Ja on the RUN is…

PREGNANT!

If you follow me on my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter account, you probably know by now. So, yes, I am pregnant. 

I am currently in my second trimester, 15 weeks to be exact.

My husband and I learned that I was pregnant last October 2013. It was the day before my birthday. I did a home pregnancy test after a few days of missing my period. My monthly period is super regular and right on the dot, as well as my Ovulation Calendar app which had been always correct with it’s predictions. My husband and I had been trying for quite some time to get pregnant and that app was really a great help. I realized then that it isn’t that easy to make a baby. It really is in His own perfect time. 🙂 Anyway, test came out positive! I was shocked and couldn’t believe it. I mean isn’t it is always a wonder, a puzzle, a mystery, how we can carry miracles inside our bodies!? What a privilege! That was definitely an awesome birthday surprise for me. As much as we wanted to share the news to the world right away, we decided to delay our announcement to some loved ones and family members because we wanted to surprise my side of family about my pregnancy on Christmas Eve.

It was at my second appointment, 11 weeks, when we finally heard the baby’s heartbeat and had my first ultrasound done. We had the photo of the sonogram scanned and printed out copies for each of my family members. We used them as name cards for our gifts. We wrote at the back of the photo – “To My Grandmother” for my aunts, “To My Grandfather” for my uncles, “Uncles”, and “Aunts” for my cousins and, so on. When we gave out our gifts, they were all looking around confused. One of my aunts said, ‘’I am not a grandma yet!” Then she flipped the card and saw the ultrasound pic. They all finally figured out! They were all blown away! 🙂 It was hard trying to hold and keep it a secret but it was all worth it. My family was soooo ecstatic when they learned the good news. I’m the eldest among my siblings and my parents are so excited to meet their first ever grandchild. 🙂

During my first trimester, I didn’t have much except for fatigue, extra sensitivity around the breast area, and increased appetite. 🙂 I craved (still craving) for sour foods like pineapple, pickles and green mangoes. Mmmmm.

I had nausea here and there too but Altoids Ginger mints helped me a lot to alleviate that symptom.

I keep this planner handy in case I need to jot down notes and memories. 🙂

I just also became a For Two Fitness ambassador which I am soo excited to share! I ordered cute workout tops and bottoms from their website which I haven’t tried wearing because I am not showing enough bump yet. 🙂 I can’t wait to wear and workout in them soon! Yes! Pictures will be posted of course! 🙂 I am actually so thankful that I got pregnant in this modern age that stuff like these are already available for active pregnant women. It makes pregnancy soooo much easier and enjoyable. 🙂

Thank you For Two Fitness® Maternity Apparel!

As for the running department: I know medically that it’s ok to continue to exercise during pregnancy. And I assured that from my OB after reviewing my lab results and tests. I had a “go” signal from my OB that I can still run and continue doing the workouts I have been doing for the whole course of my pregnancy. YAY! So, it’s ok as long as I was comfortable and well-hydrated. I just had to pass on snowboarding this season (sigh). Activities with risks of falling are to be avoided.

L-R: 7 weeks pregnant, 8 weeks, 9 weeks, 9 weeks. 🙂

There was a point during my first trimester that I got a little frustrated of myself. My energy has dropped down to half from what it used to be since I got pregnant (though people say this usually only lasts until the first trimester is over). My running pace was slower and I get tired easily. I’ve also already put on some fat where they’ve never been before, and it isn’t very comforting when you see them ruin what used to be such no-brainer outfits for me. I had to wear looser workout tops to be comfortable. I honestly miss my old multi-tasking self.  But then, I had to remind myself that I’m pregnant and that everything I am going through is ok. Pregnancy is a blessing and I embrace these changes for I know that I am literally at the conception of a brand new and super promising chapter of my life.

