Plans, Plans, Plans

Here’s what I want next week to look like with exercise:

Sunday – Austin 10/20 (10 miles)

Monday – gym

Tuesday – rest

Wednesday – run

Thursday – sleep

Friday – run

Saturday – gym

For the gym, both times I will do a base of the “Paige” workout plus some TRX and other exercises, like upper body exercises on the balance ball and walking lunges, ab exercises, etc.  So, while the base of the workout will be the same, I will change up the rest of the workouts so that they’re different.  I think, maybe for Monday, I’ll do the walking lunges and farmer’s walk, some woodchoppers with the weight tube (no idea what to call it), leg lifts in the captain’s chair, bent over rows, deltoid Y’s with the TRX.  For Saturday, I’ll do the TRX exercises (bicep curls, tricep extensions, supermans), dumbbell chest press & dumbbell chest flyes on balance ball, Russian twists with a medicine ball, and kettlebell swings.  If I can come up with a couple more exercises to add to each day, then I will, but I don’t want to overdo it.  I’d like to make it through 4 sets of all exercises.  Or, maybe start with the non-“Paige” exercises that way I do 4 sets of those and 3 of the “Paige” exercises.  Because, let me tell you, the “Paige” exercises really kick my butt.    Also, to each day, I’d really like to add a little swimming.  Whatever I can do.  No time goals.  Just whatever I can do before I die feel exhausted.  Even if that’s only 2 laps like what I did the last time I tried swimming…and then left utterly disappointed in myself.

I’ve decided…Tuesday next week, I’m back on the Shred Diet.  Like I said before, I’ll be skipping week 3 because it consists of mostly liquids like soups and shakes and smoothies.  Not a whole lot of actual foods and, I’m sorry, I like to chew my food.  I discovered this when I went through the Shred Diet previously.  I seriously struggled with the liquid week.  I felt the urge to stuff my face for 24 hours a day every day for that entire week.  I’ll go shopping on Sunday and do food prep on Monday before meeting up with Amanda for scrapbooking!  Then, gym workout in the evening after scrapbooking.  I’ll just take my gym stuff with me to Amanda's and drive straight to the gym from her place.  I need to buy myself an oversized towel on Monday as well because I have no idea what happened to the one I was using.  It was perfect for after swimming as there was enough to dry my hair and myself with. 

But, anyway, yes, back on the Shred.  I know my eating is out of control and I *HAVE* to do something about it.  And if I want to see a change in my body before my Oregon trip in June, then I need to start NOW.  It really did work wonders for me the last time I did it, I just have to do it and focus myself and stay on point.

So, I promised you a review of the massage I had Wednesday morning!  Let me just say it was fantastic!  I told her I wanted deep tissue to which she responded “are you sure?  Most people say they want deep tissue but when I actually do it they’re all like ow ow ow!”  I said I was quite sure about it and that I’m used to a friend that I’m used to a physical therapist friend using extreme acupressure on my muscle knots to break them up and that it really hurts when he does that, but that it feels so much better afterward.  While I wish she would have gone a little deeper with the deep tissue, it was overall an excellent massage…and, if I can swing the cost (this was a gift certificate I received for Christmas, so it didn’t cost me a dime), I’d really like to go back like once a month for an hour and a half massage (special law enforcement rate of $75…NICE!  Or $55 for a one hour…still a super nice price).  But, we’ll see.  I do have an appointment for a massage with a different place on Tuesday afternoon next week.  I got a big discount because I booked it at their Biggest Loser walk/run festival booth after I completed my half marathon.  So, I’m getting a massage that they normally charge $89 for at a rate of $39!  I couldn’t pass that up.  It’ll be another deep tissue massage…YAY!

Oh, and I had a lot in common with Patricia, the massage therapist.  While she’s not in love with running like I am, she does love to do the obstacle course runs.  She did the Warrior Dash and next she’s doing the Tough Mudder!  That’s awesome!  Neither one of those is something I would ever do (so I say now) because I really don’t like the idea of being all muddy post run…I have no problem with being all muddy during the run, I just don’t want to deal with the clean-up, you know?  I mean, I know they have showers and changing areas and you can donate your muddy and basically ruined shoes, but still.  I’d much rather be able to just get in my car (with maybe a towel to sit on…but not necessary because I have vinyl seats and they’re easily cleaned) and drive home without any fuss to make sure I’m not making a mess in my car.  She also said she wants to do a triathlon.  Well, I don’t want to do one of those, because of the swimming part, but I do want to do a duathlon, which is the same thing but minus one event similar.  She just wants to do a sprint tri while I want to do an Oly du.

