A much needed respite

Wow!   I can’t even begin to say how badly I needed this past weekend!!!   Work has been a bit on the crazy side lately (I have been involved in launching a new program...so nothing is set in stone, everything changes on a daily basis...no it changes on an hourly basis, and so many things have no answer yet.  I am a person that likes to know what I’m doing, so the uncertainty has been stressful!  Jason likewise has had some upheaval in his job....so the weekend was soooooo badly needed!   I could literally feel the stress and worry when I woke up on Friday...and I could feel it fall away as we relaxed!

FRIDAY

We woke up at the normal ‘work time’ and just relaxed on the couch and  slowly finished packing.  I munched on a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast.  Optimally, we would have gotten an early start out the door but the first part of our trip would take us through Washington DC (via the road of my daily commute) or via a different route that would take us closer to Baltimore.  Both routes would be full of harried commuters on their way to work.  Yeah, we do that enough when we work...so we decided to sit at home and relax and just leave at 8....and without the rush hours traffic we would get there the same time as if we had left earlier!   Worked like a charm...the drive was uneventful!

We arrived and parked at the hotel.  It was around noon and check in was at 4pm. I popped in to see if we could leave our car parked in the lot (At one place we stayed down at the ocean we could not park our car there earlier than check in and they would no allow us to park there a minute after check out...even during off season....we haven’t stayed there since!!). Luckily for us, this place said ‘sure and while you are at it, your room is ready if you want to check in now!!!  Well of course I wanted, and of course we did!!  It was perfect because it allowed us to split up the afternoon between bike riding and walking (since we checked in we could walk knowing that the bikes were secure in the room!)

We hopped on the bikes at first!   

We headed down to the inlet first.  Then back up the boardwalk.  Then back down to the inlet...where I got a small Thrasher’s Fry (a boardwalk delicacy!). I ate probably about 3/4 of that (maybe a bit less).  Why did I not eat the whole thing?  Believe me, it wasn’t because I had will power...part of the charm of Thrasher’s for me is feeding the birds!!!     When I was finished I told the birds to go find their next target and I hopped back on my bike.  Up the length of the boardwalk we went again!  Northbound riding was fantastic...away from the wind.   But southbound I really had to push to ride against that wind!!!!  While riding we noticed a ‘perimeter’ set up in one spot on the beach and what  looked like ‘guards’ on each edge of the perimeter.  People had cameras and were taking pictures.   Odd!  Finally my curiosity got the best of me.  Jason watched the bikes and I trucked  across the sand to see what was up! 

Apparently seals will ‘haul out’ of the water for various reasons.  In this area they usually only haul out if they are in distress.  Apparently most of the time they just need to rest.  (If they are sick or injured they get them and drive them up the coast to a rehabilitation area.  The volunteer told me sometimes they only rest for 2 or 3 hours but they have had a seal ‘rest’ for 6 days before leaving the area.   Seals are a protected animal.   So a group of volunteers will set up a perimeter and stand guard to insure that the seals and humans and animals on the beach are safe.  (Sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get the really good pics off the good camera, the camera with an excellent zoom...so you get a cell phone pic!)

Jason and I jumped on our bikes and headed back to the hotel.  We decided to walk back to the seal resting area to get some pictures and take some time to pop into some of the stores and sites along the boardwalk.

We walked into the room and Jason said ‘holy cow, look at this’!

This bird stayed on our balcony rail, with our balcony door open and talked to us for at least 15 minutes. Jason would mimic its sounds and it would answer back.  We were only able to watch him from inside the room.  I found a packet of sunflower seeds in our bags and the bird was going to get  a nice nutritious snack!  Finally we left the room.  We could tell that the bird really wanted the seeds but wouldn’t eat much while we were there. Plus we had a seal haul out to attend!

We walked back to the seal area and checked out the seal!   After grabbing a few pictures we headed back down the boardwalk on foot!  For the next two hours we roamed on foot.  The restaurant that we wanted to eat at (Bull on the Beach) was closing at about 5 PM....(remember it’s off season so we were just happy that they were open). So we ordered our food.  Sandwich rolls on the side please. And we carted it back to our hotel room to heat up later for dinner.  Also on our walk we picked up two big buckets of popcorn. (Caramel and cheddar cheese). (If you have been to OC, Maryland...Fishers Popcorn). We ALSO stopped at Dolles Candyland and each picked out some chocolate for a sweet treat!

