Dani Dishes: Marathon Taper & Self-Sabotage

On this episode of #DaniDishes, we are talking about taper madness & some potential self-sabotage over recent weight loss success!

Tedy's Team Group Run: 12-Miler & "THAT" sign (4/4/15)

On Friday I started the weekend off with the best weigh-in I've had as an adult. I am happy to be down 66 pounds with Weight Watchers and over 80 from the highest recorded weight I have.

I needed this perspective as I went into the final long run of the training cycle for the marathon. I had such a horrendous race at Boston last year - from a running perspective. If you never heard what happened, feel free to catch up here.

This year has been different and I hope it results in a different outcome on race day... which is a mere two weeks away!

On Saturday I woke up with plenty of time to enjoy breakfast, change my entire planned outfit and head in town.

The forecast called for rain all morning so I tried out my new jacket from New Balance. BUT the forecast also said low 40s which meant I could test out the potential bottom part of my marathon outfit. Well the skirt and shorts at least. I've never worn shorts in a marathon so it will take some getting used to as I do not run with a fuel belt and generally shove my fuel in my shorts while I run. Classy, right? So this would be the test as I was bringing 2 KIND bars to use as fuel and my phone.

It was drizzling and overcast as I made my way in town to stretch and prep for the run. It would be my last team group run before the big day as next week I have my cousin's bridal shower on Saturday. Woo hoo!

While I was one of the first out the door thanks to my Garmin crapping the bed I was one of the last to leave. Womp womp! It took my Garmin forever to locate satellites which left me grumpy for the start of my run. I have a Garmin 310xt which is just over a year old.

After praying to the satellite gods, the Garmin finally picked up satellite and I was off.

The legs felt heavy as I made my way down Beacon St to Comm Ave where I would catch Heartbreak Hill. I was told to take the 12-miler "easy" and was hoping my legs would do the work for me. My brain wasn't in the mood to keep an eye on pace. I would be in a group run, but running alone. So I knew my mind would be occupied with 10,000 other thoughts I can ignore during the week when busy but come flooding out during a quiet run.

Mile 1: 9:31 Mile 2: 9:23 Mile 3: 9:24

Good work body! The legs were feeling really heavy at the start of the run and I second guessed my decision to hold off on the Zensah compression sleeves.

As I made my way up Heartbreak (the opposite way you run it during the marathon), I had a pick-me-up in my mood as I saw a ton of runners coming at me. It is always fun to see other folks out on the course preparing for the big day. Especially since most of the ones I see are parts of charity teams so they have team gear on so I can see who and why they are taking on this awesome feat.

I even had the chance to say HI to some friends.

Heartbreak Hill is a series of hills covering a 3-mile stretch, but even running it backwards I could tell when the biggest of the hills was ahead of me. Let me tell you it is a lot easier to run down that bad boy than up it. ;)

Hello there downhill. :P

Mile 4: 9:28 Mile 5: 8:50 Mile 6: 8:51

The Tedy's Team coach was waiting at the halfway mark with some much-needed water and Gatorade. It was good to catch up with John as he could tell I was having a tough week mentally. It was the time of the month the week before and I was feeling light-headed and woozy during some of my workouts. He let me know that it is okay and that yes it could be a result of my period. Which is what I was hoping to hear as I felt fine once it went away.

Also who knew when I started running or this blog that I would share so much about my period or attempting to pee while riding the bike during the Half Ironman. I mean things I never thought I would share is now normal. Or maybe you guys don't need this info, but I feel comfortable enough to share it. Either way - you are welcome!

Anywho he calmed me down and reassured me to trust in the training and that all would be okay. We made a plan to keep this week's mileage around 30 then down to 20-25 the week of the marathon. I never hit more than 50 miles in a week so I don't need a huge taper time like some of the other marathon folks.

After a quick KIND bar break - which by the way were holding up great in my shorts (I hide them in the front on my quads) and were proving to be a great choice for me fuel-wise.

I bid John adieu and started the trek back home. I was going to Maine after the run to see my BFF and her family so I was a little excited and I think it showed in the pace.

PLUS the big shiny orb in the sky - I think you call it a sun - made an appearance during the run and I was soaking it all in. Wicked happy I opted to wear my Sparkle Athletic visor!

Mile 7: 8:59 Mile 8: 8:32

I stopped at the spot outside of BC, where Heartbreak Hill officially ends, to film another quick video. Just a little different weather wise than the one Page and I had filmed the week prior during the 20-miler.

