Mr. Squarepants is still grounded...

Weigh yesterday went better than I'd expected. I lost a full pound.

I tell you, though, it was a rough week. Remember I hid my scale in the closet last Saturday? Well, it was hard not weighing myself each morning like I've been doing for the past 2+ years. I found out that my weight each morning would dictate how I ate for the day. If I was up a couple of tenths, I'd back off and eat ultra smart for the day. If I was the same or was down at all, I could eat normal (and by normal, I mean on plan). I had no idea how to eat the whole week. I just kept saying, "I hope it's okay that I'm eating this."

So evidently it worked out. Or there's another theory... Because I gained 6/10ths last weekend, this could just be my body compensating for the gain. Who knows.

I've decided to give it another week, though. I'll keep Mr. Squarepants in the closet another week and see how things go at my next weigh in. I'll just do the same thing I did this past week and see how it goes.

How did you guys do without weighing yourself last week?

I wanted to comment on some of your comments from my last blog post:

Debbie, did you watch the Biggest Loser finale? The comment you left on my last blog post reminded me of it. When the skinny version of the top 4 contestants walked out on stage and their fat version was standing there right next to them. Wasn't that amazing!! I love it when Rudy patted the butt of his former fat self. Was awesome. That's how I need to keep imagining myself. I keep forgetting how fat I used to be. So I can give my old self that big hug you mentioned and tell her I did take care of her. So cool.

Miz, no I haven't read Born to Run, but its on my wish list. I just have 4 or 5 books ahead of it that I've committed to reading before I get it. But what an amazing book. You guys should check it out. Among other things in the book, he talks about the problems we've had with our feet, etc. since the invention of running shoes in the 70s. He sells these shoes called "Birthday Shoes" that make it feel like you're running barefoot. Here's an excerpt of the description of the book: Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

It's so funny that ScrewDestiny said "who wants to run a marathon in the winter?". You obviously live up north, huh? =D Me, I'm in Florida where you could ONLY run a marathon in the fall or winter. Preferable in the winter. After February, who could stand the heat to run 26 miles. Ugh! Thought that was cute, though. :)

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Whoda thunk? Me? Train for a Marathon???

I'm making an official announcement...

"I am going to run a marathon."

And I started training for it today.

Okay, well, not officially training for it, but as best as I know how.

I stopped by the local running store yesterday at lunch and talked to the lady behind the counter about running a marathon. First, I have to admit, I really expected her to laugh out loud or at least snicker when I told her I wanted to run a marathon. I even hesitated after I said it waiting for that response. But she just smiled and looked at me like I was absolutely serious. Well, I am.

I asked if they had any marathon training coming up or if she knew of any marathons this coming Spring. She said their marathon training was coming to an end. It started in June and will end in January. She said there are a couple of marathons in January, but not much after that. Darn!

She suggested waiting until the next marathon training course and aim for running a marathon next fall. But this isn't all bad. Because right now, my pace is WAY too slow anyways. At my current speed, it would take me... oh... 7 HOURS to finish the race. And I've heard they have sweepers that come along and pick you up off the street if your pace is too slow. How humiliating! I'm running along, running my heart out, and some bus comes along and says "excuse me ma'am, you're running too slow, you have to get off the road". Okay, well, I'm sure it won't happen exactly like that, but still. I need to get my pace up a bit.

So I talked to her about how to do that and she suggested something that I can't believe I didn't think of! I remember when I first started running, I'd run for 30 seconds then walk for 2-5 minutes til I caught my breath and then repeat. That's exactly what she suggested as a way to get my pace up. Run full out for 30 seconds then run at my regular pace for a couple of minutes until my heart rate comes back down off the ceiling. Then keep doing that until I can go for more than 30 seconds at a time, etc.

I'm so excited!!! That's exactly what I did this morning. And I had so much fun doing it.

I can't believe I'm blogging about having fun running. Me??!! I was almost 300lbs 2 1/2 years ago. If you'd have told me back then that I'd be training for a marathon now, I would have laughed so hard and loud people would be looking at my like I was a crazy woman. It still baffles me how I can actually get out there on the road and run for more than 5 minutes without keeling over and passing out. Really!

I think that's why I'm so smitten with running. Because I can do it. I never would have dreamed that I would be a runner. Not in a million years, much less 3 years. But now that I can run, I just want to run as much as I can.

So step one... increase my pace.

Oh, and you remember how I decided not to look at the scale all this week? I'm really having a hard time with that. The scale is still in the closet. I miss it terribly, though. I don't know how I'm doing without it. Like, am I down or am I up. Do I need to eat less or eat more? I don't know what I'm doing. I feel so out of sync with everything in my life right now. Mr Squarepants is haunting me from the closet. Make him stop!!!

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