Biggest Loser Goddess

YES!  Last week I was tied for the biggest loser and was crowned as the goddess, and the guy I tied was crowned as the King. We both came in at 1.99% at week two. Not a tremendous loss - but we are winners, nonetheless!  YAY!

I really feel lighter and I know the weight is finally coming off. Weigh-in is tomorrow and I will find out on Tuesday if I have to give up my crown!!!  :)   FUN!

I'm reading this FABULOUS book called "Racing Weight".  I know this extra 20 lbs I am carrying around is totally slowing my running down but it's amazing to find out how much!  I am determined to get this extra weight off and become the sleek and slender runner that is waiting to break on through!

I am not cutting calories drastically at all. I am just cutting out the junk and eating more quality foods.  I have no timetable for the weight to leave my body - I know it will happen if I treat it right.  I don't want to jeopardize my efforts by eating too little.  I will do this the right way.

I am on a mission.

100% Focused

Berlin Marathon 2011.  I WANT IT.  I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.


I've had the awakening.   NOT from reading this but it beautifully expresses what I am feeling right now. Just found it on Sean's blog.

"The Awakening"

A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks, and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out… ENOUGH! Enough fighting, crying, blaming, and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears, and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change. Or, for happiness, safety, and security to appear over the next horizon as if by magic.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you. And, in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect, and that not everyone will always love, appreciate, or approve of who or what you are, and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

Your stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you, or didn’t do for you. You learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean, or mean what they say. That not everyone will always be there for you, and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own. You learn to take care of yourself, and in the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers. You begin to accept people as they are. To overlook their shortcomings and human frailties, and in the process peace and contentment are born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing. You begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing. You stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything. It’s not your job to save the world, and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry, and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are, not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, the importance of setting boundaries, and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over, and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty, so you take more time to rest. You learn that just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So, you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for. That wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline, and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into, and through your fears because you know that whatever may happen, you can handle it. You learn that to give in to fear is to give away your right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life. Not to squander it by living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair. You don’t always get what you think you deserve. That sometimes, bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. You learn not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you, and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong, and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy, and resentment must be understood and redirected. If not, they will suffocate the life out of you. They will poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful, and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted. The things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself. You make yourself a promise to never betray yourself. To never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling. To keep trusting. To stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand. You take a deep breath. You begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

THIS IS IT.     O N W A R D !!!!!!!   18 weeks to go.

A First

Today I experienced a "first".  I LOVE experiencing things for the first time... I need to have more of these events in my life. They totally rock!

I am talking about running in the rain.  In the POURING rain!  All during my half-marathon training I would hit the treadmill if it was raining.  It was also winter so rain was really, really cold and windy.  But still... I'd never ever run in the rain. Until today, that is.  And it was AWESOME!

It had started out to be a good run.  It was one of those days where running felt really good and not at all labored.  My body felt good and not heavy to move forward.  So I already had a good start and didn't need that first 2k to get the kinks out. It felt great right from the get go.

I also did something I hadn't done in a long time and that was to drive to the Rhine Island for my run.  This is what I used to do when 5k was a long run. But since my runs have gotten much longer, I would run the 2km it took to get to the Island and then back - using it to add to the mileage.  Well today I felt like JUST running on the Island, because its my absolute favorite place to run.  It has really wide trails surrounded by trees with several different routes to take around the Island, which are marked.  The terrain is great until you go around the outer perimeter to run along the Rhine, which I did not do today.  I did my entire run of 13.41km just running through the paths within the island on the great terrain.

But after a few kilometers, it started to rain. It started to POUR!  I was only wearing a tank top and capri's but I was not cold at all. In fact, IT FELT GREAT!  I can't explain it but I just felt like a bad-ass running in the rain ... especially since I've never done it. It was not at all uncomfortable and I enjoyed every minute of it!  It had already been one of those good runs so this just intensified that awesome feeling.

