what now?

After completion of the four races, back to back in four weeks, I wanted to set some new goals for myself.  When I went out for my long training run the following weekend, I decided to try for four miles straight through.  They didn't need to be fast, they didn't need to be pretty, they just needed to 'be'.  And they were.

I was so proud of myself, but I felt it.  Every inch of me felt it.  After a few days, I was still feeling it and by the following week, Monday, I woke up sick.  My aches and pains were feeling better, but I was dealing with some stomach issues now.  I was sick from the time I got out of bed until 6:00 that evening and spent all of Tuesday recuperating.  After which, again I ached all over from being ill so much.  Fortunately, it didn't appear to be any type of bug, bacterial or viral, but some intestinal blockage which I have never done well with.  'Call the ambulance, I'm sure I'm dying' kind of deal for me.  I am an absolute baby when this happens and my body completely betrays me.

I decided to give my body a rest and took that week and this past weekend off as well.  I will ease back into a routine by walking, which I have been doing with the pups, but plan to increase mileage on my treadmill.

I have become frustrated with the response time on the treadmill when speed training.  It doesn't increase speed quickly enough, and then when I'm ready to cough up a lung, it does not decrease quickly enough.  I have been wondering if there is still such a thing as a non-motorized treadmill.  Do they still make them?  You know the kind, the one they use in the beginning of the Jetsons?  At least it starts out that way until they get it going too fast?  (I never understood why they weren't concerned a little more about 'gravity'.)   I decided to look them up, they DO exist!  A manual treadmill is what it is called, I ordered one immediately.  I will post an update on how well (or not) it works out for me during the upcoming cold weather.

As for the 'what now' question, I will be working on hill training for my next scheduled race in March of 2015.  We are doing a 10K bridge run, this will be an increased distance and an increase in hills and endurance.  I am looking forward to the challenge.  In truth, I am looking forward to kicking the challenge in the bum!  After this, the goal is half marathon training for a race sometime in 2015 and the ultimate shorter long term goal right now is my first full marathon in the Fall of 2016 with a few awesome friends.  

I have not been 'dieting', no counting calories, depriving myself, obsessing over every morsel I put into my mouth.  I have however been making better choices.  I am vegan and prefer whole foods versus processed foods.  If I am hungry, I eat.  If I want something yummy, I try to make it myself.  There are times when it is not convenient to do so and I will make exceptions, but I do NOT beat myself up about it.  I try to move in some way every day, and I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.  Since I'm a vegan, this works out really well for me.  I want to see a lot of color on my plate at each meal.  If there is no green, even if it's just a small amount, at every meal, it feels like something is missing.

Organic & Non-GMO tofu, scrambled with onions tri-colored organic peppers, garlic, salt, pepper.

Since my last recorded higher weight in February, I have lost 21 pounds, and since beginning my running again, I have lost 13 pounds.  The 13 pounds came off naturally in three months by keeping active and eating primarily organic whole foods.  I am letting my body heal itself and trying not to get in the way.  It is rewarding me by balancing itself and letting go of the excess gravity.  Thank you my beautiful and wondrous body, you are making the running more enjoyable with every bit of gravity you release!!

HAPPY RUNNING TO ALL!!!!!