Two a Day Tuesday II

It's easy to do a two a day when it's, oh, 65 degrees out! I have spring fever...shoot, it's January. I was having season confusion sensory overload today! Is season confusion such a thing? Well, if it is, I have it. Since I knew it was going to be a beautiful afternoon, I decided to get some extra rest this morning and revel in the warmth for an afternoon run. I couldn't contain my excitement when I "ran" into Mr. Miller as I started out:I did an E-A-S-Y 3.1 miles. A 20 degree increase is an adjustment for your body temperature, no matter how wonderful. I didn't want to use all my 8 ounces of water in the first mile, so I took it easy. I didn't bring music, I wanted to enjoy the weather. There were birds singing everywhere! The running stars aligned. I kept flashing to early morning OUTDOOR runs in May and June, when it's not dark and safe to play on the sidewalk in the early morning hours.

I've noticed something so funny about my pace. It's a minute+ better than my marathon training pace. I got S-L-O-W during training. Like there were a lot of 11's in my pace...at the beginning of the number. Now I'm totally in the 10's, and flirting with the 9's. So glad that I'm not crazy. I knew 11 was slow for me, and I feel like I'm building back to my half marathon self.

The second workout of the day: Fit Body Pilates. The instructor is SO good. Meaning bad. But GREAT! But painful. Yes, she knows how to make it burn. I took a quick shot of the torture chamber, er I mean studio:
It could be yoga mat art! Mine is Green Bay Green. Go Pack Go. It still hurts...

So, there you have it. Tomorrow is strength and no running. However, it's going to be 62 again...maybe I'll save strength training for Thursday?!

I'm going nuts in this glorious warmth of weather. Are you experiencing some fabulous fun in the sun yourself?! TELL ME ABOUT IT! Makes Cancun feel all the more real!!!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

21 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...3 weeks from today!!!

52 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Glad Game Monday III

Why is it that the past few Mondays have been so rough?! Oh, probably because I'm supposed to play the Glad Game, that's why! In case you didn't see the first two, Glad Game Monday is choosing to be glad on a day that often highlights the, well, downright awful return to working, recovering from the weekend, and lack of fun things to look forward to...until Friday.

I haven't blogged. I hit a bit of a downer this week. I was really busy, and then kind of slipped into a funk. Do you ever get those? I was getting in my runs, working out (Pilates TWICE!), but this month has not been the best. You see, back in the summer, I needed to shed some pounds because I wasn't feeling 100% ready for marathon training. So, I dieted, exercised (Obviously, marathon training!) and was relaxed in summer bliss. I lost 7.7lbs (Ounces COUNT!) and felt much better, fitter, and ready to train hard. Toward the end of summer, I began phasing out of this and eating more because my mileage was increasing significantly. I maintained my weight loss throughout my training, and come January I weighed the same! Score. Even after Christmas cookies. Well, I've weighed myself every Friday and it has been a horror fest. Week 1: up 1lb. Week 2: up 1lb (2lbs total gain) Week 3: Down 1lb (1lb total gain) Week 4: Up 3 lbs (4lbs total gain in January.) This really upset me. I'm not a slave to the scale, but I'm doing most of the things I did in the summer, just running a little less, and ugh. It's so disheartening! I can't imagine the people on the Biggest Loser, and how they feel with only a 1 or 2lb loss, and they put in 10x's the amount that I do. So, BL peeps, I'm sorry. I have new found empathy for your hard work and dedication. So, I was blue. The Blue Day Book didn't help (I FINALLY FOUND IT), a great 5 mile run Saturday didn't help, and the french fries I've been depriving myself of and finally ate Saturday night didn't help either. I think it was "just one of those days". I don't know what's happening, but I'm frustrated, mad, and feisty.

So, how do I turn this Glad Game Monday around? By being glad, that's how.

I'm glad I ran in shorts Saturday. 55 and sunny?! Yes. Tomorrow? 54 and sunny. Re Re Re REPEAT!

I'm glad that my 4 mile run today turned into 4.5 miles, and it felt great.

I'm glad I made it to cardio blast pilates tonight. Note to self: No eating before cardio blast pilates again. There's dancing. Not good post dinner.

I'm glad my auto body shop is organized. They sent me a letter reminding me that my emissions was up this month...aka tomorrow. I didn't open it until this Sunday (Three weeks later), and I'm glad I did! NYC tickets you at the stroke of midnight on those things!!!

I'm glad that my 13.1 newbie Mrs. Gray is training like a champ! I'm so proud of her! I guess I'm "coaching" her, and she's doing great.

I'm glad my sister can send me text message pictures from CA often. I love getting them.

I'm glad my training is going well. My knee is a little sore, and I'm getting my hips checked out Thursday, but I'm still running on!

