Although I didn't get my run in on Christmas day, I did go for 3 miles (with a 0.1 mile walk break) on the day after Christmas! I got up early to run before we loaded up the car and headed out to visit relatives for a few days.
While at my Grandmother's place, my husband and I went for a run. It was rather cold (30F, -1C), but we went out anyway. After we got about a 1/2 mile down the road, a big puppy decided running with us would be fun. Despite our yelling at him and various other methods of getting rid of him, he stayed with us for the remainder of our run. We were going to take a path across a four lane highway, but decided to stay on a side road so the dog wouldn't try to cross the road. Despite our good intentions, the stupid dog still ran out onto the highway, making a couple cars slam on their brakes. So, we lured him off of the highway and started running back to where we think he lives. After he went off to play with another dog, we started walking slowly back to my grandmother's house. We thought we had gotten rid of them, but then we heard the pitter patter of paws again.
It was a really cute dog, maybe half german shepherd and half husky. Very friendly. I couldn't convince Claus to take him home, though. :) The dog stuck around my grandmother's house for a few hours. Her little poodle (half the puppy's size) chased it off a couple of times, but the invisible fence limited her reach. Anyway, an interesting and short run.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Bad running day, but still a running day
If there was ever a day when I could have used a Podrunner, it was today. Unfortunately, I hadn't recharged my mp3 player yet. So, I watched something on HDTV. Not very good running TV. I managed to reach my goal of 3 miles, though. I did 1.5 miles running, 0.15miles walking, 1.5 miles running. I also had to reduce the speed to about 5mph After that, I went home without lifting.
When I got home, I figured I was already in my snow stuff, so I shoveled the driveway for about 45 minutes to an hour. I couldn't go very fast, since I was already winded. However, the biggest problem I had was the ice that was under some of the snow. Since my leg muscles were fatigued, it was sometimes hard to control my legs when I stepped on ice. I was afraid I would pull a muscle like I did on the sailboat after my 4k race on the 4th of July. (I pulled a quad catching myself from slipping overboard during a very windy day. That really hurt!) That would not have been fun. And it would have sidelined me for a few days.
I've committed to 3 more miles before Christmas, so I have to find time for them. I joined a challenge on one of the Weight Watchers boards where our teams are trying to run 125 miles by Christmas. I'm on the Elves team! :)
When I got home, I figured I was already in my snow stuff, so I shoveled the driveway for about 45 minutes to an hour. I couldn't go very fast, since I was already winded. However, the biggest problem I had was the ice that was under some of the snow. Since my leg muscles were fatigued, it was sometimes hard to control my legs when I stepped on ice. I was afraid I would pull a muscle like I did on the sailboat after my 4k race on the 4th of July. (I pulled a quad catching myself from slipping overboard during a very windy day. That really hurt!) That would not have been fun. And it would have sidelined me for a few days.
I've committed to 3 more miles before Christmas, so I have to find time for them. I joined a challenge on one of the Weight Watchers boards where our teams are trying to run 125 miles by Christmas. I'm on the Elves team! :)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Another good run after a break for sledding
I wanted to run on Thursday, but we went sledding instead. More fun, but not as good of a workout!
Today I managed 4 miles. I ran the first 3miles at 5.5 mph (with the exception of the first couple minutes at 5.2-5.3mph) then I ran another mile mostly at 5.0, but I kicked it up for the last little bit. I couldn't find anything particularly interesting on the TV, so I put in a 157bpm Podrunner called Native Son. The first minute or so it was hard to find the beat, but then it got better. A nice set of tribal beats. I "read" CNN on closed captioning while listening to the music. That was a nice combination. Unfortunately, around a half of a mile from my finish, my mp3 player ran out of juice. So, I plugged my phones into the treadmill. Not near as nice listening to people in suits yap. The reading of the captions takes more of my attention, which was nice.
Afterward, I did a full round of weights. I realized I was not doing much targeting for my shoulders, so next time I'm going to add a set or two. It already takes a decent amount of time to get through my standard set of lifts, so I don't want to add any more than is necessary. I am seeing some results from the lifting. I don't want to be a body builder, but strength training is so good for you, especially for women to protect from osteoporosis. I make sure I focus some on my back, too. I see too many people with back problems. NOT FUN. Also, I'm afraid I'm more likely to develop back problems due to my scoliosis.
It was/is -3F (-19.4C) with stong winds making the windchill around -25F (-31.7C). Brr! There is absolutely no way I'd be running outside in this. I may sound like a broken record, but I am so glad I joined a gym and gave in to the treadmill for the winter. It'll be nice to run outside again, though.
Today I managed 4 miles. I ran the first 3miles at 5.5 mph (with the exception of the first couple minutes at 5.2-5.3mph) then I ran another mile mostly at 5.0, but I kicked it up for the last little bit. I couldn't find anything particularly interesting on the TV, so I put in a 157bpm Podrunner called Native Son. The first minute or so it was hard to find the beat, but then it got better. A nice set of tribal beats. I "read" CNN on closed captioning while listening to the music. That was a nice combination. Unfortunately, around a half of a mile from my finish, my mp3 player ran out of juice. So, I plugged my phones into the treadmill. Not near as nice listening to people in suits yap. The reading of the captions takes more of my attention, which was nice.
Afterward, I did a full round of weights. I realized I was not doing much targeting for my shoulders, so next time I'm going to add a set or two. It already takes a decent amount of time to get through my standard set of lifts, so I don't want to add any more than is necessary. I am seeing some results from the lifting. I don't want to be a body builder, but strength training is so good for you, especially for women to protect from osteoporosis. I make sure I focus some on my back, too. I see too many people with back problems. NOT FUN. Also, I'm afraid I'm more likely to develop back problems due to my scoliosis.
It was/is -3F (-19.4C) with stong winds making the windchill around -25F (-31.7C). Brr! There is absolutely no way I'd be running outside in this. I may sound like a broken record, but I am so glad I joined a gym and gave in to the treadmill for the winter. It'll be nice to run outside again, though.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A "wow" day!
My last run wasn't a "wow" day, but today was!
I set my speed at 5.4 mph and took off! In a little under an hour I ran 5.15 miles!! I felt like I could run even more, but then the treadmill started telling me to quit. (It only lets you run for an hour and I had walked 0.15 miles to warm up.)
I was wondering if I would be able to work up to a 10k (6.2 miles) next year and I think the answer is an unequivocal "yes!" It still probably won't be a fast 10k, but that's ok! I bet my 5k time will be a lot better in the spring, too.
Last 4th of July at the 4 on the 4th race, the thought of running 4 miles sounded crazy to me. Now I realize it would be no problem at all! Wow!
I followed that with a thorough stretch and a round of weights. I skipped the lunges today. I think I beat my legs and knees up enough for one night.
I set my speed at 5.4 mph and took off! In a little under an hour I ran 5.15 miles!! I felt like I could run even more, but then the treadmill started telling me to quit. (It only lets you run for an hour and I had walked 0.15 miles to warm up.)
I was wondering if I would be able to work up to a 10k (6.2 miles) next year and I think the answer is an unequivocal "yes!" It still probably won't be a fast 10k, but that's ok! I bet my 5k time will be a lot better in the spring, too.
Last 4th of July at the 4 on the 4th race, the thought of running 4 miles sounded crazy to me. Now I realize it would be no problem at all! Wow!
I followed that with a thorough stretch and a round of weights. I skipped the lunges today. I think I beat my legs and knees up enough for one night.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Glad I joined a gym!
The weather lately has definitely justified my decision to join a gym this winter. The temperatures have been in the single digits to negative (Fahrenheit) and with the 30+mph winds, the windchills have been very negative, in the minus twenties Fahrenheit. Brrrr!!! There is absolutely no way I'd be running outside right now. In fact, it would be very dangerous.
But, even with the noise making weird sounds on the building, the gym is warm and inviting in this weather. I made it 4 miles last night then did a full round of weights.
It wasn't one of those "wow" run days. So, I added some walking breaks like this:
0.15 miles walking warm up (3.5mph-4.5mph)
1.5 miles running (5.2mph-5.3mph)
0.1 miles walking (~4.5mph)
1.5 miles running (5.0mph - 5.2mph)
0.1 miles walking (~4.5mph)
1.0 miles running (5.0mph - 5.2mph)
cool down walking
all at 1% incline.
I didn't stretch after the run, and I think I can tell today. Of course, the feeling could also be from the combination of the long (for me) run combined with the weighted lunges I did afterward. My knees don't hurt today, but they have a feeling that tells me "Don't mess with me!" So, I won't. A day of rest should take care of things.
But, even with the noise making weird sounds on the building, the gym is warm and inviting in this weather. I made it 4 miles last night then did a full round of weights.
It wasn't one of those "wow" run days. So, I added some walking breaks like this:
0.15 miles walking warm up (3.5mph-4.5mph)
1.5 miles running (5.2mph-5.3mph)
0.1 miles walking (~4.5mph)
1.5 miles running (5.0mph - 5.2mph)
0.1 miles walking (~4.5mph)
1.0 miles running (5.0mph - 5.2mph)
cool down walking
all at 1% incline.
