New Years Goals!

I have basically taken it easy this past month. I have been doing about 2 short runs per week, and nothing Christmas week at all (of course, coming down with the stomach flu Christmas Eve left me with little desire to do much).

We did get totally dumped on with snow, so that stopped my outside running, but I did join the locally owned gym and hit the tread mill. Running on a treadmill is a totally different feeling than the road and I think that I prefer the road! But it is still a good work out.

I have been setting my new running goals for next year, because I know that if I do not have anything to aim towards, I tend to fizzle out. My goals include a half marathon on March 7, the Snake River Canyon Half Marathon, and a marathon in May. I was excited to discover that Spokane will be hosting its first marathon on May 15, it is the Windermere Marathon Spokane. It starts in Post Falls and follows the river into Spokane finishing at Riverfront Park. I am also eyeballing the Boise Half Ironman on June 13th. Since I do not want to run/race/compete on Sunday's, I have been excited to find these different races on Saturday's, and not that far from home!

So, my winter work outs will include running and spinning, and if I want to do the Half Ironman, then I need to do something about my swimming. This is my weakest event and the one I normally ignore, just figuring that I can flounder my way through (and if you have seen me swim, you know to take the word "flounder" literally). So, to change that I am considering the local Masters club, Chinooks Maters Swimming. But, I am slightly chicken on that, my weight loss came to a stand still in November, so I am a bit self-conscience about appearing in a swim suit!

But, I am rededicating to good eating habits in the New Year, and have a local competition to encourage me. My sister-in-law and her friend have started their own Biggest Loser competition (I had never seen the show before, so went online and watched an episode). It lasts 3 months and there are 15 competitors. Everybody pays $60 to compete, and the person who loses the largest percentage of weight is the winner. That person takes home 2/3 of the stash, and 2nd place gets the remaining amount. So, basically $600 to the winner and $300 to the next person. But, hopefully wonderful results will be better than money to all who participate! Yesterday was the beginning of the competition and it runs through April 7th. I feel good because I am already in the habit of working out, I just need to keep it up and refocus on diet.

Well, overall 2008 has been GREAT! I have established some good exercise habits, I stated running in June and completed a Half Marathon in November, and though having reached my highest weight ever in the spring, as of last Sunday I had lost about 25 pounds! So, not bad, and looking to a better year in 2009 with many accomplishments.

Ciao for Now!
MJ

Half Marathon Pics

Crossing Hwy 95, the last 1/4 mile

The Final stretch

My wonderful family supporters

Approaching the finish line

It is important to raise your arms when crossing a finish line!

Crossing the finish line!

3 HUZZAHS!

Happy to be done

I did it!

Presentation of (unexpected) Finishers Shirt

My "official" Finisher shirt

A week as gone by and I have taken it easy (maybe a bit too easy?). I just ran once this week, 3 miles, but plan to be back to 3 regular runs this week. With the weather getting colder (though still unseasonably warm), I plan to start going back to Spin. I really liked Spin when I was going regularly, but haven't gone in about a year. Though I don't think I will go back to the 5:45 am class, I have a bit more flexibility working at home, so I think the 9:00 class is early enough! Well, going to keep this short, here are the pictures from my personal Half Marathon last week. Keep on runnin'!

Oh, side note, I was talking to a friend who started the Couch to 5k running program, and found out that she is up to a mile without walking! Makes me feel good and inspired to keep going when I see someone start running, partially due to my influence.

Mission Completed: HALF MARATHON!

First things first, no longer will I commit to blog at any type of regular interval. Life is full, I am a procrastinator, so I will blog when I blog! I would like to blog more, but it is time to be realistic and not beat myself up if I am not blogging every week.

The good news, I ran a half marathon yesterday - 13.1 Miles! It was a great accomplishment for me. I set a goal, I set a training program, I stuck with it (never missing a run) and I did it! I did make some changes though. I did not go to Seattle to Run the HUGE Seattle Marathon (14,000 runners expected). I had talked myself into it, justified it, but could not get comfortable with the idea of running on Sunday. It set a bad example for my kids, when I was trying to do something good. There was another marathon in Seattle on Saturday called the Seattle Ghost Marathon that I considered doing. It is a small marathon (about 100 runners) and is more like a fun run for a running club. Then I thought, I can run anywhere and meet my goal, why spend $250 in gas and hotel charges?