I'm glad that in three short weeks:
What are YOU glad for today? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

22 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...we're in the weeks section!!!

53 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

Two a Day Tuesday

Sometimes I feel like this: What sort of post would this be without a Lambeau Puppy picture?!

Today was not that day. I woke up at 5am for my 3.5 mile run, and felt dizzy. It passed, so I proceeded to complete my run. As I said on Twitter (@Mrsmillersmiles), "I only regret when I don't get my 5am run in. Today was not that day. NO REGRETS!" I did a decent 3.5 mile run and headed home.

After showering I got a serious dizzy spell; like I fell to the floor dizzy. It was really scary and took me about ten minutes to get back together and not have a spinning room. I called my mom and she diagnosed me (She's a nurse you know) with vertigo. She has it, all my sisters have dealt with it, so here I am. I hated it. My sisters have only had it a time or two, so that's good. I was a little off all day but pressed through work. Smart? Eh, well, if it was really an issue I would know when to throw in the towel...I think.

I went to Fit Body Pilates tonight. UH. Pain. I do NOT like backing down during a class or workout, and I had to back down a few times. My core is a bit of a stinker, and working it too hard makes me throw up nauseous. The instructor, oh, she's pregnant and kicked my rear end. Thanks. I have to make up a few classes before my Groupon expires Monday so I'll be tortured a bit more this week. I liked it. It made me feel #OpHardcoreFit!

Was today a good workout day? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Let's be honest, not every day is a two a day Tuesday. Did you fight through and do something good for your body today? Did you listen to your body and rest?

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

28 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

59 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

Glad Game Monday II

Do I look glad?No. I do not.

Let's just say, today's run was painful. Also, I posted the WORST. POSSIBLE. PHOTO. OF. MYSELF. Yup, it's all glad here! I had to run 5 miles. Skipped it Saturday: was feeling lazy and tired with all the snow. Skipped it Sunday: got a massive headache that lasted until early evening. Today was the day. No excuses. So what went wrong?

Everything tried to keep me from running today. I opted to sleep in this morning because of my Sunday headache. Extra rest can only help. I got home in record time; 3:30! Now, getting "home" means I drive by my house. Walking into my door means I found parking. This often takes 5 minutes, 10 minutes on a bad day. Today? 25 minutes. Something was wrong with the lights around my block, and I was waiting through 2-3 turns of each light as I tried to find parking. Frustrated? UNDERSTATEMENT. I also wanted to run outside in the 45 degree weather. However, it was raining, so since my classroom was, oh, 35 degrees all day and I couldn't feel my feet, I figured the gym was a smarter choice.

The gym was NOT a smarter choice. I waited 10 minutes for a treadmill. I think I actually had a slight panic attack. People walking at a 3.0 or less...no incline...talking on the phone. TRIPLE UGH. A girl walked by me, and seeing my panicky look said, "I wish these January people would go home! Where were they in June?!" Say it girl. Loud and proud.

I made it 4 miles on the treadmill. Remember how I said it was 35 degrees in my classroom, and 45 degrees outside? Oh, well, thank goodness the gym was 85 degrees. I almost fainted, drank an insane amount of water, and still felt light headed. I finally gave up and ran the last mile outside; hence the horrible "I ran in a stinky hot gym and reverted back to outdoor rain running in the end" picture.

SO. It's GLAD GAME MONDAY! I don't want it to be, but that's the point of it. Here. we. GO!

I'm glad that iPod knows best. When "Now that that that that don't kill me, can only make me stronger..." comes on when you begin running in the rain after a disaster gym run, you go with it. When "Don't Stop believing..." comes on toward the end of your rainy run, you feel like you're being filmed in an underdog running movie. Hold on to that feeling...

I'm glad it finally SNOWED! I love snow. And all the chaos it causes.

I'm glad that we give to charity. I've loved getting our tax information in from all sorts of charity outlets. Mr. Miller and I make that a priority in our finances. This makes me very glad.

I'm glad my dad knows how to use a cell phone. We pretty much talk everyday, and it's hilarious. On another note, he can also text. This is THOROUGHLY entertaining, and always read out loud during Packers games.

I'm glad the Giants won. Being gracious. It still hurts. A lot. GO PACK GO!

I'm glad for Sharpies. Teacher here. They're awesome. And permanent. And multi colored!

I'm glad I ran today. It was incredibly difficult, but Operation Hardcore Fit has definitely pushed me to be, well, more hardcore! Join if you're searching for motivation to get past the January glitz and glam and kick some serious exercise rear end in February and beyond

WHAT ARE YOU GLAD ABOUT?! Tell me about it! The good, the glad, and maybe a little Monday ugly too ;-)

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

29 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

60 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!.

