Saturday, June 30, 2007
What an Awesome run! - 6/30/07
Friday, June 29, 2007
Friday 6/29/07
MY GOALS! - I posted earlier that I would list my goals so here they are:
- Long Term Goal - I will weigh 130# for my marathon on October 28th.
- Six Week (Team) Goal - I will weigh 134# by the end of my team challenge on August 9th.
- Weekly Goal - I will perform 420 minutes of exercise (cardio & resistance training) and weight 140# (the actual weekly weight goal will change but the exercise minutes will stay the same).
I will also be setting up some daily goals for myself. Things like drinking enough water or having extra veggies on a given day etc. If there is one thing that I've learned from LL it's that goals are huge. Most people never sit down and actually make them. They might have some vague idea about what they might want....someday but they never actually define what they are, write them down and then make them public. It is a huge step!
The other thing I'm doing is setting up a leverage. This is also something I learned about at LL. Simply, and this comes right from The Leanness Lifestyle book, it is "self-applied pressure to reinforce your focus and maintain your commitment through the journey. It establishes a cost for failing." There are different types but I'll let you purchase the LL book to read more about it! If you've never used a system like this, it is amazing. My leverage is financial (it doesn't have to be but that is what I chose). I have a savings account that I've set aside so that some day I can become an Elite member at LL. I'm taking $200 out of that account and if I don't make my goal it will be sent to the KKK - a group I absolutely despise! I'm also going to fine myself $25 each week that I don't make my weekly goal. That money will also go into the end leverage.
Another weekly leverage I will set up is a massage. I have never had one before and have always wanted one. This is a reverse leverage - you purchase the session before hand and if you make your goal, you get to keep/attend the session. If you don't make your goal you don't get to go to the session and you are out the money you paid for it. I hope that all made sense because a good leverage is SO effective!
Well, today is a rest day for my exercising. I may go for a nice easy spin on the bike trainer just to keep my legs loose but other than that, I'm taking it off. Tomorrow is my long run and I'm thrilled to be meeting up with a group and then going for a run on the trails. It will be my second group run of the week but my first one on the trails. I will have to travel a bit to get there but I think it is going to be a blast! The only thing that concerns me is the possible lack of bathrooms - I'm sure some of them have had the problem before too so I'll just follow their lead, so to speak.
POSITIVE NOTE: I just found out this morning that Tim has started to drive again. That is such wonderful news! I'm going to email Donna soon and leave a message on Tim's CarePage. I'm so excited to hear he is making progress. I will be writing my sponsor letter this weekend and hope to get it out early next week. For those who may have missed my earlier posts, I'm raising money for a co-worker's son who had to have a hear transplant due to a genetic problem. He is a young man and this is going to hit him hard financially. He already has enough on his plate and I'm hoping to raise a minimum of $3000 to help him out.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
My first group run!
It was so much fun! I met 2 other people and we went out for a 5 mile run. The pace was right at about 10 m/m. I can't tell you how awesome it was to run with other people - it was great to have a conversation while running (with someone else that is). The best part was that I already kind of knew one of the other runners. It turns out that she knows my husband and we had met a few times before. I think I'm going to try and go back tomorrow so that I can meet Pat who was the one who told me about the group in the first place. I will definitely meet them on Saturday for some trail running. I am so looking forward to that!
After my shower, I will be sitting down and trying to write my "Why". I did get a couple of responses from my post over at LL and got some good ideas. I will also be following up on them. One of the suggestions was to do one of Coach's Boot Camps - I would love to do one but I don't think I have the money for it. Our family budget is quite tight and if I spend all my savings on a boot camp (which I don't have enough for) then I won't have any for either my Elite membership or a Platinum Lifetime Membership. Boy do I wish I could win the Powerball and then I could do both - LOL!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
What is my problem?!?!?!?!?!
I'm trying to stay positive but I feel like I've been struggling for months now. I just can't seem to get my eating on track. The good thing is that my exercising has been keeping my weight pretty constant. I'm between 140 and 142 but I want to be down around 130 (I would be happy between 130 and 135).
