Ramblings
I am ready to go go go! Got those runnin' shoes ready to go. I am really looking forward to the treadmill tonight. Woohoo. 5.5 miles and me in an empty gym, I'm sure. Love it.
Missy didn't start making noise until 2:00AM. I immediately got up, put her in the carrier, and closed her up in the study. I think those shots she got yesterday really messed her up. She was back to her "normal" self this morning. She went out of the room to eat with a little coaxing the first time this morning, then she came back out all by herself to eat a little bit later. I'm hoping that she ventures out a little while we are gone today. I told Scott that he needs to go in the room and talk to her a few times today. She usually comes out when you love on her a little. She's pretty scrawny so we are making sure that the food bowl stays full. I got kitten food, because I didn't realize she wasn't a kitten, but she could probably benefit from the kitten formula, anyway, to get un-scrawny. :)
I am feeling recovered, today, finally. Our training group has setup a yahoo group and some of them have been posting about how bad their run was last weekend. It seems that some people are not keeping up with the weekly training schedule, and still drinking nothing but water during the long run, on an empty stomach, even. That blows me away. We have seminars every saturday morning, newsletters, and 200 people telling us the right things to do and they still aren't listening? If someone would have told me how miserable I would feel running 10 miles if I lifted weights hard the night before, I think I would have listened and not done it. Maybe. :)
I am deviating from the USAfit plan, a little. Our plan calls for 30 minute to 55 minute runs three times a week with a long run on Saturday. I have read so much about not getting enough mileage in during the week (when training for a marathon) from experienced runners, that I have decided to try to keep up with the 40% rule (you get no more than 40% of your miles on your long runs). That puts me between 65 and 80 minute runs three times a week. Long runs will be 2 to 3 hours on Saturday. That seems much more sane to me. And, to be honest, when I do keep close to that 40% rule, my long runs don't seem that bad. I didn't get all my (deviated) miles in last week and I lifted weights the night before my long run. However, I did get pretty close to the mileage I would have put in by keeping with my USAfit training plan.
I am going to get my 30 miles in this week and I am going to have an awesome 12 mile run this weekend. It's just going to be that way. I'm also going to work a little harder at getting more carbs in the diet. I have always been under the recommended carbs for a non-athletic person. Now that I am working out so hard, I especially need to increase it. The nutritionist says 65% carb calories. Woah!
Speaking of diet, I decided to go completely vegetarian (pesce-vegetarian, to be precise and to not offend any purist vegetarians who may be reading this) a few months back (June? July?). I was most of the way there, already, anyway. Two words: roasted chicken. Mmmm, roasted chicken. I have absolutely no desire to eat any other form of chicken, or any other meat, but roasted chicken has not left the diet completely, I must confess. I have probably had it 6 times since the "conversion." LOL. However, I do feel better and have more energy (like I need it) when I don't eat meat (I eat fish, hence the "pesce"). I do want to quit eating the chicken, too, but it's not like I have to stop on any given day. I didn't just decide to quit eating red meat all of a sudden..it was just a gradual change in preference.
Anyway, I am bored and that is why the blog entry is so long. Time to get back to work, I think.
"Missy"
It's a girl. And...it's not a kitten. LOL. The vet guessed somewhere between 1 and 2 years old. She will not grow anymore, but she will add some weight. I was a little surprised she was that old. She got the obligatory shots, she had ear mites and an ear infection and yeast in her ears. Yuck.
Now, she won't eat. She won't come out of the room. When I drug her out from under the bed and held her she made a not very friendly noise. I'm pretty bright so I put her down and decided to leave her alone. :) She is an animal, after all, and animals can be unpredictable.
I didn't get to the gym. I tried to guilt-trip myself into going but I just
don't have the energy. Prince Charming says that Missy has been quiet all day so I am hopeful that will continue into the morning. Please? Pretty please?
I had a glass of wine after my salad and I am soooooooo ready to sleep now. T minus 21 minutes, and counting.
Kitten
I am a glutton for punishment. There must be a suppressed masochist within me crying to come out into the open! The longer I live, the more I am noticing that there could be something to this.
Yesterday the boy and I had a date day. We went to church, came home to drop off the hubby and to get socks (because we were going to go bowling after lunch and I was wearing flip-flops). So, we pull into the driveway and hubby goes in to get my socks. My neighbor walks up to the car and says, “Hey, do you guys still want a cat? There is one that has been in my backyard for two days and she seems really sweet.” So, we get out and go see the kitty. It walks right up to my boy and starts rubbing on his legs. (aaaawwwe!!!). We get the cat carrier out of the garage and decide to bring the thing home and see how domesticated it is.
I am guessing it is about 6 to 9 months old, probably female, and a little whore, I might add. LOL. I’ve never seen such a loving cat, before. She’s the kind that likes to rub against your legs all the time. I see sprained ankles in our future. We are in love!!! But, it was a long, sleepless, night. She cried all night long. We were expecting it, but it’s still a killer. I finally put her back in the cat carrier about 1:00 AM and shut her in the study so we could get some sleep.
