Day 23

This was my breakfast today.

Not Glue

Babs - why are you eating glue for breakfast? No friends, it is NOT glue. It's a little something called overnight oats. First Sarah encouraged me to try MXT - scary but good for you. Now she has encouraged overnight oats - also scary but good for you. Overnight oats = oats, greek yogurt, and almond milk. It didn't taste nearly as bad as it looked, and it is certainly good for you, although I'm not so sure I will be craving it on a regular basis. :)

Now for a breakfast food that I am a bigger fan of... donut holes! I was reading about the Marine Corp Marathon course today and learned that...


FS4: A little pop of pleasure during the final stretch to the finish line at mile marker 24. Dunkin' Donuts Munchkins will be distributed at the intersection of 12th Street and Army Navy Drive before the Water Point. Made fresh daily in a variety of colorful and delicious flavors, there’s a favorite for every runner. Stop by the Dunkin Donuts booth in the Finish Festival for a flavored latte.

Can't wait for mile marker 24!!

In running news, Andy and I ran another 4 this morning. It was rather windy, so it was slow going at first, however it also meant that it didn't feel so hot. Nice. My legs are definitely a little tired from all of the running and Urban Fit, so I'm glad we're taking tomorrow off.

Ok - I'm off to work job numero dos. Lucky me...

Total Miles Run: 58.79
Total Weight Change: -4.0

Day 22

Today was pretty awesome, mostly because I didn't have to go to work. Woohoo! The morning was spent cleaning the apartment and getting everything set for a productive week ahead. I just feel so much better when things are in their place. Andy and I tried to plan our running schedule for the week as well, but haven't got it totally figured out... he's going on a trip so we're going to be running solo for a few runs. Anyone want to join me??

After the cleaning fest, we headed to the lake and rented a paddle boat. It was so much fun - good exercise too! We pedaled our legs off, ate some lunch, watched the birds (swans, geese, a crane, and a hawk!), and got some sun. :) Great way to spend the afternoon.

Captain Andy

Later, after doing three loads of laundry and making a big batch of quinoa (go me), Andy and I headed out for more outdoor fitness fun. Fleet Feet offers a class called Urban Fit, and tonight was the first one of their new session, which means it is free for everyone to try! TONS of people showed up for it, and we definitely got a good workout. I don't like bugs, and I actually don't really like getting dirty, so I found it especially amusing when we were doing a forearm plank in a grassy field and I saw an ant march very close to my arm and I just... didn't... care. I was too weak to care, haha.

Urban Fit peeps

Tired - but still smiling!

Tomorrow I'm back to work and back to running. Wish me luck on both endeavours!

Day 21

Good morning friends! I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I didn't have a chance to be at a computer until very late, and I decided that a bed sounded much more appealing than a computer. So we'll just pretend like I posted last night.

"Today" was a lot of fun - full of the outdoors, full of activity, full of tasty food, and full of people! The morning started off by turning off my alarm instead of hitting snooze. Oops! But as you guys know, I've been reaaaally tired lately, so I think it was actually a good thing that I got some extra sleep. However, sleeping in = running later in the day. Hot hot hot. I felt so bad that our late start meant Alyssa couldn't run with us. :( But thankfully Anna still did and she even mapped a route for us too! Anna was our running saint!

Around 10am we headed out for our 9 miles. Anna's route was challenging... I think we ran up every hill in Rochester! But it was a good challenge because I am not a fan of hills and I really should do them more. Around 3 miles my legs were already getting tired, which made me very nervous... I still had a long way to go. I asked if we could stop for a little "stretch" break, and that was very helpful. We ended up stopping two more times to refill our water bottles. It was so hot, I was drinking pretty fast! Thank you to Tim Horton's and Subway for letting us come in for water!! Seriously though - I felt like those stops really really helped. It gave us a second to let go of the tension in our upper bodies. We talked about it during our run... I think we've decided we will not run the marathon straight through without stopping. Instead we will probably walk through each water stop - I'm already feeling more confident about the race now. :)

Anna posed a great question once we finished. She asked me to rate my run - what would I do differently/what went well. So here's my little list:

What would I do differently: 1) Force myself to stick to my pace in the beginning even if it feels slow (eventually it won't feel slow), 2) Take smaller steps when going up hills, 3) Eat a better breakfast - since we were running out the door and I haven't had a chance to grocery shop yet, Andy and I split a granola bar and I had a couple of pieces of cut fruit.

What went well: 1) I kept hydrated and ate my sports beans earlier than I felt like I needed to... and never felt bad or dizzy so it must have worked, 2) Double knotting my shoelaces meant I didn't have to stop to tie them - that happened last week, 3) stopping for a bit every 3 miles or so for a quick break helped me feel more refreshed once we started up again... and we really didn't lose that much time by doing so.

