RACE RECAP: Zappo's Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon

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Life needs more cowbell

How do I sum up a race that I've been nervous about and looking forward to for six months?  I'm not entirely sure but I'm going to give it my best shot.  Six months ago I met Coach Barbara from Team Challenge on The Dr. Oz Show as part of the Transformation Nation Million Dollar You contest.  When I met her I was excited to train with a team and nervous about trying to run a half marathon.  I am absolutely in love with the fact that I trained with Team Challenge and would recommend that everyone do it (I'll tell you why in a minute) if you have any interest in training for a longer distance run.  So, here's what happened over the weekend.

Friday:  Dan and I flew to Las Vegas, took a shuttle bus to the hotel and grabbed a quick lunch.  We met up with my Team Challenge team to walk to the expo so we could pick up our bibs/race packets.  This was the first major race expo I'd been to and I was overwhelmed with the amount of exhibitors there.  I was excited to see new products and try a few samples.  I had no idea we'd been walking around the expo for nearly 2 hours - no wonder I was starting to get tired!  As we headed back to our room my mom called (they drove to Las Vegas to support me) so we walked to their hotel.  Mom had brought a ton of snacks and drinks for us so we went to gather them.  We came back to the hotel, enjoyed some of those snacks (she brought A LOT!) while chatting with Mom, Dad and my cousin Jane before heading downstairs to dinner.  Since Friday was my birthday I'd made reservations at Public House.  We met up with more family members, Mark (who was also running the half marathon) his wife Paula, Craig and his fiance Marina.  Dinner was super yummy and I was thrilled to be able to celebrate with everyone.

Yes, that's a cookie in the background
for post-race celebration!  Thanks Dad!

Saturday:  Dan and I met up with Team Challenge Illinois to head out on a short (30ish minutes) group run.  It was my last official Team Challenge training run and I was both excited (because we were running in Las Vegas) and sad (because it was the last group run).  When we were finished we headed to brunch with the group, which is really the best way to end a run!  After brunch we walked back to the hotel to get cleaned up before meeting up with Mom and Dad.  They'd been walking around all day and said that the Wynn (where everyone else was staying) was beautifully decorated so we decided to have dinner there.  We walked through Wynn and I was in awe at the decor - it was so beautiful.  Elegant and classy are not two words that I think of in Las Vegas but the Wynn made it just that.  We met up with Mark, Paula, Craig, Marina and Jane for dinner at Allegro.  Unfortunately, Dan and I were both pretty tired so we headed back to our hotel.  When I got back I found that my team had left me a belated birthday cupcake!  I laid out all of my race gear so I'd be ready for Sunday.

Pre-Race Interview with Coach B

Sunday:  Dan and I headed to Grand Luxe Cafe to meet Team Challenge Illinois for breakfast.  After breakfast I went back upstairs to lay down while Dan went in search of a place to watch the Bears game.  About 30 minutes later I got a major surprise - my sister and brother-in-law flew in to watch the race!  After some more resting it was time to get ready.  I was glad that I had everything laid out because it was easy to put things on and not feel rushed about it.  Once I was dressed we headed down to the lobby where Coach Barbara and I were interviewed by CCFA (how cool is that?!) and to meet my team for team photos.  

Mark and Me
He finished the race in 2:29:49
He's 100% badass awesome for that
(and more)

Then it was time to head to the bus for our ride to the start line.  Once we got there we headed to gear check, I hit the port-o-potties and then we started making our way to our corrals.  Even though the crowd at the start village was HUGE somehow Mark and Paula found me so I had someone to hang out with pre-race.  It was windy at the start village so I was glad that I'd brought a long sleeve t-shirt to wear while waiting to start.  The corrals were marked, however there wasn't any separators between the corrals so somehow we ended up lining up with 28 (our designated corral) but started with 30 - whoops!  The course started near Mandalay Bay and ran down past the airport.  This part was slightly brutal because the wind was really whipping and it was blowing a lot of sand around.  I tried to keep up with Mark (or at least keep him in my sights) but I'd lost him around the first water stop.  The crowds down by the airport were sparse but as I neared the hotels on the strip the crowds were there - and they were loud.  It was so awesome!  People were cheering for Team Challenge - whether they knew you or not they were screaming for you (this is why I think being a TC half marathoner was the best way to train!) and it gave me motivation to keep running.  Someone noticed my name (which was on my singlet) and shouted for me which was so cool!  I had a little trouble with my headphones because I was using a pair that I didn't train with.  They were earbuds with detachable pieces to go over my ears.  Unfortunately one of those pieces detached so I carried it because I didn't want to lose it.  Obviously, this is why you don't try new stuff on race day!  When I saw my family along the route I passed it off to them - thanks for hanging onto that for me!  

