Adjusted Reality

Since I’ve already exceeded my limit for ranting, whining, analyzing, and neuroses this week, I think I’ll send you into the weekend with a bunch of pictures from the seriously AWESOME duathlon two weekends ago.  As nitpicky and crazy as I get, I certainly can step back and bask in the awesomeness.

A year ago, I would not have felt confident in my ability to run and bike back to back to back.  I also would have definitely worried about the heat that day.  Good thing I trained for a half marathon in the hottest spring/summer ever last year! …and honestly, I was worried about the bike/run/bike thing until I was able to complete the distance two days before.  Also, a year ago Zliten would have not joined me.  I’m glad he was able to finish the race!

Two years ago, in addition, I would not have had the endurance yet to run the 1st part of the race (5k), let alone the second and third legs.  I would have felt completely out of place and intimidated among the athletes there.  Good thing that year I worked my ASS off through long hours and particularly hostile-to-weight-loss situations, and worked on building my running base from barely 2 miles to comfortable at a 10k, and went beyond my comfort zone and entered my first race.  And then another.  And I was hooked.

Three years ago, I would have felt self conscious in pants (my uniform was skirts w/elastic waistbands).  I would have been uncomfortable in the heat.  Camping probably would have thrown my back out for weeks.  I would have felt like the fat girl and stuck out like a sore thumb.  I would have nothing to talk about with these people, as I wouldn’t have considered running unless chased and biking was something I hadn’t done since junior high school.  Good thing that year I decided to change my life and lose the weight for good even if it took me a long time – and picked up a penchant for all things sweaty as I took off weight and built endurance.

This year, I went, and felt confident starting, felt comfortable (though awe-inspired) at these crazy distance runner peoples, and finished the race with a respectable time (1:18:45) 3rd to last.

Next year, 4th to last at least.  And at least 1:18:44.

Now, I present to you, pictures.

Have a fantastic and healthy weekend, campers.  I’ll do my best to do the same.

What scary/cool/outside your comfort zone thing have you done lately that’s beyond your previous wildest expectations?

Ok, first, feel free to read here, I don’t mind.  Just come back, will ya?  Charlotte got me thinking about how our bodies are different.  The study says men can get along just fine on carby diets, and it’s supposed to make us chickypoos at major risk for heart disease.  Also keep in mind I’m a bit of a grumpypuss this week so ranting and barely edited dialogue forthcoming!  This is but one person’s experience with carbohydrates (all health and fitness freaks, please recoil in horror instinctively…)

As for the research – I’m going to say different strokes for different folks.  As a super active sporty fit kid and then serious gymnast, I gravitated towards an extremely carb heavy diet, all but vegetarian (a little meat in my pasta or rice or sandwich didn’t bother me, but I loathed the idea of a big steak or chop), and I ran on it extremely well.

The key component for me is the being super active and balanced.  I’ve tried to limit my carbs and my body rebels, even after months.  I’ve tried to up my protein and fat intake, and my body doesn’t respond positively or negatively (just makes it extremely hard to lose/maintain weight).  I find that at a certain stage of half training I crave protein (the major heavy mileage/fast paced stuff) but at all other times it’s really unnatural for me to cram the stuff down my throat to the tune of 100g per day or more like the daily recommendations would have me do.

I don’t *get* the phenomenon that other people have told me (my mom for example) that when they have simple carbs they just go crazy wanting to stuff their face with them.  For example, if we both opened a half gallon of ice cream at the same time, my parents might eat it in a few days.  Same with our houseguests – she was pregnant, sure, but they went through a half gallon every 3 days or so and ALWAYS had some in the house.  For us, we’ll have a measured serving every few days and it will probably get freezerburnt before it’s gone.  We tend to only buy the “Ben and Jerry’s” size, which usually takes about a week.

