The Marathon

Its taken me over a month to get pictures to post, thus my writing of the marathon has been delayed.  But no more!  Here they are...

It was nearly light when the "W wave" crossed the start line at 7:30am.  We kicked off and headed down through China town, then back South towards the hospital, then North again towards the the start.  I had to pee so bad, that my sister and I stopped just after the first mile.  There were bands and groups every couple of miles to cheer us on.  We passed my mom at mile 5, and then headed out along the water front.  The four of us kept playing an odd game of leap frog, with us catching up and then passing each other as we all kept our own run/walk tempos.  But the youngest among us was not seen (until the finish) after mile 8.  At mile 10 I had to pee yet again!  Mile 11 found the marathoners headed out to the rest of the course and the 1/2 marathoners headed to the finish line.  Mile 11 was also the last time I saw my 3rd sister as she sprinted out in front.  I felt great after I peed and was really feeling strong miles 12, 13, 14, and 15.  Mile 16 is the most challenging part of the course with a mile long uphill trek, but I was still feeling good.  I was making really good time, maintaining a 14 minute mile.  As a jogged across the market in the middle of the St. John's bridge for mile 17, I felt the un mistakable pain of shin splints in my right leg.  My sister and I sorta walk ran for the next mile, but at 18 I knew I would be walking the rest of the way (as fast as I could) and thus my sister went on jogging ahead.  I was walking hard, but every change in terrain had me balling my fists.  Mile 21 was meant to be a relief for runners with a nice downhill stretch, but my shins were just in more pain.  From mile 22 on down I was just chanting the distance left to go.  4.2 to go, 4.2  to go, 4.2 to go...  Mile 24 finally found me crossing back across the water and to the finish line side of things.  But just before mile 25, I found myself, and many other runners, stuck at a railroad crossing as a freight train, slooooowly passed.  I wouldn't let myself sit down for those 10 or 15 minutes for fear of not getting up again.  Once the train was gone and the guardrails raised, we continued on.

Here I am with tears in my eyes at mile 26 or so, hobbling towards the finish line.  I'm wearing a shin splints sleeve on my right leg and it did help, just enough.   I'm sad to say that I didn't even celebrate crossing the finish line.  The professional pictures taken along the course only show me grimacing in pain, so needless to say I did not purchase any of them.  

Our reward for completing the 40th Portland Marathon: a coin, medal, race shirt, finisher shirt, heat blanket, and a chance to sit down.

 Wrapped in a heat blanket, with my leg laid out and my fat butt on the curb.  It felt so good not to have to be moving anymore.  My sister got this cool shot of her feet and my body in the background.

We all made it.  With the medals to prove it!  We were all so tired and after a shower and a bit of food, totally sacked out, sleeping from 10-12 hours a piece.  The drive back to California felt so long and our muscles were so sore.  All I know is that next time there will be more training.

And by next time, I mean, an 1/2 marathon.

I'm just not crazy enough to do the whole thing again!

Up to the start

On Sunday October 9th, 2011, I completed a full marathon!

I've been needing to tell you all about it, but have been waiting on picture, but I'll just add them in later.

So, here is what happened up to the start line.

My sisters, mother and I drove from California, up to Portland on Friday and Saturday (race on Sunday).  We hit the outlet mall just south of Portland and arrived in the city at 2:30, just in time to check into our hotel, and head to the race expo.

The expo was simply crazy!
People were everywhere, booths on three underground levels of the Hilton (I think it was the Hilton) Hotel.  Booths selling: shoes, clothes, food, Gu, water, logo wear, pins, maps, jewelry, exercise equipment, massages, sign-ups for other races, and I'm pretty sure I saw one selling tutus.  We walk around and hit what was interesting.  Finding a running pouch for two of my sisters.  I found some humorous stickers with great sayings like "26.2 Because I'm the full Crazy!", and "If it wasn't for me, you'd have no one to pass" and "I thought they said 'Rum'!".

From the expo, we headed to a family friend's across town where she made her parent's stolen and secret pasta sauce for us.  So yummy.  It was great to try and relax with friends, but I was feeling incredibly anxious.  And very full and roll-polly.  Tappering and carb-loading, I now know, have that effect on me.

