finishers medal enclosed and a bottle of water.  I wanted to grab my checked bag and make my way to the shuttle bus.  My body was aching and I knew it would shut down on me quickly.  

 

With the help of KMEL and KBLX, I was able to listen to my Sunday morning dose of gospel music.  And so, I completed my 9th Half Marathon today. Of all the events I finished, this is the one I'm most proud of.  

 

Until next year, Nike Women's Marathon!

 

 

This little item is coveted by many! 

   

              

Nike Women's Marathon: 2011

On October 16th, I would have completed my 7th Nike Women's Marathon (NWM).  There have been 8, but I sold my bib one year.

This is an event that I register for because I am a legacy (I completed the first 5 NWM), it's coveted by many thanks to the Tiffany finishers charm, and it's an event my mom is most excited to complete because we do it together.

Mom and I have our annual ritual of meeting in Union Square at the Expotique to pick up our bag-o-swag, which includes, our bib, safety pins, coupons, and sample treats from the sponsors.  We also cruise the food and drink areas to see what's new.  We don't hang too long because we leave to dine and talk more marathon stuff and other.  We typically end up at Nordstrom Bistro.  We love it there.  We can always find a light meal accompanied by a delicious drink.

This hasn't been the best trained event, so I'm hopeful my body doesn't turn on me.  Besides, I'm really hoping for muscle memory.  Afterall, this will be my 9th 1/2 marathon under my feet!


I've given mom the pick-up time, 5:30-5:45...in the morning!  I know mom will be anxiously awaiting my arrival with her sneakers on! 

Off we will ride across the bay to wait...until 7am!  For the start time of the 8th Nike Women's Marathon.  There will be lots of people, mostly women. loud music, and thunderous applauds and loud cheers of 'GO TEAM!'.  All filled with the anticipation of the race.  Women (and men) travel all over for this event, many who trained with Team in Training (TNT) and have raised funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). 

Here's to another great walk.  Wish me luck!

To find out more about TNT and LLS, visit:
http://www.lls.org/
http://www.teamintraining.org/
http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_events-en_US/?tags=nike_womens_marathon_2011






 

In a slump....ugh!

The last few weeks have been pretty tough for me on a personal level and a fitness level.  I am in a slump and thankfully, I recognize it.  People in  my life recognize it, too.  I thank you, mom and Sharon. 

During this time, this is when I need to listen to my own advise of 'working out when I don't want to' or 'when you're feeling down, working out will make you feel better'.  Well, for me, cuddling up in my bed with comfy pjs has been my desired coping method.  Oh....and eating!

I knew things were pretty bad when I called my mom and asked her to meet me for Chevy's.  While I was sharing with my mom what was going on, I instantly began to cry.  Like for real, cry.  I was speaking my frustrations through my tears of what was going on with me and why I was feeling the way I had been feeling.  I felt as if I were 12.  I think I freaked my mom out because I am pretty sure she wasn't expecting me to lose it the way that I did.

In true momma form, she knew exactly what to say.  She knew how to verbally comfort her baby girl who wasn't feeling 100%.  Thank you, mom for always knowing what to say, no matter what.

My friend, Sharon shared a blog post with me, 'Relapse Happens'.  You see, I've been absent from her classes.  Not only does she notice my absence, but so does my classmates. I read Sharon's blog as if she were directly speaking to me.  Her post spoke to my feelings of being burnt out, triggers, and how to recover. 

I am on my way.  I know this happens to me all of the time.  I just have to do better at not staying in my slump for so long.

http://zumbawithsharon.com/          

Happy Birthday, to me

I recently celebrated my 41st birthday.  This birthday was celebrated with less fan fare than my family and friends are used to.  I think my melancholy spirit was due to the fact that I had taken a great summer vacation, but mostly because I was happy to be alive and well.

I was blessed to be treated with flowers and cards from co-workers at the office, a burger by my sister, a day trip with my bestie, and than a weekend treat of a mom-hosted gathering at Chateau Robinson with food, friends, and football!  

Here's to another happy and healthy year!

Boot camp!

As per usual, I get in fitness slumps.  I'm so annoyed with myself, but the truth of the matter is, I really dislike working out, but I know it is an absolute necessity that I do and coupled with proper eating, I lose weight.  While yes, I am working on bringing my sexier back, but dang!!!!  If only it were easier.  Thankfully, I don't have to work out because of high cholesterol or because I am pre-diabetic.  I know once I begin my workout, I always feel better afterwards. 

This week, I begin boot camp and I know this will help jump start my renewed fitness goals.  I will have the support I know I need and strong coaches to get the best out of me.  Boot camp will also add to my zumba classes and I need to 'speed' train for my October 17th 1/2 marathon!  Whew!!  I've got a lot of work ahead of me!!

check out some of my fitness jump starters:
http://www.inspirefitnessbootcamps.com/  
http://myforma.com/
http://zumbawithsharon.com/

Healthy Checks, part 2: UPDATE

I am so truly blessed and thankful.  What a huge sigh of relief when I received the call I had been anxiously awaiting for 7 days.

