Thanksgiving & Fourth Sunday Run

I disappeared again!  We hosted fourteen people for Thanksgiving, and planning and prepping for the feast kind of took over life for a few weeks there.  Quick progress report:  I went 19 points over my limit last week, and gained .1 pound.  I was totally cool with essentially maintaining after losing 2.7 pounds the week before, due to being sick.

Like I said, we had a large group for Thanksgiving, and we made waaaaay too much food.  Dave made a ham and a turkey, and other than that the meal was mostly vegan.  Here’s my plate.

Field Roast, bread, sourdough stuffing, braised greens, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes

I won’t show you our dessert spread, because that would just be mean.  I made three desserts, and on top of that we had three types of bakery-bought pie (not vegan).  Considering it was Thanksgiving, I didn’t overdo it too much on food, I don’t think.  What I did overdo it on was drinks.  Dave’s sister made a giant pitcher of super delicious sangria and we had copious amounts of red wine, and I ended up not feeling so well the next day.  Thanksgiving was the first day ever that I haven’t tracked points since joining Weight Watchers; we were too busy and having too much fun to worry about it.  I had leftovers for a few meals and tracked, and boy do those stuffing and mashed potato points add up!

To work off some of those extra calories, I ran a 5K on Sunday, my second 5K.  While looking for races a while back I came across Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders and their Fourth Sunday Runs.  On the fourth Sunday of each month, they host a 5K/10K/15K run around Lake Merritt, officially measured and timed.  It’s a much more casual atmosphere than bigger, more expensive races.  There were probably no more than 100 runners total, and the 5K cost only $5 to preregister for non-members.  It’s fantastic to know that the run is there as an option each month.

When I registered a few weeks ago, my initial goal was to beat my previous 5K time of 38:16.  I’ve been running 2-2.5 miles once or twice a week, and I think I have a better feel for how much I can push myself and how to control my breathing.  My “training” plan was to get two runs in the week before, with a day of rest Saturday.  Of course, that didn’t happen.  We were so busy planning, cooking and cleaning, and then I wasn’t up for it on Friday.  So, as a last ditch effort I ran two miles Saturday and kept an easy pace.

Dave and two friends, Matt and Megan, participated in the race as well!  It was a great feeling to invite people to run and have them participate.  I didn’t expect any of them to run along with me because my pace is still on the slower side, but Megan ran with me for the first half.  I’ve never really run with a buddy, so it was interesting to try to hold a semblance of a conversation while running.  I was definitely breathing more heavily than her!  At the halfway mark I needed to slow down and catch my breath, so she went ahead.  In the end, all my friends beat me!  I finished in 38:54, 38 seconds slower than my first 5K.  Still not bad!  I’m happy I ran it, and I know that next time I’ll need to prepare better if I want to beat my PR.

Monday, 11/28/11

breakfast – tofu frittata (with mashed potato, mushrooms & greens), one slice 21 whole grains bread
AM snack – pear, coffee with soy creamer
lunch – Field Roast Celebration Roast, half an English cucumber, green and red bell pepper slices
PM snack – strawberry soy yogurt
dinner – potato soup with watercress, salad with beets, blue Sheese and red wine vinaigrette, gingerbread biscotti

exercise – 40 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  4
non-existent points used:  2