My Triathlon Journey to Fitness

I'M BACK!

2009-09-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

Well, I figured I had better blog to prove that I am still alive. It is that procrastination syndrome of not doing something for so long that it then becomes harder to do because you feel like such an idiot!

The last few months in a nutshell: we moved, I ate out of stress, I didn't work out, I gained about 15 pounds. In August, I started eating a bit better and working out a bit, dropped 8 lbs. Finally started running again about a week ago, FEELS GOOD!

Also, I want to change the name of my blog. I know I need to lose weight, but referring to myself as "fat" in my blog title just doesn't settle well with me. I don't really like telling people my blogger address, so that is a problem.

I have a pretty good idea for a new address, but can't tell you yet! I will figure out how to make the change over and you can see it then.

Till then!
Michelle

Spirit of the Marathon - Movie Review

2009-05-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

Last January while at Mom & Dad's, Jeff and I caught part of a show about the marathon, and I remember it being really good, moving and motivational. But I couldn't remember what it was called. Well, Jeff came across a documentary about marathons on Netflix instant watch that we just viewed online called Spirit of the Marathon that turned out to be the same show! So, I thought I would do a review.

First, let me say, if the tiniest idea of running a marathon has ever crossed your mind, then you need to watch this movie. It follows different groups of runners as the prepare for the 2005 Chicago Marathon. The groups include first time marathon runners, repeat runners trying to PR and qualify for Boston, an elderly marathoner and his daughter, and also a couple of elite runners who hope to win. So, basically something for everybody.

Each of their stories are personal to them, yet you can find something in all them that inspires or that you can relate to. Parallels are drawn between the marathon and life and the challenges that we each face. The movie takes you through all the preparation and then finally the actual race. It is very touching to watch these people run and finally cross the finish line to a very momentous event in their life, and it makes me want to complete my own marathon.

So, it even just the glimmer of thought has crossed your mind about your own marathon experience, this is the movie for you!

p.s - don't forget the tissues.

Online Trainer

2009-05-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

At the Palouse Sprint Triathlon last September, I won a free month of personal training with an online trainer out of Spokane. Well, I started using the trainer a couple of weeks ago, and it has really shaken up my work out routine.

I have been swimming, biking and running. To compensate for the plantar facitis, I have been on the eliptical trainer, and doing some aqua jogging. Though my foot has been feeling a lot better, and last Saturday I went on my first regular run. It was just 15 minutes out, and then running back at a faster pace than on the way back. It went well, and my heel seems to be doing ok. I only feel a little pain when the area is massaged.

Starting to swim has been good, it is a really great workout, though the first time it made my arms feel like rubber.

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It is a week later and I just realized that I never came back and finished this post, so I will just end it by saying that my trainer had me record all my food last week, so talk about being paranoid every time I ate something! But, I did lose weight, so I know that recording my food is important.

Only one more week left with the trainer, then I will be on my own. But it has been really good to see what type of things I should be doing.

Pursue Your Dream!

2009-04-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

I started out this year with great ideas of running a half marathon in March and a full marathon in May, but when I was struck with platar faciaitis in Frebruary and find myself still not running a couple of months later because of the twinge in my heal, it is rather depressing.

I keep thinking that I should search the internet for something else that I can do, a new goal. But I keep putting it off because of the uncertainties that I feel.

But I came across a YouTube video lately (embedding not allowed) that made me realize that regardless of the obstacles, we should always continue to pursue our dreams.

Though I have not been running, I have been going to spin class three to five times a week, so that is good. Hopefully that will make a difference when I start running again to not have to start at the beginning. I believe that if I am careful, I can still complete a marathon this year!

So, that is my dream, and here is to Susan Boyle for being brave enough to pursue her dreams!

Book Review: Marathoning for Mortals by John "The Penguin" Bingham

2009-03-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

I first heard of John "The Penguin" Bingham through Runner's World magazine, where he writes a monthly column. About John from his website:

Once an overweight couch potato with a glut of bad habits, including smoking and drinking, at the age of 43 Bingham looked mid-life in the face—and started running. Since then, he has completed 40 marathons and hundreds of 5K and 10K races—and developed a whole new outlook.

So he is a great example to look to for what anybody can accomplish with running if they make the decision to do so.

He has written two other books on his own: The Courage to Start and No Need for Speed. Marathoning for Mortals is co-authored with his wife Jenny Hadfield, M.A, C.P.T and they both have another book out called Running for Mortals, as well as an inspirational training log called Training for Mortals.

If you are just thinking about running, and wondering if it is something you could do, I would say read The Courage to Start. I was just looking for any of his books to read, and the only one I could find through our library system was Marathoning for Mortals, but this seemed appropriate since I had already done a half marathon and was planning on doing a full marathon this year. From what I have seen, much of the information in his various books is very similar, but from different angles, and then some things are different based on the purpose of the book.

Marathoning for Mortals is broken into four parts:

Getting Started
Training
The Toolbox
Game Face

The main purpose of this book is to get you from wherever you are now, to completing a half or whole marathon. John and Jenny will help you accomplish this through walking, walk/run, run/walk or running either of these two events. Including full training plans in the back.

Overall, I really liked this book and thought that it had a lot of good advice. Starting how to recognize who you are and how to set up a training plan that will best help YOU succeed.

The section about training was fairly good, but I felt that there were parts where they could have delivered more in the aspect of details, which I expected them to do, but I felt a bit let down because I still had some questions when I was finished with this section. Though there were definately other questions that they answered.

In the Toolbox section I felt similar. A lof of good information, but it just skims the surface. But perhaps that is the purpose of the book, not a lot of detail because they know that can be found elsewhere. I was most frustrated with their Injury Prevention chapter where they discussed the three most common running injuries. Though I am biased because I am still currently enjoying one of these common injuries, plantar facitis. For this they basically said that this condition often responds well to getting special inserts for your shoes. Not very helpful, especially since I have seen Jeff suffer with PF for years, and he wears inserts! Inserts can make a difference, but even through this isn't the book for going into detail on injuries, I felt that they could have addressed this better than they did. This part of the book also briefly discusses nutrition, gear, and cross training.

The last part of the book discusses the race day itself and strategies all the way down to the start of the race through to the end of the race, as well as the emotions you go through the weeks following your big run. This was well done and made me realize the many things I probably wouldn't think of on my own.

