Running makes me hungry

Since my last post about exercising in the mornings, I did the 30 Day Shred two more times before work that same week. Then, my work hours decreased dramatically and I took to running outside after work. So, even though I didn't stick with my goal of exercising before work, I have managed to work running back into my schedule.

One problem, however, is that when I increase my running mileage....I GET HUNGRY, REALLY HUNGRY! I struggle mentally with giving my body the calories it wants to keep running and withholding calories to ensure that I lose weight. I find myself in a circular argument with myself and I find my weight lose at a continued stalemate....

What to do? What to do?

Give up running to a less strenuous form of cardio to ensure that I lose more weight or keep pushing myself to become physically stronger through running and keep fueling my body to do so.

Here are a few of my most recent runs:

Little Choices

I didn't do the Shred last week like I said I would, and I didn't make a good choice during date night dinner. But, I have gotten myself back in gear all thanks to running. I have been talking about how much I want to go running, but the weather has kept me indoors and I loathe running on the treadmill. So, I hung up my running shoes until Spring. I had planned to start up again the same week as daylight saving time, but I miss it so much that I couldn't wait anymore.

I sucked it up, bundled up (it was about 20 degrees), and went for a slow 2 mile run with a goal of 10 min miles. The wind was so bad on some blocks, that I was almost running in place, but it was worth it. Here's what I ended up with:

It wasn't the best run ever, and it wasn't the fastest, but I did it and that's what counts. The run helped get me into a healthy mindset. I packed my breakfast and lunch yesterday for work and I stuck to them. I did get hungry in the late afternoon accompanied by a severe headache, so I went and bought a cliff bar instead of snacking on the office candy bowl.

Then, last night when I got home from work around 8pm, I was very sore and very tired. I skipped out on making a healthy dinner and fiance and I plopped ourselves on the couch with some leftover pizza and beer and good tv. I certainly didn't want to exercise after that, but the rest gave me the energy I needed to make it through the Shred followed by some nice yoga to help with soreness. Another little choice that went a long way- I already have more energy and feel better about myself and all this after only 2 consecutive days of exercise. All these little choices are what make the difference.

2 races in 2 weeks

I had two 5K races in the past two weeks:

My first 5K took place on a cloudy rather warm day. I was feeling anxious about the race so I decided to do some yoga in place of regular old stretching, and it really helped to calm my nerves. There were over 1000 participants, so this was the largest race I had ever participated it. It took my a good 3/4 of a mile to pass slower runners and walkers, so I ended up running my first mile very fast to get around everyone, followed by a really slow second mile, an average half mile and a hard sprint on the last half mile. I crossed the finish line at 31:56 , but my Nike+ had me at 30:30. Here are a few fun photos from the race.

Joe's cousin (the cute little shorty) handed out water with the cub scouts. I tried to get one from him but he was refilling when I ran by the station and I got caught up in the sweep of runners.

Here I am crossing the finish line and then right after the race:

My second race was at my old high school on a clear and cold day. Here I am waiting to start the race. My family all came out to walk or run for this memorial scholarship fundraiser, so the atmosphere was much less competitive and much more supportive than my race the previous week. I crossed the finish line at 29:23, but my Nike+ had me at 28:30. Regardless of which times were accurate, I set out to finish under 30 minutes, and I achieved my goal. I even managed to shave off 2.5 minutes in my second race. My goal for spring 2010 races is to finish a 5K under 27 minutes.

From left: Me, Joe (my fiance), Aunt Rachel, Justin (my brother), Courtney (cousin), Mom, Aunt Carol, Billy (cousin), and Brittany (cousin)

Running- but in what direction?

I've been a good little runner. I got in a few more good runs recently. Not all of the runs came easily though. I had a really difficult run last Friday, but I am proud to say that I pushed through it. At one mile, I wanted to quit- it was cold and windy and I seemed to be running at a snail's pace. I made myself go two miles regardless of how fast my pace was and then pushed myself to go another half mile and then another mile until I completed 3 miles in 30 minutes.

