I haven't written in a while because guess what...I haven't run in almost 2 weeks! I went to Denver for my PSO training for AmeriCorps Vista. There was a gym there and I was really excited because I thought I would be in there doing all of my runs plus some much needed strength training. I ignored the advice of Leah by not doing my Tuesday run in the morning before I flew out, thinking that I would do it that night in the gym. I didn't do it, nor did I excercise once in that gym. I saw that people did their workouts and I had my running clothes and shoes with me, but after sessions lasting from 8-5 with breakfast from 7-8 and dinner from 5:30-6:30, I was exhausted or just wanted to hang out with people instead of running. After I got home that Friday I was so tired and ended up skipping my long run on Saturday. It all pretty much went downhill from there and then it was Thanksgiving. I had really messed up here and knew I would pay for it on my next run.
This morning I met with Leah and some of the other Running Peeps to do our long runs (because our coach was going to have us do them Tuesday night and there is no way I would be up for 5 miles after being on the go for over 14 hours). Leah and I took off around 7:10am and kept at a really even pace which ended up being about 16:35/mi which is nice and slow. My feet were killing me around mile 2 and my muscles were yelling at me. I was super tight and needed to stop to stretch out my right foot (still no new running shoes). The good part is that around mile 3 I was feeling great and then mile 4 I was giddy. I was even saying to Leah that maybe we could do 6 miles like she wanted to, but we decided to keep to five. This was an excellent idea because when we had about half to a quarter left, I was tired. I felt great when we finished and we had breakfast at our meeting place and a much deserved chocolate milk (yay!). There were a few things that I realized that you can only come to when you've made a few mistakes: the first is that I should NEVER go that long without running. The weekly runs are there for a reason and I would have had a better run if I had kept up or even did one of them this week. Secondly, I love running. I was getting in a lazy mode where I almost didn't want to run anymore and was more interested in the status of saying that I am a runner. Now I could give a crap about that status and would trade it all for the high. Thirdly, I have picked up a bad habbit: when I feel good, I tend to speed up. I need to remember that my weekly runs are just that and not races. I just get caught up in the moment and the fun and need to refocus on keeping an even pace so I don't burn myself out. Well, I plan on doing my Monday run and getting back into the swing of things. Until next time, I'll be running.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
You Know You're a Runner When.....
I found some cute stuff online and some ideas from friends and my group to what bonds runners with other runners. Feel free to add to it!
1. When you get more excited by buying running clothes than any other apparel.
2. When you talk about running all the times and can turn any conversation into one about it.
3. When the ritual of laying out your running gear for the next day causes great satisfaction.
4. If you plan vacations/holidays around your running schedule.
5. When you have a seperate fund for race fees.
6. Even though you have made fun of fanny packs in the past, you now wear something that slightly resembles one and are proud of it.
7. When you and all of the other runners have a mutual understanding when you pass eachother.
8. When you don't wear your new race shirt after packet pick up because you believe you haven't earned it yet.
9. If your running buddies know more about you then anyone else (especially bodily functions).
10. When you find that your Friday night friends have changed (because you're in bed early instead of bar hopping).
11. If you are hungry for lunch by 9 am and you've already had breakfast.
12. When you are hungry all the time.
13. When you've tried all the fueling products like bars, beans, chops, and gels.
14. When you know exactly when your running shoes have died.
15. When running socks become your favorite thing to put on your feet.
16. When you choose a race based on the swag.
17. When you are not only unafraid to wear spandex, you wear it proudly.
18. When you know all of the trails and streets better than everyone else around you.
19. When moving, one of the factors is what parks and running trails are nearby.
20. If you have had a black toe or a toenail fall off.
21. If the highlight of your day is running.
22. If your car has extra running gear, shoes, or clothes just in case.
23. If you feel wrong and guilty if you have missed your run.
24. When looking at the weather, you see how it will affect your run.
25. When you are upset when you are sick or injured because they interfere with running and not that your body is harmed.
This is all that I came up with/found/got from friends. Hope you enjoyed them!
1. When you get more excited by buying running clothes than any other apparel.
2. When you talk about running all the times and can turn any conversation into one about it.
3. When the ritual of laying out your running gear for the next day causes great satisfaction.
4. If you plan vacations/holidays around your running schedule.
5. When you have a seperate fund for race fees.
6. Even though you have made fun of fanny packs in the past, you now wear something that slightly resembles one and are proud of it.
7. When you and all of the other runners have a mutual understanding when you pass eachother.
8. When you don't wear your new race shirt after packet pick up because you believe you haven't earned it yet.
9. If your running buddies know more about you then anyone else (especially bodily functions).
10. When you find that your Friday night friends have changed (because you're in bed early instead of bar hopping).
11. If you are hungry for lunch by 9 am and you've already had breakfast.
12. When you are hungry all the time.
13. When you've tried all the fueling products like bars, beans, chops, and gels.
14. When you know exactly when your running shoes have died.
15. When running socks become your favorite thing to put on your feet.
16. When you choose a race based on the swag.
17. When you are not only unafraid to wear spandex, you wear it proudly.
18. When you know all of the trails and streets better than everyone else around you.
19. When moving, one of the factors is what parks and running trails are nearby.
20. If you have had a black toe or a toenail fall off.
21. If the highlight of your day is running.
22. If your car has extra running gear, shoes, or clothes just in case.
23. If you feel wrong and guilty if you have missed your run.
24. When looking at the weather, you see how it will affect your run.
25. When you are upset when you are sick or injured because they interfere with running and not that your body is harmed.
This is all that I came up with/found/got from friends. Hope you enjoyed them!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Five Week Plan
I decided to make a wish list of races the other day and found so many that looked like a lot of fun. Texas has a lot of races, but more of them are in the Dallas area as opposed to Houston. I found a cute 5 mile race on December 11th called the YMCA Jingle Bell Run. It includes a 3 mile walk and a 1 mile kid’s race as well. You get reindeer antlers, jingle bells and a cool shirt for your efforts. I think I have talked my parents into doing the walk while I do the run. My mother had been doing really well waking every day, but has fallen off of the wagon as of late because she doesn't have anyone to go with (plus sleeping in is so much more attractive). I decided to implement a plan...a masterful, awesome 5 week plan. I made us both an exercise schedule that includes my designated runs with added strength training and a goofy pilates video I found on Netflix that is beginner friendly. I have my mom doing 4 walks a week making her Monday her "long walk" kind of like Saturday is my long run. I then have her walk 30 minutes on the other three days. Friday is our designated pilates day and I think it should be funny to see it happen. If you can imagine two grown women trying to do a video in a tiny spare room staring at the computer for instruction. I am also going to spend today coming up with a meal plan so I can actually shed some pounds instead of maintaining weight. I think I might get a little faster if I do.
On another note, Mom an I went out and did this 3.2 mile loop this morning. I ran the loop while she walked 25 minutes; turned around, and walked back to the car (she went 2 miles!). It was probably the worst run I have had in a long time. Sometimes running makes no sense to me. Saturday's run was beautiful again with frigid temperatures, clear air, feet feeling great and good running buddies. Today was humid as hell, my feet were killing me (need new shoes now), I was extra slow, and my left foot fell asleep like 4 times. At one point my feet hurt so much I wanted to start walking and then I remembered that running is a total mental game. The pain wasn't injury pain; it was "get some new shoes damnit!" pain. I just had to concentrate on the actual trail, make little goals for myself, and run through it. This is really an amazing lesson that I have learned since in the past I would have walked at the slightest bit of pain. On a brighter note, I finished in my normal amount of time and wasn't as slow as I thought. Also, I start 5 miles this Saturday, on purpose this time. Wish me luck (or endurance)!
On another note, Mom an I went out and did this 3.2 mile loop this morning. I ran the loop while she walked 25 minutes; turned around, and walked back to the car (she went 2 miles!). It was probably the worst run I have had in a long time. Sometimes running makes no sense to me. Saturday's run was beautiful again with frigid temperatures, clear air, feet feeling great and good running buddies. Today was humid as hell, my feet were killing me (need new shoes now), I was extra slow, and my left foot fell asleep like 4 times. At one point my feet hurt so much I wanted to start walking and then I remembered that running is a total mental game. The pain wasn't injury pain; it was "get some new shoes damnit!" pain. I just had to concentrate on the actual trail, make little goals for myself, and run through it. This is really an amazing lesson that I have learned since in the past I would have walked at the slightest bit of pain. On a brighter note, I finished in my normal amount of time and wasn't as slow as I thought. Also, I start 5 miles this Saturday, on purpose this time. Wish me luck (or endurance)!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Three Miles is Our Bitch
Happy November!