So for dinner I ate a beef sandwich and coleslaw, I had some popcorn and I had some chocolate.   I feel like I ate a ton!  But I never felt ‘stuffed and sick’. I never even felt full!   I did eat it in stages.  I ate the sandwich first.  Then I waited a bit before I dove into the popcorn.  I then waited a bit before eating any chocolate.   And right before we went to bed (probably an hour after the chocolate) I ate another handful of popcorn.  I was purposefully doing that in order to give my body time to tell me to stop!!!  I kept saying ‘I just still feel hungry!’

We cranked the heat up high and threw open the door to the balcony......and crawled into bed!  Ahhhh. Sleep was wonderful with the natural sound of the waves rolling in!!!  Just for the record, We chose our ocean front rooms carefully...at the hotel we stayed at this time the balconies are cantilevered little half circles and at least 5 feet or more from the balcony of the next room...and we are the top floor!  So while not impossible for someone to come into our room via the balcony....it is highly unlikely!

Roughly 2.5 hours of bike riding and about 2 -3 hours of walking for the day. (And just for the record...this one day of walking allowed me to say that I completed my step goal for March....the one I talked about in my last post ). While I ate candy and popcorn...and fries my food intake was under control and not a free for all!  I actually ended the day a bit hungry...just not able to feel satisfied! Upon tracking my food I found that I was only barely over my goal range (1200 to 1500.) and then on top of that add in all that activity...yeah I did good with my numbers but no wonder I was hungry...when I look at my net calories for the day I had quite a few more calories I could have eaten...as in just in the exercise alone I burned 1800 calories...above and beyond what I burn just through normal living. And on that day I didn’t eat any of those extra calories!

SATURDAY

I woke up early and laid in bed basking in the peaceful sounds of the crashing surf! Ahhhhh. That is the life!  I managed to write my recap for Friday (above) and was ready to hop out of bed when the sun started peaking over the horizon!

We showered and relaxed a bit...this was a mini vacation, we wanted active time but also relaxing time!  Finally we set off.  It was still chilly so we set off on foot.  We walked for hours!   Literally!   From 9am or so until about 4pm.    

I grabbed a breakfast sandwich. (Sausage egg and cheese croissant).  We checked out the seal who was still on the beach!  (Wish I could have gotten closer, but apparently a law keeps you 50 yards away.). We checked out various stores.  We enjoyed the beach. 

I was feeling a bit confused because I was feeling hungry and I had just had breakfast.  But then I looked at my watch and low and behold it was 1PM!   Where did the morning go!   I was scanning for something to eat and saw the ice cream place....oh yeah, I did!  I had a chocolate sprinkle waffle cone with vanilla ice cream....covered in sprinkles!!  

Sprinkles make the world a better place!   And yeah....that WAS my lunch!!!

We walked some more.  Around 2 Jason looked at me and remarked that he had developed a hot spot on his foot.  We immediately headed back to our hotel to rest our weary feet and check out our hot spots/blisters.  Yup, I had a blister too (on the bottom of my middle toe of all places)!   We sat on the balcony enjoying life when our friend came back...and got so much closer to us this time...literally 3 feet from us...no zoom needed today!

We rested for a bit and then headed out to pick up the few things at some stores that we knew we wanted to take home.  (It was calling for rain on Sunday and we wanted to make sure that we had made our purchases so that we didn’t have to walk forever in the rain on Sunday before we left.). So what did we buy?   An ornament for our Christmas tree.  Some more chocolate.  And a new pet!   Yes we got another hermit crab.

