Jog vs. Run

It has been 12 days since Thanksgiving, and that hurdle is behind me. There were the traditional appetizers and drinks available, and I think I sampled a little of everything, but I'm still within my maintaining weight range. For the last couple days, I've been just about 178. Not bad considering this is such a snacky time of year for me. I love my hot chocolate, and sometimes a little Bailey's in my coffee. :-)
But honestly, I am really looking forward to the first of the year. I've decided that if I can lose 80 lbs in about 7+ months, I can certainly lose another 15-20 during the first few months of the new year. I just want to hit that 165 mark, and then I'll be happy. The lowest I've been during this process is 173, and I've since bounced up and down between that number and where I am currently. Between now and the first of the year, I'll just maintain, and continue to watch and count my calorie intake, but not stress too much. Come the first of the year, I'll resume the plan that helped me lose 80+ lbs. I am looking forward to it. I like the feeling of being in control that comes with knowing what I'm eating, and how it shapes my body.
Yesterday, I went to they gym with Bunna. He has his routine of running, then lifting, then running, and sometimes running with dumbbells.
I got on the treadmill, and because they now have small tvs above two of the treadmills, I can totally get into my cardio!
We got there yesterday at 9 am, and that is the perfect time for television watching! I love my Price is Right! I did 20 minutes on the elliptical, and then another 30 on the treadmill watching Drew Carey on my game show. Yesterday, the goal was to see if I could actually run without back pain, and I managed to go only about 60 seconds before my lungs were burning. My back seemed fine though.
Today, we got there at around 9:15 am, and I parked myself on the treadmill right away. I watched the Price is Right, and told myself that during the commercials, I would raise the speed and try running/jogging again. This time, I went a solid 3 minutes!
I think the difference was that yesterday, I had my "run" speed set for 6.5, and today, I slowed my "run" speed down to a mere 4.6 mph. It really made the difference. I wasn't pushing too hard, and I didn't get winded. But after being on the treadmill for about 30 minutes, my ankle and hip started aching. Probably dehydrated, I think. So next time I'll make sure I drink plenty before I go to the gym. I did finally finish after 48 minutes, and 2.5 miles. Not a record-breaking speed, but it's a start.
All in all, getting to the gym and trying out my abilities was a good motivator. I can see myself being more of a runner now that I'm at a manageable weight. But... "runner" is such a strong word. I think I'll stick with "jogger". It sounds more me.