We were headed up to Sandpoint for Thanksgiving with Jeff's side of the family. All of Jeff's brothers and sisters and family were planning on being there, so it was a big deal. Unfortunately, Janie and Cean couldn't make it at the last minute. Janie was still recovering from minor surgery and wasn't up for travel so, so it could not be helped. But, WE MISSED YOU JANIE!

Jeff had called his sister Sherry and asked her to arrange a Spaghetti lunch celebration for after my run. I took all my running stuff, and made sure my iPod was charged before leaving town. On Friday it snowed, and I thought, "I wish I had remembered my Yaktrax!". We were staying with my brother-in-law, Richard, and when we woke up Saturday morning, there was still snow outside. So Jeff and I drove into town to check out the trail conditions and to see if I should buy another pair of Yaktrax for the run. I really wanted to complete the run, everyone was excited for me, plus the weekend after Thanksgiving was my goal date. Now, my in-laws live in Sagle, ID, which is about 6 miles from Sandpoint, and there is a paved trail that goes all the way into town. I was happy to see that most of the trail was clear, with just some small patches of snow and slush. So we went back to Richards where I got ready, and then back to Mom and Dad's for the start (I was originally going to start at Richards, about 1 mile away, but the road between the two houses was covered in very wet snow).

It was a quiet send off. Jeff, Mom & Dad, Erika and Kylie were there. I did have a half hour delay when I discovered that my iPod needed charging, but I took off about 11:30. My goal was very realistic, complete the run in under 2-1/2 hours. Considering my 11 minute mile pace, I did not foresee any problems in meeting my goal. So I got running! It was just under 1/4 mile to the highway, cross the highway and right onto the path that led all the way into town. A lot of down hill for the next mile. The traffic from the highway was louder than I expected, so nervously (and successfully) turned up my music (whenever I had tried this before, I always messed up my Nike iPod settings and had to start again!).

Jeff was my great support team! He met me at the beginning of the long bridge with a water bottle (3 mile mark), a quick drink and I continued on my way (I also ditched my hat - too hot, and my sunglasses - too foggy due to all the moisture in the air).

At mile 4 on the bridge, I was feeling pretty good and decided to increase my pace a bit. This was so I could have a bit of extra time at the end when I was going up hill. I ran about 100 feet when I felt a small 'twang' and pain shooting down my left hamstring. Oh, Great! I ran a few more feet, stopped to try to stretch it out - no good, so I continued on. My pace dropped to slower than 12 minutes per mile, and I thought, why couldn't this happen on the way back, when I have 4 miles left instead of 4 miles into my run? I also thought, I have to finish this, or when will I do it? If the injury puts me down for a few weeks, then another month of training to get back up to endurance, and then it will be January some time before I tried again. This just wasn't an option, plus I was on the bridge still and Jeff was over a mile away, so I might as well just keep running. Slowly my hamstring started to feel better (less painful), and my pace increased back to normal. When I came to Jeff's water station at the far end of the bridge (mile 5-2/3), I made sure that I had no appearance of a gimp so that Jeff would not ask me, in a very concerned manner, if I was 'all right' (though he always asked me how I was doing ;-).

I wasn't sure how for I had to go in town, but was just going to turn around when my iPod told me I was at the half way point. I did not want to run right downtown, so I turned towards Sandpoint City Beach, and was about 3/4 along the path around the beach (located at a beautiful sandy point on the lake, hence the name "Sandpoint". A lot of the beach areas around Lake Pend O'reille are rocky, so the sand is very nice) when I turned around. I was feeling pretty good and was happy to be on the return leg of my run. Jeff was at the same places going back with water (very good to have. While training on those long runs, I was lucky if I found a place for just one drink, the hydration really helps to Keep on Going!).

Going uphill during the last 2 miles wasn't too bad, though my pace did slow a bit. That is one good thing about running in Moscow, there is no way to avoid hills! My main concern was my iPod not having enough juice to last the entire run. I had barely charged it half way, and my power was in the red. Before crossing the bridge on the way back I picked up another iPod from Jeff to use if mine completely died, but it was only for an emergency! I really wanted to compete the run on one iPod - for accurate stats. And I am happy to report that it did last the entire run, whew!

