Another Month Goes By...

The last week of February is here, I know it is the shortest month but this year it was definitely shorter than usual! In saying that I feel like I have made the short time worthwhile. I am back in the routine of running again and have chosen my next half marathon! In 3 and a half weeks I will be running the Wicklow Half Marathon. I had been thinking about starting to look for one to join but was pretty daunted by the idea of commiting to one on my own. Next thing I know an email goes around the office saying a few people are signing up and asking people to join in!  

I did toy around with the idea of saying no, all sorts of excuses went through my head. Then I realised it was what I had been waiting for. I have nothing to lose by signing up, but everything to gain. Because its so soon, my focus is not to improve my time on the last half marathon but to get myself back to where I was with my running. As long as I finish it I'll be happy. The next 3 weeks will be full focus. 100% proper eating and cutting out the drinking (just when we stocked up on wine for the apartment).  I won't be skipping any more of my training runs, while I have been more consistent throughout february I am still making excuses. 

While things have been going pretty well running wise, food has been another story. I have lost my discipline and have been gaining weight instead of maintaining over the past few weeks. The last weekend away has pushed me over the edge and I am over 11 stone again on the scales. I was in the Brooklodge and pretty much spent the weekend eating AMAZING food. We had planned on getting out and walking but it pretty much lashed rain the entire time we were there. I wouldn't change a second of it, but its going to take a few weeks of serious discipline to balance it out. I also  noticed the extra running has made me a little lax in my evening eating, throwing in an extra treat, or having a beer with my dinner. My weekday base meals and snacks are all planned and tracked is just the I am forgetting to track the bites I eat while cooking dinner, or while choosing what treat to have after. I am also not tracking my weekends at all. Once 5pm Friday hits it seems to be a bit of a free for all. 

I don't want to go back. I need to remind myself again and again how it felt to be overweight and unhealthy and to know that feeling is so much worse than putting in a little bit of effort and restraint continuing the healthy lifestyle I worked so hard to get!