BIG NEWS

No, I do not have cancer. Sorry to disappoint you, Matt.

The news is (drumroll please) - I have decided to enter the real estate market. I am officially looking for a condo.

I have consultations with two realtors this week, after which I will make a choice and start looking.

I'm already having multiple anxiety attacks not unlike what I imagine labor contractions to feel like. But I am excited. I'm ready, in all ways. Now I just have to endure the process, which is sure to be overwhelming, but totally worth it in the end.

New Food Regimen

So this is how it usually goes for me:

Breakfast at home a little before 6am. By 8:30-9am I am starving. I eat a snack which holds me over until about 11:30am, at which point I eat lunch. Then, for the remainder of my work day, I am pretty hungry and will end up either going across to the cafe for a snack ($$$) or giving in and using the vending machine (gross).

I have tried all kinds of snacks and bringing tons of food to work for afternoon pick-me-ups but just can't seem to get past the feeling of constantly being hungry at work. I end up spending too much money or eating too much junk.

I have decided to try something different. Today I brought oatmeal, raisins, milk, and tea to work along with a mug, bowl, and spoon. I will start eating breakfast (oatmeal) at work around 7:30-8am. Hopefully this will push lunch back a bit and leave me full for the afternoon so I am not either scrounging for something unhealthy or stuffing my face as soon as I get home.

Today I tried it for the first time. I did eat a little bit of yogurt with almonds at home a little before 6am, then made some oatmeal around 9am. It is now a little after noon and I am still satisfied from my oatmeal and not yet hungry for lunch. Also, now I can make tea at my desk and not spend money at Starbucks!*

*I will probably still make one morning run to Starbucks for my tea, but that is as much to get out of the office and get some fresh air as it is for the warm beverage.

Books Galore

Well, halfway through the day today my computer decided to stop working, so I took a walk through Adams Morgan to Idle Time and proceeded to drop $65 on used books!

From the psychology section:
The Therapist's Handbook: Treatment Methods of Mental Disorders
Masturbation: From Infancy to Senescence

From the philosophy section:
The Basic Works of Aristotle

From the religion section:
A Vow of Conversation: Merton's Journals from 1964-1965
The True Solitude

Good day... plus, by the time I got back my systems had come back online, so I was able to finish the day productively, get home to my Pilates workout, and blog a bit. Now I'm going to get a snack and look at my new (old) books!

Confession

I am a lump. Nothing but a big lump.

I got cocky after switching to the 5k and went out last night and stayed out too late and drank too much wine and didn't even make it to the start of the race.

Sigh....

Oh well - I am doing my kettlebells and pilates and yoga and going out for a run tomorrow. So maybe not a TOTAL lump...

COMPROMISE

Okay people, I figured it out. I am going to follow in Matt's footsteps and drop from the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile race down to the 5k.

That way, I still accomplish something, I'm not totally lazy, and yet I'm not pushing myself beyong my current physical capabilities.

This afternoon will mark the first of my pilates workouts. I'm going to give pilates and yoga (and the occasional weekend run) eight weeks and see what happens. Maybe I'll even make an attempt at chronicling my progress....

Sick and dying

I have never had such a drop-down knock-out cold. I took two days off of work! I can't remember if I've ever taken TWO sick days in a row.

Good god. I think I'm about ready to rejoin the world of the living. As for my 10-mile race? The fates have conspired against me. I might be ready to hang up my running shoes for the summer. Or maybe not. Should I summon some race-day mojo and just go for it? Not sure yet.

Bruised and Bloody

I still have a needle track in the form of a big ugly bruise on my arm from where I had blood drawn over a week ago. I seriously look like an addict, or a domestic violence victim.

And then, a second ago, I ripped the back of my hand sitting down at my desk. Yes, people, I bloodied myself SITTING DOWN. Is this what my life has come to?

Pressing On

Don't get me wrong - I was happy enough to sleep in last Saturday, wake up at a leisurely hour, and watch the National Marathon finishers while drinking my second cup of tea! This little break from self-punishment has done me well. The problem is that I have a 10-miler coming up in two weeks and I am probably going to be undertrained!

My current attitude is Oh Well. I'll finish, and probably easily. Will I have the best time? No. Will I have MY best time? Nah. Do I really, really care? In the grand scheme of things? Not in the slightest.

In fact, I'm seriously thinking of taking the hottest summer months off from running and focusing on weights, pilates, and yoga. I mean, why the hell not?

Feeling Good

The Wings have clinched their playoff spot and continue to dominate the League with a 3-2 win over Philadelphia last night, after being down two in the second period.

I've run three days in a row and had two great yoga practices as well.

I'm eating well - mostly clean, a few Cadbury eggs, but the main thing is I'm not sweating it!

The gorgeous afternoon sun haloed all the dust particles on my coffee table, so I whipped out the supplies and cleaned my entire apartment. I feel light and clean and airy.

I feel good.

Back in the Saddle... sort of

Lately I have not felt like doing anything productive. All I want to do is lounge around and read my book, watch movies, cook, go on walks. Running? Happy Hour? Eh.. I'll pass.

I was afraid this might happen. Is it as simple as inertia? Is is that my body, now at rest, wants to stay at rest?

