TTT

1.  I looked back through my blogs from last year at this time.  I was at 136 this time in 2012.  Funny how that seems so long ago but it really wasn't.

2.  The reason I looked at my old blogs was to see when I got the synthetic visceral fluid injections in my knee.  I could have sworn it was a year ago and, therefore, time for another series.  As it turns out I didn't get the injections until June.  For some reason I don't want to go back in for more shots until the one year mark.  I probably need to suck it up and go in anyway.  I do love my chirpractor and he is good at what he does but going in to see him twice a week at $30 a visit adds up.

3.  Today is a run day.  I am going to try not to push it, may only do 2 miles, it depends on how things go. 

4.  As I was packing my running bag last night I had an overwhelming feeling that I was forgetting something.  Instead of looking in the bag to see what I had, I just kept stuffing things in it.  This morning I picked up my overstuffed bag and the strap broke.  We had a good run, me and my lug puddle jumper, but it is time to move on. 

5.  I ordered the above bag to replace the old one.  It is an Adidas and has a 5 star review on Amazon.  It sounds and looks like it will have plenty of room for all my gear and it has a waterproof bottom for locker room showers.  I hope the Amazon Prime fairies hurry up and get it here.

6.  I hate football, there I said it.  Dennis hate pretty much all sports.  So we go out to eat on superbowl sunday.  It is deserted and you have the place pretty much to yourself.  This year we are going to Sante Fe because I have a groupon.  Then we can sit at home and watch the cuteness that is the puppy bowl!!  I want to be the ref so bad!!

7.  I think our crazy lady drama at work is over but no one is talking.  There were boxes, security, and union reps involved but we are only told that crazy is on leave.  Hum.  I was tempted to bring in ding dong the witch is dead donuts today but I didn't because I didn't want to have to eat one.

8.  I have been thinking it is one day later then it really is all week long.  When I have to come into work tomorrow I am not going to be happy since I have to keep reminding myself today is THURSDAY!!

9.  I am getting a facelift.  Well not me so much as my blog.  I just couldn't stand looking at everyones cute blogs any longer with my plane jane one. 

10.  Is it time to go home yet?

Rest day

I broke out the kettlebells yesterday when I got home from work.  I was careful not to do anything that required lunges or squats to try and keep the IT band and knee from getting irritated.  I ended up bonking poor Dexter in the head during the first exercise.  He yelped and ran to the bedroom.  I felt really bad but I knew he wouldn't come out of the bedroom until I called him, so I finished up (about 20 minutes) before I checked on him.  I am a horrible mother.  I knew I didn't hit him hard though, he is such a drama whore, takes after his grandma.

Today I am taking a rest day.  Tomorrow is a planned run day but I might do the stat bike at the gym. 

My eating is kind of out of control.  The fill I got a couple of weeks ago really didn't help at all.  Dennis brought home two big bags of peanut butter M&M's about a week ago, when he saw the stash was getting low he bought two more.  This is so not helping me.  Someone brought donuts to work yesterday and I ate one.  Then there is the jar a week white chocolate peanut butter addiction and the almost daily trips to Taco Bueno for two tacos.  The thing is, when I am at a good level I really don't crave this stuff.  I go back in to see him in a few weeks, I hope he can give me another small fill to try and level off the snack monster.  My weight has been pretty much holding at 115.  I did have a few 113.6 days, but they didn't last long.  Maybe I just need to come to terms with the fact that my body wants to be 115?  I was at 112 for so long though that I just want to get back there.

Maybe getting the freezer meals and actually planning dinner ahead will help me keep the snarf monster under control. 

I am starting to get frustrated again.  Such a horrible feeling.

What? me run?

Got good news at the chiropractor yesterday.  He agreed with me that my pain was all IT Band related and that he could fix it with some laser therapy and acupuncture.  It feels much better today, or at least it did until I walked into the door frame in the bathroom and banged the f*ck out of it.  Yep, I'm that graceful.  Anyway, Dr. Z told me to bike the rest of the week and I should be ready to go.  He also said that I jacked it up from running almost everyday and increasing my speed all at the same time. 

The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday, like 80's and humid warm.  I decided that it was just to nice to sit inside so I would go for a walk.  I walked for about 3 minutes (according to run keeper)until I broke into a slow comfortable jog.  It took me a couple of minutes before my brain kicked in and said "wait a minute, you aren't supposed to be doing that".  But it was not hurting and I was going at a pace that I felt I could sustain for a long period.  So I continued.  Please don't tell on me.  When I got home I iced my knee like a good girl and besides the bruise from the door frame, it feels okay.  I will ice it at work.  Today is supposed to be another warm day but it is supposed to rain.  My plan is to do kettlebells while I watch Dr. Phil when I get home.  Say a prayer that I don't knock one of my dogs in the head ;)

