Yoga Pants Life

Gosh, I really suck at this whole blogging thing.

I think I started writing this somewhere in the middle of the 3rd week…and now I’m a bit lost. I’ll fill in what I can. It’s going to be long. You’ve been warned.

Basically, getting veneers threw me for a loop. Now that I’m on the other side, I can say it was TOTALLY worth it (you guys! I actually smile now!! I always thought I was fine with my smile post-braces, but I was wrong.) While it was worth it, but it wasn’t without some drawbacks, especially as far as marathon training is concerned.

Eating was sucktackular the whole time I had the temporaries on (2.75 weeks.) Because I could only use my back molars to chew (I already have a small mouth, which was made even smaller when I had 4 ‘regular’ teeth and 4 wisdom teeth removed when I got braces.) I had a hard time eating much of anything after I got the temporaries on. When I did eat, I got full super fast, but was hungry again within an hour.

I also managed to chip the edge of the temporary veneers in the second week, which made it even easier to eat. It bothered me so much, I went back to the dentist for a temporary fix (not his fault I had a minor chip in the temporaries – he’s wonderful and did a spectacular job from start to finish.) 

Energy-wise, I felt like I was literally running on empty every run, even my short runs. It was mentally and physically draining – so I decided to stick to runs that were 3 miles or less until I got the permanent veneers on…not the best for physical training, but mostly great mentally!

So, here’s my ‘recap’ of the past few weeks. If I had to miss a few weeks of training, I’m glad it was at the beginning, when I already had a semi-solid base to work with. I’m not in panic mode yet, y’all.

Just so you know, I wrote this totally piecemeal over the course of two weeks and it probably doesn’t make much sense, but it is what it is (I’ve also had 2 margaritas while watching the All Star game tonight…UGH! so there’s that too.)

Week 2

I managed to get a total of 4 runs in during Week 2 for a total of 16.25 miles – I can’t be mad about that, especially since eating is still really difficult and my energy has generally been lagging (and yet I gained weight, WTF?! – probably because what little I could eat was filled with sugar and carbs.)

I ran 4.75 on Thursday and while I felt tired and I was about 20 seconds per mile slower than normal, it was a good run and I was proud of myself for taking the longer route and not turning around at mile 1.5.

I got in a solid 3 miles on Friday – my legs felt heavy, but it was a fine run otherwise.

Saturday was a ‘rest’ day.

Sunday was my long run day. And let me tell you, it was a shit-show and a half. I knew from the start it was not going to be fast or pretty, but I was unprepared for how much it would suck. Sometimes those runs get better a few miles in (like it did in my half back in May) and sometimes the runs just keep going downhill. It was a downhill day.

I actually stopped in a tasting room around mile 5 because I really needed water (and wine, apparently.) It was all free since I’m a member (don’t worry – I tipped well since I wasn’t able to purchase any wine to take home with me.) I actually jogged part of the way home too. I wouldn’t normally recommend buzzed running, but the extra wine calories really helped.

Week 3

After the disaster that was Week 2, I scaled back for Week 3. Baxter also had 2 seizures, which made it even easier to skip my long run for Week 3. To top it all off, I worked a wedding, which was not easy, especially since I only had an Odwalla smoothie thing before 6.5 solid hours of manual labor in 90 degree heat. While I skipped my long run, I managed to get my normal mid-week miles in. I think I averaged somewhere around 12 miles. Not great, but could be worse.

Week 4

Week 4 rollled around…it was a weird week work-wise and the holiday threw me off too (I basically worked from home all week, which makes running hard.) However, I FINALLY got the real veneers ‘installed’ last Tuesday. It was a full and busy week, to say the least. While I’m still terrified to bite into anything with my front teeth, eating is  MUCH easier and more normal now. Thank goodness.

Despite a sucky week with a lack of short runs during week 4, I managed to squeak out 7 miles on Saturday. I felt strong and happy (probably because I can eat again.) It wasn’t the ideal location or time, but it was the confidence boost I needed.

