March Detox Day # 1 = Success!

I'm not sure which switch in my head flipped on (or off) last night, but somehow, avoiding the things I shouldn't today seemed easier. I had a Tervis tumbler of water with me all day, along with a packet of gum in my pocket. Whenever I had the urge to grab chocolate, I took a huge swallow of water and popped a piece of gum. It worked - for today, at least!

Today's tempo run at the gym was kind of awesome, as well. I watched the end of Lost Season 1, episode 2, and then about 20 minutes of the third episode. I forgot how much I love this series. It made running in place much more bearable. I don't know what I'm going to do when my mom remembers that I have her iPad and demands it back!

One more day of workouts this week - strength training tomorrow. I already know it's going to be murder on my butt and thighs. Is it weird that I am looking forward to that? Also, today was GORGEOUS. Sunny and blue skies, with a high of close to 80. I wore shorts and a tank top to run in, and it felt amazing to have the sun on my skin. Know what gorgeous days are meant for? Driving around in the car, windows down, sunroof open, and 311 blaring loudly on the radio. Hello, 1996!

Food today was good. I'm pretty proud of myself. Only splurge was a handful of BIG Cheezits after work today. But that wasn't splurge. It was curiosity. I can't help it if I'm an inquisitive person and I've never before eaten them! (They were amazing, by the way, in case you were wondering).

Food Log:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with protein powder and pear
AM Snack: apple, 12 almonds
Lunch: Chicken of the Sea single serve tuna, piece of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, 1 tbsp Ken's Light Ranch
PM Snack: peanut butter granola bar and 2 prunes
Dinner: Chick-Fil-A grilled nuggets (standard Wednesday dinner), baked sweet potato, asparagus

Go me! :)

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Kelly Clarkson, 4 miles, and heading back to the gym!

How nerdy is it that I got geekily excited about 1) running again tomorrow (4 easy miles!) and 2) beginning speedwork and tempo runs? I'm not sure at the moment how to gauge my runs, so I'm going to be doing most of my tempo and speed runs initially on the dreadmill. Hopefully, I'll be able to become a little more better acquainted with my levels of exertion. Right now, my levels go from approximately "Hey, this isn't too bad" to "HOLY CRAP, I'M GOING TO DIE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, HELP ME" in a fraction of a second. I think I may be running too hard, even as slow as my mileage is. My easy runs according to SmartCoach are supposed to be run WAY slowly - 13:48 a mile tomorrow! I'm hoping that by slowing it down, I will also be able to run the entire way.

Here is my week according to SmartCoach:

I'm not sure why my dates are a little bit off. I typed my information into the plan on February 20, so I don't know why it's telling me my first week is February 13 - unless SmartCoach thinks I should've been psychic and anticipated this ahead of time! I'm using the times as rough estimates for my traveling, but I am also following a training plan that a super awesome friend created for me. Deanna works for Mizuno and is probably one of the most amazing runners on the planet. So I'm following her plans while keeping to suggested times from SmartCoach. It's good to mix and mingle, right?


I am doing the 4 mile run tomorrow, then starting off with the posted weekly schedule on Monday. My cross-training days will come from BodyRock.TV. I did a workout on Thursday of this past week that included burpees and reverse push-ups on a dip station and my back muscles are totally feeling it today. Love that feeling!

In other news, went to the Kelly Clarkson concert in Atlanta last night. LOVE that girl. She just always seems so comfortable with who she is and by God, she is not changing to fit what the media or what society feels she should be. I admire that a lot, and sometimes I feel so hypocritical, because part of the reason I go to Weight Watchers and workout like I do is because I want to fit into all these cute clothes, and I want to look cute, according to society standards. I envy that she could not care less.

But forget her appearance (because she's beautiful as anything, no matter her weight!), let's discuss her VOICE. The girl can sing. I would love to have the ability to sing well. I can be best described as a cross between a dying bullfrog and the squeaky sounds coming from a hamster's spinning wheel. It's so not pretty, and yet, I will sing loud and proud. I figure, if I know I'm terrible, I might as well own up to it.

Hope everyone is having a happy Friday!

I miss running. But trying something new next week!

I am taking the week off to recuperate from the half-marathon this past Saturday. And while it means I get to run on Saturday, it also means I didn't get to run today. I normally run on Wednesdays, so my brain definitely missed it today! Four miles on Saturday, here I come!

I am incorporating something new beginning next week... Thanks to Hungry Runner Janae, I am trying out Smart Coach, from Runner's World. You can input your time on your latest race (2:43 for a half marathon for me), the race length you are training for, the intensity of your training, and how long you want your training to be, and it creates a plan for you. My next half is 34 weeks away, so I've got quite a long training plan! BUT Smart Coach seems to think it can get me to finish the Diva Half Marathon in 2:24. Twenty minutes faster? That would be awesome!

So beginning next week, Smart Coach has me doing tempo runs and speedwork. I have never done either - all of my runs have always been either easy runs or long runs! Next week's tempo run is 4 miles, with a mile to warm up and cool down, and the 2 middle miles at 12:05 per mile. I haven't gone to the gym to use the treadmill since June 2011, but I guess I will be revisiting my membership!

Tomorrow - going to see Kelly Clarkson in concert! SO excited!