Today I decided to really mix it up. For one thing, I think my body is in need of lots of different things right now and, two, I wasn't sure I could mentally handle the monotony of three miles on the treadmill. I'm no trainer and certainly didn't consult with anyone before my workout, but here's what I decided to do...
I started with a mile on the treadmill. I began with a 6.0 mph pace, increased it to 6.1 a third of the way through and to 6.2 at two-thirds. At the 1 mile mark, I jumped off the treadmill and did a few of my favorite exercises: an exercise ball favorite - holding a position for as long as I possibly can (rest chest on ball and roll forward walking hands out in front of you, keeping back and legs straight, until only your shins are touching the ball and the rest of your weight is supported by your arms, shoulders lined up over hands), 20 leg raises on each side (lying on my left side, left arm stretched out for a place to rest my head, right hand flat on the floor in front of me for balance, left knee slightly bent for balance and raise right leg up and back down without touching the ground 20 times - flip to other side and start again), 50 crunches (because what woman doesn't want perfect abs?) and 5 push-ups (because I'm seriously lacking in the upper body strength department). Then I hopped back on the treadmill and picked up where I left off - the first third of a mile was at 6.2 mph, the second was at 6.3 and the third was at 6.4. After my second mile, I repeated the exercises above and jumped back on the treadmill for my last mile - first third at 6.4, second at 6.5 and finished at 6.6. And, as much as I wanted to call it a day there, I proceeded to repeat all of the aforementioned exercises one last time for good measure.
The best part about the whole thing was that I felt I'd found a way to get in a great workout without overdoing it with the hip. I consistently pushed myself harder without doing more than I should and was able to push myself in new ways... I've never been particularly interested in different kinds of exercise, so I'm really trying to step out of my comfort zone a little... and it's feeling pretty darn good so far.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Day 80 (12/27): 2 miles / 19:03
I'm on the 6th and last day of my Christmas vacation and I seriously contemplated taking this last day off to relax and continue to recover. But, fact of the matter is, I've been pain free for some time now and it's started to feel more like laziness than recovery time. And, while I haven't been a complete couch potato these last several days, I did finally decide that it was time to get back to my regular routine... and I'm so very glad I did.
The truth is, as good as running is for me physically, I personally feel it's even better for me mentally. No matter how much down time I have during the week, nothing compares to the 'me time' that results from logging a few miles. And today's run offered so much more than a little alone time... it was a perfect time to reflect on what an amazing holiday season it's been. There's no question that, as a child, Christmas is something special... a time of wonder and anticipation. Of course, as children, we don't quite understand the concept of what it is that we should be so appreciative of, but nonetheless, it is an exciting time. As an adult, this season brings a whole new understanding of what giving is all about and the true significance of Christmas. It's as a parent, however, that you can really appreciate both aspects of the holiday season... the importance of giving of yourself for the betterment of those around you and the joy of a child who is still learning what this wonderful time of year is all about. My brief stint on the treadmill today allowed me the time I needed to revisit all of the amazing moments from my long holiday weekend giving me a whole new appreciation for my limited 'me time'. And I believe there's something to be said for spending my 'me time' thinking of family and friends and the wonderful memories made over the past few days :)
The truth is, as good as running is for me physically, I personally feel it's even better for me mentally. No matter how much down time I have during the week, nothing compares to the 'me time' that results from logging a few miles. And today's run offered so much more than a little alone time... it was a perfect time to reflect on what an amazing holiday season it's been. There's no question that, as a child, Christmas is something special... a time of wonder and anticipation. Of course, as children, we don't quite understand the concept of what it is that we should be so appreciative of, but nonetheless, it is an exciting time. As an adult, this season brings a whole new understanding of what giving is all about and the true significance of Christmas. It's as a parent, however, that you can really appreciate both aspects of the holiday season... the importance of giving of yourself for the betterment of those around you and the joy of a child who is still learning what this wonderful time of year is all about. My brief stint on the treadmill today allowed me the time I needed to revisit all of the amazing moments from my long holiday weekend giving me a whole new appreciation for my limited 'me time'. And I believe there's something to be said for spending my 'me time' thinking of family and friends and the wonderful memories made over the past few days :)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Day 79 (12/22): 2 miles / 22:55
In my quest to mix up my workouts to build strength for the long road ahead, I've changed a few things about my daily routine. For example, today I had to make a stop at Crocker Park for a few items. Although there were a few spaces available on levels 2 and 3, I instead opted to park on the 5th floor and take the stairs. Of course, the way down was no challenge at all, but getting back to the car gave me a small sense of accomplishment - not only did I find what I needed, but I got in a mini workout in the process. I instantly felt that I had earned my small splurge on a new shirt for Christmas. I highly recommend this simple step to anyone looking to be a little healthier in the New Year. You don't have to start with major goals to lose tons of weight. I felt really good about those 5 flights of stairs and, even though I would have purchased the same shirt regardless of where I parked, it did make me feel like I'd done a little something extra to deserve it. Park further away at the grocery store and treat yourself to a little something extra in your cart while you shop (not anything too unhealthy, of course). When you get back to your car, you'll really feel like you earned it.
Anyway, back to today's workout...
Man, it feels good to sweat again! Not including, of course, the nervous sweat that happens for no discernible reason, or the sweat the comes from wearing too many layers planning ahead for a typical winter day in Cleveland when it miraculously reaches 60 (I can make this comparison because I actually had the privilege of experiencing all three in just the last week). I mean the kind of sweat you work for... the kind that proves you're working hard to reach your goals... the kind you can be proud of, even though you look like you just took a quick dip in Lake Erie... and probably smell like it too.
Today's workout included two easy miles on the treadmill, 10 minutes of yoga, and, of course, a few flights of stairs. My run felt good and, I'm pleased to report, was still pain-free. In many ways I feel like I'm starting all over again, but at least I feel like I'm doing so with a lot more knowledge than I started out with this past summer. The yoga was really difficult and it occurs to me that the problem might be the fact that the only yoga dvd I have is the p90x version. I don't have any idea how this compares to other yoga workouts, but I may have to get my hands on another dvd to see if something else might be more in line with my yoga fitness level... or lack thereof, for that matter.
Next on today's agenda is a cheesy Christmas movie... and, taking some tips from a magazine article I recently read, I plan to spend the commercial breaks doing a few simple exercises... well, the first few anyway... after that I may move on to Christmas Ale :)
Anyway, back to today's workout...
Man, it feels good to sweat again! Not including, of course, the nervous sweat that happens for no discernible reason, or the sweat the comes from wearing too many layers planning ahead for a typical winter day in Cleveland when it miraculously reaches 60 (I can make this comparison because I actually had the privilege of experiencing all three in just the last week). I mean the kind of sweat you work for... the kind that proves you're working hard to reach your goals... the kind you can be proud of, even though you look like you just took a quick dip in Lake Erie... and probably smell like it too.
Today's workout included two easy miles on the treadmill, 10 minutes of yoga, and, of course, a few flights of stairs. My run felt good and, I'm pleased to report, was still pain-free. In many ways I feel like I'm starting all over again, but at least I feel like I'm doing so with a lot more knowledge than I started out with this past summer. The yoga was really difficult and it occurs to me that the problem might be the fact that the only yoga dvd I have is the p90x version. I don't have any idea how this compares to other yoga workouts, but I may have to get my hands on another dvd to see if something else might be more in line with my yoga fitness level... or lack thereof, for that matter.
Next on today's agenda is a cheesy Christmas movie... and, taking some tips from a magazine article I recently read, I plan to spend the commercial breaks doing a few simple exercises... well, the first few anyway... after that I may move on to Christmas Ale :)
Day 78 (12/21): 1 mile / 12:30
It's been a frustrating couple of weeks! I was pretty sure of it at the time, but I pretended that I didn't overdo it during my first few days back. Unfortunately, my hip let me know shortly after I finished that it wasn't particularly happy with my decision to push it as hard as I did. So, there I was, back where I started and needing to let my hip recover before doing any further running.
So, instead of logging miles on the treadmill, I spent a lot of my free time reading. Between blogs, magazines and online articles, I found a wealth of knowledge that I might otherwise not have stumbled upon during my seriously limited free time. So, while it was important to acknowledge that my body simply wasn't in the kind of shape it was 12 years ago, I also found that there is so much about the sport that I never knew. I decided it was time to do things differently.
My first discovery was that I really need to do something other than just run. While running is certainly great for my health, both physically and mentally, there are so many other things that need to be factored in when it comes to being strong enough to tackle something as challenging as the marathon. After 12 years of mastering the art of being a couch potato, it's time to challenge myself to try a few new things. One of those new things is yoga. I've always acknowledged that yoga was likely harder than it looked, but now I can honestly say that it's one of the harder things I've done in a long time. Running has always come easily to me, but yoga is in a class all its own. And while I still haven't truly pushed myself when it comes to a good yoga workout, I am also unwilling to injure myself in some other way by trying something my body isn't ready for. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it and look forward to making it a regular part of my training. Thus far, I've only made it 20 minutes into the hour and a half video, but much like anything else, I know it will take some time and effort to get to the point where I can actually handle the whole thing. I'm looking forward to that challenge.
I've also created a space in the basement for those cold winter days when I won't be running outdoors. I certainly can't call it a home gym at this point, but after Christmas, I intend to treat myself to a few new things to complete the space. I have my treadmill and exercise ball, as well as some key exercises posted on the wall. I'm looking forward to adding a few weights, a dvd player and possibly a Zumba dvd. At this point, the only place I'm willing to give something like that a try will be in the seclusion of my own basement. I already imagine feeling like a fool, but at least I will know that none of my neighbors can laugh at me about it in the process. Beyond that, I'm on the lookout for some motivational posters to surround myself with. Most of my 'home gym' ideas came from a fellow runner who was able to surround herself with her many running awards and medals. To date, I only have 2 in my own collection, so until I have a few more items to showcase, I figure the posters will have to do.
So, all I can really say about today's run was that it was slow and steady and felt great. As much as I wanted to speed up the treadmill, I believe I've finally learned that I need to slow things down a bit and let my body catch up physically to where I am mentally. I'm a firm believer that you can do anything you put your mind to, but sometimes your mind is a little further ahead than the rest of you. I'm hoping these next few months will bring the results I'm hoping for and, in the meantime, I believe all I really want for Christmas is the patience to do what needs to be done to reach the goals I've set for the future.
So, instead of logging miles on the treadmill, I spent a lot of my free time reading. Between blogs, magazines and online articles, I found a wealth of knowledge that I might otherwise not have stumbled upon during my seriously limited free time. So, while it was important to acknowledge that my body simply wasn't in the kind of shape it was 12 years ago, I also found that there is so much about the sport that I never knew. I decided it was time to do things differently.
My first discovery was that I really need to do something other than just run. While running is certainly great for my health, both physically and mentally, there are so many other things that need to be factored in when it comes to being strong enough to tackle something as challenging as the marathon. After 12 years of mastering the art of being a couch potato, it's time to challenge myself to try a few new things. One of those new things is yoga. I've always acknowledged that yoga was likely harder than it looked, but now I can honestly say that it's one of the harder things I've done in a long time. Running has always come easily to me, but yoga is in a class all its own. And while I still haven't truly pushed myself when it comes to a good yoga workout, I am also unwilling to injure myself in some other way by trying something my body isn't ready for. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it and look forward to making it a regular part of my training. Thus far, I've only made it 20 minutes into the hour and a half video, but much like anything else, I know it will take some time and effort to get to the point where I can actually handle the whole thing. I'm looking forward to that challenge.
I've also created a space in the basement for those cold winter days when I won't be running outdoors. I certainly can't call it a home gym at this point, but after Christmas, I intend to treat myself to a few new things to complete the space. I have my treadmill and exercise ball, as well as some key exercises posted on the wall. I'm looking forward to adding a few weights, a dvd player and possibly a Zumba dvd. At this point, the only place I'm willing to give something like that a try will be in the seclusion of my own basement. I already imagine feeling like a fool, but at least I will know that none of my neighbors can laugh at me about it in the process. Beyond that, I'm on the lookout for some motivational posters to surround myself with. Most of my 'home gym' ideas came from a fellow runner who was able to surround herself with her many running awards and medals. To date, I only have 2 in my own collection, so until I have a few more items to showcase, I figure the posters will have to do.
So, all I can really say about today's run was that it was slow and steady and felt great. As much as I wanted to speed up the treadmill, I believe I've finally learned that I need to slow things down a bit and let my body catch up physically to where I am mentally. I'm a firm believer that you can do anything you put your mind to, but sometimes your mind is a little further ahead than the rest of you. I'm hoping these next few months will bring the results I'm hoping for and, in the meantime, I believe all I really want for Christmas is the patience to do what needs to be done to reach the goals I've set for the future.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day 77 (12/13): 3 miles / 27:54
After a little hip discomfort following Sunday's long run, I decided to play it safe today with an easy 3 miles. And, even though I did time my run, I made a conscious effort not to check my watch until I was done. It was my goal to take it easy and run based on how I was feeling and not focus on my time. I imagined I was probably running about a 10 minute mile pace, so I was pretty excited to see it was closer to a 9:20 pace... I guess it just shows how far I've come since my first day of training.
Of course, I imagine one other factor played a role in how I ran and how I was feeling. Several days ago my husband bought me some new running gear as a kind of 'congratulations' for my Turkey Trot finish (which I believe I failed to post about since getting the results - I ended up 88th overall and 2nd in my age group - a finish I am most definitely proud of). My new gear included an arm band to hold my ipod (which I'd previously been carrying along with me - like the true non-professional runner that I am), and Nike Dri-Fit jacket and pants. Of course, he was cool enough to buy them to match my black and purple shoes, and when I left the house, I felt like I might appear to know what I'm doing out there. It's funny how a new outfit can make you feel so much more confident. I mean, I certainly knew that could be true for something worn to work or out for the evening, but I never imagined the same could be true for running attire. I imagined that everyone that saw me was thinking I was one cool chick. Of course, it was more likely something like "that chick is nuts - doesn't she know it's 30 degrees out here?" To which I could confidently reply "Nope - I feel toasty warm in my Nike Dri-Fit running gear." :)
Of course, I imagine one other factor played a role in how I ran and how I was feeling. Several days ago my husband bought me some new running gear as a kind of 'congratulations' for my Turkey Trot finish (which I believe I failed to post about since getting the results - I ended up 88th overall and 2nd in my age group - a finish I am most definitely proud of). My new gear included an arm band to hold my ipod (which I'd previously been carrying along with me - like the true non-professional runner that I am), and Nike Dri-Fit jacket and pants. Of course, he was cool enough to buy them to match my black and purple shoes, and when I left the house, I felt like I might appear to know what I'm doing out there. It's funny how a new outfit can make you feel so much more confident. I mean, I certainly knew that could be true for something worn to work or out for the evening, but I never imagined the same could be true for running attire. I imagined that everyone that saw me was thinking I was one cool chick. Of course, it was more likely something like "that chick is nuts - doesn't she know it's 30 degrees out here?" To which I could confidently reply "Nope - I feel toasty warm in my Nike Dri-Fit running gear." :)
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Day 76 (12/11): 6 miles / 50:34
Wow - that felt amazing!
I originally set out to run 4 miles, but as I reached the 2 mile mark, I knew that I could easily add another mile to that by turning another way and I was feeling good enough to give it a shot. When I reached the turn around point for a 5 mile run, I just couldn't do it... I kept on going straight, committing to the 6 mile route instead. As I completed my fifth mile, I wondered if that was the smartest decision, but, I have to admit, I still felt really good. And I was amazed at where my time was. I knew that if I continued pushing myself, I could easily beat my previous 6 mile times.
And beat those times I did... with an average per mile pace of just under 8:26, I definitely felt good about my second day back after a little over 2 weeks off.
Of course, I'm exhausted and might be a little sore tomorrow... but I definitely feel I've earned tomorrow's scheduled day off and have no doubt I'll be ready to push myself again by Tuesday. And since tomorrow is my birthday, even if I am a little sore, it'll just be a nice reminder of what I have to be proud of as I start another year. I can certainly begin tomorrow feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Cleveland Marathon, here I come!
