Busy June, and running plans

 I'm pretty sure I mentioned that my April miles were fantastic, and then my May miles went down again because I was dealing with a bad backache.  Well, so far in June I've been pretty lackluster again.  The first week in June I went to the Lake because I had a virtual conference and decided that it would be nice to do it at the Lake.  It was only a 3 day conference, but I decided to go for the whole week.  I ran 1.25 miles 5 days in a row, on hills, which I felt was very helpful, but that still only equals 6.25 miles for the week. Then last week I ran only 2x.  I went to Leavenworth with my sisters on Friday afternoon for the weekend, and I had planned to run Friday morning, but then didn't. 

I did print out a calendar with the thought of doing a half marathon in Sept, even decided on which one.  The training is supposed to start June 29th, but we shall see. . .I really would like to get back into half marathon shape, but that means I have to actually run regularly.

My June miles are not terrible.  I have one week left and I plan to run another 3-4 times, that will put me in the 30 mile range for the month.  And honestly, that might have been where I screwed up in April, I jumped from 23ish miles in March to 45 miles in April, which is probably why my body started falling apart in May.  

I am still struggling with my motivation to go run, but so far I'm averaging 3 miles, 3x a week, which is better than some of my weeks in the last 2 years or so.  Weekends used to be my favorite days to run because I could do it earlier in the day.  Back when I was running a lot of miles, my sweet time was about 10am, but right now, I'm lucky to even run one day on the weekends.  I haven't run any Sundays in June . . . but I was gone 3 of the 4 Sundays so far, so that is probably one reason why.

I am really struggling to get up and do pilates 4 days a week with my sister.  Last week I didn't do it at all because I flaked out 2 days and then neither one of us did it on the other two days.  I planned to flake out again today, but I pulled myself out of bed and did it.  Honestly, I think the weighted pilates is more important than the running, I just hate waking up to do it.  Running I am either doing during my lunch break (I bought wipes so I can do a "ho bath" afterwards) or in the evening after work.  

If I'm serious about doing a half marathon this fall, official training starts next week.  If I do it, my monthly mileage is going to jump from 35(ish) this month to 62 next month, and that's a bigger jump than my March to April, so that worries me a little.  But I would like to work on increasing my miles, and this seems the easiest/best way.  I'll (try) to keep you updated.  😊

Maddox was promoted from 8th grade to 9th grade, and then had his 14th birthday this month.  I can't believe he's already that old! Oh, and he got a hair cut. 

Here are some of my photos from going to the Lake and then Leavenworth.  I will try to keep them brief.

I gave Maddox his "big" birthday
gift early so he could use it at the Lake.
He loved it.

Me doing a work conference, and 
Maddox doing school.

Colonoscopy

 Well, after doing so well with my running in April, I have cut way back in May.  I cut back because I've been having some back pain, and I didn't want it to get worse.  Lucky me, it's gotten worse anyway.  My sister has been bugging me to go back to the dr and ask for an MRI, so I messaged them, and my provider is ordering a x-ray and physical therapy.  I'm not super happy with that.  I really don't want to do physical therapy, maybe it will help, but I am an active person, so I don't think that's the cause of it.  

I know in my last post I said that I had increased a bunch of things, but even after decreasing weights, not running on hills and stretching, it's not helping at all, so how can it be because I got more active.  I don't know.

I am getting a colonoscopy tomorrow, I've put it off for 3 years, but I finally decided to just do it.  I can't be getting mad at Chris for not doing medical things, when I am avoiding a colonoscopy.  You have to actually prep before a colonoscopy, which if I knew about that, I would have probably continued to put it off.  Basically the 3 days before you aren't allowed to have fiber.  It's supposed to be a protein heavy diet and then on the day before, clear liquids only, like broth.  I can have jello and popsicles, but nothing with red, purple or blue dye in it.  And then that evening you have to clear out your bowels by taking a supplement of some sort.  They have a pill form and a liquid form, the liquid sounded nasty (and you have to drink a gallon of it in a short amount of time) so I got the pill form, and then you sit on the toilet.  THEN at least 5 hours before the procedure you take the supplement again. 