We headed back to the hotel, laid everything out.  Pinned numbers on shirts, tagged our shoes, filled our hydro belts, and rationed out our Gu.  My sister took a Tylenol PM and now will forever do so before a big race.  I hopped in the shower, headed to bed and had a restless nights sleep.



the marathon.  The whole kit and caboodle!  The big enchilada! All 26.2 miles of it!

Tapering

Well the marathon is on Sunday, three short days from today.

So my last two weeks have been spent tapering (running less), and resting.   And now it is all for carb loading.  Carbs should be 65-70% of my diet from now until the race.  The last three days I have been having carbs as 50-60% of my diet.  Last night also involved streaking my hair with pink to get pumped for the race. (Though I may have to do it again tonight to get some more pop!)

One of the things about tapering is that it can drive you crazy.  And while I've been trying to embrace the crazy this year, this type of crazy was not what I was talking about.  Tapering madness is were you feel every ache and pain, get into your head way to much, and generally freak out that you are not prepared for the 26.2 miles ahead.  I can feel the anxiety creep into my fingers as I am typing this...

But this is normal.  So they say.

So now it is time to take a deep breath, look back at old posts, pictures, and have faith.  

In 3 days I will be ready to watch the miles move below my feet.

:)

5K

Saturday, my sisters and I had a 5K fund raiser run.  No sweat we thought, we do that on any given Monday.

All would be well if my shin splints didn't hurt too bad.  My sister taped me up and that should do it.  I'm a strong mamma jamma, I figured I could give my shins a short test.

Plus we were going to have a bit of fun and run in crazy socks!

But it sucked!  It sucked, big time!

The weather was hot and humid and we had a sucky run.  While the organization, had put on this fund raiser for the last three years, the course was bad, and the planning poor.

The best part of the run was being done.  And the shirts weren't too bad.

Next time I'll just hang out with my sister, wear crazy socks and eat ice cream.  A much better and cheaper plan!

Shin splints

Pain! Pain! Pain!
What I thought were shin splints before were nothing compared to this.
This is pain!

Twenty (18.8 really) Miles

My sister before

 So after the 1/2 marathon was complete and I finally pulled myself out of bed, my sister and I realized that it was time to get back on our training schedule and start running again.

But way too early came our next long run: 20 miles!

We decided that the best way for us to do it was drive, 20 miles east, and run home along the lower 20 miles of a 50 mile bike trail that  goes by our house.

We figured we would always be headed home to warm showers and that would be all the motivation that we would need.

Me before

It also helped that it was the first day of below 90 degree temperatures.

We started off the morning in good spirits, though a little behind schedule.

The first few miles were spent waking up and learning what side of the trail to be on.  (Walkers/runners go on the far left, while bikers have the standard right side of the path)

The next few miles went fine, with us walking quite a bit and running some.  We were keeping hydrated with accelorade and water, and taking in gu and energy beans.

Us after

My sister was upset that she forgot to put sunscreen on her face.  But as it wasn't very sunny I thought she would be ok.

We stopped once or twice to get a rock out of our shoes or to get more water from one of the drinking fountains.

All was going well at mile 10, in fact we were quite enjoying ourselves.  We were walking more than running because the day was more about the distance than the speed.

Somehow I miscalculated when we were at mile 13.1 (the halfway point for a full marathon) so it seemed we walked that mile twice.

At mile 16, all was not well.  In fact I started to feel a lot of pain in my right shin.  I was glad I had gone further that ever before, but I was still 10.2 miles from a full marathon, and still about 3 miles from home.

The last 3 miles were horrible.  I was limping, we were low on water and out of Gu.  And the sun had gotten really strong and hot.  I was out of adrenaline and had to sit at least twice.  One time because I thought I was going to throw up.  Somehow I was over heating.  Remember that comment about forgetting sunscreen, yeah the whole left side of my body and my chest looked like a tomato and I am still peeling.

We made it to the park, where I sat down on a bench and my sister did the extra 1.2 miles to make it a full 20 mile run.

I then hobbled home.  Promptly got water, aspirin, and frozen blueberries.  Shin splints suck.  And now I'm not to run, and the full marathon is only 4 weeks away!