I was up at 4:45 to run. Could.Not.Run. I really don’t feel like I have recovered from Saturday, add to that 3.75 hours of sleep and I just couldn’t do it. I kept trying, though. I ended up just walking for 30 minutes, with very brief sputs of running. I was already up, you know? Might as well get a little calorie burn out of the deal. I feel like a walking corpse. Now I have to figure out how to get all my miles in…
Tomorrow is Halloween so we will not be going to the gym. I’m thinking about going to the gym after my boy gets back from trick or treating to run. I need to get in about 5.5 miles tomorrow, 6.5 on Wednesday and 6 on Thursday. That sounds pretty rough. But, these are my decisions and my goals. I have to be willing to pay the price to get what I want. I really ought to try to get in my 5.5 tonight to stay on track, but I am just so tired.
We're taking little miss thing into the vet this afternoon to get her checked out and scheduled for alteration. She's got somethin' going on in her left ear so we'll need to get that fixed up. Hopefully tonight will be better. She was still crying in our bedroom when I left for work. I should call and check on her. :)
Common Sense Donations
Doh! I have decided (again) that I am lacking common sense. In light of this revelation, I am going to launch a common sense donation program. I'll work out the details later and keep you all informed so that those of you who are blessed in the common sense area can help other, less fortunate, people. :)
Doh! Okay, so this is what happened: Read yesterday's blog. You'll note that I decided to do a full body workout
12 HOURS BEFORE A 10 MILE RUN!!! You'll also note that I hadn't done weights in a few weeks.
STUPID, DUMB, STUPID. Yeah, I'm sure you can see where this is going. Here is the end result of that little genius idea: 10.1 mile run, in
2 HOURS and
32 MINUTES, where I ended up walking the last 2.5 miles. That's like a 15 minute pace. Doh!
I hurt everywhere. My coach made me promise I wouldn't do that, again. No worries, there. Like I'll actually WANT to feel like this, again. She also said, "At least you got up this morning and finished the distance." Sorry, that didn't make me feel any better. I'll stop ranting now. Bad, Cindy.
Two more weeks until the 1/2 Marathon. I'm excited. We run 12 miles next Saturday then the San Antonio 1/2 is on the following Sunday. I've got to get 30 miles in this week. Wow! I've also decided to put my weight lifting on the back burner until training is over. I want to keep a little upper body training going, but it will not be at the body-building level. It takes too much out of me. Gotta wise-up.
Off to my regular life.
Home Sweet Home
Yep, another very loooooooooooong week. We worked 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, a little. However, it is very physically taxing. I was worried about the project getting a little behind schedule because the first data conversion wasn't finished last week (as was planned) and they were having some management "issues" in addressing the changes that are necessary to keep the project on schedule. Getting changes approved in a 100+ year old family-owned business is much easier said, than done! But, everything is back on track and going very well. I am a very happy consultant, right now. :)
I honestly tried to run. I was practically stalking the workout room, all ready to run, every morning I was there. That damned treadmill was taken from
4:45 AM until
8:00 AM EVERY DAY!!!! I was a little upset. I only got 3 miles in, just yesterday evening. Our 10 miler will be interesting this weekend with just barely over six miles in this week. Ugh! I didn't plan to run on the kick-ass trail because it was supposed to rain all week and did not bring appropriate gear. It was the treadmill, or nuttin, honey. I will NOT make the same mistake when I go up there, next. I will plan on the treadmill being taken and bring the gear I need to run outside.
I am mentally exhausted. We are going to the gym in about an hour. I haven't lifted weights in almost three weeks, I think. It will feel good to be able to get back to that. I miss it. I hope I didn't lose any of my strength in that three weeks. I didn't measure this morning and I couldn't weigh-in. I hopped on the scale when I got home and it was at 266. Fine by me. I probably at least stayed the same, and may have lost a little. Taking the whole week into consideration, I'll call that success. I am pondering weighing in and measuring tomorrow morning, but I probably won't have enough time in the morning.
I have a lot of blogs and forums to catch up on this weekend. Gotta see how my e-friends are faring!
PM WorkoutStationary Bike: 25 Minutes
Full Body Weights: 50 Minutes
Stretches: 10 Minutes
On the Road, Again
Ran 3.36 miles. 1.6 miles short of goal. I wasn't ready for my trip and I
HAD to be ready. I can make up some of that shortage tomorrow and Thursday.
My car is in the shop for the THIRD time in a month. I am very frustrated with that piece of shit. I have checked out a LOT of cars over the last few weeks and I am still leaning towards the Camry. I seem to be getting pickier as time goes on. I'm just not happy with what is out there in the $30k range.
I am leaving for Nacogdoches again in a couple of hours. I did not eat breakfast because I am still full from this weekend??? I just wasn't hungry. I feel full and bloated, but only two pounds heavier than Friday. That always seems to be the case early in the week, anyway.
This week is going to be pretty intense with my project. Probably won't have time to write here or check out what is happenin' in the forums. Maybe this weekend I can catch up with everybody. I won't get to weigh-in Friday, either, but I brought my tape measure so that I can at least take my measurements.
R & R
Yes, I relaxed and I needed every minute of it!
I ran at my Dad's house on Saturday morning. It sucked. I didn't keep track of my time on purpose because it would have been upsetting. I hate dogs and I hate "the country". Every single one of those miles looked just like the one before it. Ugh. I will end my rant with that, before I even get started!!!
Next Saturday we do another 10 mile run. Therefore, my weekly mileage goal will remain the same at 25 miles.
Now, on to another, more disturbing, topic. I didn't realize that people treat you differently because you are fat. I've heard it from others, but I refused to believe it or accept it as fact. I guess I'm not in the "fat" club, anymore, because I've never really heard non-"fat" people talk about "fat" people, before. All of a sudden I am one of the non-"fat" people so now it is okay to criticize "fat" people in front of me?!?!?!
There were just way too many emotions flying for me to even go there. That is how people used to talk about me behind my back! Some probably still do, I guess. That was very embarassing for me, and horrifying. I didn't want to believe that I was treated any differently than my non-obese peers. That won't be the first time I have err'd on the side of naivete. Prolly not the last, either, since I prefer to live in my rose-colored world.
We went to our old church this morning. It has changed so much. We only knew a couple of people there. We also checked on our rent house and discovered some of the neighbors we used to party with had moved on. Nothing is the same as it was when we left. Go figure. LOL. I came to the realization that I had been determined to hang on to that house as a security measure. You know, "at least we will still have that house if things don't work out."
Hanging on to my old life is no good for my future. Hubby has ben trying to talk me in to selling the house (it is my house, not "ours") and to quit working for my client in Dallas. We need to establish roots here, and we won't be able to do that with me still living up there part-time. I am ready to cut the cord, now.
When the tenants move out, I am not going to put it back up for lease. I am going to sell it and will not consider any other option, no matter how long it remains empty. I am also going to tell my client that we need to transition my role to someone else. I am probably not going to tell her until after the first of the year because she would flip out with everything she has going on. But, after her year-end is wrapped up (and her building project is done), I am going to tell her to find someone else and assure her that I will be there to assist with the transition. She has a plan to retire soon, anyway, and to let her staff run the business while she is in semi-retirement. She will just need to find a higher-level person sooner than she was expecting, that's all.
Good weekend for my soul! Very needed.
3.5 Pounds, Really???
And I thought my weeks of 3 and 4 pound losses were history!?!
3.5 pounds lost, 3/4 inches down.
Truth be told, a little bit of that
IS water. I went to bed thirsty last night. Just because I didn't feel like drinking anything.
I don't feel any better today. My breakfast made me feel like puking. I am not going to work.
I guess that means my plateau is, effectively, over. Thank God!
Mental Health
Scheduled Run: who cares???
Actual Run: 69 Minutes
5.32 miles on the treadmill. 12:58 pace.
I am having a sucky week.
Our user conference at work is going well and I am enjoying it.
I am under a lot of stress.
I need a mental health day and I am thinking about playing hookie tomorrow or I might cry. Me, cry? Nevermind. I might withdraw into a closet somewhere and not come out.
Looks like my miles will be 23.5 this week. Still 1.5 short of goal. Not bad, though. I'm getting to where I need to be and I feel fine.
Off to Dallas tomorrow for the R & R weekend. 10 Miles on Saturday in the country, in the cold. No worries until I get back home Sunday night.
{sigh}
Reflections
Scheduled Run: 0 Minutes
Actual Run: 0 Minutes
I have been feeling very blah about my life for a couple of weeks, now. Not bad. Not good. I am not a neutral person and don't cope well with blah.
I am healthy. I am happily married. I have a great job. I have an awesome kid. I live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. I have everything I need. I am losing weight. I am training to run a marathon. I get to travel. I meet new people every day.
There is absolutely nothing exciting or interesting going on in my life and I am bored with it all.
I always have had a problem with settling down. It makes me want to shake it all up again. When I was living in my own house, I satisfied this urge by rearranging furniture, painting the walls, making stuff different around me, adding a new light fixture, buying something new, etc.
I can't do any of that right now. My hubby
hates it when I rearrange the furniture. I can't make home improvements to a house I don't own. I can't move houses or change jobs. I'm stuck and I feel boxed in. I hate that. Maybe that is why I feel compelled to buy a new car. Well, that and my current piece of shit sucks.
Why do I always feel like that when my life becomes settled? I know my Dad get likes that and my Mom calls it my inherited gypsie blood. I call her full of shit. :) How can
that be inherited?
I need something new in my life. I don't have hobbies--they bore me. Unless, of course, doing new stuff is a hobby. LOL. I need help. I should talk to my sweet prince charming. He's always so objective about other people's "problems." He'll understand, too, 'cuz he knows me. ;)
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
100 Miles
Scheduled Run: 45 Minutes - Hills
Actual Run: 78 Minutes
6 miles on the treadmill tonight. 13:00 pace.
100 Miles (running) on these legs as of tonight (since I've been training)!
Woohoo!
The next 100 will happen before mid November. :)
I've been SUPER-DUPER busy at work, and extra busy at home. Tomorrow--I rest.
My weight seems to go up every single Monday, without fail, and holds steady on Tuesday. Why? Yes, I've been tracking it because I am my very own interactive science experiment and I wonder about things. Everything, really. LOL.
This weekend we are going up to the Dallas area to spend the weekend with my Dad. Prince Charming and I will go out to this AWESOME authentic mexican restaurant for a date. We haven't been there in well over a year. I will be running 10 miles on Saturday out in the country on gravel roads. Should be interesting. I just looked up the weather. It will be 44 degrees out there at 6:00 AM. Brrr. Good thing I bought some cool-weather running clothes!
PM WorkoutRunning: (see above)
Stretches: 10 Minutes
Communion & Ding Dongs
Scheduled Run: 0 Minutes
Actual Run: 0 Minutes
We made it to the church this morning. I think this is the third time we have been there....and this is the third time they have had communion. I have a problem with communion. I have been putting off doing more research, in order to finalize my opinion, for no good reason. So, I decided to do it this afternoon.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 basically tells how the eating of the bread and drinking from the cup is in rememberance of Jesus' body that was sacrificed, and the blood that was shed for us.
However, if you keep reading that chapter, it goes on to say "Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you are telling others about the Lord's death until he comes. So a person who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is not worthy of it will be guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. Look into your own hearts before you eat the bread and drink the cup, because all who eat the bread and drink the cup without recognizing the body eat and drink judgement against themselves." 1 Corinthians 11:26 - 29 (NCV)
So, we are supposed to do this to tell others about Christ until His second coming. And, I am supposed to be able to answer "YES" to the question of, "have I kept faith with Christ by way of living in unity with His body?" His body, being the church and other Christians, or even all of His teachings.
I don't think I can answer "Yes" to that unity question (I mean, seriously, who among us can honestly answer "yes" to that? I know a large number of people that label themselves Christian that I abhor), and it reasons that one should not be having communion in a church because it is obvious that people within the church walls know about Christ and the Second Coming.
I think I am about the only person who always passes up communion (besides my husband who is a self-described heathen, LOL). Just like I have never been baptized because I do not completely understand it and I have no use for traditional rituals, of any kind, just for tradition's sake (no, I didn't have a "wedding", either, much to my mother's disappointment). I won't go out and do something because someone can quote one line of scripture for doing it.
Ah well...looks like no communion for me any time soon, unless I quit thinking, LOL. Good thing taking communion isn't required for getting into heaven. ;)
On a lighter note, I am making Trishie's chocolate frosted brownies at the moment and I want to eat the air it smells so freekin' good. Damn you, Trish!!! This should be illegal. My boys are frothing at the mouth.
My running goal this week is 25 miles. Sounds like fun to me.
Off to much the brownies, al la mode. Yummmmmm......
Later that same quarter-hour:Damn, that was good. Yes, you can still lose weight by eating the things you love, despite popular opinion. I am walking, talking, opinionated proof of it!
You just can't eat them all in the same day, every day, or two plate-full's of it when you do eat it!!! I don't even know how many gallons of ice cream, pounds of hershey's miniatures, or dozens of pastries I have consumed over the last eight months....But I can guarantee you it was less than what I ate in the prior eight month period!
I can also tell you that the quality has greatly improved while the quantity has decreased. Eating a Hostess ding dong (where the second ingredient is hydrogenated animal fat, by the way) for 300 calories just doesn't compare to eating a high-quality pastry from a fine bakery for the same calories! It makes that nasty ding dong very easy to pass up.
{shudder} I remember a day in my not-too-distant past where I ate six of those things in one day--because I didn't want to cook something and I was hungry. O.M.G. 1,800 calories worth of ding dongs?!?!?!?!
WHAT was I thinking?
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
End of Training Week 9
Scheduled Run: 9 Miles
Actual Run: 9.2 Miles
12:56 pace, baby! Yeah, I'm happy about that 'cuz I didn't feel like I was pushing myself. Just a nice, long, easy run this morning...in the rain...on the highway access road...breathing exhaust. :)
:)
caloriesperhour.com says I burned 1,945 calories this morning. LOL.
I came home weighing 2 pounds less...oopsie! I really am trying to get this under control. I forgot to have my water and banana this morning before I left. Bad Cindy!
Sooo, play time is
over. 17 weeks to go before the marathon. The half marathon is in 4 weeks--which is supposed to be a pace-setting long run for our training group. I know I can do it. I'd like to be at 12:30, or better, for the 1/2 marathon. I am going to focus on getting all of my miles in this week. I will set my goals sometime this weekend. No traveling this week, so it will be a smidge easier to meet them.
We had to run up and down eight over(under)passes this morning. I ran about 85% of them. Which makes me wonder why I still can't run up the hills in my neighborhood. I think it is all in my head, now. I am going to run half of my normal laps in the reverse direction on Monday and the other half my normal direction and see if I can't get passed that damn mental block. I don't want to venture too far away from home because I have to get kids to school and myself to work on time and running around the block gives me the comfort that I will be able to cut my run short, if I run out of time or hurt myself--a crutch (LOL). Plus, I can accurately calculate my distance. I should get rid of that crutch, too.
