I Did It!

Official time: 01:05:05
Average pace: 10:29 per mile
Overall place: 1898 out of 3329
Gender place: 778 out of 1907
Class position: 61 out of 162

Holy guacamole! Dillypoo finished her first 10K a full 5 minutes faster than goal!

It was a beautiful, sunny 50 degrees this morning, perfect running weather! The course, which wound through the arts district and surrounding neighborhood, past the cemetery, along the river and through the park was great with only two significant hills (that I remember).

I spotted The Professor and Stella cheering me on around the 4.5 mile mark. Seeing them gave me the jolt of energy I needed to push towards the finish.

Daddypoo, who found me in the crowd before the race and graciously took my jacket and keys so I could run unencumbered, waved me off at the start and waited for me at the finish line.

Afterwards, we went to breakfast for some post-race celebratory pancakes and coffee:

I FEEL AWESOME!

I can't wait to do this again! Next up? The Zoo Run.

Where That First Step Led

I started this journey two years ago with a few steps on a treadmill:

I had a love/hate relationship with this beast (the treadmill, not the cat). It's presence in my home was intimidating. It took me two months to gather the courage to pull it down and walk.

But I did it. Slowly at first. I listened to Harry Potter on my iPod while I walked at a leisurely but steady pace.

Then one day I decided to walk in the park:

And again, I was intimidated by my surroundings. I wasn't an athlete and didn't think I belonged with "those people" on bikes or in jogging shorts.

I set my expectations low. I told myself, don't go too fast or too far. Don't do anything I can't stick with. I didn't think I could commit to this exercise thing.

The Professor was supportive and encouraged me, though. He even walked in the park with me:

Slowly my confidence grew as I saw results on the scale, in my closet and in the mirror. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my walks in the park and I began to think maybe I could commit to this exercise thing.

Almost a year after first pulling down that treadmill, I walked in my first 5K:

My excitement at completing that first marathon propelled me to sign up for another, and I talked The Professor into walking it with me:

By the time summer began, I considered myself a power walking pro! I pushed myself to walk faster and go farther.

And then I began to run:

I remember the first time I did it. I was amazed at how fast the scenery went past. I didn't run very far that first time, but I ran nonetheless!

And when it got too hot to run during the day, I started setting my alarm early to run before sunrise. Three or four mornings a week, I ran a mile through my neighborhood and speed walked a mile back home.

I tried new things, like climbing the stairs at the local university football stadium.

The increased activity helped me to finally reach my goal weight, but by then I was less concerned about a number on the scale and more interested in pushing my new body to do more.

I didn't know what or how, though, so I continued my run a mile/walk a mile morning regimen through the fall and into the holidays. And I started increasing my weekend run distance in the park.

I finally became a real runner by accident. I signed up for the Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning, thinking I would run the first mile and walk the rest of the way:

But it was so cold that morning that once I started running, I didn't stop until I crossed the finish line! Suddenly, everything I'd been walking and running towards came into focus: Dillypoo was a runner.

And tomorrow, after taking that first step on a treadmill two years ago, Dillypoo will run her first 10K marathon.

6.2 miles.

Wow. Just wow.

Another One Bites the Dust

Our Christmas tree is pretty much dead:

I killed it in record time this year, too. Last year's lived until April and the one before that made it to March.

I don't think this one will make it to next weekend.

On a happier note, my Valentine is still alive!

Dillypoo has watered it. Twice. Although there were several extra leaves on the ground when I took it for a walk to the kitchen sink.

I'm sure it's just shedding it's winter layers. Temps are warming up.

I Hear Danger Calling

Dillypoo has danger lurking in her refrigerator:

Most of the time, the danger lies hidden and forgotten behind fruit cups, a carton of eggs and a box of hummus. Out of sight, out of mind.

But sometimes danger starts to call out from the dark depths of my fridge. And deaf as I may be in one ear, I can hear it calling.

Sunday night, it started whispering to me softly. I ignored it.

Then it started to call my name a bit more loudly:

Danger: "Dillypooooooo!"

Dillypoo: "Hush! I'm ignoring you!"

Danger: "Dillypoo! Eat me!!!"

Dillypoo (fingers in ears and eyes pressed shut): "Nanner, nanner, nanner....I can't hear you!"

Danger: "DILLYPOOOOOO!!!!"

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "I'm coming!!!!"

