Marathon Monday- Week 4

Sooo... This past week didn't go so well. I was super, super busy and didn't really have time to run. After running 5 miles on Sunday, I took a rest on Monday and that was the beginning of the downward spiral. Then Meagan Rae played at Hal & Mal's on Wednesday, I packed & got everything ready on Thursday for the crazy weekend ahead, went to Gwood on Friday to see Meagan Rae' awesome show at Websters then hosted 2 wedding showers on Saturday, one in Gwood one in Jackson. Needless to say, running was the last thing on my mind in the midst of all of the madness. I did manage to run twice, just didn't reach my goal for the week. Hopefully, I will be able to hit the 6 mile mark this week. We are down to less than 100 days, so I must get my butt in gear ASAP!

8/24- 3.2 Miles
8/29- 3 Miles

Also, on Sunday Kendol finally signed up for the race and joined team "Tri Delta!" Looks like he really is going to run it!! WOO HOO

Don't forget that you can donate money in honor of our team, to help the precious children of St. Jude. No donation is too big or to small, they need and deserve it all!!! www.mystjudeheroes.org/calliepc

Marathon Monday- Week 3

15 Weeks left until the race!!! This past week, I completed week 4 of the 12 week training program.

8/16- 3 Miles
8/17- 2.3 Miles
8/22- 5.2 Miles

Bring it on 6 Miles!!! (AAAHHHH)

I can do all things through Christ, who strenthens me. - Philippians 4:13

DON'T FORGET!!! This is not about the race, this is a fund raiser to help the children of St. Jude. A few of us Tri Delta alumni's have formed a team and are raising money for these precious children. If you would like to donate please go to www.mystjudeheroes.org/calliepc

Marathon Monday- Week 2

This week went a little better than expected! Actually, it went WWWAAAYYY better than expected. The farthest I have ever run is 4 miles and that was back in May. So I started running 2 weeks ago, after a 2 month hiatus, and I'm making ALOT more progress than I thought I would. This past week I ran four times.

8/10- 3.02 Miles
8/11- 2.30 Miles
8/12- 4.13 Miles
8/15- 5.10 Miles

Yes my friends, I ran 5 miles which puts me at week 3 of the training program I am going to follow and I haven't even started it yet. So, I'm pumped!!

Philippians 4:13

P.S. I OFFICIALLY registered for the race this afternoon!! AAAHHH :) If you would like to make a donation to St. Jude through our team please feel free. You can make a donation on my St. Jude Heroes website. www.mystjudeheroes.org/calliepc

Thankful Thursday- I'm One Lucky Girl

To say "He fills my life with GOOD things" is an understatement.. It should read more like "He fills my life with GREAT/AWESOME/FANTASTICAL things!!!"

Can I please just fill yall in on all of the awesome things that are going on the next couple of months????

IN ORDER:

1. The Saints first pre-season game is tonight. That means it's football season and I believe that calls for a celebration. Pizza and Beer it is at the Collins household tonight. GEAUX SAINTS!!!


2. Ann-Hamilton, Mallory, Katie, Krista and I are going to see SUGARLAND on Friday in Southaven. All sorts of other Gwood folks will be there too, so it will be super fun!! Not only do we get to see Sugarland, but we also get to go eat at the Rendezvous. I know... I know... to alot of folks this not a big deal, but to me... and the rest of us going, IT IS!!! Also, while we are there, we will hopefully get to see Kate, Leslie and Jamie WOO HOO!!

3. MEAGAN RAE is coming home to do her cd release parties the last weekend in August. If you haven't checked out her 6 new songs, I suggest you do it now. meaganraemusic.com I have my table reserved for Websters and my t shirt ordered!!!!!! Can't wait to get that cd in my car and those songs on my ipod!! WOO HOO

4. Mississippi State Footbal kicks off in 23 days against Memphis!! I can't wait for Kendol and I to be in Starkville every weekend ringing our cowbells! Let's hope I'm a little less spastic than last year. (I got so excited at the egg bowl that when I threw my abnorally long arms in the air, I knocked the guy beside me's sunglasses off his head and they landed about 10 rows down... Let's hope his tickets aren't next to ours again)

5. I just ordered tickets for me, Kendol, Kalley, Brister, Havis and Caleb to go see HANK WILLIAMS JR. and JAMEY JOHNSON. I don't think anyone understands how excited I am about this (ok maybe some of you do)... I seriously might pass out when he plays "Dinosaur." Don't ask me why this is my favorite, but it's my favorite song of all times. I will either pass out or jump on stage, haha! (yea right! i'm too terrified of policeman to do that, but it would be awesome) Colt Ford (chicken and biscuits song... so dumb), Josh Thompson and The Grascals will also be there!

6. WEDDINGS, WEDDINGS, WEDDINGS!! Crawfords, Ruthie's, Colin's then ending this wedding season with Wally a & Stephanie's!! and I'm sure I'm leaving some out.. forgive me. Showers and weddings every weekend. I love it :) I should have lots of good stuff for "Wedding Wednesday" Blogs!

7. Baby Hayes will be here in about 102 days!!! (I'm not counting down or anything) AHHH can't wait for these baby showers to get here already.

