Fitness Friday - 9/30

With the month of October fast upon us, Fall weather has finally decided to visit Southwest Louisiana and I couldn't be more thrilled!! (By the way...how is it almost October already?!) The temps this week made the way for a few nice evening runs that weren't bogged down with intense humidity and heat. I truly love Fall!

Currently Training For:

• Cajun Cup 10K (Lafayette, LA)
• Cajun Country Half Marathon (Lafayette, LA)
• Disney's Princess Half Marathon & Glass Slipper Challenge
• Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon

Saturday - 12 mile run
Sunday - Rest Day 
Monday - 2 mile walk with Brayden
Tuesday - 3 mile run
Wednesday - Rest Day  
Thursday - 4 mile run
Friday - PT/Leg exercises and workout

On Saturday, my friend Heather and I set out to accomplish a goal we hadn't done since last Fall - run 12 miles. The humidity was very thick (like breathing through a wet washcloth) and it made for a warm morning, but we did it!

This was also my longest run to date since having Brayden 5 months ago! 

One thing I learned from this run - NEVER forget body glide EVER AGAIN. Such a rookie mistake...I felt really stupid after it was all said and done. Oh well, I learned my lesson for sure!

On Tuesday, I had places to go and things to do, but my Garmin took FOREVER to connect to satellites. 

It had me all like....#notimpressed.

I've had this Garmin for a while now, so I'm pretty sure a newer one will be making its way to my Christmas list this year! :)

The humidity dropped significantly this week which means Tuesday and Thursday's runs were a little better than expected! Woohoo I love Fall!

Since yesterday was National Coffee Day, I had to stop by Starbucks for a drink on my way home! 

I went with my usual - Iced Non-Fat Caramel Macchiato.

As I drove to the window to pay, I was told that the person in front of me in line paid for my beverage! Say what!? I've heard of that happening in the past but it certainly never happened to me! I was so grateful and shocked, I told the barista thank you and drove off with a huge smile. After I got out of the parking lot, I realized I was kind of a jerk for not paying for the person behind me in line. Ugh. Oh well...next time I go, I'll definitely do that!

Thursday night's run went well, too! I decided to push myself a little harder than I did on Tuesday night to see if I could run further (4 miles) and also a little faster (below a 9 min pace).

Mission accomplished!

Fall weather is truly supposed to arrive this weekend and I can't wait! Saturday morning's run is going to be fabulous!

A few extra things before I go....

•  Thank you to everyone who prayed for Pixie! She was given an antibiotic shot and some oral meds and seems to be doing much better! Whew. I feared the worst, of course...hah! 

• Remember that Legend Compression Giveaway Contest I mentioned on Monday? Well, all you have to do is click here or here and enter your email address in the popup window! You'll automatically be entered for the chance to win a $100 online shopping spree! It's as easy as that - you'll be entered for a chance to win and the winner will be chosen on 11/1! Good luck! :)

I'll leave you with a few pictures of my sweet little guy!

He was a hit at church on Sunday in his little hat and outfit!
 

Y'all, the back of this outfit even had pockets on the butt. I'm a hoarder of all things baby clothes. It might be a good thing I didn't have a girl! Hehe!

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Wordless Wednesday: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Lately, I've really been missing my second home. By December, it will have been a year since we've been to Walt Disney World and I'm missing it terribly! I can't wait to experience our trip with Baby Seal in February so in the mean time, pictures will have to do!

Here's a little "almost" Wordless Wednesday for you, all about our experiences at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party between 2009 and 2013. This party is so much fun and I highly recommend it! 

Also, my friends over at The Disney Exchange recently hosted a podcast about MNSSHP, so go check it out! :)

Also, during our last visit to MNSSHP, I vlogged throughout the evening. Check out the video below!

I hope you have a great day! :)

Monday Musings

Happy Monday! Another weekend has come and gone by WAY too fast! We definitely enjoyed our weekend and the downtime spent at home. All three of us (five including the doggies) had a chance to spend the entire weekend together and it was wonderful! I loved every minute!

Today, I had a few random thoughts running through my mind, so I'm sharing them with you today...

#1 Call the Midwife

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So, a running group friend introduced me to Call the Midwife...I recently got into this show and have already watched all five seasons. I play it at night on Netflix after Brayden's asleep (and while I do things around the house) and it's so addicting! If you were a Downton Abbey fan or if you love stories of babies being born, or if you're into historical shows, or if you're a nurse, I think you'll love this show! It's set in London in the 1950's and showcases a lot of different aspects that women of that era had to deal with and raise a family at the same time - even down to the prescribed medications. All five seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, so go check it out! I have so many favorite characters on the show, it's hard to choose just one! If you're already into this show, what do you think?

Source

#2 Body Glide...never leave home without it

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Yes, I did this on Saturday and I'm sad to say I dreadfully regret my stupidity. Although it's the fall season by date, it hasn't yet been fall by temperatures in the south (supposed to be THIS weekend), so I made a silly rookie mistake during Saturday's 12 mile run and boy did I pay for it later. I hope this is always a reminder to me to never leave home without my body glide. Learn from me - just don't do it! Also, don't listen to your husband when he tells you that he has some kind of magical cooling gel that works wonders...it might leave you on the floor half way screaming in pain. Yes, I'm laughing about this now. On Saturday, not so much.

