1. In keeping with the theme of learning something new every day... today I learned that I also have a problem with oyster crackers. Weird, right? Maybe someday I will realize that what I actually have a problem with is all food, anything even remotely edible... but today is not that day. Today I merely have a problem with oyster crackers. But not oysters, because those are disgusting.
2. My Lululemon addiction keeps getting worse. It's sick now, honestly, and I'm helping sub a bunch of meetings this week and just took a receptionist position at another meeting because I want to keep buying stuff. I want this jacket so much that it physically hurts (especially the price - DON'T LOOK AT THE PRICE, you will weep openly). I took these crops on my 10 mile run on Sunday and fell madly in love, and now need them in every color they were ever made in. My behind has never looked so good. Lululemon, what do you put in your pants?! Is it magic?!!!
3. I found this video randomly, watched it, and cried. Is that silly? If it is, don't tell me... I love it.
Today I learned that weight loss really is a New Year's Resolution for a lot of people. It's not a myth. The meetings tonight were packed - we were almost standing room only. I really hope everyone who joined tonight sticks with it, though. Many of my co-workers have told me that it generally follows a specific pattern... big rush through January, and then a gradual fade in February and March. But I'm hoping this year is different and we can help get people to their goals.
Today I learned that lunch at a Pizza Hut buffet is not the most ideal running fuel, even if you have water instead of Dr. Pepper and try to trick yourself into thinking that you are carbo-loading with breadsticks and pasta.
Today I learned that I have a serious problem with Milky Way bars.
1. In my continuing effort to eat really healthfully all week, I had a large spaghetti and meatballs from Noodles and Company for dinner. And I almost slugged the girl who told me that they were out of ciabatta rolls.
2. But I did get out for a run today, so obviously the carboloaded dinner was appropriate. Disregard the fact that I would have needed to run 20 miles in order to burn off the calories I consumed.
3. I didn't do a big Christmas haul post because I'm lazy and would rather play with all my fun new toys than take pictures of them. But one of my goodies was a Kindle, and at first I thought I wouldn't like it, but I am madly in love. I think I've read more in the past 4 days than I have all year.
4. Little known fact about me: I like silly romance novels. Perhaps not exactly what my dad intended to have me reading when he gave me a Kindle, but I just finished the book Call Me Mrs. Miracle, and it was so cute I could barely stand myself. I know I really ought to read something deep and thought provoking now, but I will probably just download another Debbie Macomber book and read it instead. I graduated from college, that's plenty of intellectual reading for me.
5. I have already made the decision to run the Disneyland Half Marathon in 2012. It's about damn time I run a Disney race. I would also really love to do the Tower of Terror 10-Miler, despite the fact that I really don't like the Tower of Terror.
6. I am still a sniffly, congested mess. I know you were just dying to know.
7. The theme for this chunk of half marathon training seems to be "one mile short." I had a 10 mile long run scheduled two weeks ago, and I ran 9 miles. I had a 6 mile long run scheduled last week, and I ran 5 miles. Today was supposed to be a 4 mile tempo run, but because I am still only barely breathing out of one nostril and wanted to live to see tomorrow, I did 3 miles. I need to step up my game.
8. Speaking of stepping up my game... Cinderella opens in three weeks, and if this morning's weigh-in was correct, I have lost no pounds. I believe this is false, however. This week is that glorious time in each month when I gain 10 pounds by looking at something. Ladies, you understand.
9. I've probably watched this ten times and I still think it's funny. Why? I don't even know.
10. It doesn't even come close to the YouTube sensation near and dear to my heart, though.
11. The nostril I could breath out of when I started this post is now no longer an option. It is a good thing that I am used to being an obnoxious mouth breather, because this is getting out of hand.
12. Another little known fact about me: I love armwarmers. I knit armwarmers and enjoy knitting them, but sometimes I'm lazy and just wish they would appear magically. Then I found these. A good portion of the colors are out of stock right now, but I will buy those in every single color so help me God. Then everyone will laugh at me because everything I own will have thumbholes. And all will be right with the world.
13. Now my temples are throbbing. It's like my face is just completely against me. Maybe it's trying to tell me something?
