I find I compose posts while running... And promptly forget them as soon as I get home or step off the treadmill. But they're always brilliant, I promise.

Tuesday I met with my trainer, which involved the usual sets of sit-ups, 30-45 second planks, twists, squats, and pull-ups, which are our latest project. I can now do three, so long as you provide me with a ten second break between each one. Still, for a girl who a year ago would hang from a bar, pull desperately and get nowhere, I think it's pretty damn good.

Wednesday I had my schedule messed up by being called into work two hours earlier than expected. I therefore ran off to the gym at 8:30, which is a bit early for me... I really do best after 10:00 am. I got through twenty minutes on the treadmill, and ended up doing the last 25 on the elliptical as I never really managed to find my pace. Probably should not have given up so quickly, but at least I got the full workout in before going to my first day at my new store and realizing that my manager was not lying about us being crazy busy.

Thursday was my best run of the week. I ended up at the gym at about 3:00pm, did a five minute walk warmup, and then another ten minutes at 5.1 mph before kicking the speed up to 5.6 for five minutes, then down to 5.2 for five, and up to 5.7 for five, down to 5.3, up to 5.8 down to 5.4 and then up to 6 for three minutes, and then 6.5 for a minute and 7 for my last minute. Ok, so not super fast compared to what many people can run at, but I finished 4.14 miles in 45 minutes which is the fastest and farthest I have ever run. What's more the whole thing felt awesome. The entire run took place in that perfect tingly, happy, 'I feel like I'm flying' state of being. That awesome adrenaline rush at which point I am absolutely positive that I can make it down to 150/140 lbs. That all this weight wont come back on because how could it when I feel SO good about myself right now? Running makes me feel powerful and capable, and proud of myself. I love being able to say "I am a runner."

A caveat to close this entry from a recent event: last week I decided that my old running shoes were dead. I've had them for three years, I have been running 15-20 miles a week in them for the last six months, therefore all the padding and support was gone. So the boyfriend and I decided to go down to the local running shop, you know one of those places where they look at how you walk and give you the best shoe? Anyway, we get there, I tell the guy I'm looking for running shoes. He does the usual foot-examining thing and then before he goes to get shoes he turns and asks me, "so is this just a casual, occasional running thing?" As if a person of my size could hardly be a serious runner. Could hardly have the goal of finishing a marathon by the end of next year. I shook my head, no, and informed him I run about 20 miles a week at this point, not much compared to some, but enough to need a good running shoes, because I am a runner.