Face It Friday: Hard Work Pays Off, Back At Goal & Plan For Disneyland 1/9/15

Last week's gain could've sent me in one of two directions: 1) Farther down a spiral of eating whatever I want, but letting myself do it since I was still "tracking it"

or

2) I buckled down and got down to serious business to undo the damage

Which do you think I did?

Because I have honestly taken both in the past...

Well...

1 or 2?

I'm waiting here nicely folks.

Okay okay I'll just show you and let you figure it out. ;)

Yes! #2!

Adios 5.8 pounds and hello being right on the mark at goal!!

<<insert embarrassing video of me doing a happy dance>>

(no there isn't really a video of that)

Now I know that losing 5.8 pounds is a lot in one week and has only happened a few times in my weight loss journey, but it did follow a 3.8 pound gain last week. So I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility to happen.

Could this result in a small gain next week? Absolutely. The body fluctuates all the time and sometimes out of our control.

But for now I will celebrate.

I am happy to report that I have tracked every day since that November 7th weigh-in. I am happy to report that through the holiday season I am still down 6.4 pounds.

Now THAT is a win! :)

I indulged, enjoyed myself, but still tried to keep some balance AND increase the activity.

This past week I really stuck to:

^ tracking honestly

^ weighing and measuring all of my foods - I heart my food scale

^ earning the most Activity Points (101) since August 22-28 (105)

^ staying in the positive

Now using my tracker as feedback, I learned I didn't make the best choices with my points - few too many spent on salty snacks rather than a more satisfying choice. Lesson learned and noted!

***

So what is on the horizon? An awesome weekend away with my wife at Disneyland (Jan 15-19) to take part in the Run Disney Star Wars Weekend, which includes three races: 5k, 10k and Half.

What is my game plan? I am going to indulge, but hopefully not go off the rails.

I told myself that I can take the weekend off from tracking, but will let the weekend go as it does. Maybe I will still be in the tracking mood.

Either way I am going to enjoy my time away with my wife, stay super active and either way get right back on the horse as soon as I get back.

I am going into the weekend okay with a small gain, but I would prefer to maintain while gone.

***

But for now I am feeling pretty awesome and giving myself a big high-five... and maybe a beer! :)

Do you use a gain on the scale as motivation?

Dani Dishes: My Word For 2015 Is...

On this episode of #DaniDishes, I'm looking to the new horizon of 2015 and sharing with you all what my word is for 2015...  

*REVIEW* Use A Gone For A Run Bibfolio To Keep Race Bibs & Race Momentos In Tact

Do you have race bibs taking up space in your drawers or cast around the house? Are you not sure what to do with those pretty little pieces of memories? Are you wondering how to keep hold of those race wristbands needed for medal pick-up, post-race beer or VIP access? I've got the answer for you!

Well Gone For A Run has your back... and mine!

I've been seriously collecting my race bibs since I fell back in love with running in 2011 after having back surgery for a herniated disc.

I keep all of my bibs and medals as reminders of:

* how much stronger I am than I think

* the amazing memories created during each and every race. I can look at a bib or medal and be instantly transformed back to the race course and all feelings attached to it

* the honor I have to compete in these awesome races

* my health

* my determination

Now I had all the bibs, but had no idea what do with them until I came across Gone For A Run's BibFOLIOS.

So what is a BibFOLIO (retail $39.99)?

It's a race bib holder you can display on a coffee table, desk or bookcase.

The BibFOLIO is made from hand-finished wood and printed using our proprietary high resolution printing process. The twist cable rings easily unscrew as you add your race bibs. Simply slip the holes on the top of your race bib through the rings to add your bibs. You worked hard for those race bibs and they should have a BibFOLIO - a special place to be kept, shared and remembered.

For my BibFOLIOs, I pay the extra money for the vinyl protector sheets.

The vinyl protector sheets have little pockets so you can slide the bib in to keep it nicely preserved.

Plus since it has a little pocket, you can store race momentos in there as well - like my Dopey Challenge wristbands!

Since I am a little Type A ;) I use the gray area at the top of the vinyl sheets to jot down notes about that race: Date, Name, Finish Time, PR or not, etc.

If I wanted to get wicked detailed, I could purchase the race RECAP or STAT inserts for the BibFOLIO as well, but the gray area treats me just fine so far!

