Weighing In

It has been awhile since I spoke about my weight.

I know but isn't this a blog about weight loss and stuff?

Well it began that way. But it has evolved to more than that now.

I guess I have not been discussing my weight because so much more has been going on that is taking over. My training for my first marathon, going paleo, getting into crossfit, and everything else. Yes I still track Weight Watchers PointsPlus every single day, yes I still weigh myself once or twice a week. No I have not been to a meeting for quite some time.


Honestly I guess I just grew tired of the meetings, after over a year in the program it seems they go over the same stuff every month. Or maybe I needed a break? I also got very frustrated because of my weight. I keep putting on muscle but I cannot get to my ideal "BMI" goal weight of 150. It is frustrating. I got on the scale and once again saw the big 157 glaring at me it just gets depressing. If I was not working out daily, and staying within my daily points allowance then I could understand it. Then I would be writing a different kind of post. But this is down right aggravating and I am at a loss for what to do next.

I want to keep going to weight watchers but I am not sure if it is what is best. I tried to talk to one of the leaders about it and she basically said well when you workout a lot sometimes you eat more than you intend to. I wish that were the problem.... So my next step is to talk to my primary care doctor about it at my annual physical in 2 weeks. I want to ask her about my BMI and if she is concerned etc. It's just used accepting that you are in good enough physical shape to run races and sub 7 minute miles but still labelled over weight. So I may go to a meeting this weekend and see how it goes. I have not decided yet. I'm ready to be done with the weighing game but I feel like I'm haunted by this.

What are your thoughts on BMI and athletes being within theirs?

Rockin Mad 5 Mile Challenge

When I joined Y fit a few months ago I met some awesome people. And this weekend I got a chance to run with them during the Rockin Mad 5 Mile Challenge

It took place in the Lynn Woods

Meghan and Steve are the pros when it comes to obstacle racing! They did a ruckus run earlier in the year and did Spartan Sprint in August. They found this race and invited Meghan (our trainer for Y for) and myself to be on their team. After Spartan I was kind of addicted to trail running and obstacle courses in general so I gladly accepted the challenge to be a part of the team :)

The race was slated to start at 11 and my heat would depart at 11:25. Well I was running late (story of my life) and I parked and headed into the woods. What I did not realize is that the woods were over 6 miles long and I parked at the wrong end!! Go me LOL so I am jogging through trying to make it and getting discouraged. After about 15 minutes a black pick up truck comes through and I asked for a ride. Luckily the truck driver was one of the race organizers and he was dropping people off at the obstacles! So I managed to pick the right person to flag down hehe. I made it to the start line with about 20 minutes to spare.

I met up with my team and we stretched and got ready to head out. This run was fun. It was basically a 5 mile trail run with some small obstacles thrown in. There were a few 5 foot walls to hop up and over. There was a half of a cargo net to climb over. There was some rocks we had to scramble up and over as well. Not nearly anything like the Spartan race but it was a nice race for someone who wants to begin with obstacle racing.

The 2 biggest obstacles were at the end of the race. There was barbed wire you had to crawl under and then run toward 2 walls of choice. The first was a soapy slippery uphill ramp you had to climb while holding a rope. Or you could get over a 10 foot wall.

There was a crowd waiting to do the ramp wall so Steve decided we should do the 10 foot wall and finish before them. I was first up and he gave me 10 fingers and I went for it but fell slightly in the process. The second time was better and I made it up and over. I stood waiting for my team but they never came! Poor Meghan had fallen badly trying to get up and banged up her arm. They waited and came up the soapy one. We still made it and in pretty good time 58:20

There we are celebrating victory! Team 14!!

That is the wall! The race was nice and well organized. We even got a nice long sleeve tech tee to remember the run! I had fun and would do it again.

This weekend was great because I did some fun races and it reminded me of why I love to run and compete. I live for that thrill. I like getting out there and running in the woods too. I definitely want to get some good trail running sneakers and look into more trail races.

So do you have a favorite trail running sneaker?

Marathon Training Week 13

Wow lucky number 13!! It was a pretty lucky week for me no complaints here!

Mondays have become my home workout days and I must admit I do not mind at all. It is such a downer day at work usually that I need the sleep in the morning, to recover from my longer run on Sunday and need the stress release after work. So it works perfect to come home from workout and do a crossfit style workout at home. I have been lucky to have collected lots of fitness things that we have and I can throw together a workout. I did a 40 minute one.

