Sharp Race Towards Brain Aneurysm Awareness

On Sunday I participated in a 5K that was truly special. Sometimes you sign up for races weeks in advance and the morning of the race you are thinking to yourself "why did I sign up for this..I just want to sleep in" but I'm really glad I got my butt out of bed for this one! One of the race sponsors was The Nebraska Medical Center so I had seen the signs posted in our break room and figured it would be a very worthy cause to donate to. Anita Sharp was a patient at TNMC after she developed a brain aneurysm during the holiday season last year. After the help of Dr. Thorell, a neurosurgeon, and numerous health care professionals she is doing remarkably well and is on her way to recovery! 

Working on a unit where patients don't stay very long and usually head to a rehab facility, I don't get to see my patients after they leave the hospital. So it was inspiring to see a patient that had once been in the ICU and was now enjoying a gorgeous day outside! 

Beautiful Day for a run at Lake Zorinski 

Dr. Thorell announcing that over 20 survivors were present for the race. 

 The race itself was a hot and muggy one! I finished in 31:24 which wasn't bad considering the hills and the heat. Each participant got 2 raffle tickets they could choose to place in different prize jars. They announced the winners of various raffle prizes but the REAL winners that day were the many survivors that showed up! Some even ran the 3.1 miles, which is an amazing testament to the endurance of the human spirit! 

If you don't like Coffee...

...then you probably aren't going to like this shake. But then again if you don't like coffee then you have bigger problems than just not liking this shake ;) Its ok, I won't hold it against anyone if they turn down espresso because I may have a slight problem. But if you are a coffee drinker like me and need a pre-workout boost then give this a whirl. There are similar recipes on Pinterest and this one stems from one I pinned awhile back. I rarely follow a shake recipe to a T because I'm usually just throwing in whatever I have available in my kitchen that sounds like a decent combo. 

// Ingredients //

1 Banana 

1/2 cup of frozen Strawberries & Raspberries 

1 cup of chilled coffee (leftover from the morning before because I'm the only coffee drinker in my home)

1/2 cup of Almond Breeze Milk

2 Tbsp of Flax Seed

Scoop of Protein Powder (mine was vanilla flavored)

 Blend it all together, close your eyes and chug it! Be prepared to be perked up and ready for your morning run! I love a combination of bananas and coffee...it may be weird but I think they fit nicely together :) If you don't like fruit in your coffee you may want to skip the strawberries and raspberries. 

Fitness Friday And... A GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday everyone! Unlike most of you my work [weekend] is just beginning. I start my 3 shifts in a row tonight and lets hope they go by fast! Today I wanted to share with you my little workout I did earlier and also explain a great giveaway that features my blog and Etsy Shop! 

I started off with my normal run around the neighborhood but stopped at a little shelter area to do some power squats, quick jumps and oblique twists. I know I probably looked silly but oh well ...I'm not embarrassed about it because I got a great workout in. Then I finished the remaining 1.5 miles or so back to my house. It was a hot one outside in Omaha and the UV index was 6 so I'm sure my arms got a little tan too! When I got back to the AC (yes it is working now!!) I did some planks, crunches and more power squats.

Now ...For the Giveaway featured on Hallie's Blog at Life Oceanside 

I'm giving away this beauty to one lucky winner! 

Samantha- Hooah & Hiccups// Ashley- Let's Get Bananas// Stephanie- Never The Same Spice Twice

Lauren- Something Beautiful // Cait- My Life As A Long

want to give you alllll of this....

Seriously? I told you they rock!  So get your butts in gear, meet these lovely ladies, and enter to win some GREAT prizes! 1 lucky winner takes the whole haul! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Marcus 5K & Smalltown Fair {Curing #NOtivation}

This past weekend I traveled 2 hours north to my hometown for the biggest event of the year...The Marcus Fair! I grew up on a farm outside of Marcus which has a population of around 1200 people, but if you added in livestock we would be about the size of Omaha ;) What Marcus doesn't have in population it makes up for in heart! Being home for the fair always feels like being part of a big family and it is always great to see old classmates or kids I used to teach swimming lessons to.

I'm Linking up again with Mal Smiles and Life Oceanside to stay fit and cure #NOtivation!

Friday

Sisters Finally Reunited after over 2 months apart!

