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| Me after a good run! |
One thing I have learned over the past few years that I started racing is that some runs are good, some ok, and others just plain awful. I wish that every run was one of the good ones; where my pace is perfect, my legs tireless, my breathing on point and my mind both relaxed and focused. I have been lucky enough to have many runs just like that, but I just recently had one of the worst runs I have ever embarked on. Everything went wrong. That run wasn't the only thing that knocked me off course.
What on Earth Happened!
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| Go Solons! Final Record 8-7-1! |
Since I last posted I have been busy (not that busy is an excuse), but busy enough to have training and diet to get a bit off track. Here's what I have been up to:
- Continued to work my FT job
- Finished up the Fall soccer season
- Started up a new business venture (Gwen's Green Cleaning!)
- Started a new part time job at a local after school program
- Took in a foster dog
All these things are really positive, but have also stressed me out a bit. Not all changes in life are stressful, but for some reason I love order and schedules, etc. So, when my routine is disrupted I tend to stress a little (or a lot). Not only has my exercise routine been disrupted, but my diet as well. I partially blame the change in the seasons, Fall makes me want to curl up on the couch and drink cocoa, eat soup and apple crisp and pie and more pie. I stopped drinking my daily green lunch smoothie, mostly because the weather was starting to get colder. When you're feeling cold the last thing you want to do is drink a partially frozen ball jar sized drink. So, my veggie intake has dropped significantly. I have admittedly fallen back into my old ways of eating too many carbs and not enough fruit and veggies. This, combined with less exercise isn't the greatest combination.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
I can't say that I am happy that I've strayed from my new path. These things
happen, I can't be perfect all the time (or can I?). Before I lay into myself too much, I should refocus on the positive. In the immortal words of Monty Python, "always look on the bright side of life." And the bright side is this:
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| I could not stop smiling after setting a new PR! |
- I am less than 5 pounds away from my goal weight of 165!
- I ran my first sub-two hour half marathon
- 1:55:29 in the RaceVermont Shelburne Fall Half
- I am signed up to run the full Vermont City Marathon in May (thanks to my amazing boyfriend LH)!
- I became an Aunt on October 14, 2013 and have a beautiful niece!
- I just celebrated my being at my FT job for 4 years (and don't want to work anywhere else)
- I've been getting tons of compliments (who doesn't love compliments!) of how I am looking more thin and trim, it is great to hear after working my butt off (literally) and losing 26 pounds (and counting!!)
Next Steps
What I need to do
now is refocus myself on my goals. With another distance race coming up in December, the
Happy Holidays Half Merrython (a 2.62 mile race followed by a half marathon - total of 15.72 miles) and the
Boston Prep 16-miler in January, there is no way I can stop running now. And of course the most important of all, the Vermont City Marathon in May! Here is my refocus plan:
- Start up my food diary again
- I use FitnessPal, it is a great online tool and app that help you track your exercise and die
- Recommit to swimming again
- After my triathalon I found that my pool workouts were getting boring, probably because I didn't have a race I was working toward. But those workouts were quick and effective cross training to go along with my running
- Commit to waking up early and running at least 2 mornings a week.
- Although the time change isn't great, it has helped me to start waking up earlier. I need to take advantage of that and run in the mornings.
- Start attending group exercise classes at my gym (since I am paying for them)
- 2-3 a week would help my get my money's worth. They have yoga, which is something my physical therapist suggested I start doing
- Get back to April's Boot Camp at least once a week!
- I have made too many excuses and really need to just get my butt out of bed and get back to having my butt kicked!
- Continue to rock it in the ABC Holiday Challenge (I could win $$)
- Exercise at least 5 times a week for 30 mins
- Stretch 6 times a week for 10 mins
- Drink lots and lots of water everyday (half my weight in ounces)
- Make lots of healthy meals that warm the soul!
- I am really into making soup and eating it for days (or freezing it for the depths of winter)
- Quiche is a great way to have a healthy breakfast quickly. I make it on a Sunday eventing and have it all week. It is a great alternate to Oatmeal (which is delicious, but gets old fast)
- Let myself enjoy the holidays!!
- Eat, drink and be merry (all in moderation, except being merry!)
- Spend time with family and friends as much as possible
- Watch less TV, get out in nature more!
All these things are really positive, but have also stressed me out a bit. Not all changes in life are stressful, but for some reason I love order and schedules, etc. So, when my routine is disrupted I tend to stress a little (or a lot). Not only has my exercise routine been disrupted, but my diet as well. I partially blame the change in the seasons, Fall makes me want to curl up on the couch and drink cocoa, eat soup and apple crisp and pie and more pie. I stopped drinking my daily green lunch smoothie, mostly because the weather was starting to get colder. When you're feeling cold the last thing you want to do is drink a partially frozen ball jar sized drink. So, my veggie intake has dropped significantly. I have admittedly fallen back into my old ways of eating too many carbs and not enough fruit and veggies. This, combined with less exercise isn't the greatest combination. 
What I need to do
now is refocus myself on my goals. With another distance race coming up in December, the Happy Holidays Half Merrython (a 2.62 mile race followed by a half marathon - total of 15.72 miles) and the Boston Prep 16-miler in January, there is no way I can stop running now. And of course the most important of all, the Vermont City Marathon in May! Here is my refocus plan:
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