The discovery at my annual physical exam:  A Lump on my Thyroid.  Talk about changing the course of your day in 2 seconds!  One minute, my doctor and I were talking and laughing; the next, she was dead silent as she examined my neck area.  She stepped back and asked me to swallow.  Swallow, again.  She comes back to my neck area to further examine the front, back, and sides of my neck.  Swallow, again.  At this point, I'm freaked out because she's super quiet and focused and I immediately knew something was wrong.  She still hasn't spoken a word and now she's drawing on my neck and pulling out a ruler.  She finally looks at me, seeing the fear in my eyes to reveal that she's discovered the lump.  I cry, instantly and I could feel my heart beating fast.  And not in the 'I've just worked out kind of way',but the 'I'm really scared' kind of way.  

Thankfully, the fine needle aspiration that was done shortly after the discovery revealed that the lump was benign and that it's something I will have to monitor to make sure it doesn't grow.  My blood work also revealed my thyroid was okay, too.

I shared this information with some friends and asked them for prayers and was very appreciative of their concern.

Ironically, Hill Harper, an actor, author, and philanthropist reveals that he too had a lump on his thyroid; only his was proven to be cancer.  He's written about it in his new book, 'The Wealth Cure:  Putting Money In It's Place'.  I can't wait to see what Hill has to say about his experience and discovery of thyroid cancer and learn his correlation between wealth and health.


  http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Hill-Harper-The-Wealth-Cure.jpg     

Healthy Checks, part 2

It's that time of year, again.  Time for my annual physical and mammogram, now that I'm 40.  Awesome time, right?!  Honestly, I look forward to going to the doctor because it's my time to discuss issues from years past that have improved or to address new issues that have begun during the year.  I'll admit, since turning 30, new issues seem to arise, annually.  UGH!!

I spoke with my friend, mentioned in my June 21st post, 'Healthy Checks' and learned that he did go to the doctor for all of his needs and thankfully, he got a clean bill of health.  Another friend mentioned in this post , still hasn't 'found time' to visit the doctor, knowing, statistically, she's at a greater risk of discovering a problem and it could potentially be too late to treat.(http://jyoneserunner.blogspot.com/2011/06/healthy-checks.html).  I became so frustrated and once again, mama j mode.  I care about my friend and I want her to get her healthy checks.


On a more personal level, a health issue was discovered at my appointment, Friday that sent me immediately to the hospital for further examination.  Am I frightened? Hell YES!  At the same time, I'm glad I kept my appointment.  You see, this appointment was originally scheduled in June, but because things were busy at work and I was preparing for vacation, I decided to put the appointment off until after I returned.  I didn't want to go just as I was about to leave in the event some discovery was made.  I also thought about postponing this appointment because I was just back from vacation and was concerned about the amount of weight I had gain.  Thankfully, I only gained 4lbs and I told myself that I would accept the consequence as I couldn't put off my appointment any further.  I'm glad I did.  I don't know the results of my appointment, I will know more this week.  For now, I'm trying like hell to not visit webmd.com to 'read-up' on the discovery. 

I've had a wonderful weekend with family and friends.  I've asked for prayers and that's about all I can do, right now.  Of course, I hope my outcome is great and just something that will have to be monitored, but if it's something terrible, well, my hope is that by putting off my appointment didn't make the 'issue' worse.       

So, visiting your doctor on an annual basis is important for the very reason of discovering 'issues'. 

Vacation Adventures

I am about two weeks back from a wonderful vacation; Puerto Rico and 7-day southern Caribbean cruise.  This wasn't my first cruise, but the expectation of eating great food and engaging in some physical activity were things I had on my agenda.  Yes, I packed work out gear!

I had lots of challenges getting to Puerto Rico, so the most I did there was sleep and eat.  I didn't see many of the sights or enjoy the mufungo that I looked so forward to having.  I was bummed...Oh well....my goal was to get on the ship at that point....As mentioned, I had lots of challenges getting to Puerto Rico.

Huge sigh and lots of smiles, I am on Serenade of the Seas, ready to get my grub, drink, and lay by the pool ON!  As I walk into the Windjammer for lunch, I am seriously overwhelmed with all of the food stations.  There was a salad bar, fruit bar, American grill section, gluten free section, and ethnic food areas.  It was a lot of food and too much of it as far as I was concerned. 

Keeping my healthy goals in mind, I wanted to indulge, but in moderation.  I also made a deal with myself to eat my fruit, first before every meal and to drink one-liter of water or more/day.  Well, let me be honest...12 liters of water were ordered in advanced and I'm not a fan of waste; hence the drinking of water.      