Today we are celebrating my Prince Charming's 40th birthday (which was yesterday). There is this amazing Italian restaurant downtown on the River Walk that we treat ourselves to, occasionally. They have the best Italian Margaritas and awesome food. We like to sit outside by the river so our "little" monkey can run around on the river walk while we enjoy some time together. They usually have some kind of live entertainment on the weekends, too.
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 minutes
Busy Bee
Mmmmm...sushi. Got my fix this afternoon for lunch. :)
Too much going on right now, so here is the highlights edition:
~ Down 2 pounds
~ Down 1.5 inches
~Trail running ROCKS! I think I am in love...
~Bought new cool-weather running clothes in size Large (yes they are a little snug, but they need to fit me for a while)
~ 9 miles tomorrow morning
~ My weekly miles will be a bit over 20 this week. Just a little under my goal of 22. Nice.
PM Workout
Stationary Bike: 45 Minutes
Full Body Weights: 65 Minutes
Stretches: 10 Minutes
Wooooo!
Wow. What a way to start a new project!!! 13 hours yesterday, 11 hours today. I love it, though. I wouldn't want it any other way! Besides, my hotel is aweful and there is nothing to do in this little tiny town in the middle of nowhere.
Food recap: Breakfast has been practically non-existent. Lunch has been heavy and I only ate a small dinner once. If that doesn't throw a curve ball to my system, I don't know what will! I did find a really quint coffe place to pass the morning. Good coffe, awesome blueberry scones! Yum.
I am a city girl. I put the nail in that coffin while being here. I could go on and on about the absolutely rediculous things I saw, but here are some highlights I found particularly "interesting":
Me: "How do you get on to the internet (because there are usually instructions in my room, and there wasn't and my wireless card didn't pick up a signal and there was no port to plug in to)."
Him: "I don't understand your question." (A long pause while he looks at me funny.) "Do you have a laptop?"
Doh!And, the "nice" restaurant in town had white linens on their tables.....covered with a haphazardly cut piece of brown meat-packing paper!!! I felt like I was finger-painting in kindergarten, again.
O.M.G.Too funny...too funny. These people live in a completely different universe than I do. I feel like I am in the twilight zone and that it isn't really "real life" out here--like they are acting out some really bad movie from the early eighties. LOL.
And I get to come back out here in two weeks. I'll stay focused on the coffee house and the nice, wooded trail that runs along the creek! :)
Speaking of the trail, it was so awesome! I get out there about 5:15AM (I have to drive) and it is still dark out and all of the night critters that live along the creek are still making all of their critter noises and there are really tall pine trees that line the creek. So nice! I wish I had that at home!
Tomorrow is a 4 mile run. I will run along the trail, come back to my room and shower, go visit the coffee house, come back to the room and work for a couple hours, then head back home. To see my boys!!!
Good Workout
Scheduled Run: 35 Minutes
Actual Run: 55 Minutes
10 laps, 4.2 miles, 13:02 pace. Nice workout, nice weather. Why can't it be like that for the Saturday long runs? But...what
WAS that smell? It smelled like bandaids and something burning lightly??? Eww. It's not the first time I have smelled that at that particular part of my route, but I wonder what it is!
Here is what my plateau research produced:
- You are eating the number of calories you are burning (not)
- Your body has become more efficient at performing the exercises you engage in, therefore you burn fewer calories doing it (hmmm)
- Your body needs a break from dropping more weight (whatever)
- A lot more really rediculous presumptions that I didn't bother to retain.
Recommendations on breaking the plateau:
- Eat whatever you want for 2 or 3 days then get back to your "plan" (I already eat whatever I want and I'm not on a "plan")
- Incorporate a cheeseburger and fries every week (YUCK!!!)
- Vary your diet more if you are prone to eat the same foods each week (that's me; this will change out of necessity this week, as well)
- Start lifting weights or crosstrain (already do both, not willing to stop)
- Change up your routine (This will happen out of necessity this week-no weights or crosstraining)
- Increase (or decrease) your regular exercise time and/or intensity (I can do this, especially the increase part)
My plan:
I have decided that I need to increase my weekly mileage because I am getting over 60% of my weekly miles on my long run. That Saturday long run should be 40% or 50% of my weekly miles, at most, from what I have learned from veterans. So, I did the math and figured out that I needed to get 22.5 miles in this week, ideally. I replanned my morning workouts around getting miles in, instead of time, and it works out to be about 20 minutes more per training day than what my training program calls for. Twenty extra minutes of running doesn't seem like too much of a stretch. But, I will listen to my body and adjust as necessary.
There will be no PM workouts until Friday. If my hotel room is big enough, I'll still try to stretch.