I have a long way to go! Imagine this to be a total of 40 weeks. I am already over my first trimester. Time flies by so fast. As of now, I am doing really great, just exceptionally hungry at odd hours at night. I go to bed really early these days and sleep like a grandma. Haha! I noticed too that my energy has gone up a bit, though when I went to cardio kickboxing class last night I had some limitations doing some of the workouts. It’s ok. I’m ok. I welcome those changes joyfully! It’s all for a good reason. 🙂

I am also happy that our baby made him/herself way out during the healthiest time of my life. One of the reasons I started my health journey was to prepare my body for pregnancy and motherhood. I believe that taking care of myself will make me a better mom and wife to my family. 🙂

I pray for my safe and easy pregnancy, as well as safe, easy, normal delivery. Our estimated due date is June 29, 2014! 🙂

So, since your blogger is pregnant and especially now that I have gained my energy back, do expect months worth of pregnancy-related posts. 🙂

God bless you all! 🙂

– Ja

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Spring, Where Are You?

Yup, this is our weather today.

It’s still snowing since yesterday here. It’s supposed to snow nonstop until tomorrow night. I am desperately waiting for the spring but the winter just refuses to leave. Maybe we should send our seasons a calender so they will know when it’s time for them to make their entry. Spring, it’s really time for you to come in. 🙂

So, I was under the impression it was spring. This was my attempt to do yoga on a warm sunny day. (LOL!) 🙂

My husband and I were supposed to go out yesterday morning to go running. That was the plan. But this weather really drained our motivation to go outside. If it wasn’t below freezing I would so be out running. We ended up just staying home. 😦

I got bored. I couldn’t just let this weather stop me from working out! What’s a girl to do?

Play POP Pilates DVD! 🙂

I really like Cassey Ho, the pilates instructor. She’s very motivating. She’s the blogger behind Blogilates. I found her You tube videos when I was looking for a good Pilates DVD. I got hooked on her videos and decided to get her POP PIlates DVD.

Cassey has a very bubbly personality.  She is great at explaining the moves and motivates you to fight through the pain and burn! She does the workout so effortlessly! I am amazed at how she still manages to keep the conversation going while in those difficult moves and positions. I was like “How can she even talk doing this spider plank, LOL!”

Her workouts are definitely a killer. The moves are tough which I like because I get challenged more, but, she always provides modifications. I am a bit sore right now as I type this post. I don’t mind, it only just means I had a great workout.

As she always says in her videos, “Sore today, strong tomorrow!” 🙂

If you’re looking for a fun Pilates video and at the same time challenging, this is it! I definitely recommend this DVD for all fitness levels. But for those of you who are new to Pilates, it’s better if you check out her videos for beginners first to prep you for the more intense DVD workout.

Oh, you should check out her Blogilates Shop. She’s got some cute inspirational tanks, pretty gym totes and yoga bags.

Have you done Pilates? Love it? Hate it?

Does the weather affect your motivation to exercise?

Have a great week!!!

(P.S. My giveaway is still up. Head over to this link if you want to participate:))

Happy First Day of Spring!

Hello everyone!

Happy first day of spring!! Spring is officially here! We survived winter! There are still some patches of snow and still freezing cold up here in Ohio but I know that warmer times are just right around the corner. I’ve said this countless times – I love snow but I can’t wait to run outside in shorts!!!

I’m so ready to put away our winter coats and scarves. They take too much space in our closet. I’m pumped about the new season and waking up to a bright morning like today! It’s really bright out so I’m rocking my new sunnies today. 🙂

Want my Bulu Box shirt? Click on the pic and check out my giveaway. 🙂

My favorite thing about spring is all the bright and beautiful colors. I also love the warm sun and the cool breeze touching my skin.

But, I don’t hate winter because I love snowboarding. All the snowboarding adventures and trips I had with my husband during the winter was a lot of fun!

The snowy scenery you get during winter season is just beautiful.

And oh, my first time running in the snow was definitely a lot of fun too!
(Related post: My Holiday Recap (Part 4): My First Run in the Snow!)

So, yeah, I don’t dread the snow but I’m over winter season (for now). I know I will definitely miss having a little bit of the white stuff again come the dreary summer months, that’s for sure.

