W3D2

The temperature was saying 84 and partly cloudy, but I think a midday run is starting to be too hot here in Houston. I was fine during the run, but Lucy was noticeably slowing in areas of shade during the cool down walk.

She is always supposed to sit by the door to the apartment as I unlock it. This time she lay down and then collapsed again a few feet inside. I ended up bring the water bowl to her because I couldn't get her to come to the kitchen. Five minutes later she was moving around again, but I admit I was a little worried.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to finishing up this week and moving on to 5 minute runs. Now THAT sounds like an accomplishment!

W3D1

That was actually (dare I say it?) ...easy...

I wasn't feeling like driving all the way to the park (10 minutes), so I filled up the camelbak, leashed the dog, and stepped out my front door to make a loop around the local high school.

The first 90 second interval was nothing new, I'd been doing it all last week. No problem. 90 seconds was also plenty of time to recover and prepare for my first 3 minute run....and it was ...easy...

While riding my motorcycle for endless hours on I-10 last week, I spent a lot of time spacing out. I mean, I was always paying attention to the road and drivers around me, but the only way to get through that much boring interstate is to disconnect from the idea that you have "this many more miles" or "this many more hours" to go and by the way, don't obsess over your sore rump or how much your shoulders ache.

In both riding and running, music helps. As my eyes range over my ever changing surroundings, I stop thinking about time and distance. I just jam to the beat and perpetuate the movements my body is making.

During the last 3 minute interval, I was kind of annoyed when Ullrey jarred me back into awareness with his one minute warning. I didn't want to know how much was left.

I can hardly wait to do W3D2.

In other news, I have an old Polar F11 heart rate monitor that I used to exercise with frequently. A battery issue (I procrastinated getting the watch battery replaced) relegated it to my dining room table last year. I tried using it again at the beginning of this year when I first got Lucy, but it was the chest transmitter's turn to have low battery.

Anyway, I was planning to start using it again when I complete C25K (thinking that a beeping HRM was incompatible with the program). Reading over the manual this weekend, I realized that it has a "manual-HRlimits off" setting which simply records heart rate over the course of a workout.

I wore it today during this workout and occasionally glanced down at it just to see where my heart rate was during different stages of the intervals (just curious).

One of my big past issues with the HRM is that it wouldn't "let" me start running. As soon as I began to run, my heart rate would shoot up and the watch would start beeping like crazy. During this run, my max heart rate was lower than I've ever seen it during an attempt to jog.

I also tested my OwnIndex (basically a proprietary version of VO2-Max) and was shocked to find I'd improved by 10 points from the last time I tested (about a year ago) and was by far my highest ever result (that's good). I'm certain that this improvement has entirely happened within the last few weeks. I think the F11 is going to become a valuable motivation and fitness tracking tool for me in a month or two. I'm adding some VO2-Max goals to my list.

Willpower in the face of Danishes

When I walked into the office on Tuesday, there were two dozen Dunkin' Donuts sitting on the small conference table. I decided that they weren't in my plan for breakfast and managed to ignore them. For lunch I had a 3 point Amy's Organic Shepherd Pie and a 5 point chocolate glazed donut. I had my donut and stayed on plan.

Yesterday the donuts were still there, but someone brought a long cheese/raspberry danish. My coworkers were raving about it all day, but I decided it wasn't worth it. I didn't have a donut either, satisfied after Tuesdays.

This morning, there's a tray of mini-danishes: Svenhards. My usual, cheese, is 5 points. I know from past experience that it's probably not worth it. These danishes aren't *that* yummy and definitely not filling.

I WILL have my usual 2 pt bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, and coffee and make it through to lunch more satisfied. I can do this.

<10 AM edit>
A product rep just brought more danishes. French Bakery. I'm being good. So good.

Phew

Ok, much better. I'm back below 10 lbs this morning. :D

W2D3

Well, that was much easier than I expected, especially after not having run since Friday morning. I kept the nice slow pace I've been working at, but didn't experience the usual "out-of-breathiness" typical of past runs.

Maybe this is obvious to other women: I've been constantly annoyed by my "front" hair. It was escaping my ponytail and flopping into my face. Sometime this week I rediscovered the French ponytail (kinda like a french braid, but without the braid), where I first pull back the hair around my face into a high ponytail and then gather it and the rest of my hair into a standard ponytail at the base of my skull. Works much better!

I'm giving myself permission to continue my runs in order, even if a "week" isn't contained within a "week". I'll do Week 3 on Thursday, Sunday, and Tuesday. I'm flying to Las Vegas next Wednesday morning, to return on Saturday. With all the walking and dancing (in heels) I'll be doing while there, I can't even imagine my feet being capable of jogging.

Week 5 Weigh in

Well, considering the circumstances, I didn't do too badly.

I'm down 0.6 lbs since last Tuesday, but up 0.8 lbs from my last weigh in. (10 lbs loss - NOT YOURS). Overall, I'm down 9.4 lbs.

I feel like I made pretty good choices on my trip. I generally had a bowl of raisin bran with milk for breakfast and a Subway sandwich with baked chips for lunch. Dinners were sensible, with one exception. On the "official dinner" night, I caved and had chicken fried chicken. I was right back On Points the next day.

I'm also pretty dehydrated. I was riding long days and didn't want to have to stop every hour for a potty break, so I didn't drink as much water as I should have. (Sure would be nice to be a guy and not have to worry about finding a rest stop and taking off all the gear.) I'm working hard to drink my water today. Hopefully the scale will respond tomorrow morning.

I leave for Las Vegas in about a week. I'm leaning toward trying to behave for breakfast and lunch, but our dinners will be in high-end restaurants, paid for by product reps. I'm thinking that I'll probably enjoy myself at dinner and not worry about calories, just taste. I'll plan to get right back on the wagon on Saturday when we come back.

Anyway, I have a full week to prepare for that trip and try gaining back some of the ground I lost this weekend.

W2D2

My annoying (as opposed to gentle and melodious) alarm went off at 6:00 this morning. I was attempting to be ambitious and get in both the jog AND an early start. One glance out the window changed that. It was still pitch black outside. I wasn't ready to venture out through an unfamiliar town in the dark.

Conditions were much better 45 minutes later. I put on my "jogging gear" and headed out.

It took approximately half the workout to pass through the entire *downtown*, including The Stoplight. After the middle 2 minute break, I turned around and made it back to the motel shortly after the five minute cool down finished.

No problems with the run... I felt fine but definitely missed having Lucy next to me.

I also note that I've been very good about staying On Points so far. My meals have all been sensible and journaled.