14. There are still pig cookies in my kitchen. I still haven't eaten one. I may cave tonight.
15. May cave? Please. You all know I'm hitting "publish post" and getting a cookie. Peace.
1. I'm sick. Not horribly sick, when laying on the couch is exhausting and it hurts to blink... just sick enough to be annoying. So today I felt like working out, but was tired and achy, so I skipped it and ate potato chips and French onion dip instead. My Cinderella dress is going to fit like a glove.
Tangent within a tangent: I wanted a picture to go along with this theme, and I typed "can't fit into dress" into Google. The first image that came up was a spray painted "WORRIED" attached to a post written by a bride about how one of her bridesmaids didn't fit in her dress. The seventh image (2-6 weren't so exciting) was of maternity wedding dresses. Welp. At least that won't be the reason my dress doesn't close!
2. Before I got the plague though, I got in some good speed work yesterday. I set out to run my own little 5K, and instead of doing my usual 3-1 intervals of running and walking (run for 3 minutes, walk for 1), I did 2-1 intervals and went all out on my two minutes of running. Can you guess what happened? Those of you guessing that I woke up this morning with seriously angry legs are correct... but if you guessed that I got a new (if unofficial) 5K PR, you are also correct!!! I ran 3.1 miles in 33:25, which is 22 seconds faster than my latest official PR. It's still not super speedy, but what was nice about it is that I still felt pretty good afterwards. I wasn't trying for any specific pace during the running intervals, but I felt comfortable maintaining a pace around 8:30 or 9:00. I couldn't maintain it for much longer than 2 minutes at a time, but it felt great to see that pace on my Garmin! I actually ran at a 7:10 pace for a while! And with this run, not only did I prove that I am getting faster, but I also have now run over 300 miles in 2011. How awesome is that?!!
3. One of my friends on Pinterest posts these incredibly ugly drawings:
Has anyone else seen these? Tell me that last picture isn't going to give you nightmares. There I am on Pinterest, happily looking at everyone posting wedding planning pictures (I swear ten people I know just got engaged) and that terrifying face pops up. Rude. I'd remove him, but sometimes he posts things that are funny, such as:
So instead of doing six miles, I dug a car out of the snow and shoveled a path from my driveway to my front door, which sounds so much easier than it really was.
That did not happen. But grilled cheese slathered in butter and creamy tomato soup abso-freaking-lutely happened.
I also took Bonnie on an incredibly entertaining walk, during which we both leapt around in the fresh powder. People thought it was cute when she did it... I don't know what they were thinking when they saw me bobbing around out there.
So in light of having absolutely nothing to say that is even remotely related to fitness, health, or wellbeing besides "I ate a banana today," I will share my new Facebook page with all of you!
Yes, that's right, Running for Bikinis now has a Facebook page. Finally. I keep trying to be cool and falling just a little bit behind... it's like middle school all over again.
I'm a space cadet - this is common knowledge, but sometimes it bears repeating. Like when I realized today that I've had my official photos from the Denver Rock 'n Roll Half for a couple weeks now and still haven't posted them. I did make one of them my new profile picture almost immediately, but then forgot about the rest of them. So I thought I'd incorporate them into a couple tangents, because they are probably some of the most exciting pictures in my iPhoto right now. Unless you count the picture of David posing in a pair of my sweatpants... but I'm relatively sure he'd kill me if I posted that.
1. I'm very glad that photographers were there to capture two incredibly awkward moments of my race (one of which I was well aware of, the other I didn't realize was kind of awkward until I saw the picture).
Awkward Moment #1:
I want to say this was around mile 3 or so - it was REALLY cold at the start of the race, so I was wearing several layers. Foolishly, I made the choice to keep my armwarmers on under my jacket to start the race. Of course it started warming up, and I started heating up from running, and I knew I had to get the dumb things off. The first one came off pretty easily, but this photographic gem was taken while I was struggling to get the second one off. Do you love the facial expression? I personally really enjoy my eyebrows. The armwarmer ended up being about a two minute adventure, and I finally had to get over to the side and really focus to get it off. There were some harsh words involved, let's put it that way.
