Happy New Year!

Has it really been 3 months since I last posted? I have a lot of good qualities but apparently stick-to-it-ivism is not one of them. Alas, I am going to make another go at it. It's a new year - 2011, which is crazy. I will be 32 this year, which is also crazy. 32 is one of those ages that I remember thinking "Wow, she is a GROWN UP" about when I heard someone was that age, all the way up through my early twenties. And now I am here.

So, since September I have continued working at my same bogus but lucrative contractor gig. In October we went to Memphis, which was awesome, I would buy a condo there if they were $40k. In November, I felt slightly sorry for myself one Friday night and the next day we wound up with an 8 week old puppy. She is perfect - Nadine. Crazy, and puppies/dogs are hard, but we love her very much. Then later that month I completed the Philly Half after not running since early October due to a painful groin [that's what she said]. I was nervous but determined. My goals were finish, don't stop/walk unless dying, don't die and break 3 hours. I succeeded with all at 2:51, even walking to dinner that night. Walking is a loose term, I was gimping hard-core. And for like a week after. But I am very proud of myself and proud to poo-poo people who thought I was kidding. It was a good feeling - required a lot of Advil and gummi bears and gatorade and I almost cried at mile 12 but the end was worth it. I will actually train for one next year and maybe get up to my goal time of around 2:20-25. We shall see.

For 2011, my goals are pretty simple. Floss more, complain less, run, learn to drive a stick, maybe get married. Side notes are losing 30 pounds and getting my shit together [cue the laugh track, when aren't those my goals]. I started out today by eating ok - "healthy" bagel with 2 fried eggs, tea, some juice, an apple. I had this all after a 2.4 miles run that I completed in slightly less than 32 minutes. Kind of suck city but I hadn't run since November [the Half Marathon] so I was glad to just get out - it's also 50 degrees out [after a gnarly blizzard last week] and I would be an absolute lazy shit if I hadn't gone out. I will work on short bursts and try to get down to 10-11 minute miles. I can do it, I think. I also need a new race for this year. I should do a late winter one but I'm guessing that won't happen. So spring, summer - we'll see.

Ed just made a fantastic sauce, so we had some fusili and salad and garlic bread. Now I am having some wine and probably some chocolate. Not a bad way to start off the year!

Half Marathon Training Commences

I started today with 5.2 miles. I was slow, 1h12m, but faster than I have been lately. It's not as muggy or hot which is helping. And I had a banana and 2 cookies pre-run, plus pasta last night. I definitely hate running at the beginning and like it in the middle and feel kind of like death at the end. I think this bodes well for distances, not crazy distances but 13 miles seems doable? Am I a nut? Probably. I am getting sort of jazzed and sort of nervous. I'm obsessing about how or if I pee while running. Googling this has NOT helped me feel at ease on this subject.

I did my arms last night and this morning, those are getting better. Still eating ehh but not drinking and if I keep exercising hopefully it will work out. Skinny by Christmas!

Blase

Is that how you spell that? It's my general mind-set for, oh the entire summer. Nothing serious, just a combination of wanting to do nothing besides sleep, watch TV and eat pizza. Not the greatest for the 40 lbs I've decided I need to lose by March. New goal! Yes, I think we will get married in March, for our 7 year itch. I figure I can lose like 10 this summer and then maybe 15-20 in training for my November race. Then I just have 5-10 for the winter. Why is it so much easier to write down than actually do?

I rode the bike Friday night, I'm down to twice a week for any kind of exercise. I have done zero running since it's been so hot. Maybe like twice in the past month? And the eating....well, it's summer. Friday we had bread? And Saturday we had Coppa and today we had meat and cake [not together] for Ed's dad's b-day. So super healthy. I've been eating vegetables and drinking a lot of water [it is so hot, you can't help it], so those are two pluses. I'm going to try and get up and water the lawn and go running. We shall see!

3 Day Instant Weekend

3 glorious days off and squat to show for it. I had such grand hopes and basically wound up breathing in too much bleach and yelling at Ed. Which would be fine except that he got me a beauteous new macbook for my birthday and I am a big jerk. But he is also a big jerk as I have no time this week to do anything and we have my birthday party on Saturday, so we were supposed to get the house into tip-top shape. And he promised! The promise resulted in him hanging 2 shades and a couple curtains. Thanks.

Anyhow, I'm back to my nearly constant state of no relaxation and no productivity. Barf. I did sleep a lot. And had some good burgers. And this thing is so shiny and perfect it kind of makes up for it. Needless to say, my week will not allow for exercise nor did last week. I have been eating ok, still too much but I cut back on sweets. Minus the JP Licks trip I berated Ed into tonight. I have a 7.5 miler on June 27th so June 7th training goes into full gear minus Martha's wedding. It seems daunting, but I think I'm just despondent in general. Off to bed, this post is just to put in writing [cause that helps so much...] that I now have no excuse to shy away from the blog. Half marathon in less than SIX MONTHS - FTW!