family

Well, Michelle has asked where have I been? Well, I am working today on three hours of sleep after coming home from Anchorage last night. My Dad and I went to visit my brother for a long weekend (he is stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base for a three year stint). I have some cool photos to post – we have a great group of men and women serving us in the skies, everyone should be greatful that they have decided to serve our country.

Let’s go back to last week, I ran out of time to post but I had an awesome WW meeting last Wednesday night – I am down 17 pounds total !!!! I talked with my leader the week before and mentioned my lack of energy, especially when I’m running and she told me to eat more – yes, eat more (this is a diet? – no remember, a lifestyle change, healthy eating, a new world). So the ‘eating more’ really helped, I made sure to get my full points in for each day and try to use my flex points for the week. I also made sure to try and eat more meat for the protein. Anyway, it was a losing week, about 2+ pounds – I’m too tired to look in my book, maybe later.

Thursday I picked up Darby the dog from her full day at doggie daycare and we made our way to the local high school track to meet up with the Y-club, but I was running late so we did a few laps around the track and Brian picked her up so I could keep running. I ran out through the trail, passing by Linda who said she didn’t recognize me as she tapped on her hips – what a compliment and also a reminder that I need to be running with the group more. I ran for 48 minutes and completed 4 miles for a 12min/mile – which for me is 2min/mile faster than before I started losing weight. I didn’t feel like I was speeding up, my body must just be able to move faster with the same amount of effort and less weight to move – this is very encouraging for me, maybe I’ll be able to keep up with everyone now, and maybe after losing even more weight, get even faster!

Friday was a busy day, it was Alpaca shearing day at my parents farm. We had 14 animals to shear, collect wool, trim toe nails and wrangle in the pastures. The lady shearing was tough and weathered, but truly seemed to care for each animal as if it were her own. The weather was really warm and we were tired, dusty and just plain beat. After we finished (8am-5pm) my Dad and I headed off to the airport to catch our 8:30 flight to Anchorage – we were beat.

Saturday was the air show at Elmendorf – we even got to watch the Thunderbirds fly, my brother joined us (he had to work most of the day). Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we hung out with my brother – taking him grocery shopping, buying him a houseplant, sight-seeing, having a fun time just hanging out. He sure has grown up a lot – it’s weird to think that he has his own place, his own life, he is a grown up – a responsible one at that! I might get some photos up from our weekend later.

As far as running while in Anchorage – I took all of my running clothes and it was light out for 20+ hours a day and there was a trail very close to my brother’s house, but did I run, nope – I turned into the ‘bump-on-a-log-Jessica’ that I used to be. I really should have ran, but I was enjoying time with my Dad and brother, guess sometimes that is the important stuff. I did try to eat right while gone, but eating breakfast out is really hard – especially at greasy diners. I did fairly well at dinner – one night at Applebee’s I got a WW point meal and I got a turkey burger at Red Robin (only because they were out of Garden burgers). I did cave on Tuesday and had some Kraft Macaroni and cheese (hey I was in a bachelor’s house…), but I did only have half the box instead of the whole thing – and I balanced it out with a salad at Chili’s in the airport that was 11 points. I did realize that I am much happier, fuller, feel skinnier when I eat better, I was starting to feel sluggish and I was craving broccoli and grapes. Oh well, how often do I get to hang out with my ‘little’ brother and my Dad like that.

Tonight is a WW meeting and I will be going with Wendy, who has been doing the program online. I am glad she’ll be attending the meetings – maybe we can even run to them together. I am a little nervous though – it was a really heavy eating weekend (the first real time I know that I went over my points – how much are hashbrowns in oil anyway) and I have my ‘friend’ visiting, which usually puts be at a lower weight loss on its own. At least I know that I want to continue the weight loss journey and that the feelings of missing it was a great indicator that I didn’t ‘fall off the wagon’ but that I should have prepared for the vacation a lot better. Anyway, I bought a Runner’s World Magazine in the airport and here are a few highlights that kicked me into gear:

• Finalize my training schedule for the Portland Marathon – print it out and carry it with me.
  
• Work on my i-pod playlists – use the article as reference for additional songs.
  
• Look into marathon in Las Vegas in early December.
  
• Look into the Olympic Dualathon at Black Diamond in September (40k bike and 10k run).
  

Here is to family, friends and happy memories.
I’ll get photos and more info on here once I get more than 3 hrs of sleep….