If you run to lose weight, check out this month's Runner's World!

I often say my goal with running isn't to lose weight, but it's certainly a welcome side effect! I take this approach because if I focus too much on the scale I get discouraged really easily and don't enjoy running. Instead I focus on meeting goals I set for myself based on my current fitness level. For example: next week's half marathon. Wow - it's next week! (Small moment of panic)

Anyhoo, just because I don't focus on the scale doesn't mean others follow my philosophy. For those of you who are in this for weight loss (and let me say, good for you!!), I highly suggest this month's Runner's World (April 2011). It details 8 golden rules of weight loss while running. I won't go into too much detail, but I found them to be sane, realistic, and absolutely doable. I also found I had incorporated many of these rules in my own life already because when you run significant distances suddenly fueling your body is a top priority. Rex can tell you all about the low blood sugar issues I've dealt with. Not pretty...Just for this and the fact that he's never once complained about my time-consuming long runs (and has been nothing but encouraging), he's the best husband ever! He'll read this and say "duh"!

Btw, bananas make the best pre-run fuel and mid-day snack! At least they do for me. I'm trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies in my diet and bananas are an easy way to do that.

On a quick training note, I had to run in my neighborhood last night and I remembered why I quit doing that. The hills are just too much. My ankle did something funny and cracked painfully about a third of a mile in, so I cut it short to just 1.66 miles. It's better now, so I'm not sure what it was but the wind was brutal too. That served as a reminder that even with a "bad" run, at least I got out and tried! Don't beat yourself up over less than perfect runs. Even the pros don't have awesome runs every time they hit the pavement - that's why it's called training :)