And what went well that I didn't realize until later in the day.... I felt totally fine. My body was never like, "Whoa you ran 9 miles this morning." I could have gone for another run at night. I think that is a good sign that I'm getting in better shape (even though my appearance doesn't reflect it). Next week our long run jumps back down to 7 so I'm feeling excited for the week ahead. Now that I've finished 9 successfully, I know 7 won't be an issue!

Ok, sorry to write so much about my run, but that is the main purpose of this blog after all. Now quickly onto the rest of my day. Post-run I had a glass of chocolate milk because I've read about 1,000 times that it is the perfect recovery drink. Maybe that's why I didn't feel fatigued later in the day! Then Andy and I were off to Buffalo to celebrate his Dad's birthday with the whole family. After dinner we all headed to the driving range and then played 9 holes of golf. This was my second time golfing ever - I think my first time golfing was for his dad's birthday last year. I actually really like it (although I think I'd be good playing 6 holes and calling it a day, haha). Being outside is great, the courses are pretty, you get to walk a lot, and of course the actual golfing part is fun - probably because I have NO clue what I'm doing so I don't get wrapped up in typical-golfer-frustrations. :) Andy is a pretty good golfer though. He did a great job!

Fore!

Pay no attention to my "form"

Total Miles Run: 54.71
Total Weight Change: -3.3

Day 20

I'm exhausted. These last two days have been nonstop. I could have slept for hours on end this morning after my long day in Inlet, but that could not be.... from the second I got up my day was slammed. Front desk shift in the morning/afternoon, haircut and highlights (takes forever), then straight to grab Sue for the Queen concert. I wanted to eat well today but it was just too hard. I was either eating on my feet or on the go... lots of snacks... no real "meal".... tomorrow's another day. 

While I'm disappointed in my lack of healthiness today, I am VERY glad I got my hair done. And the Queen concert was also a blast. The singers were so talented... I'd like to see an American Idol contestant sing like that.

I'm transmitting radio waves

We are the Champions!

Ok I'm off to bed. Very nervous/not looking forward to my 9 miler tomorrow morning. Why am I doing this again??

Day 19

Yesterday after work I had a good talk with Andy about my struggles with food - I'm so thankful he is patient and supportive. Then we went for a 4 mile run. Our time was pretty good, and I was very surprised at how well it went considering I was so full from all the baddies... my stomach did not feel good at all. Then I headed to zumba, which always cheers me up and restores my commitment to be good to myself.

This morning Andy and I went for another 4 miler. Doing two 4 mile runs with only about 12 hours in between is something we are both paying for now - our lower legs ache, so it is good that tomorrow is a non-running day. After our run we were off for a day of concerts up in the Adirondacks. The drive was boring, but it was sort of a fun excuse to get out of town and hang out together. Since we were going to be on the road and eating up there, I didn't try very hard to be good with food today. I promise to turn things around tomorrow. I'm afraid if I don't, my 9 mile run will be totally miserable on Sunday.

Picture time! There isn't a whole lot to do up in Inlet if you don't have a cabin and/or outdoorsy clothes.

Fourth Lake (I think)

"Gourmet" Dining, lol

One last quick mention - the Olympic Opening Ceremony was on tonight. I listened to part of it on the radio during my drive home, and caught the tail end on tv once I got back. I love the Olympics. The athletes are amazing... I don't think I can help but be inspired by their dedication and commitment. Plus since they are in London, I know there will be some great Kate Middleton coverage as well!

Total Miles Run: 45.61
Total Weight Change: -2.7 (I know...)

Day 18

Baddies - 10,000. Babs - 0.

Why is it so hard to get back on track? I decided to just call yesterday a rest/cheat day, which is fine... you need those every once in awhile. I also decided not to weigh myself this morning, go for my run, and get back to my healthy eating. WRONG. This morning I got up... didn't end up running because we decided to go after work, didn't weigh, didn't weigh, couldn't take it anymore, weighed... apparently gained 5 pounds. WTF?! Ate 4 people's worth of cheerios. Started on the peanut butter... managed to just throw the jar away with the lid off (so I wouldn't dig it back out of the garbage - I know it's pathetic). And now I'm at work where the evil temptress chocolates and foreign cookie crackers are wielding absolute control over my will power. Sigh.

Regardless, I am still going to run after work even though I really really really don't want to. Then I'm going to zumba. Hopefully a little exercise will help me clear my head and get back in the game. I seemed to be doing well when we would run in the morning... probably because I didn't want to "undo" my hard work by eating bad food for the rest of the day. And I think I need to go back to planning out all my meals and snacks the night before... clearly the "decide on the fly" route isn't working for me at all right now.