I originally set out to run 4 miles, but as I reached the 2 mile mark, I knew that I could easily add another mile to that by turning another way and I was feeling good enough to give it a shot. When I reached the turn around point for a 5 mile run, I just couldn't do it... I kept on going straight, committing to the 6 mile route instead. As I completed my fifth mile, I wondered if that was the smartest decision, but, I have to admit, I still felt really good. And I was amazed at where my time was. I knew that if I continued pushing myself, I could easily beat my previous 6 mile times.
And beat those times I did... with an average per mile pace of just under 8:26, I definitely felt good about my second day back after a little over 2 weeks off.
Of course, I'm exhausted and might be a little sore tomorrow... but I definitely feel I've earned tomorrow's scheduled day off and have no doubt I'll be ready to push myself again by Tuesday. And since tomorrow is my birthday, even if I am a little sore, it'll just be a nice reminder of what I have to be proud of as I start another year. I can certainly begin tomorrow feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Cleveland Marathon, here I come!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Day 75 (12/10): 3 miles / 28:26
Man, it feels good to be back! I was so looking forward to running again and it felt wonderful! No pain at all!
I decided to take it easy the first two miles, so I stuck with a ten minute mile pace. After that, I just wanted to get a feel for what kind of shape I was really in. My last mile was 8:16 and, as much as I would like to improve upon that, I have to admit that I'm not at all disappointed after two full weeks off.
It feels good to be back at it... looking forward to what tomorrow brings :)
I decided to take it easy the first two miles, so I stuck with a ten minute mile pace. After that, I just wanted to get a feel for what kind of shape I was really in. My last mile was 8:16 and, as much as I would like to improve upon that, I have to admit that I'm not at all disappointed after two full weeks off.
It feels good to be back at it... looking forward to what tomorrow brings :)
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Day 74 (12/6): 1 mile / 17:32
I'm back, baby! Well, sort of...
After completely overdoing it on Thanksgiving, I promised myself a little rest before continuing on with my training. I vowed not to run until I was pain-free. After ten very long days of slowly recovering, day 11 was finally free of any discomfort and I decided it was time to get back in the race (pun intended). Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to jump right back in where I was, I figured I'd play it safe instead. As much as I wanted to run, I decided to walk a mile at a comfortable pace and see how I felt before doing any more. I'm thrilled to report that it felt really good to be moving again and I'm looking forward to getting back to running this weekend. I'll probably still limit how much I do just to make sure the injury is, indeed, gone, but the idea of getting back to my training is pretty darn exciting.
After completely overdoing it on Thanksgiving, I promised myself a little rest before continuing on with my training. I vowed not to run until I was pain-free. After ten very long days of slowly recovering, day 11 was finally free of any discomfort and I decided it was time to get back in the race (pun intended). Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to jump right back in where I was, I figured I'd play it safe instead. As much as I wanted to run, I decided to walk a mile at a comfortable pace and see how I felt before doing any more. I'm thrilled to report that it felt really good to be moving again and I'm looking forward to getting back to running this weekend. I'll probably still limit how much I do just to make sure the injury is, indeed, gone, but the idea of getting back to my training is pretty darn exciting.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Day 73 (11/24): 6.2 miles / 54:56
Well, today was the day... my first 10k... and I loved every minute of it!!!
Today's weather was perfect for the Penton Memorial Turkey Trot 10k at LCCC... sunny and 50 degrees. And my running companion Jen did a great job of setting the pace to ensure that I could actually complete the entire race. Unfortunately, the two days of rain that led up to this morning's run didn't make for a particularly dry course and we spent a good half of the race trudging through puddles, thick mud and soggy grass. Of course, once we accepted our fate of wet shoes and socks and freezing cold feet, we were able to move past that fact and enjoy the rest of the race.
My biggest concern at the beginning was whether or not I could handle running the cross country style course - all grass - considering the fact that all of my recent training has been on the pavement or a treadmill. However, that may have been the one thing that helped me make it through the entire race. Running on the softer ground seemed to help a great deal with the persistent hip pain I'd been dealing with and I didn't feel any discomfort for more than half the race. Unfortunately, after a very short stint on the pavement, the pain kicked in and stuck with me the rest of the way, despite getting back on the grassy course. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to stop me from crossing that finish line.
And this was not my first time on this particular course. During my high school cross country days, this was a course we ran two to three times every year. Of course, it was the shorter 5k version, but still, it took me back many years. The one part in particular that stuck with me was the rather large hill that we had to run twice. It felt good to tackle that terrible hill again... and it was awesome to know I could still do it... even without the assistance of cross country spikes.
All in all, I'm very proud of my 88th place finish. Hopefully the results will be posted online at some point and I'll get to find out how I did in my own age group, but with 200+ runners registered, I'll take a better-than-half finish any day.
And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I can tell you that I'm particularly thankful this year for dry socks and hot showers... and, of course, my husband, whose patience in waiting for me to get our traditional Turkey Day started allowed me to run this race in the first place.
In more unfortunate news, there's no doubt at this point that this race was a bit much for my hip. It's clear there's an injury being battled and I'm determined to win... and I'm afraid it's going to require some time off. No worries... I'll be back...
Today's weather was perfect for the Penton Memorial Turkey Trot 10k at LCCC... sunny and 50 degrees. And my running companion Jen did a great job of setting the pace to ensure that I could actually complete the entire race. Unfortunately, the two days of rain that led up to this morning's run didn't make for a particularly dry course and we spent a good half of the race trudging through puddles, thick mud and soggy grass. Of course, once we accepted our fate of wet shoes and socks and freezing cold feet, we were able to move past that fact and enjoy the rest of the race.
My biggest concern at the beginning was whether or not I could handle running the cross country style course - all grass - considering the fact that all of my recent training has been on the pavement or a treadmill. However, that may have been the one thing that helped me make it through the entire race. Running on the softer ground seemed to help a great deal with the persistent hip pain I'd been dealing with and I didn't feel any discomfort for more than half the race. Unfortunately, after a very short stint on the pavement, the pain kicked in and stuck with me the rest of the way, despite getting back on the grassy course. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to stop me from crossing that finish line.
And this was not my first time on this particular course. During my high school cross country days, this was a course we ran two to three times every year. Of course, it was the shorter 5k version, but still, it took me back many years. The one part in particular that stuck with me was the rather large hill that we had to run twice. It felt good to tackle that terrible hill again... and it was awesome to know I could still do it... even without the assistance of cross country spikes.
All in all, I'm very proud of my 88th place finish. Hopefully the results will be posted online at some point and I'll get to find out how I did in my own age group, but with 200+ runners registered, I'll take a better-than-half finish any day.
And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I can tell you that I'm particularly thankful this year for dry socks and hot showers... and, of course, my husband, whose patience in waiting for me to get our traditional Turkey Day started allowed me to run this race in the first place.
In more unfortunate news, there's no doubt at this point that this race was a bit much for my hip. It's clear there's an injury being battled and I'm determined to win... and I'm afraid it's going to require some time off. No worries... I'll be back...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Day 72 (11/22): 3 miles / 30:00
So... you know that hip problem I was pretending not to have?... yeah... about that...
After a great 8 miles on Sunday and a day of rest on Monday, I'm finding myself pretty uncomfortable today with whatever this hip issue is. Unfortunately, I'm probably not doing at all what I should be doing about it. I've been so determined to get in a 10k before the end of the year and was lucky enough to find one on Thanksgiving (which is only two days away). At this point, I'm still unwilling to give it up, so, I've decided that I will allow myself at least a week of rest... right after Thanksgiving...
In the meantime, I gave myself a little break and stuck to an easy 3 mile run... which would have been a lot easier if I wasn't dealing with this discomfort.
Keep your fingers crossed that my Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 10k doesn't do any more damage and that Thursday's post is full of things to be thankful for :)
After a great 8 miles on Sunday and a day of rest on Monday, I'm finding myself pretty uncomfortable today with whatever this hip issue is. Unfortunately, I'm probably not doing at all what I should be doing about it. I've been so determined to get in a 10k before the end of the year and was lucky enough to find one on Thanksgiving (which is only two days away). At this point, I'm still unwilling to give it up, so, I've decided that I will allow myself at least a week of rest... right after Thanksgiving...
In the meantime, I gave myself a little break and stuck to an easy 3 mile run... which would have been a lot easier if I wasn't dealing with this discomfort.
Keep your fingers crossed that my Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 10k doesn't do any more damage and that Thursday's post is full of things to be thankful for :)
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 71 (11/20): 8 miles / 1:12:43
I have to admit, I'm starting to second guess whether my pre-planned routes are as long as I thought they were. I'm certainly not concerned if I'm off by a tenth of a mile in an eight mile run, but I'm just having a hard time believing that I'm capable of running 8 miles at a 9:00 pace. I'd love to believe that I am, but I'm definitely planning to drive my route again just to be sure.
Nevertheless, I'm thrilled with today's run. After pushing myself harder than I should have yesterday, I was a little concerned that I was asking for trouble by not resting the body parts that might seriously need rest. Unfortunately, this is a damned-if-I-do, damned-if-I-don't scenario... I could take it easy and blame the threat of injury when, in all reality, maybe it would just be me making excuses for not pushing myself past a minor discomfort. On the other hand, I could be pushing my body beyond its limits with the hope that an injury would allow me to be lazy for a few days. I can honestly say that I'm not sure which is actually happening here and I'm finding it kind of annoying that my own mind games are getting in the way.
With that said, I did push past my discomfort and found that I actually felt a lot better than I thought I would. Clearly, my leg is not going to fall off and, after giving birth, I'm pretty sure I can handle a lot more pain than what I've been dealing with for a few days (and trust me when I say that what I've felt the last few days can hardly be classified as 'pain'). I was so glad to get past it and find that, after the first mile, I felt great. My mile times made me a little nervous because I seemed to be going a lot faster than I thought I would be capable of, but if my route is, indeed, accurate, than I can honestly say that I'm much further along than I thought I would be at this point. At the completion of my run I enjoyed one of those "I know I can do this" moments... and that, in itself, feels pretty damn good.
Nevertheless, I'm thrilled with today's run. After pushing myself harder than I should have yesterday, I was a little concerned that I was asking for trouble by not resting the body parts that might seriously need rest. Unfortunately, this is a damned-if-I-do, damned-if-I-don't scenario... I could take it easy and blame the threat of injury when, in all reality, maybe it would just be me making excuses for not pushing myself past a minor discomfort. On the other hand, I could be pushing my body beyond its limits with the hope that an injury would allow me to be lazy for a few days. I can honestly say that I'm not sure which is actually happening here and I'm finding it kind of annoying that my own mind games are getting in the way.
With that said, I did push past my discomfort and found that I actually felt a lot better than I thought I would. Clearly, my leg is not going to fall off and, after giving birth, I'm pretty sure I can handle a lot more pain than what I've been dealing with for a few days (and trust me when I say that what I've felt the last few days can hardly be classified as 'pain'). I was so glad to get past it and find that, after the first mile, I felt great. My mile times made me a little nervous because I seemed to be going a lot faster than I thought I would be capable of, but if my route is, indeed, accurate, than I can honestly say that I'm much further along than I thought I would be at this point. At the completion of my run I enjoyed one of those "I know I can do this" moments... and that, in itself, feels pretty damn good.
Day 70 (11/19) 4 miles / 38:11
With a small twinge in my hip for the last two days, I figured it might be a good idea to take it easy... now's not the time to battle an injury. Of course, for me, that's easier said than done...
I set the treadmill for 6 mph and figured that 4 miles in 40 minutes would be good enough for me. Unfortunately, with very little patience to work with and a never-ending desire to push myself harder, I quickly lost interest in taking it easy. Allowing for the few seconds it takes for the treadmill to get to full speed, my first three miles were completed in 30:05. And it was all downhill from there...
I decided to see just how fast I could go for my last mile - something I'd done before and was determined to improve upon. I'm sad to say that I didn't improve upon my last mile from a few weeks ago, which I had done in 8:04. Still, the 8:06 I achieved today was nothing to be unhappy about. I'm thrilled that I can run three miles and still push myself to run the last mile as quickly as possible. Of course, this makes me even more determined to get that time below 8 minutes... and I don't doubt there will be another run like this in my near future...
I set the treadmill for 6 mph and figured that 4 miles in 40 minutes would be good enough for me. Unfortunately, with very little patience to work with and a never-ending desire to push myself harder, I quickly lost interest in taking it easy. Allowing for the few seconds it takes for the treadmill to get to full speed, my first three miles were completed in 30:05. And it was all downhill from there...
I decided to see just how fast I could go for my last mile - something I'd done before and was determined to improve upon. I'm sad to say that I didn't improve upon my last mile from a few weeks ago, which I had done in 8:04. Still, the 8:06 I achieved today was nothing to be unhappy about. I'm thrilled that I can run three miles and still push myself to run the last mile as quickly as possible. Of course, this makes me even more determined to get that time below 8 minutes... and I don't doubt there will be another run like this in my near future...
Friday, November 18, 2011
Day 69 (11/17): 6 miles / 55:10
Life sometimes has a way of reminding you that you aren't necessarily in charge. Thus the reason my training schedule took a crap this week... not that I'm complaining. As it turned out, my adorable new nephew decided to make an early appearance and I'm not ashamed to say that running will always take a back seat in times like these. So, instead of blogging about a 6 mile run on Wednesday, I spent my evening with little man's big sister talking about how excited she was to meet her baby brother. It doesn't get much better than that.
Unfortunately, that meant a 6 mile run today. I'm not gonna lie - there was no part of me that wanted to run. After a busy day at work and a hectic week all around, what I really wanted to do was plop my ass on the couch and watch a cheesy Christmas movie. But I had to remind myself that I wasn't going to get any closer to my goal by sitting around eating ice cream... and since I'm not even close to being prepared for the marathon in May, I figured I should stick to the program. So, off I went...
At the beginning of my run I was very unsure I was going to hang in there for all 6 miles. I tried to focus on smaller goals - getting through one mile at a time, slowly increasing the speed with each mile. Instead of thinking about the 6 miles ahead, I focused on the 1 mile I had to run at 6.2 mph. For mile 2, I thought only about the mile I had to run at 6.3 mph. Shorter goals made it far easier to get through and, before I knew it, I had less than a mile to go. That's not to say that it didn't feel like an eternity at the time, but at least I can say I finished. Which I feel I can be quite proud of. A few months ago, when I first started this crazy thing, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to jump on the treadmill and run 6 miles. Now I find myself gearing up for 8 miles this weekend. I feel I've come a long way in 69 days (training days that is) and I can't wait to see what lies ahead in the next 6 months :)
Unfortunately, that meant a 6 mile run today. I'm not gonna lie - there was no part of me that wanted to run. After a busy day at work and a hectic week all around, what I really wanted to do was plop my ass on the couch and watch a cheesy Christmas movie. But I had to remind myself that I wasn't going to get any closer to my goal by sitting around eating ice cream... and since I'm not even close to being prepared for the marathon in May, I figured I should stick to the program. So, off I went...
At the beginning of my run I was very unsure I was going to hang in there for all 6 miles. I tried to focus on smaller goals - getting through one mile at a time, slowly increasing the speed with each mile. Instead of thinking about the 6 miles ahead, I focused on the 1 mile I had to run at 6.2 mph. For mile 2, I thought only about the mile I had to run at 6.3 mph. Shorter goals made it far easier to get through and, before I knew it, I had less than a mile to go. That's not to say that it didn't feel like an eternity at the time, but at least I can say I finished. Which I feel I can be quite proud of. A few months ago, when I first started this crazy thing, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to jump on the treadmill and run 6 miles. Now I find myself gearing up for 8 miles this weekend. I feel I've come a long way in 69 days (training days that is) and I can't wait to see what lies ahead in the next 6 months :)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Day 68 (11/15): 4 miles / 38:08
With a lot of miles to put in this week (7 on Sunday, 4 today, 6 tomorrow, 4 Thursday, 4 Saturday and 8 Sunday), I decided, once again, to mix it up. First of all, I did the one thing I never do, I picked a speed and stuck with it for the entire run. I set the treadmill at 6.3 mph - I wanted to go a little easy on my legs to make sure I could get through every day this week. Second, I didn't want to be so focused on the distance. I decided I would only look at the distance at the end of every third song on my ipod. It was difficult at first and, I have to admit, I looked down at .12 miles. But, after that, I managed to stick to my goal and didn't look again until 1.1 miles, 2.35 miles and 3.4 miles. One more song got me to 3.7 miles and I checked the distance about every minute after that just so I was sure to stop and get an accurate time at the 4 mile mark. All in all, I would say it was a success.
