Excuse Me...What's My Motivation?

Haha...this commercial still makes me giggle.

"Excuse me...excuse me...what...what's my motivation?"

However, in all seriousness...

World...I have lost it.

My motivation, that is.

Here come my "I-Haven't-Been-Running-Consistently" excuses (and by that I mean I haven't run much at all lately):

My weekends have been busy.  Between driving to and spending time at the cabin (and dealing with Lilly's meltdown!), driving to and spending time in Milwaukee, and the awesomeness that is the Great Minnesota State Fair...this has left me with little time to run.  Add work and Lilly into the mix and there isn't much time left in the day.  I know I could get up earlier, but this leads me to my second excuse.

All of this running around here and there mixed in with being über busy at work has left me with little to no energy to do anything else.  I pretty much go get Lilly after work, head home for dinner and play time and hit the hay after Lilly does.  It is a struggle to get out of bed when I absolutely have to in the morning, let alone any earlier to run!

I've lost quite a bit of weight.  The attention I got at first...with people telling me that I look great and that it was awesome that I lose the weight...it was nice!  Now, I just feel weird about it.  After a former co-worker told me at the Fair (and I quote), "Yeah, I know Katie.  But you've lost a lot of...(awkward pause)...size."  Who honestly feels like that isn't weird to say to someone you haven't seen in over two year...and to a former colleague, no less?  I just have a hard time keeping on this journey, especially when I'm not really sure how to handle comments.

My major source of motivation was Lilly.  I wanted to make sure I could keep up with her and not be just a big, fat tub-o-goo.  I'm able to chase her and play and I'm not really a big, fat tub-o-goo anymore.  So, mission accomplished, right?

Maybe I just need to wait until the Fair is over and work settles down a bit.  Maybe things will fall back into place and I'll get back on my running horse again.  Maybe I'm just destined to be a lump-of-turd!

I really still want to be a runner.  I want to always crave a good run.  I want that runner's high.  I just need a new source of motivation.

So here is my big question:

What is your motivation?

*~* The Great Minnesota State Fair *~*

Since tomorrow is the start of the Great Minnesota Get Together and this is a "healthy-living" type blog, I figure that I would have to include some of the calorie counts of the delicious foods I will be ingesting in the next few days:

• Corn Dog - 350 Calories each
• Cheese Curds - 1,140 Calories per 7 oz container
• Mini Donuts - 720 Calories per bag of 12
• Foot-Long Hot Dog - 540 Calories each
• Roasted Corn on the Cob (with butter) - 200 Calories
• Cotton Candy - 320 Calories per cone

Okay, so compiling a bunch was the idea, but four different website have had four different things listed as the highest calorie count with everything being way off from the other.  I'm leaving it at this...

...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

XOXO

Couch 2 5k: Week 7 Day 2

*Hangs head in shame*

Yes, I do realize that my blogs being so far apart implies that I have not been keeping up my runs.  Well, I wish I could say implied, but truly, that is the reality.  This month has been hectic (to say the least) and with being out of town and just being worn out from work, I have lost my motivation to run.  I pulled my ass out of bed this morning at 5 a.m. and, despite being quite tired, I made myself run.  Here is the run breakdown for W7D2:

• 4 Minute Warm-Up Walk (should be 5)
• 25 Minute Run
• 2 Minute Cool-Down Walk (should be 5)
• Total: 31 Minutes

And here are my stats for today's run:

• Run Time: 25 Minutes
• Walk Time: 6 Minutes
• Distance: 2.42 Miles
• Run Pace: 12:08
• Overall Pace: 12:47

I am well aware how terrible those stats are, but I'm okay with it.  I haven't run in a week (urgh...awful), but that doesn't matter.  Around the 5 minute mark of my run, I got some terrible side pain.  It was a bit like stitches, but more under my rib.  It was the worst running pain I've ever had.  I could barely breathe, but I forced myself to "run" (what was really more like swinging my arms like I was running, but kind of only hop stepping) until I got off the highway, but then I just kept pushing myself and finished.  I also got scared by my own shadow on the bushes and trees in the dark.  I thought it was someone coming to kidnap me...seriously.  I was all set to book it back home!

