5K playlist

I will be taking part in a 5K in less than two hours. My goal is under 40 minutes, which would be a personal record.

I have comprised a list of mostly fast-tempo mashup songs to help me out along the way, and will lay out the 11 tracks for you here:

1. Duel of the Fates from the Phantom Menace soundtrack. It's a tradition for this to be the opening song in my races as the pack starts to separate itself from me. A chaotic song for a chaotic first part of the race.

2. Prodigy vs. Enya. This video isn't the version I have, but it's close. A little slower tempo and kind of trancey. Good song for early in the race.

3. Black Betty by Ram Jam. Good, fast-paced beat to help pick up the pace after a (hopefully) nice and easy start.

4. Sinatra vs. Monae, This Tightrope's Made for Walkin'.

5. (Video not available): Hey Misty. Jay-Z vs. Led Zeppelin. A great mashup by DJ Topcat. Here's the link for it: http://www.mediafire.com/?fal38qcifcm57mz

6. Tripper Trouble by djBC's Beastles creation.

7. (Video not available): 24-hour Rythm. Eazy-E vs. Johnny Cash. Another great mashup by Topcat. Direct link for it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?570r9brev2ukall

8. The song I blogged about before. Will need it during the home stretch.

9. Another good BC mashup. Beastie Boys vs. Bee Gees. Stayin' Alive.

10. Busta Thriller. Busta Rhymes vs. Michael Jackson. Hopefully, I will be skipping this song if I hit my goal time. Otherwise, I'll trudge through this upbeat tune.

11. Going the Distance from the Rocky soundtrack. Best song to end any race on.

Great finish to a lackluster week

Just finished a bowl of oatmeal. That came after finishing my longest run since my plantaris injury. 6.2 miles down. Pre-injury, I was at 7.75 miles (five loops on the route I run). I am pretty sure I could've gone for it today, but I didn't have enough time.

Every run this week, I have postponed by at least an hour. I don't like that one bit. Today's run was exactly one hour later than I wanted to start. No reason, other than I'm looking for excuses not to run on time.

I need to snap out of it. Hopefully today's encouraging run will help. I feel fantastic right now.

Gotta cut this short; I'm running late for work.

I survived Thanksgiving weekend

Bad things out of the way first: Despite doing  pretty well at the Thanksgiving meal, I didn't do so hot after the meal ... later in the night with leftovers. Not that I did terrible, but I didn't do as well as I would have liked. Also, I didn't run 6.2 miles as planned on Friday. I ended up running yesterday and it was only 3.1 miles.

I "justified" my non-running twofold: We did the Black Friday thing starting at midnight and didn't get back until 7 a.m. During that time, I did do an assload of walking. After not being scheduled to leave until Saturday, I ended up leaving Friday afternoon, so that was the other reason for not running Friday. The other "justification" was with halving the run distance. We took my dad out for his birthday/Father's Day celebration last night (finally nailed him down after five months!), and I didn't have enough time to get in a full 6.2-mile run.

I had nearly talked myself out of running altogether. It was cold, windy and rainy. I was tired. I didn't have enough time. For the first time since I started back running, I didn't want to run. "It's a holiday week, I can take a break!" It's a dangerous road to start on. Right now, I only have one leg down that road. I better realize it's not the road I want to be on and turn around and run down the other path.

The OKC half marathon awaits.

Progressing nicely

I felt so good after last week's "long" run of 4.65 miles, I decided to up my pace for getting back to my pre-injury run lengths. Before I was injured, I was running 6.2 miles twice a week and 7.77 miles once a week. I weened myself back in by running 1.55 miles three times the first week back. The second week, I ran 3.1 miles three times. Last week, I ran 3.1 miles twice and 4.65 miles once. That's the pace I had planned on keeping this week.

Instead, based on last week's runs, I upped my timetable. I will run 4.65 miles twice this week and 6.2 miles on Friday. I likely will keep that pace for next week too. I still don't want to push myself too far, too fast.

I still can't get over how great I feel while running. Here's hoping that feeling continues.

Longest run since my injury.

Today's run was a great run. 4.65 miles down at a good pace (for me).

Also, it's much more satisfying to have an 80-something-year-old granny stop driving to give you a thumbs up during your run than a hot 20-something. Not sure what that says about me. Not sure I want to know what that says about me.

Didn't want to run today until...

After blasting this in my ears a couple of times, I'm pumped and ready to go. Today is my longest run since I tore my plantaris -- 4.65 miles. Can't wait to get back to 8 miles like I was doing before my calf injury. New goal: OKC half marathon!

That's all for now. Felt the need to share this mashup so people will get their weekend started off right.

One year anniversary

Fat-me sandwich pics with obligatory goofy post-weight loss shot.

It's been one year since I started this blog. Ignore the fact I haven't actually blogged in seven months or so. It looks like so many other abandoned weight-loss blogs I've seen over the years. Those who start up all gung-ho, only to not only stop blogging, but stop losing weight.

Fortunately, for me, the lack of any blogs doesn't signify I quit working on my weight loss. On the contrary. I have lost 105 pounds in a year. It would have been more, but I tore my left plantaris in late September. I ran religiously, at least three times a week, since I started Nov. 11 of 2010. The reason why was because I was scared the first time I stopped running would be it for me. I wouldn't start back up.

Thankfully, after five weeks on the shelf, I was able to start running again last week. I started slowly, running 1.55 miles thrice last week. This week, I ran a 5k three times. Next week, I plan to run two 5ks and on Friday run 4.65 miles.

The best part of starting back up has been that while I'm running, I actually enjoy running. Pre-torn plantaris, from last November through this September: Hated running before, hated running during, hated running after. Post-torn plantaris, so far this November: Hate running before, LOVE running during, love running after.

I still have at least 28 more pounds to lose to reach my goal of 220, and so I still run. But I have a feeling I won't stop there.

I also will try to blog more and start keeping my food diaries again (although I will not bog down the blog with them anymore; looking back, that was ridiculous).

If anyone out there actually reads this, thank you, and here's to another great year.