The right stuff

So I'm becoming a real runner and do you know how I can tell I'm a real runner? I'm buying all the right stuff. For the last year I've been running in T-shirts, holey socks, sweat pants and whatever tennis shoes I had in my closet but things are changing. Recently I've purchased special running pants (that I LOVE,) running shirts (which I also LOVE,) socks (that surprisingly make a big difference,) and a few other things. The only thing I don't have is running underwear. I definitely think owning the right stuff is really important. I don't regret waiting a while to purchase them but I think they really help. I noticed a difference the first day I wore my new socks, pants, and shirt. I think it helps me go faster. :) So here are a few other things I've gotten.So I just bought new shoes. I went and actually got re sized and I'm a whole size bigger then I thought I was and I have a wide foot which I've always know. I bought some men's Brooks shoes and so far I love them. One day when I'm in an actual city with a running store I plan on going in and using one of those fancy machines they have that designs the perfect shoe for your foot.

My awesome friend Kimberley just bought me this Camelbak backpack for water. I haven't used it yet I plan on using it this Saturday for my 11 mile run, I'll tell you how I like it. I'm learning that once I run over an hour I really start needing water and even some kind of snack soooo...

Another friend of mine Lara gave me some of these sport beans that she uses on her long runs. I plan on using them this Saturday as well.

And again my friend Kimberley gave me these energy gels to try too (I told you she was awesome) So I plan on trying all this stuff on Sat and I'm excited about it.

So any of my running friends who are reading this if you have any good tips of things you use I would LOVE to hear them. Just post a comment or FB me and I'll try and get them up here.

Disappointment

Monday is weigh in day and I didn't lose anything. I hate that! I didn't gain either but the point of all this hard work is to LOSE! If I were my own Weight Watcher's leader I would say to myself that I shouldn't get discouraged and that the weight will come off just don't give up. I'm running a lot and I know with more exercise more glycogen molecules are coating my muscles which are heavy with water and eventually I will start burning it off. But I DON'T CARE about all that I want to just lose some flipping weight!!!! I worked really hard this week and it was showing on the scale until the weekend and now I'm back to where I was last week. Not okay when I need to average a pound a week. Ugh! In the end it all sounds like excuses. I hate excuses I just want to lose.

Weight loss is simple. Burn more calories then you take in. Its simple but NOT EASY!

Another day another 5k

Today I ran in a very small race in Ethete Wyoming but I'm really getting to like small races because I have a chance at placing! I drove there with my good friends Kimberely and Lara early this morning. I was still soar from the 10 mile run Thursday and pretty worried about my time on this one. Once I saw the course; which was a straight run down the road then turn around, I thought ' Ugh,I want to go home.' I'm not sure if I said it out loud or not, I'd have to ask Kimberley. But it was hot already and all I could see from the starting line was a really big daunting hill and we were told there was another hill behind it. Yuck. It took me a few good minutes after we started to work the stiffness and soreness out of my legs but then I fell into a good rhythm. The hill wasn't as bad as it looked and I finished in 31 min 36 sec nearly one minute behind my firewise 5k time but there wasn't 2 big hills at the firewise 5k either so I was happy with it. I got 1st for my age division, not any where near first overall! I only have 3 months left in this age division and then I have to run against all those fast 30 year old women- they really are fast! So I started less then excited about the race but give me a trophy and I am a happy girl!

Here we all are. Lara got first in her age group 30-39, I think her time was 24 min (see I told you those 30 year olds are fast) Kimberley got 2nd in the same age division as Lara and her son Sage was the youngest runner and he did GREAT! What a stud he is. He got first in his age division too. We are just a bunch of winners!

And since I am just so tickled about it, this is my trophy.

And then she ran 10

10 miles that is. I can hardly believe it myself but I did it! I ran 10 miles in just under 2 hours and surprisingly it wasn't as hard as running the 8. I left this morning at 5:00 sharp, watched the sun rise as I ran and got home at 7 just as it was feeling too hot. It made a big difference leaving early, my shoes didn't hurt my feet and I didn't have that stupid dog with me. It was painful but I did it!! I am incredibly impressed with myself to be able to accomplish this.

As if 10 miles wasn't enough I went to a Zumba class tonight to. I think I will sleep well tonight!

