.

2012-01-29T17:03:00.000-08:00

Hello to all my friends! We are all hanging in here. It's been so tough since Grandma passed. I miss her more and more each day. I still can't believe she is gone. There is so much I wish I could share with her. I know she is our angel, and is watching over us!

On February 4th mom will be 2 years cancer free!! She has her colonoscopy tomorrow (which will come back clean!) and as long as that is ok, it'll be official. I'm so happy for her and I know Grandma would be even more happy.

Mom and I are still running strong. We are trying our hardest. We will be running Marine Corps Marathon in October again! I'm super excited!!!

My birthday was on the 16th. I had a wonderful weekend with my parents and friends. My co workers also through me a party :)

Some more 2012 updates

2012-01-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! All has been going well here. Mom went to the oncologist and he was very pleased with to inform her that she still is cancer free and ok! She has her colonoscopy on 1/30. If that goes well (which it will), February 4th will be her 2 years cancer free mark!!!! I'm so so happy for her. It's been a long journey but she deserves the best. I wish my Grandma was here to see all this; she'd be so proud.

Mom and I are still running. We are running MCM in October. This marathon will be in honor of my Grandma. She fought and suffered for 4 long hard months but was always smiling. This marathon is not even close to being what she went through, but I'm running it in honor of her.

On Monday, I will be celebrating my 23rd birthday!!!! I can't believe it, time is flying by. I'm so blessed for my friends and family <3

10/17/43-9/28/11

2012-01-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I've been MIA for several months now. I promise to post at least 1-2 weekly! It's been a hard year. On May 26, 2011, my 67 year old Grandmother (whom I was so close with) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She underwent treatments and we were all so positive. Long story short, she suffered for 4 long awful months, and God took her from us at 8:24 pm on September 28, 2011. This was the hardest thing to deal with, but we know that she is in a better place now. She will be missed always and forever. The first pic is my healthy Grandma, and the second pic is Grandma, still looking gorgeous, struggling through brutal treatments.

Happy Tuesday :)- Exciting news!

2011-05-03T17:02:00.001-07:00

Hey every0ne. I have been keeping up on my running but haven't posted. I'm sorry the days just fly by. We have been consistently running, and actually just got in from running 4 miles. We did 10 on Sunday, and I hurt my leg :(. But today's run was ok so fingers crossed it's nothing. All of our training runs hav been b/w a 9:15-9:55 pace. We are already doing better this year.

On May 15, we are running the Thorne 4 miler. I'm hoping for a PR, but we'll see :) We have a bunch of small races scheduled. Then our big ones are in the fall. RnR Philly 1/2 is September 18th, which I have a very strong goal set in my mind. Then October 30 is the Marine Corps Marathon. Again, I have a strong goal. I hope I meet my goals.

I have some exciting news. RunnersWorld will be coming to our house on Tuesday, May 10 to shoot a video with me and mom!!!! It's going to include interviews, slideshows, pictures, articles, and running. We are so excited and I'll be sure to keep posting the more I know :)

Thank you all for following me and keeping me going. Love each and every one of you. Enjoy your night

Easter Monday!

2011-04-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend! I am sorry I haven't updated my blog. I really really promise to try to update it daily! Yesterday was a gorgeous hot day! Unfortunately, we didn't run :( I just did some light weights. But we ran today! It was only 65 degrees but 100% humidity!!!! It was soo hard to breathe! But we ran 6 miles in 56:27, 9:24 pace! Believe me, we were happy when it was over!! I love running in the heat but my body has to get used to it again!

Hope everyone is keeping up with their fitness. Thanks for reading! Have a great day xo

7 Miles on a Gorgeous Day!

2011-04-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Today we ran 7 miles! OMG our legs killed this morning. It was such a tough run because I was so sore from yesterdays race AND it was humid and sunny. We managed to run 7 miles at a 10:01 pace, totaling 1:10:18. We were happy with that. Tomorrow is an off day! PHEWWWW I loved having sunny 80 degree weather today! But tomorrow, it's back to rain and 50's :(. Where is the summer!??!?! Hope you all had a great day!

Blue Claws 5k

2011-04-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today, we raced the Blue Claws 5k in Lakewood. It was a great race!! I ran 24:32, 7:54 pace and I placed 2nd in my age group!!!! Also, 115/471 runners, and 25/249 females! YAY! Mom ran 25:07! She did great as well! She placed 4th in her age group and 133/471 runners! I hope this is the beginning of some serious PR's this season :). We moved our long run tomorrow so be sure to check back for an update!

MCM 2011

2011-04-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

My mom and I will be running the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday October 30, 2011. If you'd like to donate, you can visit my page http://www.active.com/donate/semperfifundmcm2011/nstallone In 2007, we ran it and had a great time! We are back again! Mom will be featured in RunnersWorld as the challenge. It's so exciting! Hope you all enjoy your day.

Great run on a gorgeous day!

2011-04-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Well today me and mom ran 10 miles! It's our longest run in over a year!! It was such a gorgeous warm day out with a little bit of wind. We ran 10 miles in 1:39:09, which is a 9:55 pace! Our legs are killing us already because of all the hills!! I'm so excited we are back after everything! We have a 5k next Sunday! YAY :) Stay healthy and enjoy this weather.

Rainy Thursday!

2011-03-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

My legs are killing me today!! I ran Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I guess since we ran much faster than usual, my body is feeling it. I took today off of excercising. I'm so hoping that the weather starts to get nice. I love running in the warmer weather! I still can't believe the race is over and done with. We are already thinking of ideas for next year! Here is a link to the professional pictures. He did such a great job!! http://gallery.me.com/CentraState#100098&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Paulette Steps Toward Cancer Wellness 5k run/1 mile walk

2011-03-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

The 2nd annual event was held on Sunday March 27, 2011. We had over 500 participants, compared to 350 last year!! The event raised almost $30,000 and was extremely successful. The Breeze radio did a fabulous job of keeping everyone entertained. We had several raffles, give aways, 50/50, award winners, etc. Also, Alfedo Dinten and Mark Pinhasovich from the Biggest Loser attended! Frado brought an entire team with him!!! They did a great job! Most of them never ran a 5k in their lives. It was a truly inspirational day for everyone. I can't believe it's over already! We had the greatest day ever. I have pics on my facebook. Here are a few!

Running Updates

2011-03-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!!! Here are some running updates :)

Mom's race is on Sunday, March 27th- 3 weeks from today! We have raised $14,000 so far, and are hoping to raise a lot more by race day. We will have channel 12 news, the Breeze radio, Fredo from the Biggest Loser, raffles, prizes, etc. It should be an exciting day!

Mom got chosen for the Runner's World Challenge. This means, we have to run a fall marathon. We will be running the Marine Corps Marathon on October 30, 2011. We are running for the Semper Fi fund. If anyone is interested in donating, please visit this link: http://www.active.com/donate/semperfifundmcm2011/fundNStallo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

2011-01-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

Today, I celebrated my 22nd birthday!! I can't believe it. This past year has gone by so fast. I had an amazing birthday weekend. I went to Atlantic City yesterday with my friends and had a blast. I didn't want the night to end. Here are some pics:

Tonight, I went to dinner with my parents and brother and mom made me a Giant Cupcake!!! I loved it.

I am so blessed to have the family and friends that I have. I love you guys with all my heart!

Birthday Weekend

2011-01-11T19:39:00.000-08:00

AHHH I'm going to be 22 on Sunday!!!!!! I can't wait to celebrate in Atlantic City Saturday night!!! I need this get away so badly.

On the down side, Grandma is back in the hospital. It's just one thing after another. She has blood clots on her lungs and will be in the hospital for at least 5 days. I hope this is a wake up call for her to start taking care of herself. It's very stressful on all of us. And my poor mother is a mess. But, thank god the doctor said she is going to be fine because this is very curable. Please just keep her in your prayers. Thank you.

Hope you all have a great night!

It's 2011!!!!

2011-01-03T07:33:00.001-08:00

HAPPY 2011 TO EVERYONE! What a great New Years weekend we had! We were in the Poconos for a few days. It was a blast!!!!! I'm still so sore from skiing. I had a blast spending it with my friends and family. Hope everyone had a great weekend! I hope 2011 is the best year for everyone! Here is a link to view all of the pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105708&id=1331610058&l=c9624f0642

Up next, Atlantic City for my birthday weekend!!! This year is already starting off to be way too much fun ;)

BLIZZARD IS STILL HERE

2010-12-28T19:07:00.000-08:00

SO WE GOT HIT WITH A LOT OF SNOW!! ALMOST 30". IT'S CRAZY!!! AND THE PLOWS ARE HORRIBLE. NONE OF THE SIDE STREETS ARE PLOWED AND HALF OF THE JUG HANDLES ON RT9 AREN'T PLOWED. THEY DID AN AWFUL JOB. PEOPLE ARE GETTING INTO ACCIDENTS AND STUCK ALL OVER THE PLACE!!! IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. THIS WAS BY FAR THE BIGGEST STORM. THE ROADS TODAY ARE A MESS, BUT I DID MANAGE TO GET TO THE MALL AFTER WORK ;) I BOUGHT MYSELF A NICE NEW PAIR OF FENDI SUNGLASSES AND I'M IN LOVE!!!

2010 BLIZZARD!

2010-12-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

WELL TODAY WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST BLIZZARD OF THE 2010/2011 WINTER SEASON. WE ALREADY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES OF SNOW AND ARE EXPECTING TO GET A TOTAL OF 18-20! IT'S CRAZYYYYY. BUT WE WERE OUT SHOPPING IN THIS STORM. THE ROADS WERE TERRIBLE BUT WE MADE IT. I'M HOPING TO GET TO THE CITY TOMORROW IF THE SNOW HOLDS OUT. *FINGERS CROSSED* HERE ARE SOME PICS OF THE DOGS PLAYING; THEY LOVE THE SNOW!!!

