DANCINGGARDENER
30,000-39,999 SparkPoints 38,436
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See this image largerday 30 of my streak for "Log in and spin the SparkPoints wheel" earned 1/27/2016See this image larger(2 comments)See this image largerI took a blue ribbon at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival - expert class!(2 comments)See this image larger(1 comments)See this image larger(3 comments)See this image largerWeek two day one of c25k! Getting out into the woods every other day is as big if not a bigger benefit than the cardio!See this image largerMy morning "run" is the best bit of the day!See this image largerAnother beautiful Wisconsin June morn to be out in the woods. Couch to 5k week 4 day 1 is in the books!See this image largerFinished week 4 of c25k! Week 5 is when it gets serious. Bring it on!(1 comments)See this image largerMy favorite 100 calories: a cup of fresh strawberries and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Unbelievably amazing.See this image larger27 days of full on sparkiness - 7.5 pounds down. The line is definitely going down but the day to day ups and downs can really deflate your enthusiasm. I'm keeping this chart to look at it when I gain weight "for no good reason". Sometimes you just have to back up and look at the big picture because the details can be misleading.See this image largerA very merry Solstice to all my sparklies! C25K week5 day 2 - alternating 5 minute walks with 8 minute jogs. Native hawkweed and irises are blooming!See this image largerAnother favorite 100 calories... sprouted 7 grain toast with a quarter cup of organic blueberry apple sauce and a dust of cinnamon. Breakfast pie!See this image largerC25k week 5 day THREE! Walk 5, run 20, walk 5! I truly feel like a runner again.See this image largerC25k week 6 day 2 This is the last run in the program that includes a walk break. Ran along the northern spillway on the Wisconsin River this morning. This part of the 30 mile Green Circle trail is right out my back door. It is stunningly beautiful but not a lick of shade! (Normally I am a forest runner) Walk 5 Run 10 Walk 3 Run 10 Walk 5See this image largerC25k week 6 day 3 Very warm and muggy even in the morning. I ran through dew laden oak and maple branches for a chilly refreshment. Walk 5 Run 25! Walk 5See this image largerweek 6 of my streak for "Exercise for at least 90 minutes per week" earned 6/30/2020See this image largerC25k week SEVEN day 1 May the only snags I have along my journey be dead trees providing habitat for all sorts of furry and feathered critters. Along the east side of the Wisconsin River just south of town. Walk 5 Run 25 Walk 5See this image largerC25K week 7 day 2! Wild roses were blooming all along the trail. With it being so muggy the fragrance was intoxicating! Walk 5 Run 25 Walk 5See this image largerI love my up and down squiggly little line of weight loss progress. It always reminds me to look at the big picture while still living life one day at a time.See this image largerC25K week 8 day! Because of the mugginess the smell of wild roses permeated the forest! Walk 5 Run 28 Walk 5See this image largerWahh Hooo! It took me this long to get my road bike up and running. I have been riding my light blue tank of an around-town bike with baskets, fenders and a cup holder until now. I shaved 17 minutes off my 10 mile ride just by riding a different bike!See this image largerI am a database girl professionally and love, love, love being my own data set. Running reports and and looking at graphs of my progress brings me more joy than even a smaller dress size or seeing the bones start to appear from under the fat.See this image largerday 49 of my streak for "Log in and spin the SparkPoints wheel" earned 7/12/2020(1 comments)See this image largerONEderland! For the first time in yeeeeasr!See this image largerI did it! I finished c25k! I have "ran" every other day for nine weeks. I can now keep a nice pace comfortably for 30 minutes. I don't run fast enough to run a 5k in 30 minutes yet but that's the NEXT goal. Starting tomorrow I am going to start over with week 1again but instead of alternating walking and jogging, I'm going to alternate jogging and jogging a little faster.See this image larger30 minute run along the river. My first after-c25k run. This is my favorite bench on the 26 mile