And I made not one but two trips to the kitchen and ate a box of:

I don't generally consider myself a binger, but if there is anything that can trigger an over indulgence, then it's a box of See's molasses chips.

Saltine crackers, nacho cheese Doritos and blocks of cheddar cheese are also problems.

I like to think I've done well over the past two years in controlling my cravings for these items, but maybe it's not a good idea to keep them in the house.

Because I never know when Grown-Up Dillypoo will falter and let Inner-Child Dillypoo make a bee line towards the back of the fridge.

Where one more box of danger still lurks.

So Long, Farewell

I saw this on another blog, Texas Word Tangle. I've no idea how she stumbled upon it, but I'm glad she did! I laughed my ass off!

Of course, if you still have all of your lady bits, this may not be as hysterical to you as it was to me.

And apologies (again) to my buddy Pot Pie. I know how much you enjoy my girlie posts.

Note: There's some naughty language so keep the volume down if you're at work or have kiddos around.

Movie Night?

Dillypoo and The Professor are spending the evening at my parental unit's house. Daddypoo's brother from Michigan is visiting for a few days and we decided to go over and spend some quality time.

Which means I've spent two hours cooking dinner while The Professor, my uncle and parents attempt to set up a Netflix account to order movies through their Blu-ray player.

Mama: "I set up the Netflix account!"

Daddypoo: "I can't get the Blu-ray to work. It must be broken."

Uncle: "No it's not. Give me that remote!"

The Professor: "Your Blu-ray isn't wireless."

Daddypoo: "Let me turn it off and restart it."

Uncle: "Don't do that! I got it working. See, you can watch the Super Bowl commercials."

Mama: "I want Netflix."

The Professor: "Your Blu-ray isn't wireless."

Mama and The Professor decided to make a run to the tee vee store and buy a new wireless Blu-ray while Daddypoo and my Uncle called in reinforcements: my second cousin who works at a tee vee store and has the misfortune to live around the corner.

Right now we have Netflix accessed through the non-wireless Blu-ray and Mama and The Professor are on their way home with the new unit. My second cousin is being held hostage until they return.

I'm pretty certain he's our only hope for getting it hooked up and installed with Netflix.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Seven Days and Counting

The Cowtown Marathon is next Saturday. Tonight was my last long run before donning my number. I kept a good pace and I'm on target to complete the 10K in my goal of 70 minutes. I'm getting stoked!

I'm also sore as hell. Wednesday night's boot camp - the lunges in particular - was brutal on my thighs. Dillypoo needs to rest this weekend.

I found muscles I didn't know existed, and they're not happy about being discovered. I spent most of yesterday groaning every time I had to stand up, sit down or tackle some stairs.

Tonight I'm going to bed as soon as I post this and can crawl to the bedroom.

But first I have to share a new photo of my precious Stella:

Such a purty smile!

Fantasyland

In addition to redecorating my blog, Dillypoo has been musing about food and the choices we make.

When I began my weight loss journey more than two years ago, I went through many stages before settling into a healthy way of living and eating.

At first I was embarrassed I needed help to lose weight and ashamed I'd reached the size I had. Then I threw tantrums because the foods I craved made me fat. I wanted to believe I could lose weight while still eating the things that made me balloon to 202 pounds in the first place. I told myself I just needed to eat smaller portions.

I didn't want to give up Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A forever. I wanted to make temporary changes that would get me to a smaller size so I could queue up in the drive-thru and devour a number one combo with cheese and jumbo soda again.

I didn't want to exercise or learn new ways to fuel my body. I wanted the process to be quick and easy and live in a fantasyland where hamburgers, french fries and deep-fried tacos didn't make me fat.

Because that's what I had done before. Gain a few pounds, lose a few pounds, eat a few tacos, repeat.

And eventually the scale topped 200 pounds. My food fantasyland didn't exist.

It took a while, but I eventually made the connections between eating and being healthy. And now I'm at the stage where I'm frustrated and angry about having had to go through the process at all.

Because those things that got me to a size 18 were the foods that were closest to hand. It's easier to make unhealthy food choices when those are the options most readily available.

If McDonald's and Wendy's had made their millions selling sweeter carrot sticks and fantastic black bean burgers, would Big Macs and Biggie fries be the cultural phenomenon they are today? What if Colonel Sanders had been famous for baked chicken instead of fried?