WELL WE ARE HEADING TO THE POCONOS FOR A MINI SKI VACATION WITH SOME FAMILY FRIENDS THE END OF THE WEEK. I CAN'T WAIT TO BE AWAY! AND BEFORE I KNOW IT, WE'LL BE IN AC FOR MY BDAY! AHHH TIME FLIES :)

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE

Merry Christmas to All.... and to All a good night!

2010-12-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY AND THAT SANTA WAS GOOD TO EACH OF YOU. WE HAD A FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS! SANTA WAS EXTRA GOOD TO MY FAMILY THIS YEAR, AND TO ME ;)

I CAN'T BELIEVE THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER!!! BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TOO. I ABSOLUTELY CAN'T WAIT FOR NEW YEARS!!! WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN AMAZING WEEKEND WITH THE GREATEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. I CAN'T CONTROL MY EXCITEMENT. THEN, THE WEEKEND OF THE 16TH IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!! SO I WILL BE CELEBRATING IN AC WITH A BUNCH OF MY FRIENDS. I CAN ALREADY FEEL IT, 2011 IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!

WELL HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM CHRISTMAS! HOPE YOU ALL HAD A SAFE AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY. :)

Atlantic City

2010-12-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

Can I just say that I had the greatest weekend in AC!!!! I'm still recovering lol. We had such a blast!!! And, I left there practically breaking even :) I won back what I originally lost at Roulette woahh! I can't even begin to list everything that happened because it would be a book. But from dinner, to gambling, to meeting great people, to being drunk, to having a skunk in the room, to getting our tags cut off our shirts by the bellman with a pocket knife, to dancing, to everything, it's definitely a weekend that we can never forget. I'm still laughing!!!! Can't wait to do it again :)

All good news:)

2010-12-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

Well I have SO much to look forward to and to be thankful for!

Mom got a great report at her Doctor today!

I will be in AC with my mom and bestest friends

Christmas this year is going to be extra special

We will be skiing with our great friends soon!

My 22nd birthday in AC will be a blast

Our friend in long island is out of ICU and will be in rehab for a few months. she is doing MUCH better

Finally, my mom will be 1 year CANCER FREE on 2/4/11

I can't thank everyone enough for making this year so great. Everything that happened was a learning experience. Unfortunately, my relationship didn't work out. BUT, all of you know it was for the best, and it wasn't my fault ;). My work is work and there is plenty of drama, but I stay out of it. I can't be miserable due to unhappy miserable people. I enjoy each day and mind my own business. I love my family and friends more than anything in this world and thank God each and every day for them! Love and Happiness

Our Holiday Party

2010-12-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our annual Christmas party. Unfortunately, one couple couldn't attend. Our dear friends Nancy and Dan. She is doing better, but will be in rehab for a few months. Prayers are with them.

We had a great time. There was so much food and so much wine!! We also did a wine tasting after dinner. The time flew by! I didn't want the party to end. Here are some pictures:

19 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS!!

2010-12-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

ONLY 19 DAYS TO GO UNTIL CHRISTMAS!! WE ARE SO EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR. ALL OF OUR GIFTS ARE UNDER THE TREE AND READY TO BE OPENED :).

GRANDMA IS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THE NIGHT GETTING SOME MORE TESTS DONE. I'M CONFIDENT SHE'LL BE OK BUT IT STILL WORRIES US. FINGERS ARE CROSSED AND PRAYERS ARE BEING SAID. ALSO, OUR FRIEND IN LONG ISLAND IS FINALLY GETTING BETTER. SHE'S OPENING HER EYES AND DOCTORS HAVE FAITH THAT AFTER MONTHS OF REHAB SHE'LL BE OK. SAY PRAYERS FOR BOTH MY GRANDMA AND OUR DEAR FRIEND NANCY.

I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT WEEKEND. THEY GO BY TOO FAST. I'M DEFINITELY KEEPING BUSY AND ENJOYING EACH AND EVERY DAY. HOPE YOU ALL ARE AS WELL XOXO LIVE LIFE LOVE

Christmas Tree

2010-12-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

Today, we cut down our Christmas tree! I love love love getting our tree; it's always an adventure. We got a gorgeous full tree and can't wait to decorate it. I am so excited for Christmas. I went absolutely crazy this year buying presents for everyone, but they all deserve them.

I'm trying so hard with my new diet and exercise plan. I woke up extra early and ran with mom this morning BEFORE work. It was freezing but so worth it. I'm so proud of myself and hope to keep this up.

Our holiday party is next weekend. I can't believe it's going to be here already. They are always a blast. My mom puts so much work into it but it's so worth it. We will have a great time and I'll help her throughout the night :).

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving Eve and some random ones:

Happy Monday :)

2010-11-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

Well mom and I went shopping for the day! I am ALMOST finished Christmas shopping! The holidays are right around the corner. I also got some really nice stuff for myself :). We had such a fun day together.

I'm thinking of joining a gym. I need something to kick my butt back into shape. I love the running, but a little something extra is needed for me. I'm really going to give it my all. Fingers crossed for me. lol

Tomorrow is back to work :( I work all morning/afternoon then I'll run with mom. It won't be too bad and I'm sure we'll have a good run. Probably around 6 miles which will be good.

Still pray for our friend. No new news :( Just praying and praying

Have a great night!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-11-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

All of our decorations are up!! And we get the tree this week. I'm so excited!! It's going to be a great holiday season!! We had a great Thanksgiving! It was a blast!

Please say a special prayer for our friend. The lady who fell down the steps still hasn't woken up. But she is showing brain activity. It's a great sign. Unfortunately, it's a very long process. We pray for her each and every day. It's a shame that this happened. And even more a shame it happened around the holidays.

Mom and I had a great 5 mile run today. I'm coming down with a cold and mom is just getting over one. So it was definitely hard to breathe, but we did it in under 50 minutes which is great! We also did a lot of hills

4 days til Turkey Day!

2010-11-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

Mom and I had a great 5 miler today!!!! We did a lot of hills and kept a steady 9:40 pace. We plan on running a half in the spring and a full in the fall. It's exciting, yet scary because I have so many goals in mind! We are running again in the morning.

Today we started decorating for CHRISTMAS!!! I can't believe that. It's so close and so exciting. I have most of my shopping done.

I baked an amazing gingerbread cake today!! It was really really good! I also helped mom make some baked ziti :) I'm just so proud of myself lol. My cooking skills are improving ;)

This week is going to fly by. I work Tues-Wed BUT Wed night I have exciting plans. Woahh for Thanksgiving Eve! It's gonna be a fun night :).

Hope everyone had a nice relaxing weekend :)

1 week til Thanksgiving!

2010-11-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello! I can't believe Thanksgiving is exactly 1 week from today! I'm so excited. We aren't having that many people, probably around 11. It should be a lot of fun! I love watching the parade every year!!!!!

Sadly, our friend in Long Island had to have another brain surgery because the bleeding got worse. The surgery went well, but we still don't know anything. She hasn't woken up in a week. It's a scary thing but we are praying each and every day!

I have 10-15 pound to lose. I'm not going to hardcore diet right before the holidays. I'm just trying to work out more and make better choices of what I eat. After New Years and the Poconos, I'll go on a strict diet. Now that me and mom are back to running, I have to knock off this excess weight.

Work is going well. It's definitely keeping me busy. I'm putting in a lot more hours, but it's totally worth it.

Well I'm off to do the elliptical. Hope you guys have a great day!

Random

2010-11-15T18:06:00.000-08:00

Our friend that's in the hospital is still non responsive. Our fingers are crossed and we are praying each and every day for her.
Spent the day shopping with mom and then enjoyed a nice dinner with some drinks ;)
I'm going on a SEVERE diet because I feel like a horse
Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner
We are going skiing in the Poconos with our family friends for New Years Eve!!

Sunday's Run

2010-11-14T16:01:00.000-08:00

Mom and I went for a run this morning. It was suppose to be a long run but neither of us were feeling up to it. So, we set out for 5 miles. We had a pretty successful run, but as soon as we stopped, but achilles started to hurt. It's been bothering me ALL day!! I'm super upset, and hope I'll be able to run on it. I don't want to be injured. There's this black cloud over us, and it better go away ASAP!

It's the weekend!

2010-11-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday!!! I had an absolutely great day at work! I love my job and love the customers (almost every day of the week ;) lol). But seriously, it was a great day at work and had the nicest clients ever!

Unfortunately, we were suppose to go to Brooklyn tonight but got some bad news and the dinner had to be cancelled. I feel like there is a huge black cloud over us. Thankfully, we are having a good year and my mom is cancer free. But sadly, people close to us aren't doing well. It's extremely sad and very stressful.

Please keep our dear friend in your prayers as well (the one I discussed in the previous post). We still know nothing. She is still in intensive care in the neuro part of the hospital. We are just praying each and every day for her speedy recovery.

Hope you all enjoy your night!

Please Say a Prayer

2010-11-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

Today, we unfortunately got some bad news. A very close friend of our family is not doing well. Yesterday, the wife fell down the flight of steps, and was unconcious laying in a pool of blood. He rushed her to the hospital as soon as he saw her. At the emergency room, they did imediate surgery to remove a blood clot on one side of the brain. She's hooked up to all tubes and heavily sedated today. They keep asking her to move her fingers and toes, but she can only move one side. They are running all kinds of tests to see if there is another clot on the other side of the brain. Right now, there is no news. Her poor family is a wreck, and we are so worried. They can't give any answers yet because they just don't know what's going on. She is in the intensive care unit and under very close watch. Please keep them in your daily prayers. They are a very nice loving family, and my parents have been friends with them for years. We really want her to pull through and come out of this better than ever. It's the holiday season, and we know that she'll pull through! Thank you everyone

Happy Hump Day Ya'll ;)

2010-11-10T17:20:00.001-08:00

I'm watching the Country Music Awards!!!! Love Love Love country music!!! I'm watching the awards with my mom!

