Last Race of the Year!

Happy New Year! I write my last blog entry of 2010 at like 10:22pm! Ha! I had to write about the Great New Year's Eve Race 5K run that I did today. When I registered for this race about a month ago, I was picturing a chilly and snowy run that would be quite different from what I'm used to as I've not been running outside since the end of October. However, it was about 53 degrees today which was kind of a nice surprise! To be perfectly honest, one of the reasons I signed up was because my friend mentioned that the giveaway was a blanket at this race! Very cool.

I was really nervous/excited for this race earlier today. I'm used to running races in the mornings and I definitely like that better. You get up, and don't have lots of time to think about - just do it! Not to mention the fact that I'm a morning person anyways. Well, today's race wasn't until 4pm so there was like a whole day first and lots of time to think about it. The other reason I had some trepidation today was because my last 5K at the end of October is when I injured my Achilles tendon so I think I was worried about that too.

I was relieved to see my friend there who also agreed to run with me even though he is normally a lot faster. It was fun - good weather and fun to get caught up with my friend. The run was pretty tough - a couple good hills and I just am not used to hills these days!! My time was probably one of the lowest I've had - 32:35, I think. But, I did it and it felt good! There were TONS of people there! Steven mentioned that it was the biggest turnout that he had seen for this race and I'm sure that the weather was a big reason for that. I love running with a huge group like that. It motivates you to go faster! There were a number of people with dogs and lots of families running together which was neat to see.

Overall it was a great experience and I'm happy to report that my ankle feels great, thanks to my warm up run and stretching that I made sure to add before the race. Now I can chalk up a race for Dec and perhaps stretch it to January if I decide to tackle my "one race per month challenge in 2011!"

P.S. Oh, in addition to not being icy and snowy, we also did NOT receive a blanket as a giveaway this year, but a headband warmer thing and fleece gloves instead. That's okay - maybe next year!

Noisy Jumping Jacks!!

So I debated whether or not to blog about this, but decided to go ahead and do it because 1) we are all adults, 2) we are all human and have digestive systems, and 3) in my family bathroom humor is still funny at any age (all boys!). So, with that being said, this is my warning and disclaimer to you before you read any further. This entry will involve a degree of bathroom humor. You are forewarned! Leave this site now if you are highly disgusted, but if you are down for a good laugh at my expense...please continue!

I went to boot camp class again yesterday at 5:30am. There were only two of us - not too surprising I guess since it is Christmas week. And no, the chatterbox was not there. We started out with 60 seconds of jumping jacks. Now, I don't know about you, but for me jumping jacks seem to be some sort of trigger for my digestive system, especially early in the morning. Yes, the duck was back. I'm talking about the duck that talks in staccato-type quacks, but talks very clearly, none-the-less. Now, I'm thankful that this duck has no odor to speak of - just a very loud voice. The duck has appeared other times at this class, but fortunately, I was able to contain the her in such a way as to not admit ownership. But, picture this, there is hardly anyone at the fitness center this early and only two of us in the class with NO music to boot!!!! It is quiet. There is no place to hide from the "duck in the room", if you will. So yesterday I chose to just embrace it. I mean, what else could I do?! I apologized and acknowledged that I was the duck's "owner". Thankfully, the trainer was very good humored about it - at least to my face. I have no doubt that this experience will be fodder for humorous holiday conversations about his lively clients.

What I find funny is why we act as though no one else does this...EVER!? I mean it is ridiculous when you think about it. Of course it is embarrassing, especially when it is a situation in which the duck simply cannot be controlled by any means. Her voice must be heard! Well, I am going to be better prepared for this next time. And of course there will be a next time. In addition to taking an appropriate over-the-counter minimizing mechanism, I will be ready to blurt out the phrase, "AFLAC"!!!!! I figure if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

The Only Thing Permanent is Change

So, I just completed my second week on the new Points Plus Weight Watchers program. Basically, the points are now calculated using carbs, fat, fiber and protein rather than just calories, fat and fiber like before. The daily point allowance has increased as well as the weekly point allowance, but the point value of most foods has increased too. It basically turns out to be a wash except with foods that are higher in carbs. The one really good thing is that now all fruit is 0 points which is very cool. Keep those grapes and bananas coming!

At first I wanted to fight the new changes. I mean, I lost my weight with the old program and it worked just fine, right? Yes. However, I'm starting to realize that this new change is an opportunity to relearn some things - maybe some things that I had forgotten. Plus it really does seem to be healthier, taking into account carbs and protein. Like any other change it just takes a little time and patience. I can do that. So, I'm still sold on the program and I'm convinced - you can teach an old WW dog new tricks!!!

Proud to be...Pain Free!

Great news! I ran this morning with no pain in my foot! Yahoo!! It was the first time I have run a considerable distance since being on the mend from my Achilles tendon injury the end of October. I mean, I've done a little bit in the boot camp class, but just a few laps. It felt SO good to run again. And yes, I did what I was advised to do - I warmed up a bit before running. I walked around the track once and then joined in on a kick-boxing class for about 10 minutes. Then I ran for only 20 minutes - I figure it was about 2 miles. I could have gone longer, but I wanted to ease myself back into it. I've said it before and I'll say it again - there is just nothing like running as an overall workout. I admit I feel great after boot camp too, but it is a different feeling. Running is the bomb and I'm so glad I let my body heal so now I can do it again. I registered for a 5K on New Year's Eve outside which should be fun! The give-away is a blanket so I'm totally in!

Oh, by the way, "Ms. Chatty" from boot camp was at Life Center this morning. This time she was chatting with someone walking on the track...while drinking coffee. Really? I rank that right up there with talking on the cell phone while walking on the track. If you can drink coffee while walking I think you no longer need a fitness center. At that point I would really just recommend hitting the mall circuit. Just sayin'...

Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little!

So I completed my second session at boot-camp this morning - Check! Great workout! We worked on upper-body and my arms were feeling it already just washing my hair in the shower. Yikes - tomorrow should be interesting! There were only two of us there today. It was a very snowy morning and I think that must have kept the other 6 people that were signed up for the class away today. With only two people we just had one trainer. At first it felt a bit awkward. You cannot hide when there are only two of you!! It was cool though because he spent a lot of time with each of us, encouraging us, but also making sure we had proper form, etc. All-in-all it was an uneventful workout. That is, right up until the end of the hour. Let me explain...

As I mentioned there was only one other participant in the class this morning. This woman was pleasant enough and familiar with the trainer - talking him up a bit before we started. No biggie. But then, I noticed that she was talking THROUGHOUT the workout. Now, I don't mean like snip-its of "you can do it" or "just one more" or something to that effect. I'm talking full-out conversations with the trainer during the workout. Now, let me just say, at first I just let it go, thinking she is filling the silence because she is nervous. But when it continued with questions to the trainer about her workout schedule, etc. I was getting really annoyed! Granted, most of my exercise time is solitary - mostly running. But even if I do a class I'm not there to socialize. I'm there to work hard and concentrate on what I'm doing. Don't get me wrong, I like to hoot and holler like the best of 'em - at the appropriate times in the workout. But in general I just want to concentrate and work hard and leave the chitty-chat for later. I continued to bite my tongue as I listened to this woman prattle on during the hour. Finally, with about 5 minutes left in the class, we were in the middle of a "wall-sit squat" exercise when she was complaining about her stomach and wondering if she should have eaten breakfast before the class. When she asked me if I had eaten breakfast I said, "I think you talk too much." Yes, I said that. It just came out. I was pushed to the brink with chatter woman and lost it. She said, "well, excuse me" and was quiet for the rest of the class (5 minutes). Hallelujah - sweet relief!

Needless to say I did not win any popularity contests with this woman today. I apologized to her after for being rude, but explained that I just need to concentrate. She responded that she would just go to a night boot camp class because "they normally like to have fun during boot camp". So now I'm the fun killer?! Again, I like to have fun just as much as the next boot camper, but if I want to plan my week's activities with a friend, I'd rather just go to lunch. But on the brighter side, perhaps Thursday will be a quieter workout. Here's hoping.

Boot Camp-a-licious!

So I did my first boot-camp fitness class at LifeCenter this morning from 5:30am - 6:30pm and it was pretty great! This was a demo class to promote a series called "Hot for the Holidays" that they are doing through the month of December. There were two trainers that led it. After a few warm-ups - sprints, pushups, high-knees, etc we did a variety of circuit training using weights, bosu balls, and mats. We did core/ab work too. They kept it at a good pace, but every now and then we got like 60 seconds of "recovery" time for water breaks, etc. It was also a great mix of things that I could do easily, but I knew was a good workout (lounges, jumping jacks) and things that were challenging. It was a nice full hour. Now, I just have to convince my husband that I can spend the money on it! There is a cost involved per session or you can buy a package deal. I think it is totally worth it because after setting my alarm to get up and go work out the past three mornings, today was the only day I actually got my ass out of bed and went! It helps knowing that there is a group there and it will definitely help motivate me to get there if I'm paying for it! I really want to exercise regularly at this time of the day. There is a such a great feeling after working out first thing in the morning! Mucho energy, kick-starting the metabolism, and the feeling of accomplishment. Not to mention only one shower!! Bonus!

Oh, and the best news of all?!! My leg is better! Yahoo!! We even ran a bunch today...I mean, not miles, but intense sprints and I'm fine. Don't worry, I'm not going to push it, but at least I know my running career is not over!! My plan is to do the boot camp class two days a week and run the other three days. The weekend days are up for grabs! My goal is to get back in running shape for the New Year's Eve 5K on Dec 31 so I can get my blanket! Wish me luck!

