Exercise vs. nutrition

I'm more convinced than ever that it's what you put in your mouth, not how much you exercise, that makes the biggest difference in weight loss.

I've been tracking my food religiously again and reporting to Tiffany. I already feel my clothes getting looser again. Even though I haven't been doing much exercise (except for that half marathon on Sunday, of course).

What a bizarre world I now live in where semi-running a half marathon is a parenthetical observation.

Half marathon aftermath

Today was no problem. I half feared I'd be limping along after the half marathon yesterday, but my whole Don't Kill Yourself philosophy meant that I'm completely recovered.

More on my silly eyes: I occasionally have the allergic attack I had during the race from other things as well, things like pollen or when I'm around cats. I've had to pull over when it hits while I'm driving; fortunately, it doesn't happen often and I've always had a warning.

One of the reasons I don't wear contact lenses has to do with how irritated my eyes get relatively easily. My son wears contacts, and he can put them on right out of the shower. I was never able to do that; it takes a least an hour after a shower for my eyes to stop looking red.

Malibu half marathon race report

Gosh, half marathons are so much easier when you've actually trained for them.

And when it's not in the upper 70s with no shade.

And when they're not full of giant hills.

But I'll quit whining now.

Good things that happened:

1) I had temporarily misplaced my sunglasses, but I found them this morning. It would've been that much harder without sun protection.
2) There was a temporary scare that the car was towed. Fortunately, my friends (my ride!) located it, so they didn't have a huge fine to pay and Paul didn't have to drive out to Malibu.
3) I enjoyed the route tremendously.
4) I wore a skimpy (for me) top, and I managed to not get any sunburn.

Not-so-good things that happened:

1) I wore too much clothing on the bottom. I would've been so much less hot in the shorts or a running skirt.
2) Sunscreen dripped into my eyes, effectively blinding me (I think I have a sensitivity) for miles 2-7. 

This is the closest I've had to a racing disaster -- with the heat, the hills, the lack of training and the sunscreen-in-the-eyes incident -- but it wasn't all that bad.

I don't know my time yet. I know it was over 3 hours, which is no surprise considering the course.

Interesting people on the course included people doing it in Vibram Five Fingers shoes, one barefoot guy, one guy wearing a bodysuit with skeleton bones all over it.

The race, like all of Malibu, has a pretty mellow thing going on.

There was an odd little turnaround where people could've cheated by turning around prematurely (there was no tracking system at the end). I only saw one guy do so -- and my friends saw a young woman do it as well.

Two guys watching along the side of the road were smoking pot.

I would do this race again, although I'd prefer to be better trained, of course. I probably ran only about 8 miles, maybe less. The rest of the time I walked -- up the big hills and while my eyes were acting up.  I do plan on using the race as an opportunity to get back on track. I have to see about doing the L.A. marathon again.