How I Spent my Weekend...

Since I obviously don't have much running to talk about this week (my sleeping has been all out of whack, AGAIN!- silly me, trying to wean myself off the sleeping drugs)- here are a couple of oh-so-exciting pictures from the weekend.

Good friends, and a few bottles of wine, Saturday afternoon...

Dave Matthews Band, Concert at Busch Stadium- Saturday night...

And now, feast your eyes... my weight has been up and down about 5 lbs for the past several weeks as I try to get my eating back under control. I now weigh 30 lbs more than my "normal" weight, and about 40 lbs more than my personal goal. I have come to the conclusion that the break-up last year had more of an effect on me than I originally thought. As a friend at work pointed out to me last week, I started gaining the weight last fall, about the time the whole thing started falling apart for the last time. Who'da thunk it?

This weight gain has been on my mind constantly since I started gaining it. And, hopefully, I'm going to be losing it and getting back to normal this summer.

Here's me, on Saturday afternoon, enjoying myself and not caring about how fat I think I am, for once.

I Got Tagged!

Well, here I am... I was tagged by Alice over at the Heffer blog.
I've been out of town for a few days, so I'll blog about my weekend later.
For now, I must follow the rules.


So, here are the rules of tagging:
Tagging is easy. Just copy the following onto your post. The rules of the game are posted at the start of your blog post. In this case, I'm asking you 5 questions about running. Each player answers the 5 questions on their own blog. At the end of your post you tag 5 other people and post their names. Go to their blogs and leave a comment on their blogs telling them they've been tagged and to look at your blog for details. When they've answered the questions on their own blog, they come back to yours to tell you. Got that?

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
Ten years ago... I was just beginning to get into fitness. I didn't start running until October of 99.

2. What is your best/worst running experience?
Best running experience: That's a tough question, I've had a lot of great ones- my first marathon in Chicago (Lakeshore Marathon, May 2003) was awesome- great friends, fantastic accomplishment; Tunnel Hill in 2002, I was running the best times ever, and I just felt great; the Flying Pig last month was also a fabulous time- great friends, great race, even though my time was horrific.

Worst running experience: Ahhh, it was a 10K in the summer of 2004. I remember that much. I had drank about a 12 pack the night before, and it was probably 90 degrees at the start of the race. Just. Miserable.

3. Why do you run?
I am one of those crazy runner people that just loves it. I'm the person who is driving through the country fantasizing about how much I want to come back and RUN on this road.

4. What is the best or worst piece of running advice that you've been given about running?
When I first started running, my boyfriend at the time owned a gym. He had me on the treadmill a couple of times a week, doing tempo and/or speed work. At the time, I had no idea why he had me changing my speed so many times throughout the run. The more I learned, the more I found out that he was absolutely right on my training plan back then.

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
I am a complete geek. I was at the top of my class in high school and went off to college with a full academic scholarship. My worst class back then was PE- I hated it. I consistently got a "C".

Who I am tagging:
I am going to attempt to tag people who haven't been tagged yet. I may be unsuccessful. I apologize for any double tags!

1- Viv at Excuse #1- You're not Fit to Run.
2- DoriAnn at Not Running from Life
3- Elysia at Diario de Elysia
4- Teresa at Run from the Pain
5- Karen at Clear Your Head

*Correction* I just noticed that a couple of these peeps were already tagged.
Ah well, I ain't changing it!

Trinity Run - Update

The race director for the Trinity Run called me last night to let me know that she was cancelling the race, due to "insufficient interest". She said they would try again next year. They can try again next year without me.

I'll be going out for a 10 mile run tomorrow morning instead, which is what I really wanted to do anyhow.

I just have to pass along my little victory for the week. My daughter and I go to the gym on Wednesday, and there is a new lady working. She sees us sign in with the same last name and asked us if we were TWINS! Like, she knew we had to be close to the same age, so we must be twins...

Yep, I've still got it!

Trinity Run - LAME

Last year, I ran this 5K because it's local and it benefits a youth sports program.
The race route is very nice, but everything else about the race was lame, lame, lame... obviously put on by non-runners.

I went ahead and registered this year to give them one more chance (this would be the 3rd). Last night, I was talking to Barbie and she had talked to the race director of this weekend's race (which I pre-registered for). The race director said that she was going to be busy on Saturday and might not even go (meaning there would be no race and no explanation)!! She said that less than 10 people were pre-registered anyway. HELLO!!??

You MIGHT want to tell us unfortunate pre-registered souls that BEFORE race day, so we aren't standing around at 8am waiting for the race to start, only to find out that we wasted the coolest part of the day trying to support a local race! UGH!

Now, I'm torn between trying to go there and run the stupid thing, and staying home and getting a longer run in. I hate running 5K's on my long run day anyhow!

Time Marches On...

First off, I had an emotional week last week. My little girl graduated from the 8th grade! How and when did she get so grown up!?
Now, I have one in high school. Wow.

On to the running... It was H-O-T this weekend. I got up and out the door before 7am on Saturday morning for my 9 mile run, and still thought I would die before I finished. I am NOT acclimated to this kind of heat and humidity yet. It was already 73 degrees when I finished my run, and sunny and humid. But, I managed it, v-e-r-y slowly. I was talking to myself the entire time about how I just want to get the miles, and I don't care if I have to WALK them. I probably wound up walking almost one full mile with all the walk breaks by the time it was all said and done. But, I got the miles done! Eventually, I suppose I'll get acclimated to this heat- I just wish it was a more gradual change!

On Sunday, my old friend Angie and I went to see the Sex and the City movie. Angie and I remained friends and kept in touch, but circumstances in our lives have kept us from spending a lot of time together over the past few years. We do meet up for lunch from time to time, but we used to be inseparable. I didn't realize how much time had passed until she came over and my 'little boy' came out of his bedroom and was probably 6 inches taller than her! Wow! Where did the time go? Am I really this old?

We had a fantastic time hanging out and seeing the movie. It was just like old times, and the movie was fabulous. It wasn't exactly what we expected, but I loved it nonetheless.

I suppose the entire past week has been all about how quickly time passes, while you're not even paying attention.

Herrinfesta Italiana 10K Run

Yup, that was the plan. The race was cancelled. It was storming pretty bad that morning, and after much waiting for the weather to subside- the race was finally cancelled.
Ah well, I wasn't so excited about "racing" yesterday anyhow!

We wound up spending the day on the Southern IL wine trail enjoying the scenery and the company. And the wine.

Excuses, excuses

Isn't it funny how you can always think of a million excuses when you don't want to do something?

It works for anything from working out, to eating right, to projects at work that you don't want to deal with.

This morning, I did NOT want to get up and go for a run. I have put off my morning runs all week (Monday and Tuesday) by convincing myself that I'm tired. When my alarm went off this morning, my thoughts went something like this:

1- I should get up, I feel pretty well rested.
2- Nah, I can hit snooze once and get up in 10 minutes. ~snooze~
3- Dang, has it already been 10 minutes? I can hit snooze again. ~snooze~
4- Wow, now I'm tired. If I get up now, I'll be sleepy all day (excuse) ~snooze~
5- Well, now I'm just staring at the clock. Maybe I'll reset the alarm.
6- Now it's almost 5:30. If I get up now and run, I'll be late to work (excuse)
7- All right Tammy, you are constantly complaining about how fat you are and how you want to lose weight and get back in running shape. Laying here in bed is NOT getting you any closer to that!

Finally! I got out of bed and went for a 4 mile run.
Eventually, I'm hoping to fool myself into believing I'm a morning person...