Wednesday, April 30, 2014

32.88 miles in April

My monthly numbers just keep going up and up. That is 82.88 miles for the year. Chump change for people doing spring marathons or even spring 1/2 marathons, but huge for me!  Getting in 1-2 runs during the week definitely helps with the mileage.

Being a complete number nerd, part of me was tempted to get in 2.12 miles today/this morning to make it an even 35/85, but I ran yesterday morning and it is raining today. Hopefully I'll get in a run tomorrow morning to start off May well.

Tuesday morning my husband had to get up at 4:30 for work (hello people in China), so I figured I might as well get up and run. It was a very, very slow 3 miles - I was still sore from Sunday. I am still trying to figure this more-than-once-a-week running thing out.

Originally I thought I would run Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, but I think I am going to go back to my C25K schedule and do Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. I am okay with a pokey run on Tuesday - I just want me legs to be fresher for the long runs on Sunday. Especially since I think Thursday will eventually be hills/speed, if I ever get the guts up to do it. I did a few strides yesterday towards the end of my run, which were fun, but I am still scared of hurting myself.

The BAA 10K registration opens up tomorrow. A bunch of people are asking me if I am going to do it. It is the day after my obstacle race in June, so I think I am going to pass. Maybe next year I will do the whole distance medly (5K in April., 10K in June, 1/2 in October). I want to do the Tufts 10K this year, which is the day after the BAA 1/2.

So for now, with no real race until June 7 (my first 10K), it is just about doing the miles. I would love to try to get in 12-15 miles a week (3-4 twice during the week, 6-8 on Sunday). I also need to start strength training. May 1 (tomorrow) I am going to start Plank-a-day and few other 30 day challenges to get me going.




Sunday, April 27, 2014

Another Weekend, Another PR

Overall the weekend was pretty low-key. My daughter had a school project due, and the weather was less than stellar. 


Today was a small 5K in our town - Only 400-500 people. Before the BAA 5K last weekend, I was hoping I would be able to PR in the race today. After last weekend, I wasn't sure if I had it in me to PR. I felt that the energy of the race last weekend was what allowed me to PR.


My family came with me to the race - something they hadn't done since Thanksgiving. I don't usually ask them to come, but this was so close to our house, so despite the drizzle, they still came.


I started out really fast. Like 9:15 fast. There were quite a few kids and I didn't want them to be faster than me (but who am I kidding - they are kids - they can run, and run, and run!)


I really need to learn/ be taught how to control my breathing, how to recover in the middle of the race. At one point I was thinking to myself "I like to run, I don't like to race!" I just wanted to stop. I know you can't PR at every race. But I didn't feel like being there. But I kept going, and going, and going. I ended up finishing in 31:32! Almost 40 seconds faster than last weekend. The official time was 31:43 - I think that must have been Gun Time. Either way is a PR! And since there were so many walkers, I came in 132 out of 416 and 25/90 for my division.


In the swag bag for the run was a flier about a women's running group in town - guess it just started last summer. I joined their Facebook group. We'll see if I actually do runs with them!


Me and my daughter are doing a color run on May 31st and we haven't even walked a 5K before. After the race I asked her to walk a 5K with me and she refused. But after dinner she changed her tune and we got out for a 3.35 mile walk. I am not sure if we'll be doing much running at the run on the 31st, but it still should be fun.


I am a little relieved to be done with racing for over a month. I am eager to get out and do long runs. I was jealous my running buddy got to be out on the rail trail this morning. But I am also nervous because very soon I will need to start adding nutrition to my runs. I know it will take some experimentation with my huge gag reflex, but I am eager to try it out. Originally I was going to wait until the end of June, but I think I will try on my next long run next weekend. Ease into it.


I am thinking over Memorial Day weekend I will go running along the Charles. I spent tons of time along the Charles in my 20s - either hanging out with friends, or biking. I thought the runners were crazy. I had zero desire to be one of them. But I feel that I want to take on a nice long run around the Charles before the summer gets away from me (one thing I like about the bike trail is not only is it flat, it is fairly shaded as I don't do well in the heat). After my run I'll be able to drive over and check out the course for the 10K - I am completely nervous!



Saturday, April 26, 2014

Weekly Weigh-in #22

Starting Weight (12/1/2012): 232.2
Last Week: 192.6
Current Weight: 188.8
Change Since Last Week: -3.8
Total Change: -43.4
Height: 5'6"
Goal: 149




Yeah for the 180s again! Making smart choices towards the end of the week really paid off! Now can I keep it up for 4 weeks?!


I need to lose 7.6 lbs in the next 4 weeks, or 1.9 lbs a week, to win the DietBet. That seems completely unreasonable, but I am really going to try. I have so many milestones to reach in the 180s


187.2 - 45 lb losss
185.4 - BMI under 30 - no longer Obese
184.0 - Wedding weight
182.2 - 50 lb loss/ charm from WW
181.2 - By 5/25 - I would win the DietBet


But really it is the 185.4 one that I am striving for. I so badly want to be Overweight :)





Friday, April 25, 2014

For the love of pizza

I've been trying to get back on track towards the end of this week and work is trying to sabotage it!