This is the start of a new month and a new training schedule. Tonight's focus was hills. I had no idea there were actually hilly places in the back of my town, but yep...there are. Leah had called me on the way there and thought the hills looked scary and thought we would die. Leah and I were the only ones doing 3 miles while everyone else did 4. We stayed pretty slow and steady the whole time and our calves were feeling good in comparison to Monday's awful 2 miles. Liz ran back to us and came with us to the hills. It wasn't bad at all. I thought it would be much worse than it was, but we correctly approached the hills and didn't attack them. We made it to the top, took that lovely decline for a few minutes, ran back up and turned back to the park. Unfortunatly Leah, pointed out to Liz that we only did 2.5 according to her garmin (stupid thing) so she suggested we run a little more. I know it was only a half mile more, but I felt so done. I did feel better after we finished, but we only made it to 2.85 before we needed to go back.
Right now I am a little sore so I see some rolling in my future of my calves, IT band, and feet. The good part is that my feet were awake the whole time as opposed to last week when I wiped out. So far, so good.
This is the start of a new month and a new training schedule. Tonight's focus was hills. I had no idea there were actually hilly places in the back of my town, but yep...there are. Leah had called me on the way there and thought the hills looked scary and thought we would die. Leah and I were the only ones doing 3 miles while everyone else did 4. We stayed pretty slow and steady the whole time and our calves were feeling good in comparison to Monday's awful 2 miles. Liz ran back to us and came with us to the hills. It wasn't bad at all. I thought it would be much worse than it was, but we correctly approached the hills and didn't attack them. We made it to the top, took that lovely decline for a few minutes, ran back up and turned back to the park. Unfortunatly Leah, pointed out to Liz that we only did 2.5 according to her garmin (stupid thing) so she suggested we run a little more. I know it was only a half mile more, but I felt so done. I did feel better after we finished, but we only made it to 2.85 before we needed to go back.
Right now I am a little sore so I see some rolling in my future of my calves, IT band, and feet. The good part is that my feet were awake the whole time as opposed to last week when I wiped out. So far, so good.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Spooky Run
Here is a quickie update before I get to the main event. I ran 4.2 miles on Saturday with Kat and Leah and all I have to say is that it was marvelous! It was about 40 degrees, clear, and the air smelled like autumn. This is my favorite season and I am glad it has started to yield some good results. The loop we did was pretty easy to follow with a few inclines and half of the time we had a view of the lake. I think it is the runners reward to see the sunrise on an early run and it was lovely that morning. It came up over the water as we were going over a bridge and the colors were brilliant and soft all at the same time. About two miles into the run I took off my jacket. I also stayed just a little ahead of the girls on the run because we had a really thin shoulder to run on. There was also a ton of running groups out that morning as well. I always seem to run into my fellow religious education teacher there. It is starting to be nice to see familiar faces out. There are always a lot of very nice people out who say words of encouragement and tell us how well we are doing and how awesome we are. This is certainly a sweet boost that early in the morning. After we settled into some yoga and all three of us were the peanut gallery during the stretched. Plus I kept laughing as the sweat off of Leah started to evaporate. It looked like she was steaming and I almost fell over in my downward dog when I saw it evaporate off of her butt. Kat was really tired and was just kind of laying there during a plank making some sad noises and the guy next to me said "there is no crying in baseball" which made us all laugh.
Now, tonight was a different story all together. Leah, her mom and I met at a park to do our weekly short conditioning runs and boy were they lousy. We did 2 miles and her mom did 3 and it was just miserable. The weather was fine, but for some reason we started off and continued to be faster than usual. We warmed up too quickly and pretty soon our calves tightened up. We attacked a hill instead of approached it and all of the stupid roads to go around the park had really annoying inclines. Where is some flat land when you need it? This was a far cry from Saturday where all seemed beautiful and full of possibilities. I don't understand how this turned out so bad and it wasn't even a long run. Plus, I officially need new shoes. I have worn some of the rubber down in the middle of my shoe and am now lacking the cushion and support I need. I am still dealing with sleepy feet and a little pain. Everything else that hurt when I first started running is pretty much OK now. I have learned to run through the little aches (and sometimes big ones) and pains to finish up and get my miles in. We also got our new training schedules and I cannot believe that we are on week 9. I feel pretty impressed with myself and my girls. This weekend I do 4 miles again, but the next week we move up to 5! This just feels great to know that I can do this and I am genuinely proud that I haven't quit and that I have found something active that I love.
Now, tonight was a different story all together. Leah, her mom and I met at a park to do our weekly short conditioning runs and boy were they lousy. We did 2 miles and her mom did 3 and it was just miserable. The weather was fine, but for some reason we started off and continued to be faster than usual. We warmed up too quickly and pretty soon our calves tightened up. We attacked a hill instead of approached it and all of the stupid roads to go around the park had really annoying inclines. Where is some flat land when you need it? This was a far cry from Saturday where all seemed beautiful and full of possibilities. I don't understand how this turned out so bad and it wasn't even a long run. Plus, I officially need new shoes. I have worn some of the rubber down in the middle of my shoe and am now lacking the cushion and support I need. I am still dealing with sleepy feet and a little pain. Everything else that hurt when I first started running is pretty much OK now. I have learned to run through the little aches (and sometimes big ones) and pains to finish up and get my miles in. We also got our new training schedules and I cannot believe that we are on week 9. I feel pretty impressed with myself and my girls. This weekend I do 4 miles again, but the next week we move up to 5! This just feels great to know that I can do this and I am genuinely proud that I haven't quit and that I have found something active that I love.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Man Down!
It was bound to happen one of these days...
We did our group Tuesday run and I was late. My coach is really specific about the time we start and I was running late. I thought I would be there on time and ended up there 5 minutes late. I was texting Kat to see how far ahead they were and then I booked it. My 10 minute warmup was all over the place and I was going faster than my race pace. The problem was that I burned myself out really fast and I still didn't see them. Eventually Liz came back and got me and we found Kat. By now it was about 7:25ish and pitch black outside. We were following her little flash light as we did 1:1 patterns up and down the little hills. By now my foot was falling asleep as per usual and I was trying to wake it up. Then both of them started falling asleep. And then it happened. I don't know how, but as if in slow motion I hit the pavement. Splat! It wasn't so bad, but it was the first fall I had ever had on a run. I just ended up with a bloody knee and a sore ankle. I feel pretty good now, but it is so annoying to have to shower with a freshly skinned knee that burns like hell when water, soap or anything touches it.
On a lighter note, now I know how my route goes for the next two saturdays! It is amazing what actually looking at the map will do and actually following directions. Go figure.
We did our group Tuesday run and I was late. My coach is really specific about the time we start and I was running late. I thought I would be there on time and ended up there 5 minutes late. I was texting Kat to see how far ahead they were and then I booked it. My 10 minute warmup was all over the place and I was going faster than my race pace. The problem was that I burned myself out really fast and I still didn't see them. Eventually Liz came back and got me and we found Kat. By now it was about 7:25ish and pitch black outside. We were following her little flash light as we did 1:1 patterns up and down the little hills. By now my foot was falling asleep as per usual and I was trying to wake it up. Then both of them started falling asleep. And then it happened. I don't know how, but as if in slow motion I hit the pavement. Splat! It wasn't so bad, but it was the first fall I had ever had on a run. I just ended up with a bloody knee and a sore ankle. I feel pretty good now, but it is so annoying to have to shower with a freshly skinned knee that burns like hell when water, soap or anything touches it.