So I have to describe my first cheering squad.  Craig, Marina, Brenda, Alex and Mom were hanging out around mile 3 or 4 - I think but am not sure.  The first person I saw was Marina standing on the median screaming her head off - seriously she is the cutest little person ever and she was yelling and cheering.  I saw Craig holding out his hand for a high five but all he got was my ear bud piece (sorry dude, next time?).  Brenda and Alex were cheering crazy mad and since they have both run half marathons they knew how I felt.  Mom was cheering and blowing kisses.  I'm not sure who had the cowbell but I heard that thing clanging and it was awesome!  I kinda wanted to stay and hang out for awhile with these amazing people but I had more miles to run.  

Just shy of the 10K mark
Lots of things had started hurting by this point

There was more cheering from random strangers and I tried to wave or smile at them.  I thanked the water station volunteers (even though I was carrying water I grabbed some at the stations to sip because it was colder than mine) because they were cheering like crazy too.  I don't really remember much else until I got nearer to Stratosphere.  Dan had texted me and told me where he was so I started scanning the crowd for him.  I spotted Paula and her pom-poms first and Jane next.  I saw Dan (who was taking photos) and Dad who was yelling his head off.  Dan said that Dad saw how much the runners responded to his cheering and it made him yell louder!  Incidentally both of my parents were practically hoarse the next day.

I stopped shortly after this point to retie my shoes - why do they always loosen up as I run?  I ran until I hit the 10K mat and then started walking.  I just couldn't run.  My brain kept telling me to run but my legs kept telling me to lay down.  On the strip.  I hated it but kept walking quickly.  I kept thinking of Christine telling me during a training run that if I was going to walk that I had to walk quickly.  I'd pulled my arm warmers off around mile 1.5 and tied them on my belt.  I'd started to get cold around mile 8 so I put them back on.  I tried to run a few times but everything hurt and I ended up walking the majority of the rest of the race.  I met up with Coach Barbara around 11.5 and she tried to get me to run again.  That worked for all of about 150 feet.  I felt very defeated and sort of wanted to be alone but once I crossed the finish line I was glad she was there.  My official finish time was 3:03:31.

Crossing the finish line wasn't the big emotional part that I thought it'd be but that was because I felt like throwing up.  I saw chairs in the med tent and asked if I could sit for a minute.  The medics started to ask me some questions and things kind of got a little fuzzy.  I started shivering - very badly.  Coach B ran to grab space blankets for us but I couldn't get warm.  I tried to drink water but it was cold so that seemed counter productive to me.  The medic told Coach B to sit behind me and bear hug me to try to warm me up and that's when she realized how wet/sweaty I was.  She told me to get my sleeves off (done) and somehow she got my gear check bag brought to the med tent.  They asked me if I'd be comfortable changing and I said I didn't care - I immediately pulled off my singlet and t-shirt and pulled on my sweatshirt.  I got my shoes and capris off and pulled my pants on.  I couldn't get my fingers to work to get my shoes back on so Coach B helped me.  It was at this moment that I was so thankful she'd yelled at me about my gear check bag at the Hot Chocolate race because I was prepared this time!  I pulled on my the gloves and winter hat that I'd also packed (and wondered why since it was 70 degrees outside at the time!) and was then escorted to a golf cart for a ride to the main med tent.  Once there I was wrapped in more blankets and put in front of a heater which felt amazing.  Somehow Dan made it up to main med as I started to feel better.  The girl next to me was not feeling well and she started throwing up.  That's pretty much what made me get up and leave.

We started walking towards the exit and I grabbed some snacks on the way out.  We stopped at the Team Challenge tent to check-in and I got my 13.1 finisher's pin.  Clearly this wasn't the race that I thought it'd be - I thought I'd run much more, if not all of it.  However, I did it.  I did the training and I covered the 13.1 miles - maybe not the way I intended but I did it.

I made a whole list of goals before the race.  Let's see how I did:

• Exceed my fundraising goal - Thanks to the best family/friends ever I did this!
• Be happy while running this race (you've already done the hard work of training and fundraising and now it's time to have fun) - I did for the first 10K and then I forgot about this goal
• Run the entire race, even if the pace is slow as hell, keep running - I did not do this
• Listen to the crowds and enjoy the bands on the course - I definitely loved the crowds.  I didn't mind the bands though I didn't spend much time listening to them either
• Don't fall down - HUGE SUCCESS!
• Do not accept anything on the course (food/drink) that hasn't been tried during training - I only took water and high fives on the course, so I guess this means success!
• Finish the race running - seriously - maybe next time?
• Finish the race with a gigantic smile plastered all over my face - definitely failed at this one (the official race photos are proof that I didn't smile)
• Fuel appropriately during the race - this I did pretty well
• Have a photo taken with my space blanket and race medal - I am bummed about missing this one but the med tent seemed like a better place for me
• Rehydrate appropriately after the race and then enjoy a beer - I rehydrated but did not have a beer.  Last night we had some wine with dinner so I think that counts as satisfying this goal
• Eat whatever you want after the race - don't count the points but that meal is it. Then back on track. - I had a bacon cheeseburger from room service.  It was alright.  Eating yesterday while we were en route home was a little off base but I'm glad to be back on track now
• Have fun with your family who will be there before/during/after the race - Definitely accomplished this goal.  I can't believe all of the people who came to Las Vegas to support me.  I know that I am truly blessed with such wonderful people in my life

If you are considering training for a half marathon find a group like Team Challenge (or do it with Team Challenge) because the coaching and on course support from the entire Team Challenge family was absolutely amazing.  I will definitely run more races with Team Challenge ... it's just a matter of deciding which one.  Anyone want to run/train with me?