I do get crazy with the sugar during the end/after half training.  For that last month or so, I NEED the simple carbs to do what they do (not give me a super full feeling and get calories to my body quickly).  Or I’m in danger of getting dizzy and almost passing out in the shower after an 11 mile run – note to self, when burning 1200 calories on about 100 consumed that day, EAT then stretch and shower.  On training runs, you don’t eat complex carbs or protein or anything with nutrients (since it goes through you too fast to have any benefit), the only thing that matters is that it contains easily digestable calories, and a little caffeine if that’s your thing.  Right after really hard workouts, you ALSO need some easily digestable calories.  I know there are records of distance runners out there operating on lo carb diets, but I can’t imagine it.  It would definitel have to be a VERY DELIBERATE choice and take months/years of training, weaning yourself off carbs, and I just can’t see enjoying that.  At all.

However, what happens after a race is my body takes a while to realize that I’m no longer stressing it out so much, so the appetite is there, and I do get a little of the sugar addiction just because I’m putting so much more than normal in my body.  I normally have a /sweets off switch.  I eat a little, it makes me feel a slight bit nauseous (usually at or just below whatever 1 serving is on the package) and then I leave it alone.  During the end/right after I lose that ick switch so I have to go through a period of detox where I have to smack the chocolate chips out of my hand sometimes and it is just about impossible to refuse cake in the in the breakroom at work.   After a week or two going mostly cold turkey, I’m good though to resume normal operations.  For example the cavalcade of comfort food coming through the office this week (cookies! doughnuts! cake! more cake! leftover easter candy!) has been tempting, but avoidable.  As much as I’ve been bitching about it on twitter.  I mean seriously people, you must have Quix-diet-dar and be trying to send me into a tizzy… sigh…

It’s a touch different with salty carbs (which have always been my weakness), but beyond the potato chip devil (seriously, one serving per day until they are gone… and that takes restraint), I’m not tempted to binge at all.  I certainly have had instances of eating way more than a serving, but it usually includes being at a party, being genuinely hungry, and a liberal dose of booze.  But as I discussed earlier in the week, for the same calories of food, I don’t feel full without my side of mashed potatoes, or rice, or bread.  A sandwich with 4 oz of turkey (even if it’s not whole grain bread) is more satisfying and filling to me than an 8 oz steak.  I eat and enjoy whole grain/brown stuff when I can because I know it’s healthier and I genuinely enjoy stuff like my sprouted grain bread, but I don’t feel negatively affected if I have a delicious turkey on sourdough.

My main problem is the “stand in front of the fridge and stuff my face” – for some reason those calories don’t register the same (and they certainly don’t count in my head the same), and they’re hard to track.  Two turkey pepperoni, a pinch of lowfat shredded cheese, a spoonful of leftover veggies, some baby carrots, a melba cracker, some pop chips, a bite of jerky, and a few pistachios – how do you quantify that?  However, if you look at the general combination of the snack, it’s generally healthy – a little lean protein, a little good fat, some fairly decent carbs, and some veggies.  If I could put that all on a plate, go sit down, and enjoy it as a snack, I’d feel full and life would go on.  I’m working on it.  But I don’t just cozy down with a bag o empty calories – I’ve tried, I get half a serving in and realize how many calories and how UNFULL I am and put it back.

Then, there is the mental wellness and happiness aspect.  The idea of lo carb makes me want to crawl in a corner, rock back and forth, and cry.  Getting me to do anything productive or active without some bread or noodles is like pulling teeth.  Now, I won’t tell you how to live your life.  Rock on with your Atkins or primal.  Enjoy hissing at potatoes and calling everything not sprouted “yicky white bread” like my moms.  Toss your hamburger buns in the trash and pick at your sandwiches sans bread.  I just won’t be joining you and damned if I’m going to feel bad about it anymore.

I’ve been told I act/think like a male type brain (whatever that means) anyway, maybe I’m just wired differently.  As the article says.

