July

I'm up a little today, finishing out the month down 3 lbs for July.

Currently I seem to be bouncing around 167-168 lbs. I'm not expecting a big loss for this next week, but am hopeful that I'm past that major low-170s plateau and can get back to a 5 lb / month loss rate.

No run today

I was all ready to run this morning. I got up at the right time and put on my jogging clothing. Then I realized that the headache (that was making my brain slosh around inside my skull whenever I made any sudden moves) was not going to be conducive to 35 minutes of running.

Instead, I took an easy 20 minute dog walk and called it a day. If I'm up to it, I'll run 30 minutes on Friday or Saturday and then redo Week 6 next week. 

I would just continue with OHR, but I really need to keep the long run days to weekends. I've also got a 10 day motorcycle tour coming up the 2nd week of August. I'm hoping to be able to run near my motel rooms and keep to my schedule, but that may not always be possible.

I essentially maintained overnight: 167.2

Week 17 Weigh in *WHOOSH!*

I just had my best week ever. Ever.

I weighed in this morning at 167.0, 3.2 lbs down since last week, 24.2 lbs total.

I'm almost afraid of what next week will bring. 

W6D1

My allergies seem to be running their usual course. I was extremely lethargic on Saturday and Sunday. The sore throat faded by Sunday night and the nose stuff began.

I went to bed early on Sunday to make sure I had enough energy for my 30 minute run this morning. Even so, it was clear that this run was much slower than recent ones. I did get it done, but didn't cover my usual distance. Hopefully I'll be feeling better by Wednesday for a 35 minute run. 

My weight is up a little this morning: 168.6. Let's just say I had a high point Saturday night out with friends at Texas Roadhouse and then wasn't especially tight with points yesterday. 

W5D3

The 38 minute run was HARD this morning. 

I woke up early enough to head over to Meyer/Collins Park. We did a couple of loops around the south side and the connector. I seem to be starting a round of allergies and had a bad sore throat, so even the first 30 minutes were pushing it. It seemed like the last 8 were taking FOREVER, but I somehow made it through.

Even Lucy was pretty tired when we got back to the truck after a total of 1:15 on the park paths. I gave her some water before getting in for the drive home.

A new low this morning: 167.2.

Pictures from the Lunar Rendezvous 5k

They're proofs, because I don't like any of them enough to actually pay for full size prints.  (and I really hope my extra chin decides to go away soon.)

HALFWAY!

I seem to be solidly in the 160s. Lucy and I did a short 30 minute walk this morning (I'll do my 38 minute run tomorrow, hopefully at the park).

I weighed in this morning at 167.6, past the halfway point to my goal.

It's amazing to think that on Tuesday I had lost only a pound in the entire month. I was frustrated and casting around for ways to up my rate of weight loss. Looking at the current (2009) Weight Watchers program (I've been using the 2001 program), I realized that I was eating 3-4 points below what my target should be. I increased my points by a few (call it the equivalent of an additional 200 calories/day). All of a sudden I'm down 4 pounds for the month. I might make it to 5 at this rate.

W5D2 and into the 160s!

From my pre-run weigh, I had some hint that I'd achieve the 160s today.

The run went fine. I was definitely tired at the end of my 32 minutes of jogging, but not horribly so. It was overcast and in the low 80s.

I was seriously ecstatic when I got on my scale after the run and saw 168.8! After floating around 171 for all of July, this is so, so sweet!

Midsummer NSV

My Mom commented on my ill-fitting jeans at dinner last Sunday. I'm not quite ready to buy a bunch of new long pants (would like to wait until I drop another size or two and buy at the beginning of winter), but I have been wanting some more capris for those hot summer days.

I stopped by one of my favorite stores after work today and tried on a bunch of clothes. I've been wearing a mixture of 14s and 12s. To my surprise, I'm now a size 10 (in some brands at least). Yay! I bought a couple of size 10 capris.

BTW, NSV = non-scale victory

Week 16 Weigh in

Good News! I'm down a full pound this week, 21 lbs total loss.

At 170.2 I'm just ounces away from the 160s! *crosses fingers*

W5D1

It was overcast this morning, with green spots (rain) on the radar map. As a precaution, I put my mp3 player in a baggie and zipped it into my camelbak waist pack.

