Accountability Tuesday: 6/26/18

Hello, friends! It's another Accountability-Monday-on-a-late-Tuesday kinda week. 💁

Let's get right to it!

Training

Tuesday: 2.3 HOT  miles in the new neighborhood

Sunday: 6 trail miles, 11:58 overall pace

I got a chance to try out my new Altra Torin 3.5's on Tuesday's run- they feature an all-knit upper and are the most beautiful shade of pink. :-)

Disney Marathon training starts next week (!!!) which should provide me with a solid base for the Harrisburg Half in September. I have some big goals for both races and I'm excited to start training consistently again. 

😍😍😍

Best Run

Sunday's miles were as close to perfect as they could be. The temperature had dropped, there was a slight breeze, and everything on the trail was in full bloom. And the miles felt easy, so that's always a bonus.

"The earth has music for those who listen." - George Santayana 🌳 🌳 🌳 Tonight's run was exactly what I needed. Six miles to clear my head and get ready for a busy week. Perfect Sunday evening. ❤❤❤

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Jun 24, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT

Bravo Moment

I lost weight this week. Back down the scale we go... hopefully. ⇲

Quote Picture of the Week 

No quotes this week, just a picture of our sweet pup enjoying his new yard at our new house. He's such a doll, isn't he??

Have a fantastic week, friends! 

Accountability Tuesday: 5/8/2018

Good morning, friends!

Hope your week is off to a great start! Here's short recap of what's been going on in my world over the last week:

Training
Wednesday: Jillian Michaels "Ripped in 30" week 2 workout
Saturday: Pittsburgh 5k, 33:47
Sunday: Pittsburgh Half Marathon, 2:30:01

I'll write a full recap later but- I ran my second fastest half marathon EVER! My last mile was a 9:47! :-)

The past few weeks I've been trying to incorporate at least two "other" workouts into my week. When I ran Pittsburgh in 2015, I felt the best I'd ever felt during a marathon and I attribute that to cross-training and strength-training. So while my training for Pittsburgh 2018 wasn't perfect, the fact that I was able to squeeze in some other workouts (mainly Jillian Michaels) I think contributed significantly to the fact that I was able to run my fastest half in 4+ years. I know I still have some speed left in these legs; now to just let it out and see how fast I can really go!

Steel Challenge #5 complete.

Best Run
The Pittsburgh 5k was PERFECT: beautiful weather, fun new course, high fives from a bunch of cute kids (and a dog!), gorgeous views of the city, and negative splits. All-around awesome if you ask me.

How could you not love a run with views like this?!

Bravo Moment
The scale is finally responding to the effort I feel like I'm making- and I couldn't be happier or prouder of myself. Weight loss and weight maintenance is one of those things that never gets easier- I will always struggle with my weight. But, I can have control over most of the things that affect my health/weight so I will continue to do what it takes to stay healthy.

Quote of the Week
This week's quote is from the hilarious - and sometimes wise- Steve Martin:

How accurate is this, right?

Have an awesome week, friends!

Accountability Monday: 3/12/18

After an almost three-month hiatus, Accountability Monday is back! ... a day late, as usual. 😉

It feels like I've taken a long break from training this winter- part of this is my normal routine. After a marathon, I usually need at least a month of easy, no-training-plan running. But it seems like my month has turned into almost eight weeks of not really doing anything. Work is partly to blame but so is a lack of motivation.

With this training hiatus, I can definitely notice the difference in how I feel every day both physically and mentally. My body aches, it feels like I've gained 10 pounds, and I feel sluggish and slow.

So, with only eight weeks until the Steel Challenge (Pittsburgh 5k + half marathon), it's time for me to regroup, refocus, and set myself up for success with a training plan that will help me cross both finish lines feeling in-shape and awesome.

Excited for this anniversary bling! Source.

Training
Saturday: 3.1 mile run, 11:59 overall pace
Sunday: 2.5 mile run, 12:19 overall pace

Speed work, strength training, and cross training must be included in my training plan for the next eight weeks-  I definitely have my work cut out for me this spring!

Best Run
Saturday's 5k was actually really enjoyable, considering that I hadn't run in over 14 days (yikes!). I decided to go off-road and run through the fields surrounding my house instead of the normal roads/sidewalks and it was honestly quite fun having a change of scenery.