Well, to make a short story longer ... I finally made it back into Sagle, where I crossed the highway. Jeff was there with the camera, to record the moment for all posterity :). According to my iPod, my 13.1 miles was up about 50 yards from Mom and Dad's driveway (I always run a bit further than half way before turning around). I pushed "Run Completed" on my iPod for an accurate time, but kept running. I knew everyone was waiting for me, so I couldn't very well just saunter on in and say, "Oh, my 13.1 miles was up 50 yards back down the road."

It was a great finish. The whole family was there cheering, they had a finish line, balloons and a poster (thanks Sharon!). Everyone had huge smiles on their faces, and felt genuinely happy for me, they even gave me three "Huzzahs!" - way better than finishing with 14,000 other people! William then presented me with my Half-Marathon shirt! (I will post pics tomorrow - too late tonight!) I was very surprised and touched that everybody (and especially Jeff) went to so much trouble. I am truely blessed with a wonderful husband and family!

We then all went in for a wonderful spaghetti dinner (though I did shower first!). Dad had made chocolate chip cookies, and there was ice cream left over from Thanksgiving for dessert. I was dog tired, so by 5:30 I was ready to head back to Richard and Nancy's for a soak in their jetted tub and an early bedtime.

We are back in Moscow now. Today I am a bit sore, but better than expected. I am especially glad to say that my hamstring feels fine and I will be running this week. I am trying to establish my next goal. There is a marathon in Lewiston in the spring, but I have not been able to find out an exact date yet for 2009. Though what I really have my eye on is the Boise Half Ironman on Saturday, June 13th - 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run! But to help me with either, or both, is that professional training certificate that I still have that I won at the Sprint Triathon in September. I will definitely be using that at the beginning of next year.

Oh yea, my official finishing time: 2:25:26, average pace: 11:05 min/mile. GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!

October Update!

What a month! I totally blew it, didn't track my food intake regularly and my weight was about the same at the end of the month as at the beginning (up and down, kind of like a see-saw). But I did do very well on my running schedule, didn't miss a work out! I also rode my bike all the way to Troy and back on the trail. The mysterious "THEY" have been working on completing the trail for the last few years, and recently finished. It was a beautiful ride, the last 2 miles were all down hill through a beautiful wooded area just turning with Fall colors. Of course, that meant I had to go uphill heading home, but it was a gentle grade. Overall it was about a 24 mile trip and I was out for about 2 hours. I have really wanted to make that ride this year, so I was happy to have a wonderful fall day to enjoy it in.

My long run is now up to 9 miles, and I am over half way through my training program. My half marathon is 4 weeks from this weekend. I really feel that I am will be ready. This next month I am going to concentrate on my diet. I know that a better diet is crucial to improving my running, since it is the fuel my body is running off of (so to speak ;-).

On a side note, three of my kids decided to be Star Wars figures for Halloween: Darth Maul, Yoda and Princess Leia. I decided to help out and it was quite a day! I am nowhere near being a seamstress, but today I pulled out the sewing machine to make hoods, belts and Yoda ears. Then spent a couple of hours on make-up and hair. They turned out quite cool, if I may say so myself! My oldest daughter (a senior), who hasn't been trick or treating for about 6 years, had a friend come visit and also went out. They were their own kind of Super Hero's. Being the oldest, she felt that she had outgrown Halloween when she was 12, so it was good to see her go out be a kid. A cousin was also visiting and he dressed as Goliath. He is quite tall, and wore really small armor. Clever idea!

Well, I will give weekly updates through the next month as I approach the Half Marathon. Let y'all know how it's going!

Ciao for Now!
Michelle

I can't believe it's the LAST day of SEPTEMBER!

What can I say? I just haven't taken the time (again) to blog, though it has crossed my mind more than once.

September has been a good month. I completed the Palouse Sprint Triathlon. I completed both the run and the bike faster than last year. The bike by just under 2 minutes and the run by just over 3 minutes. So that was exciting! I thought I had some pictures, but they are on the other computer, so I will add then later.

I also won an online Triathlon training program at the drawing after the Triathlon. The training program is for one month, but part of the program is to set you up with a one year training schedule based upon your goals for the year. So that is cool, since it is something I would not normally splurge on by myself (it costs around $250.00 per month!). I will wait until after the half-marathon, and possibly until early next year before I use the certificate. It is good until next April, so I have a little time.