Once my first meal was over, I wanted to survey the gym and know the hours of operation because I packed my workout gear, so I wanted to use them.  In addition to the gym, there was a small track on board (6 x's around the track = 1 mile). The gym also offered morning stretch, spin, and yoga classes.  I opted to walk the track, but rather than try to count how many times I went around, I opted to walk for 45 minutes and than do the morning stretch at the gym. 

I also opted to take the stairs (up and down) most times in an effort to keep the pounds at bay.  I was eating foods I didn't normally eat on this ship, for example, fro-yo after most lunches, cakes, fried foods, and ordering two entrees at dinner-just because I could. 

When selecting excursions, I wanted a mix of laying out by the beach, catamaran rides, and activity. 

Itinerary of activities:
St. Croix: jet-skiing and laying out by the beach.  I got an awesome bug bite that didn't seem to get better, so that sent me to the ships medical services for some benedryl; for purchase, of course.

Barbados: 7-mile bike ride through the most scenic route I could imagine.  The ride was mostly down hill, but there were some moments of fatigue and walking that bike.  The most important thing is that I didn't get on the 'sag wag'.  Lots of fun and an alternative to swimming with the turtles as was previous selected.

St. Lucia: laying out by the beach-awesome!


St. John: hiking up the rainforest to zip line runs.  I completed 5 of 12 lines and will NEVER do this again!

St. Maarten:  ATV riding through the dutch and french towns of the city to the beautiful Orient Beach.  Lots of beach walking...on the nude side.  I assure you readers, I was in my bathing suit!  But I was talking to a very handsome naked man.  Fanning myself...I'm glad he was in the water....

There was lots of dancing on this vacation, too.  70s night was a blast!

At the end of the week, I had no regrets of my indulgences.  I knew once back home, I would get back on my fitness track to undo the damage I had done the week prior.  I kept my annual physical appointment with my doctor, too.  Each year, I want to show my doctor that I'm making progress in the weight loss area.

Of all of my travel partners, I gained the least amount of weight of 4lbs.  I've had a slow start, but I'm back on the fitness track of my zumba classes, I have a half marathon in October, so I will really be stepping up my game, and signing up for September boot camp.

Until the next vacation.....


 

     
 

A Date to Spin

I have quite a few active co-workers.  We often speak about our fitness activities (i.e. training for marathons, gym classes taken, work out schedules, etc.).  Two of my co-workers speak about their spin class and how much they enjoy them.  My response to that, 'can't do it, the seat will hurt my butt!'.  Their response to me, 'ah...you're butt will get used to the seat!'

After many conversations about spin, my co-worker invited me to his gym for a lunch time spin class.  I accepted the invite and I put it on my calendar in ink, too!  I was excited about the class, he was excited about me taking the class.

Spin class day arrives and we're both excited, but I'm still concerned about my butt!  For real, ya'll!  I don't even ride the stationary bike at the gym!

I get to the class and take a bike near the back; in case I leave early.  I would have hated to be tough girl on the bike in the front, but have to do the 'walk of shame' out of class because I couldn't hang.  Anyway...I'm trying to figure out my bike.  Thankfully, the instructor asked for newbies and who needed help.  She got me all set up, yet I'm still worried my butt would hurt.  She told me as long as I used proper posture, which she demonstrated for me, I'd be okay.  I put two towels on my seat, just in case.

And we're off!  I'm spinning...following the instructors direction.  Turning my tension up, doing sprints, normal pace, turning the tension down.  Off the seat, going up hill, sprint, normal pace, etc...I'm spinning and yes, my butt was a bit uncomfortable, but it was such a great workout.  I really enjoyed the class. After, my co-worker smiled and congratulated me.  He said I did a great job.

What a great lunch date....a spin class!

Thanks, Amiy!     


       

'I need some ME time'

I've had recent encounters with ladies who've been too busy to work out. Both responding they've been, 'too busy', 'too stressed', or 'trying to get back on track'.  I'm just as guilty of all of the listed excuses, but my response to that? Make time and get back to 'ME' time.   

I say often at work that, 'it's in your (referring to co-worker's) interest that I work out.  I feel better about myself and I'm taking care of me'.  It's also in the best interest of myself that I take care of ME.  Additionally, when you're feeling better about yourself, it's easier to care for others in your life, especially if you're a mom, spouse, or partner.  When you feel good, those around you feel good, too.  It's just great positive energy that's flowing.

When you're feeling stressed out or too busy to work out, it's probably really the best time to fit it in; even if it's 15 minutes.  That's better than zero minutes in my book.  Think about how good you will feel and how those around you will feel, if you do.

While the lyrics in Heather Headly's song, 'Me Time' refers to her needing her 'ME' time to hang with her girls and not with her man, use the lyrics to refer to yourself.  Take your 'ME' time to take care of yourself. Sit quietly for 15 minutes if you can't get that 60 minute cardio workout in.  What ever you define to be your 'ME' time, just make time for it.  You'll feel so much better if you do.    

