Better Than Yesterday

Distance: 2.76 miles
Time: 35 min.
Avg. Pace for the running portion: 11:34/mile

I was extremely pleased with my run today. My pace was almost a minute faster per mile! I guess it helped that I didn't run two miles in the morning, and I was not running on a full stomach. It's the little things. Oh, and no hives today!

I ran the same distance as yesterday in over three minutes less time! I was pretty excited about that!

It just boggles my mind that seven weeks ago I was barely able to run for 60 seconds without huffing and puffing and wanting to die. Now I can run for 25 minutes at a pace that is in my goal range. I need to remember how I am impressed with myself right now the next time I get down about my lack of running skills.


Me after running for 25 minutes. I look frightened or in pain. I was neither. I was just standing in my kitchen. Although the state of my kitchen is enough to frighten anybody.


There. Not scared, but definitely gross and sweaty. And good grief my forehead looks enormous.

The boys rode bikes while I ran. I love doing this as a family. Then they threw a football around while I did leg and arm weights outside. I did walking lunges across our giant cul de sac. It took 32 lunges to get to the other side!

We plan to head to the park tomorrow for a bike ride and picnic. I am so pleased that we are becoming more active as a family. A year ago this just wasn't happening. Makes my little heart swell!

Hives

After finishing my second run and stripping down to take a shower, I realized I was covered from head to toe in hives. Ugh. Itchy.

Every once in a while this happens to me. I am allergic to everything under the sun, but my allergies are manageable with shots and medicine. However, it has happened before when I have something in the tomato family and then get hot by exercising. The combination of the two brings out the welts. Today I had a sandwich with tomatoes on it.

I would have taken a picture, but I was naked. Plus, it's hard to see bumps in a photo. And really, who would want to see that anyhow?!

Benadryl is the best at taking hives away, but it was only 4 and we still had things to do this afternoon. Benadryl knocks me on my butt. I couldn't sleep through Evan's soccer game! I took a Zyrtec and hoped for the best.

Itching is gone, but I can still feel bumps.

Note to self: Don't eat tomatoes and then go run.

Instead of a picture of me, I'll post one of Evan in his soccer uniform at The Old Spaghetti Factory. The indoor soccer warehouse is right around the corner from OSF. We had to take advantage of that...two Saturdays in a row!

Run #2

Distance: 2.75 miles total, (.25 warm up, 2.25 run, .25 cool down)
Time: 37:23 min. total, 28:08 for the run
Avg. Pace: 12:29/mile

I just finished run #2. The family rode their bikes while I ran through the neighborhood. I knew I was running slow, but after this morning's run, I didn't have tons of energy left. Even with a fairly slow pace, I felt like I kept it pretty steady. I was breathing hard, but was still able to yell at Child #2 when he cut me off!

Off to shower and get ready for Child #1's indoor soccer game.

Two Days Off

Distance: 2.349 miles
Time: 33 min.

If my training plan (and I use that term very loosely) goes the way it should, I take Fridays off from exercise. However, I never seem to follow my plan to a T, and that really bugs me. Life just intervenes at times.

I fully planned to do my run on Thursday, but I didn't get to it. I needed sleep. Lots of sleep.

I figured I'd make up for taking off Thursday by working out on Friday instead. I completely planned to run last night. Buuuuuuttttttt, after school Child #1 and I had to get allergy shots, we picked up Child #2, we ran to the groomers to pick up the dogs, we ran home to change for soccer practice, we drove across town to soccer practice, we figured we'd be done in an hour but the coach had other plans and kept us til 7:30, and we had to eat.

We were going to get something fast, but Child #1 realllllllly wanted Sweet Tomatoes. We ended up at ST at 8 p.m. last night. We didn't get home until after 9. Since I was dozing off on the couch at 9:15, I just didn't have it in me to change and run on the treadmill. Just couldn't do it.

Soooooo, to make up for life sneaking itself into my LIFE, I am going to attempt not one, but two runs today!!! I just got done with the first one.

Ran on the treadmill for 10, walked for 3 and ran for 10. I wanted to die. I was sucking air. I am almost ready to hook myself up to Child #2's nebulizer. I didn't do it though. I did steal Husband's inhaler, however.

Right now the plan is to fuel up throughout the day, put all the Christmas decorations away (don't judge), and go for a family run/bike ride later this afternoon. We'll see how my plan goes.


Here is a random picture of me last week. I'm cold in this picture. I feel like I've been cold for three weeks. The only time I am truly warm is in a piping hot bath, in bed after I've pressed up to the heater known as my husband, or when I am dripping with sweat while running like I was 20 minutes ago. I like winter, but I'm getting a little tired of being cold.

It Worked!

Eating my activity points this last week must have helped because I lost 1.6 pounds this past week!

Yay me!

Still Running

Distance: 2.46 miles
Time: 34 min.

Aside from my car's battery being dead because Child #1 left the lights on all night, today was a decent day. Nothing super good. Nothing super bad. Just a day.

I wanted to get my run in before I needed to take Child #1 to soccer practice. He rode his bike with me while I ran outside. My goal when I run outside (and on the treadmill for that matter) is to stay under a 12 minute mile pace. I managed to maintain that today.

Every once in a while I have a strange problem. I get to the end of the day and find that I haven't eaten enough. That is the case for today. I have six regular points left and five activity points from my run today.

I could eat for the sake of getting fuel into me, but we ate a really late dinner, and I'm just not hungry. I don't want to eat for the sake of eating. Listening to hunger cues is important as well.

I think I need to be more aware of what I plan to have for dinner and then add more food into the middle of the day accordingly.

Weigh-in is tomorrow. Not feeling overly confident even though I've upped my exercise and completely stayed within my points. Losing weight is such a tricky thing sometimes.

I WON!!!!!

I found out today that I won third place at the race I ran on Saturday morning!!!!

Eric texted me this morning telling me the news. I was so excited that I shared it with the 8th graders sitting at their desks. They clapped for me!

I never in a million years thought I would ever win one of these races. It just made my day!

I called the organization to see about getting my trophy. I wanted my trophy. Now I know how Evan must feel when he wins his races! The man said he would leave the trophy at the front desk.

I picked it up after school.

One of the best parts about this was telling Evan. I found him at recess and told him I won third place and get a trophy just like him. He smiled and jumped into my arms for a huge hug!

Talk about having and keeping my motivation!


This little beauty is on display on top of the tv. The kids in my class want me to bring it to school!

The only thing "cooler" than this would have been if I had actually stayed for the award ceremony on Saturday morning. We left because I never win.

My official time for the two miles was 24:25. Not bad for just getting back into this!