Monday, April 30, 2012

Mileage Totals

January: 56.8
February: 61.39
March: 52.49
April: 53.5

Grand Total: 224.18

I'm Baaaaaack!

20 days until the Portland Rock n Roll Half Marathon! 

I took a week off of exercise last week. I really don't have any particular reasons, I just really needed to devote more time to my studies and family. And if I'm being honest, I think I have been getting a bit burnt out. I think a week off was good. I was raring to go this morning. I won't be doing that again for a while, at least not until after my half marathon (and even then I might not need a ton of time off). So...that being said, I am back at it!


The run went well! I was nervous to see what would happen after not running for a week. It was ok! I warmed up in the gym which felt awesome. I was ready to hit the ground running. It was like my legs were meeting an old friend they had missed. But I took it easy, went the responsible route and had a good warm-up. Then I went out!

Nike+ has such great tools for analyzing your runs!


The first 2 miles were rough. My legs felt weak, like I hadn't eaten enough, or like I was having caffeine jitters. I pushed through it knowing that once I got going for a while it would get better. I even stopped at one point, and since no one was around, I lectured my legs, "Ok legs, enough! We are going for a run so get with it!" Yeah, I'm a weirdo. I don't care. It kind of worked.

My legs started to feel better around 2.5 miles when the wind/rain started whipping me all around which wasn't very fun. Around mile 3 the medial area of my ankle started to hurt. I focused on my form and keeping my chin up which helped. I wore my ACE bandage after the run for a few hours and I don't feel any trouble down there anymore. It's just a weird spot.


I kind of hate this ankle brace. The stitching around the edges is just too thick and cuts into my skin

It was rainy and windy and cold, but I didn't care. It was strangely refreshing. I pushed forward and then started up 16th street hill which kicked my arse. I did pretty good for the first 3/4 but the last 2 blocks I almost threw up. Then my legs felt so jelly that I almost fell getting down the stairs to the locker room. Taking a week off made an impact I think, and not a good one. Or maybe the first run back is always the hardest. I cooled down, did abs and arms last, then hit the showers.

The rest of the day my IT bands/hips were quite tight and stiff. I kept having to stretch them out and I will be sure to seriously roll them out tonight as well. I am still sore the day after too, but I have a 3-miler ahead of me to work out the lactic acid.

Last thoughts or tidbits:
My RF mentioned these and I found them at Walmart!
Love these Sport Beans. They are really yummy! I've been trying out some different fuel products to see what I like best. I like the Sport Beans for taste but I don't think I would want to have to chomp on them or let them dissolve during a long run. I know myself, and once I get past mile 4 or 5 I don't want to make any movements that divert my energy from keeping form and running.

{So far I like the Clif Shot Blocks the best.}

The Soles are beginning to lift
It looks like it might be the beginning of the end for my Nike Lunar Glides. It's nearing that time anyway. If I haven't hit 300 miles yet, I'm really close. Either way, it's kind of satisfying to know I am literally wearing a pair of shoes out!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Ten-Point-Two Idyllepic Miles

First 3.63 miles
Second portion route-loving all of the yellows and greens!
Today I had the run of my life. I couldn't decide if it was idyllic or epic so i just smashed the two words together and made a new word :) It wasn't a special race or a particularly new distance. It was just a wonderful run, with awesome conditions. It was one of those experiences that runners live for. When the proverbial stars align and all the world is right.

We're "glam-ping". That is the term for our travel-trailer version of camping ("glamour camping"). My 31st birthday is tomorrow and we pulled our travel trailer up to Washington to stay at Sequim Bay State Park a few miles from my in-laws' pad. They wanted to celebrate my sister-in-law and I's birthdays with us. We have the same birthday.

So anyway, this brings us up here to the Olympic Peninsula, right on The Olympic Discovery Trail, a paved trail for aficionados on foot or pedal. It's a spectacular trail that winds along the bay, through the forest, across bridges, & past views of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains. It is my favorite place to run so far!!  http://www.olympicdiscoverytrail.com/

I got up and had breakfast and my husband took the kids to run errands, leaving me free to go for a run (apparently the dozens of references to my only desire for the day were noticed and it was one of my birthday gifts). I was proud of myself for packing what I needed in a separate bag, ready to go. This was the first time that it worked out for me to go for a run while camping. Usually we are busy/distracted with other things and a run does not mesh. I am happy that I am figuring out how to make it work, because trying out new trails and runs is part of the fun!