My weight also dropped to 219 lbs this month for a total of 25 lbs lost. It is coming off slowly but surely. If I would only avoid those bad foods it would come off faster! I think I am an addictive/habitual eater, so some days are good and some are bad. Weight Watchers really helps me control my food intake, but there have been a few weeks when I have eaten more than points allow for weight loss. Overall, it is really good for accountability and self-awareness.

I used the Runner's World Smartcoach to set up my training program for the Half Marathon. From the time I set it up to the race, it was 11 weeks. I am now on week 3, and overall the program seems pretty good. I do plan on making a few changes: increase my easy run pace (even I don't run that slow!), and increase my Saturday long run distances quicker. I think it is because I only have 11 weeks, but the longest run before the race is 10 miles, and I would prefer it to be 12 miles. So I will change that a bit over the weeks to reflect the increase, that will give me more confidence going into race day.

Something that I am excited about that I just realized last night, is that I am looking forward to my runs, and wishing I was running on my down days! Last night when I went to bed, I was genuinely wishing that I was running today and that was quite a revelation for me! But I decided to stick with my program. Instead I went on a bike ride down the path towards Troy. I left it until late in the day (I prefer a.m workouts) but I am really glad that I went, it was a a really good ride. It was also the first time that I went down the hill that I crashed on last month. I was a bit nervous and took the corner slowly. Though I hate being controlled by my fear, so I hope to be able to approach it a bit faster some day in the not too distance future.

I have friend who is getting ready to start the Couch to 5k training program, so that is nice to see, to be a positive influence in someone's life. I told her that there is a 5k at the end of January that we should plan on doing together. I know that, personally from experience, that if I do not have something to look forward to in the future, it is easy to let my running dissipate into nothing! Though with my new running excitement, maybe I am over that type of thing - but that cannot be left to chance!

Well, that is it for now. I will blog more regularly and let you know how my training is going.

Ciao!
Michelle

August in a Nutshell

I am not sure how a full month has passed without blogging, but alas ... its not as though I didn't think about blogging, I just didn't do it! Quite a bit has happened, so I will only do a quick update:

WEEK 1: Went and visited my family in Blaine, WA (north of Seattle on the Canadian border). Had a nice visit. Maintained my running. We arrived on Monday and I didn't run before leaving, so I ran just before dinner time. NOT a fun time to run, I definitely prefer the morning. Ran once down to the harbor and back, that was really nice. I especially enjoy seeing the Blue Heron, there are a lot of them by the water. There is a nice park by the harbor where we go to watch the sunset, see some wild life, and found marion berries that were about ripe for picking!



WEEK 2: During the 2nd week, we left the kids in Sandpoint to enjoy one last week by the lake and with cousins. We had to go to Sandpoint on the 10th for a baby blessing, and again the following weekend for a family reunion, so it seemed like a good time to leave everyone up there again. Jeff is starting law school this fall, and the early welcome program that he is participating in started on that Tuesday.

It was also the last week of my Couch to 5K running program, which I was excited to complete, I had to run 3 miles this week for all three of my runs. I ran on Monday and was feeling really go about the distance. On Tuesday I went cycling, heading on the bike trail towards Troy. There is one place on the trail where you go down a hill and at the bottom there is a 90 degree turn. I thought I could handle the turn at a faster speed than normal and discovered, the hard way, that I could not. In the middle of crash I remember thinking "that noise I hear is my helmet sliding along the ground". After lying there for a moment, I got up, checked myself over and discovered my arm bleeding in multiple places and my hip was sore, but otherwise I appeared fine. My bike also appeared to be undamaged. I considered my options and decided to ride home if my bike really was o.k. I walked back up the hill, got on my bike and rode the 5 miles home. There I took a bath (seemed the best way to clean out road rash) and then discovered that for having 4 kids, I was really low on 1st aid supplies. I had to go to the store for larger band aids and first aid cream!

