ABTA Path to Progress Results

Well, I despite all the wind and cloudy day in Chicago yesterday morning, Christina and I finished the American Brain Tumor Association  Path to Progress 5k. In the sixth year of this 5k, I am excited to report that the organization reached its goal to raise at least $900,000. We also received our race times.  Ours are right down at the bottom of that list.

Race Results

 There were at least 150 people that finished after us. Christina has not trained as much as I have but I was determined to cross the finish line with her next to me.The day was very windy along the lake, sometimes to the point of pushing us to run.

Finishing the Race

Race Start

 I wanted to thank again everyone that donated to this race. I didn't reach my goal of $500 but I was able to raise $320. I made it a goal to run it, and even though I didn't get to run the whole thing, I had a great friend by my side. Thank you to everyone that helped Christina raise more than double her goal. It was amazing to see over 4000 people registered for the run and the walk. We both hope to do this event again next year, hopefully with more people.

We spent the rest of the day walking around Chicago, hitting up Millennium Park and some shopping on Michigan Ave.We did some typical tourist stuff and ate some great Chicago Pizza.

It was so dreary and cloudy. We splurged and got some food at a fancy restaurant in Millennium Park for lunch. We spent some time at the Cultural Center while it poured outside. Around 3, we gathered out things and headed out of Chicago towards home. We decided next time we come to Chicago, it will be by bus or train. There is just too much traffic for us in this city.

A New Idea

We had a freak rain storm on my lunch break. I realized my windows were open in my car about 15 minutes after it started. Atleast I have leather seats so I just have to wipe them down with a towel. Later in the afternoon, my boss and I watched as hail plummeted our cars. We were just hoping that the hail wouldn't get any bigger than peas. We don't need any damage to our cars.

I actually was able to pull myself out of bed early this morning to get my workout in before work. The hot and humid weather did not seem appealing for running. Even this morning it was it was 60 degrees at 6am. I was thinking it had cooled down pretty nicely overnight. But I failed to look at the humidity level, which was obviously high! I was already sweating 5 minutes into my 25 minute workout. Most of my customers are complaining that it is supposed to cool down after the rain comes today. I am really fine with that because it makes for better weather for working out. Who cares if the high for the day is 60. If you are cold, put on my layers!

While I was running, I was thinking about how frustrated I have been lately with the scale. How the crap did I gain 5 pounds over the last couple of weeks! I haven't really changed how I have been eating but I have really ramped up my amount of exercising by quite a bit. I have gotten comments from people that I look like I have lost weight, from both my husband and a friend. I told them thank you but I still wonder why the scale creeps up. Could I believe that I am building muscle, which of course weighs more than fat (or is it that muscle is more dense than fat?)? I do realize that I have muscles around my middle that I havent had the opportunity to feel in a while.

Weighing myself makes me frustrated and then I just want to emotionally eat. Sometimes, the thought crosses my mind that I should just give up and start living the lifestyle I used to when I didn't work out  and didnt watch what I eat and I didnt gain or lose wieght. Sometimes I feel like that would just be easier. But then again, I think that I don't want to go back to when it was easier. I am actually enjoying the challenge of training for a 5k, an ultimately my duathlon in September. If I gave up, I would never get to complete my 10 Things. I wouldn't continue to feel my legs and lungs getting stronger each time I walk/jog/bike. I would just feel my but getting bigger and fatter while I sit on the couch.

So how am I going to keep myself going and not get overly frustrated with the number on the scale? I think I am going to give up the scale for a month and go strictly on how I feel. Maybe I will keep track of my measurements instead of the pounds. I just have to do something different because I cant let the number on the scale pull me down. It is really ruining the running high. I'm so proud of myself with the progress I've made on my running. The scale is just not worth it. So I am going to weigh myself tomorrow morning and then forget about the scale for the month. I will weigh myself in a month and see what happens. Here's to a new adventure

Gonna Be Some Changes Made

I heard this song for the first time one night when I was driving home from Winona State to my parent's house. Its really sad that I remember where exactly I was on 494 in Minnetonka.  There is something I really love about the beat that it has and the lyrics. Enjoy.

I've Been Neglectful

I'm sorry blog...I have been neglecting you.

I have had a pretty relaxing week. I am starting to get used to this exercise thing. It is really starting to become a part of my daily life. Or, atleast I am making it be that way. I don't really have anything specific to write about tonight. So I will just write about my week.

My hubby was out of town most of the week, leaving me to babysit our new kitty, work, and fend for myself. We picked up a new kitty from the Iowa County Humane Society last Saturday. She is a teeny bit over a year old and has the farts! How could we not be told about the farts when we picked her up?  I think it is actually due to the fact that I have been feeding her the same food that we feed our other cat who has long fur and gets fed hairball food. Maybe this food has too much fiber for our little kitty.  I purchased some kitten food at the grocery store this morning so I have yet to see what the results are. 

Ugh, I need a vacation from work...that is all I have to say about my work week.

