Breaking the Plateau

For the past two years I have been stuck at one weight.  It would fluctuate within a 1 to 2 pound.  Recently, however, I started to gain weight. I'm thinking Disney and their food plan didn't help.  There was tons of food, plus you got a dessert with everything.  I don't seek out desserts, but if someone is going to give me one, I won't say no.

Recently my doctor told me I needed to lose weight and that I should exercise more. Hmmm, exercise more? What more could I do? I reviewed my current regime and she agreed I had the exercise covered. It is was now time to address my nutrition.  For the most part I eat a relatively balanced diet with very little junk food, except for one thing. I am addicted to Coca Cola and it isn't the diet version either. 

I haven't been missing the Coke for the caffeine; I just miss the taste. However, I know if I have just one I'm back in the same place I was before. It is apparently my drug of choice. Wonder if they have a 12-step program for it? I need to avoid all sodas otherwise I go toppling off that wagon.   

So having cut out the soda and watching my diet I am now back to my plateau weight. The question is can I get past it?  Will I finally achieve the goal and break that so far unbreakable plateau? I guess only time will tell, but I'm really hoping I do.  I am not looking to be a size 2, I want get my BP and cholesterol under control and if I look and feel  better that will be a fabulous bonus. I know I'll never be the same as I was when I was 20 and to be honest I don't want to.  I just want to feel and be healthy. Is that too much to ask?

Wintertime Blues

A snowy winter day... again.

This feels like it has been the longest winter ever.  It just seems to keep going and going.  You know it has been cold when you go out and it feels balmy and the temperature is only 36°F.  Since it has been so cold, I have not been able to do as much I want outside.  So, to deal with that little blip, I joined the local Planet Fitness. At $10 a month even if I make it there twice a week it is well worth it.  I forgot how much I enjoyed a regular gym, especially when I have friends there too. Now the fun part is to make it fit with all the other things, especially school.  Some days I wish there were at least 36 hours in the day.  

Just because I joined the gym, doesn't mean I gave up my Sadist.  I'm not sure I can. He's become a habit.  I'm not sure that sounds good, but it is the truth.  Last night my niece joined us for my bi-weekly torture session.  That was entertaining. She was sure she was prepared for the core work.  Ha! She wasn't and she is in pain today. Apparently she used muscles she didn't even know she had.  Well she does now.  

It was a lot of fun to have her there and to have the Sadist focused on someone else for a change.  I think he enjoyed it too. It was nice to have a change of pace and to share with someone.  Now I have a witness to the torture I go through at that man's hands.  I was not sure what she was thinking it would be like, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't what we did. I had a really good time and I think she did too.  Who knows maybe she'll go with me again some day or she may just run the other way. I wouldn't blame her.  I am apparently a glutton for all his punishment. 

New Year – Old Issue

I an now officially feeling old.  I finally got to the point that the doctor had to put me on blood pressure medicine for the obvious reason.  I’ve been borderline high blood pressure for a couple of years and it had started going up over the last 6 months.  This week the increase wasn’t a little bit, as it shot up to 201/120. I took the 201/120 reading with a small electric BP monitor, so I wasn’t sure how accurate it was and although I didn’t feel great, I didn’t feel horrible.

The next day things seemed to get worse. While at work, I began to feel horrible.  That was the best word to describe it as I felt as if I couldn’t keep my eyes open, my legs wouldn’t work or hold me up and finally my chest was aflutter.  My partner-in-curricula had the foresight to contact one of the paramedics in our office.  This time the reading was 190/120.  (This is when it is good to work where there are health professionals.) I’m guessing my little BP monitor wasn’t all that inaccurate after all. He had me put up my feet and relax while I awaited a call from my doctor.  Of course when I finally saw my doctor, my BP was much lower (still borderline) but thanks to the paramedic, the doc decided it was time for meds.  Obviously, controlling with exercise was not doing the job.

Only two days on the new meds and I am already feeling better.  I can only imagine how much better I’ll feel once my BP is stabilized.    It is like night and day.  I am looking forward to seeing how things may change including my running.  It will take up to 3 weeks or more to stabilize my BP, but I think this is a good start.

Since I have just started the medicine I’m going to give it time to work.  In that sense I’m going to take a few weeks off from racing.  I had planned to run one on Valentine’s Day, but I think I’ll volunteer instead.  I should be good to go for the Shamrock though. I am also taking it a little easy at my torture session.  I think I gave the Sadist a little bit of a scare with the high numbers.  He has shown concern and follows up on how things are.  He keeps this up and I might begin to think he likes me.   Who knew?

End of the Season

Today was my last race of the year and it's a good thing too.  I managed to strain or pull or do something to my calf muscle during that first mile up the hill.  In spite of that slight and rather painful hiccup, I finished the race strong and even managed to shave off a few minutes from last year.  

In 2013, I was ready to drop and just about did when I crossed the finish line.  Fast forward to today and I was able to sail across that line and then turn around and watch the others.  I didn't get to kick in my afterburners thanks to that little hiccup, but that didn't diminish my accomplishments.  It was all good even if it was cold.   

I have come to the end my second year of running.  In the past 12 months I ran 16 races for a total of approximately 73 miles.  The goal I set for 2014 was to finish a 10k, which was originally the Bay Bridge Run. Somehow I got talked into running a 10k in February, a lot sooner than the Bay run which was in November.  Not only did I meet that goal, I exceeded it when I ran the 10 miler in October. Now it looks like I'm going to have to set another goal, so I guess it is time to up my distance to a 1/2 marathon.