I suited up, turned on my iPod and headed out for a long run of 10 miles. The first mile I was cold and felt rickety and had a tinge of a headache going on. I knew I would loosen up as my body warmed and I had committed a "runner's sin" by taking a mild dose of Ibuprofen pre-run.

Right from the get-go I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine peaking through the tree leaves, creating a dark/light puzzle on the trail. Around mile 2 my digestive system kicked in and I had to take a 30 second potty break. Thankfully John Wayne Marina on West Sequim Bay Rd was part of my route. My headache subsided around the same time.

Speaking of West Sequim Bay Rd, my in-laws' house is located there, and it was cool running past it! Miles 2-4 were pretty much a consistent, gentle hill. I hardly noticed, I was so distracted by the breathtaking views of Sequim Bay.


Around mile 4 I rounded the crest of the hill to reveal the Olympic Mountains! So gorgeous I couldn't not stop to take a photo. Unfortunately I pushed a button and "ended" my workout so I had to start a new workout (hence to two represented at the start of this blog entry). I just don't know how to document my runs with photos without making a big fuss. I would really like to though, especially on runs like today where the views are plentiful.

The next few miles took me toward the town of Sequim and rounding parks with pretty ponds housing mallard ducks and geese. I passed a softball field where adults were playing and a very active dog park. I also passed a Mile Marker 21, which reminded me that my mother-in-law has mentioned that there is a marathon every year on the trail.  http://www.nodm.com/   Wheels were turning in my head and the race (Half marathon) is going on the calendar!

Around mile 6, I was headed on the back portion of my run,  running through the woods and enjoying the sun. I kept it around a 9:15 pace, just enjoying the run.

Around mile 8 a huge hawk flew over my head. I honestly thought by then I would be struggling but I felt awesome.

Around the 10 mile mark, my body started to stiffen. This is when I typically have trouble and my mental toughness has to push me along.  I finished strong at the trailhead where I had started and finished at 10.26 miles. I was really pleased with how my body performed. I had no problem breathing, no calf or shin pain. My left-inside ankle hurt some around mile 7 or so but that usually happens around mile 5. I was ok hydration-wise even though I had a glass and a half of Pinot Gris the night before. I had drank a few cups of water leading up to the run and ate a Chomp. I ate the rest of the bag post-run.

I loved all of the sights and smells along the run. It was the best of spring to be sure. Wildflowers, cherry blossoms, daffodils and tulips, fresh mulch and freshly cut grass were just a few. I just can't say enough nice things about this run!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Five Spontaneous Miles


Today was a cool day! I don't have class on Thursdays and it was my husband's first day of leave for this long weekend. We have plans to take our travel trailer up to Washington for some camping over my birthday weekend. So today after dropping our kids off at school, the hubs and I went around running a few errands and he took me to breakfast. It was perfect, even though it started raining. At about 11 o'clock, we headed over to the Airstation so my hubby could put in no-fly dates for my Rock n Roll Half Marathon weekend in May. I sat in the car for about 5 minutes before I realized it could take longer time than I felt like waiting. So I sent him a quick text and headed out for a run.

I love my Nike+GPS app. It means that even if I am in an area where I have no idea about the mileage, I can program a mileage,  push "start workout" and just head for a sort of out-and-back run. It was great!!

The run felt pretty good. I went out at first feeling light as a feather, just letting my legs carry me wherever. It was so exciting because I was in an area I don't usually run. I felt like a "real runner". An idea birthed...what if you could cover every street in your town, run-by-run? Hmmmm...
Around mile 1.5 I started to feel less like light-as-a-feather and a bit more like stiff-as-a-board. But I just kept going, sticking with about an 8:45 pace. Not too slow, not too fast.
The run was great! Afterward, I found my husband finishing up working the trailer onto the hitch, just about ready to go. So we headed out.
I am surprised today at how quickly I got sore after my run. My butt and groin/inner thighs are really tight and sore already. I'll have to roll out my muscles and I will take tomorrow off to rest. I wonder why this happened because I have been running for a while now. Maybe I was dehydrated a bit!