Needless to say, I have been running and running, but in what direction? My weight is still fluctuating between 180 and 183 lbs. I had a great week- I brought my lunch all week to work, I had dinner at home Sunday - Wednesday and then I ate out three nights in a row- Thai takeout, Japanese hibachi, and an American restaurant. I made a partial effort to watch my eating but I find myself at the high end of my weight fluctuations yet again because of my half-hearted efforts.

I want to continue to lose weight but I am holding myself back. At times, I feel comfortable with my body. I also find myself enjoying what I am eating and not wanting to cut out anything more. I am definitely unsure of my direction, but I plan to keep running.

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:

Baywatch

I channeled Baywatch's most notorious blonde on Sunday, Pamela Anderson, when I decided that it would be a good idea to take a run on the beach.

I wasn't planning on doing this, but when I got to the beach I felt so alive. I arrived at the beach and took my aunt's Great Dane to splash around in the water, and I ran back with him on the leash. It felt so good, I decided I must run right away! So, I took off on the beach with my bathing suit and a zip up. I wasn't self conscious about running in my bathing suit, but I had on a strapless one piece and I was worried about a boob or two popping out mid-run.

I managed a pretty quick pace for someone who never went for a run on the beach before. The run felt awesome, but my calves, knees, and ankles were tiring very fast. I ran about 1.5 miles- to the jetty by the lighthouse and back to where we had parked our truck.

Island Beach State Park Jetty and Fishermen

My calves and hip flexors are so sore even two days later! Regardless, it felt really great to be outside, connecting with nature, and getting in a great workout at the same time.

I wish I could say the rest of the weekend was just as inspiring and filled with nothing but healthy food choices, but that would be a lie!

I'm thinking about skipping weigh in this week. I know that I have gained, I feel it in my clothes, but I think weighing in with discourage rather than encourage.

Fitness has not been my focus

Starting a new project for work is always a difficult time for me and my fitness is never the focus- where in the country will my next project be? What will I be doing? What will my day be like? Will I like the people I work with?
And then there are the health and fitness related concerns- Will there be a fridge for my snacks/lunch? Will there be healthy options available to buy in case I can't bring lunch? Will I be able to maintain my current workout routine? Will I have a few minutes during the day to track my food and check out my favorite weightloss bloggers?

The last two weeks of my life have been consumed with these thoughts as I settled into a new project. So, what's the verdict? The commute is different as it is the first time I am taking public instead of driving and it can be very interesting- there are some real characters that commute into NYC: Every morning there are the usual "Blackberry Prayers" where everyone bows their heads over their blackberries as they pound the tiny keys feverishly. Some of the people I work with are awesome and some of them I'd like to beat with a blunt object. My days are long right now: over an hour to get into the city, 10 hours at work, and 1 hour home. The food options are optimal for watching what I eat but there are also a lot of delicious temptations around. But again, fitness hasn't been my focus.

I am trying to remedy these feelings by getting myself excited again to exercise, but so far I have only been semi-successful. I thought maybe another race would get me excited again about running but I can't find any 5K's or 8K's that are coming up anytime soon so that idea is out the window. So far this week I ran on Saturday and Monday, and I hope to motivate myself to run again tonight.

How I Saved the Barnegat Bay with an 8K!

The Barnegat Bay from Lavalette, NJ

I saved the Barnegat Bay by running an 8K! How did this "save" the bay? I have no f*cking clue.

I woke up nice and early, dressed, ate some peanut butter on a slice of bread and drank some water. My fiance came along to take pictures and share in the moment with me. We drove over to the bay (a few minutes from my childhood home), registered, got our goodies, and hooked up a little race tracker to our shoe for time keeping.