As I came around to the Island entrance, people were running for cover - to stay dry or to get off the Island as fast as possible.  They looked at me like I was crazy as I passed the entrance and kept on going down the path. YES!  I kept on going and I felt like a REAL RUNNER.  I was determined to finish my goal of 13km for today.  I didn't need the mental games to keep me going today (like I need sometimes). Today I just kept on going and enjoying it until I finished my goal.  I would have kept on going to hit 15 but I was already really late for lunch at the in-laws.

I started to get really cold on the cool-down walk to my car. I was drenched and sweating with a beat red face and then couldn't wait to get into my dry car.  MAN, that was an awesome experience!!!!

I've committed to another half-marathon in Germany next month.  BRING IT!

Eating better MUST be a priority.  My weight is pretty much at my set-point.  After I re-gained that 20 lbs, it's stayed this way for about 2 years now, give or take 5 lbs or so.  I really need to shake things up in that department.  If I make an effort, I can easily do this.  But I haven't been.  I'm eating well HALF the time and running and with this routine, I am maintaining.   I don't want to maintain any longer.  If I drop this 20 extra pounds on my body,  I will be able to run much more efficiently.  This HAS GOT to be a priority.  I must begin to make better choices once again.

Wish me luck!

Here's to a new week. A blank slate to start anew.  20 lbs BE GONE!

Tina

Balance

Focus, prioritize, get support, be accountable, be patient, plan, balance and personalize.

by....Tom Venuto

I have been losing focus.  I've still been running but my eating has been horrendous.  I need to take 20 lbs off if I really want to get serious about marathon running.  I'm starting a biggest loser contest on PT and want to get rid of this last 20 - AGAIN.

On a positive note, I found a running group close to my town that's also training for Berlin. I'm going to check it out!  Sounds interesting.

This is what I need to concentrate on:

  Eating Clean - increasing veggies, elminating junk

Hydrating

Exercise: Running, Cross Training, Weight Training

Improving Form, Endurance & Speed

Mental Strategies

Support: Staying Connected

Peer Trainer, Blogs and Virtual Running Buds

Planning

Food, Exercise, Races

Balance

Making it all work

Healthy Indulgence

Today was a present to myself… for what I don’t know.  But I really enjoyed it!

Another couple is playing house with my kids today and so I’ve had the whole day to do whatever I’ve wanted to do.  I planned to have today and tomorrow off to spend some time with my kids since they’ve been off all week.  But they gladly accepted the invitation to spend the day being spoiled by their old babysitter and her husband.

The decision of what to do was easy.  I stayed with the cleaning woman for a little bit and got things ready around the house then packed my gym stuff and left!  I went to the luxury gym in the next town for some sport and some pampering. I didn’t do a massage or anything like that, but I did spend time just relaxing.  Oh it was nice…

First I have to explain that my body is really, really sore today!  I’ve been so concentrated on my running that I let my whole weight training routine go by the wayside.  So after some weights yesterday I am having trouble walking, bending down and just plain ol’ movement.  Who knew that training with a seven yr old could be so painful!  I asked my son what he wanted to do and I gave him the choice to do he wanted…    go out for ice cream? movies? toy store?  NO – he wants to lift weights.  OK so I figured this is a good thing.  First I convinced him that we should go to the track to run and get warm.  I thought it would be a great way to get in a some track speed work.   I’d hoped to get in at least 5km before he pooped out.  But I only got in 3.4km, which is fine considering the fact that I could have been happily licking a cone at that time.  Then on to the hard stuff.  He’s always into my sports stuff… using my Reebok step, mat, dumbbells, jump rope, etc.  So had a nice session where I overdid it with the barbell squats. Now my hamstrings are really mad at me.

So today on the treadmill it felt like I had bricks tied to my ankles. It was really hard to move these legs. But I stuck to cardio and I knew that would be fine.  My goal was to run for an hour. I did not make that goal.  But I did manage to to do interval cardio for an hour. So that’s ok.  I was still sweaty and had a good workout. I did 45 minutes on the treadmill – doing intervals of walking and running with inclines. Not easy and as much as I wanted to stop and go right to the spa area to enjoy myself, I stuck with it. Then for the last 15 minutes I did the elliptical machine at level 10. This actually felt great on the hamstrings!  YAY – I finished and then it was off for intense relaxation.

