Weekend Recap

Josh made a somewhat last minute decision to go up to the Wind River in Washington on Friday night, boat on Saturday, and come home late Saturday night, which left Brooke and me at home alone.  I had already planned on going to hot yoga on Friday night, so I arranged the details with Brooke and headed out.  My last two sessions of hot yoga have been less than spectacular, so I tried a new tactic this time around and brought some Powerade instead of water.  That, combined with attending the 5:45 class rather than 7:30 class, made a world of difference!  I was able to make it through all of the poses without going into child's pose to rest, which felt amazing!  I finally left yoga again feeling rejuvenated instead of defeated.

Saturday was filled with one big plan to hit the REI garage sale and hopefully snag some cheap, returned shoes.  I met my sister down there and despite our high hopes, ended up being some of the last people to enter the sale.  I left with nothing, which is probably better.  My sister won a Mary Kay deal at the bridal show we went to a few months ago, so immediately after the sale, we went to learn all about Mary Kay products.  I did not expect to leave with anything, but $44 later I am now the owner of "Satin Hands" and two different eye shadow shades.  Good grief.  I ate away my shopping guilt at lunch.

I really, really needed to run on Saturday, so not too long after my chipotle chicken wrap and sweet potato fries, I took Seymour out for my regular 3 mile run by our neighborhood.  I think I got heart rate monitor problem figured out, so I had that and my iPhone app to determine my pace.  I got home from what I thought was about 3.1 miles only to find out that we had actually gone 3.4 miles.  I don't know why I never remember that route is 3.4, but it makes me feel pretty good.  My pace was pretty good as well, especially for running with the dog - he always trips me up a few times.  I think I averaged 10:50/mile for the run, which is awesome.

I had planned on getting my first day on the river today, but weather.com indicated it was only going to be 40 degrees at 1pm today up in Banks and that's just a little too chilly for me.  Brooke, Seymour, and I played shuttle-drivers for Josh and his buddies on the Southfork of the Payette, which means Seymour got to run all over the beach up at Banks.  We wore him out, which rarely happens. 

Finally, we got home and decided to try out the River Rock Alehouse in Eagle tonight.  They have a pretty good website and what looks like a pretty good menu.  Unfortunately, it was not as good as it appeared, and we won't be returning unless it's for a beer after Easter (they have a pretty big selection).  To make up for my lousy burger, I convinced Josh to stop at the grocery store to get ice cream...and on the way out I fell to my Girl Scout Cookie weakness and bought a box of thin mints!  Yes!

Lastly, I'm on day 5 of no booze and have been feeling pretty fantastic.  Then again, I've been pretty busy...and it's always easier to eat better and not drink when the husband is out of town!  We'll see what this week holds...

Hot Yoga

Awhile back I purchased a Living Social deal to get 20 sessions of Hot Yoga for $20.  I had never done yoga before (with the exception of the Wii, and that doesn't really count), and for some reason I decided this would be a good idea.  I went for the first time on a Sunday morning in February and loved it.  I decided to go back about a week later and went to the latest session at 7:30 PM.  I had been in an all-day training for Appropriate Use of Force at work (yes, I can probably take you down if you try to punch me) and just plain didn't eat enough food throughout the day before I went to yoga.  I didn't make it and ended up being "that girl" who walked out of class after 30 minutes.  Then I got sick.  And then I got lazy.  I finally decided to get back to it tonight - almost a month later.  Oops!  Once I decided I was going to go tonight, I ate plenty of food, drank lots of water, and thought I was prepared for doing yoga in a 95+ degree room.  I was kind of right.  I made it the full 75 minutes, but it was damn hard, and I certainly didn't make it through every pose.  I tried my hardest though, and I sat down when I felt light-headed rather than straight up walking out.  After tonight, I think I need to try a different time.  I can't give up.  After all, I have 17 sessions left...and I have to use them by mid-April...and that means I have to go about twice per week (or more) to get the best of the deal I purchased....

