That felt good!

I couldn’t run yesterday thanks to a thunderstorm so I made it up today after work and it felt good! Stuck with 3:1 intervals which really is too much rest time. I managed 2.5 miles with a 15 minute mile pace. I was sprinting between a 8:45 and 10 minute mile pace and walking much slower obviously. I find it difficult to walk fast, I know some people can walk an 11-12 min mile….ya, that’s not me. Anyway, I felt really really good. When I run at home there is a bit at the end when I top the last hill and the sky is kind of spread out in front of me and the traffic comes in full view, and there must be something about the energy in that place because I have gotten a little choked up right there a couple times. Today a smile spread across my face and my mind sorted through all the good things in life for a brief moment. Life is truly wonderful and I hope you feel it too.

I am hoping to get a new computer soon so I can invest more time and effort into the blog then. Thanks to everyone for the support!

Back in the saddle

My first attempt at running was a sad state of affairs. I was attempting 3miles with 3:1 walk/jog intervals. This seemed like an extremely simple task, but I don’t want to overdo it and have continued problems with my knee. I did pretty well for a mile and a half but at 2 miles I actually had to stop and rest. I was feeling overly hot and fatigued. My only defense is that it was 80 degrees out but even so, I feel pathetic. So frustrating to know where I was in April and compare it to now. I am going to go to another trail today that has a bit more shade and go a bit later. Hopefully things go better.

Vegan South Beach Phase 1

That’s the plan, vegan south beach. At least 2 weeks and I will add fruits only back in for another two weeks and go from there. We just got back from my family reunion and oh boy was the food good! You can imagine what that means about the healthfulness of it.

For those of you unfamiliar with South Beach, it is a 3 phase diet. The first phase, the most restrictive, focuses on removing all sugar sources, including fruit. This starves the yeast in the digestive tract and helps eliminate carb and sugar cravings. From there you add all foods back in and focus on balancing intake. So for example, if you have bread for lunch, you will have a carb-free dinner. Additionally, this gives you a good method to evaluate “triggers” for overeating. I have had the most success when eating in a South Beach/low glycemic index manner.

Secondly, one cup of Smooth Move tea in the evening to help cleanse the digestive tract,and perhaps a liver or 3-day juice cleanse when I begin my new job as weekend Manager at Dtox!

Tomorrow’s plan:
Hoppin John Peas and eggs
Nuts
Eggplant park (not breaded)
Caprese Salad
Salad with Avacado and beans

Goals

So my love is leaving for Canada and will be back the first week of July. That just so happens to me my one year anniversary of this blog. My goal by then is to be under 200. Right now my weight is fluctuating 215-219. It’s a tough goal, but that’s the one I have! That’ll give me 48lbs of weight loss for the year!  I’m planning my workouts by the week so heres this one: 

• Monday-Thursday: 30 minute walks at lunch 
• Friday-Off, we’re traveling
• Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: 30 minutes weight training and/or plyometrics
• Saturday-Sunday: 60 minute walks
• Monday-Off, we’re traveling back

General Rules

• 1200 Calories (net)
• No boxed/processed food
• 30 minutes exercise daily
• No Sweets (omg, you guys, I’m going to my grandmother’s house!)
• No bread.
• No pasta

If all goes well I plan to start jogging intervals next week. I want to get up to 3 miles and start improving my mile time to 10 mintues and then work up to 10 minute mile 10K. 

It’s possible I’ll do some juicing while working for Dtox. I’m pretty exciting about the opportunity. They have asked me to come in and sit down with the owner on Friday before I leave town. I hope she likes me as much as the interviewer did!  I’m kind of intimidated so wish me luck. 

I’m Baaaaack!

Well, almost. 

I’ve been biking, rehabilitating for this “IT Band Syndrome” and I’m feeling pretty ok.  Today I went on a 2 mile walk so I’m counting that as my return workout.  I guess it’s a long way from 13.1, but I’ll get back there!  Here’s my new favorite workout song: 

“My body tells me no, but I won’t quit, I want more”

So here goes! I plan to walk daily this week for a half hour each day.  I also biked today for a half hour, but that’s getting pretty damn boring.  

Edit: after being offered and accepting a position with Dtox, they failed to send me the necessary information for my start date. When I contacted them by phone my calls were ignored. I have never been on the receiving end of such a gross display of unprofessionalism in my life.

Doctor Visit

I decided I needed professional help for my knee pain. All I really wanted was an X-ray. I didn’t get one. He agreed with me that it’s IT Band Syndrome (yay for my diagnosing skills) and that I just need to continue treatment for a lot longer. 5 weeks, in fact. If I am still having problems 4 weeks in he’ll give me an MRI. I’m not pleased with this prognosis. 5 weeks seems like a lifetime. At any rate, here’s the workout plan:

Saturday, Tuesday, Friday
Arms:
Pushups
Low Row
Bicep Curls
Tricep Ext
Dips
Push Press

Sunday, Wesnesday: Gentle Yoga

Monday, Wednesday: Bike up to an hour, as tolerated.

Everyday I am doing rehabilitation exercises. Every other day I will Ultrasound with an antiinflammatory medication, and do an Iontophoresis treatment with a steroid medication. He gave me a presceiption antiinflammatory, but I usually can’t tolerate those.

I am going to.focus more on.my calorie count and try to continue to lose weight. I have been eating a lot lately. Time to get it under control!