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It was nice to stop and take a moment to reflect back on the journey AND have some final words with Heartbreak before the big day. Yes I talked out loud to a road. That weird? ;)

Mile 9: 8:29

As I made my way back down Beacon to Kenmore. I tried to check in with my body. I know the pain in my hamstring that has been there since May won't be going away by race day. So I am just watching it to make sure it doesn't get any worse. I have been doing a lot of exercises nightly to try and strengthen the area around the hamstring as well as work on my core.

Now my core work was said to be a "joke" by a blog reader, but I can only do the best I can. My journey is different than everyone else's so I focus on that. My time or reps might be less than others and I may have to do modified push-ups, but I am doing it and making myself stronger. One day at a time.

But I digress... I have found that work helpful for me and I am feeling strong.

While having a mental debate with myself it was nice to pull up to see Margaret at the final water stop of the day.

Our weekly selfie taken care of it, it was nice to chat before finishing out the run.

Mile 10: 8:29

Now I obviously couldn't tell if you could see my singlet through the back of my New Balance jacket so I totally had Margaret take a pic of me running away so I could tell.

Verdict? Oh yeah!

With the niece on the brain, I headed back to Kenmore. Running the route week after week can seem tedious, but it really helps with the mental side of the marathon. You can feel the crowd every time I run down Beacon or Comm Ave. I immediately can go back to how I was feeling at that spot in 2013 or 2014.

And for now it is making sure I don't recreate what happened last year this year.

Mile 11: 8:25

But as I came towards Kenmore, I moved myself to the right side of the street to capture "that" sign as you head into the home stretch of the race. Kenmore marks just 1 more mile of the marathon.

Gorgeous enough for a selfie...

;)

Now I am hoping to feel as good as I did in that moment in that same spot on race day!

I finished up the run by snapping a few more pics of the kick ass New Balance marathon campaign. Seriously loving it...

... before ending my long run where I always do - Dunks! :)

Mile 12: 8:21

Soooo I definitely ended faster than I wanted to, but I was feeling good the whole way. The legs started waking up a few miles in (as you can also tell with the pace) and overall the body and fueling were strong. There was some lingering left hamstring pain, but I think it was from extra hill work earlier in the week.

I made sure to continue to foam roll 2-3 times a day to keep the body loose and I have been living in compression shorts, pants, socks or sleeves! I find is so helpful for blood circulation and recovery time.

***

Since that was my final group run on the course, I would like to thank the Tedy's Team water stop crew as well as those of other charities and stores.

So many were out there week in and week out in the horrendous weather. I always say it is worse for volunteers since at least the runners are moving to stay warm.

***

There will be just one final "long run" - 8-10 on Sunday - before the Big Show. I will set out to enjoy the day, the experience, the reason why I run Boston and let the time/pace go as it will. I have done the work now I just need to see what weather Boston wants to bring! :P

Thank you all again for following along on this journey. Somehow this is marathon #7 - Boston #3 with Tedy's Team - and I just keep signing up for more! ;)

Face It Friday: A Loss, A Food Find & A Limited Time 50% Off Offer From Weight Watchers

Another Weight Watchers week in the books. Now I have been having some luck on the scale recently when the numbers (Points Plus Values) proved it should've gone otherwise. I have been in the negative the past couple of weeks and I am not happy with that. Tracking is crucial because I can look back and see where I was wasting points. The past couple of weeks they have been on weekend splurges and snacky type food. Not how I want to be fueling/spending my Points right now.

I also know that I have been slipping back into some old emotional eating habits.

I recognize the trend and will work to change it. This past week however was another doozy. It was that time of the month for me and I was craving all sorts of things and giving in to temptation. I should've been stronger, but I was feeling emotionally, mentally and physically drained. :( It is definitely not a proud week for me, BUT I am proud of myself for owning all of the decisions and tracking them.

So how bad was it?

Tune of -153. Yup. It was tough. BUT I am proud of my Activity Point level.

I have been using 29 as my Daily Points Target and have been going over that pretty much every day in the past couple of weeks. I think I hit 29 just once in that time. Now that says to me either 1) I am making poor choices each day or 2) I need more fuel than I think while training for the marathon.

Now last week I was expecting a gain and somehow walked away with a 0.4 lb loss. Thanks scale!