And now, week 5.  13.5 weeks until marathon time. WHAT THE ACTUAL EFF??!!

I’m just gonna say that I have 14 weeks to go, because it sounds better than 13, haha.

Week 5

And now, here we are.

Admittedly, the first 25% of my training has not been great…but then again, I’m noticing changes. My hips are a solid inch smaller and my resting heart rate is lower (from a 72 to a 64) the past few weeks. Lifting weights is a bit easier too.

My plan for the rest of this week is to run 12-15 miles between Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 6-9 on Sunday (working a wedding on Saturday – probably my last this ‘season’)

My gym bag is packed and I am SO ready to get back to normal this week.

For what it’s worth, I’ve really struggled a lot the past few days. Is this worth it? Is this really the right time? But then I remembered that this trip to Chicago isn’t just about me. I mean, mostly me, sure. But it’s my parent’s 40th anniversary (or, what would have been, anyway) and my Dad’s 73rd birthday. I know if I don’t run this, I will be sad and full of regret. Also? This trip is going to be fun. It’s not just about the marathon. We are planning to road-trip to Minneapolis and enjoy ourselves for a few days.

One final note? I tried to include pictures with this blog post, but my internet connection is being a bitch (seriously, my office/bedroom is the only room in the condo with shitty internet, go figure) and I’m ready to shut down and start getting ready for bed. I hope to edit the post with pics soon, but if not, oh well. For now, y’all get a double pic post of my disastrous long run day a few weeks ago. You’re welcome.

 

Got a whopping 2 miles today! Victory! Bag is already packed with running gear for tomorrow.

Keeping it really easy for a few more days. Slow pace, but have 6 miles for my long run. I’ve got this!

I just re-read my last blog post, because I needed to see where I left off. You guys! I literally do not remember writing that post, like, at all. The post has all kinds of errors…dare I say it’s a bit incoherent. I guess I was more drugged than I thought. Yikes (in my defense, I take 1/2 a xanax a few nights a week to help me sleep, I’ve never taken 3 before. Also, it was under the dentist’s recommendation, so it’s not like I went rogue and had a bunch for the fun of it.)

Anyway, just popping in to say that I have not been on a run since I got the temporary veneers on. I haven’t been in pain, though my mouth was super sore from everything Friday and Saturday.

I’m not really sore anymore, but I’m struggling to eat much of anything, which, makes it difficult to run (though, a few articles of clothing are already feeling slightly looser, so, win?) I had one glass of wine last night and was ready to jump back to The Grad (bar in my beloved and much-missed college town) and dance on a table to 50 Cent, circa 2003-2004. While I’m definitely a lightweight these days, one glass of wine never hits me like that.

The good news is that it gets a little easier to eat each day, so there’s that.

The temporary veneers look great – even my brutally honest friends agree. Most people are shocked when I tell them they aren’t the real ones because they look so normal and tooth-like (I don’t know how else to describe it.) I know other people’s opinions really don’t matter, but I’m going to have these for many, many years, so I want them to be done right (luckily, my dentist is amazing and I have no doubt I will love them.)

However, I find myself running to the nearest mirror every time I eat, because it feels like the temporaries (which are all one piece, as opposed to the individual teeth they are making for me in the lab) are about to fall right off and I’m convinced that I’m going to look like a horror show until July 2nd, when the permanent ones go on.

It’s like wearing braces all over again, only instead of the minor consequence of breaking a bracket, I have to worry about walking around with tooth stubs. Cool. I’m not dramatic at all, right? (don’t answer that, haha.)

I actually dread eating because it’s uncomfortable and I’m super limited in what I can eat. I’ve mostly been sticking to soup, rice, and pasta (God bless carbs, God bless) and I find that much like when I had braces, I get full very quickly and don’t end up eating enough.

So, obviously, no running at the moment, but I think I’m going to be okay for a lunchtime run tomorrow and while not ideal, Thursday-Sunday runs. I should be back to regular training next week.