My procedure is at 8:30am, and when I complained that meant I'd have to be up at 3:30 just to take the pills, she said I can start the pills earlier the next day because my procedure is so early, and then I have to wait 6 hours and can take the second dose.  I'm a little worried about not getting any sleep tonight, but I have a friend who did it and she said the second dose isn't too bad. Sitting on the toilet isn't as bad because you've already cleared your system out. I really, really hope she's right. 

Anyway, this high protein diet I've been doing helped me to lose 4lbs.  I assume the events of today will cause me to lose more, but I refuse to stick with today's diet (all liquid, and "poop pills").  I'm thinking I may work on keeping closer to a strict protein diet.  I also have not been drinking alcohol, so that may also play a factor in the weight.  I plan to continue that as well.  I'm going to weigh myself tomorrow after everything is out of my body and see how much shit I actually carry around.  😂

I ran this last weekend, on Sunday, but I haven't run since.  I was going to run today, but I don't think I'll be able to.  Once I'm done with the colonoscopy, I'm told that I'll go "back to normal" and be fine (I can eat and drink whatever I want), so maybe I'll go run tomorrow, although there is sedation that happens, so I may be sleeping.

We did go to e. WA last weekend, which I forgot about.  But here's a picture of the sunset Saturday night after it rained a ton.

Still here, still running

 Oops, I didn't write at all in April.  That was not on purpose!  Anyway, I have not stopped doing all the things, in fact, I upped my running in April.  

The last few weeks I've had some back pain that just won't go away.  It feels muscular, not spinal, but I went to the dr last week anyway because it got worse.  I even quit all activity for 8 days but it actually felt worse.  Anyway, the dr didn't think there was anything wrong, other than overuse, upping mileage, running hills, and increasing my weights for weighted pilates. I've been doing some stretches and she said she thought it would be fine to exercise, just listen to my body.  

Just now I was looking at mapmyrun and noticed that I ran 45 miles in April.  That's not a lot when looking at my past mileage, but for the last few years I've really struggled with motivation to go run, so I looked back at my monthly mileage to see the last time I ran that much.  January 2023 is the last time I ran 45 miles in a month.  Plus, I have added hills back the last few months.  It makes sense that my body is rebelling.  

Anyway, I started running again this weekend, and did yoga for the first time this morning.  Yoga really bothered my back, but it's probably what I need most. 

Sunday I decided to brave crossing a highway.  It's a 2 lane highway, and is fairly busy, but they put a crosswalk on it a few blocks away and down from the street I live on, however, I didn't use the crosswalk, but it being there made me think I could cross.  It was a beautiful run, it basically went out of town into farming country, but was still only 3 miles.  I could make it longer, but 3 miles was perfect this weekend.  I will definitely be doing it regularly now. I even found a cemetery, and I love cemeteries.  

Stop stopping

When I went to college I gained weight pretty quickly, (I have never been really big, never bigger than 180ish), but I didn't notice it much.  I was 19-20-21, it wasn't a thought, I don't even know what I weighed.  Then I got pregnant and gained weight (obviously) from that, but after I had my son I did not lose much weight, my highest pregnancy weight was in the 180s, I probably went down to the 170s.  I had dropped out of college to have my son and get married, and when I went back I started taking a pill that was similar to phen-fen (even though apparently from my google search Phen-fen was already off the market at that time).  I lost 20lbs or so on that, I was exercising as well, and felt really good about myself.

I don't know my weight at all throughout my 20s, but I feel like I was pretty similar to what I am now (170s).  I regained some weight after the diet pills were no longer accessible, and then got pregnant with my second son.  I don't remember what I weighed in that pregnancy, but I know that it was lower than Damian's. But I ended my weight unconsciousness after having Maddox.  Only about 9 months after having him I started running again and consciously trying to lose weight, I was 177.

Like I said, up until then I did not think about my weight much, I was not super unhappy with how I looked.  No, I did not wear bikinis, but I never had, even in high school when I was small.  

My problem now is that I know and remember what it was like to be fitter, smaller, and feel good about my body.  Now I am pretty close to what I think is what most of my adult weight was and I am extremely unhappy with it.  Almost all my clothes (other than pants, because I had to increase the size) are clothes I wore when I was thinner and I remember what they looked like on me (I think I still look like that in them until I look at a mirror) and I get frustrated and mad when I see myself as I am now.

