Friday

Today I am posting before I run. I ran Wednesday night and I am getting ready to head out in about 30 minutes for tonights run. I am looking for some new running gear. I have only 1 pair of running capris and I am in need of more shirts. I realize how much weight I gained when I put on some of those shirts, they creep ever so slightly over my belly. Maybe I have gotten taller in my midsection (wishful thinking).

My armband is on order and should be here my Wednesday. I can't wait, I hate carrying my phone and the dog leash (I know, I am a sucker!)

Confession...

I have a confession to make...last week I only managed 2 day of running. Friday I had an all day ropes course at the university. I was more sore from that than I have been from running so far.

I also wussed out on 4am running. After 2 days of sleeping through my alarm and only getting 4 to 5 hours of sleep I decided to run at 8:30pm.

I learned 2 lessons this evening: BUG spray and NO shorts. My thighs are just in too close proximity to each other to wear shorts with out major ride up and that just makes for uncomfortable awkward running.

But day one of week three is complete, mosquitoes , wedgies, 90 degree weather and all. Hard to believe that 79 degrees was cool!

spaghetti squash

In addition to the running I have been attempting to eat better. For a large majority of my time in school my diet consisted of every type simple carb and refined sugar you could think of. So now I am increasing my veggie intake, reducing my white flours, sugars and empty carbs. Lucky for me my husband is also participating and he has been a great sport at trying new creations. This week I was craving a pasta type dish and I keep hearing about the wonders of spaghetti squash...so I thought..maybe this will be like cauliflower mashed potatoes, close enough to kill a craving.

So I cooked the squash in the oven for 45 minutes @ 375 (sliced in half, deseeded, rind up in the oven). Found a tomato sauce that had only 1g of sugar (the one I usually use has 10g) threw in some hot italian sausage and .... it was only OK. The sauce was really good and the squash was a little crunchy. Undercooked spaghetti !! I will try it again though if I left it in the oven longer I think I could have almost believed it was pasta, almost.

On to the running. I ran this morning, but I must have been super tired when my alarm went off. Keith woke up, walked across the room and turned it off. I didn't hear a thing. He had to wake me, he said he didn't even think I was in bed because I didn't move. He thought I had already gotten out of bed and hit the snooze button by accident. Unbelievable, I always wake up when the alarm goes off, it beeps super quietly twice and then I am up and off. This morning apparently the alarm got to piercing rapid pitches and I had no idea. Hopefully I hear it tomorrow...Keith won't be happy getting up at 4 two days in a row.

it's only seven pm and i am exhausted

To explain my title I just want to say I have been up for 15 hours already. Today I started a new job, and I needed to get out of the house by 6:45 to make it on time. And I wanted to run while it was a cool 80 degrees. (After work I am too lazy to get out of my own way, let alone run) NO excuses right...to do this I gotta DOIT.

I ended up taking the dog with me because her big brown eyes broke me down. She won't be coming again though because she wanted to pee and sniff and wander and not run. I can't blame her, she wasn't quite awake and neither was I.

I don't think that I am possibly burning more calories yet, but I was HUNGRY as HELL all day. I would eat and then be satisfied, but 2 hours later there was a lion roaring in my belly. New rule for tomorrow, bring healthy snacks to work, and a water bottle.

The best part of my day was finding out that I get a FREE YMCA membership from my new work, down side was finding out all the Y's near me aren't on the list. BUMMER. But if I time it right I may be able to stop by one on the way home from work. I would really like to be able to swim a few days a week.

Tomorrow..... up again at 4am, maybe Yoga... last week yoga was a bust because I couldn't breathe, now I am better (90% anyway). Or better enough that I won't drown in my own snot while saluting the sun.

I think my dog hates me

This morning my run went OK, except the big brown eyes staring at me as I dressed in my running clothes. My dog used to run with me, but with the weather (80 degrees today at 5am) and the fact that I really want to concentrate on running and not worry about potty stops I decided that on this training adventure I would run alone.

So this morning Dixie followed me around the house in virtual darkness as I gathered my clothes, phone, and shoes. Her tail wagging happily waiting for me to get the leash. Then I opened the door and she realized she wasn't invited. Her head sunk...the tail slowly stopped and those big beautiful brown eyes looked up at me and broke my heart. Poor girl, don't worry I'll be back soon and by then you will be cozily sleeping on the couch, forgetting you were left at home.

The one thing I did realize today was that running with a head cold is tolerable (I keep saying "running" but that isn't a good description of my awkward jog/walk). I sound like a 20 yr smoker because of my cold, but other than that and a little sinus pressure it wasn't too bad. Which reminds me...time for more Sudafed.