Anywoo, I am pleased to say that despite my culinary weekend road trip to Milwaukee with my sister, I am back down to where I was with weight loss (I had gained a few pounds, but I think it was water retention from all of the sodium I ingested).  I know that the next 12 days with most likely not provide me the same fate...

THE GREAT MINNESOTA STATE FAIR STARTS TOMORROW!!!

That brings lots of delightful food and fun.  And walking.  Walking around the fair counter-balances the Sweet-Salty-Battered-DeepFried-Delights On-A-Stick, right?  An ode to the State Fair...tonight!

XOXO

Couch 2 5k: Week 7 Day 1

Due to some commotion on our trip (and being up until midnight with a screaming child), I did not get my run in on Friday.  I was super excited to run somewhere new, too!  Oh, well.  As for today, today's run went...meh.  Here is the run breakdown for W7D1:

• 3 Minute Warm-Up Walk (should be 5)
• 25 Minute Run
• 4 Minute Cool-Down Walk (should be 5)
• Total: 32 Minutes

And here are my stats for today's run:

• Run Time: 25 Minutes
• Walk Time: 7 Minutes
• Distance: 2.62 Miles
• Run Pace: 11:28
• Overall Pace: 12:14

I tried a slightly different route today, which kind of threw me off.  I didn't do so hot, as my pacing was, apparently, awful.  Oh, well.  I'll get there!

I've been eating like crap the last few days.  I've tried, but it has been stressful and I am a BIG TIME stress eater.  I told you this month would be trouble...

XOXO Keep it up!

Couch 2 5k: Week 6 Day 3

It was absolutely gorgeous out for my run this morning.  It was cool out!  It was nice to finally have a run where I didn't feel like my entire body was melting JUST from the heat and humidity.  From here on out it is straight running - no walk breaks (aside from the warm-up and cool-down).  Here is the run breakdown for W6D3:

• 3 Minute Warm-Up Walk (should be 5)
• 25 Minute Run
• 4 Minute Cool-Down Walk (should be 5)
• Total: 32 Minutes

And here are my stats for today's run:

• Run Time: 25 Minutes
• Walk Time: 7 Minutes
• Distance: 2.69 Miles
• Run Pace: 11:06
• Overall Pace: 11:52

I didn't feel super great today.  I don't know if it is because it was early and I'm lazy or because my body didn't have much fuel beforehand, but it was tough...even early in the run...

On another note, our petite family (hehe...petite made me laugh for some reason...Kali said it is because the word has "teet" in it) is headed northeast for a long weekend.  We leave early tomorrow morning for St. Germain, Wisconsin to a cabin with Lee's family.  It will be nice to see everyone, have some fun and not have to work for a few days!  I am also really excited to have a new place to run on Friday.  It will be nice to have a change of scenery.  I don't think I'll be able to track my stats for it, but I will survive.

I guess that is all I have to say for now.  Have a great day, everyone!!!

Couch 2 5k: Week 6 Day 2

I wasn't feeling so well this morning, so I didn't go running.  I decided I would go tonight instead.

Big mistake.

We had tacos for dinner, which are my FAVORITE, but I am still paying for it four hours later with terrible stomach cramps.  Anyway, here is the run breakdown for W6D2:

• 5 Minute Warm-Up Walk
• 10 Minute Run
• 3 Minute Walk
• 10 Minute Run
• 5 Minute Cool-Down Walk
• Total: 33 Minutes

And here are my stats for today's run:

• Run Time: 20 Minutes
• Walk Time: 13 Minutes
• Distance: 2.70 Miles
• Run Pace: 10:41
• Overall Pace: 12:12

Boo...hiss...wish I had done better...but with the way my stomach is still feeling, I am surprised I didn't to way worse.  Off to bed to hopefully rid myself of these tummy pains!  XOXO

Oh, tacos...how I love thee still...

