Keepin' it real: Scientific Data Week 9

Having the Memorial Day holiday last weekend...well, I didn't get my long shuffle in.  

Having Her Royal Highness home from school this week...well, I didn't get as many shuffles in.  

Finding a daily excuse to not shuffle...well, I had pretty low miles this week.

Being lazy...sitting and eating...well, I really didn't accomplish much of anything this week.

The goals I set for myself in last week's post....well, I didn't meet any.

Not... a...single...one.

Did I do ANY strength training?  Nope

Did I do "a couple more of those 6 milers"?  Negative

Did I meet that 10 mile mark?  Ummm...that'd be a big fat NO.

But...thank God for Fridays!  A new day...a new week ahead...a time to reflect and set new goals...

Right?

On a positive note...

I ran my second race of the season on Memorial Day.  It was a 4 miler...and I averaged just under 10 minute miles!  What a difference from my first disaster of a race back in March!!  

Here's a picture of the shoes I wore for the race:

It was an absolutely amazing race!  I even caught up with my husband (which NEVER happens!)...but he ended up finishing a few seconds ahead of me....I'll get him next time!!

Well....it is picture day...and I know you all want your bi-weekly dose of walrus-blubber...so I will oblige....

Week 1

Week 9

What in the world is that hole in my gut?  

Is it.....could it be.....my.....belly button?!?!

Week 1

Week 9

(Juan Paco wants to show off his new, skinny self....show off!!)

NUMBER TIME:

Days until half:  15 

Miles shuffled this week:  10 (Yikes!!!  Measly!!)

Average pace:  Roughly 10:30 min/miles

Beginning weight:  165

Last week's weight:159

Today's weight:  159 

Number of times I had to step on the scale to wear the battery down a bit to get the 159.8 off of the screen: 5

Next week's goal:  Same as last week's...only....I have to actually WORK toward those goals!!!

Keepin' it real: Scientific data week 8

The other day, it was about 85 degrees and sunny.  

I decided to go for a long shuffle...I was shooting for 8-10 miles.  

8-10...hot...hilly...miles.  

Sounded like a great idea!!

I put on my super-duper hydration pack, filled with 20 oz. of an ice cold mix of water and Gatorade, extra socks, my new water shoes (so I could test them out on the gravel berm on the side of the road), band aids, GU, my phone, my ID...and the kitchen sink.

Yes...that pack felt like it weighed 20 lbs. (Especially as it bounced around on my waist the entire time!)

I put on my scuba socks, turned on my music, and hit the hot asphalt.

When I shuffle, my music of choice needs to be relaxing.  I cannot shuffle to the music of Lady Ga Ga or any type of music that has a heavy dance beat.  (I'd be too busy dancing...and singing...down the street ... people would call the police...wreck their cars...it would be ugly...).

Shuffling is truly difficult for me...the entire time. I have to constantly remind myself to relax any muscles that are not necessary for forward propulsion.  If my jaw is tight...that doesn't do anything to advance me forward...it is wasted energy.  I cannot afford to waste energy!!  Maybe someday I will be an energy millionaire...today is not that day.  I must be frugal with my energy if I am to survive my shuffles. 

Relaxing music helps me to stay relaxed and save energy.

Lately, my relaxing music of choice has been Contemporary Christian Radio on Pandora.  Not only is this relaxing, it is uplifting and energizing.  It is my one hour of quiet time with God...and I have really come to enjoy it.  I feel renewed and peaceful after my shuffle...this is the feeling to which I have become addicted.

On this particular day, I chose to listen to Coldplay....my "first favorite" running music.

My shuffle was slow...I took MANY drink breaks (at least every mile).  The sun was extremely hot and I was soaked in sweat by mile 2.  

At mile 3 a little dog ran out into the road as her owner called after her.  I stopped and walked the dog back to the safety of her driveway.  Her owner kept talking to me ...telling me I needed to run a little faster to catch up to where I would have been had I not stopped (ha ha ha...no kidding!  Thanks for that, by the way!).  I agreed, slightly annoyed that she kept talking to me...and that the traffic kept coming and I couldn't cross the street to continue on my way.  After about 3 minutes I was back on the road, plodding along.

My goal was to run to Her Royal Highness's preschool...that would have made a 10 mile round trip.  I questioned the safety of this route for a bit, but eventually rationalized that I had plenty of fluids and GU to keep me hydrated and I'd be fine. This route kept me on mostly moderately traveled roads but would put me on two main heavily traveled roads for about 2-3 miles.  

As I neared the first main road, the sun was excruciatingly hot.  My feet were especially hot in my black scuba socks....plus, it was mostly up hill.  I stopped several times to take in a sip of water and to complain about how hot and miserable I was.  I mostly....walked.

As I came to the main road, I saw police lights.  The traffic was backed up for several hundred yards and the road was blocked.  An accident had just happened, probably within the past 5 minutes.

My first thought was 'Oh man!!  Now I have to re-route myself!  I had this all planned out!!  Darn it!!'

Then a little voice spoke in my head... "You could have been standing right there when that accident happened."

Then I got the chills.