I now look forward to more running adventures this spring. The best thing about this season is the weather. There’s nothing like a good run on a nice, crisp, sunny day. When the weather is perfect, not too hot, not too cold, your body is comfortable, your breathing is easy and the sun feels warm on your face. These are the days when you love being a runner.

By the way, I got my POP Pilates in the mail yesterday! If you haven’t checked out Blogilates, you MUST. She is an amazing trainer and I love doing her workouts!

What’s your favorite thing about spring? Do you hate winter?

Wishing you all a beautiful day!

Please don’t forget to participate on my giveaway going on through the end of March. 🙂

-XoXo

❤ Ja

Own Domain Soon + Giveaway! Giveaway!

I finally decided. it’s about time my blog go from a wordpress.com to my own domain! 🙂 Wuhoo! 🙂

I started my blog last Summer (July 2012) to write all my adventures about my new found passion – running. It’s only been 8 months and I am overwhelmed by how fast my blog has grown.

To all my readers, commenters, followers, friends, family and fellow bloggers, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You guys are amazing. Thank you for supporting my little blogging adventure. Thank you for all the nice comments and messages. You are all so encouraging especially in times when I doubt myself. I appreciate everyone who stops by and visits my blog. I really do. When I’m out, some people even come up to me and say that my blog inspires them. Wow, I am humbled, truly humbled. Thank you all so much! ❤

I think it’s about time, too, to create an FB page link to my blog – so my FB friends who care less about running, healthy food choices, etc, are not bothered by my links and information  (haha). While I “wish” everyone would care more about being healthy and active, I know that’s not our world today. I would rather share and talk about all these to people who are into it and share same interests as mine. 🙂

I named my blog “Athlete in Me” – as it was the first thing that popped into my mind. I really did discover the “athlete in me” when I started running and joining races, so I went ahead and used it. I had no other ideas at the time. I knew I wanted to blog about my training to inspire others and keep me motivated.

AthleteInMe.com is already taken. It’s a very common phrase. Then I changed it “Athlete Within Ja” to kind of prepare myself for the change when I buy my domain. But this name I didn’t feel like it’s “me” anymore. If I had known my blog would eventually lead to this, I would have taken more time to think of a better and unique name.

Although I have already ideas in mind of a blog name, I want to expand my choices! I’m open to more ideas and suggestions.

I’d like to ask for your ideas, something creative, clever and “me” (see About Me page for ideas). I’m not opposed to a running-related name as long as it’s available for domain use.

And yes, you get a prize if I pick you! 🙂

So, let’s talk about what I’m giving away.

I’m giving away a box of goodies! 🙂

Have you heard of Bulu Box?

Bulu box is a monthly subscription box that lets you try different vitamins, supplements, health and weight loss products for only $10. You are sent a bunch of different health and wellness products, vitamins & supplements each month that you’ve probably never tried before. You can choose a month to month subscription so you can cancel at anytime and resume at anytime. Nice!

They offer two box types to choose from:

Bulu Box: As the first and only vitamin and supplement sample box, this box includes a well-rounded sampling of vitamins and supplements that help in all areas of health. Each box contains 4 to 5 premium samples plus lifestyle extras from time to time. Every box is a feel good discovery.

Bulu Box Weight Loss: As the first and only weight loss subscription box, this box was designed with the specific goal of weight loss in mind. Each box contains 4 to 5 premium weight loss items such as vitamin and supplement samples, fitness gear and healthy eating tools. Discover products to help you succeed with weight loss.

The kind people over at Bulu Box sent me this month’s nutritious goodies to try and share with you.

It comes in the mail in a super cute orange box!

I like how their box has motivational quotes printed all over it.

I first saw this super cute card with a sweet hand written message for me. 🙂

They also sent me this motivational sticker. 🙂

Inside was a pamphlet with an exercise guide on one side and information about the products in the box on the other side.

Here are the products included in this month’s box:
* Dream Water

* Q Speed CoQ10 100mg
* Prolab Quick Fire
* Redd Remedies atEASE PM
* AeroShot Energy
 * $50 iTrain Gift Card

The only product I’ve tried among these is the aero shot. I’ve tried it before when we went snowboarding and they certainly do work. It kept me energized for long hours on the slopes. 🙂

My thoughts: I think it’s a great concept. The convenience of trying one sample before committing to the full size version in specialty stores is worth it!