Now I'm vegging in my favorite sweats and comfy sweats as it rains outside. Pizza is in the oven and rest is on the horizon. It's been a good day :)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Squeezing It In

My last post had everything to do with priorities, and I wanted to make the point that I have not pushed running too far down my priority list. It's still so important to me! Today for instance...I had very little time between school and kids' activities so I drove home and as soon as I got here I pulled out the treadmill and worked out 3 miles (9:15 pace). I didn't have much time afterward to do anything but towel off before I was off to the next thing! Thankfully life will slow down this weekend as we're headed out to camp some more!

And on an unrelated note...pushing school up the priority list paid off today...I got 97% on my first exam of the term! Woop!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A Short Workout is Better Than No Workout

Quick recap up to today!

Last Thursday: Power Vinyasa

Saturday: 2 1/2 hour hike, trails and beach

Today: 30-min Cardio Circuit including plyometrics and walking/jogging about a mile. (I had bad gas today-TMI I know...but it took a toll)

That's it! (Unless you count exercising my brain, because I'm exhausted from that!)

The Biggest Challenge So Far

What a year it has been so far! I'm really proud of all I am acheiving and glad to be in a really good running groove. But it is not all perfect by any means. It is challenging! And I'm not talking about the workouts, or the races, or even the nutrition factor...
My biggest challenge so far has been finding a balance.
You see, in addition to being a runner,  I'm a mother of 3, a military spouse, a student, and I also serve on my church's worship team and volunteer at my child's school. My life is a whirlwind most of the time.I know many of you can relate!
We live on the North Coast of Oregon, and our plans are dictated much of the time by the weather. When it is nice out, we know how to drop everything, hitch on the travel trailer and hit a local campground somewhere to enjoy it! When it is beautiful, this is one of the nicest places to live...unfortunately the beautiful days are few and far between until summer comes (around July).
My kids keep me busier than I can honestly handle, but I stay afloat the best that I can. Between homework, chores and general parenting plus sports, piano, school activities and doctors appointments, at least one of them has something they are involved in every single afternoon. Gone are the stay-at-home-mom days where we rarely got out of the house! They are three boys, so the noise level is elevated at just about all hours of the day that we are home and just keeping enough food in the house to satisfy them is a challenge! 
I am also a Coast Guard spouse, so my life is also largely dictated by my husband's work schedule and I have to figure out how to get everything done without his help most of the time. He also serves in the community as an assistant varsity baseball coach for the high school, which I am glad to support him in. 
Then there is my education. I'm a pre-nursing student on the brink of possibly beginning nursing school (application is submitted, I am just waiting to hear). I am in a constant state of being just a little bit behind in my anatomy class, which is the only class I am taking by the way so you would think it is the easiest thing in the world, but it is not! Studying and absorbing the material takes hours and hours of listening to lectures, reading my textbook, drawing out diagrams and completing practice tests. I love what I am learning, at least that is a bonus.
Ok why did I say all of that? Somewhere in the last few weeks I feel like I have lost my balance and I need to shift my focus. You see, I started this blog/challenge because I thought it would be really fun and a great way to motivate myself to run regularly. While it is fun and challenging, I feel like too many other things in my life suffer for the sake of my running routine. I have been stressing out every time I miss a scheduled run, or don't meet my mileage goals.  When I'm not running, I'm thinking about/stressing about my next run/how I will sneak more miles into my week. It's an exhausting state of mind...all motivated by my goal to reach 1,000 miles by the end of the year. I don't want other areas of my life to suffer for the sake of my running fitness goals. That would not be cool. And it would kind of suck the joy out of it at the same time!
I should be able to take a day off to get some good study time in or to escape for a spontaneous camping trip with my family and not feel guilty about it. I want to sit and watch my sons' activities without worrying about if I have clean clothes for my next morning's run. It's ok if I go hiking with my husband on a Saturday instead of running (even though hiking doesn't 'count' toward my 1,000 miles goal). I am sick of heading to school on Monday feeling guilty that I did not meet my last week's mileage goals. (Yes, I have been obsessing at that level) I might be in nursing school soon with even less time to devote to outside activities than I have now. If I don't find balance now, I'm going to go crazy then. Coming to terms with your limitations is an extremely humbling yet valuable thing. We really pressure ourselves to find inner motivation and we say, "If it is important to you, you will find time..." but honestly, I need to sleep at some point. My kids need their mom, my husband needs his wife. School is important, and I can't get by with Cs. So while it is easy to say that you make time for exercise if it is important, one factor you cannot change is that there are only 24 hours in a day! 

