I lost something

I lost something.  I am going to lose more of it.  I don't ever want to find it.  I don't ever want it to find me again! 
I've mentioned several times over the last two years of my world's oldest college student adventure that I have gained weight.  First it was 5 lbs and then 8 and then 10 and then 15.  I'm sure glad that RT school was only 2 years.  I was determined to be back to my pre-college weight by the time I went to Key West.  Well, didn't happen.  I was down 10 lbs but still had more to lose.  I gained 5 while in Key West and that's fine because I was on vacation and it was one big splurge!! My running mileage was down when I was still a part-time student taking my pre-reqs but I was still running more days per week than not.  Once I started the program and was full time, the mileage really went down.  I used to run 25 - 30 miles per week and since RT school began, it's been more like 10 - 12 and sometimes even less than that.  I had to give up Tuesday night running group during the whole winter semester of 2012 due to night shift ICU clinical.  The first half of the fall semester 2012 also involved night clinicals so no running group. 
While I was in Key West enjoying huge seafood meals, huge cookies and daily ice cream I was also seriously thinking about getting serious about the need to lose this college weight.  I knew that February 19th was rapidly approaching.  What's February 19th have to do with anything??  Well, in the summer of 2011 while I was on my short break from classes, my sisters and I had a sister vacation in the upper peninsula of Michigan where our parents live.  My sister-in-law asked me if I'd ever be interested in running the Chicago Marathon!  She grew up in Chicago but has never run the marathon there.  Of course I wanted to run it!!  At the time, it seemed forever away but now here it is approaching registration! 
I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers.  I achieved that many years ago after a weight gain after finishing college (the first time) and entering the real world.  If I remember right, I lost 22 lbs to reach my goal and become a lifetime member.  Not exactly a huge weight loss but enough to join Weight Watchers.  Several months back, a blog that I read called "Runs for Cookies" began talking about Weight Watchers new program called Points Plus.  This woman had lost over 100 lbs over 2 years ago and was going through a rough patch in maintaining her loss even though she had trained for a marathon over the summer.  She went back to following the Weight Watchers plan.  As a lifetime member, I am able to receive the materials for any new program revisions they come out with so I went to a meeting.  I think this was in October or November.  I got the materials for the new program and was following it on and off.  After graduation, I decided to really get going and keep track of my meals and points and it is paying off!  I'm almost back to pre-college weight!  I'm not exactly sure what I weighed as I hadn't weighed myself for a long time.  I just go by how my clothes feel.  I know when it's time to put a halt on pigging out but I was always running 25 - 30 miles per week so that was enough. 
Well, anyway, this Weight Watcher thing has been working and I'm steadily losing the pounds!! I can wear one of the pairs of jeans that I was wearing when I started the RT program, the other 2 fit but they aren't public worthy yet!!  I have a few more lbs to go before I could wear them in public!  I am wearing 2 other pair that I bought somewhere along the way because the others were too tight. 
So, there you have it - my weight loss report!  I know nobody reads this but I feel like now I've admitted my problem, so to speak, and I have to update my progress as time goes by.  I know that it will not be any fun at all in Chicago in October if I don't get the weight off well before the training begins.  I am already noticing some improvement in my running but I am also still turtle slow.  I really want to get back to 9:30 miles being an easy, conversational pace.  Right now 10:30 is not conversational pace, a few words but not conversation.  That's pathetic. 
So, tomorrow is the big day!!  Registration for Chicago Marathon opens at noon Chicago time so 1pm for me and 10am for my California sis-in-law!   I posted on Facebook today and she answered that she is ready to register! 

Runner Nerd
ready to register