Have a crazy carb binge story?  Think I’m full of crap and just making excuses and I’m subconsciously killing myself slowly with yicky white bread?  Anyone else just not *get* the “carbs are the devil” mentality this decade?  And have successfully lost/maintain a healthy weight and active lifestyle unaffected by whether you choose white or wheat?

As I don’t think it’s QUITE dead yet.  So, to pick up where I left off yesterday…

What did I learn about myself?

1.  I definitely had some habits to break, but it wasn’t impossible to work on that with the right attitude (no “I deserve this” mentality).  I did pretty well (minus some slips yesterday) with eating intentionally and purposefully, but it was something I had to be very conscious about.  I think when I go back to maintaining, as long as I keep the conscious and not worry so much about the calories, I’ll be in better shape.

2.  On a normal day, where I am eating healthy and nutritious food (not trying to save calories for a special meal or booze), and not affected by emotions/hangover/etc … I seem to be most comfortable consuming about 1500-1600 calories and burning about 300-400 calories in my workout.   Going to try to roll with this most days.  Except when life gets crazy and I have to do differently.  Like this week.  Heh.

3.  Eating a little more mid-afternoon seems to help combat the OMG-it’s-8-and-I-just-got-home-from-working-out-need-food-now pantry scramble.   As long as it’s not anything ridici-spicy or greasy, it doesn’t seem to screw up my tummy.  Half marathoning really worked out those issues for me.  I can down some food and go run within the hour no problem because I had to learn how to do it.

4.  I might need to cool it on chocolate and super un-nutritional sweets for a while.  I felt so much better and more satisfied with the frozen fruit bars or even the greek yogurt as a treat in a way that just didn’t cut it with candy or cake or ice cream.

5.  Just like running, it really is all mental.  It’s about enduring a little mental discomfort to reach a goal.  I know there is an end to this phase.  Just like there is an end to each run.  Luckily, I seem to have hit my stride the first week (thank goodness, I was afraid it would be MUCH rougher), now I just need to keep up the pace until my time on the treadmill is up.

6.  I am ok with less food than I realize.  Especially with the smaller workouts per day, my appetite has gone from universe sized to small-galaxy-sized.  Things I would take down in one meal and look for more now last me a meal and a snack (the subway foot long) and things that I think will no way fill me up seem to suffice (the quiznos small and cup o soup).  I need to remember that I don’t have to be FULL after each meal, just not hungry is ok, and there is RARELY a time that I am away from a place where I can grab something healthy if I am getting dizzy from hunger.

7.  Being hungry is not an emergency.  It’s just like being tired, or muscle soreness, or a slight headache, or a slight bad mood or a mild hangover.  It’s something that at low levels, you can work your day around.  Occasionally, you have to endure it and put it in the back of your mind.  Contrary to (my) popular belief, I will not fall over and die at the first sign of not being full.

8.  I am not as much of a carnivore as other people.  I’ve stopped really focusing on getting a bunch of protein each day, and guess what?  I’ve had less of a problem being full on less calories.   I still feel like it’s important to start my day that way (although, I used to do good on big dose of fiber too so I might test that out soon), but I’ve noticed that I just don’t feel FULL when I OD on meat.  I like a small serving of meat, a decent serving of carbs, and a mess-ton of veggies.  That fills me.  Not to say that the other way doesn’t have its benefits (during the mid-stages of my half training, I just couldn’t get enough protein) but too much meat and too much fat doesn’t sit well with me.  I generally am right near the bottom, if not a little below my protein/fat each day, and I’m feeling good.  Different strokes for different folks, I guess!

9.  I will have bad days.  After one mostly great week, I am having it ROUGH.  I’ve had to get up super early to be off work by 6 (we’re back on crazy hours again), take care of the ‘guana, and then go work out after.  The next two days, I have to be up by 7-7:30 and work out in the morning, because my social calendar just filled up after work.  I am exhausted, grumpy, generally hungry, and not feelin’ it (any of it), but seeing the scale go down?  Right now?  Honestly worth it.