I rinsed off and then hit the sauna.  This felt fantastic.  Of course it was very, very hot and so then after that I went on to the balcony for some nude sunbathing.  There was a cool breeze in the air,  which felt great on my skin after the sauna. I could have laid there for hours but since I wasn’t slathered in sunscreen, I cut this short.   Now it was time for the quiet room. I was in my nice comfy robe and I settled into a lounge chair with a new book.  My body was now at this point so completely relaxed and it usually only takes reading a few pages of the book before I sink into a deep sleep.  When I awake from this state, my body feels so heavy and I don’t want to move. My mind is awake but I just lay there waiting for my body to catch up.  I wanted to stretch out a bit so I went over to the water mattress and continued to let my body rest.  It was absolute heaven and the ultimate relaxation.   I dragged myself to the showers and then got ready to eat a wonderful salad in the café.  Only now it was 2pm and there were no more salads left.  I was disappointed because it’s so beautiful there and as you eat you can look over and watch classes like Tai Chi or Tae Bo being held outside on the plank over the lake.  You can also eat outside by the fountains.  It’s such a pleasant atmosphere. They had sandwiches but I was in the mood for a salad that just would not due. So I went to the store and bought stuff for a salad and made a great one myself.  I normally don’t buy pre-cut veggies but I was starving and didn’t feel like chopping.  I bought a bag of colorful salad veggies (cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, endive, romaine) some feta and some grilled chicken and made a nice salad at home.

Look at the gym here.  Scroll down to see pics.  

Kids still aren’t home as I write this while cooking some dinner.  I’m making a risotto, which has to be stirred often and it kills every time I have to get up to stir!  Looks like I am walking with a stick up my butt.  Fun.

And now another day off tomorrow and then it’s the weekend!

Have a great one!

Tina

It's White Asparagus Season!

I love this time of the year because this area of Germany is home to the white asparagus.  And now is the time the farms pick it and sell it.  There are many fields all around my house and when I'm out running through them, the people are out and sweating as much as I am while picking all the asparagus.  There is a farm right up the road and very often I ride my bike there to pick up the local strawberries (which are not out yet - about 10 more days) and white asparagus.  I eat it many different ways but my favorite way is real simple  - as a salad. Boiled, cut up and with olive oil, salt & vinegar. But of course we always get creative with how we make it.  This time doesn't last so long so when it's in season we take full advantage of it.

Plus,  at the farm there is a big machine which peels it for you.  Makes it so easy!

Yesterday and the day before, my son and I spent a lot of time cycling all over the place.  We passed many farms and rode through all the fields.  The weather was beautiful and we had a great time. Today he said his hands are sore from holding on to the handle bars!

I got out this morning and went for a really nice and hilly 5 mile run.  By most runner's standards, they are not really hills but long inclines. But to me, they are HILLS - if you have to get to the top of them to see over the other side, then THAT is a hill!  But it was a great run and I felt really good.  Some of the run was shaded and through the forest but most of it was in the blaring sun.. But I am trying to get used to running in all weather - not just ideal weather.  I've still never really run in rain!  Just a drizzle but not real rain - or even snow!  I always just go to the treadmill if the weather doesn't cooperate. But I am trying to change that.  Slowly.....

I finally made the leap to metric on my Garmin. I always hang on the to American way for as long as possible but then finally have to give in to the European way. Like my keyboard - I used my American one and then bought another American one on the base but I had the German one on my work laptop and it just got so confusing... So I gave in and now I use the German one exclusively.   So now my Garmin is set up to be more useful in races.  I even finally gave up my NJ drivers license - it was so hard to hang on to and so I figured - ok fine. I really don't need it.  And that was a great decision because I was pulled over for speeding last time I was in America and its just too hard to ticket me with a German license. So sometimes, it really works out!  But giving up anything from my American life is always painful!