Hooking up my race tracker

We stretched a little, but mostly hung out and soaked up the sun. There were a few real characters there though. Ya know, the ones that take themselves way too seriously even though it is apparent that they are not hardcore runners. They were doing some stretches that I have never seen before, and trust me, I have seen a lot of weird stretches before- I was a competitive cheerleader for 9 years.

Can you guess which set of legs works 10 hours a day inside and which two sets of legs belong to lifeguards?

Back to how we were "saving the bay". I really don't get it. Especially when there is a water station every mile where you grab a cup, drink/splash/pour it, and then throw it on the ground so that the garbage may blow into the bay before someone has had the chance to clean it up. This seemed illogical to me, but my cousins thought that it would be an opportune time to come up with a song to amuse themselves as I left on my headphones, running and panting, and trying to keep up with the tempo. Their little verse went like this....

Just take one cup at a time
there's no need to waste.
It's like Saving the Bay,
the month after May

It's going to happen when it's
supposed to happen.
When you find the reasons why,
one cup at a time.

Mile 2: Me, my cousin Brittany, my cousin Courtney

In all seriousness, the race was really really hard for me. The race started at 8:30am and it was so hot and sunny. I usually run after work and on shaded roads so I found the sun added a big challenge to the run. I also felt a bit faint at times during the race. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to finish, but I kept it together.

Part of the course snaked through a neighborhood filled with locals who live there year-round and who (like me) have a certain pride in being from the area. There were so many people outside their homes cheering for us. There were a few awesome houses that even put out their own water stands and sprayed hoses into the air to cool off the runners- now that is gratitude!

I had wanted to run the 8K in 50 minutes because I new I could do it (10min/mile). My pace ended up being more like 11.5min/mile or 57 minutes. I'm not going to lie, I am disappointed in that time, but I know that's not what it's about. Would I do it again? Heck yeah! I can't wait! Me and my cousins have already planned to do it again next year but with more style- I'm going to design some cute tanks for us and get them screen-printed.

The finish line

Professional photos:

Start:

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=JMcCoy1454&gallery_id=1625284&tcount=149&scount=88&sku=1

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=JMcCoy1454&gallery_id=1625284&tcount=149&scount=89&sku=1

Finish:

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=JMcCoy1454&gallery_id=1625285&image_id=464&pos=465

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=JMcCoy1454&gallery_id=1625285&tcount=521&scount=466&sku=1

//www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=JMcCoy1454&gallery_id=1625285&tcount=521&scount=467&sku=1

8K Completed

I completed my first 8K yesterday! And now I'm off to Bermuda!!

Fat Camp is winding down

Fat Camp is almost over- yay! I have my fitness test this weekend and I am very very nervous. I know I can run 5 miles because I did it once before, but that doesn't change how I feel. This week has been difficult to fit in any exercise, and it doesn't look promising that I'll be able to get any in before the 8K- yikes.
I've been working late every night, and when I get home it is always raining (and not just rain, terrential down pours). Maybe I am making excuses, but I don't feel like I have anything left to give in terms of energy with all my working lately.
I am so looking forward to my Fat Camp reward- a cruise to Bermuda! I leave on Sunday and I can't wait! I'll check in before I leave to update everyone on the 8K.

Just me- that's all I can be

No, this is not some fruity rhyming post nor anything overly emotional where I divulge the years of pain my weight gain has brought. This was just a particularly trying week for me emotionally. My emotionally distress caused me to fall ill with a fever on Wednesday into Thursday.

I have not felt like myself. I am finally starting to feel better. I hadn't done any true exercise since Monday thanks to my depressive mood, but I pulled myself together last night to do my 40 minutes of circuit training with Jillian Michaels. I upped my hand weights to 5lbs from 3lbs. I'm definitely feeling it today. I am glad that I did not allow myself to be lazy and skip yet another workout. It made me feel strong and empowered.

I posted a -1.0lb loss the week which felt great. I am a slow loser, but I prefer it that way. I get to eat out more than once a week, and when I go out I enjoy alcohol, appetizers, and desserts- something a strict weight watcher might cringe at, but I've made my own rules throughout this process and they work for me.

