Turkey Trot

I bet you all are wondering where I have been the past few weeks! Or maybe you haven't, that's okay too! I have really been struggling with sickness. I had bronchitis for nearly two weeks! I am so thankful that I am over it just in time for the holidays! 

My next race is coming up this Sunday and I am so excited. This race means so much to me because it was the first race I ever ran! The race is called the Turkey Trot. It is definitely my favorite race for a lot of different reasons. 

Here are a few reasons I love the turkey trot. 

1. You get a free turkey 

2. It is usually freezing cold out. (The first time I ran the turkey trot it was 18 degrees when we started) 

3. It is the first race I ran (That was 3 years ago and as soon as I ran it I was hooked)

4. See all of the people dressed in silly turkey hats 

5. Feel guilt free eating your thanksgiving dinner

I love thanksgiving! I am so grateful that God has given me the ability to run! What is one thing you are grateful for this thanksgiving? 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Recovery

I ran a marathon! Now what? 

I think recovery is the hardest part for me. It is so different from training because you have to take it day by day. You never know exactly how fast your body will recover from your marathon. 

1. Listen to your body. Don't push yourself too hard. You do not want to risk injury. 

2. Stretch. Stretching is so important to keep your muscles from tightening up. (make sure to do a warm up walk before stretching) 

3. Sleep. I think one of the hardest things for me after my marathon was to sleep. My adrenaline was working overtime for sure! But once I did finally sleep I felt so much better!

4. Eat. Give your body a chance to refuel with healthy food. (Of course giving yourself a cheat day is okay too) You just ran a marathon! 

5. Relax. Enjoy your time off from working out. There is a life outside of running! The first thing I did after my race was crawl into bed and binge watch my favorite tv show. 

This is what recovery looks like. 

I hope these tips were helpful for you if you just ran a marathon or just need to take some time to recover from something else! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon Day!

I've done it. 

I ran my first marathon! 

It was hot

It was fun! 

It was really really difficult. 

I finished with a time of 5.34. 

My goal was to run a marathon and have a great time doing it and I did. I high-fived the little kids and thanked all of the volunteers! 

The experience was incredible! 

My favorite part was in the beginning when my adrenaline was pumping and everyone was cheering us on. One thing that I learned while running my marathon is that it definitely is as hard as I thought! If you are considering running a marathon, here are my pros and cons list that may help you to decide! 

Pros. 

1. Accomplishment

2. Runners High 

3. Physically Fit 

4. Inspiration To Others

Cons. 

1. Blisters

2. Tired 

3. Sore

4. Recovery time 

I might have missed a few things on my pros and cons list but that is all I could think of at the moment. In my opinion, if you are physically capable you should at least run one marathon in your lifetime. It truly is an incredible experience! 

Now here are a few pictures from my marathon adventure!

 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon Week!

My marathon is just one week away. The next time I post on here I will have ran a full marathon! This has been an awesome experience and I have learned so much. Sometimes when I am running so far I feel like I can't run anymore. Here are a few of the things that I use to keep going!

When you feel like you want to stop running... 

1. Think of your favorite day and play every minute of it in your head. Start from when you wake up, to when you go to bed. 

2. Look at the crowd cheering you on. Reading the signs are the best! 

3. Eat a snack! Eating is always a good thing to do while running a marathon and it can distract you from wanting to quit!

4. Pray. Meditate on a passage of encouraging scripture or just talk to God.

5. Imagine yourself crossing the finish line. Picture how happy you will be when you finish and what you just accomplished! 

I have been looking at the weather for my race next week and it has been changing every day. It went from 70 degrees with 20 percent chance of showers to 80 and sunny. Although I know I cannot change the weather, I would much rather have 70 degree weather than 80 degrees any day! Either way the weather goes I will still be at the starting line at 7:30 about to run my first marathon! 

I hope these tips were helpful to anyone running a race soon! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

2 Weeks Out!

My marathon is less than two weeks away! I can't believe it is so close! It feels like I just decided to start training yesterday. I am starting to get anxious and excited. The thought of the unknown is intimidating, but I know I am ready for this! 