I had a very successful day at work AND got my hair cut shorter with a great bang! My boss cut it and did an awesome job! I love having my hair nice and short :) Here's a pic:

I know it's not the best pic, but I'll post a better one tomorrow because I'm already in my pjs (as you can see) hehe.

I'm putting in a lot of hours at work, but I absolutely love it! Everything is falling into place for me. I'm still very stressed, but I try to be happy and strong each day; it's not always easy.

We have a lot of stuff coming up that I'm looking forward to. Thanksgiving, Christmas, AC, skiing, etc.!

Hope you all have a great night! I'll check in tomorrow :)

Good ol' Monday

2010-11-08T06:41:00.001-08:00

Hello!!! First, Happy Monday Gang!!! I had a great weekend. Saturday was my dad's birthday, and we celebrated with our best friends. I've never had so many laughs!! Then, me and my friend went out for a fun night of dancing :).

Yesterday, the NYC marathon took place. CONGRATS to all of the runners!! I'm so proud!! Mom and I did a 6.19 yesterday in 1:03:05. This morning, we just did an easy 3 miles at a 9:45 pace. I was very happy. Tomorrow is an off day because I work a very long shift. But, Wednesday night we'll shoot for 5 miles. We are looking for a 1/2 to run, and then deciding on a spring or fall marathon. We'll have to see which marathons are best for us. I know we'd both love to do MCM again in the fall.

Today is crazy weather. It's freezing, windy, and snowing in areas. I would love a snowfall BUT I know it's early!

Anyway, hope you all have a great Monday!

No Regrets

2010-11-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been a while since I've posted. I really need to try my hardest to keep this blog updated. To start, today mom is 9 months cancer free!!!! I'm so happy for her because those 16 months that she was sick were the hardest months of our lives. Next, we are hardcore back to running!!! We did 7 miles on Sunday which was our longest run since being back. I'm so happy to be back at it with her! We are planning a 1/2 marathon sometime in the winter, and a 2011 fall marathon. I am beyond excited.

I've been working as an assistant in Tangles Hair Salon since April. I graduated cosmetology school in May, and passed my state board in July. I am a licensed cosmetologist! I'm currently training to get my own chair; I'm so excited about it!!

I also just got dumped. It's not easy to have a relationship end. This relationship was very special to me. I guess it's true what they say; "all good things must come to an end". It truly is for the best. When this all happened on Halloween, it allowed me to look back and reflect on our few months together. All we did was fight, and who wants a relationship full of stress? We should have been in the "honeymoon" stage! We both cared about each other, but clearly he wasn't ready to be in a relationship. It's definitely taking a very large toll on me and I'm stressed beyond belief. I never thought I'd be like this!! In time, I know I will be better. Each day, I try to be positive. I am 120% sure that this is best and that we are not meant to be together. There will never be a future with us. No matter what though, I can't help being stressed and sad. He was a great guy, but had a lot of issues with me when it came to the relationship. Thank goodness for my family and friends :) They are so supportive and I love them with all my heart.

That's a little catch up in my life!!

I can't believe the holidays are around the corner. I am sad to be single for the holidays, but I really am going to enjoy being with my family because for the past 2 Christmas', mom was in the hospital. This year will be extra special!

Thanks for all the love and support <3 I will keep this updated *promise*

Has it been THAT long?!?

2010-08-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

O my goodness!!! I haven't updated my blog since January! Time flies. I'm sorry I've been so out of touch. Here are some quick updates:

Mom is 120% cancer free
I'm now a licensed hair stylist
I've been running on and off since the winter
Went to Puerto Vallarta with my friends in May, and cruised with my family in July
Our first "Paulette Steps Toward Cancer Wellness" 5k run/1 mile walk raised $25,000!
We are working hard for the race taking place March 27, 2011
www.centrastate.com/cancerrun
I PROMISE to keep everyone updated on life AND will post a long blog tonight!

a VERY windy run!!

2010-01-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

Well today's forecast: 28 degrees feeling like 15 degrees with wind gust of 34 mph. Guess what? We ran in it! It was the hardest run ever because the wind was just horrible!!!!!!! Mom and I did 3.11 miles in 30:26. I think we did great!! That's a 9:47 pace! We are going to run again tomorrow, except they said tomorrow is going to be worse! AHHHH

My Run

2009-12-27T15:09:00.000-08:00

Well I haven't ran since December 1st. Life got in the way. I went out today thinking my run was going to be absolutely horrible and I'd quit running, but I wound up doing great. I ran 4.13 in 40:57. I can't run again until Tuesday, but it's almost 2010 meaning my booty needs to lose some pounds :).

A re-cap of December

2009-12-27T14:59:00.001-08:00

Well this month flew by. I can't believe December is almost over AND it's almost 2010!! Crazy how fast the time goes. We had a huge snow storm last week and wound up with almost 17 inches of snow Chloe had a great time playing around in it, and Sandy came out to play every now and then!!

This past week was Christmas. We had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner at Bensi with my grandparents, parents, and brother. And Christmas Day was out our house with a few close friends and my grandparents. We had a great holiday.

My Cold Run!!

2009-12-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

I ran tonight alone in the dark :(. I hate running all by myself in the dark, but I'll kick ass if anyone tries to mess with me lol. I only ran 3.10 miles because my legs were still sore from Sunday. I did it in 28:00 minutes, 9:02 pace. Overall I was very happy. I'm still trying to get back to my old speed!!!! I'm getting there slowly, but it's better than nothing.

Gorgeous Day

2009-11-29T09:27:00.001-08:00

Well this morning, I had a great run. I did 5.10 miles in 50:23, 9:52 pace! Mom ran with me for the first few miles and she did great as well. The wind just kills her breathing, but she is amazing! To be honest, if I was in her shoes, I doubt I'd be as strong and in shape as she is. She is truly an inspiration.

Well it's just beautiful out. I love this weather. We are decorating for Christmas today!!!!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!

2009-11-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY AMAZING FAMILY AND MY AMAZING FRIENDS! THIS HAS BEEN A ROUGH YEAR AND I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU ALL!!! ENJOY THE DAY AND I WANT TO SEE PICTURES!!! XOXOXOX PEACE LOVE AND HAPPINESS

SORRY IT'S A WEEK LATE!

2009-11-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

I DID A RUN ALONE AFTER SCHOOL AND WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF!!!!!! I RAN ONLY 3.00 MILES, BUT I RAN IT IN 27:16!!! I WAS SO SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!! THERE ARE A FEW OTHER RUNS THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO POST, BUT I'M REALLY TRYING. THIS WEEK HAS BEEN ROUGH AND I HAVEN'T RUN SINCE SUNDAY! I PLAN TO GET BACK ON TRACK TOMORROW!!

A WONDERFUL RUN

2009-11-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

Today I had an amazing run!! I did 4 miles in 37:47, a 9:26 pace. It's not as fast as I was, but I think it was great!! I am so proud and I know that I CAN do it, so no giving up for me!! I felt great and am overly joyed. Can't wait to get back to racing! YAY!! :)

Getting Back Out There

2009-11-01T14:18:00.001-08:00

Well I watched the NYC marathon today. It inspired me to get back out there and run. I did it once, I could do it again. I ran with mom today for most of the run. I wound up doing 4.08 miles in 40:39. I was proud of myself and decided to work really hard. I have two 1/2 marathons for the spring, and then hopefully Chicago on 10/10/10 (lucky)! I'm so proud of mom as well for getting back out there and running so strong!

Bad run :(

2009-10-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to run today because I didn't feel like it, but I decided to go anyway. It wasn't a good run. I just had no energy and stopped after 1.64 miles. I still got in something, but I'm not happy :(. I managed to run it in 15:42 which was a good pace for me.

:)

2009-10-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late posting, but I have been trying to run as often as I can. It's only been like once a week. I'm so so so busy I can't find the time, and then the weather has been pretty bad. It all contributes, but I'm trying to get on track as best I can. The first chart is my run with mom on October 11. We did 3.00 in 32:45. The second chart is from my alone run on Tuesday October 20. I ran 3.01 in 28:56, which again I'm pretty happy with!

"Alone" Run

2009-10-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

Well I ran by myself today for the first time in months. I love the fact that the humidity severly dropped, and it's not as hot. It was weird, but it made me push myself more than I usually would. I ran some hills and made sure not to stop once. I did 3.01 miles in 29:59 so I was thrilled! It's also difficult for me to get used to running at night. I'm such a morning runner, but with my new schedule, that's impossible.

Tribute to Patrick Swayze

2009-09-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Patrick Swayze ~ 1952-2009

It is so sad to know that Swayze died of cancer at such a young age. We will never forget him. I thought it was amazing that "Dancing with the Stars" paid a tribute to him. They all did an unbelievable job performing to his songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5osgwbB-E8

Another Run Down

2009-09-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

Another run down for me and mom. She wasn't feeling well, but we still got out and ran 3.50 miles. I'm trying so hard to get back into it. I thank you all for your support and well wishes!

Cosmetology Update!

2009-09-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I'm in cosmetology school for 4 weeks already. It's crazy how fast the time goes. The girls (and guys) and so nice and I've made some great friends. Here is a shot of a few of us: We are always working on our mannequins, and this is Angel. First, I gave her a blunt cut, and curled her long hair:

Then, I layered and angled her:I'm having a great time and really enjoying myself. It's more work than people think, but I'm learning so much. I can't wait to be out in the salon.

Kyle's first cut:

Here's Kyle again with a more up to date cut:

Courtney with some highlights:

As you can tell from these few pictures, I'm having the time of my life, and couldn't be happier. I'll keep everyone updated! Thanks for all the positive vibes :)

My Best Run in Months

2009-09-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

So today I went out for a run with mom, and I did 4.48 miles in 47:47. It's not that fast, but for me it was great. I've only been running once a week if I'm lucky because I don't have the time. But now, I am going to have a lot more time and I plan on devoting it to running. I want to get back to the speed I was at in 2007-2008. I even did a little speed work for the last .5 miles just to see if I was able to do it, and I was!! So I'm back on track now yay!