Sleep

Sleep, what I have been needing and the reason I am having the hardest time getting running again.  Ever since the 1/2 marathon I have had the hardest time getting going in the morning and getting myself on a run.
Well see how tomorrow goes.

Lord help me get my butt out of bed and back to training.
                                                        Amen.

1/2

Believe it or not but last Sunday I ran 13.1 miles in a race and didn't die!

I wasn't sure how I was going to do, so two weeks before hand I ran it in a training run through the neighborhoods around my house.  I made it to mile 8 without a problem, but after that my left leg hurt and I just couldn't make myself run again.  But I finished the 13.1 miles in 3 hours 30 min.  Since then I have been running, but only 4-6 miles at a time, strictly working on keeping a good form.

So last Sunday was the race.  My sisters and drove to Santa Rosa the day before, grabbed an over-priced pasta dinner and headed to bed with a new race day manicure.  I was calm and ready to go with only minor butterflies in my stomach.  We all set a goal of finishing in under 3:30, with a dream of finishing in under 3:15.

Come 5:30 in the morning I had slept on and off and was not totally rested, but off we went to the race.  One of my sisters and I stood in line for the port-a-potties and were actually in them when the start shoot went off.  We did up crossing the start line with our other 2 sisters and the race was on!

The loop was along the river and about 6 miles out and then a quick jog down a side stream and back to the start.  The marathon runners would be doing the loop twice.  In the first 2 miles my sisters and I had all broken up on our own, and were playing leap frog with each other.  My goal was to stay on pace so I started with my new plan of 2 min run:1 min walk (~ 13 min/mile pace), but I was getting tired of flipping my wrist and checking my watch over and over.   I woman in front of me had a beeper that keep going off at intervals.  After a bit of chatting I learned that it was a GymBoss and was an interval timer.  She was an interstate marathoner and it had worked wonders for keeping her on pace.  Another woman was running in the same area and started chatting with us.  She was an iron man competitor, using the marathon to strengthen her running time and she used a heart rate monitor to keep her pace.  I ran with these lovely ladies from mile 3-5, and the miles just slid by.  But at mile 5 I knew that I needed to start fueling so I grabbed a gel.  I have yet to master the eating and still running so I soon fell behind my new friends.  The next few miles, were fine.  I keep my pace and while I was running by myself there were people in front of and behind me.  At mile 8, I slowed as before and could no longer keep my pace.  So I moved to a 2 min run : 2 min walk, and just kept moving.

Two of my sisters were about 200 yards in front of me, but I just couldn't bring myself u to catch them.  My other sister was a ways behind me and I was always hoping she would surprise me, but alas I only saw her on the finish line.

Miles 9-11 were a bit of a blur, with my thoughts concentrated on "just keep moving".  One of the worst things I did was calculate my time at mile 9 and I realized that if I made a 15 min pace, I could finish in under 3 hours.  It also meant that I had another hour of running left, after the 2 I had already done.  At mile 11, one of my sisters in front of me had fallen behind while fueling up and I was able to chat with her for a bit before she ran forward again.  I kept drinking water and had a second gel.

At mile 12, the lead marathoners lapped me.  Two amazing women making olympic trial times, flew by me and I'll I could do was cheer them on.

The last mile just seemed to continue to stretch out, but my ability to kick into a run was harder and harder.  At mile 13 with just the last .1 of a mile to go, I once again found my steam.  And ran to the end.    I feel you must finish strong if you are even going to bother.  I finished with a time of 2:53:something!  Far below my original goal and even my dream goal.

It was a good run and I learned a lot.  I already have bought a GymBoss interval timer, it's in the mail.  I also learned that I have to find a better way of fueling my body.  The gel are providing me with energy, and water is keeping me hydrated, but I am not balancing my electrolytes.  This is getting tweaked so I can keep going.  I also learned that a friend on the road is a good thing, so my sister and are are working together to get our paces in sync.

All in all, I'm glad I did it and proud of my accomplishment.  It may just be the right length of race for me.

Now to prep for the big mamajama!

Chutes & Ladders

Well a week long work vacation made my training plan take a serious hit.

