Happy b-day to Bring out YOUR Awesome!!!!

So last Nov (2010) is when I went out to do my first client visit!!! and I have been having so much fun and enjoying myself it only occurred to me the other day that it has now been a year!!! WOW!!!! Time flies when you are having fun and kicking butt.

I have learned a lot of things along the way as other people have let me be apart of their journey to health. I have laughed with them, cried with them and even sweated it out with them and of course it has been AWESOME!!!

An very awesome friend started a new job the other day and I texted her to see how it was going. She replied back that it was great and that she was going home with a smile on her face, "Who does that? leaves work with a smile on their face" is what she texted....and right away I thought "I DO!".........after every clients visit I have always left feeling better then when I went and smiling.

Just want to say a BIG thank you to all my clients who have allowed me to be apart of their journey, family and friends that have stuck around and supported me through all this and for everyone that has passed on my name when someone asks them if they know someone that can help them live a healthier lifestyle and feel awesome.


SO grateful that I have been able to live in my awesome all year long!!!




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'




*ive
*ove
*augh
******

So I put the 100lbs back on!!!! :O

So now that training session is over and I don't have any more races set until the new year, I've now been able to join the girls at Phat Chicks!!! WOOOO HOOO!!!!

Now Suzie does this awesome workout where she brings in weighted vests that are 20lbs each and we have to do the workout wearing them!! :Z

It reminded me of how on The Biggest Loser they always do a challenge where the contestants have to put the weight that they lost back on. So I said to Suzie I want to put the weight back on!

So I piled on 5 vests....as I put on each vest I could feel my heat rate starting to go up and I could feel the weight in my feet (SO heavy!) I also was starting to sweat and I was just standing there!...it reminded me how I use to sweat when I ate or if I was talking and getting excited about stuff I would sweat too..

One of the other girls there said they don't know how the people on the Biggest Loser do it!, " Well Gail did it!" Said Suzie...everyone turned to look at me and I said , " Yes I did! But you don't realize what's happening to you and how hard things are to do, and if it's hard then you just stop doing it...and then you stop doing that....and then you stop going there..." WOW!! It kind of hit me with how much stuff I didn't do back then!! HUH!

Putting the weight back on made me think of an awesome challenge and I thought about it all class.....in the spring when our workouts at Phat Fit are back outside I'm going to raise money for the Meredith Hagan Foundation by doing a workout with all 5 vests on!! The 100lbs I lost!!!!!....when I told Suzie about this idea she loved it...then she said, " You're really going to do a full class with them all on?!"..............

LOL!!! The answer is YES!! I will! It may not look like the workouts I do today but I will commit to keep moving...after all that's what got me to where I am today even when I still had on those 100lbs.

SO excited...and a little nervous about this challenge and a little emotional thinking about it. Stay tuned in months to come on how you can get involved, help out and be part of this challenge too!! WOOOOOO HOOOO!!!!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'





*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

I did it!!!!!

Ok so I did it!! and YES I RAN THE WHOLE WAY and it took me 2hr and 16min!

So the getting down there was ok. I took the train at 7:17am and I didn't buy my ticket the day before which I learned I should have cause when I went to buy my ticket the booths were closed!!EEEKKKK! Another person told me I could buy them from the machine but I only had cash on me....Oh man I was freaking trying to figure out what to do. Clearly I HAD to get on the train. So although the ride down was awesome and I got to see a beautiful sunrise I couldn't enjoy it....

I kept looking for the train guy to come check tickets and I was SO scared that I was going to get caught. At one point a girl with the GO train logo on her jacket came down the stairs and walked by and I almost threw-up. I kept thinking how people were going to ask how the race was and I would have to say, " I don't know I was in jail!!!'.........but I got down their ok and bought a proper two way ticket at Union, because that was the right thing to do :)

So I walk up the street to the start line and check my bag and find the purple coral that I was starting in. I realize after that for the first time I wasn't thinking, "OMG!! what are you doing!?"...."How did you get here!?"..." What are you doing!?"..."This is crazy!"....instead I felt right at home and was confident that I knew what I was doing :-D

There was 2200 runners!!! and it took me 11min to cross the start line. Good thing I started my own watch so I knew what my real time was (they start the clock as soon as they blow the horn)

It was pretty crowed to start with and I just keep at a steady pace passing people when there was a gap.In a way this was good because it made sure that I wasn't going too hard to start....the first 5k went really fast and I can't even believe that I am able to say, " The first 5k went great" It reminds me of my first 5k race, the Moon in June in 2010 where I was just dying at the end to finish that!!!