Although my races are done for the year, I still have to contend with Sadist.  He has kicked my butt the past couple of torture sessions and I do believe he takes a great deal of pleasure in it.  He always has that self satisfied smile as I walk, or in most cases limp, out the door.  One of these days I'm going to kick his butt right back, but until then I'll just drive him nuts. 

Thanksgiving Blessings

In the tradition of the holiday season I thought I would jot down a few of the things I am thankful for.  I know I have visited this theme in the past, but it never hurts to remind one self of all the blessings you have.  So in no particular order, here is this year's things I am thankful for, the fitness version.

1. The friends I have made over the past almost 2 years since I have started running.  I have rekindled old friendships as well as began new ones.  If it weren't for these wonderful people, I know I wouldn't be where I am. 
2. The Sadist.  I may whine and complain about him each week, but in-spite of all that he has continued to believe in me when I haven't.  He can also make me laugh when I feel as though I have nothing to laugh about and finally he has helped me to find my balance in so many ways.
3. Pop.  He has supported me (and pushed and nagged) in so many ways especially when I was ready to quit. He can be annoying that way.
4. Races.  They keep me going when I would rather stay home curled up on my corner of the couch.  They give me an ongoing goal that 
5. The finish line.  I'm surprised that anyone still wants to run with me after listening to my ongoing whine.  (Thank you everyone for putting up with me.)  I have yet to find the "joy" in running, but I have definitely found the "joy" in finishing.  Crossing the finish line gives me a feeling of accomplishment I hadn't felt in so long.   It makes running just a little more bearable.
   
6. Sore muscles. I have spent hours cursing the Sadist for each of those sore muscles, but those sore muscles remind me that I am still kicking and doing quite well  Of course, I won't be telling him that.  He may find more muscles that I didn't know I had.
7. Balance.  When I started this quest, my balance was not the best.  I found it hard to ride a stationary bike without toppling off.  Now I'm a master at that stationary bike.  Maybe in 2015 I'll try out my mountain bike and see how I do.

2014 has been a very good year so far and I am looking forward to seeing what the future brings.  I have one more race and I'll be done for the year.  I've already been signing up for 2015 and one of those races will be a 1/2 marathon (smh).   

Half Maybe, Whole Doubtful

Loch Raven

Over the past weekend the Sadist ran his first marathon and of course he did the Marine Corp one.  As I checked on his progress via the web, I got to thinking about my next challenge.  Now that I completed the 10 miler it seems the natural progression would be to complete a half marathon.  It is basically one 5 k longer in distance, but those last 3 miles of the 10 miler were killer.  Do I really want to add on another 3 plus miles?  

Obviously, the longer the race, the longer it takes.   It took the Sadist over 6 hours to complete the 26 miles.  I can not imagine walking for 6 hours straight, let alone running it.  Generally, after my first two hours of running (with walking intermingled) my body starts to rebel.  Actually, it starts rebelling earlier than that, but so far I've been able to push through it.  The 10 miler pushed up and over my limits and it took me days to recover.  It was the first race where I didn't have the energy to kick into warp speed as I crossed the finish line.  I was just happy I was standing up or at least I think I was.  It's all a blur.

The idea of running a marathon is kind of cool, but the reality is not so much.  I am constantly pushing up and over my limits, but even I know I can go too far.  I always joke that for every mile I run, I go home and sleep an hour and the funny thing is, I really do that most weekends.  I'm not completely ruling out the marathon, but I am thinking it is very doubtful.  I know better than to say never.  I said that about running and look at where I am now. 

Whereas I am doubtful about the marathon, I'm a little less doubtful about the half.  This may be just the right challenge for me in 2015.  It won't be pretty and I'm sure my body will not be thanking me but to say I did a half would be amazing.  As soon as I figure out my next steps, I'm sure it will be posting them for all to see.  It makes it harder to back out that way.  :)

Rocking the Army Ten Miler

Over the past few weeks I have started at least 2 blogs only to not finish them.  This time I'm getting it done and I've done good.

I am so proud of myself.  I finished the Army Ten-Miler in a great time for me.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that I finished in 2:17:28.  Actually I was shocked and my pace worked out to 13:44.8 which is only slightly more than my pace from a 10k. Although it wasn't hilly, it did have some ups and down. It had its moments, most of which I rocked.  Those last few miles it got a little harder to rock.

Miles 1 through 6 went rather well with minimal stopping, mostly just for water.  After the 6th mile, things got a little dicey, but I kept going.  My time walking increased, but not more than my running.  By the 9th mile, however, I was mostly walking, but I did manage to run the last half mile to finish with a flourish.  For the first time, my afterburners did not fire.  My left foot was killing me and I just didn't have the umph by then. 

 

The best part was that Marcus and Terri were there to cheer me on.  It was great seeing them as I came down the hill between the 8th and 9th mile.  It provided just the right motivation as I was fading, at least for a few moments anyway. They even got a rather good picture of me running.  Usually, my running pics don't look all that good.  This one does and it is nice to have something other than a selfie.

If you had told me 18 months ago, when I started running, that I would complete a 10 miler, I would have laughed and swore that was impossible.  I guess this means things can be possible.  Those last 4 miles may not have been pretty, but I did them.  Go me!  

What a fabulous day.