Me with my favorite after run snack!

Since I only have two weeks left, my actual running has dropped significantly. I am focusing mainly on diet and stretching daily now. So today I have a few tips for preparing yourself for a race two weeks before. 

1. Relax 

Make sure to not get stressed out. (This has been the hardest thing for me to do) A few pre-race jitters are normal but don't allow yourself to lose sleep over it. Race day should be fun! 

2. Research 

Research where the start/finish line will be so on race day you will have nothing to be nervous about. Decide now when you are going to pick-up your packet. Besides your race, packet pick-up is the most important thing! 

3. Replay

Replay race day in your mind. Picture what you are going to wear, bring, eat. Don't forget to replay yourself crossing the finish line in your mind! 

What about you? Do you have any pre-race tips? 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon - 3 Weeks Away!

My marathon is less than a month away and last week I was blessed with a cold. I was tired, achy, stuffy, and I couldn't move without my head pounding. I took medicine and that helped some but I knew if my training was going to be effective I needed to do more than that. Here are some tips I have for training while sick. 

1. Listen to your body. 

If you have to cut back on your training do it.  

2. Focus on staying hydrated. 

Drink WATER.

3. Eat foods that give you energy.

I never have an appetite when I am sick so I focused on eating a lot of protein and vegetables. 

4. Go to bed early.

I seriously believe that the best thing you can do when you are sick is sleep!

I have a really hard time slacking on my training because I am so competitive. So when I was sick, it was really hard for me to cut back on my runs a little bit. I ended up running two miles less than I was planning on. This was very disappointing to me, but I was glad to get my long run out of the way. Now I know even if I am sick on the day of my marathon I will still be able to run it! 

This is about how I felt this week after training! This photo is courtesy of Pinterest. 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Long runs!

I took some time off of work for Labor Day to get some work done around the house. It was a nice break but went by way too fast! I ended up doing a trial marathon run that was 18 miles. I surprised myself and woke up at 5:00 AM to go run! I did everything I am planning on doing for my actual marathon so I will be fully prepared. Here are a few tips I have.

1. Lay out everything the night before. 

2. Eat the same way the days leading up to your run the same way you will be eating for your marathon. (my big meal the day before was alfredo)

3. Get up the same time you will be getting up for your race. (I'm planning on getting up around 5:00 AM on race day)

4. Wear the same clothes you will be wearing on race day. 

5. Go to bed the same time the night before. 

The day before I ran my long run I found a fortune cookie on my counter top. When I opened the fortune it had the perfect note inside! 

My gear! 

My snacks. 

I am sure you get the point by now. Basically do everything exactly the same as you would on race day.

So I finally was able mark something off of my bucket list for the summer. I went to the drive-in for the first time! It was a perfect summer night and the experience was awesome! I only have one more item to check off my bucket list for this year and that is running a full marathon. I am so excited and I cannot wait to accomplish this! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Relax - 6 Weeks

Only 6 six weeks left and I spent my weekend relaxing and pretending it was fall! I did some yard work, baked pumpkin bread, went fall shopping, and drank pumpkin spice lattes! Can life get any better? 

My tip for you this week is to take time to relax. Even if you are just a few weeks away from running a marathon. Don't worry and enjoy the small things! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon Training

With less than 7 weeks left until my marathon, you can imagine the excitement I am feeling! Nerves are beginning to set in and I am questioning all of the training I have done.

Literally every time I go to eat something I think "how will this effect my run today?" The hours I put into training make this emotionally and physically exhausting. So I begin to ask myself. "Why am I doing this?"

Here are my top 3 reasons for running a marathon.

1. Because I can. 

2. Because only 0.5% of Americans have ran one! 

3. Because I want to inspire others to pursue their goals.

I may have already mentioned this, but I feel it is very important to not lose sight of why I am running this marathon!

I am so incredibly blessed that God has given me the capability to physically run this race. Every day that I want to quit I remember this bible verse.