Finding My Determination

The pictures for the Capital 10K are already posted on the photographer’s website (and yet the photos from last Sunday’s half marathon are not posted yet…go figure).  I was looking at them and, frankly, I’m appalled.  I knew I had gained some weight but I’ve been looking at myself in the mirror with apparently very kind eyes.  I compare my finisher photo with last year’s finisher photo and I can definitely see the difference.  I’m definitely “fluffier” than I was a year ago.  And I don’t like it.  Last night I made a point to go to the gym.  I really wanted to run, but it was after dark, it had been raining and I did NOT want to run on the treadmill.  I did a combination workout.  I did the workout that the trainer, Paige, at the gym showed me last year plus a couple exercises on the TRX straps.  I burned about 400 calories in about 40 minutes.  That’s a good burn.  And I felt great when I got done.

I’m already making plans for making sure I get to the gym next week.  Next week, I have the Austin 10/20 on Sunday, then Monday I’m hanging out with Amanda and scrapbooking with her.  I will most likely go to the gym when we’re done.  Tuesday, if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll run in the morning, but if not, I’ll run Wednesday morning (most likely scenario).  I work a double shift Wednesday so no workout Thursday morning because I’ll be sleeping.  Friday I’ll run and then I’m working a double shift again.  Then, Saturday I’m off work so I will try to hit the gym again after I wake up in the afternoon.

I really need to do what I can to drop 10 pounds.  And that’s all I’m going to focus on right now.  10 pounds.  The experts all say to take your weight loss in small, achievable increments.  So that’s what I’m going to do.  Sure, I’m only going for 20 (I hope that’s it…I’ll start weighing again next Saturday), but I don’t want to think about the number 20.  That’s a big number.  I want to think about the number 10.  10 I manage.  10 I can handle.  10 I can do.

this was taken sunday afternoon...OMG look at my stomach!!!  i have to
get rid of that!!!

I ran 5.7 miles today and, well, it wasn’t easy.  It wasn’t exactly hard either, though.  It was slow and that’s okay.  I averaged 11:37 per mile.  Wow.  Putt putt putt.  But, like I said, that’s okay.  It was somewhat a recovery run, so slow is good.  I just ran the Capital 10K on Sunday and then yesterday I kicked butt at the gym and I’m very sore and stiff.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment for a massage that was gifted to me for Christmas.  Yea, I work so much overtime and I just plain kept forgetting to make the appointment.  So, later this week, I’ll let you guys know how it went.  I won’t be posting again until Friday night or Saturday at the earliest because I’m working double shifts at work the next two days.

Capital 10K race report & Friend Making Monday

On April 6^th, I ran the Austin Statesman Capital 10K.  This is my first repeat race.  Last year it was the second race I did after I started running and the first 10K I did.  Last year I was of the mind that walk breaks are for sissies, so I didn’t take them.  Last year, I ran it in 1:06:53 with an average pace of 10:33.  This year, I took walk breaks and was also still recovering (even though I felt that I felt just fine).  I ran it in 1:10:14 with an average pace of 11:09.  So, I’ve slowed down some.  But, maybe not.  Like I said, I was still recovering from the half marathon (that I PR’ed) the Sunday before.  So, I’m sure my legs weren’t fully recovered.  My left calf was really tight after the Capital 10K, which is the one that the massage therapist told me was super tight after the half marathon.  Also, I did really push it the day before the 10K with my fast-for-me 2 mile run…so maybe that played a role in my slower time.  No matter what, though, I’m happy with the run I did and I’m not disappointed in my time.

So, review of the race.  I’ll start with the expo.  It was in a MUCH smaller venue and had maybe a third of the vendors that it had last year.  Major disappointment for me. 

On my way to the race, it POURED down rain for about 5 minutes while I was in the store buying a couple items I had forgotten to grab before I left the house (anti-diarrheals, sandwich baggies for my phone).  I almost bought a poncho too, but changed my mind last second.  I figured if it was still raining bad when I went to head to the race start that I would just leave my phone in the car and run sans music.  I’ve done it many times before and it’s not that bad.