So this week I was once again expecting a gain so I set my alarm message as: "You are note defined by a number!" It was a help when I woke up to weigh-in on Friday.

Aaannddd...

I somehow lost another 0.4 lbs. Yes this is now my lowest weight since like the early 90s - aka 6th grade. I am really in shock.

I do not want to keep this trend of being so far in the negative to continue. I am going to work on making smarter choices during the week to choose more filling, lower Point value foods (Hey Power Foods) and to stop buying the snacky options that are tempting me while at home. I will be setting my space up for success.

I am still proud of the progress I have made since returning from Disney World, this year and during marathon training.

But there is room for improvement especially with a little less activity in my future over the next two weeks as I taper down for the marathon (April 20).

***

Food Find Of The Week: Bamboo Lane Crunchy Rice Rollers!

Thanks to a member of the Tuesday WW meeting I reception for bringing these in for us. 1 is 1 PPV. 2 is 2 PPV. 3 is 4 PPV. These have been a great snack in between WW meetings or a quick snack while on the move. I have been keeping them in my backpack and in my car as a just in case!

***

Have you heard the news?

Weight Watchers has a great deal going on - 50% off when you purchase a Meetings Subscription plan between 4/3-11!

Learn more & get started here!!

Will I see you in a meeting room soon? I lead at:

^ Medford Center (674 Fellsway in Medford) at 5:30pm on Mondays

^ Boston Center (101 Summer St in Boston) at 8:00am on Thursdays

***

How do you use your food tracker as feedback?

Looking For A Fun & Free Girl's Night With A Fitness Twist? Check Out The New Balance Girl's Night Out Events In Boston

How would a free night out with your girls sound to you? What if there was a fun fitness twist to it?

How about sweet swag bag?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then you will want to join me for the next New Balance Girl's Night Out Event (#NBGNO)!

I attended my first Girl's Night Out in November 2014 with my friend Susan (Lifestyle of a Fashionista) at the Westin Copley Plaza.

We had so much fun that I made sure we both signed up for the email alerts when the events would be back in 2015. Why sign up for alerts? Because these awesome free events sell out quickly! Like a step under a Disney race fast! ;)

Sooo when the March31st Girl's Night Out info went up I was on the sign-up page within a few minutes.

I was intrigued by the theme and sold by the description:

We’re starting the year strong with a celebration of our body breakthroughs — what they mean, why they matter and how we can achieve them.

Choose from a 3.6 mile Fun Run or Resistance Band Training Session. Then party it up with music by DJ BREK.ONE, clean cocktails and healthy hors d’oeuvres and swag bag giveaways.

Let's take a guess which option I was going to pick! Hard choice? ;) While I had picked the run I was then asked to help New Balance as a pacer so I offered to be the sweep/caboose/hang out with the folks that wanted to walk or walk jog.

I arrived just after 5:30pm so I could get familiar with the route and meet the other pacers/New Balance folks before we got started.

New Balance had a free coat check to store your coat and bag and water provided by Essentia (one of my faves). As more folks arrived, I spotted some friends I knew and met some new-to-me friends - which is always a great bonus from these events.

I will tell you it was a little nerve-wracking attending without a partner in crime, but that washed away as soon as I walked in the door. :)

The emcee for the event was fellow Boston blogger Athena from Fitness and Feta. It was great to meet another local blogger in person after chatting online.

Before the run or resistance band training session started, I milled around the New Balance store thinking of all the potential things I could buy. Seriously I'm obsessed with the new Spring line. Ohhh the colors!

Shaky pic due to excitement? ;)

With the store packed, the run/walk group made our way outside to get the party started while the resistance band crew stayed inside for their session. It was a gorgeous Boston night so I was excited to get some fresh air and take in the lovely views of the city.

As we got into the pacing groups, I found my ladies! Two women who knew Athena were going to be walking the route and I was excited to join them.

It was an awesome time chatting about life, dogs, fitness, etc.

Once back at the store, I scooted out to quickly run a mile around the block to keep my #WOMSStreak (run streak) alive!

By the time I got back, the after party was in full swing ... yes it was like 7:30 and it was after party time. ;)

DJ BREK ONE was mixing some great beats to get folks dancing.

And I headed straight to the snacks before grabbing a drink! How cute are these?

While at the bar area, I perused the juices provided by the Thirst Juice Company. Check out these combinations!

Fun, right?

