I'm ENGAGED

Here's a story about a girl who wanted to go to Biltmore and a boy with a (secret) plan.

I've wanted to go to Biltmore Estate in North Carolina for the past few years. Jarryd (the boyfriend- hint this title will change later!) had always said he would take me. Between both of our work schedules, we have been run ragged lately and we desperately needed a weekend away, so we began planning.

We found a cheap hotel package and were thrilled. So we took off on Friday after spin for our little road trip. It was about a week past "peak" season but the drive was still absolutely beautiful.

In a few (read... 8) hours later, we were pulling into Biltmore and after a quick rest- we were off to Cedric's Tavern for dinner.  It was FANTASTIC. Every single bite. We walked around Antler Hill Village for a while and then headed back to the hotel for a much needed night of sleep. WRONG. It turns out that an all girl's soccer team was on our floor as well. It was a long night to say the least. I wanted to call every single person I encountered as a teenager and apologize profusely. Ugh. The next morning we woke up to blessed silence in the hallways, it turns out that we were not the only ones who got frustrated with the teenagers.

We drove the 5 minutes to Biltmore and I was like a kid on Christmas morning - I was too excited to sit still. We went to schedule a house tour but the earliest tour we could get was 12:30. We had an hour and a half to spare so we decided to go to the gardens to look around. We walked along the gardens for awhile and found a lovely little bench that overlooked the property so Jarryd suggested that I sit and prose for some snooty pictures. I took the bait and cheesed it up for the camera.

That's when it happened. Jarryd started fiddling with his camera bag and I thought he was changing lenses, so I got up to hold the bag for him. He told me to sit down and quickly pulled out a ring box an got down on one knee. I think I blacked out for a few minutes because I heard him ask "will you marry me" and my response was WHAT? He said he brought me down to Biltmore to propose and my response was "no you didn't".

HA! I'm clearly intelligent. Of course I said yes and then it was time to call the parents. Little did I know that Jarryd was snapping pictures this whole time.

We're engaged!!!

The Half Marathon That Almost Wasn't

I am officially a half marathoner! I was seriously worried this race wouldn't happen. After ATM, I was really looking forward to the Gettysburg Blue and the Grey Half Marathon. I'm a huge history nerd - so the thought of running a race in Gettysburg was really a draw. I never considered the weather- October wasn't bad at all and would be so pretty......so I thought (but more on that later). Also, congratulations to the AMAZING Jenny of Feetoffancy.wordpress.com on finishing her first marathon! 


I kept my eye on the weather all week and until Wednesday, everything looked perfect. Then mother nature decided to torture all runners on the east cost. THIS is what the parking lot of my hotel looked like the night before the race (and additional 3-4 inches fell after this). Also, the Universe decided to screw with me last week and give me a lovely case of bronchitis. Awesome. The week before my first half and I couldn't run at all without wheezing and sounding like a smoker. awesome.

I woke up at 6 and saw on the event's facebook page that the run had been delayed for an hour to give the road crews time to treat the roads. I'm not going to lie I was super thankful- I really needed the additional sleep. I woke up, took some dayquil and my antibiotics, got dressed, and proceeded to cough my head off. I came very very very close to crawling back in bed. But no- I made my boyfriend drive to Gettysburg in a snowstorm and I was going to run this thing.

I literally thought I was going to freeze to death waiting for the start.

While the course description said the course had gradual rolling hills, I beg to differ. My legs beg to differ, and the last 3 miles were just EVIL, but I was happy because I was actually running it, and not dying! (my expectations were very low for this race - obviously)

In the back of my head, I was hoping to finish in under 2:30. I missed that goal by 2 minutes and 49 seconds. (POUT!) However, I am very pleased with myself as I ran the race while not at 100% and I wasn't the last one across the finish line.

Now I have a pretty medal! WIN!

Army Ten Miler

Hi there- long time no post. My bad.

The Army 10 Miler was yesterday and while it wasn't my best pace (no PR = sad times) i'm choosing to draw some positives from the experience.

#1-Despite my horrible mood, ATM was so much fun! I loved the course and the spectators were fantastic!

When I got off the metro, I wasn't feeling this race at all. There were so many people and I was pretty bummed that the boyfriend had stayed at home. Everyone else had someone there and I just felt lonely. This was the first time i've woken up not excited to race. I think my brain was trying to tell me something was off, but I just ignored it and went about my business.