 

2 Timothy 4:7 

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Ever wondered how someone looks after a 13 mile run? Well you don't have to anymore! Here I am after my 13 mile run last week. 

I actually was feeling pretty great after my ice bath! 

What about you? Do you have any races/goals coming up? 

Until next time,

Janelle 

Energy Bars

My favorite energy bars are homemade peanut butter chocolate. I have been making these for years. This recipe i got from my mom awhile back and lost it. I ended up making it from memory and in the process changed a few things! The good thing about them is you can make them in bulk and freeze them. They are the perfect on the go snack! 

Here is the recipe. You can add or substitute ingredients as you see fit!

1/2 cup butter 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups rice crispy cereal

2 cups oats

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1 cup chocolate for drizzling

1 tsp olive oil to mix with chocolate for drizzling. 

Place butter peanut butter and sugar in microwavable safe bowl. Heat just until melted. Stir mixture and add vanilla. Grind rice crispies oats and flax seed. Slowly add to butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Pat on greased cookie sheet until spread evenly. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate for one hour or until chocolate is set. Cut into bars and wrap individually. Can be frozen for longer storage. 

Everything ready to go! 

All the ground ingredients 

The butter mixture 

Mix it all together so it looks like this 

Pat into pan. I doubled it! 

All done! 

I hope you enjoy these delicious bars!

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Transformation Tuesday

Two years 

Two weddings 

So much has changed. 

You can just see how uncomfortable I was with myself in that first photo. I have come so far and I am so proud of myself. I never would have guessed that just two years later that girl would be two months away from running a marathon! I don't post this to rub my success in people's faces. I post this to show that there is hope. If you are struggling with self confidence or body image know you are not alone and you can overcome it! The first step is accepting yourself the way God made you. Focus on changing from the inside out and you will get there! Also,  find someone to talk to about your struggles. Everyone has something they are struggle with! 

I hope this is encouraging to those of you who are just beginning their journey to a healthier lifestyle. I'm always here to lend a listening ear! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Color Run!

This weekend I did my first color run! I have always wanted to do a color run but never had the guts to do it. It looked like so much fun and fun was an understatement! We got there super early and were able to take the front row at the starting line. I had never done that before and it was exhilarating! They ended up starting the race late. I am pretty sure they did that on purpose so we would all be pumped up by the time the race began! 

Tips When Running A Color Run!

1. Bring towels or trash bags to sit on in your car. 

You will get VERY messy. You do not want to worry about ruining your car. 

2. Arrive early. 

There are a lot of people involved in these races and they allow you to go in waves. You want to be in the first wave so you aren't waiting around forever! We arrived about an hour early. 

3. Be aware of hidden fees. 

When we arrived at the event they charged an additional $5 for parking. Then $5 for picking up packets the day of the race. Call ahead and ask if they charge for parking among other things so you are not surprised when you arrive! 

Here are a few pictures from the race!

Before the race

Having fun with the color! 

After the race covered in color! 

One of my favorite things about the race was when were running the race they were spraying color on us. It made it so much more fun to have people cheering you on through out the race. I would definitely recommend running a color run at least once in your life! 

Until next time, 

Janelle

Marathon Monday!

Only ten more weeks until I run my marathon! I have had such a great time learning more about healthy eating and pushing my body to it's limits. So what have I learned? 

1. Your body can do way more than your mind thinks it can. 

Sometimes when I am completely exhausted and about to run a long run I give myself a pep talk. Basically I just tell myself I know I can do this. Then I end up running my best run ever! 

2. Eating good carbs with protein before and during your runs.

Being able to eat the calories as you are burning them helps sustain your energy level for long runs. 

3. SLEEP & REST!!!!

I cannot emphasize enough how important rest days are! Allowing your muscles to relax is just as important as your active days. 

What have you learned since you began exercising? 

Until next time! 

Janelle 

BiRtHdAY wEeK!

My birthday is this Friday so of course I am having a birthday week. To jump start the week I got my hair done on Sunday! On Friday I am getting my nails done before I go out of town for the weekend! To say I am excited would be an understatement!  

My new hair color. 

