Bring it on

I still can’t believe that 2009 is coming to an end. Another decade gone. Time to reflect on the past year and set goals for 2010.

2009 was my year. Although I started my weight loss journey and running in 2008 – it wasn't until this past year that I got it. I came to realize that I am going to have to think about what I put into my mouth and how much I exercise for the rest of my life. Once I came to terms with that, it all made sense. Yes, I screw up (cough 2lb gain this week cough) but I always pick myself up and continue on. I don't think that I can go back to the old Amanda. I can’t even imagine eating the way that I did. I can’t imagine not running. This is my new life. I am proud of myself. I did all of this. I had lots of support but in the end I did this. I lost 100lbs. I ran 10 races this year. I ran a half marathon! What are you proud of this year?

I haven't finalized my 2010 goals but here is what I have so far:

• Reach my WW goal weight of 169 and possibly get down to 155 (I am not sure yet if I want to lose that much)
• Run a full marathon (hopefully I am accepted into the NYC marathon)
• Improve my half marathon time (is 2:15 too ambitious?)
• Run a 5k in under 28 mins (my PR is 29:57)
• Help others with their weight loss journey (possibly help out at WW? help a friend lose weight?)
• Save money 
• Get organized (actually use all the coupons I cut!!)

Bring it on 2010! I am ready!

Change of plans

I bundled up and headed out for a run this morning. 5 minutes into the run I turned around and came back home. I will run during lunch at my gym – it’s warm there.

 

I Survived

Well, its done. Another Christmas in the books. The weeks of stress and anticipation are gone until next year. I will always miss the feeling you used to get as a kid waiting for Christmas. Why did it feel like the days before always took forever but now you blink an eye and its 12/23! I really hope that every one of you had a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family & memories.

In this post I mentioned that I had gained 3 weeks in a row since reaching the 100lb milestone. Luckily for me my weigh in day is Wednesday which means I got to weigh in BEFORE all of the holiday madness. I am happy to announce that I lose 3.4lbs which puts me at a grand total of 101.8lbs. I really needed that loss. I think it put me in the right mind frame to take on the holidays. I am not saying that I ate great because in fact I did not. I indulged in too many cookies. I ate even when I was full but I realized that it was ok. Yea I might gain but just as easily as I gain the weight, I can also lose it! I am great at getting back on track the next day and I am proud of myself for that. I am hoping to weigh in on Wednesday with a small gain because to be honest I always expect a gain. I ran on Thursday & Saturday. I hit the gym hard yesterday and plan on going the rest of the week. Exercise is essential. If I didn't work out as much as I do I would not be successful at this weight loss journey. I read that anyone that has been obese and lost weight must work out for an hour 5-6 days a week to keep the weight off. I really think this is true (at least for me). I tried losing weight and not exercising – you know what happened? I lost 70lbs in 7 months, stopped WW and gained all the weight back plus some!

Anyone that is having a hard time getting back on track take my advice and just do it. Don't wait until January 1st – do it now! You need to make a conscious effort. Journaling always helps me. Get rid of the goodies left in your home. There is no need to torture yourself! Last but not least, do not beat yourself up if you see a gain. The average woman gains 7lbs at the holidays! The difference between you and the average woman is that you are going to get back on track now!

I will leave you with some pictures

 

 

10k PR

This morning I set out to run a 10k. I wanted to see how quickly I could do it and it would be my longest run since my half marathon. First thing I did was check the weather. 10 with a wind chill of 3 degrees. Here we go again…. I dressed in the same outfit from the other morning. I started out cold but warmed up very fast.

This run was awesome. It was 8:30am so there weren't many people out and I felt like I owned the streets. I felt good the entire run! Half way into the run I knew I would easily beat my first (and only) 10k time of 1:10.

• Mile 1-11:07
• Mile 2-10:37
• Mile 3-10:08
• Mile 4-10:30
• Mile 5-10:16
• Mile 6-9:27!!!
• .2 –10:31

6.2 miles  1:04:13   10:21/mi

Woooohoooooooooo!! I took 6 minutes off of my time! I also need to mention that the 10k race I did in April was 100% flat and my run today hills!

