The next challenge

Oh yeah baby! Go big or go home!!!! Next challenge up... The inaugural Rock-n-Roll Mardi Gras Marathon on 28 Feb in New Orleans!!!

I've already started training. My first run was with my brother on Thanksgiving day! I'm soooo proud of him! He ran 6 miles with me and never quit! Now he's thinking about training for a half iron man in May 2010!!! The weather here has been crappy the last few days... but I will definitely be putting in some mileage this weekend!

Stay tuned for updates on my marathon training and more!

OUCH!!!

So there I was... on an AMAZING ride between Navarre Beach and Penascola Beach. Beautiful day... sun shining... nice light breeze... cruisin at 20+mph (pretty fast for me)... pushing my hardest! So I reached down to grab a sip of water... when all of a sudden I hit a rock! Swerved into the road... then swerved back to the bike path and laid the bike right down.

I bit it hard!!!! Road rash!!!

The good news is that I remembered... In life when u fall you have 2 choices. You can sit and cry and dwell on the pain. Or you can stand up... Brush off... Make sure everything is working... And get back on leaving the pain (and in this case... Embarassement) behind you. Looking only straight ahead to see what's next.

I'm grateful that I now lead a lifestyle that has made me strong, empowered, and healthy so that I see those options... And can choose to get on the bike again. I'm even more grateful that I have friends and family that will help me get up if I can't muster the strength to do it on my own. ;0)

Wow... It's been Soooo long!!

2 Oct - 140 lbs

Sorry it's been so long since I've written an update.
Going back to work has taken it's toll on my internet time!
Stupid Air Force... actually BLOCKS access! : )

Luckily... going back to work hasn't hindered my workouts at all.
If anything... I'm dialing it in even more!
Monday I've got a PT Test even! So be on the lookout for those results.

I've been riding a few times a week on the new bike my dad bought me.
I LOVE IT!
Special mention: BRODY NEWMAN (my brother)
He's started riding too!
I'm soooo proud of him!
He's even been riding on his own!
For comic relief, I'm attaching my dorky "safety" picture! He he he

Tmrw morning I'm going to interview/audition to be a BodyPump instructor.
I used to LOVE teaching this class. It's a GREAT full body workout in only one hour!
It uses a barbell with weights that YOU choose, an aerobics step, great music and some sweat to give you a killer workout.
If you haven't already... give it a try! You'll LOVE it!

So folks... we are officially 7 weeks from the show!
Honestly, I'm REALLY excited and incredibly nervous.
I FEEL amazing... but in no way do I feel like I'm ready for a show!
For the love!!! I'm still 140!!
However... my trainer... the AMAZING Cathy Savage insists that I'm right on track.
X your fingers for me!

No more SWOLE left in the gym!!!!

What a GREAT workout tonight?!!!!

As usual... I was procrastinating going to the gym.
In my defense I got A LOT done today.
I went to talk to my cousin's Special Ed class (they sent me cards while I was in Iraq)...
and the JROTC class at his school (they sent me 11 boxes while I was over there) to say thanks.
On the way back I hit up an AMAZING fruit stand and spent $30 on fruits and veggies. YUMM-O!
Then went grocery shopping for the rest.

I got greek yogurt. I've never tried it before...
and I gotta say... So creamy and smooth!
YUMM-O!!!


Then I finally got off my butt and hit the Hurlburt Field gym.
As usual ... the ONLY girl in there.
BUT I KILLED IT!
Then 40 min on the treadmill at 12% incline... doing my little thing I do...
turning around to walk backwards... skipping... hopping... kareokes... side shuffles...
I'm sure it looks ridiculous... but it's alot of fun and it GETS MY HEART PUMPING!!!

I'm beat... time for bed.
ZZZzzzzzz

Gratitude

Another AMAZING ride this morning...
20 miles in 1:10! Yahoo!
Felt fantastic!

An hour on the bike gives you time to think about things...
I usually take the time to think about all the things I am grateful for:
My incredibly supportive family (to include my Lola)
The countless people I am lucky enough to call my friends
My health
The PHYSICAL ABILITY to go on such an amazing ride
The beauty of nature
The gift of sight to be able to see such an incredible landscape with all it's colors
The wind on my face
The sun shining overhead
The exciting roller-coaster ride of life itself
The JOY of fitness........

And so much more!

I am grateful!

An AMAZING ride

This weekend has been very refreshing. I took a couple days to hang out at my mom's... find my center... regroup a bit. It has been wonderful! It's always great to spend time with my mom... she really is an amazing woman.

This morning I did a great 1-hour ride on the great trail they have here in Chiefland. It was challenging, fast, and FUN! I love my new bike!!!!

Sep 2 - 141 lbs

I've pretty much been gone this whole year up until last week. I was preparing to go... or actually IN... Iraq. While I was away I kept up my training schedule... but good nutrition was hard to come by. Since leaving Iraq... I've already lost 6 lbs! I'm down to 141... but will need to get down to 120 ish (or less) for competition on 20 Nov in Las Vegas.

My plan of action:
Cardio - My dad and step mom bought me a new road bike (seen right) as a welcome home gift... so I've been riding the heck out of that. I'm also easing myself back into running (I've had plantar faciitis pretty bad for the last 4 months). I'm REALLY looking forward to teaching step aerobics and SPIN class again too.
Training/Nutrition - My trainer, the famous Cathy Savage herself, has accepted me into her specialized TLC program where I work one-on-one with the master herself!

Wish me luck!

Back on track

When I first started competing back in 2005... I wrote a blog just like this one... as a means of sharing my story with others. It helped me by keeping my accountable. By documenting my progress and sharing my trials and tribulations during the training process, I found that not only did it help me vent my frustrations with my learning process... but it surprisingly had a great benefit of encouraging and motivating others! I'm here to do all of those things again! Additinoally... when I'm in competition shape... or even close to it... people assume that I've always been that way... that it comes easily. Part of this is to show that it really is a lot of work. The key is to make it something that you enjoy and look forward to everyday.. and then... it isn't as hard as you think! I want to be this girl again... this was when I was most confident, most comfortable in my own skin, and most importantly... the healthiest I've ever been in my life. I FELT GREAT! This is the beginning of my quest to achieve that once more.