When I was walking up to the starting area, I observed a lady wearing a bib (so she was running in the race) SMOKING!  Seriously?!?!?!  When I got to the starting area, I ran into a couple co-workers.  I noticed them because they were both wearing their “Team Sheriff” tech shirts.  They asked where my TS shirt was and I said I only wear it for Sheriff’s Office sponsored events.  Anyway, we hung out until we FINALLY (11:30 minutes after the gun went off) made it to the actual start line and took off running.  We were pretty “neck and neck” for the first like half mile, then they took a walk break and I breezed by them and didn’t see them anymore.  Around mile 2.5, I stopped to lube up my under-bicep area with some Vasoline when I felt a hand on my shoulder.  I turned and there was one of the supervisors from work, Lisa!  She was running with a friend of hers that was just recovered from hip surgery!  Go her!  (I didn’t catch her name)  Lisa and I chatted for a few, then I took off while she took it easy with her friend.  I had planned to catch them at the finish line and take a finisher’s photo with Lisa.

I don’t remember the coverage of photographers from last year’s race, but there was a difference in what I can remember toward the end of the race.  Last year, toward the end, they had a photographer in a bucket above the runners taking photos from above…this year?  Nope.  I’m just hoping that the photographers that were there snapped at least one good picture of me that I can download later on to put in my scrapbook.

There was some construction going on at Auditorium Shores (where the finish line festivities took place last year), so the finish line area was all messed up.  First off, the finishing shoot was incredibly long and a total mess.  The only thing they were handing out in the shoot was water.  I later saw people that had generic Gatorade and bananas and some other items.  Where the heck did they find those?!?!?!  I have no idea and I wasn’t going to stick around at the finish line to find them either.  I didn’t stick around because as soon as I stopped running and got out of the shoot and away from the mass of bodies, it was COLD!!!  And it had started to drizzle a little bit, which didn’t help.  I was wearing a tank top, not a long sleeved running shirt, so I chilled easily and quickly.  So, I took my finisher’s photo and headed for the car, abandoning the idea of waiting for Lisa and friend to finish to take a photo with her.  As I drove home, it rained.  So, the race was at the perfect time…right between and downpour and a decent rain.

I’m hoping next year’s expo and race are better planned and executed because I do plan to run it again.

Friend Making Monday

1. Have you ever had a reoccurring dream? What was it?

Yes, I have a few that are recurring.  Unfortunately, I don’t remember any of them because it’s been a while since I’ve had one of them. 

2. What was the weirdest food you've ever eaten?

Octopus that is just boiled, not fried and still looks like little octopi

3. Can you comfortably eat in a restaurant by yourself? Go to movie?

Yes and yes.  I eat at restaurants all the time by myself.  Of course, I prefer to be with a friend, but I have no problem doing it by myself.  Same thing with the movie.

4. What would you leave in your will for the person you care about the most?

My cats (unless they’re allergic, of course) because my cats are my world and mean everything to me.  I would only leave them with someone I trust completely.

5. Would you rather...Go without television or fast food for the rest of your life?

Fast food please.  Ugh, if I could rid myself of fast food, I would be so happy.

6. What was the best thing that happened to you this past week?

I got to hang out with my bestie, Amanda, twice in one week!  And we scrapbooked together :)

7. List the food items you take at a salad bar.

Romaine lettuce, mushrooms, chickpeas or kidney beans, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cheese.

8. If you were in the "Miss America" talent competition, what would your talent be? (Note: both guys & gals have to answer this question)

Maybe singing.  I don’t have a whole lot of talents that would be applicable to that competition.

9. What do you keep in the trunk of your car?

Boxes for my future business of selling renaissance style costume pieces.  And my reusable shopping bags.

10. How many rings before you answer the phone?

Until I hear it.

Why Give Up Now?

I’ve come a long way…so why would I want to give it all up now? 

What am I talking about?  I’m talking about the last 7 months.  At the beginning of August, I weighed 172 and felt and looked great.  I loved my body.  Then, something terrible happened and I spiraled out of control.  I had no coping skills to deal with what happened, so I did what I knew: I ran…and ran and ran and ran.  I ran myself into the ground, in fact.  I ran almost 150 miles in the month following the incident (September), lasted another week into October and then I crashed and burned big time.  Over the next 4 months, I gained about 14 pounds.  Then, in January, I started a new diet (that I still stand beside, by the way, just slightly modified, at least for me) and lost just over 10 pounds in a month.  Then, I had an issue that stemmed from the diet (hence the reason I need it to be slightly modified), got frustrated over it and then gained back those 10 pounds plus a few more.  Ugh.

