Thoughts Coming to Life

I have found a new way to determine that I had been running too hard within too short of a period of time.

This is what my workout schedule has been like since last Wednesday:
Wed - 5.84 mile long run with running club (cleaned out digestive system)
Thurs - lifting in the AM' 5k gravel trail race in the evening - set new PR while outkicking a 14 year old boy to the line
Fri - stationary biking
Sat - 6.66 mile trail race at night over rocky mountain (cleaned out digestive system)

And now, it seems like I have either strained or really tired out by abs from all of that running.  The trail run didn't seem to feel that intense (but then again, adreniline could have surpressed that during the run as I was nervous beforehand) and I also did have chinese food at lunch earlier in the day.  But man, my intestines were not happy on Saturday night... so much so that yesterday, my stomach felt like it was cramping up when I walked a few hundred feet.  Not fun whatsoever.  Still have some slight pangs of those cramps today, but I would like to do some walking at lunch to get something in.  I'm hoping to run next on Wednesday with the running club, and in the meantime try to do some lifting tomorrow.  AKA take it easy.

But man, whoever thought this is how I determine that I'm doing too much running...

Then again, I've been getting complements recently on a) I'm looking like I'm losing weight and b) I'm looking like a stronger runner.  Both of which I feel are true as I am trying to lose weight and I feel like the longer-distance running is getting easier.  But there is no need to kill myself.  I can take a few days easy/off.

So P and I have started on weight watchers in order to adjust our food intake so that we lose some weight.  We're already pretty physically active, but food can just be so darn tempting... P has been involved now for about a month (attending 5 meetings) while I have only been a member for the last week (2 meetings).  

Essentially, one has a daily amount of points they need to consume in order to maintain or lose weight.  The taller you are or the heavier you initially weight, the more points you start off with.  As you lose weight (i.e. more than 5 to 10 pounds), you reduce the number of points to help your body adjust to do more with less food.  Fresh fruits and vegetables have no points, so you can consume those all you like.  Meanwhile, the breakdown of the number of grams of carbs, fat, protein, and fiber determine the points for any other food you consume in a day.

What sucks for me is that I am only about 5 pounds outside of my ideal weight range for my height, so my daily points intake is near the lowest allowed for this diet program.  Seriously, WTF.  Fruits and veggies aren't always that satisfying for my stomach and yet if I eat every time I get hungry, I go over my daily points by 3pm.  Granted in the one week I have been on this program, I have lost nearly two pounds, but I need to seriously reevaluate my food options in order to find satisfying meals/sneaks so that I don't go crazy or cave in to the vending machine while I am at work.  Exercise does help with giving me more wiggle room in a given day, but unless I do 45 minutes of intense working out each day, it won't be enough.

Argh, I hate diets.  But maybe I just have my stomach/cravings even more. Let's see how this works out.

I am still trying to work out that answer in my head.

I like the atmosphere and the potential of work variability.
Downsides are the commute and internet limitations while you're connected to the work server.

Although, work did send out an email to the whole department a few days ago about trying to get more people to telecommute in order to free up more space for new hires.  Granted, they are only making this option more well known to people in order to get more cubicals/offices available for people who live nearby.  But hey, it would save me about 2 hours of driving per day.  I don't know how soon they will make that option readily available as the email was only sent out to find people to help develop a survey about how to best utilize the space in the office... so it could be the end of the summer before something really gets going (just knowing how slow things go on in this office).  If I were to work from home, what kind of incentives would work give me?  Would they help reimburse me if I need to create a home office for me?  Cover some of my internet costs?  A new laptop?  Questions questions questions...

Got reports to write and research for.  Yeah, I am now somehow in charge of organizing a feasibility study when I have never really worked one... hmm... I wonder what work's logic is on that, since they tell me that I am experienced in writing them.  (shrug)  I guess they need some sort of middle-level person to be in charge and I am probably one of the few that is available to take this on for this client (where I have/am already leading a remedial investigation for the same client but for another site).  It is something knew, but I am still trying to get back into office mode... I just hope I am doing this right.  More guidance will come next week.  I got pulled out of doing field work for me to work on this, so I am gratefull.

It seems like that work is trying to pull more of the middle-level people out of the field work or project site management to get them back in the office to work on other reports.  The START emergency response contract with EPA may have originally started as a middle-level contract for people with plenty of field experience (I am talking about 20 years ago when EPA first started such contracts), but it has now turned more into entry-level work.  There are some emergency response specialists who will still be attached to the project, but they don't spend too much time in the field as they are needed to help mentor the other START sites.  I guess with the number of field work hours that are typically associated with these sites, they want to get the cheap people out there.  It wouldn't make too much sense for people who are trying to get professional licenses to be out there as we will ultimately get a high pay rate.

Oh, still no word on the PE exam results.  I still have another month to wait as it is eight to ten weeks before they publish the results.  Seriously, why take so long to give you the results of a bubble-answer sheet test?  I think they like making us squirm.

P seems to think that once I get the PE license that I will be removed from this START contract and no longer have to help with on-call items.  I doubt that.  I will probably still have to do on-calls as they will likely need the people (not by my choice as I hate being on-call) but it will be unlikely I will do much field work unless they really need help.  But who knows.  I'll be more vocal about it once I find out if I pass.