I was in Portland for the Brewfest and had a wonderful excess of good times with friends, food, beer and booze and the heart of it.  It was wonderful but did nothing for my diet and training.  And I felt that back slide this morning as I tried to run 4 miles.  (I did go 4 miles, but not by running the whole time).

What I realized is that dieting and training is a game of chutes and ladders, where all the ladders go back to the start and there are no slides.

Sad by true.

Slow but Steady

Slow but steady...slow but steady... slow by steady:

The chant in my head as I made my way across 3 miles of pavement at a jog for the first time since I pulled my left hamstring weeks ago.

It felt incredibly slow, but good.  And this run was just in the nick of time since this weekend I have a 6 mile race with my sisters.

Back to chanting....

It's a hammie!

I have done a wonderful job of pulling my hamstring!

On my long run of 12 mines last week I pulled my hamstring on my left leg.  The entire back of my leg is tight.  I can't even fully extent my leg.  I rested it for six days, babying it, taking meds and stretching it.  This morning I tried to run again, just six miles.  At mile three, I was so tight I had to walk myself home.

So a call to my PT sister told me that I have to massage it with a foam roller.  And hopefully soon I will be able to run again.  As for this weekend.... no long run for me.

Advice

How to Run a Marathon
by Barney Stinson

"Yon don't train for a marathon.  You just run it.
Here's how you run a marathon.
Step 1: You start running.  There is no step 2."

A new plan

After studying many marathon training plans, my sisters and I found one that seemed to be the newbie classic, so that was the plan of choice.  The plan was 2-3 days a week of running 3 miles, with an additional day of a long run.  The long runs generally increase to 20 miles in the 24 weeks leading up to the Marathon.  Over the last eight weeks, I have been sticking to this plan, but the weekend long runs are just increasingly scary.

Over the weekend, I was speaking with a friend who ran a marathon a few months ago for the first time.  She used Hal Higdon's Novice 2 Marathon Training Guide.

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/novice2.htm

The difference is a gradual increase in the baseline, or week running.  It makes the long runs much less intimidating and hopefully makes the whole experience better.
Here's to a new plan!

Shin Splints

The pain and burning!

Why do I do this to myself.

I have shin splints and yet I'm still running.  But I must admit it looks really funny when I do so. : )

I have been keeping to my training plan, running 9 miles early last week (the longest to date).  This week it's the normal 3 days of 3 miles and 2 days of cross training.  My favorite cross training is a combo of yoga and yard work.  The big scary item coming up is 11 miles this weekend.  I was dying after mile 8 before and now I have 3 more to add to it.  And with the shin splints I'm just not sure how I'm going to do it.  My goal is to travel 11 miles.  I hope the majority of that is running, but only time will tell.

8 days

I have been bad.  I have spent the last 8 days of my life working and traveling.  I have not run or exercised in those last 8 days.
So tomorrow will be painful, but its time to hit the pavement.

Bay2Breakers

What is more fun than running with people dressed up like Where's Waldo, Black Swans, Crayons, Angry Birds, or simply wearing their favorite S&M outfit?  Running with 10,000 of them and your sisters through the streets of San Francisco!
My sisters and I embraced the vibe and wore tutus and hats celebrating the sea (get it Bay2Breakers with a fish, shark and pirate?)
We actually ran/walked the 7.3 miles from the Embarcadero to the sea side of Gold Gate Park on Sunday in just over 1hr 45 min.  It was beautiful with the best weather of sun, sprinkles and a bit of overcast making it a great day.
The company was good and the laughs were plenty.
Too bad every long run could be this fun. :)

And the beat goes on

A plan is set, a training plan that is.  It is truly amazing how difficult it is to try and fit exercise into your life  six days a week.
But the plan is:
Monday      -Yoga
Tuesday      -3 miles
Wednesday -Cross Train
Thursday     -3 miles
Friday          -Rest
Saturday      -Long Run
Sunday        -3 miles

Now there is just the goal of working a career, and social life into the plan.

No Scale and 5 lbs gone

As you know, for lent I gave up my scale and measuring tape, as I felt that I had been becoming obsessive over the constant monitoring of my waist line.  Well, on the Tuesday after Easter, I hopped back on the scale and learned that I had lost 5 lbs over the previous 40 days!
If I can keep this up I'll be 25 lbs lighter by the fall.
Now the plan to only hop on the scale once a month, just to check my progress, but not get too bogged down in the week to week details.

