Well, it has been quite awhile since I wrote. That's not because I stopped running - it's more because I forgot I had a blog. Funny how that happens.
Monday I had a small victory! I moved back home from the disastrous Boston experiment a year ago and back then I was taking long walks on Rock Creek Trail by my house. Monday I went for a run on the same trail and ran farther than my walks!! And I didn't even cheat! I've been doing intervals, which works for me much more than just straight running. Monday I was running 4 minutes and walking 1. I like it better because when I get really tired I look at my iPod (LOVE the free interval app I downloaded) I know that I only have to keep running for so long before I get a walk break. The app uses my playlists and plays a cuckoo sound when it's time to run and dings a bell when it's time to walk. I've been increasing both the run time and the number of intervals and that is working incredibly well for me.
It's my favorite time of year, and while that means Halloween, fading leaves and lots of orange and pumpkins, it also means that the hours of daylight are sharply decreasing. It would be a shame to halt my progress because of a silly thing like darkness, so I did some research on running in the dark, went to Amazon and got a headlamp with a strobe light feature and a reflective single earbud. Yeah, it's safer to run without the iPod at all but it tracks my intervals and I need some kind of musical motivation. This way the sound isn't compromised, I can have 1 ear on my surroundings without the unused earbud flapping around in the breeze, and the cord itself is reflective. Score! I also have to get some kind of reflective vest thing. Picture me with a headlamp, reflective vest and 1 earbud. Yes, nerd alert, coming to a neighborhood near you! Still, I've come to really enjoy running and this is a way I can continue to run outside. I really, really hate the treadmill.
I learned that Chicago has a Halloween marathon and half marathon every year in October. I think I'm going to train for the 2013 half marathon, which will put me in good shape to do the 2014 full on in Hawaii as originally planned. I can definitely get there by then. I heard some quote awhile ago that the difference between a goal and a dream is a plan. True story.
What else ... last weekend I signed up for an account on myfitnesspal.com. I was on Weight Watchers for awhile and it was expensive. This is free and has the same stuff. You log in calories rather than points, but it's all still tracking. I've found that I like this a lot better. The online community is really good and supportive, and they have a lot of ideas for things. The app is also really easy to use. I'm tired of being dissatisfied with how I look. Day to day I don't feel too bad about it, but then I see a picture and I'm like, "Ew. Get your act together." So I am.