First Run in Weeks

2009-09-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

HEY EVERYONE! I HAVEN'T BEEN RUNNING. I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY WITH WORK AND SCHOOL THAT MY LIFE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THAT. ALSO, I WAS GETTING FUSTRATED BECAUSE I LOST A LOT OF MY SPEED, SO I JUST STOPPED. BUT TODAY I WENT FOR A RUN WITH MOM (MY 1ST RUN IN WEEKS) AND I DECIDED I'M GOING TO KEEP IT UP AND WORK MY WAY BACK UP TO WHERE I WAS. IT WAS DEF A VERY SLOW RUN, BUT I GOT SOME MILES IN :). I RAN 3.72 MILES. FROM NOW ON, I'M NOT GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON TIME, JUST MY MILES. THEN ONCE I CAN BUILD BACK UP, I'LL WORK ON SPEED. THANKS TO MY MOM, I'M BACK OUT THERE!

HEALTH MAGAZINE

2009-08-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

HEY EVERYONE. BE SURE TO PICK UP THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF HEALTH MAGAZINE. MY MOM AND I HAVE AN ARTICLE ON PAGE 74. HERE IS A SMALL PICTURE OF OUR FEATURE:

Updates

2009-08-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Wow I keep saying I want to post everyday, and before I know it, it's 3 weeks later. opps! Well let's see what's new here:

1- I'm going to cosmetology school AND I don't care what anyone thinks about it! I'm so excited to start on the 24th woahh! And I graduate May 9th :)

2- I have a new job at Elite Fitness and Sports Center. The gym is literally 3 minutes away! I get a free membership too which rocks :) I started Wednesday, and I've already started taking classes there. I love it! And the staff and management are just so nice to me.

3- Mom had a great week and felt awesome. I can't believe I won't see her as much. I go to school monday-friday from 9-4:30 :(. And they I'll be working 3-4 nights a week. I'm used to spending one full day with her a week, and coming home to meet her for lunch 2X a week. It's going to be really weird, but she promised we'd save a night to go out once a week!

4- Mom finally got a new car! We sold dad's car on craigslist (it sold after being up for 1 day!!!) and he took mom's Acura TL. We went searching for a truck, and finally she got the 2009 Toyota Highlander. It's gorgeous and I wish her the best of luck with it!

5- My brother finally got a job! YAY He works at Bed Bath and Beyond. So far so good. They will accomadate his hours once school starts as well.

That's about it going on here. Hope everyone is well!

July is Almost Over!!!

2009-07-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that July is almost over and there have been 0 days over 90 degrees!!! We hit the high 90's in April and May. Now in the summer, we are lucky if it reaches 80. This summer is much cooler than last summer BUT the humidity is always so high. I'd rather it be really hot with less humidity. And this rain has been a killer :(. It's sad because I love the summer!

Only 3 more days until Wildwood!!! I really hope we have nice weather! I'm not begging for the 90's, but sunny with no rain just for the days we are there. Mom needs it!! And I'm really excited to run there. It's a different area, and I love the boardwalk!!

So today mom ran with me! She did great; I was very proud of her! But the humidity was killling her breathing :( . It was killing my breathing too, but not as bad as hers. So here is my map from today's run:

Humidity and Running

2009-07-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Let me start by stressing how much I HATE the humidity!!! It makes my runs so much more difficult, and kills my breathing! I'm in the midst of training for PDR, and sometimes just second guess myself. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a runner. But I'm not giving up! I still need to eventually run Boston one day!!

I ran today 5.00 miles at an avg of 10:10 pace. Ran the first 2.50 miles with mom at ~10:40 pace. Then, ran the last 2.50 by myself at ~9:30 pace. It was so tough especially that I did hills too! Mom did great, even though she doesn't give herself enough credit for it.

PDR is 8 weeks from Sunday! Ahh I can't believe it! I haven't run a 1/2 marathon in over a year. Tomorrow, I'm heading out for 8 miles *fingers crossed*!

Thanks again to everyone for the constant support!

Here is the chart from my garmin:

My Favorite Running Quotes

2009-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post some of my favorite running quotes!! Some are inspirational, and some are kind of funny:

1- Running- Cheaper than Therapy

2- A 1/2 marathon is just a 5k race with a 10 mile warm up

3- The journey is more important than the destination

4- The pain is temporary, the pride is forever

5- A marathoner's response:

yes it's really hard
yes I had to train A LOT
yes I know it's hard on the body
yes I know I'm crazy
and yes every marathon is 26.2 miles!

6- Running is 50% mental, 49% mental, and 1% insanity

7- To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift

8- Pain is weakness leaving the body

9- A marathon is like life with its ups and downs, but once you've done it, you feel you can do anything

10- You run the first 20 miles with your legs~ you run the last 6.2 with your heart

11- When people ask me why I run, I tell them there's not really a reason, it's just the adrenalin when you start, and the feeling when you cross the finish line, and know that you are a winner no matter what place you got

I wanted to share a few of my favorite running quotes. It's been such a tough year from me. I took some time off when mom was diagnosed because I just couldn't do it without her. But I've gotten back into it. I am slower this year than I was last year. My 5k time is ~3 minutes slower, but I've decided I'm ok with that! At first I was like OMG I am so embarrassed because everyone is going to laugh at me. Then I realized who cares!?!? I'm still out there running and this year, I'm running for ME. Of course I have those few people that think it's funny and after every race say "o you could have done better, remember where you were last year?" O yeah that makes me feel great!!!! Last year, I was so competitive and had a goal time for every race. If I didn't reach that "goal" I would just break down and cry and be so tough on myself. That really made me not enjoy running! This year I'm much more laid back. I know I won't PR at PDR, but guess what? I don't care! I'm training alone for the first time ever and it's not easy. But hey I'm doing it! And I am just so happy to be back to running. In time, I do plan on running a few more marathons and hopefully BQ one day. But that is a goal that I know is not close by, but I will achieve it when my body is ready and when I'm mentally ready to devote my life to marathon training again.

So thanks for the running support and everyone should just remember that running should be fun!!

Random News

2009-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to be back to running. I am looking forward to PDR, it's only 8-9 weeks away OMG! I am 99% sure that it won't be a PR but I'm just thrilled to run a 1/2 again. And besides running a 1/2, this is the first time that I've been training by myself. I never thought I could! So I'm beyond excited. My fingers are crossed that mom will be feeling well and able to come support me :)!

We are taking a family trip to Wildwood next week with some family friends. We had to cancel our cruise that was for this week due to chemo, so we figured we'd head down to the shore. Believe it or not, we are all looking very forward to it! It should be a good few days away.

Again, a BIG THANKS for all the support these past few months. I can't thank you all enough!! It means a lot to us all!

My weekend was a lot of fun. I went to Rutgers with my friend to see her apartment and have a night out. Then, me and my 2 best friends went to the boardwalk since it was a nice night! Here are some pictures :) They also show my new hair cut! I still can't believe I cut it all off, but I love it!!

BELMAR 5 RACE REPORT 7/11/09

2009-07-14T15:06:00.001-07:00

Well as most of you know, I just started getting back into running as I train for PDR in September. I'm not nearly as fast as I was last year, but I've learned to accept that. The most important thing is that I'm back out there running and training on my own.

I ran the Belmar 5 on Saturday. It was my first 5 mile race since November. I knew for sure it wouldn't be a PR, but I was just running for fun. It was extremely hot out (just my luck), but it was probably the coolest day for the race in the past few years. I started off a little too fast, and realized I wasn't going to hold that pace, so I slowed down. The first 2 miles were great, but from mile 2-3.5 we ran on Ocean Ave. in complete sun light and no water stops. I was going to die. I thought about stopping because I was afraid I was going to faint, but I didn't. It's such a quick course that it didn't even feel like 5 miles. But, I finished 5.01 miles in 47:22 (chip time). I'm overall happy with my time considering the heat and me just getting back into training. I don't have anymore 5 mile races for the summer, but have several 5k's coming up. Here is my finishing picture (i know very attractive haha):

Update on Mom

2009-07-13T21:05:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Well most of you all know how hard this year as been for both myself and my family. Mom is doing great and is done with chemo in October. For the most part, she's feeling good and looks awesome! It's just very tough for her to be dealing with this all. It's taking a toll on her mentally and physically. But I am just so proud of how well she's been coping. I mean of course she has her good and bad days, but that's normal. Her chemo is so strong this time around it's crazy. She doesn't get a break! The week she's not on chemo, she has to go for shots 3 days that week to keep up her blood count. They give her really bad head aches. Otherwise, she's awesome. This hasn't stopped her from doing much, even though she thinks it has. I love spending time with her and always making sure she's ok. I give her the space she needs though to be alone and do thinks by herself. And hey, she's gotten back to running! Her first run in 7 weeks was yesterday and guess what?!? SHE DID 3 MILES @ A 10:01 PACE!! She wasn't happy because after almost 2 miles she had to stop and catch her breath. Ummm HELLO!?!??!?! Mom hasn't done anything in 7 weeks AND all that chemo affects her breathing! I can't wait for her to get back out there with me! I miss my running partner so much it's crazy. But whenever I run now, I run for her. I always say "If mom can beat cancer and do so much while on chemo, then I can suck it up and run a few miles". And it works each time. Again I thank you all for the continued support and prayers helping us get through this tough time. Mom has kept her chin up and all this support has only made her realize how strong she is. When this is all over, we can look back and this year and see how much she accomplished while under so much stress. Mom is truly a hero and the best influence on others. She always encourages and wants people to be happy that sometimes she forgets to worry about herself. We had a cruise planned that we had to cancel, and she kept apologizing. But we keep telling her who cares there will be so many other vacations! So we are just going to Wildwood for a few days to get away and all spend time together. She is the best mother ever and it's just a shame she had to deal with this. I hate seeing her upset or in pain. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. But God did this to her for a reason and once it's done, she will realize how strong she really is. Everyone has to remember that they can reach any goals and do anything they set their mind to; just like mom beat cancer. Look how great she looks!!