If you want to display your BibFOLIOs up right on a table or bureau, you can order a BibFOLIO stand for $8.

Thankfully my bookcase type thing (technical right?) is working just fine so far! :)

If you are worried you have too many race bibs for the BibFOLIO, think again. I have my fair share of bibs and they have fit easily in the BibFOLIOs so far.

Plus 52 races in 2014!

But there are 3 inch expansion rings ($3.99) available for purchase to help you out.

***

If you are ready to proudly display your race bibs, head on over to the Gone For A Run BibFOLIO site and check out the dozens available: rustic, quote, photo, engraved, dry erase, personalized and so many more.

So what are you waiting for... buy yours today! :)

1st Run 5k To Ring In 2015

Happy New Year... now bundle up it will be a chilly one!

Not sure it is smart to look at the weather before a run when winter hits New England. It just chills me to the core and makes me want to roll over and stay in bed.

THEN I remember that I must train in any weather conditions AND I had convinced folks to register for the 1st Run 5k so I had to show up! Plus, it was a real feel of 6 degrees... down right balmy in my opinion! Did that sound convincing?

Well it worked enough for me.

The wife and I bundled into the car around 9:30am to make the 35 minute ride north to Lowell. The 1st Run 5k starts at 11am, which is nice for spectators and runners alike. Really for those that actually celebrate New Year's Eve. We did not so it didn't matter to us what time it started.

This was the third-consecutive year I'd be running the 1st Run 5k so we have directions, parking and packet pick-up down!

On the way to the VFW (race HQ), we bumped into Leah.

I met Leah through social media and she is an awesomely inspiring mom and runner. She would be taking on the 10k - two rounds of the windy 5k loop - and looked ready to crush the PR she was after. We snapped a quick pic before she went off to meet her friends and I went to find my bib.

I love the swag - winter knit hat and running clothes. :)

I took my time putting my bib on and having my pre-race snack while we were in the warmth of the VFW. With about 20 minutes to go before the race, I dragged my feet and finally headed back into the cold to hit up the port-o-potty.

It was awesome seeing some familiar faces before the run and meeting some of the wife's hockey teammates who were also taking on the 10k.

The announcer let us know there were 10 minutes til go time so I gave the wife a kiss and headed to the Start corral to get some stretching in. The 5k and 10k start together so I tried to get closer to the front since I know it can bottleneck when the gun goes off.

Look at that dynamic stretching in action. ;) I saw a race photog snapping pics when I was in the corral, but didn't notice this one until a friend pointed it out. :P

The corral starting filling up and it was time to go. I didn't know what the legs would do - I had run 6 the day before - but I was hoping for a course PR if nothing else.

The National Anthem was played by a local resident on the trumpet, the countdown counted and off went the gun - it was Go time!

We headed down the chute, which takes you out of the VFW parking lot, and took our first right on to Old Ferry Road. It is a brief stint on Old Ferry Road before a right on to Varnum Avenue.

I knew there was an incline at the turn, but forgot it continued to climb during the first mile. Apparently I blocked it from my memory. ;0)

Being in a neighborhood did shield us from the wind that would inevitably meet us later in the race.

I once again opted to run without music as I am slowly but surely getting used to training/racing without it (for the most part). However, listening to the breathing of the folks around me and the heavy steps were throwing me off mentally on this day in particular. So I made the decision to speed up a tad to get away from the distractions.

Mile 1: 7:17

Alright faster pace than I expected, but I felt strong through the first mile or so. I even felt up to a mid-run selfie.

I have been slacking in the mid-run selfie department of late so trying to step my game back up.

Plus it wasn't as icy and slippery as the previous year so there was that to celebrate!!

Just past the halfway point in the 5k, you take the downhill out of the neighborhood and a right on to Pawtucket Boulevard. Now you take Pawtucket Boulevard straight back to the Start Area. Pawtucket Boulevard however is where the wind decides to join the party. I tried to prep my friends for it. The wind just all of a sudden hits you and it's like you are running in place for the remainder of the race. Fun right?

As we made our way down Pawtucket Boulevard, we stay in the breakdown lane. Thankfully it is wide enough that you can avoid a single file line and stay in your own rhythm.

Just before Mile 2, there is a DJ blasting some tunes and calling out names of runners. Pretty sweet set-up.