** my disclaimer:  (She is in no way saying she' not feeling her man, she just wants to hang alone or with her girls.)    

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/heatherheadley/metime.html    

'Sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name'

I have two East Bay Lounges I frequent where it feels like 'Cheers' when I go.  It's always a welcomed feeling, but my most recent visits came with, 'hey where ya been?'.  I had to let Ben and Chris know that I've been working on my sexy and that I'm not drinking as much these days.

Bijou Restaurant and Bar and Mimosa Champagne Lounge are my spots!  I love going there and being greeted with warm hugs from the owner Ben, Chef Christian, or Alfred the bar manager at Bijou.  Or a big hug from Chris & JP, owners of Mimosa or a hug from Tim the bartender.  By being that frequent customer comes a few perks that I admittedly enjoy.

While visiting Bijou, I noticed they changed the menu and didn't see my panko shrimp I often ordered to enjoy with my basil gimlet.  I asked the server about the missing item and he informed me the item has been removed from the menu.  In jest, I asked to speak with Ben.  Not in an angry way, of course.  I asked Ben if it were possible to ask Chef to make the shrimp.  He honored my request without a thought or a question.  I loved it!

This past weekend, I visited Mimosa.  A place I've not been to in months!  It was great to see everyone and was even asked where I'd been.  My response, 'drinking is counter productive to bringing sexier back'.  While hanging at Mimosa, I tried two new mimosas on their menu, blueberry-limon and pineapple.  YUMMMMM!!  Both were very refreshing.  Our server Tim pops by to check on us and brought a round of apple-pie mimosa-for us to 'sample'.  YUMM, again!  Bar Manager, Amy pops over to say hello and than asks, ' have you girls tried our white chocolate mimosa?'  Next thing you know...here comes white chocolate mimosas.  Not my favorite, but appreciated the 'sample'.  Chris stops by our table to say hey and to see how things are going, etc.  He walks away and returns with amaretto mimosas. Now that I'm full of mimosa's, next on my conversation list was the after drinking food fest!  I wanted a cheeseburger and fries or just fries to ease the hangover I was sure to have the next day.  My sister was the driver and declined my requests to make those stops.  I settled for waffles with butter and a tall glass of water.

In thinking about my drinking experiences, I always pair drinking with eating.  My post drink meals aren't typically healthy choices, either.  It clicked even more for me why I cut back significantly on my drinking. I can't physically afford to drink and eat as often as I did.  As I mentioned above, it's counter productive to bringing sexier back.

Yes, I love going to Bijou and Mimosa, but I have to learn to exercise a drink limit.  I can have a great time hanging out with friends.  I can also have a great time by drinking a glass of sparkling water after I have one adult drink.  

If you're ever in the East Bay, check out Mimosa or Bijou. 

Cheers!  



http://mimosachampagnelounge.com/
http://www.bijouexperience.com/

Finding the beauty in my own back yard

Today, I decided to take a walk on the property where I live.  I'm so glad I did!  It provided a great workout, not that I didn't think it would.  Where I live, it provides flat ground surface, rolling hills, and stairs.  It also provides nature sounds.  I listened to the birds sing, bugs buzz, and the squirrels make the sound they make...kinda like a sneaky laughing sound.  Those squirrels aren't scared of people, either.  One was in my path and it looked at me and 'told' me to move!

This property walk also allowed me to tour my complex.  I discovered some villas are 3-floors and not 2-floors like my villa.  I discovered there are mini-dog parks. I also discovered that some units have the most amazing views of the city.  I want to be-friend those neighbors so I can check out the view at night from their balcony.  I also, just want to get to know the neighbors from other villas....I will for sure be doing this property walk, again. I live in such a beautiful place.         

Own your sexy!

It's no secret...I'm a plus-size girl.  I work out to maintain good health, stay fit, and to bring my sexier back!  You see, I know I'm sexy, I work out to make it better!

I've had conversations with sista-friends who don't feel the same way about themselves.  Especially when working out.  Many say, they don't like how their body feels when they're moving, they can feel the jiggle, their boobs are too big.  I tell them bull crap!  Those are excuses in my book.  'You won't jiggle so much if you work out', is what I usually say.  But I also tell them, 'Hell...I know exactly how you feel.  I can feel my jiggle, too, just not as much anymore!'  The other favorite excuse I hear- My boobs are too big.  My response, 'Buy a better sports bra or wear two sports bras!'.

Women with larger breasts have to be sure they are wearing a proper bra or bras to keep the girls in check when running or doing aerobic activity.  That would be terrible to be knocked unconscious by boobs!  The more you work out, the quicker you will wiggle that jiggle away. 


My point...feel good about yourself, make improvements to feel better about yourself, what ever that is to you.

