I'm having a lot of trouble with my motivation to work out and stay in shape lately. In the past, and I'm sure in the future (post-baby-birth in late April), I've been extremely motivated by the little number on my scale every morning. It's one of the reasons I bought a high-priced scale. The accuracy of that number could make or break my day....and also push me to work out on days I might not be feeling it.
But now, my weight is going up regardless of what I do, so the numbers that normally light a fire within me aren't there. I realize I'm growing a human being right now, and that requires a certain amount of additional calories, fluids and consequently, poundage. But, it's hard to stay motivated to work out when I know the scale numbers are just going to go up regardless. Also, as someone who enjoys "pushing herself," it's frustrating to workout when I am not allowed to do that. I have to make sure my heart rate doesn't go too high, and my body isn't overstraining itself. A big hunk of the fun is gone with these limitations.
My races are not motivating me either....Not even the fact that the "Goofy Challenge is ONE WEEK away! I haven't been training properly, and I know, if I finish the marathon, it will be some sort of miraculous occurrence. (Although that hasn't been preventing me from selecting my Disney-themed running attire! Still motivated by race-day fashion. :)) I know there's a large contingent of runners who love running events regardless of their finish time. But, I'm a very competitive person. Not so much with other runners, but with myself. I like to run an event because I like trying to beat my old PR, or get under a certain time. I don't like running races knowing that I won't be able to push myself the way I want to. I enjoy running regardless, but again, it's becoming frustrating when my body won't do what I'm accustomed to making it do.
Running outdoors is hard, because I'm more apprehensive about becoming dehydrated. (and I've needed a LOT of extra water during my normal workouts now.) Also, my workout clothes are becoming more and more uncomfortable, so it's easier to either be on the bike in spin or on my treadmill where, if I need to make a wardrobe adjustment (and/or a quick pit-stop....because I need to pee a lot more often too) I can pretty easily.
As I mentioned, I have the Goofy Challenge coming up in eight days and I am not ready. Usually when I say I'm not ready for a race, I mean I'm a few long runs short of confident. But this time, I really mean it. I'm not ready....I can finish the half. The full the next day will be another story. Not sure exactly what shape I'll be in....especially since, I plan on walking around Disney World all day Thursday and Friday, then racing on Saturday and Sunday....Sunday (& Monday) could both end up being quite brutal. I'm obviously not going to be running the entirety of both races....more like a very slow run/walk combo. I hope to finish both, but that might not be feasible.
These are my last races before my bebe-induced race sabbatical. I'm already excited about running post-bebe, and choosing a "comeback" race afterward! But, in the meantime, I need some tips on how to stay motivated to keep working out. How do you keep yourself motivated? And how do I keep myself going, even though I'm gaining pounds and inches? Any advice will be helpful!
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Back in the saddle....
....even though the metaphorical saddle might still be a little tight-fitting. My fitness situation is definitely on the upswing. For the past two weeks, I've gotten up before 5:30 am to work out at least three days a week. (and a few of those times, I actually made it to my gym for a class!)
I've also finished a couple of new runs around my neighborhood. Well....the first one, I didn't exactly "finish" per se, because I dropped my directions and got lost....so I ended up running thirty minutes in one direction then turning around and running back--much more boring than the originally run I had planned, but at least I got a solid hour of work in.
My second run was better, at least directionally. The road I now live on goes in one big loop, for about 4.8 miles, so if I stay on that road, then I knew I couldn't possibly get lost. It was a challenging run though. My new neighborhood, I'm finding out, while not mountainous, is quite hilly. I've been running lots of ups and downs....hopefully that will help me get ready for the infamously hilly Baltimore Marathon (in under two months....yikes!) I can tell this running-sabbatical I've been on this summer has really taken a toll on my cardiovascular skills. I still felt good at the end of my run, but I definitely could feel the run being more challenging than I'm used to.
That's one of the problems with stopping a workout regimen and then trying to begin again: I want to be at the same level of performance I was in the early spring, and instead, I'm having to work much harder to get back there. It's slightly frustrating, but I keep trying to tell myself that my muscles remember and they will adapt, I just have to keep plugging away.