It has been almost 3 weeks since the accident. All of my scabs are gone. The largest bruise I have ever seen graced my leg and hip has faded. My hip is still a bit sore and my neck is stiff, and I have road rash scars on my wrist, elbow and shoulder. On both that Friday and Saturday I ran 3 miles, so that I can say that I completed my running program and never missed a run! Though my hip still gets sore when I run, especially around the half way mark. Then it just goes numb.

WEEK 3: Got home from the family reunion over the weekend, it was good to see many of Jeff's aunt and uncles again. Not many cousins made it this time. The week was rainy, but the kids enjoyed their last full week of summer break. Started seriously looking for a job. Ran, but decided to take my bike in for a tune up before starting to ride again. Went swimming on Saturday to time myself for 10 laps. This information is needed for the Palouse Sprint Triathlon registration form. I have ran and biked all summer, but that was my first time swimming laps! My time was 12.5 minutes, though I put it 2 minutes slower on the form. It is 4 people per lane during the swim and I don't want to be in too fast of a lane. Plus, the slower swimmers start first!

WEEK 4: A busy week! It was Jeff's first official week of Law School (orientation was last week), and the kids started school on Wednesday. I have been filling out job applications online for up at the University. Two have had extensive questionaires that I have had to fill out, both taking several hours!

I ran twice, Monday and Wednesday, but then noticed that I had a pain in my right knee. I iced it Wednesday evening, and have taken it easy since. I do not notice any pain today, though I will not run till Tuesday. I want to make sure that it is fine so I do not risk a real injury that could side line me for longer. For this Labor Day weekend we are in Sandpoint again. We weren't going to go anywhere, but Dad called on Friday inviting us up, so here we are!

Well, that is my month in a nutshell. I promise to be more diligent in writing. I know that I do better with my training and my diet when I do. My weight has gone up and down all month, and ended up close to the same as at the beginning. Having my work out interupted, has messed with my diet. I tend to lose focus and eat more than I should when I am not as active. I try to be aware, but find myself slipping anyway! So here is to a better September!

Feeling Good!

We were out of town last week at my in-laws, and that just makes life tougher when you are trying to be disciplined! Much of my husbands family lives in Sandpoint, ID, a beautiful area in North Idaho surrounded by mountains, trees and lakes. The main large lake being Lake Pend Oreille.

My work outs were great! I took my bike, so I could ride from my in-laws into town and back along a beautiful bike path (that included 2 miles crossing the lake), for a total of about a 12 mile round trip ride. I also drove to the lake and ran the long bridge for my run. The main part of the bridge is just over 1 mile, so it was perfect for my 2 1/4 mile run going across and back. The picture above shows the bridge crossing the lake into Sandpoint. The nearer bridge is the RR bridge, the longer one is the driving bridge that also has a walking side.

My eating was good for the first part of the week, but then it went downhill. We celebrated my sons birthday early with Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles & cousins. A fun time was had by all, the food and company great!

My weigh in on Sunday was 227.4, so up .2lb. But this week is going really well. All my runs this week are 2.5 miles. The first half mile is the toughest, but then I get into a groove and feel like I could just keep going! But I stick with the plan. I am in week seven of the Couch to 5k running program, so only 2 more weeks to go. I increase my running by a quarter mile over the next 2 weeks, so I will be running a full 3 miles by my last week.

Biking is also going well, today I rode about 18 mile in 80 minutes. Though I swear that I am going uphill and against the wind on the return trip! I am feeling good about what I am doing. In September I plan on doing the Palouse Sprint Triathlon, which will be small step toward the Seattle Half-Marathon.

So Life is Good!
MJ

Watching what I Eat

My weigh in this week was not as good as I had hoped, but I did lose weight, just under 1 lb. with a weight of 227.2. Lets face it, weight loss is unpredictable! I had five great work outs and ate well, but just didn't lose the weight. I will just keep doin' what I am doin' and hopefully will see more of a loss this week. I guess all is good as long as the scale keeps going down!

Now, I realize that I have often mentioned what I am doing for exercise, but never how I am watching what I eat. I am using WeightWatchers Online to track how many points of food I eat each day. I am allotted 28 Points per day and then 35 Bonus Points each week. Having done Body for Life before, I use the Bonus Points on Sunday and treat that day as a type of BFL "Free Day".