Bravo Moment
I ran without a shirt on this weekend when I got overheated and didn't totally hate how I looked. That's a bravo in my book any day!

Mud means spring is coming soon, right? Right?! 

Quote of the Week
I'm building towards that comeback every damn day.

How do you stay motivated to training/healthy living when life gets in the way?

Accountability Monday: 12/26/2017

Good morning! And Merry (belated) Christmas to all who celebrate!

We just wrapped up the holidays with one family and are currently en route to our second of three Christmas celebrations- we put a lot of miles on our cars (and our feet!) this time of year.

With eight days left until the start of Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, my training for the unofficial Goofy Challenge and unofficial Castaway Cay is officially over! 😁

I finished my last long run, 20 miles, on Christmas Eve, so now I'm a legitimate resident of Taper Town. And it feels so damn good!

Training
Tuesday: 3.1 miles, 10:56 pace
Thursday: 3.1 miles on the treadmill, 12:06 pace
Saturday: 4 miles walked, 15:00 pace. 3.53 miles ran, 11:20 pace
Sunday: 20 miles, 13:41 pace

33.73 total miles

This week felt good. Strong. Fast. Look at those overall paces! This week felt super speedy for me, especially with the total mileage being as high as it was. The only downside to this week's training is the lack of strength workouts. Going into this short taper period (only 13 days until the start of the WDW Half), I'm going to focus on making sure to get in at least four quality strength workouts between now and the race start(s).

Best Run
I had been equally dreading and looking forward to Sunday's 20 miler. Dreading it because my last few long runs have been mentally tough and physically painful. Looking forward to it because I knew it was the last hurdle for this training cycle before heading into a relaxing two weeks of holidays and time with family.

But once I started running, I stopped dreading it. I relaxed. I settled into the run. The miles ticked by and before I knew it, my watch said 18 miles and I'd be done in less than 25 minutes.

And I felt GREAT! Sincerely, honestly, great. My legs were a bit sore and my feet were a little beat up but I could have definitely run 6.2 more miles and finished the marathon distance.

I don't know what changed or what was different, but it was such a solid long run and I feel 100% more confident going into WDW Marathon Weekend than I did just a few weeks ago.

All smiles after 20 miles.
And yes, I wore the Santa hat during the entire run :-)

Bravo Moment
See above. I ran 20 freaking miles. On Christmas Eve. 😁

Quote of the Week
Accurate. Especially when it comes to running.

And because this is the "Christmas edition" of Accountability Monday Tuesday, here's a holiday card from our family to yours! May you find joy, love, and peace this holiday season and in 2018!

PS- Need a little running motivation this week? Check out this weekend's guest post about using running to overcome life's obstacles.


Have a great week, friends!

Accountability Tuesday: 10/17/17

Hello there!

It's been quite a few weeks since I've posted here; work has been pretty hectic over the last few months so lots of stuff in my life has been neglected, including this space.

But! All the "big" stuff at work is done, Matthew and I just returned from a relaxing three-night vacation in Cape May, and the Runner's World Half and Festival is this weekend! Online registration closes on Wednesday- use the code "SPARKLYRUNNER" at checkout to save 10% on any race. I can't wait for 26.2 miles of trail and road races!

Training
Saturday: 3.04 ocean-front miles, 36:45, 12:06 pace per mile
Sunday: 3.55 mile walk with Matthew and my Mother-in-Law, 5 mile round-trip bike ride to Beach Plum Farm

Two things learned from this year's fall Cape May trip: 1. Running along the beach will never get old. 2. Beach Plum Farm is a must if you ever find yourself in the area. It's a 62-acre, 300-year-old working farm complete with self-guided tours of the kitchen gardens, a beautiful barn and market, and no shortage of instagram-worthy scenery. Matthew and I had such a good time there- we can't wait to go back next summer!

Fall at the farm is gorgeous- I can't imagine how beautiful it is in full, summer bloom!

There were a TON of monarchs on the remaining flowers in the gardens and fields. 

We also found some sunflowers- and bees!

Beach running is always better in a pair of Altras.