I grabbed a quick spot by the snacks to listen to some of the New Balance Ambassador Shay Kostabi share about her body breakthrough.

With the night wrapping up, I headed over to grab my sweet swag bag and head home.

As always New Balance knows how to throw one kick ass Girl's Night Out event. I can't wait for the next one!

***

In the meantime you could set up my own Girls Night Out meetups through their website.

GNO Meetup helps you create your own unforgettable Girls Night Out. Just map your route, invite your girls, and go!

CREATE YOUR RUN.

It’s as easy as picking a starting point, time and distance. Then share it with your friends, or set your run to ‘public’ so anyone else can join too.

FIND NEW ROUTES & DESTINATION OPTIONS.

Map your own route or find one recommended by other users. We’ll even help you pick a destination and suggest places you may want to check out after your run.

JOIN BUZZ RUNS IN YOUR AREA.

Get text or email alerts whenever new group runs are created nearby. Filter by location, time or distance to find runs that work for you.

***

Have you attended a Girl's Night Out event? You know New Balance hosts them in other cities... not just Boston!! Check out the site to see if there is one in YOUR city!

Three Things Thursday: Gone For A Run Virtual 10k, Hill Repeats & #30DaysOfPositivity Check-in

Oh hey hey folks!! How is it Thursday already? I mean seriously. It was Monday morning and I was getting an awesome massage after a big training weekend, I blink my eyes and BAM it's Thursday! I mean I am not complaining it's just what happens when you are having one of those weeks. I mean I'm swamped so I'll take and I am counting down to a relaxing weekend.

But first?

Three Things Thursday! Enjoy! ;)

***

1) Gone For A Run Virtual 10k

Time to log off, shut down, and GO RUN --- after you finish reading this post of course!

You know I love me some virtual races! They are super easy to take part in. Just sign up (registration is $30), receive your race packet in the mail, and complete the 6.2 miles on the course of your choice during the race window (April 24-26), and receive a Finisher's medal!

Race packet includes a race shirt (either a Women's Athletic Tank Top or a Men's Lifestyle Tee), Finisher medal, real race bib and a car magnet. In order to receive your race packet in time for the race, register by April 14th. Note: Your race medal will ship separately but will arrive before race day.

For even more fun, post your race recap on Gone For A Run's Facebook page to be eligible to win great raffle prizes.

Raffle prizes include the following Gone For A Run items, all featuring original Log Off Shut Down Go Run artwork: 1) BibFOLIO Plus: All-In-One Race Bib and Medal Display 2) Hooked On Medals Medal Hanger 3) Medal Hook 4) Beach Towel 5) Decorative Throw Pillow

Are you in? Register HERE.

***

2) Hill Repeats

I did my hill repeats today in a tank top and shorts. You read that right folks. I, Dani, in Boston did hill repeats in a tank top and shorts.

Like there was this orb in the sky - I think you all know what it is called, but I don't want to put it down because I don't want to scare it away. ;)

The hill repeats were tough today, but not as tough as the set last week. Now that could mean I am getting stronger OR it was just a lucky day. Let's go with the former, shall we?

Now the hill in my neighborhood isn't the right distance for hill repeats so I double the number on the schedule to make it work. So today I did 14 trips up/down the hill in my neighborhood.

My poor neighbors had to watch my pasty white legs go up and down that hill over and over again. I think some of the people who drove by me were actually blinded by the paleness. I swear I saw one guy put his sunglasses on at one point.

I did an easy warm-up and cool down run to bookend the hill repeats. After yesterday's run was cut short due to dizziness it felt good to have a strong performance today.

Plus I put some of the moves Golden from Altra Running taught us during the Runner's World half Festival in October. I kept a proud posture - meaning chest pushes out and shoulders back - and I kept my arms tight to my side and pumped them back and forth without letting the elbow go past the side of my body. It really helped!! Thanks Golden! :)

***

3) #30DaysOfPositivity Challenge

Today will mark Day 10 of the #30DaysOfPositivity Challenge and I am really glad I started this. Now it is still a bit of a struggle to come up with 3 positives each night BUT I like ending my day on a happy note. It is also making me really stop and take a little me time, which seems so rare these days.

It has also been great seeing other folks get on board and take some "ME" time. Seeing the hashtag on Twitter and Instagram is super inspiring!! So if you haven't joined in yet - feel free to do so. YOU are worth the time it takes to come up with 3 positives a day! I promise you it will lift your spirits up!

