Monday, January 10, 2011

The Week Before Ghost Town: Tuesday Twelve.

Dear Diary,

This little piggy ate Nutella dipped in animal
crackers and went *urp* all the way home.
12.  Things I looked up in WW After I ate them this week: Nutella, chee-tohs.  Tres Leches cake.
Nutella.  Oh, my. Well, it's my sister-in-laws fault.  She asks me to babysit, and has jars of this stuff just sitting there, in the cabinet. Found it by accident, I did. No really.
But after I looked it up, oh, my, god.  I might as well be eating solid oreo filling.  How on earth do they tell people that it's part of a healthy breakfast?  Puh-lease.

11. After a whole year, would it surprise anyone that I'm settling in at work?  It's like they've accepted that I'm sticking around, and now they joke with me good natured-ly.  I feel comfortable there.

10.  Lurking.  De-lurking day is either last week or this one.  I haven't figured out which.  Either way, say Hi.

9. Coach Baboo said that he figures that if I get 50 miles a week that would be good.  That breaks down to working my way up to weekend doubles, at least 20 miles each on Sunday/Saturday, leaving 10 miles during the week. 
BUT. Since I'm not doing the doubles yet, then I have to run more during the week.

I need to figure out a way to run for an hour at work then clean up fast . Any ideas?  I've mapped out a route near where I work that is mainly a residential street, and I can change in my office.  I did a dry run this week.  I need some way to clean up and be able to see people.  Without making them pass out I"MNOTSAYINGTHATISMELL.  Remember, I am a delicate flower.  I'm just saying that fresh is good, but fresher is better.

8.  Sweet baboo told me this week that my ass looked great.  Can you believe that?  You see why I married him?  He just said that, spontaneously.  I didn't even ask.  He didn't even have to say it; he was already going to get lucky.

7. This past week, I pissed off a lawyer, a social worker, a probation officer, in one day, all over one kid.  I've got enough friends. Don't need any more.

6.  Saturday I headed out on a 20-mile run, but around mile 10 the ache in my Achilles, which I've tentatively diagnosed with Achilles tendonosis, began talking to me.  Sharply.  It said, "you will walk up those hills, missy."  I cut the run short at 12 miles.  Crap.  I put my Achilles on a bag of frozen corn, and then consoled myself with some well-earned cake.  New this week: it has a creaky feeling, like rope that has been stretched to far.  So for the rest of the week: no running, lots of protein, gentle stretching, and heel cups in my flats.

yep.  Sharp pain when running uphill.  So, yeah.  I walk uphill, and can jog flats as long as I keep my stride short and my feet under me.  So the Ghost Town this weekend: I won't be breaking any speed records.

kawai, neh?
5.  I was so proud of myself on Friday.  On payday I treat myself to lunch.  I was just about to go to a local super buffet called Golden Corral when, without thinking, I walked away from car and walked over to a local (and very good) sushi place instead.  I had "Snow White Roll" which is about as fattening as sushi gets, but still pretty healthy.
I spent twice as much, ate about 1/3 as much as I would have at the Super Feed, but it was pretty, and quiet, and better for me.  I also had green tea and miso soup.  *Pats self on the back*.

4.  The RD for Ghost Town starts sending out weekly emails a couple months in advance of the race.  A month before, it becomes daily.  Then it becomes 4 to 6 a day.  These are not short emails.  Often they are a page-longer or more.  Kinda looking forward to putting those behind me.  Why?  Because if you don't read each and every single one, and miss a detail, and mess up, then it's all, well didn't you read the email?


The email?  Well, which of the forty was I supposed to have read to get this piece of information?  I have a job, after all.

3.  I was asked earlier this week what my plan for losing weight is over the winter, given that my training has slowed down dramatically.  Well, I don't have a plan for losing weight over the winter.  My plan is to maintain my weight over the winter.  This time last year, I was 178 lbs, and that's when I joined Weight-Watchers.  Today I am holding steady at 150, which is where I've been for 6 months.  I'm doing pretty good, I think.

2.  And I feel good.  I get that I'm different.  My clothes are smaller, and still need to be taken in.  I feel that I am smaller when I go up stairs.

I just can't see it; does that make sense?  When I look in the mirror I see the same me that I was a year ago.  I'm caught off guard when people who haven't seen me express surprise.  And I know it's just me, because when I see my reflection unexpectedly I see how smaller I am.  But when I'm expecting it, I still see just plain, big ole' me.  There's gotta be a pill for that.

1.  I'll get lots of that next week - I'll be in class with fellow SocialWork students I haven't seen since last spring.

There will be much surprise, and ego-stroking.  Ohhhh, yeah.  I live for that *gasp* OMG, Misty, did you lose weight?  
me: *blushing* huh?  Oh, I guess.  A little.
Yep, I'm manipulative, alright.  Gotta use all that therapy school for something, right?