Our dinners have been pretty free-form this week because my daughter has been away for Spring Break, and I've been wanting to get all the leftovers from Easter gone.

I woke up this morning to 190.6 - So close to getting back to under 190! I brought my lunch like normal (though yesterday I went out and got a small burrito and a water - so only 10 pts, like my lunch). Our 9:30-11:30 planning meeting was changed to 11-2 with pizza brought in. I skipped the soda, and had 2 smallish pieces of veggie pizza. I had my snacks and carrots before the meeting even started. I hope I am not starving this afternoon!

I joined my first DietBet starting on Monday. My 4% should be about 7.6 lbs - I would LOVE to lose that by the end of May! That would get my under 185.4 into "Overweight" world, not "Obese world" where I have been for over 11 years. But we all know I do horrible with date driven goals.

I have a race on Sunday, then don't have a real one until the beginning of June. I need to focus on my miles in May and doing different kinds of runs during the week. Bring it on!


Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Posting from work!

Decided to try a different browser to see if I can post from work and so far so good - this will be huge if I can post updates from here again.

I put on a new belt this morning! It is kind of a stretch to get to the first hole, but my old one was ridiculous - The last hole was still too big and the the amount of extra was so long. No complaints here!

I need to get the house organized tonight. I found myself picking at the kid's Easter candy last night, in addition to having a helping of leftover Easter dessert. Today at work I found myself buying at the cafeteria. None of this will help me get going with my weight-loss again.

I need to get back until the 190s and stay there! Being in the 180s will be so liberating!

I joined my first DietBet starting on Monday - I will need to lose about 7.6 lbs win - yikes! But hopefully will be an incentive.

Last night I said to myself 'I really should go for a run in the morning', then looking at the weather and saw we were supposed to have thunderstorms last night and this morning, so I didn't even lay out clothes. I woke up at 5:15 like normal and saw it wasn't raining....but went back to bed :( It didn't even rain until late morning. I hate that because I wasn't in the mindset when I woke up to run that I didn't do it. I kept thinking that i wanted really fresh legs when I raced on Sunday....in 4 days. I think I would have been okay with a run this morning.

I got on my bike last night! My son was trying out his new bike so I figured it was time to try mine, seeing that we've had it for over a month. I don't think I had actually been on a bike, that wasn't in a trainer, in over 10 years, probably longer. I was a little wobbly at first, but took a few good spins around the house.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Running, Sick, and watching Boston

I rarely use my laptop except to quickly input my daily weigh-in in Excel, so I always forget to post actual posts.


Last Sunday (the 13th) I went for my first solo run on the bike path. I had planned on 5-5.5 miles, which turned into 6.22 (10K) in 1:15. Not a stellar run, but I had run 2 days during the prior week, so I am quickly having to learn that my runs are not going to be what they were in the fall because I had been only running once a week so my legs were always fresh and itching to go come Sunday. Sunday night I also tried Zumba for the 1st time. It was a 2 hour marathon charity event. I lasted 1:15. I did 25,000 steps that day!


I had a cough that had been bugging me, but I figured it was only allergies. Monday night I was up all night coughing, so I decided to work from home on Tuesday. I had hoped to run 4 miles on Tuesday, the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. But it was raining and I was too sick to run. Wednesday morning I was in the fetal position and coughed weirdly and bruised my insides. I was excrutiating pain. I thought I had gotten a hernia. I was convinced I would never be able to run in the BAA 5K on Saturday. I had to leave work early it hurt so much. Thankfully I felt a lot better on Thursday.


I took Friday off since my daughter didn't have school on Good Friday. We did a ton to prepare for Easter since I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time on Saturday. I cooked up a good amount of pasta Friday night to "carbo load" for Saturday.


I woke up at 5:15 and met my friend at the subway at 6:30 for a 8:00 race. I hadn't been in Boston in so long - in a former life I worked there for 5 years and visited it extensively, but since having kids, not much at all.


I had never been to a race with 10,000 (well, in the end about 8,700) - the energy was amazing! I didn't have a lot of expectations of the race. I just wanted to take it all in. The fact that I would get to 'take a right on Hereford, left on Boylston' and cross the finish line (not the finish line of the 5K anymore) was going to be an experience.


Per usual, I started out too fast. Less than a 10:00 mile, which is insane for me. Mile 2 was 9:59, and mile 3 was 10:23. I knew once I hit Boylston that I was going to PR (I never, ever intended for that!) and that I wouldn't break 30 and I wouldn't catch up with my friend, so I did take it all in and finished with a PR of 32:13, around 90 seconds off my prior time.


I have another 5K this Sunday, so we'll see how I do!


