It's 'facebook official.'

I have a boyfriend.  He's really cool and thinks I'm cool and I think we're cool together.  On the blog I'll refer to him as B.  I'm still not exactly sure when the best time will be to show him the blog.  I thought about it yesterday and went back to peruse my previous months' posts. 

It was a whole lot of this:

Paleo, paleo, I heart paleo, paleo is the devil within me, dysfunctional relationship with food, paleo is awesome, exercise, exercise, exercise, more about how paleo makes me nuts, etc.

Now, this blog is titled "Genuine Efforts: Attempts at healthy living" so writing about my weird love/hate relationship with Paleo, food, exercise, CrossFit, binging, running, and how awesome I am on any given day fits the theme here in my own corner of the internet. 

But I don't like that this place has become kind of whiny and redundant.  So, I'm going to make some new goals for this blog.  Starting on Sunday (because I can only start something like this on the first day of the month, January 1, or a Sunday!!) I'm going to make a point to post everyday for a month about things I like about myself, things that I do well, and other general accomplishments.  Firstly, this will be good because it will shift the tone of this blog from one of exorcising my demons to one that focuses on how and why I do good things for myself.  Second, I think writing like this will be more fun and fulfilling and I think that when I do decide to introduce B to my blog it will feel positive and overall more balanced.

Also, I've been feeling really crafty lately (in a Martha kind of way, not in a Wiley Coyote kind of way) so maybe I'll also be posting pictures of things I make.

It'll be a good kind of change.

Running in Central Park

The blog has been quiet because I have been busy.  I spent two weeks traveling the northeast with my parents.  We went to New York City, Newport, Norfolk, Boston, and Colonial Williamsburg.  It was busy and didn't leave a ton of time for structured exercise, beyond all the walking. 

But I did get to have an awesome run in Central Park.  I ran a 5K in 36:52.  I thought that was pretty respectable for not having run in the six weeks before.  I didn't know much about the paths in Central Park before I got there so I just planned on following other runners to get an idea of where I could run and what I should avoid.  Runners are cool like that.

So, I see a group of runners and decide to follow them.  I get into the groove and I'm having a good time and all of the sudden I see people on either side of us wearing green t-shirts saying things like "Way to go" or "You're doing great, keep it up." 

Turns out I had joined a race!  I love races.  They are a great atmosphere; everyone running in them wants to be there.  I kept going with them, ran through the finish line, they even shared their water with me despite the fact that I didn't have any numbers.  Then I finished up my 5K.

I had a great time.  The park was beautiful and everyone was in a good mood.  It was a Saturday morning so the park was closed to cars and the weather- an unusual cold front that kept the mornings in the 60s- made the run amazing.

Only downside: the next two days I hobbled around because my stupid foot gave me such trouble. 

Things with the young man are still going well.  I told him about the blog but asked him to not to read it yet.  When I'm ready for that then it will happen.  I'm really trying to take things slowly and deliberately and not just rush through everything because of how good it feels.  It's a challenge. 

Actually, it's really hard not to try and manipulate things to go faster.  There are two things working in my favor: this young man treats me better than anyone ever has before.  Really, if this doesn't work out then he has spoiled me for someone else.  The second thing working in my favor is that I have decided to let him- as much as I can- dictate the pace of the relationship.  So far this is working out really well.  It has led to some occasional confusion on my part but overall I am satisfied with this decision. 

Slow and steady?  No: slow and with purpose.

Something new

Okay, so I just haven't had that much to say around here lately.  I mean, without a race or event to train for there's just less to think about: I go to zumba, to CrossFit, and now to hot yoga (for the summer).  I've basically retired my running sneakers for the summer minus the running at CF or if I get the occasional inspiration to head out the door. 

I've also had a bit of a logistical issue with the blog.  I've started seeing someone and wasn't exactly how or if I should introduce him to my little corner of the internet.  As of yet, I'm still holding back.  I'm not ashamed of anything I post here; most of it I am incredibly proud of, some of it is bittersweet, but showing him the blog seems a bit....

intense?

I'm not hiding anything but I do want to hold back a bit and take my time.

But I did promise any readers I have left that I had an announcement:

I joined Weight Watchers.

Now I've lost somewhere between 60 and 65 pounds on my own and that's a serious accomplishment but at the same time that's just it: between 60 and 65, meaning I'm swinging back and forth those 5 pounds and not losing any more.  I just thought I needed some structure and I already think that going in to weigh is a benefit for someone like me who does not do well with anonymity when it comes to reaching goals.