There was only one issue... the songs on my ipod have never before seemed so long!
There was only one issue... the songs on my ipod have never before seemed so long!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Day 67 (11/13): 7 miles / 59:44
I can't even believe I ran 7 miles in less than an hour! I guess it's time to revamp my thinking when it comes to the times I should be expecting to run...
Whenever I'm gearing up for a long run, I estimate my time based on a 10:00 mile. I don't know why that is... I haven't run a 10:00 mile in some time now. I guess I just have a hard time believing that my times have improved so much over these last few months.
Don't get me wrong... I worked very hard at these 7 miles. When I left the house, I told myself I would take about an hour and 10 minutes to finish (10 minutes a mile). I started out at a comfortable pace and was surprised to see close to 9:00 at the first mile marker. If I continued at that rate, it meant closer to an hour and 3 minutes. I was right on pace through most of the next 4 miles. When I checked my watch at the 5 mile mark, I was surprised to see that, if I put in a little extra effort, I could actually finish in under an hour. It took everything I had in me, but I managed to pull it off... and end up with an average per mile pace of 8:32. I'm not gonna lie - I'm pretty damn impressed with myself.
Now for the big test... how sore am I going to be tomorrow and will my body recover any faster than it did last weekend? I guess we'll just have to wait and see....
Whenever I'm gearing up for a long run, I estimate my time based on a 10:00 mile. I don't know why that is... I haven't run a 10:00 mile in some time now. I guess I just have a hard time believing that my times have improved so much over these last few months.
Don't get me wrong... I worked very hard at these 7 miles. When I left the house, I told myself I would take about an hour and 10 minutes to finish (10 minutes a mile). I started out at a comfortable pace and was surprised to see close to 9:00 at the first mile marker. If I continued at that rate, it meant closer to an hour and 3 minutes. I was right on pace through most of the next 4 miles. When I checked my watch at the 5 mile mark, I was surprised to see that, if I put in a little extra effort, I could actually finish in under an hour. It took everything I had in me, but I managed to pull it off... and end up with an average per mile pace of 8:32. I'm not gonna lie - I'm pretty damn impressed with myself.
Now for the big test... how sore am I going to be tomorrow and will my body recover any faster than it did last weekend? I guess we'll just have to wait and see....
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Day 66 (11/12): 4 miles / 33:37
Another gorgeous fall day! So far, this fall has been a long distance runner's dream! 60 degrees, sun and a nice cool breeze made today's run a pleasant one. And an 8:24 pace made for one I can be proud of.
Today I tried, once again, to focus on the music. My random play list didn't exactly give me my favorite running songs, but it did allow my mind to drift to things other than my lengthy to-do list, all of the Christmas shopping I have to do and the things I hoped to accomplish today. I felt great the entire run and found myself looking forward to tomorrow's challenging 7 miles. With my plan to run outdoors again tomorrow, it will be far different than the 7 miles I ran last weekend on the treadmill... and I'm looking forward to every mile!
Today I tried, once again, to focus on the music. My random play list didn't exactly give me my favorite running songs, but it did allow my mind to drift to things other than my lengthy to-do list, all of the Christmas shopping I have to do and the things I hoped to accomplish today. I felt great the entire run and found myself looking forward to tomorrow's challenging 7 miles. With my plan to run outdoors again tomorrow, it will be far different than the 7 miles I ran last weekend on the treadmill... and I'm looking forward to every mile!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Day 65 (11/10): 5 miles / 47:15
I would call today's run marginal, at best. My legs felt heavy and I had a hard time getting them going. I decided I needed to focus on something else in order to get through all 5 miles. For the first two miles I chose to think about Christmas shopping. I love Christmas and I love shopping, but I always struggle with ideas for the people on my list. Hardest of all to shop for is my husband. I never feel like I'm able to come up with great ideas for him. He's never complained about a single gift, but every year I try to think of something awesome and am never sure I actually achieve it. I have a few ideas this year, but nothing that feels like it will wow him. Of course, I can't even write about those ideas here because my husband may, from time to time, actually read this thing. After 2 miles focused on gift ideas with no real conclusions reached, I decided it was time to move on.
My third mile was the hardest. I couldn't keep my thoughts focused on anything. All I really wanted to do was call it a day and head upstairs to a big bowl of ice cream...
Which brings me to my thoughts for miles 4 and 5... the only thing that kept me going was knowing that the big bowl of ice cream I'd wished for in mile 3 was going to be my reward to myself for running all 5 miles. I imagined what toppings I would choose (caramel syrup for certain) and which ice cream flavor I would go with (which turned out to be Moose Tracks for anyone interested). Of course, all of this would be consumed while watching the conclusion of this week's episode of The Biggest Loser, which I'd failed to see because I'd fallen asleep on the couch while watching it on Tuesday. Thinking about my comfy couch and giant bowl of deliciousness, I have no idea how I managed to finish all 5 miles, but it definitely felt good to sit down and relax when I did.
And, yes, that ice cream was very much worth the wait!
My third mile was the hardest. I couldn't keep my thoughts focused on anything. All I really wanted to do was call it a day and head upstairs to a big bowl of ice cream...
Which brings me to my thoughts for miles 4 and 5... the only thing that kept me going was knowing that the big bowl of ice cream I'd wished for in mile 3 was going to be my reward to myself for running all 5 miles. I imagined what toppings I would choose (caramel syrup for certain) and which ice cream flavor I would go with (which turned out to be Moose Tracks for anyone interested). Of course, all of this would be consumed while watching the conclusion of this week's episode of The Biggest Loser, which I'd failed to see because I'd fallen asleep on the couch while watching it on Tuesday. Thinking about my comfy couch and giant bowl of deliciousness, I have no idea how I managed to finish all 5 miles, but it definitely felt good to sit down and relax when I did.
And, yes, that ice cream was very much worth the wait!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Day 64 (11/8): 4 miles / 33:27
Well today's run was exhausting, which might have something to do with the fact that I ran it a little faster than I intended. I certainly wasn't shooting for a personal best with today's run, but I guess I was just in a hurry to get it over with so that I could get going on tackling my To Do list for the day. With a per mile pace of about 8:22, it would appear I was really in a hurry! As good as it feels to be able to run this kind of pace, I probably should have slowed down a little to enjoy this amazing fall morning... at 10 a.m. it's already over 60 degrees and sunny. Add to that the falling leaves and smell of fresh cut grass and we're talking about a perfect fall day! I probably could have treated myself to a slower jog so I'd have more to talk about than just my time. Oh well... maybe next time :)
Monday, November 7, 2011
Day 63 (11/6): 7 miles / 1:05:58
Where do I even begin?...
The idea of running 7 miles on the treadmill was a bit daunting, but it was my only option with my Pittsburgh Steelers fan of a husband in PA for the game. I knew I wouldn't be running until the evening, so I anticipated dreading it all day. It's possible my thoughts were clouded by last night's Frosty Shots with the neighbors, but I really didn't worry too much about it until 8:00 when it was time to actually get on the treadmill and go.
For fear I would burn myself out too quickly, I set the treadmill at 6.2 mph and intended to keep that pace for at least the first half of my run. Apparently that pace agrees with my body and I spent the first mile feeling just about as optimistic as I've ever been during this marathon training journey. I felt good physically and every thought in my head centered around my ability to run this marathon in the spring. It never occurred to me to consider that I was only a mile in... the fact that I was going to run 7 miles today was all it took to renew my faith in my ability to achieve this goal. Miles 3 through 5 were a little harder...
I don't know why, but I have such a hard time setting a pace and sticking with it. I find it necessary to constantly push myself harder and to finish as hard as I can. It's not a bad thing... it's just strange that I can't simply end a run at the same pace at which I started. This run was no different. At about 2.8 miles, I decided to bump up the speed to 6.3, at 3.8 miles it went up to 6.4 and at 4.8 miles it went up to 6.5. From 5.8 miles on, I convinced myself that I could handle anything, so I proceeded to bump up the speed every two-tenths of a mile until the last half mile when I pushed it to every tenth of a mile. Of course, the last two-tenths were an all-out sprint to the finish. When I get to the last half mile of any run, I find myself constantly saying "you can handle anything for five minutes", which just forces me to push that much harder... knowing the end is so near and that, the faster I go, the sooner I reach the finish line. My top speed at the end was 8.0 mph... not bad at the end of a 7 mile run :)
I find myself wondering after every run what an actual trainer would say about my crazy training techniques. I imagine they might not think it was the best idea in the world, but I can tell you of at least one positive side effect I've found... I've found that, after a couple of miles at one consistent pace, my legs occasionally start to cramp. For the most part, cramping of any kind would cause me to temporarily slow down. I believe the change in pace allows your muscles to change their actions just enough to alleviate the cramping. While I never would have considered it before, I believe the same is true when you increase your pace and for the exact same reason. If a repetitive movement causes cramping, changing the movement should help alleviate it. Since there's no other reason to slow the pace down, I'm finding that increasing the pace has had the same effect on alleviating leg cramps. During these 7 miles, every time I increased the speed, it alleviated any minor fatigue and cramping in my legs allowing me to continue on that much longer. Who knows, maybe the insane way I'm choosing to train myself is not so strange after all...
The idea of running 7 miles on the treadmill was a bit daunting, but it was my only option with my Pittsburgh Steelers fan of a husband in PA for the game. I knew I wouldn't be running until the evening, so I anticipated dreading it all day. It's possible my thoughts were clouded by last night's Frosty Shots with the neighbors, but I really didn't worry too much about it until 8:00 when it was time to actually get on the treadmill and go.
For fear I would burn myself out too quickly, I set the treadmill at 6.2 mph and intended to keep that pace for at least the first half of my run. Apparently that pace agrees with my body and I spent the first mile feeling just about as optimistic as I've ever been during this marathon training journey. I felt good physically and every thought in my head centered around my ability to run this marathon in the spring. It never occurred to me to consider that I was only a mile in... the fact that I was going to run 7 miles today was all it took to renew my faith in my ability to achieve this goal. Miles 3 through 5 were a little harder...
I don't know why, but I have such a hard time setting a pace and sticking with it. I find it necessary to constantly push myself harder and to finish as hard as I can. It's not a bad thing... it's just strange that I can't simply end a run at the same pace at which I started. This run was no different. At about 2.8 miles, I decided to bump up the speed to 6.3, at 3.8 miles it went up to 6.4 and at 4.8 miles it went up to 6.5. From 5.8 miles on, I convinced myself that I could handle anything, so I proceeded to bump up the speed every two-tenths of a mile until the last half mile when I pushed it to every tenth of a mile. Of course, the last two-tenths were an all-out sprint to the finish. When I get to the last half mile of any run, I find myself constantly saying "you can handle anything for five minutes", which just forces me to push that much harder... knowing the end is so near and that, the faster I go, the sooner I reach the finish line. My top speed at the end was 8.0 mph... not bad at the end of a 7 mile run :)
I find myself wondering after every run what an actual trainer would say about my crazy training techniques. I imagine they might not think it was the best idea in the world, but I can tell you of at least one positive side effect I've found... I've found that, after a couple of miles at one consistent pace, my legs occasionally start to cramp. For the most part, cramping of any kind would cause me to temporarily slow down. I believe the change in pace allows your muscles to change their actions just enough to alleviate the cramping. While I never would have considered it before, I believe the same is true when you increase your pace and for the exact same reason. If a repetitive movement causes cramping, changing the movement should help alleviate it. Since there's no other reason to slow the pace down, I'm finding that increasing the pace has had the same effect on alleviating leg cramps. During these 7 miles, every time I increased the speed, it alleviated any minor fatigue and cramping in my legs allowing me to continue on that much longer. Who knows, maybe the insane way I'm choosing to train myself is not so strange after all...
Day 62 (11/5): 3 miles / 27:42
After being sidelined by illness once again on Thursday, I was unwilling to give up any more training days because of a stupid cold. Still battling a cough and congestion, I was very uncertain as to how 3 miles would feel, so I decided to play it safe and keep close to home in case I wasn't yet up for a return to running. As it turns out, it was the best I've felt in days and I was so glad I convinced myself to get back on the treadmill when I did. These three miles felt great and I'm suddenly a lot less concerned about tacking tomorrow's 7 miles, even if this cold continues to hang on a little longer... but I'm still hoping that won't be the case since it will be my longest run in many years :)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Day 61 (11/2): 5 miles / 46:42
Well, I am most definitely coming down with something...
Even though I didn't feel at the top of my game today, I had an opportunity to run in the afternoon before picking up my son, so I took advantage. It was 68 and sunny today... a great day for a run... but my body wanted no part of it. At first I thought maybe I was just sore from the day before, but after a mile, everything felt like it was hurting more than when I'd started... not at all typical considering I'm usually working out the kinks as I go. Then I realized that it was more that aching cold/flu feeling than it was sore muscles and joints. Of course, this left me two options - call it quits and take it easy on my body until I was feeling better or push through it. Not sure how, but I managed to push through it. Once I passed mile 3, I was glad I did, but looking back on it now, I'm guessing I probably should have taken it easy instead. My pace was a very leisurely 9:20 per mile, which I feel really good about considering how I feel now. I suppose I just bought myself a free day somewhere down the road just for sticking it out when I had a reasonable excuse not to. All there is to do now is get my son to bed and make it an early night for myself.
It's really too bad though... I'd just stopped at the grocery store and there's a six pack of Christmas Ale calling to me from the fridge... it's a shame my bed is so much louder...
Even though I didn't feel at the top of my game today, I had an opportunity to run in the afternoon before picking up my son, so I took advantage. It was 68 and sunny today... a great day for a run... but my body wanted no part of it. At first I thought maybe I was just sore from the day before, but after a mile, everything felt like it was hurting more than when I'd started... not at all typical considering I'm usually working out the kinks as I go. Then I realized that it was more that aching cold/flu feeling than it was sore muscles and joints. Of course, this left me two options - call it quits and take it easy on my body until I was feeling better or push through it. Not sure how, but I managed to push through it. Once I passed mile 3, I was glad I did, but looking back on it now, I'm guessing I probably should have taken it easy instead. My pace was a very leisurely 9:20 per mile, which I feel really good about considering how I feel now. I suppose I just bought myself a free day somewhere down the road just for sticking it out when I had a reasonable excuse not to. All there is to do now is get my son to bed and make it an early night for myself.
It's really too bad though... I'd just stopped at the grocery store and there's a six pack of Christmas Ale calling to me from the fridge... it's a shame my bed is so much louder...
Day 60 (11/1): 3 miles / 26:07
What a glorious run today!...
Oh wait... that's what I was going to write when I considered making up the whole thing because I wasn't at all convinced that I was actually going to run today...
All in all, I had a really great day... and then I was treated to some truly horrible customer service by Time Warner Cable and it was all downhill from there. By the time I stepped on the treadmill, my blood pressure was so high I was concerned it would be a serious health risk to even consider running. It took me several minutes to settle into my pace, but even then I didn't think I was going to do it. It crossed my mind to stop at 1 mile and write about my reasons for quitting early. Then I considered stopping at a mile and lying about it altogether and writing about my pretend 3 mile run. At .95 miles I looked up from the treadmill and told myself that, if I surpassed the 1 mile mark before looking down again, I would need to keep going. And as easy as it would have been to look down, I kept my head up and reminded myself why I was running in the first place. By the time I looked down again, I was at 1.2 miles and well on my way. I decided that, if I was going to stop early, it would have to be for a good reason, otherwise I was going to stick it out until the end.
And stick it out I did. Somewhere around the 2 mile mark I started to get over my frustration and returned my focus back to running. Don't get me wrong, I was still irritated when I finished, but at least I'd been able to blow off a little steam and not let my anger keep me from accomplishing a goal. Funny... there was a time when I would have used just about any excuse to get out of doing something in favor of being lazy... look at me go...
Oh wait... that's what I was going to write when I considered making up the whole thing because I wasn't at all convinced that I was actually going to run today...