The second problem with trying to get back into my routine is the feeling of impending injury. I am by no means a hypochondriac, but I am aware of the dangers of over-training, and of doing "too much, too soon." I've had tendinitis in my knee before, as well as ITBS and some weird foot-issues from running too far before I was ready. Knowing all this makes me acutely aware of any sort of weird or random pains I might be feeling during my runs. I don't want to be a sissy (I mean, I do have to get my butt ready for the marathons I have planned this fall/winter) but at the same time, I don't want to try and "push through" a pain that maybe is significant, or my body trying to tell me something. So far, so good....knock on wood. I've had some minor pain in my calf....but hopefully it will disappear and I'll be able to push through.
Last "growing pain" of getting pack in the saddle: weight gain, even though my diet and my exercise regimen is improving. I hope/know it's probably muscle weight coming back on, but it's still very discouraging to be working hard again, and see the numbers on the scale going UP and not down....Its frustrating.
But, at least it feels good to be back in my routine, and to be working on my fitness goals again. My new job right now is incredibly busy until after Labor Day, but hopefully in September, I can ramp up the effort even more, and prepare as much as possible for my upcoming marathons!
To help motivate me in my preparations, I've picked out my running costume for the Rock & Roll Las Vegas Marathon in December....obviously will need to add sneakers, sports bra, and brunette hair!
I've also finished a couple of new runs around my neighborhood. Well....the first one, I didn't exactly "finish" per se, because I dropped my directions and got lost....so I ended up running thirty minutes in one direction then turning around and running back--much more boring than the originally run I had planned, but at least I got a solid hour of work in.
My second run was better, at least directionally. The road I now live on goes in one big loop, for about 4.8 miles, so if I stay on that road, then I knew I couldn't possibly get lost. It was a challenging run though. My new neighborhood, I'm finding out, while not mountainous, is quite hilly. I've been running lots of ups and downs....hopefully that will help me get ready for the infamously hilly Baltimore Marathon (in under two months....yikes!) I can tell this running-sabbatical I've been on this summer has really taken a toll on my cardiovascular skills. I still felt good at the end of my run, but I definitely could feel the run being more challenging than I'm used to.
That's one of the problems with stopping a workout regimen and then trying to begin again: I want to be at the same level of performance I was in the early spring, and instead, I'm having to work much harder to get back there. It's slightly frustrating, but I keep trying to tell myself that my muscles remember and they will adapt, I just have to keep plugging away.
The second problem with trying to get back into my routine is the feeling of impending injury. I am by no means a hypochondriac, but I am aware of the dangers of over-training, and of doing "too much, too soon." I've had tendinitis in my knee before, as well as ITBS and some weird foot-issues from running too far before I was ready. Knowing all this makes me acutely aware of any sort of weird or random pains I might be feeling during my runs. I don't want to be a sissy (I mean, I do have to get my butt ready for the marathons I have planned this fall/winter) but at the same time, I don't want to try and "push through" a pain that maybe is significant, or my body trying to tell me something. So far, so good....knock on wood. I've had some minor pain in my calf....but hopefully it will disappear and I'll be able to push through.
Last "growing pain" of getting pack in the saddle: weight gain, even though my diet and my exercise regimen is improving. I hope/know it's probably muscle weight coming back on, but it's still very discouraging to be working hard again, and see the numbers on the scale going UP and not down....Its frustrating.
But, at least it feels good to be back in my routine, and to be working on my fitness goals again. My new job right now is incredibly busy until after Labor Day, but hopefully in September, I can ramp up the effort even more, and prepare as much as possible for my upcoming marathons!
To help motivate me in my preparations, I've picked out my running costume for the Rock & Roll Las Vegas Marathon in December....obviously will need to add sneakers, sports bra, and brunette hair!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Marathons are for sissies.
I was going to post today about my somewhat miserable run on Sunday. (It's all written, and I'll probably return to my regularly scheduled griping tomorrow.)
But, this morning my uncle sent me a news article about his son, my cousin, which made me feel like a bit of a sniveling baby for even bothering to complain about Sunday's run....Read on. This is a feat I can safely bet I will never attempt, and if I did, would almost undoubtedly fail. But in a little over a week, my cousin Paul will attempt to conquor the "Spartan Death Race."
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/06/12/v-print/2372248/death-race-aboutchallenge-to-ex.html
Occasionally I get to do a good deed with this column. Such is the case today, when I save former combat Marine and current Charlotte resident Paul Habenicht from having to shave off all his body hair.
I have heard a lot of story pitches in my time, but the strangest came recently. Habenicht, 30, is about to compete in the "Spartan Death Race" in rural Vermont, an endurance race unlike any you have ever heard of. Its website is www.YouMayDie.com .