40th birthday celebration in Hawaii

Lastly, tell yourself you are sexy!     

My favorite places to buy sports bras:
http://www.movingcomfort.com/
http://www.titlenine.com/

Additional resource:
http://www.athleta.com/

Healthy checks

On Friday, I attended a memorial service for my friend, Carolyn, who passed away March 18th.  On June 7th, she would have celebrated her 41st birthday!  Yes, you are reading correctly.  While I don't know the full circumstance of her passing, another friend made mention that she had been experiencing back pain, but the true cause was of her pain was intestinal problems, which may or may not have caused her untimely death.  Additionally, he stated that a simple blood test could have revealed what was going on.  My friend made the comment, 'I need to get myself checked!  I've not been to the doctor in forever!'  That raised my eyebrows so, and I immediately went into 'mama-J' mode as my mom says.  I became so concerned for him and even lashed out at him because it doesn't make sense for him to not seek medical check ups-at minimal, annually!  He has two excellent jobs with fantastic medical benefits, so that is not an issue.

This friend I was speaking with isn't the first conversation I've had about not seeing a doctor in 'forever'!  It makes no sense to me.  I don't understand why we're not taking better care of ourselves and ultimately wait until it's too late. 

I'm sure many will know the last time the oil was checked in their car, but will not be able to remember the last medical check up they had.

I have another friend who is of age where he should be getting his prostrate checked.  His machismo attitude could lead him down a path of prostrate cancer because he doesn't want a doctor performing 'that type of check up'.  Another friend has neglected his teeth for years and has been spending many appointments getting his teeth cleaned, fillings filled, and all kinds of horrible painful things done.  Why?  Because he hasn't been to a dentist!  I have lady friend who mentioned she's not had a well-woman check up in years even when she had medical benefits.  Now she doesn't, but she could easily go to a women's clinic (planned parenthood) and pay on a sliding scale for a visit.

Living a healthy life isn't only about breathing and having fun with family and friends.  It's about loving your self enough to take care of it and get it checked out...at least once per year. 

I bet you took your car for an oil change.          

Make small changes

I remember when I  began my road to a healthier lifestyle.  I kept a journal for 30 days so I could see what I ate and than I made an appointment with a nutritionist.  Keeping a journal in November may not be the smartest thing because most people eat differently during the holiday season.  I thought, why not, now!  If I want to make changes, I still have to make them in a honest way.

My nutritionist reviewed my journal and to my surprise, my food choices weren't as bad as I thought.  She made suggestions to modify and select other food combinations.For example, I eat the packaged oatmeal with maple and brown sugar.  She suggested buying instant rolled oats oatmeal and rather than use sugar, sweeten it with appplesauce.  She also suggested I not eat the pre-sweetened yogurt.  Her suggestion: eat plain non-fat yogurt and add fresh fruit or vanilla extract.  I must say, eating plain yogurt was a huge leap because it is nasty!  I will eat Yoplait's Lemon Burst yogurt, but I am now able to enjoy plain yogurt with fresh fruit. YUM!

I gave up white rice and switched to brown rice. Another tough choice, but a suggestion from an old neighbor, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook in chicken broth, not water.  WOW!  What a difference that makes!

Healthy eating doesn't have to be the end of the world, nor do you need to feel as if you're on a diet.   Besides, in the words of Garfield, 'Diet is Die-with a T'.

All one should do is make small changes to the foods you currently enjoy.  Over time, you will see what a difference it will make.

     

R&R required.....

My sister and I recently returned from a much needed long weekend getaway to Cabo San Lucas. Our goal for this trip? To do nothing! Well, the goal was to lay out by the pool and beach on a daily basis. Which is exactly what we did! It was so great to go away to a warm climate and chillax. I didn't work out and I pretty much ate and drank like there was no tomorrow! It was great. Besides, I knew upon my return, it would be back to zumba, bootcamp, and all the other exercise things I do.

Lake Chabot

It's 7:30am, Sunday morning, but I felt like it was 9 or 10am.  Shoot!  I can never sleep in...oh well, I lay in bed listening to gospel on KBLX like I do every Sunday morning before I go for a walk or to the gym.  This morning, I thought, 'why don't I walk my complex rather than drive to Lake Chabot?'  I laid in bed for 30 more minutes to get myself together for my walk.  Mid-dress, I decided it was too beautiful of a morning to waste the walk in my complex, so I'm off to my 2nd favorite walking trail, Lake Chabot.

