Tuesday after work I started "week three" of training. Although the last two weeks have not gone as planned, I have accepted this and I know it was for the best. However, that does not mean that I don't have to improve my miles if I want to make my April 24 deadline to officially begin my training. So I have to make sure that I "step it up" a notch.
This week I ran 1.3 miles Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I even managed to do a little people watching in the process. I love to people watch. I can create whole stories around an individual who fascinates me.
I have mentioned that I am using the gym at my complex. On Tuesday I got on the treadmill and started my workout. About half way through my time an individual came into the gym. It was pouring rain and the individual was dressed appropriately. However, instead of shedding the layers, this person started warming up with jumping jacks and "up downs." After five minutes or so of watching, I realized that I had no idea if this person was a male or female. All I could see was short hair, earrings, tallish, and he was either a slightly built man or a small chested female. And for the life of me- I had NO IDEA! I was completely fascinated. I now had a mystery to solve (and for those of you who know me, I have rightfully earned the nickname Nancy Drew).
Wednesday came and this same individual was there when I arrived. This time (s)he was on another treadmill. I did the best I could to "steal" glances, but no luck. Then, the consummate California girl entered. You know the type- petite, bottle blond, perfect tan, totally cute and bubbly. She immediately struck up a conversation with my item of interest. You could tell they were friends or neighbors. There was certainly a backstory between these two. I was really excited because now I could hear him/her speak and I would know for sure. But I had no such luck. Again, (s)he is either an effeminate man or a girl. And I still have no idea. I did my best to steal glances, but they caught me at one point, so I let the mystery be...for now. :)
I have not seen my friend since. So, each day I lay in wait hoping (s)he will appear. I cannot stand the mystery!
I did work out again on Sunday, but Saturday I spent the day helping a friend of mine move. I will talk more about her later, but she is a hoarder. I love her dearly, but I am absolutely AMAZED at how much stuff she has. By the end of the day every muscle in my body hurt. Even the muscles between the knuckles in my fingers ached to the point I struggled to fall asleep. And, after nine hours of moving boxes, I felt sure that although I did not run, I certainly got in my workout.
So tomorrow I begin week four. My goal is to run 1.6 miles each day. We will see if I am successful!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Half Marathon- Week Two
Well, week two was not much better than week one. :(
I had hoped/planned to be back on track on Tuesday (the first day of my workout week). However, physically I wasn't ready yet. I mentioned last week that I had lost my voice and I had a pretty nasty cough. Well, I finally started to get my voice back on Monday. It was VERY weak and raspy, but it was something. When Tuesday rolled along, I was still getting those rattling, nasty coughs and my voice was only marginally better. There was no way that I could rationalize working out. So, I decided to take it one day at a time. I wouldn't stress getting back onto the treadmill until I felt ready.
I finally felt ready to jump back on the treadmill on Friday. However, Friday is one of my "off" days. So, I waited for Saturday to roll along. I woke up bright and early and headed for the gym. It was a really good workout. I ran the one mile again (trying to finish out the one mile rotation from week one). A friend joined me at the gym. He used the weight machines while I ran. I was super proud of myself for being "back on track" in regards to my workouts. It was killing me to sit at home each workout day.
By Saturday evening, my friend was complaining about how sore he was from working out, and it got me to thinking. Last week I was DYING after the first workout. I could hardly walk the next day I was so sore. I didn't think that much about it because that is was is SUPPOSED to happen when you work out. But, as I stretched my legs on Saturday night I realized- I am not sore AT ALL. After more than a week of not working out (and only two workouts before that), I should be at least a little sore. But I wasn't. I am sure part of this has to do with my legs getting accustomed to the stress of running again. After three workouts at a mile each, it SHOULD be getting easier. However, the difference between day two and three shouldn't be that extreme. Then it hit me. My legs were probably much sorer because I was sick and achy. Duh!
Week three officially began today. This week I am bumping up my workout to 1.3 miles each day. Hopefully in two more weeks I will be running two miles a day. Then I can start to work my way up to my pre-half marathon training goal.