Weigh in Day

Today's the day. Weigh in day. I lost .6 this week which isn't great but I take any loss gratefully. The awesome thing about it is I'm only 2lbs away from losing 30lbs. Secretly I would like to make it my goal to lose 2lbs this week but logically I know I have to be careful about setting my goals to high. So I want to lose 2lbs this week but I wont be disappointed if I don't get it done.

My all time goal right now is to be at goal weight by January 1st 2011. That is 5 months away and means I have to average 1lb a week. That's a lot for me but that is what I am working on. Hopefully I will be really close to goal by the time I have my big Weight Watcher meeting in Billings in November. Last year I felt so uncomfortable being so far over goal at that meeting I promised myself I would have to be embarrassed this year.

I ran 3 miles today, slowly. Still really sore from the 8 mile run Saturday but I think getting out and running again was just what my legs needed.

Here's hoping for a great week!!!

The day after my first 8 mile run

"Ouch!" And that about sums it all up for me. I hurt. Before yesterday the longest I ever ran was 6 miles. I was doing that about once a week maybe less. I knew jumping up to 8 miles would be hard but I didn't expect it to physically hurt so much. I hurt in all the right places though. My bum, the outsides of my thighs and even my arms are soar.

I stupidly wore my highest high heals to church today, because my husband says he like them so much, I'm such a succor. I just prayed the whole time I was there no one would notice me limping around in those giant heals.

I only have to run 3 miles tomorrow (I'm following a training schedule) but I have a feeling it is going to be a painful 3 miles.

I'm also still medicating myself with M&M's which is so stupid. It's almost like taking all my hard work and literally waisting it away with every handful of M&M's. And why do I even have them in the house? What a sick destructive thing to do to myself. I bought them for my little girl as "potty candy" she gets and M&M when she goes potty. But even I knew as I was buying the bag she wouldn't need that big of a bag. I was the only one who wanted that big of a bag. Sometimes I am my worst enemy. I sabotage myself.

Running running running

So I ran 8 miles today and to use the word hard to describe the run just doesn't do it. It was excruciatingly hard and took me 1 hour and 39 min. I have a list of excuses as to why my time was so poor and at the end of the day they are just excuses, non the less, I would like to list them.

* It was HOT! I should have been getting back at the time I left because it was too blasted hot to run. The first 4 miles was on an unshaded hot bike path by mile 3 I had to stop and walk for at least a half mile
* I stupidly brought my huge dog. My husband wants me to take him with me on my long runs but he is just not properly leashed trained and too huge for me to control. The first 5 miles I ran I was pulling back on him, adding resistance and extra effort on my part. The last 3 he was tired but ran in front of me and kept stopping suddenly to turn around and check on me causing me to practically fall on top of him.
* The mosquitoes were terrible and I had to slap them off my leg every so often.
* My new shoes hurt my feet. By the end of the 8 miles the balls of my feet ached with every step.

As I said they are just excuses but now I have a base to improve on. Today my legs are tired and I can't seem to drink enough water. I'm medicating myself with M&M's- a great choice. I'm sure I've eaten 8 miles worth of M&M's which leads me to the all too often asked question... Why do I do that?

Today is also the Gard family reunion. As we ate lunch I looked around at the family surrounding us and I was impressed. They were all very fit and skinny. It was nothing like the family reunions from my side of the family. I was very grateful at that moment for the 25+lbs I've lost. Without losing that I would have felt very self conscious and awkward. Instead I felt comfortable and enjoyed seeing family and playing kick ball. I think my husband's family is awesome for being so fit and healthy.

So lets talk!

It seams like so much of my thought and worries fall on weight loss and I though it would be helpful to write some of them down, get comments back from people struggling with similar issues, and hopefully my readers and I can be more successful.

So here are a few ups and downs of my last 24 hours. I tried on a bunch of my "too small cloths" and several of them fit, hooray!!!

Feeling excited about this victory I looked up my weight loss record. If you don't know anything about me, I've been on this up and down weight loss journey for 8 years. Anywhoo, I was pretty sure I was about the same weight I was when we moved to Wyoming 3 years ago and I felt good about that. Unfortunately I am not. I'm still 10lbs heavier and I remember being really discouraged then. So booo. I killed my high and its time to get working harder.

Going out to dinner tonight with 13 points left. Fingers crossed I stay focused.