Verdict: Last week was pretty much a win.  This week’s goal is pretty much to replicate last week and be under 160 by next Monday.

Week #2 Workouts:

Monday: 30 mins DDR and strength session after work (500 calories)

Tuesday: 45 mins run after work (500 calories)

Wednesday: 5k run in the morning (400 calories)

Thursday: 45 mins elliptical at the gym (500 calories)

Friday: off

Saturday:  run/weight intervals at the gym after work (600 calories)

Sunday: 60 mins DDR (600 calories)

On tap for the week, is trivia Wednesday night, and Italian buffet Sunday lunch for my dad’s birthday, and I’m sure there will be random happy fun party times either Friday or Saturday, as that is normal.  Wednesday I must be up by 7:30 again to get out to run by 8, and I plan to eat at home, but need to have a few more calories for a wine or 2.  Friday/Saturday might switch depending on what the plans are by the weekend, and I MUST complete a MAJOR sweatworthy workout Sunday morning as at 1pm we will be descending upon Cannoli Joe’s, a very high end Italian buffet, for a bit of heaven.  I plan on blowing my (calorie) wad pretty much in the one meal, but I’d like to have at least a salad for dinner or something…

Week #2 consumables:

Monday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Tuesday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Wednesday: 1200 + 400 workout = 1600

Thursday: 1200 + 500 workout = 1700

Friday: 1200

Saturday:  1200 + 600 workout = 1800

Sunday: 1200 + 600 workout = 1800

So, a little more burnage than last week, but not by a huge amount.  Mostly to combat weekend chomp and sloshing, and the unknown of having lunch brought in each day (though I haven’t had a problem finding the healthy-ish option each day, pizza day always looms).

Mostly – just try to hold the line.  Keep the momentum going.  Not be frustrated that I am losing the same weight I lost in Jan-March 09 but be thankful I was able to get back on the wagon quickly enough that it was 10 lbs and not more.

Trying to lose weight and be a normal human is kind of exhausting, but at least there is a light at the end of the end of the tunnel.  I just gotta get there.  So, how is YOUR day going?

Explanation for the title – I am known at work for my pipes.  The first person to be recorded for voice over was me, and the first thing they asked me to do was scream.  Note that this was back in the day to get some test sounds (although, I think it got worked into a monster in game), and this was just in an office.  I opened up and screamed as loud as I could and they could hear it the next floor down.  So I have a reputation.  I have been asked to summon everyone in the office and have just done it yelling from the back corner.  Hey, what can I say, I was a theatre minor, I was educated to PROJECT to a whole auditorium.  So I have some pipes on me.  I can be very long and loud.  I also have some e-pipes, because this is a looooooong post.  Standard-ish disclaimer:

What follows is a long and detail-oriented numbers orgy of everything I did last week.  Abandon all hope, ye who enter here…

So this week has been an interesting ride.  Definitely an enlightening experience – it’s been a while since I’ve been this stringent with my intake and this analytical with my bad self.  It was weird being hungry, and not fulfilling my hunger.  It was weird worrying about the calorie count of everything.  It was strange equating exercise to how much I could eat each day.  It’s been a while since I really considered alcohol calories as part of my day’s calories instead of letting it be an acceptable overage.  So how did it unfold?

Some notes:

I am undercutting what Daily Burn is telling me is my goal by 100 calories (they are saying 1300-1550, I’m going for 1200).  Daily Burn is telling me I will lose about .75 lb per week on their plan, and I’d rather try for 1 – 1.25.  I haven’t shorted myself calories for a while and feeling pretty strong, I’m not training for anything specific, and I’d like to shed this fluffy sooner than later (as long as it’s healthy) so I can go back to not worrying about it so much.

