To be perfectly honest, I’ve been ready for fall since the first day we hit 90 degrees here in Charlotte (which was what? Early June??). While I’ve gotten more accustomed to the NC heat and humidity, I still don’t like it.
That’s not what I’m talking about, though.
In recent years, I’ve noticed my taste in music changes with the seasons. Have I posted about this before? If not, I’ll explain. If so, read about it again and like it.
In the winter, I prefer hard rock music – Metallica is really all that comes to mind. But really, I just tend to gravitate toward Rob’s favorites (minus that god-awful System of a Down he listens to. In spring, I start craving country music and pop-rock. In summer, I prefer bubble-gum pop music, hip hop, oldies and country. Once fall hits, though, all I want to hear is alternative rock. then my taste gets heavier as winter nears. Strange, right?
This morning, I couldn’t get enought of XM’s Ethel, Squizz (though Pantera was too heavy for me right now) and Lucy, with Lucy being my absolute favorite. They play nothing but 90s alternative rock, which is my absolute favorite. Yes, I’ve started clinging to the music of my teenage years.
Now I’m sitting here listening to my iPod filled with summery music, and I can’t stop hitting the skip button. Nothing on here is satisfying my craving for rock music!
It looks like it’s time to sit down at the computer and do some fall cleaning on my iPod. Bring on the cooler temps (I’ll even take steady low 80s!!), fall colors and Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks (and everything else that is pumpkin goodness). I’m ready for fall!
Side note: The forecast for NE Ohio this weekend shows high 70s and sunny. Glorious!!
The job: I’m leaning more toward loving it now, though I’m still feeling behind and like I should be in a remedial section or something. That’s something that gets better with time (and it already has), though, so I’m trying to embrace it as meaning I just get to learn more new, cool stuff rather than focusing on the fact that I’m job-stupid.
The weight: I’m still hanging out in the 154s, though I did see a couple 153 days last week. This weekend was somewhat of a bust, though, so I’m actually grateful to just be in the 154s and not higher.
The eating: I’m still doing well (aside from this weekend – damn you and your blueberry muffins, Kristin!!). I’m switching up my daily standards, though. I’ve started having oatmeal with half a banana and blueberries for breakfast (since bananas help to keep cramping away – crucial for me with my running), the Greek yogurt combo for lunch and my string cheese and apple as snacks for the rest of the day. Sometimes I need those snacks, like when I work late, and sometimes I just take them home and refrigerate until the next day.
The running: I should have started Week 4 of 1D5K this morning, but I didn’t wake up in time. The current plan is to run (possibly in the rain) this evening before it gets too dark since the temperature isn’t supposed to leave the 70s today. It’s humid as hell, but I’ll get over it.
I completed Week 3 in the planned amount of time (three running days with a day in between of rest). The first day didn’t go so hot, but I’m blaming it on the Japanese I ate a couple hours before the workout. I think I was close to vomiting – I had that cramping stomach feeling, where it just feels like your stomach is tightening up into a tiny, hard ball, forcing out whatever it might be holding. There was no puke, though, and I finished the workout without cheating. Days 2 and 3 were much better. The only not-fun feeling was in my legs, and they were just tired. That’s a good thing, though, because I know they were getting a good workout. Jelly legs was my only complaint – other than that, I think I could have run further.
My current focus is on slowing my happy ass down. My running paces have been sitting in the 9ish-minute/mile range, and I have a feeling that is too fast. I doubt I’ll be able to maintain that speed at longer distances (because let’s face it, I haven’t been running for very long spans). It’s really hard to slow down, though, especially with a fast beat thumping through my earphones. My body automatically wants to keep the beat, so I’m having to turn the music into background noise. It’s a lot of work. 
In other news, I’m excited to be traveling back home to Ohio this weekend. We’ll be spending the majority of the weekend racing (or in my case, watching the races) go-karts. We’ll also celebrate my dad’s birthday, and I’ll get to meet my parents’ new dog, who seems like such a sweetheart. I’m also waiting on vacation time to be approved, then I’ll be booking plane tickets for a visit back home at the beginning of October for some extra time to hang out there and for the NKOTB concert.
In other, other news, I’m obviously still struggling with my time management. It’s hard to make the best out of what seems to be the few hours I’m not working or sleeping. I’m proud that I got my runs in last week, but I’m being slack on so many other things. I need to figure this out fast!
Quick update:
New job: It’s going well. I have a ton to learn (and am learning a ton) before I feel less like a dumbass and more like I belong. Also, I’ve been busy working long hours – and I’ve really been busy! By the time I leave work, the last thing I want to do is try and form thoughts into cohesive blog entries, so I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I’d like to say I go home and crash, but I usually log onto my home computer for some more job-like practice. I think I’m going cross-eyed!
