Saturday, November 28, 2009

Nine hilly miles

With the group, I ran nine miles -- from the pier area in Santa Monica up a big hill to Pacific Palisades and down through fancy Brentwood homes back to the pier area.

What I learned: I need to a) do more hills and b) run more during the week. It was a really nice change of pace to do the hills, but I could tell I'm just not getting in as many shorter runs as I used to and I need to. I did feel great afterwards, though, so it wasn't that bad.

Bizarre injury: I've got this weird bruise on the ball of my foot below the big toe. I thought I was working on a blister; the bruise was a surprise. Who knows what that is.

Funny Paul story: His latest tongue-in-cheek throwaway line is to refer to himself as my "lord and master." As in, "Is that any way to treat/talk to/appreciate your lord and master?" (I'm not mistreating him in the slightest, by the way. He just thinks it's funny to say.) Of course, as he says, even he can't keep a straight face through that one. This morning, after doing something for me, he says, "See how well the lord and master treats his, uh, subject."

Friday, November 27, 2009

Thanksgiving aftermath

We had a nice family day, and the meal came out great.

Today, I've got my soup stock ready. No Black Friday silliness here.

I'm used to big Thanksgiving gatherings, but with our current living situation, it's just not practical.

Today, I focused on my weight work, which I have been neglecting. An hour's worth of weight work is so much more difficult than an hour's worth of running. I actually have to think to do weight work.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

A quick 30 minutes

I hadn't run since the 20 miles on Saturday.

I finally went out today. When I started my slow little jog, it initially felt as though I were about on Mile 19 yet again. It wasn't so much the body memory but the mind that had the flashback. And it wasn't good.

So I messed around, going as fast as I could go for as long as I could, then walking for a bit, then running again. Thirty minutes of that pretty much finished me off. But in a good way.

Thanksgiving menu

Here's what I eat on Thanksgiving:

turkey (of course!)
mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes (probably the white potatoes)
brussel sprouts (if I'm feeling ambitious and self-indulgent, as I'm the one who loves these, Paul and the kids can take them or leave them; if I'm not feeling ambitious and self-indulgent, it will be broccoli)
salad
sparkling water

Additional items I'll serve:
pumpkin pie
stuffing
corn
mashmallow/sweet potatoes casserole
sparkling juice for the kids, maybe some wine for Paul
biscuits
cranberry sauce

The big treat for all is that we'll peel the potatoes. Usually, I buy organic potatoes for mashed and I just scrub (don't peel) them. You lose a lot of nutrients and fiber when you peel them.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Binge eating

The L.A. Times Health section did a big spread yesterday on binge eating and how the holidays can be hard on binge eaters. A little tie-in for Thanksgiving!

I'm not someone who ever really identified myself as a binge eater. Oh, I had my binges, but I don't think that was the main issue. I was pretty "good" most of the time. Binges on top of starvation diets didn't help with the metabolism, of course. But I also had general creeping of portion sizes. Which prompted starvation diets. Which prompted binges.

At the same time, I really disagree with the folks, quoted in this
story, who think that the kind of abstinent diet that I'm on doesn't work. I've seen too many success stories. I'm not saying it's for everyone, of course, but the fact that it's not for everyone doesn't mean it's not for anyone. I've heard too much of the "moderate" gospel when it comes to eating. It certainly didn't work for me. But I'm not going to extrapolate and say that it therefore works for no one.

I tended to eat more when feeling "stuck," as though I didn't have control over what happened in my life. Some people drink more. Others do other destructive things. I tended to pay less attention to my food. I'm lucky in that I don't tend toward depression in a bio-chemical sense; at the same time, sometimes I've fallen into situational depression (and who doesn't?). My drug of choice at those times would be food. Now that I don't have the food, at least not in the same quantity or at the same level of processed-y goodness, I end up being forced to deal with negative situations more. I can no longer tolerate that stuck feeling.

But enough psycho-babble! On to Thanksgiving preparation! It's a number of the kids' favorite holiday, and I love cooking for it. It's a surprisingly easy meal for me to eat. The only thing that I have to watch for is making sure the turkey I buy isn't injected with starch or sugar.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Running 20 miles

I did 20 miles today.

I was a little bummed about it, partially because the back of my knees started killing me at Mile 16. I took some Ibuprofen and decided that it would be better to walk it, particularly since I took the Ibuprofen; it would've be too easy to push it too hard. So I walked three of the four remaining miles.

