Donate life 2011

Todays event, donate life was amazing! 10,000 people showed up to show support for a great cause, many inspiring moments made me glad i was taking part in such a meaningful event! Met some great people and heard there stories, we will be doing this event next year for sure! lets try and get 25 people so we can get a sign! saw a double amputee walking the 5k... there are no excuses... if you want to be moved if you want to have fun join us in upcoming events! run or walk, your choice!

xo

158 miles to go

41 days and 158 miles left to run before my next 1/2 marathon... at this point im just starting to work on distance. its also day one of my 30 mile 30th birthday challenge, im feeling like a runner again.  Ran in a bit of rain today but more then the rain was lots of wind! Every tuff moment only makes you stronger.

30 for 30

As if life hasn't totally become crazy enough i have to turn 30 in 13 days... ugh...how did this happen?  i remember sitting in high school thinking time couldn't go any slower! i was miserable and i just couldn't wait for time to go by faster... geez what was i thinking... now all i want is to slow down time. i want to enjoy everything more now... Although I've kept up with my 10 week training program i still feel like its not enough. maybe with so much else happening right now the running just seems so small.  Which brings me back to that big scary birthday i have coming up... 30... half of that is 15 and 15 didn't seem that long ago...but it was! my birthday falls on a wednesday, ill celebrate it on the Saturday after....which will mark the last day of the run week..and within this run week my goal is to run 30 miles. 30 for 30.

making time to do good things for yourself

making time to do good things for yourself... its hard, but important. My life has become more rushed then ordinary and when i started my new job i knew it would be more important than ever that i stay focused on my fitness goals. When you become tired you loose the drive to push yourself through physical activity.  What helps me stay on top of my workouts is planning my week in a calendar writing down the miles i will run along with other workouts such as weights and spinning.  As much as i enjoy sleeping in as late as possible (so does moose) i know that my best runs are in the morning,  its not about just showing up its committing yourself to the workout.  My last training program leading up to the surf city half marathon i sometimes just ran, and ran slow i just wasn't into some runs.... with a higher goal i know i need to train harder for the next run in May. showing up isn't enough i need to commit, commit to running all runs under 10 minute mile pace.  Nutrition is another goal and a need in my life, I like to keep healthy snacks available so that the dreaded empty tummy doesn't hit that always leads to over eating and most of the time eating something on the naughty list.  I like to eat lunch meats, fruit and yogurt for snacks a tip that i don't always follow is to try and eat something every 2 hours to avoid getting hungry, a bite here a nibble there. it works.

when things become overwhelming  a good run or workout can take it all away

if you don't care, why should anyone else?

so often do people talk about the changes they want in life, and so little  they do to make them.  You are the only one who can make positive changes in your life and if you don't care why should anyone else? talk is cheap, actions speak louder then words and The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. 

Donate life 5k walk/run

Donate life

This is one of the last photos taken of my friends  Mom Connie. She died suddenly during a spin class they were attending on Memorial weekend from a brain aneuryism. It was by far the worse day of her life, losing her mom. Her family kept her on life support until they  had a chance to say there goodbyes and then gave the biggest gift possible, they made the decision to donate her organs. By that act, her Mom was able to save 4 lives. PLEASE DONATE and please support DONATE life.

This is my friend Sterling, she is on the organ transplant list waiting for a kidney and a pancrease, she has been a diabetic since we were children and now has to go to dialysis multiple days a week.   We have been friends we were three years old and as you can see she was also a bridesmaid in my wedding.  please come, support, join in, and be part of an amazing event that does so much for others like her! 

located @ California State University, Fullerton campus, around Memorial Grove. 800 State College Boulevard. Fullerton, CA.  9 am. April 30th.

A non-competitive 5K/1K Run/Walk to educate and inspire the community about organ and tissue donation while benefiting Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.  my goal is to build a team of 25! lets get a big group to help raise money for a cause close to my heart!  Email me if you are interested in joining my team! for teams of 10 or more registration is only $20!

http://www.donatelifeoc.org/

to join my team please go to:

http://www.active.com/running/fullerton-ca/donate-life-runwalk-2011

teams name is HOPE, make sure when you register you join team HOPE.

Video of last years event

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CylC-dgpBhc

Going Further

Going further

It only took about 24 hours before the glow of running my best 2:02 half marathon time before i started to think bigger.  The competitive drive to do better is a bit overwhelming for me, what can i do to be faster, healthier and have more energy.  Almost at the my end of my "week off" and Monday it starts all over again, training for the next one.  So whats my plan at having better results then the ones I'm already pleased with? Step one, 4 runs a week, and committing to the runs, not just showing up but each run needs to have meaning.  Step two weight training with my husband three days a week he is a personal trainer who transforms people on a daily basis. It is also how we met, he transformed me into my alter egos "athlete" and then into "super wife".  Step three, cleaning up my diet... post wedding i noticed i stopped carrying as much about my diet, i guess i got comfortable. Setting goals is an important step in any challenge, so my goal is to loose 10 lbs, and improve my half marathon time by 7 minutes.  I wont tell my weight, but i will say what my next goal time is, 1:55 minutes that is a 8:45 mile pace. Race day is May 1st that gives me 11 weeks to work hard.

