WTF

It has taken me longer to get a freaken coffee after the Run for the Kids than it took me to run the damn thing.  What the hell is going on with that?  I gave up on getting one anywhere in the city – you’d think if you owned a coffee kiosk at Flinders St Station and you knew 10,000+ were expected in the city for a run, you’d put on more staff – or at least ones that aren’t completely brain dead.  Finally decided to come home and get one at the local cafe.  The place was packed though and I read the entire Sunday papers while waiting.

Time to run 14.14 kms: 97 mins.

Time to get coffee: 2 hours!!!

It’s not even a good coffee.

At least I did the run.  I’d wanted to do it in less than I did the City to Surf last year (99 mins) then figured, with my cold and my sprained foot last week (which is still sore) my goal was to finish.  Even taking it really easy and stopping for walk breaks every time I felt tired, I still managed to meet my goal time.

Now it’s only 7 (I think) week until GOR half marathon – yikes!

Questions????

I’m still not sure about running in the Run for the Kids tomorrow.

For:

1. I’ve run for the last two years and I want to make it 3 out of 3.
2. I’ve only got a head cold and conventional wisdom says running with a head cold isn’t too bad.
3. I’ve already paid for it.
4. I’m feeling much less congested and icky than I did yesterday.

Against:

1. I’ve got to be well enough to go to work tomorrow in order to buy food and pay for dental procedures so I can eat the food (btw the alternative to root canal for my tooth is to have it extracted and get an implant!!!!  Oh yeah, makes root canal look attractive by comparison.)
2. It might rain.

All up, annoyingly unsure.  I wish you could buy a runometre and just hook it up to your body and it gave you a “run/don’t run” reading.  That’d take all the drama out of it.

Yikes

Woke up this morning feeling shite.  By 11 am felt all the shite – nose running, high temp etc.  I’ve got to run on Sunday, I’ve no time for being sick.

Now I’m home from work.  I went to the health food shop and the naturopath made me up some health-giving drops.  I also got health-giving dark chocolate and ingredients for my health-giving soup.  Now I’m going to make up my soup and have couch rest with many, many litres of fluid and possibly huge doses of Vitamin C.

I will be well by Sunday.

Quickie

I went to the dentist this arvo, for my first root canal treatment.  After he finished, he said he’s not sure if it’s worth doing!  He’ll take the money I paid today off the alternative treatment so I’m not out of pocket but there is no compensation for the pain and anguish.

I had a shitload of numbing so have taken excessive painkillers so as not to feel the pain when it wears off, hence I’m going to bed now.

Golden Rules

Hmmm, funny stuff – after mentioning a particular airline in my post yesterday, I got two comments from ppl who’d never commented on my blog before saying how good that airline is. Even stranger – both from the same IP address. Do people actually get paid to talk up companies on people’s blogs? I reckon I could work reading and commenting on blogs all day… yeah not much different to what I do now!

***

Since I’ve been trying to make a chart with star sticker, I’ve been struggling a bit over what consistutes healthy eating so I thought I’d post up my golden rules of weight loss to remind myself. These are the things that work for me:

1. Drink water. Lots of water. Everyone says it so it must be true — and it really does help. Normally I’m good esp when I’m at work but not so good at home. Must take green tea etc to work as well.
2. Eat breakfast. If I eat late at night then I’m not hungry when I wake up but eating breakfast is important, eating at night is NOT (esp easter eggs… esp Andy’s easter eggs he left here…)
3. Keep a food diary. I always think I’m okay not doing this but the reality is when I don’t, I put on weight. When I do, I lose weight. I don’t think you need to be a rocket scientist to work that one out. You don’t even need to be a paper airplane scientist.
4. Don’t eat sugar. Sugar = sugar cravings.
5. Don’t eat when not hungry. Don’t eat food I don’t want.
6. Get enough sleep.
7. Exercise. And don’t overeat because “I’m working it off”.

That’s about it. Oh, have I mentioned protein? I’m getting all forgetful in my old age, not remembering if I’ve posted stuff. People used to always say to eat protein because it fills you up and I was like *scoff* as if being filled up would stop me eating! But lately I’ve been adding protein powder to stuff and it really works. Like I’ll have half a serve of protein powder with a small serve of brekkie then be so full I skip my first morning coffee (the one I get to drink on the tram). I can look at food and really not feel like eating it! Miracle.

Of course, my diet was very deficient in protein before – I was lucky to get 30 grams a day – so don’t think this will work miracles for you if you’re hoeing into a massive steak for dinner every night. Like all supplements, they only work if you’re actually supplement something.