And although the race has never killed anyone and isn't actually supposed to, it features creativity and cruelty in equal doses. You don't know where it starts, you don't know how long it goes, you don't know where it ends and you don't get anything for winning. Only 10-15percent of the contestants finish in any given year.
As part of his prerace requirements, Habenicht either needed to get a story written about him in a local newspaper or come to the race with every bit of his body hair shaved. I know what you're thinking. ... the answer is yes. Every bit of it.
I didn't commit right away. But I did start finding more about the Death Race and Habenicht, who can strike you in a two-minute period as humble, introverted, smart, disciplined and quite confident.
Habenicht served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq as an infantry platoon commander - at one point he directed a sniper platoon and went on nighttime raids in search of "mid-level bad guys," he said. He attributes his survival throughout his 51/2 years as a Marine to the men he led.
But Habenicht, who graduated from the Naval Academy and played four years of lacrosse there, never intended to be a career Marine. He left the Marines in 2007, went to business school at Virginia and took a desk job in Charlotte in 2009 at a boutique mergers and acquisitions firm. He longs for an occasional bit of adventure and danger in his life. Eventually, I thought his story worth telling and his hair worth saving.
'People still hate us'
You never know what you're getting into in a Death Race, which is part of its cult appeal. Habenicht learned of the Death Race's existence after watching a 2009 New York Times online video about it.
One year contestants were told bikes would be essential, which meant many rode hundreds of miles in training and all brought their bikes to Vermont.
Then, when they arrived, contestants had to take the tires and chain off their bikes and carry it for about nine hours on their back through a muddy course. Later, they had to dive into a lake to retrieve their bike chains from zipped plastic bags. Then they had to put the chain and tires back on and ride the bike about 50 yards to show it worked.
"Then we said, 'OK, now you are done with your bikes,'" said race co-founder and co-director Andy Weinberg. "People still hate us for that one."
The race generally lasts close to 48 hours, with one strange task after another. It is part "Survivor," part Monty Python sketch.
Once, contestants had to run up an incredibly steep mountain for a mile, memorize a list of 10 U.S. presidents posted at the top and then come down and recite the list in order. If they missed one, they had to go up the mountain, look at the list and try again.
This year's required "gear list" to pack includes a splitting axe, a saw, a tape measure, a hand drill, a half-inch bit for the drill, some Dixon Ticonderoga No.2 pencils and a live fish.
Sound fun? Habenicht paid $400 to do it. This year's Death Race - the sixth, and by far the biggest - will begin June 24 with about 200 pre-screened contestants.
Said Weinberg, who might not be joking, this one will begin with all the entrants turning in their beloved running shoes and being forced to fashion a wooden pair of shoes using primitive tools. At the finish line, Weinberg said, all contestants will get two things - "a hearty handshake and a bag of manure."
"So in the end, I'm just some idiot guy who signed up for a dumb race," Habenicht said.
He's hardly an idiot - Habenicht has two college degrees and digs the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. But he is an extremist. He has completed several marathons. He occasionally has been known to finish his regular workday in Charlotte at 2:30a.m. and then go home and work out until 4a.m., often running with a large bag of sand inside his backpack, before collapsing into bed.
If you think it sounds like this guy doesn't have children, you'd be right. If you think it sounds like this guy doesn't have a wife or a life, you'd be wrong.
"I guess I'm just used to it," said Caroline Habenicht, Paul's wife - the two grew up together in Richmond, Va. "This is kind of who Paul is - he doesn't do anything halfway. People say, 'Ohmigosh, that Death Race sounds crazy.' But Paul is drawn to extremes. And at least he's not going to Afghanistan again."
Why did Habenicht enter? I asked this question several times and he seemed to have a hard time expressing it in simple terms. I asked again later via email, and he was positively eloquent.
"I like that the Death Race is just about trying to finish," Habenicht wrote. "I often think back to what my former (and best) boss Lt. Col. James Bright used to say: 'You either can, or you cannot.' That's what I like about the Death Race. No T-shirts. No trophies. No hedging. If I don't finish, no big deal - I wasn't supposed to. If I finish (which the odds say I won't), my name ends up on a website that 99.9percent of the population doesn't care about. I like the fact that the results are binary and, in the grand scheme, insignificant to just about everyone on this planet."