It's time to get running again

On a whim last week, I decided I wanted to form a team for the Sawtooth Relay next June.  I posted on facebook and by the end of the week, our team of 6 was formed.  I'm probably nuts for wanting to do this, but even more crazy for thinking about entering to run the See Jane Run 1/2 Marathon in Boise the next weekend.  I figure my training will likely be like training for a 1/2 anyway with a few more hills, so it shouldn't be too out of the question to run the 1/2 the week after the Relay...right?  Right??? 

On another note, Lent is coming soon.  As in, really soon.  As in, Wednesday soon.  I've given up indulgences in the past for Lent and on other seasons have vowed to begin a healthy or positive regimen rather than giving up the negatives.  I pride myself in being able to stick to my plan.  Some years have been more of a struggle than others.  In 2002, I gave up dessert, which was a killer since I was traveling around the country staying at houses of church members around the Pacific Northwest.  I lost 15 pounds that Lenten season.  This year, I'm taking it further than I've ever taken my Lenten sacrifice.  It's going to be hard.  Some days I'm sure I'll ask myself why in the world I decided this would be a good thing for me.  Other days, I'm sure I'll feel empowered for the decision I've made.  Enough is enough.  I'm giving up alcohol for Lent.  It's the truth.  See, I've written it here, so now I have to stick to it.  I've been cutting back on my alcohol intake anyway by limiting my drinking to only weekends and special occasions, so it's not like I'm going from a few drinks a night to absolutely nothing.  But I AM going from several drinks on Friday and/or Saturday to none.  And to make matters even more difficult, my birthday falls on Good Friday.  Good think it's not a milestone celebration, right?  It's cool, I'll celebrate my birthday on my husband's birthday, the day after Easter. 

As I go through this whole journey, I plan to post my progress with training.  I apologize in advance for the posts in which I whine about not being able to have a glass of wine after a hard day of work!

Back in the fast lane...

...kinda.  I FINALLY felt a little better last weekend and got out for a 17.5 mile bike ride....a slooooooooow bike ride, but a ride nonetheless.  It ended up being more of a bar crawl than a bike ride, but I guess that's ok too, I suppose.  Sunday morning I got up and went to my first hot yoga class with my friend, Malia.  It was absolutely crazy, and I've never sweat so much in my life!  I took Monday off from any physical activity because I knew Tuesday would be a little rough.  We had Appropriate Use of Force training at work, which basically ended up being about 5 hours of low-impact activity.  I took Brooke to swimming lessons and then decided to go attempt an evening hot yoga session.  Turns out that wasn't the best decision I've ever made.  I made it through the first 1/2 hour but struggled.  After that, every time I stood up I got light headed.  I determined I would not make it through the rest of the class and called it quits.  I felt like a complete ass walking out, but I couldn't do it.  Later, I realized I hadn't eaten nearly enough food that day for the amount of energy I had exerted.  I use Weight Watchers on-line and for the entire day had only eaten 8 points of food.  I wasn't hungry because I had eaten plenty of fruits and veggies (zero points), but I certainly hadn't consumed enough calories for the amount of physical activity I had done.  Lesson learned.

My week ended on a particularly great note: shopping!  I'm typically not a big shopper, but when I get something in my head that I want or need, I set out to accomplish that goal.  I told myself awhile back that I was not going to buy any new pants until my pants in my closet actually fit me.  Well, over the past few weeks I've been able to wear all of my work pants, which is spectacular.  That being said, I got most of them on clearance 3 years ago and they are all either out of style or just not in good condition anymore.  So I set out yesterday to get some work clothes to replace the ones in my closet.  My favorite realization of the day was that every single pair of size 10 pants I tried on actually fit!  I don't think that has ever happened!  This is not to say they were the best style or fit for me, but they went on my body.  A-maz-ing.  I also realized today that I could use another pair of jeans.  My friend, Randi, had suggested D&B Supply as a place to get cute, long jeans, so I took her suggestion and set out that direction.  Best.jeans.shopping.trip.ever!  I came home with size 9 jeans!  I haven't had size 9 jeans since I was probably in 8th grade!  Whaaaaaat?!?! So awesome!!!