Tuesday Stuff

Firstly, a question – is this just me or what?  I finished my uni degree around 10 years ago yet whenever I get my HECS statement, the debt never seems to change.  I’m paying a major slab of my weekly wage off my substandard tertiary education so you think it’d be paid off by now.  I don’t even know when HECS statements come out but I’ll be checking mine very carefully this year.

I’m resting my foot today but going to try running tomorrow.  I figure if I start running and it hurts, I’ll stop.  You can’t get more scientific than that.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before but I have a new goal in life.  I’m going to Japan.  Oh yeah.  It’s going to be so awesome.  I’ve wanted to go to Japan all my life.  My primary school had two Japanese dolls in tradional costume in the foyer and I used to spend hours looking at them and dreaming (okay, they were outside the principle’s office and I had to sit there because I was in trouble… but you get the idea).

I never thought I could ever afford to travel to Japan but, about a month or so ago, I got talking to a guy who said it’s quite cheap now.  After checking out the airfares on Jetstar and some of the backpacker places, I really think it’s doable.  Japanese recession – I love you!

My next step is to learn Japanese.  I’ve picked up quite a bit watching Japanese teen dramas but I’m not sure how much of that I’ll use in everyday conversation.

As for weight loss goals, I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately.  When I first started losing weight, I had a set figure in mind.  A definite end point.  I think one of the things that hinders my motivation at the moment is that I no longer have that.

What I’ve been thinking is that instead of seeing that as a negative or trying to create some artificial deadline, I need to look at the long term.  It’s easy enough to say that you are changing your lifestyle, not going on a diet but then get caught up in a cycle you can’t maintain.

The reality is that there is no endpoint.

Weigh In 84.7 kgs

I expected to weigh more today.  I’ve been feeling blah all weekend – not being able to exercise and just totally out of sorts.   It started with being hungover on Friday then just not getting my shit together all weekend so getting nothing productive done.

I think I have an insane need to be productive and to be organised.  Without it, I get totally irritable and unhappy with myself.  My sister has gotten into a system where she has a chart (with star stickers) for her important weekly goals.  If she doesn’t achieve them, she has a predetermined penalty.  I started doing this myself but I have no penalties!  All my leisure activities relate to my goals – exercising, writing etc.   Even stuff like watching TV or playing PS2, I usually do because she wants to do it.  Left to my own devices, I’d not even think of doing that kind of stuff.

I think these things have their own momentum.  Once I start getting organised, then I have time to be more organised and more productive.  But, by starting the weekend off hungover, I’ve just gotten into disarray.

On Friday, I was supposed to go for a long run with Simon but, since I hurt my foot, instead I went over for lunch.  Well I napped on the couch then got up and ate lunch then back to couch for napping.  I woke up and said goodbye to them as they left for the airport to go to Brisbane for the weekend then more napping.  I’m a great guest!  Then I came home and watched Japan dramas.

Saturday, I slept most of the day then went to the football with my sister – St Kilda v Sydney (what a boring game).  Then we came home and ate chocolate and watched more Japanese.  Oh, I did manage to make it out of bed early to get Easter shopping done before the shops got insane.

Yesterday, I slept in again then got woken by Andy, ringing to say he was on his way over.  Another game of footy – Adelaide v Bulldogs (which definitely wasn’t boring but heartwrenching) then more Japanese dramas and more chocolate.  Oh yeah, I did manage to make a huge bowl of salad with bacon (Don 98% fat free bacon = awesome) and haloumi cheese plus a container to put away for later.

At least my foot is starting to feel better.  I didn’t strap it or ice it — I’m slack like that — and I haven’t rested it much with all that walking up down ramps at Telstra Dome.  I can’t believe I went to TWO games of football this weekend.  I went to that many all season last year.  I did do a cardio session on the exercise bike yesterday.  I have no problems with the bike because I can keep my foot flat, it’s just bending it that hurts.  And now my calf hurts – I think I’ve been holding my leg funny when I walk to protect my foot.

So I’m back to work tomorrow and feel like I’ve achieved nothing over the past 4 days.   I guess what I’m trying to say in all this rambling is should I feel like I HAVE to achieve stuff?  I guess I do, if my goals are important to me.  I find the whole concept of “free” time hard to deal with – I spent years studying part time while working and then the last god knows how many years trying to fit writing projects in.  I have no concept of being the kind of person who just gets home from work and veges out on the couch.   When I have a slack weekend, I just get a truckload of guilt to go with it.

Anyway, I’ve got a shitload of stuff to get done before this weekend is over so I should get moving and get it done.

Disaster!

Me + booze + high heels = OUCH!