  We have two tanks going at home.  One for the two small crabs and one for a big crab that I rescued about 6 months ago.  The big crab is healthy but rather ‘depressed’....we have tried to put him in the tank with the smaller crabs but it just isn’t working yet because of the size discrepancy.  Crabs are social.  So we are hoping another crab will help ‘big boy’.  The crab we got is rather large (double the size of ‘big boy’...and he is feisty and not overly afraid of us.  Our hearts melted with this jumbo sized crab...he was healthy looking and had obviously just molted.  You could tell that he hadn’t been in captivity for long...at least not in the cage that he was currently housed in!  Honestly the cages they keep the crabs in are horrendous and NOT at all conducive to life for these crabs!  (I’m not talking about quality of life...I’m talking the wire/mesh cages are not suitable for a hermit crab for any length of time and will eventually lead to health problems and death.  I would buy every crab and set them free on an island if I could...but I can’t so we just saved one!). 

After we made our purchases we went back to our room. It was about 5pm but we were DONE!  We let our crab roam a bit on the floor.  We moved the couch and sat looking at the ocean and chit chatted and enjoyed each other’s company.  We watched tv.  We ordered delivery because we were too whipped to head out the door another time!!!  Delivery was pizza and chicken tenders for me (Pizza and calamari for jason). Oh and some chocolate! 

What a good day!  Lots of activity.  My calories were a bit higher!  Right under 2000 for the day.  I didn’t have quite the deficit of calories that day...but I’m good with what I ate.  I didn’t go to bed hungry!  I also didn’t stuff myself and feel ill.  (And I had self control with the chocolate....only three small pieces!) I felt good!

SUNDAY

The day to go home. Boooooo!  But of course we were excited to get our new crab home and in a quarantine tank....a tank where he could be somewhat comfortable, small for him but with everything he needed to be comfortable (not a wire mesh cage that we transported him home in!) until we deem him safe to mingle with his new buddy!

We started the day with another sunrise. 

A nice lazy morning in the room enjoying the views....and trying to not think about going back to the rat race!!

We headed out on our bikes this morning and rode.   We grabbed an early lunch (fries again) and just enjoyed the ocean views and the wind in our faces as we rolled down the boardwalk.  It was colder so we were wearing our winter jackets and my jacket took a hit when it got caught on something on my bike and ripped!  Shucks...it was new this year too!  Oh well!

We rode until it started to rain!   (Which we knew was forecasted). Cold rain....so we fled back to the car and headed home.  It was time anyway.  Boooo!

The ride home was uneventful....but we both talked about the dread of returning to work.   Man, we need a ‘normal/long’ vacation!!!

Overall...what an active weekend!   I closed out March very positive.  While my food may have been a bit higher, it was not outrageously high!  (2000 calories was the highest day but add in 8 miles of walking and a couple hours of biking and I think that day evened out!).  I’m home and while I don’t want to return to work, I’m ready to get my health back on track and get my fitness levels up and my weight down!  Bring it on!!!!

Vacation Part One: The Beach

Welcome to the vacation recap...part one!   We had originally planned to spend the whole week down at the beach...the outer banks.   It circumstances changed (clean up from a hurricane that hit the Outer Banks) and we decided to spend a few days at a different beach.....day or two in the mountains....maybe visit to a Halloween attraction (field of screams) and then a few days of recouping at home.  (Recouping and preparing to go back to the grind of every day life.)

So here is  Vacation part one: The beach

 Saturday...day one

We woke up relatively early and headed out to the beach.  It is about a three hour drive and we wanted to try to garner as much time at the beach as possible.  As we drove along the roads I was quietly contemplating the weather...overcast and rain.  Yuck!  I kept telling myself that the forecast was for sun in the afternoon!   We arrived at the ocean and the sun was shinning...but it was cold!   Where had the 85° days earlier in the week gone!  It was  only in the 50’s maybe low 60’s!  No worries...we like off season at the beaches just wear sweatshirts!  (Less crowds) And while we wouldn’t have been adverse to a swim in the ocean had the temps been conducive, we were not at the ocean for a dip in the water...well maybe just my toes at some point!!  We parked at our hotel at 11:00 but couldn’t check in yet as check in wasn’t until 4pm.  We had our bikes and there was no way we were leaving them on top of the car unattended...so the bikes came off the car and we headed off to explore Ocean City on our bikes.  Up and down the boardwalk we road.  We also road on the streets.  For over four  hours we road!! (Oh we stopped for a single slice of pizza from a boardwalk vender which we ate standing by our bikes). I hadn’t  ridden in weeks and my butt was starting to feel it for sure!!!  My legs not so much while riding!  We did stroll with our bikes down to the water for a few minutes.