Top 10 Reasons I'm Still a Life-er!

I'm celebrating an anniversary! A year ago yesterday - the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend - I became a lifetime member with Weight Watchers - for the third and final time in my life! After a year of maintaining at your goal weight as a Lifetime member, you get another key. Very cool. More than earning another trinket (even though I love getting the trinkets), was the fact that I've maintained at my goal weight for a year! This is the first time I've done this. The other two times I've reached lifetime with the program, I eventually quit going to meetings, quit tracking and just thought of the whole thing as "done". Slowly, but surely the weight came back on.

As I shared in my meeting yesterday, the following things have helped me make it to this new milestone.
1. Going to my meetings - this has been such a huge support and way for me to hold myself accountable. The people who attend the 7:30 Sat am meetings are top notch people and top notch motivators and friends.
2. Exercise/Activity - This has been absolutely critical to my success. It not only helps keep me trim, but also helps my stress level so I'm not driven to want to mindlessly eat anymore.

Thinking more about this over the weekend I've come up with 8 other things that I do on a regular basis that I would say contribute to my success:
3. Tracking - I still write everything down that I eat every day - that accountability piece is really important
4. Variety - I like to change up my menu, try new things and cook!
5. Limit the processed foods - I try to eat lots of "filling foods" - whole grains, fruits, veggies and limit the "foods" that come wrapped in paper and are found in middle of the grocery store.
6. Week Management - I plan my menu a week at a time and do my grocery shopping accordingly. I use my 35 extra points to treat myself to things I especially like or want.
7. Understand real hunger - I understand when my body is actually physically hungry and when it is hungry from emotional hunger instead and can make informed decisions that way.
8. Drink, Drink, and Drink - water! Enough said.
9. Recognize that this is a lifelong journey and NOT a destination. It is work (but fun work) to do for the rest of my life and I'm worth spending the money on good and healthy food!
10. Understand I'm not perfect and forgive myself! This is one of the other keys to my success. It is not about if/when I screw up, but it is ALL about what happens next that really counts.

So, there you go. That is my top 10 for tonight. Here's to starting my 2nd "Lifetime" year!!! I look forward to the challenges and rewards along the way!

A New Discovery

So I stumbled onto something new today...edamame. No, you did not stutter - it is pronounced...ed-a-ma-may.

Before I go any further, let's start off with a quiz.
What is edamame?
A. An ancient religion
B. A hip new baby name for 2011
C. A new drink for the holidays
D. None of the above.

If you answered "D", you are right! Edamame is basically soy beans! I had no idea that you could eat soy as the bean until I found them at Trader Joe's today. But, I soon found out - yes, yes you can! I was very intrigued so I bought a package of pods and made them for dinner. First I had to look up the cooking instructions so I wouldn't screw them up. I rinsed them, boiled them in the pods in a pot of boiling water (salted) for about 5 minutes and then cooled them a tad on a cookie sheet. You kind of just pop the bean in your mouth. They have a really good flavor and of course are very good for you. One serving (about a half cup) is 2 points. Lots of fiber and protein!

Anyway, just had to share my new discovery.

The Perfect Storm

I'm sore. I mean, my body is sore. More to the point my leg muscles are sore. Now, I'm not talking, I-pulled-a-muscle sore, or, I-over-did-it-at-the-gym sore. I'm talking sore as in I-went-on-a-white-water-rafting-trip-yesterday sore. Because I have done that before and ouch.

Now to what can I attribute this muscle discomfort at every step? Well, as far as I can determine it was the total impact of three activities that culminated in this pain. First, as you may recall, I went to a cool boot camp thing bright and early last Wednesday am. I felt that the next day and still felt it on Friday. Then, to add insult to injury I did my first Jillian Michaels DVD on Saturday am. I felt that workout a bit the next day, but just in time for my nephew's birthday party at "SkyZone" which is a gianormous trampoline place. This was the icing on the cake. Truly. I jumped, of course. Duh. But not just your standard jumping. Oh no. Once I realized that this was definitely a workout kind of thing, I began to get really into it and jumped higher and higher and did the splits more and more, showing off a bit in front of the teenage "staff" people on duty. They were ultra-impressed by my gymnastic ability. I could tell by how they were staring at me. I know they certainly didn't think I was a creepy 40-something hooting and hollering like a lunatic. No, they were really impressed. That must have been why they were encouraging all the little kids to stay outta my way. Yeah, that was it.

Anyway, I digress...

So, cut to this am as I wake up sore as sore can be! Ugh - I was a victim of the perfect storm!!! The tri-fecta affect has done me in! Not to mention that I also re-aggravated my Achilles tendon injury a bit. But, hey, I wasn't running! I mean, come on, what is a little jumping gonna hurt?! It is low-impact!! Ouch. Okay, I've learned my lesson, yet again. Not gonna do any activity for another full week and two days! Thinking instead about the long term...and wishing for calmer seas!!!

"Doctor, Doctor, Give me the News..."

So I finally bit the bullet and got my foot looked at yesterday by a foot doctor. I explained the situation to him and the first thing he asked me was, "Do you stretch before running?" My deer-in-the-headlights look immediately told him the answer to that was a resounding "no". I explained that I stretched after running and he said, "Why would you do that!?" I had no good answer for that one either. So, after looking and feeling my ankle he told me I had tendinitis and that I should not do anything for two weeks. He said I should allow time for it to heal so it does not burst. After that time I could start back with low level stuff like swimming and biking. I asked him why I got injured - was it from my shoes, or what and he said..."because you aren't stretching". Duh. That makes total sense. My last 5K was very hilly, chilly weather and I didn't stretch at all. As a matter of fact, I have made it a (bad) habit to bag stretching before running for awhile now. "I don't need to do that," I thought. "That is for newbees". Wrong! So, I have learned my lesson. I will begin incorporating stretching as soon as I can start working out again.

I've decided to have a good attitude about this "time off" and look at the bright side. It is only two weeks. There are 52 weeks in the year so that is only a small portion of time comparatively. At least the tendon is still in good shape. If I hadn't talked to the doctor and instead just pushed through it, I could have really risked having it burst and then the healing would be waaaayyy longer. I also am looking at the positive part of doing alternative activity. Swimming is great exercise and I can bike too. I already found out that LifeCenter opens at 5am so I can get in the pool early before work. So, I have a plan...it is just delayed. I may even do some upper body at home, ab workouts, whatever just to have something to do that doesn't involve my lower body. So that is the update. I WILL be positive about this!!!

So, I won't be competing in a Turkey Trot this year...bummer. What could I do instead??

GO BLACKHAWKS!

GO BLACKHAWKS!

Mike and I have been yelling that phrase almost every weekend for the past 2 1/2 months. And today we wrap up Zach's first football season as a Gremlin Blackhawk as Super bowl champs! Undefeated to boot! So great. The Super"snow" game as I like to call it was played in beautiful Chardon, OH where lake effect snow is a common occurence and today, Saturday, November 6, was no exception. We arrived to a field completely covered with about 3 inches of the white stuff - the first of the season. The boys and the families were prepared with layers of UnderArmour garments, hats, gloves, boots, blankets and of course, the ever popular hand and toe warmers!

The game was just great - with the first touchdown at the very end of the 2nd quarter and the second one with less than 1:30 left in the 4th quarter. So cool. The coaches speeches and the trophy ceremony afterwards was really moving too. I'm just so proud of the boys, the coaches and the parents for such a great family experience. Because you see this whole football thing is really a family commitment.

When we signed Zach up to play back in May, I don't think I really understood the extent to which we were ALL were committing to this. I decided to figure out the stats just for fun...

Three (3) weeks of conditioning 5 days a week for two hours: 30 hours
Eleven (11) weeks of practice 3 days a week for two hours: 66 hours
Ten (10) games (season and play-offs) with 1 hour practice and 1 1/2 game: 25 hours

That comes to a grand total of 121 hours over a period of about 3 months! Now that is commitment!

But was it all worth it? Absolutely! And not just because they won the big game. That was very cool, yes, but I would say the intangible benefits of putting in all this time was the real win this year...such as...

...seeing my husband get so excited and committed to something that he was not quite familiar with. He helped out with many practices, ran the chains at many games, and even shoveled snow off the field!

...seeing Zach get excited about physical activity - wanting to run extra wolverines!

...having our family all cheer for the same thing...watching my husband spend literally hours on two different occasions designing and producing car art to cheer on the team!

...seeing the boys improve over the weeks of practice - achieving their own and their teams' goals

...being inspired by excellent, disciplined, and caring coaches who took the time and patience to actually teach the boys without yelling and criticism

...watching Nick help out and teach his brother some football basics and then cheer him on at practices and at a game

Finally, the most impressive thing for me that I took away from this experience was seeing the boys go back to encourage and "run-in" the slower players during Wolverines.

Yes, the Hudson Blackhawks stand by their values of Faith, Family, Finish, and Focus. But I would add one more: First-Class.

Time to Switch it Up!

So, I definitely have that change of attitude that I desperately needed! Thanks to my friends at Weight Watchers. This morning the topic was strength training and we talked about various types of activity, adding variety, etc. Also, one WW friend even invited me to a cool women-only boot camp class that she attends...they have a free "guest" day so I think I'll check it out.

After I had the chance to think about things (and talk it out cause that is what I usually have to do to figure out my life), I realized that I was putting all my eggs in one basket in terms of activity. My thinking was very all or nothing with it. In other words, if I couldn't run then I didn't want to do anything and I was really bummed about it. With my injury to my heel, I haven't been able to run and it has taken its toll on me - mostly emotionally. Can we say moody?! Why is it that I still have that all or nothing "stinkin' thinkin'" that comes back again and again? I guess it is one of those life lessons that I have to keep "practicing".