On a lighter note, now I know how my route goes for the next two saturdays! It is amazing what actually looking at the map will do and actually following directions. Go figure.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
DIY Route
This weekend I was pumped for starting 4 miles. This is the first increase we have had in a while and I couldn't wait to see how my legs faired with it. Kat and I started at 6:30, (15 min before the others who are doing 4 miles because our pace is slower) did our yoga, checked the route, and headed out. We got as far as Grogan's Mill and Woodlands Pkwy when we realized that our directions didn't make any sense. They had us going to the left and hitting a street we knew wasn't in that direction. We also thought going right would be suicide since it is a high traffic area with no path. We decided at that point to make our own route. The problem with this was that we didn't have anything telling us how far we were going, we forgot our phones, and unlike our high-tech friend Leah we didn't have gps. We knew the streets we were on so we ended up making this crazy convoluted route around the Mall area. We were out for about an hour and fourty-five minutes before we made it back. Now, it takes us about 52 minutes to finish 3.25 miles, and here we are at almost twice that time. I seriously thought we walked too much and only got in about 3.5 miles or so. Katherine looked really tired, but I figured it was from her job and I felt OK. After I got home, I decided to see how far it was on www.mapmyrun.com. I was extremely surprised to find the result: we went 5.29 miles. This now explains a lot. I started laughing really hard and immediately called Kat to let her know about our mishap. I think next time I ought to print out the map and maybe we won't end up late, confused, and sore.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
First 5K
Picture this, a calm sleeping body nestled in a sea of blankets. All is well with the world. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!! The impending feeling of death and misery ensues. I begrudgingly get out of my warm bed at 4:30am to get ready for my race. My poor friends are sharing similar fates in their homes at about the same time. I do feel groggy, but semi-excited as I get all of my gear together, get dressed, and pull my water bottles out of the fridge. My friends arrive at my house at 5:25am so that we can trek to Reliant Park/Stadium for the Running of the Bulls 5k. Leah has been through several running races, but it is mine and Kat's first 5K and running event. On the way there Leah falls in and out of sleep while Kat and I make snarky comments about a myriad of subjects, basically anything to keep me awake. I even remember taking a sharp curve that woke Leah up (she sleepily told me so and apparently doesn't remember it). We land around 6:30 to pick up our packets (koozie and ugly shirt) and meet a few other members of our running group and our coach. When we got our bib numbers, we found that Kat had been graced with the number 666. This pretty much made our day. We warmed up around the parking lot and did a few drills full of awesome things like butt-kicks and high-kneed skipping.
There were probably about 3500 people doing the run/walk and we felt like we waited an eternity to start. Almost half of the participants broke a running etiquette rule by wearing their race shirt that they got for this race, during the race! This is not only tacky, it's just something you don't do because you haven't finished yet so it's like you didn't earn it. Also, they needed to do a better job of separating the walkers from the runners. Out of courtesy, we went to the back because we are slower, however, we were in a sea of walkers, and quite a few of them were mixed in the middle and front with the runners. This gets to be frustrating because even though we are going slowly, we still had to go around and between walkers. It was also pretty humid and warm during the race so we were sweating like crazy! I was so salty it was unreal. Overall, it was actually a good run. Leah was ahead of us for most of the race, but we all three managed to finish in under 50 minutes.
My favorite part was that after the race my coach, a team member, and all three of us went to breakfast together. It was really nice to get to know them better and not have to stand in the longest food line ever. This was a really good experience and I can't wait to sign up for my next race!
There were probably about 3500 people doing the run/walk and we felt like we waited an eternity to start. Almost half of the participants broke a running etiquette rule by wearing their race shirt that they got for this race, during the race! This is not only tacky, it's just something you don't do because you haven't finished yet so it's like you didn't earn it. Also, they needed to do a better job of separating the walkers from the runners. Out of courtesy, we went to the back because we are slower, however, we were in a sea of walkers, and quite a few of them were mixed in the middle and front with the runners. This gets to be frustrating because even though we are going slowly, we still had to go around and between walkers. It was also pretty humid and warm during the race so we were sweating like crazy! I was so salty it was unreal. Overall, it was actually a good run. Leah was ahead of us for most of the race, but we all three managed to finish in under 50 minutes.
My favorite part was that after the race my coach, a team member, and all three of us went to breakfast together. It was really nice to get to know them better and not have to stand in the longest food line ever. This was a really good experience and I can't wait to sign up for my next race!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Chalk and the Darkness
Ah yes, trail runs are a fun part of my week. Every Thursday there is a new "leg" to run and you "collect" miles per leg you run or walk. This week, I was a little late to my destination and ended up running in the dark....again. Leah was without her garmin (must have made her feel naked) and we had to make due with my stopwatch which I happily relinquished to her. We basically ran a 3.1 mile giant loop where we had to cross over intersections six times. Now, nothing hurts more than having to stop once you are on auto-pilot and we did this so many times! The first stop I did this little don't-stop-moving dance where I looked like I had to go to the bathroom. I am sure I entertained many people in their cars as I did this for about five minutes. Leah was exhausted from work and at one point started singing about how much our run sucked and that it was dark and we couldn't see anything. She had her trusty headlamp which was nice, but she looked like an angler fish! Towards the end of the run we started to notice little chalk markings on the sidewalk and then we realized they said stuff. Kids started to write in chalk because of a new rule in the school district that says if you live a mile or less away from your school, you cannot take the bus. So, there are little sayings all over the sidewalks like "keep it up" and "walking and rolling". It was pretty cute and we felt like those little sayings not only distracted us from feeling pain, but were uplifting little reminders :) Plus, it didn't hurt that our coach puts happy faces on the trail to make us feel good and so we know we are going the right way. Love it!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
I'm Runnin Solo
Today was a sad day because I didn't have my girls with me :(
Alas, Kat was doing job stuff in Houston and Leah was sick so I was the lone slow person. It wasn't all bad. I had a mini pep talk from Leah last night to go anyway and not to give into wanting to skip because they weren't there. To tell you the truth, I had only done one run besides today this week. Tuesday there was some freaky lightning storm so we opted out and on Thursday there was also a mini-storm brewing so we opted out then too. I have no excuse for not running Wednesday or Friday, so I needed to do my Saturday run. This would prove that I am really dedicated and not just full of crap. I have a history of giving up on projects that I am excited about in the beginning and I don't want this to be one of them. We are now into October and I have been working at this since July so it is way too late to give up now and I have a little over 5 more months of training until the half.
Well, I went with the group and we all did 3.25 today and as I thought I was at the tail end doing my own thing. My right foot was hurting as per usual and my left ankle/shin was yelling at me as well, but it was so beautiful this morning. It was chilly, the air smelled fresh, and I just kept looking straight on. Once I recognized where I was at, it became so much easier. I knew where every footfall would lead and I could gage my time. My breathing was good, I didn't overexert myself, and I kept up with my run/walk schedule without my trusty timekeeper extraordinaire (Leah)! I realized that I am capable of training alone even though it is hard for me. I missed the jokes, random chat, comments, corrections, and check ins we usually have. I know it was one lousy day, but it also made me realize how much I love and appreciate my good friends that I am lucky enough to run with. Ladies, you are the best and I look forward to many miles of friendship :)
Alas, Kat was doing job stuff in Houston and Leah was sick so I was the lone slow person. It wasn't all bad. I had a mini pep talk from Leah last night to go anyway and not to give into wanting to skip because they weren't there. To tell you the truth, I had only done one run besides today this week. Tuesday there was some freaky lightning storm so we opted out and on Thursday there was also a mini-storm brewing so we opted out then too. I have no excuse for not running Wednesday or Friday, so I needed to do my Saturday run. This would prove that I am really dedicated and not just full of crap. I have a history of giving up on projects that I am excited about in the beginning and I don't want this to be one of them. We are now into October and I have been working at this since July so it is way too late to give up now and I have a little over 5 more months of training until the half.