However, when we were directed to our corrals, that began to change. I can't even describe the energy of the runners. The race organizers did a fantastic job of managing 30,000 runners and the cannon or WHATEVER they shot off to start each wave was super cool. The race took you (more or less) by every cool monument in town and running alongside the river so early in the morning was so calming. I actually broke an 9 minute mile during this part of the course, which is great for me.

When I got to the 5 mile point of the race, I was doing fantastic - I was 10 minutes faster than my pace for the Navy 5 miler two weeks before. That was stellar!! I was a happy runner. About mid way through mile 5, my stomach started to let me know that it was not pleased. I ripped out some fuel and added some water and Gatorade and hoped that would calm it down till at least the finish. For the next mile, it seemed to work. Then mile 7 hit - OMG- I've never had stomach cramps like that before. EVER. I thought I was just going to throw up right in the middle of Constitution. I had no other choice but to walk. This was the next 3 miles of my race. I was so mad, so mad that I started crying near mile 8 and forced myself to suck it up by mile 9. I would run for about a quarter of a mile, but that would make it more upset.

At this point, I knew my goal of 1:50 was out of the question. It just wasn't going to happen, but I really wanted to finish strong. I sucked it up at mile 9.5 and ran the last half mile at a 10 minute pace. Yes, I wanted to die - but I also wanted to finish strong.  I crossed the line at 2:00 hrs 12 seconds which is about a 12 minute mile. BUMMER. Even for me that is really really slow. I was pissed for about 2 hrs.

Then I realized- there will always be another race, another 10 miler where I can redeem myself. This was the first time i've ever had any kind of stomach issue and a year ago I would have probably quit mid race. This time quitting wasn't an option. I was actually pissed because I couldn't run, not pissed because my stomach hurt. So i'll take my 10 miles and my 2 hr 12 minute finish, and improve on it. Now I know what to and what to NOT eat the day before a race.

I have 2 1/2 weeks until my first half marathon. Bring it!

Trainer or no trainer- that is the question.

I've noticed lately that even with my increase in mileage and monitoring of calories- I haven't been losing any weight. Unfortunately, the increase in mileage has caused an increase on the scale. Much to my dissatisfaction. I have had some problem's with hitting a massive plateau in the past but always managed to make progress. I've hit it hard this time and while my clothes aren't getting any tighter, they're not getting smaller either. I've tried reducing calories and portions- and all that has left me with is a lightheaded dizzy feeling when running so I'm unsure what I should do. I'm eating between 1200 and 1500 calories depending on the length of my run each day. It's very frustrating.

My significant other suggested that I look into personal training to help me break through this time. I have to admit, I'm a little skeptical and probably a little snobby. My gym (which I will not mention the name of for fear of being sued) doesn't have the greatest track record with trainers. Most look like they could be college freshman and have the minimum (or less) certification that I'm comfortable with. My gym also charges an INSANE amount for personal training (above $50 a session on top of our monthly membership). I've seen the trainers at work and I'm honestly not that impressed.

My second worry is that these training sessions will cut into my running. I know that I need to increase the amount of strength training I'm doing (currently little to none, I know I know!) but I want my strength training to complement my running, not replace it. After speaking to a few of the runners at my gym, they said that when they started with trainers there- it took months for them to get back to their regular mileage.

This is just a rant- but I HATE how the trainers at my particular gym operate. It's mostly a bunch of young guys who view "training" as an opportunity to hit on the girls there or make them feel inferior. It's blatantly obvious what they are doing and I know more women than me avoid the weight room for that reason. We've complained to management with very little change. UGH.

So friends, do you use personal trainers - if so, did you get the results you wanted? Am I worrying over nothing?

New Rule: Never Look at Race Photos

I have made the decision to never look at a race photo again until I reach my goal weight. Race photographers are evil and I really will start acting live a diva if they put their camera in my face again.

One of the goals of my blog is to help myself document my weight loss. I've told myself that the only way to do this is to be perfectly honest on here. No i'm not some size 6 runner. I wish I was. Hell, I wish I was a size 4 but that's not going to happen for awhile.

This is pretty much the starting point. No laughing... seriously i'll hunt you down.

Don't laugh at me lady, I will sit on you. Under all this flab, no one will hear you scream.

Yes, the paleness factor is disgusting. The hips are disgusting and stomach (let's not EVEN go there). But I guess it can only get better from here.

Attack of the Angry Feet

My body hates me! It really hates me and I disgust it.

Case in point. My toes.