Bayhead 5k Race Report

2009-05-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 16th, I ran my first race since December. With everything that has been going on with mom, my running has been horrible. It was last on my list and I took a few weeks off. Getting back was the hardest thing to do. The end of April is when I said enough is enough, and I went back strong. It was tough, and still is. My speed is nowhere close to where it was last year, but I know with dedication and training I'll get right back.

My race was humid/muggy, so I figured I'd have trouble. About .5 miles into the race, I hear my name. My friend Marty wasn't running the race, but was there to support me. He's super fast, and decided he would pace me. Goal #1 was to finish, #2 finish under 30 minutes, #3 my secret goal was to come in around 25-26 minutes. I wound up holding a steady 8:37 pace, which brought me through the finish line @ 26:44. He says I could have went faster because I had too much energy at the end, but part of me was nervous. I was so glad he was there for me and helped me along. It was very hard not having mom there, but I did it and I'm running for her. I'm hoping to improve each of my future races this year!

My New Hairdo

2009-05-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well I decided I needed something new so I cut my hair! A lot more than it looks, BUT I'm actually going shorter. Besides that, same old stuff. I start teaching my new class tonight. It's a mix of Zumba, abs, and toning. I'm so excited! Well I'll check in tomorrow :).

a bad wednesday :(

2009-05-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Well it's just been a "bad" day. The weather is crappy, and I'm just having a sad day. I went to class and went to pull in a parking spot and clearly thought I had more room than I did. I tapped the car next to me. Not one scratch on their car. But my car has huge scratches marks and a gash on the right passenger bumper. I was so upset and it looks so bad :(. I hardly hit them and had my foot on the brake so I wasn't going fast. I guess it was the way it hit ugh!

Anyways, let's see nothing else exciting. I missed my run today because it was pouring and I was busy with school. I have to teach tonight which should be fun. I leave in a month for vacation and still need these 10 pounds gone. I can't take it anymore, it's so hard!

Well that's about it for today's update.

first weekend of may

2009-05-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been so long since I've updated this blog. I need to start updating more often. I have one week left of class, thank god! I have had enough. This semester was so tough and I had so much work. I can't wait for it to be over. I graduate with my associates in Business Administration next weekend, but I am not going to graduation. None of my friends are going and they make it so long! So we are all just going to dinner (my family). That should be fun. Then in the fall, off to Monmouth University I go. I am excited already, but so nervous it's ridiculous. I know I'll be fine once I adjust, but it's just the point of being a transfer student.

Well mom's petscan showed that her tumor shrunk A LOT! That's great news. They said they wouldn't be surprised if when they did the surgery, the tumor was dead. We are all nervous for the surgery, but we know it has to be done. I know it'll all go well, it's just the anticipation. We are looking at the surgery date to be May 27th. I am so mad because I'm going on a cruise from June 6-11. And now I really don't want to go and leave mom. He told her 7-8 days in the hospital and then 6 weeks of NO exercise :(. That gets me so upset! I can't wait for 2009 to just be over. It's been so long and tough already, and we have another 6 months ahead of us with mom's surgery and then her chemo. Only "good" thing that came out of this was that I seperated myself from friends. People who I thought were my friends, well they clearly weren't. If it weren't for my 2 best friends, Katie and Steph, I'm not sure what I'd do. No matter what, they are here for me and for whatever I need. Everyone else never even once asked me how my mom was throughout her entire treatments. Not that I needed sympathy but some "friends" that I was always there for and would drop everything and run everytime they needed me decided to be rude and never even say sorry to hear about mom or are you ok. Ugh just bothers me!

Anyway, I am back to running! I took a few weeks off and now getting back is crazy difficult, but I'm so determined. The distance is no problem, but getting my speed back is far from easy. I'm just going to keep pushing and hope for good results!

Back to Life

2009-03-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well I was in the Bahamas for a week and it was amazing! I was NOT happy to come back to Jersey, especially because it was so hot on the island. We had such a great trip and a lot of fun! Here are just a few pics I have a thousand on facebook lol:

Mom is doing ok with her chemo and radiation. The tumor is definitely shrinking BUT now she's starting to feel the side effects. She is in her 4th week right now, and has 2 more to go. Then 4-6 weeks recovery, then surgery, then at most 5 months more of chemo :(. It's going to be a very tough year but at least she will be 100% after this is all over! We are all so proud of how well she is doing and how strong she is remaining. She's a fighter!

It's March Already??

2009-03-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been so long since I've made an entry on here. I can't believe we are in March already. These months keep flying by.

On a sad note, my mom was diagnosed with rectal cancer about 2 weeks ago. It has been extremely tough on the entire family, and her especially. I almost feel like I'm in this horrible dream, and I can't get out. When we found out, I was in shock, we all were. I cried all day for the first few days, but then I realized I need to be strong. I haven't really cried in front of my mom, but I do every night. Or sometimes when I'm driving alone in my car, I just break down. I can't help it. The oncologist is 99.9% sure she's going to be fine and beat this. It didn't spread and they are starting chemo/radiation tomorrow. From here on out, it's only going to get better. She is going to have her good and bad days, and we all need to accept and understand that. Just everyone please keep her in their prayers. She doesn't deserve this, nobody does. I truly believe that in her case, it's God's way of showing her how strong she is. She doesn't give herself enough credit for what she does, and he wants to prove to her that she needs to. She has a great family and group of friends supporting her; we all know she'll be just fine. For some reason, I am just having a very hard time mentally and emotionally dealing with it. I hardly ever talk about it to people and am just keeping it in.

Due to everything, I haven't been running. It's my own fault, but it's just not the same. I was doing so well with my mileage, then it just stopped. I am very disappointed in myself and beat myself up. I feel like I've gained so much weight (which I really haven't) and deep down inside I am not happy. I have been running here and there, but nothing strict. Everything is just so overwhelming I just feel like I can't handle it.

And on another note, I am leaving for the Bahamas next weekend. I'm going with my 2 friends and need this vacation more than anything. I was going to cancel the trip, but mom wouldn't let me. She wants to me to go and enjoy myself. I am looking so forward to this vacation and can't wait!

Well that's about it for now. Only 8 weeks left of the semester thank goodness. I also got accepted into Monmouth University! I'll be going there in the fall and am thrilled!

Snow Day :)

2009-02-04T06:23:00.001-08:00

Well I started classes only 3 weeks ago and this morning is the 3rd time they have had to cancel classes! Yesterday, we left class early and they wound up shutting down the school because of the snow. I taught my Zumba at work and closed the gym right after. The roads got so bad out and the snow was past my ankles. This morning, my class was cancelled!

So besides that, I had a 5k on Sunday and it was def not a PR. But I'm ok with that because I know I will improve running in the summer weather. I'm so beyond excited for the spring and the nice weather. The snow is nice, but I'm over it already! Give me the hot weather!!!!

This weekend, I have to go to the art museum for my art appreciation class. Never been to one, so I am kind of looking forward to it, and plus it's in NYC so we can do some shopping after! And then Saturday is our running club yearly party. It's in gorgeous Spring Lake, and is always a fun time!

Snowy Monday

2009-01-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well this past Friday was my birthday!! I was not feeling well on my actual birthday, but we went out to dinner with my best friend and her family on Saturday to celebrate. Then Sunday, my close friends and family came over for dinner and cake! Also, the Wednesday before all my friends took me to dinner!! It was non-stopping celebrating. We had such a great time!

Well today, I worked from 7:30-10:00 and then again from 1:30-9:00 because the girl who always works today is on vacation. But it's not as bad as I thought. I got in a 6 mile run on the treadmill!! That's the absolute longest I've ever run on the TM because usually by mile 3 I'm ready to die haa I get so bored!!! But it was a good run, I ran a steady 9:47 mm. I was happy with that!

I start classes on Wednesday eek!!! I'm excited, but not at the same time! I don't mind going to class, but hate the workload. O well I'll survive.

So they predicted flurries for today and right now it's snowing like crazy. Definitely NOT flurries!!! It's been snowing for like 2 hours and is sticking. They all say how icy it is ughhhhhhh!!!!!!

Giants vs. Eagles

2009-01-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

I'M IN SHOCK THAT THE GIANTS LOST!! ELI PICKED THE WRONG DAY TO PLAY HORRIBLY. UGHHHH. WE ARE VERY UPSET!!!!!

I HAVE WORKED OUT EVERY DAY STRAIGH FOR 6 DAYS AND I WAS GOING TO RUN TODAY, BUT MY BODY WAS JUST TOO SORE. SO I TOOK OFF, BUT I'LL RUN TOMORROW HOPEFULLY. I WORK FROM 7:30-1:30 SO I HAVE NO EXCUSE!! I BETTER GET MY A** ON THE TREADMILL WHILE I'M THERE.

MOM IS DOING SO MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR KEEPING HER IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. I CAN'T WAIT TO RUN WITH HER AGAIN. IT'S JUST NOT THE SAME.

WELL THIS WEEK I WORK A LOT AND FRIDAY IS MY 20TH BIRTHDAY!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. EACH YEAR GOES FASTER AND FASTER. BUT MY FRIENDS ARE ALL TAKING ME OUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR DINNER, AND I HAVE SOMETHING EACH DAY OF THE WEEKEND. IT SHOULD BE A BLAST!!!

ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, I START CLASSES NEXT WEDNESDAY. I CAN'T BELIEVE BREAK IS OVER. THIS SEMESTER IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT. I'M DEFINITELY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO CHEMISTRY. I HAVE A 3 HOUR CHEM LAB ON TUESDAY MORNINGS, THEN A 2 HOUR 45 MINUTE CHEM LECTURE THAT AFTERNOON. BUT I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. I GET MY ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN MAY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THEN OFF TO MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY IN THE FALL. WOAHH!!!

GO RANGERS!!!!!!!!

2009-01-06T13:07:00.001-08:00

Me and Uncle Sly

Rangers vs. Penguins game last night and of course the RANGERS won 4-0!! It was so much fun. Of course before the game, we walked around the city and went into all the stores! Clearly, we couldn't afford anything, although I did pick out sunglasses in Fendi for only $1,000!!! haah But they were gorgeous. It was a great day to be in the city. Was not as crowded as usual and not too cold, except on the walk back to Port Authority!!!

Rockefeller Center

Today I covered my mom's class and I definitely felt it! It's been like 3 weeks since I hardcore worked out. I just need to get back into it. Tonight, I go back to work and I'm hoping to get a run in while I'm there!

Happy Saturday!

2009-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if all of you have a restaurant called "The Melting Pot" in your area, but it's great! It's very pricey, so we only go once in a while. I went with a few of the girls last night and had such an awesome time. It's all fondue, and you cook EVERYTHING yourself! People just got there for the dessert because it's amazinggggg. But last night we had everything! Dinner is awesome, I had the steak and shrimp yummy. For our appetizer, we got the chedder cheese dip that they make right in front of you. Even if you're full, you still manage to eat it all! So my resolution is to lose 10-15 pounds by March, BUT I think I gained that much last night! Back to the dessert, you can pick from a bunch of different kinds of chocolate. We chose s'mores because it's amazing! And then they give you all the yummy foods to dip in.

I haven't been running since mom was in the hospital. I was keeping up my fitness with the ellipitical and my weight classes. Running was put on hold for me, due to me spending hours in the hospital every day. I was way too exhausted to run! BUT me being with my mom was far more important. Today started my run classes with my coach. I had a great time. I ran a little over 4 miles and we did some speed work. I was NOT as fast as I was, but I'm hoping I'll gain it back. I averaged a 9 minute mile which isn't bad, but like I said, I was faster. I am thrilled though and hoping to stay injury free *fingers crossed* and really work on my running!

Well that's about it for today. Nothing exciting here just running some errands!

Out with the Old... In with the New!

2009-01-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

So mom was feeling better for New Years Eve AND wanted to go out!! We kept our plans with my best friend and her family. We had such a great time! Went for hibachi and then back to their house. It was low key this year, but probably the most fun ever.

My New Years resolutions:

Lose 10 pounds BEFORE I go to the Bahamas in March

Successfully train for another marathon, probably Chicago

Not be so agressive on the road

TO HAVE THE GREATEST YEAR EVER!

Here are some pics from last night!

Mom's Home!!!

2008-12-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

Well mom came home late this afternoon! She's very sore BUT doing awesome. She is up walking around slowly and finally eating food. The doctors said she can run in 2 weeks which means I HAVE MY RUNNING PARTNER BACK! I'm so excited for her. We obviously don't like to see her in pain, but it could have been a lot worse. Surgery went better than expected!

It's been a very rough week and I've cried everyday. I'm depressed about my weight and the way I'm looking lately. I think it's just an emotional time. And then with mom, I was a basket case. I just couldn't deal with it all. And on top of everything my boyfriend, well as of today my ex-boyfriend, never came down. I wanted him here, and he never offered until Tuesday (mom was in hospital since Friday). But Tuesday I was working all day. And then his MOM texted me the other day to tell me not to be mad at her son because she told him he was wrong for not coming down. Hello he's a grown man and it's a relationship between me and him. I'm so hurt and upset by him. And then he ended it today because he claims we live too far apart (45 minutes easy fast drive) and he doesn't like driving on the parkway. UMMM slap in my face!!! And he could of just waited a few more days considering he knows how I haven't slept and stopped crying. Grr there's so much more I want to get out, but I will be writing for days then lol.

So to sum it up mom's getting better and I'm single again. It's probably for the best though. I need someone older anyway. I like going out and having fun, not sitting in the house all day/night watching movies. I'm only young once ;).

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONCERNS AND PRAYERS ABOUT MOM. IT WAS A VERY SCARY WEEK. WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY DIAGNOSED HER, WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE THE WORST. WE WERE VERY SCARED AND SO WAS MOM. BUT WHEN THEY WENT IN TO THE SURGERY, THEY REALIZED THEY MISDIAGNOSED HER AND IT WAS A MUCH EASIER SURGERY. SHE HAS 4 INCISIONS THAT ARE SMALL AND WILL HEAL NICELY. AND MOM IS GOING TO BE BACK TO NORMAL SOON BECAUSE SHE IS STRONG AND IS A FIGHTER!! THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE!!

Christmas Eve in the Hospital

2008-12-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I took mom to the ER for a cat scan and they admitted her. Her white blood count was up to 19,00 which is just way to high, showing she had an infection. Also, they diagnosed her with diverticulitus. The antibiotics haven't worked. They said if the cat scan from Monday showed improvement she'd be home.

Well bad news... mom hasn't gotten any better. They scheduled her for surgery today at noon. I'm a nervous wreck; I just want it all to be ok. I wish it was me instead of her :(. I want her back to normal. I miss her so much!!

First, they are going to try to go through her belly button and drain the puss pockets. If all goes well, she's done and will be home tomorrow. If not, he will make an incision and actually remove the "bad" pieces. She's going to be drugged up all day. I feel so awful! I just want it all to be ok. It's been a very tough week and will be a tough Christmas. If he has to make the incision (let's pray not) she won't be home for like 3 days. I wish there was something I could do.

Right now, I'm trying to be strong. It's not easy though :(. My 3 close friends have been beyond supportive, and even came up to visit her! One of my close friends is coming up today on Christmas Eve!! I told her no, but she insisted. Secretly, I want her there but I wouldn't tell her that because it's the holidays. It'll be good support to see her for a few.

Please pray for mom that all goes well!!!!!!!!

When is this bad luck going to end?

2008-12-19T10:13:00.000-08:00

So besides everything with my mom, I was on my way to class yesterday and get a call from my mom. I can tell in her voice she wasn't right. Got a call from my brother's school that he broke his wrist. Mom can't drive because she's in a lot of pain and can't sit for long. So I turned around picked him up, then got her and we went to the ER. Sure enough, it was broke. Thankfully, it's a clean break. He has a cast on for 4-6 weeks. I feel so bad for him! They were in gym class playing indoor soccer, and one of the kids pushed him into the wall. They are way to rough. He's not in so much pain, but he can't get comfortable to sleep.

Now, mom was suppose to stay resting and no stress. Yesterday caused her so much stress, and she's feeling worse today. So I'm taking her back to the doctor's. I feel awful. This entire week has just been one thing after another.

Hopefully everyone will get better soon!

On a happier note, I have been having a few awesome runs lately! I am so glad and I can't wait for mom to get back to running with me. It's snowing a lot here!!!! We're suppose to get 3-6 inches and then it's going to freeze. Tomorrow is a high of 29* ahhH!!!!

The dogs love playing in the snow! My puppy especially is so cute. She hits it and throws it in her face. Well I'm off for now! School is done til January 23rd woahhhhhhh!!

Enjoy your day everyone!

Happy Hump Day!

2008-12-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hey all!! So for those of you who don't know, me and my family were on an episode of Wife Swap. We were one of the first ones to air. It's the Stallone/Ghani episode AND it will be repeating MONDAY DEC 15th @ 4PM on Lifetime! This was filmed 6 years ago, and airred 4 years ago. We all look totally different now! Several things on the show are UNTRUE or blown out of proportion. For example, I do NOT get breakfast in bed. They told mom to bring up my food since I was running late, and they turned it into me being spoiled. But anyways, it was a fun experience that I'll never do again. We were in several magazines, newspaper articles, radio stations, and talk shows. We still get recognized to this day, and I'm not going to lie, it's kind of cool! Here is an updated family picture:

Besides that, I am racing on Saturday without mom :(. We have a holiday party at my house every year for my dad's work and she has a lot to do so she won't be running. But I'll help her before and after. It's not going to be the same without her.

On another note, mom has to go for some testings. I am so nervous. She has been having a lot of pain in her uterus and is not herself. I am really a nervous wreck, but I just keep thinking/praying it's nothing. Or that it's something stupid that can easily be taken care of with medicine. So please please wish for the best!!

Thanks everyone for all of your support!!

2008-12-04T17:25:00.000-08:00

Hey all! So I did the stupidest thing last night. I was letting my puppy out in the backyard and I walked her down the deck steps because she wouldn't go down. As I was walking back up, I thought I got to the top of the deck, but apparently there was another step and I walked right into it and it was in line with right above my ankle. It hurt(s) so badly!!!!!! Now, it's got a nice little bump and is bruised. I was teaching class tonight, and it hurt doing some of the moves. UGH! Just my luck. I have to teach in the morning, and was hoping to get a run in so I need it to cooperate.

I have the Reindeer Romp 5k race on Sunday with mom and I'm so excited because it's such a fun race!!! I'm hoping for a decent time, but anything in the 25's or 26's I'll be happy with since my running is not where it was last year. So far, our distance runs have been going great and we're keeping them at a faster pace then last year during marathon training. We will make a decision about running Country Music Marathon by the end of the month. Since it's going to be so expensive travel wise, we just want to make sure that we can keep increasing the distance with no problems.

Tuesday night, Joe took me to NYC and we saw the Rockettes. It was so much fun, but freezing!! The show was great; I wish I could dance/kick like the Rockettes.

I have less than 2 weeks left of school and I'm so happy! I hated this semester with a passion ugh. I did very well though in all my classes, so I'm thrilled. Well hope you all have a good weekend :)

Wacky Wednesday!