I realized I need to me more flexible, creative, and above all patient with myself. The bottom line is I just want to be active - it doesn't have to always be running. Now, don't get me wrong - I prefer running...and I am not going to give it up, but I've realized that I need to let my injury heel, be patient and let that happen, but in the meantime - GET MOVING! So, I ordered two of Jillian Michaels' (the scary, but motivational trainer on the Biggest Loser) DVD's yesterday and I'm going to explore using Life Center and maybe the other bootcamp class that I heard about.

So, the Grace and Wisdom of my WW meeting prevails again and I'm so thankful!

I Need an Attitude Adjustment...

Or a good run! Ugh! Today I feel like the odds are against me. I finally got up the gumption to go run and I get to the locker room and forget my combination. Seriously. Who does this?? I tried for 10 minutes and finally just gave up - defeated. I came up to get it from my purse in my office in order to give it another try and then my foot started hurting and that was all I needed to bag it entirely. Not meant to be I guess. I'm just sick and tired of a bunch of things! Maybe if I vent them all here, I can leave them here and frickin' move-on! I apologize now if this is a negative entry, but it is my blog after all so here goes:

These are the things I'm sick and tired of:
1. Coughing! I've had this annoying cough for weeks and can't shake it even though I'm on an antibiotic. Seriously at times I sound like I smoke 1 1/2 packs a day.
2. My hurting foot - heal already!
3. Paying at WW - I want to get back to my goal weight and just stay there.
4. (related to #1) Not being able to taste my food because of this sinus or whatever thing I have. That just sucks as I kinda enjoy food as you know.
5. Feeling constantly on the treadmill of life that just doesn't stop. The to-do lists just get longer and time marches on...
6. My own attitude! I'm depressing myself as I read this! I just need to get those endorphins going again!

Okay, Lisa's Pity Party of One is now OVER!

STILL Benched!

So, as I wrote in a previous post, I hurt my Achilles tendon in a race a week ago Saturday. I mean it swelled to the point I couldn't wear a shoe with a back on it for a few days. I talked to a friend-runner of mine the following Monday and she said I should just rest it for awhile and it will be fine. Runners don't go to the doctor for these types of things. Why? Because it is just a waste of a co-pay. The doctor will say, "Don't Run". Duh. So, that is exactly what I've been doing since Oct 23. Nothing. Now, yes, I should be cross-training. But, runners get so spoiled because running is really the perfect workout and takes the least amount of time. I mean, 30 minutes, done. There is no driving somewhere, etc. I can do it anywhere. It really is the perfect form of workout. That is under you are injured. Ugh. My foot is much better now...it is almost normal and I really need to try it out again - slowly. But the truth of the matter is, I'm chicken! I don't want to hurt it again. So, I'm stuck. I don't want to invest the time in cross-training and I'm too chicken to begin to run again. Wow, I am indeed a Taurus. Stubborn and with all or nothing thinking! But at least because I'm admitting it - there is hope, right?!

It is on my agenda (again) for tomorrow at noon. My goal will be to run 1 1/2 miles with a good 5 minute walk first and see how that feels. I'll report back...wish me luck!

What is your "Wool-eee"?

As I have blogged in a previous entry I recently read the book, "Keeping the Feast", by Paula Butturini and was fortunate to enjoy lunch with her yesterday and hear her speak last night. The heart of her book is about how a family heals and deals with mental illness, specifically depression. It is an extremely touching and moving book and I commend Paula for talking so honestly about her husband's depression and helping to lift the stigma of mental illness in society. That is the deep and tough aspects of the book...but there is another cool aspect of this book, as well. Woven throughout the book are these wonderful memories of Paula's childhood meals and family traditions growing up in a big Italian family. She included the food stories to give herself and the reader a break from the grim reality of the very challenging times of her life surrounding mental illness.

In particular she describes in detail the voglie, "VOHL-yay" or as Americans would pronounced it "Wool-EEE" that can be described as cravings that her family experienced. While this Italian word can mean anything from wishes, wants and desires to longings, fancies or whims, for Paula this word only meant one thing - deep, impulsive hungers for some seasonal feast. She talks about how everyone has their own person wool-ees and throughout the book she describes various ones she has depending on the season. From asparagus to figs, from spaghetti with clams to the multitude of fresh fruit and vegetables she found at the market in Rome where she lived, she described these cravings for fresh, wholesome non-processed food in her life.

I loved all of this stuff about food and began to think about my own wool-ees. In the past, before I joined Weight Watchers I can definitely say I often had cravings for things with sugar in them...cookies, candy, bakery items, etc. However, through my Weight Watcher's journey I've noticed something remarkable. I don't have cravings for sweet stuff anymore really. I actually do get these wool-ees for fresh fruits and vegetables. And like Paula, they are seasonal! Some of you who have read my facebook status updates regularly can probably attest to this as I've raved about things like spaghetti squash, and butternut squash soup recently. During the summer I was more into berries and peaches.

I actually think I would make a distinction between a craving and a wool-eee. For me a craving is more something that is brain or heart hunger while a wool-eee is more for physical hunger. In other words, if I crave something like a chocolate chip cookie I probably am hungry in my head or heart - it is probably a cognitive or emotional need or craving. But a wool-eee is more of a craving that results from actual physical hunger...for good and nutritious food that the body needs. It is amazing what a wonderful "machine" the body really is. I believe that we are hard-wired with these needs in place to encourage us to eat food that we need to live, work and love healthily and productively. We just need to be able to listen more.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is so good I just have to post it. I found this recipe in the paper today (parade section) and had to try it...so glad I did! It is pretty easy - it is just a pain to peel and cut the squash!!

Simplest Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs) - I used two of them
3 slender leeks, white parts only, split lengthwise, washed and cut into 1-inch long pieces
3 cups whole milk
3 cups water
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg to taste

1. Peel the squash. Remove the seeds and string, then cut into 1-2 inch chunks. Toss into a large soup pot. Add the leeks, milk and water; salt generously and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the squash is soft enough to mash when pressed lightly with the back of a spoon.

2. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until it is very smooth. It may be thick. Think to your desired constistency with milk or water. Season to taste with salt pepper, and nutmeg. Reheat if necessary. (This soup is at its best when truly hot).

3. Garnish with chopped roasted hazelnuts or walnuts and top with creme fraiche or cream.

Serves 6. Per serving (without garnish): 180 calories, 32 carbs, 6 g protein, 10 mg cholestorol, 7 g fiber, and 4.5 g fat.

When I made it the servings turned out to be a little more than 1 1/2 cups per servings for 6 servings and 3 points a serving. Yum!

Oh, Those Damn Hills!!

I ran the Project Homeless 5K today and I felt really good about it. It was a really pretty morning and the course was right along the river along the boardwalk. The course was very hilly, but I pushed myself to keep going and I didn't stop to walk at all. That is the good news. At first I was disappointed to see my time of 30:54.64, especially since the last time I ran a 5K last month I had finally broke 30 minutes. But I was talking to some other runners afterwards and they were all commenting on what a tough course it was. Yes, yes it was! So, I was okay with my time. I felt even better when I looked at the results posted on the website this afternoon. One huge advantage of a chip timed race is almost immediate results!!

Here are my stats from today:
I placed 165 out of 282 people (in the bottom half).
I placed 89 out of the 185 women who competed (in the top half - yahoo!)
I placed 10 out of 19 of the women in my age-group (40-45) - dead in middle.

So overall, a good race!!! Save for the pain I now have in my right heel. I can visually see some swelling along the back of my heel - is that the Achilles tendon?? Not sure what I did. My shoes were new earlier this month so it is not that I need new ones. I haven't been pushing it that hard lately. The only thing I can think is that I've been running too many hills or something. Ugh. Those damn hills!! So, I plan to take some aspirin soon and take it easy. There might be more cross training and perhaps a trip to the doctor in my future...we shall see.

What the Hail?!

So, there is first time for everything! During my lunch run today I thought I might get rained on. The sky looked a little threatening and within about 5 minutes I felt some really cold rain drops starting to fall. Soon I began to hear and feel the rain, no scratch that...hail falling on me! It only lasted for a few minutes, but it was enough to see it on the ground - about pencil eraser size. After a few minutes it changed to an uneventful spitty rain and I was very glad I had my rain jacket on. So mark it down, hail on Oct 21. It was an awesome run, however. It was one of those runs that reminds me why I run to begin with...great feeling of being alive and strong. Until of course I hacked for like 30 minutes afterwards! But again, so worth it!

The Key

So, after a weeks' hiatus I ran today at lunch. Yahoo!!!! There is hope for me yet! I was sick with this crud for the last week, was not sleeping from this idiot cough and just couldn't make myself do it. However, victory was mine today. Oh, in related news...Lance Armstrong congratulated me for running 250 miles. How 'bout that.

Someone should do a study (well, they probably have) about the correlation between regular exercise and productivity and then regular exercise and eating well. These things are definitely related for me. During the week I wasn't running, I felt less productive at work and home (well, I was also sick, but still...) and I ate shitty. Not as bad as before WW, but shitty for me.

So, in case you didn't know - regular exercise is the key to keeping so many other things in life in balance. Now to remember that again tomorrow!!!! Ha, ha!

I Need a Coach!

