Chrissy: Now I'm getting worried! Ok, I am soo off track again. I HAVE TO STOP DRINKING. Between the wedding last weekend, being out of town for work, and Mardi Gras, I haven't done but 3 days of running in a week and a half!!! We have exactly 9 weeks to get our asses in shape. I'm going to try and run 6 miles again this weekend and then start jumping up to 7, 8, 9. I did sign Jordan and I up for a 5K March 14th at 7:30 AM. It should be a lot of fun, and he is a good motivator. He is about twice as fast as I am, but he puckers out after a while. I have so much crap to do this week also that it is hard to get motivated to get up in the morning to run. I have a wedding March 7th weekend and then that is it. I'm taking myself off the one glass of wine/ maybe a few beers/drinking like a rockstar bandwagon. How is your running going? Have you had a chance to try 6 miles yet. Sorry I missed you this weekend, we were with the fam all weekend.

Chrissy: Be careful with the bootcamp, those things can really hurt your running because you are using all sort of muscles you never use and then you don't run. I had to stop doing sculpt and kickboxing classes because I'm sore for like 2 days and can't get good runs in. Well, Memphis really got me off schedule again and now I have Mardi Gras. Starting with Monday, I've only been able to run Tuesday and Thursday: 4 miles each day. I seriously doubt I'll run at all this weekend. I think starting next week, I'm getting back on the no drinking until the Marathon. I can't do the drinking and then run and I'm not even close to being prepared for this thing. Thank you for reminding me why I don't want kids right now, haha. Sounds like y'all had an awesome night! Emma (Melissa's baby) just got tubes and she is soooo much better now. She doesn't get sick nearly has often. Talk to you later. Oh remind me to tell you what dumb ass thing Jordan did this morning. You are not going to believe someone could be this stupid.

My calves might burn off any minute...

Ellen's Day 2 of physical pain after bootcamp!!!! My legs hurt yesterday and they actually started to burn...I mean burn...turn red and everything burn...last night. Last night was an interesting night...it was our first night to have Parker stay with us...Char had to get tubes put in his ears this morning. After Nick asking where P-man was going to sleep (of course right in between Nick and Ellie) we started our night. Nick passed out like always and its taking me a good hour or so to fall asleep...I wake up through out the night with Parker foot inside my face (I mean toes and everything) and night terrors. More Nick and I were up trying to keep him contained in the bed...while I was getting kicked in the legs and calves all night with Parker....At one point I thought Parker had peeeed (never spelled that) in the bed...but I just realized it was him butt sitting on my face...It was a night to remember!!!! Needless to say...I almost fell out of the bed being so sore...I am taking TWO rest days in a row! Yep you hear me...two. I don't think it is right to be in so much pain! Good luck with Memphis. Parker and I made blueberry muffins and watch Clifford the red dog and Sesame street. I think I can seriously keep myself entertained running if I downloaded some Sesame Street podcast! :) I mean this website...could really entertain you...here is one with Elmo and David Beckham http://www.sesamestreet.org/video_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=videoPlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=32972d92-54dd-471a-93da-2ad9e9fd857e&t=1234545410963&

Chrissy: I'm in Memphis sales training right now, so its going to be hard to keep up the training, but I got up and did 4 miles today. I'm going to try and get up and run at least 2 tomorrow. It's so hard to be away and stay on track with running and eating good. I really can't believe the race is so close. I have gotten to the point where I can run 4 pretty easy without music now. I can watch TV or talk and that is a huge milestone for me, now 13.1 will be another story. We need to see if we can run a 5K or 10K somewhere in Bham or Nashvegas or somewhere near. I'll have to write down my playlist for you.

Bootcamp...here we come!!!

Lets just preface this workout with saying that Carol (Nick's mom) signed me up for this class...WOW DID MY ASS GET KICKED!!!! This was her personal trainer that has a bootcamp especially for people training to run...I really like circuit training because its painful but only for a short time. My calves are getting bigger by the minute! I am stressed that I am a little behind on my running. My strength and flexibility has gotten out of this world...remember, I am the one who could not even touch her toes (seriously...without hurting). I am really enjoying seeing my body transform every day! We just have to keep each other up to speed!!! I am already planning on taking that Friday off before the run...so I would like to get up there early so we can at least see the course. I can't believe the calendar is already down in the 60s!!!! It feels like yesterday when we were triple digits!!! I think we need to also get some playlist for each other...I want to strategically plan out the playlist on the day of the race...I need to have music that is going to keep me motivated!!!! Good luck...I think I will be icing my legs down.

