To run in the Princess Half Marathon or not?

I've been crazy busy at work and not able to post but I completed my first week in the 8K training program I've started and I was feeling SO PROUD of my accomplishments. I just knew I was going to drop at least 2-3 lbs this week. I could feel my body shrinking but then....0.8lbs.  I know this sounds really screwed up but I do not want to train for a half marathon at the expense of not getting to my goal weight. I've been reading about other people increasing their workouts and the duration and their weight is the same. That is just not acceptable to me.  So I'm looking for input on this.  I want to reach 160lbs and I am SO NOT interested in maintaining my weight at this level.  I'm getting frustrated because I have been up and down for SEVERAL weeks now. My consultant gave me a plan and she even told me she was going to contact the nutrionist to consider my calorie level(currently 1700) due to my 6 days a week of workouts. I've also added the FIRM again which is aerobic weight training. I've been doing those workouts since the late 80's and I know that weight training can cause waer retention for your muscles in the beginning. Not working out is not an option but I wanna get out of these 200s. It's getting old you know?  I also want to focus on life changes and that includes running in races(5K and even up to a half) but I also want to reach my goal weight. Is that too much to ask? I don't think so. I just have to find the right combination to get that scale moving again. I stuck to the program like glue this week and I actually cried during my consultation today. This means a LOT to me so i know it may seem like I'm being a drama queen but I feel like with all that has gone wrong that I couldn't control this is the one area i can do something about and when it looks like the progress is ....well at a snails pace I get nervous about throwing in training for a half marathon. At the end of the day by March of 2009 I'd love to be celebrating being at my goal weight AND running a half marathon. HELP people. What has been your experience? To train or not to train that is the question but I want to reach my goal weight--bottom line!

Oh man...

that's a tough one!!

We've known each other quite awhile now, and you know when I started running last October I just stopped losing weight.  In fact, I've actually put on about 5 lbs in the last couple of weeks since I started running more.  Now, it could be because I'm doing my own food and not really counting calories - I'm going to buckle down this week and count everything I put into my mouth to see what happens. 

On the other hand, the difference in my legs is nothing short of amazing since I started running.  I've been strength training with Tara for over a year and although it's been a slow process, my arms are finally looking better and the batwings are firming up.

So, for me, what the scale is reading isn't as important as my fat finally disappearing and showing the muscle underneath.  The fact that I can run without gasping is more important.  The fact that I actually ran 14 miles today is more important.

You have to decide what's more important for you.  If you really want to reach your goal weight I would have to say now is probably not the best time to start running, since I can't figure out how to run and lose weight at the same time!!  You could try it for a couple of weeks to see what happens.

That said, I would love to run with you at the Princess Half!