I didn't stretch after the run, and I think I can tell today. Of course, the feeling could also be from the combination of the long (for me) run combined with the weighted lunges I did afterward. My knees don't hurt today, but they have a feeling that tells me "Don't mess with me!" So, I won't. A day of rest should take care of things.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Exchange one run for five desserts
Knowing that I was going for lunch where they had 5 (somewhat small) desserts with the meal, I made sure I worked out this morning!
I got in 3 miles and just a tad bit of weights. I wanted to do more, but I got to the gym later than I had hoped. The positive is that I got to lunch on time!
Anyway, now I don't feel as bad and sluggish as I would have otherwise :)
I got in 3 miles and just a tad bit of weights. I wanted to do more, but I got to the gym later than I had hoped. The positive is that I got to lunch on time!
Anyway, now I don't feel as bad and sluggish as I would have otherwise :)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thank you American Gladiators
Tonight, I hopped on the treadmill at 1% incline and 5-5.2 mph setting planning on a 3 mile run. HOWEVER, the American Gladiators championship from 1995-1996 was on ESPN Classic. So, I convinced myself to run until the end of the show and ended up at 4.2 miles running! Yahoo!
After the faster run yesterday, the 5mph did seem easier, unless I just had a good day. That's totally possible.
Afterward, I lifted. I'm getting stronger! I think I did an extra set of tricep kickbacks, so my triceps might be complaining tomorrow.
Anyway, I needed the workout. I have a big presentation tomorrow and I've been eating like crap, especially tonight. Ack. Points reset tomorrow. Thank heavens.
After the faster run yesterday, the 5mph did seem easier, unless I just had a good day. That's totally possible.
Afterward, I lifted. I'm getting stronger! I think I did an extra set of tricep kickbacks, so my triceps might be complaining tomorrow.
Anyway, I needed the workout. I have a big presentation tomorrow and I've been eating like crap, especially tonight. Ack. Points reset tomorrow. Thank heavens.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Fast and short
Today I decided to change things up and run faster, but shorter. So, I dialed in 5.5mph and 1% incline and ran for 2 miles. Towards the end my heart rate was getting up around 185+, so I knocked down the incline and reduced the speed to 5.3mph. Falling off the treadmill wouldn't have been a good idea. Afterward, I stretched and lifted weights.
I almost talked myself out of getting up early today. However, since I made hubby get up in the middle of the night to take care of our daughter, who was having problems sleeping, I figured I had to hold up my end of the deal and go work out. I'm glad because I feel great now!
During my run today, I listened to more of the 154bpm Podrunner podcast while I watched the local news. The music definitely carried me through this tough run! There was one song in there that had some words in it. I don't remember what was being said, but it motivated me to continue at a difficult spot!
I almost talked myself out of getting up early today. However, since I made hubby get up in the middle of the night to take care of our daughter, who was having problems sleeping, I figured I had to hold up my end of the deal and go work out. I'm glad because I feel great now!
During my run today, I listened to more of the 154bpm Podrunner podcast while I watched the local news. The music definitely carried me through this tough run! There was one song in there that had some words in it. I don't remember what was being said, but it motivated me to continue at a difficult spot!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Great workout today
I managed to get up early, run 3 miles on the treadmill and complete a nice circuit of free weights.
My pecs were still sore yesterday from Tuesday's workout. Today they were better, so I hit them again! We'll see if they act up tomorrow. I have a book from Shape that details a lot of different ways to lift for muscle toning. It's pretty good. I've done a decent amount of weights in the past, but it's nice to have ideas for different ways of targeting certain muscles. Of course, it has instructions as well as tips on good form and what not to do.
For my run, I decided to listen to a 154bpm Podrunner podcast and watch the news with closed captioning. It worked well. The speed of the podcast was right and it kept me moving at a constant stride.
It's funny how when there are other people on the treadmills next to me we seem to synch up with our pace. When nobody else is there running, I think it's nice to have the music to synch up to!
My pecs were still sore yesterday from Tuesday's workout. Today they were better, so I hit them again! We'll see if they act up tomorrow. I have a book from Shape that details a lot of different ways to lift for muscle toning. It's pretty good. I've done a decent amount of weights in the past, but it's nice to have ideas for different ways of targeting certain muscles. Of course, it has instructions as well as tips on good form and what not to do.
For my run, I decided to listen to a 154bpm Podrunner podcast and watch the news with closed captioning. It worked well. The speed of the podcast was right and it kept me moving at a constant stride.
It's funny how when there are other people on the treadmills next to me we seem to synch up with our pace. When nobody else is there running, I think it's nice to have the music to synch up to!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Working out AND eating right
So now, I'm doing an okay job of working out regularly. That's great. But, now, I need to get my eating back under control. I don't really work out enough to counteract bad eating habits. Lately, there has been a lot of chocolate and gummy-things around the house. I have zero will power to resist chocolate and gummy-things.
In the past, I've used Weight Watcher's Core program to lose about 25 lbs. I've gained some of that back but no where near all of it. Now, I want to recommit to the program. When I'm on program, I feel good and healthy *and* I maintain a good weight. It's not that I'm at a bad place right now, but it's creeping back up and I need to stop it now.
So far today, I had oatmeal for breakfast and soup with an apple for lunch. Only 0.5 point for the pure maple syrup (yum!!) I had on the oatmeal.
This morning I worked out. I ran+walked for 5k. The running was about 30 minutes with a couple short walk breaks. Mentally, it's hard for me to take short walking breaks. In "No Need for Speed" he talks about taking walking breaks as being good, but I'm so excited about being able to run continuously, that I feel like I'm failing if I take them.
After running, I stretched and lifted weights. All of this started at 4:45!! Wow.
Update: I had reheated soup, a salad with 1pt worth of dressing, and a 1pt piece of chocolate from my kid's advent calendar, and some almonds for supper. That makes 4.5 points today.
In the past, I've used Weight Watcher's Core program to lose about 25 lbs. I've gained some of that back but no where near all of it. Now, I want to recommit to the program. When I'm on program, I feel good and healthy *and* I maintain a good weight. It's not that I'm at a bad place right now, but it's creeping back up and I need to stop it now.
So far today, I had oatmeal for breakfast and soup with an apple for lunch. Only 0.5 point for the pure maple syrup (yum!!) I had on the oatmeal.
This morning I worked out. I ran+walked for 5k. The running was about 30 minutes with a couple short walk breaks. Mentally, it's hard for me to take short walking breaks. In "No Need for Speed" he talks about taking walking breaks as being good, but I'm so excited about being able to run continuously, that I feel like I'm failing if I take them.
After running, I stretched and lifted weights. All of this started at 4:45!! Wow.
Update: I had reheated soup, a salad with 1pt worth of dressing, and a 1pt piece of chocolate from my kid's advent calendar, and some almonds for supper. That makes 4.5 points today.
Monday, November 24, 2008
A week off
I didn't work out for a whole week since my husband was on a business trip. I could have worked out in the basement, but I didn't. I goofed off instead.
This morning, I got out and got to the gym. Ran on the treadmill. It was just ok. I didn't use an incline because I forgot. I went a tad faster than normal, which still isn't fast. Morning TV is boring, but I didn't have a magazine to bring with me. Maybe I'll listen to a fixed bpm podcast next time. The TV on the treadmill is just so novel right now, I don't think about it.
I also stretched and lifted weights. I tried the Smith machine today. A nice way to do weighted lunges.
This morning, I got out and got to the gym. Ran on the treadmill. It was just ok. I didn't use an incline because I forgot. I went a tad faster than normal, which still isn't fast. Morning TV is boring, but I didn't have a magazine to bring with me. Maybe I'll listen to a fixed bpm podcast next time. The TV on the treadmill is just so novel right now, I don't think about it.
I also stretched and lifted weights. I tried the Smith machine today. A nice way to do weighted lunges.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Maybe I need to drink more water
I ran at the gym today. It was a struggle this time to make it to 30 minutes. I wanted to quit, but I didn't. I think it was mostly because I was a bit dehydrated. I hadn't had much water today. It didn't help that the programs on TV were not very interesting. My left foot seemed a bit tight during the run. I guess I should try to stretch that a bit.
After the run, I got a good stretch in and then lifted weights.
After the run, I got a good stretch in and then lifted weights.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Another nice run with a dog
Before heading to the airport, I took my brother's dog out for another run. Nice run. about 30 minutes or so, around 2.6 miles.
I saw several birds unfamiliar to me. One was a white crane-type bird and others were a blue bird of sorts. Anyway, a nice run. It was good to get some movement before having to sit all day.
I saw several birds unfamiliar to me. One was a white crane-type bird and others were a blue bird of sorts. Anyway, a nice run. It was good to get some movement before having to sit all day.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
California running... with a dog
I'm visiting my brother and his family in California and went for a run today. I really needed it due to the milkshake I had yesterday. (Wait, there is some left in the fridge... hmmmm....)
They have a large lab/German shepherd mix that I took on the run. She actually was really nice to run with. I wouldn't mind having her to run with at home when it's dark out! The only disturbing thing about running with this dog is that I'm out there kicking my own butt and she's just trotting along, looking at this and that.
We went for about 3 miles. I could have gone longer, but it was getting dark and I don't know the area that well. I listened to a 151bpm Podrunner podcast called Pocket Apocalypse. Enjoyed it.
They have a large lab/German shepherd mix that I took on the run. She actually was really nice to run with. I wouldn't mind having her to run with at home when it's dark out! The only disturbing thing about running with this dog is that I'm out there kicking my own butt and she's just trotting along, looking at this and that.