I had hoped/planned to be back on track on Tuesday (the first day of my workout week). However, physically I wasn't ready yet. I mentioned last week that I had lost my voice and I had a pretty nasty cough. Well, I finally started to get my voice back on Monday. It was VERY weak and raspy, but it was something. When Tuesday rolled along, I was still getting those rattling, nasty coughs and my voice was only marginally better. There was no way that I could rationalize working out. So, I decided to take it one day at a time. I wouldn't stress getting back onto the treadmill until I felt ready.
I finally felt ready to jump back on the treadmill on Friday. However, Friday is one of my "off" days. So, I waited for Saturday to roll along. I woke up bright and early and headed for the gym. It was a really good workout. I ran the one mile again (trying to finish out the one mile rotation from week one). A friend joined me at the gym. He used the weight machines while I ran. I was super proud of myself for being "back on track" in regards to my workouts. It was killing me to sit at home each workout day.
By Saturday evening, my friend was complaining about how sore he was from working out, and it got me to thinking. Last week I was DYING after the first workout. I could hardly walk the next day I was so sore. I didn't think that much about it because that is was is SUPPOSED to happen when you work out. But, as I stretched my legs on Saturday night I realized- I am not sore AT ALL. After more than a week of not working out (and only two workouts before that), I should be at least a little sore. But I wasn't. I am sure part of this has to do with my legs getting accustomed to the stress of running again. After three workouts at a mile each, it SHOULD be getting easier. However, the difference between day two and three shouldn't be that extreme. Then it hit me. My legs were probably much sorer because I was sick and achy. Duh!
Week three officially began today. This week I am bumping up my workout to 1.3 miles each day. Hopefully in two more weeks I will be running two miles a day. Then I can start to work my way up to my pre-half marathon training goal.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Half Marathon- Week One
So, my half marathon training has not gotten off to a good start. :(
I got up Saturday morning with a little bit of a scratchy throat, but I was not going to let that deter me. No sirree. I got up and checked my day one training schedule. I have gone over it several times, but I just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing on my first day of training. And that's when I noticed it. I am such a dummy! The way the schedule is set up, I have Mondays and Friday's off. So I just assumed that I would start on Saturday. No big deal, right? Wrong. The schedule is set up so that you run the most on the weekends. You are supposed to build up to it all week. So, essentially, I was attempting to start part way through a week. And, as much as I wanted to just do it anyway, I want to do this right, and starting in the middle wasn't going to work for me. So I wait for Tuesday to arrive.
Tuesday comes and I am feeling fairly crappy. I had been running a low grade fever off and on for a couple of days, but since I put off starting on Saturday (whether justified or not), I was NOT going to miss my first day of training. I got home from work, put on my workout clothes, and headed to the gym at my complex.
This is my first time actually working out in my complex's gym, and I have to say, I am digging it. There are two TVs in the room and we can have the sound on. So, I watched the news while I ran. This made the time go by pretty quickly. As for the workout itself, I surprised myself. In the past when I took a break from running (which was only a month or two), I couldn't run for 5 minutes without needing a break. I managed to run the entire mile without stopping. By the end I was pouring sweat, but I did it. I was very proud of myself!
By Wednesday, my fever was waning, but the cough, nose, and throat were still around. After a day of teaching, my voice was pretty scratchy, but I survived running the day before, so why couldn't I survive again? I headed to the gym, and again I successfully ran the entire mile. However, the heavy breathing took a toll on my already scratchy throat. It also increased my coughing fits (which since the coughing was still a pretty new symptom, the coughs were the type that rattle your whole body). An hour after my run, I was a pretty miserable puppy. I took nyquil early and headed to bed where I continued to cough all night long (without sleeping I might add).
When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no voice. I mean nothing. Not even a squeak if I was in mortal danger. Nothing. And with coughing fits throughout the night my throat was really raw. And I was exhausted. However, my teaching schedule is actually set up nicely. I teach until 1pm. The last two hours of the day are preps for me. I figured that I would go to school until 1pm and then I would head home to rest. The kids were actually great. They were quiet through every class, and they volunteered to be my voice whenever possible. I did learn one interesting teaching trick yesterday. If you whisper, kids tend to whisper back to you without realizing it. Talk about a great way to quiet down the classroom!