The run went very well. At 30 minutes, my stopping point, I was shocked to find that I wasn't at all tired. Maybe there really IS something to the whole philosophy of "one long run per week". I'm actually looking forward to the increases One Hour Runner is making to my run times this week. (D2 - 32 minutes, D3 - 38 minutes)

I weighed in at 170.8 this morning. I'm hoping this means that I'll finally hit the 160s this week.

Lunar Rendezvous 5k

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...LIFTOFF!" and the front runners streamed away as astronaut Sandra Magnus started the 31st running of the Lunar Rendezvous 5k race. Held at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, the course wound around the perimeter of the campus.

Anticipating being one of the slower runners, I held back and crossed the start line (starting my chip) about a minute after the race started. I'd warmed up by walking back and forth between the start line and the finish line (a little ways away) a few times and was feeling pretty good. I resolved to run at least the first 35 minutes of the race (following my "One Hour Runner" plan for the day). I also wanted to improve my 5K time.

I let my heart rate settle in the mid 160s during the first mile as we passed the rocket park and a long building with a line drawing of the Saturn V rocket it contained painted on the side. This building and others provided plenty of shady areas that really helped keep the temperature down. At the first mile marker, I glanced down at my HRM and saw that I was at just over 12 minutes.

The HRM slowly crept up into the 170s during the 2nd mile. I slowed down slightly a couple of times to bring my heart rate down, but I didn't worry about it too much. I know from my training runs that my heart rate will tend to rise slightly as I tire. I downed the second mile in around 13 minutes.

During the first half of the run, I noticed a pattern to the people around me. There were several people that jogged past me at a blazing pace. A few minutes later, I'd pass them as they slowed for a walk break. My pace was fairly consistent the whole time. I told myself that I was the slow and steady tortoise getting passed by a succession of hares (Yay Bunnies!). Sure enough, by the second half of the race, I was no longer seeing any of these people. They'd dropped behind me and their jackrabbit hops were no longer sufficient to pass me.

The last mile of the race turned into a mental battle to keep going. Somewhere around 32 minutes in, my legs were suddenly awash in a wave of lethargy. My heart rate was high (into the 180s) but my breathing was easy. I kept going.

My determination was rewarded a few minutes later when I got my second wind. At 35 minutes into the race, longer than I'd ever run before, I was good to go. Nothing was hurting, nothing was overwhelmingly tired, heart rate was high but not worrisome, and I could see the spires of the rocket park in the distance.

I jogged across the finish line with a chip time of 40:57, 22 seconds slower than my Dad's Day 5k time. I'm okay with that. It's only 7 seconds difference per mile, about as close as it could be.

I'm SO proud that I actually ran the entire 5k. A huge milestone has been passed that will give me extra confidence during my next 5k.

W4D2

I felt a little silly only running 29 minutes this morning (45 minutes total). It was nice to skip the last minute of my run, but I don't know how much effect it'll have. Whatever, it's part of the plan.

My next run is the 5k race on Saturday. Looking at the record from my HRM, I plan to try to keep it reading in the 160s during the race. I will slow down if I hit the 170s. The OHR plan calls for 35 minutes of running. If I can keep a 12-13 minute/mile pace, that puts me finishing in 36-39 minutes. I think that is doable. I just need to keep my legs moving at a jog and not let my mind convince me that it's time to walk.

171.0 this morning. No real movement. *chants* It'll happen. Keep going!

Week 15 Weigh in & *PLOD*

I'm down 0.2 lbs for the week, 20.0 total.

On the good side, it's my first "official" weigh in at 20 lbs. On the bad side, the month is half over and I've only lost 0.4 lbs so far in July. Arrgh. Oh well. It's progress.

W4D1

Nice easy 30 minute run (45 minutes total) this morning. The sun was just barely coming up so my sunglasses spent most of the run on top of my head.

I'm supposed to taper back to a 29 minute run on Wednesday. I suppose I'll just go to my normal halfway point and then start my cool down walk a minute earlier.

As I was running, I tried to quantify how tired I was during different segments. I'm very worried about mentally psyching myself out of running at least the first 30-35 minutes of the 5k on Saturday. I *CAN* run it. I need to be aware of but not listen to that niggling voice in my head that will say that I'm overdoing it or that it's different from a normal morning run.

I'm up slightly to 171.2 today. This is supposed to be my week (tomorrow) to weigh in the 170.X's, so I'm working hard to drink my water and stay on plan today.

W3D3

Yet again I didn't wake up early enough to drive over to the park for our morning jog. In fact, it was fairly late (7:30 AM) when Lucy and I left the apartment. The run was uneventful, although slightly warmer than earlier jogs.

