Biggest Loser - week 1

I feel like a proud mother today. We're getting to the end of week 1 of the Spring Biggest Loser Challenge. For perhaps the 3rd season, I'm leading the mighty BLUE team, a group of 24 women and 1 brave man. I haven't been a very good leader in the past and am trying to change that this challenge.

Today I just felt a surge of pride for all the folks on my team. Many have been on this journey for awhile and are struggling right now. Since we are spread out across North America, several are experiencing some nasty winter weather right now, and the winter blahs are still lingering. But they all have chosen to spend the next 9 1/2 weeks facing those challenges and pushing forward.

Trying to encourage them also has a positive effect on me. I want to do better for them -- so I'll push those extra 5 minutes in cardio or do that extra set of my ST routine in effort to set a good example.

I would really like to be pre-marathon weight before the half in April. Looked like I may just make it. Dropped 5 pounds this week (held steady all last week, so I know sodium/water retention has a lot to do with the BIG drop) which will be a pretty good way to end week 1 -- and weigh in isn't until Thursday. Woot! From there, I'll have a little over a month to lose 8-10 pounds.

Testing the limits

I run my LSD runs at a faster pace than my weekday shorter runs. I suppose that means calling then long, slow days is inaccurate. But having long fast days and short slow runs on weekdays sounds ridiculous -- even if it is true.

Running with a partner pushes me to go beyond my comfort level. I can't get away with an easy pace because I'm accountable to someone else. So I (mostly) rise to the occasion. I will my legs to go faster and my lungs to keep working. I start estimating where the next quarter mile falls and staring at that point until I reach it -- and discover I've gotten worse at determining quarter miles!

We ran today's 4 miler in only ten minutes more time than last week's 3 miler -- and given that our pace is generally slow than a 10-minute mile, this is an exciting thing. It means we were faster this week.

Tiffany, who often morphs into my personal trainer, told me -- as she sped up -- that she had a goal for me to shave 15 minutes off my half marathon time. Days like today remind me it is possible. I'm faster in community, and I like that. Nice little theological moment showing how much we really do need each other. I need Tiffany to believe for me when I feel my body is going to give out -- it never does, but it's hard to believe that alone. She needs me to say "hey, guess what -- we're going to be marathoners." I guess I believe for her that we can tackle distance. Who knows, without each other, she may be content to be a 10k runner, and I'd be a happy 13 minute miler! With her -- as she so kindly pointed out -- I get to test my limits. And so far, I'm crashing through the barriers.

3 more pounds down this week. Hoping to lose 20 by race day...

Facing the "what nows"

I haven't entered a post-marathon depression, but I have been facing a lot of "what nows." What do I do now that the marathon is over? What are my goals for the Spring racing season? What should my weekly mileage look like now? 

I've determined that my first priority is to lose the weight I gained while marathon training -- and perhaps take a few more pounds along with it! I've used the idea that "weight loss while running is hard" as an excuse to ignore it. It may be harder to find the balance, but I just completed a marathon -- since when am I hiding from the "hard?"

As for fitness goals, I'm adding running back in this week. Plan to make it to 5:30 group tomorrow morning for an easy run -- my first since the marathon. I am also going to focus on my core using yoga for runners and some pilates work. I know that core fitness will improve my running performance, so I'll plan to do yoga twice a week to start. 

While this is perhaps not the typical time to start cycling, I WILL take my bike to the local shop for a tune-up this weekend. As soon as I get it back, I'll start a twice-a-week cycling plan. 

I'd really like to be running 30-miles a week consistently by the end of the year. I'm taking this week easy running-wise, but will start forming a plan for my runs to take me into half marathon training season. Once December hits, I'll add a weekly speed workout. 

Nutrition-wise, I plan to eat around 1,500 calories a day this week, increasing as I add more running back into my schedule (based on a calories in-calories out system). 

First goal: back to pre-marathon weight by the end of December.