I'm now listening to KBLX in my car en route to Lake Chabot.  It was beautiful, clear, and warm for 8:30am.  I decided to take the more challenging side of the trail as it offered more rolling hills and more open air, less trees.  Along the trail, I was really hearing the outside.  A bit different than I normally do.  I heard more rustling in the

trees, the ducks in the lake were louder, the birds were singing louder, too.  This is why I enjoy Lake Chabot.  Or maybe, I was truly focused on being there to really appreciate it's beauty.  

http://www.ebparks.org/parks/lake_chabot

Sometimes, you just need a break

Last week, I was a bit under the weather, so my workouts weren't the best.  In fact, I only worked out one day.  Even that workout was a awful because I felt awful.  Tuesday is my normal day off, but I decided to try to workout because I am also at a pivotal point of my weight loss from the number on the scale perspective, also known as a plateau.  BOOOO to plateau's!

The current number on the scale is a point I've not been able to cross, so I am pushing myself extremely hard.  Mostly because I want my body to know it can go below 'that number', but also, I need to show myself I can go below 'that number'.

My efforts would fail.  As each day of the week would pass, I felt worse.  I went to work and came immediately home only to shower and literally, nose-dive in my bed, most nights falling asleep with the tv on.

If I wanted to continue to be successful with getting healthy, I had to tell myself that my not feeling well is a sign telling me to chill out; to take a break!  Take it easy, and get some rest. 

Take a break and make time to get well.  As difficult as it was, I had to give in to my body and finally listen.  Well, and to my mom.  She always knows what to say to make me feel better and to point out my many 'non-scale' celebrations.  Thanks mom! 

I took a break last week, got some good rest, and now I'm ready to go....to cross that plateau!       

Seeing my people.... one year later

Wow! What a difference a year makes!

While I was waiting to start last Sunday's half marathon, I ran into my College Counselor, Mr. Clark. It's not the first time I've seen Mr. Clark at a run/walk event. One of the conversations was the amount of black people (aka, my cousins) we're seeing out at these type of events. I shared that for a while, I would hardly see our cousins and that in recent months, the number seems to be growing...to me and from my point of view.

(I blogged about this March 28, 2010 if you want to check it out.)

Even at the Oakland Running Festival Expo, I saw my cousins, picking up their race bibs and representing their group as vendors. I am seeing more of my sistah cousins, too. It was a joy to see. I was even on Facebook and saw a group, Black Girls Run! And while searching for meetup groups, stumbled across Go WOW Team Bay Area, which is a Woman's Run/Walk Club. They were even at the Expo. Yes, the above mentioned groups represent the ladies, but the point is, I'm glad to see many of my sistahs out on the trails and run/walk events even more.

Historically, we tend to do more for others than we do for ourselves. If we aren't healthy enough to care for ourselves, how can we care for our loved ones.

Let's go Black people! Keep it movin and congratulations for taking charge of your fitness health!

See ya on the trail!


http://www.blackgirlsrun.com/
http://gowowteam.com/

Oakland Running Festival

March 27th was the 2nd annual Oakland Running Festival. This event was jammed packed with events the entire weekend for the endurance runner/walker and the not-so endurance runner/walker and this is truly a family event. It included a kids fun run, twilight run, and of course, the main event, full and half marathon.

My biggest concern for this day was the rain. It had poured days and weeks prior leading up to race day. I must say, I never paid more attention to the weatherman/woman than I had during the week. The previous Sunday, I was scheduled to participate in another walk, but didn't because of rain. I couldn't let another paid event go to waste. I mean...if I had a money tree, it would be one thing, but since I don't....

The morning of the race, the skies were very gray, but I remained hopeful as did my mom and best friend who were also participating in the event that it didn't rain. It was super cold, too!

And so, my 8th half marathon, begins.

Like most of my marathons, I take off alone as my mom and best friend are much faster walkers than me. I pick up on conversations along the way though thanks to the other walkers who walk at my pace. Typical conversations, 'where are you from', 'is this your first marathon', 'do you think you'll do another one', blah-blah-blah....

I'm cruising along parts of Oakland I've never been to or have only seen from the Bart train. I must say, Oakland is an interesting city and it's really a shame that most people will only hear about the 'bad' parts of Oakland. Like San Francisco, Oakland is an urban city! It has great neighborhoods with cool aesthetics and not so cool neighborhoods (i.e. cars parked on lawns or 'car garden's' as a former boss would say, project areas, and industrial parts of town with A LOT of potential). The city just needs to give some TLC to those parts of Oakland, too.

One cool moment was passing The Crucible. I've only known them to be an organization that creates awesome displays using fire. When in fact, they are a non-profit educational organization that fosters a collaboration of Arts, Industry, and Community. They created an arch out of iron/metal with fire coming out of it. Once runners/walkers went through the arch, we received stickers that read, ' I ran through fire today'. I thought it was pretty cool.

Some other moments for me along the way...

• The Oakland Raiders fans aka 66th St. mob were out with a DJ spinning hot tunes and some in full-on costume regalia, face paint, masks, etc. It was pretty comical and totally unexpected. I appreciated the cool beats spinning and the high five by the 'gorilla' as I walked on by.