Well, I went with the group and we all did 3.25 today and as I thought I was at the tail end doing my own thing. My right foot was hurting as per usual and my left ankle/shin was yelling at me as well, but it was so beautiful this morning. It was chilly, the air smelled fresh, and I just kept looking straight on. Once I recognized where I was at, it became so much easier. I knew where every footfall would lead and I could gage my time. My breathing was good, I didn't overexert myself, and I kept up with my run/walk schedule without my trusty timekeeper extraordinaire (Leah)! I realized that I am capable of training alone even though it is hard for me. I missed the jokes, random chat, comments, corrections, and check ins we usually have. I know it was one lousy day, but it also made me realize how much I love and appreciate my good friends that I am lucky enough to run with. Ladies, you are the best and I look forward to many miles of friendship :)
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Moving On Up
I know I haven't posted in a while and this would actually cover a whole slew of runs that I did. Well, last week I was run happy and did 5 days instead of 4 and did about 13 miles total. We decided to do a 3.16 mile trail run o Thursday and did it successfully except for getting lost a couple dozen times. Also, my little group moved up from doing 2.5 to 3.25 on Saturdays! I was very excited and proud of us! Later that day, I decided that I will most likely stick to the 4x a week because my quads for the first time were really sore. My lung capacity has improved and my form is also better. I am so proud of the way things are going and we have almost been training for 3 months! I remember when running for 10 minutes was a huge challenge and now I make 2.5 miles look easy.
Now, yesterday was an awful run. It was supposed to be our relaxing 2 mile run before we get tortured the rest of the week. It was tiring, painful, and miserable. First off, it felt like the summer mornings we used to train with which were bathed in humidity. We were as Leah would say "swimming in tomato soup." I was not a fan. Secondly, I think I am in the wrong shoes. The sole of my right foot feels horrible and my feet are STILL falling asleep. I am also getting pain in my left ankle and shin. I feel that I shouldn't complain too much because these are typical runner’s woes, but I think the right shoe would help. It is also around the right time to get a new pair as well. I think my cushion has flattened out and possibly getting inserts would help.
I am also having trouble motivating myself to eat better. For some reason it is easier to eat well OR exercise, but both together are rather difficult. I will start today off right, don't worry, but everyday choices are really hard. I do, however, cut calories in my lattes (not much help, but still there) and enjoy eating at Salata where we get the best salad wraps ever! We have become a little obsessed with going there and the staff knows us. Anyway, I plan on writing more than I did the last couple weeks so I will keep you posted.
Now, yesterday was an awful run. It was supposed to be our relaxing 2 mile run before we get tortured the rest of the week. It was tiring, painful, and miserable. First off, it felt like the summer mornings we used to train with which were bathed in humidity. We were as Leah would say "swimming in tomato soup." I was not a fan. Secondly, I think I am in the wrong shoes. The sole of my right foot feels horrible and my feet are STILL falling asleep. I am also getting pain in my left ankle and shin. I feel that I shouldn't complain too much because these are typical runner’s woes, but I think the right shoe would help. It is also around the right time to get a new pair as well. I think my cushion has flattened out and possibly getting inserts would help.
I am also having trouble motivating myself to eat better. For some reason it is easier to eat well OR exercise, but both together are rather difficult. I will start today off right, don't worry, but everyday choices are really hard. I do, however, cut calories in my lattes (not much help, but still there) and enjoy eating at Salata where we get the best salad wraps ever! We have become a little obsessed with going there and the staff knows us. Anyway, I plan on writing more than I did the last couple weeks so I will keep you posted.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Weekend Runs
Well this was a crazy weekend of running. We got together for our second Saturday run and did about 2.35 miles. I was tired, slow, and ready to stop. Somewhere in the middle of running, I started to ask myself, why the hell am I doing this? Am I crazy? Who does this for fun? Evidently I do. I had a few sport beans and pleanty of water. Leah was kicking our butts by being far ahead, and Kat and I were hobbling along. The yoga after was nice and Childs Pose was again the favorite. Actually, my favorite part is when I roll over into fetal position and just lay there like a lump.
Leah had the bright idea to run on Sunday morning because she will be missing Tuesday. I thought it sounded good, especailly since we wanted to get 2.5 miles in. We tried a different route and we played a kind of back and forth or what Leah calls "Rabbit Chasing". First I was ahead, then she was, I was, she was, and so on. Part of the route was beautiful with trees, fallen leaves, and shade. The weather was nice and cool (until the run back). I was good until about half way and then I started to fizzle. when I noticed that we were almost back I ran faster. We weren't that fast, but I have noticed that my legs are stronger and my lung capasity is better as well. Leah said that I don't do my "bouncy walk" as much anymore since my legs are stronger.
Since I did the Sunday run, I decided to skip my run this morning. I set my alarm for 5:30 and I hit the snooze button about 8 times and decided that my body loudly proclaimed "NEIN" to running. I slept in and felt great. Now for tonight, I have my foam roller exercises left to do and then a run tomorrow evening. My legs will be ready by then, but not ready for all of the lunges and squats we will do!
Leah had the bright idea to run on Sunday morning because she will be missing Tuesday. I thought it sounded good, especailly since we wanted to get 2.5 miles in. We tried a different route and we played a kind of back and forth or what Leah calls "Rabbit Chasing". First I was ahead, then she was, I was, she was, and so on. Part of the route was beautiful with trees, fallen leaves, and shade. The weather was nice and cool (until the run back). I was good until about half way and then I started to fizzle. when I noticed that we were almost back I ran faster. We weren't that fast, but I have noticed that my legs are stronger and my lung capasity is better as well. Leah said that I don't do my "bouncy walk" as much anymore since my legs are stronger.
Since I did the Sunday run, I decided to skip my run this morning. I set my alarm for 5:30 and I hit the snooze button about 8 times and decided that my body loudly proclaimed "NEIN" to running. I slept in and felt great. Now for tonight, I have my foam roller exercises left to do and then a run tomorrow evening. My legs will be ready by then, but not ready for all of the lunges and squats we will do!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Trail Mix
Last night we did something totally different; we ran on a dirt trail. This was not a something my group was happy about, but c'est la vie. For this lovely trek we were supposed to wear old shoes, and luckily I had a pair. When I got to Leah's I had to relace the stupid things and the plastic end of one of my laces was gone so that was fun. Also, I am sure that these shoes were not running shoes. They were an old pair of Nike Air's that from the looks of them were stability shoes. I wear neutral shoes and my shoe of choice is the Nike Zoom Vomero. Stability shoes throw me off because they over compensate my arch and cause me to put too much pressure on the outside of my foot. The neutral shoes have made me use my arches (or lack thereof) and have made them stronger.
The weather was lovely and we were ready to go. The trail was very nice and provided a lot of visual stimulation. My wonderful coach had some surprises for us along the way. We stopped three times for strength exercises. The first stop was squats, the second was walking lunges, and the third was a curtsy lunge. On the way back our trio ended up going the wrong way because we didn't realize that we crossed a bridge. Also, I think at some point all three of us tripped over roots. The girls hated the trail, but I still liked it a lot. It was easier on our legs and pretty.
After all of this, we did yoga by flashlight! The park we were at didn't have much light at night, but we managed. The yoga is always a welcome addition at the end of a run. It felt great and we found that our favorite pose is "Child's Pose". For those who don't do yoga, it is where you look like you are worshiping someone. I might as well call it lazy pose. All in all it was great fun with the large group and I look forward to seeing them all on Saturday.
The weather was lovely and we were ready to go. The trail was very nice and provided a lot of visual stimulation. My wonderful coach had some surprises for us along the way. We stopped three times for strength exercises. The first stop was squats, the second was walking lunges, and the third was a curtsy lunge. On the way back our trio ended up going the wrong way because we didn't realize that we crossed a bridge. Also, I think at some point all three of us tripped over roots. The girls hated the trail, but I still liked it a lot. It was easier on our legs and pretty.
After all of this, we did yoga by flashlight! The park we were at didn't have much light at night, but we managed. The yoga is always a welcome addition at the end of a run. It felt great and we found that our favorite pose is "Child's Pose". For those who don't do yoga, it is where you look like you are worshiping someone. I might as well call it lazy pose. All in all it was great fun with the large group and I look forward to seeing them all on Saturday.