The Snowy Day Part I

I've decided that, in faith, each snowy day post will be titled "The Snowy Day Part X". I need. more. SNOW! specifically A real SNOW DAY from school. 3 out of 4 years we have had at least one, and up to three, since I have been a teacher. Lord, we need more snow.

Today, I had to work Saturday school...but not before Mr. Miller and Lambeau puppy walked me to my car!!! Here is snow beard puppy:
Mr. Miller and Lambeau puppy. Lambeau couldn't focus because he was so excited about the snow!
Lambeau puppy was mesmerized by something completely wonderful...
Mr. Miller clearing the snow off my car! I was so happy for this small gesture. I have short arms and it takes me forever. Like really short arms. Really.
Saturday school wasn't so bad today. Honestly, it wasn't! We read the Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, and the kids wrote their own stories about a snowy day that they've had, or would like to have. These kids have such personality! Listening to each story was so nice.

The view from my classroom. If you look close enough you can see the Unisphere from the World's Fair, the spaceships from Men in Black, and Citi Field (The Mets) is not pictured, but nearby:

It was foggy, snowy and wonderful. Mr. Miller, Lambeau puppy and I, are having a snowy day of our own. Relaxing. Napping. Cooking. Movie/DVR Watching. I need it. My legs are tired, my body is exhausted, and I need to rest for a nice run tomorrow. So far we've loved Money Ball and Alcatraz.

How was your Saturday? I'm looking forward to a snowy run tomorrow; did you run? Did you have to brave elements? Any good movies lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

31 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!...ONE MONTH!!!

62 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Working out Wednesday...twice

Yesterday I got to run with my old running partner! She is dearly missed. She stopped in to my area to run with me! YIPPEE! Really though, the main purpose was for us to go to orientation for a cool charity group we're joining. So, we ran 3 miles, ate a quick healthy Chicken Pot Pie that was delicious, and got oriented with this charity org. It was an all around decent day. Sadly, no photo taken. We were rushing around!!!

Today, I finally got a two-a-day. YESSSSSS. 3.5 mile run at the gym this morning. It was almost 50 degrees on my way to the gym, so warm that I didn't need a hat! When I left for work two hours later, FREEZING. This weather has been so odd.

This afternoon, I did the Nike Training Club Circuit Challenge this afternoon. Hmmm. What's that I wonder?! Well, in case you didn't see my blog shouting from the rooftops that this is the best. app. ever, let me recap. Even if you don't have an iPhone, download it on iTunes. It's a FREE app that's as good as a personal trainer. Still not sold? Here's a sample of the workout I did, timed, with a voice counting me down, encouraging me etc:

So then I ate pizza. I really REALLY wanted pizza. Ugh. Not the best thing, even if I did a two a day. Then I remembered on the Biggest Loser how they made "pizza" the healthy way: using a tortilla instead of dough, lots of pizza sauce, oregano, garlic salt and crushed read pepper, measured out cheese...ok, maybe *I* added the pepperoni. Hey, a girls got to live a little. Anyway, it was delicious. Quick and easy dinner for a busy night:

Have you been cooking anything healthy and fabulous lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT! I love new recipes.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

34 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

65 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly of the weekend.

The good: Brunch Saturday afternoon was fabulous. I went with some teacher friends. Let's just say, there was a dj, some serious dancing, and I worked off my yummy brunch. I work with some pretty great dancers, er uh I mean teachers. (Shout out Ms. T, I know you're reading)

The good: Our friends invited us to be part of their wedding ceremony! Our other friend, Mr. A, is trying to become a minister to perform the ceremony. We'll see if it happens, but if it does...watch out married couples everywhere. Congrats Ms. K and Mr. S!

The good: I ran a fabulous 4 miles Sunday. It was fast and COLD (21 degrees). I think I'm a cold weather runner to the core.

The good: My playoffs outfit was CUTE! Football arm warmers, Lambeau Puppy Packer jersey'd up...gosh it was great. His friend Benji Puppy came to play in HIS Packer jersey too! I loved the texts etc exclaiming, "Oh, THAT'S why your dog is named Lambeau!" If you haven't heard, it's the Packers stadium name.

The good: Green and yellow football food! It was seriously a great spread. Love football food. LOVE. IT.
The bad: We lost. To the Giants. I live in NYC. However, you'll be proud to know that I purposely shake Giants fan's hands, congratulate them, and move on. No use in being a baby; they beat us like we stole something.

The ugly: I put all our Packers party gear in storage. Sigh. So sad.
There is a mixed label for what comes next.