Best Run
Obviously, this week's best run is this week's only run, lol. It actually rained on Saturday morning but it was still pretty magical running by the beach and in the sand. And by magical, I mean really, freaking hard- have you ever tried running in sand?! It's insanely difficult! I only ran on the sand for a bit before returning to the promenade- way easier and less crap gets in your socks. 😜

Bravo Moment
I ate and drank what I wanted this weekend (including wings, beer, and pizza!), tracked it all, and stayed within my daily and weekly Smart Points- on vacation. This is a huge bravo for me. It's always been a challenge for me to stay on track during a weekend or week away from home. Less control over what I'm eating, the mindset of indulging and relaxing during time "off," and lots of meals out usually leads to me eating and drinking more than I should or more than I planned. However, I packed snacks for this trip, tracked my food diligently, and chose meals that fit within my daily points budget. I won't say that I'm excited to weigh-in this week, but I'm not totally dreading it. That's a win in my book.

Carefully reading about the beer choices I made for a flight at Cape May Brewing Co.

Breakfast at George's Place, highly recommend for breakfast in Cape May.

Margherita Pizza at Louie's Pizza, highly recommend for any meal in Cape May.

Quote of the Week
Because we just got back from the beach, this seemed appropriate:

Have a great week, friends! 

A Very Patriotic Accountability Tuesday

Good morning, friends!

To those of you reading in the US....

I am writing today from the most beautiful beach town in America, Cape May, NJ! We are here celebrating the birth of America and the birth of my fantastic husband (a smidge early)! So far, we've had fabulous weather and I'm only -4 smart points for the week- a small miracle considering being away from home/routines is really tough for me.

I got cleared from my doctor to start some light walking so this morning Matthew and I will be participating in our very own little Independence Day Fun Run [Walk]. The race we usually do this time of year, the Wildwoods Beach 'n Boardwalk 5k, was cancelled for 2017 without any explanation. Which is a shame because we love this one and have done it the last two years in a row.

What do you do when your favorite 4th of July race is cancelled but you couldn't compete anyway because you're recovering from pneumonia? You plan a patriotic outfit for tomorrow and intend to walk a few doctor-approved miles anyway to celebrate the USA. 󾓦🎆🚶

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Jul 3, 2017 at 3:46pm PDT

Anyway, here's what's been happening in my world in the past week:

Training
Wednesday- 1 mile walk with Matthew and our pup, 20ish minutes
Sunday- 3.25 mile bike ride while Matthew ran, 34:29
Monday- 60 minutes of bike riding (maybe 5-7 miles?) all around Cape May

Best Run
N/A. Though yesterday's bike ride was pretty fun.

Bravo Moment
Y'all, I have two bravo moments this week!

1. As a way to save money- and eat well while on vacation- Matthew and I brought groceries down to the beach and have been making our breakfast and lunch every day. Not only does this help us keep more cash in our pockets, but it also helps me budget my points for the day much easier than if we were dining out for every single meal. We've been making overnight oats (oats, blueberries, PB2, vanilla soy milk, and cinnamon) and chicken salad sandwiches (canned chicken, spicy brown mustard, light mayo, and 647 bread) to stay on track and stay on budget; both points-wise and money-wise.

2. I posted a candid picture of me in a bikini on Instagram. I had actually made Matthew take a posed shot that I wanted to use on the blog (oh, the life of a social media/blogger spouse!) but he took some candids that I actually liked more. Mainly because they are more accurate of what I look like, weight-gain and all. I re-read this post recently and it really resonated with me. I've noticed myself shying away from the camera and only posting/sharing pictures where I look "thin" in the last few months- basically since my weight has gone up and not come back down. But really, who gives a crap that I've gained weight? I still wear a bikini in public and feel [mostly] comfortable when I do. And honestly, this is what I look like right now, in the summer of 2017. I don't want to look back on this summer and only have pictures of the beach and the waves; I want to have pictures of me and my amazing husband enjoying the surf and the sand and making memories together.

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Jul 2, 2017 at 9:46am PDT

Quote of the Week

truth. 

Enjoy your Independence Day, friends!

Accountability Tuesday: September 6, 2016

Good afternoon, friends!

I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend full of relaxation. Matthew and I rode out Tropical Storm Hermine in beautiful Cape May, NJ. We ended up not getting anything except a little bit of wind and rain. Overall, we had great (but cool) weather. 