Team Liquid Courage lost again last night, 0 to 4. At least we weren't completely slaughtered! It was Lisa's last game for the summer season. :( I will miss you Sticky Fingers!

Anna and Lisa sandwich!

  

Day 17

Baddies - 1,000. Babs - 0.

Today has been an epic fail. Thanks to a surprise case of appendicitis, our CEO could not attend a press conference this morning and I got to be the lucky fill in. Those things are not my cup of tea, but I had to go, which meant I wasn't able to run as previously scheduled. It is the first change made to our pre-planned training schedule, but at least it was because something last minute came up and not that we just "didn't feel like it."

The first schedule change of training

As you all know, yesterday I was struggling to eat healthy, but I managed to pull through. Regardless, the scale this morning was much higher than the day before. sad/mad. Then the press conference bumped my run. sad/mad. Bring on the badies! I always do this. Something happens out of my control that I don't like, and I just throw my hands in the air and look for opportunities to be bad. Evil temptress chocolates in candy dish? Hello! Newly purchased peanut butter jar? Hello! Strange foreign cookie cracker things that have been sitting in the office for a week? Hello!

I frustrate myself with this nonsense, yet I can't seem to regain control once I start veering off course. If I had just held strong, tomorrow would have been a much happier day. Instead, now I'm already afraid to weigh myself because I know it will not be good. And I know I know I know I shouldn't weight myself everyday or base my happiness off of the number. I know! But it is just so hard for me not to.

Kickball tonight - good incentive for me to stop stuffing my face or I might puke during the game. Then hopefully an early bed time so that tomorrow morning can go as well as possible. Thunderstorms are rolling in tonight, so tomorrow's 4 miles could be pretty wet!

Day 16

Tuesdays are generally not my favorite day since I work both jobs - today was no exception. My day started off with a bang... Andy and I went for a 3 mile run on my favorite route from our apartment. I even managed to keep up without feeling terrible. Progress! But once I got to work I felt both tired and hungry, and those were two feelings I couldn't seem to shake all day. Tired + Hungry = Cranky Babs. To my fellow coworker who will remain unnamed, I am sorry I pretended my banana was a phone and had a fake conversation with it that ended in "I don't care" while you were telling me some sort of work-related story. That was not nice of me (but I'm glad you laughed anyway).

1) I think my main problem was that I was tired (even though it felt like my main problem was food). Generally when I am tired, I have less will power.

2) I am proud that despite the nagging hunger, I did not give into a feast of baddies - including the candy dish on my office-mates shelf. I did have a little more ice cream than I should have once I got home from job number 2, but it really could have been much worse.

Evil Temptress

3) I am also proud that I went grocery shopping between job number 2 and going home. Another part of the problem today was that we are running so low on food my meals weren't exactly mentally/emotionally satisfying (although they were still healthy). Let's just say I don't think I could have another dinner of "a bag of frozen vegetables" tomorrow night. If you fail to prepare you prepare to fail... or something like that. Tomorrow I am ready for success with my freshly stocked fridge!

Total Miles Run: 37.53
Total Weight Change: -7.9

Day 15

Hooray for another rest day! Today was interesting - I had to do work things in the morning and again late at night, which meant I was able to take off the afternoon. Originally I thought I'd workout and then take it from there, but then.... I realized.... I could actually go and lay out by the pool! It was amazing. I read my book, I went swimming, I dozed off, I got nice and burned (I know it's bad, but I don't mind!). In fact I was enjoying myself so much that I almost made today a true rest day - but then I worried I might regret not doing something, and I did have a little time, so.... I went home to my exercise DVD collection and busted out an oldie - Yoga Booty Ballet. 40 minutes later I was dripping sweat (although a large part of that is probably due to the temperature of the apartment). And I was right - I was totally glad I made the decision to do something. I must continue to remind myself that I never regret a workout after the fact.

This is how you do a rest day

Back to running tomorrow!

Day 14

There's no better way to end week two than with a running rest day! I still woke up early because I just can't seem to sleep much anymore. Cleaned the apartment, went to zumba, then... Andy and I went berry picking!! We'd been apple picking before, but this was our first trip berry picking. It turned out to be very relaxing (when you weren't being pricked by thorns). We are now loaded with blueberries, raspberries, and black raspberries - about 6 pounds in all! I foresee some baking in the near future.

Andy - a berry picking machine

I was selective (aka slow)

We've already planned next week's running schedule. We are such good little marathon trainers. :) Hope you all had a fun weekend!

Day 13

What a long day. My day started bright and early with a 7 mile long run. Anna and Alyssa joined once again, and I was so thankful for their company. Andy ran too of course, but he was long gone after about 5 minutes. Us ladies went at a comfortable pace, but man... it didn't feel so comfortable after awhile. I was definitely ready to stop running around 5 miles, but squeezed out another 2. Next weekend, however, I have to tack on 2 more miles for a grand total of 9... not sure how that's going to go, but I need to not think about it and just do it.

