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Friday, February 26, 2010

Run, Forest, Run!

For the past month, I was convinced that the treadmill was my mortal enemy, but now I am becoming a runner. My mortal enemy & I are coming to an understanding, I think. I didn't get to go to the rec center until 8:30 tonight, and it closes at 10. I needed to burn 500 cals, and I had had a great dinner (went to Cocolitos with hub, little person stayed home with babysitter, WOO!). Needless to say I had to get my run in first if I was going to get anything out of today. The place was pretty quiet, plenty of open TMs. So I get one dead smack in front of a plasma TV, and change it from icky basketball to AMC which happened to be showing Forrest Gump. Great movie. Can you believe it's almost 20 years old already? It doesn't seem possible!

Anyway, after a good stretch, I started my 5 min warm up walk, and moved right into a 2 min run. I was feeling a little slow tonight, but I shook it off, and was feeling pretty good. Walk my next 2 mins, and run the next 2. At this point I'm feeling REALLY good, and wanted to check my pace. I go to push the button and, to my horror, accidentally stopped the belt by pushing the wrong button. Serves me right with my awful peripheral vision. I was going "No, no! BAH! Ugh!" I was doing SO great, and 10 mins done already, it had flown by. With a huff, I figure out how to reset the darn thing, mentally note that I went .58 miles in 10 mins, and start over with a 2 min walking interval. Moved into running 2 mins later, and continued the pattern. I kept looking down at the time to see when the interval would be over, and I was often 1 min to 1.5 mins through the interval. I just tried really hard to stay focused on the movie. Maybe I am a better runner without my iPod, Steve, going. I was just really happy that I did a full 20 min running & walking interval. At the end, I did a 5 min cool down walk, gradually slowing the belt, and finished at 1.66 miles total. Then I hopped right on the elliptical and repeated my idiot mistake. I am obviously technically challenged tonight! I did 20 mins total on the elliptical, and went another 1.47 miles. Sooo... I kinda did a 5k in 50 mins. I am improving!
Also wanted to whine that my left foot was asleep on the elliptical. It was not so fun. Must have chiropractor take closer look at foot as it's the same one with the achilles tendon bugging me.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Large & In Charge

Mark me down for a noticeable improvement against my mortal enemy-- THE TREADMILL! I started week 3 of C25K. When my warm up walk got to about 4 mins, I noticed a feeling of anxiety and fear raising its ugly head. I took a deep breath, and at 5 mins began my 2 min running interval. I blew through it! I said "that wasn't so bad". The next one wasn't too bad either. It was the third & fourth one that kinda got to me. I tried pausing to stretch my ankles, but they were hard to move, and my left shin was bugging me. At that point, I just was running 1 min intervals, but it wasn't a complete failure. I think I'll stick with week 3 for a couple of weeks. I'm glad I did week 2 twice.
Today I just listened to my running tunes instead of PodRunner. I think it helped me to relax rather than being worried about when the interval was going to end. Must do some road work this week.

On a super great note, I was at Walmart today for some ingredients for dinner, and I noticed that some pajamas I'd been eyeing last month were on clearance. Without trying them on, I bought the large size. Not 2X, not XL... LARGE! When I got home, I tried one of the shirts on. It was a very snug, formfitting fit, but IT FITS! No gross back rolls or anything... but my tummy was sore after a few minutes of sucking it in, LOL. I am wearing my new PJs now, and going to make hubs take pictures.

Happy that I'm only a few pounds away from pre-baby weight, and staring 50 lbs lost down the throat!


Comparison pictures!
Blue shirt: Me at Grace's 1st bday party in July


New jammies-- Who's Your Sugar Daddy?

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Humiliated

I've been humiliated... and not in the bad way either. Last night we had a stake Primary training meeting for our new presidency. The spiritual thought that was offered by one of the stake counselors concerned the Olympian athletes and how they've achieved their dreams. They took it one step at a time, never quit, and had faith and conviction that their best would have to be enough. This reminder-- that my best is enough, and the Lord will do the rest-- hit home with me so strongly. I was made humble before the Lord. Come to think of it, this whole past week has been a constant reminder from the Lord "Trust me, I know what I'm doing. You did your part, let me do mine in my own time."
In that light, I've decided I need to step back from my running goals and take them as I feel ready for them. My #1 goal right now is getting 65 lbs off of my body by my 28th bday in September. Running is just my mode of transportation to that goal right now.