The happy: Having breakfast with my nephew E1 (3 1/2) and niece E2 (1 1/2). Yes, they both have names with E. Challenging for blogging initials...
The yummy: Chocolate milk and chocolate chip pancakes!
The funny: Chocolate chip pancakes FACE!
The cute: "Yambo, kisses!" E2 loves to get kisses. Lambeau puppy gives them...willingly. He doesn't like being chased, but he sure does love a taste of E2 babe.

The sad, yet not so sad. My sister, her husband, and two of the cutest kids beginning with the letter E whom I refer to as "my babalas", moved to California today. Yes, that's far away. Yes, my kiddos are far away. Yes I have Skype. Yes I am excited for their new opportunities. No, I'm not happy that CA is far away. No, I'm not happy my kiddos are far away. However, I have to focus on the positives (Skype and new opportunities of course). I love them so much. I miss them already. I won't see them until JUNE...a great month for me anyway. It will become anexceptional month with their visit.

Mr. & Mrs. Waite, E1 and E2: We pray that you will have a smooth transitions, lots of new friends, and a great community to surround you as you settle! But Remember: No one replaces Aunty Kristin.

Did I mention a certain RYAN HALL goes to the church they'll be going to? Jealous.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

35 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

66 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Wind and cold, oh my!

It's like Green Bay up in here! 32 degrees with wind gusts and extreme wind warnings.

I saved Lambeau from being blown away. Yup. He's a little pup. All 7.5lbs of him!!!

It's the playoffs this weekend. Sunday is a big game for the Packers, Giants are going DOWN!

It's a long weekend thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King. Seriously though, I was so thankful for his work today. As we were explaining to our students how things were between races back when MLK was a kid, the students were appalled! "Why did they care if they looked different?" "Why could black and white kids be friends?" It warms my heart that there are generations of children so far removed from the hatred that poisoned our country, and unfortunately can still poison it, for so long.

Today was a rest day. Yoga is SO not happening, it's FREEZING! I'm planted firmly on the couch with Lambeau Puppy, People magazine, a glass of wine and Water for Elephants. Mr. Miller is working late, so it's girly movie night!!! I'm gearing up for a 4-? mile run tomorrow. I don't think I can brave the cold in the early morning, and I want to hit up hot yoga at 10am, so I'm feeling a 6 mile treadmill run. My training plan calls for 4 miles, but I want to add a few extra miles where I can. I miss those guilt free brunches after high double digit runs!!!

Looking for something cool to watch Sunday night? Oh wait, besides the Packers game! Chicrunner was on My Fair Wedding!!! Her episode is this Sunday! I watched a preview and, my goodness, it's weird to see a blogger in real life TALKING!

Any big weekend plans? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Get out there and run! ...or to the gym.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

39 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

70 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Happy Rainy Thursday

Guess what brightened my day?! My official ING NYC Marathon Finisher certificate! It brought back some good memories.
Thanks Mary Wittenburg for adding a personal note. She's so sweet. We're best friends really. Please note the "DO NOT BEND" advice at the bottom of my envelope...it was basically folded in half in my mailbox. I do believe I will be writing our mail carrier a note tomorrow. This was a nice reminder to come home to. I didn't feel like running today. I finally got 3 miles in this afternoon. I felt sluggish, lazy, and tired. I kept thinking, even before I got this gift in the mail, "How did I do marathon training during the school year?!" or "I used to do 8, 9, or 10 miles mid week after school! How did that happen successfully?!" Being a Finisher is what drove me. Finishing my fundraising. Finishing my training. Finishing my marathon. I miss it. Hope to go back to it soon.

It was a RAINY day. I woke up at 5am to COLD temps, wind and cold rain. I opted to stay in bed for an extra hour. My throat has been obnoxiously scratchy, and I'm venturing to say it's allergies. Regardless, going into the cold and being wet does not bode well when I'm coughing and feeling nauseous from post nasal drip (TMI? Nah. Real life.). Then, the unthinkable happened: Mr. Miller's alarm was on SILENT, so I woke up, startled and flustered, at 6:42am....42 minutes past my normal wake up! Thankfully, after a series of crazy events, my carpool buddy and I showed up to work with 20 minutes to spare. God is good.
I found my running jacket Christmas gift! Mr. Miller had a mysterious half a bag of clean laundry hidden on his side of the bed. It held so many treasures! My favorite sweatshirt, my favorite long sweater, and this beauty from my Miller-In-Laws! The pockets zip shut...hands down the best feature! Keys! Gu! Even my fuel belt water bottle! Win win all around. I also HAD to wear my Finisher hat today a) because it was drizzling and b) OBVIOUSLY because I got that fabulous piece of mail today. I really don't like this picture. Mr. Miller needs to stand up for photo taking from now on!!!