One thing I liked about the book were the small inserts from real people, and how running has affected their life. I find that there is always someone who anyone can relate to when these types of inserts are included, and they help me realize that there are many people who were worse off than I who have accomplished great personal triumphs through running.

One thing I did not like about the book was the recommendation to wait a year after you start running before you start training for either a half or whole marathon. Perhaps that is because I started running last June and completed a half marathon at the end of November. I felt that I built up my training slowly, though quicker than what is recommended by many in the sport. I did many things right, but also a lot wrong. But I tend to be the type of person who decides to do something, and then learn enough to get it done and figure I will worry about the details as I go or when something comes up. Though this has served me well in many areas, it also gets in my way at times. I learned this the hard way with my current injury. I knew I needed new shoes, but figured I was fine for a few more weeks. I knew that I was pushing my training distances a bit hard, but figured that I would be fine because I had a plan and I had goals.

One of the most important things I learned from this book was to listen to your body. I wish I was running again, but I still feel a twinge in my heel and I do not want to aggravate it by running to far too soon. So I need to realize that I have to start slower than I wish, but by doing so will get where I need to quicker than if I do the wrong thing by pushing myself too hard too fast.

So overall, I would say the book was worth reading. The way they address the mental aspect of running was stronger, the details of the nitty gritty is better found elsewhere. If you are thinking about running your first half or whole marathon, this book will give you the courage and basic information to get started and do it.

If you are just starting to run, read his first book, The Courage to Start. Jeff bought this off eBay recently, and it looks really good for someone who is thinking about running, to realize that you can do it! And even though I have been running a little while, I plan on reading this book because I think it will be helpful.

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
John "The Penguin" Bingham

Movie Review: Run, Fat Boy, Run

2009-03-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

I got to thinking about all the running books and movies out there, and thought that I would start reviewing one every now and again. I decided to start with a movie because, lets face it, you can watch one in less than two hours!

Besides being a running movie, Run, Fat Boy Run, (PG-13) is a British movie with British humor. My mother is English, so I grew up exposed regularly to British humor and quite enjoy it, so I liked the movie (expect a little bit of crudeness and, of course, the bare bum!). Overall, I would give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The movie stars Simon Pegg, who is starting to be recognized more in the US (he is "Scottie" in the new Star Trek movie this year). Pegg plays Dennis Doyle, a down and out security guard at a womens clothing store in London. He is known for not finishing anything, for being a failure and a quitter. This is best shown in the opening scene of the movie where he panics and runs out on his pregnant fiance (Libby) on their wedding day. He has been running from life and responsibility ever since.

It is about 6 years later, he is involved in his sons life, but often a disappointment. You can tell that he loves his son very much, as well as Libby. But she has moved on, has her own business, and is dating a successful and wealthy American business man, who runs marathons for charity.

When Dennis goes to talk to Libby about her current boyfriend, she tells Dennis that he has never finished anything in his life, and he responds by telling her that he will prove her wrong by running and finishing the upcoming marathon.

Unrealistically, the marathon is in 3 weeks, but you can't let small details like that ruin a good story! Just enjoy Dennis as he trains (you gotta love the shorts!) and his experiences as he tries to find a charity to represent (registration closed months ago for the marathon, so it is his only hope to get in).

As any good movie, he almost doesn't run because of various circumstances, but then he is talking to his son who is having some problems. He tells him, "You can't just run away," and his son asks him "Why not?" Like any good father, he knows the right words to say. He tells him, "Because it doesn't solve the problem. You start running, the problem is still there. You've gotta stick at it and then figure out a way to solve the problem, even if its really, really hard." Then his son says the type of thing that any child can say to make you really evaluate your life, he says, "Is that what you do Dad?" How can Dennis not run?

Without giving away the detail, Dennis ends up injured, but he will not quit. It is hours later, and for most the marathon is over, and that is when people notice that there is still a lone runner on the course: Dennis. He has a crowd of supporters following him as well as the media, and that is when it happens: he hits THE WALL.

I would have to say that the representation of Dennis and the wall is great! Though he is in the middle of a park with a lot of people, when he hits the wall, the movie shows him standing all alone with a 20 foot wall in front of him that extends forever in both directions. Breaking through a wall is personal, you have to do it yourself, and it is mental. For Dennis, breaking through his wall is not just about finishing the race, but a way to put behind him a lifetime of failures, of never finishing, of being known as a quitter. In his mind, he backs up and charges through the wall and his past, then the camera cuts to reality with all the people standing behind him, and he just places on foot in front of the other and starts running again.

It makes me think of life in so many ways, not just hitting THE WALL when running. People see you going through life and problems, one step at a time, but the internal struggle: mentally, emotionally and spiritually, is much greater and the part that people don't see. Though others may have a degree of empathy, they can never fully understand your situation because we are all unique individuals influenced by our own personal history.

So, does he finish the race or not? Well, it is a feel good running movie that brought a few tears to my eyes, so of course he finishes! But I will not tell you the details of the climatic crossing of the finish line. But after almost 14 hours, he crosses the finish line, his son his there and says, "Dad, You won!"

Such is life and running. We win and become hero's to ourselves, to our children and families and to others around us who we don't even know, by persevering and finishing; of not giving up when the going gets tough!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Running!

2009-02-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

Now, we all know what the good is of running, we can list many things, and it can mean different things for different people. Some good things are: getting or staying in shape, private time to do something for myself, a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie with others etc.

The bad of running, I would say, is injuries, something I am getting over right now with my heel pain. Injuries are not fun!

So what is the ugly? CHAFING! If you have never experienced this, you may not understand, but if you have, then I think that you will agree.

Merriam-Webster defines chafing as: to make sore by or as if by rubbing. I have also heard of this referred to as the chub-rub, and though I believe more fit athletes experience chafing also, the chub definitely contributes to the rub (at least in my case)!

Now, though I had heard of chafing, I never experienced it until last fall when my runs started getting longer, around 8 miles. It is very uncomfortable,but what can you do when you feel it starting to form and you are still miles from home? You just keep running and it just keeps getting worse! My chafing happens high up on my legs where my leg joins my buttocks. :-)

So, I would get home, treat the chafing with some bacitrin ointment, and everything would be fine in two day for my next run (shorter, thank goodness ;-).

But chafing affects all that you do for the rest of the day! Walking is just painful if not done carefully!

