Shamrock RUN!

First of all, I totally forgot to post a weigh-in last week:

Starting Weight: 176.6 lbs
Last Weigh-in: 168.4 lbs
This Weigh-in: 167.2 lbs
Difference: -1.2 lbs
Total Difference: -9.4 lbs

My body does NOT want to get to the 10 lb mark. Which is too bad because I’ve already started saying “I’ve lost ten pounds.” Whoops. Anyway, the past few weeks have had many celebrations (birthdays, bachelorette parties, etc.), and while I’m definitely making better decisions that I would have in the past a) it has NOT been easy and b) I think this week and continuing on I need to REALLY switch up my priorities and stop with the gaining/losing one pound a week thing. It’s like the same pound every week, it either goes up or down!

Moving on! I did something amazing yesterday. I ran an 8k. And when I say ran, I mean RAN. None of this run/walk business for me!

The Shamrock Run was the morning after my friend’s bachelorette party, so we were a little tired:

 

Those are “did we really spend all night bacheloretting and now we’re running an 8k” faces.

The Shamrock Run, for those non-Portlanders, is probably Portland’s biggest run. Ok that’s completely unofficial, I really have no idea and don’t feel like googling, but man it is CROWDED. But I love the color green, so it’s ok by me. I wish I had taken more pictures but my phone was dying and I needed my playlist to make it through. The run is along the waterfront and through downtown Portland. It’s a pretty flat run until the end when there’s a bit of a hill, which of course was a lovely challenge during the last mile of the race.

Now let it be known: I had not been training. I signed-up for the race thinking it would encourage me to train, but really I had gone on maybe 4 runs total this year before the race. I was completely expecting to run/walk it. But something kicked-in, and I just never stopped running. I literally cried when I got to the finish line, I was so proud of myself.

The ironic thing? My time last year when I ran/walked was faster than this year’s time! But that’s ok. This run was more about proving to myself that I can get back into the running game. I’m now motivated to NOT lose my running lungs/legs and to keep it up, so I’m signing-up for a 10k. Which kind of scares me, but I think I can do it. Maybe I’ll even train beforehand!

One last side note: Last week was definitely slow in the blogging department, but I have quite a few posts planned, so don’t leave me! I’m still here, I promise!

 

Something Witty About Virginia

Greetings from Virginia! After a scary drive to the airport in the lovely Portland ice, and three ugly airport carpets later, I am here in good ol’ Richmond for a work conference.

I would love to write more about how traveling + weight watchers = fail, so there might be a longer post later, but for now I have one Oops to report, and one Win. The Oops? Eating my weight in WW Points at the Five Guys at the DC airport. Our flight was delayed and I hadn’t eaten all day, and omg honestly it was SO worth it.

The win?

I totally went to the hotel fitness center at 6am and ran 2 miles on the treadmill this morning. Which I think cancels out the Five Guys. 2 miles + 5 guys = story of my life? I’m not even sure what that means.

Anyway, travelling and being at the mercy of conference food has been tough, but I’m surviving. I knew I wasn’t in Portland anymore when breakfast had neither fresh fruit nor gluten free options. Sigh. Not that I’m strictly gluten free (I’m not) but man, we have it good in Portland.

Time to go see what terrible breakfast sandwich awaits me this morning!

Why Hello There

Yeah, I kind of snuck back on here after a long hiatus, posted a few book reviews, and didn’t say hi or anything. How rude of me! In the spirit of moving forward, just a quick recap, and then we will move forward! Hooray!

