90 lbs/10K/Wedding madness

 So I think I will make this entry short, because I am sleepy and I just haven't had any breathing time by myself in the past few days.

 I have had an epiphany amidst all of the wedding craziness. This is what I already knew: I am the kind of person who will always desire to "go with the flow" of life and look for the most laid back/fun people to be around, BUT, I also set very high standards for myself and have a hard time letting go when I don't reach my goals. This is what I realized: In terms of wedding planning, the part of me whol loves to be carefree and laid back is arguing with the part of me that sets high standards. I cannot let the carefree self takeover completely while planning an event, because it is inevitable that later on, the detail-oriented self will creep in and completely change all decisions that were made while being carefree...or at least freak out about them.

 My cousin said earlier on the phone today that maybe it is a good thing that I don't have everything done yet (I was expressing how frustrating it is to have to wait until so late in the game to do so many little things), because if I did, I would just be waiting...

and waiting....

and waiting...

For 4 1/2 months.

   That doesn't sound like fun to me at all. So, I've decided to take her attitude, and do what I can in the way that I want to do it. Even when I want to be carefree and laid back, I cannot deny the true part of myself that wants things to be a specific way. It is OK to be detail-oriented, as long as when the time for the wedding comes, I can allow myself to have a good time and let go. I am finally getting to the point where I am really truly excited. I cannot wait to marry Alec, and I cannot wait to spend the weekend with the people that I love at a big, beautiful party.

  I also have had a bit of a boost with my weight loss, because I've been on a plateau for WEEEEEEEKS. It has been just terrible weighing myself and seeing the same number over and over. When I started the marathon, I assumed that it would all just melt away. What I have found instead is that I've built up muscles so much from my training schedule that I actually gained 2 pounds. So, where before I was only 1 pound away from 90, it went to 3 pounds away. This is the first time in my weight loss journey that I have gained weight that has stayed on for any amount of time. You can imagine how backwards that feels. I was suddenly back up to 193 for about a month and a half, and it wouldn't budge. Right down to the ounces. THEN, last week, I weighed myself and it was one of the greatest days that I've had with this whole thing so far! I weigh 190 pounds!! I've lost 90 pounds!! It is an amazing feeling knowing that I've accomplished that in a little over 1 1/2 years. And, my measurements just keep shrinking. So, while I may not have been losing pounds, I've defnitely gone down in inches, and am still going down. Phew!

 I think it helped that I've been starting to run outside and utilize the more hilly courses around the area. Instead of running the flat course that I first mapped out, I've been ending with a huge 1 mile long hill, or making sure that I have rolling hills in all of my maps. I've also been trying to increase speed. It may be helping to get off the treadmill because I've been able to let myself go. However, I must admit that I miss the t.v.'s and distractions at the gym. I also have been slacking a little with my weight training because of running outside. My next investments are an exercise ball, bands, and an ab roller for my house.

 Oooo speaking of investments: I went to Charm City Run (love that place) and bought a new sports bra and a hydration belt. I also went out and got some 100+ Neutrogena Ultimate sunblock to avoid burns and tanlines. Best purchases for running in a while! I talked to one of the people who is training with us about the fact that my chest was bleeding after long runs and she suggested a different brand of bra. So far, it has been perfect! My first day with it was a little weird because it has adjustable straps, and I think I had them too tight so I had neck pain. But after I figured that out, I haven't had a single complaint. Hooray for the people out there who know not all runners are flat-chested. Have I talked about this already? If I have I'm sorry. But I'm just so excited about the difference!

  The belt took me a little longer to get used to, and I must say that it is still a little strange. The bottles wobble and sometimes they leak if they aren't completely closed. Also, the water gets warm halfway through the run, so it really needs to be consumed pretty quickly. I'm thinking about putting some ice in next time to see how that works to maintain the temperature.

  The most recent training run wasn't one that I used the belt for, though. It was a 10K. My first time ever being officially "timed" for a race. And I really loved it! It gave me extra motivation to keep my speed up and I ended up beating my best time by 7 minutes. That's over 1 minute per mile faster! It was a nice course, too.

 We met at BWI Sawmill, which is right off of 97, and it has a baseball park attached to it. The course started there and then went across a bridge to another wooded area. Then it crossed a street and we were right next to the airport. It's cool seeing the planes take off while you're running. Also, I LOVED the surface of that course. It had a little give, but it was still paved. I ended up coming in way ahead of one of the girls that I have been behind almost every week...not to say that I would have been unhappy if I hadn't done that, because it is all healthy competition, but it is still ok that I am proud of myself for really pulling it together. It ended up being a crappy day again (I don't get it, every week it is beautiful and then every Saturday it is cold and rainy), and that proved a challenge. The rain wasn't bad until my last mile, so it gave me an extra boost to sprint to the finish line. Yet, I realized later on that even though I wasn't running all 6.2 in a torrential down pour, I was still soaked all the way through.

 At the end of the run, we got back to the pavilion and there was breakfast there for everyone. This is something that I've been struggling with. I know that I just ran a race and that my metabolism is really high, but I still cannot bring myself to indulge in any foods. I guess it's not a bad thing, right? Being healthy is good, so I should be proud of myself. But sometimes I wonder if it has gotten to the point where I cannot reward myself. Hmm...maybe I did reward myself. I take that back. Aunt J and I ended up going to the Under Armour outlet after the run and I got two pairs of running shorts. That was definitely a reward! I take all of that back about the food. :)

 So, the epiphanies continue during this time of training/wedding planning/weight loss, and I hope to keep having them as much as I have so that I can share them with you. I've even had others, but my brain is too fried to post about anything else. Because, like I said, this is going to be a short post. I said that, didn't I? And when I say short, I mean moderately long. Still working on my hip and ankle injuries. Hopefully, by the next post, I will be telling you that they are all better.

 Until next time: in the heat and humidity, if you are outside and sweating, always hydrate hydrate hydrate. You're skin/brain/stomach/lips/body will thank you. Also, even if you get tan, wear your sunscreen, and a hat. Even lip sunscreen doesn't hurt. The UV rays are evil and you are too precious to me.


XO