I shall enjoy it. >:-)

29 comments:

  1. I don't comment as much as I ought to (Facebook does that to us, I think) but I do read everything so *hi*

    Good luck this weekend!

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  2. Oh alright....I'll de-lurk. Hi. :) I follow, but hardly (if ever) comment. Love your humor and perspectives. Thanks for the entertainment!

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  3. 10. Love your blog. Read it all the time.

    9. Baby wipes?

    5. I'm not so good at this. My husband is worse. The idea of paying more for less is anathema to him.

    4. I did a race last year, and the RD sent out daily emails. I loved getting them as part of the buildup to the race. Of course, it was no stress bc there wasn't any vital information.

    2. I get that. I weighed about 30 pounds less when we got married (it makes me feel sick to realize that number). I looked good, but I couldn't see how good at the time. Now I look back at the pictures and get it.

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  4. Dear Athena,

    Please let me help you with the A.T. I've been through this and controlled it.

    1) forget the frozen peas. if you want real treatment for the acute symptoms put ice in a bucket of water and then stick you foot in there until you can't take it anymore. Then take it out and warm it up...and then stick it in again. Repeat for 2 or 3 x after a run with A.T.


    1.5) Ibuprofen ("Vitamin I" to some of us) is your friend. Use it when you are back from the run. Helps prevent some of the inflammation.

    2) AFTER your are healed up (weaning off heel lifts) and are no longer acute it's time for prevention:

    2a) Do eccentric (thats "eee cent rick") heel lowerings. Stand on edge of stair with toes holding your weight. lower yourself down slowly..stretching out your calve muscles. Then raise back up (you can use your arms to help with this..this part doesn't really help for the A.T). then lower again..eventually do this one-legged. Get so you can do at least 20 with each foot. DONT start this or any silly aggressive stretching until you have no acute symptoms!

    2b) Buy some more minimalist shoes closer to zero-drop (i.e. thin heels). I have a pair of nike frees that I love. Run in them a few miles initially and gradually up to as much as you can take. (I can do about 10). These toughen up your legs and strengthen your calves and make sure you have a mid-foot strike.

    2c) Shorten your stride and speed it up.

    3) Just FYI: having pain -during- a run is a _bad_sign_ you need to get on this before you have worse problems.

    4) Stretch after running for 5 minutes or so when you are warmed up. Easy does it. Strangely I find that quad stretches are one of the most important ones. For me this works like a charm.

    5) If you have really stiff calves in the middle of the night or morning, use slippers with heel lifts to avoid worsening the acute symptoms when you get out of bed.

    6) Don't get addicted to the heel lifts..you'll just shorten up your calves even more and be in the same boat again. (Guess how we found out) You can use them during a race however if you are worried (still not totally healed up)

    7) Don't ignore this problem! Avoid the hills if you are having acute symptoms when running. Really. Please.

    I really hope this helps!
    paul

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  5. Oh yes, one more thing:

    kawai == scary

    kawaii == cute

    Which did you really mean? ;)

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  6. Welcome to my world- the injuries I mean. My unsolicited advice- back off the injured part and let it recover, otherwise you could end up in pain and struggling to run at all like I did all last year. I finally backed off (substituting strength training and fast walking for some running) and am getting better at long last.

    Paul's advice seems about right to me. David had AT problems and treated it the same (much more disciplined than me about cutting back on mileage) and it's mostly healed now. Hills are tougher on AT though.

    As for weight, even anorexics think they are fat. Don't go there. go by how you feel.

    How does the new WW points system work? just curious.

    That SB is very sweet indeed. He's definitely a keeper.

    Cynthia

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  7. Delurking. Love your blog, love reading about all of your adventures. And, yes, they are fantastic.

    Any chance you can install a camping shower in your office? No? Well, then. I dunno. I hate all sorts of wipes - they leave uhm, a film. Ehhh. Hand towel spit bath in the ladies room? You'll figure it out.

    Congratulations on your amazing year.

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  8. Baby wipes is what I use when I work out at lunch. I think it works well and no one has dropped dead from my smell!

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  9. Hi! I've been lurking and enjoy your weekly updates, now on Tuesday. Good luck this weekend and with your achielles problems.

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  10. Hi...I think I've commented maybe once before, but have been reading for some time! Love your humor! Thanks for keeping it real.

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  11. Baby wipes are great for cleaning up at work. On days I don't have time to shower after my gym time, they've been life savers.