Exercise/running should be a priority, do not get me wrong. I am usually the first person to lend an encouraging word to a friend who needs motivation. I myself am a much happier/healthier person when I have gotten a great run in. So I'm not quitting by any means. But it's time to take a step back.  I'm done paying so much attention to my mileage goals, it throws me into obsessive thinking. I will still track my mileage while sticking to a half marathon training plan for May's race. But I'm not going to analyze it so much. My original goal was to see how far I could run this year, but NOT at the expense of everything else in my life. Running is a great side dish to my life, it is not the main course. If I don't run all the way to 1,000 miles, it will be because I chose to invest my time in other areas of my life besides running. I will just have to keep track until I reach the 1,000 mile goal, even if it takes 16 months or something. No matter how long it takes, it will be an accomplishment worth celebrating.
Lastly, I need to give myself permission to celebrate milestones and build on them rather than skipping on to my next to-do. I'm doing awesome! I have lost 5 pounds and turned my diet around. I'm running 9 miles comfortably and if I had to, I could head out and run a half marathon tomorrow with relative ease. {Right now} I am injury free. I need to be able to enjoy today, where I am right now, even if my schedule falls off course. Life as they say is in the journey, not just the destination.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Small Successes Add Up!

This morning I weighed in at 139.4 lbs! That's right my friends, I have now lost 5 pounds and am officially out of the 140s! Ok, ok, I know...I'm barely out of the 140s, but it still counts in my book! Mostly I'm just so proud of the fact that I have taken control of my diet, feel so much better and it is paying off! (My long-term goal is 130 lbs)

YAY!!!!
And just to reiterate, it has nothing to do with how much I have been running, because I have been doing that since the first of the year! My weight loss can only be creditted to better eating, which began around March 19 :)
I love food!

Yesterday's run also counts as a small success. It felt so amazing to run fast!


Lastly for now and not related to eating or fitness but instead skin health, I have battled acne for some time now (too long to even remember when it started!). I finally broke down and ordered ProActiv. It has been less than a week and my skin is transforming! The daily exfoliation/pampering/repairing is amazing!  I have had only one blemish pop up and it healed almost overnight!

That's not me by the way...

Now...my birthday is coming up and I need to figure out what I'd like most! Lululemon, massage, some shopping?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

4 Mile Tempo Run

Awesomesauce!
This morning I woke up indecisive. Do I run on the Riverwalk? Do I drive over and try a new run on the dike in Warrenton? Is it raining? Do I need a hat?  Do I run a tempo or intervals? Do I even feel like running?...

I have these debates with myself all too often and it drives me nuts! Thankfully,  keeping a pretty good schedule written out on my calendar ends such debates. Today was 4 miles (not up for debate!) and I chose the high school track so I could run on a nice, gentle surface. I chose a tempo run because I just needed to push myself and remember how to run fast. My last week's runs have all felt so slow. And with my pseudo-injury...my runs have just been so-so.  

Today was awesome! Nice and fast 7:35 pace was just what the Dr. ordered. And as an added bonus, my legs felt great! My left shin feels a bit tender when massaged, but overall I can't complain!!

I thought the pace map was too funny not to share:

I went around, then around, then around and around some more!
Check out my 4:31 stretch! That was when I kicked at the very end.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Five Miles: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Run/Workout: 5 miles
Location: Residential, Hilly Astoria
Run Time (if applicable): 52:02 minutes, 10.21 split average
Run Start: 11:00 am
Temperature: 56 degrees
Weather: Sunny



Notes: (The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly)

The Good:

I finished 5 miles. I did not puke. It was sunny and I got to wear a short-sleeved t-shirt. My left leg felt pretty good. I ran a new route, just kind of playing it by ear and that was fun. Overall while I am behind on my mileage goals, I'm feeling pretty good about my half marathon training.