High Maintenance
Scheduled Run: 0 minutes
Actual Run: 0 Minutes
I have not traveled since I started training for the marathon. I have come to the sad conclusion that I, for the first time in my life, must consider myself high-maintenance. When booking my hotel, I had to have one that was really close to jogging trails. I was making a mental checklist of all the new items that must accompany me on my trips, now. Running shoes, special socks, extra skivies, sports bras, sports drink, shaker cup, running log, hydration belt, special running clothes, and this is just for my running!
I've always been one of those types who can go from being sound asleep to ready for work in about 15 minutes--including the shower. (I can thank my naturally curly, very low-maintenance hair, and my natural good looks for that.) :) And, I could always pack for a business trip in one medium-sized suitcase (with my equipment in it).
Those days are over! Bummer.
Hubby and I looked at new cars yesterday. The Honda Accourd and the Toyota Camry. I fell in love with the Audi A6 we test drove back in July, but a $58,000 car just isn't in the cards for us at this point in our lives. The Camry XLE that I drove was a very nice second place, though, at about $30,000. I hated the Accord and I am very upset with GM right now, so I won't even consider any of their models. Plus, I want to buy a car that is known to last for a very long time and give it to my son when he is ready to drive. This car has airbags everywhere and all kinds of other safey features. Oh, yeah, the GPS system was really pretty cool, too. Toys.
We are going to ponder this for a while more. I looked up the trade-in value of my current piece of shit and it wasn't very pretty. We'd probably have to dig a little deeper into our coffers than I really want to, at the moment, to get the new car. Our tenants are expected to leave our rent house at the end of January and that is a horrible time to try to rent out a nice family house. So, I am expecting to have to pay for an empty house for a few months. But, we'll see.
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
Perfectly Putrid
Scheduled Run: 6 Miles
Actual Miles: 6.26 Miles
85 minutes, 13:34 pace. Hot, humid. I think I am getting used to it now, though. The last two miles went faster than the first four because it started to cool down once the sun started to come up. ?huh? There's Texas weather for ya!
My old shoes were nowhere to be found this morning. I still can't find them? So, I had to wear the new ones. Nice! They felt much better. Not as much cushion, but my feet weren't all over the place and some of the aches I've been having in the old one's were gone. Love 'em.
My weight had finally come down below the 270 mark last night. It was still down this morning....and down even further when I got back from my run. :)
I drink a LOT when I am running and I still was down 1.1 lbs from this morning at 5:30 and then at 9:00. I guess I need to drink some more during my run. I think I drank over 50 oz of fluid in those few hours. Hard to imagine that I sweat that much! But, it was very hot and humid. My goal is to get that beginning/ending weight fluctuation down to 1/2 pound, or less. I'm getting closer. It was over two pounds a few weeks ago. But, I suppose 16 ounces isn't really a big deal, now is it?
All of my fellow slow-pokes were no-shows this morning. So, I was was bringing up the rear all by myself. Wow, I wonder what happened? There are usually about 5 to 7 of us stragglers. I hope they show up for the 9 miles next weekend. If not, it doesn't bother me to be last. I don't find it discouraging at all. You know why? Because I am at least out there giving it my all!
:)
No plans this weekend. I'm hoping for a nap with Prince Charming, later. I'm leaving for Nacogdoches, TX on Monday afternoon so I need to make sure my boys have everything they will need while I am gone. I am over-hearing whispers of pizza and sandwiches sustaining them while I am gone. :( Even though there is a 31 year age difference between the two of them, they both act the same when "Mom" is gone.
Oh well. I guess I should be happy they will at least be eating at the table?? Hopefully. LOL. Boys....
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
No Progress
Scheduled Run: 0 Minutes
Actual Run: 0 Minutes
Soooooo. We had a little "situation" come up when I came home from work yesterday. I missed my workout. That is the first workout I have missed since June, I believe. Funny...by the time the situation was resolved it was about 8:00pm and the hubby and I felt like we were going to go stir crazy. Our bodies are so used to our routine that it seemed like they were going to go into involuntary movement. I wanted to run soooo bad and he just started to do some floor work. It was almost comical, really.
I didn't end up running because I don't want to take my new shoes on the road until I can test them on the treadmill. I will have to run the 6 miles tomorrow on my old shoes. This is a recovery week for us, so it was a good time to miss a workout, I suppose. I still want to run really badly, but not at the expense of my long run tomorrow. So, I will just wait. It will be interesting to see how my body does after not running for that long of a time. Maybe this is what I needed to get the weight loss going, again?
Speaking of weight loss, I am down 1.6 lbs of the 2.2 I was up last week. That 1/2 inch gain in my thighs from last week is gone, too. Aside from that, I am exactly where I was three weeks ago. Grr. :(
When will the madness end? This is so very, intensely, endlessly irritating and completely irrational. My typical food day consists of a Kashi GoLean Crunch breakfast, a morning snack of fresh fruit, sushi/veggie sandwich/leftover pasta/salad for lunch, a Kashi granola bar for afternoon snack, baked potato/salad/pasta/fast fuel for dinner and two servings of light ice cream three times a week in the evening. On Saturday's I tend to eat more because of all the calories I burn running. WTF???
