I keep trying to think about 2014 when I loved running and what has happened since then to change my mind. Some thoughts are:
1) For the most part I was running on completely flat ground (rail trail)
2) Training for my 1st half meant new distances to look forward to
3) I was 30 lbs lighter
4) I was running on my own - no one to answer to
5) I wasn't waking up at 4:30 in the morning which meant more sleep (which can have an effect on #3)
6) I ran a ton of races, most of which included bling, so I had things to look forward to
2015 brought more weight gain, of the few races I did not many had bling, and I had to drop out of too many races, and I was running actual terrain (which is harder anyways, even harder when you gain weight).
But it is 2016 now, 2 months in. Losing weight isn't happening, but I CAN do something I enjoy. I can run more races, those that have bling, and I can try to have more control over where and when I run. I can't do that during the week because I am not going to run in the dark on my own. But I can take ownership of my long runs on Sundays (which were severely lacking after mid-May when I ran 13.1).
1) 1st Run 5k - January 1, 2016 - DONE
2) 3 Miler - February 28, 2016 - DONE
3) 4 Miler - March 6, 2016 - DONE
4) 5 Miler - March 13, 2016 - coming this weekend
Then I will continue to 6 miles and do 6-7 miles per weekend, even if it is flat, to prepare for my 10K
5) Star Wars 10K - April 16, 2016
May do a 5K on the Cruise
May run a local 5K the day after we return
6) 5 Miler Run to Remember - Memorial Day Weekend
7) BAA 10K - June 26 - I needed a June race and since I am not around for the BAA5K, I'll try it - It doesn't go on the Boston Marathon course, but still will be fun
8) Finish on the 50 5K - July 3, 2016 - This ends on the 50 yard line of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots - I've wanted to do this for a few years, but it has been on a weekday the last few years and hard to get to after work with holiday traffic - this year is a Sunday so I figure this is the year to do it
9) local 5K I've done the last 2 years - mid-July
10) Beach to Beacon 10K - Registration is this week and sells out in 4 minutes - I hope I get in! If not, I may forego an August race
11) local 5K - September
12) 6.66 race - Salem, MA - end of October - I've had 2 DNS with this race - I really want to try it!
13) turkey trot - day after Thanksgiving
14) ??????1/2 Marathon in early December - I won't decide until the summer or later - I'd need to up my mileage in September, but not drastically so until October. It is a hilly course, but has a nice late date to allow minimal summer training.
I was supposed to run this morning - I went to bed early and when I woke up a few people had bailed at 4 am so I expected the 1 remaining person (who acknowledged at 4 am she knew they were bailing but never said what she was going to do) bailed too - after all I was a definite to join. So I am planning another early bed hour.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Monday, March 7, 2016
2 races down, 1 to go
The 4 miler is done. The last mile was rough and slow, even though it was completely flat. I was full of self doubt and was ready to through in the towel and never run more than 3 miles at a time. But I got through it and I bolted to the finish line and loved every minute of getting my latest medal.
I was definitely was better prepared this week:
-I had pasta for dinner (albeit at a restaurant), not Mexican
-I didn't wear my running group shirt, which isn't very foregiving
-I remembered my sunglasses
-I didn't have keys or my ID in my FlipBelt, so I wasn't worrying about anything falling out
I do wish I had worn a short sleeve shirt. It was chilly at the start even at 11 am, but after 48 minutes the sun was beating down on me.
And by the evening I was plotting out my race schedule for the year, which may or may not include another Half Marathon (this would be in early December, on a quite hilly course, so I wouldn't even up my mileage until after Labor Day).
But for now I need to concentrate on re-building my endurance because it is GONE :( Next weekend is the 5 mile race and then I will up to 6-7 miles and continue that until we go on our trip during which I have a 10K.
I just need to get back my running mojo I had in 2014 and to me that means more races (though in 2016 I had to have DNS on just as many races as I did start).
But I also need to get back in the habit of losing weight and I don't have success doing that when I am running a lot.
But I feel like it has been a big circle - I haven't wanted to run because I am not running as well because I've gained weight and I haven't been eating well which doesn't allow me to run as well, but I also haven't been compelled to lose weight because because I haven't been running and I am not constantly being reminded of what a hindrence my weight-gain has been on my running.
I did got to WW on Saturday. She said I stayed the same when I knew I had lost 2 lbs, but I forgot the previous week I had taken a non-weigh in because I knew I had gained 2 lbs the week after my 3-day cleanse.