So with the music in my ear and all the other people to watch along the way and the crowed with signs, I was pretty distracted from the pain....and for me the pain starts at about the 7k mark. My hip flexors start to hurt and the quads start to get tired...but then at the 10k mark it kind of goes away....or I just get use to it.....

......however at the 15k mark the pain comes back...deeper....harder...and in more places...and it doesn't go away! :S Oh man my butt and mean ALL of my butt..from the bottom to the top was starting to hurt, my knees were starting to get sore and so where me feet.

So now I'm coming up to the 18k mark and I have to pee....in fact I'm starting to pee myself a lil bit already! (just being honest!)....so I decide at the next and last water station that is coming up I'm going to stop and pee cause it's really uncomfortable trying to hold it in and I want to be able to go full tilt at the end and not piss myself everywhere!

So seeing that there is no line up at the port-a-potty I run into one.....ok didn't really think this through well....my legs can hardly hold me up and there's piss ALL over the seat...so hover right! Well the legs say NO! and I start tipping over to the right and I put my hand down to catch myself then realize I have my hand on the edge of the mens urinal thingy!! GAG! GAG! GAG!!!....So instead I hold the door handle and lean back as best I could and pee. All the time I'm saying to myself, "OMG!! Gail just pee and go, just pee and get out of here!"...this all took probable about 30sec LOL!!!

So off I go once again to finish what I had started...now 3k is a run from my house down to the lake...that's what I kept saying to myself. Also what helped me to stay running is thinking about this week and how all my friends, family and clients will be asking me how I did and me responding with, "YES!!!!! I ran the whole way!" I must have envisioned that like a 1000 times on that last stretch, OH man!

Now running into the finish was good....if only if wasn't a steady UP HILL!!!! It would have been even better....but it is what it is. I thought that I would cry at the end, but instead I couldn't stop smiling and truly It hadn't set in what I just did.......when I got to my hubby and kids the first thing I said to my husband was, " I RAN THE WHOLE WAY!!!!!!"


It was SO great to have my Dad, hubby and kids there with me at the end. I even said to the kids on the way back on the train, " Thank you guys for coming to my race. It was the longest one I have ever done and it really ment a lot that you came".....my 5yrs response was, " You're welcome Mommy!" my 2yrs response, " Mommy race!?...go mommy go!" LOL!!!!....ok so now here comes the tears!

So yesterday my legs were SO sore even my toe nails were sore...and I'm not trying to be funny they really were sore from all the rubbing in my shoe. Today is not as bad....but I wear the pain with pride!


....and it's still sinking in, what I did......wholly shit I ran a HALF MARATHON!!!!!...2yrs ago if anyone had told me I would have done that there's NO way I ever would have believed them!




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'




*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Check list....

Went down to T.O to get my bib and timing chip with the help of my father and two kids in tow.....CHECK!!






Wrote on the wall of people doing the race in T.O this weekend......CHECK!










Filled out the emergency information on the back of my bib number incase anything happens to me during the race.....CHECK (better to be save then sorry!)








Bought a new sparkly head band for the race....CHECK!!! ( A must!)












Drove part of the route that I will be running tomorrow, along Lakeshore.....CHECK!

Getting pumped for the race and the experience......CHECK!

......ooooo good thing I'm doing this check list I just remembered that I have to pack my Advil....hold on....................

Ok packed my Advil....CHECK!






Filled up all my bottles with Shaklee Performance sport drink for the race to have on my fuel belt.....CHECK!












Have my recovery drink from Shaklee ready and mixed.....CHECK! mmmmm banana flavour! :P







Packed a bag of snacks and lunch for the kids for hubby to bring....CHECK!

Packed all the diapers, wipes, extra pants, coats for the kids........CHECK!

Pack MY bag with all the extra clothes and food I'll need....CHECK!




Doing all the laundry today as I won't be able to walk up and down the stairs for the week......CHECK!

Have my pasta dinner ready to eat tonight in order to 'carb load' for the race.....CHECK!

Drinking TONS of water to hydrate today....CHECK!

Gone to the bathroom 5 million times today due to all the water I'm drinking,....CHECK! (In fact I'm trying to hold my pee while I write this blog :S )


Checked the hourly weather forecast for tomorrow.........CHECK! 10 and sunny! SWEET!!..........

Is ready to 'Live in MY awesome!'......CHECK!!!


Now even MORE pumped for this race!!!!............CHECK!!!!!


WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!

Hope I got it all :)....ok I got'a pee now :S LOL!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Because I half to....

....ok that's me trying to be funny with that title :)

Can you guess another blog about my half marathon that I am doing this Sun. Well it's a big race...well my Triathlon I did in Sept was a big race for me too I just didn't know it going into it.

