<p> <ul style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 30px; margin: 0px;"> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">There are&nbsp;</span><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">10</span></span></strong><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;weeks until Alumni Weekend</span></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">I have lost <strong><span style="color: #3333ff;">10</span></strong></span><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</span></strong><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">pounds since 1/1/11</span></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">I have&nbsp;<strong><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">20.6</span></strong></span><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</span></strong><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">pounds left to lose by 4/15/11</span></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">My body fat percentage decreased <strong><span style="color: #3366ff;">3</span></strong></span><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">%</span></span></strong><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</span></span></strong></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">I ran&nbsp;</span><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">2</span></span></strong><span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">times this week&nbsp;</span></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">I cross-trained&nbsp;<span style="color: #3333ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">3</strong></span></span><span style="font-size: large; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;times this week</span></li> <li style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large; color: #3366ff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #3333ff;">12</span></strong><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="color: #000000;">&nbsp;life points on Health Month</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p>I started doing Pilates this week, because I purchased a great deal for unlimited classes for a whole month. I plan to do this three times a week next week. I still plan to box a day or two, and I believe I'll only be able to run twice because of my recent hip flexor stress.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </p> <p><a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/week-five-progress-report">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/week-five-progress-report#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p>

<p> <p>Yeah I've lost forty pounds.&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: xx-large;">40.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">fucking.</span></p> <p style="padding-left: 60px;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;">pounds.</span></p> <p style="padding-left: 60px;">&nbsp;</p> <p>Let's put that in perspective. Here are some things that weigh 40 pounds:</p> <p style="padding-left: 120px;"><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-05/dzsElhJFfkpkHuvtqAIvrCBmtGqpedhanHJeicDvfmcaABpyAyhltBBIuChI/water.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="225" height="225"/> <img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-05/rznBtnxDoeijazDptuAysGcidjfGccgneAnecgkocEeoCAswbnFwcjevfzod/fish.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="210" height="240"/> <img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-05/vzxpFpHozfmxHvnDFDhmijGlweDzFtqnroenAgbbdsFkcdnxetoJxCFrdCtr/canoe.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="256" height="192"/> <img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-05/zamcxzvcsJkwcJckddpyAAboAAdplyoixbovymAwkqmapynvJrEpgicdqgqd/terrier.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="257" height="196"/> </p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am prouder than I have about any achievement thus far. I'm not sure why I'm so ecstatic specifically, but I'm riding this awesome feeling as long as I can and am grateful for it. Health Month, training for the Georgia Half Marathon, boxing, eating a reduced-calorie diet and staying consistently hydrated is all I've done. And I'm going to keep doing it, too. Not just until I lose the remaining 20.6 pounds for Alumni Weekend. And not just for the remaining 15 I plan to lose after that. But for as long as I am capable. It's become part of me now. Not a lifestyle; lifestyles change, they ebb and flow, evolve and expire. I know that this is what it takes to be who I want to be, and I'm prepared to do the work.&nbsp;</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's so worth it.&nbsp;</span></span></p> </p> <p><a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/poundin-forties">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/poundin-forties#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p>

