Coffee....or caffeine...chocolate....sugar....

I don't care but I need something. Anything. My eyes are closing and I have 3 more hours of work. Last night I stared at my ceiling for hours.  This happens occasionally but not too often. I guess I was just thinking about a million things. Things to do, things not to do, things to remember, things to forget....things I want and enjoy thinking about and things I could go for the rest of my life and never think about again.  Nonetheless I was awake, staring at my ceiling. I wish I had a treadmill. I bet I would use it a lot.

Tonight I have to pick out my race outfit for Sunday and finish packing for the weekend. That shouldn't be too hard or time consuming. But then again....what should I wear?

One more day stands between me and the beach....

Stoked...like a fire!

Tomorrow I gear up and start packing for the long-anticipated Girls Virginia Beach Half Marathon Long Weekend Trip. I'm stoked, already channeling my inner Beach Girl....I'm hoping this isn't my last trip to the beach for the summer but I'm afraid it will be. Next weekend begins LB's fall soccer and my marathon training will begin to monopolize much of my weekend morning time as well.   I'm going to make the most of this trip.

This text from one of The Girls this evening got me to thinking....

Yeah, why not just plop myself down in a beach chair Saturday and not get up until Monday? We both know we will show up for the race. The plan was further developed (at least for me, I can't exactly speak for her, but I'm fairly certain she will run) and it will be an easy run Saturday AM followed by some beach yoga, followed by beach-sitting and sun-soaking, followed by expo, followed by more beaching....followed by a 13.1 jaunt around Virginia Beach, followed by more beach sitting.....Sounds glorious...

I was asked about a goal for the race. I think my A Goal will be the same as it is for all my races: Finish with a smile. If it's not fun then it's not worth doing, and I might as well be sitting on the beach. Realistic B Goal is under 2:10. This would be one of my slower half's by history, but given the heat and humidity during this summer's training and absence of speed work, I think that is a realistic goal. And I dare not make a C Goal. 

So anyone else heading to Virginia Beach this weekend? And anyone else gone to an amazing place to run a race and just skipped out of it so you could just laze around? 

To the west coast and back...

What a whirlwind trip to the PNW and back! Where do I start? I hate it when I log off for a few days then return with a novel's worth of stories and things to discuss. I guess first and foremost is The Dress....



It fit, slid on like nothing. Zipped right on up....Although it was altered (a tiny bit) I did end up shedding almost 5 pounds before the wedding, in two weeks. That's good since I needed to drop them anyway. So the challenge served it's purpose, it got me motivated and back on track. These results were due to a combination of training and eating right. For the record I ate only TWO of my favorite Safeway M&M Sugar Cookies. Now that is some serious self-control. And now, I am in a good position as far as body weight for training for my upcoming races: Virginia Beach 13.1 on Sunday, a relay for an Olympic Tri on Oct 6 (guess which leg I am doing? Not the bike that's for sure! Not the run....but 1500m swim. Guess who is hitting the pool starting tomorrow? This girl!), and OBX 26.2 in November. I have a full race schedule and I have no idea how that happened.

And here is me and my Official Race Crew and TFF (Total Friend Forever)...Love her...

While in Washington I could not pass up an opportunity to hook up with many of my favorite people who also just so happen to be bloggers! Mel set up the location and details. It was so great to see everyone and catch up IN PERSON.  Jess and TMB were in town for the Hood to Coast Relay, and it worked out perfectly to see them! How cool is it that all of us have met and become friends through the blogosphere?

Chelsea, Kerrie, Me, Jess, Mel, Tonia, Zoe

While at the Camping Wedding I got to try something new, the Slack Line. I must get one of these for my own back yard. Talk about a challenge. The SUP was absolutely nothing compared to this...

This is the owner and operator of the Slack Line. He was good...He cruised right on across like it was nothing, even stopping to squat down and back up.

And then, there's me...I tried to do it all by myself but it was not going to happen. I fell off a few times, got my toe caught, and not to mention got pegged by a rogue frisbee midway through. 

Even LB got in on the fun...He did better than me but got brave after a while.  I kept catching him trying it by himself...thankfully there were no broken bones or blood shed. 

I've been having a great time trying new things this summer. I'm not ready for summer to end just yet...but maybe fall and winter will bring new adventures too. Who knows?

Well I am back in NC and prepping for my girl's weekend to Virginia Beach for the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. This will be my first race since The Big Sur Incident. I'm a bit nervous to see how my knee holds up and I am hopeful it will be just fine. I have no real goal in mind....although a sub two is pretty much the standard. However I know that may not be realistic given the heat and humid conditions I have been training in. So a finish and no injury will be a success.

Anyone ever tried the Slack Line? And what else should I try???

Operation Bridesmaid: Zip the Dress Day 8

Success. Sweet success. As of Monday afternoon the dress was on and zipped.  Fit like OJ Simpson’s glove…

I cannot tell a lie, however, and must confess. I took the dress in to a Miracle Worker who looked it over and told me, with little hope in her voice, “I can let it out. Maybe an inch.” I said, “Do it. Whatever it takes.” 

Even though I knew it was going to be altered I also knew it was going to be close, tight. I spent the last 8 days being very aware of my food choices, other than Monday night’s sushi date with J-Ninja. With just 8 days of cutting sugar and eating more veggies, and added workouts, I was able to drop 3 pounds, which I believe is a healthy amount of weight loss for 8 days. In the end, the lesson learned here is that I need to make better choices, not just two weeks before putting on a fancy dress, but always. Every day. Making the right food choices is hard, but worth it. I am finding that intrinsic desire to be healthy holistically. In other words, I am finding the motivation within myself-not from outside sources, to be healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally. 