At one of our favorite spots- Cape May Brewing Company

Training:

Tuesday- 2.27 miles in 30 minutes, 13:16 pace

Saturday- 9 miles in 1:57:35, 13:04 pace

Monday- PT knee strength workout

We also biked all over the place this weekend at the beach. That's one of the reasons we love vacationing in Cape May- it is very bike-friendly. After all the biking and the nine mile run this weekend, my knee feels pretty good. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that is stays that way throughout the longer mileage weekends in the next few months.

Eventually my pant leg fell down and got caught in the bike chain. #whompwhomp

Food Find:

Though it's not quite fall yet, I've been already looking for good fall-like recipes. This morning, I tried out my own little concoction that I'm calling "Choco-Pumpkin Overnight Oats:"

1/3 old fashioned oats

1/3 cup light vanilla soy milk

1/4 canned pumpkin

1 tbsp mini chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Layer the oats, pumpkin, and chocolate chips in a mason jar. Add cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the vanilla soy milk then pour over the layers. Refrigerate overnight; heat and serve in the morning. Simple, delicious, and filling! 

I expect I'll be experimenting more with pumpkin this fall as it is one of my favorite flavors. I've already got some freezing so I can try it out in a smoothie :-)

Weight:

-2 pounds from last week.

I can't even remember the last time I had a two pound loss in a week- feels pretty awesome!

My thoughts exactly :-) 

Non-Scale Victory:

At the bar this weekend, I almost ordered a margarita (15+ Smart Points) but settled for a summer shandy beer instead (5 Smart Points). Sometimes vacations can wreck havoc on my weight loss/maintenance plans but this weekend I was happy with my choices. 

Have a great (short) week!

Accountability Tuesday: August 30, 2016

Short and sweet this week, friends.

It's been busy at work because all of our students moved in over the weekend and we've been going non-stop with programs and events. But, I still managed to get all my miles in for Walt Disney World Marathon training!

Training:
Tuesday- 2.3 miles in 30:51, 13:23 pace
Wednesday- 2.63 miles in 30:02, 11:25 pace
Saturday- Shippensburg University Service Fun Run/Walk, 3.37 miles in 37:12, 11:03 pace

The university I work for sponsored a fun run Saturday night and even though it was supremely hot and hilly, I was impressed that I kept just over and 11 minute/mile pace. I still went out too fast. My splits looked like this: 10:42/11:24/11:36/9:31. All. Over. The. Damn. Place. Someday I'll learn about pacing, someday.

The weak link for me this week was strength training. I don't enjoy it and it is so difficult to MAKE myself do it. Ultimately, I know it's an important part of my running AND maintaining my weight. My goal is to make that more of a priority this upcoming week.

Too fast to capture on camera ;-) 

Food Find & Non-Scale Victory:
No cool food find this week, but this week was the second time that I had Smart Points left over at the end of the week! (My Weight Watcher week runs Wednesday- Tuesday) I am super proud of myself for sticking closer to my Smart Points goal each day and making healthier choices.

Anything left at the end of the week is a miracle. 

Weight:
+ .4 from last week.

Not concerned. .4 is just a bathroom break ;-)


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

So, as you know, I'm an ENELL Race Ambassador. In addition to getting some races sponsored, we also get new limited-edition bras before the general public. Yesterday, I got the new, SURPRISE color bra and I was so freaking excited! I even filmed my reaction so you can see how pumped I was when I saw the new color- it's gorgeous!

I'll have a special post here on Thursday (when the color will be released) with my newly created YouTube account. Trust me, I haven't got a clue what I'm doing when it comes to videos but I think you'll like seeing the genuine reaction to the new color.



Have a great week, friends!

Accountability Monday: 9/15/15

Good evening, friends!

How about some late-night accountability?!

In case you missed it, Matthew and I ran the Charles Street 12 last weekend. After the race, I posted on instagram my thoughts about my performance. In short, I felt like crap. I didn't feel strong or accomplished; I felt tired and uncomfortable.

I know it's the lack of training that led those feelings. I barely ran in August- how are you supposed to feel great about something you barely do?

