A day of rest

Thursday runs have been notoriously brutal lately.   I think it's because I run on the weekend, Zumba (step Zumba to boot) on Mondays, run on Tuesday, Zumba on Wednesday and then run on Thursday. Friday's are my day of rest.     So by Thursday my legs are shot and boy am I ready for that day of rest.     This week I decided that my plan was stupid.   Utterly flawed.  So I'm swapping out my rest days.  Rest in Thursday...run on Friday.  If it's my early Friday I can run on Saturday.  Not a biggie.   And being tired for that last night of Zumba is not a problem...I can tone down my movements and not be as energetic of my body is dragging.  :-). 

This change will put me in perfect alignment for the next two Friday nights.   Why yes.  August 7th I will be doing the glow run at Marty snook park at 9PM.  And on August 14th I will be doing the rumors donut alley rally at 7:30pm. Two Friday's in a row...her we go!!!  These runs will be perfect motivation for me...they are awesome for putting a pep in my step for running.  (And the free rumors donuts aren't bad either!!)

Food wise I am doing well.   My weight is steadily dropping.  I'm happy and celebrating that. I will be tickled when I get out of this 5 pound vortex that I've been stuck in!!!   Soon!!!!

I'm not monitoring my food like a nazi.  Not am I obsessing about calories.  I'm just trying to make better choices...eat less...and just figure this out one day at a time.  I am tracking....Hahahaha.  And sadly, the delicious desserts that my mom bakes to sell...I've had to say farewell to them for now.  :(

So disappointing

What a raging disappointment!    I went out on my run with high hopes and those hopes were dashed in the dirt beneath my feet.  What pray tell am I talking about?   Well, let me share.  Yesterday I received a picture text from my ex husband.  It was a picture/link to a news article in the local paper/news outlet.  The article talked about there have been at least two instances of a flasher in our town. (Making a mental note to once again start religiously carrying my pepper spray when I go out running!)   This 'gentleman' (and I use that term loosely) reveals himself to women who are out jogging.  HOT DOG!  I immediately sent the link/article to my friend and jogging buddy and told her that we are going to be doubling up on our runs in an effort to be flashed!   ha ha ha.  Especially me as on of the sightings was relatively close to where I typically run!   Alas, no one flashed me this morning.  What a disappointment!  That would have made for a fun run....one I would never forget.  (And yes, I'm joking around....I don't really want to have a flasher show me his goodies.......but it would be a run I would never forget, that I can't deny.   ha ha ha)

I've bee struggling with my weight recently.  I've been stuck in the same 5 pound range for a few months.  I guess that is good...but it's also bad.  I get to the top of the range and I cringe.   I get to the bottom and I smile, but then I jump back to the top.  Last week I was at the top end of that range, that was right about the time that I said "no more".  So I had my starting number.  255.0.   No worries.  It was going to go down!   I stepped on the scale today and I saw 252.0.  I was disappointed.  I want to be out of that 5 pound range....BAD.  (yesterday was actually 251.4....but I exercised late and then ate a later dinner...so I'm not worried about the fluctuation)  I was disappointed with myself.   Not enough to make me give up my run.  NO, it is Tuesday and Tuesdays are a run day....so out I went.  It wasn't until half way through my run that I realized how utterly stupid I was being.  Last week I was 255.0   Today I was 252.0 and I'm complaining?????   Uhhhh   by my calculations (and it's not rocket science mathematics...so I'm reasonably sure I'm correct) that is a three pound loss.  I am showing a three pound loss and I'm complaining????  Really????   

What in the world was wrong with me?   Why could I not accept the 3 pound loss?   It could be because of the 5 pound range I've been teetering within.  It could be the 'been there done that' mentality that I have had this time around.  Maybe it's the depressing thought of 'doing this once again'.  I don't know.  But today I stepped back and told myself how stupid I was.  3 pounds is three pounds!   I need to stop focusing on the 5 pound range....that five pound range stuff is for maintenance...NOT losing.  You see, when I gain as long as I was within that 5 pound range I was happy. And that is a good mentality (for maintenance) but it negates any weight loss I was having within that 5 pound range.  I was stuck with the mentality that I wasn't really losing weight until I dropped under that 5 pound range.  HOW WRONG!   Not true!  So I am celebrating....officially celebrating that I'm showing a weight loss!   NICE NICE NICE!

