This morning I ran my first half marathon, and it was a day of many 1sts. Not only was today my first half marathon, it was my first race of any kind other than a 5k. Generally people take some stepping stones, a 10k, a 12k but I missed the 10 for Texas race a couple weeks ago, so I went straight from 5k to half marathon. Its also probably a little strange that my first half marathon is also the longest distance Ive ever run; training, race or otherwise.
Preparation for this morning actually started a couple days ago. Ive been reading about the right way to carbo load, and if its even really worth it. There are lots of methods and suggestions for how to do it, but what I basically did was start eating a little more carbohydrate in my regular meals, rather than just piling on one full meal of tons of carbs. Other than maybe making my meals a little heavier than normal, this wasn't a difficult task. I woke up at 4:00 this morning, which is my usual long run time anyway so that I can eat breakfast and hope to give it time to make some natural courses before running time. I had everything laid out, so after getting dressed and eating some oatmeal, I grabbed my bag, a banana and a G2 and headed out for the race.
After a bit of a fiasco of parking even an hour before race time, I made my way over to the In Flight (my running club) tent. I walked around for a bit, said hello to some running friends from other clubs and basically let myself get appropriately nervous. With about 15 minutes to go before the start we took off on a little warm up jog. The weather was probably already in the 70's, much warmer than ideal, and it was frankly pretty humid, shocking, I know, for Houston. I probably said, and heard, ten times "why couldn't we have run this yesterday when it was 15 degrees cooler in the morning?"
After a little warm up it was time to take my place in the mob. My only goal time wise for this race was to finish in about two and a half hours. Most of the running calculations Ive been looking at were telling me a 5 hour marathon was within grasp so I was hoping for half of that. To break it down further I wanted to run it about an 11 minute per mile pace, figuring in my head that that would get me pretty close to 2:30. I lined up what I thought was about 1/2 way back, looking around to hopefully see people who looked like serious runners, but also weren't, as my sister calls it "too in it to win it" looking. I felt pretty comfortable with where I was until literally the gun went off and I looked to my left to see my friend Lisa just a few yards a way who is waaaaaay faster than I am. It doesn't really matter other than I didn't want to have to worry about getting in the way of runners who were a lot faster than me, because I know how frustrating that is. Luckily it wasn't ever an issue and the start when off really pretty smoothly, except for the group of about 10 walkers who decided to start at the front and get in EVERYBODY'S way. I like walkers fine, they don't bother me, but etiquette just says you should start further back.
Today's course was 3 loops of a little over 4 miles each. Its not ideal because frankly it gets a little boring, but it wasn't too bad. It was mostly dark for the majority of the first loop, so the second loop really almost felt new, but the third was brutal.
So, now for some things I did right, and some things I did wrong.
1. One thing I did right is that I didn't start too fast. Ive done it before and I frankly do it too often even on training runs. I get caught up in the excitement or just the idea of having a good run and I blow out half way through and the rest of the run is a struggle. I knew that at some point this distance was going to require a certain amount of "gut it out" running, but I was hoping to delay that feeling as long as possible. I'm lucky that I didn't really feel like I was gutting it out until about mile 9 or 10, and even then it wasn't even as painful as I was expecting. I was tired, I was hurting, but I "conserved" enough to be able to really run hard the last 2/10 of a mile, you know, so I looked good coming across the finish line :)
2. One thing I did wrong was say to myself "You know, I kind of like these hills, they break things up and keep it interesting." You just dont play with the universe like that. As I said this course was 3 loops. Each loop had 2 underpasses on each leg, meaning that I ran up and down 12 underpasses. On lap one and even two, they did kind of give a change of pace and I was feeling good enough that I made this assanine statement to myslef. On loop number 3, these hills were not my friend. The last one positively made me want to vomit blood on my driveway. (sorry, you have to listen to the radio station I listen to in order to get that reference, but dont worry, I dont really vomit blood.)