Wow, what a few weeks its been.

First the Penn Relays, and then going back to Franklin Field to help report for Heps (aka Ivy League T&F Championships).  HEAVEN!  Well at least for me.  I could do track and field all day. 

At the Penn Relays, I acted as the main photo editor/compilier for the 2nd year.  I essentially collected all of the photos from the Relay-approved photographers, sorted/organized them by event and photographer, and then uploaded them onto a server so they can be posted online with the results.  It definitely was busy at some times, but this year, I was able to get two other people to help me with the sorting/organizing part.  It looks like I'll be able to keep helping out the Relays in future years as the heads of results/media seem to like the work.  Yay!  To see some of it, check out pennrelaysonline.com and click on one of the various events.

And then this past weekend, I went back into Philadelphia to act as the on-site reporter for the Outdoor Heps championships.  While the main idea was for me to use twitter to give real-time results and happenings, I also took/sorted/organized photos for the main blog and tried to collect some winner interviews.  I was busy and it definitely could have been easier to do it all if there were more volunteers, but hey, I was pretty productive and pleased with what I got (although some people have posted on the blog that my interviewing skills could be improved but that is a private rant post).

But I was able to pull in hubby for some of the Philly fun as we went to the symphony together on Saturday night, making it a full-out date night.  And yes, we did dress up, and I do mean little black dress.  Good Italian dinner to start, a nice symphony performance that had Mozart and Debussy, and then a cookie/ice cream treat to top it off... it was a wonderful date night. :-)  And P was able to get some fun in Philly while I was at the track meet.

Also, no more Hamburg field work for me.  That site has now been officially handed off to someone else.  Today is my first day back in the office after getting things set up in Hamburg for the transition this past month.  Yay, no more soil!  But back to report writing and quickly trying to catch up on this report that they STILL didn't get out the door.  But hey, no more steel-toe boots.

So life is good now.  Yay.  :-)

Penn Relays are this week.  Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek :-)

Me excited.

Me get to help out again this year!

And luckily enough with my long work hours this week, I don't have to put in as much vacation time to enjoy it.  SCORE!  :-)

Sorry I hadn't posted sooner, but hubby and I survived the exam on Friday.  There was indeed much rejoicing on Friday night (yaaaaaaaaaaaaay), considering on how tired and fried we felt after finishing the second portion of the exam.  Now, we wait another 10 weeks to find out the results.  Thanks for all of your support these last few months, particularly as I melted down in LJ a few times.

Boy man, what do I do with all of the extra time I have now?

Oh, get to work back on my site for the rest of the month before transferring it over to someone else.  
And there was more rejoicing (yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!)

Exam day tomorrow.  I'm praying a heek of a lot, but will you please join me in this?  Both hubby and I want to pass this on the first try.  Will update over the weekend on how it went, but results can take up to 10 weeks.

thanks

Only a few more days until the PE Exam.  ACK.

Ok, think positive thoughts... it will be fine... key things is to not panic.  So therefore, I will not be bringing my panic button.

It's not like I do have a panic button... just a mental panic button.  I have had a few of those instances when I tried to do the practice exams when I have started to mentally panic and cry.  I did manage to get over it after sitting back, breathing, and praying (so about 15 minute break) and was then able to finish the practice exam.  I just need to keep in my thoughts that I can control it.

I can't wait for the damn thing to be over though.

Only a few more days...

Life is going.  It's funny on how many little to-do things have been popping into my head but I keep saying "not until after the exam".  Life is just work and study.  At least Easter this weekend (with hubby's sister and son coming into town and us hosting for hubby's siblings) will bring a change of pace.

Studying is going.  I completed a practice exam over the last 2 days.  Got 69 of the 100 questions right, and still had time to spare.  I need to review what I got wrong and be sure to note how the exam writer expected answers to be done, as sometimes phrasing can be confusing.  Only a week and a half to go...

And now I have glasses.  Yep, got a script for them back in February and finally filled them out.  I'm nearsighted in my left eye, which could impact my driving.  Luckily, the glasses are for driving only as my reading is fine.  The odd thing is that when I wear the glasses, my RIGHT eye feels very weird (there shouldn't be a script for that lens) and I feel more negatively impacted by the glasses when I am driving home late afternoon timing (no problems when driving into work first thing in the morning) (and when I mean negative impacted, I mean my right eye feels tight/sore, my depth perception feels slightly off, and the overall visual looks thwarted in some way like i'm looking through some weird force field or whatever...)  Yeah, this is my first experience with glasses and eye prescriptions so I don't know what is supposed to be normal.  I was told by the people who I ordered the glasses from that it is normal to feel a little pulling at first when I am wearing them (I guess it's my eyes adjusting?) so maybe some of the tightness/soreness/aches I feel is from that pulling, but shouldn't I feel that more in my left eye than right?  It is weird.  Any suggestions from people who know glasses better than me?

And I have found my ideal I Heart Radio station: I did a search for Evanescence and got a great range of rock that works for most of my moods.  Yay.  Three Days Grace, Nickleback, Three Doors Down, Evanescence, Lacuna Coil, Seether... nice moody rock. :-)  Hey, some days I need the gothic melodies to influence the brain waves.

Oh, Penn Relays are later this month!  :-)