Bypassing the 'easy exit'
Weinberg, the race co-founder, said current and former members of the military historically have fared better in the Death Races than almost anyone else.
"Although we call it the Death Race, it's really about living - about testing yourself in ways you've never done before," said Weinberg, who is a schoolteacher by profession and organizes these races with several partners as a hobby. "The race usually breaks people either physically or mentally. Physically, there's a point where we all break. But mentally, the military guys don't break. It's unbelievable."
Habenicht doesn't really know if he will finish - if both his body and mind will hold out. But he has thought a lot about trying to finish.
"If the guys who set up this race are smart," Habenicht said, "they will make it easy to quit. The ease of exit adds a mental challenge. I know a lot of people in my life who have bypassed the 'easy exits.' I look up to those people. Because that's what life is."
All true and rather profound wisdom from the former Marine who now officially has had his hair saved by me writing this story and you reading it.
But I'm still wondering what the guys in Vermont are going to make him do with that live fish.
But, this morning my uncle sent me a news article about his son, my cousin, which made me feel like a bit of a sniveling baby for even bothering to complain about Sunday's run....Read on. This is a feat I can safely bet I will never attempt, and if I did, would almost undoubtedly fail. But in a little over a week, my cousin Paul will attempt to conquor the "Spartan Death Race."
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/06/12/v-print/2372248/death-race-aboutchallenge-to-ex.html
'Death Race' about challenge to ex-Marine
by Scott Fowler
Occasionally I get to do a good deed with this column. Such is the case today, when I save former combat Marine and current Charlotte resident Paul Habenicht from having to shave off all his body hair.
I have heard a lot of story pitches in my time, but the strangest came recently. Habenicht, 30, is about to compete in the "Spartan Death Race" in rural Vermont, an endurance race unlike any you have ever heard of. Its website is www.YouMayDie.com .
And although the race has never killed anyone and isn't actually supposed to, it features creativity and cruelty in equal doses. You don't know where it starts, you don't know how long it goes, you don't know where it ends and you don't get anything for winning. Only 10-15percent of the contestants finish in any given year.
As part of his prerace requirements, Habenicht either needed to get a story written about him in a local newspaper or come to the race with every bit of his body hair shaved. I know what you're thinking. ... the answer is yes. Every bit of it.
I didn't commit right away. But I did start finding more about the Death Race and Habenicht, who can strike you in a two-minute period as humble, introverted, smart, disciplined and quite confident.
Habenicht served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq as an infantry platoon commander - at one point he directed a sniper platoon and went on nighttime raids in search of "mid-level bad guys," he said. He attributes his survival throughout his 51/2 years as a Marine to the men he led.
But Habenicht, who graduated from the Naval Academy and played four years of lacrosse there, never intended to be a career Marine. He left the Marines in 2007, went to business school at Virginia and took a desk job in Charlotte in 2009 at a boutique mergers and acquisitions firm. He longs for an occasional bit of adventure and danger in his life. Eventually, I thought his story worth telling and his hair worth saving.
'People still hate us'
You never know what you're getting into in a Death Race, which is part of its cult appeal. Habenicht learned of the Death Race's existence after watching a 2009 New York Times online video about it.
One year contestants were told bikes would be essential, which meant many rode hundreds of miles in training and all brought their bikes to Vermont.
Then, when they arrived, contestants had to take the tires and chain off their bikes and carry it for about nine hours on their back through a muddy course. Later, they had to dive into a lake to retrieve their bike chains from zipped plastic bags. Then they had to put the chain and tires back on and ride the bike about 50 yards to show it worked.
"Then we said, 'OK, now you are done with your bikes,'" said race co-founder and co-director Andy Weinberg. "People still hate us for that one."
The race generally lasts close to 48 hours, with one strange task after another. It is part "Survivor," part Monty Python sketch.
Once, contestants had to run up an incredibly steep mountain for a mile, memorize a list of 10 U.S. presidents posted at the top and then come down and recite the list in order. If they missed one, they had to go up the mountain, look at the list and try again.
This year's required "gear list" to pack includes a splitting axe, a saw, a tape measure, a hand drill, a half-inch bit for the drill, some Dixon Ticonderoga No.2 pencils and a live fish.
Sound fun? Habenicht paid $400 to do it. This year's Death Race - the sixth, and by far the biggest - will begin June 24 with about 200 pre-screened contestants.
