HOLY CRAP I HATE HILLS!

Today was the Literacy Council 10k-

My dear friend Brenda roped me into this with the lure of a low race cost ($15) and that Red Lobster was providing the Post Race Food.

 (Us - but post race!)

Normally when racing out there, I stay at my Dad's but sick kid meant instead I was up at 5:45am and out the door by 6:15am.  The whole way there debating.....  Is my queasiness race nerves or did I catch the kid's GI bug?  Oh, should I turn around?  Am I going to humiliate myself with a Code Brown?  2 bathroom  stops and was still in doubt.

BUT, I decided I was going to give it a go.  It was a beautiful morning.  Got my shoes wet walking through the grass though.

Needless to say- I did not retie my shoes and started out w/ them tied too tight.  Horrible calf pain and tightness plagued my first mile.  Stopped to loosen the shoes and figured I would give it another mile and if not better, I will turn around and DNF.  Also, decided the GI issues of the AM might have caused me to be a bit low in fuel so......  Threw in a 2 Clif Bloks for good measure.

AHHHHHH, finally hit my stride.  The hills got a little easier, my legs finally got looser and I got into my zone.  The nice thing about my pace is I was by myself.  Peaceful time in the woods.

The organizers did an AMAZING job!  Aid stations right where I needed them, 4 different areas to pee if needed (didn't til about mile 4.5).  They had some really great signs throughout that makes you chuckle!

Then got to mile 5 and knew it was time for a gut check- it was super hard at the start going DOWN the hill due to how steep it was.  What goes down, MUST GO UP??  Right then there is a sign "You know a hill is epic when it has it's own name.  Hello, my name is Ermeena"  Yeah- the race organziers KNEW the hill sucked.  But the chuckle helped....a little.  A little bit later "Your almost done, KEEP CHUGGING"...Yes and I think I was breathing so hard that I sounded like a freight train!!!

I knew it was hilly going in so I told myself I was not going to care about my time.  As long as I got it done under 2 hours I would be happy. (Yeah, lies we tell ourselves at the start right?).  I knew I would not PR but I was hoping that it would be decent.   I finished in 1:37!!!!  I was within 7 minutes of my best time so considering the hill climbs (230 feet) - I would take it.

Now- there is always official distance (6.2) and actual.  Since I tend to run like a lurching drunk, especially at the end.  How funny I thought it was HELL the whole way and my ending distance...... 6.66

And at the end........  YUP, not only Red Lobster Pasta, but also the BISCUITS and donuts!

(There was also beer.  I tried to drink one.  Managed 1 sip of the Irish Red and after that tried to drink the Light Lager - I could not even take a sip-INSTANTLY turned my stomach.  NOPE, this girl cannot drink beer)

(New racing tank too- TOTALLY love it!)

Ahhhh, Spring!

Thankfully Spring has FINALLY arrived in Illinois.  This past winter was a beast and seemed like it would never end!!!

With the nicer weather, my motivation seems to be coming back slowly too.  According to the scale, I am up 4.2 pounds since October.  My waist is up an inch.  My thighs....down an inch.

Honestly, it is OK.  I am still doing better than I have before.  I am "around" where I was 6 months ago.  I have never been able to maintain.

Now- time to get back at it and get serious!  Maintain is not the plan.  Demolish the current state is the plan!!!

NOW- when I look back at the pics from 2 months ago and yesterday- I think that I am "tighter" than I was in February.  AND-- my runs are stronger, farther, faster and hurt a hell of a lot less.

I am now able to go out and run/walk 4 miles and have no problem continuing with my day after that.
Short term goals:Make 6 miles my "regular" run at least twice a week and keep getting the core/upper body tighter and stronger to prep for the OCR's.

There is a new Pilates studio near by and thinking I may start doing the 9:30am Sunday Piloxing class.  That should help w/ it all!!!
February 25,2014
April 26, 2014            

Have a great Sunday and KEEP MOVING!!!

It has been a crazy year!