So, I've determined I need my own personal coach. I don't mean "life coach", whatever that is. I mean a running coach. I don't really need someone to run with me, but I need someone to help me set new goals and help keep me motivated. I've not been feeling well this weekend so I haven't been running. As a matter of fact I have not run since Wednesday - ugh. As an attempt to act as my own coach, I did sign up for a 5K for next Saturday - if nothing else just to make sure I run this week! My weekly goal for the longest time has been to run 4 times a week, but truth be told, I've been lucky to get 2 in a week the last couple of weeks - either due to being busy, weather changes, or being sick. Part of it is also due to not having a goal to strive for. Maybe it is that 5K's are just not doing it for me anymore. But, do I start training for a 10K? Do I start training for a half marathon? I'm just not sure. And at this time of year, what is realistic? How can I get my butt in gear to run in the mornings? You see, this is why I need a coach. Or maybe just a subscription to a runner's magazine.

The "Sick" Run

So today at lunch I ran not feeling totally myself. I'm not sick exactly, but I just have an annoying cough. The run was good for the most part - I didn't even really cough that much. But right after I felt such pressure in my chest...that was the first time I'd ever felt that...ugh. Thankfully, it went away by the time I was done in the shower.

Oh, on another totally unrelated note...are there such things as dog walkers...in Cleveland suburbs? I mean, I saw a woman on my run today walking like 5 dogs today. I didn't know there was such a thing as dog walkers anywhere besides big cities. Or maybe she just has a lot of dogs. It is hard to say. Things that make you go, hmmm, for sure...

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Okay, so I had a great, great time at the women's retreat this weekend at Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Camp. I always love the pics that my friend Cynthia takes. This year she started our own women's facebook page which is fabulous! I was looking around at the new page and stumbled onto the pics from past retreats. I came across the one's from 2007 and I nearly screamed when I saw this...(pics above)

and this...

Just so we are all on the same page here...here is this year's pic...

All I can say to this is...THANK YOU WEIGHT WATCHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back on the Road Again

So I did not need to pay at WW yesterday, finally!!! After last week being up AGAIN at the scale and paying my $11.00, I had determined to get back on track. It is not that I was way off track, but just getting a little sloppy with tracking and mostly thinking about maintaining rather than losing. So much of this is a battle of the mind, for sure. SO, this past week I went back to the "losing mode" and went back down to 18 points and what do you know?! Back to where I need to be on the scale. This is why I keep going to meetings...this maintaining thing is difficult - definitely more challenging than the actual losing part. I think this is how people put weight back on...they become lax and let 1 or 2 pounds come back on and not keep it in check. Before you know it, it has turned into 10 or 15 and so on. I think that is why WW has the +2 rule because who really maintains the EXACT amount week after week of their entire life. No one. That is just crazy talk. Our bodies are living, breathing, changing things that are impacted by hormones, time of year, stress, etc.

Yes, weight watching is a continuum and the journey never ends. Right now I'm on "Keeping it in Check Road". Where are you on yours?

Wardrobe "Malfunctions"??

So I broke in my new shoes today during my lunch run. They were awesome and my legs felt instantly better in them. Of course they "ran fast" too and I got a time of 29:05 with my 3.1 miles today! Best yet - not sure how that happened. Perhaps it was the brisk weather, not having run since Saturday, or just Lady Gaga - who knows.

Thinking about my awesome new shoes, made me think about not so awesome things dealing with my running wardrobe choices. I have noticed some runners' wardrobe malfunctions or maybe just idiosyncrasies lately that I thought I'd comment on. With the cooler weather upon us, I've had to deviate from my typical running shorts and t-shirt ensemble that has taken me through basically all of late spring and all of summer (ahhh...those were the days). For example, today I had on the basic black ensemble. I had black running tights/leggings and a long-sleeved black shirt. Yes, I looked like I was either going to rob a bank or go running or run after I robbed a bank maybe. Anyway, the weather is at an odd point right now. Now, don't get me wrong - I love any weather that doesn't involve any white stuff, icey stuff or precipitation of any kind. Except, of course for that gentle, warm and refreshing rain that we have discussed before. But the weather right now is pretty cool when I start out, but once I'm half into the run I'm ready to strip clothing off cause I'm so hot. Today, I was hot and found myself rolling up my shirt at the wrists just to get my pulse points free of clothing. I guess the layering option would be a good solution so I could strip in mid run...or perhaps there is an intermediate step between the t-shirt and the long-sleeved, sweat-your-ass-off winter shirt?? Dare I say, another trip to Dick's!

Then, there is the whole issue of the pockets. This could be a whole blog entry on its own, but I'm already writing so what the heck. Some running clothes have pockets and some don't. Some pockets are worthwhile for a phone or an iPod (yes, I'm talking to mine again...for now) and some just are not. Today, for example I had to run holding the iPod because it fell out of the "pocket" in the sweat-your-ass-off pants I was wearing about 2.5 seconds into the run. Hey, at least it worked and I didn't have an iPod malfunction today.

I'm just glad no one reported to university police that they saw a woman catburgler running away from the university carrying someone's iPod at around 12:15pm today. Hmmm...maybe it will be in the campus newspaper that comes out tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Mama Needs New Shoes....Again!

Okay, you know how they say that you need new running shoes about every 6 months? Well, I got my last pair in May and it is now October...the 2nd...and during the last half of my run this am my legs were killing me! At first I was like, what the heck is going on? But then I counted the months and sure enough - 6 months, like clockwork. A (another) trip to Dicks is in my very near future. I was still able to get my three miles in, but the last 1/2 mile was not pleasant and that is just not cool...or good for my legs. They are expensive, but when you think about it - it really is the only piece of equipment that you NEED to get for running. Well, shoes plus a good sports bra(s) if you are a lady. Well, and some cool pants for outside in cold weather...maybe some long-sleeved shirts for outside in the cold. BUT shoes are the most important! Whatever...I'm worth it and so is my health! Right?!!!

Runnin' with the Boys

So to get out of my funk that I was in yesterday - just one of those days, I guess. Could have been related to hormones - stranger things have happened...But, in order to get out of that I knew a run would probably help. So, after I got home from work I ran to football practice (I think it is about 2 1/2 miles one way). My original plan was to run there and then run back before it got dark. I had actually even planned ahead and asked Mike to bring me some water. Well, after being there for a little while it got a little too dark to run safely (I had nothing reflective on) and I just decided to hop in the "game car" (Go Blackhawks!) and scam a ride home.

I'm glad I stayed. I ended up running a few of the wolverines that they do at the end of practice. For those who don't speak "blackhawk-eese", a wolverine is a 40 yard sprint - twice. So down and back counts as one. They started out at the beginning of the season running like 2 of them. Now, they are up to 9. They run with all their equipment on too. Every time I watch them do it and cheer them on I really want to run too. Usually I don't have my running shoes on and I don't want to look like the fool running with 8 and 9 year olds. Well, last night was my lucky night! I had the shoes, it was just getting a little dark so not every one could really see me and I had just enough gumption to do it. So on the ninth and final wolverine I took off and raced the boys. I egged them on by saying, "come on don't let a girl beat ya!". Too funny! After I completed one I had a new respect for these little dudes who run with all of their equipment on - AFTER already practicing for 2 hours. They sure are tough customers. Before we left Zach wanted to run a couple more without pads. It feels so much easier then, he says. The last one Zach and I ran as a race and while some of the kids took bets that I would win, I'll admit I was beaten by my 8-year-old! But, I made a very close second. Pretty good for this 'ol girl.

Black Bean Soup

Here is a very EASY recipe for black been soup...

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans of black beans, with liquid
1 cup (half a jar) of your favorite salsa
2 tablespoons lime juice, or the juice of one lime
Plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

In a medium pot, add the oloive oil and saute the onions until they are soft and translucent. Add cumin and garlic, sauteing for an additional minute. Pour in black beans with their liquid, salsa, and lime juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. When serving the soup, top with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Serves four. 2 points per serving.

The Rain Run

So picture this...sitting at my desk at around 12:02pm today realizing that 1) my iPod was not charged (even though half the time it is useless anyways), 2) a full afternoon of meetings ahead of me, plus an evening speaker, 3) it is raining outside...not just spitting, but off and on all out raining. The temp is in the 60's. Now, I did plan a little ahead for a rain run this morning before I left this morning and grabbed a windbreaker (can we still call them that or is that an 80's expression??). Anywho, I grabbed pants and an "athletic rain jacket" of sorts in preparation for a run in the rain. So, what do I do...play on facebook and eat lunch or go out there?????

I grabbed my bag (sans iPod) without thinking too much and went. And, I was so pleasantly surprised. I was prepared to be kinda miserable, but it was actually kinda fun and turned out to be a really good run. I was only chilly for about 2 minutes and then the rain just felt really good. I mean, I'm sweaty anyways so additional water is not really a big deal. I started with the hood on, but then realized that was a losing battle with this particular jacket, so I just gave into it. It is amazing how much more enjoyable things are when you just give into it - totally surrender to the experience. I got totally soaked, but it was so refreshing. Without my iPod I didn't have my music, but it was cool to just hear the rain, my breathing, and of course, all the cars rushing by...but even that had a certain rhythm and sound that was different from a dry day. I didn't have my iPod to track my run, but I just ran by feel and I bet I did just about 3 miles. There was definitely a certain freedom without having to worry about that damn thing. Just me and the pavement.

So lesson learned today...I don't always need technology to motivate me. I can motivate myself. Wow. Perhaps that is even a more powerful source of motivation. And, rainy days aren't always bad. There - lemons into lemonade.

Over 40, but under 30!