At the beginning of last year I went to some WeightWatchers meetings with a friend for just over a month, but the meeting are not for me. The meetings just feel like a big commercial push for WeightWatchers products. I know it makes things easier to eat their foods because it tells you on the packaging the point values, but I don't believe that prepackaged, frozen foods are very healthy. I prefer to try to focus my diet around whole, natural foods.

I do, however, like to track my Points. It is an easy way to control how much I eat in a day. I can also satisfy my sweet tooth with one or two small treats a day that only have one point each. And on most large chocolate bars or bags of candy, one square or piece is one point.

Well, on to other things. My 2 mile run on Friday went really well. I am now on week 6 of the Couch to 5k running program. The plan is again different each day, accumulating in running a steady 2.25 miles non-stop this friday.

Keep on runnin'!
MJ

Running Goal Decided

I didn't realize it had been 10 days since my last post, I guess I have been a slacker! We got home a week ago and I came down with a summer cold. I did my run on Monday and Wednesday, was sick on Thursday and Friday so I did my last run of the week on Saturday. They all went really well, though I discovered that the track is still closed so I am running the roads. I have the Nike iPod, which is really nice because it tracks how far I run, which is really handy since I was running .25 and .50 mile increments with walking breaks.

My weight on Sunday was 228, down 2.6 pounds. So that is exciting, breaking out of the 230's! This week has been really good. I am in Week 5 in the Couch to 5k running program. This is the first week in which each of the 3 days is different. On Monday, I ran three .5 mile segments separated by walking. On Wednesday I ran two 3/4 mile segments with a walk in between, and tomorrow I run 2 miles straight. I think I am up for it!

I also went cycling on Tuesday and Thursday, 9 miles in 45 mins., so a 12 mph pace. I can tell that I am already in better shape, not just because of running further, but because the hills on my bike are not so daunting!

I feel really good about this week!

I also looked through the possible half-marathons, and have decided upon the Seattle Marathon on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 30th. I just didn't feel like I could be ready any earlier. I am really excited about completing this goal!

I feel good about finishing my current 5k program, running steady for a couple of weeks and then starting a half-marathon training program. I still have to settle on which one, but I have found a few 10 and 12 week programs, which works out well. I will be done with the 5k program on August 15th, can get comfortable running that distance for a few weeks and then start the half-marathon training program in the beginning of September.

KEEP RUNNING STRONG!

MJ

Half Marathon Dreams

Another week down and things are going well. I weighed in today at 230.6, so down 2.2 lbs! A good, healthy weight loss. Though I have to admit that I was hoping to drop below the 230 mark this week. But with the 4th of July holiday and visiting family, it was tough to put up any extra effort.

I realized this past week that I had not made any mention of my ultimate goal this year. The last few years as I approached the big 4-0, I wanted to do something BIG! At first I was thinking things like an Ironman Triathlon, but then I realized that before doing an Ironman I should do a marathon; after all, the last leg of an Ironman is a marathon. It just happens to come after the 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike!

But I never got my act together. I turned 40, still thinking big, but also heavier and lazier than ever. So when I started to get serious a month ago, the reality is that I could never be ready to complete a marathon before I turned 41 next February. But I believe that I can do a Half Marathon!

So I started cruising the race schedules, and the most convenient Half Marathon is Oct. 18th in Lewiston, ID. A flat course (a desireable benefit though I live in a hilly area) and not that far of a drive from home. But I honestly do not know if I can be ready. I found a 12 week half marathon training program that I could do after my Couch-to-5K program, but Oct. 18th does not give me enough weeks to complete both programs. Especially since I should wait a few weeks between the two programs to adjust to running 5K on a regular schedule.

My other options come a month later in Seattle or Bellingham, WA. I am not at home right now (still out of town for the holiday) so I do not remember the exact dates (I believe Seattle is Thanksgiving weekend and I think Bellingham may be a bit later), but it gives me something to ponder! Though I am leaning towards a later date, more training time just gives me more confidence in being able to complete this goal!

But we must always dream bigger, if I can do a half marathon this year, then next year I can do a Half Ironman Triathlon and/or a full marathon!

Moderation is the key

Just a quick post. Despite the whole cookie slip up last week, I still lost half a pound! I weighed in at 232.8. It was disappointing not to lose more, especially since I was down to 231.8 half way through the week, but I did learn that the cookies are just not worth it! Moderation is the key. I am considering getting brave enough to post a picture, but not tonight, other things to do but maybe next time!