By the time I got home from work, I was beat. I worked on grading and rested until 9pm and then I took my cough meds and headed to bed. I did not work out. I couldn't. I was achy and my throat was completely raw. There was no way. The worst part was that I felt like SUCH a loser for not going anyway!
After another completely sleepless night (I may have had two one-hour-long stretches in there somewhere), I woke up miserable and without a voice again. I have never had it this bad before. So, I called, more accurately I texted/emailed in sick and I have spent most of the day cat napping between coughing fits.
So, here I am a week from my pledge having messed up my start date and missing a day of exercise. And honestly, I may not be able to go tomorrow as planned. I feel like such a loser. However, Tuesday begins a new week, and I am going to rock next week! Just you watch!
I got up Saturday morning with a little bit of a scratchy throat, but I was not going to let that deter me. No sirree. I got up and checked my day one training schedule. I have gone over it several times, but I just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing on my first day of training. And that's when I noticed it. I am such a dummy! The way the schedule is set up, I have Mondays and Friday's off. So I just assumed that I would start on Saturday. No big deal, right? Wrong. The schedule is set up so that you run the most on the weekends. You are supposed to build up to it all week. So, essentially, I was attempting to start part way through a week. And, as much as I wanted to just do it anyway, I want to do this right, and starting in the middle wasn't going to work for me. So I wait for Tuesday to arrive.
Tuesday comes and I am feeling fairly crappy. I had been running a low grade fever off and on for a couple of days, but since I put off starting on Saturday (whether justified or not), I was NOT going to miss my first day of training. I got home from work, put on my workout clothes, and headed to the gym at my complex.
This is my first time actually working out in my complex's gym, and I have to say, I am digging it. There are two TVs in the room and we can have the sound on. So, I watched the news while I ran. This made the time go by pretty quickly. As for the workout itself, I surprised myself. In the past when I took a break from running (which was only a month or two), I couldn't run for 5 minutes without needing a break. I managed to run the entire mile without stopping. By the end I was pouring sweat, but I did it. I was very proud of myself!
By Wednesday, my fever was waning, but the cough, nose, and throat were still around. After a day of teaching, my voice was pretty scratchy, but I survived running the day before, so why couldn't I survive again? I headed to the gym, and again I successfully ran the entire mile. However, the heavy breathing took a toll on my already scratchy throat. It also increased my coughing fits (which since the coughing was still a pretty new symptom, the coughs were the type that rattle your whole body). An hour after my run, I was a pretty miserable puppy. I took nyquil early and headed to bed where I continued to cough all night long (without sleeping I might add).
When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no voice. I mean nothing. Not even a squeak if I was in mortal danger. Nothing. And with coughing fits throughout the night my throat was really raw. And I was exhausted. However, my teaching schedule is actually set up nicely. I teach until 1pm. The last two hours of the day are preps for me. I figured that I would go to school until 1pm and then I would head home to rest. The kids were actually great. They were quiet through every class, and they volunteered to be my voice whenever possible. I did learn one interesting teaching trick yesterday. If you whisper, kids tend to whisper back to you without realizing it. Talk about a great way to quiet down the classroom!
By the time I got home from work, I was beat. I worked on grading and rested until 9pm and then I took my cough meds and headed to bed. I did not work out. I couldn't. I was achy and my throat was completely raw. There was no way. The worst part was that I felt like SUCH a loser for not going anyway!
After another completely sleepless night (I may have had two one-hour-long stretches in there somewhere), I woke up miserable and without a voice again. I have never had it this bad before. So, I called, more accurately I texted/emailed in sick and I have spent most of the day cat napping between coughing fits.
So, here I am a week from my pledge having messed up my start date and missing a day of exercise. And honestly, I may not be able to go tomorrow as planned. I feel like such a loser. However, Tuesday begins a new week, and I am going to rock next week! Just you watch!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Scooby Dooby Doo!
When I was a kid, I was REALLY picky about my cartoons. There were only three cartoons I watched with any regularity: The Flinstones, The Jetsons, and Scooby Doo.