  Finally at about 3 we went back to the hotel because they had advised that we might be able to check in sometime after 2pm.   Voila!  We were good to check in!!  We unloaded the car and relaxed on our balcony.  We may have even taken a wee nap!  What woke us up from our nap?  The loud revving of engines...and it sounded like it was coming from the ocean.   We headed out onto the balcony and by golly...it was indeed coming from the ocean...the ocean side of things. We had known that  there was a corvette show in Ocean City this weekend (we had seen parking lots full of vettes while we were out riding).  But apparently they were doing a parade of vettes down the boardwalk!  We watched for about 45 minutes  from our balcony.

Time was ticking (we knew our dinner option was likely to close early) so we cut our viewing from the balcony short and grabbed our bikes.  Down the boardwalk we went...and thus viewed the vette parade up close and personal. As in we were right beside it!  We grabbed pit beef sandwiches and biked back to our hotel to have dinner! (Just for the record...the ride to buy dinner was about 2 miles there and 2 miles back so four miles of riding just to get dinner!).  We got ‘home’ and stayed in our hotel the rest of the night....spending lots of time on the balcony watching the sunset!!!!

 We were in bed early as we were tired and Jason was fighting a cold!

Day two

We had slept with the sliding glass door open and the heat cranked! (Both nights actually!)  It was fabulous sleeping!  I woke about 6AM and listened to the pounding surf and waited for sunrise.  At about 6:40 when the skies started to slowly pink up, I headed outside, wrapped in a blanket and watched the sunrise.  

It was neat as I tried to get a picture of the different stages and colors of the sunrise!  We relaxed a bit in our room in the morning.   My legs were so stiff and sore and Jason was still fighting off the cold and feeling a bit rough and ragged.  But eventually we made our way out...on foot today.  (My butt may have been a bit tender from all that time in the saddle the day before!) Being  on foot and not having to worry about the security of our bikes afforded us the opportunity to shop!   We explored the many shops on and around the boardwalk...for hours!   We grabbed a lunch of Thrashers boardwalk fries....and a donut from the Fractured Prune donut shop.   Then we kept walking!!!  Jason found a pair of shoes that he has been wanting to find for 2 years (I kid you not...every time we go into a mall or any shopping expedition he looks for a certain shoe and a certain color.  He can usually find the color but not the style...or the style and not the color..). We walked into a shop and saw the exact shoe he wanted.  We both commented that they probably wouldn’t have his size...but they did!!!  AND while he was trying them on...the guy was like ‘end of season, I can knock 25% off of them !!!  Sold!  (We would have purchased them  at full price but a discount is even better!   I also bought a pair of shoes..but mine were 50% off!  Laden down with purchases we headed back to our hotel.  Ok, ok ok..we had also  purchased two big buckets of fishers popcorn (Amazon Affiliate link...because why yes...you can order a beach boardwalk treat delivered right to your house!!!), some chocolate covered strawberries for me and a caramel apple for him.   We walked a bit more later in the day after another much deserved vacation nap...but we were still wiped out!  Plus...I had somehow picked up a blister...most likely from a grain of sand between my toes...from when I took off my socks and shoes and waded into the ocean!   We spent time on the balcony overlooking the ocean and enjoyed the playful ‘show’ that the dolphins were giving!  Food...way too much.  But so tasty!!!  

Day three

It was raining!!!!  Boooooo!!!  We spent most of the morning on the balcony talking and enjoying the beach views, sounds and smells.  Jason was feeling better, thank heavens!!    We had to check out of our hotel at 11 (we were so tempted to stay another night...but the rain deterred us....and the fact that we had other plans upcoming).  We hopped in the car and explored a bit further up the shoreline.  We spent some time in Delaware.  The sun actually came out for an hour or two...so we enjoyed the beaches and roads up there before heading home.  Sorry...only one pic was taken on this day...so you will just have to look at our sappy lovey dovey  picture!!! 

The trip home good FOREVER.  We knew to try to avoid rush hour...seriously, we drive it every day...we know!  But a small detour and a few extra stops and we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of rush hour...grrr!  Oh well...we were still together and we did make it home safe and sound!