GUEST POST: Mercedes - Transitioning to HIIT

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Hi everyone! I am Mercedes Moebuis and I met Jen as a fellow contestant on the Transformation Nation challenge. I am so excited to be guest blogging here! I have been fighting my weight basically since hitting puberty in high school. I had lost weight many times in the past but usually due to fad diets and diet pills and no exercise. In fact, exercise was a FOUR letter word to me for a very long time. It wasn’t until I had my first child and had gained 65 lbs with that pregnancy that I started working out. I enjoyed it to some degree but would go through spurts as to my commitment to it.

In 2011, a few months after I had my last child, I was done. I was 70 pounds overweight, had post partum depression and some health issues and instead of turning to food for comfort like I did so often in the past, I turned to exercise and eating healthy. I knew I needed to make a serious change and I knew I had to do it the RIGHT way- through proper nutrition and regular exercise, not the way I had before. I also knew I had to kick my workouts into high gear and find something I would enjoy doing. I had been doing some strength training and cardio a few times a week but nothing that really pushed me to my limits. I did like exercising but I was starting to find more excuses for not going to work out then to actually do it.

I would break my workouts down into an upper body strength routine and then another day a lower body strength routine and then I mainly walked or jogged on the treadmill, but I was bored with doing the same thing all the time. That is when I started reading magazines and articles that were basically tailored to the workout enthusiast. I started reading about how you needed to create muscle confusion by changing workouts up frequently to avoid plateaus and that my normal routine really needed an overhaul. I also read about something called High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT training that was growing in popularity in the fitness realm for torching calories and burning body fat. So I took what I had learned and revamped my strength training and cardio routines. I broke my strength training down into specific muscle groupings and I changed up my cardio workouts and increased my workouts to five days per week.

I am not gonna lie, the first time I tried HIIT I thought I was going to keel over! LOL! But I also was ADDICTED immediately! I started with 2 min walk and 45 second running intervals. I now am at a 2 to 1 ratio. So I walk for 2 min at a comfortable speed for me then I bust out an INTENSE run, as fast as I can go for one minute then back to walking. I repeat these intervals 4-5 times! At first my intense interval was about 7.5 mph but I now do my intensity intervals around 9-9.5 mph! It is such an amazing rush afterwards to have worked out at that high an intensity. Adrenaline is pumping. Endorphins are high. YES!!!!! Burn Fat Burn! The great thing about HIIT training is that you burn more calories in LESS time than steady state running workouts AND your metabolism stays at a higher calorie burn for up to 24 hours post workout!

HIIT training should only be done at most 2 times per week. I personally start my workouts with a warm up , then I do my weight training then my cardio. My typical cardio routines are HIIT training twice a week and then I alternate my days with elliptical, bike, step mill and classes like Body Pump and Body Combat. I like to keep my workouts fresh and ever changing so I don’t get bored!

I lost 64 pounds during my weight loss transformation and it has completely changed my life! I am now a Certified Health Coach, and about to get my Fitness Nutrition Specialist and Personal Training Certifications. Please check out more of my weight loss and fitness tips on my blog at www.mmwellnesssolutions.com and follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MercedesMoebuisFitness.

Thank you so much to Jen for having me here! Its been so much fun!

Transformation Nation: Friday (The Finale)

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Once the alarm went off I got up, showered and got dressed only to realize that we were waiting around about 20 minutes - how we got ready that quickly I will never know!  Finally the car was there and we were headed to the studio.  We got our temporary security badges and headed upstairs but our dressing room was being used by someone else so we were put into a different room for a little while.  Soon it was time for me to go off to hair and make-up.  With my hair in curlers but my make-up complete we were taken into the studio for a quick rehearsal.  At this moment I was so glad that I'd decided to go with flats and not be daring and wear heels because we had to walk down the stairs as we were introduced!