We went for about 3 miles. I could have gone longer, but it was getting dark and I don't know the area that well. I listened to a 151bpm Podrunner podcast called Pocket Apocalypse. Enjoyed it.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
OMG - I ran for an hour!!
Since it's starting to snow here, I had my first run using my new fitness club membership. I picked one of the treadmills, the one near the fan. At first it was cold, but I was really glad later on that I had the breeze! After walking for 0.2 miles, I upped the speed to 5.0 miles/hr with 1% incline. The machine picked up my HRM right away and it worked the whole time. I appreciate that. Over the run, I changed the speed up and down between 4.5 and 5.2 miles/hr. As I got close to 3 miles, I felt like quitting, but then I figured I should at least do 3.1 miles (5k), but when I got there, I realized I felt great and decided to keep running. Plus the guy running on the treadmill to my side quit right about then and I didn't want to seem like I was quitting because he was. (I'm silly, ok?) So, I kept running. I had Comedy Central on and some good shows were on. Before I knew it, I had run for 51 minutes. I figured, I was so close to running for an hour, why not keep going? I guess the treadmill is set to only work for an hour, so at about 56 minutes, I had to make it keep going. I made it to an hour!! It probably wasn't a good idea, but it's done. I'll give myself the proper rest, I swear. In that hour, I ran 4.75 miles! That's the farthest I've ever run. Sure, that's not fast, but for me it's far! I kept my heart rate between 172 and 175 for most of it.
Afterwards, I had a good stretch. They had a stretching machine. It was pretty good, especially for back stretches. I think I know now what I was doing wrong for the leg stretches. I'll have to correct it next time.
No bunnies today ;)
Afterwards, I had a good stretch. They had a stretching machine. It was pretty good, especially for back stretches. I think I know now what I was doing wrong for the leg stretches. I'll have to correct it next time.
No bunnies today ;)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Nice cool run with the hubby
After my husband got home tonight, I mentioned that I was going to go for a run. He asked how long I'd be out and I said less than an hour (including warm up and cool down). The surprising thing is that he was asking because he wanted to come along! His father is visiting right now, so it was a rare moment for us both being able to be out of the house while the kids are sleeping.
Although, when running south, there was a strong cool headwind, it was overall very pleasant for running at 60F/16C. It was the kind of day where you could get by with very little sweat compared to normal. Even if your face got sweaty, the wind dried it off!
After a brief warm up walk into the cold breeze, we ran for 30 minutes. It was a fairly leisurely run, which was good, since I wanted to keep my heart rate lower.
bunnies: only one
Although, when running south, there was a strong cool headwind, it was overall very pleasant for running at 60F/16C. It was the kind of day where you could get by with very little sweat compared to normal. Even if your face got sweaty, the wind dried it off!
After a brief warm up walk into the cold breeze, we ran for 30 minutes. It was a fairly leisurely run, which was good, since I wanted to keep my heart rate lower.
bunnies: only one
Nasty muscle spasm and Indian summer
Friday, I went and joined a fitness center so I have a place to run inside when it gets cold out. I know I can run outside in the cold, but I don't want the cold weather to end up as an excuse for not getting out to run. I haven't yet used the membership for two reasons:
1) the Indian summer we've been having
2) this nasty muscle spasm in my back.
The day I signed up for the gym was a beautiful day. My car was in the shop, so I rode my bike to the gym instead of driving. Instead of working out at the gym, I chose to get another outdoor run in. Wow. Since we've already had cold weather this fall, including freezing temperatures and below, we're in an official Indian summer. I love this part of autumn. It's not lasting long, though. Later this week, the temperature will be dropping and it will be freezing over night again. Just in time for my trip to Sacramento!
I've been running for time rather than distance lately, 30 minutes this time. I tried taking it slower, but it was hard. I think I used a 145bpm mix. It was hard at first not to walk. But, I stuck it out and still got plenty of workout. I didn't have my HRM on, but I'm sure I still had a heart rate higher than I should be at. I'm not sure what to do about that. I want to train at a lower heart rate so that I can improve, but that's just so annoying.
Saturday morning, a nasty pain in my upper back woke me from my sleep. I tried shifting position to get rid of it, but it wouldn't go away. I took some ibuprofen, and was eventually able to get some more sleep. The muscle pain stayed with me some all day and gave me problems Saturday night. During the day Sunday, it got worse and early Monday, I was almost in tears from the pain. So, I made an appointment to see the doctor (actually physician's assistant since my doc was out). My pain was being caused by a muscle spasm that was making a portion of my back cramp up. It took me forever to find someone available on short notice on a Monday, but I managed to book a 30 minute massage appointment that evening. I was a bit miffed because I didn't think the masseuse gave the problem muscle enough attention and focused too much on my lower back. However, this morning the spasm seems to be totally gone. I don't know if the massage did it or if it would have gone away on it's own. But, at least I got a massage out of the deal!
I wanted to hang low while the back pain was happening, but now that it seems like it is gone, I'm going to get back on a steady workout schedule.
1) the Indian summer we've been having
2) this nasty muscle spasm in my back.
The day I signed up for the gym was a beautiful day. My car was in the shop, so I rode my bike to the gym instead of driving. Instead of working out at the gym, I chose to get another outdoor run in. Wow. Since we've already had cold weather this fall, including freezing temperatures and below, we're in an official Indian summer. I love this part of autumn. It's not lasting long, though. Later this week, the temperature will be dropping and it will be freezing over night again. Just in time for my trip to Sacramento!
I've been running for time rather than distance lately, 30 minutes this time. I tried taking it slower, but it was hard. I think I used a 145bpm mix. It was hard at first not to walk. But, I stuck it out and still got plenty of workout. I didn't have my HRM on, but I'm sure I still had a heart rate higher than I should be at. I'm not sure what to do about that. I want to train at a lower heart rate so that I can improve, but that's just so annoying.
Saturday morning, a nasty pain in my upper back woke me from my sleep. I tried shifting position to get rid of it, but it wouldn't go away. I took some ibuprofen, and was eventually able to get some more sleep. The muscle pain stayed with me some all day and gave me problems Saturday night. During the day Sunday, it got worse and early Monday, I was almost in tears from the pain. So, I made an appointment to see the doctor (actually physician's assistant since my doc was out). My pain was being caused by a muscle spasm that was making a portion of my back cramp up. It took me forever to find someone available on short notice on a Monday, but I managed to book a 30 minute massage appointment that evening. I was a bit miffed because I didn't think the masseuse gave the problem muscle enough attention and focused too much on my lower back. However, this morning the spasm seems to be totally gone. I don't know if the massage did it or if it would have gone away on it's own. But, at least I got a massage out of the deal!
I wanted to hang low while the back pain was happening, but now that it seems like it is gone, I'm going to get back on a steady workout schedule.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Running cold
I wimped out yesterday morning and didn't go running in the 34F/1C temperature. I woke up at 4am to go out, but I looked at the pile of running clothes I had set out the night before and then went back to bed for another hour. However, I told myself I would run in the evening. Luckily, it was a warmer day and I ran in 42F/6C weather at about 9:30pm. It wasn't too bad, but my lungs did get somewhat squeaky. When I got home, it turned into a very mild asthma event. I kept having to cough, so I took a couple puffs of my inhaler and all was fine. I usually only have asthma problems when I physically exert myself while breathing cold air or when I'm around cats that I am allergic to.
I ended up running for 34 minutes and went 2.87 miles/4.63 km. I actually tried to hold back even more than that in order to keep my heart rate down, but I couldn't. I ran to a Podrunner mix of 149bpm called Runnerfunker. Nice stuff. Maybe I'll try 145bpm next time to see if I can slow myself down that way.
It just seems I am much less likely to talk myself out of running in the evening. I think the explanation is akin to Newton's first law of motion. In the evening, I've been up and about, active cooking dinner, getting the kids to bed, etc. In the morning, however, I'm getting up from my warm, cozy bed. It's not even an issue of whether I'm a morning person or not. I know that I'll feel great when I'm done, I just sometimes can't stop myself from crawling back into bed. Maybe if I were getting plenty of sleep it would be easier.
I'm considering joining a gym for the winter to give me a warm place to run this winter. I don't know if I am hard-core enough yet to torture my lungs in the really cold and very windy weather we will most certainly be getting in a month or two. I'm rather afraid of falling on the ice that collects on the sidewalks here when it's cold, too. I know you can get spiky things for your shoes, but it still scares me. For the first 15 minutes or so of running, my toes were cold and somewhat numb despite my lovely Smartwool running socks. I guess that is a drawback of well-ventilated running shoes. That wouldn't be a problem on the indoor treadmill, though.
I ended up running for 34 minutes and went 2.87 miles/4.63 km. I actually tried to hold back even more than that in order to keep my heart rate down, but I couldn't. I ran to a Podrunner mix of 149bpm called Runnerfunker. Nice stuff. Maybe I'll try 145bpm next time to see if I can slow myself down that way.
It just seems I am much less likely to talk myself out of running in the evening. I think the explanation is akin to Newton's first law of motion. In the evening, I've been up and about, active cooking dinner, getting the kids to bed, etc. In the morning, however, I'm getting up from my warm, cozy bed. It's not even an issue of whether I'm a morning person or not. I know that I'll feel great when I'm done, I just sometimes can't stop myself from crawling back into bed. Maybe if I were getting plenty of sleep it would be easier.