I'm looking forward to a run today, let's hope the weather holds out. It has rained 18 out of the first 22 days of June so who knows. I can't wait to be on vacation next week- that's right kiddies, I'm off to cruise to Bermuda on Sunday and I can't wait to say Bon Voyage for a bit.

Fat Camp Progress Report

I am happy to report a loss this week at Fat Camp: -1.8lbs.

I am even happier, however, that I accomplished my longest run yet (5 miles in 50 minutes) in preparation of my Fat Camp Fitness test, an 8K the last weekend in June.

My Fat Camp diet and exercise for the past few days:

Saturday
Exercise: 40 minutes of circuit weight training a la No More Trouble Zones DVD
B: 1 1/2c Honey Bunches of Oats with Almond, 1c skim milk, 1c coffee w/ skim milk and Splenda
L: slice of pizza
S: apple, 1tbsp peanut butter
D: 1 1/2 cheeseburgers
Late night drinking and snacking at a party: 5 light beers, 8oz Doritos, 2oz pretzels, 1 small brownie, 1 small piece of vanilla cake with vanilla icing

Sunday
Exercise: Leisurely walking at the mall, light lifting to help clean up from party
B: bagel with 4tbsp light cream cheese, coffee w/ skim milk and Splenda
D:1 1/2c penne w/ 1c tomato sauce, 1 meatball, 1 1/2c salad, 2tbsp light Italian dressing
S: 3 pretzel rods, 1c Corn Pops cereal, 1c skim milk

Monday
Exercise: 5 mile run
B: apple, 2c coffee w/skim milk and Splenda
L: 4oz chicken terriyaki, 1 1/4c white rice, 1c miso soup
S: 2 pieces dark chocolate
D: buffalo chicken salad (4oz grilled buffalo chicken breast, 2oz pepper jack cheese, 8 crushed up tortilla chips, 4tbsp light blue cheese dressing )
S: 1 Italian cookie, 1c International Coffee

Tuesday
B: high fiber, high protein cinnamon oatmeal
L: leftover buffalo chicken salad
D: dining out with a friend from high school....

Fat Camp Day 3 & 4

Fat Camp Day 3 brought healthy eating choices and the longest run I've ever completed: 4 miles :-).

Unfortunately, the day was marred by an asshole who almost hit me with his car while I was running. I actually jumped out of the way of the car and smacked the hood of his car to get his attention so he wouldn't hit me. I also had a rough night with my fiance which means lots of tears, a late night, and a little make-up nookie ;-)

Breakfast - Oatmeal, strawberries, coffee
Lunch - Leftover "summer pasta" from dinner
Snack- Watermelon, 3 Hershey's kisses
Dinner- Thai chicken wrap

Fat Camp Day 4 is going well so far. Tonight is circuit training with the No More Trouble Zones DVD

Breakfast - Peanut butter and jelly, coffee
Lunch- I'm off to find something in the cafeteria
Snack- Watermelon
Dinner- Tonight it date night with my fiance, but a rule of Fat Camp is to not splurge when eating out, this is going to be a challenge

Get your kicks!

On Route 66.. or at your local specialty running store :-)

I took a special trip out to the Lynbrook Runner's Stop in Long Island, NY to pick up some new running kicks. I really liked their website because they showed some example of how they fit runners to their shoes, which is exactly what I was looking for. There was an awesome woman at the shop when I walked in. The store is only staffed with runners and on this night, the woman on staff was a marathon runner. She asked me to take off my shoes and socks so she could evaluate my feet. Then I walked back and forth, back and forth so she could determine how I place my feet. It was an enlightening experience.

It turns out that I place my left foot neutral and my right foot supinates a bit. She had me try on a few pairs based on my needs and I ended up with these from Mizuno:
The best part of the experience had to be with the woman told me that I had very strong legs. Get that! An experienced marathon runner telling me I had strong legs- hehe. I was proud, to say the least.