Another realization on my run?   I want to do this half marathon with all of my heart.  Yes, I dread the aches and pains.  Yes, my feet hurt (old injuries and feet issues are rearing their ugly head).  Yes, I worry about losing weight while I train. I find myself really hungry afterward....just ask my parents, this morning I was shoveling cereal into my mouth....and I polished off the small scoop...maybe 1/4 cup of mac and cheese, and a couple bites of a cinnamon roll.  And when I say shoveling...I mean SHOVELING!    But you know what....it will all work out, and I will succeed.  A new dream is being made!

Meanwhile, I have talked to my friend Sue (the gal that I did the Cooper River Bridge Run with).  She is planning on doing the same run in 2016 and he is planning on running it !!!!  GOOD....I was disappointed that I didn't manage to run it (stupid foot...or rather stupid step at a zumba step class.....ok ok ok, stupid MF for falling off the step) and that weekend I told myself  that I would be back to complete it as a run!  2016 baby! 

Bring it on.  I've got weight to lose.  I've got miles to run.  I've got personal records to set in running.  I've got so many things to achieve!

  

Just Do It

I have reached the end of my rope.   I had a great week. I got to spend time with the guy I'm seeing.  I got to go to Hershey Park with my family.  I got to hang out and watch movies.  I got to go out with my friend Paula.  A good week.  But I have reached the end of my rope.

I have gone to Hershey park over the years.  I had gone years ago with my friend Julie and Todd.   I struggled because with my weight I struggled with riding some of the rides.  NOT because I didn't want to ride them.  NOT because I don't like to ride them.   BUt because my weight made riding the rides difficult.  The constraints that keep the riders safe are difficult for an overweight person.    A few years later, when I was right around my lowest weight, we went back again and it was FANTASTIC.  There was no fear there was no struggle, it was just good plain fun!    I went back this past week.   It was a great fun day.  But it was rough..   As we waited in lines for the rides I worried.   I stood there in fear that I would get to the front of the ride and they would go to check my restraints and/or put me in the restraints and I wouldn't fit and I would have to do the walk of shame because I couldn't ride.  However, the restraints were so tight that I couldn't take a full deep breath.  I wasn't in any danger at all, I could breath just fine, but I couldn't get a full lung of air.  Not a biggie, but eye opening.     I did fit...each and every time. Yet the fear persisted each time I rode a ride.     I  didn't notice the next issue until just today.   I had noticed a bruise but didn't pay attention until today when I actually got a good look at myself without a shirt in the mirror. BOTH of my shoulders bear bruises where the restraints went across my shoulders.  Yes, the shoulder harnesses had to be pushed down until they clicked and I was THAT close that I bruised.    I am NOT doing this again.  I want to ride and enjoy and not have to worry about my fatness.    This has GOT to change.

My second wake up call?   I went out and lounged in the pool today.  I was on a float and fell asleep.   I apparently was out there for an hour and a half and my thighs ended up a bit burnt.  My fat gut overlaps my thighs.....yes, I have a tan line from the overhang of my gut.  HOW WRONG IS THAT????????

I did not run on Thursday or Friday.  But I did get a run in on both Saturday and Sunday.   Running is still rough, but I am pushing through!

All things stupid!!!

First of all, let me confess that my eating is OFF THE HOOK bad.  Ok, not horrible in that I'm eating cakes and cookies and pies for every meal.  But I will admit to another whoopie pie this past weekend.  No, I'm just not making the healthiest choices.  Veggies?   Fruits?   Never heard of them....what are they????   Stupid thing called nutrition!

Running.  So many random thoughts about running.

  My feet HURT.   The plantar is being stupid....  my ankle is being stupid.... the new blister that keeps wanting to form (nice hot spot go figure) is being stupid. It's all just stupid.  Add that to the general achy leggies and I'm well...it's just stupid.

Next up in running news.  Humidity.  It's stupid hot and stupid humid.  I walk outside and the humidity just sucks the breath out of ya. But I have my scheduled run days and I'm running them...regardless of the humidity (I do try to go early in the day!)

 But I did run on Sunday.  It was a ROUGH.   It was a bit later than I would have preferred.   We went to the canal and ran.  The plan was for 4 sets of eight-three intervals.  I struggled after the second 8 minute run had passed and I have to admit, I walked a bit and we only ran about 4 minutes of the last 8 minute run interval (we were back to the car).  But I was out there putting the miles on my legs.bbi can't help it that the weather and experience was stupidly brutal!!