Said Weinberg, who might not be joking, this one will begin with all the entrants turning in their beloved running shoes and being forced to fashion a wooden pair of shoes using primitive tools. At the finish line, Weinberg said, all contestants will get two things - "a hearty handshake and a bag of manure."
"So in the end, I'm just some idiot guy who signed up for a dumb race," Habenicht said.
He's hardly an idiot - Habenicht has two college degrees and digs the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. But he is an extremist. He has completed several marathons. He occasionally has been known to finish his regular workday in Charlotte at 2:30a.m. and then go home and work out until 4a.m., often running with a large bag of sand inside his backpack, before collapsing into bed.
If you think it sounds like this guy doesn't have children, you'd be right. If you think it sounds like this guy doesn't have a wife or a life, you'd be wrong.
"I guess I'm just used to it," said Caroline Habenicht, Paul's wife - the two grew up together in Richmond, Va. "This is kind of who Paul is - he doesn't do anything halfway. People say, 'Ohmigosh, that Death Race sounds crazy.' But Paul is drawn to extremes. And at least he's not going to Afghanistan again."
Why did Habenicht enter? I asked this question several times and he seemed to have a hard time expressing it in simple terms. I asked again later via email, and he was positively eloquent.
"I like that the Death Race is just about trying to finish," Habenicht wrote. "I often think back to what my former (and best) boss Lt. Col. James Bright used to say: 'You either can, or you cannot.' That's what I like about the Death Race. No T-shirts. No trophies. No hedging. If I don't finish, no big deal - I wasn't supposed to. If I finish (which the odds say I won't), my name ends up on a website that 99.9percent of the population doesn't care about. I like the fact that the results are binary and, in the grand scheme, insignificant to just about everyone on this planet."
Bypassing the 'easy exit'
Weinberg, the race co-founder, said current and former members of the military historically have fared better in the Death Races than almost anyone else.
"Although we call it the Death Race, it's really about living - about testing yourself in ways you've never done before," said Weinberg, who is a schoolteacher by profession and organizes these races with several partners as a hobby. "The race usually breaks people either physically or mentally. Physically, there's a point where we all break. But mentally, the military guys don't break. It's unbelievable."
Habenicht doesn't really know if he will finish - if both his body and mind will hold out. But he has thought a lot about trying to finish.
"If the guys who set up this race are smart," Habenicht said, "they will make it easy to quit. The ease of exit adds a mental challenge. I know a lot of people in my life who have bypassed the 'easy exits.' I look up to those people. Because that's what life is."
All true and rather profound wisdom from the former Marine who now officially has had his hair saved by me writing this story and you reading it.
But I'm still wondering what the guys in Vermont are going to make him do with that live fish.
Scott Fowler: 704-358-5140; sfowler@charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
An Indecent Proposal
Last night, after having overdosed on an unnecessary second helping of pasta, I was conversing with a male friend about April, my personal month of health, and how lately I was feeling a bit unhappy with my weight and figure. As I've heard from a few people, he told me to "Go run another marathon." I hear that a lot, most often from people who do not work out or worry too much about their weight. What is sometimes difficult to explain to a non-runner, is that training for a marathon can really screw up one's diet. At least, in my case, it can. Also, it's not an excuse to consume whatever I want ,whenever I want, in whatever amounts I want.
For instance, the week before the marathon, a runner is not supposed to over-train or put too much stress on their muscles. At the same time, they are supposed to be increasing their carbohydrate calories a little bit, which goes against all the dieting rules I have ever ingrained in my mind. Likewise, the days/week following a big race like that the body is supposed to be recovering. One can't exactly just jump on the treadmill and slide back into the old routine. Well, I suppose some people can, but it's rare and for the average body, not advisable. (My date last Friday looked at me like I had two heads when I told him I went spinning a mere four days after my race.) Also, my body gets concerned, involuntarily and completely separate from my mind, that I might at any moment force it to run a marathon again, and therefore it wants to consume as many calories as possible "just in case." My point is that just because one can run a long distance and/or completes races doesn't mean that person can gorge themselves on mountains of unhealthy foods without limits, or consume vats of wine with gay abandon....which is what I have been doing for the past ten days.
I need to get my diet back on track--pronto!
This particular friend I was chatting with last night struggles with some body image and weight issues of his own. I know his job requires him to work dinners and cocktail parties in the evening, making evening workouts or light dinners virtually impossible.