After rehearsal we were taken back to our dressing rooms and I finally got to see Dan again.  Poor guy was just sitting around a room with 2 of the other contestants husbands while we were getting all dolled up.  After a little while they called us back to hair/make-up to finish and make any touch-ups.  It must have been during this time that they took all the spouses out to the studio because when we came back they were gone.  It was also at this point that I found out my segment with Dr. Oz was going to be a quick Q&A which made me nervous again.  But... ok... let's do this!  Soon it was show time and we were taken up the back stairs to the studio.  As the show began I searched the crowd for Dan and soon spotted him.  I tried to wave to him but he didn't see me.  Then it was time for our entrances.  I was nervous about falling down the stairs - I don't know how Dr. Oz does that day in and day out!  Luckily, I didn't fall!!

After that segment we were all taken out of the studio and waited in the hall for our segments.  Mine was the second to last segment which was both good and bad.  The good part was that I didn't have to stand the whole time but the bad part was that I didn't get to see any of the show.  I did get to talk to the other contestants and the staff of the show which was fun.  I also saw a lady from Team Challenge (they train people to run a half marathon and raise money to benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation) walking around which I thought was cool.  I wanted to walk up to her and tell her that I planned on joining them next year but I was sure she got that all the time and I didn't want to be "that" guy.  Ya know?  Soon enough it was time for me to go into the studio.  I stood behind the camera/crew until it was time for me to go on stage.  They were playing some good music in the studio so I decided to dance out my nervousness.  I'm pretty certain I looked like a dork but I didn't really care.  Suddenly they were playing my video and I was being escorted on stage.

Dr. Oz asked me my question and I answered it and then the most awesome of awesome things happened.  The Dr. Oz Show had arranged for the lady I saw earlier from Team Challenge to be here for me!  I couldn't believe this and I was completely overcome with emotion.  I tried to stop crying because I didn't want to mess up my make-up but it was no use.  However, then my segment was over and I was on my way over to my truth tube.  There was a break in the filming and we were given some last minute direction on what was going to happen and then the filming began again.  We all joined hands as Dr. Oz read the name of the winner.  At the time he read the name the cannons went off and I honestly couldn't hear what he said.  It took me a minute to realize it was Mike!  We finished up filming and took a couple more photos with the Top 10 and then we were on our way back to our dressing rooms.

Even though I didn't win the contest I know that I've won.  The point of me losing weight was never to win this contest.  The point was for me to try to get to a healthy weight and live a healthy life.  I believe that I am doing that and will continue on this journey and for that I am so happy and proud.  I am also absolutely thrilled to be a part of this group of people who have transformed ourselves to be ambassadors for healthy living.  I have made some fabulous friends and learned some amazing things throughout this process.  One of those things is that whether you have a little bit of weight to lose or a lot it is absolutely possible.  There is a tremendous community of people to draw inspiration from and I hope that if you are thinking of starting this journey that you will reach out to them.  It has definitely made me more successful and I know it will keep me on this path forever.

I want to thank Mercedes, Stephanie, Sheila, Sharona, Stella, Mary Ellen, Dawn, Karl & Mike for sharing this crazy adventure with me.  I hope that wherever life takes you that you are happy and healthy.  I also hope that our paths will cross again some day!

I also want to thank each of you, again, for all the love and support that you have shown me throughout the last several weeks.  I would have never thought that any of this was possible and I never thought people would have had such a tremendous reaction.  You have made me feel incredible the last few weeks and it has meant so much to me.

Transformation Nation: Thursday (NYC adventures)

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On Thursday, May 17, 2012, Dan and I got up early, got showered/dressed and headed out the door for O'Hare Airport.  We grabbed breakfast at Macaroni Grill which was near the gate we were departing from and offered a nice place to sit down and kill some time.  On our way to the gate we each grabbed a magazine to read and I grabbed a latte and Dan grabbed a soda.  We were lucky enough to have upgraded our seats so we were in the first row behind first class.  The flight to New York seems short and this time I didn't even finish reading my magazine before we were on the ground.  We grabbed our stuff and headed to meet the driver who was taking us to the hotel.

It was a beautiful day in New York City with the sun shining and hardly a cloud in the sky.  We snapped a few photos on the drive from the airport to the hotel.  We tried to check-in but we were really early so the room wasn't ready.  We dropped our bags off and went in search of some lunch.  We walked past quite a few restaurants and checked out their menus but nothing seemed quite right.  We happened upon a place called Rosie O'Grady's on 7th Avenue which had some great outdoor seating.  So we stopped there and had lunch.  We shared an appetizer of smoked salmon (YUM!) and Dan had a swordfish club sandwich and I had a Maryland Crabcake-brioche for my entree.  Both meals came with fries but I ate very few of them having already indulged in a delicious piece of raisin/rye bread from the bread basket.  The food was delicious but the best part of outdoor dining is always the people watching.

After lunch we headed in the direction of Central Park.  Dan had been checking out other things for us to do while we were there but I really wanted to see Central Park and it was such a great day that we couldn't pass it up.  I'd planned on wearing my Garmin so I'd know how far we went but I forgot to put it on when we left but we tracked 3.69 miles and think we walked somewhere closer to 4.5 - 5.0 miles by the end of the day.  The paths are plentiful throughout the park and though we didn't know where we were going we just kept walking.  We stopped at one of the many snack huts and bought a bottle of water and sat down for a few minutes but other than that we kept moving.