How's your running weather? TELL ME ABOUT IT! We went from 60 degrees last Saturday to nasty 45, cold and raining today. 30's are the high this weekend. Bring it on winter running, bring it on.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

40 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

71 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Airing dirty (running) laundry

First of all, Lambeau Puppy does this thing where he has one ear down and one ear up:My dad finds it endearing (In a Connecticutly sarcastic he's "my baby" kind of way). His ears never got clipped or pinned, and I love him for it. My name is Lambeau puppy, and the only thing clipped on me is my wee tail.

I was working with a student and found some hysterical #run inspiration. My student had to sort and match words and pictures with the same endings...check out the "run" photo. Holy '80's. Are those retro Keds?! But nice hair. Seriously.

Note: Photo was taken on my prep. Actual sorting was recreated. No phone usage during instructional time. EVER.

Today was laundry day. Hence my resorting to my "cut off" g to the hetto "crappy" running pants from Target:
Yes, I tried to cut my pants to hem them. I'm 5'2". These pants are clearly made for 5'6" and above. Did I mention my height is in my torso?! I ran 2 miles. Maybe it was the clothes, maybe it was because I was convinced by Mr. Miller, yet again, to sleep. Either way, it was the longest 2 miles of my life. Between doing laundry, walking Lambeau puppy, grocery shopping, folding said laundry and cooking dinner. Sigh. I skipped hot yoga. I'll live to downward dog another day...

My laundry is detailed below:
Why yes, that's all running clothes! Although several unmeantionables are not pictured, this is really all the laundry I needed to wash. My husbands was more basic and fundamental. Mine? Four long sleeve moisture wicking t's, three short sleeve moisture wicking t's, two moisture wicking pairs of running tights, one pair of moisture wicking short shorts, four pairs of moisture wicking socks, and a moisture wicking sports bra in a pear tree. Of course, that's not all of it, but I only had time for one load.

Inquiring minds are wondering: what is that Green Bay paper thing in a frame!? OH, right. We're shareholder owners now. go. PACK. Go! Can't wait for Sunday. PLAYOFFS.

Do you have any dirty laundry to air today? I hope you didn't need to resort to your "emergency only" running clothes. TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

42 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

73 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Glad Game Monday

I was thinking of Pollyanna today. I was thinking about how I like "Thankful Thursdays", but I'm always extra thankful on Thursdays because it's one day until the weekend! Mondays, well, not to be a cliche, but they are my least favorite day. I did not wake up for a 5am gym date this morning, Mr. Miller STRONGLY advised I get extra sleep to fight the bug I'm praying I don't get. I also lost/misplaced an important collection of papers, which are probably in my cabinet at work in the main building; however, I won't find out until Tuesday afternoon and I'm slightly stressed about that. So, I got to thinking: Pollyanna never cared like this. She never stressed. So I googled the Glad Game she played. We could learn a lot from Pollyanna:

"Pollyanna's philosophy of life centers on what she calls "The Glad Game", an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation." - Wikipedia

So, let's commence: Glad Game Mondays!

I'm glad that the PACKERS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS! Oh yes, we're going really deep here. They are awesome and I hope they go to the Super Bowl again this year. They're playing my home city's G-Men, so I'm a tad nervous...
I'm glad that my husband is the bestest. Sometimes I can be a bit, well, cranky. Sometimes I can be tired and sick like yesterday. Even when I lose my temper or just don't feel like doing things, he's encouraging and helpful...unless he's sick too. Then it's a messy house and soup from the can :-)

I'm glad that my blue eyes look extra blue sometimes. On random days, specifically cloudy days, my eyes look really nice. Mr. Miller has been encouraging me to be more positive and confident, so: I'm glad I have nice blue eyes.
I'm glad Tim Tebow won!!! HATERRRRSSSSS! I'm so glad he won. An underdog in sports is a winner to me, and he's proven how hard work and dedication are real tools toward achieving the impossible. Tebow is a FINISHER!

I'm thankful for good friends. I've made some good ones here in NYC, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

I'm glad that my friend has received two AMAZING blessings at once. Although I can't link you up to her blog just yet, I'll give you the brief recap. A very good friend, wife and mother of two shared some awesome news. After having three miscarriages, she finally was able to have two children. There were lots of prayers and tears for my friend. After baby number two, they decided their next addition would come through adoption. Long story short, they're in the process of adopting THREE SIBLINGS! All the kids are older than their oldest daughter, which is meaningful after losing three babies. Then, miraculously they qualified for a the most perfect house they could imagine!!! I'm so glad for my friend. She is blessed. God is good.