There you also find the one water stop of the race.

Mile 2: 7:10

To distract from the wind, I focus on the beautiful Merrimack River across the way. It truly is a wonderful sight while running.

The wind picked up as if to say I needed more of a challenge on this run. FYI I didn't. :P

I saw the race photog, but wasn't in a good position to get a good shot - as you can see above. At least my Sparkle Athletic skirt (teal) looked good. ;)

As the tenths of miles clicked by, I felt for the 10kers who would have to do this twice. Good for them - I was happy with the 5k! :) Especially since the 10 folks have to run past the Finish chute for their second loop - no thanks.

Just before the Mile 3 marker, we take a right back on to Old Ferry Road to re-enter the VFW parking lot. The start chute doubles as the finishing chute. Make sense?

Mile 3: 7:28

How about that wind for killing my Mile 3 pace. Can I blame the wind?

I happily moved to the right of the 5k/10k sign and tried to give it everything I had into the Finish. I was wicked close to a course PR.

The wife took this awesome shot as I was about to cross the Finish Line.

DONE!

Yes 6 second course PR. Still 1 minute and 2 seconds slower than my 5k PR, but I was happy with how it went on such a windy course.

I grabbed my medal and went over to meet the wife.

The timing company - Yankee Timing - offers on-site results. You wave your race bib in front of a sensor and the info is displayed on a large TV. It's such a cool concept. Now placement results - at least for me - can change as more folks finish, but the time itself was confirmed. Woo!

We headed to a sunny spot to wait for friends to finish. It is so awesome going to a race and seeing so many friends start the New Year kicking some asphalt.

Antonette, Melissa (my WW member) and I

Heather (friend and fellow WW leader) and I

Susan (friend and fellow WW leader) and I

Plus I have the pleasure of meeting some amazing online friends and readers.

Instagram friend Michelle and I

Big thanks to readers Kathy and Becky for saying Hi post-race! It made my morning...

Since I was able to say Hi to everyone I knew that was going to be there, we headed inside to see what the race was offering post-race for runners: soup and Bud Light. Yeah I opted to pass on the Bud Light and have a good celebration beer at home!

Once safely warm at home, I checked my email and saw the official results were in.

It was funny that the results had 23:01, but the rankings had 23:02. I opted to take 23:01. :)

Second place in my division? Say whhaa?? I doubted that 100%. And here's why.

Two of the three top females overall actually belonged in my division too. It looks like the officials keep the Top 3 overall females separately from the division placements.

Really I was fourth in my division not second - but I will pretend along with second if that is what Yankee Timing wants to give me. ;)

***

Overall it was a great morning and a great race. I will continue to take part in the 1st Run 5k as long as I am able to and it is offered.

***

So my New Year’s Day races are:

1/1/11 – I had a herniated disc and had to walk the New Year’s Day 5k in Chicago so it took the wife and I finished in 48:37 (15:41 min/mile)

1/1/12 – I was healthy, besides a small knee injury and was able to run the New Year’s Day 5k in Chicago in 25:27 (8:13 min/mile)

1/1/13 – I ran in honor of my Grampa and hopefully made him proud in the 1st Run 5k finishing in 23:07 (7:27 min/mile)

1/1/14 - I had such a fun time at the 1st Run 5k in 2013 I came back for more finishing in 23:43.1 (7:39 min/mile)

1/1/15 - I went for a New Year's Day PR at 1st Run 5k and it happened in 23:01.2 (7:25 min/mile)

***

Did you run into the New Year?

Tedy’s Team Group Run – 12 Miles (1/3/15)

This run would be mentally tough. I knew that going into it. Last week's run was emotional as it marked the 2-year anniversary of my Grampa passing away. This week would be more of a mental game. I was tired when I woke up. I opted to run 5 miles and do an intense Flywheel Spin class the night before today's 12-miler. What was I thinking? I was thinking I need to push myself to get better. Plus, the class was being taught by my Tedy's Team teammate and friend Melinda. She would also be running 12 miles today. If she could teach the kick ass class then I could take it... and come in first on the Torq board! ;)

I made sure to sleep in my Zensah compression shorts and socks last night to help the legs recover for today's hilly 12-miler.

That's right folks! It was time to face Heartbreak Hill for the first time since June.

