My New Frenemie

I am ashamed to say I did not make it to my Weight Watchers meeting this week. Wednesday, my usual meeting I had a valid excuse. This morning's meeting... I just didn't want to go out in the cold! It was about -26C with a windchill of -30C. I'd really rather not go out when it's that cold or put my car through being started at really cold temperatures. So I have no weigh in update to share with you.







Today I started week 4 day 1 of C25K. It was a tough run!!! I had intervals of 3 minute and 5 minute runs. My last 5 minute interval I had to step off of the treadmill twice for about 15 seconds just to give my calves a break.



Which leads me to introducing you to my friend/enemy... My brand new foam roller. During my last massage my therapist recommended I get one to work on the knots/adhesions in my calves. She also suggested a full hous on my legs which I won't particularly enjoy... That will happen on Wednesday. I'm also doing a 6 week boot camp with a trainer at my gym and she suggested foam rolling as well. So I gave in on Thursday and bought one.

I feel so awkward on this thing, my trainer walked me through rolling my calves. If you're curious about foam rolling, this is a great video I found on. YouTube that clearly shows and explains how you can use the foam roller on all of those major muscle areas.

After my run I spent a good 20 minutes going through all the techniques in the video, I sure don't look as good as she does I'm sure I look downright awkward. If you've done foam rolling, you'll know it hurts like heck... But I can already tell it's helping.


- thanks for reading!

Delayed Weigh In... Week 3 Complete

I'm really having to search for my motivation this week to stay on program!!! I'll be missing my Weight Watchers meeting tomorrow night. Every February for the last four years (this is my 5th) I've been the coordinator at work for a Dominican Experience trip for some of the students. Tomorrow after school were having a retreat for the kids followed by a parent meeting. It's going to be a loooooong day, I'll be at the school for at least 14 hours! Needless to say I won't be making my meeting or able to weigh in.

I'm very lucky though I don't go to a meeting in the city, my area has two meetings a week. I'll have to get up early *sigh* and go Saturday morning. Which won't be a bad thing since this will allow me to enjoy Christmas lunch out with the secretaries tomorrow, and we'll be ordering in some sort of dinner in as well. So I'll have a few days to let my body recover form more calories than usual and of course all the salt that goes into restaurant prepared foods which I'm sire will lead to some water retention for a day or two.



Today I finally completed Week 3 of my C25K program! It should of been done on Saturday, but we spent the day with friends ... Like all day till midnight! Then Sunday morning they invited us out for breakfast. So I didn't do any exercise all weekend!



Now you might think it strange that I couldn't exercise on Sunday, it was just breakfast right? Well, quite a few years ago I was diagnosed with exercise induced anaphylaxis. Yes, you read that right... I'm allergic to exercise! What food it is we don't know but it's caused by ingesting something that you will develop an allergic reaction to if you exercise within 3-4 hours of eating that food. We haven't found out what food it is, but I do know its happened after I've eaten at restaurants. If I exercise after eating out I will start by breaking out in hives, always starting in my scalp. Very quickly I'm covered from head to toes and can start developing welts. Then I start having trouble breathing and I start passing out, coming to and passing out again.

Scary isn't it? I've ended up in the ER twice because of this (before diagnosis) one time I passed out alone, on a dirt road with no phone on me, I had left it at home because my battery was dead.

Now I never go out running after I eat out. I never go out without my phone and epipen. I should have a runners ID but I don't. That I'll purchase on the spring. I have set routes that are in populated areas, I always tell Todd which one I'm taking and how long I should be.

I've not had a bad reaction in a king time now, I've had hives a few times ... But I don't like taking chances!

- thanks for reading!

Wednesday Weigh In

It's Wednesday, my meeting/weigh in day at my local Weight Watchers meeting. It was a really good deep meeting/topic and I want to save that for my next post, it's left me with some thinking to do which I want to share with you.



The scale was much, much kinder to me this week... Which means all of my hard work paid off this past week! I exercised 6 out of 7 days and tracked honestly. I'm very happy with my 2.2lb loss, which means I just need to loose another 1.4lbs to undo all the damage I did earlier this month. It's going to be a challenge, I'm going out to eat three days in a row! I'll just have to make the best choices I can.