3. I somehow did a pretty good job eating and drinking on the course. With as warm as it was and the distance, it was important that I not only drink water, but also take some electrolytes, carbs etc. Im really not a fan of gatorade, especially while running because during a race its that hand mixed, over concentrated endurance formula junk that stays in your mouth for twelve hours and... well I dont like it, so I opt to bring little shot blocks with me, which are basically energy gells in gummy form. The only problem with these things is that they are sticky as all get out and so they are hard to get out of the baggy and when you do you better have some watter to wash them down or you will be chewing on them for days. On the last loop around mile 10 when I was feeling pretty tired, I figured Id take a cup of gatorade to hopefully get a little boost from it. I shouldnt have let me talk myself into that because of course, the guy handing off the gatorade spilled it all down my arm so I finished the race with the taste of that mess in my mouth and a sticky right arm and hand. Luckily I was sweating like a pig and it didnt stick around too badly.
Some of the funny things I heard on the course today:
- From a spectator sitting on the curb downtown, "Good job runners, yall look a lot better than the people that just ran by a few minutes ago, seriously!"
- From anothe runner on her third loop "How can these hills only go uphill, doesnt physics demand they go downhill at some point?"
- "GO WILL!!! MAN YOURE SKINNY!!!!" Thanks Anna. Ok, maybe thats a little self serving, but hey, I just ran 13.1 miles.
- "Youre almost there!" Said someone standing literally next to the 5 mile marker.
- A time/pace caller tried to tell me I was running at a 7:04 pace and got mad at me when I told him he was crazy if he thought I was running that fast.
All in all I had a really fun race, I came in unnoficially at 2:20:29 so I came in a little under my goal. I ran an average pace of 10:37 per mile which was a good bit faster than I expected. I realized about mile 6 or 7 that I was running that pace consistently and several times thought I had slowed down, but I actually ran it pretty consistently. My fastest mile split was 10:12 and slowest was 10:53. Other than those two, every one was right around 10:30. One of the coolest things was that I got my first piece of "hardware" today. Every race up to this point just gave a t-shirt. Today I got a medal and a running singlet. Cool bonus fact, they designed this medal to be a piece in a set. If I run this race three years in a row, the medals actually match up to form a bigger medal. Cool huh?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
If I had been smarter
If I had thought about it, I would have kept a log of all of my marathon training for posterity's sake, but I haven't. However, as Ive learned, and keep learning, its never too late to start anything.
For more than one reason, September, and now October, have been my hardest training months. In September I really had to figure out how to train, eat and work at the same time. Being a teacher and having summers off makes summer training pretty easy, well at least the scheduling of it. In the past on those many, many days that I would finish school and just feel completely worn out, I would leave school, head to a drive through, gorge about 1500 calories, and take a nap until it was time for dinner, gorge another 1500, then come home, watch TV and go to sleep. Granted, this is even hard to type because its so embarrassing to admit, but in addition to being horrible for me it was SO EASY! Now, even when I do get worn out or have a bad day, I still have my running to do. Luckily, running is still fun for me, and I don't see it as just another thing I HAVE to do, its something that I get to do.
NOW, that being said, running is hard. I'm a running fanatic, I think about it, do it, research it, talk about it, etc. as much as anyone I know, but its still stinking hard. Ive written before about settling down and really feeling like a runner, well I realize that feeling like a runner actually entails a good amount of redundancy. I run over and over and over. Same places, same distances, same times, etc. When I first started I was breaching huge milestones, running races, confetti was plentiful, the world was fresh. Well I haven't raced since August, so for two solid months its been train and train and train. Luckily I have my first half marathon next week, and I'm hoping it will provide a much needed boost to my running. For me at least, I realize that racing regularly will be important. I'm not trying to win anything, but getting out there in the spirit of race day has a very specific effect, and its an effect that I need to keep going.