All in all, I had a really great day... and then I was treated to some truly horrible customer service by Time Warner Cable and it was all downhill from there. By the time I stepped on the treadmill, my blood pressure was so high I was concerned it would be a serious health risk to even consider running. It took me several minutes to settle into my pace, but even then I didn't think I was going to do it. It crossed my mind to stop at 1 mile and write about my reasons for quitting early. Then I considered stopping at a mile and lying about it altogether and writing about my pretend 3 mile run. At .95 miles I looked up from the treadmill and told myself that, if I surpassed the 1 mile mark before looking down again, I would need to keep going. And as easy as it would have been to look down, I kept my head up and reminded myself why I was running in the first place. By the time I looked down again, I was at 1.2 miles and well on my way. I decided that, if I was going to stop early, it would have to be for a good reason, otherwise I was going to stick it out until the end.
And stick it out I did. Somewhere around the 2 mile mark I started to get over my frustration and returned my focus back to running. Don't get me wrong, I was still irritated when I finished, but at least I'd been able to blow off a little steam and not let my anger keep me from accomplishing a goal. Funny... there was a time when I would have used just about any excuse to get out of doing something in favor of being lazy... look at me go...
Day 59 (10/30): 3 miles / 27:03
... and a more relaxed run it was...
After a very busy day, I was forced to fit in today's run in the evening and indoors. But I really didn't mind. My body felt pretty good considering how hard I pushed myself yesterday, and in less than a half mile, I'd managed to work out the kinks left behind after a serious lack in stretching the day before.
And, as a side note, I have to admit that I love that a 9:01 per mile pace is now what I consider a 'relaxed run'!
And now I get to look forward to the week ahead and the increase in miles on the training schedule. I'm so ready for 7 miles next weekend!!!
After a very busy day, I was forced to fit in today's run in the evening and indoors. But I really didn't mind. My body felt pretty good considering how hard I pushed myself yesterday, and in less than a half mile, I'd managed to work out the kinks left behind after a serious lack in stretching the day before.
And, as a side note, I have to admit that I love that a 9:01 per mile pace is now what I consider a 'relaxed run'!
And now I get to look forward to the week ahead and the increase in miles on the training schedule. I'm so ready for 7 miles next weekend!!!
Day 58 (10/29): 3 miles / 24:27
After Thursday's disappointing run and with another scheduled 3 mile day, I decided I'd give my goal of finishing under 25:00 another try. It was another beautiful day, so I took advantage and ran outdoors. I also thought I'd give running without music another shot. I was exhausted, but what a great run...
I spent every moment of this 24 minutes and 27 seconds filling my head with positive thoughts and encouraging words. It had been a while since I'd had a truly positive-thought-filled run and it felt amazing. I'm thrilled with my 8:09 per mile pace, but even more than that, I'm thrilled to have accomplished my goal today... if I hadn't, I know I'd be shooting for it again tomorrow, so at least I know I can now look forward to a more relaxed run tomorrow :)
I spent every moment of this 24 minutes and 27 seconds filling my head with positive thoughts and encouraging words. It had been a while since I'd had a truly positive-thought-filled run and it felt amazing. I'm thrilled with my 8:09 per mile pace, but even more than that, I'm thrilled to have accomplished my goal today... if I hadn't, I know I'd be shooting for it again tomorrow, so at least I know I can now look forward to a more relaxed run tomorrow :)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Day 57 (10/27): 3 miles / 25:05
I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit disappointed in my run today...
I decided to try something a little different with my treadmill run today. First, I decided I was going to run these 3 miles as fast as I could. This meant starting at a much faster pace than I'm used to starting with and keeping it for as long as possible. The second change was to do it without my ipod. As much as I love the distraction of music, I really wanted to focus all of my thoughts on running... an attempt to motivate myself as I ran instead of waiting for my music selection to inspire me. My first two miles started out great, but just past the 2 mile mark, I wasn't sure I could hold on any longer. I suppose my large dinner could be to blame for that. But, for the first time, I actually had to bump the speed setting back down for a few minutes. It may have been an unrealistic goal, but I was really hoping to run in the 24's. Unfortunately, with my reduced speed, I just wasn't able to pull it off and ended up just over 25 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed with an 8:22 mile pace, but if I'd held my original pace just a little bit longer, I really think I could have finished 6 seconds faster. I suppose that just gives me a goal to shoot for next time.
In addition to that, I actually found it interesting to run without music again... it had been some time since I'd done that and I kind of enjoyed talking myself through my run. Although, I suppose a few negative thoughts in there could also be to blame for my decision to slow down. Nevertheless, I felt pretty upbeat throughout the entire run and it was probably good for me to spend 25 minutes focused on one thing. Hopefully next time I shoot for this goal I'll only have to spend 24 minutes focused on one thing :)
I decided to try something a little different with my treadmill run today. First, I decided I was going to run these 3 miles as fast as I could. This meant starting at a much faster pace than I'm used to starting with and keeping it for as long as possible. The second change was to do it without my ipod. As much as I love the distraction of music, I really wanted to focus all of my thoughts on running... an attempt to motivate myself as I ran instead of waiting for my music selection to inspire me. My first two miles started out great, but just past the 2 mile mark, I wasn't sure I could hold on any longer. I suppose my large dinner could be to blame for that. But, for the first time, I actually had to bump the speed setting back down for a few minutes. It may have been an unrealistic goal, but I was really hoping to run in the 24's. Unfortunately, with my reduced speed, I just wasn't able to pull it off and ended up just over 25 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed with an 8:22 mile pace, but if I'd held my original pace just a little bit longer, I really think I could have finished 6 seconds faster. I suppose that just gives me a goal to shoot for next time.
In addition to that, I actually found it interesting to run without music again... it had been some time since I'd done that and I kind of enjoyed talking myself through my run. Although, I suppose a few negative thoughts in there could also be to blame for my decision to slow down. Nevertheless, I felt pretty upbeat throughout the entire run and it was probably good for me to spend 25 minutes focused on one thing. Hopefully next time I shoot for this goal I'll only have to spend 24 minutes focused on one thing :)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Day 56 (10/25): 4 miles / 36:14
What an absolutely gorgeous day! Too bad I had to run in my dreary basement...
Still, I managed to get in a good workout and I'm thrilled with where I am physically right now. My training schedule called for 4 miles and I decided to try something a little different. One thing I've loved about training on the treadmill (and there aren't many times you'll see the words 'treadmill' and 'love' anywhere near one another in this blog) is that I can force myself to increase my speed throughout my run. For most people, as you get tired, you tend to slow down. Even if the excitement of finishing causes someone to pick up their pace at the end, it is usually the miles in the middle that are run at a slower pace. A treadmill eliminates that issue altogether. As I've mentioned before, it is always my goal to increase my speed as I go and never to decrease it along the way. This forces me to learn how to pace myself properly and, because I like to push myself at the end, if I have the energy left to do it, I rarely keep my pace: I always increase the speed over the course of the last mile. Today was similar, but with an added twist.
For the most part, I start somewhere between 6 and 6.5 mph. After the first mile, I increase it a few tenths and, the last mile I try to increase the speed every tenth of a mile so that I'm sprinting the last .1 or .2 miles. (Because, even though I haven't yet learned how to run 26 miles, God knows I'm going to be prepared to give it my all for that last .2!)
Anyway, today I started at 6.5, moved up to 6.6 for mile 2 and up to 6.7 for mile 3. My total time for the first three miles was 28:10. My goal, however, was to see how fast I could run my last mile after finishing the first 3. I was quite thrilled to run it in 8:04. This is certainly not the fastest mile I've ever run, but to be able to run that time after having already run 3 miles was pretty exciting.
Getting philosophical for a moment, I have to admit that I was far more excited about what this meant for me mentally rather than physically. It was one of those reminders that sometimes there's a little more left to give, even when I'm not certain that's the case. This, I'm guessing, will end up coming in quite handy as I continue to add to my ever growing list of commitments.
These days I feel like I'm setting a new goal for myself every week. Hopefully I will know when I've reached my limit. Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that today's life lesson is used wisely and that, when I need a little something extra to get through my day, hopefully I can find the energy I need. I find I was pretty boring when I didn't have any goals... and I'm liking the new me.
Still, I managed to get in a good workout and I'm thrilled with where I am physically right now. My training schedule called for 4 miles and I decided to try something a little different. One thing I've loved about training on the treadmill (and there aren't many times you'll see the words 'treadmill' and 'love' anywhere near one another in this blog) is that I can force myself to increase my speed throughout my run. For most people, as you get tired, you tend to slow down. Even if the excitement of finishing causes someone to pick up their pace at the end, it is usually the miles in the middle that are run at a slower pace. A treadmill eliminates that issue altogether. As I've mentioned before, it is always my goal to increase my speed as I go and never to decrease it along the way. This forces me to learn how to pace myself properly and, because I like to push myself at the end, if I have the energy left to do it, I rarely keep my pace: I always increase the speed over the course of the last mile. Today was similar, but with an added twist.
For the most part, I start somewhere between 6 and 6.5 mph. After the first mile, I increase it a few tenths and, the last mile I try to increase the speed every tenth of a mile so that I'm sprinting the last .1 or .2 miles. (Because, even though I haven't yet learned how to run 26 miles, God knows I'm going to be prepared to give it my all for that last .2!)
Anyway, today I started at 6.5, moved up to 6.6 for mile 2 and up to 6.7 for mile 3. My total time for the first three miles was 28:10. My goal, however, was to see how fast I could run my last mile after finishing the first 3. I was quite thrilled to run it in 8:04. This is certainly not the fastest mile I've ever run, but to be able to run that time after having already run 3 miles was pretty exciting.
Getting philosophical for a moment, I have to admit that I was far more excited about what this meant for me mentally rather than physically. It was one of those reminders that sometimes there's a little more left to give, even when I'm not certain that's the case. This, I'm guessing, will end up coming in quite handy as I continue to add to my ever growing list of commitments.
These days I feel like I'm setting a new goal for myself every week. Hopefully I will know when I've reached my limit. Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that today's life lesson is used wisely and that, when I need a little something extra to get through my day, hopefully I can find the energy I need. I find I was pretty boring when I didn't have any goals... and I'm liking the new me.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Day 55 (10/23): 6 miles / 53:38
I have no idea how I ran this a minute and a half faster last weekend. I gave this one my all. Must have been the 2 extra days off this week.
Nevertheless, despite how it sounds, I'm not at all disappointed in today's run. It was another beautiful day and I'm rather enjoying my 6 mile route. Well, aside from passing the most amazing smell of burgers and fries at lunch time. I will definitely have to find an alternate route for the days when I don't eat lunch until after my run. I tell you, if I carried money with me when I ran, I might be tempted to stop for lunch right in the middle of those 6 miles. And something tells me that might defeat the purpose.
And aside from the area around Red Robin, where I spent my time wiping the drool from my chin instead of the sweat from my brow, I spent the majority of my run thinking about my most recent non-fiction read: "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis. It's a story of 13 women who pool their money to buy a diamond necklace and share it. It becomes an interesting experiment and changes each of their lives in its own way. Very intriguing. Nevertheless, it has reminded me of my goal to get involved with more charity work and I spent a good bit of time trying to think of ways I might do that. The women in this book get involved in some pretty wonderful things and I started to think about what my friends and I might be able to accomplish if we worked together on a charitable cause. Much like my legs, my mind was racing with little ideas and I can't wait until tomorrow to email them and see what they think.
Not that I have any idea how I'm going to fit yet another project into my already busy day, but this is one I'm definitely going to make work.
Nevertheless, despite how it sounds, I'm not at all disappointed in today's run. It was another beautiful day and I'm rather enjoying my 6 mile route. Well, aside from passing the most amazing smell of burgers and fries at lunch time. I will definitely have to find an alternate route for the days when I don't eat lunch until after my run. I tell you, if I carried money with me when I ran, I might be tempted to stop for lunch right in the middle of those 6 miles. And something tells me that might defeat the purpose.
And aside from the area around Red Robin, where I spent my time wiping the drool from my chin instead of the sweat from my brow, I spent the majority of my run thinking about my most recent non-fiction read: "The Necklace" by Cheryl Jarvis. It's a story of 13 women who pool their money to buy a diamond necklace and share it. It becomes an interesting experiment and changes each of their lives in its own way. Very intriguing. Nevertheless, it has reminded me of my goal to get involved with more charity work and I spent a good bit of time trying to think of ways I might do that. The women in this book get involved in some pretty wonderful things and I started to think about what my friends and I might be able to accomplish if we worked together on a charitable cause. Much like my legs, my mind was racing with little ideas and I can't wait until tomorrow to email them and see what they think.
Not that I have any idea how I'm going to fit yet another project into my already busy day, but this is one I'm definitely going to make work.
Day 54: (10/22): 4 miles / 35:00
It was a beautiful day for a run outdoors! And after an amazing sushi dinner last night (here's my shout out to Shannon) and a planned night out this evening, it was a great way to fit some exercise into my otherwise gluttonous weekend.
This weather is absolutely perfect for running... sunny and 50s... if it could stay like this for a few more weeks, I'd be in heaven. Don't get me wrong... I prefer sunny and 80s for any other purpose. I'm talking strictly about running weather here. If this was My Adventures In Obtaining The Perfect Tan, we'd be looking at an entirely different kind of entry :)
This weather is absolutely perfect for running... sunny and 50s... if it could stay like this for a few more weeks, I'd be in heaven. Don't get me wrong... I prefer sunny and 80s for any other purpose. I'm talking strictly about running weather here. If this was My Adventures In Obtaining The Perfect Tan, we'd be looking at an entirely different kind of entry :)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Day 53 (10/20): 4 miles / 38:49
After Monday's planned day of rest and Tuesday's very much unplanned stomach bug sidelining me for two more days, I was anxious to get moving again. I can't say I felt particularly well during these 4 miles, but I was determined to make it happen.
The training schedule called for 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday. Already down 7 miles for the week, I decided to go for 4 today. Well, I shouldn't say I 'decided'. In fact, I struggled with the decision for almost the entire first 3 miles. My first thought was to take it easy and slowly get myself back up to speed. Then, with the realization that the Cleveland Marathon is exactly 7 months away, I thought I should push myself a little harder so I wouldn't fall too far behind with my training. About a mile in, I settled for the goal of running 3 miles at a steady 10:00 pace and to revisit the decision once I saw how I felt. I had moments throughout the next 2 miles where I figured 3 was more than enough. But, in the end, when I reached the 3 mile mark, I knew I had it in me for at least another mile. At that point, all bets were off. I knew I wouldn't be setting my sights any further than 4, so I was determined to get the rest of my workout completed in as little time as possible. Not wanting to rock the boat (or my stomach, as the case may be), I slowly increased my speed every tenth of a mile, finishing my last mile in 8:49. Not exactly a record setting day, but there was no doubt when I finished that I probably should have given myself a little longer to bounce back. Fortunately, I did get all 4 miles in and I'm proud of myself for pushing harder when I could have easily taken another sick day.
I wonder what would have happened if I had pushed myself this hard in high school?
The training schedule called for 3 miles on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday. Already down 7 miles for the week, I decided to go for 4 today. Well, I shouldn't say I 'decided'. In fact, I struggled with the decision for almost the entire first 3 miles. My first thought was to take it easy and slowly get myself back up to speed. Then, with the realization that the Cleveland Marathon is exactly 7 months away, I thought I should push myself a little harder so I wouldn't fall too far behind with my training. About a mile in, I settled for the goal of running 3 miles at a steady 10:00 pace and to revisit the decision once I saw how I felt. I had moments throughout the next 2 miles where I figured 3 was more than enough. But, in the end, when I reached the 3 mile mark, I knew I had it in me for at least another mile. At that point, all bets were off. I knew I wouldn't be setting my sights any further than 4, so I was determined to get the rest of my workout completed in as little time as possible. Not wanting to rock the boat (or my stomach, as the case may be), I slowly increased my speed every tenth of a mile, finishing my last mile in 8:49. Not exactly a record setting day, but there was no doubt when I finished that I probably should have given myself a little longer to bounce back. Fortunately, I did get all 4 miles in and I'm proud of myself for pushing harder when I could have easily taken another sick day.