I made sure to dress up for the occasion and rock my Comic Book Sparkle Athletic skirt.

I would have the pleasure once again of running with Page. I was worried I would slow her down today due to tired legs, but she was feeling under the weather so we decided no matter the pace to stick together.

It has been great having the accountability with Page to get me through our #FridayFive runs (5 miles every Friday morning) and these last couple training runs. Usually Page works on Saturday so from here on out she will miss our group runs. Darnit!

After stretching and foam rolling inside Joint Ventures in Kenmore Square, it was time to buck up and hit the road for some miles.

While it was cold (real feel 18 degrees), the sun was out and there wasn't any snow or rain. So really nothing to complain about on that side. It is winter in Boston of course it will be cold.

Instead of the normal out and back, we would be heading out Beacon Street for just under 6 miles, taking a right on to Centre Street in Newton, taking a right onto Comm Ave (hello Heartbreak) then a final left on to Beacon Street. All told that loop is roughly 11.6 miles. So you know I would be making Page add on a little extra at the en to get the 12. :P

Mile 1: 8:33 Mile 2: 9:15 Mile 3: 8:59

Boy those inclines/baby hills during Mile 2 get me every week. I always think we are running faster in mile 2 than mile 1, but the splits never measure up with that. :P

Just after making it through Mile 3 at Coolidge Corner, we have a quick break at our first water stop of the morning.

And Margaret and I can take our weekly selfie! 4-for-4

While we headed towards Boston College, I knew another hill would be ahead of us. Yes this route is hilly all over the place. ;)

As we buckled down and pushed up the hill, I could feel the previous night's Spin class! I tried to use it as fuel rather than an excuse to slow it down. I wanted to push myself up the hill, but save some in the tank for Heartbreak.

Mile 4: 9:00 Mile 5: 9:07 Mile 6: 8:50

Can you tell where I celebrated the downhill?

We headed through Newton center, passing other runners along the way and took our right on Centre Street. We took a quick moment to grab a pic of cool street art.

I appreciate running with Page since she doesn't mind stopping for pics along the way. I know it can be annoying to run with a blogger sometimes... or rather this blogger! I know there is a difference. ;)

After a quick run down Centre Street, which offers cute shops, beautiful church and a little incline, we were ready to take the right on to Comm Ave.

Since we were meeting Comm Ave at Centre Street, we weren't getting the full tour of Heartbreak Hill today. For those that don't know, the historic Heartbreak Hill isn't just one hill - it is about three miles of rolling hills with the toughest at the end. So yes we were getting the biggest beast today.

It's so awesome seeing so many runners out on the course. Lots of head nods, smiles and high fives along the way. I mean we are all out there grinding away so folks feel your pain.

2015 will mark Page's fifth Boston with Tedy's Team and my third so it is great to swap "war stories" or memories while running on familiar terrain.

Mile 7: 8:51

It is a great sight seeing BC again because you know the hill is over and a water stop is ahead.

Long runs with Tedy's Team means that Swedish Fish are back in my life! :) I can't express how excited I get seeing these at Mile 20 of the Boston Marathon. It is the little things in life sometimes.

After a quick snack break - Gu for Page and mini Luna Bar for me - it was time to crank out the final few miles.

We made our way back to Beacon St and the final stretch.

Mile 8: 8:36

One final water stop awaited us just before Mile 9 so we stopped one last time to catch up with our amazing Tedy's Team support crew: Margaret and Lauren.

And we had a surprise visit from our teammate Lisa, who was out on her own 16-miler.

It was an awesome pick-me-up.

Apparently these Saturday morning runs aren't all about chatting and laughing with folks, you actually have to run. Page and I bid adieu to everyone and went about finishing this 12-miler.

Mile 10: 8:42 Mile 11: 9:03

After pushing up and over the final incline/hill into Kenmore Square, Page and I opted to add the final .4 to hit 12 on the dot. Since we were both looking forward to some Dunkin' Donuts coffee, we figured out the route to drop us right in front of Dunks. Winning!

Mile 12: 8:45

Yes hilly 12-miler in the books! First run-in with Heartbreak - OWNED. I won't lie and say that entire run felt awesome because it didn't. BUT it felt great to push through the hills and finish strong.

Each run I learn I am stronger than I think I am.