One year ago, I decided I needed to make a change.  I started a blog.  I joined a gym.  This is something I have done before but I knew I needed a plan to be sure to stick with it.

I signed up for a bunch of 5ks and a 10k to total 27.2 miles - 1 mile over a marathon in little bits.

My first 5k was on 4-20-13 and my time was 55:15 (pace 17:50/mile).

Last weekend I had another race.  My 17th.  (OMG...that is nuts..... I did 17 races in less than 12 months.)

My time and pace?  43:55 or 14:08/mile.

I am so in shock at the change!  Over 3 minutes faster per minute!  I am fast.....not yet.  Am I going to get faster?  HELL YES!!!!!  

Worked out w/ my trainer again tonight and it felt so good!  Just thinking back over my journey this past year makes me VERY emotional.  My life is a whole new one and I don't EVER want to go back.

It is not just a physical change.  I am a stronger person physically and mentally.  I am excited by what I can do.

ME- 12 months ago:

Me-Today! 

The difference--- the loss of 40 pounds, a ton of inches, amazing amounts of blood, sweat and tears and I made a bunch of new great friends!


Thanks to everyone for reading this page and following me for my blogversary!

FINALLY-it was spring!

This was the PERFECT end to my mini-vacation!  (Just 2 days off but awesome)

Thursday was errands and new running shoes (gotta love that right), dinner with an amazing gal, then an inspiration movie.  Friday headed out to my Dad's house for the weekend which always just helps relax me when I am feeling super tense.

Friday I put in a 5 mile run and today another 3.5.  It felt so amazing.

Add in that we had a PERFECT Spring day today- Sunny, 60, it was just what my sagging spirit needed.

Talked to several friends this week and we were all in the same boat.  This never ending winter just seemed to tank my will power, my drive to work out, the drive to eat right.

Hoping the large dose of sunshine today turns it around (and that more sunny days are not to far off.  I know it is a lot of work and there are setbacks.  In fact, saw this today and remember now why I need to stay the course-slow and steady, because it is a lifetime transformation and not a short sprint!

\
On a side note, today was also a glimpse of the man my son is becoming.  I had a tail light out on my car (which turned into three) and asked if he could change it.  I also wanted to have my license plate cover changed (NU Alumni!!!!) Asked him to help me and he just stepped in.  Found the maintenance section of the owners manual, changed the first one and got me to "press the brake" so he could be sure the light worked, found two more were out, changed those and took care of the license plate cover too.  14 years old!  I know a large number of grown men who would not be able to handle that!  SO PROUD!!!

Got Lucky!!!

No, I didn't win the lottery lol!

7k Today- Chicago Lakefront again- Windy and again....spots of ice.

BUT.........GOT A PR again. (And not just because it was my first time doing a 7k.)

To show how far I have come in the past year-

My first 5k last year (4-5-13), my pace was 17:49 minutes/mile

6 months ago my pace was 16:04min/mile

Last race in January I was so excited as I got sub-15 min/mile for the first time at 14:54/mile.  I was so VERY excited.

Today.......  DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....  14:03 minutes/mile.

I cannot wait for my next run on 4-5-14 as it will be a 5k and hoping to jump sub-14 now.

To some, this probably does not seem like a lightening pace.  But it is MY PACE and I am proud of it. To hold that pace for a 7k-- (which for those who struggle w/ metric is 4.34 miles)- and in parts where the course clogged and we slowed to a SLOW WALK due to ice.

My app showed a better pace and slightly longer course because it accounts for all the weaving and auto-paused if I had to all out stopped when I had to stop to tie my shoe..... (Yes, that is what pushed me over the 14 minute mark...darn shoes)

AND..... check out the splits--

 I still struggle with pre-run fueling and need to get better at it.  Legs started to cramp and I started to crap out just after the first mile-- Hammer Gel just about mile marker 2 and then things started to loosen up.  I think if I could get the fueling thing down right....   I could really rock some awesome times.

Gonna work on that for 3 weeks from now!

Didn't quite fall off the wagon but......