Everything in this box (well, except for my greeting card) will be yours if I pick you. 🙂

And, Stephanie from Bulu Box was kind enough to include a free technical shirt (your choice of color and size)! Nice! 🙂

I have one in pink & I love them! It’s so light and soft! 🙂

pre-shunk
65% polyester
35% Ringspun Cotton

I’ll post the winner on March 29, 2013 (Friday). So, stay tuned! 🙂
FYI: I can only send to US and Canada.

Meanwhile, if you like to subscribe to Bulu Box, I can hook you up with a FREE BOX or $10 off for your first month.

Sign up through this link or enter this coupon code: BULUGAN984 at checkout.

FYI: Bulu Box sent me a complementary box to try. All opinions in the above post are mine and mine alone! 🙂 Visit their website for more information about their service.

I can’t wait for your ideas! Thanks everyone!!! 🙂

-XoXo-

————————————————————————————————-

UPDATE:

Congratulations Memoirs of a Kidd! We picked you to be our winner!
Thanks guys for participating!

I’ll be busy for the next few days renovating my blog! So excited to finally have my new domain! Yay! 🙂

Happy Pi Day!

Happy Pi Day everyone!

Pi Day? … I just saw that all over Facebook today. Apparently, it’s a day to commemorate the mathematical constant π (pi). You know, March 14? 3/14? Oh, ok I got it! LOL!

So to celebrate this mathematical day, my husband and I did a 3.14-mile evening run! 🙂

A pic of my husband’s watch.
I got a little carried away with mine and went 3.16 on accident! LOL!

I wore my Sweaty Bands today. This is my absolute favorite headband – I literally wear it almost every time I work out. I got the sparkly black to match all of my workout gear and regular clothes. I love that it stays put during my workouts, even during burpees! Haha.

I love my Sweaty Band so much that I will be ordering more colors. Sweaty Bands company offers more than thousand colors, patterns and print combinations. They grip and hold your hair during the most strenuous of workouts, all without slipping, pulling or tugging. You can even custom design your headband too. I love the fact that their main office is located here in Cincinnati, OH. So close to me! 🙂

They’ve just launched their newest collection – Sweaty Safari Collection. I am affiliated with them, that means, all my readers can get 5% off when you use my link to purchase.

Click on the banner below and save 5% off your purchase.
After our run, we hit the weights! My husband made me do a lot of upper body workouts today.

I know my arms are the weakest part of my body. I used to not be able to do push ups or get anywhere near a pull up bar. Doing kickboxing and Pilates, I noticed that I am slowly improving. I now can do a number of push ups and pull ups. I realized that our bodies are stronger than we think and capable of more than we expect.

That’s it for now. I am feeling good tonight but I know my body is going to be sore tomorrow.

Goodnight everyone!

Did you earn your “pi” today? How many miles did you run/walk?

My Last of Pv.Body but More of Ellie!!! :)

I am very sure a lot of you already know about this news from PV.body. Now, instead of paying $49.95 for brands like Lululemon, Nike, Nux, American Apparel, etc, you will be receiving clothes from the company’s new brand, Ellie. Of course, a lot of people reacted to it. Some people said that this was a classic example of a bait and switch. I’ve read posts of some bloggers ranting about the switch. Honestly, I don’t blame them for feeling that way but I needed to hear both sides first before I make my own judgement. I don’t like jumping into a conclusion without investigating. 🙂

So, instead of joining in the drama, I had to ask them myself what’s really going on. And here’s Hope’s from Pv.body/Ellie reply:

(please click photo to enlarge)

I waited for this issue to calm down a bit before I write my thoughts about it. First off, I have nothing against the company and I can’t say anything negative about them. I am saying this not only because I am personally receiving great service from them, but, I think their concept is still fantastic even with the switch. For me, the option for you to choose your own 2 pieces is way better than having to receive clothes you don’t like. Then the hassle of returning it and asking for a refund is just madness. I really have no problems of giving Ellie a try.