Scooby Doo was by far my favorite. And, I absolutely loved the episodes with the Harlem Globetrotters. LOVED them. Why? I have no idea. And yes- I know they were only cartoons of the real guys. They were fun loving and had amazing tricks (again- I know it was only a cartoon). However, it never occurred to me to watch these guys in real life. Never. Until Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon I received an email from my principal announcing the inconceivable! Two of the Harlem Globetrotters were going to perform at an assembly the next day. Apparently, they are in town to perform, and our event coordinator somehow convinced them to stop by. I was STOKED!
Turns out the two that would be joining us were the pair from The Amazing Race last season. I have watched the show in the past, but not recently. They showed up Wednesday morning, entourage and all. The camera crews soon followed. Local news recorded the duo as they performed tricks. Then the two of them took on our eighth grade boys basketball team. The dynamic duo creamed the poor boys. Our guys did not even have the opportunity to attempt a shot. In all fairness, the two could play keep away from our boys because they were so tall!
Then the two lead an assembly for the kids. The message was perfect. They taught Cooperation, Healthy body and mind, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility (CHEER). They were hilarious. It was the most enjoyable hour I have had in quite a while! Not to mention, I was COMPLETELY star struck! I felt like I was meeting a childhood hero, and in a way, I was!
Needless to say, it was an amazing day at work!
Scooby Doo was by far my favorite. And, I absolutely loved the episodes with the Harlem Globetrotters. LOVED them. Why? I have no idea. And yes- I know they were only cartoons of the real guys. They were fun loving and had amazing tricks (again- I know it was only a cartoon). However, it never occurred to me to watch these guys in real life. Never. Until Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon I received an email from my principal announcing the inconceivable! Two of the Harlem Globetrotters were going to perform at an assembly the next day. Apparently, they are in town to perform, and our event coordinator somehow convinced them to stop by. I was STOKED!
Turns out the two that would be joining us were the pair from The Amazing Race last season. I have watched the show in the past, but not recently. They showed up Wednesday morning, entourage and all. The camera crews soon followed. Local news recorded the duo as they performed tricks. Then the two of them took on our eighth grade boys basketball team. The dynamic duo creamed the poor boys. Our guys did not even have the opportunity to attempt a shot. In all fairness, the two could play keep away from our boys because they were so tall!
Then the two lead an assembly for the kids. The message was perfect. They taught Cooperation, Healthy body and mind, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility (CHEER). They were hilarious. It was the most enjoyable hour I have had in quite a while! Not to mention, I was COMPLETELY star struck! I felt like I was meeting a childhood hero, and in a way, I was!
Needless to say, it was an amazing day at work!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The Resolution
A note before we begin- Sorry for my absence. Things got pretty crazy in December and, since I am just adjusting to blogging again, I wasn't in the habit of taking the time to blog. I hope to rectify this.
I have never been one to set a New Year's Resolution for myself. Of course I have done the "I like to be better at_______," but there has never been a set goal or time frame. There has been no way for me to measure whether or not I fulfilled the resolution, and if I am completely honest with myself, I probably couldn't tell you for sure what my actual resolutions were from year to year. So, I feel that it is safe for me to say that I have never had a New Year's Resolution.
However, that is all about to change!
The Resolution:
I am going to train for and then participate in the 2010 Rock and Roll Half Marathon in San Jose.
The Background:
I was never an athletic kid. I took ballet for a summer and played T-ball one season when I was in elementary school, but that is the extent of my organized sports experience. Although I was never super skinny growing up, I was a size four until about five/six years ago. I never really needed to worry about exercising to maintain my goal weight. Additionally, I developed a knee problem during my freshman year of high school. It hurt to do anything that placed additional pressure on my knee. I was told the only solution was knee surgery. As one with a deep phobia of doctors and hospitals, I was happy to live with the pain.