After my run, I worked the front desk, but didn't have the same runner's high as I did last week. Instead I was just plain tired. Then it was time to get ready for Pirate Night! I managed to come up with a pretty decent costume on the fly - check it out!

Call me Barrrrrrbara!

Yes - those are pajama pants. How awesome is it to get away with wearing pajama pants to work! We had a few fun things for people to do before the concert, including a temporary tattoo station, which I made a sign for - it said "TemporARRy Tattoos" and was decorated with skulls and cross bones... very cool. Then I got to be a "celebrity judge" for the pirate costume contest. And finally I was able to watch the concert, which was entertaining. It was actually the first time I'd ever seen "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Now it is definitely time for bed. Tomorrow Andy and I will have to plan next week's running schedule. Thankfully we are done running for the week! I'm worried that this training will cause a lot of strain between us. I mean - it is a huge undertaking. Obviously running 26.2 miles is hard to accomplish, but what is going to be even harder is to train for 14 more weeks and find a balance with everything else that goes on in life. I tend to want to zero-in and only focus on what needs to happen to run, but that's not going to keep my marathon man very happy. I'm so lucky that he signed up to do this too, so I certainly don't want to make him regret his decision!

Total Miles Run: 34.43
Total Weight Change: -6.7

Day 12

Today was full of excitement. Although he didn't seem too happy to be reminded, today was Andy's half birthday. Only 6 more months until the big 3-0! My new running shoes were also delivered this afternoon. Yay!

Happy Birthday New Shoes!

But most exciting of all.... Patti had her baby! Welcome to the world Alliya Joy!!!

Happy Birthday Alliya! Congratulations Patti!!!

Today was also a welcome rest day (although I still went to zumba). I think next week I will try not to run 3 days in a row. Last night I actually went out for another 2 miles with Sarah - even though those weren't "scheduled" miles, it didn't take long, and it's always fun to run with a friend. :)

Tomorrow is suuuuuuper busy. 7 mile long run, work at the front desk, make a sign for a temporary tattoo station (I'll explain tomorrow), create a pirate costume with clothes I have (I typically don't dress like a pirate so this might be challenging), run a costume contest, and then watch a concert. Sigh. I better get to bed if I'm going to make it through the day!

Total Miles Run: 27.41
Total Weight Change: -6.1

Day 11

Today has been a frustrating day, although I am trying not to give into the frustration. Once again, I woke up an hour or so before my alarm went off - I haven't had a good night's sleep all week because it is just too hot. Then I tried to get out of bed and realized how freaking sore I am from MXT. Then I weighed myself (which I do every morning) and saw I was heavier than the day before (not by much but it still ticked me off because I have been so diligent). Then Andy woke up not feeling well... sorry babe! But I also still don't feel all that great. We decided to run anyway this morning (which I'm glad we did), but we went without a route, argued over where to go (I was afraid someone from the office would see me out running), and I ended up not being able to keep up once again - which frustrates me because I'm now convinced I will be running 26.2 miles all by myself since I can't go fast enough! Ugh.

So I hopped in the shower to get ready for work. I turned it as cold as it could go and it honestly felt amazing. I thought - there... a nice cold shower to wash away my frustration... now the rest of the day will be good. Wrong. I left the apartment running late for a meeting, only to realize I left my keys on the table... had to go back to get those, now running even later. Then I got an irritating email at work (I get them all the time, but I was already irritated so it didn't help). Then a bug crawled across my desk (he's dead now). And none of that is really that bad, but combined with the fact that it is gray and cloudy outside, and mostly that I have to miss zumba tonight for a stupid front desk meeting... well, it's a frustrating day.

Sorry to be such a downer - in other news, team Liquid Courage got sweet sweet redemption last night, winning 11-5. Take that! I even got to play 2nd base the entire game, which was exciting. And best of all we won the challenge thanks to Jay's skills.

Jay wins the Shot Gun Challenge

Alright, Andy and I are headed to our favorite farmers market to get some fresh produce, and then I'm off to the desk meeting. I have a feeling I'll be rather vocal at it. :)

Total Miles Run: 25.41
Total Weight Change: -5.2

Day 10

Crazy Stripes!

I have to hurry and write this post before my arms no longer work (I'll explain in a bit). This morning Andy and I headed out for another 3 mile run. All of these runs (and other workouts) creates quite a bit of laundry, so this morning's outfit was rather "creative." During a Fleet Feet run two years ago, our pacer said running was not a fashionable sport. I don't think this is quite what he had in mind. 

