The Desire To Race (Erin)

In celebration of being able to jog a mile for the first time in TEN YEARS I signed up for a one-mile fun run, scheduled for last Saturday. In my enthusiasm, I all but forced invited Tony to join me.

After being out late Friday, I made myself get up at 5:45 a.m. and get ready to run.

When I got close to the event I noticed clouds...then lightning. How depressing. I figured I should go and see what the status was when the race began. We still had time. Maybe things would turn around.

After I picked up my registration packet, and my first EVER race bib, I called my running buddy Tony. He hadn't finished getting ready to leave the house. He felt awful. He would have to murder me for waking him up at this hour on a Saturday. He really hit me with his best guilt trip speech to date. It should be no surprise to anyone who has had a friend longer than ten years that I didn't feel guilty. At all.

Then they canceled the race. :( I'm glad, because it isn't exactly safe to run in a lightning storm. But I'm also a little sad. It would've been a major milestone, and I was actually looking forward to it.

The two of us with our (sadly) unused bibs.

I made Tony come anyway. Because, well, I have best friend privileges. And if you make me listen to your guilt tripping, I will find an equal torture for you to endure. Like having to wake up and eat breakfast with your best friend when you  really just want to go back to bed. He stopped hating me after his nap that day, which is about as long as we can make it as far as staying mad at each other goes.

Not much else to report. Things are moving along. I am not losing weight right now, instead my body has decided to get caught in a rut. That's ok. It happens. I'm just trying to focus on cementing my new habits and enjoying the ride.

Here's to a new week! And hope for a race that isn't canceled.

Major Catch-Up Session (Erin)

Oh wow. Where to begin?

You know what, here's where to begin: I can run a CONTINUOUS MILE now! To test the theory I've been to the track twice...one extra time to be sure it wasn't a fluke the first time. My prayer life has gotten much stronger, and I can run a mile! Ok, jog slowly. STILL!

Realizing the toll jogging takes on a person, I got fitted for a pair of running shoes to be sure I'm taking care of my body. I've been concerned about my knees popping and being a little sore. That seems to be getting better with my new specially-fitted-with-an-insole-and-everything Brooks running shoes.

I have learned a lot from talking to seasoned runners:
**Your body has a weakest link. It will showcase its weakness when you train. (Mine is my left knee.) You know when to go to the doctor, but you also know when to train through it.
**An over-the-counter anti-inflamatory and an ice pack are strong medicine when you're running consistently.
**When you take care of your body, you start from the feet up. Instability in your feet is going to work up to your knees and hips. That's why getting the right shoes is so important in avoiding injuries!

Ok, ok, besides THOSE shoes, I got another pair. They're much more girly. Ready? I mean, not just ready...ready to feel a rush of shoe love?

HIGH HEEL BOOTS!! Aren't they amazing?! I wish fall would come so I could wear them out.

Let me tell you, I have big legs. Last year when everyone else was buying super cute boots, I had to buy super low boots to fit my lower legs. It was depressing. When my leg fit into knee-high boots this year, it made my day! *happy dance*

Ok, ok...weight update. *wipes sweet off brow my shoe excitement* I have lost barely under 50 pounds on my new scale, a little over 50 pounds on my beloved old scale. Thank you, Jesus! I am so glad to see that milestone. AND I did better than I thought in the Biggest Loser contest, making it all the way up to second place! That was a nice accomplishment, but at the end of the day it's all about moving on when things are victorious and when circumstances get you down. So I'm not gloating. Just moving forward.

Things are still going well on the whole. Here are a few of the foods I'm enjoying lately, in case you need a little inspiration.

Chicken stuffed with a blend of herbed goat cheese and 1/3-less-fat cream cheese then topped with Paula Deen seasoning (which is surprisingly easy to make at home, see recipe: http://www.cookinlean.com/2010/08/cooking-light-with-ina-garten-chicken.html). The recipe calls for plain goat cheese and basil. I had herbed goat cheese, which was perfect. 

I adore ranch dressing. Since childhood. Can't help myself. I recently discovered this yogurt ranch. It tastes great, but it's made using a lighter base so you get 2 tablespoons for 45 calories. Sweet deal, wouldn't you say? 

And my latest food crush - champagne grapes. They're tiny and delicate. You pick them off their stem for what seems like an eternity. But they are soooo good! I found these at Whole Foods. They're worth searching for, I tell you.

I'm going to try to blog more often. Stay encouraged and fight for your best!