Oh my goodness....had that little dog not come out...had that annoying woman stopped talking to me...had the traffic not kept me from continuing...had the temperature been 10 degrees cooler....

I could have been right where that car had gone off the road.

I had completely ignored my quiet time with God up to this point...in all honesty, I hadn't given Him a single thought...

I stopped walking, and thanked God for my safety and protection.  I said a prayer for the safety of those who had been involved in the accident...

and turned on my Pandora radio station.

I spent the rest of my shuffle enjoying my time with Him and grateful for the assurance (and reassurance) that He is always with me....even in my extremely selfish moments.

Scientific data time:

Days until half:  22 (Yikes!!!  Biting fingernails off!!  Will move to toenails soon!!!)

Shuffling miles this week:  15.75 (only shuffled twice :(  ... But my 6 miler was amazing!!!)

Average pace:  Roughly 11:15 minutes/mile (During my recent 6 miler I believe I was in the 9 minute mile zone...though I have no scientific evidence of that)

Pilates...yoga...anything else??? :  No :(  

Beginning weight:  165

Last week's weight:  160.8

Today's weight:  159.4 (YAY!!  Out of the 160's!!)

Next week's goal:  Strength training!!  Do a couple more of those 6 milers!! :)  Reach the 10 mile mark!!  

Keepin' it Real: Scientific Data Week 7

Oh joy.  It's accountability day again. My favorite day of the week.  The day where I see just how much all of my sweating and soreness hasn't paid off.

Sense my enthusiasm?

In all actuality,  I had a pretty productive and active week...especially considering the horrible week I had previously.  I did at least an hour of exercise everyday for the past 5 days, but all I have to show for it is an extra 8/10 of a pound and about 20 zits on my chest and back....

That's attractive....

I'll spare you the picture of those....



But I wont spare you the pictures of my Walrus Blubber (which has now become the terminology of choice for both of my girls).

Two weeks ago, when I posted my pics, I put on my pair of size 12's for my photo shoot and they were extremely comfortable!  My gut didn't hang over them anymore!  Imagine my surprise and excitement!!
Holy cow!  I thought to myself.  Maybe all of this shufflin' IS working after all!

Then...I realized they were the wrong pair of jeans.
Imagine my complete disappointment when I put on the correct pair and my gut looked
exactly...the...same as it had looked in week 3.

So  I marked my jeans that I use for pictures so I wouldn't make that mistake again (my psyche cant take much more of that abuse!)

Today, I put on the CORRECT jeans and they actually went on a little easier!!  I didn't have to jump up and down and ninja kick to get them over my legs!!  I just pulled them up! They buttoned a little easier too!  The view I had of myself in the mirror was a little nicer than the view the pictures show....

However, I actually gained weight this week :(
(sigh)

I also spoke with my doctor about the past couple months and she increased my thyroid medication...we'll see if that helps at all.

Ok...data time....

Week 7

Week 1

Week 1

Week 7

Scientific data:

Days until half marathon:  29....(beginning to panic....)
Beginning weight:  165
Today's weight: 160.8

Miles shuffled:  15 (my average pace has gone from 12-13 min/mile to 11:15 min/mile.  By no means is  that fast...perhaps not yet considered "running".... but it IS improvement!!)

Typical distance per shuffle:  5-6 miles

Longest shuffle:  9 miles (2 weeks ago) For those of you who will never trust my word due to the shenanigans I pulled on April Fool's day, here's the proof:

Bike miles:  10  

Pilates:  Once :(  

Longest shuffle I planned to accomplish (yesterday):  10

Actual miles I shuffled yesterday:  4 

Why?:  Because...shuffling sucks when I'm doing it!!  It was hot!!  I was thirsty!! The road was hot!! My feet were sore!!  My legs were sore!!  I had to pee!!  I have a burn on my stomach where my sports bra rubs against my fat..and it was hurting!!  

My plan for the coming week:  Rest my legs and feet for the next day or two so I can accomplish a strong long run this weekend (8-10 miles); become familiar with the half marathon course by practicing on it; pick up some water shoes and practice running on the rocky trails I will have to endure for 3 miles during our half; continue to toughen the soles of my feet so they can endure the hot asphalt of the half marathon course.

Help! I've fallen off the wagon and I can't get up!

Hi...my name is Karen..and I am addicted to junk food and "sitting and eating"....it has been one week since I have done ANY kind of exercise whatsoever....or eaten ANY kind of healthy meal, come to think of it...

I have had a week and a half of parties, water parks, restaurants, and holidays.....

I am amazed at how quickly my "old ways" have become so comfortable again!

Amazed....and disgusted!!

No joke....just yesterday (Mother's Day), I tore up a Malley's hot fudge sundae....for DINNER!!  Yes...dinner.  NOT for dessert AFTER dinner.....FOR dinner!!!

(Just looking at that picture makes my mouth water....)

I need an intervention!!!

Last night, I discovered something while playing with my fat....

(Yes....

I play with my fat....

There are two things I do daily with my stomach....I check it out in the mirror...and I play with my fat....

Much like a pregnant woman rubs her round belly...I rub my round belly too...

and push on it like the Pillsbury Dough Boy...

or squeeze it like it's a monstrous ball of Silly Putty....