Got into town around 7 pm and after hugging my wonderful family, my sister and I headed up to the Methodist Food Stand for some delicious food! I met up with Trisha, Anna and Kelli at the bar and headed to the street dance. But only one drink for me because the next morning was the day of the big race! Unfortunately my mom had made some amazing O'Henry Bars (I will have to post the recipe on here!) and I inhaled them when I got home late at night...Not a good idea for running bright and early in the morning!

Apple Pie, Taverns, Taco in a Bag Oh My...

Day old Piglets!

Anna and I (Soon to be roomies in the Spring!)

Marcus Fair Partner in Crime - Trish!

Yes, We got carded...

 Saturday

All those oats, sugar and peanut butter from the bars must have fueled me decently for the 5K because I got my second best time for a 5K. My goal was to be under 29 minutes but I got 29:52 which I was still happy with. This 5K is special to Marcus because it is in memory of Michael Letsche, Hunter Heidesch and Sawyer Leavitt who lost their lives at a very young age. Sawyer Leavitt was friends with my brother and we had a moment of silence before the race started to remember these wonderful guys. 

My sister, mom and aunt Nancy participated in the 5k and my Aunt Nancy, Grandma and cousins did the 1 mile walk. After the race I showered up fast and returned to the fair to set up a stand in the fair buildings to display my Etsy Shop Items . At 4:00 pm we watched the parade and then shortly after Trisha, Brendan and I went to Germantown for some broasted chicken! 

Ready to Run!

Aunt Nancy (2nd place in her age category!)

Something Beautiful Inventory on Display at the Fair

Look at this Cutie!! Little Brady Man!

Ready to Catch A LOT of candy at the Parade!

Sunday

Went up town to watch some of the mud volley ball tournament and also try to sell some more items for my shop. I received several custom orders and sold a few items so that was exciting! The fair always goes by too fast and when I was little it was especially sad because it meant school would be starting within the next weeks. 

Mud - Volleyball Tournament 

Taelyn with Uncle Kyle

So whether you are running in a small town 5K this summer or a big city Marathon, stay Motivated! No matter what the distance is it is worth the effort ... just try not to eat a whole bar of O'Henry bars before the race ;) 

Curing #NOtivation { Link Up }

90 degrees/Humid in Omaha..Still like my HOT Caribou Coffee

Well I can't sleep anymore for some reason so I figured I might as well brew some coffee and blog a little. Since today is Tuesday it is time for another Curing #NOtivation Link Up with Mal Smiles. She has really become one of my favorite bloggers and her workout posts always inspire me! She is on to a new adventure in Colorado and I'm excited to follow her as she begins that journey with her husband (in the least creepy way possible) Last week I talked about the BIG10K that Alex and I did in Chicago which was a blast! I am now working on beating my personal best 3.1 mile time for the Marcus Fair 5K this Saturday and hoping all the training for my 10Ks helped be to accomplish this goal!

I think you know you are addicted to running when you feel really disappointed when you have to choose sleep over running. That is the decision I had to make the last 4 days because of my work schedule. I was able to get in a run before my first shift but then from Saturday-Monday I had to choose sleep. As a night shifter you never know how your sleep will go during the day and when you randomly wake up at 2 pm and find yourself suffering from insomnia you know that a workout is out of the question because when you finally get back to sleep you know you really need every hour you can get. But enough about me whining about my work because we all have our busy weeks...I'm blessed to have a great job and I love my early evening workout sessions before work when I am able to get them in :)

I am not a personal trainer, dietitian or even a huge fitness fanatic but I do like creating workout circuits for myself and jotting down what I did. With training for 5Ks and 10ks I haven't focused a lot on strength training but last Tuesday I concentrated on my abs. I have some pretty decent motivation with a Labor Day trip to Boji coming up and of course our trip to the Dominican in January. I did this workout on our balcony with a beach towel and two 3 pound weights. I would have liked to had a 5 pound plate but you gotta work with what you have at home :) 

Do Circuit 3 times through

Here is a descriptive breakdown of each workout...

Oblique Reach //  Stand with feet shoulder width apart and both weights in right hand, slide weights down your right leg as you work your obliques! Then repeat on the left side.