Accountability helps me.

So I will be posting more about WW, their new Points Plus system, WW vs. Spark People, and anything else that I find awesome.

I believe in fairytales and serendipitous encounters.

PS- oh, and I love power squats.  Like, really: love.  Love, love, love.

chirping...

::crickets::

Can you hear them?

I don't have much to say this week but I promise something is just around the corner and it's exciting.

Week Workout Recap

This post is mostly for my own records...

Sunday- Gulf Coast Half Marathon
Monday- Rest Day
Tuesday- CrossFit
Wednesday- Zumba and CrossFit
Thursday- CrossFit
Friday- Zumba and CrossFit
Saturday- 3.1 miles (36:40)

Gulf Coast Half Marathon Recap

This picture is pre-race,and yes, we're both wearing lipstick for a race.

On Sunday morning my friend Avni and I woke up at 430 and got ready for my second half-marathon, the Gulf Coast Half Marathon in Pensacola.  It was Avni's first.

13.1 more miles. 

The race was great overall.  I didn't get the time I was hoping for but I did have a great time.  This race reminded me of Springtime Tallahassee in that it was very communty supported.  We ran through a lot of neighborhoods and people were out there cheering us on and that means a lot to me.  That's what I love about the running community.  One woman was even offering shots of rum from her driveway.  Another woman let me use her restroom in her house.  Like I said: community supported.  Also, all of the water spots were sponsored by different businesses on the island and each had a different theme so one water station was Greek/Roman themed, another was 80s hair metal bands, another was a Jamaican party.  That station even had food which was awesome because the race couldn't promise food at any of the stops so when a different water stop had orange slices it was just awesome.  Essentially people/businesses just bought this stuff themselves, cut it all up, and offered it to 2000 strangers.  I just love that about local races. 

After the race there was food and drink for runners and their people.  Publix was one of the sponsors so they brought in a ton of bakery cookies.  Land Shark was another sponsor so there was plenty of that too.  The only thing I couldn't really understand was the main food option: beans and rice.  I think it was from Moe's.  I'm sorry, but when did rice and beans become post race food?  This is my second half marathon and neither event had what I considered to be the most basic of all post race foods: the bagel.  Bagels are delicious.  They are chewy simple carbs that I don't let myself have that often and it is the the only thing I want after I run more than 6 miles.  The only thing.  At the Disney race they gave us hummus, crackers, edamame, and gummies.  No bagels.  I was so frustrated by this.

The rest of my post Sunday events involved me trying to find a bagel.  Avni and I went out to eat afterwards but we missed breakfast by 30 minutes and I tried repeatedly to get a bagel but was denied at every turn.  I had to wait until I got back to Tally.  Good grief.  I know this seems silly- it's just a bagel.  I know that.  But really, rice and beans?  Hummus? Who thinks these are good ideas after you've run 13 miles? 

I know who thinks like this....

People who don't run 13 miles.

This year in words.

About a year ago I was writing about the 2011 Springtime Tallahassee 10K.  I was worried that I'd be last.  Springtime Tallahassee 2012 was last weekend and I didn't run it.  Instead, I ran the Warrior Dash. 

It's really been a busy year.

I ran Springtime Tallahassee.

I climbed a mountain.

I embraced Hot Yoga.

I ran a Turkey Trot.

I passed my comps exams.

I joined CrossFit.

I subsequently fell in love with CrossFit.

I ran my first half-marathon, the Disney Princess.

I ran a Warrior Dash.

Sometimes it is hard for me to keep things in perspective.  I only remember the most recent fact that my last two longer runs were horrible.  

But look at that list.  It's hard not to be proud of my accomplishments when I add them all up like that. 

Really, this has been a pretty awesome year. 

Next Sunday I have another half-marathon.  Yesterday's 10 miler was really hard.  I basically threw in the towel with frustration- why would my body not do what I told it to do?  I was exhausted and today I was in some serious pain.  I keep reminding myself that if I evaluate the my whole progress one (or two) bad run doesn't really matter.  I look at everything and one bad training run isn't the end-all of my experiences. 

It's like one meal in a year's worth of eating.  A few bad meals- even a lot of bad meals- do not determine my overall success or worth.  Neither does one workout dictate my overall value as an athlete. 

It is not the individual pieces of my efforts but the sum of the whole that evidences my acccomplishments.