Not so long ago, I had pretty toes. Even years of dancing, tumbling, and cheerleading didn't injure and maul my toes the way running has.

So long and farewell to my days with beautiful toes and blissful pedicures. Only runners will understand.

Leesburg 20K Recap

Holy Hills Batman! Race recap is as follows.

Woke up to pouring rain on Sunday morning. BUMMER! Came wide awake at 4:30 on the dot and got up to immediately start getting ready. I opted for my cotton/dry wick mix tank because
i can't handle dry wick in the humidity. I know it works for some people, but it just ends up irritating me and making me feel like a big fat cow.

Jenny was kind enough to drive to the race. I would have probably wrecked because I was so nervous. After waiting forever for the bathrooms, we ran to the start just as they were getting underway.

Miles 1-3
SUCKED. We didn't get a chance to stretch and I thought my ankle was going to snap in half. Jenny had problems, I had problems, it was a train wreck of a beginning of the race. Jenny waved me on and I continued on - trying to sort out why my ankle was killing me. I knew once I got in a couple of miles my body would warm up and I'd be okay. Thankfully, the Advil I took before the race really really helped. What didn't help was the constant stream of hills. I swear to you I believe that miles 2-7 was a constant stream of hills and inclines. While I had trained on some hills- these kicked my ass in the worst way. My pace fell from 9:30- 9:50 per mile to something like 12minute miles. LAME.

Miles 4-7
I saw the 4 mile marker around 47 minutes (so much for finishing well) and looked up and saw the lead male runner sprinting towards mile 8-9. Holy mother of pearl! This was also up a hill, so i just gritted my teeth and probably cussed so much that there is zero chance of me ever getting into heaven. Mile 5 started the transition from road to the WOD trail and honestly it was nice to be fully covered by the trees because at this point it was pouring. Honestly, I loved it when it was raining, it cooled me off and I could actually breathe. Miles 6 and 7 brought out the ipod and I was jamming to some Glee. By this point I had reached the run around portion and knew that i was going to have to start run/walking. I was tired, but honestly it was so humid at this point that it hurt to breathe. So I started running a mile and then walking for 5-6 minutes and this worked well.

Miles 7-10
I thought these were going to be the miles that destroyed my will to live. I had only trained up to 8 miles so I knew that this was going to be tough to push through. It was so humid that i wanted to die but I held up really really well. My pace did slow at this point to 10:30-10:45 per mile but I kept chugging on. Once I passed mile marker 8, everything beyond that was a PDR for me and I think that adrenaline helped fuel me for the rest of the run. At this point I was relying only on signs because I had stupidly hit my Garmin which stopped it for over a mile. I could use it to keep my pace but I had no idea how long it had been off. Bummer.

Miles 11-12.5
I completely missed the mile 11 marker. I never saw it (it was apparently on the ground) and was getting so frustrated. I was passing over one of the roads when the officer shouted at me that I had less than 1 KM to go and to keep my head up. WTF? Talk about being taken by surprise. I fell into pace with one of the runners who looked like they were struggling to keep it together and we both shouted encouragement to each other (Runners are awesome like that) and decided that I was going to run the rest of the course come hell or high water. It was a slow run, but I did it! YES.

Then came the crash. The adrenaline got me home. I showered, took my ice bath, and then napped for 5 hrs straight. I haven't slept that hard in forever. Got up- ate some cereal for dinner and then went right back to sleep. No shame here. I was tired!

I woke up this morning a little sore but nothing like I was expecting. EXCEPT FOR MY TOENAILS.

Oh dear god. The pain. I'm terrified of losing my toenails. The thought of that makes me dry heave so i'm hoping and praying that I won't lose them. There are only two that I am really concerned about but there is nothing I can do at this point. I fully realize i'm being a huge baby about this. BUT UGH. Completely revolting. FML

Any of my fellow runners have any tips on running sans toenails? The very thought makes me woozy but i'm mentally preparing myself for it. WAAAA!

Edit: Got home and got up the courage to take off my nail polish. So much for pretty feet- both 2nd toenails are black as can be. :(

I'm gonna miss pedicures.

I Ran A 20k (And Didn't Die!)

So, it's a Sunday night and I woke up after a 4 hour nap. A 4 hour GLORIOUS nap that I totally needed. I ran my first 20k today. The weather was pretty disgusting. 80's humid when periods of monsoon rain. The first 6 1/2 to 7 miles were all uphill. I kinda wanted to die BUT I finished in 2 hrs and 28 minutes. Pretty slow, but whatever. It's a PDR for me and i didn't die. WIN.