Fast forward to six years ago. After ten year of pain, I finally decided to do something about my knee. After countless doctors visits, they finally scheduled and performed surgery. However what was supposed to be a one-four week recovery period, stretched out to be four months on crutches and six months of physical therapy to train my knee to function again. The good news? My knee doesn't hurt anymore. The bad news? After six months of sitting around doing nothing, my metabolism crashed. Over the next four years, I gained forty pounds and I went from a size four to a size ten. Although this may not sound too drastic to some of you, I am an "apple" shape and all of my weight went to my boobs and stomach. I was constantly asked if I was preggers, and I definitely considered "overweight" by anyone's standards.
A little more than a year and a half ago, I was referred to a running program by a friend of mine. My first reaction was that of dismay. Me? Running? NEVER. I don't think I had done any sort of running since middle school gym class (I didn't have to participate in high school- doctor's notes rock!), and the idea of starting was ridiculous. However, the point of the program was to take someone who had never run before and get them to the point where they could run a 5K. I decided to try it. Over the next six months I lost twenty pounds and found myself at a size eight. Not exactly my goal weight, but I was headed in the right direction.
The Motivation:
Since then, my motivation has waned and I have held steady at 145lbs. At my best, I was running 3-3 1/2 miles three times a week. I am slower than molasses, but I got on that treadmill (I have also run outside, but I tend to do better on a treadmill). I haven't run in almost three months (pretty much since the beginning of the school year), and I am noticing that the little bit of toning I had accomplished, has turned to mush. I have known that I needed to "get back on the horse," but I have used almost every excuse in the book to avoid the gym. And, honestly, most of them are complete lies since my apartment complex has its own gym and I have to walk half way there just to get the mail.
I am an avid Biggest Loser watcher...okay, I love TV in almost all forms, but I really get into the Biggest Loser. Recently (the last two seasons), they have required the contestants who make it to the end to run a marathon. This season I kept thinking how awesome it would be to get to that point. I can only imagine what a sense of satisfaction it was to have that goal and reach it. I sat on my couch, eating, and thinking, "I wish I could do that."
Then, last month on Facebook, I watched as several people I know in the Memphis area posted about their run in the St. Jude half (and full) marathon. Half marathon? That doesn't sound nearly as bad as a full marathon! So, I started to do some research. I found the Rock and Roll half marathon on October 3, 2010. It is in downtown SJ (all flat land). That's when I decided that this year I would have a New Year's Resolution. I will run a half marathon in October!
The Training:
I have found that most people spend 12-24 weeks training for a half marathon. If I count twenty four weeks prior to the half marathon, I found myself at the week after my spring production. Okay God- I get the point. This is what I am supposed to do! However, in order to begin training for a half marathon, you must be able to run three-five miles five days a week. Even at my BEST I was not there. I looked like death warmed over after three miles three times a week. So, I am going to spend between now and April 24, 2010, training myself to run three to five miles five days a week. Then, on April 24, 2010, I will begin my half marathon schedule (I will run each segment for two weeks at a time). Most of the long runs will be during my summer vacation. Am I ready? I have no clue. However, I don't think I could have a better plan in place to prepare for the half marathon.
The Goal:
I would like to run the entire half marathon. I don't want to walk. Many people set time goals. I don't know if I will. I have tried running for speed, and I find that I collapse very quickly. I may just stick with the "I want to finish the race" goal for my first time. We will see. :)
Although I did lose weight the last time I really focused on running, I was always dissatisfied with how SLOWLY the weight was coming off. As a result, I found that I was unhappy with my workouts because I always felt I should be doing more/pushing harder/staying longer at the gym. This lead to injuries which put me back even FURTHER. So, this time around, I do not have a set weight/size goal in mind. Oh, of course I know that ideally I want to get back to the 120ish/size 4 range, but my goal is to complete the half marathon- not to achieve the weight/size goal. Any weight I lose will be an added bonus to accomplishing my first goal- the half marathon.
This Blog's Role:
I plan to post weekly updates on my progress. I will be honest with the number of times I went to the gym and how much a ran. My "workout week" will begin on Saturday and end on Friday. I don't run on Fridays, so I will try to blog every Friday or Saturday with an update. And, although I said weight loss is not my primary goal, I will weigh myself each week to see how much I have lost. This probably won't be a very impressive number, but if this is a success and someone else decides to try this plan, I want to give them realistic expectations. I tend to eat lots of veggies and I don't eat too many sweets (I say as I snack on Hot Tamales), but I would not say that I am a constant dieter or that my food is always the healthiest. I am sure that ideally, I should adjust my diet as well, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. So, if I decide to change my diet, I will let you know, but as for right now, I am eating pretty normally.