I didn't do any yoga yesterday because I couldn't breathe at 5am when I woke up. I got up but felt like crap and I could barely talk so I decided downward dog probably wasn't the best way to start my day. Maybe tomorrow I will give it a go, if the sinus pressure lets up a little. One more run to go on week one and then off to week 2.

On a side note. I really need to get an armband for my phone. I have been just carrying it while I run, but that isn't going to work out so well as I increase the actual amount of time I am running. I tend to drop stuff when running, and busting my new phone would put a damper on more than my day. So my quest for this weekend, find armband.

1 day down

So after careful contemplation I decided that the best time for me to run is early morning. I wanted to run in the evenings but after work, cooking dinner, and fighting the Florida summer rains I changed my mind to EARLY morning. So this week I am running at 5am, and next week 4am (I cringe just thinking of 4am, never mind actually greeting it and being active).

This morning as I headed out the door it was a cool 78 degrees. 78 freaking degrees at 5:15am, it was also 68% humidity. Better than the mid 90's and thunder storms scheduled for this afternoon.

I started my training using the couch 2 5k program (there is a link in my previous post). I am on week 1 day 1: 1 minute run, 90 seconds walk (repeat 8 times). Overall it was a good work out. I think I could have done more than the alloted workout but I am taking this journey slow. I really want to stick with it.

At the beginning of the summer I attempted to start this the c25k, so I bought an iPhone app, and set off to complete week one. It only took me a few days to realize that every time I went to run my 30 minute work out was taking 45 minutes. When my screen went off the app stopped running. That one minute felt like 3 because it was 3 minutes. Needless to say (because I am starting over) that training didn't last. And because of this technical difficulty I decided to go back to Robert Ullrey's C25k podcast. I have used it before (and got all the way to week 7 before I quit...notice a pattern, I have quit running A LOT) and even though I wouldn't chose the music he did, the upbeat dance music keeps me motivated and I don't have to watch the clock to know when to walk or run, and the best part, it plays still runs correctly when my screen is off.

I am calling today a win in the running world. I HATE MORNINGS, and managed to get out of bed when the alarm went off, got dressed, ran, stretched and made breakfast all before the time I usually get up. Tomorrow 5am yoga.

mental preparation

I am going to officially begin training on Monday, but until then I am gearing up mentally. I have never conqured such a large physical challange and I know from my history that I am prone to getting 5 weeks in an giving up. I don't want that to happen this time.

I am a little worried that I am not going to have time to schedule my runs during my transistion to my new job. But when doesn't life intervene and try to derail us from our best laid plans, come life bring it on..I am ready.

My new mantra has been, " I am going to run a half marathon, I am going to run a half marathon" then I try to remember to smile while picturing myself running for 2 hours for more. For me the scariest part is SUMMER, today the heat index is going to be 103, the humidity 9oo% (really 68%). But inorder to make my goal I need to start training immediately.

I have made a training schedule from now until the half marathon.
For the first 10 weeks ... starting July 12 I am going to follow the Couch 2 5K training plan. You can find it here: www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml . It is technically a 9 week program, but I am giving myself one extra week to sustain the 5K distance.
From there I am going to transfer to Hal Higdons 10K Training: Novice (www.halhigdon.com/10ktraining/10knovice.htm)
and then for the half-marathon training: Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice (www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm)

I have also tried to find 5 and 10k races that fall into the time line of when I finish each of those training series, I have a couple in mind and will keep you posted when I commit.

mile 0, the inspiration

Last night I made a decision, I would start the journey from lazy bones to runner. I have begun and quit the couch 2 5k program at least 3 times. I always find excuses as to why I don't have the time to commit to the workout ("I am tired", "I am PMSing"," it's too HOT", "oh, NCIS is on"). But this attitude is the same one that has led to the demise of my figure. What used to be strong and powerful is now wiggly and jiggly. And that makes me reach for the Haagen-Dazs and continue my downward spiral.

So when my best friend sent me a link for the 2011 Princess Half Marathon at Disney World with only the words "interested??" in the subject line I sat and pondered, came up with a million excuses as to why I didn't want to do it: it's 900 degrees here in FL, training now will suck, half marathon in February; is there even enough time to train for that? I hate running...

But there was another nagging at the back of my mind: Pssst...your not getting any younger, you want to get in shape, you want your jeans to stop screaming when you button them, you want work clothes (any clothes for that matter) to look good on you. You want to shun the couch in favor of the sun and hot breeze. Sweating feels good. Think of the bragging rights you'd have.

In the end, the fitness voice won and today I begin my journey to a runner.