The Hangover

This picture of me during the Hoover Dam Half Marathon this weekend pretty much sums up the way I feel about both the race and my weigh-in.  The weekend in Vegas was a blast, and I had fun celebrating my friend's upcoming nuptials with way too many beers and a diet that rarely wavered from the pizza and burgers genre.  Combine that with retaining a bunch of water from the race (I always weigh a few extra pounds for a few days after a race, do you?) and flying, my weigh in yesterday came in at a Halloween-scary number. Here it is:

For those who can't quite appreciate my abstract flash photography, that says 216.3.  I knew it would read high for this first weigh in, but still, EEEEK!  I guess it will just give me a chance to see some good results on 11/15. Still, though, I wish I would have watched it a little bit this weekend. I also wish I would have Windexed my scale before taking this picture.  I don't use much hairspray, but apparently, what I do use is plastered on my scale.

The race itself was fun, but it was the hardest course I have ever run anywhere.  Super steep ups and downs and some rough terrain made for a very slow finish.  Maybe my slowest yet.  In addition, instead of Gatorade or Cytomax, they had world's most disgusting sports drink.  It was called Hammer Heed, and it tasted horrible, and made my mouth so dry that I couldn't even deal.  In the past, I have done all my races carrying my own water/gatorade bottle, but as I have gotten in better shape and less dependent on it, I have loved running without and just depending on the aid stations.  This time, I shoulda had it with me, especially with all the coughing I was still doing.  But, what can you do?  Lake Mead is gorgeous, the dam is amazing, and I'm really glad I did the dam race.  But dam, I suck at steep hills.  I was DRAINED after the first set and ending up going so slow for the rest of the race.  It was more like jog-hiking than road racing.  I would recommend the race for sure, but not if you're looking for a dam PR. Here is a better shot, though.  There were 6 of these dam tunnels (ok, I'll stop now, but it never stops being funny to me) right in a row, and they were super fun to run through. (why do I always look like I'm walking in the pictures?  I know I was running when he took this!)

In other news, although the Vegas partying was damaging to my first weigh-in, it sure was fun.  Here are all the ladies in action on Halloween night.  Yes, that's me, the tall one. We were the Village Ladies. This is one cowgirl who would love to see that double chin disappear any time now.

One thing I learned to appreciate all over again in Vegas?  I am so happy that I will never touch another cigarette in my life.  I thought I was going to die from smoke inhalation.  That is the true sign that you're a real non-smoker, when you think it is the most disgusting thing in the world.  Phew!!! That is my photographic update.  See you all tomorrow after my 4 mile run!

Hit my calorie target today for the first time since Thursday.  Here's to a full week of that.  In addition, I am looking for a good way to add weight training to my cross training days.  Any suggestions for people who HATE weight training?