I am still hitting distance milestones. Every week in fact. My first ten miler was about 3 weeks ago and tomorrow I will run 12. My weekend long runs are still going excitingly well, but the week days are getting harder and harder. My running partner, Anne, has developed our new Mantra, "Crappy weekday runs make for great weekend runs."
I'm already having really crazy thoughts about what to do after my marathon is over. On one hand I guess that's good because it means that I'm not even considering if I finish the marathon, but when. As hard as all of this is, I'm confident in the fact that I am being consistent and working hard. Save an injury, which could always happen, I feel like Ill be ready for January. Houston half marathon next weekend, San Antonio half marathon in Nov. and then the big one on January 17th, It will be here before I know it.
For more than one reason, September, and now October, have been my hardest training months. In September I really had to figure out how to train, eat and work at the same time. Being a teacher and having summers off makes summer training pretty easy, well at least the scheduling of it. In the past on those many, many days that I would finish school and just feel completely worn out, I would leave school, head to a drive through, gorge about 1500 calories, and take a nap until it was time for dinner, gorge another 1500, then come home, watch TV and go to sleep. Granted, this is even hard to type because its so embarrassing to admit, but in addition to being horrible for me it was SO EASY! Now, even when I do get worn out or have a bad day, I still have my running to do. Luckily, running is still fun for me, and I don't see it as just another thing I HAVE to do, its something that I get to do.
NOW, that being said, running is hard. I'm a running fanatic, I think about it, do it, research it, talk about it, etc. as much as anyone I know, but its still stinking hard. Ive written before about settling down and really feeling like a runner, well I realize that feeling like a runner actually entails a good amount of redundancy. I run over and over and over. Same places, same distances, same times, etc. When I first started I was breaching huge milestones, running races, confetti was plentiful, the world was fresh. Well I haven't raced since August, so for two solid months its been train and train and train. Luckily I have my first half marathon next week, and I'm hoping it will provide a much needed boost to my running. For me at least, I realize that racing regularly will be important. I'm not trying to win anything, but getting out there in the spirit of race day has a very specific effect, and its an effect that I need to keep going.
I am still hitting distance milestones. Every week in fact. My first ten miler was about 3 weeks ago and tomorrow I will run 12. My weekend long runs are still going excitingly well, but the week days are getting harder and harder. My running partner, Anne, has developed our new Mantra, "Crappy weekday runs make for great weekend runs."
I'm already having really crazy thoughts about what to do after my marathon is over. On one hand I guess that's good because it means that I'm not even considering if I finish the marathon, but when. As hard as all of this is, I'm confident in the fact that I am being consistent and working hard. Save an injury, which could always happen, I feel like Ill be ready for January. Houston half marathon next weekend, San Antonio half marathon in Nov. and then the big one on January 17th, It will be here before I know it.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sundays
Im a bit hesitant to write about whats on my mind this morning. Ive almost written about it several times, but it always sounds really whiny in my mind before I sit down to write about it, but this morning I just cant get it out of my mind. In addition to feeling like Im whining, I also feel like what I have to write about flies in the face of what the "new Will" is all about. The new me is happy, energetic and confident, right? Well, while I am happy to admit that for the most part those things are fairly true, but then there are Sundays.
I look forward to weekends the way I would imagine 90% of people do, which is to say I live for the weekends. My weekends are slightly different now, in that there are very few long nights and sleeping late, and Im perfectly happy with that. I usually spend my Friday evenings relaxing, and generally eating a good, substantial dinner because what Im really looking forward to comes on Saturday mornings. Those are the days I go on my long training runs. I run 5 days a week, so just the running isnt as monumental as the fact that I get to run for a long distance without any real worry about getting ready for school or getting somewhere in a hurry. Plus I get to get around other people, talk about running or whatever and generally make an event out of it. The rest of the day is spent recovering and taking care of around the house stuff that I have become a professional at neglecting during the week. Then theres Sunday.