I haven't made a dent in my training schedule.  Right now I am just running. I know I need to add in all the other stuff and I will get to it. I know I really need to and I will work on the plan over the weekend.

I am looking forward the holiday - well ALMOST everything... On Easter we eat RABBIT at the in-laws.  There is just something really sick about that!  I'll have a few bites but it's not really my thing.  ESPECIALLY on Easter!  Spoke to mom today and boy do I wish I could be there for dinner!  :)

YAY - I'm done at work and ready to enjoy the weekend!

Have a good one!

Tina

A Run on the Rhine

It was a gorgeous sunny day and thankfully I was feeling almost back to normal. The last 4 days I’ve been sick with the same virus that hubby suffered last week. I hardly ever get sick and so I didn’t think it would get me but it did. My head was totally stuffed up and it was so painful that I couldn’t even bend down. Also a horrendous cough, which is still kind of present, made me feel miserable. Man did it kill my head when I had to cough. I still was able to function with accomplishing all the daily tasks because as you know… moms don’t have time to get sick!


Of course I was not able to run.  Last weekend I ran 8 miles and then on Tuesday I hit the treadmill for 50 minutes of speed work. Then I got sick and was laid up during all my free time. I did, however, get out a bit on my bike but not for any long rides. But today…ahhh it was so gorgeous outside that I was so happy to be able to get out and breathe in the fresh air on another 8 mile run. I didn’t cough once and it felt great to move the muscles and work the lungs.

Normally I run alone but today I had some company. My son bought a new mountain bike yesterday and so he was happy to accompany me and get used to the new bike. I am fortunate to live in a runner’s paradise here in Germany. You can run or bike forever through wooded paths and paved bike paths through the fields. Plus I am a two minute walk away from a track, have a gym within walking distance for bad weather and a luxury gym in the next town. I have absolutely no excuse to get out and exercise. In addition, the entire town is side walked and it's all flat! The only thing I lack here is a place to do hill work. Well there are a few small hills that I can run but they are not very challenging.

Today we started off through the town to get to the Rhine Island. We passed a big camping area that was having a big medieval festival and also some bike teams blasted past us. Then we got to the Island located right over the covered bridge that goes over the old Rhine River. Once on the Island, there are wide dirt paths ideal for runners, cyclists and walkers. There is a big fenced in area, which houses many wild boar and their babies. On a nice day like today there are many families and children running around and enjoying the atmosphere. We went along the outer perimeter of the island, which is located on the Rhine River proper. It’s so absolutely gorgeous to run along this route. There are also many looped routes within the island, which I can use to extend the run when needed. After finishing the island route we headed back home but took a different way going around the town and back into it through the white asparagus fields. With the warm–up and cool down walk it was 8.5 miles. I thought I would have to stop at some point to help my son if he fell or something but that was not necessary and he did great through the whole thing. He had so much fun figuring out how he could manipulate his new bike over rough terrain and inclines. And he was proud to tell people that he rode over 13 kilometers.

But that wasn’t then end of our adventure. We got home, I took a 2 minute shower, got dressed applied some eye make-up, ate a banana and got on the bikes with the rest of the family and cycled another 20 minutes or so to a restaurant in the next town for lunch. My father-in-law invited us out to lunch since his wife is away for the weekend. That worked out perfect for me since the last thing I wanted to do on a beautiful Sunday morning was stay home and cook. It was a tad too cool to eat outside but we still enjoyed a nice meal at a small and cozy family restaurant. After we ate we cycled home and then I was happy to hit the couch and read my Paula Radcliffe book. I love to get into the head of elite athletes!

I was happy to finally get back on the road today. Seems like I may be racing before Berlin. Kim has expressed some more craziness… The girls may be coming to Deutschland for another adventure!

I have lots to do in preparation. I’ll work on a new plan this week.

I'll focus on the following 5 main areas:

1)  Slimming down
2)  Running form
3)  Improving speed and distance
4)  Strengthening muscles with weights
5)  Stretching and pilates

Get out and MOVE!

:)

Tina