Living in Limbo

I'm one more step closer to finally finally purchasing this.
*cross your fingers that my current house sells soon*

This whole process is even more frustrating because I first made the decision to move to the Chicago area in December of last year. After much waiting and nagging within my company, I got the green light in June. Now, I'm waiting for a bank to tell me that it's OK for me to close on this house before school starts. That will teach me to try and buy a short sale house. Aargh!

Anyway, since we only have a few more weeks of living in the St Louis area, the kids and I are cramming in "one more" of a lot of things. Sunday afternoon, it was "one more" Cardinals game (OK, to be honest, we'll travel back for Cardinals games).

We were on the ground level about 20 rows back from home plate. And, we were in the shade. Awesome seats. I drank too many $8 beers.

I start at my new job on August 2. At this point, I'll be living in a hotel until I can get the house situation figured out. I feel like I'm in limbo, I just want to be moved already! I'm hopeful that once I get settled, life will get back to normal. I haven't felt normal for quite a while now, a couple of years really.

Howdy!

Nope, I'm not abandoning my blog. Once again, I've gotten all caught up in my life. Even though I have plenty of time to watch TV (I think watching the New Jersey Housewives is actually making me dumber), I obviously haven't had time to work out like I should or blog.

So, once again, here I am getting serious again.

*sigh*

I have been running, although I've been averaging maybe 2 days a week. I have been eating right, for an average of about 4-5 days a week.

One week ago, I made the decision to get serious about it all again. Again.

Since then, I started tracking every bite. Then, over the weekend, I started alternating running with the Turbofire workouts. Today is my first glorious Day of Rest. Whew! But, as of this morning, I am down 5 lbs. Woohoo! Maybe I should even post one of those little weight loss tickers on my blog? Hm, maybe.

Meanwhile, here is a "Before" picture from my son's recent grade school graduation.

He dressed up real nice, didn't he? Gah! Oh well, his hair looks halfway normal for a change and he had the cap and gown for the entire ceremony anyway. The gown is what is draped over my shoulder in the picture, I am not wearing green with red.

Change of Plans

So, Diana, you will be happy to hear that I'm running the 15K.
:-P

Somebody check my temperature.

My friend Ang texted me last night and said that she was going to go and run the 15K. She hasn't been to a race since the Fly with the Eagles Half in February. She claims that she isn't running much, so we can finish last together. However, I know her too well. She will say that and then run off and leave me.

Oh well, bring on that pity applause at the finish line because I'm ready to come in last.
Ah, well, I'll probably still win first in my age group.

Rain Rain Go Away!

The past 2 days, I've had the best intentions of getting up for an early morning run, but there have been thunderstorms between 5-6am both days. Ugh!

The rest of the day: sunny, with no clouds in sight.

Run in the evening? Ha!
Once I get off work, I go straight into couch potato mode. Running later in the evening does not appeal to me at all. Maybe if I had a training partner, but certainly not alone.


It seems I have a choice to make for Saturday. I usually run the Crossroads Dash 15K every year. Last year, I finished dead last at this race with a pace of 11:36/mile. I don't foresee running the race any faster this year than last year. There is also a 5k distance that I could run, but I wouldn't get my planned distance that way. Time for a good old pro-con list for my 3 available options.

Option 1: Run 15K race:

Pros:
Get 9 mile distance for the day.
Run faster than I would at home
Likely to win an age group award, since most people run the shorter race
Spend time with friends

Cons:
Likely to be last finisher, which I HATE
Pay $20 to finish last


Option 2: Run 5K race:

Pros:
Run faster than I would at home, speedwork
Spend time with friends

Cons:
Don't get very many miles for the week.
Pay $20 to run a shorter distance and probably not win anything

Option 3: Run 9-10 miles at home:

Pros:
Get 9 mile distance for the day.
No embarassment of finishing last.
No need to wait until 8am to start running.
FREE

Cons:
Will run slower
Won't get to see my friends at the race, although we could always get together later




I'm leaning toward Option #3, even though I may have led some of my friends to believe I was going to run the 5K. I really can't get myself motivated to think that it's a good idea to go to this race this year, especially when I start thinking about the killer hills near the end.

No. Thank. You.

Two Race Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend I wound up with 4 days off. Our building was closed on Friday, so I was left with a freebie day off. :)


On Friday, I went and saw Sex and the City 2, in the afternoon, when there were only a handful of others there. OK, so I had to take my 16 year old daughter, since my friends were all at work, but it was worth it.


