Low Key Blogging

It's going to be low-key around this blog for the next few weeks. I don't have another race on tap till The Grande Ass on September 6th, though I do have the excitement of crewing for Jenny at the CCC 100 coming up later this month. I also signed up for the Portland Marathon in October. No other hard and fast plans for fall, though that is when races seem to start popping up on my schedule, so I'm sure I'll be adding more.

The next few weeks I'll be putting in a bit of time working at the local campus of our college as an academic advisor. I've already put some time in this summer and find it a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to my new assignment working in the lab school this fall. It will mean an adjustment to my running schedule , and I haven't quite figured out how it's all going to work.

With that in mind, I thought it was time to bring some discipline to my life. I've been having trouble getting my Pilates work outs in since I quit teaching Pilates last December, usually managing to do it only once per week, which is really not doing me much good. Somehow, I also got whacked out on my nutritional health - eating more junk food than normal, consuming more wine than normal, eating larger portions, in general, just being lax. I suspect it was the stressful spring that led me off into the land of comfort food and lots of it. Fortunately, I wasn't gaining weight because my running was holding steady, but still...at the rate I was putting it away, it was bound to start creeping up, and more importantly that five pounds of winter padding I packed on over the holidays wasn't coming off.

So. What to do? Here's my plan for the next six weeks (because I've read it takes six weeks to build a habit).

• Pilates three times a week, no excuses.
• Weekly running mileage between 40 - 50 miles, every third week drop to 25.
• Eating 95% healthy - meaning appropriate quantities, less junk, but still allowing room for a nightly ice cream or the occasional french-fry splurge - after all, a girl's gotta have some fun! I will stay away from the chocolate chips though - those babies just lead me right down the road to temptation.

That's it! Should be eminently do-able. In fact Week One was already successful. Mileage hit right at 45 miles (okay Rick, 44.96 miles, I rounded!) Pilates successfully completed and enjoyed three times. Eating was really good. I'm on my way! I'm hoping if it's all established by the time I start fall quarter, it will simply mean a few adjustments and easier adaptation to my new work schedule and commute. Seems like a good plan to me!