Monday, September 5, 2011
PR Smackdown
Today is the official first week of my coached running. Monday is the easy day and we did 2 miles this morning and it was beautiful outside! There was a magical fall feeling in the air and it made everything much more pleasant. We are now incorporating planned walks into our running and our coach instructs us to have a 10 minute warm-up beforehand. We do an alternating 1 min run/1 min walk and then move on to a 4/1 pattern. This might seem to some that it would slow us down with all of this extra walking, but heck no! First of all, the 10 minutes counts towards our miles, and actually we were a lot faster today. Our PR pace to date was 15:55 and we shaved it to 15:08! We finished our 2 miles in 30.34 today and I was so proud of us! I feel so energized and my foot didn't fall asleep today until we finished!
Also, I thought I'd share briefly about Saturday with the coach. We started out with about 10 min of a yoga warm-up and then we did a group run. She ran with us and wanted everyone to finish in around 25 minutes (a 2.5 mile run) and...we are not there. She cut us around and in 27 minutes we did 1.9 miles. Not much, but it got us used to the warm-up and 4/1 pattern. After this we all gathered on the basketball court of the park and did about 25 min of yoga. It was so beautiful outside and there was a gentle breeze through our poses. I might have to invest in a thicker mat though. It hurt to have a thin mat on top of cement, especially with planks. We meet tomorrow to do a trail run in our old shoes...woo. We'll see how that goes.
Also, I thought I'd share briefly about Saturday with the coach. We started out with about 10 min of a yoga warm-up and then we did a group run. She ran with us and wanted everyone to finish in around 25 minutes (a 2.5 mile run) and...we are not there. She cut us around and in 27 minutes we did 1.9 miles. Not much, but it got us used to the warm-up and 4/1 pattern. After this we all gathered on the basketball court of the park and did about 25 min of yoga. It was so beautiful outside and there was a gentle breeze through our poses. I might have to invest in a thicker mat though. It hurt to have a thin mat on top of cement, especially with planks. We meet tomorrow to do a trail run in our old shoes...woo. We'll see how that goes.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Why I Run
Well, I thought I'd do something different and not write about my daily run (awful by the way). I am determined to turn my negative into a positive by sharing why I decided to join and keep on training for this crazy sport. My trio and I discussed our top reasons for getting up to train and here they are:
1. The Swag. You usually get awesome stuff from running a race which ranges from shirts, socks, medals, certificates, customized bibs, gift cards, samples, hats, bragging rights, etc.
2. To be healthy. Too many people are sedentary (that included us) and exercising is a great way to keep disease at bay, maintain/lose weight, and make new friends.
3. Because it's hard. If running were easy, everyone would do it and we like being part of that small percentage of people who run races.
4. It's an excuse to wear running clothes all day. This is a great one for lazy people who just want to wear their comfy gear all day and let everyone know you run.
5. For the unspoken bond between runners. We get up early in the morning, run, go to work (or home if you are unemployed like me), talk about running, read running magazines, lay our our running clothes for the next morning, eat healthy (or healthier than you would if you weren't running), go to bed early, and do it all again.
6. To feel good about myself. There is nothing that feels like how you feel after a good run. I feel energized, accomplished, strong, healthy, and just plain awesome.
7. I get to buy new stuff. I have bought and attained so much new running apparel, gear, energy supplements to try, etc. I would rather buy a new tech shirt than a new cute going out shirt now.
8. Getting closer to friends. My trio and I have grown a lot closer because we all go through the same ups and downs. We also run at about the same pace and are together every Saturday and check on each others runs. It's like our own little running family :)
9. To inspire others. I see onlookers sometimes when we run and I hope that one chubby person sees us running and says...hey if they can do it I can do it. Seriously, if I can do it anyone can.
10. To cross the finish line. I am seriously excited about the half-marathon and crossing the finish line of those 13.1 miles. I have crossed once before when Kat and I walked the first San Antonio Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon, but this will be special since we will be running.
11. For the future. I want to pass on this healthy lifestyle to my future kids and family. I am glad that this is becoming a way of life and I want to keep it this way.
12. Lastly, to plan more runs! This is crazy, but we are already planning other half-marathons and Kat and I want to do a full marathon in late 2013.
There will be more of these coming soon...
1. The Swag. You usually get awesome stuff from running a race which ranges from shirts, socks, medals, certificates, customized bibs, gift cards, samples, hats, bragging rights, etc.
2. To be healthy. Too many people are sedentary (that included us) and exercising is a great way to keep disease at bay, maintain/lose weight, and make new friends.
3. Because it's hard. If running were easy, everyone would do it and we like being part of that small percentage of people who run races.
4. It's an excuse to wear running clothes all day. This is a great one for lazy people who just want to wear their comfy gear all day and let everyone know you run.
5. For the unspoken bond between runners. We get up early in the morning, run, go to work (or home if you are unemployed like me), talk about running, read running magazines, lay our our running clothes for the next morning, eat healthy (or healthier than you would if you weren't running), go to bed early, and do it all again.
6. To feel good about myself. There is nothing that feels like how you feel after a good run. I feel energized, accomplished, strong, healthy, and just plain awesome.
7. I get to buy new stuff. I have bought and attained so much new running apparel, gear, energy supplements to try, etc. I would rather buy a new tech shirt than a new cute going out shirt now.
8. Getting closer to friends. My trio and I have grown a lot closer because we all go through the same ups and downs. We also run at about the same pace and are together every Saturday and check on each others runs. It's like our own little running family :)
9. To inspire others. I see onlookers sometimes when we run and I hope that one chubby person sees us running and says...hey if they can do it I can do it. Seriously, if I can do it anyone can.
10. To cross the finish line. I am seriously excited about the half-marathon and crossing the finish line of those 13.1 miles. I have crossed once before when Kat and I walked the first San Antonio Rock n' Roll 1/2 marathon, but this will be special since we will be running.
11. For the future. I want to pass on this healthy lifestyle to my future kids and family. I am glad that this is becoming a way of life and I want to keep it this way.
12. Lastly, to plan more runs! This is crazy, but we are already planning other half-marathons and Kat and I want to do a full marathon in late 2013.
There will be more of these coming soon...
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Rockport Running
Hello! Greetings from Rockport, TX inside of a beautiful cottage on the gulf. I am intensely enjoying the weather and view of the water. It is lovely here and I am with my family from Oregon, Rockport, and Houston. Well, even though I am on vacation (how much vacation can an unemployed person have?) that doesn't mean the training stops. I got up yesterday with my aunt, uncle, and cousin to do the Saturday run. I was pumped, dressed and ready to go. When we went outside there were two frat boys sleeping on the lawn next door. It was pretty funny and we all took pictures of the unconscious duo. My cousin and I took it slow while taking in the view of the water, sunrise, birds, and beach houses. There were fewer people exercising at 7 then I expected, but they all decided to come out around 8 or 9. The roads were pretty bumpy and rocky, but the good part was that it was virtually uninhabited and we had a nice breeze. We did 42 minutes (all time longest run for me and my cousin)and it wasn't too bad. Not sure if I am going to leave today or wait a week...decisions, decisions.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Bad Honey
I was ready to run today. Monday I didn't run because my foot was sore from a certain petite figure that lives in my house. Tuesday I was out running and that thing that runners dread happened: I had to go to the bathroom. Stomach cramps ensued and I literally ran back to the car, luckily I wasn't far out. So, today I was pumped and ready to go. One thing that is good to do on weekday runs is to try out different forms of consumable energy (gels, beans, bars, chomps, etc)and I had found this brand called Honey Stinger* which is honey with added B vitamins. I thought, mmm honey for breakfast. Well, it tasted like honey that had little crystallized pieces in it, ew. It was semi-pleasant until my throat started to hurt. I thought this was due to the sweetness or something and drank some water in hopes of relieving my pain, no such luck.
Mom and I met Leah at North Shore to do our 30 min run and then my stomach started hurting and a mini-wave of nausea set in. I wasn't sure if today would be my day, however, I ran through it and actually did pretty well. By the end my stomach still felt a little iffy, but the honey did provide some energy. We had a PR of 2.1 miles in 31.5 minutes with an overall pace of 15:47" which is awesome. It may still be "slow", but our other record is 16:00" flat. I am proud at how we are shaving off a few seconds at a time on our weekly runs so that our race time and pace will eventually be better.
*All energy products affect people differently and the Honey Stinger Brand or regular honey works really well for some athletes. For instance, Leah prefers Sport Beans, her mom likes Chomps, and Kat and I like Powerbar Gel.
