SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE...

Fourth Monday of the week.

Well, I was definitely sick, indeed. I figure I'm about 80% better today and will be well enough to run this weekend. This weekend is a local race, The Five Points of Life Half and Full Marathon.

I wasn't going to run it this year. But then I changed my mind thus cementing the feeling that I'm hexed! Why? Well, every time I have run a local race I get sick, or to a lesser extent, injured. The years I decided not to run a local race I was just fine. So, I was fine till I decided to run this half! Well, this time, at least, the cold came a week early. I think I'll be good to run by Sunday. This run is a great cause so I'm glad I can have fun while supporting it.

Great Medal This Year!

Not sure how I'll do as I have run only once since the New Orleans Rock & Roll Marathon 3 weeks ago...yikes! That's a recipe for lead balloon legs even if you're not sick! I am hoping to do a mile or so today and maybe an easy 2 or 3 tomorrow just to loosen myself up. But I don't want to push it and maybe cause a relapse.

This is a little bit of a challenging course as part of it runs along a street we locals call "The Bacon Strip". It is up and down hilly. But the second half is fairly flat, thankfully. I really wanted to try and do well with this one but as a recovering, hexed person I will just go with the flow and have a good time.

Ok...sigh...I am going to break down and join Weight Watchers next week. It's not that I don't know what I need to do to lose weight it's that I need accountability. I am still 179.2! I can't believe it's the end of February and I have gotten nowhere with the weight loss. Just, damn!

Something's gotta give!

SILVER LINING?

Third Monday of the week...

So, I THINK I am actually getting sick! If so, it is, unbelievably, the first time this running season! I can't believe I made it through the running season/all my big races cold free. But is is usually this time of year that I'm going to get sick if it's going to happen. I am a bit burned out this year and didn't sign up for a couple of races I always do in march, the Gate river Run in Jax, FL and the Excalibur 10 miler in Vero, FL. But, even if I am getting sick it is only Feb and I would be in between races. How cool is that? See, a silver lining.

Of course, now that I finally have a break in my schedule this week and was planning an awesome stadium workout it would appear that is on hold. That's ok, I guess. I could use the sleep. I'm so tired.

Well, I was looking at my medals hanging on my wall the other day and was, at the same time, talking to my mom about stress. Oddly, these two items were not related but I did wind up connecting them, lol.

Wall 2

Wall 1

The medals I haven't hung

, yet

It dawned on me that those medals represent more than personal accomplishments. They also represent points of stress relief. I have to admit, I feel so much better after I run especially when I'm stressed. It's not that the problems go away but somehow they aren't unbeatable obstacles, anymore... till right before the next run, lol.

I'm not really sure how many medals there are but I say it equals a lot of stress relief!

Well, I'm not feeling well. So, I'm gonna go...

TTFN

NEW START POINT

Second Monday of the week...

Well, I weighed myself today. I figured it has been long enough since the marathon that whatever my weight is at this point is probably accurate. Soooo, I'm at 179.6. This is my new start point, I suppose. Sigh....

I'm a little frustrated this week so far because I can't get out and run or go to then gym till tomorrow. Why? Well, luckily for me and my weight loss efforts, my daughter is selling Girl Scout cookies....This may explain why I'm a pound heavier today than before the marathon ;-) .

Pretty much speaks for itself

Well, I am cookied out at least. I feel no  more STRONG drives to eat anymore cookies. It is at a controllable level. But I have to work a cookie booth with my daughter tonight. I will get off work, go pick her up from school then take her to the booth. I won't get home till nearly 9pm :-( . This is why I cannot go to the gym tonight or run! I really want to workout, too. Yesterday wasn't much different for my schedule.

But tomorrow is stadium day! I look forward to the soreness, lol.



Well, I signed up for the 5th and last year of the Space Coast Marathon and 1/2 Marathon to complete the "Intergalactic Challenge" of the Big Bang series. It's got some of the best running bling ever. They feature a different space shuttle each year. In addition you get a 3 year "Milkyway Challenge" medal and at the end of the 5 years an "Intergalactic Challenge" medal. 

But, the drawback is that it is in Cocoa, FL Thanksgiving weekend. That's ok one or two times but for 5 years in a row it's kind of hard. In addition, it always starts at 65 degrees and ends, if you do the full marathon which I did twice, in the upper 70s. It is a pretty course in that it runs through a quiet neighborhood along the sound and you can see Cape Canaveral and the launch pads; that's cool. But, again, 5 years is a long time to dedicate yourself on Thanksgiving weekend. Truth be told, I look forward to having that weekend back. I do, after all, consider Black Friday a sport, too ;-) .

But this will be a great year to celebrate with friends who have been running this with me for 5 years! In fact, my profile picture is from one of those years. I'm pretty excited! This year I'm sticking to the half!!!!

TTFN

IT WORKED

Second Monday of the week!

Well, my New Orleans Rock and Roll Marathon was much better than the last 3 I ran this running season. I did not PR but I did accomplish something even more important as it went a long way to heal my psyche. I was able to RUN through the last 6 miles of the marathon all the way across the finish line! My finish time was 5:26 and some seconds. This makes me really proud for personal goals.

The END of the Rock & Roll Marathon.

 See, I'm still running!

So the in-run eating strategy I talked about in my last post seems to have worked. I ate a huge breakfast: Protein powder in my coffee, some mashed potatoes, 3 veggie sausage patties, 3 rice-stuffed grape leaves and lots of water. During the run I ate a half fig newton at almost every water stop. But, being New Orleans there was king cake, beer, mini-martinis and cookies offered along the route too, lol. yes, I took advantage of all of those! Oh, and the race itself offered these Glukos gels that were really great!

I can't eat Gu brand goos because they turn my gut inside out but these things are light and refreshing and give a boost of energy. Fig Newtons give more energy but these were a welcome change. But, again, every runner needs to find what works for them.

Anyhow, I tend to get really nauseated when my energy levels drop too low during a marathon. This is when I know I need to eat and it is the last thing I want to do when I feel that way. But after I down the food it ends the nausea and I get a few more miles of running out of it. This eating strategy really worked for me.

Oh, and the Fig Newton dilemma was solved by these awesome Tic Tac containers. They hold 4 fig newtons each very nicely and the newtons suffer only mild damage during the run, lol. So I carried them in my belts, 1 in each belt pocket (the stretchy kind).

I did not weigh myself before this marathon but I suspect I was at 178. I can't weigh afterwards for a week or so because of the bloat that always accompanies me after a long and physically torturous event on my body, like a marathon. I always gain 4lbs of water and it takes at least a week to come off. You should see my feet right now, lol.

BUT, now starts the no excuses weight loss. I have no more huge races in front of me. Just a couple of 5ks so I can afford to cut way back on the calories. I will weigh in a few days and start there.

Oh, and didn't I tell you the outfit was gonna be awesome? I loved it.

Rock on!

TTFN