I'm glad that I ran 3 miles today. They weren't my best, they weren't my worst, and there was a heck of a lot of things that could have kept me from it: forgot we had to stay an extra 45 minutes at work for a meeting today, got stuck in Trader Joe's parking lot, at a stand still, for 15 FULL minutes (This is no exaggeration, there were people getting out and fighting), I needed to do laundry but got back so late I had to wear my least favorite running clothes...despite it all, I ran.

I'm glad I did.

What are you glad about today?! TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

43 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

74 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Puppies, Pillows, Pancakes, and Pinterest.

Lambeau Puppy when he first arrived:He would lay like this and fall asleep on me:
Look at the big puppy now! He has perfected puppy eyes. As I blog, he's currently climbing on my lap, whining and trying to get me to chase him and his bone. Nope. Don't worry, I just distracted him with my left hand, then swiped the bone with my right and sent him fetching. Phew.
Today was a lazy Sunday. We went to church, had a yummy grilled brie sandwich and soup for lunch, and I got a little too cozy with my pillow. Yup. Napped the afternoon away. Lambeau Puppy joined me. I wasn't feeling 100% this morning, and my nap, post nasal drip and nausea are confirming that my body needed rest and is fighting something...again. Good thing I opted to stay in last night.

No running today. I missed out on a fun running date. I broke my streak, 8 days in. Oh well. It would not have been safe for me to go for a run, especially when I get super dizzy when I feel like this and trip. I really wanted to, but I literally couldn't step out the door.

Mr. Miller requested chocolate chip pancakes, so I made them. Smartest meal choice? Nope. Delicious? Yes. Regretting it? NOT. AT. ALL!

Pinterest is fun! My Nike Town Running Quote has been getting all sorts of pins. However, my number one followed board? "Puppies". HA. Love it. Find me on Pinterest, it's good clean fun.

Hopefully I will avoid a full blown cold or flu!!! God, please let this be the case.

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

44 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

75 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

No hat, no gloves, NO PROBLEM!

...and no running tights too! Because, in case you hadn't heard from the entire tri-state area:January short shorts. Never thought I'd say that! I wore some of my favorite warm weather clothing and headed out. It was PERFECTION in weather form! I was almost too warm in a short sleeve tee. HUH?! I'm still baffled. I ended up doing 4 miles at a 9:30/mile pace, which is really good for me since I was stopped a bit at cross walks and crowded sidewalks.
January sensory oddities were messing with my head. I kept seeing people in winter jackets and scarves. HELLO!? It's 60 degrees! It made me hotter just looking at them! When I arrived to the park, it was Christmas tree recycling day. I was oddly greeted by the strongest smell of Christmas trees...so this must be what it's like to have a warm weather Christmas! Then, there were the seagulls. Hello, it's JANUARY! Not beachy time birdies!
January Al fresco lunch. It was technically too late for brunch, so we'll call it lunch! Lambeau Puppy got to come!!! We had the best time with my work wife Ms. S and her sissy. Lambeau Puppy was on sensory overload and met a few nice puppies along the way!!!
January puppy people watching. Lambeau puppy was thrilled to sit outside and people watch. Just look at that watchful eye...

So pretty much, no hat, no gloves, no problem! PLUS the forecast looks mighty fine this week. I may be in for some two a days...or simply bringing Lambeau puppy to the park a few times. Tomorrow I may have a running date with a certain blogger, CT4LIFE!

What did you do today?! Was the weather picture perfect for you as well? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

I tried Hot Yoga

...and all I got was a sweaty tank top.

This is me before hot yoga:
I was full of anxiety and curiosity. I do NOT do well in heat. Ever. Just walking ten minutes to the train in 85 degree weather dehydrates me! I always carry a huge nalgene during the warmer months, but always end up buying another bottle of water if I'm out for a few hours. So, obviously hot yoga wouldn't be my first choice. However, the Yogi I spoke with a couple of weeks ago claimed it's not like "hot and humid NYC in the summer", and that the yoga moves are actually easier to do because you're warmer. Hmmm. Figured I'd give it a whirl. I took my edurolyte pills just in case, brought a nalgene filled with a lot of ice and a little water. Okay, I'm dry in a tank and shorts in January. Let's do this.

This is me after hot yoga:
SOAKED TO THE BONE. I was soaked in sweat ten minutes in. At first the heat felt nice, then it felt strong, then it felt overwhelming as we did a never ending series of stand then butt to the floor squats. I had to step out of the room for a 30 second breather. I get dizzy just from standing up too quickly sometimes, so that was a bit much for me to handle. We did a lot of balancing, lunges and warriors, and of course, downward dogs!