Are you in?

***

Happy Friday Eve Everyone!! :)

Dani Dishes: 1st Quarter 2015 Recap

On this episode of #DaniDishes, it's time to reflect back and recap the first quarter of 2015!

Weekend Wrap-Up Plus Final Day of Sparkly Soul Discount Code!

Why must weekends pass so quickly and the weekdays drag on and on? I know I am starting your Monday off with the hard-hitting questions! ;) But once again I had a fabulous weekend that ended too soon.

I was ready for a fresh start on Friday after a very emotionally driven week. I was all over the place with my food choices and just not in the game.

As always my #FaceItFriday weigh-in gave me the chance to bid adios to the prior week and it's baggage and say hello to a new slate.

And it even greeted me with a shocking loss. Thanks scale gods.

For those that don't know that is my lowest weight since 6th grade. Yes you read that right - since junior high/1993(ish).

In total I have shed 65.8 lbs with Weight Watchers (started November 2009) and 83 overall from my highest.

2004 vs. 2015

After a surprising weigh-in, I had some amazing Personal Coaching calls with my WW members before having a kick ass mail day! Both my Sparkly Soul and Sparkle Athletic orders arrived at the same time. :)

Yes I totally had a Treat Yo Self moment when feeling down in the dumps the week prior. Retail Therapy FTW? ;)

With a 20-miler on tap for Saturday, I took it easy Friday night with a little shakeout run on the treadmill then followed it up with a nice evening in bed (Zensah compression, boboli pizza and a little vino)!

Perfect Friday night, right?

Now if you haven't done a long run before, I can tell you it takes up pretty much the entire day between the run itself, follow-up brunch and then recovery time. ;) Or that might just be my plan. :P

We had a great 20-mile run on the Boston Marathon course despite it snowing the entire time and a delicious lunch at Bertucci's after. Once I got home it was time to face the dreaded ice bath. Thankfully I talked my wife into sitting with me to distract me!

Yes it was painful 6 minutes! I know only 6 minutes, but it felt like 60. And the wine didn't help as much as I wanted it to... but it was still a delicious addition.

With no real desire to do anything much the rest of the day, the wife and I used the rest of the day to catch up on some Netflix and blogging.

Oh and puppy snuggles!!

It was awesome to sleep in until 7:30am on Sunday. Boy I remember the days in college when you would sleep in until like 11 or 12 then do a hungover brunch.

Now I sleep in until 7:30 and head to a Spin class. What happened to me? Oh lifestyle changes. #WorthIt

On Sunday I tested out a new Boston Spin Studio - Velo City - which is just off Boylston St on Fairfield.

Love that they offer complimentary Spin shoes!

Velo City had a great vibe and Matt (the instructor) had one sweet playlist with awesome remixes.

I was worried about tackling a 60-min Spin class the day after the 20-miler, but my legs felt amazing after!

If you are in the area, definitely check them out!!

The rest of Sunday was spent catching up on work, getting in a recovery 5k and soaking up the sun and "warmer" weather!!

It felt great coming into Monday feeling refreshed and recharged! It didn't hurt that I had a 60-min massage on tap for Monday morning as well.

***

Now to help you help me! ;) Today (3/30) is the FINAL DAY of my Sparkly Soul discount code.

Use code DANIRUNSBOSTON to receive 10% off your order AND have 10% of your order come back to my 2015 Boston Marathon fundraising efforts for Tedy's Team!! #FightStroke

Code expires tonight (3/30) at 11:5pm PT!!

***

How did you recharge this weekend?

Tedy's Team Group Run: 20-Miler (3/28/15)

It is one of the BEST days in Boston - the 20-mile training run before the Boston Marathon! This is like a holiday here in the Boston area. And now just Boston itself. It is a holiday for all of the cities along the Boston Marathon course. You're probably wondering what the heck I mean. Wellll it's like Marathon Monday, but three weeks early! The towns do an AMAZING job of making the marathon course safe for teams to train on. It is an extremely motivating, inspiring and humbling run as most of the folks out on the course on this day are charity runners and/or first-timers. The water stops are all sponsored by charity groups/run clubs. And the vibe is just unbelievable.

It's truly one day I really look forward to!!

So how did my run start? Well with a nice early alarm...

... before getting a ride from Page and heading in to Joint Ventures in Kenmore Square. Our busses departed at 7:30 to take the 30-40 minute ride to Framingham.