So these past two weeks I've tried to go back to what works: running three times a week, strength training, fueling my body with the right amount of healthy foods.

Training:
Labor Day- 3.3 mile walk
Tuesday- 2.36 mile run, 30 minutes
Wednesday- 3 mile walk
Thursday- 3 mile run, 10:22/10:18/10:05 splits. Core work and planks.
Friday- 30 minute walk
Saturday- 4 mile run, 12:09 pace
Sunday- 2 mile walk. Runner's World Strength Anywhere Workout plus squats, planks, glute bridges, and push-ups
Monday- 30 minute walk and Weight Watcher's Stability Ball Workout (arms and abs)
Today- 30 minute walk

Food Find:
So I made Skinnytaste's Turkey Santa Fe Zucchini Boats... except our grocery store had really small, wimpy looking zucchinis so I made them as stuffed peppers instead. They turned out pretty well!

Weight:
149.2
+3 pounds since last week.

I have no idea what's going on with my weight right now. I've consulted my Weight Watchers Leader and some of my WW friends but there's no real answer. I've been making good choices, working out, and limiting my splurges. I can't explain this weight gain. Instead of focusing on what I can't control (the scale), I'm focusing on making the next right decision; whether that's choosing what to eat, working out when I don't feel like it, or walking away from the many treats that are constantly in my office.

Non-Scale Victory:
A few weeks ago I tried "golf" for the first time. Basically, we went to the driving range and I actually hit some balls! And I enjoyed it! It was way out of my comfort zone but I'm really glad I tried it.

You can actually see the ball in the upper right hand corner!

Do you golf? Have you ever visited a driving range?

Accountability Tuesday: Birthday Edition!

Good morning and happy Tuesday, friends!

Today is my birthday!!!

Celebrating 31 with Matthew's family this weekend.

Ok, now that that's out of the way, hello! I feel like it's been forever since I've checked in and posted here. In reality, it's only been a week but it feels so much longer than that. 

The past few weeks have brought some MAJOR developments into my life. This blog is dedicated to one part of my world- running, training, and racing. And I promise to always keep it that way. But I'd be fooling myself if I didn't think that life events had a huge impact on my training. 

In the last 15 days, Matthew and I got engaged on the Disney Magic (yay!), Matthew's Nana passed away, and I found out- rather unexpectedly- that my position within my current employer will end in five weeks. To say it's been an emotional couple of weeks is an understatement. 

We've been celebrating and mourning and laughing and crying- sometimes all in the same day. Honestly, it feels a bit like we've been walking around in a fog for the last few weeks. But, some clarity has emerged- Life is precious. Life is short. A job is just a job. Hold on to those who love you and love them back with all you've got. 

The next few weeks will bring another flurry of activity as we will start wedding planning and I will continue job searching. I may not be able to post here as often as I usually do but I will make every effort to get an "Accountability Monday" posted every week. 

So let's quickly recap the last few weeks. I promise, I'll post tons more pictures from our vacation in the coming weeks!

Training:

On the cruise and in WDW-

Monday- 60 minute spin class and bike tour of Key West

Tuesday- 3 mile run on the Magic, yoga class in the spa

Wednesday- 30 minutes on the elliptical

Thursday- Castaway Cay 5k

Friday- Rest day

Saturday- Park open to park close: lots of walking!
Sunday- 3 mile run around Coronado Springs

Monday- Rest day

Tuesday- Rest and travel day

Wednesday- Rest day

Thursday- 15 minute walk around the neighborhood

Friday- Rest day

Saturday- Color Run with my family

Sunday- Rest day

Monday- 30 minute run with Matthew

Nutrition:

11 days of vacation + constant traveling + family gatherings/holidays = lots and lots of out-of-the-ordinary eating. It's been a bit of a struggle to stay within my daily points plus target but I am just trying to make the best decision possible at each meal. I've been really trying to keep my emotions in check and not feeding my feelings with food- which is tough considering the circumstances. But I'm doing better today than I would have done a few years ago. Progress!

Disney food is superb. Especially on the cruise line!

Weight-loss:

143.6 as of 5/21/15

+2.8 since last weigh-in

-46.8 since January 2013

I'm totally ok with a less than three pound gain after an amazing, food-filled 11 day vacation. I'm glad to be home and back in my routine- hopefully the scale will go back in the right direction soon. 