Diet: I’m still writing down everything I eat and calculating the points, but I just don’t have time to translate it all onto the computer. And since I use an old-fashioned notebook, it’s not like I can just press a button or two and just show you what I’m tracking. Well, I suppose I could scan it in, but be honest: Do you really care? Just know that I’m staying on track and am doing my best. I will say I’ve cut down a lot on snacking because I’m crazy-busy so many more hours in the day. I just don’t have time to think about snacking. It’s a nice side-effect.
Exercise: Umm, yeah. This should just say “lack there-of” because I’ve had NO time to exercise. I haven’t been able to figure out my new schedule much yet and am left scratching my head regarding when I should do what. Unfortunately, exercise has taken a back burner. I hate it, too, because I’m getting sore from not using my muscles and joints as much as I was. I really do feel like a lazy lump. I need to figure things out ASAP and get back on the bandwagon.
More in-depth, I took last week off the 1D5K program I’m following because it was just too darn hot for me. I ran Saturday morning when it was nice and cool and just did another day of W2D2, which is where I left off. I don’t have the numbers handy, but I did well considering I hadn’t worked out in a week. I finished the whole thing without cheating. Now I just have to do it again. And again.
That said, I don’t know if I’m going to be anywhere near ready for a 5K in a little more than a month, considering I haven’t even started week 3 of the training program. I’m not throwing in the towel just yet, but until I get back into some sort of routine, my plans to do it just aren’t as set in stone as they were. Even though they were never concrete to begin with. You know.
Weight: I’m hanging out right around 154ish. I’m up, but I know it’s because I’m not burning anywhere near enough calories. Thankfully I’m down from last week and have sat right around 154 for about a week now. So maybe I’m not doing too much damage – just not making any progress. It’s frustrating, but it is what it is. I have enough to stress about right now to make worrying about stupid numbers a priority. And hey! All my clothes are fitting just fine.
Life in general: Last week was crazy. It was hot, hot, hot here; I started my new job; and my cousin, Traci, and her two girls were in town visiting. We spent nearly every evening hanging out with them and then followed them to Myrtle Beach on Saturday. We stayed the night and most of Sunday and drove home Sunday evening. It was a nice break from normal life, and the drive wasn’t bad at all. Rob and I declared it’d be an easy day trip, even one we’d like to bring Lucky on. She needs some beach time, too!
I have a bunch of pictures from last week and the weekend to edit and post, so keep an eye out for those. If I can uncross my eyes long enough to do it, that is.
Sunday morning, I was “down” to 152.2 lbs (I say “down” because I’m bitter that I’m still up in weight). That day I had some baked Lays and Combos out on the boat (SOME – not two whole bags – not even that many!!), then for I had a turkey reuben for lunch yesterday (and I didn’t even have the pretzels that came with it!). This morning, the scale reads 155.4 lbs. Granted, I didn’t work out yesterday at all, but I did run/walk on Sunday.
What the hell? How does a person gain 3 lbs. in two days by just eating some chips and a sandwich? I even ate normal (for me), for the rest of the two days. Again: What the hell?
Since my last update, I’ve completed Day 3, Week 1; D1, W2; and D2, W2. I had planned on recalibrating at my high school track, but I never made it. I’m quite certain the calibration is off, but it is what it is until I can get to a track I know something about. Below are the stats:
D3, W1:
Distance: 2.45 mi.
Time: 0:29:30
Average pace: 0:12:00 min/mi
Calories burned: 284
I did this workout around my parents’ “neighborhood,” which is wonderfully flat compared to our hilly neighborhood. The humidity was also super low, so this workout was pretty easy to finish. The only sucky part was the end when I was in full sun and felt like I was getting baked. I know. I’m a wuss. BFD.
D1, W2:
Distance: 2.37 mi.
Time: 0:28:00
Average pace: 0:11:46 min/mi
Calories burned: 275
I decided to stretch out my route some instead of having to retrace some at the end and started out with a lovely, decently steep hill for the first run. That was so. much. fun. On top of that, my workout was interrupted a couple times – first by a wandering Shi Tzu, then by me accidentally skipping back to the beginning of the podcast (second time I’ve done that). I tried to get back to where I was, but since you can only listen and not see the time counter for the track, I gave it my best guess and guessed wrong. I ended up just ending at what seemed like the right time. Blah.
D2, W2:
Distance: 2.47 mi.
Time: 0:28:56
Average pace: 0:11:40 min/mi
Calories burned: 286
Like last time, I switched up my route a little and actually began and started with running uphill. Awesome. The first hill is decently steep, the second/last is a long, gradual incline. All in all, it felt like a good workout, and I was drenched in sweat afterward. Oh, and I ran through all the runs without any breaks. Woot!
