I am writing off last week, or what would have been Week 6, because I was out of the country and it was too cold for me to continue running. So no photos to show. I am a bit worried that it’ll set me back but the good news is I lost 1kg from eating those hard cheese, tomato and cucumber sandwiches all week.
Updates:
- I would like very much to have some muscle definition on my batwing arms – nothing Madonna-like or anything like that no.Just a little less batwing flab. I was told dumbbell curls will help so these are now part of my post-run routine. Still have not added pilates, I think I will sit that one out until I get my groove back and can afford to spend more time than 45mins at the gym, which is a challenge these days what’s with work piling up and all.
- I added the plank to build core strength and additional 10-15mins on the ski machine (I don’t know if that is the correct term but it’s the machine with the skiing-like motion) before I start my cooldown to help improve my lungs so that I can sing at the upcoming wedding without twisting my bowel into a knot to reach the high notes. It gets pretty tiring pretty fast with this machine; high-intensity low impact – great for my creaky knees but burns my lungs.
- Weight-wise I am in a good place though I’d still very much like to shed another 3-6kg just to see what it’s like to be a size 0 (don’t we all?). I am now wearing US size 2 or 4 (depending on cut, fabric and brand), that’s nice but some parts of me aren’t exactly size 2 or 4 no matter how much weight or inches I lose (guess which parts). So I still have to buy slightly larger tops but jeans are definitely in the size 2 & 4 category. Shoe size remains the same, thank God.
- Speaking of shoes, my runner’s toes have healed. I am now very conscious about picking out the right socks and balancing running speed vs distance. One of the major mistakes I made earlier was to run through the pain even when both toes felt like someone was hammering them with hot, burning nails; reasoning to myself that it was mind over matter. Never again. The lesson is this: listening to what your body is telling you is important; ignore it and chances are you may aggravate the pain instead of making it go away. Yes my toenails fell off. So, no peeptoe heels or strappy sandals for me for the next few months. Rows and rows of beautiful shoes and I am stuck with ballet flats.
- Strangely, I am now into to instant oatmeal (just add hot water, French Vanilla low-fat Coffeemate and a small teaspoon of brown sugar). I still crave for carb (oatmeal IS carb btw) though it is not as intense as Week 2 & 3. Sweet tooth has subsided, much to my relief. If I get one, I break off a small piece of dark chocolate bar from Marks and Spencer in my fridge and suck on that. It’s crappy chocolate but that’s the whole point. If you give me Godiva or Royce or Melty Kisses, my resolve crumbles. Or, I make a cup of hot chocolate with a sprinkling of espresso. I haven’t had any cupcakes since Week 2. Not even on my birthday.
- As part of my training, I am embargoed from buying sugary, caffeine-y, fast-foody, senselessly laviscious meals for myself. I can only have them if someone is buying and I have been conning A LOT of people into doing that :-) This embargo helps me to some degree refrain from relapsing into my previously atrocious diet, which is something that is too easy for me to relapse into. We’ll see how long this will last. Yes, I cheat every other day. But I still consider it an improvement over my old daily diet of coffee and cupcakes and Chawan’s nasi lemak/soto ayam.
Some numbers:
- My running speed is calculated at 7km/h. I have ascertained that this is a good speed for me that passes Talk Test.Anything less than that is jogging speed. I am quite confident I can hold this pattern and improve it to 8km/h before my 10-week program is up.
- My top race speed would be 10-11km/hr but only at short bursts. Hard to run real fast with these twin towers of mine getting in the way.
- I am now able to run 5km within 30mins(combining running and top speed); or below 40mins comfortably (running and jogging speed).I have not attempted the 10km time trial although I have passed the 60min continuous run routine. Aiming to do 10km time trial by Week 9,and hoping to complete it between 50-60mins. I laughed a little when I read back what I just typed. Sense of humor is important coz this running thing is really a two-step forward, one-step back process. I’d go crazy if I don’t allow myself to cheat or set impossible goals every now and then.
- My next resolution is to adjust my sleeping pattern so that I get about 6 hours a night and eventually try to increase that to 8.Right now I get a splitting headache any time I sleep for more than 5 hours. This has got to change. I have to put in real effort to make it work. I must. I must. I must.
That’s all for this week folks. My Week 6 starts…..now.
(p/s it’s 1:59am when I finished writing this)
Proof of size:
- Anxiety and Time Trials (coachdeanhebert.wordpress.com)