This morning (Tuesday) was my next scheduled run.  I went out at about 7AM.  It was still humid.  (As a side note, stripping off hot sweaty clothes when I'm done running is just really nasty and wrong..it's like peeling a wet layer of skin off of my body........but I digress...back to the subject at hand.)   I set out to do at LEAST three sets of my intervals.  I made the first 8 minutes......did pretty good on it too.  It was slow but I wasn't praying for it to end.   The second 8 minute interval I was doing and I hit a "oh my word I have to walk right now" feeling.  I slowed to a walk and within seconds I got the notification through my headphones that the run interval was over.  The next run interval was the same....I gave up seconds before it was over.    I will say that after that third run interval I only walked for 1 minute (versus the three that was scheduled) and then I ran for 7 minutes more...before walking a 5 minute cool down.  I was proud of myself.   This was definitely NOT stupid.

So, the lesson I learned today?  Intervals DO work.  They push me on long after I would have caved and walked long before.  HOWEVER, I have been doing the 8-3 intervals for the last week and a half to two weeks.  It's a good length for me because I really do have to push myself to finish the 8.  The three may be a bit long but it's all good.   The problem?  My body is becoming accustomed to the 8 minutes of running.  I think my body is sensing that the 8 minutes is up and is shutting down.   Ok, that was a bit dramatic, it's not really shutting down but it's telling me that it's time to stop running.   What does this mean?    It means that on Tuesday I will be running 5-2 intervals.  Or maybe 6-1.   How about 9-4?   I will be doing SOMETHING other than 8-3. My body was becoming used to it....and that's not what I want.   I don't care what I run....I'm focusing on the miles.   The rest will fall into place.

Moving on

Why Monday night I hit up Zumba...it was a good class.   My body did fine and I feel as if I got a good workout!   

Tuesday morning I ran and it was a difficult run.   But I pushed through and didn't let myself falter.  I ran the run intervals and I walked the walk intervals.   But I knew that it was tough.  I speculated that my body only had about 12 hours recovery time from Zumba the night before, that could be the problem!

Wednesday was another Zumba class....and this morning Thursday I went running.   The 8-3 intervals proved to be my nemesis.  I have to admit I walked a few seconds here in there in my last two running intervals.   Grrr.  Makes sense though, Zumba again 12 hours before and 5 days straight of running or Zumba.   I am looking forward to my 'day of rest' tomorrow!!!

Just putting the miles on my feet....and they feel it today.  My heel (plantar fasciitis) is kicking a bit today...just a twinge thank goodness.  My ankle from this spring is achy,  my knees hurt ...ok my lower body just aches!!!!

My weight has gone down a bit from my highest weight of last week.  (Highest recent weight...I was a lot heavier years back).   For the most part I'm doing ok with my eating.   But I've had slip ups....yeah...not pretty ones.   Tuesday night I got home and I Had a need...a need for something sweet.  I raided the supply and came back with.....

Why yes, a red velvet whoopee pie.  

Why yes I ate it!    Yesterday I was just ravenous and ate breakfast, and a not so wholesome lunch, and finished it off with a veggie less dinner.   Not wise.     Trying to hold it together today.  

I'm trying!!!   

Running crazy!

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the running issues...and taking the words of advice and encouragement from everyone into consideration.   I had planned on taking off from running on Friday (scheduled rest day) and picking up on Saturday and or Sunday.   Well I ended up going away on Sunday (more on that later!)    So this morning I got up and I had a decision......was I going to attempt that 20 minute run again and face down failure again.?   Or was I going to focus on the miles and not the straight run?

Before I go into the decision let me say that the Couch to 5 K really worked for me two and a half years ago when I was first starting to run.  And I could see myself improving this time...I did great with week 3 and 4 and actually even 5...it was that straight run that was giving me grief!   I kept telling myself that I could do it..that the program worked and I pondered the extra weight and I pondered the heat and I just pondered.  I liked the instructions telling me when to run and when to walk.  I push myself until I'm told to walk....my mind tells me to give up but I keep going because I listen to that little voice.   But it just wasn't working to get me where I wanted to go.   But then I remembered the Cooper River Bridge run.  It is true that I walked the 10k because of an injury.  HOWEVER,  I had trained to run it  and went from running only once a month through the winter to being ready for a 10k (I ran 5.5 a week or soo beore the race)  Furthermore the injury wasn't because of the training but because of a wee little misstep in Zumba.  (oops....I missed the step!)   But the point that kept sticking in my mind was that I was close to the same weight and I managed to run.  What was different from March to now?  (other than the heat?)