I was definitely was better prepared this week:
-I had pasta for dinner (albeit at a restaurant), not Mexican
-I didn't wear my running group shirt, which isn't very foregiving
-I remembered my sunglasses
-I didn't have keys or my ID in my FlipBelt, so I wasn't worrying about anything falling out
I do wish I had worn a short sleeve shirt. It was chilly at the start even at 11 am, but after 48 minutes the sun was beating down on me.
And by the evening I was plotting out my race schedule for the year, which may or may not include another Half Marathon (this would be in early December, on a quite hilly course, so I wouldn't even up my mileage until after Labor Day).
But for now I need to concentrate on re-building my endurance because it is GONE :( Next weekend is the 5 mile race and then I will up to 6-7 miles and continue that until we go on our trip during which I have a 10K.
I just need to get back my running mojo I had in 2014 and to me that means more races (though in 2016 I had to have DNS on just as many races as I did start).
But I also need to get back in the habit of losing weight and I don't have success doing that when I am running a lot.
But I feel like it has been a big circle - I haven't wanted to run because I am not running as well because I've gained weight and I haven't been eating well which doesn't allow me to run as well, but I also haven't been compelled to lose weight because because I haven't been running and I am not constantly being reminded of what a hindrence my weight-gain has been on my running.
I did got to WW on Saturday. She said I stayed the same when I knew I had lost 2 lbs, but I forgot the previous week I had taken a non-weigh in because I knew I had gained 2 lbs the week after my 3-day cleanse.
Friday, March 4, 2016
1 race down, 2 to go....
The struggle continues and continues - While the pre-dinner/dinner eating is fairly under control, it is only because it has been replaced with afternoon (or even morning eating) which is even worse because those times I am not hungry, it is all stress.
I had a race last Sunday. It was a 3 mile race, and the 1st race of a 3-part series. I did this race 2 years ago. I was supposed to do it last year, but the snow postponed 2 of the races to April.
I ate like crap the week before and went out for Mexican the night before. I usually never go out the night before a race, even for pasta, because restaurant food is so salty, but we had a family night planned so that was the choice of the family.
I also hadn't run at all - like none since February 3rd. But I figured it was only 3 miles, I didn't have to race it, the weather was supposed to be beautiful, and there were a bunch of ladies from my running group going, so I went.
I ran 1:40 slower than I did 2 years ago which I am okay with. There were more hills on the course than there were 2 years ago, so I am okay. What I am not okay with is the post-race picture. Ugh. It comes close to my "before" picture from November 2012 when I was 20 lbs heavier than I am now. I do realize I am squinting in both pictures, but all I can think of is my eyes are smaller because my face is so heavy.
But did I use the picture to do better this week? Not so much. I came home mid-day Monday and had too much to eat. I had brought my lunch Tuesday but had lunch with a friend and bought instead (including a 12-oz soda). I didn't run at all this week. Here I am working from home and hoping to eat normal. And I will have pasta Saturday night for dinner, even if it is at a restaurant because I've got 4 miles to do on Sunday.
This past weekend was nice (hence the short sleeve shirt in the race picture) but this week has been cold. But Spring looks like it will be re-appearing next week, so definitely something to look forward to.
I had a race last Sunday. It was a 3 mile race, and the 1st race of a 3-part series. I did this race 2 years ago. I was supposed to do it last year, but the snow postponed 2 of the races to April.
I ate like crap the week before and went out for Mexican the night before. I usually never go out the night before a race, even for pasta, because restaurant food is so salty, but we had a family night planned so that was the choice of the family.
I also hadn't run at all - like none since February 3rd. But I figured it was only 3 miles, I didn't have to race it, the weather was supposed to be beautiful, and there were a bunch of ladies from my running group going, so I went.
I ran 1:40 slower than I did 2 years ago which I am okay with. There were more hills on the course than there were 2 years ago, so I am okay. What I am not okay with is the post-race picture. Ugh. It comes close to my "before" picture from November 2012 when I was 20 lbs heavier than I am now. I do realize I am squinting in both pictures, but all I can think of is my eyes are smaller because my face is so heavy.
But did I use the picture to do better this week? Not so much. I came home mid-day Monday and had too much to eat. I had brought my lunch Tuesday but had lunch with a friend and bought instead (including a 12-oz soda). I didn't run at all this week. Here I am working from home and hoping to eat normal. And I will have pasta Saturday night for dinner, even if it is at a restaurant because I've got 4 miles to do on Sunday.