I wonder what would have happened if I had pushed myself this hard in high school?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Day 52 (10/16): 3 miles / 26:14
After last night's birthday celebration, this morning's early start, and the copious amounts of food consumed this afternoon, I'm shocked I was able to get off the couch, let alone run 3 miles. My legs were definitely a little sore from yesterday, but I managed to get through it. I gave some serious consideration to calling it a day after mile 2, but I knew I'd appreciate tomorrow's night off that much more if I didn't cut any corners tonight. This week's training is pretty low key with another 6 miles scheduled for next weekend. I'm pretty sure I can fully recover by then :)
I have to admit that I spent the majority of my run thinking about the finish line. And I don't mean that in some sappy, poetic way where I was daydreaming about the thrill of the finish, the reaching of a goal and the accomplishment of a dream. I literally stared at the distance reading on the screen and willed the numbers to tick by just a little bit faster - yearning for the moment when I could hit the 'stop' button and be done. Even my running playlist seemed depressing to me and I found myself skipping through almost every song trying to find something to pump me up for a big finish. I never did find it. Only after I finished did I think of the song I really wanted to hear: My Body by Young the Giant. This was, by far, the best song recommendation from a fellow runner. This song might just have been what I needed. Fortunately for me, I was able to get by without it... but I may have to re-work my play list so that this is always the last song I hear :) Thanks, Kristy!
So, until next time, I do believe it's time to get started on enjoying my day of rest...
I have to admit that I spent the majority of my run thinking about the finish line. And I don't mean that in some sappy, poetic way where I was daydreaming about the thrill of the finish, the reaching of a goal and the accomplishment of a dream. I literally stared at the distance reading on the screen and willed the numbers to tick by just a little bit faster - yearning for the moment when I could hit the 'stop' button and be done. Even my running playlist seemed depressing to me and I found myself skipping through almost every song trying to find something to pump me up for a big finish. I never did find it. Only after I finished did I think of the song I really wanted to hear: My Body by Young the Giant. This was, by far, the best song recommendation from a fellow runner. This song might just have been what I needed. Fortunately for me, I was able to get by without it... but I may have to re-work my play list so that this is always the last song I hear :) Thanks, Kristy!
So, until next time, I do believe it's time to get started on enjoying my day of rest...
Day 51 (10/15): 6 miles / 52:05
One word... AMAZING! I can not believe how great it felt to run these 6 miles. It was a typical fall day... cool, overcast and incredibly windy. I wasn't sure running outside was going to be the best idea, but I'm so glad I did it.
My first 3 miles were all around a 9:00 mile pace and, being that I finished with an average pace of 8:40, my last 3 miles were obviously a whole lot faster (somewhere around 8:20 each). The reason for this, of course, is that a good bit of the first half of this run was uphill and into the wind. After the 3 mile mark, it was all downhill from there. No... literally... it was all downhill with the wind at my back. I imagine that made up for the large time discrepancy.
And, of course, I had my philosophical moment right around the 3.5 mile mark when I turned a corner and had the wind at my back... Sometimes you just have to stay the course, no matter how difficult it seems. There will be times when things don't seem to be going your way, but they're bound to turn around eventually :)
Enough of the cheese... back to reality...
As I mentioned before, it was a typical fall day and I had 52 minutes to appreciate it. Fall in Ohio just doesn't last very long and, before you know it, winter is upon you. It was great to get a chance to appreciate the changing colors, the falling leaves and the indescribable smell of the season. Of course, the half mile radius surrounding Red Robin doesn't exactly smell like 'fall', but it did make me hungry for a burger and fries. And, shortly after that, someone in the area was baking some kind of apple deliciousness... the scent of apples and cinnamon followed me a short distance further. Maybe that explains the faster second half of my run... I couldn't wait to get home to eat!
All in all, I would say today was a huge success. I felt great from my first step to my last and am proud to say I've tackled 6 miles. The increase to 7 miles is still 3 weeks away and I'm already looking forward to it!
Now it's time to celebrate with a few beers and maybe a couple shots... Happy Birthday Michael! :)
My first 3 miles were all around a 9:00 mile pace and, being that I finished with an average pace of 8:40, my last 3 miles were obviously a whole lot faster (somewhere around 8:20 each). The reason for this, of course, is that a good bit of the first half of this run was uphill and into the wind. After the 3 mile mark, it was all downhill from there. No... literally... it was all downhill with the wind at my back. I imagine that made up for the large time discrepancy.
And, of course, I had my philosophical moment right around the 3.5 mile mark when I turned a corner and had the wind at my back... Sometimes you just have to stay the course, no matter how difficult it seems. There will be times when things don't seem to be going your way, but they're bound to turn around eventually :)
Enough of the cheese... back to reality...
As I mentioned before, it was a typical fall day and I had 52 minutes to appreciate it. Fall in Ohio just doesn't last very long and, before you know it, winter is upon you. It was great to get a chance to appreciate the changing colors, the falling leaves and the indescribable smell of the season. Of course, the half mile radius surrounding Red Robin doesn't exactly smell like 'fall', but it did make me hungry for a burger and fries. And, shortly after that, someone in the area was baking some kind of apple deliciousness... the scent of apples and cinnamon followed me a short distance further. Maybe that explains the faster second half of my run... I couldn't wait to get home to eat!
All in all, I would say today was a huge success. I felt great from my first step to my last and am proud to say I've tackled 6 miles. The increase to 7 miles is still 3 weeks away and I'm already looking forward to it!
Now it's time to celebrate with a few beers and maybe a couple shots... Happy Birthday Michael! :)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Day 50 (10/13): 3 miles / 25:27
Today I was most definitely shooting for a fast time. After yesterday's run, I wanted to see if it was possible to go even faster. It's not that an 8:29 mile is anything super impressive, but I'm still amazed at how quickly progress can be made. I'm feeling great, which is exciting to begin with... you never know what your body can handle until you push yourself. In the beginning, I was definitely afraid I would risk injury trying to do too much too fast. I'm thrilled that my body is handling everything I've done so far. Hopefully that trend continues as I start adding on the miles.
I did, however, come to the conclusion that I'm not going to run in this weekend's 10k race. As much as I'd love to do it and definitely think I can handle it physically, I decided that, after this week of missing my husband, I don't want to spend any more time away from home than I have to. Of course, I'll still have to run 6 miles this weekend, but doing so at home and when I choose, I can still get the quality family time that I think I really need. I'm sure there will be another 10k in the spring that I can fit into my marathon training. Until then, the 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving will have to do.
I did, however, come to the conclusion that I'm not going to run in this weekend's 10k race. As much as I'd love to do it and definitely think I can handle it physically, I decided that, after this week of missing my husband, I don't want to spend any more time away from home than I have to. Of course, I'll still have to run 6 miles this weekend, but doing so at home and when I choose, I can still get the quality family time that I think I really need. I'm sure there will be another 10k in the spring that I can fit into my marathon training. Until then, the 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving will have to do.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day 49 (10/12): 3 miles / 26:16
Physically, I feel fantastic... but I'm mentally exhausted...
I wasn't setting out to break any records with today's run. What I really wanted, however, was to be done with these 3 miles as quickly as possible so that I could move on to lounging around in my pjs, watching tv and, in general, being a lazy bum. Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my time and I'm fairly certain it was my fastest run on the treadmill to date, averaging about an 8:45 per mile pace.
But I honestly didn't want to run at all today. I'm beginning to feel very overwhelmed with my schedule these days and, unfortunately, there's not too much I can do about it. The only thing I could potentially cut out is my training, which just doesn't seem to be the best option for me if I'm hoping to run a marathon in the spring.
The truth is, while I'm thrilled he's doing it, my husband going back to school has changed things dramatically. I don't even recognize our life anymore... and we're only 4 weeks into his schooling. I try to tell myself that his masters program will only take a year and a half, but that sounds like an eternity right now. Add to that his already busy work and travel schedule and I feel like I barely even see him anymore. Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I didn't run, it wouldn't mean more time with my family... after all, I run after my son goes to bed and most often while my husband is traveling or doing his school work. If it weren't for running, I'd likely be spending that time watching tv anyway.
So, with no takers on my invitation to watch chick flicks and drink wine this evening, I decided to go ahead and run my scheduled 3 miles. And thank goodness I did. While I still have the same burdens I did before I started, at least I finished my workout feeling good about myself and was able to get out a little of that frustration I'd been feeling. I'm still missing my husband every night that he's away and every time he needs to study on the weekends, but at least I feel I'm doing something useful with my time. I don't remember the last time I felt this good physically and, with all of the calories I'm burning, I don't feel so bad about sitting down with a giant bowl of ice cream on the days I'm feeling a little down.
I wasn't setting out to break any records with today's run. What I really wanted, however, was to be done with these 3 miles as quickly as possible so that I could move on to lounging around in my pjs, watching tv and, in general, being a lazy bum. Needless to say, I'm thrilled with my time and I'm fairly certain it was my fastest run on the treadmill to date, averaging about an 8:45 per mile pace.
But I honestly didn't want to run at all today. I'm beginning to feel very overwhelmed with my schedule these days and, unfortunately, there's not too much I can do about it. The only thing I could potentially cut out is my training, which just doesn't seem to be the best option for me if I'm hoping to run a marathon in the spring.
The truth is, while I'm thrilled he's doing it, my husband going back to school has changed things dramatically. I don't even recognize our life anymore... and we're only 4 weeks into his schooling. I try to tell myself that his masters program will only take a year and a half, but that sounds like an eternity right now. Add to that his already busy work and travel schedule and I feel like I barely even see him anymore. Sometimes I have to remind myself that, even if I didn't run, it wouldn't mean more time with my family... after all, I run after my son goes to bed and most often while my husband is traveling or doing his school work. If it weren't for running, I'd likely be spending that time watching tv anyway.
So, with no takers on my invitation to watch chick flicks and drink wine this evening, I decided to go ahead and run my scheduled 3 miles. And thank goodness I did. While I still have the same burdens I did before I started, at least I finished my workout feeling good about myself and was able to get out a little of that frustration I'd been feeling. I'm still missing my husband every night that he's away and every time he needs to study on the weekends, but at least I feel I'm doing something useful with my time. I don't remember the last time I felt this good physically and, with all of the calories I'm burning, I don't feel so bad about sitting down with a giant bowl of ice cream on the days I'm feeling a little down.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day 48 (10/11): 3 miles / 27:18
Today felt amazing... which I imagine had something to do with my run being so much shorter, and thus so much easier, compared to the 5 miles I ran on Sunday. And my time wasn't too bad considering the fact that I always run slower on the treadmill. A 9:06 pace is faster than I would have expected for myself today.
But, as good as I felt running, I spent almost the entire time thinking about my current dilemma. I'm struggling with how hard to push myself this week. This weekend I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, which I'm actually looking forward to. The problem is that I'm not sure whether to just run those 6 miles around the neighborhood or sign up for a 10k (6.2 miles) race downtown. Since it will be my first time venturing past the 5 mile mark, I'm thinking I should just take it easy... run with the intention of simply finishing all 6 miles. The problem is that I had really wanted to run a 5k (check) and 10k this year and then a half marathon and marathon next year. I've checked every place I could think of and can't find another 10k scheduled for this year, unless I want to travel more than 2 hours away to get there, which isn't really an option at this point. So, I'm stuck between possibly overdoing it just so I can say that I ran a 10k or missing the opportunity to run one this year completely. And while I technically have until Saturday to make a final decision, I'd really like to make up my mind before then... because I'm pretty sure I'm going to start to annoy my husband if I keep boring him with this particular topic.
But, as good as I felt running, I spent almost the entire time thinking about my current dilemma. I'm struggling with how hard to push myself this week. This weekend I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, which I'm actually looking forward to. The problem is that I'm not sure whether to just run those 6 miles around the neighborhood or sign up for a 10k (6.2 miles) race downtown. Since it will be my first time venturing past the 5 mile mark, I'm thinking I should just take it easy... run with the intention of simply finishing all 6 miles. The problem is that I had really wanted to run a 5k (check) and 10k this year and then a half marathon and marathon next year. I've checked every place I could think of and can't find another 10k scheduled for this year, unless I want to travel more than 2 hours away to get there, which isn't really an option at this point. So, I'm stuck between possibly overdoing it just so I can say that I ran a 10k or missing the opportunity to run one this year completely. And while I technically have until Saturday to make a final decision, I'd really like to make up my mind before then... because I'm pretty sure I'm going to start to annoy my husband if I keep boring him with this particular topic.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Day 47 (10/9): 5 miles / 45:53
Wow - that was hard. After running only 3 miles for each training day for the last two weeks, this run felt like an eternity. Mile 1 felt just about the same as it always does - it takes almost the entire mile to loosen up my muscles and joints and get geared up for the remainder of my run. Mile 2 felt pretty good, but I was worried I was maybe going a little too fast considering the fact that I was going to be running so much further than I had in the past few weeks. Miles 3 and 4 actually felt really good (mile 3 slightly better than mile 4, of course). The longer distance finally gave me an opportunity to venture out of my neighborhood for a one-mile out-and-back route. This also made it easy to time myself for those miles - 9:00 out and 8:57 back - not too shabby. Unfortunately, I probably should have slowed my pace just a bit. That last mile was a real killer. All in all, however, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with my time. I'm certainly not shattering any records, but I love that I ran five miles at just over a 9:10 pace. That being said, there's a lot of work to be done if I'm hoping to run the marathon anywhere near a 10:00 mile pace. I'm realizing this goal might be a bit lofty for me, but with so much time left to train, I don't feel it's right to start lowering my expectations just yet :)
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Day 46 (10/8): 3 miles / 26:27
Today's run felt great. We're having amazing weather for this time of year and it feels good to get back outdoors in the sunshine. I must admit that I had no idea I was running as fast as I was, so either this whole thing is getting a lot easier or I just happened to have a good day... either way, I'll take it.
I did, however, spend a good deal of my run thinking about tomorrow's run... the training schedule finally has me increasing my miles, so I'm pretty excited! I've got 5 miles on the schedule for tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it goes. Wish me luck...
I did, however, spend a good deal of my run thinking about tomorrow's run... the training schedule finally has me increasing my miles, so I'm pretty excited! I've got 5 miles on the schedule for tomorrow and I can't wait to see how it goes. Wish me luck...
Friday, October 7, 2011
Day 45 (10/7): 3 miles / 28:53
Everything about this evening's run felt wrong. My joints ache, my muscles are tight and my breathing labored. I feel all around sluggish and, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm guessing it has something to do with my diet. Let's take today, for example: I started out with a sensible granola bar for breakfast and a V-8 Fusion drink on my way to work. Then it's all downhill from there. Lunch was a ginormous bowl of chili with cheese and fritos and dinner was a large helping of beef stroganoff and too many slices of asiago pepperoni bread. Did I seriously think my body was going to feel good after that?!? I suppose it's time to start adding more fruits and veggies to my diet and maybe laying off the fatty foods a bit. Of course, I'm sure last night's martinis, appetizers and cupcakes didn't help, and the box of chocolates the night before might have been pushing it just a bit. All in all, I think my diet needs a serious makeover.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day 44 (10/5): 3 miles / 28:48
Maybe what I really needed before yesterday's post was an attitude adjustment... and a little bit of chocolate.
Okay, okay... a lot of chocolate. But that's not really the point.
Anyway, today's run was much better than yesterday's and I'm feeling re-energized concerning my marathon goal. I'm also thrilled that this week marks an increase in the number of running days per week from 4 to 5, so even though the distance won't change for a few more days, at least I feel like I'm doing something more than last week.
My first 2 miles were at a 10:00 mile pace and, when that got to feeling a little too easy, I went ahead and increased the pace continuously over the course of the last mile, going from 6.0 mph to 7.5 mph as I crossed my imaginary finish line. It felt great to finish strong and I was encouraged by the fact that, after yesterday's minor meltdown, I was able to bounce back today with a better attitude. It might have a little something to do with the second song on today's mix of my running playlist: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. That song gets me every damn time...
(Side note - this video just makes me laugh! 1-these guys could not look any less comfortable, 2-not impressed by the garbage bag background flapping in the wind and, 3-the lead singer looks super sweaty in those tight black leather pants. Pure genius I tell you!)
Okay, okay... a lot of chocolate. But that's not really the point.
Anyway, today's run was much better than yesterday's and I'm feeling re-energized concerning my marathon goal. I'm also thrilled that this week marks an increase in the number of running days per week from 4 to 5, so even though the distance won't change for a few more days, at least I feel like I'm doing something more than last week.
My first 2 miles were at a 10:00 mile pace and, when that got to feeling a little too easy, I went ahead and increased the pace continuously over the course of the last mile, going from 6.0 mph to 7.5 mph as I crossed my imaginary finish line. It felt great to finish strong and I was encouraged by the fact that, after yesterday's minor meltdown, I was able to bounce back today with a better attitude. It might have a little something to do with the second song on today's mix of my running playlist: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. That song gets me every damn time...
