Skipped my 8 mile run today. So tomorrow is going to have to be a double, if I am going to be able to use Friday as my off-day.

8 miles am, 4 miles pm, 60 minutes weights pm.

Yesterday, 8 miles, 1:02:31! 7:49/mile pace. Outside on the lake path.

Today, 3 miles on the treadmill and 40 minutes of biking. Aiming for about 2000 calories.

It was a great Valentine's Day! Yay!

In running news:
Thursday = off
Friday = 6 miles, hill workout (pyramid style: warmup, 1 min each at 4,5,6/5,6,7/6,7,8/8,7,6/7,6,5/6,5,4% incline at 7.0 with 3 min recovery at 0% incline at 6.6 between each set, cooldown)
Saturday = 16 miles, 2:18:48


In food news:
Thursday = 1735 calories
Friday = 2450 calories (thanks to going out for drinks!)
Saturday = 2010 calories

Today will be 8 miles at marathon pace. Maybe 2200 calories in total?

10 miles yesterday, 1:24:33 (which includes time spent at stoplights during the first 1 and the last 5 miles, a misguided -- and slow-moving -- run through mud, and the fact that I had to climb a fence to avoid a flooded trail). Not bad! And the temperatures hit the 50s, so I got to go out in shorts. It is supposed to be 63 on Tuesday! This mini heat wave is making me incredibly happy. :)

So, since my 10 mile turned into 10 mile pace, I think I am just going to do an easy 7 miles today.

After the gym, I am going to see He's Not Just that Into You with a friend and then out to a restaurant with amazing chocolate desserts with another friend. Pretty girly day -- despite the fact that the latter friend is male.

I am going out for a run today. With my new Garmin 305. IN SHORTS.

I have been told (vague sentence structure!) that I need to keep a food log for this week that includes not only the items that I eat but the times at which I eat them. And I need to hit 2000 calories per day.

So, onwards:

Breakfast, 8:15am:
1. Oatmeal (250)
2. Asian pear (110)

Activity, 9:00am-11:00am:
1. Step class
2. Powerflex class

Lunch, 1:00pm:
1. Easy Mac (220) -- nice, huh?
2. 4 cups spinach with sweet and spicy tuna packet, ff catalina dressing (275)

Snack, 3:00pm:
1. Orange (70)

Snack, 4:30pm:
1. Apple (80)

Dinner at a restaurant, 7:00pm:
1. Split portion of dosai
2. Split portion of eggplant curry
3. 1/2 cup rice

Dessert, 3:30am!:
1. Cookie dough!

Busy, busy, busy. I had a rough 14 mile run on Sunday, thanks to quite a bit of soreness in my knees. (But I felt much better after the Brazilian dinner!) I just did 60 minutes of cross-training yesterday. I am following Hal Higdon's Advanced I training program this time around, but with cross-training on Mondays instead of the short run:
http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/advanced1/advanced1.htm
I am in week 6.

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with banana (350)

Snack:
1. Hot chocolate (120)

Lunch:
1. Tofu (160)
2. Tomato soup (200)

Snack:
1. Apple (100)

Dinner:
1. Turkey meatloaf (400)
2. Spinach salad with light catalina dressing (140)

Dessert:
1. Orange (70)
2. Candied ginger (100)

Activity:
1. Running (60 minutes, 7.06 miles)

I had such a lovely date last night. Hurray! Presumably still in a daze from the goodnight kiss (haha), I forgot to pack socks in my gym bag for this morning. My poor blistered feet never would have made it, so I am doing the 14 miler tomorrow. This actually works out better, as I will be going to an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steak place that night: preemptive calorie burning, in other words.

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey (325)
2. Orange (70)

Lunch (with my mom):
1. Turkey sub with red wine vinegar, lettuce, onion, tomato (350?)
2. Minestrone soup (300?)

Snack:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Dinner:
1. Jr. Cheeseburger from Wendy's (260)
2. Jr frosty (160)

Drinks:
1. Miller light (96)
2. Amstel light x 2 (190)

Later:
1. Tortilla chips (150)
2. Apple (100)

Activity:
1. Running (1 mile, 7:30)
2. Step class
3. Powerflex class

Busy, busy. Up a few pounds, thanks to going out and having fun with friends (and boys!). My size 1s are getting a bit too tight again, which is a sign to eat more cleanly.

(Of course, I have a date tonight at a Cuban restaurant. And my mom is coming down for a visit on Saturday. And I am going out Saturday night. And I am meeting the semi-ex at a Brazilian steak place Sunday night. Whew.)

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal (225)

Snack:
1. Cottage cheese (160)

Lunch:
1. Tofu (160)
2. Mixed greens with vinaigrette (75)

Snack:
1. Baked apple (120)

Dinner:
1. Jibarito!
2. Mexican hot chocolate!
3. Split portion of creme brulee!

Activity:
1. Running (60 minutes, 7.15 miles)
2. Biking (40 minutes, hill program, level 11)

I have a lunch date! I need to hit the gym beforehand, so I am already running late. :)

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey (250)
2. Orange (70)

Lunch:
1. Turkey sandwich with avocado, chili mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sprouts

Dinner:
1. Oat bran cereal (290)
2. Mixed greens with vinaigrette (75)

Dessert:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)
1. Granola bar (180)

Activity:
1. Running (7 miles speedwork: 1 mile warmup, .5 miles @ 8.2/.5 miles @ 6.6 x 5, 1 mile cooldown = 58:39)

Dear (bunnees),

This is to notify you that your entry into the 113th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20, 2009 has been accepted, provided that the information you submitted is accurate.

You can verify your acceptance into the field by searching the 113th Boston Marathon "Entrants" database on the B.A.A. web site, www.baa.org/2009/cf/Public/EntryLists.cfm. Additionally, an acceptance postcard will be mailed to you via US Postal Service mail.