I was up before the alarm this morning at 4:30. Drove to meet the wonderful Jenny. Off we went.
BUT FIRST:
We have determined that this is how you know that you are a runner, when you are up and preparing for a race just as all the other "twentysomethings" are coming home from a club. This girl, no lie - gets out of a car. Clearly drunk off her ass and reaches in the back of his car and grabs her underwear. Classy. Yes, this is how I started my morning.

Full recap of the race will be up tomorrow. I'm still tired so i'm going to bed.

I'm Officially Running a Half- Marathon

So, yeah. I'm running a half-marathon. GULP

This was one of my personal goals this year. Running a half by the end of the year seemed like a pie in the sky goal not too long ago. Well, after having a fantastic long run earlier in the week- I looked at my training schedule and realized that if I could find a raise near the end of October, my training would have me in really good shape to run a half. So I started looking and found it.

On October 30th, I will taking part in the inaugural running of the Gettysburg Blue and the Grey Half Marathon in Gettysburg, PA. Let me explain why this half sounds like so much fun.

1. I'm a huge history dork
   
2. I'm southern
3. This isn't your normal half. The race is designed to sort of mimic the nation before, during, and after the civil war. All of the runners will compete under Blue (North) and Gray (South) flags. I love that you get to pick your side. (Before I get any flack about running for the South- I'm not a racist, or a redneck, or "liked" the fact that the South was supportive of slavery. I'm just from the South and thought it would be a fun race.)
4. All runners will start and finish together. (I love the symbolism in this) Everyone will run the same half marathon ( that's 13.1 miles) course. At the two mile mark, the two sides will split and run the large eight mile loop in opposite directions, crossing one another at 6.55 miles. Then both sides will rejoin after the ten miles mark and finish the last 5k together.

Love love love it.

I do have some reservations but hopefully my training will help me pull through. I'm running the Navy 5 miler a month and a half before the half marathon, and running the Army 10miler just a few weeks before the half. So I should be able to do it. My only real concern is the time frame. They start breaking down the half course right at 3 hrs. My goal is to finish in 2 hrs and 15 minutes or less, so this shouldn't be a problem. So we shall see. GULP.

You GOT this B****!

Sometimes it is amazing what a little encouragement can do.

Running is tough, but you don't need me to tell you that. Sometimes I feel like most of my friends think i'm insane. Especially with the heat and humidity that DC has had lately (the rest of the country hasn't been much better to be fair); but thanks to websites like dailymile.com, and others- i've been able to find some people who don't think i'm nuts, who understand the frustration of a 'bad run' and are super supportive.

Running in DC is weird. Don't get me wrong, there is an amazing group of runners here who are, for the most part, AMAZING. For a place that is known for being full of jerks, I have found that 90% of DC runners are uber supportive and awesome people. That being said, runners are only a fraction of this city. Sometimes, after work, you get really weird looks running in DC - once you're on the mall, people are normally fine (mostly), but getting to the mall is another story.

It is so annoying! You run by people in business clothes who are obviously more important than you are (emphasis belongs to them, not me). You try in vein to dodge tour groups that stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take a picture of the White House, Congress, the grass (yes I saw this happen this week- why you would want a picture of dead grass is beyond me but whatever floats your boat!). You hope that the DC buses will actually stop when they should (otherwise SPLAT). Getting to the mall is an accomplishment in itself on most summer days.

Most of the time, I will jog my way down 17th towards the mall, but coming back up after my run is another story. In an attempt to get myself to attempt more hills, i've started challenging myself to run the entire 17th street hill on the way back. Most days the hill makes me sick and want to vomit- some days are better than others, but it is one MONSTER hill. It doesn't like me and I don't like it and i'm fine with that.

I've become sort of familiar with the security guards that work at the White House gates and will smile and wave as I go by. BUT on my way back up this week, I was struggling- really really struggling. It was hot, I was tired, I was cramping. I just needed this hill to be over so I could go home and put on my comfy pants and be done for the day. (I'm woman enough to admit on this particular day, i contemplated actually getting in a cab to go the rest of the way to my office- no lie.)

That's when this security guard noticed me. She and I see each other at least 2-3 times a week and will smile and acknowledge each other. Seeing that she's a WH security guard, I have to think she takes her job super seriously and in my mind she was this tough, no-nonsense woman who I would never dream of messing with. She saw me struggling and yelled at the top of her lungs "Don't quit honey- you GOT this Bitch!".