Over the last couple months, I’ve gained a few more pounds.  Today, while I was driving to the start of the Capital 10K, I had a revelation.  Such a simple thing, really.  If I don’t like how I look and feel (which, right now, I don’t), then I need to do something about it.  Plain and simple.  If I don’t like it, then I need to change it.  And I need to do more than just being diligent with my running.  I need to eat right, mostly.  I need to give that diet a second chance, just slightly modified.  It worked great for me the first time, it can work great for me again.  I just need to follow through.  I need to have a plan.  And, also, I need to make an actual effort to get to the gym for some strength training and, maybe, some swimming.  Also, I need to utilize my bicycle too. 

Part of the reason I didn’t switch my gym membership to one at a cheaper facility was because my gym has a pool.  I have used it all of once, but it’s there, waiting for me to swim laps in it.  I keep making excuses for why I haven’t gotten back in.  The main one is that I only did 2 full down and back laps (approximately 200 meters) and I felt like I was going to die was completely out of breath.  That’s no excuse to stay out of the pool!  That is, however, the perfect reason to get in the pool more often.  So, what I could do is…on Saturdays, since I’m off on Saturdays now, is go to the gym, do a strength training workout, then hit the pool and do what I can, even if it’s ONLY 2 laps.  Then, Sunday, long run day!  Or, I can do it the other way around…long run Saturday, strength training & pool Sunday. 

I’ve been waiting around for my motivation to come back.  I’m beginning to think that it’s not going to come back…not on its own.  I think I need to force it back.  How?  By just making myself do what needs to be done.  I’ve got some extra days off this week and next week and I’m going to use those days for crafting, yes, but I’m also going to use them to make sure I make it to the gym/pool.  When I get paid next week, I’ll buy a new bicycle pump so I can air up my tires on my bicycle and then I can ride that too!  And I can ride that while I watch TV thanks to my indoor trainer that I got for super cheap from a friend last year.

The only way I’m going to succeed is if I make it happen.  Only I can change me and I fully intend to do that.  I want to change for good.  I want to create change that is sustainable and maintainable.  And I will.  Each time I make the effort I get a little closer to reaching my ultimate goal.  I backslide between each time, but I make more progress with each subsequent effort.  I really need to make this my last effort and then just maintain from there. 

Friend Makin' Post

I received and email from who I can only assume is either the race director or marketing director for an inaugural new race in the Austin, TX area the other day.  Now, it wasn’t something that was directed toward me as a blogger, it was just something that was sent out to everyone that participated in the Schlotzsky’s BunRun last year.  The BunRun usually happens like the last day of April every year and has always been somewhat of a harbinger of springtime in central Texas.  However, this year is the inaugural Sunshine race sponsored by Silicon Labs.  It’s happening the final Sunday in April, the 27^th…which is when the BunRun would have normally happened.  I hadn’t realized all this yet, not even when I looked at the course map and saw that it was the exact same course as the BunRun.  Then, I saw a link for a press release that said something about the BunRun being rescheduled for the fall.  So I clicked on that and read that they were moving it to the fall, date and route to be announced still, and were adopting a new beneficiary for their charitable donations that they collect through race registrations.  By moving the BunRun to the fall, they made way for a new race, the Sunshine 1K/5K/10K.  The 10K is $45 and I’m thinking of doing it.  I’ll have 1 week off between my 3-week racing spree and this race if I do it.  I’ve got a deep tissue massage planned for the 20^th that will focus on my calves and hamstrings and then my shoulders and shoulder blade areas.  Then, after that, I’ve got a 5K on May 10^th and an 8K on May 25^th…then my vacation half marathon on June 7^th…then nada until September.

My days off changed at work this week.  I did have Sundays and Mondays off, now I have Saturdays and Sundays off.  WOOHOO!!!  This is great news for my running career.  It means I no longer have to request a vacation day on the Saturdays before a race day.

