Today

Today is Monday.  (In case you don't read the header above this, and if you do....I like to state the obvious.)

I had a pretty good day today.  I tracked well!  Really well.  I made dinner for the 3rd night in a row!  THIRD NIGHT IN A ROW PEOPLE!

You see, I have had trouble with the whole cooking thing.  (Perhaps another reason I have been slowly gaining my weight back??)

So this week I was determined to get back to the kitchen...and I have.  And it has been good.  (At least I think so!)

Tonight we had Lazy Day Lasagna.

(I might have forgotten to take the picture until AFTER we were finished...what can I say?  It was good!)

The family LOVED this recipe!  5 out of 5 stars!  

(I rank the stars by family members who finish the entire serving without complaining or whining that they don't like it.....)

And the best part, it was filling...very filling!  The whole meal came to 8 WW pts.  Mmmmmmm.

I also got a friendly run in again today.  Friendly, because I didn't feel like my lungs were on fire....maybe just about to catch on fire.

The good news, I did better than last run.  (Really, it would have been pretty pathetic to have done worse...)

I went from a 12:13 mile to a 11:18 mile.  Hooray for almost shaving a minute, right?  We'll see where tomorrow takes me...

My plan

Remember how I told you I was running a marathon?

Well, I am.  THIS marathon.

So.  I figured it was time to start running.

Consistently running.

A while back I found a great "starter" marathon training.  I am planning to use it, and hope it gets me ready for the big race in time.

Here is a sample of the training:

I adjusted it for the race I'm going to be running, along with the days I'm able to run (due to school, kids, and sometimes no husband.)

As you can see, my "official" first week isn't until January 29th.  

But, I knew it was going to be UGLY. 

I also knew that I needed to start.

You see, if I keep putting things off....then I'll always put things off.

I need to see change, so I need to BE change.

I haven't been incorporating a ton of exercise in my daily routine, and I knew that needed to change.

I had plans to run.

Yesterday.

Thursday.

Wednesday.

Tuesday.

(You get my point.)

Each day I woke up, telling myself...

"self, TODAY you are going to run."

Each day would pass....my running shoes still in the closet.

Today I woke up.  

(In more than one way.)

I decided today I had to stop postponing the inevitable.

Either I go to work, either I start moving more, either I start running.....

OR, I don't.  Or I stay where I'm at, slowly gaining what I've worked so hard to lose!

So today I ran.

I am using Nike+ to track my runs.  

I like this program, I've used it in the past. 

(Although I reset everything to have a "fresh start".)

(If anyone uses this, please "friend" me... alishabowling @ hotmail . com)

(notice the spaces in my email address so I don't get spammed...make sure you delete them!)

The program is awesome!  It works with iPhones, iPods, or you can buy a chip and it uploads directly online.

As I'm running, there are many options...  

*I can hand select the playlist I want to run to. 

*I can set it up for either a timed run or a distance run, or a free run.

*It interrupts my music throughout the run, letting me know when I'm 1/2 through, when I've hit milestones, letting me know my pace.

*When I'm through with my run, I can add notes about the run.

*It maps my GPS coordinates.

*I can log on and see my run after, even showing my paces throughout the entire run.

*And really, so much more!

So here was todays PATHETIC run.

(Did I mention, my lungs KILLED!) 

(Yes.  I am THAT out of shape!)

I plan to try and keep up my progress here, I think it would be nice to see the improvements I make.

(I only have improvements to make from this point!!!)

Check in

Today was my WW day.

Sadly, I have some pretty sick kids.  (Actually, I'm down to only 1 sick kid now...the other went back to school.  We've had the stomach bug floating around here.)  I think we are just about over the sickness, but the sick one still complains of a tummy ache, so I didn't wanna risk it!

Nonetheless, I still went to weigh in.  (Just missed the meeting part.)  I am all about accountability right now!

And despite giving in to an icecream milkshake last night...I was still down.  (BARELY.)  But I was down.

171.0

The good news?  Jason is home right now so I have major running plans set.

After all, I have a marathon to prepare for.  At one time I was going to run the Sand Hollow marathon, that is...until I found out it's an out and back race.

I can't do out and back races.

There is something about running and running and running a LONG ways, just to know I have to turn around and run all that way back.  ICK!  I'd much rather run and know I never have to look back again...

So, I found another race to focus on.  Only, this one isn't until July 24th.  It's the Deseret News Marathon, up in Salt Lake City.  (If my brain is accurate, it's actually the marathon my dad raced in many, many years ago!)

So I'm working on building my stamina for that race.  And trying to work out a routine that will allow me long runs with a hubby always gone.

So tonight...I run.