We all know what to do.  The formula is pretty simple- eat right, drink water, exercise.

Yeah.....  I have been in a rut for a while and been hit or miss on the food thing, the water thing and the exercise thing.  (And let's not even discuss where I am at on the supplement thing lol).

The scale has stayed stable so thankfully I won't say I fell off the metaphorical wagon but....  started sleeping like crap, the aches and pains have been coming back and my GI issues were slowly creeping in again.

Every day I would say "OK, today is the day I drink the water, cut the crappy carbs and focus.".....  and then didn't.

Woke up this morning feeling BLCH, bloated, lazy,crappy and hungry.  Decided would focus just on getting in more water before going for a run and having a healthy breakfast.  (Yesterday was "get more veggies").  In 2 1/2 hours, I lost 1.2 pounds.  Ummm...... fluid retention and other issues anyone? All I did was eat breakfast, cup of coffee and 28 ounces of water.

Felt better and went out for the run.  Legs felt like lead the whole way.  Wanted 4 miles, settled for 3.4

What is the lesson learned- my body likes cleaner eating.  It needs a higher than normal protein mix.  I need to take the supplements.  I NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER.  I MUST get in my fiber.

I have 6 days before my next race.  6 days to be true to myself and my body.  To refocus and refuel.

Half Way Gone!

Ok, it has been a crazy last couple months with the weather, holidays, illness and injury.

Needed to do a little "reality check" and realize I am only about 1/2 way to where I want to be.  Need to refocus and start sticking to my plan.

Depending on where I start "counting from" I am down about 40 pounds.

I have about 40-50 I want to lose.

(The crazy ass BMI chart says I have 80 more btw.  I think that is a little insane........)

Restocked the fridge, hit the gym, did measurements and weights.

And then there is adjusting the picture in my head.... What does the changes I made look like?  Have I made progress since the fall?  The scale and the tape measure are not showing much movement since December.

So, I thought, well, let's look at the pics from my fall runs and what I look like now.  I was looking through pictures and realized that most of the ones I have of me, I either am still hiding in clothes that don't fit or the clothes don't really show the true picture.

Case in point, yesterday I was so excited- wore a VERY fitted pair of dress pants/leggings to work and a sweater.  Felt great, got tons of compliments.  Tried to take a picture for the next "Transformation Tuesday" someone runs.  GOT VERY FRUSTRATED VERY FAST.

Now, I know we are our biggest critics and see the thing that we feel is our worst spot.  Everyone has that part they hate.  Some gals it is their butt, some their legs.  ME.....I HATE MY CHEST.  Seriously.

So, after about 20 tries, this is the "best" of last night's shots.  (Yes, my hair is a mess......)

Yes, my legs look good but my whole upper body looks HUGE.  I have hate/hate relationship w/ my chest.  The poor trainer today got to listen to me whine (again) about it.

SO....  FINE- decided to do a true "Biggest Loser" type shot- pair of shorts and my sports bra. (Yeah, this was after the gym so my hair looks even worse and no, the bra does not match my shorts....)

I feel a bit better about this one.  Yes, I still have a long way to go but dammit, you can see I have a waist!  There is the HINT of ab definition under the there.

This frustrates me to no end.  I have made significant changes in how I look but unless I wear clothes that are VERY clingy to my chest or go half naked, it is hiding under the shadow of my chest.

(And for those who say "oh, as you lose weight they will shrink"...yeah, 40 pounds gone, NO CHANGE IN CUP SIZE....Seems once an H, always an H)

I am not going to let it get me down though.  It just means that whenever I want a true picture of what I look like, my transformation etc, I have to be willing to put on the super tight t's or get down to sports bra and shorts.

But I am Half Way Gone!  For that I am proud!  Now to get the rest of the way, keep training for my SuperSpartan, and continue to try to love this new body I am working on.  Big boobs* and all for now.




(*for the record-- once I am a low as I plan to go and maintain that weight for 6 months, I will likely contemplate a reduction because dammit, they just ARE TOO DAMN BIG!)