When I'm in high training mode my life is a model of productivity. My flat is clean and tidy, I'm a machine at work, evenings are overscheduled and yet I'm early for everything. But now that I've stepped back from racing, I've become a total Type B. I don't want to be anywhere at a particular time. I skipped yoga this morning not because I didn't want to practice but because I didn't want to practice at 10:30. I just wasn't ready. I don't want to look at the clock or make any firm commitments.

See? This is why I'm always going 100mph... because if I slow down I'm afraid I'll settle in at zero.

Just One More Day Please!

I have had a nice little break from my running and yoga routine. Both Wednesday and Thursday after work I got in bed instead of suiting up and hitting the pavement. On Wednesday for the first time I can remember I took a two-hour nap. Thursday I didn't sleep but got a lot of reading done and stayed cozy under the covers with the windows thrown open and the cool air coming in.

And today... I just want one more day to go home and get in comfy clothes and chill out. So I am going to skip my usual Friday afternoon yoga class. Tomorrow I'll pick it up again with a relaxing run, Sunday back to yoga, and I'll get back on the (slower moving) wagon. I do have a fun run coming up in a few weeks, after all! But just for fun.

I have a new love

Pandora.com

OMG. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Basically, you just type in the name of a song or artist that you like and it will compile a playlist for you with similar songs/bands. And it's free. I typed in "Liz Carroll" and am listening to the most awesome mix of Irish and bluegrass music... stuff I've never heard before.

SWEET!

Reining in my freak

Lately I have been acting like (more of) a control freak (than usual). It is annoying me and I'm sure it's annoying my friends. So, my rememdy is to go home after work and open all the windows and pile lots of blankets over myself and take a nice long nap without setting my alarm clock. Wake up, do some yoga, and commence the annual spring purge... cleaning out closets and cupboards always brings me the sense of control I crave without having to take it out on other people. Trip to Goodwill is scheduled for Saturday.

Dream

I dreamt that I was attending a funeral, but the way we walked into the church was the way you'd walk as if you were in a wedding. Then it was all outside, and I was in the front row of the outside church and even though it was daytime I could see two moons that were full. They were beautiful, but the earth was orbiting so fast that I couldn't get a good photo of them.

Okaaay...

On the metro this evening were two couples and another man, all middle aged. At first they were talking a little bit of business and then the man started raving on about this restaurant they were all going to. He was saying how amazing the food was, how much everyone was going to love it... how he ALWAYS eats at this place whenever he's in town.

Okay, said one of the others, what's it called?

Oh I don't know, the man replied flippantly. But I love it.

Nice Day

It's gorgeous outside! Sunny and warm but dry. Perfect for a walk down to Cleveland Park to meet Matt for an iced vanilla chai and catch-up conversation. Then later I'm going to meet another friend down at Eastern Market to wander around, pick up some things for dinner, and watch The Sopranos. Yes, I'm wayyy behind on this one... just starting Season One, but I'm hooked :-)

Oh, in between those two things I will go for a nice leisurely run with absolutely no pressure to meet mileage or pace goals. Just a relaxing run in the sunshine to improve my health and mood. I can't wait for it!

Feelin' Good

Ahh... just woke up from a nap and found myself surrounded by cats and bathed in the sun. Life is good. I'm going to have a very mellow night... a yoga practice here at home, some wine, a movie (Violette - will post review afterwards), my book, and an early bedtime.

I feel really good about my decision to drop out of the National Half-Marathon. In fact, I am looking forward to my run tomorrow afternoon with no pressure to run fast or meet mileage goals. Running is something I started doing to feel better about myself. I want it to be a source of confidence, strength, and solitude, not masochism and stress.

Let's hear it for being healthy..

Done

That's it. I've hit the wall in my personal life. I am tired of moving full throttle at every single thing I want to do. Nothing is fun anymore. I have no residual energy. I'm tired.

I have decided not to run the National Half-Marathon. I have decided to continue with the plan to run the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler.

I am not only at peace with my decision, the decision comes as an enormous relief.

That is all.

Why Is It That

1. I can be wearing a size four pant;
2. My boss can say I look skinny lately;
3. All my male co-workers notice and LOVE my new haircut;
4. A good male friend can tell me I look especially hot;
5. My dentist can say I look fabulous and what have I been doing to myself;

... and STILL it's possible to feel squishy and large and lazy.

I seriously hate being a chick sometimes!

Back from Santa Fe

Santa Fe was great... a nice long week of reading, siestas, hiking in the canyons, skiing in the Rockies, ceviche, enchiladas, and beer.

I'm thankful to get back to my routine (I AM, after all, a creature of habit) and starting to get anxious about my half-marathon coming up on the 21st. I had a 9-mile run schedule for Saturday, but being the day after a vacation, I ran six miles and was going to head out for the longer distance today. Unfortunately, we had a massive snowfall last night and the sidewalks are covered with ice.

So, my plan is to do a bunch of Sun Salutations today (check), run easy (4-5 miles) tomorrow, try for nine on Wednesday, off Thursday, yoga Friday, ten miles Saturday, and then I will be back on track.

Flexibility is key. After this weekend I will only have one more weekend before the big 13.1....