I'm considering joining a gym for the winter to give me a warm place to run this winter. I don't know if I am hard-core enough yet to torture my lungs in the really cold and very windy weather we will most certainly be getting in a month or two. I'm rather afraid of falling on the ice that collects on the sidewalks here when it's cold, too. I know you can get spiky things for your shoes, but it still scares me. For the first 15 minutes or so of running, my toes were cold and somewhat numb despite my lovely Smartwool running socks. I guess that is a drawback of well-ventilated running shoes. That wouldn't be a problem on the indoor treadmill, though.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Podrunner in trouble!!
Podrunner and Podrunner:Intervals are in danger of being shut down! Please read the link below and help in any way you can.
http://www.djsteveboy.com/help.html
This would be a horrible resource to lose!
http://www.djsteveboy.com/help.html
This would be a horrible resource to lose!
Managed a run
Things have been so crazy lately, I haven't been working out enough. Not good!
But, this past Saturday, I did get out and go for a run during the kids' naptime. It was not very eventful. Since it was actually daylight when I got out, I made use of a path that I usually avoid when I'm running in the dark. I actually ran it's length three times during my run! I ran to a Podrunner mix. I think it was the 154bpm mix called "Definitive". Very nice. It had a very motivating beat right when I needed it.
When I was traveling in Houston, I picked up "No Need for Speed" by "The Pinguin" Bingham. So far, I really like it. I should probably download some lower bpm Podrunner mixes because I know I'm pushing myself too hard, even though I'm still not going very fast.
But, this past Saturday, I did get out and go for a run during the kids' naptime. It was not very eventful. Since it was actually daylight when I got out, I made use of a path that I usually avoid when I'm running in the dark. I actually ran it's length three times during my run! I ran to a Podrunner mix. I think it was the 154bpm mix called "Definitive". Very nice. It had a very motivating beat right when I needed it.
When I was traveling in Houston, I picked up "No Need for Speed" by "The Pinguin" Bingham. So far, I really like it. I should probably download some lower bpm Podrunner mixes because I know I'm pushing myself too hard, even though I'm still not going very fast.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Kick the Couch and business trip
Last Saturday I participated in the Kick the Couch 5k (http://worldwidefestivalofraces.com/) and came in at 37 minutes. My son was being cranky at home, so I told him he could ride his bike along side me. That probably slowed me down, especially toward the end where he kept stopping to complain, but probably not running for a week beforehand slowed me down even more. It was interesting to think that people all over the world were running at the same time.
The next day, I went off on a business trip. I spent 5 hours walking around the Fine Arts Museum in Houston, which totally wore me out. There was no way I was going to run after that. I actually had sore leg muscles after that.
The hotel I was staying at had a nice set of treadmills, so I got in two runs on those. The first day, I also did a good circuit with the free weights. I actually remembered how to do a lot of lifts. They did have some weight machines, but not a full set. I think I prefer free weights anyway. The runs were good. This time, I ran the speed I wanted rather than going off of my HRM, so I got up into the 170s. The treadmills could read my Polar HRM (as did the others I used on my previous business trip). But, they weren't as reliable as my wrist watch at correctly filtering the signal. Towards the end, I got sweaty enough that I think the band slipped a little and didn't read at all. That's annoying, but I didn't feel like reaching up under my shirt to adjust the band with a colleague running on the next treadmill over.
On the trip, I stopped at a book store and bought No Need for Speed. I just barely started it, but it sounds like just what I need to stay interested in running. Now that it is getting colder, I'm starting to wonder if I want to join a fitness center for the winter so I have a treadmill for those days when I don't want to go outside. I don't know. In the past, I've used aerobics DVDs in my basement. That worked well, but I would also like to keep running. Maybe I'll run outside when the weather is ok and do DVDs when it is not.
The next day, I went off on a business trip. I spent 5 hours walking around the Fine Arts Museum in Houston, which totally wore me out. There was no way I was going to run after that. I actually had sore leg muscles after that.
The hotel I was staying at had a nice set of treadmills, so I got in two runs on those. The first day, I also did a good circuit with the free weights. I actually remembered how to do a lot of lifts. They did have some weight machines, but not a full set. I think I prefer free weights anyway. The runs were good. This time, I ran the speed I wanted rather than going off of my HRM, so I got up into the 170s. The treadmills could read my Polar HRM (as did the others I used on my previous business trip). But, they weren't as reliable as my wrist watch at correctly filtering the signal. Towards the end, I got sweaty enough that I think the band slipped a little and didn't read at all. That's annoying, but I didn't feel like reaching up under my shirt to adjust the band with a colleague running on the next treadmill over.
On the trip, I stopped at a book store and bought No Need for Speed. I just barely started it, but it sounds like just what I need to stay interested in running. Now that it is getting colder, I'm starting to wonder if I want to join a fitness center for the winter so I have a treadmill for those days when I don't want to go outside. I don't know. In the past, I've used aerobics DVDs in my basement. That worked well, but I would also like to keep running. Maybe I'll run outside when the weather is ok and do DVDs when it is not.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Finally an update
I've been traveling, so I haven't updated recently. While I was traveling, I was able to use the hotel's gym some. The first time, I tried the elliptical. Usually I like them, but I must have some weird electric field because my machine wouldn't work right. So, when the guy next to me with a working machine left, I moved to his. Then it wouldn't work right for me and my old machine seemed to be working for a person who took my place. It's not like this is rocket science. You hop on and start going and the nifty screen shows you stuff and lets you watch TV, etc. My screen would go blank and reboot and crazy things like that. So, the other two times I went to the fitness center I used the treadmills.
The treadmills were very nice. I set them for 1.5% incline and my goal was to run for 30-40 minutes with my heart rate at or under 150. I ended up letting it get to 155 or so because I really can't go fast with that low of a heart rate. I usually get up to around 170bpm when I'm running. I was watching TV while I ran. This was entertaining because I rarely watch TV and when I do, I don't have cable. The first time, I watched the Colbert Report. I was cracking up so much, it much have been a sight... me running while laughing. The second time wasn't as humorous. I had to do a lot of channel surfing.
I had a chance to use their nice weight machines, too.
The day I got there, I went to Mount Vernon and spent 4 hours walking around the grounds. I'd consider that cross training! The day I left, I took a walking tour of Alexandria, VA, so I got more cross training in!
Saturday we went on a hike in a nearby state park. This place actually has ups and downs and I was carrying my daughter in the backpack, so I got my workout that way. There was one spot that was really tough to go down.
Sunday, we went canoeing down a nearby river for 4-5 hours. Some of the trees were starting to turn. Very pretty. We even saw at least two bald eagles. What a regal bird! It always takes my breath away when I see them. Towards the end, there were some vultures high overhead. Maybe they could sense how tired we were!
Today, I took the kids to swimming lessons. My daughter is in the class where the parent comes along in the water. So, that's how I got my workout today. I try to stay really active with her in the water. I do a lot of walking around, turning in circles, and throwing her in the air!
So, there is the update! I'm going to see if the weather will let me get a run in tomorrow.
The treadmills were very nice. I set them for 1.5% incline and my goal was to run for 30-40 minutes with my heart rate at or under 150. I ended up letting it get to 155 or so because I really can't go fast with that low of a heart rate. I usually get up to around 170bpm when I'm running. I was watching TV while I ran. This was entertaining because I rarely watch TV and when I do, I don't have cable. The first time, I watched the Colbert Report. I was cracking up so much, it much have been a sight... me running while laughing. The second time wasn't as humorous. I had to do a lot of channel surfing.
I had a chance to use their nice weight machines, too.
The day I got there, I went to Mount Vernon and spent 4 hours walking around the grounds. I'd consider that cross training! The day I left, I took a walking tour of Alexandria, VA, so I got more cross training in!
Saturday we went on a hike in a nearby state park. This place actually has ups and downs and I was carrying my daughter in the backpack, so I got my workout that way. There was one spot that was really tough to go down.
Sunday, we went canoeing down a nearby river for 4-5 hours. Some of the trees were starting to turn. Very pretty. We even saw at least two bald eagles. What a regal bird! It always takes my breath away when I see them. Towards the end, there were some vultures high overhead. Maybe they could sense how tired we were!
Today, I took the kids to swimming lessons. My daughter is in the class where the parent comes along in the water. So, that's how I got my workout today. I try to stay really active with her in the water. I do a lot of walking around, turning in circles, and throwing her in the air!
So, there is the update! I'm going to see if the weather will let me get a run in tomorrow.
Friday, September 26, 2008
A new animal sighting
Today went ok. I almost talked myself out of running this morning. But, I got out the door around 5:20am. The first half I did really well, but got my heartrate up too high. I was over 180bpm and couldn't get it down much without slowing down. (That HR was at the top of a long hill.) So, I slowed down. As Gary was mentioning, I'm probably taking it too hard. According to Wikipedia I should probably not be going over about 150 in order to build endurance. But I'm often in the "anaerobic" and "VO2 Max" ranges. Not great. Maybe this coming week I will work on longer but slower runs. I will be travelling, so I'm afraid I'll be on a treadmill.
Today for the first time on a run, I saw a raccoon! A relatively large one. He was running across the street on a collision course with me, but as soon as he saw me, he turned around and headed back to where he came from. I'm glad he did turn around because if he kept on, it would have probably meant he had rabies or some other disease.