Who Needs Sleep (Well, You're Never Gonna Get It)

Sleep and I have a very major love/hate relationship. I would love to sleep, but it hates to let me. I used to have virtually zero trouble sleeping. I very rarely have ever had trouble falling asleep and very rarely woke up at night. There have been a few times when I had periods of nightmares that would jolt me out of a dead sleep (like when my Dad was in his car accident, when my Dad had his surgery, right after my Grandma Rogers passed away, etc), but in general, I've had a very good track record with sleep.

Cut to me getting pregnant with Lilly. My first few months of pregnancy, I had no trouble sleeping. I slept great at night and even took naps just about every day during my lunch break. Then, I got to the portion of pregnancy where it is hard to sleep. Around October or so, when I was about 5 months pregnant, I could no longer actually sleep in my bed (the baby would not get comfortable, no matter what side I laid on or how many pillows I had bunched around me). I was eventually talked into bringing the recliner in our room and sleeping somewhat propped up in there for the last 4 months or so. It was awful. I was up every few hours to pee or because I was uncomfortable or just to shift a bit.  No matter why I awoke, I would have trouble going back to bed. So, I'd sit up surfing the web or reading or simply listening to Lee sleeping. By the end, it was even worse. I was up more than I was asleep because I was so uncomfortably pregnant. I prayed I would pop so I could finally get some rest...haha...

Newborns bring on a whole new level of not sleeping...they are up every couple hours in the night. I knew this going in, but you never realize how tiring it is until you are actually involved in it. We were EXTREMELY fortunate that, for the most part, Bean started sleeping through the night (almost every night) starting when she was about 3 months old. For Lee, this meant many great nights of sleep. For me, it meant that I was back to my pregnant schedule of sleeping and waking up every few hours. If I was lucky, I would fall back asleep fairly quickly. If not, I was up for quite a while and would fall back asleep eventually. Regardless, I would be up again within a few hours MAX.

Fast-forward to the present.

Lilly will be 18 months next Wednesday and here I am, still sleeping like I’m pregnant.  I fall asleep a little bit easier, so that is nice, but I’m still up every hour or so…

Tossing…

And turning…

And pillow-fluffing…

And sighing…

Lee has been "concerned" about this for a while, so I caved and agreed to talk to the doctor about it during my check up.  Dr. Rose went over all the potential causes:

"What kind of medications are you on?"

"I take a multivitamin."

"Caffeine?"

"In the morning, if anything."

"Alcohol?"

"I think I had a sip of wine, maybe, at the 4th of July...before that, I think it was May."

"When do you exercise?"

"Generally, 5 a.m.  If I do it in the evening, I get all jacked up."

"How about your legs?  Any urge to move them?"

"Nope."

"Does Lee snore or anything that would interfere with your sleep?"
"No."

"Any pain?"

"Not really."

"Lilly still sleeping through the night?"

"Absolutely."

After all was said and done, I'm told I have Primary Insomnia.  What does that mean?  There isn't really a reason for my being unable to sleep...I just can't sleep...  She gave me some ideas on how to, I guess, cope with it.  She told me I could try melatonin...sometimes it helps...sometimes it doesn't.  She also asked me if I wanted a prescription for something.  I was very hesitant, but she said it wouldn't hurt to have on hand for if I REALLY need to sleep.

I am now the proud owner of a bottle of Ambien.

If you know me, you should know that I don't like taking medication when I don't have to.  I don't even like taking Ibuprofen unless I absolutely have to (I can thank my many sprains/breaks in high school for upping my tolerance to a point where taking 8 would do nothing for me...).  I find it somewhat embarrassing that I have to take something to get me through a night, to actually get some sleep.

I thought losing all this weight and exercising and being all healthy and junk would solve my problems, but I guess it doesn't fix everything, eh?