I didn't map a route, so the strategy was to run in one direction for 1.5 miles, then turn around and run home. We relied on my Garmin to tell us when it was time to turn around, which meant I had to keep up with Andy for the first half. He was so fast - I thought I was going to die, although I'm sure it felt harder than usual because my sore throat is still hanging out and has made friends with a runny nose and headache. Awesome.

It's funny how when you run, things that would never be acceptable all of a sudden don't seem like such a bad idea. Like spitting. Not that I spit all the time when I'm running, but every once in awhile, I do. I almost took it to a new level today (but thankfully did not). My nose was running and I thought, "I should blow my nose... I can just use the bottom of my shirt." Eww! Why would I even consider that!? Oh, but it gets weirder. As I was getting close to home I decided I would have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and then thought, "I should put some pulled pork in it... that would be good." Am I pregnant?!? (No Mother I am not, don't worry). You'll be glad to know I ate my oatmeal sans pork this morning, but perhaps that was my bodies way of telling me I needed some protein.

Now onto my "soon to be immobile" arms. This afternoon I tried MXT (Midtown Extreme Training) for the first time, thanks to some motivation by Sarah. It reminded me a lot of Steve's 6am bootcamp that I used to go to back in the day with Emily and Carrie. Only this was bootcamp on crack. After the first 5 minutes I was drenched. I didn't even know it was possible to sweat as much as I did. It was an amazing workout - I definitely want to do it again whenever I can work it into my schedule - but I am about 110% positive that in the next few hours, it will hurt to breathe. Thank you Sarah for getting me there and for still being my friend after witnessing the sweat-fest! :)

Tonight is kickball. Hopefully we won't lose as bad as last week!

Total Miles Run: 21.39
Total Weight Change: -5.4

Day 9

Hi friends. I will keep this short and sweet since it is almost my bedtime and I have some ice cream to eat before then. ;)

I woke up this morning with a sore throat (that has not gone away). I really hope I am not getting sick... Anyway, Andy and I headed out for a three miler this morning. I mapped a relatively shady route (the high today was 97, so shade was necessary). There was even a well-positioned sprinkler that I took full advantage of. I don't know if it was the heat, dry mouth, my sore throat, or what, but I had a severe case of running rabies by the end. Pretty gross.

I spent the rest of my afternoon listening to the RPO Marimba Band in a barn (stupid summer camp for kids). You think 97 degrees is hot outside? Go sit in a barn for awhile. See how you like that. Not to worry though - I kept myself plenty hydrated. :)

Drinking in the barn

Babs - why is there a space shuttle sticker on your water bottle? Good question. You see, I lost about 8,000 Nalgene bottles in college. I'd leave them after a lecture, come back, and they'd be gone. So I bought another one, slapped a space shuttle sticker on it - I've had that thing for 9 years now. No one wants a space shuttle water bottle.

Ok ok because I'm sure your dying to hear about Cardio Hip Hop last night... let's just say I'm whiter than I thought. Alyssa, Anna, Lisa and I still had a good time though. It's always fun to try new things with friends. Especially when you all look ridiculous together. :) Next time I go, I will adopt the name Barbeesha in hopes that it will give me an edge, haha.

Ok, ice cream time!

Total Miles Run: 18.33

Total Weight Change: -5.4

Day 8

Rest Day! Well earned I'd say. But of course I won't rest completely... tonight I'm headed to Cardio Hip Hop. I've only been once before - it is alright but certainly not as fun as zumba. I would probably have a better time if I didn't feel like such a cracker, haha.

Rebecca returned to work today, thank goodness. We threw a 5-pound ball back and forth in my office while she told me about all of her adventures at Bard this last week. After 20 minutes, a 5-pound ball gets heavy!

Other than catching up with Rebecca, the highlight of my day has been purchasing new running shoes!!! In 4-5 business days, a beautiful pair of Brooks Ravenna 3's will be arriving at my door (as long as one of our ghetto neighbors doesn't steal them). Two years ago I was fitted for running shoes at Fleet Feet and ended up with my first pair of Brooks Ravenna's. I haven't strayed since. I think it is especially fitting that a Seattleite would end up with these shoes. Brooks sports is based out of Bothell, WA - just north of Seattle. And the Ravenna neighborhood is located near my old University of Washington stomping grounds.

Burke-Gilman trail - Bothell, WA

Ravenna Area

I'm pretty sure this was meant to be. :)

Day 7

Happy Sunday friends! What a great way to end the first week of official marathon training. This morning Andy, Sarah, and I ran the Jungle Jog 5k - which, for those of you that do not know, goes through the zoo. It's not every day you get to see an emu and polar bear while out for a run! While it was definitely warm and super humid, the sky was thankfully overcast so it was not as hot and miserable as I thought it might be.