This past weekend was nice (hence the short sleeve shirt in the race picture) but this week has been cold. But Spring looks like it will be re-appearing next week, so definitely something to look forward to.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Brand new week
Monday morning, how refreshing. The kids are back to school. Even though the 50's aren't in the 7-day forecast, either is snow, and even if it were to snow, Spring is less than a month away!! While I dance a jig when Groundhog Day arrives, March 1st is even sweeter, even if they make us wait an extra day this year.
This weekend was very productive - our basement is now clear and clean. I will feel even better once the POD is picked up (today) and the Junk is hauled away (hopefully tomorrow - I had scheduled it for Thursday but it is supposed to be howling, torrential rain on Thursday so I re-scheduled for tomorrow). And then we just wait for the permits to be approved and for the contractor to say he can start.
Friday night we finished loading the POD and realized it wasn't big enough, so some stuff would have to remain in the garage, which means I will be parking in the driveway for the next few months. I've definitely been spoiled the last 3+ years - my first time ever having a garage.
Saturday we moved some stuff into the garage, both to store and to be hauled away. Then in the late afternoon we drove down to IKEA to look at closet organization, sinks, and entertainment centers. We decided on a kitchen sink for our basement - we don't like the utility sinks that are on the market and we decided we don't really need deep. We just want bigger than a bathroom sink, so we are going with the single farmers sink. We also will use their closet organization in our "sports closet". We didn't see entertainment systems we loved.
Sunday I moved all the Junk from the basement into the garage, so the basement is now swept clean and ready to go, except to move the kitty litter upstairs when it is time.
Eating.....eh, not so great. Not horrible. The scale is definitely back up some of the 5 lbs I lost on the cleanse, but PMS is rearing it's ugly head, so I am not going to fret. I am just going to try to eat my normal foods, try to not binge in the afternoon and have a Shakeology. We will see how the week goes *cross my fingers*
This weekend was very productive - our basement is now clear and clean. I will feel even better once the POD is picked up (today) and the Junk is hauled away (hopefully tomorrow - I had scheduled it for Thursday but it is supposed to be howling, torrential rain on Thursday so I re-scheduled for tomorrow). And then we just wait for the permits to be approved and for the contractor to say he can start.
Friday night we finished loading the POD and realized it wasn't big enough, so some stuff would have to remain in the garage, which means I will be parking in the driveway for the next few months. I've definitely been spoiled the last 3+ years - my first time ever having a garage.
Saturday we moved some stuff into the garage, both to store and to be hauled away. Then in the late afternoon we drove down to IKEA to look at closet organization, sinks, and entertainment centers. We decided on a kitchen sink for our basement - we don't like the utility sinks that are on the market and we decided we don't really need deep. We just want bigger than a bathroom sink, so we are going with the single farmers sink. We also will use their closet organization in our "sports closet". We didn't see entertainment systems we loved.
Sunday I moved all the Junk from the basement into the garage, so the basement is now swept clean and ready to go, except to move the kitty litter upstairs when it is time.
Eating.....eh, not so great. Not horrible. The scale is definitely back up some of the 5 lbs I lost on the cleanse, but PMS is rearing it's ugly head, so I am not going to fret. I am just going to try to eat my normal foods, try to not binge in the afternoon and have a Shakeology. We will see how the week goes *cross my fingers*
Friday, February 19, 2016
Didn't quite finish the 3 days.....
I had bought Shakeology last year, but only drink it some of the time. I keep saying that I am going to get back into it as an afternoon snake to ward of the most stressful time of day for me.
Last month I had bought their 3 Day Refresh kit which consists of:
1) Shakelogy for breakfast + 1 fruit (I use frozen bananas)
2) Fiber sweep mid-morning (this tastes a little citrusy - but honestly, I drank it holding my nose)
3) Vanilla shake for lunch + fruit (I use frozen bananas) + veggie/fat (I had peppers or carrots with hummus)
4) Veggies/Fat for afternoon snack
5) Vanilla shake for dinner (no fruit) + your pic of a few veggie recipes which included a fat
The first 2 days I was home because the kids are on school vacation - My schedule was a little off, which really meant I wasn't eating until later in the morning, but I did pretty well. Because it was school vacation, it was easier for me not to be eating a normal dinner. The first night only 1 of the kids was home and it was kind of a everyone-for-themselves dinner. The second night we had frozen pizza and salad, so I only had the salad.
