The joys of traveling and everything is bigger in Texas

This week I went to Texas to visit my best friend, Lorean. The trip started out a little frustrating, due to the fact that I missed my flight out by 3 minutes. Yes, 3 whole minutes! (I almost went redneck on the lady at check in, but decide that wouldn't help me to convince her to book me on the next flight out.) So after politely complaining (if that is possible) that I was only 3 minutes past check in, the lady booked me on the next flight out which I had to wait on for 2 hours. (Might I note, I watched the people board the flight I was booked for and missed. This only frustrated me even more.) However, once I actually started my trip by boarding the plane, I began to forget about the miss-hap of the morning.

Once I got to my connecting location, I found that I was completely over dressed for the visit to the Atlanta airport. (I really wish I could have taken pictures of the attire people were wearing) First encounter was a lady wearing the "As Seen on TV" PJ jeans. I kid you not! I didn't think people really bought those hideous things, but I was wrong. (Sorry to those of you who own a pair.) Let me just say those pants are already bad enough on the model in the commercial, but they are even worse in person. 

The next outfit, I encountered was a hot pink (actually more of a blinding pink), one-piece, leopard print pajama set accented with sparkle UGGs. (Yes this was an adult wearing it, not a child) Don't get me wrong.... I get that some people are traveling all day and they want to be comfortable, but I don't understand how anyone could think the PJ Jeans or the hot pink one piece are ok in public. It had to be embarrassing for those traveling with the individuals I saw at the airport. WOW! That's all I can say. (Please do not take offence to my comments. They are MY comments and meant to be taken lightly. And one last note.... please do not purchase EITHER of those items for me for Christmas.)

Once in the great state of Texas, I'm proud to say, I saw my very first TRUE cowboy! He too was at the airport. I was very impressed with the length of his beard and his cowboy boots that he had his pants tucked into. I was also happy to see a large belt buckle and a large cowboy hat that rested on his gray hair. I was tempted to take a picture with him, but after deciding a true cowboy would be too....ummm.... manly,  for a photo opt, I declined to ask him. However, seeing this cowboy made me feel very happy to finally be in Texas.

Needless to say, once I saw Lorean at bag claim, I nearly tackled her out of joy. After 6 months of telephone calls and Skype dates, I was finally face to face with my best friend!

Lorean's birthday was on Wednesday so we started celebrating the moment we arrived at her house. We went shopping, went out for dinner, caught up, played with her oh so cute dog and got our nails done. It was a wonderful visit and I think Lorean had a great birthday.

I will say this, while there I gained a whole new respect for military wives. I've understood that it would be really hard to live in a city where you don't know a lot of people, all by yourself while your hubby is gone. However, I didn't realize just how difficult it truly can be until I was there and saw it with my own eyes. There's no way, I could be a military wife. Poor Lorean is desperately lonely. (Like most military wives) She literally doesn't have a support team to lean on or to spend time with on a regular basis. Not to mention, she is too far away to drive back home. I literally hurt for her, because I now understand just how horrible it is to be alone in a place you know nothing about. So with that in mind, I plan on visiting as often as possible to keep her company until her husband returns home. (And send her tons of cards to keep her smiling)

Oh! One more thing about my trip.... I did see a lot of cactuses, but not one single LIVING armadillo. I thought that was like the state animal?! Shouldn't they be everywhere? Lorean's new mission while waiting for her hubby to get back home, is to find a living armadillo. (I hope she does, cause I can't wait to see a picture of it!)

2 mile mark, Muscles and 10 pounds thinner!

I did it! I made it to the 2 mile mark yesterday!! I'm so proud of myself. I FINALLY ran 2 miles AND it was FREEZING, raining out and it was dark. I had almost talked myself out of running yesterday, because it was dark out by the time I was free to run. There's just something about being out at night, by myself, running that creeps me out. (You never know who might get me! Though my dad always says they wouldn't keep me long.) So I credit my faster time to being creeped out that someone would kidnap me. (No joke I really did run faster.) Though I won't hide the fact that I found myself wanting to quit at 1.7 miles, I some how talked myself into going a little bit further and making it the 2 miles. The lesson I learned from that run... its mind over matter.

I do believe that if you can push yourself and really convince yourself to do something, you can and will do it. I'd never really experienced "mind over matter" (or not to that level) until last night. Its dedication that got my butt off the couch and out into the freezing and rainy weather, but it was my mind that pushed me make it the 2 miles. I'm really pumped that I was able to push myself, because now I know that I can do whatever I put my mind to...which will some day be a marathon!

So a couple of things to note.... I've noticed changes in my body since I've started running. The first is toe cramps. Oh my goodness! My right foot got a toe cramp yesterday, you wouldn't believe. My last 3 toes were curled up and wouldn't straighten out for at least 30 minutes. Now I've had leg cramps (Charlie-Horses) and other muscle craps before, but never a toe cramp. It was the craziest thing I've ever seen! So after ten minutes of the toe cramp not going away, I called my running friend to ask for advice. She informed me that cramps like I had in my toes were normal and to walk it out and drink lots of water. I took her advice and my cramp went away after some time had passed.