So I met my goal this morning! Yahoo! I ran the 5K for Footprints for Fatima as part of JCU Homecoming and set a personal record! My time as 29:44!! For those of you keeping track at home, last year this same race was my first 5K ever and I ran it in 32:17 so I'm pretty excited that I did a lot better. I did not win anything in my age bracket (not like last year's win by default), but I wanted to be under 30 minutes and I achieved it. Reaching a personal goal is better than winning anything. At first I was pretty intimidated by all the young pup students running, but I tried to put that out of my mind. I actually did beat some of the students younger than me so that felt good! There were a few women my age that were faster than me, but rather than feel defeated about that, it actually gives me hope that I still have room to improve. Oh, and by the way, I was totally smoked by like an 11-year-old girl! What?!! Hey, good for her, right?? We are truly all on our own journeys. Hey, I'm just happy to show up and be in the race. What are you waiting for??!!! :-)

Dear iPod...

Dear iPod,

It has come to my attention that you no longer take this job very seriously. This communication is to provide you with a written warning and let you know that the firm of Lisa D. Runner, Inc. is formally looking for your replacement beginning immediately. Please see the rationale listed below for why this action is being taken:

*Inconsistent Performance - On the last few runs you have either performed at a sub-par level or not performed at all. The passive aggressiveness that you have demonstrated by allowing yourself to get all "charged up" giving the impression that you are with the program, and then flaking out right when the workout starts is not acceptable behavior.

*Tardiness - You continue not to accomplish tasks on time (starting the workout and ending the workout).

*Lack of Being a Team Player - Lisa feels like she is doing most of the work lately and that this team of two is no longer a team at all. It takes motivation to just get to the workout (especially in 80+ degree temps in September) and Lisa counts on you to hold up your end of the bargain and provide the music and tracking to keep her motivated during the run.

So, let this letter be a formal warning for you and to put you on alert to look for alternate employment. While you will not be let go immediately, perhaps you should look for options to sub-contract or recycle your parts sooner rather than later.

Good luck,
The Management

Splits are in!

Well, folks the results are in! The Triathlon results for the Girls Tri Too event on Sept 18 were posted on Monday afternoon, but I'm just now getting around to posting them. Truth be told I was bummed for a little while about them, but after some good pep talk posts from my FB buddies I'm embracing them for what they are - my first time!!!

So here is how I placed:
*I came in 151 out of 258 women who completed the race. Only one person did not finish, which is pretty cool actually.
*In my age group (40-45) I came in 16 out of 26.

Here are my splits:
Swim - 7:07; Ranked 141
T1 (Transition time) - 3:29
Bike - 31:22; Ranked 174
T2 - 1:35
Run - 20:47; Ranked 113
Total: 1:04:21

Overall I am mostly pleased. I definitely have room for improvement on the bike which was probably my weakest area. It could also be that my bike is not exactly that of the racing variety! I can run faster, but I think it was a fairly good time as a third event. Not counting the transition time I did make it under an hour at 58:76 which is cool.

So there you go. The benchmark has been made for next year. Is it bad that I've already been researching other triathlon races?? This is so much fun!

Embrace the Sucky Runs!

So yesterday I had a really sucky run. It was very hot and I just felt tired throughout the entire thing. I had to walk tons during a normal 5K route. I was feeling bad about the whole thing when I ran into a colleague in the locker-room that I hadn't seen for awhile. I vented to her about the run and then she shared her update with me. She had been training for a marathon and was up to 17 miles when...she broke her toe. So, her doctor told her no running for 6 weeks!!! Ugh. The race is in October so there is no way she can do it. Whoa. Oh, and she had a chance to qualify for Boston at this race since she is turning 40 before the race and would be in a different age/time bracket. Talk about a change in perspective. Here I was complaining about a sub-par running experience when she was just shut out of a race that she had been working towards for months. Okay, God, I get it. I'm thankful for even the sucky runs.

I Tri-ed it and it was AWESOME!

It can be done. I'm here to tell you. Set a goal. Work for it. Do it.

I competed in my first triathlon this morning and I am struggling with the words to describe it right now. The only word that really comes to mind is AWESOME.

It was AWESOME that my 8-year-old and husband got up at 5:15am on a Saturday to come and support and cheer me on to accomplish one of my goals.

It was AWESOME that it was such a beautiful day to race...the sun coming up right over the water.

It was AWESOME that there were so many women participating (350 in all!) of all shapes and sizes and fitness levels. I was really awed and humbled by that. So cool.

It was AWESOME that I finished, which was my main goal. But even more than that, it was AWESOME that I did not stop at all...I did not stop moving until I crossed the finish line. That was my only other goal for this year. I swam the entire time, I jogged through the transition area and ran the entire time - no walking. For those who want details it was what they call a "Sprint Triathlon", I have learned. This particular one included a 250 meter swim, 7 mile bike and 2 mile run.

It was AWESOME that the event was so well organized, the people were so nice and the competitors were really funny and so supportive. It was so cool to hear various people shouting out positive and encouraging things to each other - friends and strangers.

It was AWESOME that a year ago I heard about this event from a friend and set my sights on doing it this year - and I did it. This just shows that anyone can do this if they want to! I'm not sure why meeting a physical/activity goal feels so good! I guess it is because it is so personal? I'm not sure. But, it is just great.

I felt so alive today during the event and tried to really enjoy and feel the experience. I enjoyed the coolness of the water, the stickey-ness of the seaweed, the sound of Mike saying, "Go Ramsey" and Zach playing the cow bell (we always need more cow bell!), the rush of the adrenaline, the cool wind blowing my jacket, the sounds of bikes wizzing past ("on your left"), the cheers of fellow competitors, the sound of my breath and cadence of my steps, the sound of "Lisa Ramsey, from Hudson, Ohio" on the sound system when I crossed the finish line, and finally the warm hug and victory kiss immediately followed by, "Great job, Baby!"

This Takes "Chubby Bunny" to a Whole New Level!

This evening I heard a startling bit of "news" on the radio. Someone broke a new record by eating 47 burritos in 10 minutes. Yes, my friends, I'm talking about the "sport" of competitive eating. After I overcame my nausea at the thought of such a feat, I started to wonder about this type of contest and decided to do a little research...

Sure enough there is an organization that "oversees all professional eating contests. The organization, which developed competitive eating and includes the sport's governing body, the International Federation of Competitive Eating, helps sponsors to develop, publicize and execute world-class eating events in all variety of food disciplines". This organization is called "Major League Eating" and the logo has a bit of a likeness to Major League Baseball, as you might imagine. As I looked around this website, http://www.ifoce.com/about.php, I became more and more astounded that this was an actual thing and not a spoof on SNL. Was I being punked? No, Ashton Kutcher did not appear...this, apparently was a real thing!

I looked further. The contests promoted on the site ranged from pickle eating, burrito eating, cannoli eating...to the more predictable pizza eating, buffalo wings and this was my favorite - bratworst eating - sponsored by Pepto Bismol. How appropo. There are stats, rankings, pics - all similar elements you might find on a real competitive sports site...even down to an MLE store so you can buy all your gear and accessories (aprons, bibs??). The other interesting thing I noticed was the page of "safety regulations". They are very firm about not letting anyone under the age of 18 participate. Oh, that's good. We only let the age-appropriate people strap on the food troughs.

Now, where do I begin to attempt to describe how wrong this whole thing is on so many levels. First, of all I find it disturbing that in a country with such a dichotomy of very overweight people on the one hand to those men, women and children who are hungry, on the other, we are treating food as a sport. Terrible. I mean, leave it to Americans to turn what is supposed to be nutrition and energy to fuel and nourish our bodies, into excess, gluttony, and waste - and then treat it as a "sport". How contemptible! I mean, how is this positive in any way?! Seriously! Encouraging people to gorge and then rewarding them for it??!! Uggh...Major League Eating? I call it Major League Disturbing!!!

A Matter of Perspective

So, I had to pay today at WW. I'll lead with that. I felt really good about how the last two weeks, and especially this past week went. I felt like I tracked well, limited the BLT's (bites, licks and tastes) and got 3 solid runs in. So, I confidently stepped up to the scale (I did bring my wallet with me, just in case, however. I didn't want to have to make the walk of shame to my purse in front of all the other people in line). The clerk told me I was 3.4 over my goal and needed to pay. What??!! That can be possible, I thought!! I knew I was down this week. I held back tears feeling really defeated, and handed her my debit card...again! My sadness quickly turned to anger when she mentioned that once I got back to goal I didn't have to pay. Really. No shit, I felt like screaming at her! I mean, she knows that I've been coming for a long time and know the drill. I was really mad.

I made my way to my seat and told Shannon that I had to pay. But as soon as I looked at my book my mood lifted. I had lost 2.2 pounds from the last time I weighed in - two weeks ago! So, that was great news!! I wished the clerk had maybe mentioned that rather than focused on the "you have to pay" part.

It is funny how news can hit you differently depending on your perspective. I like to think of this as "feedback, not failure". Any news at the scale really is just that. I'm so blessed and happy that each week we get a do-over. Actually, with every day and every meal we do. What a wonderful thing! I guess that is what "regular skinny people" or people that have never had food issues have always known. It is their best kept secret! You just don't get hung up on mistakes, bad news or perceived failures, but you move on or start over. So, that is what I will continue to do each week. What a blessing my Weight Watcher meetings and friends are in my life. They keep me grounded and ready for the next do-over!