Many fit athletes (especially men) experience chafing on the nipples from their shirt rubbing, and I have read that becoming a member of the CNS (Chafed Nipple Society) is not really desirable. But, there are ways to prevent chafing. Two well known products on the market are SportShield and Body Glide. I just purchased some Body Glide, it comes in a stick form (like deodorant) and you just rub it on your body wherever you may chafe.

Well, I am 4 - 6 weeks away from long runs, but when I get there, I will blog and let you know if Body Glide is a success, or if I am again walking funny for a day!

Too Much, Too Soon

2009-02-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the post I should have written last Wednesday! I decided that even though I still felt a twinge in my foot, that I was ready to start running again. So I went out for a short run of 4 miles. Though I felt fine during the run (I was aware of the twinge in my foot), the plantar fasciitis really bothered me for the rest of the day. Every time I walked, I was just gimping around! Luckily it wasn't as bad as the first time round, and by the next day it was back to a twinge. I realized that I had tried running too soon.

So, my new plan is to not run until I feel no twinge in my foot, probably 2 -3 weeks (I was off running for about 10 days before, but I was doing some quick walking). Instead, I will be going to the 9:00 a.m spin class 4 days per week (that is how often it is offered) and revisit weight training (something I have not been doing but know that I should).

This means that there is no way that I can do the Snake River Half Marathon on March 7, especially since there is a good chance that I will just barely be back into my running by then. It also means, that when it comes to the Spokane marathon, that I will probably have to settle on doing the half instead of the whole 26.2 miles.

This is tough, I want to somehow justify doing the full marathon, but realize that my injury was from a combination of too many miles too soon, and bad shoes. I have new shoes, but if I train too hard to do the full marathon, I may find myself injured again and not doing anything! (Though, to be honest, I am still wondering if I can do the full 26.2 miles if I do a run/walk program!)

Correctly Fitted Running Shoes - What a Surprise!

2009-02-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it. I went to a specialty running store and got fitted for the running shoes that are best for my feet.

The last time I bought running shoes, I went to Tri-State and bought comfortable shoes, though I had it in mind that I wanted Nike Plus shoes for my Nike Plus system, though I was willing to get other shoes and just use my shoe pouch. But, I did find a pair of Nike Plus shoes that were really comfortable that I bought. They are Nike Plus Air Pegasus. I put about 400 miles on them and knew it was time to get a new pair (evidenced by my heel pain).

We went to Blaine, Washington this past weekend to visit my parents, plus it was my birthday. Before going I searched and discovered a running store in Bellingham, WA called Fairhaven Runners and Walkers. My Mom and I went there on Saturday where I was helped by an extremely friendly clerk named Jeva.

She had me walk back and forth a few times so she could see how I walk. She said that I was a fairly neutral walker with a slight over pronation, which she confirmed with another clerk and the store manager. Total I tried on about 10 pairs of shoes, slowly narrowing them down. Some were obviously not good, others were borderline. I finally got it down to two pairs, and I wore them outside for a short jog. And guess what type of shoe I ended up with?

NIKE+ AIR PEGASUS RUNNING SHOES! The same pair I had purchased previously just based on comfort.

This is highly unusual. I would still definitely recommend going to a specialty running store. If nothing else, I now know that I am in the best shoes for me.

And for the shoes, I would like to say, "Thanks Mom & Dad!"

So close and yet so far ... & Heel Pain - Plantar Fasciitis?

2009-02-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

I ran 5 miles yesterday, and felt really good as I pushed to finish it in under 44 minutes. As I listened to my final stats, I was hoping to hear a "Congratulations! You have just completed your fasted 5 miles ever" blip. But it did not happen. I checked my stats, and missed beating my fastest five miles by 3 seconds! I finished in 43 min. 53 sec, and my best time was 43 min. 51 secs! Man, what a bummer! It wouldn't have taken too much to push just a little bit harder, if I had only been aware of the time to beat.

Also, towards the end of my run yesterday, I felt a little pain in my heel. This got worse towards the end of the day, and this morning it feels like plantar fasciitis, which I read can be caused by over pronation. I know that I do have too much movement in my feet while running and that I do over pronate, I think it is time to get new running shoes ;-) and make sure that I get some specially designed for over pronation. I was reading too that some good insoles can also make a difference. Meanwhile, I guess I just need to ice it, take some ibuprofin and take it easy (i.e - minimal - if any- running) for a week or so. :-(

Where's Dad?

2009-02-05T22:58:00.000-08:00

I got home last night after picking up Erika, and Jeff was nowhere to be found. None of the kids knew where he was, so William and I went all over the house looking for him. Was he playing hide and seek? Something he may have done when the kids were really little, but now? Not likely! To confirm our bafflement, I even looked in the small front closet and William hollered out the back door. Finally, I told Will, "he must have gone for a walk."

So I went out to the front porch to watch for him and immediately saw a dark figure come jogging down the cul-de-sac. It was Jeff! On a whim, Jeff decided to go out and see how far he could run, and said that he turned around at the point where he figured he could make it back. He had gone a mile! Now, for those of you who do not know Jeff, this is a guy who has not run in years (like 20), and has perpetual feet and back problems. Sometimes just walking is painful.

Now I would like to say I am just total inspiration, but I think it was watching The Biggest Loser. Seeing people in way worse condition, people in pain, just push through it and endure for the hopes of a healthier life, people like Dan.

So, kudos and three huzzahs for Jeff:

HUZZAH! HUZZAH! HUZZAH!
I am proud of you honey!

To end this blog with the words of John "The Penguin" Bingham, "The miracle isn't that I finished, it's that I had the courage to start."

Personal Trainer Watching

2009-02-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

Personal Trainer watching is similar to bird watching, but, in my opinion, a bit more entertaining. Like birds, personal trainers tend to flock in small groups of 3 or 4 in the corner of the gym. There they chit-chat and lift weights and just generally look cool.

Then comes a client and one breaks away. She commences to inflict pain upon another human being, walking casually along as the woman is doing walking lunges across the gym while holding a bar over her head. Back and forth, then to a machine, and then back to lunges. And all the while she is charging about $60.00 and hour. That is my kind of job!

Now, I have to admit, that client handled everything fine, is obviously used to working with a personal trainer, and didn't seem in too much pain. About 45 minutes later the same trainer was putting another lady through the same paces, and she was having a tough time: red in the face and struggling to hold up the bar. The P.T's grin was just that much bigger!