trail it feels good but odd to run right past it and not stop and sit for a while. So I took a picture and kept on running!See this image largerInstead of along the River this morning, I ran around the lake! Cloudy, cool and teeming with spotted fawns, a piliated woodpecker and, a first this year, a porcupine! Walk 5 Run 30 Walk 5See this image largerEvery time I jog past this rock I wish I was strong enough to jump on top of it. Yet another goal! Walk 5 minutes Jog 29 interspersed with six 60 second "really fast jogs" Walk 5 2.29 milesSee this image largerOh my stars and sweatbands, it is hot AND muggy out there. Glad I got in both my run and my lawn mode before 9 am!See this image largerI finished c25k last week and am starting it all over but instead of alternating walking & jogging, I'm alternating jogging and running. I can jog 30 minutes but it is no way a 5k in 30 minutes (yet!) Walk 5 Jog 30 minutes interspersed with eight 60-second spurts of jogging (almost) as fast as I can Walk 5See this image largerAfter completing c25k I am starting all over again but this time I'm alternating jogging and running instead of walking and jogging. This was my third day of week one redux. They've all been tough but at one point I just had to slow to a walk. I just didn't have it in me this morning. This was the first time in over 2 months where I had to break with my planned run. Luckily I am really good at forgiving myself. Walk 5 minutes Jog 24 interspersed with 6 sixty seconds runs Walk 11See this image largerSee this image largerAugust movement goal: 1000 minutes of cardio (~250 minutes per week) August Spark goal: 3,000 spark points August food goal: 60 grams of protein and 20+ grams of fiber every day.See this image largerTrying to make my "running" a little more respectable because I can make a "run-like motion" for 30 minutes. Oh my stars and gym music, that was tough yet surprisingly doable. Walk 5 minutes Run 10 at 150 bpm Run 15 at 155 bpm Run 5 at 160 bpm Walk 5See this image largerWednesday farmers market is the best thing ever. Everyone is masked, lots of selection, outdoors, and not a crush of people. Homemade bread, black crim tomatoes, and lettuce in August!See this image largerSure I can see it in my face and feel my clothes are looser but for this data-driven girl, nothing gives me more joy than my progress on this chart.See this image largerNoon is not a time for me to run. Ran 20 minutes and remembered that solar rays are my kryptonite. Akkkk! I mixed in a few sets of high knees, heel kicks, and lunge steps on my walk back.See this image largerMaking the "right" choices Walk 5 minutes Jog 30 Walk 5See this image largerInstead of pace, today I worked on stamina. Added 10% onto my now-normal 30 minute run. Walk 5 minutes Run 33 Walk 5See this image largerA little bit farther down the trail! After a couple weeks of jogging 30 minutes, I added a 3 minute walk in between two 17 minute jogs to extend out into a longer run. Walk 5 minutes Jog 17 Walk 3 Jog 17 Walk 5See this image largerBreakfast with my roommate (my floor loom). Irish oats, walnuts, blueberries, cinnamon, brown sugar, all drizzled with a tablespoon of heavy cream and an espresso.See this image largerRan almost the whole thing in a mask because there were bicyclists every few yards the whole way 💗 Walk 5 minutes Jog 18 Walk 2 Jog 18 Walk 3See this image largerSee this image larger40 minutes in the woods. Ahhhh... Walk 5 minutes Jog 10 at 150 bpm Jog 15 at 155 bpm Jog 5 at 160 bpm Walk 5See this image largerFirst 5k run of the summer! Walk 6 minutes 3*(jog 10, walk 1) Jog 10 Walk 4See this image largerWent for a 2.5 mile walk with a friend I haven't seen since Christmas!See this image largerEnded up walking the last kilometer because it was just so dang humid! But a beautiful morning to "run" a 5k nonetheless. I came around a bend in the woods along the river and 3 sandhill cranes were just standing there. They were taller than me. I've never been so close to a dinosaur! Walk 5 minutes (Jog 13, walk 2) x 2 Jog 13 Walk 12See this image largerSlo-mo 5k on a whole new spur off my regular trail!See this image larger100 days of showing up, logging in, and sparking! I've lost 24 pounds, am running in the woods every other day and am no longer taking anti-anxiety meds because sweating in the forest is my drug! Thank you everyone for being here. You