Today I dragged my lazy butt to the rec center to battle my mortal enemy-- THE TREADMILL! I did most of the running intervals, and made it past 16 min again today, but pooped out at 19. It's an improvement, and I'll take it! I walked the last 3 intervals of C25K, but did run rest.

I've also decided to stop weighing myself obsessively. It will be a challenge to stay away from the scale, but I already feel a world of stress destroyed. I will just be doing my daily Wii log in (which is only 1 lb off from my home scale), and 1 official home scale weekly weigh in. Maybe throw all my goals out the window, and just take it as it comes. Keep my eye on the prize: get down to 150 lbs by any means possible.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Mrs. Gerschler, Tear Down That Wall!

So for the last 2 weeks I've been struggling with running past 16 mins in my C25K program. I felt like I was hitting a wall, and it was making me really angry. The C25K program does interval training (run for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds). At about 16 mins in, I would poop out, and just walk the rest of the workout. It was frustrating. Worst of all, I put on 4 lbs from the race. I would get back down to 218, then pop back up to 222. I've lost the same 4 lbs TWICE now. You can only imagine what that was doing to me psychologically. I REALLY want to reach 50 lbs lost by March 23, and it just didn't seem to be happening with me being stuck at 218 for 2 weeks in a row.
Anyway...
Hubby had today off so went to gym with me. I decided to repeat week 2 of C25K so he could run with me. This was the first time back running for him since he got sick right before the race.
Guess what-- I actually made it through the program today! It wasn't easy, but I did it. Well, almost. I walked the interval right before the cooldown, but that just allowed me a 5 min cool down. I went 2 miles in 32 mins. This means I've taken 15 mins off my 5k time! It also means I got past that stupid 16 min wall where I would normally poop out. The track isn't the most entertaining to look at, but I've noticed my best runs come from there and the road.
After that I went upstairs for a bike session, and did 10.6 miles in 30 mins, and finished up on elliptical by going just under a mile in 15 mins. In all, I burned over 700 cals. I hope this week is the week I move past 218 pounds. I'm starting to tear down the wall... but why do I feel no joy?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Goals

So last night I was trying to remember my weight loss goal deadlines. I thought I had written them down in my blog, but apparently I haven't. I thought I would do that now for future reference.

Starting Weight: 248
Goal 1: Reach 20 lbs lost by New Years
Goal 2: Reach 50 lbs lost by my half birthday (March 23)
Goal 3: Reach 75 lbs lost by Grace's birthday (July 9)
Goal 4: Reach 100 lbs lost by my 28th birthday (Sept 23)

Also, just wanted to revisit and re-evaluate my running goals. Must fit kid #2 in.

Jan 30: Ran first 5k
Feb 1: Started C25K program
Mar 1: Run 1 mile nonstop
Apr 1: Run 5k under 30 min
Jun 1: Run 10k
Sept 23: Run half marathon by my bday
Oct 1: Start Marathon Training
May 2011: Run Marathon
August 2011: Start trying for kid #2
May 2012: Have kid #2
Sept 2012: Get back in shape by training for Susan G Komen for the cure 3-Day, 60 miler
Spring 2013: Start trying to qualify for Boston again
FINAL GOAL: Run Boston Marathon by 2015.
Try for kid #3 after Running Boston Marathon

I just feel like my family needs to get down here to earth. Maybe I'm selfish, but I like having my own cheering squad. For what it's worth, Grace loves to "work out" with me when I do Wii workouts on my off days. She jumps around, bobs up and down, rocks out. It's too cute. My little cheerleader.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Future Triathlete?