The second thing I noticed is my leg muscles are becoming more defined, especially around my knees. I am of course very excited about this change, because HELLO, who doesn't want sexy legs?! Hopefully the more I run, the more my legs will start to shape up and not have so much cellulite on the back of them.

The last and most exciting thing I've noticed about my body is..... I've dropped 10 pounds! After only running for almost a month, I've lost a good amount of weight and I'm so shocked! I never thought I would lose that 10 pounds that fast just from running. (Cause trust me I'm not watching what I eat.) Its very encouraging when you notice you clothes are loose and then you get on the scale and the number is lower than the last time you weighted yourself. That alone gives me for motivation to keep running. (Watch out! I might waste away to nothing! Yeah right!)

Not me... I wish it was though.

So for all of you out there trying to get motivated to start running and think that winter isn't the best time to start, you're wrong! It maybe cold out, but at least its not so hot and humid that you can't breath. Just remind yourself that you will lose weight, get healthier, be in shape and the pride you will have in yourself after you finish your first 5K, half marathon or full marathon! You can do it! Good luck!

-Kara

Baby its COLD outside!

I've been slacking on blogging, but things have been super crazy around my house. Thanksgiving, my hubby's birthday, and a thousand other things have kept me from writing. However, I'm going to catch you up to speed on my running adventures starting now.

I don't know where you are in the world, but here in the bluegrass its FrEeZiNg! I'm talking it is 34 degrees here today. Brrrr! So I'm sure you can identify with me when I say its been very hard to get out and run, but I'm proud to say I have been running.

Today was by far the hardest day to run due to the low temperature. But I made myself get dressed in a couple layers and do it. I ran my longest distances of 1.28 miles and finished in 15 minutes. I managed to only slow down to a walk 2 times other than warming up and cooling down. (I credit not slowing down much to trying to stay warm.) My goal for this week is to run at least 4 times. I have completed 2 of those runs thus far this week, so I'm feeling good about hitting my goal.

I'm sorry to report that I haven't tried any new running products, but I have a feeling that I will be investing in some Under Armor very soon. (I'm going to need it this winter to stay warm while I'm out.)
Though I don't have any new products to report, I did stumble upon some really helpful information for shin splints!

For those of you who haven't heard of shin splints, here's the low down on the nasty little things. Shin splints are very painful and sometimes damaging sore muscles in the front of your legs. These muscles run from your knee to your ankle and if irritated regularly, they can cause stress breaks to the bones in the lower part of you leg. Most doctors recommend that you rest and not irritate the issue. However, if your like me, resting and staying off of your minor injury is impossible.

Of course I suffer from shin splints and it blows. After my very first run, my shin splints were so bad it hurt to walk. I even contacted a local doctor for advice on at home treatment. As I stated earlier, I was given the ol' "stay off of it and rest" speech. This did not satisfy me in the least. I started researching ways to prevent shin splints. After reading a lot of repetitive information, I found a YouTube video of a guy illustrating two types of stretches that help prevent shin splints. (I will post the link at the bottom of this blog) To my surprise, they actually worked! Not only that, but the stretches helped eliminate the current soreness I had in my legs. Its a MIRACLE!! (If you've ever had shin splints, you have literally felt my pain and understand my happiness.)

Here's the link to the video. I hope it helps you as much as it has me. (Oh and one more thing.... the guy in the video is a little depressing, so be prepared.)

http://youtu.be/E26G1aGbg7s

Happy Running!!
-Kara

On your mark? Get ready! Set.... GO!!!

Today was my starting day for running! This day was a monumental not only because I ACTUALLY started running, but I ran in nasty weather (rainy and slick pavement). If you know anything about me, you know I HATE nasty weather. Of course I didn't run 5 miles on my first day. To be honest... I didn't even run a mile and I am ok with only running .75 of a mile. (Hello! Its my first day running!) And of course I walked some. I found a slow pace and pushed myself. When I needed to slow down, I walked at a pretty fast pace. Though it took me thirty minutes to complete, I am proud of myself! I just have to keep pushing myself and remembering that I'm not going to be a marathon runner overnight. As for tomorrow, my goal is to complete a mile run/walk.

I have found something that I would recommend to all those out there that are trying to become a runner or just trying to get fit. It's called Nike+.

You can buy Nike+ at Target, Walmart, etc. or you can download the app to your iphone. The program tracks your mileage, time, plays your music randomly and much more! It defiantly makes keeping track of your workout much easier.

Good luck to those of you who are starting to run! You can do it!!

