So Much during the Past Few Weeks

I went off the elimination diet on Christmas Eve and then tried to be more cautious with what I ate. The end of the year holidays got the best of me and I ate things that I shouldn't have. The fact that my body had been cleansed cause me to have a hyper reaction to some foods. I was out of town for the weekend of January 9 and 10, so Adina and I did hills for 1.5 hours in the parking garage the Thursday before. That was the week and weekend of freezing temperatures, so the hill training was a warmer alternative. The week after my trip, which was the week before the Houston Half Marathon proved to be a challenge. I had a migraine on Monday - one of the worst I had had in a long time - again due to the abrupt change in my diet (lesson learned - everything in moderation). Then I broke out with a terrible cold that night (probably because I hadn't taken vitamins for 30 days) and was afraid I would not be up to doing the half marathon on the 17th. The only training I got in was a 30 minute walk on Tuesday morning while I was still functional.

I was feeling better by Friday, so Patricia and Shelley and I went to the Expo together to pick up our packets. We had a really fun time. I had an all day Toastmasters training on Saturday that caused me to be on my feet for most of the day. I went to bed at 8:00pm and surprisingly woke up feeling ready for the day's race.
The weather was fabulous (low 40's) and I ran one of my best Half Marathons - 3:05:48, just 29 minutes longer than my PR in Austin in 2007! I was pretty much by myself (if you consider being surround by 20,000 others, alone) for most of the race. Around mile 7, Helen and I connected and finished the race somewhat together.
I'm looking forward to March 21st when Shelley, Patricia and I do the Seabrook Lucky Trails half. We have vowed to stick together for the whole race which means some of us will be going faster while some of us will slow down - I wonder which!

Patricia and I after the race

Patricia, Me, Jacque and Shelley