The Moon is Calling

Do you feel the pull of the moon tonight...

The pull to leave everything in sight~

Hollywood Half Heaven!

Wow! I can't believe we did it. I mean, I KNEW Angel would do it, but I really thought I was out of the half marathon game. I imagined sitting on the sidelines cheering on my daughter as she crossed the finish line. With an injured foot half way through my training and a whole month off of the schedule, I really wasn't imagining still being able to make it out there. And then about 2 weeks before the big day, the thought popped into my head, "maybe I still can?!" I had some things on my side... I had just done a mud run with my family and I wasn't a bit sore afterward. I recently cranked up my weight training with the Hubs and two of our friends and I was feeling stronger than I have in a long time. Maybe even stronger than ever!


Could that be the strength I needed to make it through 13.1 miles? Maybe...


Or was it something else that would fuel my fire? Was it the fact that I started something a couple of months ago with my daughter that really meant so much to me? It meant taking on something physically bigger than I ever had. It meant challenging mental and physical limits that I had never touched. It meant strengthening and solidifying new and higher standards that I have set for myself. It meant teaching my daughter a lesson in completion that she might not get now, but she surely will some day. It meant an amazing bonding experience with her before she graduates high school and starts college!

Turns out it was ALL of the above and so much more. Thinking back and looking at pictures, that experience was incredibly priceless. It fills my heart beyond measure. The energy of all of the people around us; the incredible stories that you hear/see from people who are out there for their first (like us) or their 50th time; people that have lost hundreds of pounds and transformed their health; people of all ages, shapes, colors, sizes and personalities.

If they can do it and If *I* can do it - 

then YOU can do it and ANYONE can do it. 

And EVERYONE should do it. 

At least ONCE. 

Big, special thanks and so much love to my daughter for allowing me to drag her through this experience. Thank you, Angel, for sticking with me as long as you did even though I know you could have blown me out of the water from the get-go! ;) 

It wouldn't have been the same without you, my dear! 

I love you so much!! 

And thank you to the crew that put on the Inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon. I know you guys put a lot of hard work into that and had a lot of flack to put up with to the very end.

For me, top to bottom, it was an amazing experience!! :) 

Mud Run Fun!!

Wow, my first mud run was more fun than I imagined! I will definitely be doing that again! 

I never really thought about doing a mud run until one of my girlfriends bought me one for my birthday. As the time approached, it morphed into a family affair and the Hubs and three of our kids were all registered. On the day before the event, our youngest son (6 years old) informed us that he wanted to participate as well (we assumed he wouldn't be into it because he's not a big fan of running or getting dirty). So, we were all in! 

Thankfully, my friend had done this before so we were very prepared.

• The easiest bet is to plan to throw away every single item that you wear. That's what we did.
• The tighter the clothes, the better. Think of jumping in a swimming pool fully clothed. Everything that you're wearing becomes very heavy and weighs you down. Tight shorts and shirt sticks closest to your body without having to worry about losing clothing along the way. 
• Wear higher socks and duct tape your shoes so you don't lose them in the mud pits.
• Bring a change of clothes & shoes.

• Bring a towel per person and plan to shower in the coldest water ever! 
• If you're including the kids, their race will likely be at a different time than yours. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen.
• Bring a camera. You can bring a water proof, disposable one if you want to carry it with you. I preferred just to bring one for before and after. I don't want to have anything else in my hands to bog me down.
• For the utmost fun, bring everyone! Family, friends.. the more the merrier!  And next time, I'm pretty sure we'll have to do a costume theme of some sort. ;)

If you're into fun, adventure and not afraid to get dirty, you MUST put a mud run on your bucket list!! TONS of fun!! :)

One door closes...

If you've been following me for a while you know that my daughter & I have been training for our first 1/2 marathon together in three weeks (Hollywood Half Marathon). We've been cruising along since February, enjoying our time together on the road & the trails, and doing everything right. Following a training schedule from Skinny Ms. and even tracking calories to ensure proper fueling.

And then (*sound of tires at a screaching halt*) the totally unexpected and not even thought of, happened.

Injury..?!

I hate to even call it that because it's not like I was casted or bed ridden. I didn't really know what I was dealing with at first. I thought I'd give it a couple days and I'd be right back on track. I couldn't even pinpoint something specific that happened, except that it was somewhere around a boot camp class and two days later, a 7 mile run (our longest run so far). And I couldn't even run a soft mile on the treadmill.

As two weeks passed, I consulted with other runners and decided I better go see my doctor. I thought for sure she'd be able to readjust my foot and I'd be back to running in no time. Nope. She grounded me. I was in denial. I waited a couple of days, iced, took my anti-inflamatories. But the days kept passing and my foot still hurt.

Reality set in. I could continue to run in pain and possibly make it to the 1/2 marathon, but in my heart I knew I wasn't willing to take the risk of furthering injury. I'm all about pushing my limits, but I'm not about taking myself out of the game. This might sound really silly, but I must have cried a hand full of times within a couple of days.

After beating myself up a little bit, I then gained perspective. I was standing in the middle of one door closing and another opening. I had recently accomplished running a 5K with three of my kids. That's something to be proud of for someone who had never been a runner before! I've come a long way on my health and fitness journey. This was simply the universe leading me in a different direction. Am I a quitter? No. And I certainly won't be defined by this moment in time where something didn't go as I planned.