I haven’t tried their new line yet. It is on it’s way to me (yay!). So far, I’m reading positive reviews on their facebook page from people who have already gotten their clothes from Ellie.com. I’m getting excited to get mine! Maybe Ellie is going to be amazing and all the ranting and complaining weren’t necessary after all. 🙂

Before I move on to Ellie, I’d like to show you guys this last one package I got last month from PV.body. 🙂

of course their pink package still excites me. 🙂

I got this black racerback yoga cami from Beyond Yoga.

It is very basic but flattering. Because it’s partly made of cotton, I probably won’t wear this for running even though it says “Beyond Yoga” (haha) . Cotton fabrics will definitely absorb my sweat and that will be very uncomfortable. I’d stick to yoga when I wear this. I like it and I am keeping it.

For bottoms I got these gray leggings from American Apparel.

I’ve received same brand of leggings before from them (check out this post) but in a different color. I’ve worn these leggings several times already to kickboxing class. I like them. They look really good either working out or when going out with boots and long sweater.  I love that it has a thick waist band which makes it comfortable. My only problem I have for this is they can’t go in the dryer. It says in the tag, “hang to dry”, but not really a  big deal for me.

By the way, my mom already sent me a picture of herself happily wearing the top I got from my previous Pv.Body package. The top definitely looks better on her. Good thing I gave it to her. 🙂

Overall, I am satisfied again.

I’m glad I was able to maintain a positive attitude despite all the negative reaction about the switch. I really hope things will get better with the option to choose which pieces you like. I support new businesses and I think it’s normal to have few glitches in the first few months. I will continue my subscription with them and I look forward to what this new brand Ellie has in store for me.

So there you go with my HONEST thoughts. FYI: The company did not ask me to make this post. And for those who signed up through my link before and wasn’t happy with the change, I am honestly sorry. Anyway, if you don’t love their new line, You can cancel your membership at anytime. You were never obligated to remain a member.

But for those who wants to try their new line, here’s a link that will give you 20% when you sign up. Link: http://ellie.evyy.net/c/48907/58556/1664

P.S. Just a little thought before I end this post 🙂

“When we make judgements we’re inevitably acting on limited knowledge, isn’t it best to ask if we seek to understand, or simply let them be?” – Jay Woodman

Take care everyone! 🙂

Trail Half Marathon Update

Yesterday, my husband and I did the White Tail Trail Half Marathon. This was basically my second half marathon, but this time on trails. I never thought I would squeeze in a trail half marathon before my Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon in November, which would be my third then! 🙂

Well, the trail run yesterday was a lot of fun. It was brutal, but fun! 🙂 My husband and I ran a few miles on that trail a couple of weeks before the race. But we didn’t get to check out other parts of the trail after that. Check out my blog post about it here.

I didn’t know there were so many hills in the entire 13-mile loop. The other parts have more hills, more obstacles and more river crossings. During the race, there were times that you had to make a complete stop in order to jump over big logs or go under tree branches. I was surprised and that race was definitely a challenge for me. Miles 6-12 was crucial. That’s where all the crrrazy hills were. I thought to myself, this was like Mud-stash 21k! LOL! Since there’s no way to exit from the trail if you decide to give up, you really have to do the whole thing in order to get out. It’s like you have no choice but to finish! But no, I wasn’t thinking of giving up. I just had that random thought in my mind while I was running the course. LOL! Don’t you have crazy random thoughts too when running? 🙂

Here’s me, ready to leave our house. It was chilly that morning before the race. Low 50s High of 71.

The race started at 9am. We got to the parking lot around 8:15am. I had to leave my jacket in the car because I knew I would get hot when I start running. So here I am, freezing.

We were transported from the parking lot to the start line by those school buses.

Me, freezing while waiting to get on the bus.