• I now know where Brown Sugar Kitchen is located. I've read about this place and have yet to try it. I can't wait because I smelled biscuits and bacon as I walked by. I hope they have turkey bacon was my thought, but it smelled like pork.

• Using the men's restroom at the Amtrak station. A passenger used a credit cart to open the restroom and I asked a guy I had been walking with to wait for me. Why you may ask? Because there was someone in the other stall! I told the guy to use the urinal and I'll use the stall! I know..perhaps this is tmi, but it happened. I was grateful for that man! I felt safe in that stall. We kept on walking once we were done and never spoke of that moment!

I'm walking along at about mile 9 or 10 wishing this thing was over already and saw seagulls. Lots of seagulls flying low. To me, that's a sign the rain is coming. All I could think of was, 'Lord, please let me finish this before the rain begins'. My body is feeling broke down and I'm trying to pick up my pace. I couldn't pick up the pace. I was tired and over this marathon and couldn't wait to see the finish line!

Thank goodness for cheer squads/course supporters because by this point, I needed to hear them yelling words of encouragement. This car even yelled out, 'you're almost there'. I yelled back, too! 'Can I have a ride!' They kept going. I'm sure they didn't hear me.

By this point, I'm at mile 12 and the cheers are getting louder and louder and I'm feeling the energy as my pace picks up. Trust me...I seriously thought I was going to 'bonk'. I didn't think I could do it.

I made my way to 14th/Telegraph and I could see the Finish. I was feeling pretty good as crowds of people were cheering and applauding. They didn't know my name, so they yelled out, 'congratulations 5879'! All I could do was smile and nod.

I crossed the finish line with my mom and best friend waiting for me...as usual. I immediately let them know that I wanted a hamburger! That is what I craved along the way. And so, we went to Blvd. Burger and enjoyed our victory meals.

Special shout-outs to friends I saw along the way:
My college counselor, Mr. Robert Clark
My cardio-kickboxing instructor, Ofc. /Sifu Damon Gilbert
My mom's friend, Claudia Reyes
TNT coaches: Mama Lisa, and Al


www.oaklandmarathon.com
www.thecrucible.org
www.brownsugarkitchen.com

Zumba! Surgeon General - Regina Benjamin, Dr. Pamela Peeke, and Beto Per...

My First Zumba Party

On Thursday, March 17th, I attended my first Zumba party with Sharon and Letica. I didn't know what to expect, but boy was I surprised when I went to the SF Marriott to stand in line for entry. There were tons of people in line in bright colors of hot pink, lime green, reds, and of course, decked out in Shamrocks! I mean...it was St. Patrick's Day, after all.

You honestly would have thought there was a major music star we were all waiting to see. But in Zumba life, the major star was Beto Perez, the creator of this fitness party, Zumba! He was leading the Zumba party while we attendees supported Augies Quest to fight ALS. This Zumba party was a party with a cause and rather than be decked out in our fly skirts, pumps, etc., we were decked out in workout gear, sneakers, and headbands.

Upon entry, there was a stage set up for Beto and his crew along with a DJ and live percussion band. It was freakin awesome, yet unbelievable at the same time. I was really in awe. I mean, who would come out to the SF Marriott and NOT go the the View Bar on the 39th floor?

There were a few speakers to remind us why we were attending this event along with the US Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin and Dr. Pamela Peeke. Both provided great support to Beto.

Once the music started, Beto said, 'let's warm up' and off we went to WORK IT OUT! It was such a great time and great fun! It was said there were more than 2000 people in attendance and $210,000 was raised.

Attending a Zumba party was way better than going to the club!



http://www.augiesquest.org/
http://www.zumba.com/us/

When the scale doesn't show hard work....

So...it's no secret that I am always working on bringing sex-ier back. I say 'sexier' for obvious reasons...I already know I'm sexy! Let me tell you, it's not easy. From a previous post, I've starting taking Zumba classes led by my friend, Sharon.

This past February, I decided to re-join Weight Watcher's (WW) to assist with my bringing sex-ier back challenge. Fitness and Medical experts say exercise combined with a healthy diet will lead to weight loss and a healthier self. I know and understand all of that. In fact, my doctors say I'm healthy (numbers wise), but I need to lose a few pounds to ensure I don't develop high cholesterol or blood pressure. (I am not even close to being in jeapordy for that!)

I know with weight loss there are up and down weeks, but two weeks ago, I followed WW as best I could. I logged every morsel I put in my mouth, I worked out, and I slept well. I went for my weekly weigh in and I was up .8lbs. To many, that is nothing, but when you know you busted your butt all week and said, 'no' to the sweet treats, it was a little discouraging. I returned home from my meeting to log my weekly weight and than checked my email. In my inbox, my best friend, Yvette, shared an article ironically sent from WW. The focus of the article was to celebrate your 'non-scale victories'. Pretty apropos, huh?