So that's it- the last few crazy weeks in my life. I promise I'll check in here as often as I can.

Have a great week, friends!

I still can't believe we're engaged! :-)

AM: 3/24/15

No matter how hard I try to prevent it, it always happens: post-race weekend depression. This year's Shamrock Marathon Weekend was no different; I am super sad it's over! In a nutshell- friends, PR's, family, and beer. AKA, awesome. It was my first distance race and my first multi-day challenge since September and my feet survived! And my brother ran his first half marathon! Look for recaps coming this week.

Training:
Monday- Rest day
Tuesday- Rest day
Wednesday- Rest day
Thursday- Rest day
Friday- Rest day & worked at the expo
Saturday- Shamrock 8k, 57:29- new PR!
Sunday- Shamrock Half Marathon, 2:46:59, Mimosas, beer, and Oreos on the course :-)

17.98 miles total

I really would have liked to worked out more last week but it just didn't happen. I had wanted to rest, just not that much. I want to do a better job of cross- and strength-training each week; I've just got to get a better routine going.

Nutrition:
Since last week was a race week, nutrition and hydration were very important. This was probably the first race that I felt adequately hydrated for. I aimed to increase my water intake by about 25% each day and I felt like I reached that goal every day. Also, since I'm still not 100% sure that I don't have gout, I avoided any foods that would cause a flare-up: beef, pork, caffeine, beer, etc. Overall, I'm proud of how I prepared for last weekend's races.

And I'm also really proud of how I celebrated after the races: Five Guys! If you don't know the goodness that is Five Guys Burgers & Fries, I'd highly suggest you try it once or twice. I hadn't ate there in over four years but on Sunday, I had the BEST burger and fries I'd had in a long time- to the tune of 28 Weight Watchers points (daily goal is 26). But it was so completely worth it.

Heavenly.

Weight-loss:
140.4 as of 3/18/15 weight in
-.8 from last week
-50 from January 2013
-61.6 since HW

I LOST 50 POUNDS!

I cried last Wednesday when I weighed in and saw that I finally had reached 50 pounds lost- it's been a rocky 26 months but I wouldn't have had it any other way. Slow and steady is working for me and with only five pounds to go until goal (wow, I never thought I'd be saying that!), I am focusing on taking this journey one week and one weigh-in at a time. :-)

On the left: January 2013, one week before I joined WW. On the right: March 2015, Shamrock Half Marathon.

How was your week?

AM: 10/21/14

Hello and welcome to Accountability Monday- a day late!

There was no AM post last week because I was enjoying a much-needed vacation in Cape May, NJ with Matthew- it was wonderful. Today, I'm going to recap the last two weeks and catch you up on my weight-loss/training adventures.

Training:
10/6- 10/13: Hit my goal and did four workouts consisting of various leg lifts, upper body weight lifting, and some other weird, non-weight bearing exercises.
10/13- 10/20: Ummm. Yeah. About this week... I only managed to workout once. We were out-of-town for the Runner's World Half and Festival for three days and I was scootering around a lot- that counts for something, right?!

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and hopefully (fingers crossed!) he'll approve me to start biking and swimming. I am anxious to do something other than leg lifts.

Nutrition:
We've been on the road A LOT in the last two weeks so we've been eating out a lot. However, I have had a defined strategy for each of our trips to try and best plan out how I'd use my points. We also brought a ton of fruit, KIND bars, cereal, etc. with us so that I could at least control my breakfasts and have some healthy snacks if needed.

This doesn't mean that I didn't indulge while we were traveling- I totally did. In Cape May, we visited wineries, breweries, and several awesome restaurants. I ate what I wanted and made sure that it fit in with the points I allotted for that day/meal. I'm really proud of myself for keeping up with tracking and staying focused on my nutrition throughout this injury. Let's hope it continues for the last two weeks.

Also, we went to the Lima Bean Festival in Cape May (yes, it is a real thing) and had the BEST cauliflower and lima bean curry. It was truly unique and delicious. We also tried pumpkin soup with roasted lima beans- again, delish! Who knew you could do all that with lima beans?!

There's a whole lot of goodness happening in these photos. 