(Side note - this video just makes me laugh! 1-these guys could not look any less comfortable, 2-not impressed by the garbage bag background flapping in the wind and, 3-the lead singer looks super sweaty in those tight black leather pants. Pure genius I tell you!)
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Day 43 (10/4): 3 miles / 30:03
Today's disjointed run left me feeling frustrated and wondering if I should be trying to do this right now. I'm not doubting my physical ability... I'm simply questioning whether I should be committing this kind of time to a personal goal when there seem to be a million other things I should be doing instead. I fully acknowledged that this process would take about a year, assuming my body could withstand the beating and evade injury, but I never bothered to consider the amount of time this would require out of that twelve month period.
I'm guessing that, looking at today's time, you're wondering why in the world I'm so overwhelmed by 30 minutes. If that's an issue, I'm seriously going to have a problem when I start running 10-12 miles or, even worse, 15-20 miles. But it's not really the half hour that's a problem. Add another 15 minutes beforehand to stretch and what should be at least another 20 afterward for more stretching. Then, assuming I have anywhere else to be, there's a shower that really should follow. Of course, showering is part of my normal day, but isn't necessarily part of my afternoon. Any time I have somewhere to take my son, I wake up early and shower before he gets out of bed. Now, I have to fit stretching, running, stretching and showering into his sometimes too-short nap time.
Take today, for instance. The first 20 minutes of my run I spend making a mental list of all of the things I want to do this afternoon. I need to finish my run, have lunch, take a shower, get dinner started (my first homemade dinner in some time), get a few emails out and, as if there would be enough time left after that, I'd love to read a little. After 2 miles on the treadmill, my son woke up from his nap. Being that I found a way to multi-task and did my stretching while we played on the floor before his nap time, this meant that he'd only be asleep for 20 minutes... only about 2 hours shorter than his nap might normally be. I gave him a minute hoping he'd go right back to sleep, but no luck. So, I run upstairs to calm him down, which takes a good ten minutes to do, in just enough time for the dogs to bark at the invisible people that obviously taunt them from the front door, and the whole process begins again. By the time I get back downstairs to finish my run, it's been at least 15 minutes. Now I'm wondering... should I start over? Clearly that would be putting too many miles on these legs of mine. Should I just call it a day? Then I would just feel like a quitter. But will he stay asleep long enough for me to finish? There was no way to know for sure, but certainly I was going to try.
This left my last mile to reconsider my list of things I had wanted to accomplish and think about how to re-order them since I doubted there was any chance of getting all of them done. I finished my run and stretched a little less than I probably should have, then warmed up my leftover chinese while I sent out my emails. I did allow myself a break long enough to finish my lunch on the couch, but before I finished, my son was once again awake... still about an hour short of his usual nap time.
I suddenly felt very overwhelmed by all of the things I'd love to be accomplishing at this point in my life. With my husband's schooling taking so much of his time, I would love to say I've been able to take the reins and do all of the things he hasn't had time for. But all I've managed in the last three weeks is to cook one meal and wipe down a few counter tops. The grass could use some serious attention and I don't want to be the kind of wife and mother that serves her family fast food and frozen dinners every night. I can't help but feel that my hobbies are starting to take up all of the time I should be devoting to my family. Between running, reading for my book club (that, for some stupid reason, I thought would be a good thing to start earlier this year) and trying to keep up with my initial goal for the year of reading one non-fiction book every month, I can't seem to get anything else done.
I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling inundated by all of the things I need and want to do in the very little time I seem to have. I'm just beginning to wonder if this is really what I should be doing right now...
I'm guessing that, looking at today's time, you're wondering why in the world I'm so overwhelmed by 30 minutes. If that's an issue, I'm seriously going to have a problem when I start running 10-12 miles or, even worse, 15-20 miles. But it's not really the half hour that's a problem. Add another 15 minutes beforehand to stretch and what should be at least another 20 afterward for more stretching. Then, assuming I have anywhere else to be, there's a shower that really should follow. Of course, showering is part of my normal day, but isn't necessarily part of my afternoon. Any time I have somewhere to take my son, I wake up early and shower before he gets out of bed. Now, I have to fit stretching, running, stretching and showering into his sometimes too-short nap time.
Take today, for instance. The first 20 minutes of my run I spend making a mental list of all of the things I want to do this afternoon. I need to finish my run, have lunch, take a shower, get dinner started (my first homemade dinner in some time), get a few emails out and, as if there would be enough time left after that, I'd love to read a little. After 2 miles on the treadmill, my son woke up from his nap. Being that I found a way to multi-task and did my stretching while we played on the floor before his nap time, this meant that he'd only be asleep for 20 minutes... only about 2 hours shorter than his nap might normally be. I gave him a minute hoping he'd go right back to sleep, but no luck. So, I run upstairs to calm him down, which takes a good ten minutes to do, in just enough time for the dogs to bark at the invisible people that obviously taunt them from the front door, and the whole process begins again. By the time I get back downstairs to finish my run, it's been at least 15 minutes. Now I'm wondering... should I start over? Clearly that would be putting too many miles on these legs of mine. Should I just call it a day? Then I would just feel like a quitter. But will he stay asleep long enough for me to finish? There was no way to know for sure, but certainly I was going to try.
This left my last mile to reconsider my list of things I had wanted to accomplish and think about how to re-order them since I doubted there was any chance of getting all of them done. I finished my run and stretched a little less than I probably should have, then warmed up my leftover chinese while I sent out my emails. I did allow myself a break long enough to finish my lunch on the couch, but before I finished, my son was once again awake... still about an hour short of his usual nap time.
I suddenly felt very overwhelmed by all of the things I'd love to be accomplishing at this point in my life. With my husband's schooling taking so much of his time, I would love to say I've been able to take the reins and do all of the things he hasn't had time for. But all I've managed in the last three weeks is to cook one meal and wipe down a few counter tops. The grass could use some serious attention and I don't want to be the kind of wife and mother that serves her family fast food and frozen dinners every night. I can't help but feel that my hobbies are starting to take up all of the time I should be devoting to my family. Between running, reading for my book club (that, for some stupid reason, I thought would be a good thing to start earlier this year) and trying to keep up with my initial goal for the year of reading one non-fiction book every month, I can't seem to get anything else done.
I spent the rest of the afternoon feeling inundated by all of the things I need and want to do in the very little time I seem to have. I'm just beginning to wonder if this is really what I should be doing right now...
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day 42 (10/2): 3 miles / 30:30
Today's crappy weather meant a treadmill day for me today and I decided to take it easy. Unfortunately, much like I always do, I started with a first mile much slower than I should have, picked up the pace for my second, then realized that I had far too much energy left for the last mile, which I should have considering I was running at a 12:00 pace for mile 1 and a 10:00 pace for mile 2. This forced me to really pick up my speed for the last mile in order to keep my time somewhat reasonable. This just seems silly since I can set the pace at anything I want and know that I won't accidentally slow down or speed up because the belt moves at whatever rate I set it for. And yet I manage to do this every time I'm on it. My goal for future treadmill runs is to set the speed at a 10:00 pace and just leave it there for the entire run. We'll see how that goes for me this week :)
I did, however, find my first two miles relaxing enough to spend a little time thinking... mostly about my goals and aspirations. First and foremost, I really need to start cooking more. My husband and I don't eat particularly well to begin with and my son is certainly not learning any good eating habits from us. I'd love to start eating well and, in the process, take better care of my family. This alone sounds like a lot of work. I wonder how I'll find the time...
This thought led me back to my goal of running a marathon. I still wonder sometimes what I'm thinking. I have moments when I don't doubt for a second that I can do this. I really feel I'm capable of it. Then I do something stupid, like announce to the world on facebook that I've signed up for the Cleveland Marathon. Part of my reason for this is to keep myself motivated to do it. More friends aware of this plan means more people asking me about my progress... I find this keeps me accountable. But then there's this crazy side effect... lots of people congratulating me on signing up to run the marathon... What's that all about? It's a heck of a lot easier to register than it is to actually run it. I don't know what to say when people congratulate me just for saying I'm going to do it. I can only imagine how impressed they might be if I actually finish it :)
But, until then, the song Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie seems to be on repeat in my head... Maybe it wasn't the best addition to my running play list... :)
I did, however, find my first two miles relaxing enough to spend a little time thinking... mostly about my goals and aspirations. First and foremost, I really need to start cooking more. My husband and I don't eat particularly well to begin with and my son is certainly not learning any good eating habits from us. I'd love to start eating well and, in the process, take better care of my family. This alone sounds like a lot of work. I wonder how I'll find the time...
This thought led me back to my goal of running a marathon. I still wonder sometimes what I'm thinking. I have moments when I don't doubt for a second that I can do this. I really feel I'm capable of it. Then I do something stupid, like announce to the world on facebook that I've signed up for the Cleveland Marathon. Part of my reason for this is to keep myself motivated to do it. More friends aware of this plan means more people asking me about my progress... I find this keeps me accountable. But then there's this crazy side effect... lots of people congratulating me on signing up to run the marathon... What's that all about? It's a heck of a lot easier to register than it is to actually run it. I don't know what to say when people congratulate me just for saying I'm going to do it. I can only imagine how impressed they might be if I actually finish it :)
But, until then, the song Under Pressure by Queen & David Bowie seems to be on repeat in my head... Maybe it wasn't the best addition to my running play list... :)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Day 41 (10/1): 3 miles / 25:15
Not too much to report as far as today's run is concerned. The day was a little cooler than I would have liked, but fresh air is always appreciated, so I can't complain. I did attempt to push myself to see where I was physically and how well I could pace myself when shooting for a faster time. With a per mile pace of 8:25, I feel really good about where I am physically right now. And, although I'm not exactly certain where each mile marker is, I'm pretty sure my first mile was somewhere around 8:30, so it would appear I didn't do too badly in the pacing department either.
I still haven't signed up for the 10k race I've been considering, which is on October 15th, but I'm fairly confident I could handle it at this point. Now it's just a matter of committing to it. It's funny how I'm able to commit to a marathon but not a 10k. I'm sure it has something to do with the marathon being 8 months away and the 10k being only 2 weeks away, but still...
I still haven't signed up for the 10k race I've been considering, which is on October 15th, but I'm fairly confident I could handle it at this point. Now it's just a matter of committing to it. It's funny how I'm able to commit to a marathon but not a 10k. I'm sure it has something to do with the marathon being 8 months away and the 10k being only 2 weeks away, but still...
Friday, September 30, 2011
Registration
Today is not a training day. I'm resting. But only because the training calendar says that's what I'm supposed to be doing today.
Nonetheless, I felt this day warranted its own blog post. Today, September 30, 2011, is the day I bit the bullet and registered for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon! It's scheduled for Sunday, May 20th.
And, immediately after submitting my registration payment, I just about fell out of my chair. Before today there was a chance I was all talk. Before today, I had an easy out. Before today, running a marathon was just something I wanted to do. Today it became a thing I was going to do. A thing I planned on. A thing I spent money on and, therefore, something I should follow through with. That $70 registration fee just made it that much more likely that I will actually accomplish this goal after all. And as cool as that fact is, the one thing that continues to come to mind is...
HOLY SHIT...
Nonetheless, I felt this day warranted its own blog post. Today, September 30, 2011, is the day I bit the bullet and registered for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon! It's scheduled for Sunday, May 20th.
And, immediately after submitting my registration payment, I just about fell out of my chair. Before today there was a chance I was all talk. Before today, I had an easy out. Before today, running a marathon was just something I wanted to do. Today it became a thing I was going to do. A thing I planned on. A thing I spent money on and, therefore, something I should follow through with. That $70 registration fee just made it that much more likely that I will actually accomplish this goal after all. And as cool as that fact is, the one thing that continues to come to mind is...
HOLY SHIT...
Day 40 (9/29): 3 miles / 30:30
Not sure why, but I was feeling incredibly sluggish at the start of my run. I honestly didn't even mind heading downstairs to the treadmill, so I can't blame it on not being happy to be there. I think running every other day is starting to get to me. I'm sure my legs need the break, but I feel like there's way too much time in between runs. I can't wait until next week when I go to only 2 days off.
All of that aside, my second and third miles weren't bad at all. I've downloaded a few new tunes to the ipod to keep things interesting and I found myself fighting the urge to sing along. At least when I'm in my basement I can get away with that sort of thing... but I could see me being thrown off the treadmill because I was too lost in the music to stay on the moving belt. I should probably save my sweet dance moves for a more appropriate location.
All of that aside, my second and third miles weren't bad at all. I've downloaded a few new tunes to the ipod to keep things interesting and I found myself fighting the urge to sing along. At least when I'm in my basement I can get away with that sort of thing... but I could see me being thrown off the treadmill because I was too lost in the music to stay on the moving belt. I should probably save my sweet dance moves for a more appropriate location.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Day 39 (9/27): 3 miles / 26:27
Perfect running weather... and a perfect husband to let me enjoy it.
Today's run was scheduled for the treadmill, but I managed to squeeze in a quick 3 miles outdoors when my husband offered to take a short break from work to watch our son. With sunny skies and about 60 degrees, you just can't ask for much better than that.
Unfortunately, where I'm at in my training schedule, I don't have much variety to look forward to. I have about 2 weeks of 3 mile runs, 4 days a week. That almost seems too easy. Of course, I do understand the reason behind it... after these two weeks, my training goes to 5 days a week and you don't want to make a huge jump in the number of miles you run from one week to the next. The question is whether or not I'll be able to remind myself of that fact for the next 8 runs and now allow myself to go further just because I feel good. Now that I'm running on a regular basis, I find I constantly want to push myself to see just how far I can go. If I expect to be in this thing for the long haul, I should really listen to what the experts have to say. I guess it's time to test just how much patience I really have...
Today's run was scheduled for the treadmill, but I managed to squeeze in a quick 3 miles outdoors when my husband offered to take a short break from work to watch our son. With sunny skies and about 60 degrees, you just can't ask for much better than that.
Unfortunately, where I'm at in my training schedule, I don't have much variety to look forward to. I have about 2 weeks of 3 mile runs, 4 days a week. That almost seems too easy. Of course, I do understand the reason behind it... after these two weeks, my training goes to 5 days a week and you don't want to make a huge jump in the number of miles you run from one week to the next. The question is whether or not I'll be able to remind myself of that fact for the next 8 runs and now allow myself to go further just because I feel good. Now that I'm running on a regular basis, I find I constantly want to push myself to see just how far I can go. If I expect to be in this thing for the long haul, I should really listen to what the experts have to say. I guess it's time to test just how much patience I really have...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Day 38 (9/25): 3 miles / 28:57
Looking at my time suggests that maybe I went for a leisurely jog around the neighborhood. Truth be told, I simply ate an insane amount of food and drank an entire pot of coffee about a half hour before leaving for my run and it never occurred to me that my timing might not be the best. This is a nice reminder that I should not drink coffee with chocolate & whipped cream and eat a foot-long steak, egg & cheese sandwich with extra cheese, mayo & onions on race day. That's not to say I couldn't have one or the other... my research thus far only confirms I shouldn't have both. I'm sure there will be more to follow on the subject of foods not to eat before a run.
All of that being said, I have to say that I felt pretty good. While I didn't feel like overexerting myself today, I also didn't feel like I couldn't handle it. I love that three miles in less than 29 minutes feels a bit leisurely to me. I can see that I've come a long way from 37 training days ago. I can only imagine where I'll be another 37 training days from now...
All of that being said, I have to say that I felt pretty good. While I didn't feel like overexerting myself today, I also didn't feel like I couldn't handle it. I love that three miles in less than 29 minutes feels a bit leisurely to me. I can see that I've come a long way from 37 training days ago. I can only imagine where I'll be another 37 training days from now...
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Day 37 (9/23): 5 miles / 49:15
The best treadmill run to date...
There's no question that taking care of the incline issue has drastically improved my outlook on treadmill running, but I didn't anticipate feeling good enough to add an extra mile to my planned 4 mile run. However, in order to mix it up a little and not be so focused on the time or the number of miles remaining, I decided instead to focus on how many songs I had left to listen to before I was done. I estimated that it would take me 13 songs to finish 4 miles, so, as each song played, I was able to track my progress without tying it to a specific distance. As it turns out, it only takes me 11 songs to finish 4 miles and, since I'd had it in my head that I would be listening to 13, I still had 2 to go and decided to follow through on my original goal. Apparently song 12 was a long one because I managed to finish those 5 miles just after the end of the 13th song. For some reason, coming up with a different way to measure my progress and focusing on my music, it made those 5 miles so much easier to get through. It felt great!