The article talked about not letting the scale be the only factor being considered as part of your weight loss journey. Consider ALL of the many things this experience is doing for you and celebrate them, too.

• Exercising regularly
• Eating better i.e. more fruits and vegetables
• Clothes are fitting differently i.e. better!, etc.

This article gave me great pause to really sit back and tell myself, 'yes, I am doing a great job at becoming a healthier me'. I had to kick start my damn self, put away the thoughts of what junk food I wanted to enjoy at my pity party.

And so, off I went to prepare a yummy, healthy breakfast of egg white scramble with mushrooms, bell peppers, turkey bacon, and whole wheat english muffin. On WW, that's a 7 point breakfast. The next week, I weighed in 1.2 lbs lighter.

I celebrated that victory, too!


http://www.weightwatchers.com/index.aspx

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's 60th birthday! She is the very reason this blog began. I wanted to document my training experience with her as she set out to train me to run a 1/2 marathon before my 40th birthday.

Mom inspired and told me, 'yes you can complete a full marathon'. A full marathon is 26.2 miles. Mom told me she would be there at the finish when I was done. And so, mom has met met at all of the full and 1/2 marathon's I've completed.

Thanks mom for being my biggest cheerleader, role model, and inspiration to stay fit and healthy.

Happy Birthday!

Love,
Juvella

Giving Yoga a try... again

I'll always try a workout at least once. I've tried yoga about 3 times. All of those experiences haven't been the best for me. I guess I'm a sucker to keep returning to something I've not enjoyed or was successful at.

Yoga on the Labyrinth at Grace Cathedral gave me a new perspective and a reason to say, ' I'm glad I tried yoga, again'. My two co-workers have been going to Yoga on the Labyrinth for a while now and have invited me to go with them. For one reason or another, I've declined the invite, but I've always asked that they light a candle and say a prayer for me.

This past Tuesday, I gave Yoga on the Labyrinth a try and I'm so glad I did. I had the most wonderful experience from start to finish. The instructor, Darren asked the class if their were newbies, of course I raised my hand. His voice was very gentle and kind. He welcomed me, thanked my friends who invited me, and than he introduced me to a 'helper', Laurel. She would walk around to check on me, show me alternative poses, or help me get into poses.

The session begins with a live harpist and vocalist as Darren reads a mediation, which was an excerpt of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech on the night of his assassination. Afterward, he asks us all to take in a deep breath and let it out, saying, 'OHM'. I felt weird, so I didn't do that, but I did let out the deep breath. As the session continued, Darren took us through downward dog, warrior poses, child's pose, table top, etc. I was comfortable moving from one position to the next with Laurel coming by to ease me into the pose. At times, I would just stay in child's pose.

It was comfortable there. I lay still and listen to my own breath.

The session concludes with Darren reading the same MLK excerpt. Here we are practicing yoga in a Christian Church with people of all ethnic backgrounds and religious practices, but at the end of the day, we're all looking for our mountain top of peace.

To my co-workers, thank you for inviting me to such a wonderful experience. I am so glad I was able to give yoga another try.

And, I was able to light my own candle and say my own prayer.

Namaste and Amen.

Getting fit to stay fit

Happy New Year!

With the new year, everyone sets out to lose weight, eat better, quit smoking, etc. and blah-blah-blah.

Everyday for me, I set out to get fit and eat healthy because I know it makes me feel better in general, but about myself, too. It's not easy because at times, it is a struggle to do both.

Thanks to Facebook, I've reconnected with many grammar school mates, one of whom posted her road to a healthier life/weight loss journey with frequent updates, Sharon Jones Steele. Sharon and I have some fitness activities in common, but I found her to be a bit more daring than me. She's about crazy long bike rides and muddy buddy runs.

What especially caught my eye was Sharon's post about becoming certified to teach Zumba classes. I had heard of Zumba, but hadn't tried it. I'm always down to try new fitness activities to keep me motivated and to stay on the healthy trail. I mentioned to Sharon that once she had a class going to let me know and I would be there. She kept her word and I kept my word.

She subbed at a gym where I'm not a member, but I told her I would go, so I paid the non-member fee and took her Zumba class. I think it was one of her first classes, too. I was bitten by the Zumba bug! I had soooooo much fun! I told Sharon to keep me posted on her classes and she had at least one student in class, ME!

I've attended all, but one of Sharon's classes, to date. She tells others in her classes upon introduction that she can always count on me to show up for class. Sharon thanks me for attending. I thank HER for hosting the class. I let her know that our relationship is mutual. Her class is getting me fit to stay fit!

Whatever your New Year plan is, make sure you add something to maintain a healthy life and whatever that is, have fun doing it!

Sharon, I thank you for getting me out on the Zumba floor!

If you want to bring the Zumba party to your work outs, find classes with Sharon, or a Zumba class in your area visit www.zumba.com and click, 'find an instructor' or 'find a classs'.