If our fast food nation focused on eating healthy instead of eating quickly, would obesity be a national crisis?

My new fantasyland is a place where junk food never existed. And while some may argue that a McRib tastes great, would we crave one if it had never been offered in the first place?

It's The Crap Theory all over again, but on a grander scale. As a culture we crave crap because crap is what is available.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the money and energy put into creating a better burger went into making fresh vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins just as exciting?

Because once you get all of that grease and gunk out of your system and start eating things that are actually good for you, then you can start craving fruit smoothies instead of ice cream and candy shakes.

Which is the final stage of my healthy journey. I no longer want to eat Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A. When I see or smell those foods, I remember that once upon a time I used to savor those tastes but I don't want them anymore. I don't consider those options as real food. They're just flavorful marketing ploys to get me to spend my money on crap that will make me crave more and spend more.

No thanks!

Making healthy choices is still a struggle, but not because I'm craving crap. It's because the foods available to me can be difficult to navigate (unless I'm preparing my own meals).

The next part of my journey is learning to eat well when I'm not in control of the recipe. It's a challenge, but one I think I'm up for.

Because I never, ever, want to return to where I was two years ago.

I decided to link up with Fat Ass Friday on You Don't Know even though I posted this Thursday night. I'm updating for the linky on Friday, though. Hope that's not bending the rules too much!

My Lovely Valentine

A testament to The Professor's love and faith in me:

He gave me another LIVING plant for Valentine's Day.

The Professor: "Happy Valentine's Day! How long can you keep this one alive?"

Dillypoo: "Thanks! And I haven't killed the Christmas tree. Yet."

The Professor: "Yes, you have."

Dillypoo: "I guess it is looking pretty dead. I'll try and do better with my Valentine!"

I'm not sure why The Professor buys me living things for Valentine's Day. I tend to kill them, although I once managed to keep an African violet blooming for two years.

I consider that a fluke. It was obviously a very hardy plant. I killed an entire display of air ferns at a shop I worked at during college.

Seems air ferns don't need watering. Who knew.

But it is beautiful! An orchid potted with two bromeliads. And it's huge. I placed it on the floor in my office. Even my co-workers have commented at it's loveliness.

I'm hoping that someone with a greener thumb than I will take pity on the poor thing and help me keep it alive.

Feeling Good About January

Flartus is at it again, spreading the power of positive thinking across the interwebs. Since I agree with her mission, I'm listing my positive thoughts about January. You should, too!

1. I began my 10K training in January! I'm sooo excited about this. I'm not only learning how to train properly for long runs, but I've discovered that my mind and body can be pushed further than I ever thought possible. I've also met some really great folks.

2. Dillypoo discovered the wonder of fruit smoothies!

Seriously, folks. Buy a Magic Bullet. Fresh fruit, frozen fruit, yogurt, a little flaxseed or protein powder, and you have heaven in a cup. And they're good for you, too.

3. The Professor and I spent a day at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. This is the western equivalent of a State Fair (although we have one of those, too) with cowboys and livestock.

We ate nachos and beef jerky, bought new leather wallets from a vendor in the exhibits hall, oohed and ahed at lots of animals, and decided that our day jobs are much better than this guy's:

4. I celebrated my 2nd Blogiversary and hit 350 posts in January!

5. Dillypoo went rock climbing for the first time. I'm still in awe of myself.

6. The Professor and I discovered the best pizza on the planet. It's the Jerk Chicken pizza at Mellow Mushroom near the college.

It's possible I liked this pizza a smidge better than The Professor. I've been dreaming about it ever since. I must figure out a way to convince him we need another pizza night.

Maybe for Valentine's Day? (hint hint)

Running Update

The Cowtown Marathon is two weeks away. I think I'm going to make it!

Although the weather has been doing it's best to thwart my training, I'm still pushing myself to go farther. Tonight I ran my longest distance yet:

I'm a little more than .5 mile short of the 10K distance!

I was surprised to see my pace tonight: 10:56/mile. I thought I was going slow, but turns out I beat my pace from Monday's run, which was 11:19/mile.

Whoa!

Because I was NOT feeling this run tonight. My legs felt like lead and my mind wanted to collapse into some bushes and see how well my Road ID worked.

But running is a mental game, right? That snotty inner child who used to beg for Twinkies and fast food was now whining about the burn.

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "I don't wanna run!"

Grown-Up Dillypoo: "Yes! You! Do!"