Mom and I met Leah at North Shore to do our 30 min run and then my stomach started hurting and a mini-wave of nausea set in. I wasn't sure if today would be my day, however, I ran through it and actually did pretty well. By the end my stomach still felt a little iffy, but the honey did provide some energy. We had a PR of 2.1 miles in 31.5 minutes with an overall pace of 15:47" which is awesome. It may still be "slow", but our other record is 16:00" flat. I am proud at how we are shaving off a few seconds at a time on our weekly runs so that our race time and pace will eventually be better.
*All energy products affect people differently and the Honey Stinger Brand or regular honey works really well for some athletes. For instance, Leah prefers Sport Beans, her mom likes Chomps, and Kat and I like Powerbar Gel.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Tip Toes
I can't tell you how much I look forward to Saturday runs. It plays in my head all week and I dream of personal bests and pushing myself a little further. This Saturday was no different. On the way there, I was listening to Bob Marley (Buffalo Soldier) and that was in my head half of the time. I even timed a few of my breaths to it "1-2-3, Buf-fa-lo". Hey, there are weirder things to do your breaths to!
We moved up to 35 minutes and next week is 42 and then 3 miles by Sept 1st. Today I was running with a bloody toe...yummy. Our pace was pretty OK (16:30 which includes 10 min of walking which puts us more at 16:00). I kept pretty steady and find that if I maintain good posture I run faster and more efficiently. I also stare at things on the road and try to set little goals like.."Oh, look at that light..I'll run there". However awesome this is, my feet still fall asleep around the 20-25 minute mark of running. I read in a forum in Runner's World about people who have the same problem I do. There are a lot of people like me! I took the advice of one woman who said that she ran on her tip toes for 15 seconds every mile or so and her feet woke up. I tried it and it works! I just need to do it for longer next time. Let me tell you, after a steady run of about 30 min and then you decide to go on your toes your calves kinda burn. However, it is way easier to run on feet that are awake rather than ones that you can't really feel. My motivation the whole time was a Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato and my towel and we made it! Woot!
We moved up to 35 minutes and next week is 42 and then 3 miles by Sept 1st. Today I was running with a bloody toe...yummy. Our pace was pretty OK (16:30 which includes 10 min of walking which puts us more at 16:00). I kept pretty steady and find that if I maintain good posture I run faster and more efficiently. I also stare at things on the road and try to set little goals like.."Oh, look at that light..I'll run there". However awesome this is, my feet still fall asleep around the 20-25 minute mark of running. I read in a forum in Runner's World about people who have the same problem I do. There are a lot of people like me! I took the advice of one woman who said that she ran on her tip toes for 15 seconds every mile or so and her feet woke up. I tried it and it works! I just need to do it for longer next time. Let me tell you, after a steady run of about 30 min and then you decide to go on your toes your calves kinda burn. However, it is way easier to run on feet that are awake rather than ones that you can't really feel. My motivation the whole time was a Skinny Iced Caramel Macchiato and my towel and we made it! Woot!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Hot Running
Tonight we embarked on our second run with the trail running group. I was pumped, I had spent all day with Kat and we even watched "Spirit of the Marathon" to get pumped. We met Leah at the meeting point and started out OK. We had run in the evening before and thought it would be fine...however...no. It was about 103 degrees and really humid so we decided to do the short route (2.7 miles). We had a run/walk plan, but that did not help with the heat. All three of us were having a bad run where we felt stiff and much slower than usual. I have no idea what our pace was, but it took forever. Our normal run would have us do about a 29 min run today, but good grief. I finished all of my water and was covered head to toe in sweat. Leah and Kat ran on and off for 30 min and I did about 23 because I didn't want to push it in the heat. Kat had been running in the evening and she seemed fine after it was over, but Leah and I were another story. She immediately had to get into her car and put on the a/c. I felt OK at first, but even with my walking my heart was beating really fast. I drank more water and then Kat dropped me off. I literally pounded on my door at home and pushed past my parents, peeled off my clothes, and hurled myself into a cold shower. I felt horrible. Evidently, our bodies perceive the temperature to be 15 degrees higher than it really is so that means my body thought it was 118! I thought I was going to get sick at one point and then decided that I can still do the trail running in the mornings to make it up and wait until it cools off to run in the evening. I have never felt this crappy from the heat, but I learned my lesson.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Hey...the Waterway didn't suck today....
For the first time my run on the Waterway wasn't horrible! This is my fourth time running here and all the other times were abysmal. We did pretty OK today with a 1 min walk/29 min run/1 min walk at a...16:15 pace. Leah's garmin kept going in and out the other day and said we did a 17:30 pace which was really depressing. I slowed down quite a bit at the turnaround because my right knee became stiff for the first time and I noticed the second I straightened my left foot that my right foot started pronating inwards. Am I pigeon toed now? Geez. Well, as you can tell that was not my most exciting run, but most of them won't be.
I came across an awesome documentary called "Spirit of the Marathon" on Netflix and it was on streaming..yay! I usually am not a fan of inspirational pieces because most of the time I find them to be cheesy and disingenuous, however this one was different. I was able to relate to the runners and it had a good variety of people from 2 elite runners to a couple trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, to an old man who has done marathons before, to two newbies. I watched them in their running groups or running solo early ass in the morning. I laughed because we look like crazy people to most because we are out around 6-6:30am, 5 days a week. Leah showed me this youtube video that I think you will enjoy about a man training for an Ironman competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B03dFMG8nR4
I came across an awesome documentary called "Spirit of the Marathon" on Netflix and it was on streaming..yay! I usually am not a fan of inspirational pieces because most of the time I find them to be cheesy and disingenuous, however this one was different. I was able to relate to the runners and it had a good variety of people from 2 elite runners to a couple trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, to an old man who has done marathons before, to two newbies. I watched them in their running groups or running solo early ass in the morning. I laughed because we look like crazy people to most because we are out around 6-6:30am, 5 days a week. Leah showed me this youtube video that I think you will enjoy about a man training for an Ironman competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B03dFMG8nR4
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Running Fears and Such
As much as yesterday felt like a disaster, today was a triumph of sorts. I took it extremely slow. It was like in movies where someone is driving in a pos car and other cars pass them followed by motorcycles, bicycles, runners, walkers, and soon an old person with a walker. One thing I noticed was that my lung capacity has gotten better because I was conversational about 80% of my run. Towards the end I got a bit faster, but both of my feet fell asleep...again and it felt like they had been dipped in cement. Another cool thing I noticed was how cognizant I have become with my running. For instance, I have to remember not to look down, straighten my left foot (with tends to pronate inwards), and keep my knees up. This becomes a job in and of itself and it's nice when you run with a partner or small group that you notice what they do as well. I know that Leah tends to look down a lot too so every few minutes I yelled "LOOK UP!" to her while she made some sort of goofy noise that I am unable to demonstrate with mere letters and symbols.
I read another article in Runner's World called "Attack of the Nagging Fears" and they listed a lot of common fears that runners have such as falling behind, not meeting speed work goals, not finishing, falling off the treadmill (hahaha), and getting injured. I looked at them and figured out what a few of mine are and how to fix them. The first one is falling behind. Well, I think this is something that I need to get over because I am a beginner and the goal is to finish. I know that pride is a big issue for me in most of my daily life and this is no exception. I don't want to look like a loser or be embarrassed by my slowness. I am starting to feel slightly less fearful of this because I am running for me and not the hypothetical guy in the Tapout t-shirt yelling at me to speed up.
Another recent fear of mine has been gaining weight. Those who know me know that this is a struggle for me and will continue to be one. I am not one of those lucky few who are blessed with a figure that never quits nor wavers. I have to work hard to lose every pound and every inch. Lately my eating hasn't been too hot because I use the excuse of "I ran so I can have that". Yeah....no. According to the article, you don't need extra carbohydrates if you exercise an hour or less. There is no need for added consumption, and this week my goals are to eat for my chosen sport. I will run faster, less pressure will be on my lower body, and my muscles will show up better if I weigh less. Wow, I never thought that would be my motivation, but I'm glad it is.
