Thursday, October 4, 2012

Around the bay in 171 days

Older than Boston:)


My one year blogiversary is coming up next week.  October 10th is when I wrote my very first blog post. It's amazing to me that I've been able to keep writing regular blogs for a whole year and the lot of you haven't told me to shut up yet!  I thank you for that.  This blog has been an integral part of my weight-loss journey. Without the on-going support and guidance I get from all of you, I may not be where I am right now.  There are so many people in the blogesphere and on Dr. Poon's facebook page, that I find inspirational.  Some I've been reading right from the beginning (of my blog), some of the blogs I used to read have gone dormant (but I still get the odd comment or email from the authors of those blogs), and some of you are new blog friends.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

Blogging is a lot of work!  Not only keeping up my own blog, but reading and commenting on the hundred or so that I try to regularly read. I am currently guilty of not commenting as much as I'd like to.  I read all of them, but have to work on the commenting more regularly.  It's time consuming, but that is just a lame excuse.  Like everything else in my life, I need to work on finding a better balance and not be as inconsistent as I have been of late.  I started this blog for me, but I now keep it up as regularly as I do for my followers and regular readers.  It's still super helpful for me, and I toy with changing the name once I reach goal, but I think I'll always be Poonapalooza. Dr. Poon deserves the props.  He gave me my life back!

Beverly and I began our second Learn to Run (LTR) clinic on Monday.  We have 8 participants, all pretty much at the same running level which means, no running experience.  And 2 men!  It's a real novelty to have men do the LTR clinic.  I have always said that they are too proud to be taught how to run.  My husband was taught to run via private lessons by me, but he readily agrees that he never would have taken a LTR clinic. Maybe a 5k, more likely a 10k, definitely a half marathon, but never a LTR!

I'm still running 10k as my long run.  I think that next week, I'll add on a kilometre and see how that goes.  I need to get to 15k by March 24th for the Around the Bay.  I know that won't be a problem. What may be a potential problem is all the hills I have to run during that 15k.  Beverly is doing the first half of the 30k (we're doing a 2 person relay), and I agreed to do the second half, knowing that it is mainly hills.  Why you ask?  So that I can train on said hills and get killer leg muscles, but also so that I get the glory of running into Copps Coliseum where the finish line is.  Picture if you will, a sports arena with the finish line where the ice would normally be when there's a hockey game on, and stands filled with spectators. I get to run into that.  Ok, so there really won't be that many spectators (by the time I finish), but it will still be a huge rush.  I'm very excited!  I'd better get my ass cracking and start training on those hills!  Only 171 days left before the big day!

I think this was taken last year...


I need to get fall/winter running gear.  I have a pair of running capris I've been wearing all summer that wore  this morning for my 8k.  They kept falling down.  They are a regular large and 10% lycra. It makes me feel super good that I no longer fit into my large sized running or yoga pants.  That is so crazy to me!  Last year at this time, I'd only been on the diet a couple of weeks but was still sporting the 3x.  I can't believe I'm going to be a medium person.  Right in the middle, ordinary sized medium.  I'll take it.  Just for the record, I'm very happy to be run of the mill.