Awkward Moment #2:
Had no idea that this guy was right behind me. I am so glad that I was there to absolutely ruin his picture. This was right before the end, too, so I'm sure he was thrilled.
2. These three pictures might be my favorites, because they show my finish line progression. Come along, kids! Let's go on a journey to follow the red arrow!
Just crossed the finish line! Arms up in the air! She is triumphant! She is proud! She is on top of the world!
Arms down... head thrown back... she slowly makes the realization that she's been running for nearly three hours. Her legs hate her. Let's face it, her whole body hates her.
And there it is - the moment we were all waiting for. She curls into herself, trying to decide if she wants to throw up or cry. Or both. Running is a pretty pastime, isn't it?
3. Now here's the real tangent... totally unrelated to races or running or anything. There are more of those damn Mexican pig cookies in my house (which, by the way, I've learned are called marranitos, in case you're ever caught in some strange bakery trivia game). These cookies and I have fought before.
Dear cookie,
How the hell did you get into my hand?!
Love, Jessica
But aside from Monday, I've eaten very well this week. I've tracked everything, I've done incredibly well at staying within my daily PointsPlus target... and I've been diligent about exercise on top of it all. I've barely touched my weekly PointsPlus allowance, so I know I can have the cookie if I want it. And I do want it. But I want to look pretty in my Cinderella dress too! Life is super hard.
Today was one of those days... the kind of day where you wake up and despite the fact that the bananas are on the counter, the eggs are in the fridge and the whole grain toast is begging to be toasted, all you want is something greasy and fried. I'm hoping I'm not the only one who has these days. I have them regularly. Normally I try really hard not to give into them, but sometimes the opportunity presents itself, and you find your car driving to McDonald's to get an Egg McMuffin and hash browns. I would be lying here if I said I was proud.
But we've all had those days where we don't make the right choice for breakfast... and what do we do? We get right back on track with lunch! Right?! We definitely don't go to Chick-fil-A and devour waffle fries and Diet Dr. Pepper. That wouldn't be a good decision at all.
Shockingly, around 3 or 4 pm, I started feeling relatively awful. Now I'm definitely not Miss Eat Clean Queen on a daily basis, but when I joined Weight Watchers back in 2009, I cut my fast food habit way down. Lately, though, it's kind of crept back into my life... and while I appreciate that with Weight Watchers, I can still have the food I love (read: food dripping in grease) in moderation, it doesn't mean I can handle it the way I used to. Before my weight loss, I easily could have downed both those meals no problem. Now... I struggle. And I definitely struggled today. I didn't have much energy, I felt incredibly lethargic, and I was cranky. I was actually seriously considering blowing off exercise because just the thought of jumping up and down with another HIIT workout made me queasy.
So I let myself off the hook, but only by a little bit. I decided that since I had fueled my body poorly all day, a HIIT workout might do more damage than good, and make me feel even more run down. But I knew I had to do something, and was desperately hoping that a good sweat would make me feel better. So I did Fire 30 and Stretch 40, and you know what? It was glorious. About ten minutes into Fire 30, I felt so much better, and Stretch 40 was exactly what I needed to wrap it all up. I finished feeling like a brand new person. And then I ate a banana and planned my healthy breakfast for tomorrow - huzzah! Sometimes one workout really does make all the difference...
1. Remember how I just talked about Cinderella Boot Camp and how I was going to work on really stepping up my cross training every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Yeeeeeah. Today's workout was indefinitely postponed due to the fact that shopping for a ball gown for Cinderella and eating cookies on my best friend's couch sounded more fun.
2. But chasing Bonnie around the living room spastically totally counts as a HIIT workout, right? All in favor say "ay."
I'm raising my hand so... yes. It's unanimous.
3. On the bright side, the workout was not skipped in vain - I believe I found my gown! It was a serious steal, so even if my director hates it, I'm don't care, because it's probably one of the best bargains I've ever snatched up. I'd show you a picture, but I don't want anyone to see it (especially you, David... I see you). If we didn't have to do dress rehearsals, I wouldn't even show the cast. I just want to surprise everyone on opening night. Don't I sound like a diva?!