I will also try to get a massage when I can afford it, but funds are low lately. I have a few family trips to budget for, a new computer, and pay taxes. Oy.

Updating and things

I haven’t been updating much lately for a few reasons.

1. The workouts prepping for that half were dreadfully boring. I’ve been in a little bit of a rut lately. I haven’t lost any weight primarily because I haven’t been paying attention to my diet.  My boyfriend likes to keep cookies and bread in the house so….ya.

2. My computer is dead. I mean, deader than a doornail, man.  It was sudden and abrupt and I haven’t quite gotten over the shock of it all.  RIP Sony Vaio!

So right now, since I’m injured, I’m focusing on getting back to calorie tracking and 1200 calorie days.  It’s hard!  1200 calories used to be so easy for me.  Now I’m struggling.  I’ll get there.  I”m between 1200 and 1500 most days.  Doc says 1500 is likely my maintenance calorie limit and I need 1200 for weight loss.  I’m also doing this 30 day Lunge/Squat challenge on facebook. I only think I can tolerate it with the knee pain, we’ll see.  I’m so mad at my knee right now.  Stupid knee.  When all of that heals up I’m going to return to running, up to 6 miles 3 days a week, intervals for a while. Perhaps I can increase my time.

The good thing that’s come from this marathon is that I have increased my distance dramatically. I was staying aroudn 2 miles before. Now I’m all like oh ya, 6 miles, no sweat.  I love it. I just freakin’ love it.  Shannon, you really area  rockstar for getting us into this, no matter how bad I cussed you at mile 10!

1/2 Marathon Complete!

I wouldn’t say it was a complete success, but it is completely over. And I finished!  

The day started like this: 

5am: Up at at ‘em. Getting dressed. I had Honey Nut Cheerios (no milk) and a banana. 1/2 an orange gatorade and 16oz Water. 

6am: Arrive at the Beach! Really, no better place to ruin your day with 13.1 miles. Sunrise was gorgeous.  

7am: Race starts.  

Shannon and I stayed together doing intervals: 3minutes Jog, 1:30 Walk.  The bad part: My knee pain started immediately (REALLY?! After two weeks of rehabilitation and cross training….really?).  We got to just beyond 6 miles before I started having stabbing pains in my lateral knee that made me start walking.  We went about a mile more before I tried running again.  No go.  The sharp pain came back immediately.  So from here on out we had to walk.  Bless her heart, Shannon stayed with me instead of finishing her run.  I feel really bad, I wish she could have met all of her goals as well.  We finished in 3:38:10. There were exactly 6 people behind us, so we finished and we weren’t last: Goals Accomplished!  Still pissed about not running the whole thing properly, though.

I think I’ll go get an Xray on the knee next week and go from there. I feel like any normal inflammatory condition should have cleared up already or at least started a little later in the race.  I’m itching to run again and my blisters haven’t even healed yet.  I’m tempted to share picture.  I had one on the tip of my 2nd toe that was quite impressive, but I’ll save it. I know not everyone is as entertained as I am by it!  

Photos courtesy of Shannon. Her camera is way better than mine!  

PS–Zico Chocolate Coconut Water: Worth it!

Getting ready for race day

I’m registered for the race. 

My hotel is reserved. 

This is happening, I don’t care how bad my knee hurts! 

For the past 2 weeks my weekday workouts have concentrated on rehabilitating my knee.  Stretching and myofascial release, strengthening of glutes and hips, ultrasound, iontophoresis with a steriod medication, and biking.  Last weekend I jogged 2 miles on new shoes with knee pain and the next day jogged 6 miles with really bad knee pain.  No running this weekend. I’ll jog some at some point this week and see what happens.  If I were my athlete, I would have sent me to the doctor by now.  But we all know we are our worst patients, and I’m not planning on an xray until after the race.  If I have a terrible time with the run I’ll go after that.  I don’t suspect it to be anything more than severe overuse, but I suppose there’s an off chance of a stress fracture. Blah. 

This week will be more of the same. I just finished a yoga workout. I’ll continue my stretching and myofascial release, some light strengthening, less calisthenics. I’ll continue taking Aleve twice a day and do my worst!  I’m excited to be in Florida along the coast, wind in my hair! I’m just going to focus on the positives and forget the 13.1 for a while!  I’m so nervous! 

My first injury

 

 

Well, it’s official. I have IT Band Syndrome.

Last week when I got home from 7 miles my knee hurt. I iced and stretched and it lingered for about 2 days. Saturday I went out for 4 miles of intervals and my knee started hurting at about 3 and a half. Knowing I needed to turn around and do 9 miles today I came home, stretched, iced, took Ibuprofen. Alas, today it’s still pretty painful. I think headed out on a 9 mile run today I’d regret it.

I’m not good with pain or injury. I’m actually quite a baby about it.  My plan to get better this week:

• Ibuprofen for 5 days
• Stretch hips, hams, quads, IT band 2x/day
• Glute medius, VMO, and core strength daily
• Use foam roller and the stick on IT bands 2x/day

Workouts for this week:

Monday: Arms

Tuesday/Thursday: Core

Thursday: forego leg workout for hip and leg rehab

Friday/Sunday: 4 miles intervals

Saturday: 9 mile jog

I’m still pretty slow, but I’ll worry about speed when the half marathon is over.  My interval day I averaged 13:32/mile. That’s about the best average I’ve had. Not bad, despite the injury.