I hate Sundays, and Ive come to realize theres a lot of reasons why, but again, all of them seem to be so self serving and petty. I guess I should start by why I used to love Sunday mornings, and the truth is I guess I hate them now for the same exact reasons I used to love them. I used to always be able to count on Sunday as the day of rest, where you didnt have to worry about anything other than relaxing and just being. Now, when you are with someone (see I told you this was going to turn into a whine festival) you cant beat this type of open schedule day. You can spend the day talking, or not, spending time, or not, basically doing whatever you want, but Sunday was always a day that I felt was "together" day. I have two friends that got married over the summer who's "song" is Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. The song talks about exactly what Im saying, spending time doing nothing but being together on a Sunday, and thats all you will ever need.
I guess I hate these Sundays, because it reminds me that as well as I am doing, and all the changes I have made, I still have an empty spot. There are a million things I could do to occupy my time, and I do some of them, but how often is it that its the one thing you know you cant have that you want the most. I need to use these days as a reminder that I have to keep moving. I have to keep improving myself, I have to keep looking, I have to not be satisfied. I really do miss loving Sundays, maybe I will again.
I look forward to weekends the way I would imagine 90% of people do, which is to say I live for the weekends. My weekends are slightly different now, in that there are very few long nights and sleeping late, and Im perfectly happy with that. I usually spend my Friday evenings relaxing, and generally eating a good, substantial dinner because what Im really looking forward to comes on Saturday mornings. Those are the days I go on my long training runs. I run 5 days a week, so just the running isnt as monumental as the fact that I get to run for a long distance without any real worry about getting ready for school or getting somewhere in a hurry. Plus I get to get around other people, talk about running or whatever and generally make an event out of it. The rest of the day is spent recovering and taking care of around the house stuff that I have become a professional at neglecting during the week. Then theres Sunday.
I hate Sundays, and Ive come to realize theres a lot of reasons why, but again, all of them seem to be so self serving and petty. I guess I should start by why I used to love Sunday mornings, and the truth is I guess I hate them now for the same exact reasons I used to love them. I used to always be able to count on Sunday as the day of rest, where you didnt have to worry about anything other than relaxing and just being. Now, when you are with someone (see I told you this was going to turn into a whine festival) you cant beat this type of open schedule day. You can spend the day talking, or not, spending time, or not, basically doing whatever you want, but Sunday was always a day that I felt was "together" day. I have two friends that got married over the summer who's "song" is Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. The song talks about exactly what Im saying, spending time doing nothing but being together on a Sunday, and thats all you will ever need.
I guess I hate these Sundays, because it reminds me that as well as I am doing, and all the changes I have made, I still have an empty spot. There are a million things I could do to occupy my time, and I do some of them, but how often is it that its the one thing you know you cant have that you want the most. I need to use these days as a reminder that I have to keep moving. I have to keep improving myself, I have to keep looking, I have to not be satisfied. I really do miss loving Sundays, maybe I will again.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
An interesting week
I'm almost reluctant to write this now as I guess until I go on another run, I'm not totally sure if I'm out of the woods. I sustained what I guess you could call my first "real" running injury this week. Ultimately it looks to be nothing more than a slightly strained hamstring, but it was enough to stop a run early and have me miss my weekly long run. I'm also lightening my running load for tomorrow, choosing the not run option on my optional day and then hopefully back to normal on Wednesday.
The whole point of this is that since Thursday morning I have just been in a funk. Big picture, I missed literally one day of running, and it sent me into some sort of emotional tail spin. Most people would think that's crazy, and most of them would be right. I was even looking at myself saying "snap out of it, its just one run, its no biggy," but I couldn't shake being really bummed out about it. Ultimately what I realized is that what is bumming me out is that even though I have had such amazing success with my running and my weight loss (down 71 pounds as of this morning, woo hoo!) I'm still frightened of falling right back into who I used to be. Theres no question, I LOVE running and it would take some sort of major catastrophic event to ever derail that for me, but I feel like even though for the last 7 months I have been eating healthy and doing it all "right," that just that one little day off due to a sore hamstring could bring it all crumbling down around me. I'm still trying to figure out what I should take from this. Are the "changes" Ive made not really changes, but just me convincing myself to act a certain way? Or maybe I'm still just so new at this that I still get spooked to easy... OR maybe I'm just reading way too much into this (wouldn't that be odd) and I simply just got bummed because I was hurt and couldn't do something I really like to do.