I am trying to use very conservative workout estimates of calories expended.  I’m getting most sources saying that a mile run for me is about 125 calories burned, and the effort feels like about a 6 on the 1-10 scale if I do it in 10 minutes.  So I’ve been comparing what I’m doing to running.  30 mins arc trainer going hard is honestly about equal to about 30 mins easy running (so about 375 – 400 calories is valid).  600 calories for a 30 minute DDR course is NOT equal to 1.5 times as hard as 3 mile run, so I’m setting that more like 300 every 30 minutes.  If I really bust ass at my weights I’ll set them as circuit training (250 calories) but most times I’ll count them as pilates (150).

Hold on to your hats.  Time for a day by day…

Monday:

Mood: Excited to get this party started.  Felt sorta bloated and icky from lots of salt and food the day before so I was definitely ready for a little regulation.

Exercise thoughts: still a little tired/sore from the duathlon, so I decided to do 30 mins on the arc trainer and weights at the gym instead of running. Burned approximately 600 calories.

Food thoughts: got a foot long turkey (no cheese, no mayo) for lunch, and could have probably been ok with just a 6 inch and maybe some soup.  However, eating a bit more later in the day (around 4) helped me feel more satiated.  Definitely felt the post workout munchies but since I was not as hungry as normal, I resisted until dinner.  Trying to eat 1800 calories was actually pretty challenging – but I made it to 1791.  Fruit bar (natural fruit popsicles) for desert – very satisfying.

Rating: A

Tuesday:

Mood: pretty happy – it was a short workday because we had lunch and a movie outing (to see Clash of the Titans).   A little nervous about making good choices but optimistic.

Exercise: got up in the morning and did 30 mins DDR before work.  Burned about 300 calories.

Food: was an angel at the movie – got an asian chicken salad, no wontons, and only used about half the dressing.  There may have been one glass of wine though.. At around 3pm, I dug into my fridge and ate a greek yogurt.  I realized it was because I felt a little grumpy about so much junk food being consumed around me – and I felt entitled to a reward.  Not thrilled with the motivation, but the actual food consumed – bueno.  At dinner, I went back for a little bit of seconds after I was decently satiated (oops), and ended up 68 calories over (1568).  No desert or snackies though!

Rating: B+

Wednesday:

Mood: was up EXTREMELY early to get my run in, work a 10 hour day, then go to this event after work.  So a little tired and crunchy.

Exercise: got up at 7:30 (middle of the night for me now but working my way back to it) and ran 3.5 miles before work.  Burned 400 calories.

Food: specifically ordered a low cal lunch (small quiznos sammich with no dressing and bowl of chicken noodle), but it was about an hour and a half late and I was STARVING.  To the point where I could barely concentrate on work.  Then, when the food got there, it was only a cup of soup.  Y’know what though?  It was enough.  I was JUST satisfied and ended up making it through without dying.  I ate a strange early dinner of leftover turkey breast from a bag (bag-o-meat) and blackberries, and then headed to the event.  I was never so glad that the food was just discounted, not free, so I just had 2 drinks and shared a slider plate with 2 other people.  This was a big breakthrough day.  I can handle this without shutting myself in a locked room, I just have to ditch the “oh, it’s a special occasion” mindset when stuff like this happens every week, and such I did.  Ended the day at 1622 calories (goal was 1600).

Rating: A-.  Gotta be honest.  There was alcohol.  There was a slider.  But I stayed within my calories and got my workout in.

Thursday:

Mood: Had to take the leezard in to be spayed today.  Nervous and feeling anxious all day.  Not the finest day for me.

Exercise: None.  I had planned on a resistance band workout at least, but it just wasn’t in the cards.

Food: It was pizza day at work.  On a day that was stressful and was a lo cal limit AND I was hungry… this was not optimal.  I had 2 slices and a salad and it JUST got me to barely not being hungry (pizza is yummy, but is horribly unsatisfying – left to my own devices and oblivion, I could probably take down a whole one myself).  It’s a good thing the day was very busy or I would have been struggling.  I headed home and we took care of the leezard and then I cooked up a nice, filling, healthy stir fry and pork noodle soup.  I ended the day at just under 1300 calories (1295).  The goal was 1200 but I just think that little is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE for me without a lot of pain and discomfort.