The stars were out in full force today. Clear sky. I enjoyed that.
bunnies: 5, this time during the first half
people: 2
raccoon: 1
Today for the first time on a run, I saw a raccoon! A relatively large one. He was running across the street on a collision course with me, but as soon as he saw me, he turned around and headed back to where he came from. I'm glad he did turn around because if he kept on, it would have probably meant he had rabies or some other disease.
The stars were out in full force today. Clear sky. I enjoyed that.
bunnies: 5, this time during the first half
people: 2
raccoon: 1
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
One more thing...
I forgot to mention that today's Podrunner podcast had a piece that sampled some guy advocating wearing sunscreen. I was chuckling as I ran along.
Podrunner's version of a public service announcement? Or maybe this was a feeble attempt at subliminal messaging??
Podrunner's version of a public service announcement? Or maybe this was a feeble attempt at subliminal messaging??
Thank you MobiBLU
Beautiful morning today. I got out of the house at about 5am, maybe a little earlier. It was already 66F (12.8C) with a breeze. The stars were only partially obscured by clouds. Very nice.
Today went a tad faster. I ran at 11.03 min/mile. This time I used a 159bpm mix: The Road of Excess. I did feel like I sped up some using the faster music. I was hoping I sped up more than that! By the way, I'm sure you're no longer reading this, but for DJ Steve Boyett and DJ Beatsmith, if you ever feel a neck cramp coming on right before I post a blog entry it's because I have to cram you into this:
This is my MobiBLU mp3 player. It has 1GB of memory. Plenty of space for the workout music and NPR podcasts I use. It's from Korea. It has worked great, especially after I flashed the memory on it so it stopped freezing. Very cute. AND I don't have to use iTunes to get music on it. I would have probably purchased an iPod by now if it weren't for iTunes, and by that I mean the PC application, not the music store.
Bunny count: 5, all in the last 10 minutes. Maybe I wasn't paying attention earlier? Or do they not wake up until 5:15?
People count: none! Only a few cars. Or does the one motorcyclist count?
Today went a tad faster. I ran at 11.03 min/mile. This time I used a 159bpm mix: The Road of Excess. I did feel like I sped up some using the faster music. I was hoping I sped up more than that! By the way, I'm sure you're no longer reading this, but for DJ Steve Boyett and DJ Beatsmith, if you ever feel a neck cramp coming on right before I post a blog entry it's because I have to cram you into this:
This is my MobiBLU mp3 player. It has 1GB of memory. Plenty of space for the workout music and NPR podcasts I use. It's from Korea. It has worked great, especially after I flashed the memory on it so it stopped freezing. Very cute. AND I don't have to use iTunes to get music on it. I would have probably purchased an iPod by now if it weren't for iTunes, and by that I mean the PC application, not the music store.Bunny count: 5, all in the last 10 minutes. Maybe I wasn't paying attention earlier? Or do they not wake up until 5:15?
People count: none! Only a few cars. Or does the one motorcyclist count?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Trying the Fdip152
I was a little faster getting out this morning. Still didn't get right out the door because I decided to try the Phedippidations podcast today. Although Steve makes a top-quality podcast, I'm not sure spoken podcasts are my thing right now for running. I found my mind starting to wander then I'd get annoyed because I would miss some of what he was saying. With the electronic music podcasts, the repetitiveness allows my mind to wander freely. Plus, I have the rhythm to guide my feet. So, I'll probably try this one again some time (I didn't finished the whole hour of the podcast), but I think my standard will be the Podrunner podcasts for now.
One benefit of not doing much of my own pondering during my run is that I might not be as long-winded today!
I did have my HRM again today. No surprises there. It worked the whole time, which was nice.
bunny count: only 4, but one ran with me for a while!
people count: 4 , one runner, three walkers, and a dog
I ran 2.65 miles in 31:17. 11.8 minutes/mile 7.3 minues/km. No speed demon here today. I purposefully took a route that wouldn't have me coming by my house too soon, so that I wouldn't be tempted to quit early!
One benefit of not doing much of my own pondering during my run is that I might not be as long-winded today!
I did have my HRM again today. No surprises there. It worked the whole time, which was nice.
bunny count: only 4, but one ran with me for a while!
people count: 4 , one runner, three walkers, and a dog
I ran 2.65 miles in 31:17. 11.8 minutes/mile 7.3 minues/km. No speed demon here today. I purposefully took a route that wouldn't have me coming by my house too soon, so that I wouldn't be tempted to quit early!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Change of plans
Warning: I was particularly long-winded today.
I really need to start running at night again. I set my alarm for 4:30 this morning, pressed snooze until 4:45am and didn't get out until 5:40 or so. At night, I don't seem to waste so much time. Running in the morning darkness seems safer for some reason, though.
Since this autumn is only going to get busier for me rather than calmer, I've decided to switch plans. The Gateway to 8k program is good and I love the podcasts, but the time needed gets longer and longer as you go on and I want to limit the time I use running right now. Maybe I'll pick it up again in the spring when the daylight hours are getting longer rather than shorter and our schedules have (hopefully) settled down a bit.
So, now the question is, what to do? I think for now, I'm going to stick to 5k and try to get it down to 30 minutes. Podrunner has fixed-bpm podcasts available. Today I downloaded a 154 bpm podcast. This was more my pace. The running segments of the g28k program were 146bpm, a little slow. It didn't really speed up my running. I ran for 31:16 and according to MayMyRun, covered a distance of 2.78 miles, for an average of about 11.24 minutes per mile.
Since I was running later than I wanted to, I kept having to talk myself out of quitting early. At about 10 minutes, I decided I would stop when I got back to my house. However, about 6 or 7 houses before mine, someone came out of her house and started running ahead of me. That motivated me to continue. It's funny how much of a mind game this is. That one little happening that actually had nothing to do with my own actions flipped my thoughts from quitting to continuing. So, I ended up running another 15 minutes and finishing out the 30 minutes.
That kind of head game is one reason why I'd rather have a plan like gateway to 8k. I let the podcast determine when I quit. My mind is left to wander onto other topics more because I must obey the podcast! Maybe there are subliminal messages in the podcast? It is kind of trancey music!
I think my goal for the time being will be to run at least three times a week and at least 30 minutes per run. I'll probably do two runs during weekdays and one on the weekend. I have enough activities spread throughout for cross training and some runs might be replaced by other activities. I thought about entering a 5k at the end of the month, but I think I might hold off, train for the winter and start entering races again in the spring. OR, I just noticed a group I belonged to in college is holding a Pi Mile Run, a 5k which is close to 3.14... miles (it's an engineering student organization - we're geeks, ok?). Maybe I'll do that instead. That is in town and on the same path as my first 5k. Even cooler that I'm an alum of the organization.
This morning, the bunny count was 9. Even with the full moon, it was rather dark, so I might have missed a few. They were all alive this time, although one didn't look very animated. Maybe it was too cold and just wanted to stay put. It was 45F degrees this morning (7.2C). Chilly, but not too bad. I did get a little squeaky in the lungs when I got home. I actually saw four people today. One was running (the one who motivated me to continue). The rest were going about their morning routine, it seems. I passed by the local coffee shop twice on my run. The first time it wasn't open, but by the second time I smelled the lovely scent of coffee wafting across the street. Some day, I'm going to plan my run to end over on that side of the neighborhood and bring a long a bit of money for a coffee. It smells so good!
So, as I mentioned, I used a fixed-bpm Podrunner podcast today. I had always thought that DJ Steve Boyett and DJ Beatsmith were one and the same and DJ Beatsmith was just an alter ego of Steve Boyett. But, it sure seemed like the voice on today's podcast was a different one than I heard oh-so-many times on the Podrunner Intervals podcasts.
I really need to start running at night again. I set my alarm for 4:30 this morning, pressed snooze until 4:45am and didn't get out until 5:40 or so. At night, I don't seem to waste so much time. Running in the morning darkness seems safer for some reason, though.
Since this autumn is only going to get busier for me rather than calmer, I've decided to switch plans. The Gateway to 8k program is good and I love the podcasts, but the time needed gets longer and longer as you go on and I want to limit the time I use running right now. Maybe I'll pick it up again in the spring when the daylight hours are getting longer rather than shorter and our schedules have (hopefully) settled down a bit.
So, now the question is, what to do? I think for now, I'm going to stick to 5k and try to get it down to 30 minutes. Podrunner has fixed-bpm podcasts available. Today I downloaded a 154 bpm podcast. This was more my pace. The running segments of the g28k program were 146bpm, a little slow. It didn't really speed up my running. I ran for 31:16 and according to MayMyRun, covered a distance of 2.78 miles, for an average of about 11.24 minutes per mile.
Since I was running later than I wanted to, I kept having to talk myself out of quitting early. At about 10 minutes, I decided I would stop when I got back to my house. However, about 6 or 7 houses before mine, someone came out of her house and started running ahead of me. That motivated me to continue. It's funny how much of a mind game this is. That one little happening that actually had nothing to do with my own actions flipped my thoughts from quitting to continuing. So, I ended up running another 15 minutes and finishing out the 30 minutes.