We unloaded in a church parking lot in Framingham and ran the last 20 miles of the course.

So with the snow falling and the wind howling, we headed out for a little jaunt. ;) I vowed to stay in the mile we were in and not think about the daunting 20 we would be doing. :)

Page and I started out and immediately got into a nice rhythm.

Mile 1: 8:55 Mile 2: 8:48 Mile 3: 8:56

We hit the first water stop and it was there at the right time. It was nice to check in with each other and the Tedy's Team coach.

Mile 4: 8:57 Mile 5: 8:42

The weather wasn't ideal, but we were making the most of it. PLUS we knew Tedy would be at the Mile 5 water stop... and our good friend and teammate Dan.

So bring on the pics!

Yeah Dan had some fun before returning my phone! ;)

Just after a fun water stop visit, we made the entry to Wellesley. Wellesley marks the halfway point during the Boston Marathon.

Mile 6: 8:34 Mile 7: 8:40

While out trip through Wellesley wasn't quite the same without the Scream Tunnel produced by the ladies of Wellesley College, we still had a great trip through. We enjoyed a Tedy's Team water stop before seeing the folks of Saucony and taking advantage of their port-o-potty... and snacks!

After another perfectly timed water stop we continued our journey to Comm Ave and Heartbreak Hill.

Mile 8: 9:08 Mile 9: 9:03 Mile 10: 8:54 Mile 11: 8:51

Since we were trying to keep the pace in check today, I continued to check in on our average pace, but didn't look at the mileage. Until I realized we were at Mile 11 when both Page and I expected to be at Mile 9. Yay! Winning at being farther into the run than expected.

Aaannnddd we finally hit the amazingly motivating guys of the Newton Firehouse. The Newton Firehouse is the start of the 3-mile stretch of Heartbreak Hill. The guys are out every week of Boston Marathon training to cheer on the runners!

Why yes I did make Dennis, Tedy's Team teammate and Stroke Survivor, pose for a selfie with us! He was loving it. :P

Mile 12: 8:47 Mile 13: 8:34

The fine folks of Joint Ventures had a nice water stop at Mile 13 where we took a quick break before snapping a much-needed pic with Heartbreak Bill (Gorilla mascot of Heartbreak Hill Running Company).

Mile 14: 8:49 Mile 15: 8:51

After dominating Heartbreak Hill I felt the need for Page and I to share our run thoughts to that point via video.

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Did you see the snow and hear the wind? ;) Not bad for being able to formulate sentences once delirium had set in. :P

So on race day the spot behind us - BC - has a huge inflatable arch that says:

Without the toughest miles behind us, we vowed to take the final 5 in stride. We did a great job of checking in with each other along the run making sure we were both fueled (Gu for Page and KIND bar for me). I actually found breaking up 2 Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt KIND bars was the perfect fuel for me!!

I felt really strong on the hills. Now my hamstrings were still sore, but nothing unbearable. The same pain that has been kicking around since May 2014.

Mile 16: 8:51 Mile 17: 8:52

We were not in familiar territory with less than 3 miles to go. We stopped for a fantastic water stop with a wonderful layout - thanks Melanoma Society!

Mile 18: 8:54 Mile 19: 9:02 Mile 20: 8:58

We hit Mile 19 when we entered Kenmore Square, so we did an exaggerated loop around Kenmore Square to end right in front of Dunkin Donuts. Yes folks - priorities!! Much of the team made their way towards the Boston Marathon Finish Line to hit 21, but I vowed not to look at the line during any of the training runs this year.

I touched it at the end of last year's 20-miler and felt a curse over my race. ;) Yes I am superstitious.

We gave ourselves a pat on the back, grabbed our drinks and headed back to Joint Ventures to do a little stretching and foam rolling.

FINAL: 2:57:04

Now we definitely ran a little faster than anticipated, but both of us felt in a groove and neither felt like we pushed it - which is KEY with just 22 days until the Big Show.

Overall the body felt good, fueling plans were executed properly and the snow/wind didn't hold us or our spirits back!

After the foam rolling and stretching, some of the team headed to Bertucci's (next door) for much-needed pizza and beer. Oohh it was a delicious feast complete with lots of hugs, smiles and high-fives. There is just something about being with a group of people all fighting for the same cause that invigorates you!