The Tri Dash!

I DID IT!
Well, really, WE did it!
My sister and I, that is.
Yesterday, before the sun was even up, at 6AM we left the house and headed to the lake where the triathlon dash was being held, start time 8AM.
Our nerves were really going. We weren't sure if we were ready of 200yds cold lake swim, 6.5 miles of biking, and a 2 mile run.  In separate bits these things were no big deal, but combine them and it is a Triathlon Dash!
But as we paid our $10 for parking, saw the giant Red Bull tent, all the Fleet Feet stalls, and the racks and racks for bikes, we bit our lips and headed over to the transition area.
I learned that my sister and I were not in the same heat, because I had been put in the over 40 category.  My 29 year old pride was a little hurt at the point I must admit.  But I decided to make waves in the water instead of with the organizers and we set up out stuff.
Bike: set, Shoes: untied, Socks: in place, Number: on the shirt, Clothes: laid out, Helmet: unbuckled.
Now to put the suction cup of a wet suit on.  God Bless BodyGlide! It really did help.  Now, swim shoes, cap and goggles on, and start?
After a short, but scary briefing by the announcer, we headed down to the water, and got in.  God Bless wetsuits!  They made all the difference in the world.
As 8AM quickly approached, my sister's heat was set, and then they were off!  She rocked in, the awesome swimmer she is, and was 7th out of the lake. And on to the bike.
Now it was my turn and all I could think was, What in the World am I doing! But the gun went off, and off I went.  I started swimming as soon as I could, and my shoe was quickly knocked 1/2 off by a swimmer behind me.  I fixed it and then really felt the cold.  Taking a breath was hard!  And little did I know that it wouldn't become easy again till at least the last mile of the run.  But for now I was in the water and having a hard time breathing. So I rolled over onto my back and did back stroke.  Ok, I thought, I can make this.  The 200yds were over quickly, then up the hill to the transition area.  My family cheering me up the hill.
I got the wetsuit off after shimming it down and doing what I can only call, a version of the pee pee dance.  Next clothes, shoes, some water, and honey goo.  Now helmet and off.
I had done this part before, but never out of breath like this.  I knew that there were 6 true hills to tackle, but tunnel vision came and I lost count.  I passes my sister just as she was coming back from the turn around, so she was maintaining her 6 min lead.  Just as I was coming back from the turn around, the tire of the woman in front of me went off like a shot.  Her day was done, but I keep going, knowing I would send help to her, if I saw a volunteer.  I did pass a few people, but was passed by more.  Each hill was something to pump up and the downhills always proved short lived.  But the 6.5 mile loop was completed.  And back to the transition area, where the bike and helmet was dropped and the honey goo and water bottle was picked up.
I tossed the wrapper of the goo to my family, and tried to jog off.  The jog only lasted for the first little bit of the 2 miles, and was picked up whenever I felt I could do it.  My legs weren't as bad as I thought, but I was still breathing really hard.  The path quickly became a trail, and my mantra became "No poison oak, no poison oak, no poison oak...." I did grab Gatorade at the aid station that seemed far longer than the 1 mile marker said.  But on the last 1/2 of the run loop, my new mantra stayed in my head.  And then I realized I was almost done with a triathlon!  And the best part was, when I finished, I never had to do one again, if I didn't want to!  I saw my family cheering me on about 300yds from the finish, and they got me to sprint in.
I finished it hard! And in just over 1 hour.  (I thought if I could do it in 2 hours I would be good)
My sister and I celebrated with water, cuties and graham crackers at the lake.  At home a hot shower and a nice nap awaited us, followed by hamburgers off my new grill!  It was a good day, a hard event, but a good one.  And as for doing it again, we;;, we'll just have to wait and see.

