double digits

I'm 2 weeks into my 1/2 marathon training.  Last week was my first double digit week.  I ran just over 10 miles for the week including a 5 mile run in the rain Thursday night. 

I really need to get 4 miles in today but I also just worked 3 days in a row, have a ton of laundry to do, have to get groceries, want to take Mr. Baby to story time and I have a cold.  Since I didnt run early in the morning it will have to wait until after J gets home from work.  Which means 4 miles tonight and then track at 6am tomorrow.  Thats hard.  I'll do it though. 

Trying to decide if I feel like doing spin today.  I think I don't but will probably feel better if I do.

Haven't lost any weight recently.  Like in 2 weeks.  This last 20lbs is going to be hard.  Its easier to stay motivated when the scale is being nice to you. 

In other news,  I've got a lot of Halloween decorations up.  Love this time of year.  I've also had lots of pumpkin spice latte's but no pumpkin pancakes yet.  I think I might make some pumpkin muffins this week. 

Hope I get my motivation back soon.

 10 weeks til race day.

1/2 training kick off and the saga of the foot

This week starts my 1/2 marathon training.  From now on I will be focusing on running.  I would like to continue to go to pump at least once a week and spin 2x/week to crosstrain but the focus will be running. 

My plan is to do a tempo run Monday, track Tuesday and then a long run Thursday.  I didn't exactly know that was my plan until this morning so yesterday I just did spin. 

Once again I am going to state my goals that I hope to accomplish by the time of OUC 1/2 (that would be first weekend in December) exactly 12 weeks away. 

In order of importance:

1- complete OUC 1/2 marathon
2- Lose 20 lbs.
3- Finish the race in a respectable time (would a PR be asking too much?)

I'd gladly sacrifice a PR in order to lose 20 lbs but I have a feeling if I lose the 20 then I will have a good shot at a PR. 


So whats my biggest obstacle right now?

MY FOOT!!!  Here's the story.  When baby was a few weeks old I stepped on glass.  We pulled it out (or so we thought) with tweezers and it was still sore but I was walking fine no big deal.  Then it gradually started hurting again and felt like there was still something there so of course, we dug at it and couldn't find anything so I went to my doctors office (they had a podiatrist there) and had him look at it, they did an xray and he scraped at it and said that he saw the trajectory of the glass but didn't see anything obvious there but it actually felt a little better so we kind of assumed that maybe it was a tiny sliver and he shaved it off.  But now its back.  The other night I felt like I pulled a piece of something out of it but its still hard and feels like there is something there.  So I had Jon look at last night and he said he thought he saw something shiny but couldn't get it.  It doesn't hurt so bad that I can't run on it but its right on the ball of my foot and I feel like I am starting to compensate a little.  I definitely have pain when I bump it or touch it.  I figured I better get it taken care of now at the beginning of training rather than run on it until I can't anymore. 

So I made an appointment with another doctor.  I go this afternoon.  I am really hoping she can figure it out and help me. Not only help me but make it better right away and not impact my running.  Is that too much to ask?  No, I don't think so either.  So wish me luck at the podiatrist this afternoon. 

ITS TIME!!!

PUMPKIN TIME!!!

I am breaking from any talk of training to talk to you about something important and near and dear to my heart.  PUMPKIN!!!

I love pumpkin!!  I am the Bubba Gump of pumpkin.  I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin spice latte's, pumpkin martinis, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin risotto......did I miss anything???  And it doesn't even have to be food!  I like pumpkin candles, pumpkin body wash, pumpkin lotion, pumpkin EVERYTHING!!!!

The only pumpkin thing that I don't like is pumpkin beer.  And thats just because I don't like beer and it doesn't really taste like pumpkin at all.  But I would be up for trying it again if someone could recommend one that really does taste like pumpkin.

My first pumpkin purchase this year?  A pumpkin harvest febreeze air freshener.  It might be 90 degrees out but my house smells like fall. 

I don't know why I like pumpkin so much.  I guess because I have a fall birthday and because I love Halloween.  Maybe because its just damn tasty and yummy smelling?  Maybe because its one of those things that you can only get a few months out of the year.  Even though now you can get it year round I still limit myself to September-December.  I don't think I would love it as much if I had it more often than that.  It just wouldn't be right to have pumpkin anything in July!

