Three Things Thursday ...

Update - Just about two weeks ago, I saw a nutritionist in hopes of figuring out how to stop the weight gain I have experienced (in addition to all of the other symptoms). I left the appointment feeling optimistic. She suspects Adrenal Fatigue is to blame. Apparently, your body can only take so much stress before it revolts. Who knew? OK, I did. Not the point.

Additionally, my electrolytes are crazy low and my Vitamin D levels are the opposite of good. Fortunately, she believes all of this can be corrected and once we get back the results from my Cortisol and DHEA test back, we should have a better idea of my adrenal health and what we can do to get it back on track. However, if this test comes back normal, I will likely punch a hole through a wall. The brick wall I keep hitting when it comes to getting a diagnosis. (Note: I will be seeing an endocrinologist on June 26th regardless of the results I get from this test.)

In the meantime, I have been put on an eating plan and told not to stress about the amount of calories I am taking in. And while, I have followed the plan almost perfectly (Dizzle's birthday cake aside), I still obsess. It's just part of my nature. Unfortunately, I haven't lost an ounce. But I haven't gained either, which I guess is something.

Schedule Overload - May has been a hectic month for us. Between J's travel for work (and leisure with Doodle), the girls' activities and my work with Tough Chik, there hasn't been a lot of downtime. This weekend is our last overscheduled weekend for quite some time and I am feeling anxious about getting everything done.

Tomorrow morning, I will be heading to Annapolis to run the Tough Chik booth at ZOOMA Annapolis on Friday and Saturday. J will be taking over at home, shuttling the girls to and from school and to play dates. On Saturday, he has to take Dilly to soccer and then prep the girls (i.e. hair and make-up) for their dance recital's dress rehearsal in the afternoon. I will most likely have to meet them all at the venue as soon as I get back.

a preview of their costumes ...

Thankfully, my sister is going to be here to help with their hair and make-up, but I'm mildly afraid of the logistics of it all. We are going to be there hours upon hours and it can be a lot for me to juggle and I'm used to it. J doesn't usually have to handle this sort of stuff and I am thinking it might stress him out a wee bit.

On Sunday, the girls have back to back shows to perform in and by some twist of fate, I have one child in the very first dance and one child in the very last dance. I am going to stay optimistic that everyone is going to love every second and that I won't have to deal with any meltdowns. I can dream, right?

Vacation - Last week, J and I booked a trip for all of us. We had toyed around with going to Australia next year, but when the price tag started to skyrocket, we started thinking of alternatives. We talked about visiting Europe (and I'm still hoping we can make it to France next summer), the Caribbean, and a few places scattered throughout the US.

When it came down to it, the only place we really considered at any length was Hawaii. The timing (and pricing) seemed right, so we jumped in and booked. 10 days on the island of Oahu in October, only four months and 20 days from now. Not that I'm counting ...

I'm a ZOOMA Annapolis Connector ...

For some people, running is a solo activity. They run to get away from it all, to reflect on their lives or to find their strong. For whatever reason, running has never been a solo event for me. Yes, my biggest competition is myself, but I'd much rather run with friends. Friends who provide support (and sometimes distractions) along the way.

When I signed up for my first 5K in 2007, I did so with a team of over 30 people, mostly women. On race day, we were there for each other. As a group, we cheered for every last teammate as they crossed that finish line. The support on that day made me want to keep running. It made me want to push my limits. Because, I knew that I had found a community that I could relate to and that would continue to inspire me.

Over the past five years, the faces of my running friends may have changed, but one thing hasn't - the amount of support I get from my fellow endurance athletes.

• We train together, both face-to-face and virtually. 
• We race together, both locally and at destination races. 
• We get each other, struggle and triumph alike. 

Running unites us. It makes us stronger. And I truly believe that we all have a responsibility share this sense of community with others. We need to show others that living a healthy lifestyle is possible and that reaching for your goals is worth the hard work and time investment that it takes.

That's why when I learned about the ZOOMA Women's Race Series, I wanted to be a part of it. And, when I was given the opportunity to be a ZOOMA Annapolis Connector, I jumped at the chance. Really, who wouldn't? ZOOMA has a great thing going on here. (Note: ZOOMA Annapolis just partnered with TNT. You can read about it HERE).

ZOOMA's five race series, with events in Texas, Maryland, Georgia, Wisconsin and Massachusetts, empowers women runners of all levels.

As they state on their website, events are not to be missed.

"Imagine a powerful sea of women on the move – encouraging fellow runners and celebrating personal running triumphs. Picture a post-race party and expo all wrapped up in one memorable “after-party expo” where these strong goal-oriented women come together for well-deserved partying and pampering."

Does it really get any better than that?

Well, maybe, because if you want to join me at ZOOMA Annapolis, you can now get $10 off your half marathon registration or $5 off your 10K registration by using the code: ANNCON6

So, what are you waiting for? Go HERE to register now!