Russian Twists // lay on towel in V position while holding weights in center of body. Twists side to side as your legs are raised (keep stomach tight and don't hurt your lower back!)

Straight Leg Crunches // Just like they sound, then stack right leg and repeat while stacking left leg. 

Crunch 'Ups' // didn't know what to call this one and it is a little hard to explain but lie on back holding weights at chest, then crunch up and rise all the way up as you raise weights above your head. Your feet should stay on the ground as your knees are bent. Reverse the motion and that is one total.

Weighted Plank // I did this exercise at a boot camp class and it helps if you have a partner. I didn't have anyone home (except Kobe but he wasn't willing to lend me a paw) so I had to balance the weights on my back as I moved my arm down to complete the plank position. You can do the move on your hands or elbows. 

Ab Kick with Punch // Stand in a high lunge position holding weight in right hand with left leg back. Swing left leg up to 90 degrees at you punch out your right hand with weights. Think of keeping abs tights as you bring your leg up! Then repeat on the other side.

I did the workout 3 times through and felt it in my abs the next day! Hope you enjoy it :) 

Ten Reasons I love the BIG 10 10K {Curing #Notivation Link Up}

Hey everyone!
We have been home for 2 days and I'm already missing Chi Town! One great way to bring back those good vibes of the Windy City is to write a little bit about the awesome race we participated in! I'm linking up with Mal Smiles this Tuesday for a Curing #NOtivation Link Up. Through instagram I found out she also had a friend that was at the race :) Alex and I have some great memories to add to 2013 and some pretty funny stories.

One humorous story happened to Alex while he was running and he told me about it afterwards and I nearly spit out my bottled water ;) He reached out for a cup of liquid (he thought it would be water) during the race and it turns out it was Gatorade. He and I agree that really the only thing that you can handle during a run is water and that warm sugary Gatorade just doesn't quench your thirst. Well he ended up spilling it down his entire shirt but that isn't even the funny part. He had been talking to a guy during the race that was running alongside of him. After Alex spilled the Gatorade and made the comment "Oh I hate Gatorade, it just doesn't quench your thirst and it is too sugary" they started talking about their jobs. Alex shared what he did for a living and then asked what he did for a living and the guy surprisingly replied, "Oh I work for Gatorade!" HAHA!! uh OH! Alex was shocked and I have a smirk on my face just typing about. But the guy brushed it off and agreed that when you are running it isn't the best when you are expecting to get a cup of water and he agreed that "Propel" flavored water is a lot better before or after a race. But that is a story we had fun sharing with our friends and family :)
BUT on to the TOP 10 LIST...

10 // This is only the 2nd year for the Big 10 race and they have more than doubled in size from the first one. There were 14,000 Participants!!




9 // 10Ks are a great challenge for me and a big accomplishment. I thought I would never be able to do even 4 continuous miles without stopping and now I am completing 6.4

8 // The race is broadcast on the Big Ten Network and Alex's brother recorded it for us so that we could possibly get a glimpse of ourselves at the race.

Photo from race day on the BTN. Check out that time!! 

7 // It was very well organized. I guess from a organization that televises sporting events this was to be expected but the process was very smooth. We didn't have to pick up our registration packets because they were mailed to us. They had "corrals" set up for a wave start based on your 10k time you entered when you signed up. Alex and Tim were in Corral B...and I was back in Corral I ;) Oh and the course was as long as it said it was..not like that sham 80's run I participated in that was only 2.4 miles instead of 3.2

6 // The Fans! It was great to be a part of a huge event that compiled different schools from around the country. Since Nebraska was one of the farthest schools from Chicago and they have only been in the BIG 10 for a couple years there wasn't a lot of people from the Cornhusker state. As I was waiting for the race to start they were announcing all the different schools and people would shout out when their school was mentioned. They said "Nebraska" and one kid next to me said "They don't even go here!!" HAHA! I couldn't help but laugh at the Mean Girls movie reference and the fact that we weren't really welcomed ;) He looked at me and said "oh I'm sorry.." and I told him that is was totally fine because the Nebraska shirt was just a cover up and I was an Iowa girl at heart ;)

Husker Crossbones

5 // You can look at your results and standings among others. I got 5823rd with a time of  1:07:15 (WOOT WOOT!) I told my friend that I got first in the Nebraska 5ft and under division though ;) Alex got 1085th place with a time of 48:53

4 // You get a Medal for participating and the guys that hand it to you even do a little bow as they present it to you..Made me chuckle! I felt like Shawn Johnson a little bit ;) It is a great souvenir that Alex and I can cherish on our 50th wedding anniversary when we are no longer capable of running a 10K

3 // From the Shirts to the free sunglasses, there was a lot of fun stuff that race participants got. I love the BTN draw string bags! I felt like the race entry more than paid for itself!

on the far left is a "bag" water bottle to take on trail runs!