So do you have any good pumpkin recipes?  Let me know, or even better just make it for me (I don't cook much)!  If you go to a restaurant that serves an awesome pumpkin dish, please tell me.  And if you notice Starbucks selling pumpkin lattes before I notice it please tell me!!! 

I think this year I am going to get a pumpkin facial. One year I dressed up as a pumpkin girl for Halloween.  I can't seem to find a pic, though.  Trust me, it was cute. 

HAPPY PUMPKIN SEASON!!!!

just breathe

Just finished doing 5 days in a row.  I was technically scheduled for 5- 12 hour shifts, friday through tuesday.  That could have been really bad.  It could have been extremely busy all 5 days but it wasn't.  I ended up only working 3 full shifts and 2 partial shifts but I was at work the past 5 days and that kinda sucks no matter how you look at it.

My house is a MESS!  I have a TON of laundry to catch up on and I really don't feel like doing any of it. I started some laundry and cleaned the kitchen.  I'm really trying to get up the energy to fold and put away some laundry while baby is napping but it feels so good to just sit and do nothing. 

I think I am done scheduling myself for overtime for a while.  Its not worth it.  AND its running season now.  Or at least its heading into running season.  I'm going to be full on training for OUC 1/2.   I'm not exactly sure when the group starts training but as of next Tuesday I will be doing track and trying to increase my running miles and definitely within the next few weeks will start a training plan. So excited to actually be training again!
 Here are my fall goals:

1) Run OUC 1/2.  No time constraints- just finish it. 
2) Lose 20 lbs.  (would love to hit pre-preg weight by December!)

And thats all I've got for the fall.  Anyone else have any fall training goals or races? 

Hopefully the blog will get a little more interesting now since I won't just be randomly bitching but I will actually be training for a race.  It surprises me when I talk to people and they say something about the blog.  I kind of just babble on here and it helps me stay on task for my workouts.  I sort of forget that people actually read it sometimes. 

Next time I write will be about my FAVORITE part of fall.  Those who know me well won't be surprised.  Anyone have any guesses about my favorite fall thing????

Every run is a PR....

when you suck!!

 j/k but that really is a good thing about starting over.  Last year when I was running a lot it seemed like every race I was shaving minutes off of my times.  I knew it wouldn't last forever, that eventually I would get to a point that I couldn't take that much time off.  But now I am slow again and most nights when I go out I'm running faster.   I have a loop thats about 3.22-3.24 miles.  I ran it 2 weeks ago in 36min then last week 35m and this week 34.  Closing in on that 30 min mark.  I really need to start increasing my mileage, though.  I've been sticking between 2 to just over 3 miles.  I think I am ready for 4, but it will be slow! 

This weeks total mileage is at about 7 1/2.  I'd like to get to 8-9 next week and be in double digits before October.

So far I've lost almost 40 lbs.  Pretty awesome.  I kind of thought from the beginning that I would lose the first 30 or so pretty easily.  I'm happy it worked out that way.  I really haven't dieted at all.  I kind of watch what I eat.  I have a diet heavy in fruits and veggies and whole grains.  I don't eat a lot of fried foods or high fat foods.  I try not to eat too much dairy (only because it doesn't agree with Mr Baby)  I do still like sweets but I am not eating them like I was before. Mostly I run and go to the gym (spin/body pump).  I am keeping my calories up because 1) breastfeeding 2) metabolism.  Anyone can lose weight if you drastically cut calories.   I like to keep my calories up and increase my workouts and boost my metabolism.  It worked before and I'm hoping it works again.  I like to eat!! 

I didn't do so hot at the gym this week.  Didn't make it to pump.  I had one good spin class and one crappy one.  I ran 3x.  After this week I will really be boosting up my running in preparation for OUC 1/2.  I will definitely have to adjust my training schedule.  I am hoping to continue to get at least 1 day of weights.  I think in addition I would like to only spin 1-2 days and add a yoga day. 

Goal: 3-4 days running
          1-2 spin classes
          1 yoga class
          1- body pump 

That is my fall training plan.  I'm giving up on swimming until spring!  I'm hoping to lose the last 20lbs by December.  That's 3 months.  Think I can do it??? I'll keep you posted!