Doesn't everybody??.....

I digress....)

So...while playing with my fat I noticed...

a stretch mark....

a soft, indented, stretchy, long, horrifying

stretch mark.

I know...it IS miraculous that I don't have a bunch of them...a gut like this should, logically, be covered in them...but mine is not.  But, just under the left part of my bulging gut (the left-sided bulge IS bigger then the right-sided one), there it is.  

At first I panicked...certainly I was mistaken!  This had to be a scar from one of my abdominal surgeries! ....

but it wasn't.  

It was the first physical indicator... hard-core scientific data... that my skin is being stretched to capacity...

So today...I recommit to my self and my plan.  I have only 34 days until my half marathon!  

I am finding it frustrating to have to recommit every single day!!  But I suppose this is what addiction is, no matter if it is drugs, alcohol...or food.  It is a struggle and a daily commitment to better choices...healthier choices.  

And daily accountability....

It is exhausting and frustrating...but "They" say slow, daily steps are the only way to a larger goal...

The only.....flippin'......way........ (sigh)

Fine.  

Keepin' it real....Scientific data: Week 5

Like most abusive relationships, it is hard to truly cut ties with the abuser....

I went back to my scale yesterday.

It read 161.6....same as it read last Friday....still abusive and cruel....nothing had changed.

Convinced that my scale must be broken, I asked my mom if I could use hers....

It read....164.6!  

"Your scale is MEAN!!"  I said to my mom.

"Here...turn it toward the toilet and put it on that tile right there" she said, pointing to the floor.

I did....I stepped on it....it read 166.6!

What the....?!?!?!

Panicked, I jumped off...yelled "I'm building muscle!!"....and left in a hurry to go on a shuffle.

On my shuffle, I got things back into perspective...that's the great thing about shuffling (or walking, or biking, or Pilates....)....it always makes me feel better and clears my head.  It doesn't matter how good I am, or how fast I'm going...as long as I am going, it cleanses my soul!

By the time I reached my turn around point, I was feeling confident and strong again.  I had a great week this past week and was proud of my accomplishments.  I had even woken up a couple early mornings to work on the Pilates reformer.  

I thought about you, the readers of this blog, ...how your words of encouragement keep me going each day...how you laugh with me at my shortcomings....how you have told me that I inspired you to walk farther, try to run, try to be healthier....(which is both SURPRISING and AMAZING to me :)  ).... if I didn't have to hold myself accountable to you each week, I would have given up on this in my second week, like I always did before...I KNOW this is true.  

For YOUR inspiration, kind words, and for letting me know that you are following and enjoying my story, I thank you!! :)

So...as I promised two Fridays ago, here are my comparison pictures of my "blubber"

Week 1

Week 5

Week 1 

Week 5

I wish I could figure out how to get these pics side by side without screwing up everything... Oh well....

And my numbers:

Days until half marathon: 43 (starting to panic!!)

Starting weight:  165

Today's weight:  160!!!!!! (Really?!?!  I lost 1.6 lbs since yesterday??  My scale IS abusive!!  But, I   think I love it again....)

Miles shuffled:  20!!!!!!!  TWENTY!!!!!!!  :)

Pilates:  3 or 4...I can't remember.....

Goal for long shuffle this weekend:  8 miles

Did I mention:  TWENTY MILES THIS WEEK!!!  :)

Onward.....

Was that an earthquake?

Today was a beautiful day for a shuffle!  So....I went...

About a mile into my shuffle, I passed a house with a pond.  I could hear a frog chirping....it was the most beautiful sound.
All of my attention became focused on that frog's beautiful song...

Suddenly,  I heard a movement in the ditch right next to me...

I jumped!
My heart skipped a beat...

What the heck was that?!  I thought...expecting to see a squirrel or something scampering in the ditch.

What I saw was a large clump of asphalt from the road rolling into the ditch...

A large clump of asphalt....that was just attached to the road...

that I had just stepped on.

Yes....as I passed that spot....a large clump of asphalt broke off and rolled into the ditch.

Either....that was an extremely poorly-timed, coincidental, act of erosion...

or I am now registering on the Richter Scale...


      Dear Richter Scale,

      Please read my blog post from Friday, April 26th....
      you are next!!!

      Love, Karen

Day of rest

As I awoke this morning, I decided I'd use today as a "rest day"....after all...I earned it with my 7 mile shuffle yesterday!

I stretched in my bed and debated whether or not I should get up at that moment...then my older daughter, who has somehow managed to stay out of this blog for the past month, crawled into bed with me...decision made.

She snuggled up against me and I wrapped my arms around her...I love waking up with my babies on the weekends!

She rested silently, sucking her thumb, looking at me as I looked at her beautiful little face...such a sweet angel...I could've rested there all day with her like that....

Then she spoke....

"Your legs look like walrus blubber." she stated as she looked down at my bare legs.  "Can I warm my feet in your blubber?" she asked as she stuck her cold toes between my thighs.

Walrus blubber.

Walrus blubber?!


Perhaps won't be a "rest day" after all....