I'm still continuing with C25K, I'm now onto week 2, day 2 and here are the stats on my latest run.



- thanks for reading!

Recommitting

Hey there, it's been quite awhile but I think it's time for me to come back. I think documenting this journey will help, so will your support.

Since September I've been working toward recommitting myself to weight loss, Weight Watchers and being active. It's been a slow journey, I've managed to loose 4lbs in 2 and a half months. Not Biggest Looser numbers, but I try to remind myself that it's movement in the right direction.

Why has it been a slow journey this time? I've been of the mindset not to be as strict with myself this time around. Also I'm letting life get in the way too much, when I'm getting off track it's not for an hour or a moment, I'll let it go on for a few days or a week. I need to remind myself that I don't want to give up what I've worked so hard to achieve.

I've just had a week of not counting/eating what I want (or exercising). Though I've enjoyed having treats without the guilt or worry, I'll be seeing those results at the scale tomorrow when I go to my WW meeting. I'm ready to re-recommit myself, to become a little more strict with myself, like I was when I first lost 63 lbs. I have since put back on 30 lbs. I know stopping here, drawing that line in the sand is a victory in itself... But I also promised myself, I'd never go back to the way I was. Here I am half way there.

What am I doing to make this re-recommit happen? I've started tracking using my WW app again, tomorrow morning, I'm going to start tracking everything, honestly. After a week of chaos last week (no time, with so much on my plate), I started exercising again today. I can't let one week beyond my control ruin two and a half months of work. Just a bump in the road.



So here I am, today somewhere in the mid 170's just before my workout.






My old running shoes recently died on me.



I've treated myself to a new pair of running shoes, for years now I've worn the Brooks Dyad, these are the latest model, the Dyad 7. I like that they've moved away from a white runner.

In mid-October I started running again, but doing my own thing outdoors on my favourite trail or in my Village. The colder weather (we've had some snow on the ground) has finally sent me indoors. I've been inspired to start the C25K Program (couch to 5km) to keep me motivated to run on the treadmill to give me a program to focus on, that will keep me going for the next 8 weeks (which should do me into January).






So here' today's program and my Nike+ stats! I am not a fast runner and I don't pretend to be.

It's a start.



- thanks for reading!

Running

Today I picked up where I left off with the C25K program I am doing.  In theory you're supposed to run three times a week for 8 weeks and the program slowly works you up to running a non-stop 5K.  I've found the program quite manageable until I hit week four. As I've said in my recent post I gave up on myself for a little while, bit I'm trying to get back at it again.

This week's program, as you can see has me doing two sets of three minute runs, with a 90 second walk followed by a 5 minute run. The three minute interval isn't too bad, it's the five minute run that's getting to me!  I'm not stopping, but oh boy I want to!

Running is such a PSYCHOLOGICAL sport/activity!  You are your own opponent, only you can lead yourself to that finish, that completion. You can also defeat yourself by not getting out there, stopping, or cutting your goals short. Before my injury last summer I was running 10K+ without stopping, without much effort. Post injury I'm not even running a non-stop 3K, starting over has been the hardest thing for me because I KNOW what I used to be able to do!!!!  Each time I lace up I remind myself to forget about the 10K races I used to do, to ignore the fact that yes I've completed a half marathon (ran the first 14K without stopping!!!!!). That I need to treat this like I did when I first started running. 

I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY

I want to do this, I want to run again, I want to do races again. 

Baby steps. 

Today I kept reminding myself "I should run today". I've been pretty much running inside on my treadmill, away from prying eyes. Today, I knew this wasn't what I wanted to do (though I do like the fact that on my treadmill during my walk intervals I can read on my iPad.  Things looked a little iffy outside when I got home from work, it was cold, windy and sure as heck looked like rain. I had every meteorological reason not to run outdoors. I could of wimped out and not ran at all. But I laced up, said to hell with the weather (I am a fair weather outdoor runner) if I got rained on it was only water and last time I checked, I don't melt. 

It felt good to run outside for a change!!!