Before I know it, it will be half marathon time.. which means CHRISTMAS TIME!! Which makes me even more happy, bc that's my favorite time of the year. So blessed!!

MARATHON MONDAY!

OK... since I declared that I will be running a half marathon in December, it's time to get to work. I will not be publishing these Monday blogs to Facebook and Twitter bc I assume no one really cares ha! But I am going to document my progress just to keep myself accountable. If you want to keep up, great! If you don't, I don't blame ya!

I have found two different training schedules online that I am going to kind of combine. One is a 12 week program from HalHigdon.com that starts out at 3-4 miles the first week and goes up to 10 miles. According to him, 10 miles is all you need to train for bc he says endurance and determination will get me through the last 3.1 miles... Apparently he doesn't know me too well bc that is the most insane thing I've ever heard!!! But he's the expert, not me. The other program starts off at 1 mile and goes to 12 miles in 16 weeks (which is exactly how many weeks I have). At this point, I am already through week five of this program bc it pretty much starts from scratch. This past week I ran three times, just to get back in the swing of things and it went pretty well. I ran 2.15 miles, 2.5 miles and 2.3 miles. In this heat, I'd say that's a success, but now it's time to get serious!

I must learn to get up in the mornings and run. I tried this one day last week and it didn't go so well. I don't know if I was just that hungry (fatty mcfatty... always hungry) or if I just didn't let myself wake up enough, but IT WAS MIZ!! (but definitely alot cooler) So, I googled about this earlier. Should I eat before I go or not? Some places say no. Others said to eat a banana or energy/breakfast bar and have a glass of water. I don't have time to just sit there and wait for food to settle though. I require as much sleep as possible. I already don't speak until after lunch, so the earlier i have to get up the worse it's going to be for everyone around me ha!

Well that's where I am, as of today! Please feel free to post any tips or advice!! I can use all the help I can get :)

Terrified Tuesday

OK!!! So I may have just made the most insane decision/commitment of my life! I WILL run the St. Jude Half Marathon (or I will die trying ha). Last year, most of my college best friends trained for and ran this race. It was their first half marathon ever and I got to thinking, "if they can run a half marathon then so can I."

Having never run a day in my life, I started running on January 1, 2010. (Yes, this is when it was in the teens most days and the coldest winter of my life) On January 23, 2010 I attempted my first 5k (3.1 miles) at the Lisa Lassandrello 5k in Memphis. I have attended this race for the past 4 years (walking in the back with Mallory, of course), but this was my first attempt to run it. After only 3 weeks of running, I miraculously was able to finish and I believe my time was around 38 minutes (not very good at all). But Kate and Jimbo were at the end being the best cheerleaders, so I had to smile even though I thought I was about to die... literally. And that's where all of this started.

Liz, Katie, Jimbo, Me, Mallory

The 5k we attend each year is in honor of our friends Kate and Jamie's mother Lisa Lassandrello, who lost her battle with cancer when we were in college. In the picture with us is their dad Jim Lassandrello aka Jimbo aka Coach Lass. What an awesome, awesome family!



Me, Mallory, Katie, Liz and Leslie after the race.

Liz won 1st place for her age group!!

After I ran my first 5k, I started the "Couch to 5k" program on my ipod, instead of running aimlessly around the neighborhood with no clue as to what I was supposed to be doing. In February, Krista and I ran the Southgroup 5k on County Line Road, benefiting Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital. At this point, I had improved my time down to around the 35 minute mark, I believe (still not very good at all).

Me, Kaitlyn and Krista
Kaitlyn ran the 1 mile Fun Run!

By April 18, I was up to 4 miles at a time of 41 minutes and 13 seconds. Then it started to get hot outside.... and by hot, I mean HOTT!! So, of course, I slacked off a little bit and started doing the ZUMBA videos INSIDE ha! (They are awesome for those of you who like to dance and do more of a cardio type workout)

So, at this point, I have not run since July 19 and that day I only ran 2.5 miles bc of the heat. I can't handle it, so I have ALOT of work to do. If anyone has any tips for running in the heat, please let me know. Prayers are much needed.

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13

HERE IS MY MOTIVATION!!
IF ALL OF MY FRIENDS CAN DO IT, SO CAN I!!

Liz, Katie, Leslie, Kate and Evie before the St. Jude Half Marathon in December 2009!

Evie, Kate, Katie and Kaylis after the St. Jude Half Marathon in 2009.

Liz, Evie, Kate and Katie wearing their medals out for the night to celebrate!

SO... LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS ME SAYING "I WILL RUN THE ST. JUDE HALF MARATHON IN MEMPHIS ON DECEMBER 4, 2010." I will keep ya'll up to date with a blog conveniently titled "Marathon Mondays." I have a feeling this is not going to be a smooth, pretty process, so this has the potential to be very entertaining.

P.S. KENDOL AND KRISTA HAVE AGREED TO DO THIS WITH ME, AS WELL! LET THE TRAINING BEGIN. (on the hottest day of the year... it's only 105 outside... shoot me now)

123 Days and Counting

DANG IT... IS IT TOO LATE TO BACK OUT??