Just Do It - the sequel

So, I ran today at lunch - 5K, a little over 30 minutes. Good run, pretty uneventful. The weather was breezy, and nice and cool...perfect weather for a run. I had a bunch of meetings today and could have easily given in to not going, but I didn't let myself even entertain that today. After my 11am meeting ran a tad long and I was delayed by a student's question I simply grabbed my bag and went to the locker room. The old Nike slogan echoed in my head - "Just Do It". That is pretty good motivation. That and I am really trying to be back where I need to be at the scale come Saturday. I've been consistently running every other day this week (3 times so far) and I have my BOSU class tomorrow. It just really takes making it a part of my day; scheduling it right in my calendar in order to make sure I don't come up with an excuse to miss. I find that on my really packed meeting days especially, it is really important for me to get my run in. It helps alleviate stress and give me a boost of energy in the afternoon and through the evening. Ahh, life is good. I'm diggin' this weather - until the snow flies again!!!

Enthusiasm vs. Dread

Today's topic at my Weight Watcher's meeting was just right for me. In spite of my great run in 90+ heat the other day, I've been feeling a little unmotivated for my runs lately. Today we talked about activity and how your attitude towards it can really change your experience. Duh. Of course that makes total sense and I know that, but, yet again I needed to hear that message again. I think lately I've been thinking about it with dread and not enthusiasm. I mean, I'm alive! I'm able-bodied and blessed to be able to move! I should celebrate that!

So I took it to the street when I got home. I set my ipod to 5K (goin metric!!) and ran. It was beautiful this morning - breezy and cool with a little sun. I ran it in just over 30 minutes without any walking! This is indeed an accomplishment because lately I've been walking at least a couple of times along the way...probably mostly because of the heat, but also because of attitude. Oh, I also "owned" the hills today. At times I've given in and walked when I've approached hills, but today I won and kept going. A lot of it is really mind over matter, I've discovered. In order to keep that enthusiasm rather than the dread I've developed some phrases/mantras that I repeat to myself as I run. Mostly in my head, but sometimes I say them out loud. Some of my favorites are the following:

"Strong and Steady"
"If not you, who?"
"The more you move, the more you lose" (got this one today!)

And of course there is always the standard pep talk stuff: "You got this", "You are awesome", "You are...insert positive adjective here"

So next time you need an extra push to find your mojo to do your activity...find your own mantra or borrow one of mine. Come on, if not you, who??!!

Goin' metric

So I ran yesterday at lunch. Outside. In 90 degree heat. And it was AWESOME! The one good thing about running after not running for a few days is that it generally is a great run and I feel good before, during and after the run. Well, this one didn't disappoint either. That is, after a weird start. After I remembered that I signed up for a 5K on Labor Day - this Monday - I decided to use the 5K setting on my ipod rather than set it for 3 miles. So during the run, the little announcer woman (I can't remember what I named her), told me when I got 1K into it, etc. All of a sudden she is telling me I'm at the half-way point, but it was only at 1.5K. What?? I'm no math major, but I do know that 5 divided by 2 is not 1.5. Sweating and puzzled, I figured that I must have hit the 3K setting rather than the 5K setting since I'm so used to setting for 3 miles...3 on the brain. Turns out - that is exactly what I did! So, now what should I do...just run the 3K for the day? Walk back? Or add some distance for a different challenge?

I decided to run the full 3K and when I completed that I would just turn around and run back for a total of, you got it - 6K. Wow, a certified math genius. So, I did it! I walked a tad, but after all it was a billion degrees. I figured out later that 6K is around 3.7 miles. Sweet. I think I'm going to use the metric settings more often. For some reason it felt like a shorter distance. I'm not sure why that is, but I might become a convert. Just don't ask me how many liters are in a gallon.

Does dinner "time" matter?

So, my dilemma for this week is, "Does dinner time matter?" Now, I don't mean this literally, I mean, I do, but my emphasis is not actually on the dinner part of dinner time...of course dinner is important. It could be a good time to bond with family, get caught up with friends, try a new recipe and/or relax from the stress of the day. But, what I'm talking about is the actual "time" dinner takes place. When is the optimum time to eat dinner? Is there a magical hour after which you should not eat a big meal or eat a meal at all? Some people think so. But if you ate the same amount of calories, fat, protein, etc would it really matter to your body what time it was consumed? Oh the questions. Hmmm.

Why do I care, you ask? Well, because yes, I had to pay again Saturday at Weight Watchers. My attention was really not on this at the meeting because after all my friend hit her goal of losing 100 pounds!!! Yahoo!!! Word for SR!!! Anywho, but Saturday has passed and I figure I better deal with this. So I'm 5 pounds over my goal weight and just three pounds over my "have to pay" amount. What's the deal? As I've blogged about in past entries, we are a football family once again and are trying to maintain the family meal at dinner...you know the whole "keeping the feast" thing? This has meant that I'm cooking or reheating at 8pm. I'm just wondering if this change in timing of our dinner has had any impact on my recent scale happenings. Not sure I can know for sure.

So, this week, I'm going to try an experiment. I'm going to go home first, eat dinner myself at a normal time, and then sit with my family after practice while they eat. No, it is not ideal, but I gotta try somethin' I'll let you know what happens. Oh, and I have to run again regularly too...now that could be something...

The Curse of the White Pants

So,I have come to an earth shattering conclusion about white pants. They make you look fat. It doesn't matter what style they are - capris, dress pants, white jeans (ew)...they all make you look fatter than you are. This law does not apply to all white clothing that you wear on your bottom half...white skirts and white shorts are fine. For some reason they have escaped the curse of the doomed white pants. And of course anything worn on the top of the body that is white is just fine - your sweaters, jackets, shirts - all good. For some reason, from the moment I put on white pants (okay, so it really is just this one pair) I feel fat and look fatter in the mirror. I'm not sure why this is. I know that the color black is supposed to be slimming and I have to say it has lived up to that reputation on a regular basis in my closet. Perhaps because white is the total opposite of black, it does the total opposite of slimming - fattening. With Labor Day coming up soon and being a strict follower of the "no white after Labor Day fashion rule" (not really), I've been trying to get a few more wearings out of the white items in my wardrobe. Hence this discovery. The last time I wore the white pants I did notice their fat tendency, but I soon forgot about it (denial is an ugly thing) and wanted to give them yet another chance yesterday. I mean, we all have bad hair days...maybe I just had a bad pants day. So I was filled with hope and anticipation as I got dressed yesterday and looked in the mirror. Fat. Uggh. I was running kinda late and decided to just go with it and hope for the best on "white pants last chance day."

Well, that was it - all day the pants bugged me. I actually felt like they were making me fatter as the day went on!! I think the pants are officially history. I'll have to either give them away or sell them at the consignment shop. Just in time for Labor Day. Miss Manners would be so proud.

Keep on Truckin'

I did my second trial run for the triathlon this morning - well two legs of it. I did better this time! I rode 6 miles in 27 minutes, stopped for a quick drink and ran 2 miles in 19:43 minutes. I was pretty happy with that and even better I felt really good doing it. I have found a good route to ride on my bike that doesn't have lots of stops and starts and is relatively quiet (not lots of traffic). Now that I know that it is 6 miles I just need to add another mile next time so it is the same distance as the race will be.

My anger at the scale is what propelled me today. I had to pay again at Weight Watchers...still above my goal. I was so mad because I worked out four times last week! Not sure what this is all about. Some people are suggesting that I've gained muscle, but not sure about that...

I'm just going to buckle down, get real on my points this week and run every day until I can stop paying...that is my new challenge!! We'll see how it goes!!

The Woman with the Plan

So I ran into a colleague that I hadn't seen since the spring yesterday. She complemented me and told me that I looked great which felt really good (when does it not?!). She asked me what I was doing and I shared that I was a "Weight Watcher" and that I was running and doing activity regularly. She then shared that she too was a runner. We got to talking and I learned that she ran her FIRST marathon in her early 50's. My jaw just dropped! She is now in her early 60's. She told me that she was pretty much done with marathons...too hard on her feet (she has always had foot issues), so now she is just sticking to half-marathons. She is training for one in October at which, instead of a medal, the "giveaway" is a Tiffany necklace presented to each runner by a handsome man in a tux! As she described this her eyes lit up like this prize will be the cats meow for her. Hey, I'd just do it for the medal - no handsome man required - I got one of them at home.

Anyways, I got to thinking, with my friend's encouragement...yeah, I would just do it for the medal, or better yet, I could just to do it for me (although the medal would be sssswwweeeet)!!! To quote my friend, "Yeah, you can do it if that is what you decide to do". Hmm. Yes. I think I want to set my sights on the half.
But first, I need to run a 10K.
Before that I need to train for a 10K.
Before that I need to run my triathlon in next month.
Before that I need to train for my triathlon.
Before that I need continue to push myself on my regular 3 mile runs.
Before that I need to finish this blog and go back to work.
Well, at least I have a plan!!!

2/3 of a Trial Run

After paying again this am at Weight Watchers (I was over by .8 pounds, but I'm moving on), and realizing that there is only a little over a month until the triathlon, I decided that I needed to start some serious training (well, at least serious for me!). I wanted to add some of the elements together to get a sense of how long this thing will take. I would like to set a goal for myself so I know what I want to shoot for the day of the race. My friend who did it last year completed the race in one minute over an hour so now, of course, the competitive streak in me says that is the time to beat. Mike reminded me this am that I should just concentrate on completing it this year to get a baseline because I really don't know what to expect. He's right, of course. The dude is smart - glad I married him.