So, this is my New Year's Resolution. Wish me luck!
I have never been one to set a New Year's Resolution for myself. Of course I have done the "I like to be better at_______," but there has never been a set goal or time frame. There has been no way for me to measure whether or not I fulfilled the resolution, and if I am completely honest with myself, I probably couldn't tell you for sure what my actual resolutions were from year to year. So, I feel that it is safe for me to say that I have never had a New Year's Resolution.
However, that is all about to change!
The Resolution:
I am going to train for and then participate in the 2010 Rock and Roll Half Marathon in San Jose.
The Background:
I was never an athletic kid. I took ballet for a summer and played T-ball one season when I was in elementary school, but that is the extent of my organized sports experience. Although I was never super skinny growing up, I was a size four until about five/six years ago. I never really needed to worry about exercising to maintain my goal weight. Additionally, I developed a knee problem during my freshman year of high school. It hurt to do anything that placed additional pressure on my knee. I was told the only solution was knee surgery. As one with a deep phobia of doctors and hospitals, I was happy to live with the pain.
Fast forward to six years ago. After ten year of pain, I finally decided to do something about my knee. After countless doctors visits, they finally scheduled and performed surgery. However what was supposed to be a one-four week recovery period, stretched out to be four months on crutches and six months of physical therapy to train my knee to function again. The good news? My knee doesn't hurt anymore. The bad news? After six months of sitting around doing nothing, my metabolism crashed. Over the next four years, I gained forty pounds and I went from a size four to a size ten. Although this may not sound too drastic to some of you, I am an "apple" shape and all of my weight went to my boobs and stomach. I was constantly asked if I was preggers, and I definitely considered "overweight" by anyone's standards.
A little more than a year and a half ago, I was referred to a running program by a friend of mine. My first reaction was that of dismay. Me? Running? NEVER. I don't think I had done any sort of running since middle school gym class (I didn't have to participate in high school- doctor's notes rock!), and the idea of starting was ridiculous. However, the point of the program was to take someone who had never run before and get them to the point where they could run a 5K. I decided to try it. Over the next six months I lost twenty pounds and found myself at a size eight. Not exactly my goal weight, but I was headed in the right direction.
The Motivation:
Since then, my motivation has waned and I have held steady at 145lbs. At my best, I was running 3-3 1/2 miles three times a week. I am slower than molasses, but I got on that treadmill (I have also run outside, but I tend to do better on a treadmill). I haven't run in almost three months (pretty much since the beginning of the school year), and I am noticing that the little bit of toning I had accomplished, has turned to mush. I have known that I needed to "get back on the horse," but I have used almost every excuse in the book to avoid the gym. And, honestly, most of them are complete lies since my apartment complex has its own gym and I have to walk half way there just to get the mail.
I am an avid Biggest Loser watcher...okay, I love TV in almost all forms, but I really get into the Biggest Loser. Recently (the last two seasons), they have required the contestants who make it to the end to run a marathon. This season I kept thinking how awesome it would be to get to that point. I can only imagine what a sense of satisfaction it was to have that goal and reach it. I sat on my couch, eating, and thinking, "I wish I could do that."
Then, last month on Facebook, I watched as several people I know in the Memphis area posted about their run in the St. Jude half (and full) marathon. Half marathon? That doesn't sound nearly as bad as a full marathon! So, I started to do some research. I found the Rock and Roll half marathon on October 3, 2010. It is in downtown SJ (all flat land). That's when I decided that this year I would have a New Year's Resolution. I will run a half marathon in October!