I normally run on trails on weekends but I have never ran longer than 8 miles on a trail. I think running on trails is way harder than running on paved roads. Your body gets more worked out when you run on trails. During the race, at mile 11, I was already starting to feel tired. I was already pushing myself to run but I could only do few minutes and then walk to take a break and catch my breath. And I did that through mile 12. And yes, there were still hills during those times. The moment I saw those bright orange flags at the finish line, that was when I really pushed myself to run. I just wanted to finish!

I finished in 3 hours and 3 minutes. I thought that was not bad at all considering it was my first race on a crazy hilly trail. This extreme adventure is worth taking. This is one of the best ‘firsts’ that I have ever engaged myself in. It wouldn’t be my last, either. 🙂 I am still considering doing a race on a trail in the future. But I realized that running on trails needs a lot of skill and training. I need to do longer runs on trails for my training from now on, and I will be back next time, more prepared, with my battle face on!

Our medals! 🙂

My husband and I spent a few minutes lying on the grass after the race to relax and rest. I felt cold after running and the warmth of the sun was just a nice feeling.

What better way to do after the race than to eat good food! So, my husband and I decided to go to our favorite hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant and splurged on Chicken Tikka Masala, Goat Biryani, and Garlic Naan. I was so hungry and seemed like that was one of my best meal ever!

So, this is our faces when we are hungry

I get really cranky and my husband gets crazy when we’re hungry.

…and here’s my face when the food arrived! 🙂 LOL!

That’s it for now!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 🙂

One Race At a Time

We have another race coming up… and it’s tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow! I know, it’s insane. It’s been week after week for my husband and me for these races. And we are loving it! 🙂 Fall weather is the perfect time for all these running events and we are definitely grabbing every opportunity we can get before winter season.

So tomorrow, we are running a trail half marathon. It’s called White Tail Trail Half Marathon. I’ve already mentioned about joining this race in my previous post – Get Off the Road. Go Nature! and it’s the same trail that we are running for tomorrow.

Source: http://ohiorunning.com/WTTMarathon/

A while ago was packet pick -up and here are our goodies! 🙂

I love the color of our technical shirt. It’s unique. I don’t think I’ve ever owned an orange shirt before. I like it! We also got Body Glide samples and bought some seamless socks from our giveaway coupons. 🙂

It’s going to be exciting for us, because for one, it’s again something different, other than the usual road races, and second, I love running in trails and being connected with nature. Oh, the scenery will be gorgeous tomorrow, for sure! Since it’s fall season, the changing colors of the trees and the view of the Ceasar Creek Lake will be at sight! It’s going to be beautiful and I am excited to see it! I love running with beautiful scenery other than buildings and cars which you get when running on roads. This is definitely going to be a fun race!!! 🙂

By the way, I wore my Mud-stash shirt to kickboxing class last Wednesday.

Sorry for being so pale. This was right after kickboxing class and our instructor pushed us really hard. LOL!

I love my shirt! I felt different wearing it! I felt like a warrior. It’s like there’s a “don’t-mess-with-this-girl” kinda feeling. After surviving that mudrun, oh boy, I tell yah, it made me tougher. I used to underestimate my capabilities, but now, I know I can survive anything. I guess, it’s true when they say – “You’ll never know what your capable of until you try it.” So true.

And that’s why I am trying this trail half marathon tomorrow. We usually run in the trails on weekends but I have to admit, I have never tried running longer than 8 miles on a trail. So wish us luck tomorrow. I hope we’ll survive it!

Thanks in advance and we’ll definitely catch up soon. 🙂

Sweet Victory! – Hudepohl 14k Run Update

We did an awesome race last Saturday. It’s called Hudepohl 14k Brewery Run. My husband & I had a blast and I’m so excited to share the best finisher medal I have ever received…and seen so far. 🙂

Yes, it’s a bottle opener! The moment I saw a picture of the medal in their facebook page, I felt even more excited to run this race. I was so excited when it was handed to me at the finish line.  I thought it’s so cool and functional too. 🙂

Party after the race + a cool medal, it is indeed a sweet victory.

The race started at 8:00 am. We got to the place at around 7:30am. We still had time to do our stretching and take pictures before the race.