Chrissy: Well, I'm pretty sure I just had the best weekend ever. Got roses at work on Thursday, wonderful dinner on Friday, and a wedding last night and it was awesome. I probably lost 5 pounds just dancing. I did run my 6 miles on Saturday and it was great. I felt really good during the run: did a couple new streets and got myself on a HUGE HILL. Oh by the way, a girl I work with told me to do tons and tons of calf raises to prepare for this marathon. It will really help out with the hills. Anyways, the run and dancing and drinking yesterday made it impossible to do anything productive today. I need to find a race to run here

Today was awesome! I did my first 5K race and I finished in 30:12!!! My pace average was 9:45...I was 97th for the womens and I was 16th in my age division. I ran with Taylor....poor guy yacked after the race (he wasn't feeling so hot this morning, but I did tell him I was going to blog about it). My other friend, Misty, ran her first race today. It was such a different feeling running with everyone else...so many people were INTENSE! Oh...by the way...GOT THE PINK IPOD!!!! I know that you knew about it...it is sooo pretty! Nick really thought I knew what I was talking about with the Podcast...I am learning about it! Pretty pumped up about it! He was also very sweet and got me 2 dozen roses! I can be assured that Nick is very sweet to such a bossy lady...Jordan has a MUCH bossier girl :)

Chrissy: Nice pic! I can't wait to see the pictures from the race. That is sooo awesome you did that today. I really need to sign up for one soon. I'm getting ready to go on my run of 6 miles. I had a little to much wine on my V-day date last night, so I'm not feeling awesome right now. It may be kind of tough, but I'm going to try.

BE5K....FIRST 5K!!!

This will be me dodging walkers like this for my first official 5K. Taylor told me for the first mile everyone is just clustered together...kids jumping in front of you, walkers, talkers...knowing my luck I'll probably trip over someone and make like 10 people trip around me! Apparently this is the race that kicks off the Mercedes Marathon. That is awesome you are jumping up to 6 miles! I think I am giving myself one more week...GOOD LUCK!!! Nick and I actually are going to hang out on V-day because I have my first Saturday off since December!!! I'll let you know how it is and I will get post some pictures this weekend!!!!! Have a great running weekend and Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!!! http://www.mercedesmarathon.com/bek-home.php

Chrissy: Ran 4 yesterday and did weights, I was going to get up and do spin class today (eventhough it was my rest day) but I decided not to do it. Sleeping seemed a lot more fun! Anyways, I'm running 6 miles tomorrow! I'm going to try and behave tonight, so I don't pass out tomorrow. I'm really going to Try 6 tomorrow and Sunday. We have a wedding on Sat night, so I'm not sure if that will happen. I'm getting pretty pumped about the marathon though. 10 MORE WEEKS! I'm so happy about your contracts, that is awesome! I've already met my quarterly sales goals in one months, so that was exciting. I've attached another picture as motivation: No idea who this girl is, but this is what we will look like if we keep at it, so put down that brownie and RUN!

Ran 3.5 miles today and had the craziest day at work...I was super busy but I did write a contract on a house...and I am writing another one this weekend! Yea! I am not doing amything tomorrow night b/c I am running the the be&k race. Taylor will be my running buddy with me...except his legs might be twice as long as mine...whatever....I'll be running to Britney!

Notice in the background: That will be Jordan and Nick sitting, chillin, and probably drinking while we are running 13.1 MILES!!!

Chrissy: Ran 4.5 miles today and it actually seemed easy. I had a great run even for 5 in the morning. The new shoes are awesome and I'm getting fired up again about the marathon! Can't wait to see y'all again in a about a month. Hope the running is going great for you Ellen! Let me know!

Chrissy: Not sure what is up the symbols. Did you mean to do that? It looks like you wrote an entire paragraph and then put in the symbol font?!? Anyways, Ran my 5 miles on Saturday and felt pretty good. The blisters are slowly going away so that is making it a lot easier to run. Sunday: Jordan and I went for a hike/walk through the hills. It was so nice out and their are some great trails through the woods here and its up and down hills, so it was a pretty good walking workout. I'm doing stretch and strength tonight. I figured out I'm on week 5 now of the training, so my long run this week is going to be 6 miles. I may change it up though and run the 5K instead just so I can get used to running a race. I heard the thing is a B@*tch. It's up and down hill the whole way. Glad to be back on track.

Ran my first 5 mile! As I told you before...it was a doooozy! My first 1.5 miles of it was straight up hill. I had blue paint all over my legs (painting laundry room cabinets), looked a little like a smurf...I had a red splash of paint on my knees...so I wore 3/4 high pants so people didn't think I was a smurf bleeding out of the knee...I probably had a face say "when I am I going to be done...what the hell was I thinking...I've never ran 13 miles before..." This face was definately out today in the beautiful 70 degree weather. Again...I clocked the milage and ended right at Laura's house...there was NO WAY that I was going to run home and get ready for work in 45 minutes...I got there...before them...and drank water...then just jumped in the car! I am proud of myself running the 5.1 miles in 60 minutes!! Now, I'm at work...already exhausted from my run! Hope you have a great Sunday!

My Inspirational Picture!

Here is a picture I look at everyday...this magazine is always staring me in the face. I even cut out the smaller picture "inside the cover pic" to put in my calendar. So EVERY time I open my calendar to see the full February month...I see Debra Messing...what a defined stomach!

Getting back on track...