Despite the minor discomfort, I’m really pleased with the results so far and I can’t wait to get back to normal. Heck, maybe I’ll be more willing to take pictures.

I hate pictures, but I can almost see myself getting in front of the camera more. Not that my teeth were terrible before, but I felt so self-conscious about the evermore present discolored spots and my small teeth. I never knew how much it bothered me until I saw what my teeth could look like. I know my friends and family would LOVE for me to stop bitching about pictures, so this is a gift for them too (I’m so thoughtful and generous!)

But, back to the marathon.

There’s a part of me that feels like I’m already so off track with marathon training, but the more reasonable part of me is trying to remember that it’s only week 2 of 18, and I ran a half marathon in May and another in June. All of that to say, I’m probably going to be just fine and able to jump back in. I’m just trying to cross the finish line with a 4 in the front of my time, not qualify for Boston or anything.

I have to say, the marathon feels so far away, but I know it will be here in an instant. I also know that the last few weeks of training will fly by even more. I’m so excited. It can’t get here soon enough.

I will for sure be flashing my new pearly whites during the race.

Day was actually yesterday. Got 2.75 miles done. Felt good.

Today had a dental procedure (veneers to replace 2 cracked, discolored teeth.) exhausted (3 Xanax will do that to a person.) so today was a planned rest day.

Planning for 4-7 tomorrow, but also struggling to eat (it’s uncomfortable.) so who knows?

Permanent veneers in 2.5 weeks. This is just a minor bump and hopefully Training will be normal tomorrow.

PS, I CANNOT stop watching the Countesses new music video.

Three posts in 24 hours? Yeah, I didn’t see that coming either.

It was another toasty day here, but a solid 10 degrees cooler than yesterday.

I ventured out for a lunchtime run at a local park, but struggled to get a real workout in.

I ran a grand total of 1.35 miles. Yeah, that will get me across the finish line.

I didn’t have a bad run, but it was hot, there were some shady people at the park and the field I was trying to do strides/sprints on was too soft and hole-y to safely run on. I started to go around the block, but my mind just wasn’t having it.

So, I decided to go home, get back to work and try an evening run.

I was in the middle of eating a salad (same as yesterday, in case you needed to know) when I heard noises upstairs. I have a seizure-prone cat, so there are no good noises…it didn’t sound like seizure noises, but it did sound unusual, so I ran upstairs to investigate.

I got to the landing at the top of the stairs in time to see Baxter dragging his butt across the living room floor. And then I saw him try to lick himself…then he let out a few cries (which was the exact thing Tucker did last month when he had kidney issues.)

#$$^$@#$%%^$ #$%%$$%#$^

I tried to corral him, but Tucker was also very concerned and tried to run interference. I finally trapped him in the bathroom and I discovered a literal piece of shit hanging out his hole. When I tried to get it off, he cried more and it, uh, would not budge.

So, I called the vet and they wanted to see him to make sure it wasn’t serious, and could I bring him in right now?

I grabbed Baxter and basically had to pull some ninja-level shit to get him in his crate and into the car.

Turns out, it was just a piece stuck to his tail (though, swear it was in his butt, so maybe the fear of the crate/drive/vet was enough to get the rest out. Who knows?) Poor guy has a tragic ‘shave of shame’ on his butt and underside of his tail.

Regardless, I’m glad I got him checked out and there were no blockage issues to worry about.

However, he’s lost quite a bit of weight since his last visit (almost a pound) and that is a concern. So for now, he gets to eat all the wet food he wants.

Needless to say, I’m not running tonight.

It’s been a day.

And I only shared the animal issues.

 

I would do anything for these two. Also? Pretty sure my vet needs to have a ‘wall of fame’ and put our picture up, because I’m pretty sure we supply a good chunk of his monthly income at the moment.

The good news is that tomorrow is a new day and I’m only running 4-5 days per week. It’s fine to take a ‘rest’ day today. I also plan to take one Thursday after my dental procedure.

