So, I'm another year older. The big 3 5. I am officially in my MID thirties. My husband is 4 years my senior and anytime I'm feeling old, I can just tease him because he's older than me! He tried to tell me last year at the big 3 4 that I was officially in my mid-thirties and I argued. No, I was not. But now...now there is no arguing...it's official. But hey, honestly, I'm in the best shape of my life, the happiest I've ever been, so 35 is a pretty great place to be.
So how was my birthday, you ask? It was quite nice, actually. The celebration started the night before with my friends, Tara and Kris. We had fun catching up with some wine, snacks and amazing pumpkin angel food cake that my bestie, Tara made. So all you healthy-minded pumpkin lovers out there: Mix an angel food cake box mix with a can of pumpkin. It's SO delicious and not too horrible nutrition-wise!!
So how was my birthday, you ask? It was quite nice, actually. The celebration started the night before with my friends, Tara and Kris. We had fun catching up with some wine, snacks and amazing pumpkin angel food cake that my bestie, Tara made. So all you healthy-minded pumpkin lovers out there: Mix an angel food cake box mix with a can of pumpkin. It's SO delicious and not too horrible nutrition-wise!!
On the morning of my birthday, I woke up early and ran (DUH!!). When I got home, coffee was brewed and cake was served. That night I hung out with my music/band/choir team from school and guess what? More cake! I am not complaining, Every cake was beautiful, delicious and very much appreciated. What I want to set up here is the fact that all of the celebrations and eating out and what-have-you that I did this weekend (there was more that I didn't even get to mention!) has left me feeling very bloated and puffy.In reality, I haven't really gained much weight in the last couple of weeks. One week I'm up a couple of pounds, the next I'm down. However, I'm having a whole body image issue that when I don't mentally slap my face and yell, "Stop it, silly" I'm feeling pretty crappy. |
It is so weird how a puffy belly and tight pants brings me right back to how I felt 90 lbs ago. The same shame, disgust and general unhappiness with my body and clothes and SELF that I felt all those pounds ago. Thinking about it that way, really shakes and wakes me up to how mental this all can be too. I am fortunate that I have never experienced an body dysmorphia or developed any eating disorders. But just the fact that I can instantly feel the same way I felt, and I mean exactly the same way, as I did then? Just wow... But then I knock some sense into myself and tell myself to "Knock it off". Not that it works every time, but ultimately I know it's silly and I that I need to stop. Makes my heart break for people who do have a real psychological problem and that need help to get them there.
Onto something positive: my next race is THIS Saturday! It's a half-marathon in Moraine Hills State Park in Mchenry. If you have never been to Moraine Hills you must go soon, especially now since the colors are changing and the temps are getting cooler. It's one of my most favorite places to hike and run. The trails are beautifully kept, the scenes are gorgeous and you can get totally mentally lost in this place. The most challenging aspect of this race is that it's 13.1 miles of all rolling hills. Some of the hills are killer, some are just rolling, but most of the trails are either slightly (or more than slightly!!) inclining or declining. It's always a nice challenge to run in Moraine Hills. However, I've never run 13.1 all in the park. I've spend the last 5 weeks or so training on the trails and doing all of my long runs there, but I've only done a little more than 10 there, so that leaves me a bit nervous for Saturday. I know I'll make it through and I'm not worried about my time since this is the most challenging race I've ever run, but it will not be easy, that's for sure. But I feel that way every single time before I run in the park: Nervous for the challenge that I know I am about to begin. On the flip side, however, I am always deliciously tired and satisfied all at the same time after I am done.
Remember I said, I'm not worried about my time. Well, yeah, who am I kidding? Of course I care about my time! Not that time is the most important thing at all, because regardless of my time it's pretty smokin awesome to run 13.1 miles no matter what the time and especially in that park. With that being said...my last half at the hilly March Madness was 2:10 and some odd seconds. I'd like to at least beat that. If this half was a flat course, I'd aim for finishing in under 2 hours, but I just don't think that's a realistic goal for this course. So, in the vein of being realistic, my goal is to beat 2:10. It would be nice to be closer to 2:05 and it would just be incredible to be closer to 2:00. So that's my realistic/it'd be nice/it'd be awesome trifecta of goals.
Remember I said, I'm not worried about my time. Well, yeah, who am I kidding? Of course I care about my time! Not that time is the most important thing at all, because regardless of my time it's pretty smokin awesome to run 13.1 miles no matter what the time and especially in that park. With that being said...my last half at the hilly March Madness was 2:10 and some odd seconds. I'd like to at least beat that. If this half was a flat course, I'd aim for finishing in under 2 hours, but I just don't think that's a realistic goal for this course. So, in the vein of being realistic, my goal is to beat 2:10. It would be nice to be closer to 2:05 and it would just be incredible to be closer to 2:00. So that's my realistic/it'd be nice/it'd be awesome trifecta of goals.
I'm super excited to be running this race for the Running Depot who's sponsoring me, as they have for the March Madness and the River Run! Check back here next week for my race re-cap