A little history and the bottom line

Since I have no workouts to write about so far this week I thought I would write about a little bit of my history.

This used to be me.........

April, 2006

And this is me now..........

November, 2010

I, obviously, have not always been a runner, or into endurance sports, or into healthy eating, or into a healthy lifestyle.  In high school, probably like a lot of people, I really didn't have to worry about what I ate or working out.  I played soccer for a couple years, but I wasn't "athletic"  I was just one of those lucky skinny girls.  In college, I started working out, but still ate what I wanted and partied like a rock-star a college student.  I am sure I gained some weight, but I was maintaining something I was happy with.

Then I met Jeff.  We worked in a restaurant in college, so there were late nights, and lots of eating and drinking.  Then we got married, and were so happy I guess we didn't pay attention to our weight.  We continued on with the partying.  Let's see, then I had back surgery, and after I was so worried about re injuring myself that when I did work out I know I didn't push myself, and I still ate whatever I wanted.

Then we moved to TX, still partied........well I think you get the point.  So then in 2008 I saw I picture of myself I had taken when I was visiting some friends from high school.  It pretty much looked like the first picture I posted.  So that was my aha moment, my wake up call.  Whatever you want to call it.  At that moment I decided I never again wanted to feel like I did about myself when I saw that picture.  

I hired a personal trainer to jump start my work out routine.  I totally changed the way I ate, progressively cutting unhealthy things out of my diet.  I started seeing results and liking it.  Not to mention I FELT better, healthier.

I got into running, basically because the time of my spin class changed at my gym and I couldn't make it after work.  In all honestly, I started this whole lifestyle change because I wanted to be skinny again.  But now, I love feeling fit and healthy (and being skinny isn't so bad either.)  I feel accomplished after a run, even a bad one.  It makes me dig deep and push myself in ways I never knew possible.  Going for a run can turn a total crap day into an awesome day.  And even better, my husband joined the lifestyle as well, and it has made our marriage even better than it already was.

Last night, a friend asked me what program I went on to lose the weight (50lbs by the way).  I actually get asked this question quite frequently.  I told her no program at all.  I don't believe in programs, because they have an end.  I believe in a lifestyle change.  If you don't change your mind set, and change what you are doing, you aren't going to change.  And the bottom line is to lose weight you have to output more calories than you input.  It is as simple as that.  There are no magic answers, or quick fixes.  It takes work and dedication, but it is possible.   

Dejavu

Déjà vu (French pronunciation: [deʒa vy]  ( listen), meaning "already seen") is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the previous encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined. 

The only thing I can say is my previous experience was not uncertain or imagined.  Because as shocking as it it, I am SICK again.  Last Friday I woke up with a slight sore throat, but other than that I felt fine.  That day I went for a nice 4 mile run, then went to a yoga sculpt class.  Saturday, the throat was still sore, but I managed to get a 11.5 mile bike ride in.  I was going to do an open water swim with Jeff after the bike, but opted out because I didn't want the throat thing to get worse.  Sunday, still sore, felt a little worn down, and throw in some sinus pressure.

Monday, woke up, couldn't talk, but felt normal. I let the pugs out and it felt great out.  Decided to go for a run, since I missed my Sunday run.  Overall the run went well.  My legs felt awesome, and I was even feeling like my mojo was back!  But after about a mile in I had to slow the pace a bit as I was struggling to breath.  There is definitely something going on with my upper respiratory system.  And as the day went on, I started to feel worse.  I went to the store, loaded up on meds and went to bed.  Today I am going to lay low and rest and hope it goes away.  If not, back to the Dr. I go.

Then that should be it for the year.  I have gotten all my sickness out of the way and WILL NOT be getting sick again!  That is what I have to tell myself to not go crazy!

Lost...

Lost:  Annie's running mojo

Last Seen:  January 30, 2011

If found:  Please contact the retail runner

Reward:  Being unemployed, I can't offer a cash reward, however you will get a shout out on my blog :)

"Back to the Start" Coldplay

Today I am stealing my title idea from EMZ.......  Why?  Well yesterday I went out for my scheduled 25 minute run.  Easy peasy right?  I mean I recently ran a freakin (yes another EMZ original) marathon.  Not so much.  I don't know what happened, but I felt like I had never run a step in my life, kinda like I was back at the start, the first time I stepped out my door.  You know what I mean??  And right about the time I was thinking, why is this so hard, this song popped on my ipod.  Click here to listen


I could not wait for those 25 minutes to be over.  I am not sure why this happened.  Well, that is not entirely true.  I really haven't run much since the marathon, as I was trying to rest my knee.  (Which by the way, didn't really hurt during this torturous run.  I "felt" it, but there was no pain.) And on Saturday night I went out to dinner with some girlfriends.  We had sushi and a couple  three glasses of wine and a beer.  I am sure this had a lot  everything to do with the fact that I felt like I had zero energy on the run.