After the race, we walked up Boylston, visited the Public Library where they had an exhibit about the bombings, then visited my first running Expo. Wow! I got some samples of Energy Bites, and Nun energy drink, some KT tape, and finally a billfold for all my bibs. I asked my husband for a metal hanger for our anniversary! I had wanted to go to a social media meetup, but we both needed to get home to get cracking on more Easter dinner prep. Plus my legs were started to tighten up.


I was in pain on Easter - I didn't sit down Saturday afternoon or Sunday until about 4. But today I got up and ran 4 miles in Memory of the 4 people who lost their lives last April. They were very, very slow miles.  I almost didn't get the last one in, but I did and it felt fantastic. Then I watched the Marathon all.day.long.


I have zero desire to do a Marathon. I am even questioning my desire to do a 1/2 Marathon. But my friend suggested doing to Disney Wine & Dine in November 2015, so I am all about that (in addition to doing one this fall)! Since I know I won't get to my WW goal by our 10 year anniversary, I can look towards hitting it by November 2015, 3 years after my "before" picture.


I don't think I will run anymore before the 5K on Sunday, and after that the real training for a 10K (and weight lifting) needs to begin!

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Weekly Weigh-in #20

Starting Weight (12/1/2012): 232.2
Last Week: 190.2
Current Weight: 189.8
Change Since Last Week: -0.4
Total Change: -42.4
Height: 5'6"
Goal: 149


I just managed to squeak in that loss.


Last weekend I went out to eat twice and as of Sunday morning the scale was up and never really came down. I was really starting to wonder about the 2 week bloat (from ovulation to TOM), but by the end of the week it seemed to have subsided.


I could have challenges ahead this week, but I will take them head on. Tonight we are having our first official grilling of the spring, though the husband has grilled a few times: burgers, corn on the cob, caprese salad, chicken pasta salad and homemade Tollhouse cookies. The last 2 are the potential issues because they will provide leftovers and temptations from me, but I don't want to hide from them.


The past week has been great running wise. I ran 3 times for a total of 11 miles. I haven't run 3 times in a week since last April or May when I was doing C25K.


Sunday I met up with my running buddy and did our first run on the bike trail. She only had time to do 4.5 miles - I ran with her the whole way and then turned around and finished off the last 1/2 mile.


Wednesday I got up and did 3 miles. It was chilly! And Friday I got up again and was hot - I wore capris, but shouldn't have worn my 2 layers on top. It was a awful sluggish run, but I slogged through.


Last weekend I got trail running shoes and water shoes. I couldn't find my running shoes in stores so I ordered them online.


My vivofit (Garmin's version of the fitbit) arrived on Tuesday. It definitely helped me walk more throughout the day at work on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday I worked from home and just ignored the red lines that appeared.


This week begins spring sports for the kids, and our first experience with both kids having different sports at different times. Hecticness begins. Part of me embraces the quick meals because less opportunity to overeat while making dinner.


The upcoming 10 days will be hard because Tuesday is the 1 year anniversary of the bombing and then Patriot's Day will come the day after Easter. Tuesday I will get up and run 4 miles, 1 each for the 3 people who died on Marathon Monday and the police officer who was ambushed in his car 3 days later.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Weekly Weigh-in #19

Starting Weight (12/1/2012): 232.2
Last Week: 192.8
Current Weight: 190.2
Change Since Last Week: -2.6
Total Change: -41
Height: 5'6"
Goal: 149


Having a Saturday morning weigh-in is a good incentive to not go overboard on Fridays at work- they took us out to lunch and I chose an "under 600 calorie" meal (turkey burger and side salad) and skipped all the junk at our Red Sox Opener celebration. Had my normal PB&J sandwich for dinner and bam! So close to under 190 I can feel it. My husband and I are going out to dinner tonight - going to be hard!


But over all the week didn't feel stellar - I was excited about the loss, but not feeling like I completely deserved it.


Last Saturday I had my 4 mile race - I did 4 minutes better than the 4 miler in early March, but this course was completely flat. I didn't feel like I was doing that great, partially because of all the junk food I had been eating - I definitely felt like it affected my running, so here is to cleaner eating! I knew 2 other runners - My running buddy and her friend. My friend is faster than me and her friend is slower than me, so I had some incentive - to be as far in front of the other girl as I could be (ended up 8 minutes faster) and as close to my friend as possible (90 seconds maybe?). At the end of next year my friend will be in the same division as me (40-49) so incentive to get faster by then!


I had 1 extra mile to run before the end of Monday to get to 50 miles by the end of March, so I did that when I got home on Monday.


Wednesday I got up at 5:30 and ran 2 miles - first time I had run on a weekday! I wanted to do it Friday morning as well, but I had a horrible night sleep so couldn't get up.


I am hoping to get on the bike path tomorrow morning and bang out 5 miles - I am a little conflicted about going back to the bike path to do the same amount I know I can do around here with "hills", but knowing I am going to build up to 13.1 miles on the bike path, I am ready to get on it and see if I can add a little speed. Not sure if my friend is going to join me - she said she only wanted to do 3-4 miles, but I need to do at least 5.