These training runs are so inspiring. I love getting out learning more about why my teammates are running. It's also motivating to see so many runners out on the course getting in their work early in the morning.

While enjoying our coffee and getting some stretching/foam rolling in...

... we enjoyed a talk by some of the folks at Marathon Sports. They were sharing tips on finding the perfect running shoe and winter running apparel for you.

It was a great little clinic and I walked away wanting to spend all my money on new winter running gear. Shocking right? ;)

Week 4 long run done and next week we do our first Riverside Run. What is that you ask? We take the green line to Riverside stop and run the 10 miles back to Kenmore Square - all on the marathon course.

***

Week 4 Workouts:

Sunday, December 28: 4.5-mile run Monday, December 29: 5-mile run Tuesday, December 30: 45-min Spin class (The Handle Bar), 45-min walk & 5-mile run Wednesday, December 31: 6.1-mile run (4 in AM & 2.1 in PM) Thursday, January 1: 5k run & 5k walk Friday, January 2: 5-mile run & 51-min Spin class (Flywheel) Saturday, January 3: 12-mile run

Okay the Spin classes had some strength training elements to them - so improvement - but I am looking for even more. I reached out to the Tedy's Team coach to help me write up a detailed training plan with specific strength training exercises. I'm much better at following a plan than trying to wing it!

***

Looking to Donate?

Are you interested in helping to fight Stroke? Please feel free to click on the link HERE to share a donation.

My Stroke Heroes

Wicked pumped to be $85.60 away from goal!

Face It Friday: A Gain, 100 APs & Recipe Builder Lesson! 1/2/15

I did it. I faced the scale. I didn't want to. I thought of 1,000 reasons not to.

Then I got a text from a friend saying she would be facing the scale every Friday no matter what and that I would be her accountability buddy.

Fiiinnnee universe. I will take that as a sign to just get it over with.

Also, I made the promise in last week's Face It Friday post (read here) that I would continue to weigh in AND after a holiday just to stay connected.

The number on the scale does not measure success or failure for me, but rather feedback. Yes I would love to stay at a certain number, but if that numbers goes up I will no longer say I failed. I will look at my tracker, reassess what worked and what didn't and move on.

So today I got up and faced it.

I knew it wouldn't be pretty. I had a heavy point day the day prior, I drank 2 beers (which I never do the day before weigh in) and got my period. Lucky me, huh? :P

Plus I hadn't weighed in since Christmas Eve morning and had a ROUGH week foodwise.

While I tracked it all or estimated as best as possible, it wasn't good. I indulged too much and didn't have enough fruits/veggies.

But I owned every decision.

And the scale read...

Ick! I was hoping to at least stay in the 150s. Oh well. I got my feedback and today started a fresh clean week.

Boy I love the look of a new week.

I followed two weeks of losses with two weeks of gains, not okay for my goals.

Now my immediate reaction was to shy away from posting about the gain. But you know what folks gain. Heck I gained that 20 lbs back in the Spring. I wasn't happy about it, but I am human. Sharing about the struggles are par for the course in this tricky world of maintenance.

So I am working past the negative comments in my head and focusing on the positives of this past week:

^ Faced the scale when I didn't want to or could've taken a NWI

^ I've kept the streak alive for hitting goal on my activelink - 27 days and counting

^ I earned 100 APs this week. Also the gain proves that you cannot out workout a bad diet!

^ I extended my tracking streak to 56 days. Not every PPV entered was exact, but I estimated as best as possible.

^ Set a course PR at my New Year's Day 5k!

It was the fifth-straight New Year's Day I kicked off with a 5k.

^ I used recipe builder even though I wanted to pretend the homemade cookies from my dad were less PPV than they were.

So my dad makes these delicious cookies with raspberry jam and this gooey glaze. I was counting them this past week as 2 PPV since I could eat them in 2 bites (tiny cookies). But I knew that had to be low. I asked my dad for the recipe and he happily gave it to me. Okay he gave it to me after saying: "I don't think you want to know how many points these cookies are!" Oh dad, that is exactly when I do! :)

I proceeded to enter the recipe into recipe builder and got the PPV of the whole recipe. My dad said the recipe should make 36 cookies, but his batch is usually around 30. I put 36 cookies into the builder and got 3 PPV per cookie. THEN I looked myself in the mirror and said put in the actual number - 30 - which turned it to 4 PPV each!