So it's been an interesting experience for me training for this. First of all I have to run and run and run......so this started to become a problem because I started getting board with just only doing that. Also I ran into times where it was hard to go out to run. Like one Fri night my hubby was working late and now that it's dark so early I can't run, I don't like to run in the dark. So I was stuck at home with the kids. So normally this wouldn't be a problem, I would have just put them to bed and done a workout in front of the TV while catching up on all my taped shows from the week.......but I couldn't do that because I HAD to run. So I did the best I could and had my 4yr ride his bike and had to push the 2yr in the jogging stroller while I ran 5k....now I did need to go a further distance then that but that was the best that I could do that night. Plus I had 4 days where I didn't get anything but a core and arms workout in because hubby was away on a business trip....so I kind of was feeling that I lost a week of training. But then that Sat I ran my 15.5K and felt awesome doing it...so I guess it's all worked out in the end.

So I've done the best with what I was able to do and that's all I can really ask. Race day preps are starting this week and I am just going to do an easy 5K on Fri, plus I'm looking at the train times and maps of T.O so I can understand where to go when I get downtown and also the route that the race will take so that I can prepare mentally as best as I can......really looking forward to seeing my husband, sons and Dad at that finish line :-).....and if once I pass the finish line that means that it is DONE!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!!


Just wanted to share this quote that was in one of the pre-race newsletter that I was sent...



What is a Marathon?
A marathon is a race
without race.
Without color.
Without religion.
Without sex.
Without prejudice.
Without nationality.
Without hate.
A marathon is a race
where everyone starts
as an equal,
and everyone finishes
as a winner.
- Ad by John Hancock Co. at the Boston Marathon



Looking forward to finishing a winner! :)




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'







*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Making the distance

Ok so hubby was away last week for work. The first time since we have had both kids....gesh! Let me tell you I have A LOT of respect for single parent households even MORE now!!!...So I only got in a 1hr workout while I watched TV one evening, but I didn't get in a run or my long run and race day for my first half marathon is in 2 weeks!!! eekk!

So I was getting worried and once hubby was home I went for a run on the Sat afternoon, it was nice and cool, breezy and sunny perfect! So I was thinking this was not going to be a good run because I did my race on Sun and then hadn't run all week!

But I was sailing and feeling awesome!! I started off on a route that was going to be 13k that's the farthest that I have run so far ( I ran that 2 weeks ago too) when I hit my first 5k mark I was at 30min which when it's not race day is a good time for me. So I was feeling good!

Now always around the 8k mark my hip flexor's and butt are like, "AHHH hellooooooo WTF!" LOL!! But I keep moving. As I was coming back to my house I just felt like getting in one more 1k and having a new farthest distance.....the race IS only in 2 weeks! So I cut across a path behind my house and went in and out of some streets. Then my RunKeeper App told me I was at 14k I thought lets get in ONE more 1k!!!!....what the hell was going on?! I have NEVER made my route longer then I planned....I have made it shorter....but I guess I was in a grove and going with it! So I keep weaving in and out of the streets by my house...my neighbours must have wondered what the heck I was doing! LOL!

So I said to myself that once RunKepper says I hit 15k I can stop and walk.....OH!! did I mention that I hadn't stopped to walk yet!!! :O

But it told me that I hit 15k just as I was running down the street past all the stores and the window to the gym. So I was like ok NO I'm not going to walk by...so I keep running, then I turned the corner to go up my street and I always say, "Let the neighbours see you leave running and coming back running what ever happens in between is my business!" LOL!....

....so I kept running!!!! As I got to my house I feel on the front lawn and almost started crying because for the first time I felt good about my half marathon and knew that I could run the whole 21.5k WOOOOO HOOOO!!!!!

So today...I can't frigg'n walk!! LOL!!! Oh man my quads are so sore and I wear it with pride!...I am SO pumped for my race on the 16th now and really looking forward to having my husband, kids and Dad waiting for me at the finish line. And I just have this vision of when I'm done crying in my husbands arms and saying, " I did it!!! I ran the WHOLE way!!" :-D





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'




*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

The Island Girl race......AWESOME!!!!!!

So I did the Island girl race today and it was AWESOME!!!!! I did the half marathon relay with a girlfriend Steph who has gotten into running herself. So we each ran 10.5k....so to date this is the longest race that I have done.

Now I have been having issues these days with negative thinking while running and REALLY not liking it!! Especially since I have to do a lot of running these days to train for the half marathon that I will be doing in Oct. I was talking to the 'big guy' (God) the other day about this problem and clear as a bell a I just heard a voice say, "Run with me!'.....I thought, "Huh! run with God eh! " Guess I don't have to do it alone if I don't want to.