2 // The Fan Fest Tailgate! One Free Beer and Brat for participants and a great atmosphere to chill at after the long run. All of the school mascots were dancing around and there was a 40 meter sprint and a field goal kicking area which I completely embarrassed myself at!

Now keep in mind I had never done this before..And like Alex says in the video, I'm a dancer and although I'm pretty graceful I don't have the best coordination when you add a ball into the mix. 

For a girl that doesn't like beer, it didn't taste too bad!

GOooo BIG Red!!

 AND..The #1 reason I love the Big 10K ..Well that's easy, It was in CHICAGO!! By far my favorite City in the USA. Only a 7 hour drive from Omaha and the last time I was there was about 4 years ago. The race was right along Lakeshore Drive with Lake Michigan in view. The weather was perfect because it was a little overcast and the city atmosphere was just perfect! I mean look at these great pictures after the race with the skyline in the background! 

It's taking all I got to Flex!

Exhausted after the race...Hold me up Jack!

So next year I highly recommend you join us for the BIG 10K because I'm going to make it a tradition in our family :) visit BTN BIG10 for more info!

Curing #NOtivation { Link Up } and Paleo Update

Hi Again everyone! There is just too many good link ups today! I'm linking up with Mal @ Mal Smiles to help cure NOtivation! Her blog is a fitness one I love to follow and she got this idea for a fitness survey from another one of my favorite blogs PB Fingers. I follow both of these ladies on Instagram and they help me stay motivated to be my best healthy self! Before I get to the survey, I wanted to update you guys on how the paleo/Whole30 trial is going. I actually really like it. I love that I can eat fruit and haven't really missed bread or pasta too much. However vacation with my family was hard. Thankfully we like our steak :) and when we went out to eat I was always able to stay on track by having a grilled chicken salad or hamburger with no bun. The hard part was desert! I don't know what it is but when I'm around my mom (that might be a lame excuse for indulging) I want chocolate, pie or anything sweet and yummy! Whether it was s'mores, apple pie on the 4th of July, or DQ ice cream...I was having desert every day! Whoops! But hey I was on vacation right?!?! But I am back to being strict about no processed foods and sticking with meat, veggies & fruit! 

#NOtivation Fabulous Fitness Survey

1. What did you eat for breakfast?
I had some lightly salted almonds and a banana
2. How much water do you drink a day? 
I try to drink 1.5 liters or so. I never really keep track but I try to have a glass of water every hour.
3. What is your current favorite workout?
Well right now I am training for a 5K and 10K coming up so running has been my go to. But I love Zumba and also enjoy Turbo Kick classes

Mud Run!

4. How many calories do you eat a day?
Every since I started the Paleo thing I haven't really kept track. But I would say usually it is around 1500 calories.
5. What are your favorite healthy snacks?
I like apples with peanut butter or baby carrots
6. What do you usually eat for lunch?
Usually a salad or chicken breast
7. What is your favorite body part to strength train?
Probably my legs with squats or lunges
8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train?
Probably my abs because it is so hard to see results
9. What are your “bad” food cravings?
Ice cream, brownies, cookies...you name it
10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?
Yes, I take a prenatal vitamin every day
11. How often do you eat out?
Probably once a week. On vacation it was every day but we can't keep up that lifestyle. I love eating out because preparing meals takes so much time and it is hard with just 2 people in the house.
12. Do you eat fast food?
When I'm at work I eat Subway a lot and occasionally I will go through McDonalds or Starbucks. Usually I go to McDonalds for breakfast after work but that is probably a couple times a month.
13. Who is your biggest supporter?
I would say Alex and my sister are my biggest supporters. Alex is a great motivator and I love talking with my sister about our workout goals.
14. Do you have a gym membership?
Yes ;) here you will see why my gym membership is so important! I am a member at 24 hour fitness. I bought 2 years in advance so it was cheaper and even though in the summer I don't go as often I try to get there for the zumba and turbo kick classes. I have a community of ladies there that take classes every week and I like going to see familiar people :)

Outside of the Gym where we met!