My goal was to break a 10:00/mile pace, which meant I'd have to finish in 30:59. My super secret goal was to beat 30:00 total (a 9:39/mile pace or better). I felt like I ran a really smart race - I slowed a little when going uphill so I wouldn't totally wipe myself out, and then tried to take advantage of the downhills - yes friends, once again, another hilly race. I could see the clock at the finish line and knew if I was going to meet my super secret goal I'd have to really book it. According to my trusty Garmin I ran the last tenth of a mile at a 7:45/mile pace and... I did it! I just barely made it in with seconds to spare - 29:57! Woohoo!!!

We look cuter than we smell, lol

Popsicle @ 9:00am - It hit the spot!

I'm never one to pay attention to the age group placing because I am usually waaay down at the bottom of the list, but this time, I was 15th out of 68. Not too shabby! And I keep fast company - Andy came in 10th in his age group in 26:27 (awesome job!) and Sarah channeled her inner cheetah and came in 4th in our age group in 24:41. Holy cow she is fast! 

Andy and I have already planned next weeks runs, and I'm about to head to the grocery store to restock on healthy foods. A very successful week one!

Total Miles Run: 15.3
Total Weight Change: -4.9

Day 6

Long run number one (5 miles) is done! It wasn't the easiest for sure, but it certainly wasn't the worst run I've done. What is so strange is how hard I feel like I'm working - and how slow my pace is! I know the heat has a lot to do with it, but man... to be huffing and puffing and not breaking a 10:00/mile pace is sort of maddening. Thank goodness it will be cooler by the time the marathon rolls around.

Anyway, back to this morning. It was an all out running party - Andy, Anna, Alyssa, and I got a nice early start. The heat didn't seem to bother Andy at all - he shot off and we didn't see him again until the end, so us girls enjoyed our run together, and especially enjoyed the people watering their lawns!

I was in a much better mood at work this morning than normal - thank you "runner's high." Tomorrow is the Jungle Jog 5k, yay! It has been ridiculously hot the past two years I've done this race, and tomorrow's forecast looks like the streak will continue. Tune in tomorrow for a race recap and pics! 

Total Miles Run: 12.2
Total Weight Change: -3.2

Day 5

Running rest day 2! It feels silly to be on day 5 and only have run twice so far, but that's what the program calls for. I'm excited for my first "long run" tomorrow. I put it in quotes because it is only 5 miles. Actually, maybe I should give it a little more credit because it will be 5 miles in blistering heat. I think we're having another 90 degree day tomorrow... Don't worry Nicole - I will get a bracelet to wear for your wedding that will cover up the Garmin tan line I am bound to have by September.

Zumba last night was fun (as always) but even better since Alyssa came. :) THANK YOU ALYS! I promise to stop bugging you now. ;) Since today was rest day 2, I decided to make today zumba day 2 as well. Nothing like having sweaty hair at work!

The reviews are in on the powdered peanut butter - Alyssa: Disgusting. Sarah: "Interesting" w/a funny aftertaste. I really don't think it's that bad, but it is certainly not the real stuff. Oh well, it was worth a try.

And lastly - things on the heel-front are still improving. I wore my homemade Strassburg sock to bed again. Not perfect, but it does seem to help.

Day 4

Rest day! Or running rest day at least - I will still go to zumba. :) Andy and I had to be creative with our schedules in order to run together so we actually have two rest days in a row, which I think is great news for my heel. It actually feels much better today (I know you are all relieved). Have you ever seen those socks that are meant to help plantar fasciitis? The idea is that they keep your foot stretched so it can't tighten-up overnight while you sleep.

Strassburg Sock - $85

Well, not only do they look strange, but they are ridiculously expensive. Andy jerry-rigged one for me last night using an ace bandage, and miracle of miracles - I can walk! The consequence of stretching your foot all night is that your calf muscle is flexed as well. My calf is SO tight today. But I would much rather have a tight calf and be able to walk than not. I am still icing and wearing tennis shoes (jeans again at work! - if only I could wear them everyday). I'm officially on the mend.

In other news, team Liquid Courage was crushed last night. After 5 innings we were down 4-15. In kickball, if there is more than a 10-run lead at the end of the 5th inning, they cancel the game. So pathetic. We knew we were in trouble when the other team arrived - the guys weren't wearing shirts and were very muscular and had lots of  tattoos. They seemed pretty "bad ass." My team is nice and friendly, but I would never ever describe us as "bad ass." Eh, it meant we got to go to Jeremiah's sooner. But what about your diet, you ask? That's right friends - I just hung out there (had a diet coke) and waited until I got home to make a pbj. Booyah! And it wasn't even your typical pbj because it was made with powdered peanut butter. Wha??? Yep. 45 calories for 2 Tablespoons - you mix the powder with water and voila - you have strange peanut butter paste stuff that is not too bad! Andy refused to try it, but if any of you are interested, I'll bring you a ziplock baggy. Sarah - you are getting one tonight!   