So Steph went out first so I had sometime to hang out for a bit. The race was on T.O island and I went and sat on the beach and looked out at the lake (it was a beautiful day!! Sunny but with a nice wind) and I did a little praying again.....what came out of it was a few tears and plea from me to the 'big guy'....." I don't care about doing good! I just want to FEEL good!".......

So the run was AWESOME!!!! The warm up of the first 3-4k wasn't so bad as I just started the run with a chillaxed attitude of, "What a beautiful day!...let's go for a run!"......when I got to the 6k mark the route was right beside the water all down the board walk. You couldn't ask for anything better!! The sun was shinning off the water, there was a great breeze and the view of T.O was breath taking........That part of the run saved my butt!!! I was sailing along faster then I thought I could...I even was passing people!!! Now normally in a race I pass people at the start but then later get passed by everyone!!! But this time, I was never mind catching up to people and passing them, but I stayed past them!!!! They never caught up!!?!?!? OMG!!! When I hit the 10k mark my time was at 56min!!! That beat my last best time on a 10k of 60min! I was pumped and feeling good!



Before the race started Steph said to me that she would meet me just before the finish line and run in with me.....I got a little teary eyed I never had that before I had always crossed the finish line by myself.

We hope our finish line picture turns out well and I will post it once they send it out.

I have to say, this was JUST what I needed!!! I feel great...great about my running, great seeing other woman out there and giving me hope today who were running the full half marathon on their own and confident in my abilities with what I am doing and what I will be doing.....just what I needed :-))))))





P.S. Check out all the awesome free stuff we got in our kit! If anyone is thinking of doing a race I HIGHLY recommend this one!!! Because it's all woman it's SO friendly and the route is flat and so nice.....I'll be out there next year doing the full half marathon :-O







'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Janet's then & now-----> check this girl out!!!!

So I had to share this! Janet has given me permission to show her pic of her then and now. She is a client that I started working with at the start of the summer. So with a mixture of getting her butt kicked by me and doing a running clinic, working out on her own and checking out a bootcamp not only has Janet's looks changed but so has her attitude and self confidence!!

Way to live in your awesome Janet!!!!



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'




*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Half way thru the challenge!!!

I realized that it was the 15th!!! We are half way through our 30 day challenge...how is everyone doing?
I have remembered everyday to take my vitamins I have them lined up and ready to go in a bowl by my phone cause that is where it will remind me every morning. As the kids are eating I check my phone for work e-mails...it's worked out great!! I even order a bunch more vitamins that I should be taking from Shaklee. I was brought up on this stuff and it has been around for over 30yrs in Canada and even longer in the States. Plus my Dad sells it and is able to tell me all the right stuff to take. If you check out his website and have any questions or want to order something just let me know and I will order it for you at my cost and not the marked up cost....but shhhh don't tell my Dad! LOL! And on a plus side I have also been remembering to give my kids their Shaklee vitamins too!!


So the 30min quit 'me time'... one day I missed it and I am pretty impressed that it has only been one day! I have had 'me time' in the form of, doing my nails, reading the paper rather then just opening it and grabbing the flyers, reading in the afternoon, having a nap (that's my fav) even sitting down to dinner on my own and reading a magazine...instead of gobbling up my food and moving on. It was nice to just stop and enjoy for a moment :) I find it's now become part of my day and I find myself asking "what am I going to do for 'me time' today?"






'Live in YOUR Awesome'



*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

What happens when the music dies....

So I went out on my long run today to train for my half marathon in Oct. I ran 12.88k and my music crapped put on me at 9.5k...sucks....as I didn't want to stop and fix it or see what was wrong cause really I just wanted to get the F home at that point! :S

So now I'm running with just me and my brain...not so good! Now I don't know about you but I am able to have like 5 different conversations in my head at once. So voice #1 was listening as voice #2 and voice #3 had a talk that went like this:


V2: Crap this is hard!....why do I do things that are SO hard!?

V3: because its a good challenge and it makes you fell good once you are done it

V2: But you just did the Triathlon and that was hard already and now this half marathon!....it's too many hard things all at once! You shouldn't do this marathon you need more time in between......

V3: And that's why I signed up and paid at the start of the year so that I couldn't back out!

V2: BUT IT'S HARD!!!!

V3: Yes it is hard, but I set a goal and I'm going to stick to it and finish it

V2: So your going to do the half marathon then!?

V3: YUP!

V2: crap



LOL!!!! Ok so I NEED to get my music fixed ASAP!!! LOL!!!....also something new I tried today was wearing a water belt. Now that I am going further I NEED water cause the gum is just not cutting it. So check me out ready to go out for my run this morning with my new fancy-smancy water belt on :) And YES my hair band matches my coat! :-) I LOVE being all matchy-matchy!




