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The funny moment, when I got on the scale, saw that number, and got off in disbelief. Weighed myself again, same number.
“Bradley? I think there’s something wrong with the scale. Would you come weigh yourself?”
He does. It’s his correct weight.
Again, I get on and see that same number again.
Hop back off, reset the scale, weigh myself AGAIN and at last I accept that I am only one pound away from my goal of losing forty pounds before I turn forty on October 29th! ONE POUND!
Booty dance!
***
Incidentally, I have run my three best times around Big Loop over my past three runs. I think I see a definite corollary between my speed and losing six pounds in the past few weeks. That is fun to realize! I remember thinking a long time ago that when I hit around 220 running would be so much more fun and easy. It definitely is.

Today I borrowed one of Bradley’s sweaters to wear to the kids’ curriculum night. As if that isn’t enough that it actually fit, my husband’s (who can easily fit a child’s size xl) sweater was too big. TOO BIG! I couldn’t resist talking on and on about how I was wearing my husbands sweater so it just about falls off of me since its just SO big!
Ha ha!
I really wasn’t that much of a weirdo. Mostly those things were all said in my head as I traipsed around my living room, the sweater dropping off my shoulder and dangling down my arm. But I did talk about it to Bradley in that high-school-prom-sentimental kind of way that showed my husband what a big deal this is. He was appropriately admiring of me and understood the significance. Compliments followed while I swooned under his gaze. While wearing his sweater. His big, giant, too-sloppy, sleeves-hang-past-my-fingertips sweater. I would take a picture but I’ve already taken off my bra for the night. I love my readership, but not enough to put it back on for one picture of me in this humongous, gargantuan sweater. (Maybe a little carried away?)
Instead, I’ll placate you with ‘The Sweater’ song (not the one by Weezer). Really. I’m not kidding. Click the link down there!

Remember this song? I’m kinda feeling it. A sample of the lyrics follow…
(lyrics are spoken)
Girls,
I know you will understand this
and feel the intrinsic incredible emotion
You have just pulled over your head the worn,
warm sweater belonging to a boy
Now, you haven’t had a passionate kissing session or anything,
but you got to go on a camping trip with him
and eight other people from school
And you practically slept together,
your sleeping bag right next to his
And you woke in the night to watch him as he slept
but you couldn’t see anything ’cause it was dark
so you just laid there and listened to his breathing
and wondered if your heart might burst
The sweater has that faintly goat-like smell
which all teenage boys…
Just watch the video.
Meryn Cadell – The Sweater

Today I measured my 201st mile since I started tracking my mileage! It is so impressive to me that I’ve run well over 200 miles since March!*. Who would have thought I’d be talking about having run over 200 miles in six months? Not me, for sure. (pats self on back then gets down from her podium.)

-one more thing: I did not look like that in those exercise clothes a few months ago.
I was right about my students- they’re dreamy and awesome. I’m looking forward to a great year in both my career and weightloss. The former certainly effects the latter! I know I’m going to be 225 by my birthday. I’m consistently 228-230 these days, which is a wonderful shift from 232-236! It’s funny how a schedule makes all the difference in the world for me.

*There’s a fair number of hikes and runs that didn’t make it into my Strava tracker for one reason or another.

This summer I want to…
– End with my weight in the 220′s
Another goal met!

Sometimes I have to remind myself why I have this blog. It’s not just to share my charming personality with the masses. I know, you’re surprised, right? Beyond that, it’s not just to talk about my ‘journey’. Especially since I never ever call it ‘my journey’ because it skeeves me out for some reason. I call it my ‘body project’ or ‘weightloss project’ or ‘health project’ because that’s not awkward sounding at all.
Anyhow, I have this blog so I can brag. Well, not brag, so much, as have a place that holds me accountable. The place I report to. The place I go to shout madly and blindly into the wind the things that scare me, thrill me and make me proud!* Where I head to when I don’t want to be that guy on Facebook who reports each and every run to their circle of friends because it adds that extra cherry on top to be able to tell someone after you’ve done something that makes you feel really healthy and good.
Boy, now that I have all the pomp and circumstance out of the way it seems silly to share this brag. Ha ha!
I got on the elliptical and promised to stay on until the Biggest Loser ended. I thought I had about 20 minutes of my most recent episode but, no. I had 45 minutes left. Because I am impulsive and just HAD to finish the episode, I stayed on for all 45 minutes and burned a stunning 890 calories!!!!!
Also…
Today was day number two back to school. It felt really good to get my first two weeks all planned out and my room squared away. I’d like to brag that I have worked and worked out heartily both days – weights AND cardio. Boom!
*
I have no idea how many people read this site. I have no analytics and the comments are difficult for readers to access (you have to click over to the article page.I’m working on it.).