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  12. Delurking and hoping to run into you on the ABQ trails at some point. :)

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  13. HI. DeLurking here. Re: #9. I use babywipes in all the smell producing areas. You know where they are. It helps. Really. You thinking about doing any races in NorCal again? Rio Del Lago?

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  14. I like SB's comment. :)

    I've never used an actual baby wipe, but I've used body wipes...and those help. I would also wet some paper towels in the bathroom and wipe my neck, back, and arm pits (I tend to think water is the best way to get clean).

    As always, you inspire me. :)

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  15. Anonymous11:20 AM

    Occasional commenter responding thanks to your de-lurking request. Love your blog and your perspective on things. And I love #7 this week. Well put! Good luck with your injury.

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  16. Delurking! Hello!!! Thank you for your blog. A while back I gathered up lots of fitness and weight loss blogs into my Google reader. Since I didn't read most of them I think I only have a few left. Yours is one of them. Sometimes I like to read your blog on my phone on my way home from work. Your posts are always funny and inspiring. Thanks for sharing your life! Sorry I don't normally comment. I blame my slow slow phone ok? ;)

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  17. Hi- occasional poster, frequent reader. As a vegetarian, why go back to carnivore ways?

    Love the Flying Pig-ran it 3 times. Get some hill work in!

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  18. Ok, fine. It's not enough to just read your blog, laugh, and get inspired? You expect me to interact with you? Maybe I should learn Chinese so that my comments will immediately be deleted and no one will ever know I was here.

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  19. Delurking too. I love your posts, I'm a WW Lifetimer and runner, and your endurance running is very inspiring to me.

    I think Japanese food might have magical properties. I ate my way through two weeks in Japan (white rice! noodles! Katsu & Tempura!) and I LOST weight. They also have a strange affinity for mayonnaise.

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  20. Wet wipes "showers" work well for cleaning up - just wipe yourself off with as many as you need. I've even used them after mtn biking to look presentable, they get mud off and everything. Find the aloe ones and your skin will be nice and soft.

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  21. Lurker commencing delurking activation. Always look for your blog posts on my Google Reader first. Thanks for writing it all down!

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  22. Hi,

    I rarely comment but just love your blog, and I think I too would go with wipes. EO makes a lovely lavender scented one, health food stores usually carry it.

    Paul, thanks for the advice on the achilles. I had this problem a while ago and I've just recently ordered a pair of Nike Frees.

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  23. Re #9 - try Nathan shower wipes, made just for the purpose. About $4/pack near me, but you can get them online or at a sporting goods/running/tri store probably too.

    Snow White roll? Looks yummy - but I'm a wimp on the raw stuff, just cooked and veggie roll for me, with plenty of wasabi and ginger.

    Careful with that Achilles!

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  24. THere is no reason you can't use the bathroom to shower. If you can lock the door (and even if not, after all we moms have totally lost any modesty we once had, no?). So bring body wash and washcloths and waterbottles. Fill up the waterbottes at the sink with warm water. Strip down the top. Wash underarms with soap and water splashing the water or using a waterbottle to rinse. Use babywipes or just the wet washcloth for the rest of the upper body. To wash the groin area, fill the waterbottles again, head to the toliet and wash with soap and rinse while seated on the toilet. You'll get CLEAN and don't need a shower. Use wet washcloth on legs and trunk (or babywipes) - no soap really needed there.

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  25. I was all ready to tell you how to clean off at work after a run. And then your comment about pissing off a lawyer, social worker and probation officer cracked me up! I've had days like that too! Hee hee.

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  26. De-lurking... HI - Thanks for making me laugh. I love to read about your profession; your co-workers and clients (I share a connection) and I secretly wish to be just like you - an ultra runner! I just bought my first pair of compression socks! Now, if only the sidewalks were clear I could actually try them out!!

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  27. Oh alright, I will de-lurk. I've been enjoying your blog forever. I often forward my favorite entries to others to tell them to follow you.

    I have walked 3 half marathons as an Athena, and I often think of your blog response to the person who said we didn't deserve our medals like runners. I am running a 5k in a few months (first time runner) since I've lost enough weight on WW to feel like it's possible for me.

    I would add talcum powder to your post-run bathroom kit, and some dry washcloths. Use the baby wipes, dry yourself off with the washcloths, throw on some talcum powder and then spritz yourself with a little light perfume. I think it will be fine.

    Please keep writing, it's really helpful!

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  29. Hey Misty, I'm jumping on the de-lurking wagon. As you know, I LOVE your blog and admire you so much! I think your winter strategy of weight maintenance is really wise. Besides, it will give you some practice for when you hit goal, right? And I totally get #2. I'm dying to get back to the body I had five years ago, but I was super-critical of that body when I had it. Must be a lesson somewhere in there, right?
    Maya

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