activelybrook-blog

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This is Jonathan on Brooks's phone... Brook just asked how to get the beads behind the counter. She was disappointed when I said you have to buy them. See #3.

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Go Smit!

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Draw Something

My username is bemiller30 if you want to play. Haha

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I need a good run

Ever since I slacked for several weeks my runs haven't gone so well. I keep giving in the first moment I want to stop and walk. Which the other day was 0.2 miles in, I didn't even make it half a mile. Before Christmas I was able to run 3 miles with only taking one break. WTF! I've also gotten slower...this bites! Monday I did 3.5, as soon as I hit that first, long, steady uphill I had to walk. I did run most of it, but the hills got me. I ran in my hilly neighborhood again, it always demotivates me a little and makes me mad. I've got to stop running around my neighborhood thinking this time will be better. Today I'm going to the running/bike path. I usually do better there and there are small/less hills. I plan to run 4 miles. I hope it goes better today than it has been. I'm tired of having to stop and walk so much. I'm def getting worried/nervous about Nola. I'm mad at myself for not training right. I think I really could have trained well this time. Last time I trained for a half I got injured, but I still ran it. Oh well, I've learned yet another lesson. Here is to better runs!!!

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Amazing!!! Way to go Rach!!!

Rocky Raccoon 50 Miler

OR Fifty Miles of Mud…

Saturday I finished Rocky Raccoon 50 Mile Endurance Run, my first ultramarathon and first trail race.  

Friday started with early morning travel and a stop at Chick-fil-a.

After seven hours in the car, we arrived at packet pick up and our first look at the trails.

My daughter ran the kid’s one mile trail race and came back with our first trail report.  She said she’d leave the trail running to us.

Read More

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Happy Birthday to me!:) Jonathan got me my favorite perfume for my birthday. He's so thoughtful. FYI: I turned 31 today. I wasn't too thrilled about my birthday today. Jonathan definitely made it better. Tomorrow-Mom, sister, and sister's hubby are coming to celebrate my birthday. We are doing a 5k in the morning then a birthday lunch. :)

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"I'll start tomorrow"

"I'll start tomorrow" Or my favorite "I'll start on Monday" Hahaha tomorow never comes and Monday certainly never comes. That's what I've been saying for I don't know how long. Last night I went to bed and I didn't say I'd start tomorrow. This morning when I woke up I went for a run(4 miles), first one this week, and ate a healthy breakfast. It starts now, not tomorrow. I've been in a slump for way too long. I've gained a lot some more weight back. I've also been using every excuse in the book and feeling pretty sorry for myself.

The move...Things are different here. Some things are better, some things are harder. The things that are harder all have to do with getting exercise in. Before we moved I could just walk out the door and get a run in. Here our neighborhood has MASSIVE hills, and I just can't run them yet. Before we moved it took me 7 minutes to get to my gym from work or 15 minutes to get there from my house. It takes longer here, and I've been using that has an excuse. I've been trying to figure out what gym i'm going to join. NO choice is going to be any kind of convenient. I'm going to have to suck it up.

I wrote out a list of things I want for me. I want to feel better, look better, be healthy, be fit, fit into my clothes again, be active, STOP BINGE EATING, stop emotionally eating, have more energy, and BE HAPPY. I know losing weight alone won't make me happy per say, but I think changing my lifestyle will make me happier.

I also keep thinking about how I know how to do this. I've done it before. I lost over 80 lbs doing it the right way a year and half ago and have gained half of it back. I'm not sure what happened to me. Why have I reverted back to old, bad habits?! These bad habits will not get me the things I want for myself.

So this is my attempt to reboot! I am eating healthy today if it freaking kills me. It's going to be hard for a few weeks, but I want to feel better. I know this is the only way I'm going to feel better about myself right now.

I have been going back and forth about following a certain eating plan. I'm done with agonizing over it. I'm just going to eat healthy. I know how to eat healthy. I might even start using my bodybugg again to keep me in line with my calories.

One thing I've learned on this journey is that when I'm not eating healthy and exercising I'm thinking about it 24/7. I drive myself crazy thinking about it, worrying about it, and getting on to myself. The solution is to just do it. No excuses.

This is just where I'm at. I am feeling more positive today. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

Jonathan and I are going for a bike ride this afternoon with some new friends. I am excited about it. Yay!

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I KNEW it! I knew the water tasted funny. I will be using the Britta until we get the filter.

