August 15, 2016

A week's catch-up

I didn't realize it had been so long since I wrote! I actually started this post on Friday... and then Saturday... and then Sunday... finally, I'm getting it posted on Monday. Jerry's been working a crazy schedule (crazier than usual, I mean) lately because of a special project at work, and it's been hard to adjust. I've also been stressing to the kids how important it is to limit their screen time (video games, iPads, etc)--so I'm trying not to be a hypocrite by being on the computer for several hours a day ;)

They go back to school just after Labor Day, which is coming up so quickly! We will be heading to Virginia Beach in just over two weeks, and Eli is so excited he can't stand it. In the spring, I remember feeling like it was going to be so easy to maintain my weight over the summer this year, before heading to Virginia Beach.

Ha! I gain weight every single summer, and this summer was no different. However, I am still a good 20 pounds less than I was last year at this time, so I'll consider that a win (or close to it, at least).



We've had an incredibly humid summer, which makes for nasty running weather. This last week was especially bad--I ran Tuesday, and then not again until Sunday. It's times like this that I wish my treadmill was in the house (we moved it to the garage last year). The garage is more humid than outside! I'm hoping to get a new treadmill soon, and when I do, I'm putting it in the house. Meanwhile, I keep forgetting that I can run on the indoor track at the rec center.


I finally ended up getting a hands-free leash so I can take Joey running with me and hopefully not get pulled all over the place. I was skeptical that it would work (I kept picturing that my spine would just snap in half if he took off after a squirrel or something). I took him to the state park and we ran a few miles with the new leash. I was amazed! It was SO much easier to run without holding a leash. I tried to get pictures, but it's hard to take selfies from a distance, so this was the best I could get:

The leash hooks around my waist like a belt

The black part has a bungee cord inside, so it stretches slightly

Of course, we made several stops so he could cool off in the lake
The best way I can describe it is like wearing a backpack--you know how carrying a couple of 10-pound dumbbells in your hands feels incredibly heavy, but if you were to carry them in a backpack on your back, you barely notice it? That's what it was like with the leash. When I hold a leash in my hand, and Joey pulls, it feels SO hard to pull back; but with the pulling distributed around my waist, it felt like a tiny puppy was pulling ;)

Anyway, this is the leash that I bought on Amazon. I'm really happy with it--the quality is great and I was very surprised at what a difference it made in running with Joey.


I had a doctor's appointment last week for my annual physical. My lipid profile and blood sugar numbers are all good, as are my weight and blood pressure. Each year that goes by, I feel a sense of relief that I made it through another year without putting the weight back on. According to statistics, I should have gained back all the weight several years ago--so I feel a little sense of accomplishment each time I have a physical and my numbers are good.


A reader named Lisa sent my family an amazing handmade memorial magnet for Chandler...



(We LOVE it, Lisa--thank you for thinking of us!) Lisa has an Etsy shop with some very cute dog tags, cat tags, and the memorial magnets, which you can check out here.


Jerry's and my 13-year wedding anniversary is tomorrow. It's kind of hard to believe we've been married that long! We've been together for 17 years--HALF MY LIFE. That blows my mind. I bought Jerry 13 gifts for 13 years--normally, we don't do much for anniversaries, but he's been working so hard lately I wanted to do something nice for him.


Cross country practice starts this evening. Renee and I are coaching third through fifth graders. Last year we coached second through fourth grade, but the middle school dropped the fifth graders from their program this year, so we decided to pick them up; and the second graders were a little young last year, so we figured third through fifth was perfect.

Tonight, we're going to do a one-mile time trial with the kids (see how fast they can complete one mile) because it's a great way to measure progress later on. We'll have them do the same trial once or twice more later in the season so we can see their improvement.

I'm thinking that I'll start doing my easy runs during practice while the kids are running--I'm not training for anything, so it's a good time to do that. Since we're doing the time trial today, I'll be timing the kids and won't be able to run; so, I headed out this morning for a 45-minute easy run.

The temperature was pretty low this morning--66 degrees at 7:00 am. I was looking forward to a nice, cool run! The humidity was 100%, so it didn't end up as nice as I'd hoped. I got drenched in sweat, but it was still much nicer than 88 degrees with 100% humidity, like last week ;)  I'm SO ready for fall weather!

11 comments:

  1. I can relate to the screen time issue! I took our 8 year old to her well child visit last month. The two questions that were asked directly to her were "How much time do you spend watching TV or in front of a tablet/computer screen?" And "How much junk food do you eat?" I was THRILLED that they asked her those questions! They then talked to her that it's important that at her age, that she limit her time to two hours a day, total so that includes TV/tablet/phone/laptop/computer. She wasn't real thrilled with it at first but now she's OK with it because we've been playing board or card games at night or on weekends. As for the food, she's now really working to eat more fruits and vegetables and already has her lunches planned. All of this is forcing me, as her Mom, to follow the plan because otherwise, I'm not setting a good example. So now, I've been reading more, doing the adult coloring books and doing crafty things or working on project around our house.

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  2. I'm with you on the heat/humidity. So ready for it to end. We have treadmills in our community's exercise room, but somehow even in there with the fans on, I get so overheated. I would love to teleport myself to somewhere that's about 50 or 60 degrees outside, go running, then teleport back here to Ohio.

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  3. Happy Anniversary!!! I for one have not run in a long time (since last monday) !!! I skipped my last 2 races, I just cant deal with this heat wave. The real feel has been 110.

    That gift is so sweet. <3

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  4. I love the Chandler magnet! <3

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  5. That Chandler magnet is just so sweet! I hear you on the running in humidity. One of the reasons I'm excited for fall is to start running a little more regularly again! And of course then I can start making soups, stews and chili again (some of my favorite foods but they just don't taste good in summer haha)

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  6. Make sure you're not running the dog in the humidity - they can't handle it like we can (not that we can very well either :)) They won't stop when they should & will run to be with you & have fun. While working at a vet clinic we had a few dogs come in due to heat exhaustion & one died before they could get to us - and then a family member lost their Golden who went along with them for a horse back ride - he stayed up with them the whole time (walking, jogging) and when they got back home he collapsed. Please be careful! Silly dogs just don't know to stop. Love the charm!

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  7. I've missed your blog this last week, so I was very happy to get the note in my e-mail this morning that a new "Runs for Cookies" blog was up. I think you should be super proud, not only that you maintained your weight loss for YET another year, but that you weigh 20 lbs. less than you did last summer at this time. I too, have lost a pretty significant regain (53 lbs.), well most of it anyway. I am 8 pounds from my goal at this point, but feel good that I am that close and once again fitting into some of those goal-sized clothes that had become too small. Yes, the stats are not in our favor Katie, but we seem to be beating them. I try never to become complacent however, because I know without constant vigilance the weight will come back, as it did over the last year. GO US!!!

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  9. I'm glad to hear you've kept your weight off. I'm one of the few of us who have kept it off as well. Never going back!

    I just may try that leash arrangement. My dog needs some exercise (and so do I).

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  10. Happy anniversary! That leash looks like a great idea.

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  11. Your posting about your annual physical and not gaining the weight back has made me comment--your success is why I keep trying to lose weight--like you said, the statistics are depressing, but your story is inspiring. So thank you!

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