Alright...well....let's just start this post off by saying that I don't want to come across as too negative....but I am not too sure how that goal is going to be achieved.
I'm kinda feeling like this...
(Sidenote: My husband is trying to cheer me up by periodically running into the room while I type this out and perhaps pretending to be Elmo? I am not too sure what he is doing, but I appreciate the effort).
I had a hard run this past week and it's shadow is still hanging over my head. My weight also creeped back up two pounds above the 'arbitrary' line that I set. Instead of actually gaining two pounds....I feel like I have gained ten.
I know that I am way too negative and hard on myself about my diet and exercise. This destructive thinking ultimately leads to unhealthy habits again.
So yeah.... my 13 mile run on Saturday wasn't too much fun. It was around 87 when I finished and it took me much longer than anticipated. I ended up doing a 12 minute pace (which was 2 hours and 38 minutes total) and my goal was around 10:30.
This is about where I was mentally, emotionally and physically when I finished.
So for the next week, I have to run 28 miles total and my mental goal is as follows....
I need to be proud of what I've accomplished thus far and instead of thinking ...'geez...I was a bit slow on that 13 miles and gained two pounds back,' I need to think...'holy heck....I just ran 13 miles and I've lost 13 pounds since March!
So that's where I am right now. A little bit all over the place...but ultimately good.
So I am officially done with month one of marathon training and so far, so good.
No injuries, no heat stroke in the Georgia summer sun and I am still enjoying my training.
I don't know what it is about this round of marathon training, but it feels so different from the training I did last fall.
I am just enjoying it more I guess and I am doing better. I am only running four days a week this time (I did five days a week last time) and I haven't missed a day yet whereas last time, I made up a lot of excuses for missing days and got really behind on my schedule making for a terrible marathon experience.
In some related news....I finally saw a number on the scale that I haven't seen in a few years which was pretty darn exciting. I have been below this number for four days straight now and I am hoping that by the weekend I might be down even another pound. Right now, I am under the weight I was when I graduated college and when I lose another eight pounds, I will be at the weight I was when I graduated high school/when I was a fitness instructor in college.
Some photos of me from sophomore & junior year in college. That right there is the physique I am trying to get back.
I think that the vegan diet, eating clean and eating as cheaply as possible (lots of beans, grains, greens, fruits & no wine, chocolate or extra treats) have really helped me lose a few pounds this past month.
I do lose weight veryyyyyyyyy slowly (go away saddlebags!)....but here's hoping that by eating better and moving more, things will come together in a few months.
(Sidenote: we just had an impromptu dance party to Ice Cube in my house thanks to the Sublime pandora station).
I was talking to my mom last week about running and she mentioned that I must get terribly bored when I go for my 2-3 hour runs.
I do sometimes, but I am an avid podcast listener, so I thought that I would share some of my favorite podcasts (which you can download for free from the Itunes store) in case you needed some good listening material while you exercise, do some household chores or work from home making jewelry :)
/1\
RISK
This is hands down my favorite podcast in the world. The best way to describe it is a combination of story-telling, spoken word & stand up. The stories are real, sometimes heart breaking, other times a bit raunchy, usually funny and are well told. Episodes either have one long story (40 minutes) or 3-5 shorter stories (10-20 minutes per story) and the story tellers range from ordinary people who have a crazy story to share and then there are comedians like Sarah Silverman or Lisa Lampanelli or Michael Ian Black.
This past week I listened to a story that actually had me crying while I was running along and other weeks I have been laughing my head off like a crazy person while running because the story is so funny and I can't contain my excitement.
Check out RISK in the Itunes store or on their website and just look for a title that interests you. I started listening to this podcast when it first started four years ago and have listened to every episode. You will not be disappointed.
(Any of the stories with Elena Baker are pure gold).
/2\
Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me
If you listen to NPR, you are completely aware of this awesome weekly current events game show, but if not...listen now.
Each week you have a celebrity panel (hats off to my personal favorites of Paula Poundstone & Alonzo Bodden) and special celebrity guests (last week was Jim Gaffigan, but others include Neil DeGasse Tyson, Martha Stewart & Ed Helms) that answer silly quizzes based on random weekly news.