We had decided to stop at Whole Foods to check out their beer selection but didn't find much that we couldn't get at home so we passed on that but ended up stopping at a pharmacy because I'd forgotten the "socks" that I normally wear with dress shoes so I needed to find a new pair.  I was surprised at the number of horse drawn carriages around the park - I realized there would be some but it seemed like the line of them waiting to take people on a ride was never ending.  We finally arrived back at the hotel and checked into our room and laid down to take a break before dinner.


After I found out that I made the Top 10 and would be going back to NYC I booked a reservation at Bar Americain.  It was close to our hotel so we laced up our walking shoes again and headed back out.  Once there we enjoyed an appetizer of Wild Salmon with red chiles, cilantro and lime.  I'm generally not a big fan of cilantro but I LOVED it in this dish.  For our entree's Dan enjoyed the ribeye steak with a side of asparagus.  Dan shared a piece of his steak with me and oh my gosh it was so delicious - perfectly cooked and super tender.  I decided to go bold and get the Whole Dorade with Crabmeat Dressing and Roasted Lemon.  I've never ordered a whole fish before so I was a little scared of what might arrive.  I had a little trouble with the bones at first but Dan gave me some quick tips and I was quickly enjoying my fish.  It was absolutely delicious!  For dessert we decided to share the cheese plate and we each had a glass of port.  This is a new found favorite way to cap off the meal.

As we left we were walking by the David Letterman theater so we stopped for a photo and then decided to walk through Rockefeller Plaza.  The city was so beautiful during the day that I didn't think it could get much better at night but with all the lights I was not disappointed.  We definitely took the long way home but after that big dinner I was a little relieved that we spent a little more time walking back to the hotel!

Once back at the hotel it was time to get things ready for Friday.  I'd already gotten my call from The Dr. Oz Show that my car would be waiting to pick us up at 6:15 am to bring us to the studio for hair/make-up.  So, I quickly ironed our clothes and hung them up before bed.  Sleep, however, did not seem to be my friend that night.

Just a reminder to set your DVR or plan to tune in tomorrow to find out the winner of The Dr. Oz Show's Transformation Nation Million Dollar You contest!  Here is the information for the markets that I am aware of:
For friends living in the Oshkosh, WI area - FOX @ 3 pm
For friends living in the Minneapolis, MN area - NBC-Kare11 @ 3 pm
For friends living in the Arcadia, WI area - ABC @ 4 pm
For friends living in the Chicago, IL area - FOX @ 4 pm

You can also consult this link to find out when/where it airs in your area:
http://www.doctoroz.com/find-station

Transformation Nation: THANK YOU

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Dear Family, Friends, Friends of Family and Friends of Friends,

I knew when I found out that I was a Top 10 Finalist in The Dr. Oz Show Transformation Nation:  Million Dollar You contest that I'd be blogging every day.  There were a lot of things that I wanted to share about being on the show as well as asking people to vote for me.  I also knew that the last post of the week would be this letter but finding the right words has been a struggle.

I was very fortunate to spend the weekend in my hometown with family and I was reminded that this experience has been as thrilling for you as it has been for me.  Family, friends and complete strangers told me how proud they were of me and encouraged me to keep going to achieve my goal.  I cannot tell you how much each moment of each day, and each story, email, and instant message has meant to me.  Some of you made me cry happy tears and some of you made me laugh but I hope you know that each and every message will, forever and always, hold a special place in my heart.

I have no idea what will happen next but I know that I am proud to have come as far as I have and I look forward to whatever adventure is next.  Until there is more to share . . .


Much love,
Jen

Thoughts pre-race

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I'm writing this post on Friday so you can read it first thing in the morning on Saturday.  I'm thoughtful that way!  :)  Today is the day that I've spent the last 8 weeks training for.  Today is the day that I'll see if I have what it takes to run 3.1 miles.  Today is race day.

Let's rewind to a couple of years ago when I started Weight Watchers, particularly when I switched to the 4:30 pm meeting and met Kim.  Kim is an avid racer - 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, marathons (right Kim?) even the Tower Climb and Hustle Up the Hancock don't even give Kim a moment of pause.  I honestly thought she was nuts - I thought I would/could never do something like that!  Fast forward a year to 2011 when I started walking in 5Ks and I still thought that I would/could never run a race.  Even the high from completing a race wasn't enough to make me think that I could run.  Then fast forward again to the end of 2011 and I realized that I was pretty much at the limit of how fast I could walk.  But I still wanted to do more races and get faster what would I do?