Rating: B

Friday:

Mood: A little crispy crunchy but definitely happy it’s Friday (especially once I found out we weren’t working the weekend).

Exercise: it was too pretty.  I had to skip the gym and I went for a 6.5 mile run outside instead.  Planned about 4 miles but just couldn’t stop myself.  Burned about 700 calories.

Food: Got an opportunity to have a wonderful, tasty, filling, huge, and 450 calorie lunch (I <3 Jason’s Deli mediteranian wraps + veggies + veggie soup) so I had a great start.  I had planned on dinner at the bar (out for a friend’s birthday), and got a veggie burger and a salad (neither were the greatest, but they worked for fillingness).  I had exactly TWO fries from someone’s plate and TWO chips with queso.  I sat next to the cupcakes for a while and shot them enough evil death stares that they stopped bugging me eventually.  Ended the day (even with a good dose of whiskey) at 1817 (goal was 1800).

Rating: B+

Saturday:

Mood: Happy, relaxed, but somewhat hung over (oops).

Exercise: Rallied later in the day to do about 60 mins story mode DDR and a 30 minute ab and arm workout.  Burned about 500 calories.

Food: Started the day with Zliten just begging for food.  It was 10am.  The choices were brunch buffet, and breakfast food place (ihop, etc).  Chose brunch buffet because I knew I could get a gigantic, yummy salad with mostly salsa dressing (dash o ranch) and tortilla soup and that would mostly do me.  I picked at a few additional things but ended up with about 750 calories – better than I expected.  Later, we made the leftover udon noodles and stir fry for a late light lunch, and then for dinner had grilled fish, rice, and veggies.  I went 53 over my goal (1700), but for a weekend day I feel like it was a mad success.  I usually lose it and am done giving a shit by Saturday night if not before.

Rating: A-

Sunday:

Mood: Happy and productive.  A little cabin fever-y since we stayed home most of Saturday.

Exercise: Beyond a LOT of shopping, nada.

Food: I found bagel thins at the grocery store and JUST HAD to try them.  Pretty yummy for a bagel craving with some fat free cream cheese and some bacon (oddly enough, this was my lunch sandwich packed throughout late elementary, middle, and the first two years of high school, alternated with PBJ or PBH (honey) – I could not STAND lunchmeat until I was about 16).  I got a mango at the store and it was like candy.  Yum!  I’ll have to remember to get them once in a while.  Tried a black bean burger with some manwhich sauce (worked as a stand in for beef, but wasn’t nearly as good) for lunch.  Had some delicious homemade tandoori chicken for dinner.  I found sadly that I was way over my calories (1489, goal was 1200), but I just had no umph to workout by then.  I’d say that I just fell apart, but under 1500 calories on a weekend day?  I’ll call that a win.

Rating: C

Weekly Stats:

Rating: B+ average

Ate 11335 calories (1619 per day)

Burned 2500 calories (357 per day)

Average cals/day = 1262

Considering the sit-on-your-ass-all-day sedentary BMR for my weight and age is 1812, that’s about a 550 calorie deficit per day, or just over 1 lb lost.

Weight: Well, I screwed up here.  I was so embarassed by day 1, that I forgot to write down a weight.  Fuck it.  So I gained a bunch of weight.  Let’s just quantify it here and now.  Last Monday, I weighed in at 163.0.  Today, I weighed in at 161.2.  Net loss: 1.8 lbs. Even though I’m way above my maintenance weight I’m pretty sure y’all will still be my friends.

I still have a bunch of learning experience stuffs to cover and what’s on tap this week, but I think you’ve sat still for long enough today and I’ll continue on this train of thought tomorrow.

If you’ve still stuck around (you must be a saint, or incredibly bored), hit me up.  Too many calories?  Too few?  Where is your sweet spot of calories burnt vs eaten?  Do you ever intentionally go beyond that, or do less and eat less?