I twisted my foot on Thursday night.  It’s not too bad – I can still walk, slowly, but definitely can’t run.  I reckon it’ll be right in a day or so though.  Stuffed up my plans for long run yesterday though.

I’m never sure with these things what I should be doing – strapping, bandaging etc or just leaving it.  I figure resting is good.   I never ever wear heels but went for drinks after work, as feeling pretty tipsy and popped into Target.  They had the shoes on a clearance rack for $4.  I also got a snappy hat and a fake fur scarf thing for 89 cents each!  Damn shoes though.

The worst part is that I was going great guns with my food, exercise etc this week and then went out Thursday, had a huge Japanese dinner plus lots of drinks figuring it’d work it off Friday.  Arrgghhh, let this be a lesson – don’t count those calorie-burning chickens too soon.

More Stupid Stuff I Did…

I left work today, ready to go to the training run.  Well I thought I was ready.  I got half way across town and realised I’d left my running shoes in my desk drawer.  I’d been fulled by my backpack being all full and heavy with the loot I’d bought at the Peter Alexander outlet at DFO at lunch time — a pair of kitten heeled, feather trimmed mule slippers (now I just need a negligee and a bottle of gin) plus a cute singlet.

I turned back to get the shoes then realised my swipe card prolly wouldn’t work cos the building gets locked up after 5.30, I think.

Luckily, I remembered they have the Nike shoes to trial at the run so I nipped into Adidas and got some socks (man, enough of the product placement already).

Tonight I joined the speed training group.  Not sure about the “speed”; I like to call it interval training – much less intimidating.  It ended up being really fun (not that I thought that during the run).  We did 300 metres then 500 metres then 800 m, 800m, 500m, 300m.

I felt pretty awesome afterward but boy, some of those guys can run pretty fast.  I was around lastish.  In the first few intervals, there was a girl just ahead of me so I kept trying to beat her, and managed a few times too.  I really felt like I was working hard and that’s the main thing.

I had no problem with the loaner shoes while I was running, but once I stopped I realised my toes really hurt on my left foot.  Doesn’t help that my work shoes are on the tight side either.  I walked part of the way back then did a slow jog.

Okay, I get back and realise I can’t put my work shoes back on!  My feet have swollen too much.   Oh noes!

Simon and I went for a coffee and realised I had my PA shoes in my bag. Oh yah!   Can you picture this – me in tee-shirt, tights, shorts and kitten heel, feather trimmed mule slippers… I looked a rare sight and, if my stupid phone cable decides to work, I’ll show you.

Okay, it’s working.

You don’t really get the full feather and sequin effect of the shoes, but it gives you a general idea.  Shit, my hair looks awful.  No more ponytails for me!

Yahs though, I’d forgotten until this morning, tomorrow is the last work day this week.  We’re having an easter egg exchange at work???? What the hell is that?  It puts an awful lot of pressure on people to buy the appropriate kind of egg.  I think I’ll just abstain.  God knows I’ve got enough chocolate avoidance to do this weekend.

Stuff

I got up and went to the running group this morning.  Arrrgghh, getting up at 5.30 am is for the birds.  Well not even, I think the birds were still sound asleep then.  It was especially hard since I couldn’t sleep last night in the heat.  By the time I got home from work, I was so stuffed that I ended up skipping go go class

Not sure about the running group – lots of running to a certain point then waiting around and chatting.  It took over an hour and we only covered 6.5 kms, so I felt unsatisified at the end.  I think if I joined the gym, I’d rather run from home then go in and do a weights session or something and shower before work.  That’d be much more time efficient.

I’ve just been wondering about that – normally I leave my work shoes at work but, if I shower at the gym, I’ve got to put my stinky runners back on after my shower!  I guess if I pack some clean socks that won’t be so bad (and easier than running with shoes in the backpack).

Big yahs – got tickets to see Nick Cave in Conversation at the Arts Centre.  I wanted to go but the sessions sold out in 15 minutes so thought I’d missed out, then read in the paper today another session had been added so I went online and scored some tix.  It’s on the day after V Festival so it’ll be a big weekend.   I’ve actually got some big weekends coming up – first Easter then the Run for the Kids weekend then V Festival weekend.  When’s a person meant to sleep?

***

I wanted some fruit yesterday and couldn’t find anywhere that sold anything decent.  I’d planned to have a total bitch about it then I realised I could actually move my butt the whole block down to Vic Market and get some there.  So that’s what I did at lunch time today.  Woohoo – a 500 gram punnet of strawberries for $2.  You can’t beat that!

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You know what really bugs me?  Have you ever used the Westpac ATMs?  They have that chick who gesticulates at you while you do the banking.  I want to punch her in the head.  I can use a damn ATM without her freaken gesticulation!