Since I have started this endurance athlete thing I have struggled with the balance of my training and my social life.  I am a very social person, always the first one at a party, and the last one to leave.  Those late hours, few drinks, and bad food do not mix well with my new lifestyle, which I LOVE!  It is hard to stay connected to people who don't get it though.  I think sometimes, some of them, think Jeff and I are "just working out" and taking it to the crazy extreme.  But to me, running, marathon training, and triathlon training is more of a lifestyle  change, than "just working out."  It may have started off that way, but it has become something that I am very passionate about.  I used to be a person who went to classes at the gym, but that did not provide the same sense of accomplishment I get from what I do now.  Not to lessen the importance of that to people who do enjoy classes ect. Anyway, after this run, I told myself no more late nights like that.  It just isn't worth it.  Which means I need to find a way to stay connected to the people who are not part of the endurance lifestyle.  We have found new friends who are also into this endurance thing, and that is awesome.  But where does that leave me with the people who were there "at the start" of this.  How will I keep those relationships?  Some have been effected, and some haven't, and I am really struggling with this.  I have a feeling that I will find that way for some, but not all.  Wow, didn't know this post was going there.  Has anyone else struggled with this, and what did you do?

It's just like riding a bike.....

Hello blog world!  It's been a while since I have last posted.  Since my last post, not much has been going on. h Jeff and I are FINALLY healthy, which feels wonderful!  During this time I also realized that the triathlon I signed up for is in 8 weeks!  The training plan I picked out to follow is a 12 week plan.  Yes, this was an oh crap moment!  I decided I better get my butt in gear!

The first thing I did was sign up for Masters Swim at our local gym.  The first class was  BRUTAL but very helpful.  After just a couple of tweaks to my stroke I could feel a complete difference in the pool.  And my arms KILLED me the next day, which has never happened before after a swim.  I am hoping that is a good thing.  My left knee is still bothering me, so I have decided to take a couple weeks off from the running to give it a rest.  That means I went back to the pool Friday instead of running.  I was so much harder the second day in a row.  I am really hoping this swimming thing gets easier or I am going to drown in Galveston as there is not a bottom I can stand on in the ocean.

I have also tackled the biking part of my training plan.  Jeff set up a trainer for me in his "pain cave"  And riding on that thing was just that..........PAINFUL!  More mentally than anything.  I lasted 20 minutes before I couldn't take it anymore.  I am really going to have to find some good movies/TV shows to watch if I have to ride on that thing again ;)  The next day I decided to do my bike in a spin class.  This definitely isn't the same as cycling, but it kicked my butt!  I am amazed that I can run a marathon, but nearly dropped over after an hour in spin.  My next attempt on the bike was this morning.  I did a 25 mile ride with a local group here that is training for the MS150 ride.

I have told a few people who have asked me if I am crazy for signing up for this tri that really the run and swim don't worry me that much.  I am terrified of the bike portion though.  I am scared of getting hit by a car, and falling.  I know these things will happen, and am really not looking forward to this.  At the start of the ride I was so nervous I thought I was going to puke.  I kept thinking to myself I would much rather be at the start of a marathon then doing this.  At least during a marathon if I fall I don't have as far to tumble.  But we started and off I went.  I was so nervous that I forgot to start my Garmin, so I have no idea how fast  slow I was going, or how long it really took me.  After what I imagine was a few miles I felt a little more comfortable.  I started noticing a lot of people were passing me!  I really need to get more time in on this thing.  Overall I enjoyed the ride and plan on working at getting better!

Happy weekend whatever day it is, because I have no idea anymore!

Oh, to be healthy again......and a few other random thoughts.

I really wonder what that would feel like???  Some of you may also read my husband's blog, therefore you might think I was just hit with food poisoning.  That was not the case.  On Friday evening I got sick, and didn't get out of bed until Sunday afternoon.  (Just in time to get sick all over again watching the Superbowl)!  Now granted, I did make a dangerous decision about eating some eggs Friday morning.  And when I was getting sick I was pretty sure it was food poisoning, but I have had that before and this seemed much, much worse.  It was violent, I had a temperature, and my whole body ached.  Anyway, without getting into further details, I now know it wasn't food poisoning.  How is this you ask?  Well Jeff is now sick.  Poor guy!

It seems like we have been sick FOREVER!  I know this isn't the worst thing in the world, but it is a big inconvenience for endurance athletes.  I signed up for my first Sprint triathlon in April, and Jeff is training for an Iroman.   We need to be healthy!  When I was sick before my marathon a friend joked with me that I pissed of the karma fairies.  It kind of upset me, but now I am thinking.  Did I?  And what can I do to make it better?!?!

Just a few other random thoughts.  While being sick/unemployed I have learned that there is CRAP on TV during the day.  I mean really, can't they put better stuff on during the day?  I can't wait to get better so I can go to the gym in the middle of the day.  Oh, yeah, or find a job so I am at work.

I went to see No Strings Attached on Friday before I got sick.  At first I thought maybe that was the cause of my vomiting.

I am doing the 100 push-up challenge with some friends.  I have done this before and was really happy with the results.  I didn't make it to 100, but my arms looked awesome!  We started today, so join on in if you want.  We are also doing the sit up challenge.

I didn't cross train much at all during my marathon training.  I really want to incorporate that into my routine.  Hence my above challenges.

I will have a distraction for the crap TV soon, the spring fashion editions of all my favorite magazines are starting to arrive at my house!

Hopefully my next post will be a healthy one!!

Houston Marathon In Pictures

Since I didn't put any pictures in my RR I wanted to share a few!

Breakfast!

Hugging it out

This was Jeff's marker so I knew where he would be standing.  He lost it.

With Ruth Ann

With my running partner.

Happy at mile 7

Hurting at mile 20 :(

And..........finished!

Day after.  Much needed massages, wine, hot tub, wine, pedicures, did I say wine?