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'





*ive
*ove
*augh!
********

Certified!!!

Well this has been a big week for me! Two really hard things I have done came to an end :)


First was the race and second was getting my Personal Trainer Certificate!!!!!.....I was waiting for like 2 weeks to hear if I passed my last test I had to do in the gym. I was thinking they would send me an e-mail but after 5 days I realized it would be coming by snail mail :s

So on Tues night as I was heading out to the Mommy's/Babe's in Motion after race get together, I realized I hadn't checked the mail that day. As I pulled the mail out of the box I saw the big white envelope and the CPTN sign....OMG! OMG!!! It came!...it felt like there was a lot of stuff in it and I thought, " Oh great I failed and they sent me the book to re-study" LOL!!!.....but I quickly opened it and looked for the letter....as soon as I saw Congratulations I started crying my eyes out!! " OH my god I did it!....this has been a big week of hard scary things for me....and I did it!!...Thank you God!"

I called my husband right away to tell him through the tears that I did it!....I then had to fix up my make-up and drive to meet the team and share the good news with Coach Nancy!

This is just SO awesome for me as I have in the past had a history of starting off something with a bang but as it started to get hard and not as much fun as it is work....I tend to peter out and not finish. But this was a passion that I had. In fact it was last summer that I said to my Phat Chick trainer I was going to get my Personal Trainer Certificate just for my own knowledge....it just turned out that I ended up starting a business were having this came in handy too.

I'm just really excited about the doors that this opens for me now and REALLY looking forward to all the learning thats still ahead! :-)





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

The video!!

Ok folks here is the video from the Mommy's/Babe's in Motion team. It shows us training all through the summer every Tues night and our race that was on the long weekend :)

Tri Tri again!

Ok so today was the Sprint Triathlon that I have been training all summer for with Mommy's/Babes in Motion :) (670m swim, 20k bike, 5k run)

It's double the distance I did last year and for some reason I wasn't very nervous about it...I was pretty calm...in fact too calm! LOL! I was so busy taking pictures and video for our video I'm making and talking to another first timer that I almost missed my wave going out! I noticed a lot of purple caps in the water and I was purple. When I went to check I was told "You need to be in the water NOW!!" and they were on the 30sec count down.....so no chance to get nervous or care if the water was cold or not.....3..2...1...GO!!!! OH OK! :S


So the swim felt great and even though I was being passed by some people who started in the wave behind me I didn't care. Hopped out onto the bike and for the first 20min the energy chew I took sat like a rock in my stomach :S....but after that I was ok....LOVED the down hill coming back and of course let out a big, "YAAAAAAA HOOOOOO!!!" and also every time I saw another red shirt of a teammate we gave out a holla!!! It was great we were hooting and holla-ing to each other all through the race course :)

Now when I came in from off the bike Oh BOY!!! my quads were like, "OK I'm done!" This is the 'brick' part of the race. As I was getting ready I couldn't help but dread the VERY hilly run ahead. As I stood up from tying my shoes I just had this split second moment were I wanted to bend down and cry....but instead I started out on the run course.....ok around the first loop...I stopped and walked where I needed to and didn't care...I was going to finish this sucker running, walking or crawling. I really don't know how I got through it without listening to any music, but I did the hilly loop twice for my 5k....I am sure it was seeing all the other Mommy's in Motion girls out there pushing themselves too that kept me going.....

I finished sprinting faster then I planned cause Coach Nancy was running beside me saying/yelling, "COME ON GAIL UNLEASH THE FIRE!!!!!!....pass that girl in front of you....ok now lets go get another one!!!!" LOL!!!!....When I was done I thought I was going to throw-up and I was seeing spots...so I sat down not even caring where me family was.....my 4yrs found me and ran up to me with a big hug saying, " Mommy you were the fastest!!!" I replied with, " Thanks buddy, but I wasn't the fastest and that was ok because it was really hard and I did my very best and I am happy with that....and look they gave me a medal cause I had so much fun"



Ok so I must say...That was fucking hard!!!! I think the hardest thing I have done so far...I was totally not prepared for that and I am very proud of myself cause I was pushed way outside my comfort zone and I still kept moving. Last year the race I felt was a cake walk so whenever anyone heard I did a Triathlon and said, "Oh wow that's really great" I kind of just surged it off as no biggy.... BUT now when people say, " Oh wow good for you" I will reply with, " Yes thank you!!!!" I earned that baby!!!

Hardest thing to date..........


Also the video will be posted in a few days stayed tuned :)



'Live in YOUR Awesome'


*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

No pictures please!