The Training:
I have found that most people spend 12-24 weeks training for a half marathon. If I count twenty four weeks prior to the half marathon, I found myself at the week after my spring production. Okay God- I get the point. This is what I am supposed to do! However, in order to begin training for a half marathon, you must be able to run three-five miles five days a week. Even at my BEST I was not there. I looked like death warmed over after three miles three times a week. So, I am going to spend between now and April 24, 2010, training myself to run three to five miles five days a week. Then, on April 24, 2010, I will begin my half marathon schedule (I will run each segment for two weeks at a time). Most of the long runs will be during my summer vacation. Am I ready? I have no clue. However, I don't think I could have a better plan in place to prepare for the half marathon.
The Goal:
I would like to run the entire half marathon. I don't want to walk. Many people set time goals. I don't know if I will. I have tried running for speed, and I find that I collapse very quickly. I may just stick with the "I want to finish the race" goal for my first time. We will see. :)
Although I did lose weight the last time I really focused on running, I was always dissatisfied with how SLOWLY the weight was coming off. As a result, I found that I was unhappy with my workouts because I always felt I should be doing more/pushing harder/staying longer at the gym. This lead to injuries which put me back even FURTHER. So, this time around, I do not have a set weight/size goal in mind. Oh, of course I know that ideally I want to get back to the 120ish/size 4 range, but my goal is to complete the half marathon- not to achieve the weight/size goal. Any weight I lose will be an added bonus to accomplishing my first goal- the half marathon.
This Blog's Role:
I plan to post weekly updates on my progress. I will be honest with the number of times I went to the gym and how much a ran. My "workout week" will begin on Saturday and end on Friday. I don't run on Fridays, so I will try to blog every Friday or Saturday with an update. And, although I said weight loss is not my primary goal, I will weigh myself each week to see how much I have lost. This probably won't be a very impressive number, but if this is a success and someone else decides to try this plan, I want to give them realistic expectations. I tend to eat lots of veggies and I don't eat too many sweets (I say as I snack on Hot Tamales), but I would not say that I am a constant dieter or that my food is always the healthiest. I am sure that ideally, I should adjust my diet as well, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. So, if I decide to change my diet, I will let you know, but as for right now, I am eating pretty normally.
So, this is my New Year's Resolution. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
School News
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago in a post that there had been some drama at school that I couldn't talk about yet. Well, I can now talk about it. My school has announced they are opening another middle school next year.
At first this was nothing very surprising. My school has ten elementary campuses and they open another one almost every year. So, the idea they would open a second middle school in another part of town isn't big news. But then, as we started to discuss it, it became obvious that this new campus was going to rock our little campus's world.
Some of the students we currently have will be transferring, so our campus will not be as big as this year. This means they don't need all of us teachers. Some teachers will need to transfer. They said ideally, they want half of us to move. So, the question remains- Who stays and who goes?
I did some serious heart searching about whether I wanted to stay or go. Bottom line- I would have to offered a seriously sweet package (more money, mentorship, and choosing my own subjects) before I would consider moving. I have seniority, so unless they decide to serious screw me, I shouldn't have to worry about moving unless it is a decision I choose to make. I have also made peace that if they try to force me without the benefits, I will have to consider whether or not to stay or find another school to work at. Regardless, this has everyone questioning and on edge. What will we do next year?
At first this was nothing very surprising. My school has ten elementary campuses and they open another one almost every year. So, the idea they would open a second middle school in another part of town isn't big news. But then, as we started to discuss it, it became obvious that this new campus was going to rock our little campus's world.
Some of the students we currently have will be transferring, so our campus will not be as big as this year. This means they don't need all of us teachers. Some teachers will need to transfer. They said ideally, they want half of us to move. So, the question remains- Who stays and who goes?
I did some serious heart searching about whether I wanted to stay or go. Bottom line- I would have to offered a seriously sweet package (more money, mentorship, and choosing my own subjects) before I would consider moving. I have seniority, so unless they decide to serious screw me, I shouldn't have to worry about moving unless it is a decision I choose to make. I have also made peace that if they try to force me without the benefits, I will have to consider whether or not to stay or find another school to work at. Regardless, this has everyone questioning and on edge. What will we do next year?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Thanksgiving Day
I woke up Thanksgiving morning excited for the day. Work has been pretty crazy lately, and I have been eager to have some time off to relax, recharge, and catch up on some grading. Thursday was the first day of my four day break and I eagerly jumped out of bed to start the day!