I'm going to do what I think has to be the best thing for myself, I'm not going to think about this. I can take any little thing and blow it into something its not, so maybe that's what I need to work on more than my hamstring. Ive come so far, and still have a ways to go, but when I set out on this I was determined to be able to say and mean that life is good. Life wasn't that good this week, but today its looking better, I guess anytime you learn something it helps life look a little better.
The whole point of this is that since Thursday morning I have just been in a funk. Big picture, I missed literally one day of running, and it sent me into some sort of emotional tail spin. Most people would think that's crazy, and most of them would be right. I was even looking at myself saying "snap out of it, its just one run, its no biggy," but I couldn't shake being really bummed out about it. Ultimately what I realized is that what is bumming me out is that even though I have had such amazing success with my running and my weight loss (down 71 pounds as of this morning, woo hoo!) I'm still frightened of falling right back into who I used to be. Theres no question, I LOVE running and it would take some sort of major catastrophic event to ever derail that for me, but I feel like even though for the last 7 months I have been eating healthy and doing it all "right," that just that one little day off due to a sore hamstring could bring it all crumbling down around me. I'm still trying to figure out what I should take from this. Are the "changes" Ive made not really changes, but just me convincing myself to act a certain way? Or maybe I'm still just so new at this that I still get spooked to easy... OR maybe I'm just reading way too much into this (wouldn't that be odd) and I simply just got bummed because I was hurt and couldn't do something I really like to do.
I'm going to do what I think has to be the best thing for myself, I'm not going to think about this. I can take any little thing and blow it into something its not, so maybe that's what I need to work on more than my hamstring. Ive come so far, and still have a ways to go, but when I set out on this I was determined to be able to say and mean that life is good. Life wasn't that good this week, but today its looking better, I guess anytime you learn something it helps life look a little better.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Still Interesting
I found this post which I wrote on a previous, and never really seen, blog and still found it interesting. What is most interesting is that even though I only wrote it about 3 months ago, I now view food TOTALLY differently than I did then, but this story still equally disturbs me.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
You can't make this stuff up...
Its very interesting to look at the way a person like me views food versus the way "normal" people look at food. Recently Ive come to realize that the way I eat, and I'm not talking about table manners, is very different than the way most people do. I know a lot of people who will look at a big fatty hamburger, or a monster burrito and be turned off by its unhealthy aspects. I usually relish in them. However that view has taken a big hit today (which I think is a good thing) when I came across a little special on the travel channel about best places in America to pig out. (Constantly watching television about food, no I'm not sick, really I'm not.)
Its called the Heart Attack Grill, just South of Phoenix. Its nothing new to desire to carve out a business niche in American counter-culture. Look no further than places like Hooters or Dick's Last Resort, all making money off of being a little contrary to the "status quo" and maybe a little politically incorrect. No harm, no foul. But the Heart Attack Grill, is something entirely different and truly disturbing. This place literally looks at people who have no regard for their health and tells them, "come here, Ill help you kill yourself!" And I'm not exaggerating.
The menu has 7 items. The single, double, triple, and quadruple bypass burgers, flat liner fries (fried only in pure lard), jolt cola, and Lucky Strike cigarettes. I'm not making this up. The quadruple bypass, the joints #1 seller, is a 2 pound, 4 patty burger with the buns dipped in lard before grilling, that comes in at 8,000 calories. 8,000 calories!!!! That's the amount of calories that a normal person eats in four days. Wash it down with the highest concentration of sugar and caffeine on the market, and for desert, cigarettes. This goes beyond counterculture and innocent fun.
