Changing priorities....

Two things happened during marathon training. One - my well documented flop on the 18 mile run that was the valley of my short running career and two - I gained weight.

Along with getting back to 'fun' running, I am also getting back to a stricter eating plan. I am still right at my official Weight Watchers goal weight, but that isn't where I want to be. I can already see the potential for being comfortable with that weight and then slowly being comfortable with 5 more pounds and 5 more pounds.... all the way back to my pre-WW physique.

This week I am doing two things to combat this:

1) Going back to strict point counting. Even though I can pretty much run on auto-pilot, I think the practice will be good for me and help me catch the extra calories I am not paying attention too. Nutrition labels beware! I am back on the point calculating bandwagon.

2) Changing up my exercise plan. I am going to run, but I want to run less and add in some alternate forms of exercise. I think I will run four days a week and cross train two days a week. I hope to do yoga AND some cardio on Tuesdays. That will be a challenge because it will require me to get out of bed early and hit the gym before work on Tuesdays. On my runs, I hope to run Mon, Wed, Friday & Sunday. I am going to shoot for 7 miles on Mondays and Fridays, a 5-6 mile tempo run on Wednesdays and a slow 7-12 miles on Sundays.

My goal is to be back down to my early October weight by mid to late February and then hold there through the summer.