Thank God I'm back from Huntsvegas!!! Of course I had a blast with Carolyn...but I am so off track! Let me just say I thought I was going to fall asleep on my drive home. Right when I got home, I made myself go for the hardest run. I thought it was at least 3.5 miles when I find out it was about 2.7! It was the hardest...everyone saw me and there was one point I thought I was going to fall off the sidewalk and someone would just run over me and not realize...I do have to admit it was the steepest hills but it made me want to get back in shape! I can tell how off I am if I miss more than 2 days in a row! Back on track...so, when I got home...Nick told me about the P90X stretching video...60 minutes! It was intense, but it is the only thing that is saved me! I have to get you some of these moves!!! I am back baby...oh, by the way...LOVE THE CARTOONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

This can't happen to us!!

Chrissy: I'M BACK!! Ok, I'm back on track. My new shoes are 100 times better (at least they were yesterdy and today). I was able to run 4 miles yesterday and I did spin class this morning. Man, spin class was intense this morning. I'm probably going to be sore. Tomorrow: 5 miles and Sunday 5 miles. Ellen: how is the training going? We need to get back on our motivational kick!

Chrissy: OMG! You are totally reading my mind. I have just completely fallen of the running wagon, got run over, and then the damn wagon backed up and ran over me again. I have been a major, major slacker. My stupid blisters have really messed the whole thing up. It was way to cold to get up and go this morning, so of course I slept in and I'm not going to the gym this afternoon. Starting tomorrow though, it's back on! I had to take back my shoes because they were killing me. I got some new ones that are BRIGHT HOT PINK. They would look so awesome running if I was real fast, but I'm not fast at all, so they just look kind of awesome. ha ha. On a serious note, hopefully I will be able to pick back up again since I couldn't even walk in the other ones. Tomorrow: 4 miles is the plan, spin on Friday, 5 miles on Saturday and Sunday. That is my punishment for not really doing shit the last two weeks! I think I may have to get back on my non drinking. I was running so much better then. We have to get motivated again Ellen! This is serious stuff and we have less than 3 months to be ready!!!!

Only Wednesday???

Let me just say...I am so glad that we could add four weeks into our program! The last two weeks have been so out of wack! I have to go back to Huntsville and do training seminars on both of my days off (ie...big running days). Let me also just say...its COLD!!!!

The new blog page is awesome. When did you do that? Anyways, sad day today. My new shoes are terrible! I think they are too small, so I'm taking them back tomorrow. I tried to run but it hurt way to bad, so sad. I managed to do 40 minutes of cardio and weights.

Good quote... In her new book, Run Your First Marathon,Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City marathon, points out one of the wonderful draws of the marathon. “No matter who we are,” she writes, “at some point we are all first-time marathoners. All of us share that. That’s the beauty of the race — Olympians and all-comers share the same event."

Chrissy: Ok so Ellen, your post about the dog triggered my memory of being chased by a dog as well. It was stopped by the electric fence but at first all I could hear was the barking and I turned around TERRIFIED to see this: Yes, a black, prissy poodle!

I did laugh at myself for the next minute or so.

Week 5, 6, whatever: Since I had a little "time off" last week. The running for Saturday and Sunday was a little more difficult than expected. Saturday I went to Fleet Feet: ran on the treadmill to "watch my run" and got new tennis shoes! I was also convince to buy a pair of $10 socks for my long runs! Anyways, the whole experience was so much fun and I couldn't wait to run in the new shoes. Saturday was good, ran 4 miles and felt pretty good. The new shoes are tight because my foot is so narrow and I run on the insides of my feet so they have A LOT of support around the arch. Well, Sunday was sooooo nice that I went for a run outside for the first time all year. I REALLY NEED TO RUN OUTSIDE MORE. The first 1/4 mile felt like my legs were going to fall off. I finally got in the grove and was just moving along..... then it happened. I had the most awful pain on both my feet right by my arch. I kept running though thinking it was all in my head. I finally couldn't run anymore and I stopped to take my shoes off and there is was..... The biggest blister on BOTH FEET IN THE SAME PLACE. My stupid new shoes wore my poor feet out. (side note: there are bandaids just for blisters that are awesome, you don't even know you still have a blister). I had to walk the rest of the way home, I did get a 3 mile run in and walked another mile and a 1/2. Sooo... I'm now going to be in the process this week of breaking the new shoes in. More to come on how that goes......

Ellen's week 5- wow...it was awesome seeing you and Jordan last night! I saw Carolyn in Hunts vegas...Michelle and Chris...so many of the girls within one week of girls weekend! This past week was a hard one for me...its been so cold I have no desire to run. I will say THANK YOU BROOKE...she saved my ass by making me some CDs for my i-pod...it sure makes a difference when you start to have a variety of music! My nano is so old schooled...that the memory is almost out (2G)! I think I might just clear it all and start over! I didn't do my stretch or strength yesterday, and I will be running 3.5 when I get home from work. At least I know the roads will be clear since everyone and their mother will be watching the Super Bowl. Sometimes...I feel that cars like to play dodge ball with the pink hat and pink shoes runner. I mean to tell you...after the longest hill EVER (ie...OVERTON ROAD) I thought I was going to get eaten alive by a dog...two ran down barking...one stayed back and this devil dog kept running behind me...i was literally halfway in the across the neighbors lawn...i THOUGHT i was going to get eaten alive by this thing...decided I am cutting that road out of my training...bye bye North Woodridge Road. (not actual dog...but thats what i felt he was inside...)