The verdict is in: I think I liked it. It was a huge challenge for me. It really pushed me to focus and evaluate if I was being a sissy or dizzy ;-) Really though, it's significantly faster paced than the normal yoga (cold yoga?!), with upbeat music. It felt like a normal fitness class with dimmer lights and higher temps. Also, it worked out the kinks from the Pilates class yesterday...I was definitely sore today! I googled how many calories you burn in hot yoga, and they say an hour burns 575! I will go again. Next up: Hot Pilates Saturday!

Why all the new classes? I got Groupons for after the marathon, and they expire in February. I got the flu after the marathon, then a kidney infection, then a two week cold, then a death in the family. Really, these Groupons were burning a hole in my pocket and I'm so glad to be using them!

I ran 3.5 miles this morning too. The streak continues of at least one mile a day! I didn't want to wake up, but I knew I would be going to yoga this afternoon and would not want to put miles in. I went to the gym and pounded out some good ones.

Dinner was great tonight, too. Whole wheat pasta, spinach, sauteed chicken with garlic and red pepper, and marinara sauce. I figured since I did my second consecutive two-a-day, I could have a nicely measured cup of pasta with the yummy goodness of spinach and chicken! Mmmm.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and I'm excited for it.

Have you tried anything new lately? TELL ME ABOUT IT! Is there anything you would like to try? What are your thoughts on hot yoga???

Running and Cross training my way because it's...

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

Healthy morning, noon, and night

I believe in early to bed early to rise...or maybe snooze anyway. However, these last few days I've been slow to adjust to being back to work. Over Christmas vacation I tended to stay up until 11pm-12am (Oh the horror!) as opposed to my usual 9-10pm bed time. I also woke up SIGNIFICANTLY later, between 8-10am instead of 6am...and 6:30am if it was a snooze day! So, the oddest things has happened: I've still been going to bed later (between 10:30pm and 11:00pm), but I've been getting up earlier. Usually I would feel gross and exhausted, but I've still felt energized! Must be going to the gym at 5am...and my delicious food I've been creating. Want to lead a healthy energized life? Do what you can to be healthy morning, noon, and night.

Morning: 5am workout. I headed to the gym and immediately completed my one mile on the treadmill...January Challenge of running at least 1 mile a day still going strong. I then had my workout/gym life revolutionized. Immediately following reading this post, commenting, following my blog and finding me on Twitter, you must download the new Nike Training Club app. I told 15 people about it today just because I loved it and felt like it NEEDED to be shared. It has 85 different workouts, different goals such as getting lean, toned, bulked, and levels such as beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In addition to this, you can choose from MANY different workouts, get picture how to's for each move, the trainer speaks to you, times you and encourages you, AND it syncs to your music to pump you up! Best part? IT'S FREE. NO CROWDED GYM FULL OF GEMS REQUIRED. You'll only need a couple of free weights and maybe a medicine ball. Get this app. I act like I make a commission on it, but I seriously felt like I had a personal trainer kicking my rear end.

Morning: Breakfast of fitness-ers. I go with the Bob Harper motto: oatmeal every day. I make three servings of Trader Joe's instant steel cut oats at once, keep them in the fridge and measure out breakfast every morning. Since New Years prompted "healthy lifestyle changes" and a shortage of ripe bananas at my grocery store, I replaced them with apples and cinnamon. I usually add a teaspoon of peanut butter as well:

Noon: It's lunch time, yahoo! (Note: Mid-Morning Snack, usually a piece of fruit is not pictured.) I always bring two Nalgene bottles (32 ounces each) to work and drink them throughout the day. I pretty much have the same salad for lunch every day as well (Remember, I don't like change). This salad usually includes 1/4lb chicken breast deli meat rolled and sliced, chopped carrots, celery, red peppers, and any other veggie I have on hand with spring mix organic lettuce. I also found a GREAT use for my Hammer Gel dispenser...put salad dressing in them! I have so many, you get two with every order of a bulk size, so I have oh four of them. I figured out that they don't leak salad dressing (especially balsamic based dressings) like most containers do. Plus, they measure out the serving size for accurate measuring. Last, I take my GNC BeHot vitapak. This has tons of great stuff for active people and gives me a little boost to beat the 2pm slump. Sorry 5 hour energy, you're gross.
Night: 4pm fearfully anticipated Pilates class. Now, I got there 10 minutes late because I had to take care of Lambeau puppy...he's been sick since last night and having "accidents". When I deemed that he was sufficiently on the mend I raced over. Yup, it was scary. Especially since I had done a kickin' strength routine this morning. I survived, and I am gladly sore right now. I am excited to go back and push myself. Lesson learned: it was something to be feared, but a fear that I can conquer.

