First week down with heart rate training and diet

       First week of heart rate training almost done. I have run two runs and am going on the third run tonight. I am impressed by what it is doing for fellow runners so have decided to do it too. Not as a copy cat thing but when you see results with something it makes sense to give it a try. So now I am becoming one of those "Special" people who argue with my heart rate monitor as it beeps and I can't run that little hill i know I could take. But just like everything I have done thus far putting in the work will pay off. And I will be a better athlete because of it.
       I decided to set my heart rate at 135 as the math stated to subtract my age from 180 so that is 137. Then it said to take away 5 if I had not run very long or had recently gotten hurt and add 5 if I had run longer. So since it has been 2 years now but I did get recently hurt I decided to settle on 135 which was 
kind of in between. It's okay if the math isn't perfect. It is a good number and I am doing pretty good staying under it. I have to walk a few times but I think I will get used to the pacing and then my watch won't have to argue with me so much! 
       I feel now that I am back to running regularly and have decided the 50K is back on the table now it is time to get serious. 6 months passes in the blink of an eye and the stuff I am reading about Flatrock is it is a B*^$@ of a course...like "wear a helmet" hard. But also the GREATEST thing I will ever have done.....so far.

Another thing I am doing..........which this is crazy...is giving up sugar and flour for 40 days. I hope I can do it because I love, love, love sugar. In fact I have had headaches from sugar cravings this week. But I am staying strong thus far and know from past experience that if I just hang with it (ahem...quitting smoking) the really sucky parts will get gradually better and the habit will go away. Just have to get through the sucky parts first. I was eating far too much junk and if I am to be a true distance athlete I must adopt a mentality that may be slightly off course for a lot of people. Be strong! Just say NO..to breads and sugar.

I DID go in Bakehouse today and I DID NOT eat a cupcake even though I had to divert my eyes. Oh i love cupcakes.
   Won't it be great when I am even healthier and can say I no longer eat crappy food at all?? Maybe will happen..maybe I will cave. I hope I don't. I hope I can be strong like my strong friends and give it up and give this a real go because I see how all this training and nutrition plan is really making a difference for people. I want to be an ultra marathoner. And not just once but hope to do it a few times. Maybe a 50K this year, maybe a 50 mile next? Just have to see.


Okay...time to get ready to go out and run.