Dear John

Dear Asics,

As far as new running shoes go, you suck! You should make me feel like I am running on air, but instead my ankles and knees hurt with every step I take. Thank goodness for a liberal return policy, because I am done with you. I struggle enough when it comes to running, I don’t need my shoes working against me as well!

Love,
The girl who needs to start training for a half marathon pronto

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Dear (The) Ex-Boy,

I never pegged you as being dense, but honestly… what is the deal? Why do you keep emailing me when I have made it perfectly clear that I don’t want to hear from you? I know you are trying to tell me that you are still thinking about me and still care about me. But you know what? I DON’T CARE! I don’t want to be your friend. Sorry buddy. (Delete).

Love (or not),
The girl who finally put back together the heart you broke

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Dear Carrots,

Why, oh why can’t you taste like my beloved chocolate?

Love,
The girl who decided today would be a good day to start a diet

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Dear Boston,

Last weekend was great. Really. Like our best weekend ever. So why do you have to go and leave again this weekend? Wasn’t one ski weekend without me enough? What is so great about Utah powder anyway? “The greatest snow on earth” - don’t you know that is just a marketing ploy? Hmmmph… fine, go have fun with your friends. In case you forgot – we got 6 feet of snow in 6 days here, and I’ll be hitting it all weekend without you.

Love,
Your insanely jealous (of the powder you’ll be skiing) girlfriend

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Dear Spring,

I really do love the winter and all the snow we’ve been getting. Skiing has been awesome this year and I totally want to break my record and ski 20+ times. But if you want to come a little early this year, and with minimal amounts of that rain you are famous for here in Seattle, I won’t complain. Promise.

Love,
The girl who has hiking and camping on the brain

Say It Ain't So!

I loooooooooove diet coke.

I am proud to say I have not had one since September 19th.

I stopped drinking this nectar of the gods for multiple reasons. One of which being the possibility that it was making it harder for me to lose weight. Not that I was trying to lose massive amounts of weight, but still... I think there is something to be said for the Mad Hatter Theory (in the article).

Almost 4 months later, I do have to say that I think it has made a difference on the numbers I see when I step on the scale. When I was really conscious of my diet and really working out, I dropped a good amount of weight. Now that I have been letting my healthy eating habits slide (which I need to stop) and exercising less (but still a decent amount), my weight has stayed consistent(ly low). I weighed myself before I left for break and I saw a number I don't think I've seen since high school! Sweet!

Despite how much I love it, I think I am off the diet coke for good! I'm sure my body thanks me in more ways that one.

Gross

Today I have eaten:

15 or so hershey kisses
1 banana
4 mandarin oranges
1 vending machine size bag of Cool Ranch Doritos

I'm going for a walk/starbucks run with LP shortly and I am dying for a slice of frosted gingerbread loaf and a hot chocolate with whipped cream.

I'll probably end up going out with Shell to drink beer and eat bar food tonight.

I thought about going to the gym. But I probably won't.

I am gross.

UPDATE: I had 1/2 a cookie and tea at starbucks. I limited myself to just one beer and made pasta at home. And best of all, I did make a quick stop at the gym. I made a deal with myself - run one mile under 8:30 and then you can go home. I ran it in 8:28 and was outta there in a flash.

I am only partial gross.

Inches

More exciting than any poundage lost is the inches I've trimmed from my body. Pretty much an inch all around - off each thigh, my hips, and my waist.

I didn't weigh in last week... no time between my trips and I really didn't want to hop on the scale after all the deserts in Portland. This week I won't be able to hit up a meeting until Friday or Saturday, but that gives me extra time to burn off those extra calories from sympathy eating with my pregnant friend. I'm curious to see what the scale says though - hopefully I'll hit the 5 pound mark this week!

Healthy Living

Today I ran my second ever half marathon. I finished in 2:16:13, which is 5:19 better than last time. I am happy to have a personal best, but I am a bit disappointed with my time. For my first half I trained a lot, long weekend runs and consistant shorter runs during the week - I was in good shape but got horribly sick right before the race, and almost couldn't run - that obviously affected my race big time. Today I was aiming for 2:10, and I felt like that was a pretty reachable goal considering I was healthy. Granted, I haven't been running quite as much leading up to the race - I ran a couple of 6-milers, 2 8-milers and an 11 miler, with minimal short runs during the week, but even now, I still think I could have done it.

To be honest, Krissy was holding me back. We started off real slow - which I didn't mind, but she kept cautioning me to hold my pace when I tried to speed up. She kept warning me it was a hard, hilly course (she has run this race several times) and held back. Yeah, there was a lot of elevation gain, but we the one thing I had trained for were hills and we totally rocked them. Finally at mile 9 I still had plenty of energy so I took off and didn't look back (well, I did to tell her to come on, but she just waved me on)! There was a girl who had just recently passed us so I caught up to her and we ran the last 4 miles together. It was her first half and after, she told me, she was really grateful to have someone to pace with because she was losing steam - it was good for me too because it kept me at a pace I liked. While running with Krissy, I was doing anywhere between just over 10:20 minute/miles (where she wanted to slow it down) to 10:50 minute/miles. With my new running buddy, we did between 9:50 and 10:10 for the LAST 4 miles. Krissy finished 4 minutes behind me, meaning she was running around 11 minute/miles, so her slowest 4 miles versus my fastest.