In between clients, the trainer returns to her corner with the rest of the flock. Most are there every morning, not only is it their job, but it is there identity. Most are women, some are young, others are thirty something with kids, they are all in great shape. I wished my arms looked so good!

Now, I wasn't just sitting around watching the flock of P.T's, but I was on the balcony doing my 9 mile long run. The balcony overlooks the weight floor, so Personal Trainer watching is a great thing to do for over an hour and a half.

The next morning as I left spin, I saw a lady in her early sixties on a row machine with her trainer. You could tell that lifting weights was a recent endeavor in her life. The personal trainer said "just one more" as she leaned over and helped with the last rep. The client was grinning ear to ear with her new accomplishment! It must be those small moments that make being a personal trainer rewarding.

Last day of the month - Again!

2009-01-31T15:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am continuing my bad habit of blogging on the last day of the month. I have had some good ideas of stuff to blog, but have not made the time to write. But I don't want a month to go by without an entry, so I find myself blogging on the last day of the month. This seems to have been my pattern over the last few months, and is NOT a good one! So, I will try to do better. After all, with the infrequent entries so far, it wouldn't be too hard to double my efforts ;-)

Brief monthly overview: my eating still stinks and my weight is still stalled.

Good news: I am feeling more confident in doing better on my eating habits. I have started my training program for the May marathon (hence, one result is better eating, so the next should be some weight loss!).

I Just completed my first week of training. Overall, I run Mon/Wed/Fri, with my long run being on Monday. Last week, I ran 9/3/5 miles, all on a treadmill which is not exactly great for the scenery! And on Tuesday and Thursday I went to spin class, I have really enjoyed starting to spin again, it is a lot of fun and a great workout.

Well, that is it for today, in the future you can look forward to some different type of posts rather than just the hum drum update. Things such as hairy legs, chaffing, spinning and my favorite health & motivation magazine! Now, I know you are curious, but you will just have to check back later, I promise it will be in less than a month!

Ciao for Now!
Michelle

p.s - I will get a link up soon with my full marathon training program so that you can see at a glance what I am doing.

New Years Goals!

2008-12-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

I have basically taken it easy this past month. I have been doing about 2 short runs per week, and nothing Christmas week at all (of course, coming down with the stomach flu Christmas Eve left me with little desire to do much).

We did get totally dumped on with snow, so that stopped my outside running, but I did join the locally owned gym and hit the tread mill. Running on a treadmill is a totally different feeling than the road and I think that I prefer the road! But it is still a good work out.

I have been setting my new running goals for next year, because I know that if I do not have anything to aim towards, I tend to fizzle out. My goals include a half marathon on March 7, the Snake River Canyon Half Marathon, and a marathon in May. I was excited to discover that Spokane will be hosting its first marathon on May 15, it is the Windermere Marathon Spokane. It starts in Post Falls and follows the river into Spokane finishing at Riverfront Park. I am also eyeballing the Boise Half Ironman on June 13th. Since I do not want to run/race/compete on Sunday's, I have been excited to find these different races on Saturday's, and not that far from home!

So, my winter work outs will include running and spinning, and if I want to do the Half Ironman, then I need to do something about my swimming. This is my weakest event and the one I normally ignore, just figuring that I can flounder my way through (and if you have seen me swim, you know to take the word "flounder" literally). So, to change that I am considering the local Masters club, Chinooks Maters Swimming. But, I am slightly chicken on that, my weight loss came to a stand still in November, so I am a bit self-conscience about appearing in a swim suit!

But, I am rededicating to good eating habits in the New Year, and have a local competition to encourage me. My sister-in-law and her friend have started their own Biggest Loser competition (I had never seen the show before, so went online and watched an episode). It lasts 3 months and there are 15 competitors. Everybody pays $60 to compete, and the person who loses the largest percentage of weight is the winner. That person takes home 2/3 of the stash, and 2nd place gets the remaining amount. So, basically $600 to the winner and $300 to the next person. But, hopefully wonderful results will be better than money to all who participate! Yesterday was the beginning of the competition and it runs through April 7th. I feel good because I am already in the habit of working out, I just need to keep it up and refocus on diet.

Well, overall 2008 has been GREAT! I have established some good exercise habits, I stated running in June and completed a Half Marathon in November, and though having reached my highest weight ever in the spring, as of last Sunday I had lost about 25 pounds! So, not bad, and looking to a better year in 2009 with many accomplishments.

Ciao for Now!
MJ

Half Marathon Pics

2008-12-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

Crossing Hwy 95, the last 1/4 mile

The Final stretch

My wonderful family supporters

Approaching the finish line

It is important to raise your arms when crossing a finish line!

Crossing the finish line!

3 HUZZAHS!

Happy to be done

I did it!

Presentation of (unexpected) Finishers Shirt

My "official" Finisher shirt

A week as gone by and I have taken it easy (maybe a bit too easy?). I just ran once this week, 3 miles, but plan to be back to 3 regular runs this week. With the weather getting colder (though still unseasonably warm), I plan to start going back to Spin. I really liked Spin when I was going regularly, but haven't gone in about a year. Though I don't think I will go back to the 5:45 am class, I have a bit more flexibility working at home, so I think the 9:00 class is early enough! Well, going to keep this short, here are the pictures from my personal Half Marathon last week. Keep on runnin'!

Oh, side note, I was talking to a friend who started the Couch to 5k running program, and found out that she is up to a mile without walking! Makes me feel good and inspired to keep going when I see someone start running, partially due to my influence.

Mission Completed: HALF MARATHON!

2008-11-30T21:49:00.000-08:00

First things first, no longer will I commit to blog at any type of regular interval. Life is full, I am a procrastinator, so I will blog when I blog! I would like to blog more, but it is time to be realistic and not beat myself up if I am not blogging every week.

The good news, I ran a half marathon yesterday - 13.1 Miles! It was a great accomplishment for me. I set a goal, I set a training program, I stuck with it (never missing a run) and I did it! I did make some changes though. I did not go to Seattle to Run the HUGE Seattle Marathon (14,000 runners expected). I had talked myself into it, justified it, but could not get comfortable with the idea of running on Sunday. It set a bad example for my kids, when I was trying to do something good. There was another marathon in Seattle on Saturday called the Seattle Ghost Marathon that I considered doing. It is a small marathon (about 100 runners) and is more like a fun run for a running club. Then I thought, I can run anywhere and meet my goal, why spend $250 in gas and hotel charges?