It's pretty funny and definitely makes the time go by quick because you can get lost in thought while trying to answer all the questions correctly in the lightening round.
You can almost forget that you are running 15 miles.
This past year for our wedding anniversary, we actually went and saw the taping of one of their shows when they did a live show at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA. It was so fun to see the behind-the-scenes action of this podcast.
Us last September on our 3rd year wedding anniversary at the Fox Theater
/3\
Stuff You Missed In History Class
How Stuff Works is an awesome website owned and operated by the Discovery Channel. On it are thousands of well researched and thought out articles on completely random questions/topics.
How Stuff Works also produces over a dozen separate podcasts a week. I listen to three of them, but my personal favorite is 'Stuff You Missed In History Class.'
You get to listen for 20-40 minutes on one subject matter and the ladies really break it down for you. It is super interesting and I have learned about things like 'Lizzie Borden and Her Axe,' 'The Disappearance of the Lindbergh Baby,' & 'Who Was The Real Dr. Frankenstein.'
This podcast really makes you stellar at the history questions on Trival Pursuit.
I hope you found a new podcast or two to listen to, but if you are more of a music fan while sweating, here is my current playlist for when I run.
Lots of upbeat, fast songs with catchy hooks.
Linking up with Ashley from 'The Domestic Wannabe!'
My husband is pretty passionate about running and before I knew it, I had a marathon training plan in my inbox (without even asking for one), courtesy of my handsome runner.
My first run was only three miles, but it was such an emotionally and physically exhausting run. I literally hadn't run...like at all....since the marathon in March.
Running for the first time in three months in 100% humidity in the beginning of July doesn't add up to the best run of my life.
This was all the smile I could possibly muster.
But after running for three weeks now....it is getting a little bit easier. Just a little bit.
I have trying to be more positive on my runs and not just focus on how much I dislike running or how tired I am, but on how I am able to physically do this and that I actually put on my shoes and got out of the house.
I have had some really fun runs these past few weeks (a sentence I never thought I would write in my life).
Two weeks ago on my long run for the week, the sky opened up about two minutes after I left the house and a torrential downpour occurred for 15 minutes. I was running along this crazy busy road, had cars splashing water on me and was absolutely drenched. I could hardly see I had so much water streaming down my face. The rest of the run was spent puddle hopping around the island and slowly drying off.
It was probably my most enjoyable and fun long run ever (seriously...who have I become?).
This last week on my long run, I had to go 11 miles and I left the house around 11:00am. That is a pretty late time to start running in Georgia in July, but I figured that I would run slow, drink plenty of water and not worry about my pace.
And maybe....just maybe....I was thinking I could use the heat as an excuse to not run all 11 miles.
By the second mile, I was needing to walk every few minutes, I was pouring sweat and honestly started to become worried about heat stroke.
After running/walking for the first 7 miles, a big storm started brewing and the temperature started dropping fast. It was such a weird sensation to start running when it was sunny and 90 out and feel the temperature suddenly drop about 15 degrees in 10 minutes. Definitely made the last three miles incredibly enjoyable and I finished up with a decent pace just before the rain started falling despite walking so much the first half.
I am hoping that with this marathon training, I don't gain weight like last time.
I may have been the first person in the history of the universe who has gained weight while training for a marathon.
Since I was running so much, I rationalized to myself that I could eat whatever I want.
Um....definitely not the case.
My legs got even bigger and I got a belly.
(Sidenote: after the marathon in March, we went to our favorite burger joint and I gobbled up a cheeseburger with bacon, lots of fries and sweet tea, followed by a BLT with avocado on it at home.
Home girl don't joke around when it comes to eating).
Since readopting veganism in March and eating fairly clean, I am down about 10 lbs. I would obviously love to not gain weight while running so I am trying to learn how to balance fueling my body for running long distances while not over eating.
Gosh darn it though, I just love to eat!!
Since starting running three weeks ago, I notice my legs have gotten tighter and I have lost 2-3 pounds, so here is hoping that I stay along this trajectory.
Well...I guess that this officially means 'Marathon Monday's' are going to be a frequent occurance on my blog.