Ack, how has this week gone by already?  I mean, I’m grateful for the weekend and all but day-um.  It’s like I blacked out and woke up and it’s Friday.  Oh well.   Get ready for a cavalcade of random here.

Sunset Du-Loop Wrap Up:

So I didn’t have the pictures until yesterday, or I would have posted sooner – but hey, better late than never.

In the morning, we gathered our things and headed out to the Middle-O-Nowhere Texas.  We marveled at the wildflowers and the cows (hey there, barbeque!!!) and all the not-city stuffs and finally arrived at what is to be described as a RLP (ranch-like-property).  A small house, a guest house, an outdoor shower, a hot tub, a fire pit, a shed, a pond, two porta potties, and then a whole lotta land.  It was awesome!

We set up our tents and blew up the double thick air mattress (what, me, sleep on the ground… sorry, you must have me mixed up with someone else…) and set up camp.  I made us turkey sandwiches which were quickly nommed, and then we alternated sitting around enjoying the lovely day and walking around.  I usually try to sit on my ass as much as possible before race day.  So not the case this time.  Between packing the day before and setting things up and walking around to tour the property – I’m pretty sure I put 3+ miles on my tootsies within 24 hours of the start line without even getting in a workout.

As the day went on it got…hot.  It was definitely over 80 as we changed and got our electronics in order and stretched.  I put on another coat of sunscreen (thank goodness, as I did NOT get a sunburn all day thxuverymuch), and headed out to the start line.  Someone sang the national anthem, and the 20 or so of us got to the road and they said GO, and we were off and running.

Now, there are some things to consider here.  The race was on paved country roads in the middle of nowhere.  No mile markers, just 1.5 miles out and back.  Not much shade.  Only one fluid stop at the 1.5 miles and it was just warmish gatorade.  Water back at the bike exchange but it was also warmish.  No water offered on the bike part.  And keep in mind it was over 80 and HUMID.  My decision not to bring my camelback – maybe not so smart.

Thing two – I consider myself a pretty fit person.  Middle of the pack racer who is improving all the time.  I believe that me, Zliten, and our neighbor’s friend Angel who was doing the race too were the three youngest folks there.  So, I got this.  I can totally beat these geezers, right (and please, I mean geezers in the most affectionate way)?  Nope – they are all part of some super elite running club.  That 60 year old?  Yeah, he’s running Boston next weekend.  That lady in her mid-50s?  She’s talking to me later about her experience running 50 mile ultras.  I beat: Angel, Zliten, and the three people that didn’t finish.  That was incredibly humbling and awesome.  More humbling, but still.  It gave me hope that my best distance running years are way ahead of me if I want them to be.

Anyhoo, getting ahead of myself.  So I take off with Zliten and go about a quarter of a mile and see him immediately behind me still.  I turned around and told him how fast I was running (9:15-30 pace at that time) and suggested if he wanted to finish he might back off, which he did.  I kinda felt bad for doing it, but his goal was to finish.  And he hadn’t run more than 1 mile in quite a while, so I was just looking out for him.  I paced the rest of the back of the packers and ended up running just under 9 minute miles on average, which I’ll call a win.  I didn’t want to go all out as it was hot and I knew I still had another bike and run to go.  I definitely struggled a little on mile 3 because it was mostly uphill – but I reminded myself I’d get a “bike break” so I kept plugging away.

I finished around 27 minutes and hopped on my bike and was off.  I took the first .5 mile easy just to get adjusted and then I pumped it out as much as I could.  I was on average about 12 mph.   Not great, but I’m just not that experienced biking.  I don’t feel comfortable going fast downhill and I’m not super strong uphill.  Anyhoo…the loop was 1.25 miles up and back, then 2.5 miles up and back the other way.  So every downhill was accompanied by the knowledge that we WOULD be going up it on the way back.  The coast down right before the second turn around was not as sweet as it should have been – because I knew I had to slog my ass back up it.  I knew I would pass Zliten on the bike and I decided the best thing I could say to him in the 5 seconds I had – “Save your energy for the hills on the way back.  Love you.”