We were headed up to Sandpoint for Thanksgiving with Jeff's side of the family. All of Jeff's brothers and sisters and family were planning on being there, so it was a big deal. Unfortunately, Janie and Cean couldn't make it at the last minute. Janie was still recovering from minor surgery and wasn't up for travel so, so it could not be helped. But, WE MISSED YOU JANIE!

Jeff had called his sister Sherry and asked her to arrange a Spaghetti lunch celebration for after my run. I took all my running stuff, and made sure my iPod was charged before leaving town. On Friday it snowed, and I thought, "I wish I had remembered my Yaktrax!". We were staying with my brother-in-law, Richard, and when we woke up Saturday morning, there was still snow outside. So Jeff and I drove into town to check out the trail conditions and to see if I should buy another pair of Yaktrax for the run. I really wanted to complete the run, everyone was excited for me, plus the weekend after Thanksgiving was my goal date. Now, my in-laws live in Sagle, ID, which is about 6 miles from Sandpoint, and there is a paved trail that goes all the way into town. I was happy to see that most of the trail was clear, with just some small patches of snow and slush. So we went back to Richards where I got ready, and then back to Mom and Dad's for the start (I was originally going to start at Richards, about 1 mile away, but the road between the two houses was covered in very wet snow).

It was a quiet send off. Jeff, Mom & Dad, Erika and Kylie were there. I did have a half hour delay when I discovered that my iPod needed charging, but I took off about 11:30. My goal was very realistic, complete the run in under 2-1/2 hours. Considering my 11 minute mile pace, I did not foresee any problems in meeting my goal. So I got running! It was just under 1/4 mile to the highway, cross the highway and right onto the path that led all the way into town. A lot of down hill for the next mile. The traffic from the highway was louder than I expected, so nervously (and successfully) turned up my music (whenever I had tried this before, I always messed up my Nike iPod settings and had to start again!).

Jeff was my great support team! He met me at the beginning of the long bridge with a water bottle (3 mile mark), a quick drink and I continued on my way (I also ditched my hat - too hot, and my sunglasses - too foggy due to all the moisture in the air).

At mile 4 on the bridge, I was feeling pretty good and decided to increase my pace a bit. This was so I could have a bit of extra time at the end when I was going up hill. I ran about 100 feet when I felt a small 'twang' and pain shooting down my left hamstring. Oh, Great! I ran a few more feet, stopped to try to stretch it out - no good, so I continued on. My pace dropped to slower than 12 minutes per mile, and I thought, why couldn't this happen on the way back, when I have 4 miles left instead of 4 miles into my run? I also thought, I have to finish this, or when will I do it? If the injury puts me down for a few weeks, then another month of training to get back up to endurance, and then it will be January some time before I tried again. This just wasn't an option, plus I was on the bridge still and Jeff was over a mile away, so I might as well just keep running. Slowly my hamstring started to feel better (less painful), and my pace increased back to normal. When I came to Jeff's water station at the far end of the bridge (mile 5-2/3), I made sure that I had no appearance of a gimp so that Jeff would not ask me, in a very concerned manner, if I was 'all right' (though he always asked me how I was doing ;-).

I wasn't sure how for I had to go in town, but was just going to turn around when my iPod told me I was at the half way point. I did not want to run right downtown, so I turned towards Sandpoint City Beach, and was about 3/4 along the path around the beach (located at a beautiful sandy point on the lake, hence the name "Sandpoint". A lot of the beach areas around Lake Pend O'reille are rocky, so the sand is very nice) when I turned around. I was feeling pretty good and was happy to be on the return leg of my run. Jeff was at the same places going back with water (very good to have. While training on those long runs, I was lucky if I found a place for just one drink, the hydration really helps to Keep on Going!).

Going uphill during the last 2 miles wasn't too bad, though my pace did slow a bit. That is one good thing about running in Moscow, there is no way to avoid hills! My main concern was my iPod not having enough juice to last the entire run. I had barely charged it half way, and my power was in the red. Before crossing the bridge on the way back I picked up another iPod from Jeff to use if mine completely died, but it was only for an emergency! I really wanted to compete the run on one iPod - for accurate stats. And I am happy to report that it did last the entire run, whew!

Well, to make a short story longer ... I finally made it back into Sagle, where I crossed the highway. Jeff was there with the camera, to record the moment for all posterity :). According to my iPod, my 13.1 miles was up about 50 yards from Mom and Dad's driveway (I always run a bit further than half way before turning around). I pushed "Run Completed" on my iPod for an accurate time, but kept running. I knew everyone was waiting for me, so I couldn't very well just saunter on in and say, "Oh, my 13.1 miles was up 50 yards back down the road."

It was a great finish. The whole family was there cheering, they had a finish line, balloons and a poster (thanks Sharon!). Everyone had huge smiles on their faces, and felt genuinely happy for me, they even gave me three "Huzzahs!" - way better than finishing with 14,000 other people! William then presented me with my Half-Marathon shirt! (I will post pics tomorrow - too late tonight!) I was very surprised and touched that everybody (and especially Jeff) went to so much trouble. I am truely blessed with a wonderful husband and family!

We then all went in for a wonderful spaghetti dinner (though I did shower first!). Dad had made chocolate chip cookies, and there was ice cream left over from Thanksgiving for dessert. I was dog tired, so by 5:30 I was ready to head back to Richard and Nancy's for a soak in their jetted tub and an early bedtime.

We are back in Moscow now. Today I am a bit sore, but better than expected. I am especially glad to say that my hamstring feels fine and I will be running this week. I am trying to establish my next goal. There is a marathon in Lewiston in the spring, but I have not been able to find out an exact date yet for 2009. Though what I really have my eye on is the Boise Half Ironman on Saturday, June 13th - 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run! But to help me with either, or both, is that professional training certificate that I still have that I won at the Sprint Triathon in September. I will definitely be using that at the beginning of next year.

Oh yea, my official finishing time: 2:25:26, average pace: 11:05 min/mile. GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

October Update!