Day 3

Sadly my heel did not get the memo that it needed to get better by 7:30am today - apparently feet don't read blogs. Guys, this heel pain is intense. Nothing like a little plantar fasciitis to start off a training program. I know with injuries you're supposed to RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevate. So what did I do? I ran 4 miles this morning - that's what I did. HA!

Seriously though, they were the most pathetic 4 miles I've probably ever run. I looked ridiculous because I was so afraid to put weight on my heel. Eventually I did, and after a mile and a half it wasn't too terribly painful. But additionally, I felt super thirsty and out of breath. I kept trying to slow down so it wouldn't feel so hard, but that wasn't working either. I hadn't mapped a route so I was running willy-nilly (surprised I just used that word aren't you?), and ended up purposely going in any direction that would force me to stop at a red light, just to take a break. I probably stopped 10 times! Oh well. I did it. And now my heel is REALLY letting me know that I did it.

Bonus of plantar fasciitis? Getting to wear tennis shoes to work. And of course since I am wearing tennis shoes, I am also wearing jeans! I just couldn't be one of those "work ladies" in work clothes and sneakers. I'm not that old yet. :)

Food-wise things are going really well. My healthy grocery shopping has paid off - I'm eating well and not even feeling like I'm missing out on anything spectacular. So far this week, my go-to breakfast has been plain greek yogurt with splenda (seriously that stuff is tart, I couldn't eat it straight up), cinnamon, a banana, and 1 tablespoon of walnuts all mixed together. It's pretty decent. I also cooked up my first pot of red quinoa on Monday.  I like it, but if you look close... man that stuff looks weird!

Tonight is kickball, although with my stupid foot I'm not sure how valuable I will be to the team. Tomorrow is zumba!! I'm actually not running again until Saturday, so hopefully my heel will heal (har har) by then.

Total Miles Run: 7.14
Total Weight Change: -2.9 pounds (I have no idea how that is possible, probably just water weight... it is close to my "special time")

Day 2

Today is a rest day - thank goodness because yesterday I wore new shoes to work and now have a blister on the bottom of one of my toes. Who gets blisters there? I also woke up with (and still have) some pretty serious heel pain in my left heel. Why!?!? It has until 7:30am tomorrow to get better, or I'm going to be pretty mad.

In other news - I GOT MY NEW PLANNER TODAY!!!!

Isn't she beautiful?

Day 1 for Realz!

It's here! It's here! Official marathon training has begun! I've been waiting for this day to come. I've NEEDED this day to come. I'm both excited and relieved that it is here. I truly need this right now.

On Sunday, Andy and I coordinated our schedules and planned our first week of runs. I made a little calendar to hang right by our front door so there's no way we can forget when we are running. I also went to Wegmans last night and stocked up on healthy groceries. And tomorrow the fall Vera Bradley line comes out, so I will get my new planner, which I am very excited for. I'm ready for success!

All of that build up and our first run was only 3 miles long haha, but we got up and did it bright and early (before it got too hot). Anna came along as well, so it was quite the running party. I was excited about the route I mapped out, but alas... mapmyrun.com, while amazingly helpful, does not always understand that people can't go everywhere cars can go... we improvised and made it work. It felt great to go to work knowing I had already accomplished Day 1 of training.

But training isn't only running - if I'm going to do this right, I need to change my diet too. Lately I've been pretty unhappy with both of my jobs (especially Midtown), the talk of promotions and raises has stopped (but I will not let it die), and I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that I have to work 6 days a week (sometimes 7) while the majority of my social circle has a good portion of their days free to have fun. I miss having summer vacation. Shoot, I miss having TWO days in my weekend. I know I'm just wallowing in my own pity party, but it is hard. Anyway, I've basically been medicating myself with food (and not healthy food). But it's time for that to end. Unhappy with my life or not, I must eat well. And I know that once I get back into the habit of being healthy, I will feel happier automatically - even if everything else stays the same.

So that's it! Day 1 done! I think I'll keep track of how many miles I cover during this training. I'm also going to keep track of how many pounds I lose (I thought about telling you all how much I weigh, but I'm pretty embarrassed, so I think I'll just update you on pounds lost).

Miles Run: 3.07
Weight Change: 0

Tomorrow - Rest day, but I'll try to at least go for a walk after lunch or something. Tuesday is always my busiest day since I work both jobs.

Looking Ahead - Jungle Jog 5k on Sunday!!!

Firecracker 5 Mile

I think it might just be me, but I loved having the 4th of July fall on a Wednesday this year. Yes, I had to go back to the office this morning, but only for two days. Two days people! I wish I had every Wednesday off. Forever. Ok while I'm wishing, let's just throw in Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday as well. Oh and Saturday too since I work two jobs... 