setting goals and breaking records...personal records.

my story of my second half marathon @ surf city

Setting goals and breaking records...personal records.  I ran my second half marathon yesterday, the pretty much famous surf city marathon & half marathon, and after finishing i can see why this event has so much hype. This long run really is fun! great crowds a beautiful beach run ending with people lining the streets cheering for you. All this makes you find a way to dig deep and push yourself just a bit more.  A month ago i ran my first 1/2 marathon in 2:18.13 doing this i felt very accomplished,  yesterday i ran my second half marathon  in 2:02.13.  Smashing my two race goals, i set one at 2:15 and the second at 2:04, at mile 12 i wasn't sure if i would be under 2 hours but i knew i would be close.  the 2:02 pacer that i had started with had just passed me but looking at my watch i knew it would be close to my 2:04 goal. Close to the finish with the crowd screaming i could hear my own friends and family yelling my name i kicked it into high gear and crossed the finish line 2 minutes faster then my goal! My training had paid off, still on my high from yesterday I'm very pleased with myself and my run and looking very much forward to the OC 1/2 May first and seeing what i can accomplish at that race. A new goal will be set,  to try and break two hours.  20,000 plus people at the surf city event and each has a story, i saw a blind boy finish his run, and heard a story of a girl with a prosthetic leg, these stories are truly an inspiration to all.

"everything you need is already inside"

splits from my garmin:

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 02:02:17 13.20 09:15 1 00:08:46 1.00 08:46 2 00:09:02 1.00 09:02 3 00:08:51 1.00 08:52 4 00:09:13 1.00 09:13 5 00:09:04 1.00 09:04 6 00:08:55 1.00 08:55 7 00:09:16 1.00 09:16 8 00:09:31 1.00 09:31 9 00:09:29 1.00 09:30 10 00:09:19 1.00 09:19 11 00:09:47 1.00 09:47 12 00:09:46 1.00 09:46 13 00:09:38 1.00 09:38 14 00:01:32 0.20 07:44

(photos to follow)

Training for my next 1/2 marathon

 just finished the surf city 1/2 marathon and its time to start getting ready for the next one! if youve ever wanted to run a 1/2 marathon but didnt know where to start, here is an easy guide to follow come train with me!



MySpace-Countdown-Clocks

i start training on February 21st

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total

   1        3   Rest  3     3   Rest 4 Rest 13

   2        3   Rest  4     3   Rest 5 Rest 15

   3        3   Rest  4     3   Rest 6 Rest 16

   4        3   Rest 5      3   Rest 8 Rest 19

   5        3   Rest 5      3   Rest 10 Rest 21

   6        4   Rest 5      4   Rest 11 Rest 24

   7        4   Rest 6      4   Rest 12 Rest 26

   8        4   Rest 5      4   Rest  9  Rest 22

   9        3   Rest 4      3   Rest  8  Rest 18

  10       3   Rest 3      3   rest      13.1 21.1

photos of you being active with your pets!

Its not just about humans getting active, pets too!! Share photos of you being active with your pet, your pet being active or adventures you have shared with them. email the photos plus a brief description about the image and info about your pet to heather.pappas@yahoo.com

after i have a collection of photos ill add a pole for friends to vote on there favorite images!

xo
heather and moose

                                  Moose
I am Heather, and this is my sidekick moose, our favorite thing to do together is go for walks! Walks to the park, on the beach around fashion island this loveable guy goes everywhere with me!

                                      Ruff life crew
Walter and his Ruff Life! I walk from 2 to 5 dogs at a time, for an hour a day, twice a day. I lOVE it! I prefer the boardwalk for the scenery and all the smiles my dogs bring to peoples faces. I am lucky enough to do what I love for a living...check out our Facebook page and become a fan...http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruff-Life-Dogs/116621725069185

                                   Ace
I am Amy, and this is my French Bulldog Ace. We love to go for walks, run on the beach, and go to Muttropolis at Fashion Island. Our little guy is one special dude.

                                                 Diego and Tahoe
I am not in front of the camera playing with pets .. being a Pet Photographer .. I'm the one who takes the photos of people and their pets! When I'm not photographing pets .. I am usually hanging with my two love bugs .. my boys Tahoe and Diego! We are usually snuggling or learning new tricks and just hanging out together!

-Susan Uston Pet Lifestyle Photography

                                          Bruiser
catch me if you can! weee!!!!

                                          maxee
i love the beach and my mommie! we have so much fun together!

                                         Roxy and peanut
having a play date at dog beach! 

i couldnt pass the run test in jr high...