It was a bit chilly and windy that morning. Fall season is definitely in the air =). I had to wear my arm bands. I like my arm bands because I can easily remove and tuck them in my spi belt when I am already feeling hot from running.

The after-race party was held outside of this restaurant Moerlein.

Some ran in teams in their costumes and this team was my favorite!

Ghost Busters!!! 🙂

Some people I met from that day are running this race as part of their training for their Fall Half Marathons and Marathons. I’m running a half-marathon too (my second one! yay!) in November and looks like we all thought of same thing. The fact that we are getting a cool medal out of our training, definitely a great idea, right?! 🙂

I finished in 1 hour and 34 mins. And this is me, so happy to finally get hold of that precious medal! LOL! It is definitely run-worthy! 🙂

After the race, my husband and I went back to our car to freshen up, change our clothes and get ready to party. Our bibs have actually stubs attached to it that we can peel off to redeem our free food and beer.

Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/hudy14k

My husband looks like he’s enjoying his share of beer.

There were 2 stubs for each individual for beer. One glass of beer each was enough for my husband and me. We had to give away our other stubs to other people. Those two guys who we gave our stubs to were so happy. Hey, never turn down a free beer. 🙂

But we got use of all the food stubs we had! We were so hungry after the race.

I can turn down alcohol, BUT NOT free food! LOL! 🙂 …Especially after a run. :p

One more pic before I end this post. I just want to share this beautiful view at the party – one of the bridges connecting Ohio to Kentucky. 🙂

I absolutely love Cincinnati races. I did the Flying Pig Half Marathon last May and I fell in love at the beautiful scenery in both Cincinnati and Kentucky. You guys should come check out races here in Cincy! You will definitely enjoy it. 🙂

That’s it for now! Hope you all had an amazing weekend too.

Happy running everyone.

Get Off The Road. Go Nature!

What better way to start off Labor Day weekend than with a Saturday Morning Trail Run!!! My husband and I are still in high spirits from our last week’s trail running in Indianapolis. So, we decided to check out Ceasar Creek State Park Trails for our Saturday morning run. 🙂

It is one of the most scenic trails here in Ohio. It’s a 13+-mile loop trail for hiking/running. There’s actually a race event here on Sept 29 – White Tail Trail Half Marathon and I’m now thinking of signing up for this. The race is too soon, but we’ll see!

They do have other events too like Triathlons and Duathlons.

If you’re the outdoorsy type of person, I recommend to check out their website because there’s really a lot to do here depending on the types of things you enjoy. Next week, we’re checking out their mountain bike trails to challenge ourselves running through the hills. 🙂

Our pictures below are clips from our video that my husband took with his ContourGPS. If you’re a lover of all things action and outdoors, this camcorder is for you. Feel free to post your questions about ContourGPS in the comment section below. My husband would be willing to answer them or even make a review about it for you. 🙂

Watch our trail running video here.

We arrived at the trail around 7:00 am.

As we continue to follow the trail, it led us to an open field overlooking the lake to our left side.

Of course, I couldn’t let it pass. I had to stop and enjoy the scenery.

And this is me telling my husband, “look there’s the lake!” 🙂

For the most part, the path is nice and wide.

It can also be narrow, bushy and rocky in few areas.

There are a few obstacles along the way. We had to hurdle on some roots and tree branches, and climb on few hills, which I think made our run more fun and challenging.

And this is how my husband dealt them.

Shoryuken!!!
(http://streetfighter.wikia.com/wiki/Shoryuken)

Some parts are right next to waterfalls where you do some water crossings, but they’re completely dry this time of the year.

During the course, we allowed ourselves to stop for a while and appreciate the surroundings.

According to my watch, we ran 6.14 miles, with a little bit of walking and sightseeing on the side :).