I only wish I had broken off a bit earlier. I wasn't quite sure of what I was capable of, but I wasn't all that spent at the finish so I know I could have pushed harder. I felt a little bad at first for leaving Krissy in my dust, but honestly - she is in the same shape as me, we trained together and there is no reason why she could not have kept up (and she had run a personal best of 2:05 a few summers ago).

But I'm totally excited for the next half. We (Krissy and I) are deciding between an Oktoberfest run in eastern Washington or one up north in Bellingham. Both in early October. I think I am pulling for the Oktoberfest one because we know how I love beer, although Bound@ry B@y Brewery is making a special Marathon beer for the race in B'ham. This time though - I am going to pick a pace and still to it, regardless of what Krissy says.

In other healthy living news... I joined Weight Watchers a few weeks back. Yeah, I know I am within the healthy weight range for my height, but I have been struggling to lose about 10 pounds (and still be well within the healthy range) for months now. I have to say, after I got over the inital feeling of starving myself (which I am not doing, it just seemed like that because I typically eat SO much), I have grown to really like it. I try to stay within my daily points allowence most days of the week, and then have some room to spurlge when the situation calls for it. So... the results... I started at 142.8 pounds, and in two weeks I have dropped 3.6 pounds to be under 140 for the first time in years (yay!). It is a lot less weight than others typically lose the first few weeks, but I think my pounds are pretty stubborn so I'm happy with it. I'm aiming to get down to 132-135, but really, there are a pair of pants in my closet that I'd love to fit into!!

Fabulous Fourth

Yeah, I can hear the fireworks outside, but I am happy here in my pjs, almost ready for bed. The day was fabulous though. The only downsides are my killer sunburn, and that I keep thinking tomorrow is Monday, meaning just 5 more days till The Boy visits - when really I have over a week.

I woke up early and puttered around before meeting Laura and Max down at Madison Park to swim and sunbathe. We got there early enough to get a great spot, and had enough time in the sun and left when it started to get super crowded.



I ate a leisurely lunch on the deck then settled in for a nap. I awoke to Krissy calling and telling me to get my arse out of bed and go for a run. Other than my ankle bothering me (from the stairs I ran on Monday I think - but I've been good and icing a lot), I couldn't have asked for a better taper run. Just a couple more miles on Friday and then I am ready for the half marathon on Sunday.

I then made a delish (and healthy) dinner. And used the grill all by myself!


Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

1 medium raw eggplant, baby-variety, sliced into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), cut into 8 strips
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
3/4 tsp table salt, divided
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 large tomato(es), coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, minced
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Place eggplant slices and pepper strips in a grill basket (or place vegetables on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil with holes poked in it to allow smoke through). Off heat, coat vegetables with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; set aside.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly pulpy, about 1 minute more. Stir in vegetables, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, chives and broth; increase heat to medium-high. Cook until broth is slightly reduced and mixture has a sauce consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pasta and toss to coat. Stir in cheese just before serving.

Serves 6.

Working Out

I've lost 7 pounds since February 9th. That totally motivates me to keep up those hard workouts and be more conscious about what I put in my mouth. Right now I am focusing on upping my protien intake and reducing my candy intake. Ideally I'd love to lose 10 or 11 more. I figure 5 of those will come off relatively easily and I'll have to work hard for the rest. The ultimate goal is to look amazing in a bikini on the sand in Hawaii in November. Intermediate goal - compensate for a pasty white body with a buff body at boat races in eastern Washington in July (it is so hot and sunny over there that everyone wanders abound in bathing suits with great tans and I always stick out as the white girl from Seattle). I just bought a big exercise ball and love messing around on it. And I'm signed up for a "Total Toning" class at the gym next quarter.

Unfortunetly the margaritas I'll be consuming with LP tonight are not quite in line with this whole hot body plan, but a girl has a right to celebrate her last final and the start of spring break, right?

Weak

I lifted weights yesterday, the first time in months, no wait, years. Although no one saw the numbers, I myself was embarrassed of how little I can lift. I can vaguely remember what I could do on leg extensions and curls in high school, when I did lift regularly in the swim off-season - and let me tell you, I'm no where close now! Oh to be 17 again!

I am also back into keeping better track of what I eat now. Seems like others are doing the same... and using SparkPeople, I've used Fitday in the past and started back up with it yesterday. Anyone used both and have a preference one way or the other??

I went to the doctor this morning for my droopy eye. It has a name - senileptosis to put it simply. Meaning that normally old people get it. He said it might be from prolonged contact use as well. But the good news... is that after "failing" a field of vision test, it turns out that the surgery will be covered under insurance!