Ultrarunnergirl

I am a runner

2012-01-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

I have a mental block towards going for a run on my own unless it's during a race. As soon as you add another person, or stick a timing chip to my foot, I'm fine, but for some reason after three and a half years of running I still have a hard time running on my own. I think it's because I feel like a fraud sometimes. I don't run fast. I skip runs. My running form leaves a lot to be desired (bunny paws, anyone?) However, if I want to have a successful season of running, I'm going to have to run on my own, at least some of the time.

I headed out this morning with the intention of running 10K. I ate a Lara bar and had some coffee. I waited for it to digest, got dressed, and ready to head out the door. First issue: my ipod was dead. It had been in my bag since the Boxing Day 10 miler. No biggie, I can run without it. Another rookie mistake: within 10 minutes of running I realized I had overdressed. I took my toque off, but had nothing to secure my hair, so that was flapping in the wind. Oh well.

My route passed by the new Goodlife gym in our neighbourhood. Earlier this week I had commented to hubby that I planned on running past the gym at some point on a particularly nice day, in a bit of a mockery of all the hamsters running on the dreadmills. (Don't get me wrong, I give props to anyone working out, but if it's a nice day get outside to run!) I ran past the windows with a bit of a spring in my step, and then quickly realized I had made yet another rookie mistake: I had not eaten enough. I had no energy. I continued on, reminding myself that it takes about 3K before I start to get comfortable in a run and fall into the groove. Things would get better.

About 4K into the run I approached the bottom of a lengthy hill. I made a deal with myself that I would run to the bus stop that was about a third of the way up the hill. I made it and walked the remainder of the hill. Once the ground levelled out I started to run again, but the energy was not there, and I had to walk a bit more. I made the decision to cut the run short and also take the route that would avoid another lengthy hill.

I was at the point where I was willing myself to run to the next hydrant, the next bus stop. I was feeling like a failure. Then I saw her, in the distance. She had the beautiful stride of a gazelle. Her hair was in a neat ponytail with a headband on. Her legs were 6 feet long. She was a runner. I was a baby elephant plodding towards her. We approached each other, and it happened. She smiled and said "morning" to me. I did the same. And then I remembered something. We were the same. She was a runner, and I was a runner. We were both part of that exclusive club.

Now don't get me wrong, there was no magical transformation at that point. My stride did not magically elongate. I did not float through the air. The remaining part of the run home was still agonizing. The wind was blowing in my face. I had to stop and walk a bit. But my lips were still curled up a little bit in that smile I gave her. Because I am not a fraud. I am a runner.

How badly do you want it?

2011-12-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

In June 2007 I weighted 187.2 lbs. I had joined Weight Watchers about 5 or 6 times in the past. Each time I went back, I weighed more. I lost weight pretty consistently each time, but stopped going, thinking either I could do it on my own, or having too much going on in my life to focus on the program. But in June 2007, my mentality was different. I was the highest weight I had ever been (I may have weighed more in high school, but I doubt it). I realized that if I didn't do something about my weight, I would just continue to gain and likely become obese. I had a lot of great things going on in my life. I was engaged, I had moved into a home. I was ready for this. So I started following Weight Watchers (on my own at first, and later joining the At Work meetings). I lost 7 lbs in 2 weeks.

In August 2007 I took another huge step. I joined the Learn To Run program at Running Room. I had made several attempts at exercise in the past. I had a gym membership that I never used. A friend and I had gone to the track a few times to walk, attempting to run a lap at a time. We didn't continue for very long. I had always wanted to run. Now I finally had the support and motivation to do it.

I was extremely nervous going to the first session. I was the slowest runner in the group. But I perservered, eventually working my way up to the beloved 10 and 1s. I ran my first 5K race and finished in 37 minutes and change. I immediately signed up for the 5K clinic.

By the spring of 2008 I had lost 32 lbs. I kept up with my running, taking the 5K clinic another 2 times before moving on to the daunting 10K. I got married in September 2008, and went on a 2 week honeymoon. The weeks leading up to the wedding were very stressful, and I abandoned WW. I gained a few lbs. During the honeymoon I gained probably close to 10 lbs. The weight gain is actually visible in the photos from the trip - you can see a difference from beginning to end.

The next few years, I followed the same cycle. Resolve to lose weight in the new year, succeed to an extent through the spring and summer, then fall off the tracks in the winter and gain some weight back. A few times I made it back to my all time low of around 155 lbs. The summer of 2010 was the last time I got there again. But the same thing happened. I hit that threshold and stopped. I went on a three week vacation where I gave up pescetarianism, and drank lots of beer. I started this year about 10 lbs away from my highest weight.

In the meantime, I continued with my running, adding in cross training like weights, boot camp, yoga, and spin. The summer of 2010 gave me my all time high in running (60K in 11.5 hours, placing 2nd in my age category and earning a plaque), and all time low (stress fracture in my shin causing me to stop training for a month and then attempt a gruelling 50 miler where I almost literally crawled across the finish line).

Fast forward to January of this year. My ambitions were high. I wanted to experience that feeling of elation I felt after the 12 hour race. I even wanted to attempt the 50 miler again, achieving a better time. But the long winter got to me, and I did not train well at all. I was not successful in losing much weight, and I had some very difficult races, and a number of DNFs.

So where does that leave me today? Well, I stepped on the scale after a week long cruise, and I am less than 1 lb. away from my highest weight. My training has been inconsistent since the weather got cold again. Things are looking kind of grim. Don't get me wrong, I am in a smaller pants size (barely) than I was in 2007. I can still get out there and run a decent distance without too much effort. I still have muscle, it's just hiding under a protective layer of fat right now. I am not back at square one, but I have a lot of work to do.

I've signed up to participate in a university research project. Monday I had my cardiovascular fitness and strength tested. Tomorrow I am having a DXA scan done that will provide my body fat percentage. And Thursday I am having blood tests done that will show how I respond to glucose. The results will be used as a control to compare against women who have been treated for cancer. The main reason I signed up to participate is to have an accurate idea of my body fat percentage. I am also happy to help with a study that will benefit women with cancer.

I am hoping to go for a long run on December 31 (my birthday). That will be the kickoff to my training program starting in January. I will have 10 weeks to prepare for my first race, so I will have to work hard and not deviate from my plan. January 3 I plan on starting the 17 Day Diet and following it consistently up until the first race (with the exception of adding in a small amount of carbs the night before my long runs, as well as including non-plan foods for my run nutrition). After the race I will begin to count calories, focussing on less carbs (particularly refined carbs), and less alcohol.