Mertz, the cat was happy to see us!  We threw clothes in the wash...ordered dinner out...watched a little tv and I was out cold asleep early!    

Take away from this portion of our vacation?   Since we decided to go to Maine next year for our vacation I have said I need to be in shape to really be able to fully experience and enjoy that vacation.....these few days of more than normal physical activity at the beach emphasized how much I do need to be in better shape before that week!!!  No time for sore muscles that week!!!!

Weekend update and a new month

This past weekend we headed to Johnstown, PA.  

 

I lived there many moons ago (like 35 years ago).   I wanted to experience the history and culture as an adult.   On the way there we visited the Flight 93 memorial (9-11 plane that went down in a field in PA.).  It was well done...a haunting memorial.

 

We explored by car and on foot the town of Johnstown, the burough of Westmont and the Grandview Cemetery.   We checked out a hiking trail and rode the Incline Plane.

 

We visited the Johnstown Flood Museum and then followed that up with a visit to the Flood Memorial which is actually at the site of the same that broke causing so much damage and so many fatalities. 

 

In this picture you can faintly see the overlook that is on the abutment across the 'valley'. This photo was taken from the other abutment....and shows the absolute breadth of the damn that broke.

We also spent some time looking for mushrooms...no luck though!!

 

It was a great weekend (aren't they all nowadays???)

So it's a new month and that means it's time to review last month's goals and set new ones for this month!!!

Last month I had four goals. 

1. To track all of my food and stay between 1200-1800 calories.   This did not happen...at all.  There was actually days where I didn't track anything and more days than I can count that I was over 2000 calories for the day!  I kick myself for messing this one up.   This should be a shoo in goal to achieve!!!!!  Grrrrr  I did discover that the 1800 is too high for me. ( When I'm at 1800 I don't lose...when I lowered it to 1500 as my high I was starting to see some success.  And then I went off the rails like an idiot!!  So I totally messed this one up but I learned a lesson and the more knowledge the better the chance of success in the future! 

2.  I set a goal to run 20 miles in the month of April.   I totally missed this one too.  I only ran 12.41 miles. I wasn't even 'close'.   I don't know what happened...a few days of rain...a few schedule changes that prohibited....and some sheer laziness with shorter runs but me in he butt.   There is no real excuse though.   12.41  miles is more than most people in this world run each month and furthermore that's good that I did at least something for my body!!

3. Lose weight and be in the next 'decade' lower by the end of the month.   Well this didn't happen at all!!!  I didn't lose a single solitary pound.   I wallowed in my current weight.   A pound down a pound up. A see saw of misery!!!!  This one disgusts me.  At this rate I will never reach my goals!!!

A maintain is actually a victory!!!  It may not be what I wanted but it wasn't a gain!!!

4.   Complete my April miles (166.5) and add an extra 25 miles to work on the mileage deficit for my year goals (2017 miles in 2017).  191.5 miles needed to reach my goal.   I am very proud to say that I crushed this goal!!  I completed themiles I  needed for April and started working on those extra miles.   I finished the month with 232.41 miles for the month!  That is 65.91 extra to cut down that deficit.....the years deficit is now only 27.79 miles.   Yeah, I smashed the goal!!!!!  (Thank you 89.58 miles of biking...25 miles of walking at the beach and many long walks with Jason!!)

See how I had to make myself turn the negatives into a positive.   Negatives are bad because they make us want to give up...they rob us of our self confidence.  They are just bad!!!

So for May my goals....

1.   Lose weight!   I would optimally like to be down in the next decade...but I will take any loss at this point!!!

2.  Track....every day....and at the new lower range of 1300-1500...with only one cheat day a week!

3.  20 miles....I will get this!!!!  This is my month!!!

4.   2017 mileage.   I want to get my base miles and wipe that deficit clean!!!!  

5.  Three times a week add a mini strength and stretching routine into my day.   The what isn't important....but right now I am do have a plan in place in my mind!).   I've noticed lately that my legs are tired more easily and my muscles are super tight.   I have to fix that!!!!  