That kind of head game is one reason why I'd rather have a plan like gateway to 8k. I let the podcast determine when I quit. My mind is left to wander onto other topics more because I must obey the podcast! Maybe there are subliminal messages in the podcast? It is kind of trancey music!
I think my goal for the time being will be to run at least three times a week and at least 30 minutes per run. I'll probably do two runs during weekdays and one on the weekend. I have enough activities spread throughout for cross training and some runs might be replaced by other activities. I thought about entering a 5k at the end of the month, but I think I might hold off, train for the winter and start entering races again in the spring. OR, I just noticed a group I belonged to in college is holding a Pi Mile Run, a 5k which is close to 3.14... miles (it's an engineering student organization - we're geeks, ok?). Maybe I'll do that instead. That is in town and on the same path as my first 5k. Even cooler that I'm an alum of the organization.
This morning, the bunny count was 9. Even with the full moon, it was rather dark, so I might have missed a few. They were all alive this time, although one didn't look very animated. Maybe it was too cold and just wanted to stay put. It was 45F degrees this morning (7.2C). Chilly, but not too bad. I did get a little squeaky in the lungs when I got home. I actually saw four people today. One was running (the one who motivated me to continue). The rest were going about their morning routine, it seems. I passed by the local coffee shop twice on my run. The first time it wasn't open, but by the second time I smelled the lovely scent of coffee wafting across the street. Some day, I'm going to plan my run to end over on that side of the neighborhood and bring a long a bit of money for a coffee. It smells so good!
So, as I mentioned, I used a fixed-bpm Podrunner podcast today. I had always thought that DJ Steve Boyett and DJ Beatsmith were one and the same and DJ Beatsmith was just an alter ego of Steve Boyett. But, it sure seemed like the voice on today's podcast was a different one than I heard oh-so-many times on the Podrunner Intervals podcasts.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Figure 8
Today's run was a family event. Every one was a bit out of sorts today. I don't know why. This afternoon, after my son was unable to play nicely with his friend, I decided it was time for us all to get out and move. So, we packed up and went to a small lake here in town. There is a nice path around the lake including a bridge that goes across the middle. I remember reading that a figure 8 around the lake is 3 miles, give or take, so I decided that's what we'd run. My son rode his bike and my husband pushed my daughter in the stroller. That really slowed him down! He claims he had problems keeping up because he's out of practice, but I think it was mostly the stroller. When we were about 3/4 done, I noticed that the turkey vultures were flying over us. Maybe they knew how much we were struggling??!
The run was fine. I had to stop twice for my son, but it worked. I didn't seem very fast. I think I run better with my music. I didn't take my mp3 player this time so I could talk with my family better. But, I got my run in and that's what counts!
Afterward, we watched some people catching small fish from the lake. My son was impressed. He got to hold the pole some and touch a small bluegill the man caught. Then we walked some up a gravel path that leads up a hill to a beautiful place that overlooks the lake. Very pretty. They've recreated prairie and wetlands around the lake, which used to be a quarry. Prairie flowers, Canada geese, and TOADS galore! We kept having to stop to catch toads. At first, I did all the catching, but then my son got the hang of it. My daughter was thrilled to touch the toads. Unfortunately, then it seems the toads decided to go elsewhere. Maybe they got word that we were coming. We also saw a pheasant flying, deer and lots of butterflies. Monarchs, I believe.
If for some reason you are ever in Iowa, I highly recommend a run at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. They started restoration 4 or 5 years ago and it's finally maturing. They've done a great job and the park has really blossomed, figuratively and literally. The trails are well maintained and it's an all-round nice little recreation area.
The run was fine. I had to stop twice for my son, but it worked. I didn't seem very fast. I think I run better with my music. I didn't take my mp3 player this time so I could talk with my family better. But, I got my run in and that's what counts!
Afterward, we watched some people catching small fish from the lake. My son was impressed. He got to hold the pole some and touch a small bluegill the man caught. Then we walked some up a gravel path that leads up a hill to a beautiful place that overlooks the lake. Very pretty. They've recreated prairie and wetlands around the lake, which used to be a quarry. Prairie flowers, Canada geese, and TOADS galore! We kept having to stop to catch toads. At first, I did all the catching, but then my son got the hang of it. My daughter was thrilled to touch the toads. Unfortunately, then it seems the toads decided to go elsewhere. Maybe they got word that we were coming. We also saw a pheasant flying, deer and lots of butterflies. Monarchs, I believe.
If for some reason you are ever in Iowa, I highly recommend a run at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. They started restoration 4 or 5 years ago and it's finally maturing. They've done a great job and the park has really blossomed, figuratively and literally. The trails are well maintained and it's an all-round nice little recreation area.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
G28K W3D1 - Bunnies, bunnies
Well, it's 6:07am and I finished the first day of week 3 of Gateway to 8K. Today I tried pushing it a bit harder. I am ultimately trying to improve my 5k time, so that should help. I tried to keep the pace normal and then during the last couple minutes of each run, I'd pick up the pace. For some reason, I doubt I ran faster, though. I had to walk pretty slow to get my HR down during those one minute intervals. (Today was 4x 9 minutes running with one minute walking in between.) Checking.... Map my run says I still only did 11.5 minute miles (including the three walking breaks) for 3.4 miles during 39 minutes. Granted, there were several hills, but darn it, I want to run FASTER!
During a few of the hills, I got in a very interesting zone. I focused on my form and my legs just carried me up the hill. It didn't seem hard, although I think my HRM would tell you otherwise. It registered a max HR of 184 today, although I didn't have it working for at least a portion of the first run. I almost felt like I was flying. Some of the hills took 2-3 minutes to run. Not huge, but enough to get my heart really pumping.
I hit the road at 5:20am. During my whole run, I didn't see one person that wasn't encased in wood or metal. Some people were leaving in their cars for work, but no other runners or walkers.
Although, I didn't see people, I did see plenty of bunnies. Most were alive, one wasn't. I think I should start a bunny count for each run. I wouldn't notice them, but when I get anywhere near, they scurry off, their bright white cotton ball tails advertising their location.
Time to start my day. Have a good one!
During a few of the hills, I got in a very interesting zone. I focused on my form and my legs just carried me up the hill. It didn't seem hard, although I think my HRM would tell you otherwise. It registered a max HR of 184 today, although I didn't have it working for at least a portion of the first run. I almost felt like I was flying. Some of the hills took 2-3 minutes to run. Not huge, but enough to get my heart really pumping.
I hit the road at 5:20am. During my whole run, I didn't see one person that wasn't encased in wood or metal. Some people were leaving in their cars for work, but no other runners or walkers.
Although, I didn't see people, I did see plenty of bunnies. Most were alive, one wasn't. I think I should start a bunny count for each run. I wouldn't notice them, but when I get anywhere near, they scurry off, their bright white cotton ball tails advertising their location.
Time to start my day. Have a good one!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
G28K Week 2 comes to a close
This week was four intervals of 8 minutes run + 1 minute walk. Worked out well, but those one minute walks are SHORT!! :)
This morning was the chilliest yet. 45F (7.2C). I don't have but the slightest squeak in my lungs, but breathing sure seemed harder than when it was warmer. I'm not sure how regularly I will be able to run this winter. My light rain jacket turned out to be perfect over a cotton T-shirt today.
MapMyRun says I ran 3.03 miles in the 32 minutes running + 3 minutes walking. A little disappointing. Although, it's satisfying that that is disappointing! (Boy, this running thing is complicated!)
I think I might enter a 5k in the town where I work for later this month. It's 50 minutes away and $25 (!!!) to enter, $35 on the day of. Although, that includes a dry-wick T-shirt rather than a cotton one. It seems their focus is more on the 10k race they also have. The 5k should be half price... or less, since they are only giving prizes for the 10k. Maybe I'll be up to the point where I could run the 10k next year. Although with walking breaks, I'm sure I could finish a 10k, I'm not going to attempt it. I'm leaving on a business trip the next day.
I was going to run last night, but I went to bed instead. I had gotten 4.5 hours of sleep the night before. So, last night, I got 7 hours and that isn't counting the half hour of pressing snooze! So, I got underway at 5:20am. I really need to run at night, though. I don't mind getting up early, but I'm still at the point where I have to talk myself into getting up early to run. I know I'll feel good and I need to keep to schedule, but it's still hard. I can pop out of bed for other things, but somehow I guess deep down, my mind doesn't put enough priority on working out.
By the way, I'm liking the extra cushion in my Saucony shoes. Now I don't feel the need to run in the street to be on asphalt. They do a better job absorbing the shock of running on concrete than my previous shoes. I tried to see if I could get another back up pair from the discount store for the $37 I spent on these, but they were out of my size, of course. I found them at a local shoe store for $75, which is a fair price.
This morning was the chilliest yet. 45F (7.2C). I don't have but the slightest squeak in my lungs, but breathing sure seemed harder than when it was warmer. I'm not sure how regularly I will be able to run this winter. My light rain jacket turned out to be perfect over a cotton T-shirt today.
MapMyRun says I ran 3.03 miles in the 32 minutes running + 3 minutes walking. A little disappointing. Although, it's satisfying that that is disappointing! (Boy, this running thing is complicated!)
I think I might enter a 5k in the town where I work for later this month. It's 50 minutes away and $25 (!!!) to enter, $35 on the day of. Although, that includes a dry-wick T-shirt rather than a cotton one. It seems their focus is more on the 10k race they also have. The 5k should be half price... or less, since they are only giving prizes for the 10k. Maybe I'll be up to the point where I could run the 10k next year. Although with walking breaks, I'm sure I could finish a 10k, I'm not going to attempt it. I'm leaving on a business trip the next day.