2008-11-19T05:15:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a good week so far! Mom and I did run on Sunday in the wind and felt great. We also ran yesterday morning and again, had a great run. My knees are now bothering me ugh! So I'm taking it easy. I have a 5 mile race on Saturday which I love and I am hoping to do well!!! If training goes well, then we are going to sign up and run Country Music Marathon. We'll have a better idea in about a month. I really want to run it so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Besides that, I am in the process of planning a Spring Break trip to the BAHAMAS!! We are looking at probably 6 days and I'm excited. It's going to be a nice group of my friends so hopefully it'll work out. And then skiing over winter break. There's just so much to look forward too :)

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. It's crazy how fast time flies by. My friend and I are going out tomorrow to get some holiday shopping done. I hate the crowds in the stores, but I like to get my shopping done with!

Today is busy day. I'm at work then class at 2 and at 6. Hope you all enjoy!

Getting to know you!

2008-11-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new 2008 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then post this back on your blog!
Lots of your friends want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.

Have fun and be truthful!
1. What is your occupation right now? Accounting student and fitness instructor

2. What color are your socks right now? Pink!

3. What are you listening to right now? Christmas music (I know it's early!!)

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Pizza

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Hellz no!

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Steph

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? YES!

8. How old are you today? 19

10. What is your favorite drink? Besides water, martinis :)

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes every 6 weeks

12. Favorite food? Shrimp

13. What is the last movie you watched? Sex and the city

14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas!

15. How do you vent anger? Yell and/or cry

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Any barbie dolls

17. What is your favorite season? Summer

1 8. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? of course

20. Who is the most likely to respond? hmm

21. Who is least likely to respond? ??

22. Living arrangements? Me, parents, brother, and 2 dogs

23. When was the last time you cried? yesterday

24. What is on the floor of your closet? shoes!!

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Steph

26. What did you do last night? out with the boyfriend

27. What are you most afraid of? death

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburger? cheeseburger

29. favorite dog breed? labradors and i love rottweilers

30. Favorite day of the week? Friday

31. How many states have you lived in? 2

32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds are a girls best friend

33. What is your favorite flower? Roses

Pictures from Trick or Trot

2008-11-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

sorry they are late but here are the pics from trick or trot!!
me and mom:
all of the runners in costume:

award winners (im in the back with the ears :))

Trick or Trot

2008-10-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

So today mom and I ran the Trick or Trot 4 mile race in Long Branch. We dressed up as bunnies; we had the ears, bow tie, and tail. Both of us decided to run this as a "fun" run and stay together. The course was extremely boring; it was an out and back course. And it definitely felt like forever to finish!! But we did it! I had no intentions of placing or winning an award. We were just hanging around talking to everyone and watching the dog parade. They started announcing awards and got to my age group. We were standing in the very back and I wasn't even paying attention BUT after they announced 3rd place, I realized that the time was slower than what I ran it in. So I paid attention and sure enough the girl in 2nd place was also slower than my time. I couldn't believe it, I placed 1st!!!!! I was shocked and still am shocked, but I got a cute little halloween medal with a puppy on it. Mom was so excited, but I wish she placed too!!!

Is it Friday yet??

2008-10-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

School is just ridiculous. I am getting so much work I need this semester to end!!!!! It looks like I'm going to have 2 days off again next semester which is great for me.

Work is work. I got an awesome job offering at another gym, but it's so complicated. My boss where I am now I know is not happy that I may give up a day here, but it's my money. Business isn't about working to be nice, it's about working because you like the place and you get paid well. $3.00/hour is a big difference and $15.00 more per class is an even bigger difference. I love my job BUT I have expenses and I like nice things which means I need more money, and people don't seem to understand that. UGHH so I have a lot on my mind right now.

My boyfriend is great. I am so beyond happy with him. It's been great and we're having a lot of fun. He's coming down this Friday to spend the night, adn then his family will be down Saturday.

Running is doing better. I have a few races lined up that I'm excited for. I'm doing my best to fit it into my schedule, but it's not easy.

Anyway, I'm loaded with school work as usual so I'm off to do that

Superlicious Saturday

2008-10-11T06:49:00.001-07:00

I taught a great Cardio Sculpt class yesterday!! Believe it or not, I'm sore today, but it's a good sore. The time flew by during the class.

Then last night, we went to dinner with my best friend and her family. We had such a great time, so many laughs! And it was so great to see them all. I'm going to visit her at school in a few weeks so that'll be super fun!!!!

Mom dyed her hair and it looks amazing! Now she really looks so young. People are going to keep thinking we're sisters, which is a good thing.

I'm going to Joe's after work, and we're all going out for his mom's birthday so it should be fun!

Fabulous Friday

2008-10-10T04:34:00.001-07:00

WOAHHHH it's finally Friday!! I look forward to the weekend more and more each week :).

This past weekend, I ran a 5k with mom and placed 3rd in my age. I was super happy! I have another 5k this weekend so we'll see how it goes.

I taught a great Zumba class last night, and I'm teaching a cardio sculpt class this morning. Cardio Sculpt it my favorite class! We have so much fun.

So I had to present a 5-7 minute speech in class yesterday. It had to be an informative speech so I chose to discuss Down Syndrome. Overall, I thought I gave a great speech and hardly looked at my notes. It was videotaped and me and mom watched it last night. Eye contact was the best! I looked down maybe twice BUT my teacher gave me a 3/5 for eye contact?!?!? Luckily, it's on video so I can prove that he's wrong. Besides that, I got an A- for the speech!

This week so so busy with the amount of schoolwork I had. I have a huge Calc exam Monday. I absolutely love Calc (I know I'm weird) haha, but I feel like this exam is gonna be real tough.

One of my best friends is home for the weekend! Tonight we are going out with both of our families and I'm looking so forward to it!!! Then tomorrow I open at work and I'm spending the day at Joe's.

Should be a fun weekend! I'm getting back into my running. I want to train for a full for the Spring, but I don't know if it'll happen yet so we'll see!

Hope you all enjoy your weekend!!!

Tuesday!

2008-09-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I have been slacking off with my posting. It's been a fun but busy few weeks. School is good, but I am counting down the weeks until winter break. This semester is a lot of work. Work is work nothing really new and exciting with that.

On Saturday afternoon, I leased a new car! I had the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe and sold that to lease the Mazda CX-7. I always wanted an SUV, and this is the perfect size one for me. I love it!!!!
This is Sandy and Chloe. Just wanted to post the picture to show how big the puppy has gotten (on the right). She is 8 months old and weighs almost 80 lbs.
Saturday after I picked up my car, I went up north to stay at Joe's. Then our families went to the ChartHouse. It was soo nice and so good! We had a lot of laughs and a great time!!
Well that's about it for today. I'm gonna try my best to update this more!!!

Happy Hump Day

2008-09-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well I started classes again and so far so good. The only class I dread is Public Speaking, but it's a mandatory class to take. UGHHH. Hopefully it won't be as bad as I think. Other than that, I love my professors and my classes seem fine.

This weekend me and Joe are going to the Jets/Patriots game! I'm super excited and hope the Jets kick ass.

My running has been going good. Mom and I did 5 miles today and 5.25 on Sunday. She's putting up with me, even though I think I'm slowing her down. I can't wait to get my speed back up to where it was. I have a 5k on Saturday and I'm hoping to be in the 25's, but we'll see.

Happy Labor Day!

2008-09-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

Well today was the first "real" run in about 3 weeks. Mom and I ran the Pier Village 5k. It's a flat out and back course. I was nervous about how slow I'd be since I haven't ran. I definitely was able to feel the tightness in my legs, but I figured it was only 3.1 miles. I wound up finishing in 26:20 and I was happy with that. This was exactly what I needed to push myself and get back into the swing of things. I'm now hoping that from here on out my running will be awesome. I plan on concentrating solely on speed and beating my 5k PR of 23:28.

Today we are just hanging out enjoying the nice weather. I was suppose to go to Joe's but he has to be at Ramapo to take care of some mandatory things :(. But thankfully, I'll get to see him on Friday!!!

I go back to school on Thursday ah! I can't believe the summer is over. I'm excited to go back, but at the same time, I don't want summer to end.

Well that's about it for now. Hope you all enjoy your Labor Day!!

Back From Wildwood

2008-08-26T15:03:00.000-07:00

O and Wildwood was amazing!! We had such a good time!!! And the weather was amazing. I don't think I've ever eaten/drank as much as I did those 4 days. We hung out by the beach, in the pool, and went on a speed boat to dolphin watch. I didn't want it to end!

Tuesday

2008-08-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

Well next Thursday it's back to school. My schedule is not terrible. I have classes Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. At least I get 2 days off! It's going to be a tough semester and I'm starting to freak out about the workload and keeping my GPA high. Hopefully with school starting, I'll get back into my old workout routine and drop a few pounds. Shockingly, I haven't gained any weight, but I am not happy with myself, so that's going to change!

Everything is great with my friends and family. Almost all of them left for school already, so I'm missing them. My brother got his permit!! Scary, but good. The boyfriend is great :). I'll be seeing him Thurs-Sat.

Other than that, I've just been enjoying the end of summer. My running is miserable. I can't seem to get past a few miles and it's depressing. I think I need some time off to just clear my mind and start over. I'm going to see what happens after PDR. Everytime I go to run, my knee starts acting up as well. UGH!!!!

Well I'm teaching class tonight! Everyone enjoy :)

Wildwood!!

2008-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting back into my running, or at least trying to. My injured knee and pulled muscle didn't help. I did an easy 3.33 miles today on the TM. I felt great and could have went longer/faster, but I didn't want to push it. I kept the pace right under a 10 mm. I need to get back into my workout routine bc I would like to drop a few pounds. I am happy with the way I look but I would be even happier if I could lose 5-10 pounds. I'm in no rush, but I'm hoping it'll come off fast.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Wildwood with Joe and his family. I'll be back either Monday or Tuesday. The weather is suppose to be nice and I'm super excited to go with them :). It's going to be a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll post pictures andall when I get back. Enjoy the weekend!