The 3rd day I went to work. I brought my breakfast shake with me (make with bananas, you don't have to eat it as quickly, made with ice, you want to eat it quickly). I decided I would go home at lunch time so I could make my shake there.
I am not sure what made me decide mid-afternoon to ditch it all (which really meant having a normal dinner). My afternoon snack consisted of 4 WW string cheese and the rest of a bag of croutons (yes, you read that right. They are these garlic croutons and really, really good!)
I didn't have anything for dinner planned, so I sent the rest of the family out. I had zucchinis and asparagus to cook. I roasted the asparagus, spiralized the zucchini with garlic, but also made 3 oz of spaghetti and ate it with cheese. But then topped that off with some sour dough bread I was saving for the weekend with fig jam and goat cheese. Yummy!!
So it is Friday. Originally I was going to go running with a friend in Boston, but I haven't been able to run and I still am not 100%. We have to finish filling up our POD for our basement project. And I am going to TRY to eat "normal".
Last month I had bought their 3 Day Refresh kit which consists of:
1) Shakelogy for breakfast + 1 fruit (I use frozen bananas)
2) Fiber sweep mid-morning (this tastes a little citrusy - but honestly, I drank it holding my nose)
3) Vanilla shake for lunch + fruit (I use frozen bananas) + veggie/fat (I had peppers or carrots with hummus)
4) Veggies/Fat for afternoon snack
5) Vanilla shake for dinner (no fruit) + your pic of a few veggie recipes which included a fat
The first 2 days I was home because the kids are on school vacation - My schedule was a little off, which really meant I wasn't eating until later in the morning, but I did pretty well. Because it was school vacation, it was easier for me not to be eating a normal dinner. The first night only 1 of the kids was home and it was kind of a everyone-for-themselves dinner. The second night we had frozen pizza and salad, so I only had the salad.
The 3rd day I went to work. I brought my breakfast shake with me (make with bananas, you don't have to eat it as quickly, made with ice, you want to eat it quickly). I decided I would go home at lunch time so I could make my shake there.
I am not sure what made me decide mid-afternoon to ditch it all (which really meant having a normal dinner). My afternoon snack consisted of 4 WW string cheese and the rest of a bag of croutons (yes, you read that right. They are these garlic croutons and really, really good!)
I didn't have anything for dinner planned, so I sent the rest of the family out. I had zucchinis and asparagus to cook. I roasted the asparagus, spiralized the zucchini with garlic, but also made 3 oz of spaghetti and ate it with cheese. But then topped that off with some sour dough bread I was saving for the weekend with fig jam and goat cheese. Yummy!!
So it is Friday. Originally I was going to go running with a friend in Boston, but I haven't been able to run and I still am not 100%. We have to finish filling up our POD for our basement project. And I am going to TRY to eat "normal".
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Cleaning out....
I've been sick, again.....On Thursday February 4th I ran in capris and a short sleeve shirt at 5 am in 55 degree weather. And the next day it snowed. And I caught another chest cold and have been pretty miserable, thought not as miserable as October. But needless to say, I haven't been running since :( It has snowed and iced on and off the last 2 weeks so the sidewalks have not been condusive to running. The kids had 2 snow days, a Friday and a Monday, making for an impromptu 4 day weekend, and lots of Mommy Guilt because I had to work (thankfully from home) those 2 days.
Eating was completely out of control. The scale was saying 215 for multiple, multiple days. Horrifying.
Which brings me to the post title. Cleaning out.
I am trying one of those 3 day cleanses. I've survived Day 1 and today is Day 2. I am working from home because it is the kids winter vacation, but I may work from home tomorrow as well, Day 3, because it is easier to have the supplies here at at home. We will see how today goes. I just want to get under 210 and then work my way back out of the 200s. I really never, ever thought I would be back here :(
The other part of Cleaning Out, is we are finishing our basement, so we are in the process of cleaning it out. We've been boxing things up and the POD arrived and we need to fill it this weekend. Then I need to get one of those 1-800-JUNK people to come over and take away all the crap we decide we don't want.
Eating was completely out of control. The scale was saying 215 for multiple, multiple days. Horrifying.
Which brings me to the post title. Cleaning out.