#3 Pixie

If you think of my sweet little girl (and first baby) today, please say a quick prayer. I have to bring her to the vet today to get something checked out and I hope everything is ok! I'll definitely update once I find out what's going on with her.

That's it for today! I hope you all have a great Monday! :)

LEGEND Compression - Right Not Tight

Hi there and happy Friday! Sorry things have been quiet around here this week. Someone decided that this was the week of less sleep (hint: it wasn't myself or my husband)...therefore, no one got any sleep! I'm definitely not complaining. Even as I held my little guy in my arms at 3:30 a.m., I kept telling myself to cherish even those moments because one day he will be grown and I'll never have those moments back.

Anyway...today, I'm here to share my updated thoughts on a compression product I've been trying for several months now. Although I'm an ambassador for the company, please know that I am sharing my honest opinion with you and I wouldn't promote a product I didn't truly love!

LEGEND Compression is a fairly new company on the market and they've so graciously allowed me to try out a pair of their compression socks and a pair of compression leg sleeves.

I LOVE compression and for me, it's an essential part of my training and recovery. After a major race, I wear compression tights. If I've run a long run and my legs are fatigued, I wear compression socks...even if that includes wearing them to sleep that night or to work the next day. When I am in training for full marathons, I even wear them for my really long runs. I also wore a pair of compression socks to run my first full marathon back in 2011.

I said all of that to say, I'm definitely a believer of compression and its benefits for the runner and recovery!

Why LEGEND and what sets them apart, you might ask? Well, out of all of the compression gear I've tried in the past, I love the graduated compression offered in LEGEND's products (both the socks and sleeves I've tried). Their compression gear offers 15-20 mmHg of compression (a therapeutic level of compression) - I can honestly say these are some of the most comfortable compression socks I've ever worn, yet they do their job!

Their goal is to fit runners with a product that's "right, not tight". They believe that the right amount of compression is what's necessary to do the job without having too tight of a product. So far, I'm giving this thought a thumbs up!

After Saturday's long run, my friend and I decided to travel out of town. I knew I needed to wear something on my legs for the drive over. I initially had my bright blue compression socks on but just as we were about to pull out of the driveway, the mail lady drove up with a package that contained a pair of compression sleeves just for me! Win win! (No, I didn't wear them to shop in the mall, just on the drive over!)

I love the mission of LEGEND® Compression Wear - their goal is to improve the performance of every athlete—from the casual jogger to the competitive triathlete. They also promote the notion that LEGENDS are created from great people, great courage and great accomplishments and their goal is to extend the life of your legs during the course of your entire athletic career. How cool is that?!

Would you like to try a pair of LEGEND Compression socks or sleeves? Click here and be sure to enter code: AmbFriend2016 for 15% off your order!

You can also follow Legend Compression Wear on the various social media sites listed below:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +
• Instagram

Through the month of October, Legend Compression is running a $100 giveaway contest so stay tuned here for upcoming details on entering the giveaway! 

 

 Have a great weekend!!

Girls Weekend

Running, Shopping, McAlisters, and spending time with good friends - all things I love! This past Saturday, I had the chance to do all of the above!

It began on Saturday morning with a long run - my longest run since having a baby, at that! My friend Heather and I completed 10 miles! It was so humid, we were soaked from head to toe by the time it was all said and done. We have 12 miles next week, so I'm hoping for cooler weather and less humidity!

After the run, I came home to shower and get ready for a day of shopping out of town! Initially, I was wearing my bright blue compression socks for the drive over. However, as we were just about to leave, the mail lady pulled in my driveway with a special delivery....

My Legend black compression sleeves had arrived! Naturally, I had to change! These were so comfortable and just what my calves needed! Although I didn't wear these to shop and walk around, they made a world of difference with leg stiffness after a long drive in the car!

THIS little turkey spent four hours with us in the mall and he did great!

When we discussed places to eat dinner, McAlister's was the first thing on my mind! Isn't that sad....we were out of town and had a multitude of amazing places to eat but we chose McAlisters because they are no longer open in our town and we've been dying for a glass of their sweet tea for months? Story of my life. Whomp whomp.

This was EVERYTHING I'd been dreaming about!

The patriot with no tomatoes. I did try their Mac & Cheese for the first time and it was delicious!

So we might have been so excited, someone went overboard with ordering all of their favorite items. Eat.All.The.Things!

Needless to say, a to-go box was definitely used!

I might have been in McAlister's heaven.

After a little more shopping, we decided it was time for dessert! There's a place where you can get a scoop of ice cream and a Great American Cookie and a drink in a combo deal!

When you go out of town, the calories don't count, right?! 

The sunset on Saturday evening was gorgeous!

My little sweet pea and I had a great time at church on Sunday, too!

He was SO exhausted from Saturday, he took a FOUR and a half hour nap on Sunday afternoon!

Oh yes, we also tried green beans for the first time this past weekend!

I think it's safe to say, he liked them! 

Do you have a favorite restaurant you go to when you travel out of town?