Operation Slim Down 2.0

Went for my first run in 2 weeks!!  The two weeks of Novice camp threw me all out of whack.  I didn't get anything done those 2 weeks.  I have been rowing, but not running or erging... Unless you count running to the 7-11 for a slurpee!!  Kidding... I don't run to the 7-11.. I drive! :o)

3 miles today.  They weren't as horrific as I expected them to be, but they certainly weren't fun or easy.  I know I sound like a broken record, but it's just amazing how much fitness and ability you lose when you take any kind of break.  I'm now lucky if I can make an 11:00 min mile.  I was working on 9:30min when I quit back in May... oh well... running is still running.  Zack and I are going to get back after it... Erging in the mornings

Beautiful and tasty Halibut salad! 

Operation Slim Down and Healthy Up is back on!!

You did what???!!

      Yesterday we had yet another 2 hour delay!  Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't mind them - although they really seem to be going overboard after their first bad call!  Today it was for fog? freezing rain prediction? cold?  I'm really not sure what, but whatever it might have been - safety first!  It didn't really do me any good, I was already up and getting ready to go to the gym.  I'm loving my early morning, get it over with, new exercise plan.  I don't love the getting up at 430am... but NOTHING beats the feeling of walking into school at 645am and knowing that I am DONE with my exercise and anything else I do all day is just icing on the cake!  I think that must be the "runners high" everyone talks about.  It's not during the run, that part just sucks, it's the after run, that's the great part!!  Yesterday was Thursday and I was scheduled to hit the treadmill, I was planning on doing 4 miles, that's what was on the schedule for Run this Year.
      Well, I got on the treadmill, and I started out a little slower pace (5.8mph) and after about 3 miles, I was feeling like I could do it all day - so I thought to myself, "Self, let's see if we can knock out 6 miles. You'll still be able to get to school by 8am and that's an hour before everyone else." I kicked it up to 6.0 and kept on going.  Got to about the 5 mile mark and was still feeling pretty strong, music was jamming and I thought - "well if you can do 6 miles, why don't you just aim for 10.  Then you can really feel smug and if you push it, you really don't have to be at school until 9, plenty of time. You can probably even sneak a shower in."  The treadmill shuts off at an hour, I hopped off took a quick 30 sec walk around the floor and got ready to go again when it occurred to me, if I just hit the repeat button and did another 6 miles that would be amazing.  So off I went.  As I'm running, upped the pace just a little bit to 6.4, I had another thought... how cool would it be if I could put on Facebook "What did you do with your 2 hour delay?  I ran a half-marathon!"  Because we all know it all about what you can put on Facebook!  The more I ran, the more I thought - I really want to be able to say I ran a half-marathon!  Don't get me wrong the 2nd 6 miles were not near as "easy" as the first 6.  I stopped briefly (5-10sec) a couple of time to stretch out my back and shoulders that were twingy.  Miles 10-12 were pretty yucky.  When the treadmill shut off for the 2nd time at that 12 mile point - Yipee! I was pumped.  1.1 miles left to go and I will have just run a fucking half-marathon!  Took my quick stretch walk around the floor, set that baby for 11min and hit it for the last bit.  I turned it up to 7.0 the last half mile and finished it and didn't die!  I didn't even feel that horrible.  I'm pretty amazed with myself.

I promise I only laid down for a minute to "stretch", but it sure felt good!

 I'm not going to make excuses that I did it on the treadmill instead of outside or that I didn't increase the incline.    

That is some serious sweat action going on!

 In keeping with my Resolution - I am proud of myself, 13.1 miles is 13.1 miles.

Race #2 - Run Your Heart Out

Did another 5K this weekend in my quest to run 12 races in 2014.  I haven't branched out past 5K's yet, but I'm going to.  I have my eye on a 5K trail run, a 4 mile run and my first 10K race in the next couple of months.  Also considering signing up for the Air Force Half Marathon in Sept.  I just found out Ian is going to run it as his 1st Half and Cari is going to run the 5K that goes along with it.  I think it would be awesome to fly out and run it with Ian.  It would surely give me incentive to really do it!  We'll see…

This weekend I ran the Run Your Heart Out 5K in Reston.  My goal was to beat my best time, 29:10.  It was a decent course… tons of people, but I like the company that puts on these races.  They always do a really nice job.  Unfortunately I forgot my GPS watch and only had my phone so it was difficult for me to monitor my time.  I felt pretty strong - I was going along great, I hadn't stopped at all and then… there was this freaking HELLACIOUS hill right at the very end.  You had to get up this hill, before you turned into the stadium and finished on the nice flat track! :o(   The hill did me in,  I ran all the way up it - but at the top I had to stop and walk for about 10-20sec.  I was bummed.  Then I turned into the stadium and I did my best to sprint at the very end.  I never use to be able to do that, but recently it seems I've found a little extra right at the end and been able to sprint the last bit.  Anyway, my time when I came in said 29:13!  I was so freaking pissed… 3 secs off my PR!  If I hadn't walked that last little bit, I would have beaten my previous time… :o(
BUT THEN…. I checked my official time today…. 29:08!!!  Hells YES!!  I forgot that the time at the race is the time the gun goes off, not necessarily the time I cross the start and finish!  So, my PR streak is intact.  I think that will be the add on… to my 2014 resolution… 12 races in 12 months and each one try and PR.

