Back to my running roots

I'm so excited to announce that I have signed up for my second race- the Mineola Mustang 5K in Mineola, NY. My first race was an 8K, so the goal was to finish without walking. A 5K is a much more manageable distance so I'm going to set a time goal.

I haven't been running much (maybe once a week for the past month) so I'm waiting to see what my running baseline pace is so that I can set a goal for the race. I do know that I want to run it under 30 minutes, but I may set the bar higher if my training indicates that I should.

The race is Sunday, November 15th and the course includes the neighborhood where I run, so I am excited about some home field advantage. Also, my fiance's cousin will be volunteering and handing out water because the race is a fundraiser for the school district. It just might turn into a family affair; it would be nice to have my fiance's family come to the race and support me.

I went out for a run last night and it was amazing. The past few times I have ran, I never got into the "runner's groove", where you just fall into a pace, your heart rate and breathing stabilizes, your mind is clear, and you don't feel any pain in your body. Last night- I was so there! The first mile was hell, but mile 2 was a breeze, and then the extra half mile I ran was painful again, but I pushed myself to finish strong by running up a hill.

My running was extra fun thanks to my Nike+ from my fiance. I unplug the USB from the wrist watch attachment, pop it into my laptop, and it automatically uploads my run to nikeplus.com. Check out my run from last night:

Bout Me

A big thanks to Alex at Delicious Ambiguity for my award.




So, 7 things you might not know about me:



1. I don't trust easily and I don't forgive easily. I realize that in the end, I might be the one that suffers from what I like to call "protecting myself", but I have not figured out a way to let people in more quickly.

2. I grew up surrounded by family. I never knew a home that did not have extended family living in it. Family is the most important thing in my life. I do not have many friends because I don't know how to have a friend type of relationship- I treat my few and really great friends with family status.

3. I have a very "corporate" job- I love dressing nicely, getting respect and feeling important, but I would probably give it all up to run a farm with tons of animals and lots of back breaking labor because there is something so carnally satisfying about physical labor. This will never happen because my fiance hates farms and dirt, lol. I would also give it

4. I know tons about home improvement. I can dry wall, paint, trim, install a toilet, run wiring, etc. I just need a home of my own to work on!


5. I would rather spend the day in my pajamas with my fiance, a blanket, some movies, and lots of cuddling than going anywhere.


6. I have ocd when it comes to many things, thanks to my father. He raised me very strictly and now I find myself imposing this ocd on others- no feet on the couch, turn off the lights when you leave the room, don't chew with your mouth open! Lucky for me, my fiance is a stickler for the rules too- we get along swimmingly :-)

7. I have vivid dreams- they are terrifyingly real which can be great when I dream about sex and awful when I dream about my fears. I have been known to talk, sit up abruptly, hit others and moan in my sleep.

The Curse of Comfort

I like the way I look. I feel comfortable in my skin.

This is a curse.

Sure, I could be a bit more toned, but I feel like my wanting to be more toned is insatiable- A feeling that will always be with me. But, I really like the shape of my body right now and the proportion.

One might think loving your body should be uncomplicated, but it is not. I have found that it makes it all too easy to maintain your current weight when you love your body. I think that what has been wrong with my attempts at weightloss for the past few months is that I see nothing wrong with my body.

For the peanut gallery

Here are some pictures for you demanding readers :-P

Me and my fiance:

My favorite place at the hotel- our balcony! Here's me enjoying my morning coffee and catching up on some bridal magazines. And check out that view of the beach and pool:

My second favorite thing about the hotel was the friendly iguanas that lounged by the pool and let people feed hand feed them. The french fries made him curious but he didn't actually eat it. Their favorites were onions and grapes:

All dressed for the wedding:

And here are some snapshots of the food culprits. Check out my dessert- its the size of a small child. And pineapple shrimp fried rice- yum!

And another culprit- alcohol! I had fun with my free drinks at the Bacardi distillery. Everyone gets two free drinks, but my brother got us another round for free :-)

I'm back: the good, the bad and the so so

I'm back from Puerto Rico. The trip was great and much needed. I spent time with my parents, brother, fiance, grandparents and cousins. It was the perfect break from the insanity of work.

The Good: exercise. I couldn't wait to go on vacation so that I could exercise! Crazy, I know, but I was seriously looking forward to it since work has been cramping my exercise style. I got in a run around the golf course at my hotel, a run on the beach, and hours of dancing.

The Bad: drinking. There were many drinks poolside and at the wedding. Yikes! I usually don't allow myself liquid calories with the exception of skim milk. All the juice in my fruity cocktails was full of calories.

The So-so: eating. My eating was decent for vacation. I kept breakfast clean all but the morning after the wedding when I indulged in bacon and a belgian waffle. Otherwise, it was yogurt or oatmeal and fruit. Lunch was a little worse with some tortilla chips and a half a burger mixed in. Dinner was always indulgent and usually included dessert.

So, what's the damage?
I came back with some nice color, some sore legs, and 4 extra pounds. I can't say I've tackled these extra pounds since getting back on Monday thanks to a hectic work week of 16+ hours, which equals ordering out all meals. I know I could have brought food with me but I never got to the food store since getting back from vacation, so I am left with an empty fridge and pantry.

Here's to a better weekend! It can't come soon enough.

Updates

In the process of trying to keep up with life, I have not been able to update this blog as I have wanted. I have lots to share with everyone, but little time to do so.

I am going to Puerto Rico on Thursday for a much needed vacation with my fiance, parents, and brother for a wedding and some much needed head clearing.

I have much to share about running, weight watchers meetings, and life. Hopefully, Ill be able to share it sooner than later.

In the meantime, I hope everyone is well! I missing reading and commenting more frequently, but I know I will get to a place where I can resume it. Love to everyone!