And....me and my running pals plan on watching the first Bama game next Saturday night together before the race! Heck yeah! Football season is finally here!🙌🏼
Happy Running and ROLL TIDE!
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Gimme That Skull Bling And Can I Get A Roll Tide?!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
I’m Glad that I Gained 15 lbs. #IKindaLikeMyCurves
So I posted this picture on Instagram the other day after I was in the gym talking to some of my best gal pals about gaining/losing weight, confidence, pregnancy weight loss and sexiness as a woman. THAT’s RIGHT. I just said "sexiness as a woman" out loud to my girlfriends. #TwoRedLightTownMomsGoneWild. Lol.
The photo on the left is me after crossing the 2016 Walt Disney World Marathon. I can remember that day vividly. I was under huge amounts of personal stress in my life. I didn’t eat. Hardly ever. I worked out and burned wayyyyyy too many calories everyday/all day. I was constantly stressed about trying to run lots of miles. Bottom line. I. WAS. STRESSED.
The photo on the right. July 4th, 2018. There are lots of folks who still think I possess a lot of the qualities from the above paragraph. That’s probably the furthest thing from MY truth. I appear way different on the outside to a lot of people than the way I really am on the inside.
I have let so many things go over the last 8 months to be exact. I am in a major life change at home in my personal life. I eat well. I sleep well. I have vivid goals. I will not allow myself to be stressed like the left girl. I’m healthy. I’m strong. And I have a great outlook on life. Girl on the right celebrates Taco Tuesday. EVERY Tuesday.
I won’t let my own insecurities beat me down....
To say that I was overwhelmed by the responses from my Instaphoto is an understatement. I had some nice messages, some blunt messages and some not so good texts. I get it. For me to post that I was 135lb going to 150lb and I’m okay with it, ruffled a few feathers. Hey, I get that. I’m sorry to those whose feathers that I ruffled. That’s my weight and I recognize that lots of women would want to weigh 150lb on a bad day. I appreciate that honesty more than you know. I’ve weighed wayyyyyy more than that in years past so I sincerely sympathize with you there. But I also celebrate you, no matter what number that you weigh.
On the flip side.....I’ve received messages from women with eating disorders who would love to weigh 135lb and say that I’m being snarky in calling that "too skinny".
Again, these were my numbers for my frame. I’m not a tiny mite. Never have been. Never will be.
The above photo was only a reminder to myself and to my two teenage daughters that numbers on a scale are just that. Numbers on a scale. Women are BEAUTIFUL and I want to be a Healthy example to my girls. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I’m glad that I GAINED a few extra pounds and I want to be strong, healthy and sexy in all of the right ways that a 45 year old mom to three teenagers can be.
Does this blog post sound vain? I sure hope not...I hope it inspires others to let you know that it’s OKAY to actually GAIN weight. Weight loss is great too. But balancing healthy and strong is just the best :)
But after hundreds of Instagram messages, I’m thinking that I absolutely love you guys for your support and honesty is always the best policy...Strong is sexy on so many levels and I love you all no matter how much you weigh!!!❤️
Oh and job update.... 4th interview is on Tuesday! They have created a job just for me because i didn’t fit the mold for what they were looking for!! And this could be the best ever. :)))
Happy Running and Happy Weight Loss, Weight Gain, Curves and Job Hunt! :)))
Monday, August 20, 2018
When you wear your BucketList on your head...my fall race schedule!🤷🏻♀️
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| When you wear your bucket list on your head. |
The running nerd in me LOVES to see summer coming to an end but only for one reason. I love love love running in the heat but I love the fact that the fall races are just around the corner.
I've got a packed schedule this fall and I couldn't be happier. With no expectations other than to cross the finish line upright, I'm feeling pretty good about myself and my training.
I've got a few races coming up that I've always wanted to run.....and then I have a few coming up that I've ran multiple times before in the past but I just can't see myself NOT ever running them!
On my Fall Race Calendar:
Tupelo Half Marathon, September 3rd--I return to Tupelo, Ms. to run the Tupelo Half Marathon. If you haven't been to this little city in a while, lemme tell you that I had so much fun there last year that I have added this race to my "must do it every year". My gosh, this city has so many quaint restaurants and cute little places to hang out in. Last year, I spent my Saturday night before the race watching the Alabama Football game at a local bar/restaurant and plan to do that again this year! Roll Tide!
With a 5am start time, Tupelo Half Marathon will be a early day....I'll be back home by noon and able to spend the rest of Labor Day Weekend with my fam!
Marine Corps Marathon--October 28, Washington, D.C. Full Marathon #15, Here I come! I've had my eye on this marathon for a while now. I hear only good things about it and also hear that once I run it once, I'm going to want to run it again and again and again! I can't wait! My girlfriends and I are staying with another friend who just moved to the DC area so we are excited to hang out with her as well as run the race! I love a girls weekend getaway!
So Fi Golden Gate Bridge Half Marathon--November 4, San Francisco, Ca. So this is the BIG one for me. I made a bucket list in 2009 and "Run over the Golden Gate Bridge" was one of the top things that I typed out on my list. I've been waiting for a long time for this one. And I'm super excited about it. See photo above for the nonsense that I put my fam through while I'm hanging around the house. LOL..