I was going to run last night, but I went to bed instead. I had gotten 4.5 hours of sleep the night before. So, last night, I got 7 hours and that isn't counting the half hour of pressing snooze! So, I got underway at 5:20am. I really need to run at night, though. I don't mind getting up early, but I'm still at the point where I have to talk myself into getting up early to run. I know I'll feel good and I need to keep to schedule, but it's still hard. I can pop out of bed for other things, but somehow I guess deep down, my mind doesn't put enough priority on working out.
By the way, I'm liking the extra cushion in my Saucony shoes. Now I don't feel the need to run in the street to be on asphalt. They do a better job absorbing the shock of running on concrete than my previous shoes. I tried to see if I could get another back up pair from the discount store for the $37 I spent on these, but they were out of my size, of course. I found them at a local shoe store for $75, which is a fair price.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Foggy run - W2D2
Despite the cool weather (~50-55F) and the high humidity (FOG) my run went fairly well. I didn't even feel any squeaks in my lungs, even though low temps and humidity are two triggers. It didn't go as well as Wednesday, but still ok. I took a new route and ended up going too far away. My program ended so far away that it took me 20 minutes of walking to get back home.
Today's fog highlighted the many funnel webs the area spiders had made all over the grass. Very cool.
Since it was cooler, I wore a rain jacket. Not the best jacket, but at least I could use the pockets for my phone and mp3 player and leave the fanny-pack at home.
Have a great weekend!
Today's fog highlighted the many funnel webs the area spiders had made all over the grass. Very cool.
Since it was cooler, I wore a rain jacket. Not the best jacket, but at least I could use the pockets for my phone and mp3 player and leave the fanny-pack at home.
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Awesome W2D1
Today was one of those days where the stars aligned. Outside of a small hiccup that my first attempt to download this week's podcast ended in a corrupted file, a fact I didn't realize until I was walking out the door, things went really well today. I guess that beer I had at dinner didn't slow me down.
Today was the perfect temperature: 61F. A slight breeze. I felt strong and ran well. Also, I LOVED this week's music. DJ Beatsmith said it is House music week. I'm not up on all the different nuances in electronic music, but I know now that I like House music! The only problem is I kept getting the urge to dance or shake my booty while running. That would not have been a pretty sight. Although, I did walk with an attitude during the cool down walk! I think I'll do all three days of this week's intervals since I like this music so much.
I ran a different route tonight. One path I took is right by a busy road. I ran down it one way on the side of oncoming traffic and couldn't see the path at all. It was like jogging blind. I knew the path was there, so I just had to hope there wasn't anything to trip over! When I got down the hill and back up the next, I turned around and went back the way I came. Going with traffic made all the difference in the world.
Today while running I even got a honk from a car that drove by. One time my friend and I were running and we got somebody whistling and hooting from their house. Pretty cool in a town where half of the people are 18-23 years of age.
According to MapMyRun.com, I went a little over 5k during my 36 minutes of intervals. 4 minutes of that is walking. I hit 5k right at about 35 minutes including 3 minutes of walking.
Another positive is that my HRM registered my heart rate correctly the whole time. I didn't need to mess with it once. Since I felt well today, I probably pushed myself a bit more than I sometimes do. My HRM registered a max HR of 199bpm and an average (including warmup and cooldown ) of 142bpm. I'm guessing the 199 was towards the end when I picked up the pace. I didn't see it go that high when I was looking at it every now and then during the rest of the run.
Well, here's to a great run and lots of endorphins! BTW, I see on Wikipedia that the release of endorphins is also referred to as "runner's high"... very appropriate, and very accurate.
Today was the perfect temperature: 61F. A slight breeze. I felt strong and ran well. Also, I LOVED this week's music. DJ Beatsmith said it is House music week. I'm not up on all the different nuances in electronic music, but I know now that I like House music! The only problem is I kept getting the urge to dance or shake my booty while running. That would not have been a pretty sight. Although, I did walk with an attitude during the cool down walk! I think I'll do all three days of this week's intervals since I like this music so much.
I ran a different route tonight. One path I took is right by a busy road. I ran down it one way on the side of oncoming traffic and couldn't see the path at all. It was like jogging blind. I knew the path was there, so I just had to hope there wasn't anything to trip over! When I got down the hill and back up the next, I turned around and went back the way I came. Going with traffic made all the difference in the world.
Today while running I even got a honk from a car that drove by. One time my friend and I were running and we got somebody whistling and hooting from their house. Pretty cool in a town where half of the people are 18-23 years of age.
According to MapMyRun.com, I went a little over 5k during my 36 minutes of intervals. 4 minutes of that is walking. I hit 5k right at about 35 minutes including 3 minutes of walking.
Another positive is that my HRM registered my heart rate correctly the whole time. I didn't need to mess with it once. Since I felt well today, I probably pushed myself a bit more than I sometimes do. My HRM registered a max HR of 199bpm and an average (including warmup and cooldown ) of 142bpm. I'm guessing the 199 was towards the end when I picked up the pace. I didn't see it go that high when I was looking at it every now and then during the rest of the run.
Well, here's to a great run and lots of endorphins! BTW, I see on Wikipedia that the release of endorphins is also referred to as "runner's high"... very appropriate, and very accurate.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Today's run
I was at my parents' house today. My son, who doesn't know the meaning of sleeping in, was bugging me. Nobody else was half awake like I was. So, eventually, I got up and started getting ready for a run. Then others began waking. My daughter seemed willing to get out and about, so I took her in the stroller and headed out for a run.
My parents' neighborhood is very hilly, so I thought I'd head down one of the older neighborhoods to a park creatively named "Central Park". I had google-mapped the park and saw that there were several paths through the park. I should have remembered from my childhood that those paths were on the side of a hill and using them negated any benefit of not running in my parents' neighborhood! Actually, they did have one positive. They had shade. Since I got out of the house later than usual, the shade was very welcome. It was a warm morning and humid. Also, very sunny.
My run was only 5 minutes warmup and 20 minutes running. But, I figure I had the added difficulty of pushing an extra 30-40 lbs and that up steep hills, so it was strenuous enough. The older sidewalks were uneven and bumpy. It worked ok, but made it a bit harder to push the stroller. I use a regular stroller with rather small wheels, not a jogging stroller with larger wheels. My daughter enjoyed the ride, though.
One thing that annoys me sometimes on my runs is that my heart rate monitor loses my heartbeat. Then I end up fiddling around with the strap rather than keeping good running form. I have the Polar T31 coded strap. Sometimes it works perfectly... sometimes it barely registers a heart beat at all. I'm sure it's because it sometimes doesn't get a good contact, but I do the same things each time to supposedly ensure good contact. I don't get it. It's doubly frustrating because I feel like I'm not getting credit for my hard work. When I'm sweating buckets, huffing and puffing, and the HRM is reading 78 bpm, it makes me mad!
My parents' neighborhood is very hilly, so I thought I'd head down one of the older neighborhoods to a park creatively named "Central Park". I had google-mapped the park and saw that there were several paths through the park. I should have remembered from my childhood that those paths were on the side of a hill and using them negated any benefit of not running in my parents' neighborhood! Actually, they did have one positive. They had shade. Since I got out of the house later than usual, the shade was very welcome. It was a warm morning and humid. Also, very sunny.
My run was only 5 minutes warmup and 20 minutes running. But, I figure I had the added difficulty of pushing an extra 30-40 lbs and that up steep hills, so it was strenuous enough. The older sidewalks were uneven and bumpy. It worked ok, but made it a bit harder to push the stroller. I use a regular stroller with rather small wheels, not a jogging stroller with larger wheels. My daughter enjoyed the ride, though.
One thing that annoys me sometimes on my runs is that my heart rate monitor loses my heartbeat. Then I end up fiddling around with the strap rather than keeping good running form. I have the Polar T31 coded strap. Sometimes it works perfectly... sometimes it barely registers a heart beat at all. I'm sure it's because it sometimes doesn't get a good contact, but I do the same things each time to supposedly ensure good contact. I don't get it. It's doubly frustrating because I feel like I'm not getting credit for my hard work. When I'm sweating buckets, huffing and puffing, and the HRM is reading 78 bpm, it makes me mad!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
G28K W1D2 complete
I got up this morning and ran day 2 of the first week of Gateway to 8k. Beautiful morning. It was pretty humid, as mornings often are. That caused some squeaking in my lungs, but not enough to cause any problems.
My 4-1/2 year old son got up just as my alarm was about to go off to get out of bed. So, I asked him if he wanted to ride his bike while I ran. He loved the idea, so off we went!
About 30 minutes into it, he was asking when we'd be done. I gave him the option of going home and I would continue, but I don't think he liked the idea of me continuing without him. So, we kept going and he did wonderfully. He's biked much longer distances and this was at a very slow pace for him.
During the run, I got to run down a path that follows a creek. There are parts where people have planted native prairie flowers. Very nice. There were purple coneflower, black-eyed susans, and some other yellow flower that I don't know the name of. We also saw rabbits and even a few goldfinches. One yard by the creek had more traditional flowers. Not that they were ugly, they just seemed out of place. Petunias, gladiolas, impatiens, etc.