2008-10-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

What a month! I totally blew it, didn't track my food intake regularly and my weight was about the same at the end of the month as at the beginning (up and down, kind of like a see-saw). But I did do very well on my running schedule, didn't miss a work out! I also rode my bike all the way to Troy and back on the trail. The mysterious "THEY" have been working on completing the trail for the last few years, and recently finished. It was a beautiful ride, the last 2 miles were all down hill through a beautiful wooded area just turning with Fall colors. Of course, that meant I had to go uphill heading home, but it was a gentle grade. Overall it was about a 24 mile trip and I was out for about 2 hours. I have really wanted to make that ride this year, so I was happy to have a wonderful fall day to enjoy it in.

My long run is now up to 9 miles, and I am over half way through my training program. My half marathon is 4 weeks from this weekend. I really feel that I am will be ready. This next month I am going to concentrate on my diet. I know that a better diet is crucial to improving my running, since it is the fuel my body is running off of (so to speak ;-).

On a side note, three of my kids decided to be Star Wars figures for Halloween: Darth Maul, Yoda and Princess Leia. I decided to help out and it was quite a day! I am nowhere near being a seamstress, but today I pulled out the sewing machine to make hoods, belts and Yoda ears. Then spent a couple of hours on make-up and hair. They turned out quite cool, if I may say so myself! My oldest daughter (a senior), who hasn't been trick or treating for about 6 years, had a friend come visit and also went out. They were their own kind of Super Hero's. Being the oldest, she felt that she had outgrown Halloween when she was 12, so it was good to see her go out be a kid. A cousin was also visiting and he dressed as Goliath. He is quite tall, and wore really small armor. Clever idea!

Well, I will give weekly updates through the next month as I approach the Half Marathon. Let y'all know how it's going!

Ciao for Now!
Michelle

I can't believe it's the LAST day of SEPTEMBER!

2008-09-30T23:02:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I just haven't taken the time (again) to blog, though it has crossed my mind more than once.

September has been a good month. I completed the Palouse Sprint Triathlon. I completed both the run and the bike faster than last year. The bike by just under 2 minutes and the run by just over 3 minutes. So that was exciting! I thought I had some pictures, but they are on the other computer, so I will add then later.

I also won an online Triathlon training program at the drawing after the Triathlon. The training program is for one month, but part of the program is to set you up with a one year training schedule based upon your goals for the year. So that is cool, since it is something I would not normally splurge on by myself (it costs around $250.00 per month!). I will wait until after the half-marathon, and possibly until early next year before I use the certificate. It is good until next April, so I have a little time.

My weight also dropped to 219 lbs this month for a total of 25 lbs lost. It is coming off slowly but surely. If I would only avoid those bad foods it would come off faster! I think I am an addictive/habitual eater, so some days are good and some are bad. Weight Watchers really helps me control my food intake, but there have been a few weeks when I have eaten more than points allow for weight loss. Overall, it is really good for accountability and self-awareness.

I used the Runner's World Smartcoach to set up my training program for the Half Marathon. From the time I set it up to the race, it was 11 weeks. I am now on week 3, and overall the program seems pretty good. I do plan on making a few changes: increase my easy run pace (even I don't run that slow!), and increase my Saturday long run distances quicker. I think it is because I only have 11 weeks, but the longest run before the race is 10 miles, and I would prefer it to be 12 miles. So I will change that a bit over the weeks to reflect the increase, that will give me more confidence going into race day.

Something that I am excited about that I just realized last night, is that I am looking forward to my runs, and wishing I was running on my down days! Last night when I went to bed, I was genuinely wishing that I was running today and that was quite a revelation for me! But I decided to stick with my program. Instead I went on a bike ride down the path towards Troy. I left it until late in the day (I prefer a.m workouts) but I am really glad that I went, it was a a really good ride. It was also the first time that I went down the hill that I crashed on last month. I was a bit nervous and took the corner slowly. Though I hate being controlled by my fear, so I hope to be able to approach it a bit faster some day in the not too distance future.

I have friend who is getting ready to start the Couch to 5k training program, so that is nice to see, to be a positive influence in someone's life. I told her that there is a 5k at the end of January that we should plan on doing together. I know that, personally from experience, that if I do not have something to look forward to in the future, it is easy to let my running dissipate into nothing! Though with my new running excitement, maybe I am over that type of thing - but that cannot be left to chance!

Well, that is it for now. I will blog more regularly and let you know how my training is going.

Ciao!
Michelle

August in a Nutshell

2008-08-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how a full month has passed without blogging, but alas ... its not as though I didn't think about blogging, I just didn't do it! Quite a bit has happened, so I will only do a quick update:

WEEK 1: Went and visited my family in Blaine, WA (north of Seattle on the Canadian border). Had a nice visit. Maintained my running. We arrived on Monday and I didn't run before leaving, so I ran just before dinner time. NOT a fun time to run, I definitely prefer the morning. Ran once down to the harbor and back, that was really nice. I especially enjoy seeing the Blue Heron, there are a lot of them by the water. There is a nice park by the harbor where we go to watch the sunset, see some wild life, and found marion berries that were about ripe for picking!

WEEK 2: During the 2nd week, we left the kids in Sandpoint to enjoy one last week by the lake and with cousins. We had to go to Sandpoint on the 10th for a baby blessing, and again the following weekend for a family reunion, so it seemed like a good time to leave everyone up there again. Jeff is starting law school this fall, and the early welcome program that he is participating in started on that Tuesday.

It was also the last week of my Couch to 5K running program, which I was excited to complete, I had to run 3 miles this week for all three of my runs. I ran on Monday and was feeling really go about the distance. On Tuesday I went cycling, heading on the bike trail towards Troy. There is one place on the trail where you go down a hill and at the bottom there is a 90 degree turn. I thought I could handle the turn at a faster speed than normal and discovered, the hard way, that I could not. In the middle of crash I remember thinking "that noise I hear is my helmet sliding along the ground". After lying there for a moment, I got up, checked myself over and discovered my arm bleeding in multiple places and my hip was sore, but otherwise I appeared fine. My bike also appeared to be undamaged. I considered my options and decided to ride home if my bike really was o.k. I walked back up the hill, got on my bike and rode the 5 miles home. There I took a bath (seemed the best way to clean out road rash) and then discovered that for having 4 kids, I was really low on 1st aid supplies. I had to go to the store for larger band aids and first aid cream!

It has been almost 3 weeks since the accident. All of my scabs are gone. The largest bruise I have ever seen graced my leg and hip has faded. My hip is still a bit sore and my neck is stiff, and I have road rash scars on my wrist, elbow and shoulder. On both that Friday and Saturday I ran 3 miles, so that I can say that I completed my running program and never missed a run! Though my hip still gets sore when I run, especially around the half way mark. Then it just goes numb.