I read another article in Runner's World called "Attack of the Nagging Fears" and they listed a lot of common fears that runners have such as falling behind, not meeting speed work goals, not finishing, falling off the treadmill (hahaha), and getting injured. I looked at them and figured out what a few of mine are and how to fix them. The first one is falling behind. Well, I think this is something that I need to get over because I am a beginner and the goal is to finish. I know that pride is a big issue for me in most of my daily life and this is no exception. I don't want to look like a loser or be embarrassed by my slowness. I am starting to feel slightly less fearful of this because I am running for me and not the hypothetical guy in the Tapout t-shirt yelling at me to speed up.
Another recent fear of mine has been gaining weight. Those who know me know that this is a struggle for me and will continue to be one. I am not one of those lucky few who are blessed with a figure that never quits nor wavers. I have to work hard to lose every pound and every inch. Lately my eating hasn't been too hot because I use the excuse of "I ran so I can have that". Yeah....no. According to the article, you don't need extra carbohydrates if you exercise an hour or less. There is no need for added consumption, and this week my goals are to eat for my chosen sport. I will run faster, less pressure will be on my lower body, and my muscles will show up better if I weigh less. Wow, I never thought that would be my motivation, but I'm glad it is.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Wake Up Feet!
First of all, I would like to give a shout out to Judy, Lizzy, and Melissa for doing wonderful in their sprint triathlon (turned into a deuxathalon, butwas still hard)! Y'all make me want to be a better runner.
After watching those awesome ladies run and bike, it made me excited for my run this morning. There was an article in Runner's World called "Affair of the Feet" where a guy goes through a midlife crisis and instead of buying a new expensive sports car or taking up with a younger woman, he instead sneaks out to train for a marathon. He is absolutely in love with running. This is how I felt last night. I looked up races, checked out the swag they offered, readtips about nutrition and stretches, etc. This morning, however, I woke up feeling blah.
I dragged myself out of bed slower than usual and by the time we reached North Shore, I was a zombie. My poor mother has to deal with me every morning which should probably put her in the running to be a saint by next month. Leah commented that I was actually a lot quieter than usual (I am usually the annoying running partner that jokes too much and sings songs that make the other runners want to strangle you, i.e. anything by Journey). The run started out at a faster pace because Leah was on fire this morning. I kept up for about...8 minutes or so and then fell behind. The turnaround was horrible and I ran for another 4 minutes or so and then I had to walk. My right foot has started hurting on the bottom around the arch and in the middle. My left ankle and shins were acting up as well. I added in a few faster bursts of running so that I would at least have 2/3 or more of my exercise this morning be running.
I had such a great run on Saturday and I was bubbling over with my l'amour des pieds that I am really disappointed in myself for not running the whole time and keeping up. Ugh. I know everyone has a bad run and this is one of mine, I just wish they were less frequent. One consolation was that I found out that using a tennis ball to massage your feet really works and feels awesome.
After watching those awesome ladies run and bike, it made me excited for my run this morning. There was an article in Runner's World called "Affair of the Feet" where a guy goes through a midlife crisis and instead of buying a new expensive sports car or taking up with a younger woman, he instead sneaks out to train for a marathon. He is absolutely in love with running. This is how I felt last night. I looked up races, checked out the swag they offered, readtips about nutrition and stretches, etc. This morning, however, I woke up feeling blah.
I dragged myself out of bed slower than usual and by the time we reached North Shore, I was a zombie. My poor mother has to deal with me every morning which should probably put her in the running to be a saint by next month. Leah commented that I was actually a lot quieter than usual (I am usually the annoying running partner that jokes too much and sings songs that make the other runners want to strangle you, i.e. anything by Journey). The run started out at a faster pace because Leah was on fire this morning. I kept up for about...8 minutes or so and then fell behind. The turnaround was horrible and I ran for another 4 minutes or so and then I had to walk. My right foot has started hurting on the bottom around the arch and in the middle. My left ankle and shins were acting up as well. I added in a few faster bursts of running so that I would at least have 2/3 or more of my exercise this morning be running.
I had such a great run on Saturday and I was bubbling over with my l'amour des pieds that I am really disappointed in myself for not running the whole time and keeping up. Ugh. I know everyone has a bad run and this is one of mine, I just wish they were less frequent. One consolation was that I found out that using a tennis ball to massage your feet really works and feels awesome.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The Last 2 Runs
Well, I slacked a little and didn't write about Thursday's run so this will be a combination. (We were all bad and skipped Wednesday's run).
There have been some awesome developments as of late and the best one is signing on with a running coach! She will do individualized plans for each one of us (25 people total) and she is also a yoga instructor so we get that added into the price as well! YAY! Leah and I got to meet her on Thursday night for her running group that is running every trail in The Woodlands. Picture this...6:30 pm, 85ish% humidity, and 101 F. There were two routes (we opted for the shorter 2.25 miles) and it was on a path that was fairly familiar to us. Let me just say that I probably only ran a total of 17 minutes and I'm being generous here. It was so damn hot and miserable and my ankle started to hurt a little while that same foot fell asleep (AGAIN!). It took me sooo long to do this and we were not allowed stopwatches or Garmins on the run either. Leah was a trooper and ran about 36 min while I just walked it off. There was a cute party and drawing afterwards and I went home and crashed.
Now, we are at Saturday. Today felt OK outside and there seemed to be more groups that met at 6am than usual. We decided to do a 5 min walk and then do our 30 min run. We got to run up and down the stupid bridge on Woodlands Pkwy 2x which was...swell. This run actually was pretty good. All three of us generally stayed pretty quiet (I cracked the occasional joke which I found takes too much energy) and at around the same pace. On the turn around I was tempted to walk, but I am now discerning between real pain and fatigue and just being tired/negative. Even though I've heard it before, I have now experienced that distance running is a total mental game. I have to keep positive thoughts in my head and just keep breathing (just keep swimming...). I have also found that our time goes by really fast because we are paying more attention to our breathing, body, and scenery than anything else. I like the mental clarity I feel during and after a run. Let's see if I take that into Monday's run.
There have been some awesome developments as of late and the best one is signing on with a running coach! She will do individualized plans for each one of us (25 people total) and she is also a yoga instructor so we get that added into the price as well! YAY! Leah and I got to meet her on Thursday night for her running group that is running every trail in The Woodlands. Picture this...6:30 pm, 85ish% humidity, and 101 F. There were two routes (we opted for the shorter 2.25 miles) and it was on a path that was fairly familiar to us. Let me just say that I probably only ran a total of 17 minutes and I'm being generous here. It was so damn hot and miserable and my ankle started to hurt a little while that same foot fell asleep (AGAIN!). It took me sooo long to do this and we were not allowed stopwatches or Garmins on the run either. Leah was a trooper and ran about 36 min while I just walked it off. There was a cute party and drawing afterwards and I went home and crashed.
Now, we are at Saturday. Today felt OK outside and there seemed to be more groups that met at 6am than usual. We decided to do a 5 min walk and then do our 30 min run. We got to run up and down the stupid bridge on Woodlands Pkwy 2x which was...swell. This run actually was pretty good. All three of us generally stayed pretty quiet (I cracked the occasional joke which I found takes too much energy) and at around the same pace. On the turn around I was tempted to walk, but I am now discerning between real pain and fatigue and just being tired/negative. Even though I've heard it before, I have now experienced that distance running is a total mental game. I have to keep positive thoughts in my head and just keep breathing (just keep swimming...). I have also found that our time goes by really fast because we are paying more attention to our breathing, body, and scenery than anything else. I like the mental clarity I feel during and after a run. Let's see if I take that into Monday's run.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Slow and Slower
I wanted to stay in bed. I went to bed late again and had my alarm set for ten after five, unfortunately I fell asleep on both my arms (how the hell did that happen?..)and was awoken by that about thirty minutes before I had to get up. Of course, I rolled over and adjusted so that I could resume my rest and then I hear the incessant..beep beep beep beep. Snooze. Beep beep beep beep. Snooze. BEEEEEEEEPPPPPP. FINE THEN! I dragged myself out today in an incoherent state and gingerly got dressed.