So, for my running this week, I ran the Biggest Loser half marathon (race report forthcoming, don’t fret!) on Sunday, then I took Monday and Tuesday off to recover.  I did a LOT of running around and got a lot of errands done between Monday and Tuesday.  I had originally planned to run Wednesday and Friday mornings for 3-3.3 miles each day.  Well, I picked up a shift of overtime for Thursday which meant no run Friday morning, so I decided I would just run Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  Well…that was all well and good until Tuesday night at work when the overnight supervisor asked if I wanted to work Wednesday night.  Soooo…plans changed AGAIN.  I decided that I would run 5 miles Wednesday and call it good.  While running that 5 miles, I decided I would do a little 2 mile “shakeout” run Saturday morning before I head to the expo for the Capital 10K to pick up my race packet and do some shopping. 

I slept late this morning, as planned, just a little longer than I had originally planned.  I got up, ate a banana and headed out for that 2 mile "shakeout" run.  I'm not sure how you're supposed to run a "shakeout" run, but I ran that 2 miles as fast as I could sustain.  So, that meant 9:31 for the first mile and 9:38 for the second mile.  After that, I cleaned up and went to the expo.  It was SMALL.  Last year, it was held at the Austin Convention Center and it was fairly decently sized (read: huge and well stocked).  This year, it was held at the Palmer Event Center and was, as I said, SMALL.  I don't know if they had problems getting vendors to sign up for the expo or what, but I was severely disappointed.  I didn't stay long, but that didn't keep me from spending money...no sir!  Hippie Runner was there as I had hoped they would be, so I bought 2 new gear belts.  I also bought me FOUR MORE headbands from BondiBand (ha!  like I needed any more!).  I got some new sunglasses.

now I can be all matchy-matchy with more running outfits!

I really just can't get enough of Bondi Band's products

found these awesome little lapel "ribbons" for a $1 donation

love the design, however I just don't understand why a
race of this magnitude doesn't do tech shirts

I’ve already decided on my outfit for the Capital 10K…well, for the most part.  I know I want to wear my “Keep Calm And Run On” grey tank top and I’m thinking of wearing my Wonder Woman tutu with it.  Lots of people dress up for this race, so I would fit right in if I did that.  If I don't do the skirt, I have a pair of black and white leggings that would look great.  I'll just wear some spandex shorts underneath them.

I finally got my final picture I needed in order to put together my Austin Half Marathon page in my scrapbook...the one of me ringing the PR gong!

So, now I am almost all caught up in my scrapbook...just waiting on the Biggest Loser photos to post to their website.  I sent them a message.  It's been a week, the pictures should be posted by now.  

Friend Makin’ Mondays: Hobbies and Games

Hobbies and Games
1. Do you have a favorite board game?
probably monopoly and trivial pursuit

2. Do you have a favorite card game?
solitaire…hahaha

3. Do you play games on your phone?
nope.  I used to play words with friends, but I have too much other stuff going on in my life right now to be playing games on my phone…hahaha

4. Do you prefer the x-box, playstation or wii?
xbox, because I have one.  I used to have a wii and, really, I didn’t like it all that much for anything other than the Mario cart game. 

5. Do you have a favorite outdoor hobby?
running!!!!  Closely followed by cycling and kayaking…of course, I don’t do either of those very often

6. Have you ever been geocaching?
nope.  I don’t really understand it.  But I have a friend or two that does it.

7. What’s your favorite hobby?
now…scrapbooking!!!!

8. Is there a hobby you would love to try but are too scared too?
no, it was scrapbooking…believe it or not, I had anxiety about scrapbooking.  I was afraid that I would screw it up and then I would totally ruin all my race bibs because I had glued them to a page and then it all looked like crap and I had to throw it away.  But, that wasn’t the case and the pages I have done so far all look fantastic!  (you can see some of them in the banner for this blog!)

9. Do you enjoy doing puzzles?
yes, I do.  So, when I bought the puzzle recently so I could use a few pieces to glue to my scrapbook page for my Autism Speaks 8K that I ran last year, I had to make sure it wasn’t a puzzle that I was going to lament over not being able to put together.  I bought a tweenie-bopper puzzle, so there was no desire for me to put this puzzle together.  I picked it strictly for its bright and rainbows of colors.

10. Have you taken any classes in anything?
I’ve taken lots of classes for my work, but nothing just for the fun of it unfortunately.  I would LOVE to take a writing class and/or an art class.