After taking an emergency work call situation, I suddenly was inspired to become productive and knock some things off the old to do list at home (and some things that hadn’t even made the list yet!):

Finally completed the form for the rental agency indicating the things we found wrong with the...

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While Jonathan is out running the Frostbite HM, I went and did 4 miles with my sister. I only stopped one time. :) It was a good run.

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So hard! So glad it's over. So cold. So glad I did it. So hungry! So sleepy! Ahhhhh!

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Way overdue update

I tend to not blog when I'm eating like shit and not exercising. I am just that way. I've been in a eating/exercise funk since before Thanksgiving. I kept my running going until Christmas. Then I slacked. I ran New Years Day, but haven't since....until today that is. WOW. This is bad. I haven't looked at my training plan for the HM in Nola that will now need to be a more aggressive plan if I want to be able to do the half. I am going to look at the schedule tonight or tomorrow and see what I'm going to have to do. The last HM I ran I only was able to build up to 5 miles, b/c of injury during my training, and I still managed to pull it off. I'd rather be able to train up to at least 10 before the race, but we'll just see. I'm doing it, though, even if I have to walk half of it.

Since the move: It's going good, but it has also been hard too. I am still adjusting. I have a completely different schedule now. Well, it isn't really a routine yet. My work officially got started on 1/10. I only work 3 days a week. The days are going to be Wed-Fri. I'm excited about being part time, but I have been scared of my free time. It's weird being at home while Jonathan is at work. The first week I sat around too much and was just flat out lazy. I needed to be doing chores. J and I finally came up with a chore list, so that really seemed to help me last week. I like checking things off a list. Haha I'm trying to figure out where I can run. My neighborhood is just too hilly. I can handle some hills, but this is ridiculous. My sister is going to run with me next week, so we will go to a running/biking/walking area that will be MUCH better.

I do like being in Birmingham. I like being close to a lot of stores again. I like our house. I like our neighborhood, except for the hills. I think I'm going to like my job once I learn it. I like my supervisor, she's very nice and very flexible.

I just got to get some things figured out like my workout schedule, which gym I'm going to join, when I'm going to run, my home schedule, a good eating plan, just stuff like that.

Today: I did 2 miles total running in 22:42 minutes, 11:21 pace, in my neighborhood. I had to stop and walk the hills. I really did more like 3 miles with the walking, I just kept up with what I ran. Jonathan has joined crossfit. I'd love to join it too, but it's not convenient for me right now. I did print off a 2 week beginner crossfit program, so I am going to try it at home, along with my running. It's a start right?!

I really do love Tumblr. It is so motivating and inspiring. You all are inspiring. I'm glad I'm on here and have met some of you already. I can't wait for Nola whether I run, walk, or crawl the half.

Have a great night everyone!

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Sometimes I do terrifying things.

Things that push me out of my comfort zone.

Things I never would have thought about 100 pounds ago.

Like going to the gym.

Like running a marathon.

Like, in the name of paying it forward, submitting my weight loss to Huffington Post.

And maybe they think it sounds okay and decide to post it.

And maybe that article can be found here.

Whoa.

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Race Epic Run

Did a 5k around our new neighborhood. The hills were EPIC! I had to walk them. My time was 39 minutes. I'm not excited about my time, but I'm glad I got out there and got a run in. Starting off the New Year right!

Happy January 1st everyone!

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So awesome!

…in somewhat chronological order.

1. Ran my fastest 5k: 25:27

2. FINALLY got the guts to start doing CrossFit. So glad I did. It has changed my life and the way I think about myself.

3. Ran a race with two of my boys. So fun!

4. Ran my second half marathon. And, although it wasn’t...

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Took my Garmin out for a spin

In the rain. Its been a year since i have used it. It felt great. I also have never ran with a hat on before, it was a wise decision. 3 miles, 34:47 minutes, 11:37 min/mile Now i must continue to pack!

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This was my run on Tuesday. Huge fail! I was supposed to do 3 miles. I only did 1.38. I did 4 miles on Sunday. I am thinking one rest day in between wasn't enough bc my lower legs were not having it. They were hurting. I might have to plan for a two day rest after a longer run in the future. The good news is my legs feel fine today. I plan on getting my 3 miles done today...in the rain. Jonathan said he might run with me. I think he might need a run nudge text today if anyone wants to send him one. :)