Nobody cares if you're not a good dancer. Just get up and dance. The same holds true for racing. Whether first or last, we all cross that same finish line. Just get out there and run.
- Dean Karnazes

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

My Trip To Toronto In Pictures

Here is my trip to Toronto in pictures...

Let's face it, who wants to read about my two week trip? Pictures on the other hand... a whole lot easier. 

B was pretty jazzed to be at my parent's.

Grandpa had to show her around.

Took B to see The Lion King, this was taken
the day we showed up on the wrong day.

Casa Loma

B hanging out with my sister Alex.


The crew at Casa Loma









Niagara Falls is one of my favorite places in the whole world.



View from the CN Tower

Just chillin' on the glass floor.


This is her fierce pose

B had her first street dog.
So, there you have it... 

Monday, June 27, 2011

Runaway Bride/Diva Dash 5K Race Report

This race report is only about 3 weeks late, but who's keeping tabs?! The day started well enough, I met my friend Brooke at the location and I knew she was getting dressed up for the race but imagine my surprise when I saw exactly how much she got into the costume thing. The race directors encouraged people to dress up and get into the spirit of it, but Brooke took it to the next level. She is SHAMAZING!!! (That means the sh*t and amazing)

B and her beloved Miss Brooke

Brooke and I before the race.

We picked up our numbers, took advantage of the pre race goodies they were giving out and we took some pictures in the photobooth that was set up there. We also met up with Brooke's friend Lisa, who also ran with me during the 5K at B's school. We all made our way to the start and got ready to run like we stole something.

Brooke and her friend Lisa
Lisa got into the spirit of the costume thing too! 
In theory, running like we stole something was a good idea. I didn't account for the incredible heat of that particular morning and the fact that my ankle would cause me trouble during the run. So, we set off and I was trotting along nicely but before I knew it the ankle started bothering me, and it did not let up during the run. I ended up walking... A LOT! I ended up walking with Lisa for a while, she too was having ankle issues and was walking. We chatted, and kept each other company for a while, which was nice because with the ankle and the awful heat I would have faded fast on my own. There came a point in the course where TONS of people were cheating and cutting a big part of the course. I WAS PISSED! The kicker is that it would have not been that difficult to have someone there making sure that people were staying on course. I broke away from Lisa, and ran for a while, I tried to stick to 4:1 intervals because the heat was unbearable. At one point the course was on a main road, which is normal, but the lack of traffic control is not. We were running and there were cars whizzing by and scaring the snot out of me. I had some major issues with the course, it was poorly laid out and dangerous in spots. I finished, but not in any time that I felt proud of.

After the race, we stuck around waited to see if Brooke had won an age group award as well as the costume contest awards. She took the costume award and they mentioned about using pictures of her for future races because she looked a lot like the girl in their logo. I guess it doesn't hurt that Brooke is creative, is a makeup artist and hair stylist extraordinaire. Also, there was supposed to be a kids race after the 5K was over, but they didn't do the kids race and Brooke's boys and Bella were heart broken. At least they were given all sorts of little toys and treats which obviously made everything better.


Showing off her prize for best costume.

Monday, June 20, 2011

First Guest Blog Post

I'm home from my trip to Toronto. As I unpack, and re-organize, I thought I'd leave you all with an incredible entry from my new running partner Danielle. I met Danielle during my last go around in Lost It At The Club, and in Groove she was my running man buddy. You should see her running man... amazing. In all seriousness, she's a true inspiration and an all around awesome girl.

- Lucy 

Guest Blog Post 

As some of you know I am Lucy’s running partner now and will be doing the half and full marathons with her.  She has been the best motivation as I am sure most of you can get from her blog and I couldn’t be more excited to finish this part of our journey together.  A little background first on myself, I am 23 born and raised in Michigan and moved here to Georgia three years ago to attend school.  I currently work at a hotel resort as a server in the restaurant while I am applying to new schools to attend here. Lucy asked me to write a little something about myself and basically tell you my story and journey of weight loss and overcoming obstacles so here it is…