I am aiming for a goal weight of 145 lbs. At that time I would like to determine my body fat percentage again, and will go from there. I would like to ultimately aim for 21-24% fat (which is the "fitness" range for women).

I have had these thoughts and goals in my mind for quite some time. Today, the phrase popped into my head, "how badly do you want it?" I realized I want it very badly. I want to achieve and maintain my weight and body fat goal. I want to complete all the races I have set as goals. I want to have a stellar year,and set myself up for my ultimate goal of completing a 100 miler in 2013. So as 2011 winds down, and 2012 is about to begin, I will keep this phrase in my thoughts. I will follow my training schedule and not skip any workouts unless sick or injured. I will follow my eating plan, and not give into temptation. The temporary satisfaction is not worth missing out on my ultimate goals. I am chomping at the bit for a fresh start in 2012. I have a new mantra....

How badly do you want it?

Hiatus

2011-10-06T20:51:00.000-04:00

So I went to see my chiro (Dr. Rob) today. I explained what happened at the Toad and asked him if he thought running the Hamilton marathon was feasible. He said yes, on one condition. I should not run from now until Vulture Bait, and then after Vulture Bait not run until the marathon. He thinks I'm burnt out. I'm not to do *any* running or weight training until after Vulture Bait. I'm okay to do yoga. I have a massage appointment booked on Tuesday. Then the following Tuesday, after Vulture, I have an "extended" appointment booked with Dr. Rob to set up a program for strengthening my weak areas (hips, butt etc.) I asked him how long he thinks I should recover after Hamilton, and he said a month. I will re-evaulate that after the race (if I even run the full. That will depend on how Vulture goes). I want to make sure I get solid training in before the Kentucky race.

I think the break will be good for me. I will just have to watch my eating to make sure I'm not having too many calories since I won't be burning as many. Thankfully the Body Media will help me with that.

On a non-running note, the hubby is taking me somewhere for a surprise weekend. I have no idea where we're going, but it's far because we have to get up early. I need to pack tonight because there's no way I'm doing it at 5am.

"Before" pics

2011-10-04T20:05:00.000-04:00

I've decided to post some pics, since I've decided this is the "before" of my latest (and hopefully last) attempt at this weight loss journey.

I mainly blocked out my face because I look like the living dead in the first pic.

Bring on the pity party

2011-10-03T15:25:00.000-04:00

I know I said I'd post here more, and then I didn't. Mainly because it's been a busy summer, but also because I'm kind of disappointed in myself of late. Let me bring you up to speed. I DNFed at Limberlost (the theme of the summer). There was a 10.5 hour cutoff but you had to run the first 3 loops in 7 hours (so 1 hour 20 minutes per loop). The course is a beautiful but tough course, and by the first loop I was already behind by 15 minutes. There was no way I was going to make up that time. It was also a reallllly hot day. So I stopped after two loops (same as last year). I was okay with the decision, een though it meant my hopes of still getting the Norm award were not going to happen.

I went into Dirty Girls confident that I would be able to run for 24 hours. I thought at some point I might have to let Sara go on and run on my own. We started out the race running with two friends who were doing the 6 hour race. On the third loop (10K loops) I tripped on a root and landed on my right hip. I got up and dusted myself off, and continued running as everything felt fine. My hips and lower back slowly started to seize up during that loop. I also started to feel nauseous. I told Sara to go on ahead, and took some advil and ginger to try and sort things out. My stomach felt better due to walking, but my back and hips did not. At this point I was 8 hours into a 24 hour race. There was no way I could continue in that pain for 16 more hours, so I dropped.

The following weekend we had the Endurrun Sport. Friday was the 25K run at Chicopee ski hill. My lower back started to hurt after about the third loop, but I kept moving and finished. Thankfully the downhills did not hurt so I made up some time there. When I finished my right calf was quite sore. I had a massage and asked the therapist to focus on the calf, and put on my compression socks, hoping it would feel better the next day. Saturday morning was the 10K race. We were bussed out to the start, and unfortunately there were no bathrooms. I figured I would be okay since I wouldn't be running for too long. Also, my Garmin died when I turned it on. I was using my watch to time my race, which was fine since I was only concerned with finishing. The first 5K went fine, and I was on pace (around 30 minutes). The second half however, consisted of me running until I felt like I was going to crap my pants, and then walking, and then running again for a bit,etc. I finished in around 1:10, which wasn't my slowest 10K, but definitely wasn't my fastest either. The calf was still sore but I think I didn't notice as much because I was focusing on my stomach. My main concern after finishing the race was that I needed to get a new Garmin right away. I was running a marathon the next day. Sunday morning the calf hurt as soon as I got up, not a good sign. The first 13 or so K went okay. I was keeping it slow purposely. Then my lower back started to hurt. There was no way I was going to finish the race in a reasonable time. I would be the last person on the course by probably at least an hour. People would be waiting for me to finish. The awards ceremony would be delayed. I decided to drop at that point and was driven back to the start finish. I had gone to see my chiro after Dirty Girls and decided to go see him again ASAP.

I decided not to run ITT, but stayed signed up for the 30K at Midsummer Nights Run. My back started hurting about 10K in (my calf was hurting the whole time) so it ended up taking me a really long time.

Between Midsummer Nights and Haliburton I basically did no running in hopes that my calf and lower back would get better. They did not. About 18K into Haliburton I realized I was going to be out there forever, possibly longer than it took me last year, so I decided to do 50K instead of 50 miles. I walked a good deal of the remaining 30K and finished in around 11:30.

The weekend after Haliburton I ran Run for the Grapes 1/2 marathon. I kept the pace slow and managed to stick to 10 and 1s until the last few KMs when I needed to walk more. I finished around 2:30, which isn't a horrible time for me. Everything hurt after the race, but I was happy that I had finished.

I was registered for Ottawa 6 hour, but decided at the last minute to not run, and to crew Andrew and some other runners at the 12 hour instead. I decided this because my calf was sore from just walking around a bit on the Friday. I had a lot of fun and will definitely be running that race next year.

This past Saturday was Run for the Toad 50K. I was really nervous starting out, since my track record has not been good. 15K in, everything started to hurt again. So I stopped. I know I could have pushed through and just kept walking and finished, but I couldn't deal with the mental aspect of doing that. I'm disappointed in myself, but I think I made the right decision.

So where does this leave me? I have a chiro appointment on Thursday. I'm going to let him know that I am really frustrated with my calf and my lower back, and that we need to figure out what I need to do to fix it. I'm still running 25K at Vulture Bait, and I have to decide what I'm going to do at Hamilton. I will make that decision after my chiro appointment on Thursday.

I still am hovering at the same weight I've been since January. I decided to buy a Body Media arm band to start tracking how many calories I actually burn. I think I really need to focus on burning more calories than I'm consuming. Right now I've only been wearing it and downloading the data and looking at the numbers. Starting tomorrow I plan on tracking my calories again. I've been using www.myfitnesspal.com since the food databases are pretty good. The only complaint I've read about the Body Media is that the food database on their site is not good, so I think I will just use the two sites and compare calories eaten vs. calories burned. I would love to lose 10-15 pounds before our cruise in December. I've decided to give up booze for a month after Hamilton marathon. I also may do a few cycles of the 17 Day Diet in November to kick things up a notch.

With regards to running plans for next year, we've signed up for a 60K trail race in Kentucky in March. We thought a destination race would give us some good motivation to train well over the winter. So my training schedule officially starts after Hamilton. I'm following a 50K schedule from the ultraladies website. I followed the 50 mile schedule last year for Haliburton and I think it's a good program. After Kentucky I plan on running most of the OUS series again. I would love to be top 10 in my age category, and I will get the Norm award next year. We are also doing the full week of Endurrun. Other than that I will definitely not be doing as many races as I did this year. I want to be consistent with my training runs between races so that I do not have the difficulties I had this year. I am also going to make sure I am focusing on cross training as I believe that is what helped me last year. I'm planning on going to the gym tomorrow morning before work.

Today is the last day of the pity party. The focus starts tomorrow. And this time I promise I really will post more regularly.

update

2011-07-06T23:02:00.006-04:00

I haven't posted here in months! A lot has happened. I will try and do a coles notes version.

My training in the winter was lack lustre. I just couldn't get out there for the long runs! I was consistent with boot camp, and started doing hot yoga which I have been doing fairly regularly. I started a new job so my gym workouts also fell of the rails. Hopefully in the next week or two I will be able to get back on track with those.

I DNFed at Seaton due to horrible weather. There were cases of hypothermia. Pick Your Poison was another DNF due to how tough the course was. I also had a problem with my shoes being too small and my big toes were pretty bad on the downhills. I finished Mississauga Marathon but it was a horrible race. I had a cold, and there was a problem with my electrolyte blend. I bonked really badly about half-way in. I finished Sulphur Springs and Niagara. I then DNFed Creemore because of the weather
and not being mentally prepared to run on my own (my running partner had to drop early on due to back pain).

So where does this leave me? This weekend I have the Warrior Dash, which will be a fun run. Next weekend is Limberlost 56K. I will be running it on my own. There is a 10 hour cutoff, and if I push, I can finish it. This is the only other race I'm worried about finishing before the cutoff.

I've decided to run the Ottawa 6 hour race, even though it's on a 400M track. A wants to run it, and I'd been wanting to go back to Ottawa for a visit anyway. It's indoors, so it will be climate controlled. I just bought some Hoka One One shoes, so I think that will help with the sore feet I've been getting when running on road for long periods of time. By adding this race, I'm still in the running for receiving a Norm Patenaude award.

The other races I need to complete in the series are Dirty Girls 24 hour, ITT (not part of the Norm award), Haliburton, and Vulture Bait. I'm also doing the Endurrun sport, Run for the Toad, and Hamilton marathon. After Hamilton I will evaluate and decide if I will ever run another road marathon. My previous 4 have been very tough.

Monday nights I will continue to do hot yoga. Tuesday nights is trails. Wednesday is boot camp, and we usually run to and from boot camp to Deb's. I've signed up for the Runners Choice marathon clinic again so I can do the thursday night quality workouts. Fridays are a day off since we usually have races on the weekend. In the winter we will get into the habit of working out at home as this is something I promised A if he signed up for boot camp.

I continue to struggle with my weight. Right now I am focusing on restricting my calories. I need to be more diligent though. I've come to realize that I have to really restrict my eating in order to lose weight. I may mention this to my doctor when I go for my annual check up.

I've also decided to go see a chiropodist about my big toes. I need to get them sorted out as they are the major cause of concern on long races. I think if I can get them under control I will be able to finish a lot more races more successfully.

I've realized that I am still new to this ultra thing and it's a learning experience. I've already decided that my winter training will be kicked up a notch so I can go into next season feeling confident.

Finally, I'm going to try and update this blog more regularly.

Mashed potatoes

2011-01-18T21:36:00.002-05:00

We were supposed to run 26K this past Saturday, but, as the name of this post implies, the sidewalks and roads were like mashed potatoes. So we ended up doing a very slow 12K. I'm guessing it was about as much work as running 18-20K on dry ground, based on how difficult it was.

I stuck to my training plan last week with the exception of our Tuesday tempo run. I was feeling tired and ended up passing out on the couch by 9:30. It was probably a good thing I didn't run. I tried the yoga class at work, and really liked it. I'm going to go every week. The Top Shelf class is no longer offered, so I've decided to do a full body workout on Tuesdays instead. I checked my workout journal and I hadn't worked out since July. When I did my first workout since then, I didn't adjust my weights, and I actually found the workout easy. Obviously boot camp has been helping with my strength.

I didn't run tonight because the sidewalks were quite slippery due to the changes in temperature. Hopefully by Thursday things will have cleared up again.

The month of being vegan is going well. We've been good at checking labels, and finding out the nutritional information for restaurants to see what we can eat. I actually gained a bit of weight last week but I had drastically increased my activity, so I have a feeling I'll see a good loss this week.

On Saturday we're doing the 6 hour frosty trail run, and on Sunday we're doing the Robbie Burns 8K (as long as my friend Shelley is not having her baby on one of those days, as I've agreed to be in the delivery room to help her, and that's a bit more important than a race... ;))

We're just watching the end of the Biggest Loser. I find it motivating when I see the people on the show working out hard. Then it's to bed soon so I'm well rested for tomorrow.

New year, new blog name

2011-01-06T20:18:00.003-05:00

I've changed the name of my blog, and updated the look a bit. It was time for a change.

I should have run 32K on January 2. That was my intention. I woke up feeling not 100%. A was coughing and not wanting to get out of bed. And I hadn't heard back from my running partner on whether she was feeling well enough to run. After I got a hold of her and she coughed in my ear I realized it was not going to happen (A was relieved). I ended up feeling worse as the day went on, and by the end of the day Monday I was in rough shape. I didn't go to work on Tuesday. Wednesday I was feeling 90% better and went back to work. I actually felt pretty good at the first boot camp of the year. Today I did a spin class at lunch. They've increased the time to 40 minutes from 30, but it wasn't entirely horrible. Tomorrow I'll do my first full body work out at the gym in a looooong time. Sunday the plan is to run about 20K to ease us back into it. And next week Quality workouts start on Thursdays. They've stopped having the Tuesday class I was planning on starting (Top Shelf), but I found out they now have a Wednesday yoga class at lunch. I'm trying it out next week to see if I like it. This is exactly what I need. I also got a $25 gift card for a hot yoga place for my birthday. I need to try that out soon too.

So here's the plan, at least for the next 5 months: follow the 50K running schedule I found (http://www.trailrunevents.com/ul/schedule-50k.asp) which is similar to the 50 mile schedule I followed last summer. The goal race is Seaton Trail in mid April. This means running Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (possibly), Saturday and Sunday. Cross training is as follows: Rock Bottom class Mondays (and possibly hot yoga as well), full body workout at the gym Tuesday and Fridays, Yoga and Boot Camp on Wednesdays, and Spin on Thursdays. Once Seaton is done it's basically just about keeping the mileage and cross training up until Sulphur Springs 50 miler. Actually it will need to stay up for most of the summer based on the races planned. I plan on incorporating a few work out DVDs in there as well, for days that I don't feel up to running etc. I've got 30 Day Shred that I still haven't tried from last year, as well as a new Ab one from Jillian Michaels.

With regards to diet, I've joined Weight Watchers again and will continue to go to weekly meetings until I get back to goal and beyond. I'm loving the new Points Plus program already. I'm going to focus on weight loss until at least Sulphur Springs, and then re-evaluate at that time. For the month of January, A and I have gone vegan and given up booze. So far it's going pretty well. After January we may do another month of vegan, and restricted booze (ie. only 1-2 times a week MAX.) Beyond that the plan is to be vegan at least 2-3 times a week. It's totally do-able. Even on non-vegan days the plan is for clean eating the majority of the time. Obviously we will indulge in some treats after the initial "cleanse" period, especially once our mileage has increased again.

I'm excited about getting back into training mode again. I never want to go this long without following a plan again. I just feel better when I'm training. I'm looking forward to feeling strong again. I know it won't take long to get back in the game.

Boxing Day

2010-12-27T14:26:00.002-05:00

I ran the boxing day 10 miler yesterday. Although I ran my best time in the three years I've done this race, it was tough, and I did not enjoy it. I didn't eat properly beforehand, so I was hungry and had no energy. My hands started to tingle at around 13K, which has never happened to me before, especially in a race that short. Also, the seam of my tights ripped about 5K in, and I ended up with some wicked chafing on my inner thigh. So, with all of this, I've decided on my first two resolutions for 2011. Next year my training will continue for the entire year, so that when I run the race again, it will not be so hard. Secondly, I will lose enough weight so that by the end of the year, my thighs won't rub together as badly as they do now when I run. I doubt I'll ever have thighs that don't touch, but I know that the 15 or so extra pounds I've gained since the summer are definitely not helping the situation. Today I'm enjoying some time with friends, and tomorrow is a Lord of the Rings marathon. Starting in January the training will begin. January is vegan month for me, and I've also decided to give up alcohol for the month. I've registered for Weight Watchers again, and I think the new program will give me the kick start I need. I plan on writing a January 1 post that will outline all of my goals for 2011. And I need to think of a new name for my blog! Stay tuned.

Start spreading the news...

2010-12-04T19:39:00.002-05:00

I survived the NYC marathon. It was a tough course, and it took me 5:47, but I did it. The crowd support was fantastic, and it was one of the most surreal experiences of my life running down some of those huge streets in Manhattan. I ran the entire thing with my running dad Dave. We both had a tough time. There was just something about the course that was physically tough. A lot of people mentioned it afterwards.

Since then, I haven't done much running. I've been going to boot camp regularly, but our weekends have been busy so I haven't done any long runs. We did the last pub run of the year last weekend. It wasn't my best time, but wasn't bad considering my lack of training. I'm hoping to get out for a long run tomorrow, and next weekend is the Egg Nog Jog.

I've signed up for the Runner's Choice marathon clinic, so I can do the Thursday night quality workouts. That starts in January so I'm looking forward to following a routine again.

The next short term goal is to get back to the gym more consistently. I'm planning on doing that starting next week. As long as things aren't too crazy with work I should be good to go.

the saga continues...

2010-11-04T19:08:00.002-04:00

I haven't updated this thing in over 6 months. A lot has happened during that 6 month period. I ran my first marathon, had stomach problems, and finished around 5:30. I ran my first 50K, had stomach problems again, walked about 20K of the race, and finished around 7:30. Through trial and error, I discovered my stomach problems were a combination of the wrong clothing (too tight elastic on my shorts), and a need to eat properly before a race. I attempted a 56K race in July (Limberlost Challenge), and dropped after 28K knowing I couldn't make the 10 hour time cutoff. I wasn't injured, the course was just HARD. Very spongy, and you waste a lot of energy. Another good learning experience.

Fast forward to August. I ran the Dirty Girls 12 hour race. I finished 60K in 11:35 and came second in my age category. Someone came in third, so it was a legitimate placing. I also placed in one of the pub runs sometime in July. At this point I was getting optimistic about a good race at Haliburton. Three days after Dirty Girls I ran the 30K trail portion of the Endurrun. This was mentally and physically difficult, as I was still tired from Dirty Girls. I rolled my ankle at one point in the race, but was able to keep going. The following weekend, I had planned on running
the Endurrun marathon as a training run, with my BFF. I managed the first of two loops before stopping due to ankle pain. I went to see my chiropractor and while he was poking around at my ankle he pressed on my shin, which caused a lot of pain. The end result of that visit: I had a stress fracture. I had nearly 4 weeks until Haliburton, and I couldn't run more than 5K at a time. The panic set in a bit at that point. I DNSed Iroquois Trail Test, and dropped down to 15K for Midsummer Nights Run. I walked about 9K of the 15 when I felt my shin tweak. I ran one more 10K
race before Hali, and kept my fingers crossed that I would finish.

I started the race a bit panicked (tangled headphones, last minute running around etc.) Although I rolled my ankle pretty badly 3 times during the first 20K, and the course was the muddiest it had ever been, I was still on track for a decent finish. That is until it got dark. It was pitch black in the woods. I had my head lamp, and a smaller lamp that I had used in the morning. It illuminated the path in front of me, but the woods around me seemed huge. There were rumors of bear sightings. I was terrified. I sang 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall and The Song That Never ends about a
million times that night to keep making noise. I was slowed to a crawl in the technical trails. The last 10K (damn you Normac!) seemed like an eternity. I finally finished around 19 hours. My feet were the worst I'd seen them. Two pairs of shoes were caked in mud. But I finished. I didn't even want a beer when I was done. I forced myself to eat something and then went to bed. It was an uncomfortable sleep. My knees only felt okay when they were bent, but then it made my hips hurt.

A few weeks after Haliburton we flew to Scotland and I ran the Loch Ness Marathon. This was another difficult race. It was hilly, and with little training in the last two months, I got tired fairly quickly. But I found my second wind about half way through, and finished around 5:30 again. The day after we got back from our trip I ran Vulture Bait 25K. I was fine for the first 21K. The last 4 were brutal. I was just so tired. But I finished.

Last weekend I ran Horror Hill 6 hour with my BFF. We were both tired, so this was another tough race, but we managed to cover 37.5K. I'm going to run it next year, and hope to complete at least 45K. It's definitely a runnable course.

This weekend we're going to NYC to run the marathon. This will be my last big race of the year. I'm hoping to finish under 5 hours. I think I can do it as long as I stay focussed. I'm planning on running with my running dad, so that will keep me motivated to keep pushing.

Looking ahead to 2011, I have another ambitious year planned. First and foremost, I plan on writing here more often. Using it as a training log as well as a journal. We're hoping to run the Rome marathon, but we'll see how that turns out. I also plan on running the Seaton Trail 50K, Sulphur Springs 50 miler, Dirty Girls 24 hours, and Haliburton 50 miler. There will be some other OUS 50ks interspersed in there, along with being a sport participant at Endurrun, and also running the Toad 50K for its 10th anniversary.

I learned a lot this year. In order to achieve my goals next year I know that I need to train hard, and train smart. I really need to focus on more strength training, and more consistent long runs. So the plan is to take a week of recovery after NY, and then begin my training schedule again. I'm following a 50K training schedule, which officially starts the first week of December. I plan on continuing boot camp on wednesdays, and starting in the new year incorporating speed work on thursdays. I also want to do strength training two days a week, spin once a week, yoga once a week, and whenever I can, run both days on the weekend. I know this is a lot of training, but it's what I want to do to achieve my goals. Running is my hobby, it's my stress relief, it's my social time. It's a big part of my life.

the heat is on

2010-05-25T22:37:00.002-04:00

I haven't run since last Wednesday. I was supposed to run 10 then, and I ran 6. It was hot. I hate the heat. I *die* when I run in the heat. I'm running my first full marathon on Sunday. The Weather Network predicts a high of 25. So far no humidity factor. I might survive if it stays like this.

Tomorrow night I plan on running 10K (slowly) and then beginning to hydrate my body as much as humanly possible. I already carb loaded this past weekend (in liquid form) so I'm not too concerned about that.

After Ottawa it begins. My crazy schedule. My back to back long runs. My long runs during the week. No procrastination. No bullshit. If I want to survive this 50 mile run in September this is what I have to do. It's kind of scary that I'm looking forward to it....

I'll update hopefully on Monday. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a 4:30 finish. It's possible, as long as I stay strong mentally. The legs will just follow suit I think.

toes...

2010-05-17T20:02:00.002-04:00

I've been seeing a chiropractor recently to get my shins fixed, and in doing so, discovered that most of my problem is due to my range of motion on my feet/ankles. So I've had a lot of ART done (not the most pleasant treatment when it comes to feet). I've noticed a lot of improvement in my shins, but it comes with some weird other pains. Last Wednesday I did a 10K easy run, and my right ankle hurt, and was still sore the next morning. Now my second toe on my left foot is sore. I have a feeling it has to do with my big toe actually being able to flex now. My second toe is finally bending properly too, and it's not used to it.

The cause of the toe pain is due to running the Mississauga 1/2 yesterday. I had hoped for 2:10, and was on pace until about 17 or 18K, when I died. I think I was a bit dehydtrated, and since my ipod wasn't charged (because I'm dumb) I couldn't even rely on it. I had to resort to my "just keep swimming" mantra to keep me moving. I still managed to finish in 2:13, which is awesome, considering I ran Ottawa 1/2 last year at this time in 2:32. And it was pretty warm yesterday. I should have gone with shorts and a tank top instead of short sleeves and capris. But I survived. I've also broken through the mental block I have on doing 10:1s in a race. I ran this one by only walking at the aid stations. They were pretty much every 2K, so it was still pretty close to 10:1s, but I think mentally it did a lot for me in terms of confidence. Now I just need to figure out what I'm doing for the Ottawa full. That will depend on how hot it is, and how close together the aid stations are.

This week I plan on running 6k on Tuesday, 10K on Wednesday, and some trail on Thursday. We'll be away all weekend so I'm not sure how much running I'll get in, but it's no big deal since I'm in taper anyway.

I have one more appointment for chiro on Thursday, and depending on how things feel, I might be down to once every couple of weeks for preventative maintenance, which is a good thing. I just need to make sure I keep up on my stretching, exercises, and icing my shins after I run.

lazy saturday

2010-05-01T15:57:00.002-04:00

Well I didn't end up going to spin class on Thursday, because I didn't end up going to work. I woke up with the same headache I went to bed with, and knew I wouldn't be able to spend 8+ hours staring at a computer monitor. So I went back to bed and slept until noon. I did end up running some trail Thursday night, and although the first K or so I felt like I was going to barf, it got better, and I had a good run. Friday I went to work, but skipped the gym, which was probably a good thing, because Sara's plyometric workout kicked my ass, and this week was just a warm up. I sooo need to work on my core strength. The good thing is, this is what the workout is meant to do, and doing it with someone else will motivate me to push myself. I had delusions of getting up to go for a trail run at 7:30 this morning. I promptly decided against this when the alarm went off. But I figure a weekend off isn't a bad thing. I'm feeling pretty confident in my running abilities right now, and as long as I stick with the training plan going forward, I think I'll do well at my first full marathon in Ottawa. Next weekend we'll definitely do our long run, and the weekend after that is the Mississauga half, where I'm planning on seeing what I can do. I'd love to do a 2:15, or faster. This would be good prep for Ottawa, since I'd love love love to do a 4:30 there. But really as long as I finish I'll be happy.

Our friends should be here any minute, and I'm looking forward to relaxing under our new gazebo with our new patio furniture, and catching up. I really think this weekend is just what we needed (it also gave us the inspiration to get the house spotless, so hopefully we'll be motivated to keep it this way).

is it friday yet?

2010-04-28T22:33:00.007-04:00

Well I didn't actually end up running 16K at midnight on Friday. A worked late all week and was stuck at work again on Friday. We knew he'd be exhausted when he came home, and since he was doing two of the races I was, we decided it was best to skip the run. I did however have an awesome 12.5K trail run and finished in 1:30ish. Would have been second place in the Athena, or fatty category, as I like to call it, had I registered for it this time. But I felt guilty because I wasn't sure if I'd still be over 160 by the time the race came. I also PBed at the 8K, and then PBed again at the 10K the next morning, even though the weather was crap. We went to Timmy's after and I got the new chocolate bar donut that had been calling my name since I found out it existed, and then we went to MEC, where I managed to score some youth (size 5) Keen sandals for $60. Sometimes having freakishly small feet comes in handy.

I skipped the gym on Monday, and even though I went to bed at midnight Monday night, I felt rested enough so I went Tuesday morning instead. Did an easy 5K last night, almost 9 tonight, and the plan is to do around 10K trails tomorrow night. I'm also planning on doing spin class at lunch. Then Friday Sara and I try our plyometric workout, and Saturday bright and early at 7:30 is some more trails. That will be my long run for the weekend, because my first ever BFF and her man are coming to visit for the weekend. There will be some wine involved, and therefore no sunday long run.

I weighed in at lunch today and found I was 3.6 lbs lighter than last week (down to 158). Now mind you last week I had a pretty small loss, and it was due to the crazy running I did on the weekend and the fact that my muscles like to hold onto water afterwards. Somehow this didn't happen this past weekend (I really focused on drinking enough water after each race, and some elecytrolytes as well). I am officially back in the "normal" range of BMI. I'm also 2 lbs away from my lowest achieved weight since starting my journey in June 2007. I'm excited, and maybe just a little bit freaked out. I'll be going into unknown territory soon. Sure, I've weighed less in the past, but I've *never* been this healthy or athletic. I wonder what my muscles will look like as I continue to lose weight. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, but I'm definitely pleased with the downward pattern I've been following lately.

I've had a headache since this afternoon (I think due to changing weather) and my shoulders are killing me. I plan on booking a consultation with a new chiropractor next week. He's the guy that runs the bootcamp I was attending and will start to attend again once the marathon clinic is done. I think it will be good because he knows me and what my physical abilities and limitations are based on what I did at boot camp. I want to start going regularly, for preventative maintenance, so I don't start having problems with my shins etc. That and the fact that my shoulder is bugging me again after being pain free for so long is worrisome.

The bed is calling my name. Maybe I'll make it before 11 tonight...

a long time coming...

2010-04-22T19:49:00.003-04:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. I've been ridiculously busy. My intentions of writing my posts at work and emailing them home so I could post them fell to the wayside in the past while since I've been really busy at work too. Things have started to slow down so hopefully I'll be able to start doing this.

Hmmmm...where did I leave off. I ran Around the Bay in 3:38, and got to meet Mousearoo (who is totally cute) IRL. I did a 32K run the sunday after ATB, and it went fairly well. However the following weekend, not so much. I have stomach problems, where basically I get muscle spasms by my diaphragm, which causes a sharp acid pain. I originally got them when I was stressed out, back when I didn't run and was generally unhealthy. They calmed down for a while, and then acted up again before my wedding and during my honeymoon etc. After the stress of that was over, they calmed down again, and now I only get them during moments of exertion (ie. racing or hill training). I have a prescription medication that I take, but sometimes it still gets bad. I've started having Maalox before I run as well, and it helps most of the time, but every once in a while it's a lost cause. Two weekends ago I was all set to head out for a 32K run on my own, and I got about 3K when I realized I wasn't going to be able to get through it. I ended up running a slow 10K with a friend instead. I'm not too concerned about it. I'm still getting my mileage in. This past Saturday I did my first trail race of the season, a 26K run in Seaton Trail. I finished in 4:15 (and went on to run a 30 minute 5K that evening), and I felt great during the whole run in the morning. It immediately reminded me why I love trails so much, and why I decided to train for my 50 miler this year.

This weekend coming up is going to be pretty crazy. I'm doing a 16K fun run at midnight on friday, a 12.5K trail run saturday morning, an 8K saturday evening, and a 10K sunday morning. 45K in 48 hours. Should be interesting. I didn't go to spin class today in preparation for this. I'll probably still do weight training tomorrow morning, but maybe just upper body.

Starting next week I'm going to be more focussed on running more consistently. Tuesdays are still 6K runs. Wednesdays are supposed to be speedwork, but I have no interest in that, so I'll do a 10K run. Thursdays we're hoping to get out onto the trails. We're also going to try and squeeze in some Saturday morning trail runs, on the weekends we don't have races. Then there's only a few more sunday runs before Mississauga (where I'm doing the half) and Ottawa. Post Ottawa that's when my *really* crazy schedule starts.

As for cross training, the plan is to do weights 2 days a week, spin at least once. Also starting in May there's a bootcamp on monday nights that a friend and I are going to check out, and Friday nights I'm going to start doing a plyometric work out with another friend (my new BFF of running, Sara). She got the program from her chiropractor, who also trains her sometimes at the gym. He's sports specific. I'm actually planning on starting to go see him for some regular ART, to make sure my shins and other problem areas stay under control once my mileage increases. He did some stretching for me after the 5K, and we talked about stuff, and he seems to really get what my needs are.

So hopefully I'll start posting more regularly. Although probably not until monday now, since all I"ll be doing in the next while is eating, sleeping and running. I can't wait.

TGIF

2010-02-19T17:34:00.001-05:00

I made the executive decision to skip going to the gym this morning for my
upper body work out. I am very tired this week. I've been staying up late
watching the Olympics (or rather, reading while A watches the olympics).
I've run three nights in a row with the brutal wind in my face for the
first half of each run. I discovered on tuesday that my Nikes are
officially dead. They felt like two pieces of cardboard strapped to my
feet. So I tried out my new Asics on wednesday and they felt pretty good.
If they feel good for my long run on sunday, I'm going to buy a second pair
to switch it up with. I ran in my Pearls last night and they still have a
bit of cushion in them, but not much. My achilles' were bothering me on the
run. The night before, my calves were unbelievably tight. Today, my right
ankle hurts. It feels like I rolled it but I don't think I did because I'm
pretty sure I would remember doing it. This tells me I need to be far more
diligent in stretching. I also need to start doing yoga. We're thinking
of doing some trail running early tomorrow morning, and that seems far more
likely now that our plans for this evening with friends have been
re-scheduled. But at least I'll get a good night's sleep beforehand. I
haven't been on the trails in ages. I hope I don't kill myself. The trail
we're running isn't overly technical though, and it's supposed to be nice
weather tomorrow. However I'd be happy with freezing cold as long as I get
to run in the daylight. These winter nights are killing me. I'm pretty
much asking myself what the hell I'm doing running for the first half of
every run in the evening. But I keep telling myself that it will be that
much easier in the spring, if I keep doing what I'm doing now.

2010-02-07T17:45:00.002-05:00

Wow. It's been a while since I've posted. I've been really busy. I think I'm going to start writing my posts at work (because I'm a rebel) and emailing them to myself so I can post them when I get home, since this is firewalled at work. Here's a recap of the past couple of weeks. The marathon clinic started and it's rather small, so I've been running basically on my own on tuesday nights, which is fine by me because it's only a 6K run. Wednesdays and sundays since it's the group run times I've had someone to run with. I'm not too concerned if I have to run on my own because I'll be doing a lot of that in the summer with my own training schedule. But it is nice to have someone out there on the long runs. This morning I was thankful Dave was out because I forgot my Garmin so it would have seemed like a long 13K on my own. I've been pretty consistent with going to the gym although this past monday I didn't go because I was feeling off and ended up leaving work early, and this friday I didn't go either because I was too tired. But I've signed up for the "biggest winner" competition through the gym, so I get a few personal trainer sessions included with that, along with a meeting with a dietician which is pretty cool. I can also win a cash prize if I lose the biggest percentage of weight. This is just another thing to keep me motivated. I'm down to 164 which means I have 14 weeks to lose 14 lbs and complete 6 weeks of maintenance in order to get lifetime membership at this session of weight watchers. I think this is a reasonable goal considering all of the exercise I'm getting. Those long runs really help boost my weight loss. I've been having a bit of shin pain so I'm going to keep an eye on that and maybe get some ART or at least some massage done so it doesn't turn into the dreaded shin splints. I found some new shoes to try, but I want to wait until it's not snowy. My old shoes are getting to the point where they'll need to be replaced soon but they still have a few runs left in them. I'm hoping these new shoes will work for me because they're Asics so they're easy to actually find locally, not like my Pearl Izumis that I love so much. If they do work I'm going to buy a second pair to switch out with. That's about all the updates I have for now. Hopefully I'll post more regularly in the coming weeks. Now it's time to watch the superbowl.

2010-01-15T19:58:00.002-05:00

Well, after last week's lack of activity, I can definitely say that I have been bang on so far this week with fitness. Tuesday night I didn't end up doing anything because A worked late, but wednesday night I did an hour long bootcamp, thursday at lunch I did my first spin class (which nearly killed me because my legs were still sore from monday's workout and boot camp), and this morning I did an upper body workout at the gym. My weigh-in on wednesday had me down 2.4 lbs to 165. Not as big as I had hoped, but considering my lack of activity last week it was still pretty decent. I'm still diligent with counting, and I'm planning to go for a 10K run tomorrow morning (my first run since Jan.1 - yikes!), so even though we're visiting friends and will be indulging in good food and good booze this weekend, I still hope to have a good number next week. The marathon clinic starts on tuesday, so I'm excited to get back into a regular routine of running. Unfortunately it means I won't be able to attend boot camp on wednesdays any more, but I'm hoping the instructor will still be doing it in the summer after the clinic's over so I can start going again. I brought A with me this past wednesday and he really liked it so we'll probably start going together in the summer and move our wednesday night run to thursday. Which means our thursday run will be pushed to friday. Which means I'll be running thursday - sunday straight. But, if I want to get my mileage in for the 50 miler, these are the things I need to do. We were in the tattoo shop on wednesday night after bootcamp and saw Wayne, who did all of my tattoos. We were telling him about our tattoo plans after we've completed our big races in the fall (and come back from Scotland/Ireland and NYC). He's pretty excited to do them for us. Now I just need to find some examples of what I'm looking for. I'm horrible at describing it. I'll have to make google image search my friend.

We were going to see Avatar tonight but the two earlier shows were sold out. We had a pita for dinner so I've still got some points left for today. I'm going to go forage for a snack and then we'll watch 300. Those abs of steel always get me motivated to work harder at the gym (not to mention Gerard Butler and David Wenham are pretty easy on the eyes...)

Tonight was pretty mild so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a mild and un-slippy morning tomorrow.

2010-01-11T19:31:00.002-05:00

I made it to the gym this morning for my lower body workout. I don't understand why I have such a hard time dragging my butt to the gym. it took me an hour including changing and showering. I was worried that it would be busy due to it being the new year but the weights section was pretty empty. I guess most people are doing cardio. I didn't bother looking to see how many people were on the machines. I'm debating bringing my running stuff and doing 5 or 6K on the treadmill after work tomorrow because I'm going out for dinner with some work people at 5pm and therefore leaving right from work. I'm just worried it will be more busy after work. But I'll bring it anyway and see. The only issue I had this morning is that I couldn't get my cheap sports bra on. It's the kind you pull over your head. It's a bit snug and it bunches when I put it on and I couldn't get the back pulled down, so I just worked out in my regular bra. I'm going to check out old navy and see if I can get a better one. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg because I have two good ones for running but I want a separate one for the gym so I can leave it in my gym bag. I'm glad the change room wasn't busy because I must have looked like an idiot trying to pull the stupid thing on.

I've just had my dinner. Hubby is working late so he'll re-heat his when he gets in. In the process of making dinner I noticed I did two more idiot things. First, I was looking for the microwave steamer for the veggies. I couldn't find it anywhere. Then it dawned on me to look in the microwave. I looked and sure enough, it was in there, filled with the veggies I was going to cook for dinner last night. Obviously I didn't need them yesterday because I didn't even notice. Secondly, I was making stuffing and after I added the breadcrumbs to the water/seasoning mix I realized I added a cup too much of water. It ended up being really mushy stuffing. I put the casserole dish with my husband's share (who I will from this point on refer to as "A" for simplicity's sake), in the warm oven in hopes that it will dry it out a bit. I don't know what's wrong with me.

I signed up for the X-Weighted challenge thanks to the link on Mousearoo's blog (ooh, my first shout out, hehehe). It's set my goal at 8 lbs in 26 weeks which is totally do-able. There are weekly prizes and a grand prize. This will be yet another thing to keep me motivated (the biggest part probably being that I can't wait to post hawt "after" pics).

I think I'll just do some yoga tonight instead of trying the 30 day shred. My legs are a bit wobbly walking down the stairs, since they're not used to being worked out, so I want to actually be able to walk tomorrow. I got a yoga for athletes DVD for xmas (one of the nine awesome gifts A got me), and I haven't tried it out yet.

Today is day 6 of tracking everything I've eaten and staying within my points range. I've even planned out what I'm going to have for dinner out tomorrow night. I love the sense of accomplishment I feel when I'm in control of my eating. I also love that it's only 12 points for an entire bottle of wine. But that's another story.

Alright, I'm off to relax. But dishes, laundry, lunches and litter box all call to me first.

I'll leave with one final note that I just remembered. Do not use the squat machine wearing an necklace. I forgot this today and I'm pretty sure the back of my neck is bruised from the chain digging in. Oh well, I'll remember next time.

2010-01-10T13:39:00.004-05:00

My hopes of getting back onto the physical activity bandwagon this week were completely ruined by my cold coming back again. Other than playing my Jillian game and Wii Fit a bit, I haven't done *anything* physical this week. But, this was a conscious decision I made. My cold started about a week and a half before christmas, got better a few days before christmas, and then came back again with a vengeance this past week. I didn't go to work on tuesday. Instead I went back to bed and slept until 1:30. I think it's finally safe to say my cold is gone. I probably could have gone for a run this morning, but my husband and I both decided not to. I'm not too concerned. I know once I officially start marathon training I won't be missing any long runs on sundays. So this weekend was pretty much our last weekend to sleep in. Next weekend we're visiting friends in London and staying over so we'll be getting up early on saturday to go for a run instead of on sunday.

On the positive side, my eating has been 100% on track this week. I've been tracking everything. I know I'm going to see a decent loss on the scale on wednesday. The weekends are my biggest hurdle, and I've stayed on plan, and dinner is already planned for this evening.

So now that I'm feeling better, I'm going to be getting back to the gym, running, and working up the nerve to go to my first spin class on thursday. Tomorrow morning is a lower body work out at the gym, then a walk at lunch with my friend, and then hopefully in the evening I'll finally be able to try out my 30 day shred DVD. This afternoon I'm going to work on loading more songs to my new ipod touch, as well as some cool applications I downloaded. I found a points calculator, a fitness journal, and a bunch of other neat stuff. I'm excited to try them all out. All of these things will help me stick with my plan.

2010-01-04T20:46:00.003-05:00

So my plan of going to the gym bright and early this morning for a lower body workout was foiled by this cold that has crept up on me yet again. I had a bad one for about at week and a half right before christmas. I thought it was gone but it's either come back or a new one has appeared. I had a horrible sleep last night and didn't think working out would help me at all. So I plan on taking some cold medication, getting a good night's sleep, and hopefully hitting the gym tomorrow morning (provided I don't feel any worse than I do right now.) I also plan on doing hills with the group in the evening, so here's hoping I'll be up to it. But on the plus side my eating was on track today, and, even better, I found out that my husband and I made it onto a bus tour heading to NYC for the marathon in November! We are so excited. We were on a waiting list but we got bumped up because some people backed out, so now we are officially going (well, as soon as I hand in our deposit on wednesday). My lunch is all ready, so now I'm going to get into my pyjamas and watch a few episodes of Biggest Loser Australia before heading to bed early.

intro

2010-01-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd start out with a little bit of an introduction. My name is Heather. I just turned 29. I've decided that 2010 will be my year. There are a lot of things I want to accomplish this year. I thought having a blog would help me stay more accountable, and therefore help me achieve those goals. My weight loss journey started in June 2007. My running journey started in August 2007. The two kind of go hand in hand I find. I started running to help me lose weight. In doing so I realized that in order to be a better runner, I need to lose more weight. Running has become one of the reasons why I want to achieve my goal weight.

In May 2009 I ran my first half marathon. I had slowly worked my way up to it, after doing several 5K, 10K and 1o mile races. I trained fairly consistently from January to May of that year. My training over the summer was not very consistent. I was actually doing more races than I was training runs, or at least it felt like that. All the same, I had some PBs in 5K, 8K, and 10K. In the fall I ran three 25K trail races and a half marathon in the space of six weeks. I took about 10 minutes off my half marathon time, which I was happy with, considering my lack of training. I also discovered my love for trails. My first race of the "quadfecta" was in Haliburton Forest. I blew out my knees and it took me nearly six hours of agony to get through those 25K. At the end of the race, I decided I was going to train for the 50 miler in 2010. Something about being out on that trail, on my own, not racing anyone but myself, made me realize that longer distances were something I wanted to do. It helps that my husband was (and will become again) a distance runner. He is my hero and inspires me every day to push myself to my limits. I know that with him there to support me I can accomplish anything I want to.

So here's the plan: Around the Bay 30K in March, Ottawa full marathon in May, Niagara Ultra 50K in June, and Haliburton 50 mile in September. I plan on following the Running Room marathon clinic, and then beginning my own training for the 50 miler once I've done that. I found a training schedule online that has me running 5 days a week. It's pretty similar to the marathon training, except that there are back to back longer runs on the weekend. I also plan on going to the gym twice a week for strength training, doing a spin class at least once a week, and doing yoga/stretching as often as I can. I plan on following Weight Watchers in order to lose weight. I've decided on a short term goal of 150 lbs. That means I need to lose about 18 lbs (this number has increased a fair amount since before Christmas, but that was a decision I made for myself). Once I get there I'll decide if I want to lose more. It will all depend on how my body feels at that weight, and what my running performance is like.

As long as I stick to my plan I know this is something I can accomplish. I just need to be organized. I start back at the gym tomorrow morning, so today is a day of getting prepared. I'll be making up a meal plan, doing grocery shopping and doing laundry, so I don't have to worry about that during the week. I'll also be playing some Wii fit and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum today to get me back into the swing of things. I'm going to update here as often as I can, to talk about my training, my weight loss, and anything else that's on my mind. Here's hoping this will help me achieve all I want to in 2010.