Snow Day, Snow Run!

We've had 2 snow days this week.  We've only actually had about 4 inches of snow, but the temperatures have been way, way low!  Our high today was 14 degrees!  I think they are worried about all our preshus babies walking to school and that's why they cancel it.  I do sort of agree, since most of Zack's friends are still wearing shorts to school and on the really cold days they might agree to putting on a hoodie.   Zack's almost as bad, but at least he wears pants!  Anyway, yesterday before the "Storm of the Century" hit (the one that dropped FOUR INCHES on us) John and I decided to head out for a run together!
It hadn't started snowing too hard and we were only going 3 miles… so even though I wanted nothing more than to sit in front of the fire in my jammies with my book… John convinced me to head out.

It didn't turn out to be the quiet, beautiful peaceful run that I had been imagining.  I didn't even take my music as I planned to enjoy the scenery and become "one with nature."  :o)  It really turned out to be a cold, wet slog with ice crystals crashing into my eyes and making me squint and wonder what the hell I was doing!  I got a cramp about 1/2 mile in and really was just happy to finish!

Finally made it… in my jammies, in front of the fire with my boy Cooper.

Wow!

I ran 8 miles today!!  I was aiming for 10, but I just couldn't do it.  I think my residual Christmas food baby was dragging me down!  But I did it - and I hope it helped to negate everything I ate yesterday.  When I say everything, I literally mean - anything I could get my hands on.  Rice crispy treats, christmas cookies, chocolate bark, ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, apple pie, chocolate pie, ice cream… it was a gluttonous feast!  And it was good!

I almost forgot to mention, John and I went to his office work Christmas party.  I really hate going to these things, mingling with people I don't know, making small talk… yuck!  But I went trying to be a good wife, and it wasn't that bad.  The food was good and it was fun to watch John flitting around in his element.  Socializing and schmoozing all the folks.  We also won two door prizes, which John donated back to the party and made him quite the hero!  But to top it all off… We looked GOOD!!

No run, week one

It's been 7 days since my last run.... and I don't think my foot is much better.  It might hurt a little less, but not much.  I think the only thing that's saved me, is the first 4 days I was battling a cold and so I didn't feel like running or exercising or doing much of anything.  What I find to be really strange... is now when I see people running I'm actually a little bit jealous.  I feel a sense of longing, like "aahhh.. they get to run."  How weird is that...

I did manage to Erg one day.  I sweated, I huffed and puffed, but I'm not actually sure I really know what I'm doing on the Erg, so I'm not sure how beneficial it is.  It said I burned about the same about of calories as I do on a run, so I guess I'll consider it a success.

I also attempted to ride a bike...It was not a success...  I borrowed my friend Patti's bike... and well....  First of all, the whole concept of gears is gobbledegook to me.  Is the low number harder or easier,  which set of gears should I be changing and oh did I mention you have to brake with your hands... All I kept envisioning is me trying to stop, panicking and catapulting myself over the handlebars and into the street. So, I did what any self-respecting, modern woman would.. I googled it.  CLEAR.AS.MUD.  Not to mention the fact that my ability to retain information seems to be inversely proportional to my age.  I read the articles, I printed some off and still about 10 minutes into my ride I couldn't remember a damn thing and I looked at those gear shifters like they were written in Korean.  Then I started changing gears willy nilly, up... is that easier or harder?  Down... Is there even a difference.  I finally just decided to leave them in the middle and not worry about it.

By the way, did I mention the hills.... I don't like the hills going up OR coming down!!!   It was torture going up the hills, but I did it.  Coming down the hills totally freaked me out... too fast and the pedals
were just spinning so fast I couldn't keep my feet on them.  That cant' be right.  I'm not sure who was in charge of the ride, me or the bike. Actually, pretty sure the bike was in charge... in fact, I'm pretty sure that the bike was changing it's own gears when ever it damn well wanted to and that it was trying to buck me off into the path of oncoming traffic.  I definitely need to go hit my "bike guru" Jennie and get some Bike 101 before I try it again.  I also need to make sure I have a friendly working bike!!!
I'm not giving up, I certainly think I might eventually like biking.  I was a crazy workout for my legs, they were shaky and a little sore, so I know it will be a good workout... I just need to make sure I'm doing it right.