I went to a new place yesterday that has made ahead freezer meals and picked up a few to try it.  I got chicken delight, which is chicken with white wine sauce, swiss cheese and a little bit of dressing, chicken lasagna and chicken bruchette.  We ate the chicken delight last night and it was so freaking good.  We used to have a bunch of places like this but they slowly went out of business.  I really hated to see them go.  I am not a good cook, I can do the basics but that gets pretty boring, plus I don't like it enough to learn anything besides the basics.  Then there is the time aspect, by the time I get off work and get a run or workout in it is too late to start anything major.  I like to have my last meal eaten by 7:00 at the latest.  And I start to get resentful when Dennis gets home and it is just expected that despite working the same amount of hours and me getting a workout done, I am supposed to fix dinner.  What can I say I am not much on traditional roles.  So, when I get home tonight I will have to look at the freezer in the garage and see if there is room to store 12 meals, which is the minimum to order.  They have some really good stuff on the menu for February and the price really isn't that bad!!

regroup

OK, first off let me just say that Jekyll & Hyde was amazing.  I would say it is my new favorite Broadway musical second only to the Lion King.  Granted Constantine Maroulis isn't an actor, he changed accents so many times you would think you might have changed plays, but his singing voice has improved since the American Idol years.  The female lead, Deborah Cox was amazing too.  There were a few people who left at intermission because it was "racy" but Marry Poppins was the last show here so there ya go.  I enjoyed the change.  Peter Pan is coming next with Cathy Rigby.  I can't say I am too excited about that.  Something about a 60 year old woman playing a little boy who never grew up maybe?

So, on to the regular blogarreah.

I ran almost every day last week.  When I got home Friday my glute and knee were tender.  I figure there is something up with my IT Band.  I have had a couple of incidents where my knee would "catch" as I was standing up causing shooting pain.  I put something on facebook about rather I should run or not and my chiropractor posted and told me NO.  So I actually skipped my long run this weekend.  It felt kind of strange after a few weeks of almost daily running.  I called my chiropractor and made an appointment for this afternoon.  I hope that it is just my IT band and that he can get it loosened up with ART and a few needle sticks.  If not I will have to look at getting back into the ortho to have another series of synthetic visceral fluid injections.  Google said they are only supposed to last 6 months but it has been almost a year since I had mine.

Weight is starting to come back down.  I was at 113.8 this morning.  I would be happy at 112, though I like to be at 110.  My pants don't feel like they are cutting me in two today, that's a plus.  I am afraid to try on some of my smaller sizes, but seriously I know it has to be mental.  Can 2 pounds make a difference between a size 2 and a 0?

It is supposed to be almost 80 for a high today.  Almost too hot to run, but I really would like to.  I have decided to cut back the miles this week and just run 3 times total; maybe 10-12 miles total.  There is always the stat bike as an option but lord have mercy I hate that thing. 

Pretty sure we are going to do the relay in Oklahoma City, so I don't have to train the distances I have planned.  My only half marathon for the spring will be Joplin in May.  Oh and Austin 10/20 but it is only 10 miles.  I hope to meet up with one of my CalorieKing friends and run Saint Louis half in October.  It gets expensive, so I have to cut back on the number I run this year.  My bank account need a rest as badly as my body.

Friday!!

I don't think that last fill helped me at all.  I go back in late February and if my weight hasn't changed I will ask for another.  I know my appetite is still the same but if I am down any the doctor won't fill me. - Get your minds out of the gutter, seriously!!  Yesterday I was still at 115.6.  I really want to be no more than 112. 

I got my 3 mile run in last night; 37:45, it was kind of just miserable because neither one of us wanted to do it.  I am going to do some kettlebell upper body stuff today and give my legs the day off before a 7-8 mile run tomorrow.  I am not sure how far I am going to go or where I am going to run just yet but I will figure it out.  I don't want to run the group route this week because it is a lot of short out and backs.  Those get really boring.  I need to get on their website and see what other loops they have done for this distance.  Of course there is always map my run too.

I got my vitamins delivered yesterday.  Dr. Atkins thinks that it will help me with some of my muscle cramps and my B-12 issues, it also has D3 and folic acid in it.  My insurance paid 100% and they don't charge for delivery, should have done this years ago.  The medication is sublingual and it tastes kind of like a sweet tart so it isn't bad, a little much for first thing in the morning but I will get used to it.

I am leaving work at 11:30 today for no other reason then I was tired of trying to find a project to charge to (our military funds haven't been sent yet and I am the lead of military projects).  I have plenty to do, go to the grocery store, target, Ulta, and the mani/pedi I scheduled when I decided to take the afternoon off. 

Of course tomorrow is a run day, not sure when/where/how far but at least 6 miles.  Other then that I am really not sure what the day holds.

Sunday I am supposed to go see Jekyll & Hyde with HMF.  I have mixed feelings about going.  I don't know much about the show, it does look good, but I am irritated with HMF yet again.  She volunteered her and her training partner to run the OKC marathon relay.  I sent her a message early this week and told her that WRF wants to do it also so we would have 4 people and only need to find one more to have all legs covered.  She never even acknowledged the email.  I finally sent her another text the next day to see if she got the first one.  She sent a message back that just said "I did".  She suddenly realized she had something planned that day.  I swear she is so freaking jealous of my other friends.  You would think that since she has found a boyfriend it would be better, but it isn't.  So now I have to find 3 people to do the relay with us.  Regardless I am training like I am going to do the half, just in case. 

