Back on the bandwagon.

OK, so last week sucked, but I'm determined to make some real "strides" this week. So far, I'm staying focused. On Monday, I decided, on a whim, to return to our on-site after work pilates class. It's so convenient, and it'll be nice to switch up training activity a little. I had gone to this same pilates class in the past (actually, I went for about a year and a half before quitting last year when I joined the gym), and it became really clear to me early on in the class how little I've worked certain muscles since the last time I was there. Among all 18 of the women there, I think I was the only one really huffing and puffing. BUT! There was an upside: in my entire year and a half of attending the pilates class--wait, make that my entire life--I have never been able to do a single push-up. Through dance, through gymnastics, through yoga, through good fitness and bad, I've only been able to do those wussie bent knee push-ups. OK, not to knock anyone who can only do those, but when you witness everyone in a pilates class improve over time and move up and on to bigger, better, tough-girl REAL push-ups, it can get a little discouraging. (My point is coming, hang on). Point: I can do them now. Despite not really working my arms these last several months, my body, overall, is getting a heckuva lot stronger. Just from running, I was strong enough to do FIVE real push-ups on the first day of class (I hear some snickers from you, but seriously, this is a mammoth accomplishment for me). Now if I can just get the rest of my pilates muscles in shape ASAP so that the next class isn't as hellish...

No running Monday (or the 8 days before that...), but I did get to the gym after work on both Tuesday and Wednesday (and I plan to go tonight as well). After many days of not running, I think I'd already started to lose muscle mass, and I definitely felt it. I pushed through to 4 miles on Tuesday and 5 on Wednesday, but it was a real struggle. My goal is to do another 4 or 5 tonight and shoot for a longer run on Sunday. We'll see how that goes. I'm kicking myself for slacking off last week, but I've still got 13 weeks to go before the race, so I'm not too worried.

Update: Mom is out. Lil' sister's graduation is the same day as the race, so she can't come. Maybe I can convince her to do another race, like, say, the one in Brooklyn on May 30th--her birthday. Wouldn't YOU like to spend your birthday running 13 miles? Yeah, me too. EE is in though, I think. Who knows about Vaz.