I was pretty wiped after those hills but finished strong and set out on run #2 – this time it was through uneven muddy trails so I took it slower.  Slightly over 10 minutes for the mile.  My legs were toast and I didn’t want to hurt myself by falling.  When I got back to even ground I sprinted it into the finish and my garmin said 1:18:45.  Totally happy with that, my goal was under 1:20.

After getting some cold water, I filled up my bottle and waited for Zliten.  Everyone asked if he was ok, and I said yep – he’s just slower than all you rockstars, and then we saw him coming in.  They offered to let him just skip the last 1 mile and he was like – “hell naw” and I walked it with him just short of the finish line.  I don’t have a time for him, but he finished!  I’m damn proud of him!

After that, we relaxed and ate (way too much) and drank and mingled and then camped out after looking at the stars and eating smores and enjoying the great feeling you can only get by overexerting yourself in the sun.  And yes, I forgot my swimsuit so I got in the hot tub with my sports bra and running capris, heh.  All in all, it was a kick ass experience, and I cannot wait to do it again next year.  Maybe move up to 4th to last… baby steps…

Iguana Donna:

The poor ‘guana… she looks so adorably pitiful.  So last week at the vet for a checkup, she had started to be increasingly grumpy and hard to control – and she was struggling at the vet, and sliced her OWN paw open.  It was really gross, you could see the muscle and everything.  She had to have stitches (yay, more money!) and we took care of it the best we could, but her nesting box (the place we provided her to lay her eggs) is full of dirt, and she wasn’t gentle on it, so it got infected.  They are treating it as an open wound now, with a bigger, more substantial bandage.

Also, last week, we made the decision to get her spayed.  Her egg laying process was NOT going well and we just wanted to not have to deal with it again (we never plan on breeding her, no thank you!), so we scheduled an appointment (which was yesterday).  When they went in to do the surgery, they found that her ova-duct had ruptured and her insides were full of yolk.  So it was a GREAT thing that we had made the decision to spay her when we did, or it could have been bad news.  Eggs below, and see the hand size for reference.  That is a LOT OF EGGS!

The poor iguana looks like she was in a really bad fight or something – her “cast” on her paw, the 20 staples up her belly from her insides being yoinked out…and she is SUPER skinny now.  We now have to give her pain meds for the next 5 days, calcium orally, food orally (though she IS eating naturally, just not quite enough), nu skin on her wound every day, and continue the antibiotic injections for the next month.  For the love of a lizard.  Srsly.  High maintenance pet.  Expensive pet.  But a very sweet ‘guana.

Yesterday, she was just pouting in the corner resting her head on her bandaged leg and sleeping…it was pitiful but just made me wanna say “D’awwww…” every time I saw her.  I hope she isn’t in too much pain today, she looked ok when I left this morning but I bet she is VERY ready for her meds by the time we are home.

Dieting:

Just a few words because this is a monster post already – this week has been eye opening at how differently I had been eating from my calorie restriction days.  This is a good thing in 2 ways – first of all, there was a REASON I was not losing weight.  It’s not just this mystery.  Second, I adapted from loss to maintenance without barely noticing.  Naturally.  That is good.  However – it’s definitely weird knowing I have planned out my calories on some of the lower days to the T and cannot have another snack.  I have been able to shut off the “I deserve” switch and stick to the plan, which is also good.  Journalling the food I ate and how I felt around the time I ate has been enlightening as well.  Thinking before shoving things down my cakehole?  It’s been a while…

The real test will be this weekend.  Can I keep it in check without my rigid weekday schedule?  I’ll let you know Monday.  Anyone trying to be angelic this week?  How ya doin’?  Any crazy athletic feats lately?  D’awww-worthy pet stories?  Hit me up.