I am trying one of those 3 day cleanses. I've survived Day 1 and today is Day 2. I am working from home because it is the kids winter vacation, but I may work from home tomorrow as well, Day 3, because it is easier to have the supplies here at at home. We will see how today goes. I just want to get under 210 and then work my way back out of the 200s. I really never, ever thought I would be back here :(
The other part of Cleaning Out, is we are finishing our basement, so we are in the process of cleaning it out. We've been boxing things up and the POD arrived and we need to fill it this weekend. Then I need to get one of those 1-800-JUNK people to come over and take away all the crap we decide we don't want.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Winter is half way over!!!
A year ago, we had our 3rd storm in 10 days and still had 2 major storms ahead of us. We had gotten to January 24 thinking we were scott-free for the winter and far from it - it didn't hit 40 from January 24 to March 4 and even March was very cold and the last of the snow left our yard on April 14.
January was quite chilly, which was part of the reason I only ran 3 times (Jan 1, 3, 14) for a total of 12 miles. A couple of the mornings I wanted to run it was going to be in the single digits with wind chill.
But here we are. February. 1/2 way through. Even if there were storms, we know they wouldn't stick around. Yesterday was 60. Thursday morning it is supposed to be 50 at 5 am!!
My absence as of late has definitely been due to stress. Work stress, cleaning out my parents house stress, Patriots stress (don't have that anymore!), finishing our basement stress, excitement about our cruise, PMS (my PMS seems to get worse with age). So the last week or so has just been bad. I haven't gone to WW in the last couple of weeks. The first was because of a funeral, but I could have made it work. This past weekend was just because I didn't want to face the scale.
But once TOM starts, I am a different person. I don't even have to wait for it to be gone.
I have vowed not to buy lunch or drink soda - I love regular coke, but it makes me so bloated (in addition to being so bad for you!).
I have started having a Shakeology shake in the afternoon to try to fill me up and ward off the pre-dinner munchies. While I have loved getting the kids off the bus this school year, it has not been good for my waistline.
I really had plans to go running Sunday morning to try to end the month with a run, but I chose to sleep in, hopefully for the last time in a while because I plan on my WW Sat/ Long Run Sun routines.
But I DID run this morning!!! Only 3 miles, but it was a great way to start out the month. I am hoping I am back! The cruise is in less than 75 days and I really want to feel better about myself and getting rid of some of the belly fat will go a long way in doing that. I am actually going to try one of those 3 day cleanses in a couple of weeks - I will be home while the kids are on vacation, which in one way means more temptations, but seeing that I don't know how I will feel, it is best if I am at home - and I sure don't want to do it over a weekend! So I will do it 2/15 (post V-day!) - 2/17.
January was quite chilly, which was part of the reason I only ran 3 times (Jan 1, 3, 14) for a total of 12 miles. A couple of the mornings I wanted to run it was going to be in the single digits with wind chill.
But here we are. February. 1/2 way through. Even if there were storms, we know they wouldn't stick around. Yesterday was 60. Thursday morning it is supposed to be 50 at 5 am!!
My absence as of late has definitely been due to stress. Work stress, cleaning out my parents house stress, Patriots stress (don't have that anymore!), finishing our basement stress, excitement about our cruise, PMS (my PMS seems to get worse with age). So the last week or so has just been bad. I haven't gone to WW in the last couple of weeks. The first was because of a funeral, but I could have made it work. This past weekend was just because I didn't want to face the scale.
But once TOM starts, I am a different person. I don't even have to wait for it to be gone.
I have vowed not to buy lunch or drink soda - I love regular coke, but it makes me so bloated (in addition to being so bad for you!).
I have started having a Shakeology shake in the afternoon to try to fill me up and ward off the pre-dinner munchies. While I have loved getting the kids off the bus this school year, it has not been good for my waistline.
I really had plans to go running Sunday morning to try to end the month with a run, but I chose to sleep in, hopefully for the last time in a while because I plan on my WW Sat/ Long Run Sun routines.
But I DID run this morning!!! Only 3 miles, but it was a great way to start out the month. I am hoping I am back! The cruise is in less than 75 days and I really want to feel better about myself and getting rid of some of the belly fat will go a long way in doing that. I am actually going to try one of those 3 day cleanses in a couple of weeks - I will be home while the kids are on vacation, which in one way means more temptations, but seeing that I don't know how I will feel, it is best if I am at home - and I sure don't want to do it over a weekend! So I will do it 2/15 (post V-day!) - 2/17.
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