Okay, time to finish my last few hours of work.

Two blog posts in one day – I’m not sure what anyone did to deserve this, haha.

Also, I don’t understand how people blog every day. It’s only my first day and I’m exhausted. But, again, I’m trying to stay consistent with my training and I think the accountability of the interwebs will help me, so I’m going to give it a shot.

I had 4 easy miles on the schedule today and, uh, the miles were anything but easy.

I had no idea how hot it was outside. I mean, I really don’t have a valid excuse since this day in age most of us are attached to our phones, which can tell us the temperature at any given moment. All I can say is #LiveAndLearn

I’ve always had a hard time sticking to my workout/running schedule on work-from-home days. You would think it would be super easy, but no. For some reason, I have a much easier time when I’m actually at work and I can run in a much safer area after work.

Anyway, while it’s a struggle, I discovered that I actually like lunch time runs on work-from-home days. I don’t have time to talk myself out of a post-work run and it gives me enough time to eat breakfast, get ready, etc.

The only drawback is the sun and heat, and man, I really felt it today. I’m no stranger to heat (I did live in the San Fernando Valley with no air-conditioning for six years, after all) but I’ve lived in a much cooler climate the past few years. Sure, we have our 80 and occasional 90 degree days, but much of summer is cool and breezy with lots of morning and evening fog. Most of the warmer days hit in September/October (just as other parts of the US are preparing for the cooler weather of fall.)

That brings me to today and there is no delicate way to say it – my run was hot as balls!

Sure, it was warm when I started, but I felt great the first two miles. I took it slow and had water with me. It’s my first run since the half marathon a week ago, so I wasn’t about to do a crazy workout. But by the end, the heat felt unbearable.

I ended up walking up the giant hill at mile 2 and fell apart pretty quickly after that. I thought I was a wimp. How is 78 this warm???? (that’s what I thought the temperature was supposed to be, as I knew we were having a mini-heatwave.) 

(right after the giant hill of death – the hills are going from green to brown. I still think golden hills are beautiful and very California though)

I walked/jogged/slogged through the remaining 2 miles and was less than thrilled with my pace at the end (but make no mistake, I wasn’t hard on myself about it.)

I burst though the front door, chugged some water, and then checked the temperature. 89 degrees. Whelp. That explains it (there’s also little to no shade for most of my route, so that didn’t really help.)

(Congrats to me for being a responsible adult who checks stuff out ahead of time)

But you know what? I’m happy I got my first training run done and while it didn’t feel good, it wasn’t the worst. I feel like I’m starting out on the right foot this time.

It took me a while to get my appetite back, but when I did, I dug into this salad – lettuce, black bean/corn/cucumber/red onion salsa, cotija cheese, grilled chicken, avocado and homemade cilantro lime dressing. It was so delicious I didn’t even miss the chips (though I eventually had a few on the side with roasted garlic hummus from Trader Joe’s)

I also ate an English muffin topped with avocado and Everything but the Bagel seasoning from TJ, with some grapes for breakfast and a handful of (un-pictured) homemade Chex mix on the side (it took up about 2/3 of the purple cup pictured.)

(God bless iced coffee, God bless)

I’m not sure what’s for dinner – probably some leftover chicken, rice and veggies.

Oh – I almost forgot to include this glass of wine (and probably 1 more because it’s hot and it’s a Monday. And I enjoy wine.) I’ve been back in the habit of drinking more frequently than normal because of family time and different winery events, but I suspect I’ll go back to my 1-2 days a week sooner than later because I feel so much better when I limit alcohol.

(I’d say ‘oops’ but I’m not actually sorry for drinking this delightful sauvignon blanc from Stolpman.)

So all-in-all, day 1 was a mostly a success.

On to day 2…

Holy cats! Today is the first official day of Chicago Marathon training. I’m excited and nervous at the same time. The next 125 days are going to be something else, that’s for sure.