Weight-loss:
10/8 weigh-in: 151.4 (-1.2 from previous week)
10/15 weigh-in: 152.0 (+.6 from previous week)

So, I'm up a little this week but still down from where I was when I got my stress fracture diagnosis (153.8). Honestly, I would like to keep losing during these six non-weight bearing weeks, but if I stay the same, that's cool too. I've had to change some goals a little bit with this set-back but I'm still confident I can reach them; just maybe a little later than I had anticipated.

I'm still really proud of myself for not letting this injury throw me into a place where I'm just overeating and over-drinking and feeling sorry for myself. The old me would have just allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted and gain weight- I'd say, "I'll wait until I can walk again, then I'll start tracking and eating healthy." But not this time. This time, I'm focused on STAYING healthy and STAYING on the course rather than being so back-and-forth with habits and behaviors.

I also want to share a progress picture with you. The picture on the left is a few months before I started back on Weight Watchers and the picture on the right is this past weekend at the Runner's World Half and Festival. I'm taking a cue from my blogger friend Dani and using the terms "then" and "now" instead of before and after. I'm still a work in progress :-) What I notice the most about these pictures is the difference in how I'm standing. On the left, I look so uncomfortable and hunched over. On the right, I'm standing tall and looking confident and happy. And that's an awesome way to look and feel!

Have a fabulous week! Be sure to follow me on facebook, twitter, or instagram this week- I'll be updating as I get news from my doctor.

Accountability Tuesday: 9/2/14

Good morning! Welcome to the post-Labor Day accountability check-in!

I hope you had a great holiday and are ready to make it an awesome September. I'm a little sad that the summer is officially over but I'm looking forward to the fall for many reasons; cooler weather, pumpkin flavored everything, and lots of fun half marathons on our race calendar.

So, how did this week go? Well, better than last week. I was back to my regular routine and felt like I could better control my eating and the spaces around me. That is...until I went home for the weekend. We went to a winery, had two cookouts, and went out to eat multiple times. I tracked all but Labor Day- and I just grazed all day long (I entered 30 PPV for the day). I'm starting this week with -11 PPV. And I'm ok with that. It's been a slightly-off weekend but I am happy to be getting back on track this week.

Training:
Monday- Walked 2.27 miles
Tuesday- 45 minute run
Wednesday- Rest day
Thursday- 45 minute track workout
Friday- 10.42 mile run with Jen
Saturday- Walked Color Vibe 5k
Sunday- 4 mile run with Dad

Total: 27.08 miles

Nutrition:
This week I did so much better with fueling for the long run. Since I was running 10 miles with Jen on Friday night after a full day of work, I knew I needed to eat well throughout the day. For lunch I went to Panera and got a Mediterranean Flatbread Sandwich and Chicken Noodle Soup. The sandwich is a little higher in PPV than I usually eat (11) but I knew it had a great mix of protein and carbohydrates that would keep me full without making me feel too stuffed. I also had a salad from Wendy's (Apple Pecan) about two hours before the run. The result? I only had a handful of sport beans 30 minutes before the run and didn't get hungry for the over two hours we were running. Success.

Apple Pecan Salad, obligatory vineyard shot, doughnuts involved in the "grazing" day, and Panera goodness.

Weight-loss:
156.2 as of 8/27/14 weigh-in.
-1 from last week.
-33.4 since January 2013.
-44.6 since heaviest: 202 in 2005.

Update on August goals:
As part of the instagram #TeamrunDisney August photo challenge, I set out some specific goals for the month.

PS- You can follow me on ig @sparklyrunner :-)

So... I met one of these goals. I actually ran 90 miles in the month of August. :-)

I lost 4.4 pounds and ran my Akron Marathon leg training run (3.9 miles) in 43:42. But September is a new month and I'm confident I can set and accomplish some new goals for fall... whenever I figure out what they are.

By the way, summer has historically been the worst season for me in terms of weight-loss. I have ALWAYS gained over the summer- featuring all my favorite foods and the mentality of being on "vacation," summer has always been a struggle for me. BUT, this year I actually lost 10.6 pounds from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Here's to hoping the fall season will be just as fruitful!

QOTD: What are you most looking forward to about the fall season?