Long time gone

It's been a crazy few weeks and I have not been good about blogging, or running for that matter.
I thought giving up the scale for lent was a good idea, but now I'm not so sure.  While relying on the scale to know how I fell isn't smart, allowing the scale to keep me in check is understandable and easy to measure.  But, for two more weeks I will honor my vow and keep the scale in the closet.
As for now, I will get back to running!  And more importantly, back to training for the looming triathlon dash in my future. ONLY 8 DAYS TILL IT'S ON!
My sister and I did the course a week ago, and will do it again on Monday.  The trial was a good idea, because the bike portion of the course, all 6.5 miles of it, was one of the most physically straining things I have done in a very long time.  After that the 2 mile run was a piece of cake!  We also learned that the lake was far to cold to try and handle without wetsuits, so they will be rented this week.  I hope I'll be able to survive, even with the additional warmth.
Hopefully I'll be blogging again in just over a week.  If not look for me in as the human ice cube in the lake. ; )

Humidity ain't my friend.

Smoke on the water....
Fire in the sky.

Or at least fire at my core.

Coming from a rainy climate and dropping into a bit of a vacation in New Orleans left me unprepared for the humidity.  Thus as I went for a run along the riverfront and through the French Quarter, dressed in pants, a running jersey, and a light jacket (pockets needed for caring my room key, phone and ID) I was totally over dressed.

The dash of warm weather, left me dreaming of the rain on my face back home.  But it also triggered for me to buy a part of running shorts.
Summer is a comin'.

Really Bad Eggs

When for a run this morning with a friend.  He pushed in back from 9 to 10, so I figured I had plenty of time for a nice breakfast. So two poached eggs and a cup of coffee or two, or three.  10 came around and he showed, we stretched and then headed for the park.  A bit of rain and wind was not going to dissuade us.  1 mile there, and then around the park for 2 and 3.  It was on the third when my stomach dropped.

Note to self: Do NOT eat eggs before a run.

Next my eyes started float.

Note to self: Do NOT drink Three cups of coffee before headed out for a run.

Luckily the library in the park did have a restroom.  So I must say miles four and five, and number six were much better.  Plus it was mostly walking, since sometimes running with a friend involves much more talking than running.  But it was a nice morning.

And we did cover six miles.

I'm taking that as a win.

Brick

Sunday I did my first Brick in preparation for my Triathlon dash on April 17th.  A brick is a work out where you do all or at least a combo of the triathlon events. My workout was a 1 mile run warm up (at an 11 minute pace) on a treadmill, then I biked 6 miles (in just over 25 minutes), then swam a fast 200 yard free style, followed by an additional 400+ yards to get my body better adapted to the water.
I learned a few things:
1) I will be able to finish this Triathlon even though the swim is open water, the bike is 0.5 miles longer than what I did (with some hills) and the run is 1 mile more.
2) My arms are ubber wimpy
3) I have got to find a better swimsuit.  Something with support!

It was a good workout and actually invigorating.  Hopefully it was just the first Brick in a stack that will build me into a brick house.

Musical Inspiration:

"She's a brick----house

Mighty mighty, just lettin' it all hang out

She's a brick----house

The lady's stacked and that's a fact, 

ain't holding nothing back. 

She's a brick----house

She's the one, the only one, 

who's built like a amazon 

We're together everybody knows, 

and here's how the story goes. 

1. She knows she got everything

a woman needs to get a man, yeah. 

How can she use, the things she use

36-24-36, what a winning hand! 

2. The clothes she wears, the sexy ways, 

make an old man wish for younger days

She knows she's built and knows how to please

Sure enough to knock a man to his knees"

Fads

I never meant this blog to be about fads, but I think I may be just getting on a long run of fads.  I just finished an organic cleanse.  I didn't do the master cleanse where someone tries to live on water, lemon juice and red pepper for over a week.  What I did do was go to my local market and get a three phase, 2-week plan.  And I do have to say it was amazing how much waste my body flushed out.  But as far as how I feel?  Not much different.  I didn't loose any weight, in fact I have even gained some of the inches back after the South Beach.  So neither South Beach nor the cleanse resulted in sustainable results.
As it is lent and many believe that if you give up something you enjoy or are overly involved with, I have decided to give up the scale and the measuring tape.  This may seem like nothing of a sacrifice, but it is something I know I am spending way too much thought on, and that's just not healthy.  And this whole experience is about being healthy all the way through.  So bye, bye scale, hello mile 4.