OUCH!!!!!

But I went back into my tracker and correctly tracked the cookies.

I was proud of myself for 1) not pretending the cookies were less PPV than they were and 2) taking the bull by the horn and saving the recipe/PPV in my tracker so I am prepared for the next time I come face to face with those cookies.

***

While this week wasn't ideal, I am still proud of the things I learned and truly did enjoy ever PPV I used. Facing the scale can be scary, but it doesn't define you as a person:

See the number, accept it and learn from it!

***

How do you face the scale when you don't want to?

My quest to 1,000 Miles in 2014!!

2014 Total Mileage To Date: 1,111.1 January: 90.0

February: 73.9

March: 106.1

April: 104.2

May: 94.8

June: 53.0

July: 79.0

August: 57.2

September: 74.3

October: 100.0

November: 121.6

December: 157.0

Happy running!

Inaugural Star Wars Weekend: #RebelTweetup, Course Maps & Costume Sneak Peek

T-minus 17 days until the wife and I pack our bags and head to Disneyland! Woo! This will be the first trip to Disneyland for both of us and the start of our Coast 2 Coast medal goal for 2015.

For those that don't know, the inaugural Star Wars weekend will take place in Disneyland from January 16-18, 2015! I will be taking part in all three races: 5k on Friday, 10k on Saturday and Half Marathon on Sunday. My wife will be taking on the #RebelChallenge, which is 10k and Half.

I can't wait to walk away from the weekend with four of these amazing medals. If only I could pass off as young enough for the Kids Race. ;)

Now I don't just take these trips for the medals (shocking I know), the wife and I will be hitting up the parks and trying to soak in as much as possible in our four days in Cali.

I keep hearing that Disneyland is more laid back than Disney World, which I can already see with fewer parks and no magic bands. It'll be like stepping back in time? :P

In addition to racing and parks, I'm wicked excited to see as many friends as possible. So you KNOW a meetup would form! Linzie from Sharp Endurance and I will be hosting the #RebelTweetup on Saturday, January 17 from 1-3pm PST at Trader Sam's.

Sharpie and I hosted a meetup together with Kat from Katrina Elle for Dopey Challenge in January and had a blast.

We WILL once again have some sweet prizes to hand out, but really want to get together and meet some online friends in real life for once AND pass on some sweet high-fives.

So please feel free to join us, tell your friends and RSVP here on Facebook to add it to your calendar! :)

We look forward to seeing you then!!

***

Now thanks to the interwebs I was able to check out the course maps ahead of time.

5k

10k

Half

Since I've never been to Disneyland, it really doesn't mean anything to me (right now), but they look like similar to how they work at Disney World. Am I right? More out of the parks for Half.

***

My favorite parts of Disney races are the character stops, medals, and costumes!! One can run a Disney race without wearing a costume, but I like to go with a theme.

The Star Wars theme has proven a little more difficult for me. I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan so choosing must-do characters is tough. Thankfully the wife is a huge Star Wars fan - yes the reason we are doing the races - so she is trying to help me out.

While I am still working on 5k and 10k - last minute I know - my half costume has been decided: an Ewok.

Here is a sneak peek at the cute tank/hoodie we got.

I mean amazing, right? I love it. It is super comfortable too.

First and foremost a costume must NOT interfere with my running. I need practical costumes over cute ones. There are a lot of miles being run here.

***

But I cannot wait to make this trip happen. I am looking forward to every minute of it.

Are you going to be at the inaugural Star Wars weekend?

Tedy’s Team Group Run – 10 Miles (12/27/14)

Emotional. This run was destined to be a roller coaster of feelings.

Why?

December 27, 2012 - we unexpectedly lost my Grampa (my #1 Stroke Hero). While I miss him on a daily basis, it is always tougher on the anniversary.

But since I run for Tedy's Team, I try to make it proud each and every time I lace up my sneakers (and everyday really). So today I added a little special reminder on my hand...

My teammate and friend Page picked me up just after 7:30am and we headed into Kenmore Square. Page had to cancel our Friday run so it was great to make up our catch up session. :)

With little traffic on Storrow Drive, we made it with plenty of time to spare. Enter an extra session with a painful foam roller. I should've snapped a pic of it with its extra painful spikes on it. :P

After a quick bathroom break, it was time to head out and enjoy the gorgeous New England morning. Now last year was one of the coldest winter training sessions I've had since I started running. This winter has been one of the warmest. <<Runs to knock on wood>>

So I happily headed out to run in the sunny scenic morning...

