Work Conference & 16 Mile Run

Last week I went to Atlanta for classes related to my job.  The classes were 4 days.  Included in the price was all-you-can-eat food from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Not good for someone trying to maintain and/or lose weight!  We got a breakfast buffet (3 rows of breakfast foods and pastry), unlimited snacks all day, and 3 rows of lunch buffet.  We had to get our own dinner. 

The food was actually really delicious!!  Another problem!  But the good thing was, they had healthy options too, such as fruit, salad, oatmeal, veggies.  But tons of other bad food too: burgers, pizza...one day was Italian food, one day was Chinese food.  Well, you get the picture.

I started out every day pretty well.  Oatmeal and fruit or an egg white omelet and fruit.  Lunch started good with salads, as lean of a protein and I could find, veggies, maybe more fruit.  But by Wednesday, I HAD to try a burger (because I heard they were delicious, and they were).  I had a little dessert one day (they had their own dessert row too!!).

Even with the healthy food, my stomach was screaming the whole time I was there.  I was definitely eating more food than normal, even if it were healthy. 

I drank tons of caffeine:  hot tea and diet coke were favorites!  Also not good for the stomach.

I did manage to get most of my running in on the gym treadmill.  I got 4 miles in last Tuesday and did 6 miles on Wednesday.  The 6 was supposed to be 8 miles but I couldn't bare to be on that treadmill another minute!  When I got home Thursday night, I did my other 4 miles for that day!

I decided not to step on the scale when I got back.  Added sodium among other things would make it show I gained about 10 lbs and that would not help me one bit!  I decided to wait a week before I stepped on the scale.  Well, I waited until this morning instead and stepped on it just to see where I was at.  I may be up only a pound, not quite sure.  I'll take it!

In other news...

I had to run 16 miles last weekend.  The longest I've ever run was half marathon distance (13.1).  I knew a month ago that I wouldn't be able to run on the day that I normally run with my training group.  I arranged it so that I would go with my personal trainer.  He said he would do it. 

Well, low and behold, on Thursday he hurt his back.  So he needed to take some time to recover.  I was freaked out!  I didn't think I could do 16 miles by myself!  That's a long time and sometimes the negative thoughts in my head take over!

I started trying to find someone to run with me, at least some of the distance.  Maybe my cousin could run the last 4 (that's better than nothing), but he had plans that day.  I emailed my hairdresser because she has a running group but she didn't respond in enough time.  My last ditch effort was to send an email to MY running group (why didn't I think of that before). 

One person responded.  I wasn't sure who he was but I know I run with him (I haven't talked to everyone in our running group). 

It turned out perfectly!  We met early on Sunday morning.  He had placed water and gatorade every 1.5-2 miles along the course for us so we could still have our water stops. 

Turns out, he is in his 50's.  He ran his first marathon in 2007 at the age of 53 and has run a total of 9 marathons since 2007!!  Wow!!

Even though 16 miles is a long time and it was hard (especially those last 3 miles), it went by incredibly fast.  We talked to each other the whole time!  He seemed equally glad that I sent the email out because he also would rather not run alone. 

My IT band is holding up ok.  There was just a slight pain on my 16 mile run but not much.  I'm trying to stretch and use the foam roller and hoping it doesn't get worse.  It seems ok for now. 

This weekend is a cut back week for our long run, it's "only" 12 miles.  But the following weekend is 18 miles!!  2 weeks after that is 20 miles!!  Then Oct 9th is the Marathon!  It's getting so close!  I can't believe it!  I've got a nervous excitement going on right now!