are all so beautiful and inspirational!See this image largerA beautiful blustery almost-autumnal morning run in the forest. Running in 50° sunshine is soooooo much easier than running in a 80° sauna. (I'm a northern girl who thinks optimal running weather is 35° and sunny) Walk 5 minutes Run 30 Walk 5See this image largerI finished c25k at the end of July, spent August consolidating so running 30 minutes every other day is normal, now I am ready to build on this with Bridge to 10k! Got out my markers this morning and made up a new chart for refrigerator door! I have stars I will use to tick off each run 🌻🏃‍♀️🌻See this image largerWell dang. I feel like I won macronutrient roulette! I've never nailed the the spark-recommended ratio before today.See this image largerBridge to 10k week one is in the books! My 5 year old granddaughter loves the fact that I too have a star chart on the refrigerator. She asked me about it on the phone last night, I told her, and she said, "good job grandma! But who is going to buy you a toy?"See this image largerBridge to 10k week 2 run1 is in the books! On the way home I stopped at the farmers market for veg. My haul is *almost* to pretty to eat!See this image largerBridge to 10k week 2 run 2! It was 58° with a light rain. The forest is truly magical in the rain! 💗🌧💗 Walk 5 minutes Run 30 Walk 5 There's definitely signs of autumn out there!🍂🍁🍂See this image largerAfter my 3 mile 50 minute run, I really appreciated seeing this this morning first thing when I got back. I love it when SP is psychic!(1 comments)See this image largerBridge to 10k week 4 run 1 For a change I ran around the lake. It was lovely but compared to my normal trails of crushed gravel, the soft wood chip path felt like foam rubber! My ankles appreciated it but my thighs have a special burn to them today!See this image largerBridge to 10k week 4 run 2 The fall colors were so amazing that I forgot to take a photo! Walk 5 minutes Run 30 Walk 5See this image largerWow! In less than 5 minutes I sauted two chicken tenders, pulled it and added 2T of barbecue sauce, put it in lightly toasted thin sliced seedy bread with a handful of fresh spinach and "too many pickles" 295 calories and grams of protein.See this image largerEven farther down the trail! I am doing Bridge to 10k this month and next. 8 weeks of three runs - a short "fast" one, a 30 minute "normal" one, and an ever increasing long run. Each long run I get a little farther down the trail. Too, too thrilling! B210k week 4 run 3! Walk 5 minutes Run 50 Walk 5See this image largerBridge to 10k week 5 is in the books! Walk 5 minutes Run 50 Walk 5See this image largerBridge To 10k week 6 run 2! I'm plateau busting this month after 3 weeks of no scale movement. Today's switch up was a whole new trail along the Plover River with no music or audiobook. Just the sounds of the wind in the trees and the soosh of the river. Walk 5 minutes Run 30 Walk 5See this image largerBridge 2 10k week 6 run 3. I just ran farther and longer than ever before! 💗💪💗 It was 38° and windy down along the river but that just meant I had to run just to keep warm! Walk 5 minutes Run 55 Walk 5See this image largerBridge to 10k week 7 run 1 - it sure is gorgeous out there. Walk 5 minutes Run 20 Walk 5See this image largerBridge to 10k week 7 run 2. It was in the 30s, cloudy and threatening rain when I headed out but sunny and 42 by the time I was done! Walk 5 minutes Run 10 at 150 bpm Run 15 at 155 bpm Run 5 at 160 bpm Walk 5See this image largerBridge to 10k week 7 run 3 It wasn't anywhere near as cold as I thought it would be. I was a running strip tease show as I shed layers along the way 🤣 Walk 5 minutes Run 55 Walk 5See this image largerBridge to10k week 8 run 1 Oooo it's getting nippy out there! At 32° running is a great way to keep warm! Walk 5 minutes Run 20 Walk 5See this image largerSmall steps will get you to where you are going!See this image largerBridge to 10k week 8 run 2 Have I ever told you how much I love wool socks? Walk 5 minutes Run 30 Walk 5See this image largerLongest and farthest run ever! It was barely 32° and windy but at least the freezing rain held out until I was done. Snow is so much warmer than rain because snow doesn't soak throughyourclothes.See this image largerI just finished B210k based on time with the eighth week culminating in a 60 min run which, at my pace is nowhere near 10k. So now I am starting over focusing on distance rather than time. Saw this little guy along the trail! 