Two years ago (June 19, 2009) I had planned this elaborate trip with my friend to go to Florida to pick up my other friend Zach and surprise our friend Brandon.  She was picking me up at my house after I got out of class that day and we were on the road.  We had both lied to our families saying we were going to Valdosta, GA (about a 3 hour drive) when in fact we were driving to Orlando, FL, the lie was out of fear of them telling us we didn’t need to spend the money and/or take the time off from work or school which essentially they would have been right and we knew that…hence the lie.  Anyways, she picked me up and we started our journey for the fourth time that month to Florida (another reason we didn’t want to tell the truth to our parents), we were laughing, joking, listening to music, gossiping, all the normal stuff girls would do, that’s when it started to downpour rain.  We joked about how we were used to it because every drive to Florida seemed to rain so we were unphased by this sudden downpour, until McKinley (friend and driver of the car) hit a puddle and hydroplaned down a hill on interstate 75.  At that point my memory is gone; all I know is what was told to me.  My memory of the next 3 weeks to a month was gone because she hit a tree on my side and I suffered the majority of the injuries; cracked rib, punctured lung, bruised spleen and liver, cracked clavicle (from seatbelt), and the worst of it a cracked skull and brain injury.  I was in a medically induced coma for the first week of being in the hospital in Florida.  I had a feeding tube in my stomach and mentally started at the age of a 3 year old so that included me being in diapers and I couldn’t walk because the head injury was on the right side and I had left side paralysis.  Zach and Brandon figured it out and got a hold of a state trooper who verified our accident but couldn’t give names because they weren’t family.  They called my friend Cory who called my mom in Michigan (she has never met Cory and he had to call and tell her that her daughter had been in a car accident) and then the stream of phone calls began.  My mom flew down that night and my aunt and grandmother started the drive to Shands hospital in Florida.  I spent two weeks in Florida before they transferred me to Shepherd Center in Atlanta (the same hospital that Christopher Reeves went to) and that is where I spent the remaining month and a half undergoing physical, occupational, and speech therapy so that I could mentally be in my 20s again.  I had to teach myself how to walk again, feed myself, and use the bathroom by myself.  I left the hospital a changed woman and will never take another day for granted.  I instantly went into 8 weeks of outpatient therapy where the physical and mental help continued.  Memories slowly started to come back but I was told that I will never remember the accident itself, funny how the brain works. 






Onto my weight loss journey; after I came back and started back to normal life I realized that things would have been easier to recover had a not been so overweight.  That is when I found Jamie and the Lost It program at World Gym.  My first go around I lost 22 pounds and then I chose to do it a second time and I lost another 18 pounds.  Putting my total weight loss at 40 pounds, I went from 221 to 180, a size 18 to a size 12, and the confidence of an ant to that of a rock star.  I had some residual things from my accident that affected my exercising but I didn’t let that stop me. 




I like to think that the journey I have been through in the short 23 years I have been here is enough to inspire me and others to keep pushing forward because there is light at the end of the tunnel.  I got a second chance, not everyone gets that, and I refuse to screw that up by something stupid that I can change; like my health or weight.  I had a goal to walk again, then to dance again, then to lose weight, and now my goal is to run a half and full marathon.  I accomplished all the rest now why can’t I do this one?  I know I can. Have a dream and go for it.  You are the only one stopping yourself from making that dream come true.

Thank you Lucy for allowing me to be a part of your journey, letting me be motivated by you as my running partner, and for allowing me to share my story with everyone.   

- Danielle

Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Pity Party

No Zumba Convention for me
Super quick.... throwing myself a pity party/kick myself in the butt party. I went to sign up for Zumba convention and the registration is now officially closed. Yesterday, it was open, I had decided which sessions I was going to sign up for, I was just waiting on the money. Today, I had the opportunity to sign up... but I was a day late. I'm so mad, mostly at myself because had I planned better, I'd be Orlando bound next month to party it up at Zumba convention. I was so excited and was really hoping I wouldn't miss this one like I missed the one last year. ARGH!!! I think I'm going to go cry... cry and pack, I'm going home tomorrow.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Toronto Update

Super quick update...

- We're having a blast here, but sadly Patrick flies home tomorrow. We're here until Sunday.

- The Lion King was awesome, it was my third time seeing the production and it didn't disappoint.

- My ankle is still giving me trouble, it's got me a little worried.

- I'll have a lot of work to do when I get back, I've been eating entirely too much.

- I'll post pictures and such soon

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Three Things Thursday (Toronto Edition)


1. We showed up a whole day early to take Bella to see The Lion King yesterday. WHO DOES THAT?! Apparently, I do, not sure why I didn't check the tickets when we printed them up.


Taken before I had to break the news to her.

2. Did my treadmill run today and my ankle was definitely making itself known. STUPID ANKLE!

3. I am having a hard time not eating everything in sight lately. This is not boding well for the weight loss efforts. I really have to FOCUS!!!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Three Things Thursday (Late Night Edition)

1. Ran my intervals on the treadmill this morning. I'm not going to lie, I sucked big time. I finished but I could have done better during the jogs  between the speed push intervals.  Plus, the knee was sore during the run.

2. SIL had a baby yesterday, and I'm in love. I love babies, especially babies who belong to others. That way, when I'm done playing with the baby I can ship the babe back to mom and dad without any issues.

3. Can't wait for my trip to Toronto on Tuesday. I miss my family and friends, the last time I was in Toronto was December 2009.
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