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Haha! This is such an odd question for me because I work the night shift! When I sleep when it is actually night time out I usually get 8 hours. But sometimes during the day I will be lucky if I get 6 hours. However when I am trying to switch back and forth between nights or days, I end up sleeping sometimes for 10-12 hours at a time. I know it is shocking and seems lazy of me but I am what I like to tell Alex, a Professional Sleeper!! I know the importance of getting some extra hours of sleep rather than working out and my body can tell me when I need to choose the pillow over the sneakers!
16. Do you have a “cheat” day?
Yeah sometimes. Or I will have "cheat" items like another slice of pizza or a few cookies. Usually my "cheat" days are centered around big events like weddings or graduation parties.

17. Do you drink alcohol?
Yes

Kendra's Bachelorette party!

.... but vary rarely. It has become less and less each year. I have a great husband that doesn't drink hardly at all either so we don't have to have adult beverages to have a good time.
18. Do you have a workout buddy?
I try to have Alex as a workout buddy but he doesn't like to run because it makes him "too skinny" (must be rough!) My favorite workout buddy is in Rochester, MN right now..My SEESTER!
19. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy
lifestyle? 
I would have to say that I feel better, I don't eat a lot of crap so my body doesn't feel the effects of that food. And the weightloss or at least maintaining my weight is a plus too! And I have energy to do the things I enjoy like hiking or running.
20. What was the last healthy thing you did?
I ran 5 miles around Lake Zorinsky in Omaha. It was a great change of scenery from my usual run around my neighborhood and it was exciting not knowing what was around the next turn!

5k - Plank - Junk

What a great weekend! A high school friend, Anna, was in Omaha visiting a friend and I was lucky enough to get to meet up with her for dinner! We went to the new restaurant Plank down in the Old Market. It is a seafood restaurant but luckily they also had "landfood" for this girl! Anna, Casey, her friend Claire and I had a wonderful time at the restaurant that was completely nautical theme. From the tall glass vases filled with flowers to the salmon colored booths, the atmosphere was wonderful and the food delicious! 

Skeleton of a boat on the ceiling of the restaurant! And the "caged" alcohol

Afterwards I went home and got about 15 minutes into watching tv and was passed out on the couch! It was only 9:00! I don't think it was from the Seaweed Sangria I had at dinner though...it probably had something to do with leaving Omaha at 5:30 am to run in a 5K in Anthon. 

With a 90 minute drive fueled by coffee and an energy bar I was ready to run! I met my aunt Lynn, Grandma Carolyn, Great aunt Cathy and uncle Clayton at the start of the race where we waited for my mom to get there. My mom was going to run in the 5k but she "mysteriously" hurt her foot and decided to do just the 1 mile walk with my aunts and grandma. The rain held off for about 5 minutes into the race which was still nice because it was pretty hot even for that early in the morning. I got my second best time that I remember for a 5K so I was really proud of myself especially since my 2nd mile was faster than my 1st which is always a goal I like to have :) 

Grandma made it through the rain!

Aren't they cute with their umbrellas?

Our before and after pics!

Sunday Alex and I slept waaayyy in and headed out to JunkStock in the afternoon. I heard about this through facebook and knew of some friends that were also planning on going this weekend. The motto for the event is "Peace-Love-Junk" and features refurbished items by various vendors. There was music and yummy food vendors at the farm where the event took place. Alex and I browsed around the area and soon I was off wandering through tents by myself when Alex comes back with his parents!! They were just saying how much I would like this event and that they should have invited me. Well luckily I was one step ahead of them ;) It was a really neat event and awesome that it was right here in Omaha! There is another one in October and a friend and I are going to set up a display so that I can feature my Etsy Shop items!

love the "50 Shades of Grey" reference

Huge Peace Sign Display with real flowers inside the tires!

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  2 Peter 3:18