I got three days in of working out last week. I really pushed myself last Sunday and again on Friday to do week 2 of Couch to 5k, 90 seconds of running followed by 2 minutes of walking. I think that is what I will do this week as well. Week 3 scares me for some reason. My first 5k is next weekend in Chicago. I'm not sure what the plan is. I will probably be walk/jogging it since I am only on week two of C25K. I am praying for nice weather.

Wednesday, I went on a four mile walk with hubby. We would have gone further but it was getting dark and he wasn't dressed for the weather. I was actually pretty surprised how much my legs hurt from just walking that far. I can understand all the training that has to be done for the Susan G Koman 3 Day Walk.  Today I pulled the bike off of the trainer in the basement, lubed up all the moving parts, strapped on my helmet and got on the road. I was planning on a 20 mile route on the new Badger Trail and then back through Verona. I ended up with a flat tire at Verona Rd and Mckee.  Well, I had a new tube but no air the inflate it. The first guy that stopped realized he didn't have any air either! I wished him a good ride and went to my cell phone to start calling friends in Verona. No one answered their phones so I even resorted to calling my boss. He didn't answer his phone either. About 20 minutes after I initially stopped, a very kinda lady stopped to help me with my tire. I had nothing to give her except for my thanks. I cut my ride a little short and only put in 17 miles today.  My first ride of the season included a flat tire and ended with my first bike short tan/burn line on my thighs. I will be heading to a local bike shop tomorrow on my lunch break to pick up a couple of new tubes and some air.

Week 2 of C25K and a Worry

This was supposed to be posted lastnight but due to the news, I got distracted.  So read on.

I skipped to week two of Couch to 5k and to push myself passed last week's positive outcome, I pushed up the time from 30 minutes to almost 50 minutes. I was worried last week that I was already passed week two so I decided to push the distance a bit further, and it's also Sunday so I had time to kill. I did 3.3 miles in a little less than 50 minutes. I am coming across a strange feeling that I like running up hills! Sure, it really kills my legs but it also makes me feel soooo strong. Once I am able to get passed the aches and pains in my legs, my hips feel really great when I'm pushing up that grade. I might become one of those crazies that runs up hills for fun. My little sister finished the Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon this morning in 23 degree windchill.  Maybe I will make it a goal to run this race next year.

Onto the real topic of the evening. This is completely unrelated to my first paragraph but it has something to do with what I read, or heard somewhere. I worry a little bit about what I look like when I run, about what my ass looks like in work out pants or how my fat jiggles under my shirt (ew). I heard somewhere that people driving by me really don't care. Or I hope that they dont. If they do care, they need something better to do.  One thing that really bothers me, and it always has, is that my face gets really really red after I work out. I dont think it is because I am out of shape because it would get red when I was on Nordic Ski team in high school and I was in much better shape then. Please pardon picture. It was taken nearly 15 minutes after I stopped moving. I just don't get why my skin is so red? My skin stays red for atleast a half hour after I am done working out. I have no idea what is causing this. I see pictures of other people after they exercise and sure, they are a little flushed, but they don't look like they have spent the last hour in a steam room. (I am not wearing any makeup so that is the real color of my face). I know my body is just pumping more blood because I am exercising but does all the blood go to my face?

Week 1 of C25K

So lastnight I stopped at Target to pick up a watch to wear while I am working out. So far, my idea of learning how to run is to push myself as far as I think I can go and then walk for a while, then push myself again. I have looked at the Couch to 5k program a couple of times and didn't think that I was fit enough to even handle the first week. I decided lastnight to just pick up a watch and just start doing the plan. I have noticed a little bit of improvement over the last months but not as quickly as I would have hoped. Now as my first 5k approaches in a little over two weeks, I am not ready to run the whole distance.

The first week of C25K is 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking. Well, I did it backwards. I did 90 seconds of jogging and 60 seconds of walking.  I think this worked well for me so I think I will keep it going the backwards way for the next two work outs this week. Week two is 90 seconds of jogging with 2 minutes of walking. Maybe I will do week one for two weeks. Hmm...what to do, what to do?

Thank you to my cousin Lynn, who will be doing the Iron Girl Duathlon with me in September, for suggesting that I do a formal training plan. I was against it at first but I think it might actually work out for me. If you are interested in the training schedule for the C25K, check out the Coolrunning website. There are many other C25K plans but I think this one works for me.

By the way, I did the same 2.15 mi loop tonight that I did on Monday. On Monday, I finished it in 29 minutes. Tonight, using the interval training, I did the same distance in 27 minutes! Go me!

Broccoli Slaw Spaghetti

Yes I stole this from Elle over at PriorFatGirl. Go over there for the recipe.

I changed it up a little bit by using homemade spaghetti sauce. I fry up some onions in a tiny bit of olive oil. I use a can of Hunt's tomato sauce and a can of Hunt's tomato paste. I add some garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and just a pinch of sugar. With the 93% lean ground beef, the sauce alone carries only 210 calories. When the slaw is added, the recipe is 260 calories.

I was surprised by how full this actually made me. I was unable to help myself to a second serving like I usually would had i had pasta instead of the slaw. I wish I would have taken a picture. Give it a try.

Broccoli Slaw Spaghetti