So this morning I made my decision.  I loaded an app onto my phone....it's called "interval timer'  Yup....it's got a really catchy name.  It runs in the background of my phone.  I have it programmed for a warm up walk and then currently it is set for 8 -3 intervals...and it is set to repeat.and repeat and repeat    Eight minutes of running followed by three minutes of walking, eight minutes or running followed by three minutes of walking.  This way I have the voice in my head pushing me to finish the 8 minutes.  I then set a mileage goal in my head for the day and I went out and I ran. (and walked).    I finished my miles.    The 8 minutes get LONG at this point and I think they are never going to end.  When that airhorn (the noise I have set up to notify me) went off in my head at the end of the running segments I think I may have cheered!   But I pushed to complete them.  And admittedly, I would have probably given up and started walking a lot earlier if I had not had the interval trainer.

So as of right now I am set to train to complete this half marathon in an interval style.   I can revisit that plan if things change...but that's the plan for right now.  :-)  Things don't always go according to the set plan.  And that means I have to adjust and move on with an alternate plan!

Yesterday I passed up my run.  Why?   Paula and I went to National Harbor. 

 We hit up a circus.

We rode the Capital wheel...I think it is 180 feet high and on a pier in the Potomac.

We roamed around into the shops and had lunch. (of course)

I think we walked 4 or 5 miles yesterday.   

Moving on.....the weight HAS to come off.  I am dying to go eat a piece of cake....but I'm working on resisting.  Which means I have to go find something HEALTHY to eat.....the watermelon that tasted so good after my run has left me HUNGRY!  :-)  (Yeah, I know......proper nutrition and all that...but I was hot and that sounded SOOOOO good!)

What in the world????

I did the couch to 5 k before.   The program worked like a charm.   I was dropping weight.  I was toning up and I was able to complete each and every run that the program three at me.    This time is different.   Totally different this time.

I have been stuck on that week five for forever it seems!  I attempted that first 20 minute run the other day (fourth if July) and made it about 15 minutes before I quit and walked.     I repeated the other days and attempted it again this morning.   Once again it did not work!  I walked two or three thirty second intervals and then just totally gave it up and walked the last minute or so of the 20 minutes.    I feel like such a failure!   Why is this not working!   And even more importantly, what in the world am I going to do...I'm committed to running a marathon and I can't even make it 20 minutes!!!!

Is it mental?  Is it my diet?   Is it my extra weight (I have gained in the last 6 months)???   Could be all of them.   But honestly I had gotten myself up to running 6 miles back in early April....I haven't gained that much weight since then!!!  I increased quickly and felt wonderfull!  So why is it not working this time?????

Soooo....my plan.

Take Friday off as a rest day and attempt this 30 minutes one more time either Saturday or Sunday.  Maybe drive to the canal and do it on a nice flat shaded path.   Maybe I need to have my rest day and then the next day do my 'long/push it further' runs after that rest day, I just thought '20 minutes that's not much'. (And really I'm discussing this about a measley 20 minute run.....this is embarrassing and sobering!)

If that doesn't work I will be adjusting my training plans.  I will be implementing a walk/run interval plan.  I'll set up the interval timer on my phone and just interval to my hearts content.  I can still build miles in preparation for the half marathon and I can hopefully build the length of my run segments.  Maybe I can get back to running consistently. I know I can do it...I did it in April...I did it last fall.   I know I can do it.  But for some reason right now it's just not happening.  So instead of beating my head against the wall, I'm going to adjust and move on.    I can always adjust my plan again once /if I get over this hump!!!

No turning back now!!!!

Wow...I went out running...on a holiday...in the rain.   Kinda impressive!!!!!

