Rose Bowl Loop - 3.3 miles @ Pasadena, CA

 I ran the 3.3 mile loop at the Rose Bowl, averaged about 9 mins/mile! I still can't believe I can consistantly keep up that pace now. I remember when a 12 min mile was zooming fast for me. :)

Down over 80 pounds since I started in July 2011. And yesterday for the first time ever... I did 25 pushups in a row! Straight back, strong arms! Woot! If I can do it, anyone can. I used to taste blood walking a 15 min mile, back when I was a teenager. Now look at moi!

Do it!!!!

V

Fridge Power!!!!!

Reasons my fridge rules (Clockwise from the yellow magnet):

#1 - The yellow clip magnet is holding up a news letter that my building publishes. One of the pics in this month's news letter is me, Max, and Lucy! I look skinny in the picture, and Max and Lucy are cute as always :)

#2 - My race # from the Run, Forrest, Run 5k. 'Nuff said.

#3 - Beneath my race # lies the poster to my play. I wrote a play, someone actually produced it, and we were a hit. I have the poster to prove it! 'Nuff said x2!

#4 - Dish towel. This towel represents how well I've soaked up my new healthy lifestyle. JUST KIDDING! It's just a freaking towel... moving on...

#5 - The blue clip magnet is holding up our Power 90 calendar. Tony Horton for president!!!!!!

#6- Also beneath the yellow clip magnet is the check list Max and I made called our "Go Go Go Go Do" list.  We are trying to install a healthy routine, and checklists that say obvious stuff like "drink water" and "do pushups" are very helpful!

So yeah. I look at our frige and I feel pride. Our fridge shows how committed to a healthy, happy life together! 

Friday Weigh In for 4/27/12

(Scary face for vulnerable blogging)

Weekly Loss: 1 lb
Total Loss: 41.2 lbs
lbs left to lose: 58.8
Miles Run this Week: 4.4
Power 90 workouts: Done 3 of 3!

Goals for next week:
Lose 1.5 lbs, Run 10 miles

Confession:

Max and I fell out of running for a couple weeks, and we're just starting to get back into the swing of things. But we had a good reason, and we were still staying active:

I wrote a play and it was just produced in New Orleans (yay!). Max also worked on the play as the composer and sound designer. This means that as soon as I finished up at my normal job (where I work in TV for 60 hours a week), Max and I would then ride our bikes 3.5 miles each way to rehearsals and performances.

This took up all of our nights and weekends for three weeks straight. We were getting home at 11 or 12 at night, and were getting to sleep around 1 or 2am. There's no way in hell Max and I could do all of that and still wake up at 6:45a to run.

So we fell out of it. But we're back now, and gearing up for the 5k this weekend. Yes, I wish we had gotten in a few more miles this week in advance of the race, but we're still doing P90 which is strengthening our legs and our cores, so that's something. Something awesome.

Next week, my goal is to lose 1.5 lbs and run 10 miles.

Run, Val, Run!

I've become something of a runner in recent months. Or maybe something like a runner is more accurate... okay, okay (I see you giving me the side eye, Max!) I have become something of a JOGGER, because let's be honest... 6mph isn't running.

(At my heaviest last summer, with my Mama on July 4th)

It started in the summer of 2011 when I was at my all-time heaviest weight. I decided I was unhealthy, uncomfortable, and ready to change my lifestyle for good. In the past I had done the crash diet thing to lose weight, but that's not a healthy or sustainable solution.

So Max and I decided to begin a workout routine. We started by doing laps in North Hollywood park. Ah, yes- memories! Between the dust in the air (kicked up from the dirt track  by all our fellow joggers) to the smog (the park is quaintly nestled against the 170 freeway- I mean literally between two off-ramps) it was not the most luxurious place to work out our lungs. But it did the trick. We went to that park 3-5 times a week and got stronger, faster, and fitter as the summer went on. At first, I couldn't even jog for a quarter mile. Of course Max is a super human and... you know... wasn't obese... so he could run much longer and faster than I could. After a few months of sticking to it, though, I was up to running 2 miles straight, averaging about 12 or 13 minutes per mile.

Oh, side note and fun story: One time when we were crossing the street to get to the park, Tommy Lee pulled a U-turn and almost hit us! It was so cool. :-P

Cut to today: