I have not been able to run very much in the past three months, because of the excruciating hip pain I felt in November and again in January. I’ve been keeping somewhat fit with hooping and dance class, but not fit enough to avoid gaining four pounds. However, I went into yesterday’s half with the hope that I at least had enough fitness to finish! I worried that my hip would act up or that I would have trouble with my lungs because I just got over a bad cold. The night before, I was very careful and ate dinner at Chipotle, since I knew that was safe running food for me. I went to bed early, but was awoken by driving bass from outside the hotel window. That went on from 11pm to 2am. I gave up on sleep and chatted with my husband on Skype. I finally got back to sleep around 2:30.

Up at 5am to bundle up in my warm running tights, a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve shirt, and two jackets. I went to get my coffee and wandered toward the start area. It didn’t take me long to realize I was overdressed. Back to the room to change to my running skirt and Air Force t-shirt. Back to the start line, where I got a text from my husband and sent him a picture of me.

I started behind the 5 hour folks. If I had trained, my hopes were to start closer to the 4 hour folks, but I knew there was no chance of that now. Start was as expected… took 17 minutes to cross the start line. I took the first five minutes slow to warm up, then settled in to an 11:15 pace. That pace felt really good, except my stomach started acting up within the first mile. Porta-potty lines were VERY long (there were only about four or five porta potties every two miles or so.) I spent a total of about 15 minutes in two lines, but finally got my gastro issues sorted and was able to run. I walked the hills (see above re: detrained) which I would have run if I had not been detrained (the hills in my subdivision put Austin to shame.)

There were some very interesting runners in my area of the run. Two women were ruck-sacking it in their Army boots. One woman was wearing full firefighting gear and a tank. An engaged couple ran together in sashes, the woman in a veil and white tutu.

It was a nice run. Green Bay is still my favorite, but I would come back and do this one again. I particularly liked the “water monsters” at the aid stations– I carry my own bottle when I run, so it was nice to be able to refill it and waste one (or five) fewer paper cups. I hope to see more races adopt that. Aid stations are still awesome, and if I ever try to run less than 2 or less than 4 for a marathon, I will probably not carry a bottle, but it’s nice to have the more sustainable options for those of us who can lose a minute or two.

Lessons learned: you can never predict which part of your body will fail on the run. I guess that’s part of the fun of it! It was also nice to know I could finish a half on last year’s training. Not as fast as I would have liked, but I finished.

I don’t have another run lined up. I need to take the time to work on my base. You could say 2012 will be my base year (I’m also doing foundational work for my dancing and hooping.) I really need to work on losing that 20-30 pounds and balancing my muscles in the lower body. I’m also working on flexibility in my lower body (more for dancing and hooping, but that can’t hurt my running!) I’m going to try to do the local running club’s monthly run (choices of a mile, 5K, and 10K.) I might take on the local half in October, but more as a long run than as a race.

I know I need to figure out how to lose this weight. I don’t mind the slow and steady loss, but I’m very aware that my potential for speed is declining now (I’m 40.) I think that one key will be eating more regularly. I still have all those challenges with food (including the worry that in addition to wheat, I can’t eat oats.) It’s too much work to think about, so I don’t. But I know that if I ate three to six small meals a day, I would probably see results. (Also, a recent blood test showed low blood sugar, so my doctor advises eating three meals a day.) I’ve already failed at that today. It’s 11am and I’m still working on a medium soy latte. But I am going to lunch with Candi in an hour (after she walks her five miles.) I really don’t know how to get myself on track with the food thing. I know that would be the best thing for me, though.

Oh, my race times:
Clock: 3:17-ish
Chip: 3:01-ish
Actual non-porta-potty time: 2:47-ish

I’ll upload my Garmin map when I get my new cradle (managed to lose my old one.)

I’ve been working on aligning my back and dealing with my tight right hip. I feel like if I can get things straightened out there, I can get faster. I’m doing Trigger Point therapy on myself, along with foam rolling, yoga, and stretching. (Since I also do vertical fitness– AKA pole dancing– the stretching is focused on flexibility for that, too.) I’m holding off on significantly increasing mileage until I can get that hip loosened up.

Of course, I also need to lose weight. I did an online weight calculator (which decided based on my wrist size that I am small-framed) and it said I should weigh between 120 and 132. Sigh. It’s probably right. If I want to see how fast I REALLY can go, I should probably aim for the lower end of that range. I’m trying to lose about 20 pounds before the Austin half in February, if I can do it in a safe and healthy way and keep my energy up. I think the added mileage for training will take off about 10 pounds, so the diet will be the other half. If I am successful, I’ll be at 140, with 15-20 left to lose before trying a marathon. I think I’ll stick with half-marathons or shorter until I get to 120-130. My main diet focus is juicing, salads, and eating enough early in the day so I’m not starving in the evening. I also have to be careful that my eating doesn’t get disordered, which is very likely for me. Often when I’m dieting, I stop eating regularly and my calories drop below 1200. I can’t exercise OR lose weight with that kind of intake. So keeping the intake up at around 1700-2000, balanced throughout the day, is a challenge.

I’d love to do it completely by exercise, but I seem to be one of those lucky people who gets flulike symptoms from working out too hard, so I have to be careful. I lose almost a week every time I push it too hard. I’m trying to be diligent about taking my vitamins to try to help.

I’m vegan, hypothyroid, and asthmatic. The second two are not excuses, just an acknowledgment that my process for attaining fitness might be slower and meet more setbacks than someone who is not asthmatic or hypo. Those conditions are not stabilized, but I am much better than I was a year and a half ago!

I’m also pushing 40 (October) and would really like to get faster. I also want to run a marathon next year.

My current training scheme is running four days a week (2/1 intervals on hills, since we have hills.) Two to four days a week, I do interval body-weight strength training (http://www.bodyrock.tv.) The bodyrock workouts also involve 20 minutes of rope-skipping. I’ve been doing the running since October, the bodyrock since January. I have noticed an improvement in both my speed and my ability to push myself. Next month, I’m going to 3/1 intervals and might add a weekly long, slow run. I have two goals for my exercising– to stay fit, healthy, and strong is the main goal, and to successfully finish marathons under four hours is the secondary goal.

As for the diet, at this point, I’m not doing any serious dieting. Being wheat allergic helps cut out a lot of empty calories, and being vegan really cut out all the foods that disagreed with my running (especially cow’s milk.) I need to cut back on pop and try to eat less food more often (I’m still eating one major meal a day, which is probably not healthiest for me.) Moving really shook up our lives and we’re only now getting back to something we might call normal. If, later on, I can diet in a reasonable way that doesn’t activate any eating disorders, I might consider it to help me get faster. For running purposes, it would probably help to lose 20-40 pounds (I’m currently at 164.) But that’s something to consider later, and only if I can do it in a healthy way.

However, I don’t have as much energy as I would like and I’m beginning to realize I’m going to get old someday! So I’m rededicating myself to a healthy diet and more exercise. My right shoulder has been acting up the same way my left shoulder did way back in 1998. It took years for my left shoulder to heal. So, I’m incorporating some special shoulder-strengthening exercises into my routine to try to avoid problems. We still go to TKD every week. I can only go on Tuesdays until the end of the semester, and then I can go twice a week. I love TKD and I want to get better at it, so my daily exercise will be practicing all of my patterns, punches, and kicks. I also want to get back into running once I get over the latest cold that burned through my family.

I miss my Middle Eastern dance class, but the schedule conflicts with my Scout meetings. Sad.

The key part of my healthy diet right now is working on making my lunches again. I’ve gotten into the VERY bad habit of eating nothing all day except soy lattes and a Chipotle vegetarian bol with guacamole. It’s not that those foods are inherently bad, but I’m not fueling my body appropriately. My eating out choices are very limited… Chipotle is pretty much it for me, unless I want to eat french fries all the time (and at a lot of places, those are not vegan– I’m looking at you, McDonald’s!)

I’ve ordered some new bento accessories and will start planning a week’s worth of bento meals at a time. Last time I did that, I kept packing foods that needed to be heated to be tasty, but this time, I’m going to pack more foods that can be eaten at room temperature. I’ll incorporate my raging love for avocados into onigiri and veggie rolls, for one thing. If I have the time and energy, I will try to photograph these works of art and post them here.

My weight is around 173 and my size is pretty much 14. I can fit into clothes that are sized 12-14. My t-shirts are now easily men’s medium.

Now that I’ve done a week of summer camp, I know better what parts I need to work on to keep up with the boys. I’m working up a regimen of hiking, swimming, biking, and lifting weights. I have to order new hiking boots, since my old Sketchers nearly killed my feet. I’m ordering Garmont Vegan Hikers. I really hope they’re durable enough. If my son wants to earn the hiking badge, he’ll have to go on a 20-mile hike, and I will want to go with him. (He’ll have to do five 5-mile hikes and I think a 10-mile hike first.)

My plan is to do three Cathe weight DVDs a week (alternating Pure Strength and Gym Style), swim twice a week, hike at least twice a week, and bike once a week. I used to be very committed to working out daily, so I hope to get that commitment back. If I don’t plant myself in front of the TV all evening, I actually do have time to exercise.

I have to stop fooling around and start working out again. Losing weight without weight-training leads to saggy skin and a weirdly-shaped body. Plus, I also have to train for Boy Scout camp, which is about two months away. I will embark on a training regimen that includes 2 swims a week, 3 jogs, 4 days of weight-training, and one cross-training day. The weight-training will be Cathe Pure Strength or Gym Styles. I’m also going to fill a backpack full of books and leave it by the door to wear whenever I walk the dogs. I live on a hill, so there’s some hiking training right there. Once my camping backpack gets here, I’ll use that.

The only problem with being at this level of fitness will be that I can already out-hike some of the boys. Sad commentary on kids’ physical fitness any more. What are they supposed to do, though? They aren’t allowed to run and play any more! No running at recess. So, DS11 will be training with me, plus on nice days, I’m going to force him to play outside, even if I have to lock him out. He worries at his weight, which is slightly higher than it should be, but I worry about his fitness. It would be nice if he felt more comfortable in a swimsuit by camp.

Oh, I forgot to say, I ordered a pair of 5.11 pants and a pair of 5.11 shorts for scouts and I deliberately ordered them small, because of the rate at which I’ve been losing weight. Guess what? They fit. The shorts are women’s 12. The good news is, they have elastic waists, so I’ll be able to wear them for a while, probably even when I get into size 10.

The other weird thing is that only one person has spontaneously mentioned my weight loss! I’ve lost 30 pounds, but no one has noticed. I went from size 18 to size 14, and no one has noticed. That’s a bit weird.

More additions. A few entries ago, I talked about the size L t-shirt for Scout Class Bs. I now have a medium which fits fine. The large is… a bit large. Something weird, though, is that I’m afraid to measure myself because I have this fear that the tape will STILL say I have a 35-inch waist. Don’t know when I’ll be ready to measure again.

I also managed to get out for a run today. Even though I haven’t run since November, I was able to run continuously to the beauty shop. I then ran-walked a little further, then went back to the beauty shop and ran home. A total of 16 minutes. I was pleased to have that level of running ability after neglecting my running all winter. Then, we walked the dogs for a while.

I’m intending to get back to running at least 3 times a week in the morning, and walking the dogs for at least 20 minutes every day. We have a back yard, so they do get chances to stretch their legs, but they sure love to walk!

I’m watching the Biggest Loser marathon on Bravo right now. Poor Adrian is crying because she “only” lost two pounds in one week. What kind of crazy people are these? Two pounds is a great weight loss, yet the others are posting losses of 12 pounds and nine pounds and such. I know why Adrian is so upset, though. She was crying because people always told her she was destined to be chunky. I was told the same thing, even though I was at a healthy weight and size for my height. But I was told that was not acceptable. Even when I wasn’t fat, I saw myself as fat. Everyone TOLD me I was fat. And I wasn’t! Even now, when I know my “normal” weight is healthy, I still see those stupid Nutrisystem ads where a girl crows because she went from a portly size 8 to a size 2. The only acceptable weight for a woman is almost a negative size. It’s really hard to overcome those kinds of messages.

But one thing is true. My current weight is unhealthy for me, so I must lose weight. But I’m going to do it in a healthy way. I’m going to eat healthy food and track it on SparkPeople, I’m going to exercise 5-6 times a week, I’m going to practice yoga and meditation, and I’m going to keep a positive attitude. I’ve started a new off-line journal for motivating pictures, thoughts, and ideas. Maybe I’ll scan in some representative pages when I’m about halfway through.
My rotation for the first month of January involves getting back in running shape, since I haven’t run since November. I’m also going to work on getting back into weight-training shape.

• Monday- Cathe strength DVD
• Tuesday- Run on campus
• Wednesday- Rest?
• Thursday- Run on campus
• Friday- Cathe circuit DVD
• Saturday- Long run
• Sunday- Core, walk

2006 in review:

The Good:

• Went vegetarian, then vegan in August
• Started running in April
• Got a SparkPeople account
• Got medical treatment for an issue that might affect my weight
• Went to bellydance class almost every Monday in 2006

The Bad:

• Did not get back into lifting weights
• Did not sleep enough
• Ate too much junk before August
• Stopped running in December

The Mediocre

• Joined eDiets

2007 Resolutions

• Get maximum points on SparkPeople every day
• Run or do other cardio 3 times a week
• Lift weights twice a week
• Eat a 50% raw (or higher) vegan diet (increasing slowly)
• Get back to bellydance class as soon as possible
• Take the free yoga and meditation classes on campus, if possible
• Listen to meditation audio 2-3 times a week

Obviously, I hope to lose all of the extra weight this year. I can’t set a number, though, because it just doesn’t work. I just have to try to do everything that I know should work.

I want to be a success story in 2007.  More so, I want to be a success story by June.  I went through my old photo album from my early 20s the other day.  I miss looking like that.  I have a picture of me in Berlin in 1998, and I was normal weight then.  I always thought if I lost the weight from having my baby, it would not be a problem to keep it off.  Of course, I think there were so many issues involved in the weight gain and the inability to lose it that I can’t pinpoint any one thing.  It’s just unbelievable that I have been completely unable to lose it.  I’ve gotten a Master’s degree– I’m obviously not dumb.  So how is it that I can’t do something that is portrayed as “so simple”?  But that kind of thinking is not helpful.  I need to stay positive.  I WILL be a success story in 2007.