I still need to get my race recap from San Diego up – I hit my B goal, but unfortunately I was far off from my A goal. The good news is that I did better than I have in years, and that’s something to celebrate. I only wish I could use my Fitbit pace vs. my official time. Oh well, that’s how it goes. Regardless of official vs. device time, there is definitely improvement and that’s something to celebrate.

I’m heading into Chicago with a good base and high hopes, but should probably work on realistic expectations too. Crossing the finish line of a marathon is always an accomplishment and priority one. Next, is to finish within the cutoff time. Then beat my prior time. I think I will have no problem meeting those.

My real goal, however, is to have a 4 in front of my time. That’s all I really want. I’m not in any kind of shape to even entertain a BQ time (I’m so far off, it’s not even funny, so I’m not even going to think about it for a few years.) I think with some sweat and tears, it’s possible.

I’m going to go old-school Healthy Living Blog style and start posting daily. It’s really more as a log for myself (and so that I don’t bombard people on social media.) But I want to post my daily workouts and food (because I need to get some weight off to make this happen the way I want it to.) There – I said it. Now I just need my one reader to keep me accountable.

Here goes nothing…I’ll see you in 18 weeks, Chicago.

Y’all, I’m having a Monday.

It’s like, the Monday of all Mondays that ever Monday’d.

Most of it is first-world stuff. Most of it will be forgotten or resolved in a week (or two.) 

But for now, I’m sitting at my computer with tears spilling out, trying (unsuccessfully) to console myself.

I can’t talk about some of it because it’s work/career related and for the most part, that shiz does not belong on the interwebs. I keep reminding myself to stay the course. Things aren’t good right now, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m also constantly stressed about finances, even though I have an emergency fund and my retirement accounts are on target (it probably doesn’t help that I’m about to drop $2,000 on dental work.) Even though I’m in a much better position than I was years ago, I’m no where near where I want to be.

Everything just feels chaotic and unresolved right now.

One of my favorite podcasts, Girls Gone WOD, released an episode last week and one of them said something that really hit home with me – ‘anxiety is not an insurance policy’ – to be fair, they credited someone else (and it’s totally escaping me right now) with this. Basically, you cannot worry your way to healing and acceptance. Worrying about the thing is never going to prepare you for actually having to go through the thing.

As someone who’s dealt with more than my fair share of loss, I KNOW this is true. And yet, I spend so much time worrying about the time I have left with my loved ones, including my furry loved ones. I know I’m missing out on the joyous occasions/moments because I can’t see past the inevitable doom.

A lot of this has to do with Baxter. His seizures have been pretty steady and consistently 2-3 weeks apart. They are violent, but short (usually 30 seconds – 2 minutes) and he comes out of it quickly. However, we’ve had a bad two weeks in the YPL household and Baxter’s seizures are becoming super-frequent. He’s had four in the last ten days. He’s totally ‘normal’ outside of the episodes and does not appear to be suffering outside of the events. I don’t know what do do anymore. I’m trying to keep him as comfortable and healthy as possible for as long as it is reasonable to do so…I don’t want him to suffer because I can’t let go, but I also don’t want to put him down unnecessarily.

Logically, I know both Baxter and his vet will let me know when it’s time for him to chase stuffed mice in the afterlife. But until then, I need to figure out a way to not be a wreck all the time. I need to figure out how to not jump at every noise and sound.

And, it’s not just the cat. Unfortunately, the same line of thinking applies to family members too. I don’t think anyone in my family reads this blog (much less anyone else, haha) but I’m not about to post my doom and gloom with regard to my human loved ones on the interwebs.

This has affected me so much recently. I just want to withdraw from the world and curl up in bed until the clouds lift. I don’t want to go out and be social, much less run or do anything else (even though I know it would help me in the long run.)

Unfortunately, that’s not an option at the moment. All I can do is try to remember to take my medication, talk to my doctor, and do my best to keep going. Because there are stars amidst the darkness too.

Goodness. This was a heavy post.