And, as much as I try to quit caring about all these numbers and measurements, and keep the focus on my athletic endeavors, it still bugs the shit out of me. Why can't I turn that off like I can any other thing in my brain that is illogical? Perhaps I need to understand it more before I can turn it off. Once I understand something, I can ignore it. Yeah, maybe that is the key. I will go and research the physics behind plataeus. That should do it.
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
A Thinker
Scheduled Run: 30 Minutes - Tempo
Actual Run: 30 Minutes - Tempo
I am going to run on the treadmill this evening to test out my new shoes. A nice tempo run sounds perfect.
I am wearing the shirt that is VERY flattering to my figure. I feel pretty, healthy and confident today. My hair is an absolute wreck, but it happens. Ponytail's can be a beautiful thing.
I took a little personality quiz this morning. Here are the results.
You Are An INTP
The Thinker- You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can.
- Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge.
- Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat.
- A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it.
- You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor.
I think I used to be a diffrent combination when I was younger. But,
all of the above statements are
very accurate. It just so happens that I get to play with mathematical formulas, do some programming, analyze data and processes, and teach in my professional life. No wonder I am so friggin' happy all the time, right? :)
Not to mention that I am married to the most wonderful man in the whole universe.
PM WorkoutRunning: (see above)
Full Body Workout: 50 Minutes
Stretches: 10 Minutes
New Shoes
Scheduled Run: 0 Minutes
Actual Run: 0 Minutes
I hooked myself up with a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS (Men's size 11 D) this evening on the way home from work. My Etonic Jepara's (Men's size 11 E) seem to be too wide, now, and my foot slides a little in them. I love the cushioning in the Jepara's, but this new running store said that it was too much stabilization for my biomechanics. I'm going to give the Brooks a try on the treadmill tomorrow night to make sure they will work before I take them out on the road. The store won't take them back if I've damaged them in any way.
Today was another crazy-busy day at work. I would schedule 4 out of 5 days a week like that, if I could. I love it.
My weight is on the downward move this week. I think I look smaller, too. I feel better now that I have readjusted my diet back to where it was a few weeks ago. Except, I felt a little light-headed this morning about 9:00. I ate a Kashi Peanut Peanut Butter bar and felt much better. I love Kashi products!!!
Gonna keep it short and sweet today. I have a sexy man in my bedroom (folding laundry, even). So, what exactly am I doing in front of the computer???
PM WorkoutNope.
Heartrate Monitors
Scheduled Run: 30 Minutes - Hills
Actual Run: 30 Minutes
12:46 pace this evening, on the treadmill, 2.35 miles. Only walked one minute in there and I felt great afterwards. (Somehow, we didn't hear the alarm go off this morning? Odd.)
Today has been a super-busy day. Tomorrow will be the same. I love it, though.
I have been pondering the purchase of a heart rate monitor for a couple of months, now. Funny how I make my living with technology but I am slow to take advantage of it, sometimes. Yeah, I gave birth without any kind of painkiller, too. I'm sure none of you that know me are surprised by that piece of trivia. I figured if women have been giving birth for thousands of years without it, then I can do it, too. I suppose I look at the heart rate monitor the same. :)
My hubby's trainer at the gym recommended a Polar RS200, after she had initially recommended a $400 model that I laughed hysterically at. The lady at the running store recommended a Timex. When did Timex go into the heart rate monitor business? Do they belong there? Hmm. I am skeptical. Anyway, I have decided that I need a watch (that is not a $300 gold Citizen with no numbers on it) with at least two different timers on it, to wear on my runs. And, if I am going to sink the cash to buy a watch, why not add on a bit more and get one that can tell me about my heart rate, too, right? Right.
I am still undecided as of this evening. Everyone is using them. But, that has never been a very good reason for me to jump on the bandwagon for anything. I tend to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction of what "everyone else" is doing.
PM WorkoutRunning: (see above)
Full Body Weights: 45 Minutes
Stretches: 10 Minutes
"Novelty" Items
From the Associated Press on msn.com:
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider whether a Texas law making it a crime to promote sex toys shaped like sexual organs is unconstitutional.An adult bookstore employee in El Paso, Texas, sued the state after his arrest for showing two undercover officers a device shaped like a penis and telling the female officer the device would arouse and gratify her.The employee, Ignacio Sergio Acosta, says a Texas law outlawing the manufacture, marketing or dissemination of an “obscene device” including those shaped like sex organs is unconstitutional because it prevents individuals from using such devices, violating their right to sexual privacy.An El Paso County court granted Acosta’s motion to dismiss a criminal complaint against him, but an appeals court reinstated it, saying the Texas law did not infringe on private sexual behavior.The bar against promoting obscene devices has been found in other court cases not to infringe on a right to use obscene devices at home, the court of appeals for the Eighth District of Texas ruled.Acosta also said the Texas law should be examined in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down a Texas criminal law banning gay sex as an unconstitutional invasion of privacy.