At that point my husband suggested I look into the Couch 2 5K program.  Still thinking he was crazy I checked it out and the more I thought about it the more I thought, "Hey, I think I can do this - I mean I can run for 30 seconds" and so it began!  I started training and then found an app to have on my phone called Learn 2 Run.  It's very similar but it only takes 8 weeks (instead of the C25K program that takes 9 weeks) to be ready for a race.  Plus, I liked that I had an app that would count down the time I had to run.  I mean I don't need to be running and then remember (or calculate) when I should stop running.  The app did all that for me!  Additionally it has more training programs to use - like 5K - 10K (which yes, I am going to start next week) so I was kind of in love with it.  The app also tracks the amount of time running, walking and total.  For those that know me you know that I love numbers/data so this is totally in my wheelhouse.

As I started running more I realized I wasn't crazy about my headphones - I always seemed to end up ripping them out of my ear and then I'd practically trip over them.  Yes, I'm graceful that way!  So I started programming my Garmin Forerunner to tell me when to run and for how long and I love that even more.  I get to completely unplug for an hour when I go running.  So I guess the lessons learned here is that I never thought I'd be running and I certainly didn't think I'd do it without listening to music but I do enjoy it and I definitely like the results when it's Tuesday at 4:30 (weigh-in time).

So, I'll go out today and run 3.1 miles in the peaceful and serene Eagle River, Wisconsin.  The best part is that I'll likely be smiling from ear to ear the entire time.  This is something that I honestly never thought I'd do or enjoy but I will tomorrow and I love the fact that I'm doing something that I doubted about myself before.

Do you ever have those moments where you've overcome something you never thought possible?  How did you feel?  Where did you find the motivation to do it?

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If you haven't voted yet today (you can vote up to 10 times per day through May 13) please do - I will be eternally grateful!  http://finalists.sharecare.com/finalist/jen+mcelroy

Behind the Scenes: Good Day Chicago

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Corey McPherrin, me, Anna Davlantes

I was nervous last night because I kept thinking that I had missed my alarm clock and was going to be late to my train and thus miss my opportunity to be on Good Day Chicago.  I think I woke up every hour to check the time and not surprisingly I was awake before my alarm went off.  I got up and showered, did my make up (seriously) and hair.  After getting dressed I had to go wake up Dan so that he could take a picture.  I'd asked Jen if I could send her a picture so she could tell me if my make-up was hideous.  She gave me a virtual thumbs up which I really appreciated.  Then I was out the door to drive to Rosemont so I could hope on the blue line to the city.  From there it was a quick cab ride over to the building where Good Day Chicago is filmed.

Again, everyone was super nice to me and that made me a little bit less nervous.  While I was in the green room (which wasn't green but that's where they told me to wait until it was time for my segment) I met the Celeb TV entertainment reporter.  She was making a gummy bear martini, I think because one of the RHONY women makes it and she's in town for a book signing.  I sort of wished that was going to be my segment and had I not had to go to work after the interview I might have had that drink - or at least those cute little drunk gummy bears!  The part that really put me at ease was the fact that she looked at my shirt and told me it was a great color for TV.  Seriously?  That made me feel good!

They told me that Corey McPherrin would be interviewing me and that I'd get to sit behind the desk - which lets face it made me feel pretty freakin' cool.  This time I remember more of the interview than I did when I was on with Dr. Oz so that's an improvement I suppose.  The only thing that threw me off was the question about Crohn's disease.  I really do know a lot about it, having lived with it for over 5 years but when I watched the interview I thought I sounded like a moron.  If you have questions about Crohn's post 'em in the comments section and I'll answer them much more informatively than I did on air.  Promise.

Soon the interview was over and then my dorkiness kicked in.  I didn't know if I should stay or go or what.  Turns out that they wanted a photo with me as much as I wanted one with them!  The Social Media Director took a couple of quick shots, Anna said I could come back if I win the contest and then I said good bye to everyone.  I'm not sure why I got all stressed out about the interview because it was totally fine.
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As I was on my way home from work I got an email from my CSA.  I'd spoken with Farmer John (the owner/farmer for my CSA) yesterday and he asked if they could send out an email to their mailing list to let people know about my story.  What they sent was amazing!  I was not surprised by the email but I certainly was delighted.  They also posted a link to an old blog post I wrote about being a CSA shareholder.  I felt like a rock star.  :)
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If you haven't voted yet today (you can vote up to 10 times per day through May 13) please do - I will be eternally grateful!  http://finalists.sharecare.com/finalist/jen+mcelroy

Thankful Things Thursday: YOU!

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Since I don't always post every day I didn't want you to miss my thoughts on the events last Thursday when I began filming for The Dr. Oz Show.  I also didn't want you to miss what I had to say about filming on Friday.  However, that was last week and this is this week and it's already Thursday but this week I totally knew it was coming and it didn't surprise me!  So, I say we should move on with Thankful Things Thursday.  If you're new to the blog then clicking on the last link will help you understand what the Thursday post are all about.  Now, are you ready?  Let's get thankful people!