But you know what? I feel a bit better now. And I sure as heck don’t care that my doctor was an hour late to my appointment today and I didn’t have time to get gas or grocery shop on my way back to work (I would have been doing it on my lunch break, not work time, just FYI.) I will also deal with a small side-hustle/job payment issue later today or tomorrow. It’s really no big deal in the grand scheme of things.  I’ll get through the work stuff too.

gratuitous cat pic

Whew! I made it through another half marathon. I still feel like I have an endorphin high. Even though training fell apart and I’m not where I want to be, I really needed the boost. My last few half marathons were awful and I feel like this was my redemption race.

Packet pick-up – PS I cannot remember the last time we got rain in May. 

The days leading up to the race were stressful. Between working a few hours at my side hustle/job and dealing with a stove/oven delivery fiasco, my poor, sweet Baxter had a seizure Friday evening (and another after the race Saturday.) I had a hard time relaxing Friday night, but I managed to get about 4-5 hours of sleep, which is approximately 4-5 hours more than the last half I ran.

 

New stove, who dis?

Things that went ‘right’

• I crossed the finish line, with plenty of time to spare
• I got a new PR for this course (I’ve done it twice before, and could never break 3 hours.)
• My fueling during the race was on-point and I could feel it kick in for the middle miles
• I never got down on myself during the race – once I got past ‘corkscrew hill’ at mile 7, I knew I would finish and I knew it would be less than 3 hours.
• While I didn’t PR, and I was slower than I wanted, for the first time in a long time, I saw my potential. I am confident that with a little work, I can easily get down to a sub 2:20 finish in the next few months. Yes, 2:54:00 down to 2:20:00 is a HUGE drop in a short time, but this was a super hilly and tough course and I wasn’t having the best day. I ran a 2:38:00 on a not as hilly course a few years ago and I walked the last 4 miles because I injured myself from under-training. I know I’m more than capable of hitting 2:20:00, it’s just a matter of when.
• My middle miles were awesome. I normally start feeling down during the middle miles and I just remember feeling happy and strong.
• I had fun
• The race left me wanting more. I can’t wait to sign up for a few more this summer. I always want to sign up for another after I finish one, but the last few have been more about signing up for races ASAP so that I could ‘erase’ my last experience. This time? I want to sign up for more because I want to sign up for more. I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone – not even myself.

Corkscrew hill, beautiful and evil at the same time

Things that could have gone better

• I, uh, could not, um, you know, ‘go’ before the race (or during, for that matter) so my stomach was less than pleased. Running 13.1 miles with stuff sloshing around is not fun. It’s hard to say what the cause was, but I suspect I did not drink enough water the day before
• I felt really heavy and slow the first few miles – it was almost like running in quicksand
• I felt super pukey (technical term!) at the end because it was getting warm and my body had enough
• My math was a bit off and I thought I was going to finish in 2:45:00, not 2:54:00
• I walked more than expected for mile 11 – I wish I had pushed myself harder
• I dropped the ball on training, but thankfully the early weeks of consistent training and my rally at the end made this doable.

#home

So, what now?

I’m running the San Diego Rock n’ Roll half in three weeks. I’m also planning on signing up for the Camarillo Half Marathon in August.  I hope to sign up for the Shoreline Half Marathon in July, but it may conflict with a side job, so I’m not too sure about that one yet. If I can’t run that one, I’ll find something else.  All I know is that the more races I do between now and October, the more confident I’ll be when it’s time to run 26.2.

One last thing – I just saw my race photos and it’s super-clear that I need to lose some weight. I’m trying not to dwell on it and I’m not sure how to approach this, but I really need to get this under control, especially with everything I have coming up. I’m legit at a point where I may need to go ‘old skool healthy living blog’ and start posting my daily meals and workouts. UGH! It sounds dreadful, but maybe it will help.

 

Three days, you guys. Three days. In less than 72 hours I will be crossing the starting line of another half marathon. The reality is setting in and I honestly have NO clue how this is actually going to go.

