Tuesday Track Workouts=A good A$$ kicking!!!!

Sooooo, Tuesday nights are now officially going to be referred to as BUTT KICKING NIGHT!!!! Phew! I still can't believe I survived last night's track workout!!! Every Tuesday we will be meeting as a team, with our coaches at the Stanford University track. I have been told that track workouts are a bit of a cross between boot camp workouts and having a personal trainer yelling in your ear ;-) Well, I can now officially report that both are TRUE! We started at the track (about 50 or 60 of us) by jogging 2 laps (.5 mile) and then we got down to business. We lined up at the end of the track (after a good stretching workout) and the coaches said "Ok. Now we want you to do lunges--all the way down both of the 'straight aways' and jog the corners". I about died. My butt was killing me. My calves were killing me...Everything was killing me!! And that was only the first lap!!! We proceeded like this for 1.5 more hours! We did everything from 'skipping' an entire lap, to side ways shuffles, walking on our toes and 'high knees' around the track. I was a sweaty mess, but boy did it feel like I was doing something so good for myself!!! At the end of the workout, we gathered together for announcements...that's when one of the coaches pointed out that one of the gals who had been working out with us, is an actual 'honoree'...which means she is either fighting or has fought blood cancer recently. She was totally out there kicking butt with us and none of us even knew she was a cancer patient! What an inspiration! She will be sharing her story with us next week after track, and I am really looking forward to it :-)

Until then, more gym time for me today (can't wait for Friday when I get a 'rest' day! woohoo!)

Health and Happiness,

Jannie

PS. Here I am getting ready to leave for my first track workout....I went out and bought 'shiny slippery pants' (ha!) to wear for the occasion--and boy were they comfortable! I almost *look* like a runner now, huh?!

First Team Run!

Saturday was our first big "team run" in Mtn View. We met at 8am, and although it is the end of May, it was COLD!!!! (Which I am told I will be wishing for, come August, when we are going for a quick 20 mile run!) Anyways, we met with the coaches (who are all totally awesome by the way!) and they led the entire group (about 70 of us!) through stretches and warm-ups. We were then given the choice of running (jogging, as I like to put it!) 2,4 or 6 miles...I decided to be right in the middle, and jogged 4 miles! It was a nice run, and it did warm up about half way through. I met another girl who was about my speed, and we ran together and chit-chatted the entire run, which is good, considering wearing an Ipod or headphones at all is a big No-No with TNT...I am still not sure how I will get through an entire MARATHON without listening to music, but the coaches promise if we give it a chance, we may actually learn to *enjoy* running, without the distraction of music....only time will tell I guess! :-)

Woohoo!! Let the season begin!

So, I *just* got back from the Silicon Valley's Summer 2010 season kickoff event--and let me tell you---I feel a little like I could go run a marathon right now-they really pumped us up at this meeting!! (Ok, probably not!--but still) I am very, very, very excited for the season to begin; in case you can't tell by the fact that I *already* have my official shirt on in this pic! hahaha! My journey will begin Saturday morning with a 4 mile run! Tonight I also met my mentor (a past TNT participant who will be guiding me through everything this summer) and not only is she the sweetest girl, but it turns out we went to HS together! She is two years behind me, but her brother was in my class and played football when I was a cheerleader! Small world!! At any rate, the above picture is my friend Katie and I...Another friend from HS! She did Team in Training last summer and completed the Nike's marathon last fall! Her amazing experience is one of the reasons I wanted to join TNT this year--and I am one of the reasons she decided to do it again this year! I am looking forward to meeting lots of new people (BTW, EVERYONE I've met at these events is UBER friendly and outgoing!) and of course, getting my butt kicked and hopefully into some decent shape--all while raising money for an AWESOME cause...One of the first things we did tonight was watch a video about a child and his journey surviving Leukemia. Let me tell you there was not a dry eye in the house....I am so thankful for this opportunity and for the healthy children in my life.

Health and Happiness!
~Jannie

Fallen off the wagon...

I have fallen off the 'run wagon' as it were...My sister had a baby last week, and between trips to the hospital and fighting a springtime cold, I haven't had the time to dedicate to running every single day. Don't get me wrong, I am still exercising, but the other day I ran two miles (after a week of no running!) and it was HARD! I do have a new Ipod (Thanks dad for the bday gift!) and have downloaded almost 5 hours of music! (Just the amount I'll need to make it through the entire marathon! gulp!)Hoping to nip this cold in the butt and get back at it next week...TNT's Summer Kickoff is Thursday May 20th and I am SO excited! Happy Friday!

Is it May 20th yet?

Shawn and I joined the local YMCA in January, and I started working out a few times a week. About 6 weeks ago, I decided it was about time I used the gorgeous treadmill Shawn bought me for *last years* birthday. I hopped on it, and walked .75 miles and then ran (jogged--and slowly I might add!) for 2.25 miles. I WAS ELATED! I was so proud of myself. I was sweaty and tired and really sore, but realized that maybe I hadn't given up *all* of my sporting ability to the motherhood Gods. After that I decided to try running (jogging) a few more times; ya know, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke or something. I even started keeping track of how far and how long I was running! The feeling I got after each run was indescribable. Even if I was running slowly and for a short period of time, I was starting to feel like I was taking control of my life again. Like I was doing something GOOD for myself. I was even noticing that I was snapping at the kids and Shawn less, after I worked out. I then signed up for my first 5K run. It was a race sponsored by my college sorority chapter (Kappa Delta, at SDSU) All the money raised went to supporting Child Abuse Prevention--a great cause, and a great time with many of my old friends and sisters. Stephanie Anderson is one of my friends from college....she can currently be seen on NBC's THE BIGGEST LOSER. She has lost over 100lbs, and I am not going to lie. She was definitely one of my inspirations to get healthy again. I ran the 5K in April (pushing both the boys in the stroller I might add!) and after I crossed the finish line, decided I wanted to try and run a half marathon--big goals people. I signed up for the Nike Women's Half Marathon, which is in San Francisco in October....Unfortunately so many women want to run in the event, they are forced to hold a random 'drawing' to see who actually gets *into* the race. Sadly, my name wasn't chosen to run in the half...With my 'rejection letter' came a note, that there was still a way for me to enter into the race...join the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in their effort to end blood cancer, and run the race with Team in Training...I not only decided that was what I wanted to do, but I also decided that as long as I was going to be training for 21 weeks, I might as well go for the entire enchilada and go for the FULL 26.2 mile marathon. I know. I am crazy. So, I went to an informational meeting last week and was truly inspired. I listened to the stats about how the survival rate for childhood Leukemia has risen from 4% to almost 85% in the years since LLS was founded. I also found out that one of Cameron's beloved preschool teachers has a now 20 year old son, who is a Leukemia survivor...He was first diagnosed at the age of 3.5--the same age as Cameron. It brings tears to my eyes just THINKING about it. At any rate, Shawn and I have made this commitment together (as it will be a true TEAM effort--juggling the training, fund raising, child/boppa watching efforts etc.) The official Kickoff Meeting is May 20th, and I am super excited to get my training started (remind me I said that, when I am dreading running 18 miles later this summer!!) Yesterday I went for my first run (ever!) that was over 5 miles. It took me a little over an hour, and although I did it slowly, I still did it without stopping! I am so excited, scared, nervous and READY to begin this amazing journey....I will try and keep this blog updated with my training efforts...and promise each entry won't be this long.
Health and Happiness,
Jannie

Here is a link to my Team in Training fundraising site--Any and all donations are gladly welcomed and appreciated!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/nikesf10/jowent