As a side note, when I originally looked up the information for the Cleveland Marathon, I was reading the FAQs and one of them indicated that it was now acceptable to wear headphones during the race. I originally thought I had no interest in that, but now that I've gotten used to music while I run, I'm starting to think that may not be such a bad idea.
There's no question that taking care of the incline issue has drastically improved my outlook on treadmill running, but I didn't anticipate feeling good enough to add an extra mile to my planned 4 mile run. However, in order to mix it up a little and not be so focused on the time or the number of miles remaining, I decided instead to focus on how many songs I had left to listen to before I was done. I estimated that it would take me 13 songs to finish 4 miles, so, as each song played, I was able to track my progress without tying it to a specific distance. As it turns out, it only takes me 11 songs to finish 4 miles and, since I'd had it in my head that I would be listening to 13, I still had 2 to go and decided to follow through on my original goal. Apparently song 12 was a long one because I managed to finish those 5 miles just after the end of the 13th song. For some reason, coming up with a different way to measure my progress and focusing on my music, it made those 5 miles so much easier to get through. It felt great!
As a side note, when I originally looked up the information for the Cleveland Marathon, I was reading the FAQs and one of them indicated that it was now acceptable to wear headphones during the race. I originally thought I had no interest in that, but now that I've gotten used to music while I run, I'm starting to think that may not be such a bad idea.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Day 36 (9/22): 3 miles / 27:45
Cheater, cheater...
Tired of fighting the dreaded uphill battle (pun intended), I used my husband's idea and propped up the back of the treadmill so that the incline is almost unnoticeable. While I'm sure there are safety reasons for the incline, I decided to throw caution to the wind and make my at-home workouts more bearable. Sure, I can't say I clocked my best time ever, but at least I can say that I did it without a single swear word.
In all fairness to myself, my time wasn't actually that bad. I averaged a 9:15 mile, which is nothing to complain about, but I must admit that I started a lot slower than I finished. One of my rules of treadmill running is that, once I increase the speed, I do not allow myself to slow it back down. This causes me to give myself plenty of time to warm up before settling in to a faster pace. My first mile was actually just over 10:00, which means my second and third averaged about 8:45. Since I know I increased the speed several times over those two miles, odds are pretty good my second mile was a little over 9:00 and my third was closer to 8:00. Sure, I'm not exactly doing myself any favors when it comes to learning to pace myself, but at least I can say I'm constantly improving as I run :)
And it helped my mood to start off with a little David Guetta "Sexy Bitch"... I love the beat and pretend he's singing about me... which, clearly, he is... LOL :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_7bhk1UzA
Tired of fighting the dreaded uphill battle (pun intended), I used my husband's idea and propped up the back of the treadmill so that the incline is almost unnoticeable. While I'm sure there are safety reasons for the incline, I decided to throw caution to the wind and make my at-home workouts more bearable. Sure, I can't say I clocked my best time ever, but at least I can say that I did it without a single swear word.
In all fairness to myself, my time wasn't actually that bad. I averaged a 9:15 mile, which is nothing to complain about, but I must admit that I started a lot slower than I finished. One of my rules of treadmill running is that, once I increase the speed, I do not allow myself to slow it back down. This causes me to give myself plenty of time to warm up before settling in to a faster pace. My first mile was actually just over 10:00, which means my second and third averaged about 8:45. Since I know I increased the speed several times over those two miles, odds are pretty good my second mile was a little over 9:00 and my third was closer to 8:00. Sure, I'm not exactly doing myself any favors when it comes to learning to pace myself, but at least I can say I'm constantly improving as I run :)
And it helped my mood to start off with a little David Guetta "Sexy Bitch"... I love the beat and pretend he's singing about me... which, clearly, he is... LOL :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo_7bhk1UzA
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Day 35 (9/20): 5 miles / 44:53
So, after just posting that my next mileage increase wasn't for another week, I feel the need to explain my mileage increase today. Truthfully, it all comes back to that damn treadmill...
With my husband out of town the rest of the week, I will have no choice but to run on the treadmill on Thursday. The training schedule calls for 4 miles today and 4 Thursday and the idea of 4 more miles on that stupid thing is already irritating me. So, I decided to run 5 today and 3 on Thursday... same weekly mileage, but with the added benefit of fewer miles indoors. Of course, it didn't hurt that I was itching to see how it would feel to go longer than 4...
And it felt amazing! Don't get me wrong, I was tired when I was finished. But, somehow, at the same time, I also knew that I could go further. Which, is a really good thing considering how much further I'll have to go before all is said and done :) I think that's one of the reasons I'm always so excited to increase my distance... it's a great feeling to reach the end and know that I still have a little something left. I don't imagine I'll feel that way after 26.2, but as long as I still feel that way at 26.1, I should be in pretty good shape :)
With my husband out of town the rest of the week, I will have no choice but to run on the treadmill on Thursday. The training schedule calls for 4 miles today and 4 Thursday and the idea of 4 more miles on that stupid thing is already irritating me. So, I decided to run 5 today and 3 on Thursday... same weekly mileage, but with the added benefit of fewer miles indoors. Of course, it didn't hurt that I was itching to see how it would feel to go longer than 4...
And it felt amazing! Don't get me wrong, I was tired when I was finished. But, somehow, at the same time, I also knew that I could go further. Which, is a really good thing considering how much further I'll have to go before all is said and done :) I think that's one of the reasons I'm always so excited to increase my distance... it's a great feeling to reach the end and know that I still have a little something left. I don't imagine I'll feel that way after 26.2, but as long as I still feel that way at 26.1, I should be in pretty good shape :)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Day 34 (9/18): 4 miles / 34:22
Another great run and, oddly enough, I spent most of my time thinking about how much I was looking forward to increasing my distance. I was quite disappointed when I got home and saw that my next increase was still a week away. I don't doubt there will come a time when I'll wish that 4 miles was the furthest I would have to go, but for now, I'm just so determined to get myself prepared for next year's marathon that I can't help wanting to get there faster. I find I have to constantly remind myself that 4 miles is a long way from 26 and that I still have a very long road ahead of me. But, I'm somehow constantly coming across inspiring books and music that make me feel so positive about accomplishing this goal. Being positive is certainly not a bad thing, but there's a lot of work ahead and I still need to remember to take my time to avoid injury. My marathon day will be here soon enough...
Friday, September 16, 2011
Day 33 (9/16): 3 miles / 32:18
After last night's glorious 4 miles, I was very optimistic about today's run. So much so, in fact, that I thought I'd give the old treadmill a shot at redemption. While my preference is always to run outdoors, waking up at 4:30 makes for less than stellar decision making. Rather than running outside in the dark, I opted for the basement and the dreaded machine that lives there...
I started slow figuring that working myself up to top speed would be better than trying to force myself into a faster pace. This theory worked for a short time and I managed my first mile without too much cursing. The next half mile (and forgive me for the over-dramatic tirade that follows) was an excruciating battle between my legs and my brain. If I hadn't been listening to Fergalicious at top volume, I'm pretty sure I would have heard my legs screaming "get the fuck off this thing!" I kept telling myself that I'd managed 4 miles just a few days earlier and that surely I could handle 3 today, but no matter how hard I tried, my head refused to believe that 3 miles was even in the realm of possibility. A mile and a half in and it had taken me 18:20 - a piss-poor excuse of a run as far as I was concerned.
At that point I decided I couldn't take it any more... I needed to run my last mile and a half outdoors. The trouble was that I wanted to let my husband sleep in (he's been staying up late at night to finish his school work) and I had no idea what time my son would wake up (sometimes it's as early as 5 a.m.). I took a chance and ditched the baby monitor on the kitchen counter and figured I'd simply run it as quickly as possible and be back before either was even aware I was gone.
Those first few steps outside were like running on clouds. My feet felt so much lighter and I couldn't imagine how that slight incline built into the treadmill could possibly cause me so much difficulty. I was running as fast as my legs would go and I couldn't tell whether I was trying to hurry back before my son woke up or trying to run as far away from that treadmill as I possibly could. Either way, my last mile and a half took 13:58.
At this point the treadmill is kicking my ass and it's quickly turning into a serious mental game for me. I'll need to learn how to conquer this thing before winter sets in or I'm going to have some serious problems sticking with my training schedule. There's no doubt in my mind that I can handle the distance. Now I just have to find a way to handle that incline.
I started slow figuring that working myself up to top speed would be better than trying to force myself into a faster pace. This theory worked for a short time and I managed my first mile without too much cursing. The next half mile (and forgive me for the over-dramatic tirade that follows) was an excruciating battle between my legs and my brain. If I hadn't been listening to Fergalicious at top volume, I'm pretty sure I would have heard my legs screaming "get the fuck off this thing!" I kept telling myself that I'd managed 4 miles just a few days earlier and that surely I could handle 3 today, but no matter how hard I tried, my head refused to believe that 3 miles was even in the realm of possibility. A mile and a half in and it had taken me 18:20 - a piss-poor excuse of a run as far as I was concerned.
At that point I decided I couldn't take it any more... I needed to run my last mile and a half outdoors. The trouble was that I wanted to let my husband sleep in (he's been staying up late at night to finish his school work) and I had no idea what time my son would wake up (sometimes it's as early as 5 a.m.). I took a chance and ditched the baby monitor on the kitchen counter and figured I'd simply run it as quickly as possible and be back before either was even aware I was gone.
Those first few steps outside were like running on clouds. My feet felt so much lighter and I couldn't imagine how that slight incline built into the treadmill could possibly cause me so much difficulty. I was running as fast as my legs would go and I couldn't tell whether I was trying to hurry back before my son woke up or trying to run as far away from that treadmill as I possibly could. Either way, my last mile and a half took 13:58.
At this point the treadmill is kicking my ass and it's quickly turning into a serious mental game for me. I'll need to learn how to conquer this thing before winter sets in or I'm going to have some serious problems sticking with my training schedule. There's no doubt in my mind that I can handle the distance. Now I just have to find a way to handle that incline.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Day 32 (9/15): 4 miles / 34:00
Today's run fell into the very small window of time between my work day and my husband leaving for bowling. Normally, this window is about 20 minutes, but today was close to an hour, so I figured I could handle fitting in 4 miles. Fortunately, this meant I was able to run outside instead of on the dreadful contraption that's taken up residence in my basement.
And what a beautiful day for a run... 59 degrees, sunny and breezy. My husband might call this perfect football weather, but for me, this will always be great cross country weather.
Since I was squeezing this run in while my husband was being his usual awesome self and feeding our son dinner, I decided to see if I could manage a little better than a 10 minute mile pace. I certainly don't want my training to interfere with our usual routine... at least not yet. My first mile was a little over 9 minutes and I felt pretty good about that. But, apparently my new play list (thank god I finished that audio book... it was freakin' terrible!) caused me to kick it up a notch during my second and third miles because I'd managed to run closer to an 8 minute mile for each of them. Surprisingly enough, my last mile felt great and I somehow kept that pace going. I think the reason I'm so surprised that I managed to run 4 miles at an 8:30 pace is because, just a few weeks ago, giving it my absolute all, my 5k was at the same pace. I couldn't really understand how I was able to run further and not slow down. Then I thought back over the last few weeks and realized that, even though some of my improvement can possibly be attributed to my training, I'm guessing the major difference is that I quit smoking. It's hard to believe what a difference that's made, but I've felt so much better these last few weeks. It's enough to make me want to sign up for another 5k just to see how much better I could do.
One of my favorite things to do these days is finish the last 50+ yards as fast as I can. I'm certainly no sprinter and I probably look pretty silly to any neighbors that happen to see me run by, but nonetheless, I love the way it feels to finish knowing that I gave it that little extra effort at the end. So, about a quarter mile before the finish, I have to find a good song to end with. Today's was 'Standing Outside the Fire' by Garth Brooks. Sure, the song is actually about love... but if you ignore that part, it's actually pretty motivational and was the perfect end to today's run...
"Life is not tried, it is merely survived, if you're standing outside the fire."
And what a beautiful day for a run... 59 degrees, sunny and breezy. My husband might call this perfect football weather, but for me, this will always be great cross country weather.
Since I was squeezing this run in while my husband was being his usual awesome self and feeding our son dinner, I decided to see if I could manage a little better than a 10 minute mile pace. I certainly don't want my training to interfere with our usual routine... at least not yet. My first mile was a little over 9 minutes and I felt pretty good about that. But, apparently my new play list (thank god I finished that audio book... it was freakin' terrible!) caused me to kick it up a notch during my second and third miles because I'd managed to run closer to an 8 minute mile for each of them. Surprisingly enough, my last mile felt great and I somehow kept that pace going. I think the reason I'm so surprised that I managed to run 4 miles at an 8:30 pace is because, just a few weeks ago, giving it my absolute all, my 5k was at the same pace. I couldn't really understand how I was able to run further and not slow down. Then I thought back over the last few weeks and realized that, even though some of my improvement can possibly be attributed to my training, I'm guessing the major difference is that I quit smoking. It's hard to believe what a difference that's made, but I've felt so much better these last few weeks. It's enough to make me want to sign up for another 5k just to see how much better I could do.
One of my favorite things to do these days is finish the last 50+ yards as fast as I can. I'm certainly no sprinter and I probably look pretty silly to any neighbors that happen to see me run by, but nonetheless, I love the way it feels to finish knowing that I gave it that little extra effort at the end. So, about a quarter mile before the finish, I have to find a good song to end with. Today's was 'Standing Outside the Fire' by Garth Brooks. Sure, the song is actually about love... but if you ignore that part, it's actually pretty motivational and was the perfect end to today's run...
"Life is not tried, it is merely survived, if you're standing outside the fire."
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Day 31 (9/13): 4 miles / 48:25
This day may go down in history as being my worst run ever. I'm not sure if I can even put my disdain into words...
I must begin by explaining that this is my first training run on a treadmill. I've had the luxury thus far of doing all of my training outdoors in some pretty great running weather, so there's no question I'm a bit spoiled. Still, one wouldn't think that the ever-so-slight incline automatically built in to a treadmill would be that big of a deal. If you'd seen me struggle through every inch of that 4 miles, you might have thought I'd had the incline jacked up at some 80 degree angle. Let me tell you, it sure felt that way.
And struggle I did. I kid you not when I tell you that I seriously considered quitting more than a dozen times during that run. Even after reducing the speed to a more manageable pace, I told myself with each step that I was only going to run until the next even number (in tenths of a mile, of course), the next half-mile mark (even as early on as the .50 mile mark), the next mile (only when I was near the end of that mile - I never considered that I'd make it to 2 miles after finishing 1). After 2.5 I told myself I was more than half way there and that I could certainly reach the end. But, by 2.6, I was cursing myself for being such a fool as to believe I might actually be able to complete 4 miles on this damn thing.
The most interesting part of this whole crazy scenario is that I used to run on this treadmill years ago. Not one like it or a similar model... this exact treadmill. It used to belong to my mother who sold it years ago to an extended family member. I got in touch with them recently because I was realizing that, with my husband's travel schedule, running outdoors would get increasingly more difficult and I would eventually need some way to put in my miles when I didn't have a babysitter. Lucky me, they were no longer using it and were more than happy to sell it back to me. Yeah... lucky me...
I tried the entire time to focus on my audio book. This book is one of the worst I've ever read (well, not exactly read, but you know what I mean) and it only made my run more excruciating. The incline setting buttons laughed at me as I struggled with the "zero incline" and I cursed them several times before my run was completed.
I can honestly say that I have no idea how I managed to get through all 4 miles. But, I can tell you one thing for certain... that damn treadmill will be my last possible resort when it comes to training. I plan to battle the cold, the rain, the heat and the snow long before I concede that the treadmill is my best option. My husband's travel is going to be far more frustrating now than it's ever been in the past if it means I have to forfeit my outdoor runs.
I must begin by explaining that this is my first training run on a treadmill. I've had the luxury thus far of doing all of my training outdoors in some pretty great running weather, so there's no question I'm a bit spoiled. Still, one wouldn't think that the ever-so-slight incline automatically built in to a treadmill would be that big of a deal. If you'd seen me struggle through every inch of that 4 miles, you might have thought I'd had the incline jacked up at some 80 degree angle. Let me tell you, it sure felt that way.