Saturday morning, I ran the Odin Sesquicentennial 5K race. At 8am. In the heat and humidity. My only goal for this race was to NOT run my slowest 5K ever.


Result: Pass! I ran a 32:18, which is very close, but not quite my slowest ever. The course was ok, just the right amount of sun and shade, but the weather was so hot and so humid that I was just glad that it was over.

Saturday afternoon, I spent at my BFF's house for a girls day in. Ang, Barb and I spent the day drinking margaritas and eating chips and salsa. Yum!


One more race- Herrin has their Herrinfesta Italiana over Memorial Day weekend. The race takes place on Memorial Day and is a 10K. I knew what to expect, as I have done this race many times before. As usual, I had talked myself out of how bad it was. I'm good at that selective memory when it comes to race courses. My goal for the race was once again to NOT run my slowest 10K ever.

Result: FAIL! I ran a 1:14. My slowest 10K prior to Monday was 1:05. The race is one giant loop, most of it taking place in the hot hot sun. And, let me tell you, it was HOT on Monday. I think it was in the mid to upper 70s at the race start, and humid. I was miserable and just didn't care that it was a race. I just wanted to get it over with. And, finally, I did. :)
So, even though I failed at my goal, I was not disappointed with my time. I really didn't care.

My friend C had her grandson there and wanted me to come out and run the 1 mile race back with him. I've run with him before, he hasn't quite learned to pace himself yet so there is a lot of walking involved. I agreed to help, and wound up getting in another 2 miles- one out to the 1 mile start and then the mile back.

After the race, we went to G's house and took showers and got ready to go out for lunch. Who would have thought that every place we decided to eat would be closed for Memorial Day? We were on a wild goose chase! We tried 3 different restaurants- all closed. Then, there were signs up all over talking about a wine and arts festival that was taking place Memorial Day weekend. When we found the park where the festival was to be held, we saw one last truck packing up one last display. Ugh! Seriously, isn't Memorial Day a part of Memorial Day weekend?

We were all craving pulled pork, so we finally settled on a little hole in the wall place that was actually open. So disappointing. The barbecue was dry and not very good. The side dishes all tasted like they were served directly from a can. Yuck!

Later, we went to a Southern IL winery. That made up for the race fail and the lunch fail.
It wound up being a fantastic day, I'm glad we stuck it out.

I... Was... Running!

Forrest Gump: "Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows.

From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere, I was running."

Last night, I was at my son's 8th grade graduation.

When I got home, I watched my must-see TV on my DVR ~ American Idol, Biggest Loser, and my favorite... glee!!

I wound up going to bed around 11pm, with plans to wake up at 5am and run. When I was still tossing and turning around 12:30am, I was doubting my plan.

Then, when I woke up at 1:30am and again at 3am, I was almost certain that I wouldn't run this morning. I haven't gotten up at 5am to run in ages, I've been using insomnia as an excuse even on nights when I've slept well.

This morning, when my 5am alarm went off, I was up and out the door.

I. Was. Running! :)

Change is Coming

In more ways than one.



This summer, I will be making a move. The kids and I will be moving to the city. Well, probably more like the suburbs, of Chicago.


I'm ready for change, and the opportunities in the new location will be much more plentiful than they are here.

Stay tuned for the relocation saga.



The other upcoming change is the always present weight loss dilemma. I sound like a broken record, I know.

I recently met up with some old friends for lunch.

Problem #1: I hate the way my hair looks. That will be easy to fix, and will be fixed very soon.

Problem #2: I am twice as big as everybody else in the picture. Granted, I am 5 inches taller than they are, so I will never be as small. I do want to be confident in the way I look, however. Right now, I am not.

Over the weekend, I decluttered my house, including my closet. I found more clothes than one person could ever want or need. The only problem is that these clothes are in 5 different sizes, and I have the least amount of clothes in the largest sizes, the sizes I wear now.


My regularly scheduled races will have to be changed.
This makes me sad.

I'll miss the Tunnel Hill Trail Run, all of the tiny little 5Ks, the Turkey Trot 15K that is 3 loops of the same 5K course, and many others. I may travel down here for some of them, but not all.
I do have two races on the schedule in Chicago for this Summer/Fall already ~ the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on August 1, and the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10.

I'm considering a local 10K on Memorial Day in the meantime, and possibly one of those small 5Ks this Saturday the 29th...