WEEK 3: Got home from the family reunion over the weekend, it was good to see many of Jeff's aunt and uncles again. Not many cousins made it this time. The week was rainy, but the kids enjoyed their last full week of summer break. Started seriously looking for a job. Ran, but decided to take my bike in for a tune up before starting to ride again. Went swimming on Saturday to time myself for 10 laps. This information is needed for the Palouse Sprint Triathlon registration form. I have ran and biked all summer, but that was my first time swimming laps! My time was 12.5 minutes, though I put it 2 minutes slower on the form. It is 4 people per lane during the swim and I don't want to be in too fast of a lane. Plus, the slower swimmers start first!

WEEK 4: A busy week! It was Jeff's first official week of Law School (orientation was last week), and the kids started school on Wednesday. I have been filling out job applications online for up at the University. Two have had extensive questionaires that I have had to fill out, both taking several hours!

I ran twice, Monday and Wednesday, but then noticed that I had a pain in my right knee. I iced it Wednesday evening, and have taken it easy since. I do not notice any pain today, though I will not run till Tuesday. I want to make sure that it is fine so I do not risk a real injury that could side line me for longer. For this Labor Day weekend we are in Sandpoint again. We weren't going to go anywhere, but Dad called on Friday inviting us up, so here we are!

Well, that is my month in a nutshell. I promise to be more diligent in writing. I know that I do better with my training and my diet when I do. My weight has gone up and down all month, and ended up close to the same as at the beginning. Having my work out interupted, has messed with my diet. I tend to lose focus and eat more than I should when I am not as active. I try to be aware, but find myself slipping anyway! So here is to a better September!

Feeling Good!

2008-07-31T23:22:00.000-07:00

We were out of town last week at my in-laws, and that just makes life tougher when you are trying to be disciplined! Much of my husbands family lives in Sandpoint, ID, a beautiful area in North Idaho surrounded by mountains, trees and lakes. The main large lake being Lake Pend Oreille.

My work outs were great! I took my bike, so I could ride from my in-laws into town and back along a beautiful bike path (that included 2 miles crossing the lake), for a total of about a 12 mile round trip ride. I also drove to the lake and ran the long bridge for my run. The main part of the bridge is just over 1 mile, so it was perfect for my 2 1/4 mile run going across and back. The picture above shows the bridge crossing the lake into Sandpoint. The nearer bridge is the RR bridge, the longer one is the driving bridge that also has a walking side.

My eating was good for the first part of the week, but then it went downhill. We celebrated my sons birthday early with Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles & cousins. A fun time was had by all, the food and company great!

My weigh in on Sunday was 227.4, so up .2lb. But this week is going really well. All my runs this week are 2.5 miles. The first half mile is the toughest, but then I get into a groove and feel like I could just keep going! But I stick with the plan. I am in week seven of the Couch to 5k running program, so only 2 more weeks to go. I increase my running by a quarter mile over the next 2 weeks, so I will be running a full 3 miles by my last week.

Biking is also going well, today I rode about 18 mile in 80 minutes. Though I swear that I am going uphill and against the wind on the return trip! I am feeling good about what I am doing. In September I plan on doing the Palouse Sprint Triathlon, which will be small step toward the Seattle Half-Marathon.

So Life is Good!
MJ

Watching what I Eat

2008-07-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

My weigh in this week was not as good as I had hoped, but I did lose weight, just under 1 lb. with a weight of 227.2. Lets face it, weight loss is unpredictable! I had five great work outs and ate well, but just didn't lose the weight. I will just keep doin' what I am doin' and hopefully will see more of a loss this week. I guess all is good as long as the scale keeps going down!

Now, I realize that I have often mentioned what I am doing for exercise, but never how I am watching what I eat. I am using WeightWatchers Online to track how many points of food I eat each day. I am allotted 28 Points per day and then 35 Bonus Points each week. Having done Body for Life before, I use the Bonus Points on Sunday and treat that day as a type of BFL "Free Day".

At the beginning of last year I went to some WeightWatchers meetings with a friend for just over a month, but the meeting are not for me. The meetings just feel like a big commercial push for WeightWatchers products. I know it makes things easier to eat their foods because it tells you on the packaging the point values, but I don't believe that prepackaged, frozen foods are very healthy. I prefer to try to focus my diet around whole, natural foods.

I do, however, like to track my Points. It is an easy way to control how much I eat in a day. I can also satisfy my sweet tooth with one or two small treats a day that only have one point each. And on most large chocolate bars or bags of candy, one square or piece is one point.

Well, on to other things. My 2 mile run on Friday went really well. I am now on week 6 of the Couch to 5k running program. The plan is again different each day, accumulating in running a steady 2.25 miles non-stop this friday.

Keep on runnin'!
MJ

Running Goal Decided

2008-07-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it had been 10 days since my last post, I guess I have been a slacker! We got home a week ago and I came down with a summer cold. I did my run on Monday and Wednesday, was sick on Thursday and Friday so I did my last run of the week on Saturday. They all went really well, though I discovered that the track is still closed so I am running the roads. I have the Nike iPod, which is really nice because it tracks how far I run, which is really handy since I was running .25 and .50 mile increments with walking breaks.

My weight on Sunday was 228, down 2.6 pounds. So that is exciting, breaking out of the 230's! This week has been really good. I am in Week 5 in the Couch to 5k running program. This is the first week in which each of the 3 days is different. On Monday, I ran three .5 mile segments separated by walking. On Wednesday I ran two 3/4 mile segments with a walk in between, and tomorrow I run 2 miles straight. I think I am up for it!

I also went cycling on Tuesday and Thursday, 9 miles in 45 mins., so a 12 mph pace. I can tell that I am already in better shape, not just because of running further, but because the hills on my bike are not so daunting!

I feel really good about this week!

I also looked through the possible half-marathons, and have decided upon the Seattle Marathon on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 30th. I just didn't feel like I could be ready any earlier. I am really excited about completing this goal!

I feel good about finishing my current 5k program, running steady for a couple of weeks and then starting a half-marathon training program. I still have to settle on which one, but I have found a few 10 and 12 week programs, which works out well. I will be done with the 5k program on August 15th, can get comfortable running that distance for a few weeks and then start the half-marathon training program in the beginning of September.