After our discussion, we came to the conclusion that since we talk on a semi-regular basis, we should be accountable to one another for our diet and weight loss goals for the next several weeks. He proposed a [very ambitious] 20 pound weight loss goal in six weeks. But, while 20 lbs is my ultimate goal, I do not think I could lose an average of 3+ lbs per week without a severe depraved lifestyle change. Also, I think HE would look anorexic if he lost that much weight....But on the other hand, I do like an ambitious goal, because even if I don't reach it, I will be more likely to push myself rather than go easy on myself. Also, I know I'm competitive and I know this guy can--and probably will--lose weight relatively fast. Knowing that will give me the push I need to stick with a stricter regimen.
In short we proposed to attempt to lose as much weight as we could, up to 20 lbs. He said in six weeks (May 18) but I say in eight weeks (June 1). I weighed myself today and I came in at a discouraging and unappealing number--but a good place to start. To further motivate me, I just received an email from the Frederick, MD Half Marathon reminding me that I only have one month until the race. (Soon!) And I'm hoping for a sub-2 hour PR on this course, so I will need to focus on that pretty intently this month. Fingers crossed.
So, here I am, six days into the "Month of Health," and beginning a diet with renewed vigor and enthusiasm. I should note that I don't follow any specific "diet" plan. My two big (and hard to follow) rules include avoiding alcohol and not eating after 7:30 pm, and I'm already thinking of days/events during which I will need to make an exception. My smaller, less enforced rules include staying away from candy & really processed sweets, trying to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night and strongly second-guessing any "splurge" foods (just because there are cupcakes in the conference room does not mean I want cupcakes.)
I'll keep you posted on how this little contest/diet works. I have yet another Happy Hour this evening (the second of THREE this week), but I plan on only going for a short time, and refraining from more than one drink....knock on wood.
Cherry Blossom Race Report is in the works. If I can extract myself from Happy Hour at a reasonable time, hopefully I can post it tonight!
For instance, the week before the marathon, a runner is not supposed to over-train or put too much stress on their muscles. At the same time, they are supposed to be increasing their carbohydrate calories a little bit, which goes against all the dieting rules I have ever ingrained in my mind. Likewise, the days/week following a big race like that the body is supposed to be recovering. One can't exactly just jump on the treadmill and slide back into the old routine. Well, I suppose some people can, but it's rare and for the average body, not advisable. (My date last Friday looked at me like I had two heads when I told him I went spinning a mere four days after my race.) Also, my body gets concerned, involuntarily and completely separate from my mind, that I might at any moment force it to run a marathon again, and therefore it wants to consume as many calories as possible "just in case." My point is that just because one can run a long distance and/or completes races doesn't mean that person can gorge themselves on mountains of unhealthy foods without limits, or consume vats of wine with gay abandon....which is what I have been doing for the past ten days.
I need to get my diet back on track--pronto!
This particular friend I was chatting with last night struggles with some body image and weight issues of his own. I know his job requires him to work dinners and cocktail parties in the evening, making evening workouts or light dinners virtually impossible.
After our discussion, we came to the conclusion that since we talk on a semi-regular basis, we should be accountable to one another for our diet and weight loss goals for the next several weeks. He proposed a [very ambitious] 20 pound weight loss goal in six weeks. But, while 20 lbs is my ultimate goal, I do not think I could lose an average of 3+ lbs per week without a severe depraved lifestyle change. Also, I think HE would look anorexic if he lost that much weight....But on the other hand, I do like an ambitious goal, because even if I don't reach it, I will be more likely to push myself rather than go easy on myself. Also, I know I'm competitive and I know this guy can--and probably will--lose weight relatively fast. Knowing that will give me the push I need to stick with a stricter regimen.
In short we proposed to attempt to lose as much weight as we could, up to 20 lbs. He said in six weeks (May 18) but I say in eight weeks (June 1). I weighed myself today and I came in at a discouraging and unappealing number--but a good place to start. To further motivate me, I just received an email from the Frederick, MD Half Marathon reminding me that I only have one month until the race. (Soon!) And I'm hoping for a sub-2 hour PR on this course, so I will need to focus on that pretty intently this month. Fingers crossed.
I'll keep you posted on how this little contest/diet works. I have yet another Happy Hour this evening (the second of THREE this week), but I plan on only going for a short time, and refraining from more than one drink....knock on wood.
Cherry Blossom Race Report is in the works. If I can extract myself from Happy Hour at a reasonable time, hopefully I can post it tonight!
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