Partial MoJo Found

What a difference it makes when I have a goal to follow (or at least a trip on the horizon). But more on that later.

You may have wondered where the hell I've been lately (oops, did I just swear?) and what I've been doing. Well, I've basically been in a major funk, and have been trying to shake this stressed out/overwhelmed/guilty feeling I've got going on. Ever since right before the football game, I feel like I've been go-go-go-go-go, with hardly time to breathe. Tis the season, right? Besides that, we've had some virus issues with our computer at home, so I've been afraid to use it for much more than the basic checking the weather and the stock market type stuff.

Part of the problem is too many scheduled activities, part of it was stress at work (things are much more tame this week- finally!) and part of it is horrible eating habits. Eat terrible, feel like crap, eat terrible, feel like crap... it's a vicious cycle. Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving (it's probably my favorite), but this year with two family dinners- and somehow we ended up with way more leftovers than usual- I was in a food coma for about a week. The guilt comes into the picture because I've been sort of depressed, but I can't really figure out why.  I think about how much I have, and how lucky I am, and then I feel like a jerk for feeling that way. Does anyone else have this problem?

I have been running somewhat regularly, which is probably the main reason why I haven't jumped off a cliff. It's my only sanity, even in the freezing cold. I've had quite a few outdoor runs lately in sub-freezing temps, but luckily I used some birthday money and bought some running tights (the Hubs family celebrated my b-day with 2 of his siblings the day after Thanksgiving, so it was a little delayed). The only downfall is that they don't have a drawstring waist, and I currently have them safety-pinned so that they don't fall off (I have to buy a medium to fit my ample thighs and booty, but my waist is an extra-small). At some point in the near future I am going to sew them (like I did with most of my jeans).

Yesterday I had my first (ever!) run in the snow. I almost didn't go, because I knew it would be getting dark soon, and I remembered how wet and cold my feet were when I ran in the rain, and I figured that a lot of people wouldn't have their sidewalks shoveled yet. But I wasn't planning to run very far (around 3 miles), and I figured I would try it out, and I could always turn around and come back early. Can I just tell you that running in snow is HARD! I was expending a lot of effort, and I was still moving so slow. When not on the busier streets, I just ran in the street, because it was plowed, but on the main roads, I had to get on the sidewalk. Probably less than half of the sidewalks were clear.

So I just went for it, "running" as best I could, but it was more like tromping. It's probably something I won't attempt again, unless I get some kind of trail shoes, or those traction things you can strap onto your shoes. It was a little slippery in a few places, plus the snow kept building up on the bottom of my shoes, and it made them very heavy. I didn't worry too much about the wet factor, because I tried to stay away from the slushy snow. But there were a few times near the end that I got really soaked. I was wearing thick wool socks (they're hiking socks that I wear to football games in the cold, LOL) so my feet were still okay when I got home. Either way it was a fierce workout, and I'm sure I burned far more calories than my Nike+ said that I did. And on top of that, I had shoveled the driveway before I even left for my run (well, half of the driveway, because part of it was sheltered by our gigantic trees).

Going back to my talk of goals and trips, I am saying it right here, in front of everybody: I am going to do a half-marathon next month! And to top it off, I get to combine it with a road trip- yippee!! The race is in St. George on Jan. 17, and after the race the Hubs and I will drive to Vegas to spend some time (it's only about 100 miles farther). It's called the Painters Half Marathon (and 5k), because it's sponsored by Painters RV Truck & Boat (how funny is that?) But apparently it's been going for a while, because this will be the 27th year- who knew? It's a pretty flat course, and the weather should be pretty mild. The average high temperature is 53 degrees (with an average low of 27), so it should be nice. Although January is the "wettest" month in St. George, with average precipitation of a whopping 1.12 inches!! (hey, it is in the desert, what do you expect?)

I am really excited, and it finally feels like the right time to advance my running goals. Plus combining it with a trip is the perfect excuse. And the race is totally cheap, too, at only $35. The race is somewhat small, but still bigger than I thought. Last year there were over 900 people entered. I doubt there will be much crowd support along the course, but the scenery will be nice. I have about 6 weeks before the race, so I've started my full-on training plan. One thing I'm not sure of, is how far I should run the weekend before the race- do I need to "taper" like before a marathon? Anyone with experience, please let me know. Basically, I will be increasing my mileage approximately 1 mile a week, except I'll go from 10 miles to 12 miles, then I have one last "long" run before the race. I'm thinking if I scaled back to 6 miles it would be good.

Last Saturday I ran 7 miles. I had to start out somewhat early, since I had to be somewhere at 10:30 a.m. (showered, dressed and looking presentable). I made it out the door by 7:15, and the sun wasn't fully up yet. It was around 27 degrees when I started. It was pretty chilly. But with my tights, my wool socks, and a fleece pullover and fleece vest (plus gloves and my headband) I stayed plenty warm. I switched up my route a little bit, and ran part of it in the opposite direction from what I usually do. It was kind of a nice change, and it seemed like a lot fewer hills than usual. It was still a tough run, but it was manageable, and I even finished in about the same time I last ran that distance (which was clear back in July). My total distance was 7.18 miles in 1:13:13 (I tell ya, the 13's are lucky for me!)

Yesterday I did 3 miles in 31 minutes (in the snow of course), and tonight I have the elliptical on the schedule, while I watch the Biggest Loser, of course. Tomorrow I have a family function in the evening, so I plan to bring my running clothes with me to work, and find a place to run (possibly at the big park near where I used to live). People, this is hard core for me. Normally I would use the family function as an excuse to have a rest day, but I am determined to stay consistent. I know I'll feel better, and I figure it will also help me to avoid gaining weight during the holidays. Thursday will be another short run (probably 3.5 to 4 miles) and Friday will be a real rest day.

For my long run this weekend, I am doing 8 miles. I am staying at a hotel with my mom and sisters, as my youngest sister is competing in a drill team competition. It's not that far away, but we don't want to drive home after her solo Friday night, and then drive all the way back early Saturday morning. Anyway, my plan is to run on the hotel treadmill, and it may have to be at 5:00 a.m. I've never run that far/long on a treadmill, so hopefully I won't be bored out of my mind. I'll let you know how it goes.

Well, I guess that's enough for now. I still have lots to catch you up on, like all my football excitement, but I guess I'll leave that for another day. Now that things at work aren't as busy, I should have time to post something most days (but I can't guarantee, because you never know when something is going to come up). I'm toying with the idea of changing my blog template, so don't freak out if you stop by and things look different. It's still me. And I'm going to try and do better with updating my workouts on the sidebar, too. More accountability, you know? It's just easier to plug in my iPod and automatically upload them to the Nike+ web site, and not have to manually type everything in. But on the other site, it tracks the mileage on my shoes, too, so I need to keep it current.

Oh, and I'll also try to post some pictures soon. Spice the place up a bit. Okay, I just realized that I forgot all about my Thanksgiving 5k, so I'll have to get to that tomorrow.