So while Zach was doing Tag Day with the Hudson Hawks (go Hawks!) this morning, I decided to do my own bi-athlon with biking and running. I asked Mike to lead me on a 7 mile route (that's the length of the bike portion). We ended up going only about 6.5 miles, but that took me a little over 36 minutes. I was a little disappointed with my time. I felt fine with the ride itself in terms of difficulty and how I felt doing it. We had a few hills and I got used to down shifting. I don't usually bike that much...much prefer running. It was frustrating to have to keep stopping and starting, but the biking won't be like that on race day, I suppose. I wanted to go faster, but I didn't feel comfortable doing that because 1) I don't own a helmet yet (I know, I need to get one), and 2) I just don't feel quite as comfortable on a bike...I don't feel in as much control as I do running or swimming. That is an interesting thing I learned about myself today. The less equipment needed the better!

After we got back from the bike ride, I grabbed a drink of water and my ipod and ran the 2 mile run. It was kinda tough at the beginning...my legs felt rubbery. Then I hit my stride in the middle. It was really hot, of course, too so I had to walk two different times. I was okay with my time - 19:53. I want to do it in less than 20 minutes.

So, all in all, I was happy with my "trial run". Now I just have to figure out how to add the third leg somehow and I'll be happy as a clam. I'll keep you "posted". Oh, I crack myself up.

Keeping the Feast

So I'm reading this book called, "Keeping the Feast" by Paula Butturini and it is all about the healing power of maintaining the family meal to help overcome the depression of her husband. The author is coming to JCU in October so I was anxious to read it. It is a really good read so far!

Anywho, it is ironic that I'm reading this now because now that we have entered the "football zone", having dinner together or even at all, has proved to be quite challenging for Chez Ramsey! We don't get home from Zach's football practice until about 7:45pm every night (M-F). I usually go to the practice right from work and Mike meets us there on his bike. Nick has the other car to get him to his job (4pm - 8pm every day). So, Zach has a healthy snack around 4:30pm to get him through. Then, while he his in the shower Mike and I whip up dinner. We end up eating at 8pm, but the most important thing is we are still eating together! Plus, we aren't eating McDonald's (gross). Last night Nick even joined us after coming home from work! It has taken a couple days to get used to this new schedule, but just like all types of change, it just takes creativity and planning. We can do this and still keep our family feast - even if it is just sandwiches!

Facing the Music

So, it finally happened. I had to pay at Weight Watchers this morning. (wa, wa, wa - to the tune of Charlie Brown's teacher). For those who aren't familiar with how it works I'll 'splain it to you. Once you are a lifetime member you only have to weigh in once a month and provided you are within two pounds of your goal weight you are free, free, free. I weigh in EVERY week and I've been free every month since I reached goal in November 2009...until today (August).

Now I sort of knew this was coming based on a couple of things. First, I was up last week. Second, it is the time of the month when my body holds a little bit more weight (you get my drift). Third, I weighed in a day early because I'm going out of town on Saturday. And lastly, it is called Murphy's law - bound to happen sometime. It is sort of ironic, however, because this has been a really great week for me in terms of activity - I ran twice and did my Bosu class twice. But, come to think of it, I went to Handel's for ice cream twice too...hmm. I tracked well, fairly well, but I think I may have overcompensated for the amount of activity I did and maybe did one too many "bites, licks and tastes" that didn't count (at least in my tracker)!

Knowing all of this, a smarter woman might not have weighed in today. The way it works is that the first meeting of the month that you weigh in counts, no matter what. So, given that, I could have waited and weighed in next week for August in order to let nature take its course, so to speak, and work to get that pound and a half off. But, since I'm all about accountability I'm committed to the every week weigh in, no matter what. Turns out, I'm not perfect afterall, what do you know!?

I'm glad I weighed in. Not real glad about having to pay the $11.00, but glad that I held myself accountable even when I could have taken the easy way out. The easy road is not always the best road, for sure. Hopefully, when I face the scale next week the music will be sweeter. But either way, I'll show up cause that is what it is all about!! :-)

Defining the triathlon

I registered for my first triathlon this morning! I heard about this race last summer from a friend who had participated. She told me that it is just for women, is held at Portage Lakes and consists of a 250 meter swim (10 laps), 7 miles on a bike, and a 2-mile run. Last summer I wasn't near ready for it, but I told myself that I wanted to do it the following year.

Cut to a couple months ago, when I talked to this same friend again and asked her about the info. She sent me the link and I perused the site a week or so ago to get the pertinent information (read: cost). I hurried up and closed the site wanting to spend more time thinking about if I wanted to spend the money on it - $45! Then, this morning I decided to do it. Why not?! It is my next challenge! I have been swimming the last few weeks just to see how/if I could do it and I was surprised at how doable that distance was for me. Plus I had to time my swim in order to enter it on the registration form. So, with a gulp and a nervous stomach, I hit "send" and now I'm committed! I'm really excited about it, but nervous, of course!!

So my typical next step about something exciting in my life is...post it on facebook!! Which I did. I announced that I had just entered my first triathlon for women. Yahoo! My enthusiasm was deflated a bit when someone questioned if I was doing a "full" triathlon. Wait, didn't the website say it was a "triathlon"?? Was I misled somehow?? What was a triathlon anyways?? So, I looked it up on the best source I could find. According to dictionary.com a triathlon is "an athletic contest comprising three consecutive events, usually swimming, bicycling, and distance running". Hmmm. Okay, so it is official after all. Not that it even matters but let the record show that I'm doing a triathlon. And now I'm actually motivated to at least entertain the idea of a 10K or dare I say a half a marathon??? Just watch me...

Game On!!

I think I have officially become a football mom...again! Zach had his first practice with Hudson Hawks tonight and LOVED it. Granted tonight's dress was only shorts, t-shirt and cleats, and not the full equipment and pads that they have to wear this Friday, but still it was really hot and they kept those boys hoppin' for a full two hours. I was proud of how hard he worked, tried his best and had a blast! I was tickled when he came up to me during a break and announced, "this practice ROCKS!"

In the middle of practice I got a phone call from Nick asking about the details of Zach's football practice schedule. He said he wanted to work out a day to get off of work and come to his practice!! That just warmed my heart. Especially since Zach has recently realized that Zach's first game is on the same day as Nick's move-in day to college at the end of the month. Z feels very conflicted about it, was in tears about it on Saturday, but I think has finally decided to stay and play the game and "play it for Nick". Oh, my heart again!

Then, all of a sudden I felt a tap on my shoulder and realized that Mike had come up on his bike (the practice was just a stop along his 8 mile route for the night). Zach was happy to see his dad there too.

I felt so content right then. Sure, I was hot and sweaty...kinda hungry. I had been worried about how Zach would like this. I'm still worried how we will work out rides, dinners, schedules for the fall. But, those things will work themselves out. I'm just so thankful for my family to be involved with such healthy things. Playing hard is good and I'm just thrilled that it finally feels like everyone is in the game. Game on!

Proud Mama

Zach ran his first race yesterday and I'm just so proud I could burst! So, here is the blog entry to chronicle this momentous occasion.

Zach and I entered the race (to fight pancreatic cancer) because for one, it was in Hudson and also because he had been wanting to run one. They offered both the 5K and the 1 mile fun run - perfect. The Monday before the race I thought maybe I should "train" Zach - doing some walking/running intervals just so he'd feel comfortable and to help him run the whole thing since he hadn't done it before. Well, the week got busy (and really hot) so we only did one day of "training". I actually think this was a good thing after all, however. The night before the race Zach told me he was worried about the race because we only one day of training. That is when I told him that I was wrong and that he didn't need to train, but just do his best and that would be enough. He is just a kid for crying out loud!

What actually prompted me to get into this whole training mindset is the email correspondence we received about the Hudson Hawk football program (Zach starts in August). Now, no offence to any of the organizers or people involved with the program (it seems very organized and well run), but the email strongly encouraged that the kids should be getting ready for their conditioning by doing callisthenics, working out, running, etc before practice starts in August. I immediately got into panic mode. Oh, man - gotta get Zach running, gotta get him doing exercises, etc. I don't want him to not to be able to keep up with the other boys! Thankfully, reason prevailed and I realized, "HE IS JUST A KID!" And an active one at that! He doesn't need to train for 3rd grade football practice - that is just crazy! He plays at the pool or at camp, rides his bike, goes for walks - he'll be fine!! Sorry, I digress. We nixed the training, but the race was still on!

On race day we were ready. Of course it was one of the most (if not THE most) humid days of the year. Zach and I donned our purple shirts and headed downtown. Mike met us there on his bike (which we have now affectionately named "Mike's Tight Trike"!) Zach's race was first at 8:30am. I encouraged him to just do his best and if he needed to walk, listen to his body and walk, but just don't stop. The bell rang and he was off! I nervously headed over to wait at the finish line. It was so hot, I didn't want him to get too tired or fall, or...whatever! Pretty soon, the first boy ran across the finish line and then a girl followed him about 15 seconds later. Then I could see a group of about three young boys running towards the finish in a single file line. I strained my eyes and thought I saw Zach...I squinted and sure enough I did see him with his blond hair blowing up a bit and a determined/pained look on his face. I started cheering then, "Go Zach!" "You can do it!" I felt my eyes getting a little moist and a lump forming in my throat as his barrelled through the finish! I had counted and was surprised to realize that he was either the 5th of 6th person across! I went over to him and congratulated him and all he said in a shaky, borderline teary voice was, "Mommy, I need water - I just need water". His time was 10 minutes and 42 seconds - awesome! We got him water, a banana and all three of us cheered on the rest of the runners coming in. He said the run was really hard and that he had to walk a few times - but he didn't stop. He was really proud of that. We were too.