I don't even know how to put my frustration into words! How do I get out of this downward spiral? It is so easy to just say....just stop the bad actions....just don't do it anymore! I've been sitting here for the past 10 minutes or so looking at this page because I really don't know where to go from here. I know the important part is to NEVER give up trying and I won't but boy is it hard! It is wearing me down mentally. I keep putting myself down by saying things like: "This time last year I was in a groove, why can't I get that back?!"
I don't have any answers but I am going to take some action steps. I've done these before but I'm going to do them again!
- I'm going to write another "Why". This is something I learned about at LL - it is something I've struggled with in the past but I'm going to give it another shot.
- I'm making a new weight loss goal.
- I'm making a leverage - I'm taking $200 out of my account which has been created to save money so that I can become a LL Elite member. There is a little over $300 in the account so I'm taking a big chunk out of the account. I will withdraw this money and I will give it to someone to hold. If I don't make my goal this money will be donated (I'll determine where in a bit) and I will be that much further away from my Elite status.
- I'm going to make a daily, weekly and monthly goal and I will post it here for accountability.
- Finally, I will post a copy of this blog entry at LL so that I can get even more accountability and support.
I have lost a fair amount of weight since I started at LL over a year ago - I'm proud of my accomplishments! However, I have come to realize that even though I have changed on the outside I have yet to change on the inside. I have not been able to make this a lifestyle. I'm still making bad decisions and craving junk. I long for the day when the junk won't be a temptation. I don't know if I'll ever get to that point, but I hope and pray that the day will come - soon!
IT'S OVER!!!
TECE II will start at the beginning of January but because they are going to start doubling up the classes in November, we will be done before Christmas! I figured that if I was already in the classroom mode it would be better to get right back to it. Having it finished before the end of the year is just an added bonus!
Now back to training! I have officially started my 18 week marathon program! Yesterday was a cross training day (biking and weight lifting). Today was the first run of the program. I did a touch over 3 miles and my pace was 7:54 m/m. I decided to push the pace today to get in a hard workout. I want to make sure that I put a bit of a push into some of my runs but I need to make sure that I'm careful. I chose the Intermediate I program so I just need to be careful.
Tomorrow I'm scheduled for a 5 mile run and I think I'm going to try and head over to the Y and meet up with a few other runners. I'm hoping to be able to meet them a couple of times a week (maybe for my longer weekday run - Wednesdays and for my long run - Saturday). I haven't run in a group of people since I was a kid. I would occasionally go with my Dad to a group run a long time ago but haven't done it since. I'm really hoping to be able to work it out. I just need to make sure I get back in time for Bill to get to work on Wednesdays. The Saturday run is kind of far away so when the runs start getting really long we will have to work something out. I'm hoping he will be his normal supportive self!
Well, it is time to start getting us ready to get the kids to their swim lessons. Yesterday went pretty well and they are both looking forward to going back today. Yesterday was a bit of a short lesson because they had to get the kids into their correct classes. I'm hoping they will be able to cover a bit more today. I think Will is a tweener - he is a bit passed some of the things they are covering in his class but not up to the class Ally is in. I think Ally is right where she needs to be.
Off to get ready!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday 6/25/07: Readings and other stuff
Long story short, I have had to really good Reading/Prayer Sessions the past 2 nights. I shared my first session insights with my Bible Study friends but decided to start putting my insights into this blog to share with everyone. Last night I read Psalm 90 & 91 in The Message Remix. The section that really spoke to me was in 91:14-16
Sunday, June 24, 2007
I Think I've made a decision.......
I saw it so many times, I started to worry if I was being too aggressive. I don't want to get injured while training for this race. So I sent some notes off to some friends (thanks Julie B. and Julie A.) who offered some great advice. However, it ultimately comes down to me making the decision.
I'm splitting the difference and using Intermediate I. There isn't a huge difference between Novice II (Novice I was too easy) and Intermediate I. The mileage is quite similar in terms of daily distances. The biggest difference is that Novice II has 2 rest days scheduled and Intermediate I has 1 rest day. I'm using the Intermediate program but I will keep a close eye on how I'm feeling and if I feel like I need a rest day or that I need a cross day instead of a run I'll do that.
