Power 90 In-Home Boot Camp Challenge Group

New Power 90 In-Home Boot Camp starting soon. This is a perfect program for those getting started with fitness. You can achieve great results in this 90 program, but it is also perfect for beginners.

If you'd like to join us in our upcoming fitness support group or just want to know more, complete the form below and I will follow up with you!

Join the Extreme Turbo Challenge!

Challenge starts May 12th. Contact me today!

I Challenge You

If you want to make effective change, you must first change your thoughts.

I challenge you to spend the next 24 hours avoiding complaint, criticism, anger, or worry.

I challenge you to spend the next 24 hours focused ONLY on those things that will get you closer to your goals. I challenge you to spend the next 24 hours thinking and talking ONLY about those things that will get you closer to your goal. I challenge you to spend the next 24 hours giving your attention ONLY to those things and people that will support your happiness, positivity, and success.

I challenge you. Now, go. 

Adventures in Marathon Training

Meb Keflezighi won the Boston Marathon this morning, finishing in 2:08:37. 

I ran a 12 mile training run in 2:13:07.

Thankfully, I'm not competing against Meb. I'm also not competing against Rita Jeptoo, who won the women's field with a time of 2:28:57. They are what I like to call super-human. Those times are insane. Admirable, but insane.

I'm just happy to be on this journey to complete my first marathon, hopefully sometime in the range of 4.5 - 5 hours. 

Here's my issue. Give me a few hours of running and I'm bound to find several ways to make an idiot of myself. Today was no exception.

Around mile 8, I became trapped on a cul-de-sac by a rather large dog with unknown intentions. She appeared out of nowhere and she definitely wasn't going to let me pass without some form of groveling. The problem is that, by mile 8, very little blood is flowing to my brain, so it took me several minutes to remember what I've learned in my time in animal rescue. All that came to mind initially was yawn and smack my lips. I also decided it was best to sidetrack into the woods on my hands and knees with my eyes averted, all the while still yawning loudly and smacking my lips. Yes. Yes, that totally happened. 

All's well that ends well, though, because she apparently felt sorry enough for me that she allowed me to crawl past her to freedom. Still, it takes chick a good mile or two to recover from becoming some bitch's bitch. And about the time I was starting to feel good about myself again, I came upon a large group of people out for a morning stroll. The man at the front of the group suddenly threw his arms up in the air. I took this as the international sign for "You Go, Girl!" and threw my arms up, woo-hooing in return. Wait, is he? Is he yawning? Yes. Yes, he's totally yawning. 

Whatever. I'm 10 miles into a 12 mile run, my achilles thing hurts, I'm running out of water, and my stomach keeps growling despite the 17 gnats that I've swallowed on my journey. At that point, I couldn't even be bothered to look embarrassed. Yes. I just woo-hooed myself. You wanna judge me? Try picking up the pace a little bit first. See how clearly your brain works then.

Apparently, running makes me resentful.

The Infinite Debt Club

Are You A Member?

You carry a calculator with you through the grocery store trying to get what you can with that sad $23.48 sitting in your bank account. Standing at the checkout, you swipe your card and start your mantra, "PLEASE go through. PLEASE go through." And then that moment of relief washes over you as you see the receipt start to print. (Although, I've experienced the utter humiliation of DENIED three times now. That is enough to make you swear off eating. Just too much trauma associated with the grocery store.)

Do you hesitate to answer the phone, ever, because now bill collectors are using local numbers to call? It's not just those 888 numbers you have to avoid anymore. Now, unless Aunt Mary's face pops up on your screen, you're just not sure you can trust that local area code. Could be my son's school calling to say he's fallen gravely ill or it could be Citibank wanting to talk about that $286 I owe them. Best not to chance it. If it's really bad, he'll text me.

How much do you celebrate payday, rushing out to get milk and cat food (yes, that is my life) before the bill payments start coming out? Yeah, it may mean $432 in overdraft fees, but that's better than living with a bunch of starving cats. (They will eat you in your sleep if they don't have their canned food in the morning.)

And really, no matter how much you plan, the income never seems to match the outflow. No, really, Dave Ramsey. I'm trying!!! Just when I think I have a handle on it and I might just get ahead this month, BOOM! My son announces that he is going to prom and needs the money for tickets ($140), a tux ($250), and pictures ($85). I know. Not a necessity, but this child works his butt of and never asks for anything. And he's given ME money on more than one occasion. I can't say no to that.