2008-07-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I know I haven't posted in a few days. Nothing really new and exciting as far as my running is going. I have a 5k race next weekend, but my running has been low so I'm not looking for a PR. I am looking to finish around 25 minutes, but we'll see what happens. I am finding it so tough to get back into my running routine. It's becoming more of "work" for me than fun. I'm hoping to change that.

I'm working all day Friday, then I'm going to the boyfriend's til Sunday. I'm excited!!! He's such a great guy :). Other than that, nothing else is really going on this week. Just wanted to write a quick post.

Back to Reality

2008-07-22T08:38:00.001-07:00

Well everyone I'm back from my vacation. The cruise was amazing! We all had such a great time and met great people. The weather was extremely hot and sunny except for one day at sea. It poured and the ship was rocking like crazy. We were going through a storm, and you definitely felt it. Other than that, it was great.

In Aruba, me and my dad went tubing. That was a blast! I managed to stay on the tube, but it was tough! Next stop was Curaco. We decided to just stay on the ship and hang out in the pool. St. Maarten is one of my favorite islands. There we went to Orient Beach. It is a nude beach and when we walked down to that side, there were some sights that I wish I didn't see lol. We went banana boating with a great family we got to meet. It was a fun day! St. Thomas is my other favorite island. Our excursion got cancelled, so me and mom just went shopping. Then we came back on the ship and stayed in the pool for our last vacation day.

The nights were awesome too. There was always something going on. We made the best of every day and night!

It was the best vacation ever! We got to meet a great family and have a great time!

Here are the 2 links to my pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002886&l=cafd2&id=1331610058

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2002887&l=0ff51&id=1331610058

Belmar 5 Race Report

2008-07-12T13:08:00.001-07:00

Today I ran the Belmar 5 race. It's a flat fast course, but the weather killed it. We didn't start until 8:30 and it was already scorching out. When we started, the crowds were tough to get through and nobody was moving. I wound up running the first mile at 8:40 and knew I wouldn't PR, but I was ok with that. My legs were tight because of all the mileage I have been putting in, and the humidity didn't help it. At mile 3, I was at 26:06 and felt like stopping. The sun was beating on me and I was dizzy and light headed. I knew I had to finish. I didn't care if I collapsed once I crossed the finish line, but there was no way I was quitting. I walked through one water station because I needed to take a break. Everyone around me was pretty much at the same pace and we all looked like we were dying! I crossed at 43:46 and I wasn't disappointed. Once I crossed though, I sat down and thought I was going to die. The weather had a lot to do with my time, but it's ok because I ran strong.

Now I get to leave for vacation and have a nice peaceful week! I am beyond excited :)

TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I got in my second long run of the week. I moved it from Sunday since I'm going away and didn't want to miss it. Mom and I went to the boardwalk very early to run it. BIG MISTAKE. I guess my body had no time to recover from my 13 miler on Sunday, and I felt it. We got the distance in, but it was tough. My legs are tight and would not move. It was almost as if I was trying to run and my legs weren't going with me. I'm hoping that while I'm away, my legs will recover. I plan on 4 days of running, but short distances. 5 miles will be the MOST. Also, I won't be teaching any classes for a week. Both me and mom think that our legs need this "break". We are hoping to come back and be all recovered.

Tomorrow morning, we are racing the Belmar 5. Just because of my luck, the weather is going to be 91 degrees and 100% humidity. YES! Not :( It's scaring me because my runs haven't been as strong/fast in this weather. My 5 mile PR is 41:15 (which I ran 3 weeks ago). I'd love nothing more than to beat that, but I'm not having my heart set on it. I'll be happy with anything under 45 minutes. But if I do PR, I will be overjoyed!!!!!!

I guess these last few weeks have been different/difficult. I don't know what was up with me, but I'm not that person anymore. I'm back to my good old happy self. I've learned a lot. One thing I've always known and will never forget is to never trust anyone, NO MATTER WHAT! My family is the most important thing is my life and I would never to anything to jeopordize my relationship with them. I thank them for always sticking by me and being the best family anyone can ever ask for.

As far as guys go, I'm still single. I'm very happy right now. I want to just enjoy the summer and see what happens. I am not looking for anyone right now, but if someone good comes a long and is worth holding on to, then I'll see what happens. Everyone deserves a chance.

I'm pumped for our cruise! We are getting picked up Sunday morning at 5 am!!!! But it will all be worth it. We have about a 4 hour flight to Puerto Rico and then we board the cruise. Right now, the weather in PR looks good and it looks great in the islands as well. Let's keep our fingers crossed it stays that way. We want hot sunny weather!!!!

Well, I'll post pictures and a little report of our trip when I get back :).

Another Hot Day!!

2008-07-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty hot here!! We just hung out in the pool and had a relaxing day. My puppy is crazy in the water. Chloe stayed in all day with us and just kept swimming and playing catch. On the other hand, Sandy my 8 year old lab is not doing well. She had to get blood work done yesterday and it all came back ok. It's good and bad at the same time. We were hoping it was her thyroid but it's not. So on the bad side, she has to get more tests done when we get back from vacation. I am keeping my fingers crossed she is ok and in my heart, I know she'll be fine!!!

I just did my 3 mile recovery run on the TM. It was suppose to be a 10:30 pace but I just couldn't help but go faster. It wound up being 3.1 miles in 30 minutes. At 6:30 tonight I have to teach my Zumba class. This is my favorite class to teach!! It's an hour of latin hip-hop. We def all work up a sweat.

Tomorrow I have my 15 miler scheduled in the morning. It's supposed to be extremely hot and humid here once again. We are going to the boardwalk early to hopefully beat some of the heat. And then at night, my run club runs start again. We have speed work to do. I may take it easy at night depending on how my legs are. I don't wanna push it too much.

So that's about it for today. Each day I'm getting more and more excited for the cruise. I just can't wait to be there already!!!!!!!!!

My Babies :)

2008-07-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Since having 1 dog wasn't enough, me and mom decided to "surprise" my family and bring home a puppy. She's now 5 1/2 months old and she's over 60 pounds!!! I had to share a few pics! Chloe (the puppy) is a golden lab and Sandy (my 8 year old) is a yellow/white lab. They are good together, but Chloe is a pain in the ***. She's always into trouble and full of energy. So we tire her out by letting her swim. She'll swim for a good 3-4 hours straight and then sleep all day!!! I love them both; they are part of the family!

13 miler felt like forever!!

2008-07-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

Once again the weather here in New Jersey is as humid as it gets! Thankfully, the sun stayed in but it was 97% humidity. Did not make it easy to breathe. I went through several bottles of water and it still didn't feel like it was enough for me. Everytime I would check my garmin to see how many miles we were it, it was so low! When I looked the first time me and mom said we had to be up to about 3 miles, and it was only 1.50!!!!!!! We knew it had to get done, so we finished, but complained the entire time. My legs were tight and did not want to move. I was ready to quit at 12.50, but mom made me finish. I was beyond excited to look at my watch and see 13 miles. This run was harder than any of the 20 milers!! Ugh. I'm glad she made me finish, but at the time I was NOT happy with her! I made her run on the other side of the road hah. All these long runs during the week are really taking a toll on my legs and we're only 3 weeks in!! O well it'll hopefully get better and will all pay off when the marathon gets here! This is another brutal week of training. Here's the schedule for the week:

Monday- 4 miles
Tuesday- off
Wednesday- 15 miles
Thursday- 10 miles
Friday- off
Saturday- Belmar 5 race (hoping for a PR but this training is slowing me down)
Sunday- 3 miles (first day on the cruise)

Next week, my mileage won't be as high because there is no way I am doing a long run on the ship!

So tonight I'm hanging home. We leave for vacation soon so I'm trying to get some outfits together. I can't wait to just be on the ship sailing through the caribbean. It'll be a great 8 days!

4th of July

2008-07-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

So yesterday's run was not successful. My knee and calf have been bothering me ughh and it def did not make the run easy. And the weather didn't help. I don't usually mind running in the summer, but the humidity is a killer.

Tomorrow, I am running 13 miles. Hopefully, it'll go well. My and I are running the boardwalk in the morning. I really can't imagine training without her. Right now, all of our runs are about 30-45 seconds FASTER than my training runs last year for the marathon. So far, that's a good singn. My knee just has to hold up!!

2008-07-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

Well today was a lazy day for me. It's so hot here so I lounged in my pool and drank some Bailey's with mom :). Got nice and tan though which is always great!!

Just went to the gym to run my 4 mile recovery run. It was a little faster than it should have been, but I just couldn't help it. I did it in 36:50. I felt great and could have kept going BUT I strictly following the schedule so i don't get injured. Tonight I have to teach Zumba at my other gym. My legs are feeling it this week. They are tight, but I'm dealing with it.

Tomorrow morning is another long run, and then we go to a BBQ for the day/night.

Hot Day!!

2008-07-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

So the schedule I posted yesterday had to be changed around a little bit. It is still going to be the same amount of mileage, just spread out. It was such a hot day here!! I got in 10.30 miles with mom this morning. We wound up keeping a 9:57 pace which I was happy with. It was so ridiculously hot and humid there was absolutely no clouds/shade. Definitely drank a lot of water and was VERY glad for the run to be over. I felt great the entire time, but was overheated. Legs were very tight from teaching my class last night. But it felt nice to jump right in our pool after I finished.

Tomorrow, I'll run about 4 miles at a slower recovery pace. And then Friday is an 8 miler in the morning. Saturday is my day off woahh!!!!!!!!! I'm gonna need it we're going to a big party for the 4th of July and it usually ends real late!

Well I'm just hanging out tonight! Hope everyone else had a great day!