I began with a a little bit of online shopping. This year we adults will be exchanging stockings. I am filling my sister-in-law's stocking. So, I did a little bit of looking around (I am eager to share more- but she may be reading this entry!). Then I called home to talk to my wonderful parents.
Then it was time to get ready for Tday! Thanksgiving is my cousin's favorite holiday and dinner was to be at his place. So, I spruced myself up, packed up the items I was to bring, and put my sweet little puppy dog on a leash. Then, off we went!
Upon arriving at my cousin's house, I allowed my sweet little man to sniff around the front yard while I carried everything inside. I unpacked the items and began working on preparing the kitchen to be invaded by Tday goodness. By this point, my dog was in the kitchen with me.
Now, a little bit of background information on Mac. I adopted him from a rescue organization almost eight years ago. At that point, he was between four and five years old. He is a twenty pound mutt who has been a joy to me. He doesn't chew, bark, or drool and he is potty trained. However, he does have a very sensitive tummy. And, over the years, it has gotten worse. Originally, only people food would give him diarrhea or make him vomit (yes- TMI, but true). Now that he is older, change freaks him out. The move recently has been very hard on him and he doesn't like anything to be different. I knew that taking him along to Thanksgiving was risky, but I didn't want to leave him alone all day. Plus, I lived there for three months this summer with Mac. Surely, this place isn't foreign to him.
Well, I was wrong. I was no sooner inside the house when I noticed him squatting. I picked him up and ran for the door. But it was too late. And worse- it was diarrhea. I threw him outside and inspected the damage. There were spots on the tile floor, and then I noticed it. He went all. over. me. EW! I spent the next twenty minutes cleaning up his mess and myself. I then returned home to shower, change, and start all over. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
I returned to T's house and finished the prep work for the Thanksgiving meal. I do the sides and T cooks the bird. Normally we have Turkey, but this year we decided to be different and have chicken instead. Personally, I prefer chicken.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. The guys played video games and I enjoyed my book and mimosas. The best part was that I didn't have to do the dishes afterward!
I began with a a little bit of online shopping. This year we adults will be exchanging stockings. I am filling my sister-in-law's stocking. So, I did a little bit of looking around (I am eager to share more- but she may be reading this entry!). Then I called home to talk to my wonderful parents.
Then it was time to get ready for Tday! Thanksgiving is my cousin's favorite holiday and dinner was to be at his place. So, I spruced myself up, packed up the items I was to bring, and put my sweet little puppy dog on a leash. Then, off we went!
Upon arriving at my cousin's house, I allowed my sweet little man to sniff around the front yard while I carried everything inside. I unpacked the items and began working on preparing the kitchen to be invaded by Tday goodness. By this point, my dog was in the kitchen with me.
Now, a little bit of background information on Mac. I adopted him from a rescue organization almost eight years ago. At that point, he was between four and five years old. He is a twenty pound mutt who has been a joy to me. He doesn't chew, bark, or drool and he is potty trained. However, he does have a very sensitive tummy. And, over the years, it has gotten worse. Originally, only people food would give him diarrhea or make him vomit (yes- TMI, but true). Now that he is older, change freaks him out. The move recently has been very hard on him and he doesn't like anything to be different. I knew that taking him along to Thanksgiving was risky, but I didn't want to leave him alone all day. Plus, I lived there for three months this summer with Mac. Surely, this place isn't foreign to him.
Well, I was wrong. I was no sooner inside the house when I noticed him squatting. I picked him up and ran for the door. But it was too late. And worse- it was diarrhea. I threw him outside and inspected the damage. There were spots on the tile floor, and then I noticed it. He went all. over. me. EW! I spent the next twenty minutes cleaning up his mess and myself. I then returned home to shower, change, and start all over. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
I returned to T's house and finished the prep work for the Thanksgiving meal. I do the sides and T cooks the bird. Normally we have Turkey, but this year we decided to be different and have chicken instead. Personally, I prefer chicken.
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. The guys played video games and I enjoyed my book and mimosas. The best part was that I didn't have to do the dishes afterward!
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