While I was on my blogging break/sulk/mini depression, I did surpass a running milestone for me, I've been using Nike+GPS for a few years now and I broke the 1000K mark!  I'm proud of this milestone!!!!

Doing Well!

I think I'm finally in the right "mental space" to do this weight loss thing.  I shouldn't call it a "thing" should I because this is VERY serious and I am taking it seriously, finally!

I saw this little gem on Facebook back at the beginning of the year and saved it, I knew it was going to come in handy, I knew that this was it... the year to shed the pounds I've gained in the last two years!

Not only am I going to kick 2013's ASS I'm going to kick this weight to the curb finally!

Like I said things are going well!  I'm still maintaining my positive metal attitude that I had back when I initially lost my weight (something that was missing the last two years).  What has the result been of this positive attitude?  While I was in the DR I managed to come home 1.8 lbs lighter!  Then the following week I didn't bounce back, but lost another 0.6 (last week).  So that's a total of 2.4 lbs gone!  Yay me!

I'm hoping for positive results again this week!  I've done really well so far this week in terms food choices, even while out and about with friends!  I'm on March Break and socializing means food and lunches out.  I have also earned Activity Points 8 days in a row!!!!!  Fingers crossed that this hard work is going to pay off this week, and if it doesn't I'm okay with that because I know sometimes things take a little longer to show up on the scale.

Yesterday saw my first road run of 2013!!  The weather has warmed up (we had a huge snow storm almost two weeks ago now), and the roads are clear enough in my area I'm not going to kill myself.  I stopped running back in the summer because of foot pain which has finally been diagnosed with Sinus Tarsus Syndrome.  So in the last month or so I've decided its time to start running again... I am having to start from square one!  Running on the treadmill has been okay, I can't run non-stop or as fast as I used to but I was doing well on the treadmill.  I forgot how road running is a completely different affair, it was almost hard to do my 5:5 intervals (5 min. run:5 min walk).  But I toughed it out and felt great for doing it!!!!

Keep working hard!!!

When Its Gorgeous Out... Go Run!

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler.  I'm waking up to either having to start my car before heading to work or scraping the windows when I forget.  This means that my running days outdoors are starting to wane.

I have found I do prefer to run outside!  You have an obvious start and stop point and scenery to look at.  The treadmill, well its just boring!  Personally starting at Todd's tool collection in the basement isn't my idea of fun.  I know some people run while they watch TV, I've tried that and I find the commercials starting and ending just earmark how much time has or hasn't passed.  I like to be oblivious to how long I'm running for.  My best runs are when I don't realize how much time has gone by, my worst runs are when I'm counting the minutes until I can get off of that stupid thing.  I know some people run year round, that there's all kinds of gear to do that.  I consider myself a fair weather runner.  I also live in a Village, that's right a village.  There's one sidewalk and its probably only a couple of hundred meters long.  So depending on my mood I'm either running on pavement (short runs) or dirt roads (long runs).  Not only do I dislike the cold, there's a lack of sidewalks for me to run on, and well roads in the country just aren't well plowed and I'm paranoid about foot/ankle/knee injuries.  In the past I've sprained my ankle multiple times and I've torn ligaments in my right foot.  As you can see I have many reasons not to run outside in the winter.

So once the snow flies or it gets too cold for my liking I'll return to the treadmill.  For the winter I'll be doing shorter runs 3-5K (I can't psychologically do more than that on a treadmill) and focus more on my speed/pace.  I've already noticed that from spring to fall, I have improved!  In the spring I was running on average 5.4-5.5 on my treadmill and the last few times I've been on it, I'm ruining consistently at a 5.7-5.8!  That's heartening to see.  When I first started running 4.8 was fast!  In an ideal world I'd love to be running a consistent 6.0 by spring (that's a 10 minute mile!).

Look at this!  I started running with a Nike sensor and now just use the Nike GPS app the beginning of October last year.  I have now racked up 600 Kms!  Once upon a time the only case you'd find me running was if the house was on fire, and that would be out the door and stopping shortly thereafter.

I'm not in love with running, I recognize that its a challenge for me to do (I like to be challenged), its awesome cardio and calorie burn.  And of course its free!