Page and I actually run really well together, which is awesome. Great to find a running friend that keeps a similar pace, falls easily into conversation and says "yes" when you ask them to run on a weekly basis. ;) Yay!

Page usually works on Saturdays so she hasn't done many of the group runs (despite this being her fifth year on the team) so it was fun to have a newbie along for the ride. :)

Mile 1: 8:54 Mile 2: 9:09

As we made our way through Brookline Center, I thought we were pushing a much faster pace than the Garmin was giving up credit for. Thankfully Page agreed so I didn't feel crazy.

We opted to grab water at the first water stop and say hi to Coach John.

Like how he dresses up for us. ;)

After a quick shot of water, we were off. We fell back into our rhythm as we approached Coolidge Corner. Some folks were taking this opportunity to turn around and go for a shorter 6-mile run. It is nice that folks have options to run however many miles they feel up to and still have the water stops/support.

Mile 3: 8:57

As we ran, I was getting warmer. I know I'm the only person that happens to. :P But I was wicked happy I opted for my new Lululemon 1/2 zip shirt and just a vest on top of that.

I love when we get to run by the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. A simply beautiful sight.

Mile 4: 8:57

While running up the hill next to BC, I told Page all about the Heartbreak Hill weekend I had done back in June.

I didn't want to run another hill. I just wasn't in the mood. Page pushed me through. "Just run towards the light at the top." Oh sure that's easy enough. Then I spotted teammate and friend Nancy in front of us. That was a better target for me to push through. Yes I opted for a moving target rather than the stationary target of the traffic light. :P

We caught up to Nancy and guess what? We got to enjoy the downhill. What goes up must come down, right? YAY! I dished out some high fives to fellow teammates who had already hit the turnaround.

Mile 5: 8:33

And there she was - at Mile 5.21 there was Margaret, our waterstop and the turnaround spot. Woo!

We are 3-for-3 with selfies at training runs. :)

Nancy joined our party so we decided to all run back together and catch up! Page and I are training for the Boston Marathon, while Nancy is running the Vermont Marathon (5/24/15) with Tedy's Team.

Nancy lives in New Hampshire so I hadn't seen her in awhile so it was great to catch up on all things life.

Mile 6: 9:22

Chatting with friends also keep the miles moving pretty quickly. I love a good distraction.

With Coolidge Corner in our view, I knew the bigger hills were behind us... literally! ;)

Mile 7: 9:02

As we were running back towards Kenmore Square, the folks of the Liver Foundation team were running towards us. Among the crew was my friend Kim so it was great to give her a big high-five as we both grinded out an early long run.

Mile 8: 9:25

My left hamstring as always was a constant dull pain. It is more of a nagging annoyance than anything else. I am working on strengthening the leg to help it heal per suggestion of John.

When we came upon the Holiday Inn in Brookline, we picked up another friend Julia to join our little crew. :) The more the merrier, right? Absolutely!

Mile 9: 9:05

I wasn't really paying attention to our pace since I felt great during the whole run and sort of let the folks around me set the tone for the run. It is a great way to shut the brain off for awhile. Sometimes I can be too into the pace and mileage and it takes over the feel of the run.

While we headed back towards Kenmore and came up on the Mile 25 mark of Boston, the feelings about my Grampa really hit me. Some tears were shed and I let them happen. I'm usually one that masks my feelings in public, but I find that usually backfires. Running is therapy and whatever happens on the run is taking place for a reason.

So I let the memories - especially of those when I told my Grampa I would be running Boston in his honor - replay in my brain. A smile emerged as I remembered how proud he was. That was all I ever wanted to do - make him proud.

Wow the screen is starting to get a little blurry at this point... <<Runs off to get tissue>>

Okay I'm back.

Mile 10: 9:16

Since I'm a stickler for the mileage number, Page and I ran just past Joint Ventures (our hub) until we hit 10.5. Woo!

It felt great to have another training run under our belts.

Overall the run felt great. I had a mini luna bar (2PPV) at the turnaround with Margaret and felt satisfied the whole run. Man I love those little bars!