What was interesting to me is that it wasn't the cardiovascular system that got me, it was the musculoskeletal system.

What I learned: I need to get more time on my feet. The 16 miles totaled about 3.5 hours. The remaining four miles was another hour.

They gave us these lovely "medal" keychains.

I wore my stupid club shirt, which I hate. I am not doing it again. There are psychological aspects of long runs; I hate the shirt so much that I swear it messes with me. Not that I'm opposed to looking bad for a practical reason; this thing just bothers me.

Nutrition: Walnuts and chia seeds in my water were my fueling. I had packed up a protein-and-carb-rich lunch to eat afterwards, but I left it at home -- so I gave the Whole Foods hot bar some business instead, as I was trying to eat as soon as possible after the run.

Icing: I also picked up some ice for an ice bath. Which was great.

Music: I used to not bring my iPod, in order to be social. I brought it today, and it was a good move. I could still be social, and it kept me more motivated.

Friday, November 20, 2009

What happens when a long-married woman answers the couple's questionnaire

My blogging buddy Amber did this little meme on her blog today, and since I haven't invaded my own privacy too much lately, I decided to follow. Of course, the people who usually answer these are cute twentysomethings with cute twentysomething boyfriends/fiances/husbands, so I figured I'd give them a taste of what they might be writing 10 or 20 years from now when I do Paul's and mine.

How long have you been together?
Since October '93.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We worked together during the summer of '88. We started working together again in August '93. We ran into each other a couple of times in the interim, but we weren't keeping in touch. (These were pre-Facebook days!)

Who asked whom out?
He asked me (of course!).

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Mine. They're closer and younger. We don't overwhelm them, as we do Paul's family; plus, there are cousins for the kids to play with.

Did you go to the same school?
Are you from the same home town?


No and no. But I went to college in his home town.

Who is smarter?
He says me -- and that he was surprised when he figured that out. To be fair, he met me once I had learned how to be less of a show-off. I say that he has a thoughtful intelligence that is much more subtle but just as valuable. I'm "quicker" and score higher in IQ tests; he's more intellectually tenacious.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
No one place. Most of the places where we eat out, I've dug up some kind of deal.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
The Caribbean when we first got married. Before we were married, we visited my family in Albuquerque. A few years ago, we drove across the country for three weeks. The kids came on that one, of course.

Who has the craziest exes?
Paul! He always says that he was drawn to women who appeared unique and independent. Oftentimes, however, that also meant more than a little bit crazy.

Who has the worst temper?
Paul. But, because I don't have a temper to speak of, it is very effective when I do let it loose.

Who does the cooking?
Me.

Who is the neat-freak?
Paul. But he's not excessively so. The reality, though, is that any time there's two people, subtle differences are going to be highlighted.

Who is more stubborn?
Paul.

Who hogs the bed?
Neither. We have a huge bed -- and no kids in it anymore!

Who wakes up earlier?
I wake up earlier naturally, when I don't have any responsibilities. Paul has to get up earlier to be at work at 7. He also suffers from insomnia, so he's up in the middle of night a lot.

Where was your first date?
We went to see the movie "Rudy," which was terrible and which initially scared me a little when he asked me to go to it because I thought he might be a big, rah-rah Notre Dame fan. Big, rah-rah Notre Dame fans were one of the kinds of men I avoided. But there was just nothing else playing at the time. And it was fun to make fun of. Then we went to a little diner near the theater.

Who is more jealous?
He's more possessive (particularly since I've lost weight), but I wouldn't call it jealous, as he's not worried. I'm more aware of when he has a female admirer, which he seldom picks up on. He finds it humorous when I tell him my "Being Out in L.A. As a Thinner Woman" stories, and they don't anger him.

How long did it take to get serious?
We were engaged within seven months, married within 15 months of dating. (And pregnant very soon afterwards.) We didn't live together until we were married. I got to meet his family (at Thanksgiving dinner) within a month.

Who eats more?
Before Oct. 2007, it was me. Now, it's Paul. (And he never gains an ounce!)

Who does the laundry?
Paul does his own laundry and he'll also throw in towels and sheets. I do mine and the younger children's. The older children do their own.

Who’s better with the computer?
We're about the same.