Week (or Weak?) Two!

It has been a rather hectic week. Our main vehicle blew a piston, so it needed a new engine. Considering that our second vehicle is a motorcycle and we are a family of 6, we really need a functioning car! But the cost for a new engine in a suburban, and the value of a suburban in today's market, does not compute! Thank goodness for Craig's list. It only took 2 days to sell and we were able to get a lot more than the $200 scrap value that the car dealership was willing to pay. We were also able to get a good deal on a truck with a full size cab, so we can fit the whole family (more than any car we could get, and we really do not want a mini van :-\. So we had to get all that settled, and what is a crisis at one moment, is history a week later.

I weighed myself last Sunday, and was excited to have lost 5 lbs.! My weight was 233.4. But here I am, almost at the end of a second week, and will be lucky to see any loss on the scale at all. I made the mistake of baking cookies this week (twice), and all of the kids are at Grandma's house, so there was no one here to eat them! I did take quite a few to a friend, but my weakness is in the dough! Let's be honest, I simply ate too much.

Exercise wise, I have completed Week 2 in the Couch Potato to 5K Running plan, which was run for 90 seconds, walk for 2 minutes for a total of 20 minutes. This works out to 6 reps, plus a warm up. I felt really good, still feel like I could do more, but I am sticking with the plan. I also got my bike fixed yesterday, but have not been out on a bike ride yet. With my bike out of commission for the week, I was overall less active than last week because I failed to substitute any other type of activity for my planned bike rides.

So, in a nutshell: My running was really good this week, other exercise was not good. Eating was so - so, except for my cookie fiasco. We will see tomorrow how it all weighs in!

Getting Started

To struggle, to succeed, to fail and to struggle again. Such is much in life. We all have our own weaknesses to deal with, and mine for the last 15 years has been my weight. As with most, as a teenager I could eat most anything. I was active enough that I never gained weight. Weight gain really started with my first child when I was 23, but did not become a real issue until child number two! I was about 40 lbs. overweight. By child number four, I was 30 and weighed just over 200 lbs.

That was 10 years ago. I have gone up and down since then but have never dropped under that elusive 200 mark. I have been active off and on over the last five years. I have done a few sprint triathlons, a few 5k runs, and two summers ago I did an Olympic distance triathlon (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run). At the time I weighed about 215 lbs. I was a Slow, Fat Triathlete, but I did it!

There are two things that I really enjoy about triathlons and running. One is that you are competing against no one but yourself. The other is the words of encouragement that is given and received from other participants. I have especially noticed this during triathlons. While I putt along, some super athlete passes me, telling me "Good Job!" and "Keep it Up!". There is no judgment, only encouragement.

Last February I pulled a muscle that stopped all exercise. I never really got back on track (so to speak :-). During the summer I did the Couch Potato to 5k training plan and in September I did a Sprint Triathlon. It was a real struggle, I was not really prepared, but I completed it.

During that time, our business was really struggling. My reaction to stress is eating, and my weight went up to an all time high by December, 244 lbs! Our business sold at that time, but it is hard to get back doing the things that we know we should do. During this past spring I put in token efforts here and there, and at the beginning of this week, I weighed 238.4 lbs.

I have a new plan of action, that includes much of what I have done in the past (eating healthy foods and exercising), but I have also decided to record what I eat and to keep a blog. It seemed easier than a journal (something I have often thought about) and it feels like there is more accountability. After all, someone just might read it!

This week I started the Couch Potato to 5k running plan again. I get up early, walk to the track to warm up, do Week 1 of the program and then walk home to cool down. Week 1 is a 20 minute workout, 3 days a week. It is a 60 second run, then walk for 90 seconds. This is repeated for 20 minutes, or eight repetitions. I do this on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and then bike on Tuesday and Thursday. On Saturday I will do a weight workout.

So far the week is going great! I am eating really well, have run twice this week and biked on Tuesday. This morning I went for a 30 min. walk because of a flat tire (not 'pump up' flat, but a 'needs patching' flat). I know that I am already down a couple of pounds, so the week is going really well!

Well, I am sure that there is a lot more that I can say, but will save it for later posts. So for now, That's All Folks!