4. I'm still searching for my glass slippers... the artistic director of the company recommended these shoes to me, and I was impressed by the reviews. One review was actually from someone who used them for a production of Cinderella and said that they were very comfortable and easy to dance in. But I hate them. There is something about clear shoes that irks me, possibly because I know my feet will look awkward and uncomfortable in them. And I can't get past what another reviewer said: "They steam/fog up if your toes get warm at all." Um. Steamy toes? That will be super pretty. And I'm sure the boys will love dragging that shoe around after a couple weeks of my foot being smashed into it. Vile.
5. In non-diva news, I have been listening to a radio station lately that does non-stop holiday music throughout December. I'm one of those people, I know. But I have actually heard some music I'd never heard before, which is rare with Christmas music - it's kind of the same stuff over and over. This is my new favorite, despite it sounding a wee bit dated. Ignore the video, it is odd.
6. I made aforementioned friend (the one with cookies and a much better metabolism than me) listen to that tonight. I thought he would punch me. Did I mention he's an atheist?
7. The non-stop holiday radio station has also informed me (accidentally, I don't think they meant to be rude) that I am the last person in the world to learn about Mannheim Steamroller. You know what I love? Mannheim Steamroller! But I can't talk to anyone about it because apparently everyone else has loved Mannheim Steamroller since the 1980s.
8. I cannot get over how bad this movie looks and how sad I am that I think it looks bad because I desperately want to like it. I'm sorry, America, but we lose this battle. Love Actually was awesome, and we need to stop trying to replicate it, because we fail.
9. Meanwhile, is Mirror Mirror out yet?! Please? How about now? Or... now? I just want to watch Julia Roberts be catty and mean so badly!
10. As excited as I am to see Mirror Mirror, I kind of shudder every time I see a preview or advertisement for Snow White and the Huntsman. I'm sorry for those of you who are big Kristin Stewart fans, but she is no Snow White. Snow White is supposed to be gorgeous and sweet... Kristin Stewart is strange looking and whiny. And good heavens, you're putting the girl next to Charlize Theron? That mirror is drunk if it says that Kristin Stewart is the fairest in that coupling.
Hi, I'm too busy whining to be bothered with acting.
Hi, I'm too busy seducing you to be bothered with whining.
11. But apparently Snow White and the Huntsman is being planned as a trilogy. Hollywood, you forgot to take your meds.
12. Which reminds me of a glorious sign my mom told me about:
13. In an effort to remember to take my own meds (and by meds I mean my multivitamin and a calcium pill because really, I am that boring), I downloaded an app that I could program to send me a reminder at a specific time of the day to take whatever I needed to take. I've had it for two days and so far I've just ignored the reminder and kept going on about my day. This whole habit forming thing is a struggle for me. Unless it comes to terrible food choices and blowing off workouts, in which case I rock at it.
14. I'm also trying to floss more. I told myself that if I flossed every day for a week, I would get a prize, because normally bribery works really well for me. Today would be day four, and the idea of putting that floss in my mouth makes me want to weep openly. I know, I live a super hard life.
15. Of course, there are people who actually do live hard lives... and no, I'm not referring to David who has to deal with my diva problems. So here's a shout-out to Anna, who is raising money for St. Jude by running the Country Music Marathon next April. Personally, St. Jude is an organization that I believe to very worthwhile - donating to or volunteering for any charity is great, but I have a particular soft spot for children and animals, so anything that benefits them really touches me. If you also have a soft spot for helping kids, then head over to Anna's fundraising page to learn more about donating. I will definitely be donating, and she actually has me thinking about doing some fundraising myself for the Ralston Creek Half Marathon. What a great thing to be thinking of this time of year!
1. Today I ate a pancake and part of a cinnamon roll for breakfast, Thai street noodles for lunch, and an egg with toast for dinner, topped off with saltines and cereal for dessert. This can either be categorized as a) an invitation for, and eventual attempt at combating, a very unhappy stomach, b) eating my feelings, c) carbo-loading. Is it still considered carbo-loading if there are no positive intentions behind it?
2. In case you're wondering why I'm eating my feelings... the David left tonight to go back to California. I always love seeing him and spending time with him, but it's always so hard when he leaves. This long distance thing is awfully hard, especially when you really, really like somebody...