I lost it.

COMPLETELY LOST IT. I busted out laughing and slowed my pace but finished the hill. It was exactly what I needed.


Thank you security guard lady. YOU are awesome!

Frustration and Liberation

I haven't posted for awhile - mainly because i've been so down and out on myself that i really didn't see any reason too.

This past week was a new low. I stepped on my scale hoping to see that i'd gone down 5 or 6 lbs (I haven't weighed myself in over 2 weeks). What did I find- that no, instead of going down 5 lbs, i've gained 7. In typical Leslie fashion - I reacted calmly and rationally and declared that " it was the end of the world".

Honestly, I have a good reason to react this way. I work at a small non-profit where the staff is incredibly focused on weight. Scarily so. Which makes it difficult to keep a healthy body image and healthy relationship with food. Everyone knows that i'm trying to get back into better shape- so the constant feeling of failure is everywhere. There have been a few times when i've actually contemplated going back to the extremes that ruled my life in college so that I could fit in a size 6.

Then, later on this week - I woke up. I realized that my clothes are fitting differently, that i'm running faster and longer than I ever have before- and if that isn't progress, I don't know what is. On Thursday, I threw out my scale. I don't need it or what it represents. What i'm trying to do is adopt a healthy lifestyle- not achieve a number on a scale or a certain clothing size. I have a weight range that my doctor and I have determined would be healthy for me and that's my goal.

I will now weigh myself once a month at the scale at my gym and rely on my trusty tape to see how i'm progressing. I wish that I was one of those women who could weigh themselves daily but for me it becomes too much of a slippery slope.

To all my blogger/runner/fitness friends- how do you keep a healthy motivation during plateaus. Also, how do you handle the pressure from friends/family/coworkers when they know you're trying to lose weight/ be healthier?

Suffice to Say

That I have a lot to catch up on.

I've been in such a RUT lately. Workouts seem boring, runs lost their appeal and the heat and humidity SUCK. So I was down, not being very vigilant in my workouts and of course, i've gained 5 lbs.

DAMN!!!!

I didn't realize this until I stepped on the scale today. I broke my rut yesterday with a 4 mile buddy run with Jenny (feetoffancy.wordpress.com) and then a mile run back to the office up 17th street. The D.C. humidity made it feel like absolute torture, but in a good way (if that makes any sense at all). 5 miles in about an hour and 15 minutes isn't terrible, so i'll take it.

Today was a different story. I'm following the Army 10 miler training program, so I know i needed to get some cardio in. So I did a mile warm up on the treadmill, then 30 minutes on the elliptical, another mile on the treadmill, and then cool down on the rowing machine. It was nice to bounce around to the different machines and my knees were happy from the break.

I've started taking another class- Bodypump, but i'll talk about that on a later date. I really want to get into the class before commenting on it. I can't really give an accurate portrayal of the class until I can get through it without feeling like i'm going to die.

I am not going to weigh myself for at least 2 weeks- that way i can get back into my running routine. I'm pretty sure that once i add in the weights, the lbs will start coming off again. *fingers crossed!*

Happy Memorial Day

As a Army daughter myself- this day is about more than the parades and the one liners, it's about remembering people. Maybe it's just me, but I think the concept of remembering someone is more important than demonstrating it. Just my thoughts, I'm not about to start a fight on my blog.

__________


The boyfriend and I have decided that we need a house with a legit backyard so that we can host BBQs. He loves to grill and we have 2 of them - but apartment living limits the ability to BBQ. LAME.

So we are making our own version of surf and turf- Sirloin tips and Shrimp and salad. Woke up today to go to an hour long spin class. OMG. My legs were dying and screaming by the end of it (not to mention the room was about 85 degrees by 9am. It was an amazing workout and now that the boyfriend has agreed to start going with me in the mornings to the gym- i'm envisioning whipping myself back into shape quickly.

Just a small quick update for the day. Time to go chug some water and try to prepare myself for going to work (AHHHHH!) tomorrow.

Bummer and HELP!

So I went to the doctor today.....

I have been having back pain for as long as I can remember, and never thought it would really affect me. Normally, i'd just down two advil or another over the counter pain reliever and i'd go about my business.

About 2 years ago, I started getting severe migraine headaches. I never tied the two together until the last semester in grad school. I was in complete and total pain pretty much 24/7. My shoulders and lower back ached, i'd get at least one horrible headache a week and i knew something had to give.