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "No! I! Don't!"

Grown-Up Dillypoo: "You can do this! Keep running!"

Inner-Child Dillypoo: "Let's just fall in a heap and see if the paramedics are cute."

Grown-Up Dillypoo: "RUN!!!!"

And then it was over. I finished the course Coach Molly set for me. I didn't collapse and I didn't get to ride in an ambulance.

Instead, I changed back into my work clothes in a bathroom at McDonald's and met The Professor and my family for Chinese food.

Now that I'm finally home, I think I'll change into some jammies and collapse into bed.

Head Aches

Dillypoo feels like this tonight:

I whacked my head on the dryer door while doing laundry last night. That's what I get for trying to stay ahead of Mother Nature, who plunged us into another Big Freeze today.

It was 50 degrees when we went to bed last night, me nursing a marble size lump on my noggin. It was 15 degrees when we got up.

I may have mentioned during last week's Big Freeze that our old house gets a bit chilly on wintry days. Not realizing just how cold it would get last night, The Professor and I neglected to leave our taps dripping.

We awoke to frozen and burst water pipes in the laundry room, which made for a fun morning.

Not.

Luckily, The Professor is handy. He had everything thawed and running by lunchtime.

Now I'm just waiting for the bruise on my head to go away.

Good Girl

Today was the first day we didn't crate Stella while we were away at work all day.

It's something The Professor and I have been working towards. We've been leaving her alone in the house for longer periods at a time to see how she does. We didn't want to come home to any accidents. There was that whole peeing issue to work out.

She also needed to learn that Lucy and Ethel make most of the other house rules.

The Professor got home first today and found one dog, two cats, dry floors and all furniture intact.

Good girl, Stella!

I liken this milestone to the first time my parents deemed me old enough and responsible enough to stay home alone.

Of course, not everyone is happy:

"Why? Why did you get another dog???"

Playing it Safe

The Big Freeze is over! It's 54 degrees right now and most of the snow is gone.

The Professor is checking for burst water pipes and things are looking good for washing dishes and laundry tonight. Yay!

I never thought I'd be happy about housework, but Dillypoo needs clean clothes and dinner plates.

In other news, the postman arrived today with my Road ID:

I first read about these on BitchCakes' blog and again last week on Smaller Fun Pants. It's a lightweight wrist strap with a metal plate imprinted with important identity information in case you get hurt while out and about.

The Professor and my mother worry about me when I go to the park or out for my runs. It's one of the reasons we got Stella. She's supposed to go with me. And she does. Sometimes.

I have yet to take her on any of my long runs or to the park. We're working up to that.

And even though I carry my phone with me, I like the idea of having this ID tag on my arm. You can list any information you feel is important to communicate to a rescuer if you are unable to speak for yourself. I included my name, city, important health info and phone numbers for The Professor and my parents. I put ORGAN DONOR on the last line because I had space and I think it's important.

I'm adding this to my small but growing list of running essentials. They include my new running tights, good running shoes, my iPod nano and a Spibelt:

I tried several different things to hold my keys and phone and the Spibelt is by far my favorite. It's very light, the pouch is stretchy and it doesn't bounce around if worn at the small of my back. I can also clip my nano to it.

I used to run listening to the iPod on my phone, but that really drains the battery. I like my nano better but still carry the phone for safety.

And if you run while listening to music, I think these Sony earbuds are the best:

Again, they're lightweight and loop over your ears so they can't fall off. They also can't be pushed so deep into your ear canal that all other noise is blocked, like cars or other people.

As with anything new, running has opened a whole world of shopping possibilities to Dillypoo! And if you're interested in getting a Road ID, then here's a coupon code for a dollar off: ThanksAdele2937462

The nice folks at Road ID asked me to share and I've obliged.

Be safe out there!

Big Freeze - Day Four

It seems folks are beginning to worry about Dillypoo and The Professor. I guess I should clarify a few things.

We live in a 107 year old igloo house. We've been renovating it for the past 20 years, doing most of the work ourselves as time and money allow. One of the projects still on the to do list is install central heat and air.

Our home is comfortable until the weather gets extreme. I admit it's hard to cool when temperatures hover around 100 degrees, and it's difficult to heat when they fall into the teens and below. We rely on a gas furnace for warmth, which is usually enough.