Now at this point I was already flabbergasted, until the really really sick part came on. At the Heart Attack Grill, if you weigh over 350 pounds, you eat free, for life. The owner of this restaurant is giving free food to keep people obese. In order to fall into a "normal" body mass index range and be 350 pounds, you need to be 8' 4" tall. I hate to tell you, but there isn't anyone in Arizona that tall. This is shameful, disgusting and really really sad. His restaurant is packed every day, and yes, almost everyone in the videos eating in there is overweight.
I wish I was through with the sad news. You would think that the FDA or some advocacy group would be in an uproar over this place that unapologetically, even proudly, wants to kill its patrons. Well you'd be right, but it has nothing to do with the food. The waitresses at this place keep with the heart attack/medical theme by dressing as naughty nurses. Scantily clad nurses take your order which they call a prescription, and even roll you out to your car in a wheelchair when your done. (You cant make this stuff up) So after the 8,000 calories, the Jolt and a pack of smokes, who's pissed off? The Arizona State Board of Nursing. They contend that by using the term "nurse" in this setting, they are sexualizing the profession and discouraging young women from becoming nurses, and therefore contributing to a nursing shortage, and therefore the death of innocent people. Truth be told, they have a very valid point with the whole naughty nurse thing in general, BUT ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!! Not one person has stepped forward to say how insane this place is for the food?!?!
Ive rambled on here for way too long, but in closing here's my point. I think I finally see what other people see when they look at a person who overeats like I do. I may not be choking back 8k calories, but the same disgust and pity that a lot of people who see me, a guy who's about 100 pounds too heavy, is the same way I was looking at the people choking down quadruple bypass burgers. Its not a pleasant feeling at all. This more than anything was what left an impression on me today.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
You can't make this stuff up...
Its very interesting to look at the way a person like me views food versus the way "normal" people look at food. Recently Ive come to realize that the way I eat, and I'm not talking about table manners, is very different than the way most people do. I know a lot of people who will look at a big fatty hamburger, or a monster burrito and be turned off by its unhealthy aspects. I usually relish in them. However that view has taken a big hit today (which I think is a good thing) when I came across a little special on the travel channel about best places in America to pig out. (Constantly watching television about food, no I'm not sick, really I'm not.)
Its called the Heart Attack Grill, just South of Phoenix. Its nothing new to desire to carve out a business niche in American counter-culture. Look no further than places like Hooters or Dick's Last Resort, all making money off of being a little contrary to the "status quo" and maybe a little politically incorrect. No harm, no foul. But the Heart Attack Grill, is something entirely different and truly disturbing. This place literally looks at people who have no regard for their health and tells them, "come here, Ill help you kill yourself!" And I'm not exaggerating.
The menu has 7 items. The single, double, triple, and quadruple bypass burgers, flat liner fries (fried only in pure lard), jolt cola, and Lucky Strike cigarettes. I'm not making this up. The quadruple bypass, the joints #1 seller, is a 2 pound, 4 patty burger with the buns dipped in lard before grilling, that comes in at 8,000 calories. 8,000 calories!!!! That's the amount of calories that a normal person eats in four days. Wash it down with the highest concentration of sugar and caffeine on the market, and for desert, cigarettes. This goes beyond counterculture and innocent fun.
Now at this point I was already flabbergasted, until the really really sick part came on. At the Heart Attack Grill, if you weigh over 350 pounds, you eat free, for life. The owner of this restaurant is giving free food to keep people obese. In order to fall into a "normal" body mass index range and be 350 pounds, you need to be 8' 4" tall. I hate to tell you, but there isn't anyone in Arizona that tall. This is shameful, disgusting and really really sad. His restaurant is packed every day, and yes, almost everyone in the videos eating in there is overweight.