And struggle I did. I kid you not when I tell you that I seriously considered quitting more than a dozen times during that run. Even after reducing the speed to a more manageable pace, I told myself with each step that I was only going to run until the next even number (in tenths of a mile, of course), the next half-mile mark (even as early on as the .50 mile mark), the next mile (only when I was near the end of that mile - I never considered that I'd make it to 2 miles after finishing 1). After 2.5 I told myself I was more than half way there and that I could certainly reach the end. But, by 2.6, I was cursing myself for being such a fool as to believe I might actually be able to complete 4 miles on this damn thing.
The most interesting part of this whole crazy scenario is that I used to run on this treadmill years ago. Not one like it or a similar model... this exact treadmill. It used to belong to my mother who sold it years ago to an extended family member. I got in touch with them recently because I was realizing that, with my husband's travel schedule, running outdoors would get increasingly more difficult and I would eventually need some way to put in my miles when I didn't have a babysitter. Lucky me, they were no longer using it and were more than happy to sell it back to me. Yeah... lucky me...
I tried the entire time to focus on my audio book. This book is one of the worst I've ever read (well, not exactly read, but you know what I mean) and it only made my run more excruciating. The incline setting buttons laughed at me as I struggled with the "zero incline" and I cursed them several times before my run was completed.
I can honestly say that I have no idea how I managed to get through all 4 miles. But, I can tell you one thing for certain... that damn treadmill will be my last possible resort when it comes to training. I plan to battle the cold, the rain, the heat and the snow long before I concede that the treadmill is my best option. My husband's travel is going to be far more frustrating now than it's ever been in the past if it means I have to forfeit my outdoor runs.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Day 30 (9/11): 4 miles / 39:08
After starting my day with tailgating, beer drinking, jello shots and a whole bunch of junk food, I'm really impressed I was able to end my day with a nice long run...
Surprisingly enough, it actually felt really good to get out there. It was a nice reminder that, at least for now, I don't have to give up all the fun stuff just because I'm training.
For the first mile or so, I was feeling a little sluggish and giving some consideration to ending my run at 3 miles instead of 4. I mean, what's the difference anyway? I could just run a little extra next time, right? It wasn't so much that I didn't think I could finish all 4 miles... I actually think it was simply that I'm pretty used to calling it quits on my goals a little early... it's just what I do. I thought back to my mindset in high school and I distinctly remember cutting a few corners during training now and then when I really wasn't into it. It was never an inability... just laziness. The difference now, of course, is that my end goal is not a faster time for a 5k... it's a much, much longer distance. Which means that, my cutting corners now results in being unprepared for my next run, which I would also likely end early and fall into a detrimental pattern of not doing what was necessary to prepare myself. And, since this crazy goal of mine effects no one but myself, I have to remember that the only one cheated in the long run is me. It's time to stop taking the easy way out. It's time to start preparing myself for a little more hard work than I'm used to.
After mile 2, more than half way through my run, I feel surprisingly re-energized. I think, at this point, I've talked myself out of being unnecessarily lazy and I'm determined, once again, to take the necessary steps to do what needs to be done. My next increase in mileage isn't until September 25th. By then, this 4 mile route should be a breeze.
Surprisingly enough, it actually felt really good to get out there. It was a nice reminder that, at least for now, I don't have to give up all the fun stuff just because I'm training.
For the first mile or so, I was feeling a little sluggish and giving some consideration to ending my run at 3 miles instead of 4. I mean, what's the difference anyway? I could just run a little extra next time, right? It wasn't so much that I didn't think I could finish all 4 miles... I actually think it was simply that I'm pretty used to calling it quits on my goals a little early... it's just what I do. I thought back to my mindset in high school and I distinctly remember cutting a few corners during training now and then when I really wasn't into it. It was never an inability... just laziness. The difference now, of course, is that my end goal is not a faster time for a 5k... it's a much, much longer distance. Which means that, my cutting corners now results in being unprepared for my next run, which I would also likely end early and fall into a detrimental pattern of not doing what was necessary to prepare myself. And, since this crazy goal of mine effects no one but myself, I have to remember that the only one cheated in the long run is me. It's time to stop taking the easy way out. It's time to start preparing myself for a little more hard work than I'm used to.
After mile 2, more than half way through my run, I feel surprisingly re-energized. I think, at this point, I've talked myself out of being unnecessarily lazy and I'm determined, once again, to take the necessary steps to do what needs to be done. My next increase in mileage isn't until September 25th. By then, this 4 mile route should be a breeze.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Day 29 (9/9): 3 miles / 30:03
Great day! Great run!
For no particular reason at all, today seemed to be a great day. After a productive day at work, today's run was a great way to start my evening.
I spent a little time today putting together a training calendar for myself. I've decided to use Hal Higdon's marathon training program (http://www.halhigdon.com/) which is 18 weeks long. This will cover January 16th through May 20th - Marathon Day. What I needed was something to get me from now through January 16th. http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon/marathon.html offers a 19 week training schedule meant to build up your mileage and prepare you for the difficult marathon training schedule. And, what do you know, it's 18 and a half weeks from now until January 16th. It is said that, if you finish those 19 weeks without injury, you should be ready to begin the marathon training program.
Today begins day 1 of my training schedule (I'm technically starting the 19 week program 4 days late, but who's counting). The mileage buildup program takes you from 3 miles to 10, so, fortunately for me, today's run was only 3, which I'm proud to say I'm feeling quite comfortable with. I've also read that you should be doing most of your runs at your marathon pace. Of course, having never run a marathon before, I have no idea what my marathon pace might be. I've decided to shoot for a 10 minute mile and, needless to say, I've managed to settle into that pace nicely. I assume the philosophy is that, if you train at your marathon pace, as you add miles to your runs, you're not doing so at a slower speed, which means months of training at exactly the same pace. By marathon day you should be so used to that pace that it should be a lot easier to complete without drastic changes in speed. I guess we'll just have to see about that. A ten minute mile for a marathon would mean a total time of 4 hours 22 minutes. It'll be interesting to see how close I am to that in 8+ months.
For no particular reason at all, today seemed to be a great day. After a productive day at work, today's run was a great way to start my evening.
I spent a little time today putting together a training calendar for myself. I've decided to use Hal Higdon's marathon training program (http://www.halhigdon.com/) which is 18 weeks long. This will cover January 16th through May 20th - Marathon Day. What I needed was something to get me from now through January 16th. http://www.marathontraining.com/marathon/marathon.html offers a 19 week training schedule meant to build up your mileage and prepare you for the difficult marathon training schedule. And, what do you know, it's 18 and a half weeks from now until January 16th. It is said that, if you finish those 19 weeks without injury, you should be ready to begin the marathon training program.
Today begins day 1 of my training schedule (I'm technically starting the 19 week program 4 days late, but who's counting). The mileage buildup program takes you from 3 miles to 10, so, fortunately for me, today's run was only 3, which I'm proud to say I'm feeling quite comfortable with. I've also read that you should be doing most of your runs at your marathon pace. Of course, having never run a marathon before, I have no idea what my marathon pace might be. I've decided to shoot for a 10 minute mile and, needless to say, I've managed to settle into that pace nicely. I assume the philosophy is that, if you train at your marathon pace, as you add miles to your runs, you're not doing so at a slower speed, which means months of training at exactly the same pace. By marathon day you should be so used to that pace that it should be a lot easier to complete without drastic changes in speed. I guess we'll just have to see about that. A ten minute mile for a marathon would mean a total time of 4 hours 22 minutes. It'll be interesting to see how close I am to that in 8+ months.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Day 28 (9/7): 1 mile / 8:35
It's official - my body is built for distance - not speed.
Knowing full well that my body requires at least a half mile of warm up, I decided to see just how fast I could finish a mile. Needless to say, it was not so fast at all. Not that I'm complaining about my time. Believe me, after not running for many years, I wouldn't expect my time to be much faster than it is. But, I do find it interesting that my one mile time is no faster than my per-mile pace running a 5k. But, this is why I'm a distance runner...
So, here I am, fully immersed in my new running regimen and feeling really good about myself. And, since I wouldn't want to simply be happy with the status quo, it's time to move on to something bigger and better. I've decided to make some commitments with regard to future races... including the big one. I've decided to run the 5 mile Turkey Trot in Cleveland on November 24th and, good lord willing, to run the Cleveland Marathon on Sunday, May 20th. And I'm hoping to find a half marathon some time in March. It's quite possible that I have no business training for a marathon yet, but I can't help myself. I've decided that I'm better off committing to it early when my heart is really in it than to wait and see how I feel come January. I've been doing some research on training programs and believe I've found one that should work for me. The program I've chosen is 18 weeks long, so my official marathon training won't begin until mid-January. And, as nervous as I feel about making this commitment, I have to admit, I really can't wait to get started :)
Knowing full well that my body requires at least a half mile of warm up, I decided to see just how fast I could finish a mile. Needless to say, it was not so fast at all. Not that I'm complaining about my time. Believe me, after not running for many years, I wouldn't expect my time to be much faster than it is. But, I do find it interesting that my one mile time is no faster than my per-mile pace running a 5k. But, this is why I'm a distance runner...
So, here I am, fully immersed in my new running regimen and feeling really good about myself. And, since I wouldn't want to simply be happy with the status quo, it's time to move on to something bigger and better. I've decided to make some commitments with regard to future races... including the big one. I've decided to run the 5 mile Turkey Trot in Cleveland on November 24th and, good lord willing, to run the Cleveland Marathon on Sunday, May 20th. And I'm hoping to find a half marathon some time in March. It's quite possible that I have no business training for a marathon yet, but I can't help myself. I've decided that I'm better off committing to it early when my heart is really in it than to wait and see how I feel come January. I've been doing some research on training programs and believe I've found one that should work for me. The program I've chosen is 18 weeks long, so my official marathon training won't begin until mid-January. And, as nervous as I feel about making this commitment, I have to admit, I really can't wait to get started :)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Day 27 (9/6): 3.5 miles / 33:16
Today's run was a good one - I felt great and seriously considered going another mile and a half, but I opted to play it safe instead of pushing myself too hard too fast. I'm leaning towards a longer run tomorrow since Thursday is my scheduled day off this week.
Even though I did a little work on putting together a play list for my ipod that had more appropriate running music, I decided to really mix things up today and listen to an audio book instead. I can't say the book is all that interesting to me yet, but it felt good to get in a run while "reading" at the same time... I felt quite productive. I'm not sure I'll want to go this route every day, but it was a good way to pass the time.
Now... if only I could find a way to get a manicure and have my hair colored while running...
Even though I did a little work on putting together a play list for my ipod that had more appropriate running music, I decided to really mix things up today and listen to an audio book instead. I can't say the book is all that interesting to me yet, but it felt good to get in a run while "reading" at the same time... I felt quite productive. I'm not sure I'll want to go this route every day, but it was a good way to pass the time.
Now... if only I could find a way to get a manicure and have my hair colored while running...
Monday, September 5, 2011
Day 26 (9/5): 3.1 miles / 27:19
So, after a cross training day on Saturday (at least that's how I'm referring to 2 hours on the dance floor at a friend's wedding) and a day off on Sunday (which I can neither confirm nor deny had anything to do with the alcohol consumption during said cross training), I was back to running today. I can't say I was really in the mood for it, but I decided that today's weather was perfect running weather (we went from 95 two days ago to 65 today) and my only other excuse was that I was tired.
I did decide to mix it up a little bit today and see what kind of difference music would make on my run. I normally like the time to myself to think about things and I find that music just distracts me. But, what the hell... I've got at least a year of training ahead of me, so I might as well take the time to try new things. What I got from running with my ipod was a few different things... first and foremost, 90% of my play list is drinking music. And, while this is certainly fine for hanging out with friends, it's not exactly helpful when it comes to training. I've decided it's time for a play list just for running. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The second thing I learned was that I was completely accurate - music while running is a total distraction from everything else in my life. I never used to be a fan of that fact, but I suppose lots of other things change over time, so why not this. I found that I love the distraction. My run flew by like it was nothing. It doesn't take a whole lot of songs to fill 27 minutes and my run was over before I knew it. I can only imagine how much better it will be to have songs that actually fire me up instead of make me thirsty.
The best part of my run was the last 3/10 of a mile... obviously part of it was the fact that I was almost done, but more than that, it had started to rain and I was headed north running directly into the oncoming wind... such a fun reminder of what I used to put myself through in cross country so many years ago. I decided I needed a good song to finish with. Not knowing what all was in my play list and not having a ton of time to decide, I just flipped through the next few songs until I found one that seemed appropriate. My 5k run was capped off with the first 56 seconds of "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys. I can't say it's my favorite song in the world, but if the first minute of that song doesn't fire you up, I don't know what will... although I suppose it also requires a love of Irish music :)
I did decide to mix it up a little bit today and see what kind of difference music would make on my run. I normally like the time to myself to think about things and I find that music just distracts me. But, what the hell... I've got at least a year of training ahead of me, so I might as well take the time to try new things. What I got from running with my ipod was a few different things... first and foremost, 90% of my play list is drinking music. And, while this is certainly fine for hanging out with friends, it's not exactly helpful when it comes to training. I've decided it's time for a play list just for running. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The second thing I learned was that I was completely accurate - music while running is a total distraction from everything else in my life. I never used to be a fan of that fact, but I suppose lots of other things change over time, so why not this. I found that I love the distraction. My run flew by like it was nothing. It doesn't take a whole lot of songs to fill 27 minutes and my run was over before I knew it. I can only imagine how much better it will be to have songs that actually fire me up instead of make me thirsty.
The best part of my run was the last 3/10 of a mile... obviously part of it was the fact that I was almost done, but more than that, it had started to rain and I was headed north running directly into the oncoming wind... such a fun reminder of what I used to put myself through in cross country so many years ago. I decided I needed a good song to finish with. Not knowing what all was in my play list and not having a ton of time to decide, I just flipped through the next few songs until I found one that seemed appropriate. My 5k run was capped off with the first 56 seconds of "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys. I can't say it's my favorite song in the world, but if the first minute of that song doesn't fire you up, I don't know what will... although I suppose it also requires a love of Irish music :)
Friday, September 2, 2011
Day 25 (9/2): 2.5 miles / 24:26
7:00 a.m. is a very busy time around this neighborhood. The start of the school year means kids, parents and buses everywhere. Not that I mind. But thinking back to last weekend's race and all of the people cheering for everyone running by made me think that it sure would be nice if all of these people standing in their driveways could share a few words of encouragement as I went by. I don't think it's too much to ask... all they're doing is standing there anyway.
On a more serious note, however... all of those kids standing around waiting for their bus made me flash forward a few years to when my son will be one of them. I know he's only a year and a half now, but based on how fast that time has gone, I can only imagine the speed at which these next few years will pass. Some day he'll want to walk to school because he'll be too cool to be seen with his mom. Some day he'll want to borrow the car to go out with his friends. And some day he'll bring home a girl that he'll hope mom and dad approve of. Of course, that last one will be about 35 years from now since it will be at least that long before I let him date. Sure, I may be jumping a bit too far ahead, but thinking about these things makes me appreciate all of the things that sometimes seem frustrating, like when he holds on to my leg and cries when I drop him off at daycare or when he says "mommy" a thousand times for what appears to be no reason at all. There may come a time when he's too busy to call me at all, so I'll take him calling me "mommy" as many times as he likes for as long as he's willing to do it :)
On a more serious note, however... all of those kids standing around waiting for their bus made me flash forward a few years to when my son will be one of them. I know he's only a year and a half now, but based on how fast that time has gone, I can only imagine the speed at which these next few years will pass. Some day he'll want to walk to school because he'll be too cool to be seen with his mom. Some day he'll want to borrow the car to go out with his friends. And some day he'll bring home a girl that he'll hope mom and dad approve of. Of course, that last one will be about 35 years from now since it will be at least that long before I let him date. Sure, I may be jumping a bit too far ahead, but thinking about these things makes me appreciate all of the things that sometimes seem frustrating, like when he holds on to my leg and cries when I drop him off at daycare or when he says "mommy" a thousand times for what appears to be no reason at all. There may come a time when he's too busy to call me at all, so I'll take him calling me "mommy" as many times as he likes for as long as he's willing to do it :)
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