The Bad:

I felt really slow today. Naturally running hills you are bound to go slower, but I really felt slow. I think I was just under-fueled. The hills were tough!!

The Ugly:

Mama is tired today. I went to bed early last night because Tuesdays I have to get up at 5:30 to make it to my 8am Anatomy Lab. I woke up too many times and had my son's knee in my back too much last night. I also had bad dreams. Mama did not sleep well AT ALL and it shows. As soon as I got home, I snapped at my husband who had not done the dishes and initiated an argument. Thankfully we are pretty good these days and it never escalates.  In the end I just apologized and told him I am just tired.

It's 2:30 in the afternoon and I have already had 3 cups of coffee and I am nowhere near productive. I'm tired. I don't feel good. I need to go to bed. But alas, I have the "mother-load" going on around me and I don't get to go to bed yet!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Nine-Miler Sights & Let's Talk Foot Strikes

I used my Nike+ today but it drained my iPhone battery and died right around 8.5 miles! Bummer! (My phone was at about 60% juice when I started just for reference)

Run/Workout: 9 miles (5 min cool-down)
Location: Astoria Riverwalk
Run Time (if applicable): 1:26 minutes, 9:55 split average
Run Start: 12:30 pm
Temperature: 48 degrees
Weather: Sunny with some wind

Notes:

Hurray! I completed another 9-miler! It feels really great to be able to say that! In my sights right now is the Rock n Roll Half Marathon May 20th. So I'm really hoping I will be well-trained by that point and glad to have two 9-milers under my belt. Next Friday will be 10 miles if all goes according to plan. Here's how the run went:

The best invention ever!
I wore a compression sock on my left (weaker) leg, the one I have been having some troubles with. My lower leg just burned for the first 3 miles or so when I went ahead and folded the sock down half way for relief. It helped some.

Along the way, I past these big guys. How many people can say they have California Sea Lions on their run route? By the way, they STINK!!!


"Ahhhh, sunbathing..."

The first 6 miles were pretty uncomfortable. My cardiovascular system is doing great, but my left lower leg wasn't today. I can't really describe specifically what I've been experiencing, but there was no shooting pain today thanks to the compression socks. It was mostly just discomfort/burning/dull pain.

I walked a couple of times to give it a break, and stopped to stretch a few times. I'm not the kind of person who likes to walk much on runs, even long runs which is totally justifiable. Today I did so and my time was still in a good range so I am going to be more optimistic toward walk breaks.

Thank you Jeff Galloway, for giving me permission to take walk breaks!

Then for whatever reason, the discomfort let up and I had a great last 3 miles.
And on another fun note, the Astoria Trolley is running again and rang their bell for me as they past :)




Form Matters:

Today I realized that I have a natural tendency to stare right down near my feet. I have to really make myself keep my chin up and look up ahead but I discovered that when I kept my head up, my legs felt better instantly. My leg felt better on strikes that hit my forefoot rather that midfoot or heel strikes and keeping my head up helped keep my strikes near forefoot. From what I know about good form, keeping your head up is very important and I'm going to keep working on it since it definitely does not come naturally to me.

I believe a whole book was written about this particular subject, a little title called Born To Run by Christopher McDoughall. Apparently it is all the rage in the running community. I need to read it! To Amazon.com I go...

Good Running Form:


Example of Foot Strike Differences:


Here's a good article from Runner's World that I found too!
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-268-8210-0,00.html



Thursday, April 5, 2012

March/April Nutrition Update-LOSING WEIGHT!

So as of both January and February, I had achieved cutting back coffee to 2 cups per day, which has continued. I also have been successful in increasing water intake which I have continued. I use a 32 oz REI water bottle which really helps. It has the oz marked on the side which I really like. It simplifies the task. Two of these bottles full drank and I am pretty much good for the day. And yes, I pee a lot, but oh well, it's worth the inconvenience.