I wish I was through with the sad news. You would think that the FDA or some advocacy group would be in an uproar over this place that unapologetically, even proudly, wants to kill its patrons. Well you'd be right, but it has nothing to do with the food. The waitresses at this place keep with the heart attack/medical theme by dressing as naughty nurses. Scantily clad nurses take your order which they call a prescription, and even roll you out to your car in a wheelchair when your done. (You cant make this stuff up) So after the 8,000 calories, the Jolt and a pack of smokes, who's pissed off? The Arizona State Board of Nursing. They contend that by using the term "nurse" in this setting, they are sexualizing the profession and discouraging young women from becoming nurses, and therefore contributing to a nursing shortage, and therefore the death of innocent people. Truth be told, they have a very valid point with the whole naughty nurse thing in general, BUT ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!!! Not one person has stepped forward to say how insane this place is for the food?!?!
Ive rambled on here for way too long, but in closing here's my point. I think I finally see what other people see when they look at a person who overeats like I do. I may not be choking back 8k calories, but the same disgust and pity that a lot of people who see me, a guy who's about 100 pounds too heavy, is the same way I was looking at the people choking down quadruple bypass burgers. Its not a pleasant feeling at all. This more than anything was what left an impression on me today.
A difficult morning
This morning is turning out to be difficult, and its not even 7:00 am. Several things are present this week that are really fantastic, but its making my head swim in regards to my marathon training. First of all, Im leaving for a vacation to San Diego and then my first trip to Las Vegas. I am so incredibly excited about all of it. I love San Diego, I get to see one of my best friends and I get to see Vegas for the first time. What is worrisome for me is that very little of this is conducive to my training or my weight loss. So begins my stress. San Diego is absolutely beautiful, and a good running city, so luckily Ill be able to get a run in there on Thursday. I am supposed to run on Wednesday as well but will be traveling that day and it doesnt look like the schedule is going to work out so I thought I would just run today instead of tomorrow. Well thats a great plan for everyone except my body who is giving me all of those little signs that say "give me a day off." Normally I would just say, "Ok body, no problem," but I think the added worry of being on vacation, expecting not to be able to really nail my nutrition like I need to and the possibility of missing my long run completely on Saturday has me a worried enough that I want to ignore my body and go for the run anyway. Im also aware that in the course of this long training process that there will be days that I do have to push. Not ignore, not go too far, but just push my levels of comfort, but again, Im conflicted. Is it too soon to push? Is this not one of the situations to push in? These are all the questions and concerns that worry me, but they also excite me at the possibility of learning something new. So, as for the answer, Im going to give my body the rest today, at this point, I think erring on the side of caution is still the best plan. Im going to cut lose and enjoy myself on vacation, but just make the best choices I can while Im there. I have to realize its not the end of the world to miss a day here and there, but that it CANT be a habit, and I cant do it often. Viva Las Vegas!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Milestones etc
Its been a while since I last posted and quite a lot has happened and is happening. Today officially begins Houston Marathon training for several groups, although my particular group has already been training since May 30th. As far as my personal training goes the biggest change is that I have changed my goal race from Houston Half Marathon to the full Houston Marathon. Its still staggering for me to think of making it to the start line of a full marathon, but with some research and the guidance of a few close friends and coaches, I feel the marathon will be within my grasp. Its not now, and theres a chance I may not make it this year, but I feel like I have the drive and the desire, and at least for now Im lucky enough to be able to devote the proper amount of time needed for training. One of the best things to come from this decision has been some great conversations Ive had with Vic. Conventional wisdom states everything from "you shouldn't train for a marathon until youve been running for a year," to "It takes a year to train for a marathon," and so on, so there is no ONE set rule for it, however I know that technically I am very early in my running life and that marathon training at this stage is a bit "risky." However the good thing is, when thinking about running this marathon, its a running goal, not a 2010 goal. I know that I want to finish a marathon, but more than that, I want to run for the rest of my life, and no marathon, positively or negatively, is going to stand in the way of that for me.
Another milestone Im about to reach is with my weight loss. Im just a breath away from having lost 50 pounds. Its hard to type its so unbelievable to me. Whats even more amazing is that there hasnt been one single day since March 1st (my unnoficial change of life start date) that I have felt like I was on a diet. Through running and a desire to eat in a way that was going to supliment my running, I have had amazing success shedding the pounds. As I tell my friends, there are certain things I deny myself, but only because I know myself (more on that later) enough to know that if I eat these certain things, theres no stopping me. Ive formed great habits that will be with me for life, but I still hold in great fear the power of a basket of chips and salsa, or that plate full of garlic bread more than any boogie man. Im very aware that the more weight I lose, the harder it is going to be to keep up this weight loss, but so far I am keeping a steady pace of losing 10-12 pounds a month. As Vic keeps telling me, "ride it!" Im going to do just that for as long as I can. It will slow down at some point, I just have to make sure that I dont.
My last milestone Im about to face is a little more on the painful side. Many people already know that my sister, brother-in-law and two nephews are moving to Lubbock for my brother-in-law to attend law school. I couldnt be more proud of him or more excited for their family to be moving back to Jill and I's home town and all of the possibilities that it will bring. However, Id be lying if I didnt say my heart gets a little heavier every day that their move gets closer. Watching my two nephews (Jack 2 and a half, and James 1) be born and start to grow up has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Also having my best friend also be my family has really been a blessing as well. All of these things fill me with a sweet sadness, but none of them as much as when I think about not having my sister here with me. I feel like any words I write wont do justice to the bond we have formed over the last few years, and especially over the last two. Our bond was forged out of some great joys and great tragedies, but through them both, I have been the lucky one to have such a caring, honest and passionate friend as Jill. Ive had a sister since I was 3, but in the past couple years I've realized exactly how special that is. I love you Jill more than you could know, and as much as Im going to miss you, I know that our friendship will always be close.
I couldnt be more excited for what the rest of the summer and year have to bring, especially that first cool weather run sometime this fall.
Another milestone Im about to reach is with my weight loss. Im just a breath away from having lost 50 pounds. Its hard to type its so unbelievable to me. Whats even more amazing is that there hasnt been one single day since March 1st (my unnoficial change of life start date) that I have felt like I was on a diet. Through running and a desire to eat in a way that was going to supliment my running, I have had amazing success shedding the pounds. As I tell my friends, there are certain things I deny myself, but only because I know myself (more on that later) enough to know that if I eat these certain things, theres no stopping me. Ive formed great habits that will be with me for life, but I still hold in great fear the power of a basket of chips and salsa, or that plate full of garlic bread more than any boogie man. Im very aware that the more weight I lose, the harder it is going to be to keep up this weight loss, but so far I am keeping a steady pace of losing 10-12 pounds a month. As Vic keeps telling me, "ride it!" Im going to do just that for as long as I can. It will slow down at some point, I just have to make sure that I dont.
My last milestone Im about to face is a little more on the painful side. Many people already know that my sister, brother-in-law and two nephews are moving to Lubbock for my brother-in-law to attend law school. I couldnt be more proud of him or more excited for their family to be moving back to Jill and I's home town and all of the possibilities that it will bring. However, Id be lying if I didnt say my heart gets a little heavier every day that their move gets closer. Watching my two nephews (Jack 2 and a half, and James 1) be born and start to grow up has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Also having my best friend also be my family has really been a blessing as well. All of these things fill me with a sweet sadness, but none of them as much as when I think about not having my sister here with me. I feel like any words I write wont do justice to the bond we have formed over the last few years, and especially over the last two. Our bond was forged out of some great joys and great tragedies, but through them both, I have been the lucky one to have such a caring, honest and passionate friend as Jill. Ive had a sister since I was 3, but in the past couple years I've realized exactly how special that is. I love you Jill more than you could know, and as much as Im going to miss you, I know that our friendship will always be close.
I couldnt be more excited for what the rest of the summer and year have to bring, especially that first cool weather run sometime this fall.
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