Anyway, without further ado, I give you my Firecracker 5 Mile recap! On the ride out, Sarah helped me realize that perhaps the course wasn't as bad as I remembered... or wouldn't be as hard. She had a good point - it had been two years since I ran this race... I had probably built it up to something much bigger and badder than it actually was. Confident she was right, we headed to the starting line and I was feeling good about my decision to give this race another shot. 

Well readers, she was right. I had not remembered the course over two years as well as I thought I had. I had remembered the first mile being all uphill. I was wrong. Thanks to my trusty Garmin watch, I now know the first mile and a half are all up hill! And they are steep hills!! After the hills you make it to the canal, which is nice and flat and should be a nice recovery (I remembered that), but it was not so great because there was no shade and the sun was already blazing hot (forgot about that part). But seriously though, besides the heat and the hills, it was not so bad, although after 3.5 miles the thought did cross my mind that if I had signed up for the Brighton 5k, I would have been done already. I can't say I'm dying to sign up for it again next year, but maybe in two years my memory of the heat and hills will fade enough to make me want to give it another try (I guess I better not go back and read this in 2014).

My time was 51:15 - a 10:15/mile pace. I can totally live with that. Now here are some pictures for your enjoyment!

And to include some non-running fun, the rest of my holiday was pretty awesome. Post-race brunch at the Gorton's (delicious), laid around our air-conditioned apartment (excellent), had a cheeseburger for lunch (delicious), went to Home Depot to buy supplies to make a Plinko Board for work (not fun but it was good to get it out of the way), then to the RPO's VIP event downtown which included a make your own ice cream sundae station (delicious) and an open bar (excellent). Plus fireworks. A very happy 4th indeed! 

Confession

Don't count your chickens before your eggs hatch. I spoke too soon - I, in fact, did not run with Andy last night. Instead of a three mile run, we went on a three mile drive to get ice cream cones. :) Oh well, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. My RW Marathon Training book says to consider instances where you miss a run as bonus rest days. Now I will be fully rested for the race tomorrow morning, haha.

Guys - I'm so excited for tomorrow's race, which I think is strange because this really is not my favorite course. I ran this race two years ago with Carrie and Andy. It was blazing hot, the place you park is not exactly close to the starting line (not convenient), the entire first mile or so is up a gnarly hill, and then the finish line is at the top of another hill (cruel). I actually disliked it so much that I convinced Andy to do the Brighton 5k on the 4th of July last year instead. But seriously folks, he and I are going to be marathoners soon, so if we can't handle some heat and some hills, we are in trouble.

 Come back tomorrow to read how it goes. I'll even post a picture or two!

One Week until Official Training Begins!

Can you believe it is already July? The month of June flew by. That means official training starts one week from today!!! I had originally planned on doing the Fleet Feet Beginner Marathon training plan - I've used their programs in the past and have felt 110% prepared. However, it has you running 5 days a week and starts off with a 9 mile long run. I'm not exactly ready to run 9 miles... So I did some research and I've now decided I will use the Runner's World Beginner Marathon training program. It only has you run 4 days a week and the first long run is 5 miles. I can totally do that. But over the weekend I started getting nervous... how could a program starting at 5 miles get you as prepared as one starting with 9 miles? I figured it out! The FF program is only 14 weeks, not 16! By the time I get to week three in the RW program, I'll be at 9 miles, so it all works out perfectly. Blah blah blah, this is boring, but basically I am just excited that I have found this RW program. I think running only 4 times a week will help me from burning out, and it will also allow me to keep going to zumba (woot woot) and kickball. :)

Time to update you all on my short-term goals. The running is going well. Thursday after zumba we had a running party - Andy, Alyssa, Sarah, and I ran 3 miles. Then Sunday morning, Anna, Andy, and I ran 4 miles. Both have been at a pretty decent pace considering how hot it's been. Tonight Andy and I are going to run another 3, but we're going to go after dinner in hopes that the temperature will go down a bit. So there! Three runs before the Fourth of July. Goal 1 accomplished!  

Goal 2 was not as successful. Rebecca deserves a gold medal as she saved me from myself during Friday's breakfast club. I even tried to negotiate with her... convince her that I didn't have to write about it in my blog. But no, she was amazingly strict and I was glad for it. However, Rebecca was not at Midtown on Saturday to save me from myself. Saturday morning as I was getting ready to go to Midtown I started crying because I hate the shirts we have to wear (I feel like a stuffed sausage). I got to Midtown all sad, and there were muffins. And I ate one. And it wasn't until Sunday that I realized I totally broke my "no work badies" rule. Oh well. There are still two days at the office to get through, so I am back on track and will be good again. 

Less than 48 hours to the Firecracker Five Mile race!