Ok, I'm feeling like less of a pansy

Yesterday at work was pretty miserable.  I was nothing more than a snot machine and as the day went on, my sinus pressure made me more and more whiny.  I worked late and by the time I got home I couldn't really stand it anymore, so I went to the local express clinic at the grocery store (yes, grocery store).  Not only do I have a sinus infection, I also have ear infections in BOTH ears.  Even though I don't get ear infections all that often, I can usually feel them coming on.  I didn't have a clue yesterday until the doc looked in my ears and told me they were angry...and then it all made sense.  He prescribed some antibiotics and I figured I could live through the night and another day at work since I had already made it through the day yesterday without dying.  Boy oh boy, was I wrong.  My ears started to ache as the night went on.  Thankfully, my mother-in-law gave me a heat/cold pack to warm up in the microwave which I remembered as I was tucking myself into bed last night.  I warmed that sucker up and took some old pain medication from my foot surgery last year (we were completely out of ibuprofen) and managed to sleep until midnight or so.  I woke up and went back to sleep fairly quickly.  I woke up again at 2am and laid there until 2:30 when I finally decided I needed more heat.  I trudged downstairs and heated up my pack again and slept for a few more hours. Needless to say, even though I had originally planned to be at work again this morning, I am on the couch at home.  I've found a pretty comfy position to rest my head with the heat pack and can still manage to use my MacBook and even watch The Price is Right.  Too bad I don't have a little personal assistant to go make me more coffee and heat up my pack!  I have a feeling I'm going to lose my position here soon, as both of these things are becoming necessities.  Sigh.

I am really, really hoping these antibiotics kick in soon and heal me up so I can get out and be active.  I know I've complained about it in the past few posts, but it's really killing me. 

I'm not there yet...

...the gym, I mean.  But on the plus side, I did feel even better today and didn't take any cold medicine.  I'm sure no one enjoyed the constant nose-blowing, but I don't really care.  I did take my gym clothes with me to work, but couldn't quite imagine how I would handle needing to wipe my nose while on the treadmill or bike, so I didn't go.  Lame, I know.  Maybe tomorrow?  I certainly hope so.

On the plus side, I decided to attempt to pull my skinniest khaki's on this morning, AND THEY FIT.  Woot!  After the Monumental 1/2 was Thanksgiving, my grandma's funeral (really, one big, crazy family get together with lots of eating and LOTS of drinking), Christmas, and the New Year.  Even though I was working out quite a bit, I certainly wasn't running as much as I had been and promptly gained a crazy amount of weight.  The County started weight loss incentive awhile back wherein if you lose 10% of your body weight in six months, they will give you $100.  If you keep it off for a year, you get another $100.  When they started the incentive program, I was sitting a pretty good weight for myself and knew that taking 10% of my weight off would leave me ridiculously thin and at a weight I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain.  Once I ballooned, I decided I was all for it!  I'm 8 lbs from my goal now, which is spectacular.  Plus, my pants fit. Double woot!  :)

I've been sick

Like, sick sick.  As in didn't-go-to-work-for-2.5-days-and-laid-on-the-couch-all-weekend sick.  The first 1.5 days were ok, even if I did get a little bored at home.  Now it's just annoying.  I can't do anything other than cough and blow my nose and apologize to people for not shaking their hands upon meeting for the first time and explain my sickness.  I'm cranky. Period.

Working out has become my own medicine, as in curbing cranky moods and trying not to yell at clients and family medicine.  I got really busy at work last week (before the sickness) and probably haven't worked out for 2 weeks now, which means my crankiness has been horribly horrible.  I've tried my best to keep my attitude in check, but I think I'm about to lose it.  I need to run or bike or row or do SOMETHING other than sit in a chair or on a couch or lay in bed, and seriously, if I watch another rerun of "What Not to Wear" or "Say Yes to the Dress" or oh, dear god, "48 Hours: Hard Evidence," I'm probably going to die.

I guess the fact that my dear, sweet, crazy dog tore up the carpet again today doesn't have anything to do with my crankiness.  Ugh.