As of March 22, I had finished up Winter Term of school and even though I had been running and working out a lot, I actually had GAINED a few pounds! I knew it was all diet...so started using My Fitness Pal again. I am loving it! At first I have to admit, it was hard getting the hang of entering all of my food and keeping track of it. I have the kind of personality that literally gets annoyed at this type of throughout-the-day accountability. But I continued working hard and it has become a habit that I am doing automatically!

I will admit the first week or so was really hard to meet my caloric goals. For any given day, I am allowed 1600 calories, and at first I would eat that up by about 4pm, BEFORE dinner! Wow! Since, I have learned how to be smarter about what I eat and when, and what foods are calorie-dense (hello peanut butter!). I think the most powerful tool has been the accountability itself that is required when you keep track. No more "out of sight, out of mind" thinking. I am staring the foods I eat right in the face and getting real with what I put into my body. After two weeks, 1600 calories is not as hard as it was when I started.

Nighttime snacking has gotten better too. I have gotten better about telling myself, "Nope, I'm full. I don't need that." or "I will feel miserable if I stuff myself again." which is true.  After dinner, dishes get done and kitchen is cleaned and the lights go off-Kitchen is closed. Sometimes the simple act of getting busy doing laundry or getting the kids ready for bed helps too. I think I have kicked the nighttime snacking habit.

I don't buy many snacks and NO sweets. I'm a sweets-a-holic by admission so I don't even tempt myself. The exceptions I make to treat myself will include a Hershey's chocolate bar or homemade fruit crisp or something like that. Funny thing is that after all this time, I don't crave sweets anymore, and I'm not all worked up around them. The other day I was at this cool cafe in town and they had all kinds of beautiful pastries on display. I was so content just admiring how pretty they were, and I wasn't pulled to buy a bunch and gorge myself on them. That's progress people!!

The other fun part is, My Fitness Pal also adds expendable calories depending on the exercise you have performed! This means that if I get to the end of the day and I find that I am a little over my caloric intake, I can go outside and get my kids on their bikes and we'll go for a walk. Even at a stroll's pace, it burns calories. And when it is rainy I am fortunate enough to say I can get on our treadmill. I don't have to get all gross and sweaty either. Sometimes I just go down there and throw my sneakers on, jeans and all and just walk for a bit, listening to the radio or my anatomy lectures.

So what have my results been thus far?? In the last {almost} 2 weeks I have lost 3 pounds! And I know it's not just water weight because I have been drinking a ton of water! I'm so stoked! And I know it will be such an awesome feeling to get back into the 130s.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

You Can't Win Them All!


Run/Workout: 3.14 miles
Location: Astoria Riverwalk and 16th St.
Run Time (if applicable): 34:16, 10.53 splits
Run Start: 8:30 am
Temperature: 46 degrees
Weather: rainy

Notes:

My day pretty much started out crappy. Well not immediately. At first, things were great. I woke up to a cup of coffee my sweet husband had brewed me and I woke up in peace and quiet. But the kids' morning routine flopped when my middle son just wouldn't get out of bed, then when he did he was in a horrible mood. He argued with everything I did and I ended up going upstairs about ten times in order to help him get ready. He missed the bus and I took him to school. Thanks to this my younger son was late for school in Astoria. As soon as I kissed him good-bye I could breathe again and was really looking forward to my run and the stress-relief it would provide. 

Then I got to school the locker room was under construction! This is great obviously because the school really needs new facilities...but I didn't know so I found myself faced with either not running this morning or being sweaty all day :( I chose the latter and just went for it. Everything feels pretty fine until...

I get to about mile 1 and my left calf is just throbbing in pain. Actually it is a throbbing alternating with a sharp, shooting pain. (I have shin splints on that side that I have been religiously rolling and icing to try to aleve and hopefully get to heal.) I tried my best to just "work it out" which usually works but it just kept getting worse (much like my 9-turned-5-miler last Friday). Instead of pushing it, around 1.25 I turned around and headed back early to my starting point. I walked some and stretched some. The hill was a joke today and I walked a lot of it. IPart of the part of the problem was that I had bonked around mile 2.5 for some reason and just ran out of gas. I was weak and super hungry. I chalked it up to "you just can't win them all". It was just an "off-day".