My 4-1/2 year old son got up just as my alarm was about to go off to get out of bed. So, I asked him if he wanted to ride his bike while I ran. He loved the idea, so off we went!
About 30 minutes into it, he was asking when we'd be done. I gave him the option of going home and I would continue, but I don't think he liked the idea of me continuing without him. So, we kept going and he did wonderfully. He's biked much longer distances and this was at a very slow pace for him.
During the run, I got to run down a path that follows a creek. There are parts where people have planted native prairie flowers. Very nice. There were purple coneflower, black-eyed susans, and some other yellow flower that I don't know the name of. We also saw rabbits and even a few goldfinches. One yard by the creek had more traditional flowers. Not that they were ugly, they just seemed out of place. Petunias, gladiolas, impatiens, etc.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Missed a workout
I was due to run on Wednesday, but life interfered. I've been working on a project at work and getting very little sleep because of it. Running still holds a second place to sleeping in the list things I can do with uncommitted time, which in itself is pretty small. That's not to say I've never sacrificed an hour of sleep in order to run, but once I get to the 5 hour time frame, skipping sleep in order to run would be cutting into the bone.
I plan to run tonight or tomorrow morning.
I'll be visiting my parents this weekend. I'm already thinking ahead to where I will be running Sunday or Monday. The funny thing is, the housing area they are in is too small for me now. I'd have to circle around it multiple times. (I swear it's not the steep hills that are scaring me!) So, I need to find a path or something to run on. If I stay nearby but jog into other housing areas, I'd get into older areas that have sidewalks in poor condition and I'd probably have to cross some busy roads. I feel a bit self conscious when I'm jogging in place at a stop light and it takes my head out of my running dreamworld.
I plan to run tonight or tomorrow morning.
I'll be visiting my parents this weekend. I'm already thinking ahead to where I will be running Sunday or Monday. The funny thing is, the housing area they are in is too small for me now. I'd have to circle around it multiple times. (I swear it's not the steep hills that are scaring me!) So, I need to find a path or something to run on. If I stay nearby but jog into other housing areas, I'd get into older areas that have sidewalks in poor condition and I'd probably have to cross some busy roads. I feel a bit self conscious when I'm jogging in place at a stop light and it takes my head out of my running dreamworld.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Gateway to 8k W1D1
Today I ran the first day of "Gateway to 8k" from Podrunner Intervals and DJ Beatsmith. I did most of the Couch to 5k program using his "First Day to 5k" podcasts. I really like the music, as I probably was a raver in a previous life (or an alternate life?) - without the drugs, of course.
The run was fine. I anticipate the progress to be satisfying as it was with C25K. However, I'm still not completely convinced this is what I want to do. The runs are getting longer, and frankly, I don't have all that much time. Add on to it that the daylight hours are getting shorter at an increasing pace and I have reservations about running on my own in the dark. I do it sometimes, but it's not as relaxing as when the sun is shining because I'm on higher alert. The good news is that the "kids" are back in town. I live in a college town and summers are relatively sparse. The streets were devoid of runners and walkers at odd hours. Now, with the students back, there will be more people out and about. Maybe that will help some.
There is also the Podrunner Interval "Freeway to 10K" available. That goes up to 90 minutes, I think. The 8k program extends the running to 50 minutes, if I recall correctly.
I'm thinking I might do two days of G28k and then a day of whatever I want, maybe a 5k at an increased pace.
The run was fine. I anticipate the progress to be satisfying as it was with C25K. However, I'm still not completely convinced this is what I want to do. The runs are getting longer, and frankly, I don't have all that much time. Add on to it that the daylight hours are getting shorter at an increasing pace and I have reservations about running on my own in the dark. I do it sometimes, but it's not as relaxing as when the sun is shining because I'm on higher alert. The good news is that the "kids" are back in town. I live in a college town and summers are relatively sparse. The streets were devoid of runners and walkers at odd hours. Now, with the students back, there will be more people out and about. Maybe that will help some.
There is also the Podrunner Interval "Freeway to 10K" available. That goes up to 90 minutes, I think. The 8k program extends the running to 50 minutes, if I recall correctly.
I'm thinking I might do two days of G28k and then a day of whatever I want, maybe a 5k at an increased pace.
New shoes
Now that I finished the C25K program, I treated myself to some new shoes. They are Saucony Jazz II. Very comfy. The amount of padding is much increased over the pair I have been wearing, which are from Nike. I've heard a lot of good things about Saucony, so I thought I'd give them a try. Eventually, I'll make it down to the running store so that I can get fitted, but for now, I don't have any complaints. I've done the footprint tests, and it seems that I have a pretty neutral foot. I'm not getting shin splints or other pains, so maybe that's a good indication that I'm not too far off.
I say I treated myself to new shoes. Well, I actually got these from an online outlet store, so I got them for in the neighborhood of $36. BUT, I also ordered a bunch of technical running clothing. New sports bras, shorts, and shirts. I'll be sending some back, but I've got a few winners. I love quality technical clothing that performs well. I probably am not enough of a serious athlete to really need it, but I still like it. The one draw back is that I don't like to pay for it. So, I buy it on sale and get every one else's leftovers. That's ok. I'm not overly picky.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
First 5k Race
Today I completed my first 5k race. I've run 5k a few times at the end of the Couch to 5k program and afterwards. I ran in a 4k race previously. All that put together made this 5k less stressful. I knew what to expect. I knew where to pin my number and how to handle the chute at the finish line. The C25k shirt from Zazzle worked well. It's some special material, like microfiber or something. The day was nice. Not too warm yet in the morning. Clear skies. Slight breeze. Couldn't ask for anything better.
I started off the first mile too fast. I was feeling good and even passing people. At one point, I got stuck behind a group that was running just a bit too slow for me. So, I had to figure out how to maneuver out of that. Interesting. The type of thing I don't have to worry about normally! I finished the first mile in under ten minutes, which is good for me. Then, during the second mile, I started doubting myself. I had to slow it down some because I wasn't sure I'd have enough juice left to get through the third. But, as I made my way into the third mile, I started telling myself: "Just one more mile!" and it worked. Earlier this summer it would have been hard to believe "just one more mile" would be a phrase that would actually motivate me rather than make me want to slow to a walk right then and there. I had run the course a few times before in practice, so I knew where the finish line would be. I made a bargain with myself that I could keep the slower pace until after the hill if I sped up after it. So, I did and then at about 0.2 miles left, I kicked it into a full fledged run.
Official time: 31 minutes and 32 seconds
I had hoped that somehow I would get superhuman strength and finish in under 30 minutes, knocking around 3 or 4 minutes off of my practice times. That didn't happen, but I did improve my time.
Overall, I was 68th out of some where around 90 runners. Not great, but ok. They didn't time all the walkers and I was WAY ahead of them, at least. The winner ran something a little over 17 minutes. As I passed the first mile marker at a little before 10 minutes, I figured we'd be seeing the first fast runners coming by. The course was an out-and-back with the exception that the turn around is a loop. A couple minutes past that first mile marker, I did see that 17 minute guy on his way back. Some of those fastest people didn't look like they were having much fun!
I started off the first mile too fast. I was feeling good and even passing people. At one point, I got stuck behind a group that was running just a bit too slow for me. So, I had to figure out how to maneuver out of that. Interesting. The type of thing I don't have to worry about normally! I finished the first mile in under ten minutes, which is good for me. Then, during the second mile, I started doubting myself. I had to slow it down some because I wasn't sure I'd have enough juice left to get through the third. But, as I made my way into the third mile, I started telling myself: "Just one more mile!" and it worked. Earlier this summer it would have been hard to believe "just one more mile" would be a phrase that would actually motivate me rather than make me want to slow to a walk right then and there. I had run the course a few times before in practice, so I knew where the finish line would be. I made a bargain with myself that I could keep the slower pace until after the hill if I sped up after it. So, I did and then at about 0.2 miles left, I kicked it into a full fledged run.
Official time: 31 minutes and 32 seconds
I had hoped that somehow I would get superhuman strength and finish in under 30 minutes, knocking around 3 or 4 minutes off of my practice times. That didn't happen, but I did improve my time.
Overall, I was 68th out of some where around 90 runners. Not great, but ok. They didn't time all the walkers and I was WAY ahead of them, at least. The winner ran something a little over 17 minutes. As I passed the first mile marker at a little before 10 minutes, I figured we'd be seeing the first fast runners coming by. The course was an out-and-back with the exception that the turn around is a loop. A couple minutes past that first mile marker, I did see that 17 minute guy on his way back. Some of those fastest people didn't look like they were having much fun!
And we're off...
Ok, so the bloggers on the c25k.com forum have inspired me to create my own blog. Part of the reason is that I'm now finished with the program and I need to find direction so I don't let all my hard-earned running ability (as weak as is it is) flounder. I'd rather not have to repeat the program.
One of my goals is to speed up to run a 5k in under 30 minutes. I don't know if I want to extend my distance much. What I like about the 5k distance is that I can run it in a reasonable amount of time including warm up and cool down. We'll see, I guess!
One of my goals is to speed up to run a 5k in under 30 minutes. I don't know if I want to extend my distance much. What I like about the 5k distance is that I can run it in a reasonable amount of time including warm up and cool down. We'll see, I guess!
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