This week I have one great big, ginormous thing to be OVER THE MOON THANKFUL FOR ....

YOU!!

The number of wonderful and touching emails, facebook posts, twitter messages and comments on the blog has been overwhelming.  I've heard from other people who battle weight, people who battle Crohn's, people who battle both and it helps remind me that we are not in this alone.  The outpouring of support has been amazing and I don't know how else to thank everyone.  There are multiple times a day when I am rendered completely speechless and even charming husband was shocked at that!  He didn't know which was more shocking the fact that I kept a secret from Friday until Monday morning or that I could be speechless.  :)  He says thank you for that, by the way!  

You are all an amazing support structure and I hope to make you proud.  As a daughter (and daughter-in-law), sister, and wife I knew I had support when I started this but this goes way beyond my wildest imaginations.  Regardless of how the show works out I am thrilled to be am ambassador for health and wellness and will continue to share my goofy stories with you.  

If you haven't voted for me (you can vote up to 10 times per day through May 13) please do - I will be eternally grateful!  http://finalists.sharecare.com/finalist/jen+mcelroy 

Behind the Scenes Thoughts: Friday

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I don't want you to miss a moment of my Behind the Scenes posts so if you missed my recap of last Thursday, feel free to pause now and go read them..  Today I'm going to share a little bit about my day on Friday (now that the show has aired I can finally talk about it!).  After another night of stressful sleep my alarm went off at 6:00 am.  I had planned to get up and shower and then order breakfast but when I finished showering and blow drying my hair I heard my phone ding with a text message.  The driver had arrived and was waiting downstairs.  Luckily, I had packed up my suitcase the night before so I just closed it up and headed out the door.

We were taken to 30 Rockefeller Center where The Dr. Oz Show is filmed.  I was slightly in awe of the entire building and everything that it holds.  We were taken to individual dressing rooms that had a couch and a couple of chairs and a TV.  My dressing room was across the hall from The Weather Channel Studio so I got to see some of the behind the scenes while they were not filming - and then I actually watched them while they were on-air.  It was so surreal!  A few minutes later I met with a few different producers.  They told us how the show was going to work - Dr. Oz would begin reading our story and that's how we'd find out if we were in the Top 10!  They said we'd then have 30 seconds to explain why we think we've inspired America or why America should vote for us.  They encouraged us to practice in our dressing rooms while we had a few moments.

Not wanting to get on camera and look or sound unprepared I took this advice to heart and began writing some notes and practiced reciting what I wanted to say.  Then I was taken to wardrobe, hair and make-up.  An amazingly talented group of people helped make me look and feel gorgeous for the show!  I started to get nervous while in the make-up chair so I just kept saying my "speech" over and over in my head.  Once that was done we were taken back to our dressing rooms for a few minutes and then we were taken into the studio where the audience was already seated.

All morning, I kept thinking to myself, if I'm in an aisle seat or near the front I've got a real shot at this!  When they escorted me to my seat my head started spinning - I was in an aisle seat in the front row!  Soon the show was starting and Dr. Oz was coming down the stairs and I got to shake his hand!  We watched as they filmed the first two segments and naturally I wanted to eat the pizza that he prepared on the show!  It looked really yummy!!  When the show breaks for commercials they play music and at one point Dr. Oz started dancing!  He's a really good dancer!

Finally, it was time to announce the Top 10!  As he began reading the stories my nerves came back in full force.  As he started reading my story I think I blacked out a little.  I couldn't remember what he read, I couldn't remember crossing the stage and I couldn't even remember what I said but I hoped it was pretty close to what I had practiced (thank goodness I did that!) and then I was standing in the truth tube next to the other finalists.  I was completely in shock!

Frankly, part of me still is!
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Normally I post about my meeting and what I learned but this, in my opinion, is so much better.  I did however update the STATS bar on the left side.  I realize that you don't really know this because I don't post my current weight but people - I've broken out of having a weight in the 200's!!!!!!!!! (So much excitement and so many exclamation points!)
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Hey Chicago area friends - if you want to see me on television again tune in to FOX Good Day Chicago around 8:15 am on Thursday.  Assuming there are no big news developments or something like that you'll get to see/hear from me, again!
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As a reminder, the voting is open through May 13 and you can vote 10 times per day (tell all your friends!!).  Regardless of what happens I have already won my life back!  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all the kind words you have shared with me this week.  I have loved reading every single word because it's good to know that we are not on this journey by ourselves.

Behind the scenes thoughts

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On Thursday morning my alarm went off at 4:15 am - much earlier than normal, even on days when I have an early conference call!  The reason?  I had a plane to catch at 7:20 am from Chicago to New York City.  While walking through the airport I passed a lady who was in a wheelchair being pushed by airport personnel.  I was immediately thankful that I was able to get around on my own and even welcomed the chance to walk a little before being cramped in the plane for a few hours.  The true irony was that when I got to the book store I bought the latest issue of Runner's World magazine.  Once I boarded the plane I sat down and comfortably fastened my seat belt (had to tighten it quite a bit!) and even put the tray table down with plenty of extra room to move around (I get a little squirmy after take off so that was good).  The realization that things have really changed was absolutely amazing and it made me cry a little bit.  For the record I blame the nervous sleep I got on Wednesday night for making me a sappy sally on Thursday!