You pay and pay and pay, but the debt never seems to go away. In fact, wait, is it...is it actually growing?

It's time for a change, folks. This is a ridiculous way to live. It's not true poverty, but it's financial desperation and it has to stop. 

First, if you haven't experienced any of the above scenarios, good for you. That probably means you've avoided living beyond your means. Keep it that way.

But, if you have, then we're in this together. And as best I can tell, there are two things we need to do.

1 - Stop spending money. What? Ok, I mean frivolously. Stop frivolous spending. Use coupons. Make lists. Only buy what you need. Plan. That won't fix it overnight, but it's a start.

2 - Start finding extra money. Here's where I can help. A home-based business means you don't have to take on another job (seriously, I've never worked less than two jobs since having children and I still continued to struggle) just to bring in extra cash. And these home-based businesses don't have to cost you hundreds of dollars. Want to know more? Send me a message using the Comment Form to the right and I'll follow up with you. Or, click on the image below to watch a short video about this opportunity.

Working Massage Into Marathon Training

If you follow me on Facebook, you may know I made it into the 2014 Marine Corps Marathon. 

If you've ever run a marathon, then you probably know that I am experiencing a bit of panic now trying to plan for training. Twenty-six point two miles is a lot of miles. A lot. *sigh*

So, I'm doing a lot of research to determine how best to avoid breaking down mid-marathon into delirium and begging random strangers for a piggy back ride to the finish.

At the top of my research pile is the impact of massage on runners. I could quote all of the medical mumbo jumbo, but I won't. It's boring, trust me. But the bottom line is, massage is good. Wait. Let me rephrase, GOOD massage is good. A bad massage can leave you injured. Believe me, it's happened. I once paid $90 for someone to decide partway through my Swedish massage that what I really needed was a deep tissue massage. I was not physically or emotionally prepared for a deep tissue massage. It took me two months to recover from that deep tissue massage. 

I have since found a phenomenal massage therapist that has a strong understanding of physiology and what my body needs to recover efficiently from my training. It's almost magical how she can find areas of stress and injuries that I've neglected to even tell her about. (I think maybe she's part witch - but the good kind of witch, like Hermione). 

For real, no one looks like that when they're getting massaged. But that's absolutely the way I feel like I look when I'm getting massaged.

So, I don't really have my mileage plan set up yet, but I do know that I will be working massage into my plan at least monthly over the next 7 months. Likely, I will increase that closer to marathon time. Luckily, my spa offers a wonderful club plan to help me afford frequent massage. 

Whether you're a regular runner or not, I encourage you to invest in regular massage. You will be happier and healthier for it.

Now, can I get a ooh-rah! (That's a marine thing, right?)

Do You Think 6 Miles Are Easy?

I do...now.

Runner Girl posted this on Facebook last night. And nothing could be more true.

I remember the first time I decided to become a runner. I laced up my new running shoes, told the guy I was dating at the time that I was going out for a run, and then bounced happily out the door. I might have made it around the block. It took me at least 10 minutes to do that and I thought I was going to die. I literally thought my heart was just going to stop in protest. 

When I stumbled back through the front door a quick 10 minutes after I'd gone, my boyfriend said, "I thought you were going for a run." I should add that he said this while reclining on the couch with a beer and a bag of chips. The man had never done anything physical in his life. So I would have been totally justified if I had gone to the kitchen, grabbed the rolling pin, and beat him repeatedly about the head with it. That's what I would have done if I hadn't been crumpled in a weeping pile of sweat by the front door. Of course, if I'd managed to crawl to the kitchen, I wouldn't have even found a rolling pin because I don't bake. Whatever.

Here's my point. That's where I was when I made the decision to become a runner. It was not a great place to be and certainly didn't feel very promising. I never thought I'd say "easy" and "6 miles" in the same sentence. But I committed to it anyway. And I never looked back. Last weekend, I made it onto the podium at a 10 mile trail run. We all have to start somewhere. 

Running may not be for everyone, though I really think it is the most natural thing in the world and should be for everyone that doesn't have some injury or disability keeping them from it. But if you've ever thought about it, try it. Just go ahead and do it and keep doing it until it makes you happy. 

Because it will make you happy. 

I mean, first it tries to kill you, but then eventually it makes you totally happy.