So how to I train for a marathon and still have a great birthday week? 

1. Train hard

My goal is to train hard the first three days then allow myself a three day weekend for rest. 

2. Take advantage 

Take advantage of your rest days and make sure to relax! 

3. Try and stick to your normal schedule

Sticking to a schedule on vacation may be difficult but it will be worth it! 

4. Eat a balanced diet 

If you love to eat junk food on vacation try and balance it out with healthy foods. 

5. Stretch

Even though you are taking a few days off from working out make sure to stretch. You will not regret it! 

I hope these tips were helpful to those of you who get a vacation this summer! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Maintaining Your Weight

So you lost a significant amount of weight and you have met all of your fitness goals. Now what? I was in that same boat about six months ago. So in January I made the commitment to maintain my weight for the next six months. 

My Game Plan

1. Take my weight and measurements

2. Buy healthy food once a week

3. Exercise for at least 30 min 5 times a week. 

4. Eat every 2 - 3 hours. 

5. Cheat whenever I want. 

 Six months later to my surprise I weighed exactly the same and actually lost an inch around my hips! So what did I do? After years of dieting and being freaked out to eat anything unhealthy I was very skeptical. But I changed the way I viewed eating and focused on being fit and healthy. I Allowed myself to eat a brownie or piece of candy whenever I wanted one. What I found out was the longer I ate healthy food the less I wanted junk food. 

This experiment has given me so much more confidence in myself. I know that if I can maintain my weight for six months I can maintain my weight for the rest of my life. It is a lifestyle change. By changing the way I viewed food I have changed my entire life and you can do the same!

P.s. For July fourth we made a watermelon cake! It was super simple and fun! 

If you have an questions let me know!

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon Monday

Marathon Training has begun and I am so excited to share this journey with you! We are just sixteen weeks out! I have changed my diet a lot recently to start to prepare for my marathon. I feel like I am eating all the time but I know in the long run it will be worth it! (No pun intended) What am I eating you might ask? 

Here is what a basic day is like for me. 

Breakfast - Protein Bar 

Morning Snack - Greek Yogurt 

Lunch - Grilled chicken salad with veggies - little or no dressing. 

Afternoon snack - Fruit 

Dinner - Brown rice, meat, veggies.

Evening snack - banana sliced with almond butter frozen

Also lots and lots of water Gatorade and energy gels on days with long runs! 

I downloaded this app on my phone called "Run Trainer" to help me train for my marathon. So far it has been great! When you sign up it allows you to choose how many times you want to run a week and what day you want your long run to be on. It is very flexible and that is what I love about it! 

What about you? Anyone else planning on running a race anytime soon? 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

5 Tips To Living Without AC In Your Car!

No AC? No worries! I have struggled with having no air conditioning in my car for the last three years. It has been a very humbling experience for me. In fact, now it's hard to imagine my car having air conditioning! I have learned to live without it just like millions of people do and you can too! 

People always ask me, "Why don't you just get the air conditioning fixed?" Well, first of all it cost a lot of money. I was quoted a thousand dollars last time I checked. Secondly there are no guarantees the air conditioning will continue to work the following year. In fact it is more likely for a 2001 Saturn like mine to break down at any moment. That is why I haven't spent a thousand dollars to get the ac fixed. So today I am here to share a few tips that I have learned while not having ac in my car. 

1. Wear comfortable loose fitting clothing

If you know you are going to be out and about when it's really hot try and remember to wear clothes that won't make you sweat a lot. I prefer shorts and a tank top.

2. Wear layers so you can change in the car if you have to work or bring clothes to change into before you leave.

I always wear layers! It's a pretty obvious way to keep from getting too hot and it's quick and easy. 

3. Bring ice water and cold snacks to eat on the way home. 

It is very important to stay hydrated so you don't pass out! Also, who doesn't love a good snack to eat at the stoplights. I usually pack fresh fruit, veggies, cheese, and pretzels to snack on. 

4. Roll down the windows.

This may seem like a no brainer but don't forget that even though it's hot every bit of air helps!

