Grits and beans.

So, today was the day.  I think that I have finally had enough.  I got back into the cross training mode.  I ran in the morning.  4 miles.  I'm still struggling a bit with my strength and endurance, but that will come back.  I can't say that I haven't been frustrated with that.  I have calmed my brain and told myself just to run and let it come back.  Why I lost so much, I just don't know.  All I can do is move forward.  I will say that running with next to no pain is a real pleasure, but I miss the feeling of power that I had when I ran.  The things that I can control, I am trying to control.  The eating especially.  I have lost about 6 pounds in the last three weeks.  I haven't been doing anything too crazy.  I mostly did away with full strength soda and the desserts I love so much.  I have a crazy sweet tooth.  I can't eat just one of anything.  If I eat one Hoho, I'm going to want 6.  The thing I love about 1 pound bags of M & M's is that I can eat til I am almost sick and still have some left over.  I have eliminated that kind of eating and drinking and kicked up my running some.  That has done away with the first 6 pounds.  The other pounds are going to come off from the cross training and strength training.  I've been lifting some and doing some kettlebells, but not the way I was doing it last year.  That is going to change.

Back to today.  I finished my run and then went to the Y and swam.  My initial goal before I got into the marathon frenzy was to do more triathlons.  Sprint Tri's especially.  I'm going to start training for them now, as I train for the half in April.  I think the swimming and the biking can only help with my running.  The kettlebells will be the thing that ties it all together.  I have never had a better workout and seen better results than I have when I worked hard with the k-bells.  They give a total body workout without you even really noticing it.  Not that the workout isn't hard.  It is.  But they work your legs and core without specifically working your legs and core.  I will typically avoid leg machines and ab work like the plague.  I can't stand them.  But the kettlebells work them all.  Anyway, this is going to be my overall plan.  Today felt really good because I did get in the pool.  I'm a decent swimmer, but I hate getting wet.  I hate getting changed and in a suit and into the pool and back out and drying off and etc., etc.  Very hard to swim without getting wet.  I would like to train my lungs to be able to swim underwater for a whole lap or more.  I could do that when I was a kid.  I wonder if that would help me on my runs.  The increased lung capacity.  Now I wonder if I could hold my breath while I ran a quarter mile, if that would help my swimming.  What if I could hold my breath for a whole day?  How would that effect my life in general?  Now, I feel that you are getting carried away, but I would like to hold my breath for a lap.

Here are my goals for the time of the half marathon on April 28th:

PR in the half marathon, be ready or close to ready for triathlons, win a Pump and Run 5k( which means I need to bench press around 180 pounds at least 30 times and run a super competitive 5k), weigh 175 pounds(total loss of 18 pounds) and become certified as a kettlebell instructor.  In addition, I want to get in better control of my business, my sleep and the other aspects of my life that drive me crazy.  I really want to teach myself to read again as well.  This may sound ridiculous, but I used to be a voracious reader.  But for the past few years, between my attention span issues and my sleep problems, I have not been able to either concentrate or stay awake long enough to enjoy reading.

There it is.  I have my work cut out for me.  Lots to do, but I've got lots of motivation to do it.