After my run, which was pretty uneventful...just very hot...but I did okay, Zach and I stayed for the raffles and awards. Even though he didn't get first in his age group and was disappointed not to get a trophy, I think he was proud of what he did. I think it will become more real when we see our times posted in black and white on the website.

I am just so proud. Proud of Zach for doing his best and being persistent. Proud of Mike for coming out to support both of us. Proud of myself for pushing it on a hot day. But most of all, I'm proud of our family - choosing to run/bike for a good cause on a hot and humid Saturday morning...rather than just staying in bed!

A Bit About Bosu

No, this is not about food. Bosu is not a new kind of cheese or a new brand of dog. It is a new kind of exercise equipment that I used for the first time last night with about a 6 out of 10 success rate, I think. Let me explain...

Zach has a tae kwon do class at Life Center from 6:45pm-7:30pm on Thursdays. My usual pattern is to grab my book and hang out on the steps right outside the class and watch him and his little buddies learn to kick and "fight", as he puts it, much to my dismay. Then, it occured to me last week that there was a group fitness class going on during that same time. Not sure what gave it away - the music, the voice over the mic, or the sweaty people moving around. I began to think that it might make sense to take advantage of that time and actually DO something physical. I had thought about running the track, but that didn't excite me at all - the whole inside running when it is nice out - just can't do it. So, I went and looked in the program booklet to find out more about the class. I didn't really read the description, (why would I do that?) all I read really was that the class started at 6:30pm every Thursday - that was all I needed to know.

Cut to last night. After arriving home from work at approximately 5:56 and scarfing down two bowls of fiber one mini wheats, Zach and I jetted out the door to get to my class on time. We made it with enough time to talk to instructor to find out what equipment I needed. I got myself settled in the back (the newbie position) with my mat, my free weights, my medicine ball, my water and this round bouncy thing that was flat on one side. I was told this was a bosu. Alright then. I was ready, thinking, bring it on! I'm in shape, how tough can this be?! Yeah - it was tough city!! Turns out the class is an advanced bosu class and is made up of cardio and weight work - an interval workout. It was great! I was sweating bigtime - at one point I had to run to the fitness area and grab a towel because I was dripping all over the floor (ya'll know my sweating issues). It was such a good workout! The bosu was kind of hard to balance on - it was sort of used in place of a step that I had used in the past. I tried my best and modified some movements just on the floor if I fell off too much. It was just a great new challenge. The hour was intense and I felt like I had a great workout. Nice alternative to running, I suppose. I'm working on realizing that I can get a workout without a run. So after we both had good classes, Z and I went to meet grandma and grandpa....at Dairy Queen!!!

I Could Run 500 Miles!

I had an awesome run last night! Not sure if it was because the temperature was nice (not too humid), it was a good time (about 7:30pm), or the planets aligned just right, but I felt like I could run forever. I ended up only running about 3.3 miles (it was broken up into two legs), but it just felt really good. I didn't have my iPod so no music - just my breathing and the noises of the outdoors. It was great! These are the runs that make me want to continue running! They are not always like this, but I sure love it when they are!! Of course this was after I had started my "training" with Zach and had him run/walk for 18 minutes - probably about 1 1/2 miles. He complained a little bit, but wants to do it again tonight!!

Mike had to mail something last night so we decided to make a family trip out of it. Mike and Zach rode their bikes and I ran. So we traveled to FedEx and back. It felt really good to do an activity as a family that was actually ACTIVE!! Nice. Hopefully there will be more where that came from! I have at least 496 miles to go...ha, ha, ha!

Accidental cheating?!

I mentioned this in a status update, but it is just too funny not to post as a blog entry if nothing else just for me to have for the future.

At the Firecracker Run on Monday, July 5 there was also a 3K Fun Run (2 miles). At the last minute we signed Zach up, as I mentioned in a previous blog. He was going to walk it with my friend, Carol. Well, true to form, Zach decided to run the first lap. So, after finishing the first lap he accidentally went through the finish line rather than the line to go to the second lap! He corrected himself and finished out the race with Carol - no harm done. However, the funny thing is that when the times were posted on the City of Stow website, they had Zach Ramsey listed as coming in 8th place (out of 170 people) with a time of a little over 13 minutes!! All the other ages of the people who finished in the top 10 or even 20 were like 19 or 23 or 25 and then you see age 8!! Hilarious! When I showed him the results he said, "oh, how embarrassing"! But, you know what? Good for him. When you think about it, this is a lesson to all of us to throw yourself into something you love. To give it all you've got and don't worry about doing it perfectly. Good for him! And bonus, he wasn't playing video games!!!

Swim, swam, swum!

I can't believe it has taken me 41 years to realize that swimming is good exercise. Duh. I mean, I have always loved the water (pools, lakes) and swum (that is such a weird word) my whole life from taking swimming lessons as a kid with that crummy red kick-board (remember those?!) to more recently playing in the pool and serving as the "moterboat" with Zach. But just a few days ago I discovered how awesome swimming can actually be for exercise.

I am planning to do a triathlon in September. Now, before you freak out, I'm not talking about the hard core "iron-man or woman race" or whatever. This is really cool, really doable and just for women. My friend did it last year, but I wasn't quite ready then. This year I totally am. It starts with the equivalent of 20 lengths of a pool (but it is in a lake), then a 7-mile bike ride and a 2-mile run. The biking and running part are fine for me, but I wasn't sure about the swimming. So, I jumped in the pool to see how much I could do. The first day I did 10 lengths and felt pretty good and then Saturday I did 20 without stopping. It felt great! I was tired, but a different kind of tired than running or other cardio stuff. I really enjoyed it. Not to mention it was a beautiful day at a beautiful place! It took me about 20 minutes, give or take. So I'm psyched for this race now. It is in September so I have lots of time to get faster. I'm just excited to discover another way to get in activity into my daily life - there are opportunities all around us if we just look for them!

Fried Green Tomatoes - not just a movie!

So, I discovered a new food (well, new to me) again this morning that I just had to share with ya'll. Have you tried fried green tomatoes?! So good! Truth be told I had no idea this was an actual food. Before today, my only context for this was the awesome movie by the same name with Kathy Bates (love it!). Last weekend, my hairdresser had mentioned that she loved them so I picked some up the other day at Szalays (again, love that place!) This morning I decided to try them and I was pleasantly surprised. This is how I fixed them. I sliced one green tomato in four thick slices. Dipped them in an eggwhite wash, slightly beaten, and then dipped them each in bread crumbs. I fried them in a griddle lightly sprayed with cooking spray (a few minutes on each side). Then I sprinkled a little parm cheese on them and dipped them in marinara sauce (I had a tomato sauce and pizza sauce mixture cuz that is all I had). SO good! A new summer veggie snack that was quick and yummy! The only thing with points was the bread crumbs, the sauce and the cheese, but I figured it at about 2 points for the entire thing. Very filling! Try it!!!

Firecracker Run

This morning I accomplished a new goal - yahoo!! I ran 4 miles for the first time ever! I ran the Stow Firecracker Run sponsored by the Stow Parks and Rec, thanks to Dennis, my friend from Weight Watchers, who told me about it. It was early - 7:30am and very hot and humid this am. The route started at Holy Family church and went up route 59 two miles and then back. I was nervous about it because I had never run 4 miles before - only 3.5 and I hadn't even run a lot this week. But, I committed to do it and that was that. I went to bed early in an attempt to get a good night's sleep, but slept badly because I was hot. I got up and walked the dog as I shoved an English muffin with peanut butter in my tummy. I wanted to be sure to have something at least an hour before the run. I had begged (literally) Mike to come and cheer me on, but my deal included walking the dog, so I did. So, Mike, Zach and I piled in the car at about 6:45am to get to Stow by like 7am.

They were also doing a 3K fun run and Zach wanted to do it in the worst way. Thankfully, I ran into Carol, Dennis' wife, - another friend from WW who was doing the fun run and she was willing to walk with Zachy. So with about 10 minutes to spare before the start of the race, I got Zach entered and he was very excited! I was short $3, but the registrar accepted our registration anyway. Come on, he's a kid. Very nice.

There were tons of people there! I always feel a mixture of intimidation and motivation as I look around at the other runners getting ready to go. There are all kinds, but a lot of "hard core" runners wearing shirts from previous 10K's and marathons that they have run. I just remind myself that I am only competing with myself and that it is just a normal run. The route was pretty good - a couple hills. I gave myself permission to walk a bit if I needed to and I did about 4 times!! It was just so friggin' humid! It was 75 degrees already at 7:30 and really humid on the way back. They had water at about the 1.5 mile marker which was good. I almost poured it on my head! There were lots of people along the route because the 4th of July parade goes along the same route at about 10am later that morning. One neighbor guy was holding a hose out to the street and misting us as we went by. That felt wonderful!!! My ipod actually worked today so I had Lady Gaga in my ear the whole time which was helpful. It was also motivational to have other people around you and be a part of a group of runners. I was not last! Mike said I probably was in the first 2/3 of the group. I think my time was about 42:12, but I'll know the exact time when it is posted on the internet later today. I was aiming for 40 minutes because that would be a 10-minute mile, but I was actually pretty happy with that time because of the crazy humidity.

As I ran towards the finish line I felt great as I saw Mike, Zach and my mom cheering me on. I also had Lance Armstrong in my ear - ipod - congratulating me on my longest workout ever. Such a great day! I still can't believe I did it...that I'm doing this...I'm running...ME! Who'd a thunk it?!! If I can do it, anybody can!! The very best thing I heard today was at the starting line when the man announced over the loud speaker, "Runners, take your mark!". Runners...he was talking to me!!! Awesome.