This was the only gift that I received from my family on Christmas Day so I've decided to stay a few days longer while I'm in California. My plans are to run the race and then head to Disneyland! After a few days in Anaheim, I'll be meeting up with my cousin in Scottsdale, Arizona and then heading to Las Vegas for the weekend... leading me to my next race!
Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon--November 11, Las Vegas, Nv. I've been registered for this race for the PAST THREE YEARS and have had to back out all three years. So, to say that I'm going to attempt to run it again, I'm pretty postitive that I'm going to give it my best shot this year! Everyone that I know that has ever ran this race says that its the ultimate night race and there's nothing like it in the world! Close down the strip and let's run!!
Big Easy Half Marathon--November 17, New Orleans, La. New Orleans is only a 5 hour drive for me so this will be a super quick trip! Leave the day before the race. Expo, dinner, run the race the next morning and hit the road to home! I will need a good night's sleep for my next race.....The next day!!
Magic City Half Marathon--November 18, Birmingham, Al. This Half Marathon is located in the heart of MY city! Birmingham, Alabama! I'm a Magic City Half Ambassador so I also have a discount code for this race if any of my friends are interested in making the trip to the South to run this race! We start just outside of Regions Park (home of the Birmingham Barons) and we finish ON the Baseball field! Pretty cool venue for a Half Marathon Finish Line!
Use my code KLONG18 to save 10% off your Magic City Half registration.
After Magic City Half, I will try to make it through the holidays, log lots of training miles and then get ready to go see that crazy dwarf again at Walt Disney World!!
I will run my 6th Dopey Challenge (48.6 miles) in January, 2019 and I cannot wait!!
Planning ahead is always fun and I'm excited to run with my friends all over the country....Lots of work to do and lots of miles to log. I'm ready!!
Happy Running and Happy Race Planning!
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Dopey Challenge Finisher. <3
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Sunday, August 19, 2018
The weekend wrap-up!
What started out as an ordinary weekend for me, quickly took a turn for the better when I decided to work late Friday night and received a surprise text from my husband that my oldest daughter was home for the weekend from college!
It’s been a full two weeks since she has moved out and I’m feeling a little down. Who am I kidding?!? I’m ALOT down. Lost without her is more like it.
Not sad. Just something in my house has been missing.
I’ve been filling the void with work. So when I received the photo of my daughter laid back on my couch) while I was at work at 7pm on a Friday night), I knew I was about to have a pretty good weekend.
Dilemma: I want to spend every waking minute with my kids this weekend but I also want to get my training runs in.
Saturday morning, I head out to meet my girlfriends for a 15 mile run starting at 5am...success. I ran the miles, hung around for a bit, drank coffee and ate breakfast and was still home pretty early.
Saturday afternoon, Lunch with my whole crew and then i spend the late afternoon cleaning out my garage and lots of my kids’ things that they just don’t need anymore.
Saturday night....family comes over and then late night trip to the grocery store to stock up my girl as she heads back to her dorm on Sunday!
Sunday: GREAT DAY.
I decide to wake up super early, grab a few miles with some friends who invited me on Saturday to come run with them on Sunday morning...
I’m back home by 8am, wake up all my kiddos, cook a big breakfast and then we head off to church! After church, I have to say goodbye again but then I’m quickly off to work. I teach my class and then quickly head off to take care of a few things that just need to be dealt with. ;)
Bootcamp Sunday night in my driveway and then cook a big ole Sunday night dinner and ready for Monday....
So. WOW. that’s a whole lot of details about my personal life and schedule but the bottom line is that I balanced out my family time with my run/workout times. I ran early (while my kids were asleep) so that I didn’t compromise my time with them....
But basically, I’ve gotten very little sleep this weekend and I crashed for 45 min Sunday late afternoon and that just wasn’t enough.
I’m headed to bed soon and am really looking forward to a good week at work and logging more miles this week than I did last week!
I bump my long run up to 16 miles on Saturday....I’m LOVING this hot and very humid weather. The sweat coming out of me is crazy. And I love it.
One last thing...update on my job interview situation! I absolutely LOVED the interview process on Thursday. THANK YOU ALL for sweet messages, texts and posts! I’m not sure what (or if anything) will ever come from the job itself but it was fun to apply!
Either way, I have a job that I will eagerly wake up tomorrow to go work! That’s a testament to the people that I surround myself with daily. Pretty awesome folks!
HAPPY RUNNING, HAPPY MARATHON TRAINING
And GO LIVE IT!!! :)))
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
What. A. Week!
To say that I’ve had a stressful and overwhelming couple of weeks would be an understatement!
Short and sweet:
- Moved my oldest child off to college.
- Job interviews this week for full time job. Third interview tomorrow and am crossing my fingers for direction. Not sure that I even want the job but my eyes and ears are Open. I love my job now but I’ve had a few doors open...so I’m peeking in!
- Still dealing with car wreck and insurance garbage. And not having a vehicle for a month has been fun. (Insert eye roll here)
- School started for my other two kiddos.
- Not so exciting news but I did get a new haircut and highlight and am feeling pretty. :)
- And oh yeah...marathon training is still in the back of my brain. Logging a few miles everyday instead of feeling the long run pressures during the week.
- Booked my flights to California today!! Hurry up November!!🙌🏼
I’m trying to take it all in stride...but I will say that I’m looking forward to my fall racecations more than anyone will ever know! Life has me stressed. As a 45 yo Mom, I’m coping the best I can. :)))
HAPPY RUNNING AND HAPPY COPING. :))
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