Once home, I took the plunge into the ice bath. I didn't want to do it, but the Tedy's Team coach kept telling me to do it to help recovery time. He swore I only needed 5-7 minutes in there.

Well my wine and I lasted 6 and I was DONE. I will report in tomorrow how it worked.

But for now, I am in bed, watching some TV, snuggling some puppies, rocking some compression and getting ready for tomorrow's Spin class at Velo City in Back Bay!

***

Special thanks to all who tweeted to me during the run using #DaniRuns20ForFun!! I loved the messages and support!

***

Oh oh oh and last but not least I loved using my Timex ONEGPS+ watch on a portion of today's run! The screen was easy to reach, the touchscreen was a breeze (except when the run was terminated after I used that hand to fix my skirt) and it was light weight!

Face It Friday: Emotional Week, NOT Avoiding The Scale & Streaks

To say I didn't want to step foot on the scale today would be an understatement. Why be afraid of the scale? Well it was one emotional week which lead to some off-plan food choices and general merriment that happened over the weekend. For the first time in probably years :P I had three social engagements in one weekend. Ummmm yeah I don't normally have that many in a month. ;) Also not kidding. I don't have much of a life so really the only times I really get very off plan is sheer laziness.

But anyway... this week was a different situation. From the get go I was all over the map with happiness, sadness, anger, loneliness, boredom, hopelessness... I mean you think of the emotion I was probably feeling it.

Now the entire week was not a bust. There were a few times that I realized I was reaching for food out of anger rather than hunger. So I will celebrate those few instances.

Overall, the week was one that I couldn't wait to wipe clean. I thought I would just avoid the weigh-in and just start fresh today. Wellll while looking in the mirror Wednesday night (doing my #30DaysOfPositivity challenge), I told myself there was NO reason to avoid weigh-in and to buck up and just get on the damn scale.

I mean there is no reason I should allow this object to dictate my self-worth SO I devised a plan: accountability.

After completing #wwchat and my #30DaysOfPositivity, I vowed to make Thursday an on-plan kick-ass day! Thursday is the final day of my Weight Watchers week and I wanted to go out on a good foot.

And you know what - it worked. Every time a negative thought came in my head, I reminded myself I was only going to be positive.

I also reached out to my Weight Watchers members and told them I would get on the scale no matter what the next day. I have to live what I preach - right?

Then I set a special label for my Friday morning alarm...

Then my friend Justin made an even better one!!

I was all smiles when he texted me this! After reading these, I was actually amped to get on the scale and use THAT as my week's fresh start.

So this morning the alarm went off, I looked at the finished product of my week.

(I calculated that 92 of that 117 came from booze)

And looked at what Friday would bring...

... a clean slate!

So on the scale I went and...

it was a loss! Sssaaayyy wwhhhaaa??

I thanked the scale gods and jumped off the scale as quickly as possible.

Now I won't be going off and repeating the same actions I took this week just because the scale was kind. Instead I am learning from my tracker (hello feedback) and devising some new strategies to handle emotional eating the next time it happens.

***

Since the beginning of the year I've only missed 3 weigh-ins: 2 because I was out-of-town and 1 because I slept through it. My goal in 2015 was to be more consistent with weigh-ins and tracking and I think the weight record speaks for itself that it is working!!

Consistency was also my goal in 2014 and I didn't follow through. So I'm happy to see Attempt 2 at consistency is starting off on a better foot. :)

***

In addition to not throwing away the entire week just because I had some bumps in the road, I am proud of the streaks I have.

When I felt like everything was slipping away from me this past week, I knew that I had control over one thing: my streaks.

For those wondering: I use the Simple Habits app on my iPhone to track my Streaks.

***

Now facing the scale when I didn't want to and tracking my choices no matter what hasn't ALWAYS been my M.O. There have been plenty of times during this journey that I skipped my meeting and waited a week so I could "lose the gain" or I knew a food choice was soooo bad I "didn't want to see it." But over time I've realized that doesn't help me change the relationship with my scale or my food choices.

Now tracking it no matter what or getting on and seeing the gain, helps the guilt or fear pass quicker then before. And it helps me get back on track faster.

***

How do you motivate yourself to track the good, the bad and the ugly?

Dani Dishes: #30DaysOfPositivity Challenge... Are You In?

On this episode of #DaniDishes, I'm charging you all to join me on a 30-day positivity challenge. Each day you look in the mirror and say 3 positives about yourself! Are you in?