I’ve been ‘training’ for this race since February and I was pretty consistent, up until late March/early April. Even then, it was mostly my long runs that dropped off. I have a few excuses as to why, but it doesn’t really matter at this point. All I know is that I need to figure out how to stay consistent, even when life is really busy (but, since I’m here I may as well share – I worked a lot of overtime this winter. Work was a madhouse and OT is rarely offered. I couldn’t say ‘no.’) 

While I dropped the ball, I managed to salvage my long runs the last two weeks and got in a respectable 8.5 miles last week, and 8.25 the week before. I also did 5, 6, and 7 mile long runs earlier in the training cycle. Most of my evening/short runs have been in the 3.5-4.5 mile range and while I’ve had a few weeks of minimal running, I’ve had many 4 day weeks in there too.

While it can be dangerous to under-train (I’ve run more than one half marathon on no training. Of course, I ended up injured and unable to run for a few months afterwards 0/10, would not recommend) I feel ok with my level of training. Sure, I won’t be flying across the finish line, but I’ll be shocked if I don’t finish.

I should also note that I need to respect the distance more, because while I can fake my way through a half, it’s still a lot of trauma on the body and something that should not be taken lightly (as I have so many times in the past.) 

Again, I have no idea what to expect, but I suspect my C+/B- training effort, coupled with the extra weight I’m carrying will probably get me a 2:45-3:00 hour finish time. Not my best, but far from my worst. If I’m really lucky and all the stars align on race day (weather, stomach, knee, sleep, fuel and hydration) I might even pull off 2:30 (but am not holding my breath on that one.) My short runs are getting a lot faster, but I still have trouble sustaining the faster paces on longer runs.

Regardless of how Saturday goes, I have another half in 3.5 weeks, and that’s the one I’m really focused on. I may even use this Saturday as a slower training run (it’s a super hilly course, so it would be wise to go easy) and aim for something better in San Diego.

Ready or not, come June, it’s time to start Chicago Marathon Training. While I’m not as prepared for my spring halfs as I would like to be, I’m super happy that I’ll be going into Chicago training with a pretty solid base and I have no doubt I can jump right in. October feels so far away, yet I know it will be here in the blink of an eye. I need to figure out a way to hold myself accountable.

I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I’ve done the half distance over a dozen times and 26.2 three times, so I know it’s possible to finish. But I also know how grueling it can be too, and that makes me nervous.

I think the two things I need to focus on the most right now are weight loss and staying consistent, even when ‘life’ happens and running is the last thing on my to-do list. Getting faster is up there too, but I think I’ll naturally get faster if I get weight off and stop skipping runs. I’m not in any kind of position to be thinking about a BQ or even a sub-4, so hard-core speed training doesn’t seem worth it yet.

As far as weight loss, I have no idea what to do. Weight loss has never been easy for me and I tend to be a very, VERY slow loser. When I lost nearly 50 pounds between 2010 and 2012, my average loss was 0.25 pounds per week. It was brutal at the time, but looking back, losing slowly probably allowed me to easily maintain for as long as I did. I maintained the loss up until the end of 2015, when my weight shot back up nearly 25 pounds. I’ve been bouncing between the same 12 pounds for a few years now and it’s frustrating to say the least. I’m about 5-8 pounds from a ‘healthy’ BMI and about 30 from where I want to be.

I suspect a lot of the weight struggle has to do with age (I’m pushing 40, after all.) A lot of what I relied on in my teens and 20s to lose weight is no longer enough (cutting back on beer and fries was great at 21, not so much at 37.) I should probably go all old-school blog style and post my every meal, but I can barely muster up the energy to post quarterly, much less daily, haha (side note: I really miss the blog days of yore.) I also am at a point where I can no longer outrun a shitty diet (it worked in my late 20s, but not now.) 

So, I was going to post a few pics from my training, but they aren’t coming through on my phone right now and I’m too tired to figure it out. But hey – nobody reads this anyway, so it really doesn’t matter.

Until next time, y’all!