Run For The Cure 2011

Yesterday was my 4th year participating in the CIBC Run For the Cure and as you all know because I've been begging and pleading I annually fund raise for this event.  Not only did I participate and fund raise this year but I started a team as well at my Taekwon-Do School!

 The Almonte Taekwon-Do Run For The Cure Team 2011

For our first Almonte Taekwon-Do team we were 16 strong made up of family, friends, and students!  As a team we fund raised $2,845.00!  I am so proud of my team and how my friends and classmates supported me this year!

Me & Tracey waiting to start the race

Personally this year I raised $1,600.00 for Breast Cancer Research!  I have many of you to thank for surpassing my goal this year!

Some of the 9,000 participants crossing the finish line

On Sunday we ran with 9,000 other people and helped raise 1.64 million in Ottawa alone!  Last year nation wide 33 million was raised for Breast Cancer Research through this event.  This year I crossed the finish line of the 5K course in 31 minutes, and it was just wonderful running with my teammates!

Not only is this event run across Canada simultaneously, this year a run also took place on the Canadian Forces base in Kandahar, Afghanistan.  Is that not just the coolest thing ever?

 Greeted by the Ottawa 67 Cheerleaders after crossing the finish line

 Keeping warm, waiting to start the race!

 Father & son running together

 Mother & Son running as well!  A great event for 

families.

Lots of fun outfits!

We ended off the morning with hot beverages and breakfast!

GOOD News and Getting Ready to Run for the Cure

I got the best phone call ever this afternoon, it was my Mum... from HOME!  After four weeks of being in hospital she finally got discharged!  It has been a long road to get to this point and its still a long road ahead of us.  But its good to know that she's feeling well enough and strong enough to be at home!

I feel like 200 lbs have been lifted off of my shoulders!  What a ride this has been!  For about the first three weeks I struggled to keep my weight under control on top of dealing with this family crisis.  I struggled with it quite nicely for awhile.  I managed to drop a few pounds but the last week I have become more and more tired and more and more careless so my weight moved back up to where it was before this all started.  Sigh, a little disappointing seeing the number on the scale the last few days.  No place like the present to start fresh right?

This Sunday I'll be running again!  Sunday October 2nd across Canada is the CIBC Run For the Cure, its a very moving 5K run/walk to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.  I had a very close call back in 2007 and this is my 3rd year participating and fundraising in this event.  My first year I raised over $600, last year I raised almost $1,500, so far this year I've raised just over $1,000.  I was hoping to beat last year's total but life's circumstances got in the way, and I think I've done very well under the circumstances!  There is still time to make a donation!  If you'd like to make a donation towards my run please go here to donate online, its not too late!!!

If you have already donated, thank you very much!

I think 5K is going to be a piece of cake ;-)

One of Life's Proud Moments

Despite all that's going on I am still finding moments for life and commitments I have made and following through with them.  This past Sunday was an event I had committed to back in the spring by registering for the Army Run 1/2 Marathon!  I had every excuse in the book to drop out, to sell my race bib this year.

I used the heat as an excuse not to get out and run often and far enough (wasn't it stinkin' hot this year?).  Then almost 3 weeks prior to Race Day life was turned upside down with Mum's hospitalization.  I didn't let any of those excuses hold me back or stop me ... I spent the week leading up to race day freaking out, worried about how prepared I wasn't and so on.  As Nike says: "Just Do It" and that's what I intended to do.  My goal was just to cross the finish line, I didn't care how I did it, or how long it would take!

 This is what Freakin' Dark O'Clock looks like

I woke up Sunday morning at Freakin' Dark O'Clock!  Not my favourite time of the day.  With my bag packed the night before, and running clothes set out, I made a fantastic protein smoothie for breakfast and set out for what I was considering to be the craziest day of my life!

 Can't you tell I LOVE mornings?

Witness our nervous smiles?