After getting to my hotel I was whisked off to a wardrobe fitting at Lord & Taylor.  All the excitement I had from the airport/airplane kind of drained away and every insecurity returned.  Lord & Taylor?  In my head the store only sold small clothes - like 00 or 0 sizes.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was able to fit into quite a few pretty cute outfits.  This definitely boosted my confidence!

Soon it was time to head to the salon.  When I sat down with my colorist he asked what I wanted to have done with my hair.  I honestly had no idea because let's face it I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable person when it comes to fashion or style (I know you're shocked, right?).  I told him he could do whatever he thought would look good - I mean he's the expert, right?  He asked if I would mind strawberry blonde highlights?  I told him as long as I wasn't going to look like Strawberry Shortcake I'd be fine with anything!! So, he got busy and I pulled out my kindle.  Honestly there is really no better feeling (to me) than getting my hair done.

After my hair was colored I was moved over to another chair to have it cut and to have my make-up done.  This is where I thought I'd died and was living someone else's life!  With my hair curled and pinned and half my make-up done Katie Couric walked by.  Seriously.  After picking up my jaw from on the floor she asked me why I was getting all done up.  I told her that I'd lost a bunch of weight so I was going to be on The Dr. Oz Show as part of the Transformation Nation Million Dollar You contest.  She congratulated me and then went to get her hair done.  As she was leaving she stopped back by me and wished me luck on the show.  Honest to god this really happened and I couldn't believe it!  I only wish I had gotten a picture taken with her, even if my hair was not done and only half my face was on!  Oh well, I've already scrapbooked that moment in my mind!

Once I was all put together I was off to do some filming that will be used to profile the contestants (you can watch it on my voting page).  I got to use a bunch of the outfits that I was shopping for last weekend and the field producer and camera/sound guys were so nice to work with.  They were also funny and that really put me at ease because I was as nervous as I've ever been.

Since a lot of my weight loss has been because of my activity level, specifically my running they wanted to film me running.  Originally the plan was to film me outside but we were behind schedule and suddenly it was too dark so we did the next best thing and hit up the gym in the hotel.  While in full hair/make-up I ran on the treadmill for 2 mins at 6 mph.  It wasn't until we had started filming that I realized that 6 mph is faster than I normally run at home and I had no warm-up!  Thank god they got the shot quickly!!

If you haven't voted for me (you can vote up to 10 times per day through May 13) please do - I will be eternally grateful!
http://finalists.sharecare.com/finalist/jen+mcelroy

Dr. Oz Transformation Nation Million Dollar You!

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If you haven't already read from my twitter feed (@jenmcelroy) or aren't friends with me on Facebook (really, why not?) then this will shock you!  Last week while in New York City filming for The Dr. Oz Show I found out that I was in the Top 10 for the Transformation Nation Million Dollar You contest.  Now it's up to you guys - you have to go vote for me.  You can vote 10 times per day for the next week and I hope you will (and that you won't get mad at me when I repeatedly remind you).

So go here and vote for me and please tell your friends!  

Thank you so much for your love and support!  I've gotten so many sweet emails, facebook, twitter and text messages today that I am completely overwhelmed.  I'm going to put together some  post about my time in NYC... I promise cause I have some interesting stories to tell (at least I think they are interesting).

Please vote, early and often.

http://finalists.sharecare.com/finalist/jen+mcelroy

Transformation Nation

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Remember a few weeks ago I posted about being in the Top 200 of the 1.2 million people who entered the Transformation Nation contest?  Well, in case you missed it, let's recap.  Last fall The Dr. Oz Show began a contest called Transformation Nation Million Dollar You and gave America 7 steps to living a healthier life.

A total of 1.3 MILLION people entered the contest and I advanced to the Top 50!!!!! (Yes, all those exclamation points were absolutely necessary!)  Last week I was in NYC to tape the show where they will announce the Top 10.  That show will air on Monday, May 7.  Please check your local listings - a quick search found these but please double check them and set your DVR or plan to watch LIVE!!

For friends living in the Oshkosh, WI area - FOX @ 3 pm
For friends living in the Arcadia, WI area - ABC @ 4 pm
For friends living in the Chicago, IL area - FOX @ 4 pm
For friends living in the Minneapolis, MN area - NBC-Kare11 @ 3 pm

If you know when it is airing in another area, email me (and I'll update the post) or feel free to add it in the comments.

You can also consult this link to find out when/where it airs in your area:
http://www.doctoroz.com/find-station