-Kara

Follow up to RAK

My RAK have been going so well! If you've never made it your goal to do a RAK for someone, you should defiantly try it sometime. The surprised look on that persons face is such a blessing!  For example, I bought two pound cakes from Kroger and a Thank You card, that I delivered to a Fire Station in my community. I was greeted at the door by a young fireman who was curious as to what I needed. Little did he know, I didn't need anything. I handed him the cakes with the card and told him that I just wanted to say thank you to all the firemen/women that serve our community. He was very happy and appreciative of  the cakes and quickly returned inside to share the goodies with his fellow fire fighters.
My other RAK have included hand written cards for two ladies that work with me. They too were surprised by my gesture and thanked me for being kind. My most recent RAK was yesterday in which I took part in my church's annual Thanksgiving Outreach. It was so moving to witness how many families are in need of food for Thanksgiving and how truly thankful they were for the groceries they received at no cost. I found myself wishing I could do more to help those in need, even if its just a hug and a kind word.

The lesson I have discovered with the RAK, is that they are contagious! Once you completed one random act of kindness, you are ready to do another. Not only are you excited to make someones day, others see what you are doing and they too want to participate! Just think of the possibilities if everyone did just one RAK everyday. The world would be full of love and compassion for others and that would amazing to witness.

If you're looking for Random Acts of Kindness here are some ideas. Get creative and make someone's day!

-hand out flowers to the elderly at a nursing home.

-leave a box of cookies with a note in your mailbox for you postman/woman.

-volunteer to read to children at the library.

-write a thank you note to a co-worker or friend. 

-push all the stray carts in the super market parking lot to the return cart area.

-pay for the persons food in line behind you at the drive-thru.

-put some change in the Salvation Army's buckets.

-make hand-made cards for the elderly at nursing homes.

-hide dollar bills in the toy section of a dollar store.

-help someone put their groceries in there car.

-make sweet treats for the police department or fire station.

-take school supplies to a local school.

-leave a generous tip for your waiter with a thank you note.

-write a sweet message on your friends Facebook wall.

-volunteer at a children's hospital.

-send a care package to a solider.

- open the door for someone.

-volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

-donate unwanted clothing to a local church or shelter.

Good luck and have fun!

-Kara

Thought for the day..... Random acts of kindness.

Yesterday, while cruising around on Pinterest, I found a blog post about 45 random acts of kindness a lady and her kids did on her birthday. Some of these acts included leaving a thank you note and Girl Scout cookies in their mailbox for their postman. They also left a couple dollars in the toy section of a dollar store, took flowers to a hospital floor and handed them out, and took cookies to their local fire station!

This really inspired me to do random acts of kindness everyday! So today starts "Kara's RAK Campaign". My first RAK will be to hand write a thank you card to my work area secretary. This lady (I will call her Sue...clearly not her real name) works very hard to send out group e-mails, book meetings, order our department supplies, and general put up with all crazy people in my department including me. (Fun fact about myself... I LOVE surprising people, so this will be a lot of fun for me!) Of course I'm not limiting myself to just one act a day. I would really like to do a RAK a minimum of twice a day. With that said, I think my second RAK for the day will be take some sort of food to a local fire department this afternoon.

When I think of RAK, I can't help but think of how Jesus feels about showing love towards others.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

—John 13:34-35 

This verse reminds me that to be more like Christ, I need to show my love for all more openly. After all, Jesus loved us so much he died for our sins.

I will keep you posted on how my RAK go and hopefully this will inspire you to share the love with others!

-Kara

Getting started......with Research!

Welcome to my blog!

I'm starting my blog adventure out with new goal in life.... to become a runner! Let me start out by saying, I'm not a runner or even a jogger. I'm more of the girl you see walking around the neighborhood at a good pace on a pretty day. (First fact about me... I HATE cold weather and you will not catch me out if its below 60 degrees.)

Though I'm not completely inactive, I'm by no means a fit and fabulous 25 year old. I am a certified Zumba instructor and up until my husband and I moved, I taught 2 classes almost 5 days a week. Dancing is a passion of mine and I totally believe in Zumba! I watched the pounds fall off after teaching for only 2 months. The issue I have now with Zumba is, since moving I can't find a place to teach classes.  Needless to say, after a month of not teaching (or doing regular cardio) I've packed on the pounds. So after watching a dear friend morph into this running queen and seeing all the weight she lost,  I have decided to become a runner. However, this is not a decision that I'm going to take lightly. I have major knee issues and I get shin splints really easily. Not to mention, I've gotten into the habit of laying on the couch as soon as I get home from work and not moving till its dinner time.

I figured the best way to get started without injuries and to insure my success, would be to research. So today I've done my homework. I've found a training plan that I'm going to use (Couch to 5K), enlisted a partner (my best friend in Texas),  found a blog to inspire me (www.skinnyrunner.com) and chose a date to complete my training (January 15, 2012). With my basic homework complete, I'm doing an extra credit assignment to find the right gadgets I need to be a runner. (Shoes, watches, clothing, etc.) After I've finished my extra credit, I plan on starting my new adventure next Monday!

I hope that from this blog, I can inspire and help other women out there that are like me.... not runners, but want to be a runner. Keep following my blog to find out how I'm doing and tips/tricks I discover along my running journey.

-Kara

****Picture above is my husband and myself****