So I've already gotten a good start on my May goals.  I woke up and ran....not a lot of miles but a little bit over 2 miles completed.  I mowed and did yard work....so my total steps (including rummage run) already have me at my daily goal of 5.5 miles. (And we plan on riding our bikes tonight...chalk up more miles!!!).  I have tracked my food and I'm determined to work this!!!

April showers bring.....

April showers bring......a cancelled run!

I woke up on Tuesday determined and ready for my run.  I looked out the window...rain!  Yucky rain!  (Ok I don't mind rain....I just don't like a cold rain when I'm wanting to run!!).    So I didn't run.  Ironically enough, it rained literally until the moment I got out of my car at work and then the skies opened and it was gorgeous!!!!

We did get out and walk both Monday and Tuesday nights.  So my step count /mileage wasn't totally in the gutter!  (But at 3 -4 miles I ate into the surplus I had after the first two days of the month !).  While we were out we saw some more sure signs of spring.

 

Why yes that goose is sitting on a nest of eggs!!!

And if that doesn't convince anyone.....

 

 

Aren't they adorable????  

Luckily for me today (Wednesday) is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous and I get off work at noon!   The plan?  I'm heading onto the canal on my bike!

So what did I do yesterday instead of run?????

I saw this post by Pink.   

 

Just another reason to like Pink!

I also read about the Barkley Marathon!   I watched a documentary about this intense race a few months back.  The movie is called "The Barkley Marathons: The Race that Eats its Young".    Yes it's that brutal to be worthy of the name!!!   The race was conceived in 1977 when there was an escape from a prison in the area where the race is held.  The prisoner made it 8 miles in 58 hours. (The terrain is that rugged!) an eccentric man made the comment that 'I could do 100 in that time frame....and the idea for a 100 mile race (give or take) up and down the mountains of TN was born.  The entry requirements are a bit sketchy....but it involves a registration fee of $1.60 and a written essay.  If accepted you receive a letter of condolence!   First year participants must then arrive with a license plate from their state.  If you have already attempted this race and are trying again you must arrive with something else that is designated by this eccentric race organizer.  (Socks, shirts, etc).  If you are a prior year winner rumor has it that your required item is a pack of Camel ciggarettes.    The course is a 20-25 mile loop and is totally unmarked!!!   There are two water stations set up (but I've read reports that on some years the water is frozen solid) and nothing else other than the runners own personal car/tent and crew parked at the beginning of the loop.    (There is a plan in place to insure that the runners actually complete the whole loop).

 The race is capped at 40 participants each year.  In the history of the race the full course has only been completed in the 60 hours  18 times ...by 15 different competitors (one guy won three years).   Isn't that nuts????

So anyway, last weekend was the 2017 Barkley Marathons. And we added a new winner to the books.  A man from D.C.  It was his third attempt.  There was another finisher...kinda....a man got lost and came in 12 seconds past the cut off!  I cried for him when I watched the video...can you imagine having a DNF because you were 12 seconds beyond he cut off after 60 hours of brutal conditions while running!!

I'm blown away by the fortitude and resilience of these runners.   Imagine the pain, the extreme fatigue and motivation to run pretty much 60 hours straight...getting lost in the woods....(yes happens a LOT apparently) through goodness knows what weather.  Apparently this year they encountered bitter cold, hail and snow!   The winner resorted to picking up trash, someone's discarded hat and a Walmart bag to wrap around himself to try to stay warm.   Wow...just wow!!!

So writing this I'm actually ashamed that I didn't run yesterday morning...in 40° temps....on paved surfaces....in the daylight....just because it was raining.  Our bodies can handle so much more than we demand from them.  And the Barkley Marathons prove that!!!

Maybe it's time to push myself a little harder!

Oh yeah....almost forgot...weigh in day. I FINALLY had a weigh in day that wasn't the boomerang weight  f 238.4!!!   I don't really know how because I haven't eaten well the last few days!   But today was 237!   I'll take it and I'm motivated to stay away from that

boomerang weight!!!

30 Miles Equals

After the fabulous weekend I decided to keep the activity rolling.

On Monday I was at work and slipped on my tennis shoes and out I went on my lunch break!

That wasn't enough so I planned to head out for a walk at after work.  Jason heard my plans and decided to join me!!!   We met at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal  That's a double win for me!!!
This tree caught my eye for some reason

Love our shadows! Even though our hands look like they are twisted and warped. 