A sickness

Yesterday,
on a Saturday,
in the middle of an afternoon,
where I didn't have anything I had to do or truly needed to do,
where I could just spend the day relaxing,
I went for a 4 mile run/walk.

I remember people saying that you can get addicted to running, but I never thought I could happen to me.  It's a sickness.  One, where my body desires to be sweaty and in pain.
But the run, despite the sickness that caused me to go for a run, was very nice.

I ran a mile to the park and then two laps around the park and back home.  While running around the park I passed other runners (going in the opposite direction of course).  But the problem with all the runners was that none of them were smiling.  On a Saturday, when the smell of spring blossoms and rain are in the air, it is a day to be smiling.  So, I for one was smiling.

And as the sprinkling of rain started,
as I ran/walked home,
I keep smiling,
even though no one was passing me to see it.

Portland Ho!

Be prepared to be SHEL Shocked!  Because on the 9th day of the 10th month of the 11th year of this century, my three sisters and myself will run and complete the Portland Marathon.
Embrace the Crazy!

Back Again

Last week was Chocolate.  This after my two weeks of the South Beach and a week later, with chocolate included, I have gained it all back.  I do have to say that the inches are still off.
So now I'm back on the wagon.  And with new shoes:

I went down to the local Fleet Feet, got properly fitted, and dropped $100 on the shoes.  So time to put them to good use.

This morning I hit the road and actually ran to the post office, dropping off a card to send to a good friend.  From there is was to make an odd but good loop of about 2.2 miles.  I had to stop a couple time to work on how my shoes were tied, but I'm slowly breaking them in.

Gotta run.

Chocolate!

Eat it because it tastes good.

2 miles

Today for the first time I ran or really jogged my normal loop without any walking!  This may seem like nothing, but 2 whole miles was big for me, and a first in possibly my whole life.
2 miles is a teaspoon in the sea of a marathon, but that's where I'm headed and now I know somehow I will be able to finish it at least.

The Magnificent 7!

Week 2 of the South Beach Diet has resulted in a lose of 0 lbs.  But the end of the two week kick off period has resulted in a loss of 7 inches!  I've lost 1 whole inch from my upper arm and 1 and 1/2 inches from my waist.
As the scale has not changed, I was getting discouraged, but 7 inches is awesome.  Hopefully the inches will continue to fall away, just as long as they don't diminish too much from my assets. ; )

My first 5K

I'm completely exhausted!
My sisters and I ran our first official 5K this morning.  My goals were 1) to finish and 2) to finish under 40 minutes.  I achieved both of them with a time of 37:11.
For the next one, whenever that may be, my goal is to run the entire thing, no walking.
But for the foreseeable future, well until the middle of April that is, I will be training for a triathlon dash.  That's 200 yards of open lake swimming, 6.5 miles of bike riding and 2 miles of running.  So Saturday it's into the pool for the first time in a long time.
I'm refusing to be scared of the swimsuit, but the chilly water is another thing.
For now a nap and maybe a little football.

Work That!

Something just really put a smile on my face and remind me that everything is do able.  "Work That" by MJB is one of those things.  And if you haven't ever had the pleasure of jammin' out to this song, jump to iTunes, or YouTube, blast it and rock those curves!

"Work That" –Mary J Blige

Work your thing out

Work your thing out 

Work your thing out  

Theres so many-a girls 

I hear you been running 

From the beautiful queen 

That you could be becoming 

You can look at my palm 

And see the storm coming 

Read the book of my life 

And see I've overcome it 

Just because the length of your hair ain't long 

And they often criticize you for your skin tone 

Wanna hold your head high 

Cause you're a pretty woman 

Get your runway stride home 

And keep going 

Girl live ya life 

I just wanna be myself 

Don't sweat girl be yourself 

Follow me 

Follow me 

Follow me 

Girl be yourself 

That's why I be myself 

And I'm gonna love it 

Let em get mad 

They gonna hate anyway

Don't you get that? 