As we drove there I kept entertaining thoughts of just sitting at the Starbucks we park at and just sipping coffee instead of running. Leah pulls up looking as dead as I do. While we waited for the signal on her Garmin, we waste time with small talk to avoid the inevitable...fartleks*. It is only 6am and it is 80 degrees and 90% humidity. It is one of those good Southeast Texas mornings where you serve atmosphere on a plate. We decide that fartleks are not a good idea and just decide to power through our 24 minute run. It is needless to say miserable, it smelled wet outside (with the occasional cologne a la skunk) and I rereleased something this morning. When you run you feel every bump, incline, texture, crack and crevice. There are things I never thought I'd notice that I take for granted while walking that I now feel (and subsequently avoid). On the turnaround Leah commented that she felt like she was swimming in hot tomato soup. It felt more like going to the pool in the summer when it's about 101 degrees and there are too many bodies in the water. We finished at a colossally slower pace than usual (17:30 which included 6 minutes of walking). Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
P.S. I didn't die from the sandwich yesterday.
*Fartleks according to Wikipedia "Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish,[1] is a form of interval training which puts stress on the whole aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. It differs from traditional interval training in that it is unstructured; intensity and/or speed can be varied whenever the athlete wishes.[2]"
As we drove there I kept entertaining thoughts of just sitting at the Starbucks we park at and just sipping coffee instead of running. Leah pulls up looking as dead as I do. While we waited for the signal on her Garmin, we waste time with small talk to avoid the inevitable...fartleks*. It is only 6am and it is 80 degrees and 90% humidity. It is one of those good Southeast Texas mornings where you serve atmosphere on a plate. We decide that fartleks are not a good idea and just decide to power through our 24 minute run. It is needless to say miserable, it smelled wet outside (with the occasional cologne a la skunk) and I rereleased something this morning. When you run you feel every bump, incline, texture, crack and crevice. There are things I never thought I'd notice that I take for granted while walking that I now feel (and subsequently avoid). On the turnaround Leah commented that she felt like she was swimming in hot tomato soup. It felt more like going to the pool in the summer when it's about 101 degrees and there are too many bodies in the water. We finished at a colossally slower pace than usual (17:30 which included 6 minutes of walking). Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
P.S. I didn't die from the sandwich yesterday.
*Fartleks according to Wikipedia "Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish,[1] is a form of interval training which puts stress on the whole aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. It differs from traditional interval training in that it is unstructured; intensity and/or speed can be varied whenever the athlete wishes.[2]"
Monday, August 8, 2011
Breakfast of Champions
Today was an interesting run...we did our walk 2/jog 26/ walk 2 and we tried it out in a different place. We ended up running on a half open trail and then around a corporate outdoor resting place equipped with mini-gazebo and koi pond (if not koi then maybe...goldfish, salmon, tiger sharks..who really knows).I also got to try out my new running skirt which unfortunately gives me a muffin and not a very tasteful (surely not tasty :P) one at that. I was almost head to toe in black so you can see where I would be what Kat calls the "invisible pedestrian" who could easily be slapped down by a passing F-150 or BMW. My mother trucked along in her walk as usual and we gave each other the high 5 when we passed one another. My run was momentously slow...not a tad slow, but Mom couldn't tell if I was just hobbling or running. Our usual pace is what I like to call the "bouncy walk" because it is slow, but you can't call it walking because it has the necessary bounce of running. It was probably....95 percent humidity this morning because I was sweating like a Baptist Preacher at a strip club. Thank God for my towel.
After this fun ordeal, we went to the grocery store where EVERYTHING looked sooo good and I kept wondering what to eat. I picked up the latest issue of Runner's World and contemplated what breakfast would be. Most athletes seem to have some yogurt, fruit, maybe a protein shake, toast with an egg...not me. I closed in on the deli at HEB and my eyes wandered to...wait for it...corned beef. Yep, I said it. I was seriously salivating at the idea of a sandwich made with this delectable processed meat. I imagined a ten foot high sub full of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, my beloved deli choice, mayo, spicy mustard, pickles, a little onion, and garnished with a toothpick holding an olive. However, this would probably put me in a coma. When I got home I used my little sandwich thins, a light coating of mayo and 2 slices of the beef. It was lovely, but not as good as it was in my head. I'll let you know how I'm holding up later.
On a final note, for some reason my blog is set to Pacific Time and I don't know how to change it sooo things might look weird.
After this fun ordeal, we went to the grocery store where EVERYTHING looked sooo good and I kept wondering what to eat. I picked up the latest issue of Runner's World and contemplated what breakfast would be. Most athletes seem to have some yogurt, fruit, maybe a protein shake, toast with an egg...not me. I closed in on the deli at HEB and my eyes wandered to...wait for it...corned beef. Yep, I said it. I was seriously salivating at the idea of a sandwich made with this delectable processed meat. I imagined a ten foot high sub full of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, my beloved deli choice, mayo, spicy mustard, pickles, a little onion, and garnished with a toothpick holding an olive. However, this would probably put me in a coma. When I got home I used my little sandwich thins, a light coating of mayo and 2 slices of the beef. It was lovely, but not as good as it was in my head. I'll let you know how I'm holding up later.
On a final note, for some reason my blog is set to Pacific Time and I don't know how to change it sooo things might look weird.
In the Beginning...
In the beginning...I couldn't run to save my life. I thought I'd end up one of those helpless victims (though less blonde, non-skanky, and sans the heels) in a horror movie that tripped over everything and would run out of breath while the crazy ax-wielding killer dressed like Alfred E. Newman (Mad Magazine guy) in a bunny suit would chop me into kibble. I would see people on TV in professional sports such as soccer run up and down and up and down and up and down....and then I'd pass out for them out of fatigue. I had attempted to start running several times and had dreams where I could not only run, but run so quickly that I was almost flying. This was an enticing dream about what my body could possibly do, but my feet and lungs thought otherwise. This gradually turned to physical apathy and I thought...well I guess some people are meant to run and others sit...guess who the sitter is? Later on I became a little more cynical and thought "Why run when you can walk or why walk when you can drive" was more or less my mantra...until my friend Leah moved back into town.
We both suffered from being tired and overweight and she had the idea to start running. She has run a few half-marathons and I actually walked one with my friend Kat a few years ago. All three of us combined to create a super girl running group made up of three personality, body, and temperament types. All we need are T-Shirts right? Well, where most might say that they have triumphed and are fast we, however, are not. We are lucky to be a unique group of inherently slow runners who can giggle and speak together in a tight mini-pack. Some skeptical and elite types might not call us runners because we have about a 15:30 pace, we are a bit chubby, and we haven't even ran a full 30 minutes yet. We also come late in the game since we are all knocking on 30, but there are some who start at 70 or older. A part of me is really competative (those who have ever played a game/sport/trivia with me know how I am) and I want to not only finish, but be kinda good at it. At the moment I'll settle for finishing.
I will be sharing many things here. Some might be sad, happy, disturbing, disgusting, nauseating, and otherwise exasperating. Prepare to fall, cry, sweat, and drink many skinny iced caramel macchiatos with me on my journey to finish The Woodlands Half Marathon on March 3, 2012.
We both suffered from being tired and overweight and she had the idea to start running. She has run a few half-marathons and I actually walked one with my friend Kat a few years ago. All three of us combined to create a super girl running group made up of three personality, body, and temperament types. All we need are T-Shirts right? Well, where most might say that they have triumphed and are fast we, however, are not. We are lucky to be a unique group of inherently slow runners who can giggle and speak together in a tight mini-pack. Some skeptical and elite types might not call us runners because we have about a 15:30 pace, we are a bit chubby, and we haven't even ran a full 30 minutes yet. We also come late in the game since we are all knocking on 30, but there are some who start at 70 or older. A part of me is really competative (those who have ever played a game/sport/trivia with me know how I am) and I want to not only finish, but be kinda good at it. At the moment I'll settle for finishing.
I will be sharing many things here. Some might be sad, happy, disturbing, disgusting, nauseating, and otherwise exasperating. Prepare to fall, cry, sweat, and drink many skinny iced caramel macchiatos with me on my journey to finish The Woodlands Half Marathon on March 3, 2012.
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