Who drives when you are together?
Usually me. I know L.A. so much better. Of course, that just makes the disparity that much greater, so he also tries to get out there on his own once in a while.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

City of Angels Half won't be happening this year

I think we all knew this, but now it's official.

Check out the website. There's a link to a press release announcing that it's becoming part of the Rock N Roll series -- and will be Oct. 24, 2010.

Vanity sizing and clothes frustrations

The scorecard from yesterday's self-indulgent try-on-clothes trip to
Anthropologie.

This gorgeous little number (check out the back!) did not fit in a Size 12, the largest size in stock. Grrrr. Not that I would've paid $100 anyway ...

So I'm 0-for-1.

But then, I found a flattering Size 8 blouse that fit, although it had a surprising gape at the neckline. Probably would've needed to get it tailored and/or find new underwear. That wasn't a strikeout. Let's call it a deep fly ball to the warning track. 0-for-2.

Another nice top in a Medium, which fit fine, although it was a bit low-cut. But I didn't want to pay $40 for it; I'm expecting price to drop further. 0-for-3.

Nice big cardigan, marked down 75 percent, so it's down to a cheaper-than-Target price. Two sizes: Small and Medium. I can tell why it's on such dramatic clearance when I realize that the Small is what looks best. The weird sizing is going to keep most Anthropologie shoppers away. But that puts me at 1-for-4!

It's so strange how inconsistent sizing can be, even within the same store. Admittedly, a lot is dependent on how fitted an item is -- and on the fact that I have clavicles and a tiny ribcage now, but the belly remains.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Race results

You know, I haven't posted my latest race times. Of course, I'm trying to be pretty mellow about them. But I went and looked them up the other day, and I'm posting them so I can find them later.

The Jet to Jetty 10K in August was my first and only 10K. It wasn't chip timed: 1:11.9.

The Santa Monica 5000 (5K) last month was my second, and my first was faster, primarily because I didn't realize how long 5K is with the first one. Here's the time: 33:42.4.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Thinking about maintenance

I'm thinking about doing a kind of maintenance while I train for the marathon, just because I don't want to have to be worried about numbers on the scale while I'm focused on getting in better shape.

What would that mean in terms of my eating? Not much. Still no sugar, wheat or flour. When I'm officially on maintenance, I'll be able to drink alcohol again. But I don't really need or want that at this point, so I'm not thinking about that.


Sweet Paul story:
He's reading me from the paper, "Kathleen, this says that men are six times more likely to leave their wives right when they've been diagnosed with cancer or multiple sclerosis." I'm not at all surprised by this, of course. Paul, however, is. "I wouldn't do that," he says. "Six times zero is still zero." When Paul says things like that, which could be a pull-at-the-wife's-heartstrings kind of remark, he's so matter-of-fact and logical that it's funny. It's a good thing I don't need or want my heartstrings pulled.

A quick two miles

I had another cold-ish run this morning, thanks to Paul needing a ride to work. If he hadn't, I probably would have wussed out.

This is going to sound strange, but keeping my hair loose and not in a ponytail kept me so much warmer. I remember that from last year now.

So, I did two miles. I forgot my timer, but it was about 24 minutes.

Monday, November 16, 2009

How Running Changed My Life

One of my favorite informational running blogs is the RunnerDude, who is a 40-something dad runner. He's full of great info.

Today, I have a guest post in his periodic series: "How Running Changed My Life."

A cold run

This has never happened before, but I was actually cold on my run this morning. Usually, after about five minutes, I'm pretty warm, so I never wear jackets or long sleeves. Today, my arms were cold.

I got 40 minutes in.

Another unusual thing: I almost got run over by the members of one of those bootcamp classes. I'm usually pretty deferential with other runners -- but these people were hogging the whole path, coming toward me and they wouldn't go into single file. One guy almost collided with me. So they got the prickly plodder. "Move over!" I said.

This morning, I already got my run in (after being a bit sluggish lately) and went to the market for tomatillos for my turkey-tomatillo chili for the crockpot. I'm going to be gone most of the day.

Paul has taken to calling me the "master juggler," particularly after yesterday, where I got girls to two simultaneous Girl Scout events. He says I'm violating the "Paul Rule," which is to Do Only One Thing a Day. Our lives would be pretty boring if I followed that one as well.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

My contribution to the Malibu marathon ...