5. Bring a spray bottle. 

Bring a spray bottle to spray cool water on you while in the car. You won't believe how good the cool water mixed with air circulation feels!

I hope these five tips were helpful to you or someone you know that doesn't have air conditioning in their car this summer! 

This made me smile! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Summer lovin'

It's summer!  I use to hate summer. It's so hot and everyone is sweaty and grumpy. I don't have air conditioning in my car so I sweat on the way home from work. When I finally got home I would be so disgusting I would have to take a shower immediately. It was just no fun. I know many of you don't have air conditioning in your car this summer. I may not be able to fix it but I do have a few tips that I will share with you in a future post!

When I started exercising and getting healthy, everything changed. I no longer dreaded going outside in the summer heat. I looked at it as an opportunity to sweat and get a good work out in! For example did you know that mowing the lawn for an hour burns close to 400 calories? Plus, it's a ton of fun! Bring a glass of ice water and a snack with you outside and just pull weeds for an hour. It might surprise you how much you enjoy it. 

This is what summer means to me. Swimming snd strawberries! 

Top Five Reasons I Love Summer

1. Swimming

Swimming burns a ton of calories, it's relaxing, and you get to spend time with friends. 

2. Late night walks

Late night walks give you a chance to see the world from a different perspective. When the world begins to settle down for the night, you get to watch the sunset with no disruptions and get some good exercise! 

3. More outdoor activities 

I always spend more time outside in the summer. There is just so much to do! From running to baseball the possibilities are endless. God created this beautiful world so lets enjoy it. 

4. Healthier Snacks

Have you noticed that in the summer you crave healthier foods? I always crave watermelon and strawberries in the summer! The good thing about summer is those fresh fruits and vegetables are so much cheaper! 

5. The sun sets later in the day. 

Because the sun doesn't set until 9 in the evening you have so many more opportunities to spend outside. Who can pass up grilling with your friends on a cool summer evening?  

What is your favorite summer activity? I want to know! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Getting to know you

I have been wondering about my readers lately. I have been blogging for quite awhile now. Sometimes it can feel like my posts are just sitting there unread and unloved. When I first started this blog, my number one goal was to inspire people. So today, I have a few questions for my readers. Please answer honestly! 

1. What age did you first start running? 

2. How far is the farthest you have ever ran? 

3. How fast have you ever ran? 

4. Have I inspired you in your journey towards a healthy lifestyle? 

5. Do you think I should continue my blog? 

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read my blog! I really appreciate my readers and I hope I can inspire someone today! 

Until next time,

Janelle 

The Good the Bad and the Ugly

There is something that every runner experiences at some point or another. It is the highs and the lows of running. When you disappoint yourself beyond belief or you surprise yourself to the fullest. The most incredible thing to me is how quickly your muscles can change. I have been recovering from an injury for a few weeks now and it has been a learning experience. It seems at times like all of the cards are against me. I ended up going for a run and completely disappointing myself. It was one of the most humbling running experiences I have had since I began my running journey. Here are a few tips to staying positive. 

1. Don't be hard on yourself. Everyone has bad days.
2. Think about your good runs when you have those bad days. 
3. Listen to your body. If you need to take a break take one! 

My meal of the day is grilled chicken salad. It's delicious and super easy to make!

I am so excited to announce I have started a running club where I live. If you are interested let me know! Please remember that all are welcome! 

Until next time,

Janelle 

Motivational Monday

I was reading my diary from years ago when I was in college. I found something I had written and it inspired me. I hope it inspires you too! 

Life is just a flash. Hold your loved ones close - never go to sleep angry - be confident in what you believe - pray without ceasing - make goals that you have to work for - pressure yourself into doing things you don't think you can - take risks - don't stress about the small things. 

Tip of the day.

I'd encourage you to start a diary or a journal if you haven't already. Who knows maybe one day you will inspire yourself. 

One thing that I will always love is fireworks. This past weekend was the beginning of riverfest in wichita and my husband took me to see the fireworks. I got many great photos but this is my favorite! 

What about you? What inspires you?