I went to my PCP and described the pain and all she told me was that they could give me some muscle relaxers and some pain pills. This wasn't what i wanted to hear- i wanted to find out what was causing the pain- but that's all i got. So a friend of mine convinced me to try a chiropractor. My doctor referred me and i had my first initial visit on Monday. He and i met today to discuss my x-rays. My back is a mess (surprise, surprise). I have neck pain and lower back issues and my spine, instead of looking like a pretty S curve, looks more like my s from kindergarten (read as.... not good).

For the next 30 days i'll have 3 adjustments per week. I'm banned from running for 2 weeks but really really want to keep trying to lose weight. This is where i need your help - blogger friends! How do you lose weight when you can't run, what are some good exercises and low impact things that i can do to burn those calories?? Two weeks isn't the end of the world, but i'm definitely not the 30 minutes on the elliptical type. I'll get bored after 10 minutes!

Getting back in the groove

Not going to lie, these past few weeks have been more stress and less working out than normal. Right before the biggest work event (fundraiser dinner) of the year, I came down with what I thought was a cold. This cold quickly morphed into full on bronchitus- so running (or walking, or staying awake) was not an option. It took me well over two weeks to get back to being able to walk around the block without hacking.

About that time- I started having sever back pain. In between my shoulder blades and radiating down my back. It was so bad that it triggered 4 migraines in a weeks period. All my doctor would do was offer to prescribe pain pills and muscle relaxers (no thank you!) so I took a leap of faith and contacted a chiropracter that my coworker referred me to. The inital exam was awkward and he took about 15 xrays of my back. I don't know the results yet- I have an appointment today- but he thinks he will be able to help me AND (unlike my regular doctor) told me that he wants me to increase my running and focus on my form. YAY!

Then came graduation, which shouldn't have been that stressful. I finished my last class in January so technically i've been done for awhile. The stress came from my parents meeting my boyfriend's parents (we've been dating for over 4 years). Our parents had never met before so while the boyfriend was at work i had the responsibility of introducing them and then RUNNING (yes, i mean it) to graduation so I wouldn't be late.

With all this going on- running and working out in general has taken a back seat. I haven't gained any weight but I don't feel as strong as I did a month ago. Before I knew it- I hadn't run in over 2 weeks and was feeling very down. Thankfully I have some AWESOME blogger friends to look to for inspiration. A mid-week mall run with a local blogger buddy was amazing for my spirit- not to mention it made me twice as productive when I got back to work. I am hoping to make this a weekly occurance, it is nice to have a running buddy to pace with and not feel the slightest bit of competition!

I hope everyone has an awesome Memorial Day! I was intitally going to go visit my parents back home- but because of the weather that plan fell thorugh. Hopefully i'll get the boyfriend to take me out on the kayak this weekend! *crosses fingers*

Friday Update

I'm horrible. Clearly horrible at blogging. So a quick update is necesasry.

I had been doing extremely well with training. Lost 2 more inches from my waist (HURRAH) and 1 more inch from my thighs (take THAT fat!). The scale is going nowhere, but my clothes are fitting much better and looser so I know something is working.

I finishe the Couch to 5k program and have started using my Nike + Ipod to train for a 10k. I liked doing a longer run and focusing on time rather than stressing over distance. I also like that the Nike + app has programs that help with speed training and cross training activities. I need that. Running on a treadmill is getting so boring, especially when it is getting so nice out.

Last Saturday I had my longest run to date- 4.67 miles with no stopping. I ran this in approximately 42 minutes. I say approximately because on the last stretch up the hill to my apartment complex i tripped over a tree root and sprained my right ankle. LAMMME. So I rested it on Sunday. Monday came along and I thought (in typical coach's daughter fashion- "oh i'll just tape it, it will be fine"). FALSE. I got a mile into the run and was in so much pain I had to call it quits.

I've rested it and done some ab and arm work for the last few days. I tried the bike but got so bored that I literally dread getting on that machine again. I'm like a child sometimes, with my constant need to be entertained or find something to occupy my mind. It just makes no sense for me to be cycling and going no. where.

I'm planning on getting back out there this weekened. Can't wait. Bought an ankle brace to help me and hopefully will avoid this in the future. I've also planned to start biking to work. I've only trail biked and never biked in the city, but it will save me almost $200 a month in commuting fees and gas fees- so that alone is worth it. Anybody bike into the city from Alexandria? Want to give me some tips on trails, areas to avoid?