It was a rough run.  I got there and I really seriously contemplated redoing week 5 day 2 of my run....but then I figured that I was just afraid of that 20 minute straight run.    I should have listened to my instinct....day two had been really rough and day three of week 5 dost go well.   Not well at all, my legs were tight and hurt.   It was bad and at about 14 minutes in I walked for a few yards and then gathered my courage and willpower to run again....but by minute 16 I was DONE.    So I'm going to go back and run day two again.  I'll get this!!!

I did register for the Philadelphia RNR 1/2 marathon...October 31 is the do or die date.  Hotel is booked and everything.   Only thing left?  Training!   There is no backsies or outs...I went non-refundable on both the registration and hotel!!!!

I didn't run today....my legs were tight and achy and I needed the rest day.  So my friend and I headed into Virginia and hit up some museums and did some shopping and had a good meal out.   My legs...ouch!!!!!!!

Seriously, I should have bought the glasses right??????

 

Pie in the sky

My friend asked me yesterday  what my goal was when the half marathon rolled around.   I tried to play dumb.  I answered 'my goal is to finish the darn thing!'   She wouldn't let me stand with that answer and responded, "your goal weight you ninny". ( Yeah she actually called me a ninny...and I call her a friend....I must be delusional or something!!!  Hahaha).  This was going on during Zumba between songs so I was able to play it off and not answer by looking winded...And I may have huffed and puffed a bit to really cement my non answer!    But ok....on the way home after Zumba I thought about it and I texted her my goal.

The half marathon we are planning on running is  in Philadelphia on October 31.  (We need to register for this puppy SOON...it shouldn't be too late...I hope...)So 4 months away.

  My realistic goal is 30 pounds.   My pie in the sky goal is 52.7 pounds....putting me at 199.9 pounds.   Yes that's a lot of pounds...but I'll also be running a lot of miles in my training!!

So I HAVE to get my food in line...not tomorrow....today!!!!!!

Registered

One registration down.   Yeah money is a bit tight so I only registered for one thing at the moment.    What in the world am I talking about??   Races of course!    The next race on my agenda is the Donut Alley Rally in Hagerstown, MD on August 14th of this year.   It is a 5k and this will be my third year running it.    I'm planning on actually being prepared for this run.   I haven't been prepared for a run in ages.   (Ok the leesburg 10k I ran last October I was prepared for!!!).  I jumped back on the bandwagon yesterday morning and picked back up with the couch to 5k training plan.  I will admit that my official 'next run' should have been week 5 day 3.   I hadn't run in over a week so I decided to drop it back to week 5 day 1.    Huge difference!  Now some of you that know the c25k program may recall that week 5 day 3 is the first straight run of more than 8 minutes in length and may be thinking that I am afraid of that leap.   Well you are right!    Let me review week 5 of the training. All of the days start and end with a warm up and cool down. I'll just tell you the run parts

W5D1 -  Run 5 minutes. Walk 3 minutes. Run 5 minutes.   Walk 3.   Run 5.

W5D2. -  Run 8 minutes.   Walk 5 minutes.   Run 8 minutes.

W5D3. -  run 20 minutes

Holy Moley!   20 minutes straight of running?   Are you serious?   Naw.   Tell me it can't be so.  That's a huge leap!!!  I know that I can do it.  I did it before (with less pounds on my body though).   I know I can do it again.  But I also know that I need to be prepared...physically and emotionally. (I cried the first time I completed week 5 day 3 a few years ago when I did the couch to 5 k).   So I am ok with stepping back and repeating two days.    And let me tell you.....my legs were SORE after running week 5 day one yesterday!    Of course that was partly from the killer leg workout that our Zumba instructor gave is on Monday night!!

Next thing to register for??  A half marathon!!   I also need to request the time off work so that I can enjoy the expo the day before!

While in Indiana I stumbled across a book that I couldn't wait to read so I actually bought it in paper form.  (I know it was a shock to me too as somewhere along the way I switched to reading mostly digital.)

Practical advice and information but written by a total novice and sarcastic non-runner who trained for and completed a marathon.   It's a good read for sure!

My weight???   Well in a down and depressed 'he lets hang out together and intermingle out depression', Paula and I ended up at Dairy Queen last night.   (Ice cream makes everything better right??) Oops 1030 calories for that medium cookie dough blizzard!    My weight was somehow down by point two this morning.  I'll take it....and I'll watch more closely from here on out.   The blizzard is sure tasty, but it's not going to help me achieve my weight goals and my running goals!