The Struggle is Real

%$$%#$%^&&**(@@@#!!!

After a week of busting my ass from running, boxing, and lifting weights, and a week of severely dieting... I'm down to 138. Which is 4 pounds less than last week, and 10 pounds more than I got married at, and 6 pounds from my goal, and 8 pounds from.... you get the idea :) If I had to guess, I would've assumed I was AT LEAST down 5-6 pounds from last Friday. *sigh*

It is amazing how much harder this is than it used to be. I remember skipping a few meals and I'd accidentally lose 5 pounds. Let's face it, nearly 31 years old is the not the same as being 24. It takes a lot of hard work to get your body to change. I have been putting in hard work. No alcohol, 3 meals per day, and mainly fruits and veggies. Plus killing myself in the gym. 

I had one glass of red wine last night. Anyone who knows me knows I never have 'one' of any alcoholic beverage (except  one bottle of wine). But honestly I felt it. It knocked me right out. One the advantages of dieting is becoming a 'light weight' when it comes to drinking. 

Other Benefits of the Diet

I have had increased energy like I haven't in a very long time. When you eat large amounts of food it slows you down (physically and mentally). I have been more focused in nearly every area of my life - work, school, exercise. I always get 10,000+ steps a day since I started the diet. Things I would normally put off (washing dishes, taking the dog out) have become easier. I want to constantly move. I feel better when I'm not weighed down - literally. However, one of the issues I'm encountering is  falling asleep. I am not taking diet pills or any supplements for extra energy; this really is a side effect of eating better and smaller portions (and of course, not drinking). I'm averaging 5-6 hours  of sleep per night at best. I just purchased some bedtime tea to hopefully make this problem go away.

Memorial Day Weekend

Ah, the weekend we celebrate with burgers and beers. Well, not me this year! I have an action packed weekend from start to finish - and I cannot wait for tonight to come to kick it off.

• Tonight I am heading to Fords Fish Shack with some friends in Chantilly for happy hour. I have planned this out by checking the menu - raw oysters and bud lite it is :) Preparation is your best plan to stay in control.
• Saturday I am going to go to the 1 hour and 15 minute intense boxing class at title boxing, and then head out for an afternoon with one of my best friends for lunch and pedicures. 
• Sunday my husband and I are doing an insane hike (8+ miles) out past Gainesville. Considering bringing the puppy... we will see.
• Monday is the Ringing in Hope 10K . Hopefully followed by going to the pool :) 

I am keeping myself busy and active this weekend and not  preoccupied with gluttony. I will post Monday/Tuesday about the 10K. After all, this is a running blog and lately my posts have been side-tracked. Please bear with me as I get this little site back on topic ;)

Cheers and happy running!

India

What's Weighing on You?

First and Foremost

I did not run the Deep Creek 10 miler this weekend. Yes, I am bummed. But the temps stayed in the 40s, it was pouring rain, and I couldn't justify dropping $400+ dollars on a weekend away with those conditions. If I get sick that means missing more important races in the next few weeks. It happens, it sucks. I had to eat the $40 race entry fee, but I could've lost a lot more.

The Numbers Game

I finally got up the nerve to get on the scale. I used to weigh myself all of the time, until I stopped liking what I was seeing (and it would ruin my day(s)). But I needed a reality check, so Friday morning I bit the bullet and did it. 142.

142

That's 9 lbs more than last year, 14 more than the day I walked down the aisle. That's 7 less than when I graduated high school, and 6 more than when I was cross-fitting (and very muscular). It's 16 more than my mom was at my age, and 2 more than after she gave birth to me. It's the exact weight I weighed when I was 21 (and I vowed to never be that heavy again once I lost it).  It's 11 more than I was in the below photo

May 2013 - 131 lbs

Days before my wedding July 2012 - 128 lbs

Dec. 2012 - 136 lbs

It's 9 lbs from my 'ideal' weight according to the LA Weight loss chart. It's honestly about 10 lbs more than I'm comfortable with. It's not muscle. I have been muscular. This is pure happy weight. Happy weight from the nights of drinking beer to 2 AM. Happy weight from not cutting my portions and starving myself. Happy weight from refueling after long distance runs and races. But, alas, it is time to cut back. For a little while.

Obsession

I do not want to live a life that is tied to the scale. For women this is so hard. Put on just a few pounds and you are 'chunky'. Get too thin and you are " a skinny bitch who needs a burger". It's a lose-lose situation for women in this life sometimes. From this post, it's pretty obvious I am a metrics driven - number obsessed individual. It helps with running. It helps with finances. It's just how my brain works. I am numbers obsessed (including dates). So, I'm using this blog as a way to keep me honest. I want to lose 10 lbs by my birthday.