Bad Blogger

I am a horrible blogger- this we know. I do however, have an excuse. This time of the year just sucks epically in this household. Why? Well it's this lovely little thing called TAX SEASON.

My boyfriend love of my life significant other is a tax accountant/attorney. I probably haven't seen him for more the 2-3 hrs at a time since the beginning of April. It sucks. Monday (the 11th) was my birthday - so now i'm an ancient 28! AHHH

Running has been going surprisingly well. I've been getting in at least 3-4 runs a week so i've been pretty happy with that. My time isn't improving as much as I want it to and my shins have been killing me, but i've found that a rest day in between and lovely ice baths have been helping considerably.

I started the bride to 10K program. The first run was on a treadmill and I got bored by the third mile. Today I took it outside and found this lovely little path by the apartment. Running outside is so much harder- but i'd rather have a harder run than be bored to tears.

On a side note- i will be so happy when the pollen departs. I forgot to take claratin this am and now i have that dreaded allergy eye look. :(

Ouch

Shin splints suck. They just do.

Today i got home with a plan of doing nothing, then i felt bad about it. I ended up doing a couple of 10 and 20 minute workouts on demand and feel a little better. I really want to rest up my legs for tomorrow, it is supposed to be almost 70 and beautiful so i definitely plan on getting a good run in on the mall.

Had no idea that hot baths after a run were a no-no, but the concept of ice baths terrifies me.

Bah.


Just a quick entry for today. I've lost two inches from my waist but my legs have added an inch. Grrrrr. This calls for some interval training this weekend.

Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one

Seriously truer words have never been spoken (or typed).

I'm frustrated on so many levels. Today's run was just awful. I guess I thought that after my first 5k if would be easy to bust out another one on the treadmill today. WRONG. Although i made the best out of it and burned a ton of calories- it still makes me angry. I'm not seeing the results of all this hard work on my body which is even more frustrating. I thought I would be further along right now.

I know losing weight and getting in shape is a process. I accept that. I never thought that it would be so. darn. hard. to lose this excess weight. The thought of lipo seems so awesome because running with 10-20 lbs less fat on this body would be so much easier.

I have two more runs scheduled for this week, three probably counting the weekend. I just have to suck it up and move on.

I'm also not sure why i'm not losing more weight. I've hit a wall and the lbs are just not coming off. I've cut my calories to around 1200-1250 a day and am being very vigilant about keeping my food journal and documenting everything- but the scale isn't going down at all.

So frustrating. Oh well. It's still early in the week and I do have my birthday to look forward to! The runs will get better, the weight will come off. It just takes time. I know that (but that doesn't mean I have to like it!)


Eyes on the prize.

I Did It

Yes you read that correctly.

Today I finished my first 5K race and beat my treadmill time by more than a full minute!

Even though I was only on week 8 of Couch to 5K i was talked into entering the Cherry Blossom 5K race/walk by a friend. Actually I had originally singed up for the 10 mile race but life intervened three weeks into training for it (pulled my hamstring, long hours at the job) so about a month ago I transferred to the 5k run/walk. I really was disappointed in myself- but though "hey everyone has to start somewhere".

So since then I've been putting most of my effort into form, breath and trying to improve my time. Anyone in the DC area knows that the temperatures haven't been the best for running outside, so i've been logging the hours on the treadmill. I haven't been able to finish the 3.1 miles in under 34 minutes, no matter what I tried (although I have discovered that chewing gum helps me pace myself- what can I say, i'm a weird-o). So this morning my goal was to run the entire course, no walking and to finish with my head held high in under 35 minutes. Since this was my first time really running outside and my first race, I really had no clue what to expect.

Thankfully a majority of the runners this morning were super helpful and encouraging. I got up at the crack of - no wait, it wasn't even dawn yet to get ready. The boyfriend got up and drove me into town b/c we got word that metro wasn't cooperating this morning (shocking, right!?) and I arrived just as the 10 mile runners began their run. After watching them for a bit (and being slightly envious- i'm not going to lie) I made my way over to the 5K run/walk starting line and began warming up.

The first mile was tough, I couldn't pace myself in the large crowd- actually it was tough to do more than just jog. Thankfully around 1.5 miles the crowds started to thin out and i could just run. When I hit the Memorial Bridge, I was shocked at just.how.long.it.was. The length combined with the wind hitting me from both sides was something i've never experienced and SUPER intimidated me- but thankfully the AWESOME volunteers cheering us along made all the difference in the world. I slowed myself down a bit and lengthened my stride, which seemed to help combat the fatigue and the effects of the wind and just got down to business.

