Wow, I didn't realize I hadn't posted since before I left for vacation. Three weeks off meant three tough runs when I got back. After that it was pretty much back to normal. Last week on Friday I inadvertently ran 4.5 miles. I was a little tired after that, but it wasn't hard. Today I probably did 4 and Tuesday was a 3.5 day. That's probably typical, but if I feel like it I do try to do a little extra on Friday since I don't have to teach.

The running is definitely the piece I needed to get into shape again. I would say that my spare tire is about 65-75% deflated and I'm delighted about that. My weight is about 143, which is at the high end of what I used to weigh, but I think I have shifted more to muscle so I am actually taking up less space. This is good and my clothes are comfortable and even loose again.

I got some new running pants for when it gets wet and a lightweight shell to wear. I also got some new socks. Who knew that padded balls and heels could make such a difference! When I go exchange Mitch's pants today I'm getting another pair. They are fabulous. Since I was wearing socks that I probably bought in the 90s it is not unexpected that they would have a better product. Surprisingly, there continues to be no real style or interest in activewear. Basically you can have cute stuff or functional and not a lot of crossover.

I'm cooled down, and I'm an hour behind already today, so off I go.

Running Update

I'm still running. I've not missed a day that I've committed to yet. I've changed days when necessary to get them in when I've been gone or otherwise scheduled. I'm kind of at the limits of my current routes in terms of distance. I can only get about 3.25 miles without doing some backtracking. I'm not really keen on going too much further from my current routes because of hills. I'm tackling about all I can right now hillwise! Today I did an extra half of the panhandle and I'll map it to see what I gained by doing that. I suppose I can always go twice around. Anyway, I have two more running days before we go to Spain, so I don't have to worry until later in the fall. I will not be running while I'm traveling--don't want to carry the shoes.

I have never been interested in exercise and mostly resist it because I find it so boring. But my body is clearly liking it. I sometimes wake up wanting to run when it isn't running day or otherwise find myself wondering if I should run. This is not normal, but like wanting children, may be something that your body does without your head. I don't really enjoy the running itself and it isn't easy, but clearly my physical self is enjoying it.

It is also adding to my Pilates prowess. I say that tongue in cheek because all physical things are a little slapstick for me. But I feel way stronger. And Pilates has freed my shoulders so except for when I'm struggling uphill, I run with shoulders square and head high. I can sometimes even feel my abs working to keep everything smooth.

I've cooled so off to the showers.

Milestones

I spent some time on Google Maps and now know that my running routes are approximately 3.1 to 3.5 miles. The extra is primarily when I have to backtrack or run extra blocks to cross with signals.

I've been running since August 4; I do it Tuesdays and Fridays and haven't missed yet, although I think I've run once on Thursday because I couldn't on Friday. August clocked 8 running days. This week due to some scheduling changes I ran Monday, Today and will run Thursday. I've already run 4 times in September! Next week I need to miss my Monday Pilates so will probably run Monday too. The good thing is that running is cheap! Although probably possible, I won't be running when I am in Europe.

This morning I saw a youngish guy with his little boy that I also saw yesterday. Today the dad lit up a cigarette, and it reminded me that I quit smoking on Labor Day 21 years ago. I have never, ever had another cigarette. The first year was awful; it took years to not think about smoking and it still sometimes flits through my brain.

Nothing else to report. I don't think I've actually lost any weight doing this. I do think that I am reducing my measurements some which is really all I want. I can pretty easily ignore the scale!

A year of wishful thinking . . .

Somehow that is my default for a problem I don't like the answer to. Wishful thinking that is. I didn't completely just do wishful thinking, but it seems like I could have figured this out sooner.

After I returned from Italy in 2008 I signed up for an extra Pilates class every week. I have done it every freaking week except when traveling and one time I forgot to sign up since November 2008. When I first started--after a couple of months--I really noticed an improvement in my figure, plus I was able to do more complicated Pilates stuff because I was doing it twice a week. So that was good. At the same time I tried not to eat as much and to be more sensible. It is easier to go to Pilates!

Then there was the period of unrelenting hot flashes and I probably slipped back into my old eating habits then and forgot, once I got the hot flashes controlled, that I was supposed to be sensible about what I ate. That is how I got the extra five pounds. Which as we all know, aren't that easy to get rid of any time, and even more difficult in midlife.

On August 5 I laced up my gym shoes and hit the streets. I mentally mapped out a route and started running. On August 5 I ran 3 miles. On August 7 I ran 3.5 miles (I think, I've got to really sit down and figure that out). And I'm running about 3.5 miles twice a week. The weird part is, I'm enjoying it. Well not the running uphill part or the leaving the house at 7:30 part, but I am liking the running. I don't recall enjoying the running when I ran before.