I note that our start time corresponds with the start time of my 5k race next Saturday. If I can jog 30 minutes at home, surely I should be able to do it at the race!

Also, happy scale today. I hit 170.0 again (last time was Monday, 6 days ago). I'm feeling good about the prospect of dipping into the 160s next week.

W3D2 and thoughts

I had a kind of mini breakdown this week.

My cheap jogging MP3 player decided to paperweight itself after we went walking in the rain Tuesday morning. I didn't realize this until Wednesday morning. I couldn't face jogging without music, so I didn't. The scale was so dismal that morning (172.8!) that I didn't even record it. I've been over Points by 2 or 3 every day this week and I've been slacking on drinking all my water.

The good news is that I think BF pulled me out of it. I was lamenting my running schedule to him Wednesday afternoon. He mentioned that he had to be at work super-early on Thursday morning and I could probably fit in a jog at his place before going to work.

It was perfect! We got up just after 6 and he hopped in the shower while I put on my jogging clothes. I took Lucy out for a loop of the former golf-course behind his house. The air was completely still and very wet. There were bugs everywhere, but it was still one of the more quiet and scenic jogs I've been on. He was long gone when I got back to his house, took a shower, and got into the car to go to work.

I also skipped my weight training workout Tuesday night (went shopping after work and wasn't feeling it). I continued my weight training hiatus on Thursday night, opting instead to watch a fluff movie and sort email.

I'll jog again on Saturday morning and try to fit in a WT workout on Sunday night.

The good news is that the happy numbers on the scale are back as of this morning. I weighed in at 171.0, only the 2nd time I've been below 20 lbs. This was a "normal" morning (meaning no jogging or other exercise to help the weight come down) so I think it'll stick this time. I'm feeling MUCH more positive.

Week 14 Weigh in

Alas, this morning's weigh-in wasn't a continuation of yesterday's awesomeness. I'm down 1.2 lbs this week, 19.8 total.

I must have been dehydrated from sleeping in an apartment with no A/C and then running. Oh well. I'll be back there soon.

W3D1

The air conditioning in my apartment broke over the weekend. It was 89 degrees in there last night and this morning, even with the windows open as far as I dared (didn't want Cali-kitty to be able to scratch at the screens). The ceiling fans helped, but still...

Anyway, it was a little disheartening to go out for my run knowing that I'd be coming back and *cooling off* in a space that was actually hotter than outside.

I did it though. Nice easy 30 minute run, 45 minutes total. I seem to be sustaining that faster pace (13 minute mile) so things are looking up for my next 5k. It's only two weeks away now.

This is the last week of straight 30 minute runs on One Hour Runner. Next week will start with 30 on Monday, 29 on Tuesday, and then calls for 35 on the third day. I'll be doing the 35 minute run during the 5k race. I'm planning to attempt to stay with the program: run my 35 minutes, take a break, and then see what I can do to finish out the race. I've run 30 minutes often enough at this point that I feel I have very little excuse for walking as early as I did during my 1st 5k.

Unless it's unbearably hot of course. Or shade-free. We'll see.

20 Pounds!

Somehow, someway... I blew past 20 pounds this weekend.

I'm not sure how it happened. I just wasn't THAT good with all the Fourth of July BBQ/snacks eating.

I find myself at 21.2 lbs lost and on the cusp of a new weight decade (170.0). WOOOO! GO ME!

W2D3

Since I have the day off, I got all ambitious last night and set my alarm for 5:30 AM. The plan was to wake up and drive over to a local park for my run.

Well, 5:30 came a little too soon for me. I kept hitting snooze until I didn't have time to drive to the park and still beat the heat.

Had a nice 30 minute run (45 min total).

July WT #1 of 8

Not only did I do 3 sets of each exercise, I also did the first set at a higher weight!

It was much heavier, but I was capable of one set at 20 lbs vs my usual 10 lbs. Maybe in two weeks or so, I'll be capable of two sets at 20 lbs. :D

W2D2

Very overcast this morning, which helped. I brought my sunglasses, but they spent the entire run pushed back on the top of my head.

I seem to have improved my speed. I ran further this morning than any other of my recent 30 minute runs. Getting on the computer after the run, I discovered that I ran about 2.3 miles in 30 minutes, around 13 minutes per mile.

I'm also having a fantastic couple of days on the scale. I'm down another full pound this morning for a new low! Still not at 20 lbs lost, but I'm so close.