The case is Ignacio Sergio Acosta v. state of Texas, 05-1574.It really is too bad that there is no emoticon I can insert here to represent maniacal laughter. ROTFLMAO!
What a hoot. I am seriously not surprised that some legislator in this great state that I live in tried to pass a bill making gay sex illegal!!! LOL. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...
In the adult "book" stores here, all of the sex toys/aids/whatever have a sticker on 'em that say "Novelty Item Only, Not Intended For Use." Yeah....riiiiiiight! LOL.
Do the law enforcement officials in this state seriously have nothing better to do than to arrest some guy selling vibrators?
Guess I'm having a little problem with the political-judicial system today, aren't I?
Bullies Suck
Scheduled Run: 20 Minutes
Actual Run: 22 Minutes
13 minute pace. Nice 'n easy this morning.
San Antonio has no
good alternative rock stations. It also doesn't have any
good christian rock rock stations. Given the choice between the two, I usually choose the mediocre christian station. The less annoying of the two--because my 6 CD changer is too high maintenance for me. Don't laugh. :)
Anyway, the reason I am bringing this up is because the christian station has news that will piss-off the christians and the alternative rock station has news that will piss off their targeted listeners. Case in point:
Christian station: the ACLU is suing a school because some parents get together once a week at the school to pray for the students, teachers, and administrators of the school--out of sight of the students, I might add.
Alternative station: the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is setting up shop outside of bars and clubs, just waiting for people to get in their cars so that they can arrest them.
I'm not particularly fond of the ACLU, in it's current state. At one point in the history of this country, I can see where they had a valuable place in society. I'm sure I take many, many things for granted that the ACLU helped to provide me with as an American. However, I believe their usefulness has expired--along with most other unions usefulness. Now, in order to appear like they are still a necessary force in the country, they are making the tiniest little issues big media productions.
When is the last time the ACLU did anything really useful except waste public money in court? Yeah, I know the ACLU has to pay for their own lawyers, but the targets of their lawsuits are very frequently public institutions that have to use public funds to hire attorneys to defend themselves against these suits. As a public institution, it is undoubtedly more financially sound to yeild to the ACLU demands than to fight their suit in court. That is the opposite of what the ACLU was founded to do. A school district, or any other target of the ACLU, cannot bankrupt themselves in order to fight for their
real rights and liberties. That is a losing proposition, either way. They have reduced themselves to tantrum-throwing bullies.
Personally, I'd rather those parents keep up their prayer in the corner and that lawyer money get used to educate my child. Seriously, now. How much damage can a little prayer do to a school? Chrisitan prayer, Hindu prayer, Muslim prayer, Wikkan prayer....whatever. Where is the harm? You don't want your kids to know what prayer is? Never let them leave your home. It's like sex. They're gonna find out about it, sooner or later. Better the education comes from within your own walls, no? Banning any and all displays of worship in public won't do any good. And, it will never happen.
Save the trees and kill the children...it's kinda sad where our once-great country is headed. A lot of days I am embarassed to be an American when I see the bullying that our nation is participating in. Some days I am ashamed to call myself a Christian when I see what what other, more vocal, "Christians" are doing to the title.
Yes, God created the men and women who are homosexual and loves them just as much as He loves me, a heterosexual. My marriage is, apparently, more important to God than the marriage of two men, or two women. I should quit now or this blog entry will never end.
And don't get me started on the TABC stalking bars. Oy.
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
Visitors
Scheduled Run: 0 Minutes
Actual Run: 0 minutes
Ah, the visitor (and her fucked-up-annoying-piece-of-shit-smelly-assed-high-strung-mother-fucking animal) just left. The house needs a serious detox. It is 83 degrees outside with some serious humidity going and I've got every window in the house OPEN wide. Ugh.
But, enough about the stupid dog. It was nice to see her and to catch up. We really enjoyed the caves, even though I probably shouldn't have done it that soon after running 8 miles. That was a very difficult day, physically. I slept for 9 hours last night and needed every minute of it. I feel a nap coming on. :)
My run was nice, too. The weather sucked, once again, and I forgot my watch (yikes). I only got to sleep a good three hours as the visitor arrived
three hours late on Friday night! However, not having my watch forced me to pay attention to my body. I tried to run a little slower since I didn't have any way to pace myself (and I was so tired). I asked someone what time it was when we started and someone else when I finished. It looks like it was about 115 minutes, roughly a 14:30 pace. Give or take a couple on each side due to people's watches being set differently. Not bad for the heat, humidity and lack of sleep. I felt really good, afterward, too.
The girl I ran with last week took off like a rocket this week and we ended up passing each other several times. We talked brielfy but I think I am too slow and steady for her. She ended up finishing about 30 seconds ahead of me. So much for getting a partner.
I am not sore at all today. This is so awesome. Next weekend is only 6 miles. The San Antonio Half Marathon is next month and we are supposed to run that to set a new pace for ourselves for the next leg of our training. That will be my first race, ever. Everyone in my group is raving about how much fun it is. I'm very excited. I need to get registered for it. 13.1 miles seems very doable right now.
PM WorkoutStretches: 10 Minutes