We headed upstairs to hear how everyone else's runs went and to do a little more stretching. Oh we meet again foam roller. As a reward, I treated us to Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee. #DaniRunsOnDunkin

Thankfully Page gave me a lift home so I could get ready for my first Spin class at Soul Cycle in Chestnut Hill. Ummm why did I sign up for a spin class after a long run? Because I'm crazy... and it was free! :P

***

Week 3 Workouts:

Sunday, December 21: 6-mile run Monday, December 22: 5-mile run & 5k-walk Tuesday, December 23: 5-mile run & 45-min walk Wednesday, December 24: 4-mile run Thursday, December 25: 9-mile run (broken up as 3.1, 3.1 & 2.8) Friday, December 26: 5-mile run Saturday, December 27: 10.5-mile run &56-min cycling (Soul Cycle)

Goal for next week? AGAIN – Adding in strength training and additional cross training. This week was lacking in both – AGAIN!

***

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Face It Friday: Different Holiday, Same Result 12/26/14

Does anyone else have those out of body experiences when in the middle of an activity? I felt like I was flying above my body on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and just shaking my head at poor choices left and right. Now I made the mistake of weighing in on Wednesday morning rather than waiting until my normal day on Friday morning.

Why did I weigh in early? Well I could tell you that it is because I was subbing the meeting I normally weigh in at ... but that would be an excuse.

I really wanted to get the weigh-in over before choosing to overindulge on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Yup I set myself up for failure disappointment there. You would think that I would be smarter five years into Weight Watchers, but we are all still learning.

My weekend wasn't that great. I had a few more beers than the past two weeks and could feel the bloat stay with me all week.

I ended up being up 0.6 this week (12/24 weigh-in) and accepted that.

It wasn't what I wanted, but I did the best I could on Monday and Tuesday to get back on track. I missed two days worth of on spot eating and extra activity. Life is life.

I was happy to be within free lifetime range for the second-straight work. Woo! Tiny victory.

Now once the weigh-in was over I tried to stay on plan for as much of Wednesday as I could... until our Christmas Eve tradition would start.

Well I promptly emotionally ate 14 pts worth of Simply Tostitos. Now I made the mistake of opening the bag in the car! NOT AGAIN! Remember: Never Failure, Always Feedback. So remembering that for future reference.

I am proud that when I got home I calculated how many grams of chips were in the whole bag, weighed the amount of chips remaining and did the math to get an accurate PPV for the incident in the car. That is how I figured out it was 14. I will take THAT as a Bravo moment.

We enjoyed the holiday tradition: Chinese food, wine, PJs and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I inevitably had the extra helping of Chinese food I didn't need and same with the wine.

BUT I did track it all. Another tiny victory.

I woke up at 7am on Christmas morning to get in a 10k run - 5k with my dad biking with me and 5k with a friend - in the rain! Go me.

Once home from the second 5k, my friend Lori and I each had a beer to celebrate. :)

We - my parents and I - opted to stay home for the Holiday, which I was behind. I thought it would help me stay more on plan, but actually backfired. I made one poor choice after another. I had more on plan food downstairs in my apartment, but instead went with the higher PPV foods my parents had. Ummm hi Dani you know better.

I think my downfall was giving myself permission to enjoy the Holiday as long as I tracked it all... which I did. I made sure to practice self-kindess and self-forgiveness... but maybe a little too much! You know what I mean?

Next Holiday

**I need to give myself a PPV cap. I think that will give me the flexibility to have what I want, but to keep it in control.

**I need to stick with my normal weigh-in day which would also keep me more in check on the Holiday in question.

Now, I am proud that I saw how my Christmas morning went and opted to get out for a third run to bring the total of Christmas miles to 9. Woo!

While I am happy that I tracked all through the week, I didn't like the choices that I made. This folks is why it is so helpful to track no matter what - I have something to look back to and see what worked and what didn't.

We know this isn't the first or last Holiday I will experience so I can improve each time.

I did end up hitting 94 APs earned over the week, which is my highest in a few months. Woo!

***

Overall not my best week and not my worst. It was kind of there. BUT I did move more, tracked it all and didn't feel like I "wasted" any PPV.

***

How did you Holiday go? Did you practice self-forgiveness for choices made?