I met up with my friends Amy and Marline.  Amy was supposed to walk the 1/2 marathon (21.1 K) but she sadly declared when I saw her at the end of August that she was "broken again" but that she would be my "Race Day Bitch" aka: chauffeur, photographer, Sherpa, water boy and more!  I couldn't turn that down.  Amy was going to take care of both Marline and I that day, Marline was doing her first race ever, the 5K event and I was doing the 1/2 marathon (did I mention that's 21.1K?). 

 Marline and I in our Army Run swat.  Black = 1/2 marathon, White = 5K

The morning started off cold, pretty darned cold!  I started the morning in a sweater but I gave it to Amy once I went to find my starting corral.  I didn't want to be burdened and I knew as soon as I got started I would be warm enough.  By the end of my race, it was a perfect day, sunny and 20c the conditions couldn't of been better!

 Injured Soldiers getting ready to start the 5K race

The 5K race started at 8am.  There was lots of ceremony to the event, the Governor General's Band was there to lead us through O'Canada, there were MC's, lots of press and more.  The start the race with the injured soldiers who get a head start.  That was one of the most emotional things I have ever witnessed!  You saw all kinds of injured soldiers some in chairs, some with one prosthetic leg, some with two.  There were wheelchairs, crutches, canes and more.  It was truly moving to see all these men and women whose life have been changed forever serving our country.  Marline used to serve in the military and she was doing the race with a friend of hers who was injured while in the service, she's in a back brace.  Amy and I both had tears rolling down our faces.  Then the 5K runners were off!

 5K Runners waiting to start

Not long after they took off, I had time for a quick visit to the porta-potty and I had to go find my corral.  I had initially pegged myself as finishing in 2hr 30min.  I knew after the summer I had that this wasn't a reality, I figured I would be more in the 3hr range.  The next thing I knew the Howlizter Cannon went off and it was time to get moving!  I turned my music on as I crossed the start line and off I went to conquer 21.1 K as best as I could!

 Getting a high-five from Marline at the 18K mark

The course took us past Parliament Hill, The Supreme Court, National Library & Archives Canada, National War Museum, across the river and into the province of Quebec for a jog through downtown Hull, back across the Alexandria Bridge, past the National Art Gallery, National Mint, 24 Sussex Drive (the PM's house) and up to Rideau Hall then back towards the Rideau Center, down once side of the Rideau Canal across it and back up the other side to the finish line.

My initial goal was to run as long as I could, I figured somewhere between 5-8K the do the rest of the distance at a run/walk (10 min/1 min).  I even surprised myself and RAN THE FIRST 14 KM!  Well over half of the distance!

 Mark who had already run the 1/2 Marathon talking me through the last 2K to the finish line

I knew a couple of other people who were running the 1/2 Marathon that day.  My buddy Mark from Taekwon-do passed me when I was at the 3K mark and he was at the 6K mark.  Carrie from work passed when I was at the 14K mark and she at the 16K mark.  It really was a bolster to see friends running too!  I had the best surprise when I hit the 19K mark and I was starting to run out of steam and my body was starting to protest.  Mark who had already ran the 1/2 marathon was waiting for me and asked me if I'd like him to run the last few KMs with me.  I certainly didn't turn down the offer.  Mark was amazing, he kept up this continuous pep-talk to keep my moving and my spirits up when I was nearing the end of my endurance.  Because of Mark I finished, and I finished strong!

 V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!!

I couldn't believe it as the finish line came into sight and I saw 2:55:10 on the clock!  I was going to cross the line in UNDER 3 hours!  2:49:42.6 was my official time when you take into account the time difference between the gun going off and when I actually crossed the start line.

 Receiving my medal from a Canadian Soldier

Nice touch!  Dog tags for medals!

Looking amazingly fresh and happy after finishing my FIRST Half Marathon

This was one of the most amazing, empowering, and positive moments in my life!  Right now I feel like I could do anything!  I'd like to think that one of my strengths is how when I put my mind to accomplishing something I WILL accomplish it no matter how hard the challenge is.

 Cooling down afterwards and using my cool silver blankie as a super-hero cape!  I felt like a super-hero!

I went from this fat, unhealthy 200+ pound girl in 2007 who the only time you would of seen her running was out of a burning building, to running a 1/2 Marathon 21.1 K!!!

You can do truly amazing things when you're stubborn!