Tuesday I went for a 4.2 mile run early in the morning at a 9:45 easy pace. It felt good. Then I came home from work and knocked out 2.4 more miles jogging with Peanut in her jogger. It was a great day until the tire went flat and we had to come home hehe

Wednesday has become gym day and I get up and out by 5AM to hit the YMCA gym. I did the elliptical for 3 miles in 26 minutes and then headed over to the heavy weights. I squatted 3 sets of 10 with 110 pounds! A new high for me, it felt good. I also did deadlifts, military presses, worked on my pull ups, rowing, and curling. Of course a workout is not complete without some push ups ;)

Thursday I opted for a treadmill run after work. Why? Because I do have rheumatoid arthritis and it does flare up occasionally. Thursday morning was one of those bad mornings where a hot shower and Motrin are necessary just to make it into work. By the time the day was done I felt a bit better and I knew the treadmill would be easier and gentler to the sore joints than pavement. It went well too I knocked out 6.2 miles in 54 minutes.

Friday I took a rest day. My knee was swollen and very painful. I was in tears when I woke up and tried to put weight on it. I think the run the day before was just a bit much. I don't know honestly all I know is I had to stay wrapped all day in Arctic Ease and take my Motrin.

Saturday I woke up and the knee was surprisingly better! I headed to my 5K and earned a shiny new PR and a plaque :) I already blogged about it here hehe

Sunday I set out for a 5 mile obstacle race through Lynn woods. I will share that race recap tomorrow!

How was your training week? When is your marathon?

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that mine is only 61 days away!

A Year Later My 5K

What a difference a year makes.

That is me last year. After my first 5K. I look at this picture and I still remember how tired I was, but how accomplished I felt.

So on Saturday morning I set out back to that site where my first 5K was run at the Crackerbarrel Classic 5K.

I was driving to the race and remembering how far along everything in my life has moved this past year. I lost 70 more pounds, I ran 4 half marathons and I committed to running a full marathon. Last year after that first 5K I would not have believed you if you told me I would be standing where I am today. Kind of mind blowing for me.

It brought me back to my childhood too. I grew up in the small town of Wrentham. In fact I worked right across the street from the race course, as a waitress at the tavern. That tavern always holds a dinner the night before and sponsors part of the race, I never paid the race any attention all those years growing up. I never had the desire to run or be involved with running. Funny how after I moved away and moved on with life that it brought me right back there last year to kick off my running.

The race was pretty small, only about 300 people and it was nice. I got there and got my number and went to meet up with one of my coworkers Nneka. She was doing this race today with me and another coworker as well. It was Nneka's first race!! I may or may not have lit the spark in her to get running again ;)

I was also lining up with the great Bill Rogers and running with him! He did this 5K with us and was meeting runners and signing autographs. It was pretty cool! I wish I had more time to meet him.

I love getting out there with new runners and getting people around me up and running. For me it is a far greater reward than anything else out there!

We all met up and headed to the start line. As the runners all headed down we found the start line spray painted on the pavement. No fancy chips, no fancy nothing, just my style ;) The horn went off and away we went. Garblah was next me running for about 30 seconds. It is kind of tradition, he tries to keep pace with me in the beginning of a race and I smile at him and say good luck while waiting for him to taper down. He always intends to catch me, it is kind of fun. I know one day he will if he practices more.

I was in the front of the pack. There was one man who was way ahead of us and then there were the rest of us. I felt good, I felt fast. When we hit the first mile and they called out the split, 6:22 I kind of had to pick my jaw up from the ground. Never had I been able to run a mile on pavement that fast. It was pretty amazing.

I just kept going after that. I was in the lead for women until that mile 1, and then I saw my only competition get out in front of me and charge ahead. I thought about trying to catch her for a minute. I tried honestly to. But I could not, she was super fit in her little shorts and sports bra and super fast. No match for me this year ;) So I just settled into my pace and had fun.

The course is easy for me because it is pretty flat. Where I train outside most days, it is pretty hilly. So my legs felt great during this race and there was little knee pain. When I came past mile 2 I realized that even if I stopped and walked the rest of the way I would beat my time from last year of 28:10. Kind of mind boggling that I had run the first 2 miles in 14 minutes or so.

But of course I kept going. I kept glancing back to see if there were any more women who would come take my number 2 slot hehe but I never saw another one. And then mile 3 came and I made it to the finish line. I saw that clock flashing with a 21 and my PR grin popped onto my face. Then I saw my sister and niece standing cheering for me. It was a great moment. And one that I have been working hard for this whole year. A new PR and accomplishment reached. It is just one step closer to my big goal of that sub 20 5K!

We waited for our team to come in and then celebrated!

The team did great!! The race results are here
Nneka finished in 29:40 and Garblah in 27:46 they both did really well!!!

I was beaming when I saw my official time of 21:10 and SECOND place for over all women and FIRST place for my age group 20-29!!! Not too shabby ;) I got a nice plaque to add to my race wall :)

This past year has had many ups and downs. And there are days when I struggle, there are days that are great too. One thing I have learned is this, you have to keep moving forward, have to keep going in that direction. Even if you fall backwards a few steps you just keep pushing the feet back forward again and again. If you can dream it, then it can and will be done with the right attitude and mindset.