I will probably second guess this decision over the next 18 weeks but I have to decide on something and it will be Intermediate I!!
Speaking of rest days, I took and extra one today. I was feeling a bit tired this morning - mostly because I stayed up later than normal last night. Food has been pretty good today but there is still room for improvement. I'm starting up with a team at LL this week and I am really looking forward to that! It is always great when you can get that extra support!
Kids start their swim lessons this week and they are really excited about it. I'm interested to see what types of things they will be doing. They have improved so much all ready but I'm sure these lessons will really bring out the fish in them!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Saturday 6/23/07
I did a couple of other things that turned out to be good ideas. Normally, I run the entire distance around Delcastle (in a figure 8 style to increase the miles in 1 loop) so that I'm close to the bathrooms. It occurred to me today that if I run the loop until I use the bathroom I can then go out into the neighborhood and run a moderate length loop and finish back inside Delcastle just in case I need the bathrooms again. I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out! I tried it today and it worked great!! It was really nice to get out of the "normal" routine. The other change I made was that I forced (and yes I had to force myself) myself to run slower. My pace was right around 9:30m/m which is about a minute slower than I have been running my long runs. I think it is something I really need to focus on and try for a while. I'm starting to get nervous that my body is going to baulk at all the miles - I guess it is just my psyche getting the best of me.
The 2 changes also worked really well together for another reason. I found myself unintentionally picking up the pace so that my walking breaks were in a certain spot on my route. By changing the scenery and by changing the pace it got me out of the routine. I think it was good for my head.
My official 18 week marathon training schedule starts on Monday! I'm planning on contacting some friends about the program that I've chosen. I decided, quite some time ago, that I would use Hal Higdon's Intermediate II program. The Novice program just didn't look challenging enough. However, now that I've been doing some further reading and have been on Hal's message boards I'm starting to have second thoughts. Everything I've been reading states that you would be better off being undertrained at the start of the race instead of overtrained (within reason of course). The last thing I want is to put all this time and effort into the training and then have it all blow up in my face because I chose the wrong program. More on this topic later.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Wednesday 6/20/07
I'm really beginning to wonder whether I want to go through all the trouble of trying to lose weight while training for this race. I have been maintaining my weight at about 140 for a while now and have been struggling to lose more. Most of my problem is mental and I realize that - a part of my brain keeps telling me that I look good at 140 so why do I want to drop lower. Would I look better at 130 or 135? Probably, but I just can't seem to get all cylinders firing at the same time. Anyway, something to ponder!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Saturday 6/16/07
I think it was a really good way to end the week especially for Will. Although I have to say both kids got some other treats this week as well. Ally got to spend some 1 on 1 time with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop and I took Will to see Shrek 3. It made me feel really good when he got so excited telling people that we did a special thing together - just the 2 of us. He was more excited about that than he was to see the movie - melts your heart!
Workouts this week have been really good. I completed all my workouts including a 10.5 mile run this morning. I tried using my Hammer Nutrition products that I received earlier this week and they worked really well. I didn't have any stomach problems and used both gels and Heed (lemon-lime flavor). I added a bit too much water to my Heed powder so it was really diluted but I still liked the flavor and it didn't leave any aftertaste in my mouth which is what I was really looking for. I also have a packet of the orange flavor and will try that tomorrow. I think I may also have a local place that sells the Hammer products - now all I have to do is find it. I know generally where it is but I haven't seen any signs or anything for it so I'm not positive.
I was also excited to see that I've now run over 300 miles this year! When I first put that ticker up on the blog I just picked a number that I thought would be a real challenge to hit. One that would give me incentive to go out and run each morning. Now here we are, half way through June and I'm already over 300 miles. The interesting thing now will be to see just how many miles I can run in a year!
Until next time!
Monday, June 11, 2007
We both did well!
