Feeling like a newbie

This last week I've started counting calories instead of doing WW. It's been really interesting. While I like it, there are things I really don't like about it at all. My main complaint: You have to count fruit and veggies. When I eat a banana it counts against my calories for the day. An apple too. And asparagus.  I don't think that's right. It would have kept me from eating those things when I was first starting to lose weight. So I've been kind of not counting them (only the ones I knew were 0 pts for WW). Other than that it's been really interesting to see how many calories I actually eat a day. And how much total sodium, carbs and sugar I eat daily. Very interesting.

I start training for my half marathon a week from tomorrow. I'm kind of dreading it but looking forward to it at the same time. I know how great I felt when I was training last summer. It was nice to have this plan in place, to know exactly what you're doing everyday and to be exercising so much. But at the same time I know how hard those 10 mile runs are. Or how hard it is at 5am to get a 4 mile run in. Or how much I missed CrossFit. Although right now I'm feeling kind of tired of CrossFit. I don't want to stop because I know how good it is for me to stay in shape but it will be nice to have something else to do.

My run with Brenna reminded me how much I liked the long runs. How nice it was to finish a run and think "Wow that was better than I thought." I'm excited to find new long run routes. To try to challenge myself and see if I can actually beat my last race time. That will be really hard because this route isn't as downhill as my first one so I'm going to have to train more for a regular route with some hills.

My run with Brenna also made me SO SORE! I was amazed. I thought for sure I'd run enough downhill that it wouldn't hurt. But that was 4 miles straight down with 1 mile after. I've been running Goosenest lately which is up and down. Then, to make matters worse, the next morning I did CrossFit. It was April Fool's Day and we thought the workout was a joke but it wasn't.

3 Rounds
Run 800m (2 laps/half mile)
30 kettlebells (2 0lbs)
30 burpees

It took me forever to do this and it hurt before I even finished. To make things EVEN worse I did some extra arm workouts. All that day I kept feeling so sore. By the next morning I could barely walk. So I had to take a day off from working out. I probably should have taken a day off Tuesday morning. Then I wouldn't have been so sore. But it reminded me of when I started working out and how sore I was all the time. To me that's a reminder that I'm using some part of my body that I don't usually use. I'm getting muscles in that area. I'm OK with that. I need all the help I can get.

Friday is my "fashion show." I'm excited but scared. I don't have to wear shorts. They'll have capris for me to wear under my shorts or I have a pair I'm bringing (in case they don't). I think it will be fun but I've been trying to do extra arm workouts so maybe my arms wouldn't be as flabby. I have a lot of extra skin on my arms, legs and stomach. I know that it will never go away but I'd like to get rid of it somewhat.

So Friday will be TOTALLY out of my element but it will be fun too. I'm looking forward to it...at the same time I'm worried about it. :-) Well just have to see how it goes.