About a month ago, Chris told me he lost about 25 lbs.  He's been drinking a lot less and went for about 3 months with no alcohol.  I don't know if he changed what he was eating, but I know after he lost a bunch of weight, he started eating better, or at least less.  I actually had to look at an old picture of him and realized it was very noticeable.  (You know how hard it can be to tell as it happens because it's a slow process.)  

This is from our trip last August.

This is from a month ago.

Anyway, I thought, may be worth a try to give up alcohol for awhile.  I've been flirting with the idea anyway because I think my relationship with it could be healthier.  I'd like to try to have one or two drinks on the weekend, so I'm trying that first to see how it goes.  But I was also looking at a year ago when I was trying to lose weight for our August trip and I was somewhat successful.  I stalled and gave up, but I had lost close to 10lbs, and at that time I was intermittent fasting.  So I decided to go back to that.  This week I started both (cutting back alcohol and intermittent fasting) and I lost 2lbs.  And I was annoyed.  

The problem is the number is still high.  I remember when I lost the weight 10+ years ago, I was so happy to lose anything.  Now I want to lose 10 lbs in a week.  I want to go back to my 2015-2021 weights.  Even a "high" number like 155 would be fine with me. Ugh.  

Also, I need to let it work.  I need to stop stopping when it's too slow for my expectations.  

I forgot to post my runs, I ran 2x this week. 

3/17/2025 Monday: 2 miles, 11.20 min/mile

3/20 Thursday: 2 miles, 10.40 min/mile

Mid-March already?

 I have really slacked off with the running.  I don't really know why other than maybe because it got rainy?  Anyway, here is the last 4 weeks or so of (non)running.

2/18 Tuesday: 2 miles, 11.04 min/mile

2/26 Wednesday: 2 miles, 11.04 min/mile (hilly)

2/27 Thursday: 2 miles, 11.13 min/mile (hilly)

3/5 Wednesday: 2 miles, 11.12 min/mile

3/15 Saturday: 2 miles, 11.18 min/mile

Five runs in 4 weeks is terrible.  I have such a hard time forcing myself to go run nowadays.  It's really terrible, and when I'm sitting in my office thinking about it, I don't want to be that way.  But then when it's time to go run, I don't.  It doesn't help that my work has been really busy lately, so I don't have time at work and by the time I get home, I don't want to, or talk myself out of it. 

March 5th run

My weight hasn't budged, at all.  I am still high at 175.  Back when I was training for my first marathon (I realize that was 10 years ago now), I lost the weight while upping my mileage.  When I trained for my second marathon I ate a lot of crap but figured that the mileage increase would still help me lost weight, it didn't.  So my belief that running is not the key to losing weight began.  But now, I'm not running much and I am eating healthier, and I'm still not losing.  It's frustrating.

I know that it is related to my age.  10 years ago, was 10 years ago and I am now closer to 50 than 40.  I would like to figure this new body out, but I'm struggling.  

Mid-February check-in

2/2 Sunday: 3 miles, 11.17 min/mile

2/8 Saturday: 2 miles, 10.44 min/mile

2/9 Sunday: 3 miles, 11.05 min/mile

2/11 Tuesday: 2 miles, 11.27 min/miles (hilly)

2/13 Thursday: 2 miles, 11.08 min/mile (hilly)

2/15 Saturday: 3 miles, 10.53 min/mile

2/16 Sunday: 4 miles, 11.13 min/mile

I don't really know why I took the first week of February off from running.  We had ice and freezing temperatures, and I guess I just didn't want to bother with it.  I am planning on continuing to run in Mount Vernon on the hills during my lunch break.  For now, I 've decided not to increase those miles.  I can't even run the 2 miles without walking, so I figured I'd just keep with the 2 miles.  My min/mile are getting a tad faster, so that's not terrible.  

Yesterday I decided mid-run to run 3 miles, instead of 2.  When I was done I decided I'd run 4 miles today.  I know I want to increase mileage, but I've been reluctant.  2 miles is so easy, 3 miles seems so long.  It's easy to talk myself into a 2 mile run, not so easy to talk myself into a 3 mile run.  Today I ran 4 miles, I really didn't want to run.  I talked myself into 2 miles because I did 3 yesterday, then while running, I decided I might as well do the 3 miles.  At the turn-around point for 3 miles, I just kept going, and ended with 4 miles.  Often when I really don't want to run, I don't take Peanut with me.  I feel guilty about it, but I do like running without him, so I can usually force myself to do it if I don't take him.  

I'm still doing the weight training, although haven't been as diligent at doing it as often as I was.  Yesterday I did legs, and man do my legs and butt hurt today.  Earlier this week I did biceps, and that was also very, very painful the next day.  

I am still weighing myself daily, which is quite disappointing.  I am also taking measurements every 2 weeks or so, and I've seen a little bit of change there.  

Don't give up

1/28 Tuesday: 2 miles, 11.32 min/mile (hilly)

2/1 Saturday: 2 miles, 10.53 min/mile

I did not run as much in the last 2 1/2 weeks as I wanted to.  Last Friday I got a post put in my mouth where I had a tooth removed in November.  The post is for the fake tooth that will get put in my mouth in 4 or so months.  Honestly, I think the post insertion is worse than the tooth pulling.  If your bone is good (jaw) they can put the post in at the same time as the tooth pulling, which is recommended, however, I had an infection and they said my bone was too soft for the post.  Instead they had to let my bone heal and then they drilled into it and put the post in.  It sucks.  

Anyway, my first run after that was Tueseday.  I was going to run again on Thursday, but then I got sick, really, really sick, and that prevented that run.  Today I'm feeling better, so I went for a run.  It means that I ran only 27 miles in January.  

I'd like to get back into hilly running shape, so my plan is to run on lunch breaks at work 2 times a week.  I keep looking back on when I started running in 2012, wondering if I can do that again.  But I just don't think that's going to happen.  Back then I was running 5 days a week, I haven't run 5 days a week since 2013.  But I am essentially starting from scratch.  

I have quit focusing on my weight, and have been recording my measurements.  I decided I'd do the beginning of the month and the middle of the month.  Sadly, I'm not going down much, but there is a little progress by a half inch here and there.  I am still weighing myself, but have not lost anything at all.  It is frustrating, but I don't want to let it get to me, not yet.  

In January 2024 I stated, on this blog, that I would not be at the same place come January 2025.  Sadly, I am exactly where I was in Jan. 2024.  I gave up in August, maybe July because I knew I wouldn't get to where I wanted to be by the time we went on the cruise.  So stupid, I was down 10lbs or so, but I gained it back in the 4 months between then and now.  I have to keep that in mind when I think about giving up again.  

Hills?

1/18 Saturday: 2miles, 11.09min/mile

1/19 Sunday: 3miles, 11.36min/mile

1/20 Monday: 2miles, 10.54min/mile

1/23 Thursday: 2miles, 11.49min/mile

Yesterday I knew I wasn't going to have time to run after work, so I decided to take running clothes to work. My job is about one mile from my old house, so I know the streets, and used to run on those streets.  Holy cow, the hills are killer.  I felt like I barely ran at all, but just walked most of the "run."  It was terrible, and also made me realize how out of shape I've become.  I used to run 3, 4, 5, 6+ miles in this neighborhood without stopping.  

Last fall I started doing hill repeats after work, but I quit when I got sick.  I'm thinking I need to do at least one day a week after work there doing hill repeats.  Either that or just start running that neighborhood again, but that would mean Peanut never gets out.  I don't know.

I have not done yoga consistently since October.  My sister was gone for a couple weeks and when she came back I was sick, then the holidays, and most recently my side/back issue.  So I have done yoga/pilates only about 3 weeks sporadically (not in a row) since October.  I have been doing the weight training with Caroline Girvan 3 to 5 days a week since a week before Christmas.  I haven't seen any results, but I am trying not to get discouraged.  

On another note, I measured Maddox this last week and he has grown!

That is 4 1/2 inches in one year! He is officially taller than me now.

I don't have a lot to say, but I am still wanting to update, because it's important to me to be consistent.  

Update

Thursday 1/9: 2 miles, 11.04 min/mile

Saturday 1/11: 2 miles, 10.39 min/mile

Sunday 1/12: 3 miles, 11.14 min/mile

Tuesday 1/14: 2 miles 11.29 min mile

Sometime last week I did something to my sideback.  On Thursday I could barely move, it hurt so bad.  It is getting better, but it hurts to sleep on my side, not because I'm laying on it, but because if I lay on the side that doesn't hurt, it scrunches the side that hurts, and if I lay on the side that does hurt, it stretches it and hurts.  I am not a natural back sleeper, but I've been trying to stay on my back.  