That was one very relaxed 6-mile run! It’s very relaxing to be surrounded by trees and wildlife. I’ve heard that once you start trail running, you won’t want to go back to the streets. I know the road may seem more convenient but sometimes you should “treat” yourself to something nicer. I feel the trails would prepare you just fine for your road races. You will be ready for anything and your body will be even tougher because you work a lot harder. It’s not just flat ground…you are going uphill, downhill and leaping over things. You tend to have a forefoot strike rather then a heel strike which is what you should be doing to avoid foot injuries. The ground is soft, covered with leaves, dirt and grass which is actually better for your joints. I feel like my knees are thanking me for giving them a break by running on trails every once in a while. 🙂

For me, trail running shoes are not really a necessity, unless you are really serious about trail running. I know a lot of people use their regular road running shoes on trails and they work just fine. My husband and I bought ourselves a pair, anyway, since we know we’ll be doing a lot of trail running in the future. We’re hooked!

I got theColumbia Ravenous Amphibian Women’s Trail Running Shoe in Aqua/Gray/Blk size 8.

I never knew Columbia have great running shoes. At first, I tried running with them on the road. This is definitely not forgiving on your feet when you run these on the road, but when I ran with them on trails… it’s heaven! It definitely felt more natural and is extremely comfortable. These shoes are sturdy but very light. It has very good traction. I don’t slip when I run in the mud and hills. They fit like a glove and breathable with it’s mesh-like design. It has Omni-TechTM waterproof feature which helps keep your feet dry when you run through puddles and water streams. Overall, a great shoe for running. These shoes are 100% recommended. I plan on wearing them for my Mudrun race which will be in 5 days from today.

My husband got the NEW BALANCE 610.

My husband is very pleased with the fit and feel of these NB shoes. I can’t say much about these shoes but when I asked him about them, he is happy and satisfied with them. Leave your questions on the comment section below if your want to more about his NB shoes. He’d be more than glad to answer them for you.

We really enjoyed running in this trail. We would definitely come back and try the rest of the connected trails northbound next time. We want to see where that part of the trail will lead us to.

I hope your three day weekend is treating you well! Happy Labor Day!

My DIY Workout Shirt

I have this t-shirt that I never wear anymore because it’s a little loose on me now. I don’t want to get rid of it since it has a sentimental value to me. It’s my first race shirt from my first 5k race. This shirt will always be a reminder of where and why I started running.

So, instead of just letting it sit in my closet, I turned it into a whole new workout top. 🙂

DIY Workout Shirt

• any old loose-fitting T-shirt,
• a pair of scissors or cutter

1.a.) Cut the ribbed neckline.

b.) Cut the sleeves downwards starting from the shoulder curving down below the armpit seam. You decide how thick you want your straps to be.

 2.  Turn the shirt to the back and make a narrower racerback. Then cut a deep V shape from the neckline.

3.) To give your tank a high-low look, lay your shirt sideways and flat. Starting a few inches from the front center of your shirt, start cutting diagonally until you reach the back. Fix the front and back center by cutting it a bit straight or else you’ll end up with a weird pointy shape.

4.). Cut the bottom hem from the scrap of cloth from #3. Knot the string a couple of inches above the V.  Wrap the string all the way down around the center of the racerback. Knot the ends together tightly. Trim the loose ends.

Clean up the edges of the shirt and DONE! .Throw it on with some cute yoga pants, grab your towel & water, and hit the gym!

When you guys make yours, please share it to me. Email me your photos at jaml905@yahoo.com.

I’ll collect all your pictures together and feature them here on my blog. I can’t wait to see your creations!

Welcome To My Little Blog World!

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to my first day of blogging. Please bear with me as I navigate this new endeavor.

I am just an ordinary girl who got off track and slowly trying to rebuild myself. I was never one for healthy eating or exercise, but I have lately developed a passion for those things. I just want this to be a well rounded blog. I plan to share anything about my life & my thoughts as I go through my journey of staying healthy & active. I’ll incorporate recipes, some of my favorite things and little bit of girly stuff (sorry guys!). I think even runner girls should still look cute, right?! 🙂 Just a reminder again that I am not an expert in any way. What worked for me might not work for you. I didn’t start out with any specific method – I JUST RAN! 🙂 I think I’m a living proof that anyone can become a runner. =)

So, stay tuned this is going to be exciting!