However, there's still my daughter. I mean, the whole reason she was running this thing was because of me, but my mishap doesn't have to become her mishap. I sat down and had a heart-to-heart with her and let her know that I would guide her the rest of the way. I wanted her to recognize that there was something in this experience for her to learn as well. At the end of the conversation, she looked me in the eyes and said, "I'm going to finish the 1/2 marathon for you." And yes, I cried again.

For me? Well, I'm still working out my lesson in all of this. I realize that this is all part of my evolution of becoming a better ME. Not becoming perfect or better than anyone else, just better than the me that I used to be. Not being able to run this 1/2 marathon does not stop me in my tracks, it just changes my direction. Because I am NOT a quitter. I am Heavenly Healthy and I will continue to represent!

Thank you all for all of your support and feedback on this journey!! You have no idea of the strength that you being here gives me.


Achievement seems to be connected with action.
Successful men and women keep moving.
They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
- Conrad Hilton

More than a runner...

I'm beginning to understand the true meaning behind "loving to run" and now I understand why only a runner would know what I'm talking about.

I began training for my first committed 5K a little over a month ago with three of my kids. What an AWESOME experience that was! I ran short distances (no more than 3-4 miles) over the past couple of years, but never considered myself a runner because it wasn't consistent.

I became a runner through my consistent training over the past month. For one, running with my kids has created a new and amazing bonding experience for us that I fell in love with. Seeing them be committed to something and pushing themselves to reach a goal was incredibly inspiring. And while in the process of teaching them so many beautiful, valuable things, they helped me to believe in myself even more.

And now as I begin to push past my previous distances, I am already experiencing the limits that my mind puts on my body... and how liberating it is to keep going even when my mind tells me that I should stop.

I mean isn't it crazy!? There are so many limits and "rules" that we set upon ourselves that actually limit our capabilities. We get so stuck inside of our heads with all of the thoughts about what we think we can and can't do, but the fact is that we can do ANYTHING that we put our minds to. If we want something, all we have to do is go get it! How awesome is that? We can literally change our thoughts from discouraging and demeaning, to encouraging and empowering. I love that word: EMPOWERING. Just saying it empowers me. We can empower our selves to create anything we desire. I mean, sure, it's going take some work, some pain, some struggles and hurdles, but when you get to the finish line... well, I can't tell you how that feels. There are no words. You have to go live it and experience it for yourself.

This is what I'm learning about running, and this can be applied to anything that I choose to take on in my life. All I have to do is commit and go get!

5K with Kiddos, Complete!!

It couldn't have been a more perfect morning. The sun was shining and the temp was perfect. The lake that we ran around was absolutely beautiful!! The experience of being with all of the other people was phenomenal. My 17 & 9 year old daughters went ahead and finished before me and my 10 year old son. Still waiting on our times to be posted. There was a little monkey wrench thrown in (and excuse me if this is TMI for anyone, but we're all human here, right?!)... this "lucky" woman was visited by her "Aunt Flow" literally WHEN the race began. Luckily, I knew "she" was coming so I was mostly prepared. However, I was not prepared for the pounding headache, major cramps, sciatic pain, nausea and dizziness which did not contribute to the desire to be present and thoroughly enjoy the experience! Ugh :(.. At any rate, I have ZERO regrets! :) I am extremely proud and happy to have experienced this with my kids. I am extremely proud of their commitment and dedication. And there is no doubt that we will be doing this again in the near future! Thank you all for following and supporting our journey! <3 Now, I'm exhausted and ready for a nap! ;)

One proud mama!!

Words cannot express the burning inspiration, love, and humble pride that my kids have ignited inside of me. Today was SO awesome - our longest run together so far - 3 miles! These kids amaze me beyond words. 


My son had his absolute best run yet - while he's the one that we usually have to push a little more, there was no stopping, no complaining, he just ran straight through! :)


My younger daughter struggled a little more than she usually does, but she never complained or wanted to give up, she just pushed right through. :)


My oldest daughter has to slow down for us because she's so fast, but I'm so thankful that she chooses to hang with us slow pokes! ;)


This has been one of the coolest ways to bond with my kids ever! Not only do we thoroughly enjoy our time together, but we are all encouraging each other to push beyond our mental limits. When one of us thinks about quitting, the others are there to encourage and push us through. We are helping each other realize our capabilities and it is so enlivening. 


I'm not sure if my younger ones understand the full value of what we're doing yet, but I'm confident and proud that this is something that will stick with them through their whole life. The memories, athleticism, physical endurance, mental strength, confidence, character, commitment, and the list goes on... 


When my son said to me a little over a month ago, "Hey Mom, let's do a 5K!" I knew it was going to be amazing, but to what extent I had no idea. The feeling is indescribable. I'm so proud of my babies and I can't wait for the big day this weekend! 


I urge each and every one of you - whatever it is that lights that fire inside of you - go get it and get a LOT of it. Overdose on it. That's the kind of high I desire everyone to feel in their life. 



Thanks for reading and supporting my Heavenly Healthy and insanely HAPPY journey!! :)