Lazy

And just like that the weather gets cold again and I don't want to run tonight.  I keep telling myself that my knee is hurting, my back is achy, well they don't know that I am going to run anyway.  I am telling myself that I only have to do 2 miles but once I get dressed for the 30 degree run I might as well do 3. 

Yesterday I had to go in the field for work to a location about an hour away.  When I first started working for the Government I worked in the area as a Park Ranger so I drove all over the place.  I found some of the neatest places.  One of those was a tea room close to the project office I worked out of.  I loved the golden cheese and parsley dumpling soup they served and for some reason I remembered they served it on Wednesdays.  So I went there for lunch.

It was just as good as I remembered.  I forgot all about the homemade bread.  Unfortunately I remembered how yummy the desserts were and they sat me at a table with Italian Cream Cake at eye level

totally unfair.  I bought a piece of cake and took it home to split with Dennis.  There is still a half of a piece left, it is so rich and yummy.  The owner told me they are doing a Valentines Day dinner with prime rib or Italian stuffed chicken breast, a three course dinner for like $25 each.  Totally worth it.  I talked Dennis into taking me.

On the way back I drove by my old house.

I loved that house.  It was built in the 1920's, had arched doorways, hardwood floors, and a claw foot tub.  It was also freezing cold in the winter and like a furnace in the summer.  It was just a rent house but something about it just reminds me of simpler times.  That is were I lived when I brought Hunter home and I have so many good memories.  I am sure there are some not so good ones too but I don't really remember any.

And seriously, no punking out on the run.  I will do it!!

found my exercise mojo - for now

I so enjoyed my three day weekend.  I really think that work weeks should be 4 days long and weekends 3 all the time.  Not 10 hour days though, just regular 8 hours.  It would get so much more done at home.

I saw the band doctor yesterday.  I was up to 116!!  He told me that if I got up to 115 he would give me a fill.  Honestly, some of the weight is probably hormonal and part of it is because I ate with reckless abandon all weekend.  I know I need a feel, I can eat almost like normal.  He gave me .2 and I go back in 4 weeks.  I really can't tell a difference at all.  I am not sure if it might take a few days to kick in?  Or maybe my body needs more food because of my workouts?  Who knows, this band thing has a mind of its own.  He made me promise that I wouldn't get under 110 and that I would come in for an unfill if I had any problems.

I took my stuff with me to the doctor and went to the gym after.  I did the pyramid treadmill thing but cut it back .5.  I was kind of tired for some reason but I finished it.  I am still having some trouble maintaining the 7.5 speed for any length of time.  I hope I can continue to do this workout on the treadmill on Monday nights.  It should help with my speed.

While I was at the gym I ran into my old trainer.  I don't think most of you were around when I trained with him, but when I told him that I was having the band surgery and he threw a fit, told me I was taking the easy way out.  He really made me feel bad about it and told the receptionist at the front desk about it and about how I was taking a short cut.  I really got my feelings hurt because I worked out hard and was not losing, he of all people should have seen that.  Of course I stopped going to him.  I had sessions left but I just couldn't work out with him anymore.  I just didn't feel like giving him my all when he didn't believe in me.  I ran into him at the gym some time after my surgery.  He freaked out and told me that I looked really good and he couldn't believe how far I had come.  I ran into him again around the time that I hit my goal weight and he actually tried to talk me into letting him post before and after pictures at the gym.  I asked him what was in it for me and he said he could get me a month free at the gym.  Um, NO!  When he saw me yesterday he said that he was glad to see I hadn't gained my weight back.  It just kind of went all through me.  What an ass. 

Saturday morning I sort of ran with the group.  I actually got there 30 minutes early and did the route they had planned.  I met up with most of the group as I was finishing up.  It was nice to see everyone and wave as they ran by.  I still don't like being last to finish though so going early is a nice change up.  I was supposed to do 5 miles, and that is what the route was supposed to be, but my Garmin only measured 4.55.  Not sure what was up with that.  I try not to look at my Garmin while I am doing long runs so I didn't realize I was short until I got back to my car.  I am not going to stress out about it.

Tonight I am running with my work friend.  We are going to try to do a slow pace because her back has been hurting.  I don't want her to hurt it worse.  She has a 2 year old and Ms. Olivia would be pretty upset if Mom couldn't pick her up.  Of course she is much faster than me so slow pace for her is my normal 5K pace.

Oh, and they released a picture of the OKC marathon medals last week.  For the first time since I have been running OKC they changed the medal.  So, it looks like I am back in, seeing as how I run for bling and all.  I am trying to talk HMF, a friend that HMF runs with, and work running friend to run it.  I sent HMF a text but she hasn't answered.  Either she is teaching or she is trying to come up with an excuse because she is insanely jealous and, well, high maintenance.  I really hope she doesn't get her panties in a bunch and just agrees to do the relay, then we would only need one more person to do all 5 legs!!