Me, Lately:

• I got a new job. I’m now a technical editor at a consulting firm. And I work from home. I have the best new coworker:

•    I went to the SCBWI–Oregon Silver Falls Retreat. Met with an agent and talked about my manuscript, and am now knee deep in revisions. Apparently I didn’t take any pictures. I plan on blogging about the whole experience, but it’s already been a month, so in summary: it was totally exhausting and totally worth it. Four days, in the woods, talking about writing.
  Writing can be such a solitary experience, that getting so many writers together and sticking us in some cabins without internet for a few days so that we could talk about the craft was fantastic. My brain felt like mush afterwords, and I was a bit terrified to get back into my manuscript, but I learned a lot, made some great connections, and love love love my fellow YA/Children’s writers. We’re great people.
•    Totally failed the Bar Method Fall Fitness Challenge and wanted to cry. The challenge just came at a terrible time for me, transitioning to a new job and going through some personal things (what? there are things too personal for blogging?! ha!), Bar helped me a LOT getting through the tough times, but I just didn’t have the time to go 50 times in 84 days. I did get to 40, I think? And as punishment/preparation for the New Year I went to FOUR level 2 classes in a row. I’m in pain. And let me admit something to you: I probably don’t belong in level 2. My form sucks. My endurance sucks. But you know what? We have the BEST instructors, and I really really REALLY am trying.
     I want to be a pretty ballerina SO badly. And I’m not going to get any better if I don’t try. So I’m trying. I’m trying to be patient, but also push myself at the same time. I’m trying to keep my shoulders down. I’m trying to lift my heels. Sometimes I try push-ups on my toes. I have not lost a single pound since I started Bar Method over 6 months ago, and sometimes I do cry over the number on the scale. Technically I’m obese for my height. Which, while bullshit, is absolutely devastating.  But then I feel my buff arms and clench my muscley ass and smile. Except right now I can’t clench anything. So much pain. I’m starting the New Year with a very sore seat.
     Last year I started the new year running my first 5k. That’s not happening this year, but I have started running again since stress-fracturing my foot over the summer, and holy shit. Bar really is doing SOMETHING my first run back in the game was so much easier. My muscles felt like they were working with me, not against me. I couldn’t run very fast or very far because I’ve been out of the race (ha.) for months now, but it made all of my hard work feel much more worth it. I want to try to get back into running, but I’m afraid of injuries, so we will see. If anyone wants to sign-up for some fun runs let me know, I could use the motivation!

In summary: New Job, Writing Writing Writing, Sore Butt.

As I look to the New Year, I would like you all (all three of you) to know that my new job gives me a lot more freedom/time to blog, and I fully intend to keep up my lovely space on the internet. So look for more book reviews, Bar Method sore-butt whining (I mean, health and fitness posts!), and too much information about a Portland Writer Girl who doesn’t understand blogs but likes to overshare!

Starlight Run Race Recap

On Saturday I ran the Starlight Run  which is an annual 5k through downtown Portland. The run is part of the Rose Festival, and is the beginning of the Starlight Parade. I’ve lived here for almost 8 years and this was my first time experiencing any of the festivities–unless sitting in my car damning the traffic and closed roads during the race counts as participating. This was a super fun race, and included a crazy costume contest–I cannot believe some of the outfits people ran in. For example:

(Photo from starlightrun.com, courtesy of Waz-Mix-Pix)

Someone dressed up as a box of Voodoo Donuts! For real! And I really saw them running in the box! Amazing. The run itself for me was pretty terrible. I have NOT been running regularly and it’s my own damn fault. But it’s slightly confusing, since I actually PR’d the first mile, but was so exhausted after that that I ended up walking a ton. I had no idea downtown Portland is so hilly! I do most of my running on the waterfront, which is fairly flat. And on top of that, it was an unusually muggy night. Excuses aside, I’m trying not to be too hard on myself, since I’m brand new to running, and I know I’ve been much more focused on my Bar Method practice. It was a good wake up call though, since I’m running a 10k in a few weeks. I’m going to try to mix up my Bar schedule a bit and add some runs. This post today over at Carrots N Cake really rang true to me, and made me feel better. Even runners who have been at it for awhile have their bad races and we all need to learn what our bodies can and cannot do. Granted I know my body is capable of more. But patience is important too!

After the race we went and got oysters at Jake’s and then found a good spot to watch the rest of the parade. There were a ton of High School marching bands, a fair share of zombies and vampires for some reason, and a bunch of floats with dogs. Everyone looked like they were having a great time, and it was a very Portlandy night, which I don’t mind one bit.

Question of the Day: What’s the craziest parade you’ve been to?