But when it gets really cold (like now), things like this can happen:

I don't know the exact temperature in my kitchen, but it's not much of a stretch to say it's around 30 degrees if the dish soap freezes.

As for that kerosene heater, we don't use it when we're sleeping or away from the house. And yes, we have a carbon monoxide alarm. We also have enough drafts and cracked windows to prevent an airtight seal for toxic fumes to build up.

But it does smell. Almost as badly as Stella's dog farts. (Side tangent: Are all boxers gassy?)

Today's Big Freeze challenges included 4 inches of snow that began falling at midnight:

And dwindling food supplies. I ate the last apple with my oatmeal this morning:

Tomorrow should be warmer, though. The thermostat is expected to soar to 41 degrees! Things I want to do?

Go for a run in the park. Take care of a few errands. Maybe run the dishwasher and do a load of laundry if The Professor determines our water pipes are OK.

Because more snow is expected Sunday (sorry Super Bowl fans) and later next week.

It is pretty, though!

Big Freeze - Day Three

Dillypoo has a fever. Cabin fever. There's an epidemic of it here in cowtown.

Like most of the city, The Professor and I have been cooped up at home for the past three days. We finally ventured out this evening for some dinner.

It was the best meal EVER. And the restaurant was warm. We considered staying there for the night.

Being stranded indoors and forced to work from home is weird. I've been staying up until midnight and sleeping late. It's almost like being on vacation, except I'm marooned in a drafty old house instead of lying on a beach somewhere fabulous.

My office opens at 8:30. It's easy to hit the snooze button since I don't have to leave the house to get to work. I've been crawling out of bed around 8:00, taking a hot bath and putting on layers of long johns, yoga pants and fleece.

It's a short commute from the bed to my desk.

I could get used to this, although we're running out of things like milk, fresh fruit and clean dishes. Running the dishwasher risks bursting a water pipe, and the dish soap is frozen so I can't wash any by hand.

Tomorrow we start eating picnic style with paper plates and plastic forks.

The worst part of this deep freeze is I'm not getting any good exercise. I haven't been for a run since Monday night.

I've thought about using the treadmill, but it's about 30 degrees downstairs. The only difference between running on it and running outside is there's no ice in my dining room.

But I may suck it up tomorrow and hit the treadmill anyway. The Cowtown is three weeks away and I need to keep training!

The ice isn't slowing Stella down. Guess I shouldn't let it stop me:

Big Freeze - Day Two

Welcome Super Bowl fans!

Texas hospitality extends to providing familiar weather so our northern visitors feel at home. Too bad the teams aren't from warmer climates. Does Hawaii even have a pro football team?

So how cold is it? It's so cold that Dillypoo cut the tips off a pair of gloves to keep her hands warm and still use the computer:

We've lit the kerosene heater again:

I have to wear ear warmers if I want to go downstairs for any length of time, like to cook supper:

And our fish pond is frozen for the first time in 15 years:

Unrelated observation: The blue fleece sweatshirt I'm wearing was too small two years ago and a perfect fit last year. It's big and baggy now, but still warm!

Number One and Number Two

Nothing like a 4 degree wind chill to make a dog pee in under 20 seconds:

The Professor and I have been trying to break Stella's habit of peeing in the house. So far so good. She hasn't had any accidents in almost three weeks.

We're even leaving her out of her crate more often when we're away from the house for extended periods.

Dillypoo: "Stelllllllla! We're home!"

Stella: exuberant leaping, butt wagging and panting

Dillypoo: "Were you a good girl? Did you eat a cat? Did you get on the couch? Did you pee in the house?"

Stella: exuberant leaping, butt wagging and panting

Dillypoo: "Good girl!"

This morning she came to my bedside and nudged me awake. It's her new signal, which is much preferred over the old one.

Oh, wait. There wasn't an old one. We just kept finding puddles everywhere.

So Stella nudged me awake at 7:30 and I got up to let her out. I grabbed my bathrobe because it's cold today. Very cold.

Winter slammed into the house about 4:00 a.m. with a clap of thunder, 30-50 mph winds, sleet and snow.

Stella's bathroom, I mean the backyard, is covered in a thin layer of ice.

I opened the back door and she trotted past, skidded to a halt and looked up at me with an expression that said, "Are you freaking kidding me???"

Nope! Not kidding. Out you go!

I've never seen a dog pee so fast in my life.

You should've seen how fast she pooped when she needed to go out for that 20 minutes later.