And of course the setting sun over the river!

We walked roughly two and a half miles in one direction and then went back to the car where we grabbed more water.  Then we headed out and went roughly one and a half miles in the other direction....for just about 8 miles on the legs.   My legs were SHOT!

I had vowed to run in the morning on Tuesday.  I had worn a new pair of tennis shoes for half or my miles on Monday and I had picked up a blister.  OUCH!  My legs were still feeling the effects of soooooo many miles in the preceeding 4 days. (Three days of hiking and one day of lots of walking).    But, I had told Jason....and I knew he was going to ask. (We are working on a challenge.....more on that in a future blog post)  So I covered my blister with a gauze pad and some duct tape and laced up my running shoes.   I planned a two mile run since it had been so long since I've run.   I completed 2.21 miles ALL running (no walking break).  It wasn't fast but I did it!

My legs were REALLY shot by this point.  I went to work and sitting caused my muscles to stiffen up.  It took EVERYTHING in me to get myself up and walking on my lunch break.  But I did it!!!!!!

So what in the world does the title of this blog mean?  Thirty Miles Equals?     It could equal so many things!

*  30 miles = one gallon of gas (for my car at least....)
*  30 miles =distance to the next town
*  30 miles =  48.28032 kilometers
*  30 miles =  if I add per hour it could mean a speeding ticket in a 15 MPH zone
*  30 miles = 158,400 feet

But those things, while absolutely true are not what I am talking about.  I am talking about what in the world does 30 miles of walking, running and hiking in a six day period equal.  It actually means a few things to me!

*  30 miles = sore legs (deliciously sore...but sore none the less)
*  30 miles = extreme satisfaction in my accomplishment
*  30 miles = happiness....many of those miles were spent with Jason
*  30 miles = 3.4 pounds

Yes, I lost 3.4 pounds this week!   YIPPEE!!!!!   Can you say happy???

It wasn't just walking the caused the weight loss.  All but one day I simply ate reasonably. Although I will admit that  on that one off day that the  BLizzard (yeah, I've now caved twice recently) and the king size package  of Reece's Cups tasted SO good!  Sadly, the bad eating day was NOT a day where I even walked much!  That blizzard made me feel bloated and icky though, and that is what sparked me to walk at work on Thursday...the day that started my crazy streak of activity.     On the steady and in line food intake days, I didn't starve myself.  I didn't go crazy over my calories though.  I just ate reasonably.  (Pizza for 6 meals is reasonable right?   Yes 6...three dinners  and three leftover breakfasts!)

I have long said that I would rather exercise a whole bunch to give myself the freedom to eat what I want (within reason) and to not have to be overly anal about my food intake.  Well last week has proven that it works!!!  Lots of walking pus food not crazy but definitely not perfect (pizza for six meals!) and I lost 3.4 pounds!   That's what I'm talking about!

So it's Wednesday and time for my weekly check in for my year goals!

1.  Setting a PR in running.  I started running....just need to do it consistently!   And I am totally working on a plan for consistency and accountability!

2.  Be at weight goal!   Oh yeah, a loss of 3.4 is definitely working on that goal

3. .  Exercise at lest 3x a week.  Every day except last Wednesday!

4.  Track food   I tracked every bite...and all but that one day stayed pretty close to budget (that one day I was between 2000-2100 calories so still not as bad as it COULD have been....but definitely NOT a win!

This was a successful week!

Tri Colored foam where are you??????

arrrgggghhhh     Stupid scales.   Yes, I was up.  I figured I would be.  I had assumed that some of my weight loss from last week was due to 'fever weight loss'  I had been hoping to hang onto some of it....and it had looked like I had managed to hang onto most of it.  But then my official weigh in....grrrr  nope!  I was still down about two pounds from the previous weigh in....but still up from last week.  No worries......I know that some of it is the monthly water retention dealio.

Meanwhile.  As I mentioned, I ran on Tuesday!  Go me!

Wednesday I was only scheduled to work until noon.  I hooked up with my friend for lunch and then headed to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal





where I walked a few miles and enjoyed the AWESOME weather!