A few months ago I got a waist leash to help with Peanut's pulling, but he still pulls.  Saturday he was doing okay-ish, but then I let him sniff a couple dogs in their yard and he started jumping around to play, and pulled on the leash.  It almost brought me down from the pain in my side.  

I really wish it would snow here.  It's cold enough at night, but no precipitation.  That's the problem with this area, when it's cold enough to snow, it's always because there are no clouds.  The clouds insulate, so often when there is precipitation, it's too warm.  We haven't had a really good snow in a couple years.  It makes me sad.

What else is going on here?  I did 4 days of the weight program I've been doing last week, but today (Wednesday) was the first day I did it this week.  We'll see if I get my butt up the rest of the week.  

I don't have a lot to share, but wanted to update.

A couple days of running

 Sunday: 3 mile run. 11.45 min/mile

Monday: 2 mile run. 11.17 min/mile

A long time ago I decided you all (all 7 that follow me, who knows if all 7 even still look at my page) didn't care about the minutiae of my daily runs and my weight loss.  But I'm thinking that it is for me, not all you strangers.  So I have been writing them down here.  I just posted on Saturday, so felt like I should not post again so soon, but I am proud that I went for a run today.  

I didn't sleep well last night and was exhausted, so went home early. It was super sunny when I got home so I decided to go for a short run.  I also didn't want to take the dog, so I didn't.  I always feel guilty when I don't take him, but I get really tired of him pulling all the time. 

Well, I was talking to a friend, and I kinda sorta agreed to train for a half marathon in June.  I did put a caveat that I could back out up until March.  So we shall see.  

Anyway, the last two days runs. . . yesterday was 3 miles, and they were slow.  I am not able, or maybe it's just my brain telling me I'm not able, to run a full 3 miles without walking.  Looking at stats, I walked 3 min and was "idle" for 1 min.  My moving time was 31 min.  

Interestingly, today I only did 2 miles and walked for 2 min, but no idle time.  I'm thinking I need to quit walking.  Today I did a lot of activity, yoga this morning, a run, and then 10 min core workout with Caroline Girvan.  She has a lot of videos on youtube, which is what I am using, but apparently she also has an app or website that you can subscribe to.  I already subscribe to Beachyogagirl which I do with my sister, so I'm not willing to pay for another site.  The youtube videos are fine, I do wish I could filter them better, but so far I'm figuring it out.  I am not following just one of her series (she has several), but finding shorter ones (20 min) and keeping track of what body parts I'm doing so I don't repeat.  

If I'm going to be posting here more again, I need to start remembering to take more pictures.  I don't have any new ones from the last many runs.  This one is from October, but I didn't have Peanut that day either, so it works.  😊

back to the beginning

 First run of 2025 done, a short 2 mile run.  Pretty slow.  11.38 mile/min.  

Before getting a bigger dog, I thought that if I had a dog, I'd want to run more often. Peanut is a great running dog, but he's still a puppy and not always a great companion.  For example, before Christmas, he got spooked by a parked car (yes, parked) and jumped in front of me causing me to trip and fall. 🙄 Stupid dog.  He also pulls quite a bit, and while I got a waist leash and at least he's not pulling at my arm anymore, he's still pulling me. At first I thought that would help make me faster, but it just makes me more tired.  Even if I run faster, he's still pulling at me to go faster.  No matter what, he's faster than I am.  

I was planning on going to do a Caroline Girvan workout today to make 5 days this week, but I don't know now.  I've done 4 days in a row and would like a break, which I was planning on taking tomorrow, but maybe I'll take it today.  I am planning on running again tomorrow.  

I may post small posts to keep track of my running.  I don't know if that will keep me accountable, but I am interested in trying something.  

My kids (and Peanut) on New Year's Eve

Reading old posts is interesting.  Although depressing.  In April 2012 I was battling getting under 170, and almost 13 years later, I'm back to that same dilemma.  However, this time I also have peri-menopause to deal with. 13 years and a lifetime different.  Also, it's weird to think about it, but Maddox was only 9 months old when I started running.  I can't believe I've been running his whole life.  

Also, I was kicking around the idea of doing dry January, but then I saw someone describe their January as sober(ish) January, and that is what I'm doing.  Less alcohol, but still some for the weekends.