So today I experienced a first. We got family pictures done from J9 Photography. So getting the pictures done was not the first time but how I felt doing it was new to me. I was excited and looking forward to it!

The first client I ever had for my business 'Bring out YOUR Awesome' I remember her saying when we were talking about her goals, "I know this sounds funny but I want to get family pictures done"..... I totally understood what she was talking about.

When your big pictures are NOT fun! Trying to hide behind everyone or trying to suck in your huge gut while looking like your NOT sucking in your huge gut. Or placing the children on my lap to cover the stomach and large thighs....yup these and other stuff are all the things that run through your head when your big.....then later looking at the pictures and always being disappointed how everyone looks great...but me, OR how my body takes up half the picture :(....not fun.

So last week when I booked our shot I was so excited and looking forward to it :)....I figured that I would need to wake up 1/2hr sooner because I would have to go through a few different outfits....which is what I had to do before....but this time I stood looking at my closet and thought, " I want something comfortable and summery"......so I grabbed my blue dress and that was it!....while we were taking pictures I wasn't worried about hiding behind the kids or if I was in front or not.....MY GOD!!! It was great! I'm comfortable with how I look and feel. What freedom! :).....I almost started getting teary eyed as I told the photographer about how picture before were SO horrible and how great I feel today.


Thanks J9 Photography for giving me another first!





'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Day 1 here I come!!

Ok so this is SO awesome and SO fun. If anything I have learned on this journey it is better to have company! :)

That's why I put this challenge out there to you all and added in a little bonus of a prize ;)

So I keep thinking of how I decided to do 30min a day of "me" time....this does NOT include exercise time, TV time OR my normal reading I do before bed at night!....It does include such things as going for a walk, having a nap, sun tanning, reading (beside my normal reading time) journalling (something I NEVER do by the way) or meditating, plus any other ideas I can come up with...if you have any PLEASE let me know!!!.....whew...OK! I was thinking last night, " AH fuck! why did I pick 30min!!!! why not 20min or less!!! How the hell am I going to fit that in!!!"......but I stick to what I say and 30min was the first commitment I made and I won't back down.

I was also looking for something else and I decided to steal Judy Ricky's idea of taking her vitamins everyday for 30 days. This is a good one for me as it was this time last year I got SO sick I was on IV for 2 day! ECK!......So I realize with all the training I do plus my son going back to school and bringing home all those cooties....well my body can only take so much....



.......so ok Day 1...which starts tomorrow! THANK GOD....oh wait that's only 40min away.....oh crap why did I pick 30min! you know how much stuff I have to do tomorrow!!!



Can't wait to hear about everyone else's journey on the fan page :)



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

It's only 30 days! :)

Ok it's time for a challenge :)

My Phat chick trainer posted this video on her Facebook wall and I thought it was AWESOME!!!...then it gave me an idea to not only put the challenge out to you all to do it but have a prize at the end :-)


So perfect timing Sept starts on Thurs and it has 30 days in it!!! So that gives you a day and a half to think about what it's going to be that you want to try. Remember what the guy in the video says small changes are good too.

"So what is the prize?!!!" you ask? Ok so first of all this challenge is for Burlington, Oakville, Milton area people only because the prize is a $20.00 gift card to Beautiful Mama Spa and it's in Burlington. Not that others outside the area can't join in the fun too but just wanted to let you know that the prize is in the local area that I live.


"So what do we have to do?!!!"
Ok so post fan page what your 30 day 'thing' is that you will be doing. Then during the 30 days keep us updated on how it's going by posting on the fan page. Each post you do gives you an entry to the prize. The more the updates the higher the chances you will have to win :)


SO excited to see what everyone is going to come up with. I have decided that I will take 30mins a day for 'quite time for me'.....gulp, 30min is a long time and I thought of changing it to 20min even but thought I'd stick with the number 30 :-)I'm not saying that this is what I will do for the rest of my life, but I'm willing to do it for these 30 days........also, I want to add in something else but don't know what yet....maybe once you all start posting it will give me some ideas........good luck and have fun!


Don't forget to watch the video to get inspired.....remember it's only 30 days!



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
*ove
*augh
******

Good bye yester-year!

So this year I will be doing the further distance in the ladies Triathlon. Now last year as I turned around at the 10k mark for the bike I would look up and see the big long hill that the 'other' girls had to do for their 20k bike and I was grateful I didn't need to go further :)
Also last year I had to do a 2.5k run. Which is only one loop of the course....and boy was I grateful that I didn't have to do the loop again like the 'other' girls did.....