If you don't see me for a bit, it is because I am at home, eating lettuce, and avoiding temptation :) I will still have beers on the weekend, because we all deserve a cheat day - right?

I think this also means curtailing my distance running (until I get my appetite under control). My next 'big' race is the VA Wine Country Half on June 4th. After this I am working on some new goals, such as breaking my 5K PR. I am also competing in my first triathlon in July! I have never competitively swam or biked... so this will be interesting :) It is a .25 mile swim, 16 mile bike ride, and a 5K run. And I'm doing it in Amelia Island - where I got married. It's going to be a wonderful trip and I can't wait to start training for it.

Thanks for reading and happy running!

India  

Runner's Paradise

The Perfect Race 

Today was one of those days runner's dream about. I had the perfect race. At one point, one of the volunteers at a water stop said " you are enjoying this way too much". I was smiling and singing along to an AWOLNATION song. And I was having fun! It's difficult to explain to non-runners, but sometimes everything clicks and running is just perfection. It makes me happy to be alive and to be just enjoying life. Today was that day for me.


2nd place in my age group

I came in at exactly 52 minutes. I didn't use runkeeper or a garmin. I ran by feel for the first time for a race in over 4 years. Shocking! So yes, I did place without a stellar time. Let me preface this with the fact 1,500 runners participated, and over 1,300 of them were in the 5K (not the 10). So my competition was scarce. But, compared to my last 10K I dropped over a minute off my time. So I am OK with this today. I had a really good run and I cannot wait for the 10 mile trail run next Saturday!!

Post Race

A couple of girl friends invited me to Spa World today after my race. I stayed too late at the event to go (waiting on my medal and the raffle, which they gave away a 55' inch TV - I didn't win that). But, being completely honest, I am also very modest. Spa World is a completely nude spa (when you are with your gender, co-ed they make you wear some smock/romper thing). I don't know how I feel about being naked in front of my girlfriends like that... They told me I would be over it in minutes, and I really do want to experience this fancy place. Who doesn't love pampering? I missed my chance tho. Oh well... I had my own spa day at home! 

Personal Spa Day

I tried a bunch of new products today that I am very excited to discuss. I'm pretty low-maintenance when it comes to a beauty routine, (I once bleached my own hair to avoid a salon - huge mistake) but I bought several beauty products I hadn't had a chance to use. 

Pearl Bath Bombs

So, one of my good friends recommended this savvy little product to me. It's big colored ball (think tennis ball sized) that dissolves in the tub and leaves you with a beautiful ring. 

I got the strawberries and champagne bath bomb. It turned my bath water pink and left me with a small and classy costume jewelry ring.

When Face Mask

 

I am in love. This mask went on and I could feel it working! My skin felt cool and tingly. Now my face is super soft and looks brighter. Ladies this is a life saver, I am buying more today.

Garnier Grow Strong Hair Mask

 I am on a mission to get to waist-length hair again. Hopefully this product is gonna help me get there. It made my hair easy to untangle (great post run) and it smells nice. I am going to use it weekly and see if it makes a difference.

I enjoyed some champagne, listened to some good music, and just rewarded myself for an all around awesome run. Maybe next time I will leave modesty at the door and check out the Spa World. If nothing else it will make for a good blog entry :)

Friends in High Places

If you've made it this far (and want some more inspiration) then please check out my friend Natassha Halverson's blog - http://www.averageawesomegirl.com/

She is also recounting her fitness journey and accomplishments as she runs, cross fit's, and leads an all around  healthy lifestyle. Swing by and say hello!

Happy Running! I will recap the Deep Creek 10 mile trail run next week!

India

Unplugged

It's been 4 years, 2 months, and 2 days since I began tracking my runs with the RunKeeper App.

Addiction 

 If I don't know my pace how in the world will I pace myself?
To someone who isn't technologically addicted/burdened, this is a very strange question. The obvious answer is you run 'by feel'. Whatever the hell that means. I've certainly forgotten. 
Every 5 min, my RunKeeper app announces my pace and distance. How awesome is that? My Garmin watch also provides my time and pace (without the 5 min audio check in). How great is it to know you are killing it during the last few miles of your race? How horrible is it to know you are falling short of your racing goal? Does it even make a difference? 

I know this much - when I have an app or tracking device monitoring my run I feel immense pressure. Let me clarify this is NOT a good thing. It's the kind of pressure that makes me stop the tracker when I have to wait for traffic; the kind of pressure that constantly distracts me from the task at hand to check my pace and mileage. Worst of all I feel compelled to share my times on social media. If it's not on Facebook then the run must not have happened at all. When did this happen???