Night: Come and get some din din! Tonight we had a great dinner. I sauteed chicken in EVOO and cajun seasoning. I then made a great quinoa recipe, but sadly forgot the avocado (THAT I ALREADY PURCHASED!). Fail. I'll just have it in my salad tomorrow. Yummy.
Healthy all the time: Looking to keep yourself accountable? Yea, I should be getting commission on all the free apps I'm promoting. This here is MyFitnessPal. I've mentioned it before, but it is a fabulous way to keep yourself accountable with your intake. It is so easy (ESPECIALLY as a teacher with females who love chocolate) to indulge over. and over. and over. I indulge, trust me. The weekend is a non recording time, but I am mindful. I enjoy a glass of wine while cooking weeknights. If you're looking to keep a record of what you eat and know how many calories you should eat, check this one out. It also has a cool bar code feature for smart phones that allows you to scan a bar code and it automatically details the calories and serving size! This app is ALSO FREE!
Healthy clean clothes. Yea, this really has nothing to do with health, but isn't this the cutest laundry bag Mr. Miller got for us from Urban Outfitters!? The irony is that I do indeed drag a huge stockpile of clothes to Connecticut when we visit. Yup. I'm 27. It's all good.
Let's talk healthy! Do you find it hard?! It's taken me years of trial and error to figure out what works best for me. Have you used any of these apps? Tell me when you fall in love with Nike Training Club so we can proclaim it together.

Follow me on Twitter! @MrsMillersMiles

48 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

79 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!

What day is it?

It's a day to #makeitcount! Funny, when you're pepped up for a good day of working out, things often go awry! Oh wait, what is this? Another New Years Eve photo. I couldn't stand on the roof laden with rocks in my heels, so I rang in 2012 overlooking the beautiful Manhattan skyline in my marathon Nike mandarins. Love these shoes. Lunarglides rock my socks off! (Note: I'm in tights and shorts, totally not being an inappropriate over sharer here.)It was a 5am day. Hello old friend. January means the gym is packed, so I went in at 5am. Literally 8 of us there. LOVED. IT. I ran my 2 miles on my training plan, plus the .25 each way to and from the gymnasio. I then scooted over to do a quick strength routine. I have a hip that started cracking...a lot...back in May. When I visited a chiropractor he told me my hip muscles needed strengthening, so here are the machines I worked on:

(Not Pictured) Seated Leg Press: 5 sets of 10 reps on 70lbs.

Outer Hip Abductor: 5 sets of 10 reps on 40lbs.
Inner hip abductor: 5 sets of 10 reps on 30lbs.

Wrong day for Pilates. I was so excited to go use my Groupon and experience my first Pilates class. Okay, so I wasn't excited; I was scared. My core is horrible weak and I'm not in the mood to be sore, but as I said so wisely as a 13 year old: "Pain means beauty." I show up and boldly proclaimed, "I'm here for the 4:00 class." The nice receptionist said, "Wow you're really early, because it's tomorrow." (In all seriousness she really was nice.) Oops. She took all my info and I filled out my stuff, so tomorrow when I go to the 4:00 class I can swipe and go right in. Win? Jury is still out.

It was a 7.5 minute day. As I got home and felt defeated since I had the excited nervous energy for Pilates, I realized I had plenty of workout stuff in my house to do SOMETHING. So,I started using the resistance bands and did two sets of three different moves (Both feet on resistance band, pulling up from behind, to the side, and to the front) with 10 reps. I got bored (I was in my own apartment!) so I did a quick 7.5 minutes worth of circuits:

Three stations:

1. Plank - 5 sets of 30 second reps

2. Push-Ups - 5 sets, 5 REAL push-ups

3. Squat with arms straight in the air - 5 sets of 30 second reps

What's this, a day where I actually liked working out at home?! I decided that I would try to do this little circuit everyday, trying to build up to full minute reps and 10 push-ups per rep. If I'm alone, I'll add (nauseatingly hardcore) jumping squats, but today my third shift nurse neighbor and husband are napping, so I didn't want to disturb the peace. I ended my little 10 minutes of toning (Hmm, trademark it?) with rolling. My shin has been hurting, and my crazy self was avoiding thinking, yet constantly harping, "DO I HAVE SHIN SPLINTS?!" Well, smart me pulled up my pant leg, which we all know is scary in the winter time, and saw a big fat bruise. Do I care that I don't remember where I got it? No. That's common for me. Am I glad it's not shin splints? HECK. YES.

It's a day for a reader shout out! Mrs. C from my school is a crazy avid reader! She's an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, friend and coworker. Love you Mrs. C!

What day is it for you today? TELL ME! I've been getting tons of page views on here recently, and I want to know who you are!!! Also, follow me on Twitter! @MrsMillersMiles!

49 days until Cancun and Winter Polka Dot Bikini!!!

80 Days until the 13.1 NYC half marathon!!!