So fast forward and I am now one of the 'other' girls :s

I didn't really realize this until I was out on the course for the first time a few weeks ago. I was out on the bike and I passed the 10k mark where I turned around last year and kept going.....I looked up at the hill ahead and entered into the unknown...."OH BOY!!!" I thought. Now I have to go further and up that hill....gulp.....what happen to last year!!! where I didn't need to go that far and it was easier!!!........that's when I thought to myself..." Good bye yester-year!".....we in a whole new boat now. But I did the 20k and I survived :-)
Now the run....it's the most hilly-ist course in Ontario I've been told. The course starts off with a hill that goes straight up!....ok so last year I only had to do it once......this year we'll be meeting twice. I plan to walk it the second time around because it just takes too long for me to recover at the top when I run it....and I'm ok with that :-) (walking it that is)

So now I am one of the 'other' girls. One of those other girls that I looked up to last year and watched them ride/run further into the unknown........




....and OMG!!! I just looked to the right of my blog and see how many days is left until the Tri!!!! (7!!! gulp)




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'




*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

It just keeps getting awesomer!!!

So last night was my Tri training with Mommy's/Babes in Motion. We did the same hill repeat route that we did on the very first night. Our coach e-mailed out the route and the hardest option was a 5 hill repeats which would then equal 20k (which is what my bike distance in the race is this year).....so of course I said to myself, " You're going to do the 5 hills!"...then another part of me said.." OMG that's going to be killer hard!"......then I said to myself, " Yup but you're STILL going to do it!!!!!"

So I did ! and it wasn't killer hard either :).....each time I went down the hill I was like, " Ok here goes #1.....ok here goes #2...." The hill coming up is like a two level hill. It goes up then evens out for a min then goes up up up.....it's a good hill :)
Going down I went like a bat out of hell and got a bigger and bigger rush each time!! Felt like I was 12yr again :)

The bike up...as I got more warmed up they got better....or I just felt better....on my 4th or 5th time up the hill I thought to myself. "It just keeps getting awesomer! LOL....Is that even a word!?...oh well I say it is"


And that's what happens my friends....it just keeps getting AWESOMER!!!!!!!!!!!



'Live in YOUR Awesome!'



*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

Another first!

So after my 4yr did his first Triathlon he said that the part that he loved the best was the biking. Earlier this spring he drove up to us on his bike and asked to take off his training wheels and zoom... the kid was off and didn't look back! I was surprised at this cause I figured that next summer he would be off the training wheels. But really it shouldn't surprise me since the kid walked on his own a week before he turned 9mths old!!!! So the kid is a mover!

He boots it around on the lane way in front of our house.....along the lane, up the curb, over someones lawn, down the curb and over the 2inch ramp that my husband built for him. All the neighbours comment on how he's zipping around so well so fast. One night as I was watching him I thought he would really like trail biking.

So I took him out to Hilton Falls. I knew it would be a good place for him since they have trails that are wide and has little rocks on them as well as some in the woods. We stuck to the wide paths as I wanted him to learn how to ride over rocks. Plus he only has a kid bike that has no gears.

The first part of the trail we both had to push our bike up the hill it was so steep, but I promised him that it was not going to be all like this.

So of course he LOVED it! I was a little nervous about him going over the bumpy parts but at the same time knew that he had to learn. At one point I said," Follow me and go on the smooth part" but as I went along I saw that there was a big rock on the path. As I yell over me shoulder to him, "Be careful there's a rock here!!" he zoomed by me on the right saying, " I know Mom I saw it and went around"...LOL!...OK, awesome!

I was really proud of this kid as there was sometimes that he wanted/needed to push his bike up a few other hills (not as big as the first one!) and he had no problem with this. I was really glad to see that he didn't get down on himself or upset that he couldn't do. He has been talking a lot about others being slow or not liking when others are faster them him. So my husband an I have really focused on the lesson that everyone does the best they can sometimes it's slower sometimes it's faster but it's always awesome!


We stopped half way along to see the falls there and have a snack. Over all we were out for an hour. I'm really excited about him getting better at the trail rides as I know he will love it. I'm looking into some BMX type clinic's or classes in the Halton area...so if anyone knows of anything please let me know! A little boys happiness lays in your hands LOL!




'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
******

Thankful Thurs ~ An 'awesome' party

So today my 4yr said he wanted to do something 'fun' and make something for Papa......"Like what?" I asked. "How about a cake!"...."OK!" I replied. Believe it or not I had some cake mix around and even had some icing!
So he picked the chocolate cake mix...of course.., "I think Papa would like that one best" he said LOL!!!

So we made the cake and both boys helped to decorate it. " We're going to have a party for Papa!" my 4yr said. I asked him what kind of a party because it wasn't Papa's birthday....."We're going to have a 'Papa is awesome party!" was his reply LOL!!!