In early April 2009, an official Number Pick-up Card and extensive information regarding the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and related race week activities will be mailed to you via US Postal Service first class mail. If you do not receive your Number Pick-up Card (required to claim number) and brochure by April 11, please contact our Registration Office at registration@baa.org. Registration related inquiries may also be directed to 508-435-6905.

Note that bib numbers will not be distributed on Race Day. Your travel arrangements should take into account picking up your number at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston on Friday, April 17 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., or Saturday, April 18 or Sunday, April 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you in April! Best of luck in your training!

Sincerely,

Boston Athletic Association

Bah. Ate cereal and two granola bars late last night. I was hungry -- but I probably wasn't that hungry. Just bored. But today is a new day!

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with 1 tbsp "better than peanut butter" (200)
2. Banana (120)

Snack:
1. 0% greek yogurt (120)

Lunch:
1. Whole wheat pita with bean dip (280)

Snack:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Dinner (out?):
1. Empanada
2. Arroz con mariscos
3. Beer!

Dessert:
1. Cereal (290)

Activity:
1. Running (4 miles)
2. Biking (30 minutes, hill program, level 11)

Lots of work to do today!

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey (250)
2. Banana (120)

Snack:
1. Two oranges (140)

Lunch:
1. Scrambled egg whites with salsa in whole grain tortilla (260)
2. Spinach with vinaigrette (75)

Snack:
1. Popcorn (130)

Dinner:
1. Greek pizza (450)
2. Sliced tomatoes (80)

Dessert:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Activity:
1. Running (6 miles)

I had such a nice time last night. I met up with the semi-ex (we have lapsed into this easy "hanging out" mode) to watch a movie at his place. Then we picked up another friend and went out for Greek food. Mmmm. This morning, semi-ex and I ran a lot of errands and got some Vietnamese food for brunch. Funny how the weekends always seem so less stressful, even though my work schedule isn't automatically any different!

In other news, I hopped on the scale for the first time in three weeks or so: 139.8.

Brunch:
1. Spicy stir-fried shrimp with onions, red and green peppers
2. 2/3 cup (approx.) steamed white rice

Snack:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Dinner:
1. Mixed greens salad with tuna, sliced orange pepper, slivered almonds, honey mustard vinaigrette (330)
2. Orange (70)

Dessert:
1. Sugar-free hot chocolate (70)
2. Granola bar (140)

Activity:
1. Biking (40 minutes, hill program, level 11)
2. Evil stair-climber (20 minutes, fat burner plus program, level 10)

Pre-run:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey powder (250)
2. Banana (120)

Post-run:
1. Starbucks grande tea latte with skim milk and sugar-free syrup (160)

Lunch:
1. Tomato soup (200)
2. Orange (70)

Snack:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Dinner (out!):
1. "Flaming" cheese and bread
2. 1/2 portion: Tomato stuffed with ground beef, rice, feta, pinenuts, tomato sauce
3. 1/2 portion: Gyros meat with onions and tzazaki sauce
3. Drinks! (2 light beers, 1 mixed drink)

Activity:
1. Running (60 minutes, outside!)

So tomorrow morning is my first run with the training group. The run starts at 8am. According to weather.com, the weather is supposed to be as follows: 6 degrees (feels like -13 degrees), 18mph NW winds. Awesome. I am wearing the following: running tights (and probably a pair of lightweight fleece pants on top), long sleeve tech shirt, fleece zip-up sweatshirt, Nike winter running jacket, two pairs of socks, big thermalite gloves, fleece headband.

This is why I am a treadmill runner at heart -- at least for winter training.

Anyway, the group is scheduled to do 12 miles. Since it is still "zero week" for me, I am going to do 60 minutes instead (a bit under 7 miles, I imagine).

I had a rough day yesterday. And then I totally forgot one of my close friend's birthdays. He even called me to see what I was up to last night. Gah.

Breakfast:
1. Scrambled egg whites with salsa on whole grain tortilla (260)
2. Orange (70)

Lunch (out at Cheesecake Factory!):
1. Lunch-sized Santa Fe salad, no cheese, vinaigrette dressing on the side (650?)

Snack:
1. Orange (70)

Dinner:
1. Healthy request soup (260)
2. Cauliflower (60)

Snack:
1. Popcorn (130)

Activity:
1. Biking (40 minutes, hill program, level 10)

Breakfast:
1. Mini Lara bar (130)
2. Orange (70)

Snack:
1. Yogurt (80)

Lunch:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey powder (325)
2. Banana (120)

Pre-movie:
1. Chicken noodle soup (200)

Post-movie:
1. Buffalo burger with ketchup on whole wheat pita (425)
2. Sliced tomato (50)

Dessert:
1. Baked apple with balsamic (120)

Activity:
1. None!

Okay, back to work. Still a bit sick. I am going to let myself relax with a book and some tea until 10am, go to the running store (new shoes?) and the grocery store, and then come back home to get to work on my paper.

Breakfast:
1. Oatmeal with vanilla whey powder (250)
2. Orange (70)

Snack:
1. Apple (100)

Lunch:
1. Spinach salad with "sweet and spicy" tuna, sliced tomatoes, celery (285)
2. Tomato soup (200)

Snack:
1. Mini Lara bar (110)

Dinner:
1. Buffalo burger with ketchup on whole wheat pita bread (425)
2. Celery (20)

Dessert:
1. Baked apple with balsamic vinegar (120)

Activity:
1. Running (20 minutes, very easy)

So I went online to register for the Boston marathon...and it is already closed! Apparently the race did not fill until late February last year.

Oh well. Looks like I will have more time to recover. Boston 2010, here I come!

I am signing up for Chicago the day it opens, by the way. ;)