I need some tips for warming up after a run. When I got home I was FREEZING. I was shivering, my entire body was red and I had goosebumps. I tried so many things but nothing worked. At one point I googled frost bite thats how bad it was! I am thinking I should invest in a wind breaker?

Me & my bright ideas

A few days ago I was checking out the local race schedule to setup 2010 and I came across the HMRRC Winter Marathon & Relay. I immediately decided that I wanted to do the relay. The question was who would I run it with? I quickly sent emails to Felice & Suzy and they have both agreed!!!! So the 3 of us are insane for running a marathon in the middle of winter in Upstate NY but I have a feeling its going to be a blast! Anyone ever do a marathon relay? Any tips for us?

I was forwarded this link the other day from a running buddy and I am very intrigued! Has anyone participated in a Warrior Dash? It looks like a ton of fun! The “race” takes place in September so I have plenty of time to decide.

I am a popsicle

This is what I saw when I got back from my run this morning. Before I left the house the temp was 14 but felt like 2. Holy frozen snot! I’ve never been so cold. I usually get really warm and end up taking off layers – not today!! I wore the following:

• Long running tights (holiday gift from my boss!)
• Nike tempo shorts over the tights(to keep my bum warm)
• Long sleeve compression top
• Nike Livestrong jacket (xmas present from me to me)
• Headband/earwarmer
• Gloves

Next time I will probably throw on another pair of lightweight pants. I also need to get something to cover my mouth & nose. I warmed up towards the end but my face was always cold. When I got home I could not stop shivering! I shivered in the shower. I am still cold! This will certainly be an interesting winter. I am proud of myself for getting it done even if I am a popsicle.

Is everyone ready for Christmas? I had good intentions and I started out strong but I just cant handle the crowds. I try and do most of my shopping during my lunch hour but going to the mall 8 days before Christmas regardless of the time of day sucks!

I haven't mentioned my weight in awhile. To be perfectly honest I have gained EVERY SINGLE WEEK since I reached 100lbs. Not huge amounts of weight but enough to make me mad. Seeing a + 3 weeks in a row is a hard pill to swallow. This weeks weigh in was especially bad but I weighed in on Tuesday night instead of Wednesday afternoon so I know that had a lot to do with it. My friends keep telling me “its ok”, its the “holidays”, “everyone gains this time of the year”. WHY? There is no reason why I need to gain weight because of the holidays! I have been on this weight loss journey for 23 months – I should know how to make the right choices. I do not and will not deprive myself of seasonal favorites but I need to do it in MODERATION. I do not have to eat every single cookie that is put in front of me. I have been doing my best and I am proud. This time last year I let myself “enjoy” the holidays and ended up with a 7lb gain come January. It took me weeks to get back on track. That will not happen this year.  I have made a promise to myself to run as much as I can and kick some serious ass in the gym. As I said before, I will enjoy the goodies but I will try to balance it out with exercise. How do you handle the holidays? What is the hardest thing to resist? Mine problem is holiday cookies!

Last but not least, I will not be running a 5k this weekend. The race I wanted to do is sold out! That is what I get for procrastinating. In its place I will attempt a 10k on my own (longest distance since being injured).

2 Races + 1 Weekend = Fun

Race #1 was the Jingle Bell 5k for Juvenile Arthritis. The race was in Saratoga which is about 30 mins away. When I woke up the temps were in the teens! I contemplated going back to bed but luckily for me I was meeting a friend at the race and I didnt want to let her down. I left my house at 7:40 and got to the race around 8:15. I got my packet & tshirt (which is an adorable reindeer and says May all your miles me merry! Awwww) and did some stretching. At this point I was FREEZING. I checked the temp from my phone and it was 19 degrees at start! I quickly found my friend and it was time for the race to start. I started out with my friend but I felt surprisingly good so I took off. I will say that this race was the most difficult 5K course I have ever run! It was hill after hill after hill. It was really brutal. There was one really fast downhill that I took full advantage of. Despite the hills I felt awesome. I eventually got really warm and my ear warmers came off, my gloves came off and I pushed my sleeves up – remember it was 19 degrees out! My best mile was Mile 2, I really got into a groove and I felt like I could run at that speed forever UNTIL I met the incline from hell. The last mile was a steady incline and my pace dropped dramatically. I felt like walking but I just kept chugging along. As soon as I saw the finish line I picked it up as much as I could. I really wanted the race to be over.

Garmin time: 30:44 (9:51m/m)

• Mile 1-10:11
• Mile 2- 9:25
• Mile 3-10:08
• .12 – 8:20

Clock Time: 31:08 (10:02 m/m)

Race #2 was the first race in the Winter Series put on by my Road Runners Club (HMRRC). This race was at the University and I was happy to find out that they provided child care! The best thing about these races is that they are free for members. I got to the race and almost immediately Suzy spots me! We chatted and went out to start the race. It was a cool 26 degrees but that was nothing compared to yesterday! I dressed lighter then yesterdays race because I knew I would warm up quickly. The gloves and ear warmers still came off about half way into the race. Thankfully Suzy stayed with me the whole race. I was worried that I was holding her back but she didn't seem to mind at all! I was definitely feeling the fact that I was running my 2nd race of the weekend and I was so glad to have someone there to talk to and get me through. I don't think I would have done as well if I was alone. THANK YOU SUZY! When the finish line was in sight I saw that it said 29:xx and I pointed it out and we took off, we both wanted to finish under 30! The worst part of the day was that my garmin didn't start working until a mile in. The splits below are from Suzy’s garmin.

• Mile 1: 9:27
• Mile 2: 9:41
• Mile 3: 9:50
• .05 mile: 0:18

Clock time:  29:24

Watch time:  29:18

The race was a 3 mile race but came up at 3.05. Not a 5k but I kind of want to use it as my 5K PR (but I wont lol). I am shocked that each mile was under 10 min/miles considering how crappy I felt.

Overall, my weekend was fabulous. I met a bunch of great people and ran 2 great races!

WUSS

I wuss’d out yesterday morning. But let me explain. We received about 8 inches of snow on Wednesday. I went to bed Wednesday night with intentions of getting up in the morning to run. My alarm went off at 5:50am. I looked outside and saw that the streets were clear. The little voice in the back of my head said; “go back to bed Manda, its going to be icy out there. It’s still dark – you wont be able to see where you are running. You are a klutz – you know you will fall and get hurt”. I listened to that nagging voice and went back to bed. I probably made a smart decision but I still feel like a WUSS. I ended up at the gym during my lunch hour and ran for 25 mins. I’ve been having a hard time running on the treadmill post injury. BLAH!

I have 2 races on tap for this weekend. My plan is to run 1 of the races “easy” and the second for time. I haven't decided which race will be easy. I guess I will figure that out tomorrow! The high for tomorrow is 27 degrees, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. That will either be really good or really bad. Sunday is race #1 of a 5 race series put on by my Road Runners Club. The races are free for members and there are usually 2 options (3 miles or 15k), I will be doing the 3 mile. These races are very small and there is a chance I will come in last but I am ok with that. Good thing about the series is that they offer child care - my daughter is excited she gets to come along.

At some point this weekend I need to finish up my Christmas shopping. I cant seem to get into the holiday spirit. I feel like I am always worried about something. I worry about money. I worry about buying the perfect gifts. I worry about eating too much food. I want to bake but I know I have no self control. All of this is putting a damper on the holidays and I need to get over it. There are only 2 weeks until Christmas! I know I will be pissed at myself if I let my crazy mind take over the fun of the season.

I’ll be back at some point this weekend with race recaps.

Stay Warm!

Running dates & winter running

Thanks to everyone that commented on my last blog about the RAGNAR NY relay race. I am not ready to put together a team. To be very honest - I don't think I even want the responsibility of being the captain. As I said before I am not a very organized person and something like this would make me a ball of nerves. After the holidays I am going to look for a team that needs a member. Anyone looking??

Saturday I had a running date! I joined Daily Mile a few weeks ago and ‘friended’ a couple of local runners. I’ve been chatting with this one runner and she asked if I wanted to meet up for a run. Of course I said yes, I’ve been dying to find a running partner. So Saturday morning I set off to meet her at a local bike path. My goal for the weekend was to do 5 miles which would be the longest distance since the half marathon on 10/11. I was nervous at first because I am dealing with a bit of chest congestion and I knew Melissa was faster then me. I love running with someone else! We knew nothing about each other so we had plenty to talk about and the miles ticked by quickly. We completed 5 miles in 52:09 which is the FASTEST I have ever ran 5 miles! I felt pretty good at the end too. My hips and IT Band were really tight but I figure that will probably always be the case.

5 miles     52:09       10:25 min/mile

• Mile 1- 11:01
• Mile 2- 10:10
• Mile 3- 10:02
• Mile 4- 10:33
• Mile 5- 10:20

Winter has officially arrived in Upstate NY. It snowed on Saturday and the temps are in the 30s. There already is talk of a “substantial” snow storm for mid week. GREAT. I hate the snow and I get nervous just thinking about driving in it. I was traumatized last winter after a 3 hour drive home (normally a 20 min drive!) from work. This time last year I joined Planet Fitness because I had zero plans to run outdoors in the snow. This year I am going to try my hardest to do all my runs outside. To make this successful I need new sneakers (mine are all mesh and my feet get soaked in the rain) and some type of grips for my sneakers. It should be a very interesting season. Just thinking about running at 6am in sub zero temps gives me the chills  - I am so not ready!

I want to do this!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a flyer in the mail and I immediately went onto the web to get more information. I WANT TO DO THIS!!!!

 

It is a 12 person relay race from Woodstock NY to the Bronx. It is approx 175 miles. Each person would run 3 legs of the race ranging from 3 – 8 miles. Holy shit; it seems like such an amazing thing to do.

Some problems:

1. I don't know 11 other local runners
2. I am not good at organizing things
3. You need 2 vans that are capable of holding 6 people each

Any suggestions on how to get something like this organized? Anyone interested? Does anyone know of a group that is looking for a runner? The fee is $90/runner if registered before 1/31/2010.

I am so worked up! I feel like I have to do this!

Here is some info from the site:

PICTURE THIS: Hippies. The City that Never Sleeps. You and 11 of your closest friends running day and night. Starting in the legendary town of Woodstock, NY, your team of 12 maniacs will rock out on a 175 mile adventure-fest sure to thrill you. The party in your van will only get better as you leap frog your way past the breathtaking views of the Catskill Mountains over the Mid-Hudson Bridge and through many charming country towns. The race (and your stamina) will wrap up in the best of the five boroughs in the Big Apple, The Bronx.

 

Running three legs during a 24-hour relay race is much easier than you think. Each team member runs three legs, ranging between 3 and 8 miles. This relay race is physically demanding, but legs vary in difficulty, and runners can choose their legs. This unique relay format makes the Ragnar Relay an accessible race for beginners yet challenging enough for the most competitive.

How do you get from one exchange to the next? Each team is allowed two support vehicles. The first vehicle will drop off the first runner, drive ahead a few miles, cheer the runner on, and provide them with water, snacks, and plenty of love. That vehicle will then drive ahead to the first exchange point to drop off the second runner and pick up the first runner when that leg is complete. They will repeat this pattern for six legs until they hand off to their second vehicle. This leapfrogging pattern will continue all the way to the finish line.

In addition to flawless logistics and a beautiful course you will receive:

Live music along the course!	Tech tee's for all participants
Medals for all course finishers!	Awards for all division winners!
Best decorated vehicle award!	Award for the best team name!
A rocking finish line party!	T-shirts for all volunteers