Today I woke up at 6:30, crawled out of bed, rubbed the bleariness from my eyes and woke my kids up to head to the Color Me Rad 5K (the race where you are pelted with color while you run, ending up with a colored shirt and body by the time you cross the finish line). This is the race that motivated me to get my rear end moving so I wouldn’t be humiliated by needing to walk the whole thing… My motivation to train! My extra reason to get out and run 3+ miles a few times a week! Turns out, I needn’t have worried. This was definitely a fun run with lots and lots of people who started out walking or were walking by the end of the first half mile AND it was untimed! Relax, right?! But it was all worth it.

I was fortunate enough to amass a small team. We were called ‘Pink Shazam’ and we ran with two of my former students and their moms. Sorry about the photo editing.
It turned out great because cool mom #1 and I seemed to be at about the same pace. Cool mom #2 kept up with the boys while CM#1 and I kept chugging along from the rear. Gigi took off like a rocket and kept going. After the first quarter mile or so I didn’t even see her anymore!

I was really proud of our team. Every one of us ran the entire time, never stopping once to walk or anything. Our mile times ranged from 10:56-11:37, which was nice, consistent pacing for me. Our total time was about 36 minutes. While not competitive, necessarily,it was very satisfying. This totally goes down in the books as a success. I had a fabulous time getting really dirty!
At the end of it all, our wave stood in a circle, burst colors and danced about. Terribly fun. I can’t wait to do it again next year! And get this- Jude wants to run next time! We will start the training soon!

I haven’t done one of these in a while. I like seeing these things
There aren’t HUGE changes or anything, but it’s fun to compare and contrast. I just am noticing that I’m a wee bit smoother, my boobs are definitely shrinking… I’m just kinda less.. Lumpy, I suppose. I’ll take it.
I’m not so much losing weight right now, but I am seeing a lot of change in my tone and skin shrinkage. I’m liking that pretty much as much as I like losing pounds!

I took this picture today. I know, we ladies are really good at selfies, but sheesh! I get surprised at that chick who keeps smiling back at me in my camera. I get surprised because it’s me and I think that lady looking back at me is really, well, dare I say it? Pretty. (moment of wearing my heart on my sleeve here). I see myself and think I’m pretty. I know, I know, I have always been beautiful inside and out, blah blah, blah and I’m doing this for my health, blah blah blah, but just for a moment, I’m going to let myself look at my own image and see the self that is emerging as pretty. What a nice thing to think about myself. Vanity- it’s a toughie for me.
So what’s a girl to do who thinks she might be pretty? If she is a total dork like me she puts that theory to the test by putting headphones on and earnestly lipsyncing NKOTB songs in the mirror to herself to see if she would look weird or ok if she were a celebrity and the paparazzi was determined to get one of those horrible pictures of someone in mid-speak… You know the ones. So here I am, really sharing my soul with you here…

If there was any question of whether I’m too pretty or too cool or in any danger of me losing my dorky girl status… Well… I think we’ve solved those quandaries.

Today I ran five miles.

Five Miles
If we want to get technical (which I do) I actually ran 5.2 miles.
I feel good!
Maybe I’ll celebrate with a midlife crisis concert tonight. Yes. Yes I will.
Get ready, Donnie, Jordan, Jon, Joey Mac and Danny. I’m curling my hair and I’m on my way!