I must admit I think I say awesome a lot and the kids have picked up on it! LOL!

So tonight we yelled "SURPRISE" when hubby walked in the door and put on party hats and we said why we think Papa is awesome while having second helpings of our chocolate cake :P

I love it! This kid just taught me you can have a party anytime just think of something awesome or someone awesome and lets PARTY!!!!! ....








......and yes this is him with his blankie wearing a party hat...blankie is like another person in our house and must be included in everything included the pictures! LOL!....GOD I love this kid!!! xoxoxox

















'Live in YOUR Awesome!'


*ive
*ove
*augh
*******

The VanAwesome scenic route

So this weekend was the RockstAR Adventure Race that hubby and I were doing as team VanAwesome!!! After shipping one kid and the dog off to my Moms and the other kid with his bike off to my Dads we packed up the van and headed out Sat morning. Now the fact that we got off track heading up to the race should have been a sign to us.....

We got up there with a lot of time to spare which was nice cause we didn't need to rush around and we could relax and look at our map and pick our route. Plus the 15k bike trek through the trails to start the race, they didn't have this year so that was awesome!!! We could pick what we wanted to do and when. I felt good, excited and confident about our plan.

So we started off in good form and headed out on the bike for a 10k trek and picking up check points along the way...the first one was a 100 point one and we felt that was a good way to start the day :)....we couldn't find one on the way back and I learned from last year that if it's taking too long and you are really unsure of where you are to just let it go.....so we moved on.

After that we hopped into the canoe...it was a little windy so the paddle was hard....now once we hit land that's when everything went south and I don't mean on the map! LOL!!! We were WAYYYYYY out there and even came across a big mud puddle and there was no foot prints around it. At that point I said to my hubby, "Ok no one else has been here, we need to go back" the good part is that shortly after turning back we ran into a team of 3 that was looking for a 70 point check point ( I didn't even know we were near it until the team pointed out on the map for me where we were!! LOL!!) So we stuck with them and in 5min we found the 70 point check point which helped us feel like our efforts weren't wasted at least!


OK so now for the million mile trek back to our canoe...the problem with getting lost way out there....you have to go back! We got back to our canoe with 30min left until finish time....however....and this is how this game sucks you in!....I looked at the map and say what looked like a check point close by us along the edge of the water and a path leading that way...."Should we try for it?" I asked Hubby, "Sure since there's a path" he said.....so we started running the path, which turned into a muddy trail through tall grass, which then turned into a low river and over rocks....which then turned into no trail and into bush and then I heard a splash and that's when hubby slipped on a rock and saved his face from hitting by offering up his right knee and right wrist (he's a bit stiff and sore today)....so at that point we decided that we were tired, still couldn't see the check point and running out of time. So we turned back and headed to the finish line and we were happy with that.

SO next year!!!..... Well we now know the lay of the land REALLY well!! LOL!! and we know as a team what our strengths are so we are set!.......it's funny every time I go out in this race I have an idea of what's going to happen and how I'm going to do. But once the race happens none of what I thought would happen, happens....it takes on a life of it's own and what I'm left with is a good story, war wounds to show off, awesome pictures and memories of a good time! :)








'Live in YOUR Awesome1'



*IVE
*OVE
*AUGH
*******

Making it a family affair :)

So following along with my goal this year of including my family more into the activities that I am doing....I asked my hubby to be my partner for the RockstAR 4hr Adventure Race this year. So we have been out 'training'....so what does that mean? We got my Mom to watch the kids one Sat afternoon while we went for a trail ride at Kelos and last weekend we took the boys in the canoe at Kelso so we could get use to being a team as we paddle. He OF COURSE was awesome :).......so I will be the power house in the front and he will be the power house in the back and steering us in the right direction :)....we then hit the beach at Kelso for lunch and swimming and sandcastle building....it was a great afternoon :-)

So the race is this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it. Last year I was crazy excited and pretty nervous cause I didn't know what was going to happen. But the stress this year is less cause I know what I'm doing now! LOL! PLUS a weekend away with no kids in the bush on a nice lake....as far as I'm concerned this is a vacation away for me and hubby! I would say it will be a romantic weekend but after a 4hr race there's no energy left over for any hubba-hubba! LOL ;)

Now with the weather being SO stink'n HOT this week we'll see how it ends up being on Sat. The nice thing is that Hubby and I are pretty chillaxed about the whole thing and don't plan on being hardcore, we are just going to have fun and be out there not to come in first. AND of course our team name is......VanAwesome! LOL!






'Live in YOUR Awesome!'

*ive
*ove
*augh
*******