I broke it my new shoes with a great run on Friday. I have officially begun the last week (week #9) of the C25K.

Reasons to avoid running BUSTED

Wow- I ran 25 minutes on Wednesday (~2.25 miles). This is a big deal for someone who is a self-proclaimed "non-runner".

I've made many excuses for myself as to why I was incapable of running and my new self just thinks the old excuses are laughable:

"My chest is too big!"
There is no way that your chest is so large that it physically prevents you from running! I know you are top heavy, but surely there are women with much larger chests that suck it up and go running.

"It doesn't come naturally to me"
Running? Not come naturally? Your body was MADE for running. Your ancestors have been doing it since the beginning of time! Have you somehow evolved to lack the ability to run?

"Running is bad for my knees"
How can something so pure as running be bad for your knees? Running makes your legs stronger!

"I'm not an athlete, why else would I need to run?"
Ummm, how about to avoid danger- that should be reason enough!

I hope someone out there reads this and realizes that the only thing holding them back from running (or insert whatever unattainable activity here) are the self-created excuses. Let's kick those excuses aside and let the progress begin!

C25K Week 3

I started Week 3 this week. It was much more challenging than Week's 1 or 2, but still doable. There are no moments that I feel like quitting, but I am certainly not running as much as I am jogging. Right now, it isn't about my pace; it is about completing the program.

I am by no means someone that takes to running naturally, and that is why I would recommend this program to anyone, but there are certainly some things that can make the experience more enjoyable.

My very first day of running I got runner's toe (a build up of fluid or blood under the toenail, which can cause the nail to fall off). The toe is healing, but it sure looks ugly. Here are a few things I should have done to avoid this injury:
-Get fitted for running shoes
-Wear socks that aren't too thick or thin
-Make sure your toenails are neatly trimmed

Some other lessons that I learned by doing:
-Map your run ahead of time at http://www.mapmyrun.com/
-Download a nifty podcast for the C25K program for every week at http://www.c25k.com/
-Buy yourself some running clothes- they don't have to be expensive (I bought mine at Walmart and Sport's Authority). Running pants/shorts will prevent your pants from falling down as you run (a big problem for me). I specifically like the spandex kind with the drawstring for extra staying power.
-Don't be so self conscious! I probably can't convince you of this without you actually trying for yourself, but you aren't running for other people- you are running for yourself, so forget about everyone else and do your thing!

Happy trails!

C25K Day 1

I kept my word: I bought the necessary tools, plotted my running route, downloading a nifty podcast of techno beats with cues for the switch from running to walking (Thanks Julia!), and I ran.

It was comical! My pants were falling down during every running interval so I'd spend the walking intervals rolling them up. I can say something positive though: I did it!

My first impression of the program's first and second weeks is that they are challenging, not discouraging.

Run Forrest Run!

For the past three weeks I have been in the range of 2lbs: 188-190. How fun!

I don't think I am in self-sabotage mode, but something just isn't clicking. I've talked about upping my exercise routine, but so far I've only been able to incorporate pilates 4 times a week. While it's good for the tiny muscles and the core, it sure isn't burning calories.

It's time for some good old cardio, but I have to confess I am scared. I plan to give the Couch to 5K program a whirl because the farthest distance I have ever run is 2 miles, 1 mile short of a 5K.

I hate running. I'm not good at it, it hurts my chest (even with two bras on), I get as red as the koolaid man, I gasp for air. Even when I was an athlete in high school I hated running, so I think that it will be the most effective way to get the last 25 lbs off. Even writing about running is making me tense with anxiety. With the beginning of daylight savings, there is plenty of light to run outside and the weather is warming up. I'm going out to buy a new pair of running shoes tomorrow and a new sports bra, which will eliminate the last few excuses I have to keep myself from running. I'm gonna need everyone's support to get through this fear and keep motivated.