... is hosting a sleepover tonight with the kids of some friends who are running it.

I was actually rather ticked because when the race was first announced the organizers made a big deal about how there would be no half marathon.

I figured out this week that there actually is a half as well, which must've been added when they didn't get as many entrants as they expected. I could've run a half with no trouble. But that's OK.

Some results of the smile study

A few months ago, I wrote about this thing I was doing, where I smile at people, primarily service employees.

It has been quite a success. It hasn't gotten me in any trouble with men, as it did occasionally when I was heavier and apparently appeared desperate, at least more desperate than I appear now. It has made a huge difference with the women I come across.

Except for one.

At the dentist, there is this twentysomething receptionist, who, no matter how nice I was to her, gave me nothing but attitude. I see her All The Time, since each of the kids and Paul and I go twice a year. I noticed she was really sweet to Paul and chatted with other people. But I got nothing but the Icicle Treatment.

So, yesterday, I brought out the heavy artillery. I had to buy a sweetened coffee drink for one of my little jobs, which I couldn't drink, so I gave it to her.

Score!

I have a new best friend.

Seriously, though, the results of the Smile Test have been interesting. Going out of my way to be nice to clerks has been a) easy and b) very pleasant. I always said a polite "thank you," but now, with the genuine smile and eye contact, it really enhances my little errands. It's pretty surprising to clerks to have people engage them, which makes it all the more fun for me.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Slim-Fast bar experiment

At the 99 Cents Only store, they had Strawberry Cheesecake Slim-Fast meal replacement bars.

Those are just the kind of thing I might've tried to use to lose weight (futilely!) when feeling desperate in the past.

Of course, I can't and don't want to eat them now.

I bought a box anyway. I wanted to see what the kids would think. They seemed more substantial than granola bars, and I thought they might work for particularly famished times at the park.

They got all excited when they saw them. They begged to have them for breakfast yesterday. I had planned on keeping them in a stash for when we're out and about, but I relented.

What a mistake. Not just to relent, but to think about giving them to the kids at all. Of course, they did learn something.

Everyone was hungry and irritated just a couple of hours later, and the kids said they didn't taste all that good in the first place.

Of course not.

Long term: It was nice to show my kids, who are so in tune with their bodies, the effects of such garbage. Short term: We had a tense late morning because of those bars.

A place called vertigo

My dizziness is back, to a certain extent.

I didn't run Wednesday because of it, but I got 45 minutes in today. It's irritating that when I get my mileage up over about 25 miles a week, it seems to return.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The miracle of Italian (or English) design

This morning, I did my first run with a new chest-compression system. I bought it on Friday and then decided that it would be a singularly bad idea to try a piece of crucial new equipment before Saturday's run.

I got it at the specialty shop, after much arguing with the saleswoman about my size and the fact that -- yes -- I wanted it to fit tightly. She kept on telling me that I couldn't be that size. I told her she had fitted me the last time, and I have a good idea as to my size. Then, she kept saying that it wasn't good to wear it so tight, not getting that it really hurts otherwise. I don't understand people who want to argue with me about that. Particularly at a lingerie shop with a wide size range.

Anyway, it's a Panache brand, made in Italy, although it's a British company. It's a great company.

The run itself: I'm still a bit sore from Saturday, so I only did a very slow half hour while my kids were on a field trip. The new system worked great. I'm very happy to lose a layer, which will help me stay cooler.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Manifesting a cashmere sweater

I've been thinking a lot about cashmere sweaters recently. Partially because of all the marketing going on (the big lead up until Christmas) and partially because I gave mine away because it was too big to wear anymore, I've been looking at them. Do I need one? Of course not. It's one of those pure want things.

One of the weird things about living in an apartment is seeing people throwing away all kinds of perfectly good things. Like beds. Or toys. A lot of us are aware of the silliness of it, so instead of putting things in the garbage, we'll leave things out near the trash area so other people can take them.

Today, though, I was passing by the trash can near our elevator, and something caught my eye. Right on top was some fabric that looked knit and black. I thought it might've been a towel or a scarf. I picked it up.

It was a cashmere sweater, from a decent store.

In my size.

(Why would someone throw something like that away?)

If I believed in "The Secret" kind of garbage, I would think that it came into my hands from the power of my thoughts. Since I don't, it's just a lucky coincidence.

Today's workout: Bands and calisthenics/floor work.