<p> <p>You might remember me mentioning that I have been <a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/in-case-of-emergency">writing on my forearm</a> in green Sharpie in order to have an emergency contact number visible when I run. Because I didn't realize how absurd that was until my father laughed at it so hard he started coughing, I had not gotten around to ordering my RoadID bracelet. I knew I wanted to order one, I even have it on my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/1IKKBPCE2YHX3/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go">Amazon wishlist</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">,</span> but I always thought of other ways to spend $20. Not better ways, mind you--but other ways nonetheless. So on Sunday, I went to the website to get started creating my bracelet.&nbsp;</p> <p>The process was very easy to understand, and the website content was very pleasant to read; this company is very obviously owned and operated by men who are doing what they love, and to be able to effectively convey that through the stark, emotionally pallid light of the Internet says a lot about the company.&nbsp;</p> <p>I chose to design a <a href="http://www.roadid.com/Common/LearnMore.aspx?PID=5">Wrist ID Sport</a>, and I was directed to select a color (blue, natch!) I was also asked what size I wanted. Being that I have "freaky chicken wrists" (thank you, Emily) I assumed that I needed to order a Small, but I read the sizing guide so I could write about it here and discovered that Small is likely reserved for children or dogs--per RoadID, most adults are going to wear the Medium/Large size. After that, it was text time.</p> <p>The RoadID sports six lines of text, and next to each box there is a very helpful suggestion as to what to write--and <em>why</em>, which is even more helpful. There are also examples on every tip. The first four-five lines are very straight-forward; your name and/or birthday, the city and state in which you reside (or even city, state and country if you do a lot of international running, you lucky bastard) and two or three emergency contacts. Lines five-six is where there is lots of variance. RoadID suggests adding significant medication allergies, medical conditions, presence of a pacemaker, etc. And if you have room left write something that inspires you! It's perfect for the <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--13819-2-1-2,00.html">four word mantras</a> featured in the February 2011 issue of <em>Runner's World!</em></p> <p>I hesitated when it came to my fifth and sixth lines. Having had several knee surgeries, I considered writing that. But frankly, if I'm unconscious, unable to communicate or unresponsive, chances are there are bigger, more life-threatening fish to fry. Same goes for my superficial dermal reaction to penicillin. So I decided to write "MAY BE WITH BLACK DOG" because if I am running with Jack and I am unconscious, I want someone in the rescue party to look for him. Immediately.&nbsp;</p> <p>On line six, I wrote these four words that have become a bit of a mantra for me in the last few weeks:&nbsp;</p> <p>RUN FAST. FINISH STRONG.&nbsp;</p> <p>I was told that I could make changes to text for about 24 hours after I placed my order, just by emailing a company rep, and that I would be notified when my order shipped. On several different occasions, I was invited to communicate for whatever reason I needed or wanted to with the company. So when I had the opportunity, I filled in a COMMENTS section about what RoadID could do better in the future. I wrote a short note about possibly including something for the dog people in the tips/examples for line five.&nbsp;</p> <p>And then something happened.&nbsp;</p> <p>I got an email. It was from Michael T. at RoadID. He said that he'd read my suggestion, and that he identified himself with being a dog lover. He told me what he'd written on his own bracelet, and then offered me an opportunity to make changes if I felt like I needed to.&nbsp;</p> <p>My RoadID was ordered on Sunday, created on Tuesday, shipped on Wednesday and on my freaky chicken wrist on Friday. Upon reading the inserts in the packaging, I found that the company offers a true guarantee--if you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your ID for a full refund without a bunch of flim-flams and bamboozling--and what's more, the stainless steel ID plate has a lifetime warranty! If anything happens to it, send it to them and let them know what you need.&nbsp;</p> <p style="padding-left: 450px;"><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/rlkIAaIJfsdtCjmzcAwFxyrdvfJsyarmnzuelxAmzeajpmtdfFAmriFxntap/photo-99.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/rlkIAaIJfsdtCjmzcAwFxyrdvfJsyarmnzuelxAmzeajpmtdfFAmriFxntap/photo-99.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="669"/></a> </p> <p>The Medium/Large does fit, but it fits on the tightest closure possible, just an FYI. The material is not at all irritating and it's not noticeable after a moment.&nbsp;</p> <p style="padding-left: 210px;"><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/bCkbwCmyptcmppHCJDehGHishmgmAgwcEyadttuFBespqqyJHhmAwofDcfHs/photo-98.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-02-04/bCkbwCmyptcmppHCJDehGHishmgmAgwcEyadttuFBespqqyJHhmAwofDcfHs/photo-98.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="669"/></a> </p> <p>Verdict? I'll be ordering several products from this efficient, responsible and fun company.&nbsp;</p> <p>My long run of nine miles is on Sunday, and I am looking forward to wearing my new sweet bracelet. The prissy girl in me deep down loves accessories, and though I always thought that "tennis bracelet" was the only sport-related bauble I'd be interested in, I have come to dig running and athletic gear. My rules on Health Month state I will work out five days per week, and I'll admit, even though I love boxing and Pilates, I look forward to the days I get to run. (Who ever thought I'd be <em>that</em>&nbsp;girl?! Me neither.)&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; (5756 KB)<br/> <a href='http://runmmt.posterous.com/i-got-id-roadid-that-is' style='color: #bc7134;'>Listen on posterous</a></p></p> </p> <p><a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/i-got-id-roadid-that-is">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://runmmt.posterous.com/i-got-id-roadid-that-is#comment">Leave a comment&nbsp;&nbsp;&raquo;</a> </p>

January is the hardest month of the year for me.

Succumbed to a Diet Coke on the plane last night (grumble grumble) although stuck to no white flour rule by getting fruit and cheese plate.

Travel makes almost ALL goals harder. Anyone have tips for sticking to diet/packing snacks?

Wow. Can’t believe that a relationship-oriented do rule (listen to my significant other for 1 hour, actively, every day without ‘inserting’ self) has this much effect on my mood overall.

Travel really knocked that one out, but now I know next time to “schedule” 1 hour calls with Stephen to fix this and feel connected on the road.

I went all out today and decided to blow everything. Not on purpose. Although I am sitting here eating some delicious cheese and loving it. Yay January! Here’s to kicking the ass of even more rules next month.

Anxious about next month.

Just healing myself a bit for month’s end.