Great Weekend - Great Momentum Forward

I have so much to tell you after this weekend that I just couldn't wait to get to my desk this morning and write up my blog today!

Friday after work was interesting how things played out but I was really proud of myself for a couple of reasons. #1 - I talked to my best friend on my way home and then more when I got home. I plopped my butt down on the couch and by the time I finished taking to her it was  6pm. I got a call from my sister who said she was out of work early and that she wanted to go to dinner with me at Maggiano's. After sitting there for a while the last thing I wanted to do was go run, but I switched with Thursday so I knew I had to. I told my sister to make an 8pm reservation because I had to run, which #1 i was proud of - I didn't let something I would rather do get in the way. #2 - I actually went for a run! haha! I know that sounds funny since I asked my sister to postpone dinner a little bit but I have done that before and just farted around doing nothing to "fill up the time" and pretend that I actually did it. I changed and out the door I went, even though it was getting dark. I had to run 2.5 miles and I hit my first wall while training. At 2 miles I had an internal battle about stopping at 2.25 miles since really according to the schedule I was only suppose to run 2 miles, but since on Tuesday I was suppose to run 3 and only did 2.5 because of my back I compromised to make up the difference on Thursday/Friday. I fought like a married couple all the way to 2.25 miles and ultimately the athlete came through again and I actually "sprinted" the last 0.25 miles (I say sprinted but really it was still slow running, it was just everything I had left). I ended up doing a bit longer warm-down to make it to 3.12 miles at 34:56 minutes. Not fast but a job well done! Definitely glad I did it after I finished that is for sure! #3 thing I was proud of myself is before I went to Maggiano's I logged exactly what I was going to eat and I stuck to it!!! I didn't stray and order something else, I didn't eat it all and say screw it, nope I stayed true to exactly what I logged so I would stay under my count! Yay me!

Saturday I got up around 10:45 or so and cuddled with Wrigley my Gold Retriever for a bit and then headed to the YMCA. I hit the water by 11:25 AM on a Saturday! I was soo proud of myself. I know that doesn't seem that early but the weekends but I typically don't start my day before noon I kid you not, and working out especially is not even crossed my mind until mid-afternoon. I got in and did 2,000 yards like I have been doing but did it in 35 minutes. It's been taking me 37-38 minutes lately so I was really proud of myself. My "main set" was 5x100s - 1: 25 hard, 75 easy; 2: 50 H. 50 E; 3: 75 H, 25 E; 4: easy; 5: fast then followed by a 50 very easy and a 50 fast. The fast 100 I did it in 1:09 and the 50 was 33 seconds. Years ago my coach would have yelled at me for going soo slow, but today I was proud of myself! I could feel myself breaking down and I just kept pushing through it. The 50 I concentrated on my breathing and streamlining (I noticed when I got tired it was a sad excuse of a streamline and I know that any coach I have ever had would have yelled at me up and down that pool for that poor attempt at a streamline) and that really helped! I left the YMCA feeling like I my day had to be great because it started off in good fashion!

Sunday I did something I have never done before, in fact I did 2 things I have never done before in my whole life! I ran 4 miles without stopping, which I have never run that far ever! Plus I did it while running over a bridge, which I have never run over a bridge before and I did 4 of them in 4 miles!!!! 1 of the 2 bridges was quite steep and I struggled getting up them, but I never once stopped and walked! I might have been going slow but I kept putting one foot in front of the other and made it all the way up twice! You see we did 2 bridges twice each. One was steep and the other not too bad. I ran with my sister and I was soo thankful she was there with me! it was a first for her too on running bridges and she definitely kicked my butt, but she is in better shape than me and has always been a better runner too. She would jog back to me or jog in place waiting for me at the ends of the bridges so we could stay together and I honestly couldn't thank her enough for that! Having something there to push me and keep me motivated was a blessing. I have a race this Saturday that includes each of those bridges that I ran but only one each and a total of 5 miles. I am trying to break 49 minutes so I can get seated in the 15K and I know now I can do it! We did 4.25 miles (included the 0.25 warm-up) in 44 minutes with 4 bridges. I tad off pace, but the going u pteh birdges is much slower than anything else and I was barely off pace so I know on Saturday my goal is achieviable! We then went to Mellow Mushroom and I did good because again I stuck to my plan again! Shared a greek salad with my sister and only ate 1.5 pieces of pizza! Oh ya and that 1 beer, but I wanted it and I deserved it in my book! :)

All in all I was soo happy with this weekend! I made good decisions and had great work outs. Plus I spent some time with a good friend one afternoon and had a blast, even bought a chair for my bedroom at marshall's which I have been looking for for like a year and half so that was exciting! Sunday was chores day and I got them all done which was fantastic! I am looking forward to this week with the momentum from this weekend! I hope everyone else has a great week! :)


Oh by the way I got on the scale this morning for the first time since December 18th and I was 163.8lbs!!!!! I haven't been down there since October and couldn't be happier with that news too! :) Check out my scale page to see my progress!