The second time he freaked out was when he was coming out of his anesthesia. He was ANGRY because we wouldn't let him get down and walk around. The nurse was great and explained to us that because the anesthesia wasn't out of his system, he needed to either stay in bed or sit on our lap. She did say that if we held onto his arms/hands we could walk him around since he was fussing so much. Will didn't want any part of any of those situations. So, it came down to me holding him on my lap (in a big bear hug) while he screamed and cried and punched and kicked (all at me) and just pretty much tried everything he could do to squirm out of my arms. This probably lasted 25 minutes or so and then is just switched off and he was his normal loving self. It was very strange to watch - when he was upset, he didn't want any of the drinks or foods that the nurse was offering him. After he calmed down, he drank some juice, had a Popsicle and drank a Slurpee/icee. He was a totally different person. He doesn't remember any of the violence and the nurses told us that it would probably happen that way.
As a result of all that, I am already really sore. All the muscles in my back hurt. Just sitting still is uncomfortable and when I reach my arms in front of me like I would in a hug, I can feel every single muscle in my back - and yes they all hurt.
However, it was all worth it! His eyelid is all clear out and the doctor said he couldn't believe all the gunk in his eyelid. It pretty much filled his whole lid. He got 2 stitches to close it up and can't go swimming until Friday or Saturday. I'm going to take him to see a movie tomorrow so that should be fun. I'm just really happy that it is all finished and that we can hopefully move on and not worry about this any more!
We Need your Prayers!
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Saturday 6/9/07
I think I'm going to try and get a 2nd pair of running shoes today. I can't remember if I wrote before, but Bill got me 2 gift cards for a local women's sports store for my birthday. I think I'm going to get the same shoe I have right now. I've read different things about it - some say get different types of shoes so that your foot gets a different feel and others say to stick with the same shoe because you know it is already a good shoe for you. I'm just going with the same shoe and see how it goes. If I continue with the longer distances, I may try a different shoe after the marathon.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, June 08, 2007
Friday 6/8/07
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Happy Birthday to Me & Day 2!
As for my birthday - I started it out with a great interval workout. I ran a total of 4.7 miles and the average pace was 8:08m/m which included my warm-up and cool-down running. I've also made some of Hokie's Sweet Potato Brownies. So far a pretty productive morning! We are going out to dinner tonight - I think I'll choose Red Lobster as my dinner place that way I can get some yummy food but try and keep it a bit on the healthy side. I want to enjoy the food and the company (my family of course) but not go completely off the deep end.
I'm also really excited about starting a Bible Study! Kristen, Julie, Melissa, Helen and I are going to be studying Max Lucado's book called It's Not About Me and I am really looking forward to it. It has been a long time since I've been able to participate in one. Ever since I started working, I lost my weekly Bible study group and I have really missed it. It will be good to get back into a study group.
Well, off to run some errands!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Tuesday 6/5/07 - 7 DAY CHALLENGE
7 Days to:
Follow my exercise plan
Eat according to my LL plan
Record my calories correctly and accurately
I am also going to take some circumference measurements and will add them to this post after I take them. My eating has been my weak point lately (as per the norm.) and this needs to change. My marathon plan is really starting to kick into high gear and the miles will be adding up quickly. I need to make sure I am giving my body the good fuel it needs so that I stay healthy and injury free!I took a break and did all my measurements. Now I must note that the skinfold I took is a 1 site test, which isn't going to be the most accurate and it is taken at the hip area which happens to be my worst spot. So, I believe it to be a bit high but the important thing is that it gives me an objective number to compare against. For better or for worst, here are the numbers:
Date: 6/5/07 Time taken: 8:30 am
Weight: 141.5Body fat: 24%
Fat pounds: 34#
LBM: 107.5#
Upper chest: 35.75in
Chest: 36.75in
Rib cage: 33.5in
Waist: 35.25in
Hips: 37.5in
Thighs (avg): 20in
Calves (avg): 14in
Well there it is. I will stay with my challenge for 7 days and then take the measurements again - not necessarily the body fat values but definitely the circumferences and we'll see how I do.
Feel free to call me out if I don't post my progress. Speaking of progress, I had a good run this morning. I went 4.7 miles and ran at a pace of 8:05m/m. I still need to get some lifting in today and I will be taking the kids to the pool after lunch. Looks like another busy day!Saturday, June 02, 2007
Saturday 6/2/07
Arthur Ashe, tennis player