It felt so good to get outside in this wonderful weather!  I was and am so over winter weather that these days of fabulous upper 70's temps has been very welcome!    I can start to see the green new growth popping up here and there and it excites me quite a bit!!!!!

After my long walk, I headed to the car wash.  My car was DIRTY.  I was so disappointed.  They are supposed to have tri colored foam.  This is NOT tri colored foam! The lack of the tri colored foam makes me want to cry!!!!!     But at least my car is clean!

See, this is how it is SUPPOSED to look!!!

A few errands/stops at stores later and I was home for the afternoon/ evening.   I had eaten a large lunch and actually blown quite a few calories on lunch so I kept my dinner lower on the calorie count.   I was a bit high on my calorie count...coming in at a total of 1504 calories.  But I am counting it a victory because I SOOOOO wanted something sweet after my lower calorie dinner.     It wasn't that I was hungry...I just wanted!   I ignored that sweet tooths call and guess what?   I was fine!  (and lets not forget that I was out walking and moving for a few hours...so if I include my earned calories I was still under goal!) 

I woke up today......it was  Thursday and if I remember correctly, on Monday I wrote a blog post and set a few goals for my week.  Drat...one of those goals was to run at least twice....once on Tuesday (check)  and one on Thursday.    Yup....even though I had an offer to go to breakfast I remembered that goal and I said no to breakfast and strapped myself into my running shoes and off I went!   I actually ran slower than Tuesday.  Go figure.  I wonder why?   Who knows... I did feel like I was a turtle running through peanut butter.   So, I knew I was slow even while I was running!  Oh well....who cares.  I was out there working it!    Slow is 100% better than laying in bed thinking about running.   Slow is 150% better than indulging in a fattening breakfast!   Slow is a victory!!!!                                                                                                                                                                                  Meanwhile, my poor little toe hurts....it's the 'little piggy that had none' on my right side.  (yeah, think about the nursery rhyme and then you will know which toe I mangled up!)  This little toe is black and blue and swollen.  It's feeling a bit better and the swelling is going down.  Yeah, maybe that affected my run today.  That and my hip....my right hip has been aching a bit lately.  I haven't been sure what is up with my hip...I was originally thinking it was just arthritis.....but the other week Jason massaged it and now I'm thinking now that it is muscular in nature. (What makes me think that?  Just how the pain in my hip was intense for the first few minutes as he massaged...but then eased up and felt wonderful for a bit until it stiffened up again)  Hmmmm  maybe I need to research stretches to work that area and stretch it out really good.  

So I am thus far on track with my goals for the week....well the water is so so.  I'll have to work on that one!  :-)

Facing my Nemesis

I'm baaaaaack!   This past week has been terrible.  I didn't eat totally out of control.  I didn't go totally offline in my exercise  However, it wasn't a stellar week.  I scraped by.  I'm not saying that my just barely scraping week was a good thing, but maybe I needed it. 

This morning I woke up at 6 and drug myself out of bed.  I got a nice run in.  It wasn't overly fast and it wasn't overly long but I faced down my nemesis!   You see, when I run on the battlefield I usually plan my run so that I am not running up too many hills.  I will run down them but I have avoided them like the plague.  Today I purposely searched out those hills and hit them full steam ahead going UP.   On the one hill I have to admit that my breathing went all catawompus and crazy...but I got to the top and I did not stop and I didn't not walk.  I kept going and decided to see if my breathing would regulate on it's own.  Guess what?  It did and pretty quickly!  :-)

I got back to my car and I pulled out my breakfast  I enjoyed my picnic lunch while I waited for Sherry to arrive.  I had just barely finished eating and she rolled up.  We walked and actually pushed our walk a mile longer and boy, I think we covered every possible conversation!  :-)

Lo and behold, always be prepared....you never know who you may run into whilst out exercising!!!!!!!!

So after my exercise, I showered and Todd and I headed down to Harper's Ferry.  We walked around for a bit, ate some lunch and had fun.  We headed home and did some work around here, mowing, picking strawberries and peas (of which I had to shell, blanch and freeze) and all sorts of stuff.   I prepared 5 lunches for my work week and did a bunch of other stuff around here.  It was a busy active day!