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So, I've had some good workouts, some not so good workouts and some off days. But, overall, I'm pretty pleased with the progress that I've made. I ran 5.5 miles today, about 8.5 km, so I won't be too long before I am tackling a 10K run. I might have managed another .5 mile but my feet were killing me, and sure enough, I am developing some nasty blisters on the arch of my feet. Not fun. I think I need "running" socks. The cotton ones are just not working out one bit.

I actually intended to run 7 miles today but hubby talked me out of it. I am actually grateful that he did, since I was hurting pretty good by mile 4.75. But, when you are still that far from home, you have 2 choices, keep running or lay down and die. (It's a long, lonely gravel road. It might be a day or two before a car comes by....) So, I sucked it up and ran.

It occurs to me that I haven't posted stats for awhile, so here goes:

Weight: 150.0 (seriously. I cannot break the 150s) Total Loss: 7 pounds

Waist 32 Total Loss: 4.5 inches
Hip 38 Total Loss: 2.75 inches
Low Hip 39 (more correctly, the butt measurement)
R Thigh 21 Total Loss: 3.00 inches
R Arm 11.5 Total Loss: .50 inches
Bust 36.5 Total Loss: 1.25 inches
Underbust 32 Total Loss: 1.00 inches

Total inches lost: 12.75 since the beginning!!!!

My hubby thinks I look amazing. I think I might agree!

Run Forrest Run

You’ve all got the mental picture now, don’t you? A goofy looking runner – well, I’m not all tall and gangly like Forrest Gump, but I’m pretty sure I look as goofy.

On Sunday I did my very first 5K race. My kids think I won. I didn’t tell them that I won. Honest. It’s just that after I told them I didn’t win about 20 times, I finally gave in and said, “Yes, I won.” They were happy.

In a way, I did win though. My best training time was just over 41 minutes, or a 12 minute mile. I came in at 35:46 (an 11:30 mile!), so I am pretty thrilled. My entire goal was to run the entire race, no walking, and come in around 39 minutes. Check check. I never imagined I could knock 5 full minutes off my time!

About 1/2 way through, I really wondered why the hell I ever decided to run this stupid race. It was hard and I was tired and my form was slowly disintegrating into pile of slump. (Which is a great way to get injured, by the way) But, I tried my best to buck up, pull in my core and straighten out. That didn’t work really very well, so I just held on for the rest of the run.

And then, right at the end, they announce “And here comes Michelle ___ from (my little wee town)” and I got a boost that even I didn’t think I had in me. I crossed that finish line triumphantly, albeit a little bummed because the timer read 51:– minutes, but still feeling a sense of “I DID IT”. Hey, 10 minutes earlier I would have been thrilled to lay down and die.

As it turned out, the timer was set for the half-marathon that started 15 minutes before, so my time was much better than I saw on screen. Ahh, the innocence of a newbie.

I managed to finish before the 10K winner (who started at the same time as the 5K) and see the half-marathon winner cross the finish line too. Man, could those guys run!

Anyhow, I am pretty excited, even today at how well I did. Now, I need to set a new goal I guess. Maybe 5K in 30 minutes?? My loving and oh-so-supportive brother suggested I could do his run – 5K in 25 minutes with 25 push-ups at each kilometer. Army boys are such show-offs.

Two Updates

I was out again last night for a run, 5K in 46 minutes, including the walk to and from the starting line. Since the starting line doesn't move, I think 46 minutes is about the same as I did last time. I felt like I was running slower last night, but I didn't walk quite as much, so that is probably the reason for logging the same time. I felt a little less winded after but still had a pretty hard, fast heartbeat. I found about 2.2 k in, I started to get a stitch in my side. I reduced the pace and tried to breathe more normally and that seemed to help also.

I was also up for a 40 mintue bike ride this morning. I think that darned near killed me. There was no wind, but I felt so tired that I wondered if I'd be able to make it. I logged about 2 miles in total but my knees are now pretty stiff. Good chance I overdid it, I should have eaten something before going out also. So, about half way back, I felt like I had hit a wall, but what can you do? You have to get home & Learn a Lesson.