🧡🖤 🎃 🖤🧡 Walk .5 km Run 2.5 km Walk 1 kmSee this image largerBridge to 10k week 2 run 1 It was 40° today! That's the warmest it's been for a couple weeks. A sunny & windy 4k jog along the river. So calming AND I set three personal records! Success comes frequently when you have lots of room for improvement! Walk .5k Run 3k Walk .5kSee this image largerBridge to 10k week 2 run 2 I drove to a whole new trailhead on The Green CircleTrail today. A new section of oak forest at the confluence of the Plover and Wisconsin Rivers. Walk .5k Run 5k Walk .5kSee this image largerIt wasn't snowing when I set out! Runnig in the snow is so much better than rain because snow doesn't soak through your clothes! And the sun peeking out made for a million little rainbows 🌈❄🌈 Walk .5k Run 4k Walk .5kSee this image larger40 pounds down... running makes losing weight easier and losing weight makes running easier!(3 comments)See this image largerOnce Around the Park, James! I was trying to figure out a 5k route in the nature reserve near my house... I ran a 4.5km route on my run today. Not bad. I figure if I add the north side of the lake in some sort of figure '8' next time that'll be a solid 5k if not 6. Walk .5k Run 4kSee this image largerSelfie Sunday? Make that Selfie Runday! 4 personal records today! Genuine negative splits! I run harder in the cold because it's cold. Runday! Runday! Runday!(3 comments)See this image largerI just made it to a BIG GOAL!! Ive been running every other day since Memorial Day. When I started I was only jogging in 60 second bursts with 90 second walks in between. My big goal of the year was to run this loop without droppingto a walk "by Thanksgiving" but I am declaring that "by the end of Thanksgiving weekend" is close enough! I had never even tried it before because I was afraid of pooping out 70% into it then have to drag myself home.See this image largerJust thought I'd celebrate my longest run ever (5 miles!) with a "before and during" photo. This is me Memorial Day 2020 and then 40 pounds lighter Thanksgiving. I am sooo much healthier and happier now! Running makes losing weight easier and losing weight makes running easier! #BeforeAndAfter (2 comments)See this image largerWent out for a windy chilly Wisconsin afternoon run and somehow set SIX personal records! Thoughts: 1) Honestly I cannot tell a good run from a bad one while I'm running. 2) The best thing about being such a slow joy-driven runner means I have LOTS of room for improvement ❤See this image largerAll ready for my Santa Obscura 5k! The bright green Santa pack on my back is full of hand knit hats and chocolates for my friends and neighbors! (45 minutes later) It was freezing drizzle out there. I found myself creeping under windows so I wouldn't be spotted and then "sprinting" to the next friend's house so I'd get done before I was soaked and the street icy. Somehow I set a 5k personal record! It's a Christmas miracle!See this image largerWent out and bought myself a new home workout machine! Then I brought it home and put in a 45 minute full body workout on it ☃️☃️☃️See this image larger(1 comments)See this image largerWoo hoo! 5 mile trail run (including the road to and from the trail) The forest is heavy and beautiful with rime ice. I love Wisconsin. It is so beautiful outside 365 days a year.See this image largerWoo Hooo! Reward day for getting under 170 (45 pounds down!) I got new minimalist trail running shoes today. They fit like a glove. I took them out for short test run and ended up running 5 miles on the snowy trails along the Wisconsin River. Too too much fun!See this image largerIt's Shrove Tuesday! Pancake Day! Cinnamon oat cakes with blueberries and a drizzle of Wisconsin maple syrupSee this image largerOur 'new' 1985 13 foot Scamp - her name is Purl.(2 comments)See this image largerAugust 31 - 187 lbs (42 pounds lost)(4 comments)See this image largerJune 30, 2010 - 195 lbs (34 pounds lost)(3 comments)See this image largerApril 30, 2010 - 207 lbs (22 pounds lost)See this image larger(2 comments)See this image largerMe & my van Harold in Tomahawk Wisc.(4 comments)See this image larger(3 comments)See this image largerJazz Hands!!!(1 comments)

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