KEEP RUNNING STRONG!

MJ

Half Marathon Dreams

2008-07-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

Another week down and things are going well. I weighed in today at 230.6, so down 2.2 lbs! A good, healthy weight loss. Though I have to admit that I was hoping to drop below the 230 mark this week. But with the 4th of July holiday and visiting family, it was tough to put up any extra effort.

I realized this past week that I had not made any mention of my ultimate goal this year. The last few years as I approached the big 4-0, I wanted to do something BIG! At first I was thinking things like an Ironman Triathlon, but then I realized that before doing an Ironman I should do a marathon; after all, the last leg of an Ironman is a marathon. It just happens to come after the 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike!

But I never got my act together. I turned 40, still thinking big, but also heavier and lazier than ever. So when I started to get serious a month ago, the reality is that I could never be ready to complete a marathon before I turned 41 next February. But I believe that I can do a Half Marathon!

So I started cruising the race schedules, and the most convenient Half Marathon is Oct. 18th in Lewiston, ID. A flat course (a desireable benefit though I live in a hilly area) and not that far of a drive from home. But I honestly do not know if I can be ready. I found a 12 week half marathon training program that I could do after my Couch-to-5K program, but Oct. 18th does not give me enough weeks to complete both programs. Especially since I should wait a few weeks between the two programs to adjust to running 5K on a regular schedule.

My other options come a month later in Seattle or Bellingham, WA. I am not at home right now (still out of town for the holiday) so I do not remember the exact dates (I believe Seattle is Thanksgiving weekend and I think Bellingham may be a bit later), but it gives me something to ponder! Though I am leaning towards a later date, more training time just gives me more confidence in being able to complete this goal!

But we must always dream bigger, if I can do a half marathon this year, then next year I can do a Half Ironman Triathlon and/or a full marathon!

Moderation is the key

2008-06-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post. Despite the whole cookie slip up last week, I still lost half a pound! I weighed in at 232.8. It was disappointing not to lose more, especially since I was down to 231.8 half way through the week, but I did learn that the cookies are just not worth it! Moderation is the key. I am considering getting brave enough to post a picture, but not tonight, other things to do but maybe next time!

Week (or Weak?) Two!

2008-06-28T16:36:00.000-07:00

It has been a rather hectic week. Our main vehicle blew a piston, so it needed a new engine. Considering that our second vehicle is a motorcycle and we are a family of 6, we really need a functioning car! But the cost for a new engine in a suburban, and the value of a suburban in today's market, does not compute! Thank goodness for Craig's list. It only took 2 days to sell and we were able to get a lot more than the $200 scrap value that the car dealership was willing to pay. We were also able to get a good deal on a truck with a full size cab, so we can fit the whole family (more than any car we could get, and we really do not want a mini van :-\. So we had to get all that settled, and what is a crisis at one moment, is history a week later.

I weighed myself last Sunday, and was excited to have lost 5 lbs.! My weight was 233.4. But here I am, almost at the end of a second week, and will be lucky to see any loss on the scale at all. I made the mistake of baking cookies this week (twice), and all of the kids are at Grandma's house, so there was no one here to eat them! I did take quite a few to a friend, but my weakness is in the dough! Let's be honest, I simply ate too much.

Exercise wise, I have completed Week 2 in the Couch Potato to 5K Running plan, which was run for 90 seconds, walk for 2 minutes for a total of 20 minutes. This works out to 6 reps, plus a warm up. I felt really good, still feel like I could do more, but I am sticking with the plan. I also got my bike fixed yesterday, but have not been out on a bike ride yet. With my bike out of commission for the week, I was overall less active than last week because I failed to substitute any other type of activity for my planned bike rides.

So, in a nutshell: My running was really good this week, other exercise was not good. Eating was so - so, except for my cookie fiasco. We will see tomorrow how it all weighs in!

Getting Started

2008-06-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

To struggle, to succeed, to fail and to struggle again. Such is much in life. We all have our own weaknesses to deal with, and mine for the last 15 years has been my weight. As with most, as a teenager I could eat most anything. I was active enough that I never gained weight. Weight gain really started with my first child when I was 23, but did not become a real issue until child number two! I was about 40 lbs. overweight. By child number four, I was 30 and weighed just over 200 lbs.

That was 10 years ago. I have gone up and down since then but have never dropped under that elusive 200 mark. I have been active off and on over the last five years. I have done a few sprint triathlons, a few 5k runs, and two summers ago I did an Olympic distance triathlon (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run). At the time I weighed about 215 lbs. I was a Slow, Fat Triathlete, but I did it!

There are two things that I really enjoy about triathlons and running. One is that you are competing against no one but yourself. The other is the words of encouragement that is given and received from other participants. I have especially noticed this during triathlons. While I putt along, some super athlete passes me, telling me "Good Job!" and "Keep it Up!". There is no judgment, only encouragement.

Last February I pulled a muscle that stopped all exercise. I never really got back on track (so to speak :-). During the summer I did the Couch Potato to 5k training plan and in September I did a Sprint Triathlon. It was a real struggle, I was not really prepared, but I completed it.

During that time, our business was really struggling. My reaction to stress is eating, and my weight went up to an all time high by December, 244 lbs! Our business sold at that time, but it is hard to get back doing the things that we know we should do. During this past spring I put in token efforts here and there, and at the beginning of this week, I weighed 238.4 lbs.

I have a new plan of action, that includes much of what I have done in the past (eating healthy foods and exercising), but I have also decided to record what I eat and to keep a blog. It seemed easier than a journal (something I have often thought about) and it feels like there is more accountability. After all, someone just might read it!

This week I started the Couch Potato to 5k running plan again. I get up early, walk to the track to warm up, do Week 1 of the program and then walk home to cool down. Week 1 is a 20 minute workout, 3 days a week. It is a 60 second run, then walk for 90 seconds. This is repeated for 20 minutes, or eight repetitions. I do this on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and then bike on Tuesday and Thursday. On Saturday I will do a weight workout.

So far the week is going great! I am eating really well, have run twice this week and biked on Tuesday. This morning I went for a 30 min. walk because of a flat tire (not 'pump up' flat, but a 'needs patching' flat). I know that I am already down a couple of pounds, so the week is going really well!

Well, I am sure that there is a lot more that I can say, but will save it for later posts. So for now, That's All Folks!