I didn't hit me until halfway through the race that - I was doing it! Me, the woman who 8 weeks ago couldn't run 2 minutes without being out of breath was running an actual 5k! The trip back was smooth and then I saw it- THE FINISH LINE- and the competitive side of me took over, I dug in and changed to a sprint and crossed the finish line at 32.11 (unofficial time). Now to the more advanced runner that time seems super slow and doesn't seem like much to celebrate, but for my first race outside, my first time in that atmosphere- it was an awesome feeling. 2 minutes and 40 seconds off my best treadmill time.

I immediately came home and downloaded Bridge to 10k - and hopefully will sign up for one of those soon. For awhile I want to stick to smaller races that don't draw the "elite" runners that I come into contact with in the DC area. To have someone snub their nose up at my accomplishments doesn't go over easy- but i'm excited to run more races, improve my pace, and next year that 10 miler finishers medal will be mine!



P.S. In probably my dumbest move yet- I felt bad about taking yesterday off just for a 5k- so I did Jillian Michaels 6 weeks 6 pack. I felt like I ran this race with a corset on. OUCH, but in a good way.

EDIT: Just got my official time- 31:12. Finished 278 out of 1270! Much happier now!

Race Week

Long time no check in, I am officially the worst blogger in the world.

It's CHERRY BLOSSOM TIME, although you'd never know it from the temperatures. It has been freezing here for the past week. All the cute spring clothes have been shoved back in the closet. Boo.

Anyways, training has been going surprisingly well. The race is on Saturday so i've started trailing off on my long runs and really just getting 20-30 minutes of intervals to try to get faster. It's working! In the last month i'd dropped almost 30 seconds off my time. My biggest fear on Saturday is having to run without my music. I've never done that before and i'm sure i won't miss it- but it's my clutch. We'll see how it goes.

Weigh in and measurements on Monday. Dear Jillian Michaels, let's see if i've managed to lose weight in all this soreness :)

Keeping the Motivation Up

Why is this so hard?

I try to do well with both my strength training and cardio, but then the weekends come and the boyfriend de-rails any attempt to maintain my schedule. To be fair- it's not his fault, we are in the middle of tax season and he and I almost never see each other. So when he has a rare day off on the weekend- all we want to do is hang out, be lazy on the couch, or go to brunch/lunch together.

This weekend was amazing. He had all Saturday off so we slept in (yay 8:30 am) and when we got up we were starving. I cannot work out after eating. I'm so jealous of people that do but I just cannot. #1 way to make me sick sick sick. Sunday = brunch and errands and before I know it, the day is just gone.

Sigh. I know i'm just complaining. Does anyone else feel like their life sometimes sabotages your efforts to be healthy? All in all it wasn't a completely lost weekend- my eating has been pretty much spot on- which makes me happy. I'm sticking to my 1200-1250 calories a day, so hopefully i'll start seeing results soon.

First things first

Hello!

Welcome to my world. I haven't blogged since college, and to be fair- this isn't a blog about my life, it is a blog to keep me accountable. First off, let me make something abundantly clear - I don't consider myself a "runner". No a runner is someone who i see who has an amazingly lean body, who doesn't consider a 6 mile run impossible, and someone who doesn't blink or freeze in fear when thinking about an upcoming 5k. I am none of these things.

I hated running growing up. Hated it even more in college because if I was running then I was usually late. About 6 months ago, my boyfriend started running on the treadmill at the gym, not one to be outdone, I tried the same, and hated it. Hated it with a passion, but I kept on. Suddenly one day I realized that I liked it. In fact, I REALLY liked it.

Flash forward till now. I signed up for the Cherry Blossom 10miler and training was going well, then suddenly I hit a wall. Running the 10miler scared me. One of my good friends is having her bacholorette party the night before, so i didn't think anything about switching from the 10miler to the 5k. Ever since then, training has gone downhill. Runs that I used to do well on are so tiring and i'm constantly sweating my time. My goal is complete this 5k in under 31 minutes- a reasonable goal, but now it is taking me closer to 40 minutes. It seems like the harder I try the worse I get.

So this leads me to the reason for this blog. I need to document my times, distances, and goals in a place where I don't have any judgement or scorn (DC runners can be really really snotty) and keep track and see my improvements- not just focus on the time aspect.

Here goes nothing!