Doesn't matter if you're going on with their plan 

They'll never be happy 

Cause they're not happy with themselves 

Na na work what you got 

I'm talking bout things that I know 

Na na work what you got 

It's okay show yourself some love 

Na na work what you got 

Don't worry bout who's saying what 

It's gonna be fine 

Work what you got 

Feelin great because the light's on me 

Celebrating the things that everyone told me 

Would never happen but God has put his hands on me 

And aint a man alive could ever take it from me 

Working with what I got I gotta keep on 

Taking care of myself I wanna live long 

Aint never ashamed what life did to me 

Wasn't afraid to change cause it was good for me 

I wanna... 

I just wanna be myself 

Don't sweat girl be yourself 

Follow me 

Follow me 

Follow me 

Girl be yourself 

That's why I be myself 

And I'm gonna love it 

Let em get mad 

They gonna hate anyway 

Don't you get that? 

Doesn't matter if you're going on with their plan 

They'll never be happy 

Cause they're not happy with themselves 

Na na work what you got 

I'm talking bout things that I know 

Na na work what you got 

It's okay show yourself some love 

Na na work what you got 

Don't worry bout who's saying what 

It's gonna be fine 

Work what you got 

Work that 

Work that 

Work that 

Girl don't hold back 

You just be yourself [3x]

Na na work what you got 

I'm talking bout things that I know 

Na na work what you got 

It's okay show yourself some love 

Na na work what you got 

Don't worry bout who's saying what 

It's gonna be fine 

Work what you got 

Work that 

Work that 

Work that 

Girl don't hold back 

You just be yourself 

Work that thing out 

Work that thing out 

Work what you got 

7 for 5

Sunday was day 7 of the South Beach diet and... I've lost 5 lbs!
(Current weight 206)

For the first time in my life, I feel like its not that hard to lose weight.  I know this is poppycock!  But I do feel that for the first time my mind is right for it.  And that I am finally losing weight for the right reason: ME!  The only one who gets hurt by me cheating on my diet is me and the only one who really feel the success of it all is me.  May this mental state of mind is what I've never had before and that's why I've never been successful at losing weight, maybe its what happens when you grow up.  No matter what it is, right now I got it and like it!

I know I have a long ways to go to reach my goal and be a slimmer person, but this is the point when I'm at the base of hiking that hill and it still feels good.  I think I'll hold on to this feeling for a while. : )

A bit of Inspiration

By the Numbers

In order to truly know what a diet can do I felt like it was time to put it all on the line and go whole hog.  And in my case, quite literally.

So I pulled out the measuring tape the morning before I started on the South Beach Diet, three days ago, I measured my upper arm, bust, high waist, stomach right at my belly button, hips/butt, and thighs.

I also hopped on the scale and ran my BMI.

All these numbers are scary and hopefully as high as they will ever be. So here is the base line, the start of the race, and the beginning of curbing the carb cravings.

As my body is trying to kick the carb addiction, I have been being as good as I can.  I had a few glasses of wine at a wine work dinner, and a glass of sparkling at a work lunch today, but other than that I have been on the straight and narrow.

The worst temptation was the bag o' chips staring me in the face all day of the second day of the diet.  But I did not yield.  And for that I'm giving myself a gold star.

A Start

The year is 2011 and yet again, loosing weight is on my resolution list.
So I started running and it sucks.
My body does not want to run, but it is my torture of choice.  I even got ambitious and signed up for a 5K at the beginning of next month.  I can't even run for two miles straight, but amazingly enough I'm crazy enough to think that in two weeks I will master 3.1 miles.
I can run for a mile, but the second is paved pain, and the third makes me weak in the knees.  But with out a goal or a deadline I would still be behind the starting line.
I'm happy to say that I have lost some weight.  5 lbs in fact and at one point in time my scale said 9lbs.  I didn't believe it.  I hopped on the scale this morning and my total is indeed 5 lbs.
5 lbs is great.  But I want more.  I want a curve-o-licous body with my fat bottom rockin'.
So tomorrow I'm going to try Phase 1 of the South Beach diet, and for a girl that loves a fresh loaf of bread and works in wine, it is a serious step.  No carbs or sugar or even fruit for two weeks.  But I can do anything with God and support.  2 weeks is not forever.
But for tonight it's pizza and beer for dinner.  I'm celebrating my one last night of food freedom.

The Before

The Before.