So, as I was getting ready to log another 5 miles this past Wednesday, I went to grab my trusted Iphone 6 S arm band. Have you seen an Iphone 6? Those fuckers are huge (and heavy). But, I have gladly lagged an immense phone on my arm for nearly every run for 4 years. It's habit. So, imagine my dismay when I found my arm band torn to pieces all over the floor (the daily trials and tribulations of owning an 8 month old Beagle puppy). I was furious. I had meticulously selected a play list from Youtube; all of my running history was stored on the Runkeeper app. If I didn't have these features why even run at all?

 I took to drastic measures. Perhaps I could duct tape the phone to my arm? Run with it in my sports bra? Wear a hoodie with a pocket (despite the nearly 60* temps outside)? Nothing would work. I wasn't gonna run. That was it. My workout was shot. Might as well just start drinking beer and order a pizza to add to my ruined evening. As I was taking off my running shoes and drowning in my self pity, I noticed a little gem I hadn't seen in months poking out of my gym bag - my Ipod shuffle! I had put so much music I loved on this little guy...would it still work? And even if it did, it wouldn't track my run. But I know every distance from my doorstep by heart; I know the exact distance to run out and turn back for a 5K, I know the 5 mile loop around Ashburn; I could even run 11 miles and know the exact distance. Who cares if I couldn't post my workout on social media when I got home? It's for me anyways, right? I wondered when I had become so pathetic that I had to historically document every time I laced up my shoes...

My saving grace - the perfect size and non-distracting

I know this much. I ran hard. Harder than I have on my 5 mile loop in a long time. I didn't worry about stopping my tracker if cars were in an intersection; I could slow down so when I got there they had passed. I wasn't constantly checking my arm. I didn't want to stop if I felt my pace slowing (like I have before, when I was worried my time wouldn't be impressive). I ran by feel - and I felt great. I had forgotten all those older songs I used to listen to when I ran. I still love them! The runner's high was achieved. I was out there running for me - not for my tracking device. And I had absolutely no one to brag to. And that was just fine.

A typical run - wired up and plugged in (Nov, 2013)

So today, I did it again! I feel like such a rebel! I went for a 5k run this morning using running only 'feel' alone. My only technology was my tiny Ipod shuffle. And again, I felt pretty good. I am considering trying this method for the Loudoun Lyme 10K on Sunday. I will post my time - for comparison purposes only, of course :) But I have a feeling things are gonna go pretty well.

Sidenote

This is not to bash RunKeeper (or any running app.) at all. I believe in tracking progress and keeping a record of your times. I just think there is a fine line between obsession and assistance. I am working on that balance :)

Other News

I'm trying these new vitamins called Sugar Bear Hair. They are very sweet, but pack a lot of biotin, vitamin C, and vitamin D

I just finished a month supply, and I can say I see a difference in my hair growth and my nails. My nails are rock solid! I am ordering another bottle today. As someone who used to work at a supplement company, I am sick to death of vitamins. But, these are like a gummy treat more than a nasty vitamin. I strongly recommend these!

Until next time - Happy Running!

India

Island to Island Half Marathon

I don't think I miss anything as much as I miss the beach....

A half marathon and weekend getaway in one

The Ocean City #islandtoIslandHalfMarathon is one of those running events I'd been dreaming about since January. Sure, April is still too cold to really enjoy the beach. And running 13+ miles isn't an ideal way to relax. But, pairing one of my favorite vacation spots with a flat, non-brutal race distance sounded like a really good idea. Plus, I had good company. My buddy Natassha Halverson, who is no stranger to the half marathon distance, agreed to run the race and visit OC, MD for her first time.

I really wanted to hype this up on Facebook, as it one of the only races I am traveling for this year. I also wanted to feel good about it, and potentially chase a PR. After coming off of a 1:52 half marathon time 2 weeks ago at the #LoudounCountyHalf, I felt pretty invincible. Of course, I was on the verge of losing 3 toe nails and the bottom of my foot was nearly split open. Eh, minor inconveniences for the seasoned runner. 

Pre-Race 

My husband and I got into OC around 6 PM Friday night. We stayed at the Dunes Manor. What a nice hotel. If you are looking for a classy place with an ocean front view - this is the spot! front view, this is it. 

The view from our hotel room

I have not stayed at a nicer hotel in OC in years. They also had Starbucks Coffee in the room!!! This was a huge deal for me, because I cannot run a race without my morning coffee. We met Natassha for dinner at a little place called  Barn 34. We drank a few beers and ate a hearty dinner for the next day ahead. 

I got back to the room early and was able to open the balcony door and hear the waves crashing. I left the door open all night and slept peacefully to the sound of the beach (although it was chilly, and there were a few OC party goers hitting it hard late night). 

I chugged water and laid out my race gear. This was going to be MY race, come hell or high water.