I used to be the girl who couldn't run a mile in ten minutes... although i was a competitive swimmer when it came to the jr. high school PE test i couldn't finish in under 10 minutes. its been way to many years to remember what i ran it in, but i probably walked a lot of it and went over the 10 minute mark...big deal i hated PE, jr. high the uniforms, the odd teacher and the track... although i had to cross train for swimming when i became a teen i still hated it, however i did well in jr. lifeguards my swimming really made up for my lack of running skills. one of my best memories is winning the monster mile for my age group and gender at the age of 10. you run a mile then swim a mile... real fun huh (well i liked it)! so i've always been competitive just not a runner so ironically i'm no longer swimming but running. 9 days away from the surf city 1/2 marathon and i'm feeling excited! my goal running pace is again ironically a 10 minute mile...the girl who couldn't even run one ten minute mile has a goal of running 13 of them without walking. again ironic. i hear a lot of people say they just cant do it, they cant run, yes you can, i say it on here all the time but ill say it again, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.

its better with a friend!

Running with a friend is just more fun! Yesterday was a planned 10 mile run from Newport to dog beach in HB and back on a beautiful 70 degree day in January.... picked up my running BBF and ran our last 10 miles before the surf city 1/2 marathon in two weeks. Running together doesn't mean you have to run with each other, we actually only start together and meet up after the run even with this its just more inspiring then running alone. When were done we talk about the people we saw, how we felt at a certain spot what were going to get for breakfast and so on... 2 weeks out of my 2nd 1/2 marathon and i'm feeling great on this run i focused on maintaining my pace i couldn't have been happier looking at my results and seeing that my pace stayed within 30 seconds for every mile. feeling great about myself and about my run its a great place to be in right now. Running, working out with friends, being active together its a great thing to share with those you care about!

waiting for my running BFF enjoying some sun and watered down gatorade in my I <3 running sigg.

the lesson of "i cant"

learning the lesson of "i cant" I was about 12 years old swimming competitively under in my eyes the best coach in the world, work outs were fun and exciting. This certain coach wasn't my daily coach he was the head coach and i swam in my age group with another good coach but on wednesdays the entire team swam together with this great coach...he really knew how to inspire and push you. One night i made the memorial mistake of saying "i cant" the world stopped my coach leaned over and said, "what did you say?"...me "i cant" i then learned there is no such thing as "i cant" he then put me in the small pool with the 5-6 year olds... lesson learned... i never said "i cant" again! Thanks coach this has stayed with me my entire life!

Ten miles to graceland

ten miles to graceland, i am always feeling sore, I'm going to be 30 in less the three months...BTW how did that happen i feel like I'm 15 on summer break. So the fact is when i go for a run, something is always hurting its just how it is now. three weeks from 1/2 marathon number two, the one I'm trying to raise money for RUN FOR MOBILITY (surfcity) (still looking for sponsors http://fwm.kintera.org/run2011/heatherargueta) and training is all down hill from here. Today i ran 10 miles its january and 70+ degrees out and running my favorite spot back bay nothing makes you feel more blessed then the beauty and ability of todays run. i pushed out the pain of my ouchies and ran the whole ten miles without stopping, that is my one rule i never stop and walk if i feel tired i slow down but i will never walk. I believe i got this from all the years of great coaching while swimming competitively and i am so grateful for that. All running is, is mind over body. For anyone who says they cant run it is in there mind telling them they cant, YES you can, you can do anything you put your mind to. While on a run i dream of happy things, my husband, eating hosum bistro for lunch, my moose...all i have is my play list and my thoughts and before you know it your half way to the finish, then only a 1/2 a mile to being done and then its over. and once your done you feel accomplished weather it is your first time running again, or like today 10 miles... it feels so good to have done something out of your box of comfort.

My happy things to think about...

first half marathon 2:18.13

After a week of not running due to a small cold i last minute Friday night around 8 pm decided to run my first half marathon the next morning.  I mean why not i enjoy a challenge and i needed to run anyway.  With my husband, dog and a green berry shakeology in hand we sleepily headed to Irvine at 630. This being a small race with just over 4,000 runners i could register before the race i lined up just before 8am and some how ended up close to the starting line. Wearing my garmin watch i could keep track of my pace and time the first 3 miles i knew i was going out way to fast but stuck in the front of the pack i was being pushed and it felt great all under 9 minutes...and then it hit me i hadn't run all week and my conditioning wasn't there so it started i lost my pace and gradually i ran slower and slower i knew at 6 miles i wasn't going to be beating my 2 hour goal and at 8 miles i was hoping i could even hit 2 hours and 15 minutes. Without walking running the ENTIRE race except when i stopped to drink all the water and juice i could inhale at the water stations i finished in 2:18.13.  Only a few minutes over the 2:15 mark i wanted to finish in.  

here is my Garmin reading

Summary 02:18:09 pace10:29

1 00:08:55 1.00

2 00:08:55 1.00 

3 00:08:58 1.00 

4 00:09:43 1.00 

5 00:09:43 1.00 

6 00:10:18 1.00

7 00:10:27 1.00 

8 00:11:03 1.00 

9 00:11:31 1.00 

10 00:11:31 1.00

11 00:11:40 1.00

12 00:12:05 1.00

13 00:11:44 1.00

14 00:01:30 0.17 

this was taken i think near the finish for the last 7 miles i had been having mental battles with myself.... talking myself into not stopping not walking and not giving up all things i kept thinking of. the battle wasnt physical it was mental. as much as i hurt at the time this photo was taken as soon as i crossed the finish line the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment took me over.