Today LB and I hopped a jet outa the South and into the Pacific Northwest for my Official Race Crew's wedding. We arrived just a little bit ago....so I'm going to cut this one short and call it a night. 

I've missed this girl......

Operation Bridesmaid: Zip the Dress Day 6...

Grumpy? Yes. Will I bite your head off if you cross me? Most likely. Will I forgive you if you hand me chocolate? Absolutely.....

So how am I doing on day 6 of my challenge? I'm doing ok. I am down 3, that is THREE, pounds since last Sunday. I'm pretty sure that is not enough to Zip the Dress but it's a start. I've been healthy too, not starving myself, but making much better food choices. It hasn't been easy but I haven't been too hard on myself either. I have incorporated more workouts, which is what I need to be doing anyway. Tomorrow I am hitting up a new running trail for 10 miles...rain or shine. And it is raining right now...

This week I have run and run and done my own killer, mini CrossFit style workouts.

You've missed my Signature Pose, haven't you?

On my back porch I discovered that Burpees really are horrible. I'm still feeling the workout.

25 KB swings
25 crunches
15 push-ups
20 flutter kicks
10 burpees (with the push-up)
---Repeat 3 times....

Yes, that is a gross pile of dripped sweat....

And random fact of the day: The batteries in my scale died. I left it for weeks but then deiced to finally replace the batteries since I have a dress to fit into. I found the random-sized lithium batteries and replaced them....

BUT then I was driving home this evening and my car had a weird light in the shape of a key flashing a warning at me. My car has a keyless fob and no ignition. So this was concerning. I dug out my handy dandy car book and discovered that my keyless fob is dying. NOT GOOD. How do I get in my car or drive if it dies? I don't.  Where is the random fact? Well the fob takes the same kind of random lithium batter as my scale...so needless to say I need to eventually, once again replace the batteries in my scale. 

So seven and a half days until the wedding and I am down three pounds. Let's hope this dress fits....

Operation Bridesmaid: Zip the Dress Day 1.5

So how am I doing 36 hours after kicking off Operation Zip the Dress? Well it's tough. Yesterday was good. I ran 8 miles, watched some Olympics, and mowed my yard. I ate right and had a knock down drag out with a sugar craving. Today so far has been good too. I'm busy, which always helps. BUT the hard part is my stupid candy basket at work....it sits an arm's length away, staring at me.

The Candy Basket

I'd like to not have it but sometimes, in my profession, you need something to help connect with the kids. So it stays and I work on my will power-hourly. 

Thanks for all the encouragement from yesterday's post. And just for those of you who may need some proof that indeed, 3 months ago I fit into a size 6, and today I do not,  here is the photo proof:

It zipped!

One word: UGH.

Tonight I'll hit the neighbor(ing)hood for a run followed by jumping rope and KB swings, followed by a delicious, healthy dinner....And the challenge continues.

Operation Bridesmaid: Zip the Dress....

I'm going to blame my lack of blogging on the Olympics. Yeah, that's it. I've been busy focusing on my event so I can go for the gold....Gold medal in Laying in Bed Until 12 PM Eyes Glued to the TV...I win!! Anyone else thoroughly depressed that it's almost over for another four, long, platform-diving free years? I love watching all the sports that just don't get headlines like beach volleyball, diving, normal volleyball, pole vaulting, triple jumping...It's great!

This weekend I logged my longest run post-tumor (ok it's a cyst but really what is the difference?). J-Ninja and I swam ran 8 miles. It was so muggy that I got the annoying hotbumps, you know goosebumps when you are overheating and about to die. It was so humid that water and sweat just beads up and runs into your eyes and your clothes are drenched. It felt like we were swimming. When your sweat can't evaporate you just get hotter and hotter until you reach a core temperature of 200 degrees, no exaggeration. I've been having a little bit of pain in the knee, which is a bummer but I expected it to happen once I upped my mileage. Today was a first though, my leg from the lower calf down to the tips of my toes, was completely numb. The doctor had told me the cyst was on a nerve which is what was most likely causing the numbness while I sleep. But experiencing while on the run was new. But the run and training must go on, I have a half marathon coming up on September 2.

In a bit over a week I'll be heading to the PNW to be in my TFF's (Total Friend Forever) wedding. I am so excited to get back there and see my friends and just be there. I hope to get in at least a couple of runs on my old favorite routes. And no pressure but my bridesmaid dress...yeah it doesn't fit. How this happened I have no idea. Ok, I lied I know how it happened. I tried it on and ordered it three days after Big Sur marathon. Big mistake. I think this was a big mistake only because I was also injured and followed Big Sur training with two months off. I didn't run, or do anything, for two full months. So here I am, two weeks out from the wedding and I've got to get this dress to fit. Commence Operation Bridesmaid. Can I do it? I have no idea....but I don't really have a choice. It took about 9 weeks for my dress to come in after ordering it so there is no way I am getting another one. My only option is to amp up the workouts and nail my diet (or get it altered....but I'd rather slim down). It's certainly going to be a challenge, especially since I will be traveling the week prior to the wedding. So that means one week at home and then I have to be disciplined while on the road....no Safeway M&M sugar cookies...until AFTER the wedding. It is possible to be disciplined and healthy while traveling but it is also difficult. I am already planning my attack, healthy, fresh, organic veggies and fruits from the local market should help.

So what am I working with, you ask? Here it is....for everyone to see....

 I did get the top latched but then when I lifted my arms it busted...oops.

What do you think? Can I get it to zip in two weeks? I'm thinking two-a-day workouts and clean eating should do the trick.....Place your bets! 

The Cold Hard Truth About Training in the Summer...

It sucks.
It's hot.
It's humid.
It's hard to breath.
It makes me swear sweat a lot.
It's hard.
It's challenging.


IT'S WORTH IT.

Did I miss anything?