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Memorial Day & First Run!

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day remembering those who we have lost and spending time with family! I was so excited to run my first "long run" since my injury. The rain lately has been so crazy I haven't been able to do that. 

So monday morning after some coffee and a blueberry struessel muffin from starbucks I headed out on my run. I geared up with some cliff energy gel and my new running belt! I cannot tell you how helpful that running belt was for me. I barely even notice it was there. I will recommend that to anyone looking for some place to keep their valuables, water, and food while running. 

 

When I first took off running I was running an eight minute mile. That is extremely good for me. In fact it is way too good because just a mile into it I began to feel it. Also, the extreme heat and humidity didn't help much either! I slowed down immensly and decided that I am happy with my 9 and 10 minute miles. 

 

Over all I was very pleased with the progress I have made in my recovery. I am so grateful for my health and the ability to run. Those 3 weeks without running were very difficult for me. Are you healthy? Do you have the ability to excercise? Take advantage of it now because it won't last forever! 

Here are some pictures. 

My cliff energy gel. This stuff is amazing!

Me looking not so great after my run. I'm sporting my arm band and running belt! Can you tell it was a great work out?!

Then just a fun picture of the double rainbow from this weekend!

What an awesome weekend! I am so blessed! 

Until next time, 

Janelle 

Marathon running belt

My marathon is just five months away now and I am slowly mentally preparing myself for the race. I am so excited to conquer this milestone in my life!

Recently I purchased some running gear from amazon for my marathon. I really wanted to find something that would be able to carry my necessities while I ran but was also comfortable. I can't wait to try it out! 

You would not believe how many different running products are out there. I spent probably two hours trying to decide on different styles, colors, and not to mention the high prices!

When I did finally decide on something I was so relieved. It came in the mail a few weeks ago and I can't wait to try it. Here are a few pictures! 

It came from Adalid gear.

It cost around $35 dollars. 

It came with a running pouch with belt and two water bottles that you can attach! 

I will be posting a review on the product next time after I try it out. If you have any questions about the products let me know! 

Until next time! 

Janelle 

Momma

This post is dedicated to all of the women out there! Happy Mothers Day! I am so grateful for my mother and all the mothers in my life. Mothers are such a blessing from God. A good mother always puts their children before themselves and loves them unconditionally. 

My mom and her girls! 

Are you a mother? Are you longing to be a mother? This may be controversial but I believe that all women are mothers in their own way. Whether it be to a child you counsel at church or a niece or nephew you babysit. Oh and I can't forget about those animal lovers! We all make our mark on this world in some special way as mothers. 

I really can't say I know what it is like to be a traditional mother. To be pregnant for 9 months, go through labor, and experience seeing my child for the first time. But I can say that I know exactly how it feels to create a bond with someone, teach them from Gods word, worry about them, and pray they follow God. 

We all know It's not always easy being a mother. Just always remember to trust God will get you through each and every day. We love you both traditional and untraditional mommas!  

Please please take a few minutes from your day to listen to this beautiful song from the Willis family. It was such a blessing for me and I hope you enjoy it!

Courtesy of YouTube 

http://youtu.be/xqTiTiat-jE

Until next time,

Janelle

Dealing With Change

So today we are going to talk about changes. Life has been full of surprises lately! I suppose a life without surprises would be quite boring. 

I have never been a huge fan of change. It always bothered me growing up when we had to re-paint our room or change the design of the bathroom. But one thing I was told that helped me with this is "the only constant in life is change". This really helped me learn to embrace change. 

Learning to handle changes in a healthy way is so important in order to lead a normal life. Here are a few tips I have found helpful in my life. 

1. Embrace 

Although all change may not be good, learning to embrace change and turn it into something positive is very important. 

2. Relax 

Learning to relax when change comes helps you to cope easily. Deep breathing and exercise are some of the best ways to relax! 

3. Prayer 

Praying about change can give you peace knowing that God is in control of all changes that will come your way. 

Also just remember one thing. When change is stressing you out dance like no one is watching! Cheesy I know! 

Until next time 

Janelle