As soon as I got back, I towelled off and changed clothes, used deodorant and was able to wash my face with soap and put my makeup on. I kept my hair in the two french braids from my workout and no one noticed any difference. As soon as I could, I took 2 Ibuprofen and got some ice from the cafe. My leg was really throbbing. I was quite the baby about it too. It went away about 15 minutes later.

The good news is that when I checked my training schedule, today was only supposed to be a 3-miler. Somewhere in my thick skull I had anticipated a 5-miler. It is probably all of the pressure I have been puting on myself lately to increase mileage to keep with my 1000 miles goal. So while my run wasn't great, I still get to add 3 miles to the tally

Well friends, you can't win them all, and I think that's ok. You're not supposed to win them all. The good news is that I feel really great now so that means I survived fairly unscathed to run another day. Tomorrow I have Yoga (bliss!) and I plan on doing a short 2-miler prior to class to add a tad of mileage. 

Monday, April 2, 2012

The Fabulous Five

Run/Workout: 5 miles (10 min warm-up/5 min cool-down)
Location: Treadmill, doors wide open
Run Time (if applicable): 44 minutes
Run Start: 6:30 pm
Temperature: ??
Weather: sunny outside

Notes:

Today was the first day of Spring Term. Today was sunny. Today I handed in my nursing application. Today I bought the kids' Easter basket goodies. Today was a good day.

However, when I got home I was tired. My house was a bit of a mess. I had a bit of a headache and all I wanted to do was sip coffee and read my new issue of RunnersWorld. But I had some running to do :) So I popped 2 Tylenol, drank a glass of water and headed downstairs. My workout consisted of:

10 min warm-up walk
10 stairs
25 mountain climbers
15 heel raises
30 high knees
30 butt kicks
40 X-Jacks
10 burpees(I hate those!)
{stretches in between}

4 miles at 9 minute mile, last mile at 8 minute mile

5 minute walk cool-down

40 classic crunches
10 push-ups
20 bicycles (each side)
25 tricep dips

This workout was hard for me...but hard in a good way. Treadmill running is extremely mental. I had a conversation with a runner friend of mine the other day regarding treadmill running:

Me: "Running on a treadmill always feels so much harder than 'on land'."
Him: "Really? I like the treadmill though because I can set it at 6:30 minute miles and it makes me run it. Otherwise I will fall off the back of the treadmill and hurt myself."

Heh. Good motivation at least! LOL

So today I took a lesson from my friend and toughened up. I set the treadmill at 9 minute miles from the start. It still felt harder than 9 minute miles "on land" but I pushed through it.  My headache went away around the first 1/2 mile, but was replaced by heartburn around 2 miles on. I just kept going anyway. Then the last minute I increased speed to 8 minute miles and pushed a faster last mile. It was really hard, I'm not gonna lie. I had to dig deep mentally. I kept saying, "Don't stop. You can do this." and I put Christina Aguilera's "Fighter" on repeat. And I kept thinking about my half marathon I have coming up and telling myself that working hard now means that running hard in the race will hurt less then.

After my workout my son came up to me to give me a hug, grimmaced then backed way off. "Ewwww. Mom you're sweaty!" he told me. "Yes son, yes I am. It's liquid awesome."

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Hitting the Ground Running!

Happy April everyone! This morning I woke up, got a cup of coffee and while the house was still quiet, stole about an hour to myself and hit the treadmill! What a great way to start the day. It was totally unscheduled...just a spontaneous 3 miles. I guess I just really wanted to start out April on a good foot, wasting no time building miles!


Run/Workout: 3 miles (10 min warm-up/5 min cool-down)
Location: Treadmill
Run Time (if applicable): 28:10
Run Start: 8:20 am
Temperature: ??
Weather: cloudy outside, but dry inside!


My left shin was still sore, but I just worked it out anyway. I read a lot about running and it seems the more I know, the more I don't know! In addition, there just seem to be opposing opinions about every subject out there! I think sometimes you need rest, sometimes you just need to work it out. It wasn't super easy, but it was just 3 miles. My shin was pretty stiff and sore when I finished, but with ibuprofen and rolling I worked it out.

What our typical weather looks like these days