This morning I woke up feeling better than I have in about 2 weeks. Still had some sinus funk, but it was draining. So today I got to the rec center for a good workout. I did my C25K to start. Lately I've felt like the treadmill has been psyching me out a little. I pay too much attention to how much time I've been running, how fast I'm going, when will the interval end, etc. Today I decided to hit the track. I feel like I had a big improvement. I wasn't focused on my speed or the time, just the music from PodRunner, and one foot in front of the other. My only complaint is Grace has... um... interesting ways of entertaining herself. When she gets bored, she throws herself around to make the stroller snake through the lane, and laughs about it. This is not helpful when trying to run. She also tends to make monotonous noise when she gets bored. Like holding a single note continually... loudly... in a contained space that ECHOES! Needless to say her antics were throwing off my mojo. I will definitely leave the running & stroller pushing to Andy. It's bad enough I tend to drift when I'm tired without a baby throwing herself around for amusement!

After C25K, I went upstairs, dropped Grace off at the child care, and hopped on a stationary bike. Did 9 miles in 25 mins on that, then off to ellipticals. Did 2.17 miles on the elliptical with resistance intervals. In all, I burned 863 cals. I'm thinking of maybe doing some Wii Fit Plus tonight just for fun to round out at 1,000 cals for the day. I did the 863 cals at the RC in an hour and a half. it makes me wonder how fast I could do a half triathalon. I like to swim. I like to bike. Running is coming along. My fat little legs can pedal a stationary about 115 rpm. That's good, right?
I just shut my eyes and rock out to my tunes. I don't care what I look like. Head bobbing, mouth going, legs flying. That's all that matters.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Baited Breath

So now that I've held you in my clutches with baited breath since Saturday, I am finally finding a moment to tell you about my weekend.

Saturday dawned freezing. LITERALLY! When I got to Hale Center Theater, it was 21 degrees outside. Within moments of getting out of my car, I instantly regretted not having any gloves, as I could no longer feel my fingers. I tried fruitlessly to pin my number on my hoodie, and finally got it, much to the dissatisfaction of my poor fingers which got repeatedly poked cuz they were so numb. After that I pulled my hands inside the arms of my hoodie. This is a habit I've had since I was a young teenager. It was convenient to just pull my hands inside the cuffs when the arms were too long on a coat or sweater. My hands warmed up quickly.
The original plan was for Andy to run the race with me, but he got very sick last week and was unable to attend. I was afraid I was going to be alone, but you can imagine my relief when I saw several members from my church there to run. I huddled in with them and started feeling better emotionally.
When the race started, we jogged to the light, and then I got left in their dust, LOL. But I wasn't alone for very long. At about the 1 mile mark, another entrant pulled up beside me, and we spent the next mile chatting. It was nice to be with someone. Soon we hit the vicious hill that is next to my house. This hill is a beastie, and it's part of the last mile of the race. Once again I was left in the dust, but half way up the hill my best friend Jazz was waiting for me. She did the last mile of the race with me. I finished my first 5k in 62 mins. And, for the record, I RAN across the finish line, and finished strong. I walked most of the race, and ran maybe a total of 1/2 mile of the whole 3 miles.
It wasn't until today that I remembered my prayer from Friday night. I asked the Lord to help me be strong, and please let there be friends there to help push me through. Now that I think of it, my prayer was answered. I was never alone. Someone was beside me almost the entire time. It's been a while since I've felt my Savior's love like that.

Yesterday I started doing the couch to 5k program. I've already chosen a race at the end of March to do. This one I intend to RUN the whole time.
When I got to the rec center yesterday, all the working TMs were in use, so I started my C25K on the eliptical. I know it doesn't really count, but it felt good, and I pushed through it.
Tomorrow I will go back, hopefully early, and get my running done. I see Clarene tomorrow. I'm excited. She will be so proud that I've lost so much weight and did a 5k.
Though I don't know that I'll be at 218 lbs tomorrow. I've put a little weight on from the race, which I'm told is quite normal. The morning of the race I was so nervous that I got the turkey trots. After my 4th time on the pot, I decided to weigh myself and found that I dropped 2 lbs, LOL. That brought me up to 30 lbs lost, total, but I've put it back on since Saturday.

Will try to drink a lot of water today and flush it all out.

Oh and moral of the weekend: When we really try, the Lord won't let us fail!