Race Morning

As much as I wanted to carry that excitement throughout the day, somehow I woke up feeling less than stellar. Maybe sleeping with the door open wasn't a great idea? Maybe I had put too much pressure on myself to do well. Whatever the case, my head wouldn't stay in it. I could not eat breakfast, although I was starving. It was cold and cloudy weather, and I regretted only having shorts and a tee shirt.

Once we got to Assateague Island (where the race started), Tassha and I both had to pee immensely. The line for the porta-potties was horrendous, and of course we had 4 minutes until the race gun was going off.  While in line the race start proceeded without us; runners dashed from the bathroom lines to the start so they would not fall behind. Not us. No way. I don't know if you've ever run while having to pee, but the outcome is never good. I cannot hold it for 13 minutes let alone 13 miles. So, after peeing, we started roughly 3-4 minutes behind all of the other race participants.

The Race

It one of many small set backs this day. I was sprinting like a bat out of hell for the first mile. I dashed past the 3 hour pacer, than the 2:40, all the way to the 2:10 at about mile 2. My RunKeeper app interrupted my thoughts when it announced I was holding a 7:47 pace around 10 min into the event. That is not OK for a half marathon. My 5K times are not even that fast. I needed to pull back.

Miles 3-4 were agonizing. This is a straight road course. No view of the beach after the first mile; just a long boring road. My left foot went completely numb (partially due to my big toe nail barely hanging on). My phone could not stream any data, so I was running to the sound of other people talking, mainly about other races they had done or were going to do ( which drives me GD insane - be present at the race you are running please). I knew I lost that dream of getting a PR. Now my only goal was not to walk.  Around mile 5 my phone suddenly got signal and I could tune everyone out. I felt my stride getting a bit shorter and legs ached less. Music is my only savior when running sucks. 

Mile 6-7 (halfway point) cut through a neighborhood. Although I appreciated the change of scenery, it wasn't any better. 

Miles 7-10 were back on the same long road. I told myself I would not walk, but the pavement was killing me. And there it happened, somewhere between mile 8-9 I was walking. Ugh! So disappointed in myself. RunKeeper said I was at an 8:34/mile pace. OK, now my goal is to at least keep this under 2 hours.

Between miles 10-11 you cross over the main bridge into Ocean City, MD. Seeing all of the familiar landmarks and hotels raised my spirits a bit. I started to pick up the pace at the mile 11 marker. There was a spectator with a sign that said "you trained longer for this than Kim Kardashian's first marriage". That made me crack a smile. I mean I really was almost done! The race hung a sharp right and led runners to the boardwalk. Was this the finish?

No. Mile 12 was on the boardwalk. Then you had to run another .5 up and loop back around to finish in front of a Thraser's Fries and Ripleys Believe it or Not. Let me tell you, the smells of the boardwalk are not appealing after running for nearly 2 hours. I thought I was going to toss my cookies for sure (luckily, I hadn't eaten, if I did it would have happened). As I ran along the boardwalk for the last mile the beach was on my left. The sun was trying to peer through. This sight made me so elated. Then, at perfect timing, the Beach Boy's Kokomo started playing on my phone. and I saw Tassha running on the other side of the boardwalk (less than a mile behind me). I started smiling and waving like a delirious invalid, but it was like the universe was coming together to make this easier. RunKeeper announced I was 1 hour 55 minutes. I started sprinting through the last turn and I could see the finish line in the distance. Less than half a mile. I was going to get under 2 hours if it killed me.

And there it is. Official time of 1:58:48. I was just so damn happy it was over. 

Post Race

I got my medal, a foil insulated cover (an attempt to keep warm post run in chilly weather) and 2 post race beers! Tassha came in shortly after me, just over 2 hours. She had her own hurdles through this race as well (not the best wardrobe choices, to say the least). We both agreed the course was boring and maybe we would have done better in other circumstances. Whatever. It was over and now we could eat, drink, and take a shower.

Since it was Tassha's first time in OC, it was my privilege to show her the sites. Seacrets  is always a must see.

Half marathon finishers

We ended up bar -hopping a bit before crashing at midnight. Overall I would call this a successful trip. even if I didn't bring home a PR. I have the Wine Country Half Marathon on June 4th - so I have about a month before I can try it all over again :)

For anyone who is interested, here is my playlist that keeps me such good company when I'm logging hours/miles on the road:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbf5E76jXhV-7bfZM14qqqKI5TXdwVE-8

Upcoming Races:

Loudoun Lyme 10K - 5/15 in Brambleton, VA

Cindy Funds's Deep Creek 10 mile trail loop  - 5/21 in Deep Creek, MD

Ringing in Hope 10K - 5/30 in Ashburn, VA

VA Wine country Half Marathon - 6/4 in Leesburg, VA

Twilight Festival 4 Miler - 6/11 in Ashburn, VA

Happy racing - until next time :)

India