The other update, I am trying "free" weight watchers. I just can't seem to drop any weight, even with all the exercise. I must be making up for it in food consumption, so I thought to myself: Self, it is time to start tracking points again.

The trouble is, I can't justify spending $75 on a 3 month subscription right now. I have $0 available to me because I am trying to pay off a nasty credit card bill. (It's not $10K or anything, I just want to get rid of the balance I'm carrying). So, I looked around cyberspace and found some free tools for tracking weight. It sure isn't as good as online subscription, but will have to do for now. I figure if I can drop a few pounds on my own WW plan, then we'll see what my finances look like in a month or two. Really, I'd rather not have to track at all, but if there is one thing I know about WW, is that it does work for me.

I think. See, I usually drop about 10 pounds, get bored and quit. That takes about 2 months usually. So, the third month is a waste. I really, really, really want to lose the first 10% this time. I said that the first, second and third time too. BUT. Let's go with, this time I mean it. Hey, I didn't gain the weight (or the bad habits) in a year, so I can't expect to lose them on the first try either. That means my immediate goal is 15 pounds in 3 months. So far, on my complete own, I gained a pound. Not a bright start. This morning, I felt "lighter" so I weighed in, and I am down .2 pounds from when I started (so now at 157.4) I am hopeful that on the official weigh-in day (Thursday) there will be some actual, measurable movement on my scale.

This week, I am giving up cookies, in addition to my other goals of working out every day, drinking water and etc. I want to see if it can make a difference. What a hard challenge. I love my cookies. But, I love me more. So, I will give it a good shot. I did have about 1/4 cookie this morning as I was checking to see how fresh they were staying since Saturday. They are the kids' cookies and it is a new Gluten free recipe, so I needed to know. I did mark it down, all .5 points of it. I don't actually know if this is right, but I always score at least .5 points for any "taste testing" I do. Keeps me honest.

A New Goal

I got a newsletter yesterday from the local YMCA. They are having a 1/2 marathon, 10K and 5K race on May 31st. The cost to do a 5K (timed!) run is $15. The run itself is about an hour and a half drive from my house & starts at (eek!) 8:15 a.m. Now, I'm not sure that I am ready for such an "event".

So, I got into the car last night & mapped out 2.5 km. That gives me 5 km round-trip. This morning, I mapped out 2.5 km in a different direction, so I don't get bored while I am running. I was surprised and excited to see that I was only about .5 km short (each way) of running 5 km at my peak last summer. Just for "fun" I also mapped out 5 km in one direction, yeah, that's not going to happen any time soon!! 10Km is a loooooong way.

I was too excited and anxious to give 5 km a try to wait for the morning run. Could I do it? Would I give up and walk for half? I strapped on my new runners, set up the ipod and set off. A nice, easy pace, to not wear myself out completely. I got to 1 km. Doing good. I made 1.5 km, not even sweating yet. Got to 2 km, wondered if I'd make it back. I walked for about .5 km next and then turned around and ran all 2.5 back.

Did you read that! I RAN 4.5 km last night. It took 56 minutes (give or take, since I walked in and out of the "starting line") but I DID it. I thought for sure I'd be sore and miserable today, but I am not even a bit. Tired, but it is also Friday & I often feel a little more worn out on Fridays.

I am pretty proud of myself right now. The question is, do I enter the race, or not? I only have 3 weeks to train and I'm not sure that's enough to get my time down to something "reasonable". I looked at last years' results. The fastest time was 22 minutes. (I think just maybe he should have entered the 10 km race, bu that's just me) The slowest time was 56 minutes, but the majority came in around 35 - 40 minutes. So, I need to trim at least 5 minutes off my time I think. Is 3 weeks enough time to do it?

Also, I'll need some childcare. My hubby is likely still at work & I can't run with 2 boys at home! So, there's a couple of obstacles to overcome. I have to decide by May 22nd, which is 1 full week before the race. Maybe that's enough time to decide if I can make it.