3. On a much lighter note, I've had the same song stuck in my head for two days now. It's gotten to the point that I'm considering trying to find a hippo hat to wear for the rest of the Christmas season.
4. Interestingly, I got David singing that song as well... it's really only interesting because he's terrified of hippos. I like to occasionally exploit this fact by talking about how much I want to snuggle a baby hippo and watching all the color drain out of his face. Really, I have no idea how I'm not still single.
5. I'm supposed to run 8 miles tomorrow, and right now, I'm not sure I can even get back out of bed. I'm hoping there are little running fairies that will help me along... otherwise, I may join the "I've fallen and I can't get up" club at about mile 2.
6. In the past five days, I believe I have had maybe 5 servings of fruit and 4 servings of vegetables. Meanwhile, I had 500 servings of grains (read: white bread and pizza crust) and at least 200 servings of straight sugar. I can't imagine why I don't feel on top of the world right now.
7. That being said... if I can power through with my training regardless of the sugar coma my muscles are in, and I follow the mileage laid out in the FIRST plan, I will hit 300 miles run in 2011. I'm not going to lie - in many ways, 2011 was not my year. It got off to a shaky start and kind of stayed on that path for a while. But how ridiculous is it that I went from kind of running regularly in 2009 to not running at all in 2010... and then to running over 300 miles in 2011?! I can't wait to see how many miles 2012 brings.
8. I have tried to keep this blog very light in terms of current affairs, religion, and political issues - I think we are often blasted enough by those things and need a little escape. But my goodness... this hurts. I consider myself a person of faith, and am also "not ashamed to admit" that, but I must be working with a different definition of Christianity than he is. Silly me, I thought I was supposed to love God, love my neighbor, and try to be the best person I can be while spreading some compassion and forgiveness to others. I'm sorry, Mr. Perry, but... um...
I really hope I'm not offending anyone right now... but close-mindedness and the refusal to accept others offends me.
9-12. That was too heavy, wasn't it? Um... look! Baby animals with (or on) their mommies!
13. What I didn't realize at first with my raging addiction to Lululemon is that you have to stalk the website like a sad creeper in order to have a shot at actually buying half of the stuff. I saw the Run Insulator Pullover pop up three days ago, and thought it looked fabulous for freezing Colorado winter runs, but had horrible sticker shock (Lululemon, you slay me) and wanted to think about it. The next day, the white was completely sold out, and only a size 4 was available in the black. Now it's sold out in every size in every color. This is like my obsession with MAC all over again... everything I want is way too expensive, and in irritatingly limited quantities.
14. That being said, I have now gotten David hooked because he bought one of the men's shirts from Lululemon a couple days ago, took it out for a run with me, and loved it. Now he feels comfortable with the stores and he knows my size there. The boyfriend of the year award has his name on it. So if you start seeing hints being dropped from now on, forgive me.
15. Don't worry, though... I'll try to keep the hints super subtle. I'm good at that.
2. That was our bill from what you might recognize as this...
But what you don't see pictured on that receipt is this...
Also known as the cake that was given to us by one of the waitresses. Not our actual server, who was a guy named Ryan who didn't seem to care for us... but another waitress who we have had many other times. She brought us cake. Because she likes us. I need to become liked by other restaurant professionals. This whole cake thing is all right with me.
3. That being said... I went to Lululemon today (SERIOUSLY, THIS IS A FULL BLOWN ADDICTION) and got super excited because there was an incredibly cute Stride jacket on sale, and since I'm madly in love with the Stride jacket I already have (don't judge me), it only made logical sense that I get another one. Except that the one on sale was a size 2. The one I have is a size 6... and let's be honest, it probably should be a size 8, but I'm a jerk and if the size 6 fits, then I'm buying the size 6. Please. Regardless... I tried on the size 2. And it did, in fact, close! But it was the hardest that poor little spandex had ever worked in its little spandex life.
I can't imagine why that size 2 didn't fit perfectly. It obviously couldn't have been that pizza that I devoured. Or the cake that I stole most of while David wasn't looking. And it certainly wasn't this...
Obviously it was a sizing error. I should report that ill-fitting jacket directly to Lululemon. And pray that they don't find this blog.
