Another one bites the dust

Yeah, I'm talking about a running workout. Not sure how to exactly squeeze it in today. I SHOULD have gotten up and done it on the TM this morning. Maybe I'll get it in really, really late tonight or possibly I'll do a double tomorrow? I really want to get in all or near the mileage I had planned for this week because I'm doing a consistent ramp up over the next few weeks.

I got a call from Seth, the guy I do weights with once a week. I'd cancelled on him on Tuesday because Q was really sick so he called to see if I could workout Friday. Yes! I know weight lifting is really going to help me in the long run so I traded in my hour run time for weights. The rest of the day has been filled with running Q to the Dr - double ear infections - and then off to the store to get the Rx filled -- off to school to get Amelia and then off to take the girls to dance. After dance they'll both head to a sleepover but I'm not sure Quinn is staying all night. Just a hectic 'life' day. So.... if I get my run in... I'll have to call myself Super Mom all day tomorrow.

The Joy of Spinning

Could there be a more fun type of cross-training? I'm not sure there is. It is such a rush to be in a class and just spin your little heart out. Our instructor, Steve, is a really nice guy but he'll throw out these comments like 'let's see... I don't think anyone here wants to sprint do they' looking directly at me. Of course I'm a good sprinter when I spin. My legs just pound around the bike like there's no tomorrow. I close my eyes and just find my happy place. I just love how I sweat and drip after a cycling class. Just wish I could do it more than once a week.

Oh, as I left class I told Steve I could have swore he was racing me there during one of the last sprints. His reply: 'I might have been' with a devious little smile on his face. I love that he's competitive in his own 'teacher' way.

Night Running

Felt really home-bound today with Q still being sick. It's really frustrating to be motivated and then have something get in your way of exercise. Now, I will say, I do enjoy mothering my children, especially when they are ill. I love how the climb in my lap and just want to be held and comforted. They won't always be little enough to sit on my lap, I know this, so it's days like today that I try to savor even though she's sick... it's still nice to be needed.

I got out the door around 8:30 PM. I was supposed to do 6 today but only got in 3. I'll just try to tack on a few extra miles on Saturday. I think I only have 5 scheduled for that day, so 8 will fit in nicely. The sun was just getting beyond the trees and it was cool and crisp out. Not too much traffic to deal with and the air just smelled fresh. Definitely been cooped up a little too much the last couple days!

I was able to run the entire 3 miles without stopping. Big whoopee, huh? but it's been awhile since I've been able to do that consistently. Only 18-1/2 weeks left. Must keep trucking along. I need to really watch the ol' diet a lot closer.

Tuesday - Sick day

No, not me... but Quinn. She wasn't herself yesterday - or I should say she was a LOT more herself - spunky and sassy to the point where she was in trouble a lot. Anyway, she came down with a fever last night and it was fairly high throughout the night so she stayed home from school today. This meant I had to miss my weight training today and essentially take an unscheduled rest day. I think I'll stretch good in a little bit and just run well tomorrow (provided she goes to school). If she stays home I have a date with the treadmill!

What's a Title?

I haven't written for a while. I'm not sure why except that life is busy and sometimes I feel all I write is jut gibberish anyway so why subject the one person that reads this blog to all that gibberish? Who is the one person? I'm not sure... possibly just me. I started thinking about my running and the slow-as-molasses pace I've acquired over the past 8 months. I was never fast, mind you, just faster than I am now. I was also thinking about my weight and how that is most probably the thing that is MOST responsible for my running demise. Yes, I'm 10 lbs heavier now than I was in September of last year. Truly my goal is to be 20 lbs lighter than I am now but then. I still have a long way to go as I've been on this 'diet' for 6 weeks now and haven't lost an ounce according to my scale. Now, could I be building more muscle mass now that I'm actually working out again? Yes. Time will tell.

Bringing this back around to running -- it's been said that for every pound you lose you gain time in running. That makes sense.... less mass to carry adds up in every distance. I fiddled around with a calculator that figures out what you'd run a race in if you gained or lost weight projected off of a known race time and weight. I plugged my marathon time of 3:57:48 in there and my weight two years ago... which is 8 lbs less than I am now and it predicted the BEST I could do in my current shape if I'm at the same fitness level as then would be a 4:07. Now, I'm no where near the same fitness level I was then so I'm thinking the best I could do right now would be sub-5. I still have 18 weeks & 5 days left to go though..... not really a lot of time. I need to buckle down and when I say buckle down I really mean buckle down. I'm a procrastinator by nature but now is not the time to procrastinate. I know marathon training time is NOT the time to focus on weight-loss. That being said, I certainly can't carry all this extra baggage across ANY finish line and be proud.

This picture is of me last August doing Hood to Coast relay. I look pudgy, yes, but man... look at those strong legs. I want those again!



I just need to focus everyday on being a strong, happy, confident person that is a runner. I should not, nor can I be ashamed of my body to the point it makes me not want to go run.

The title I will have is RUNNER.

Old Highway

There is an old highway that runs by my house. It's a hilly little highway.... but it's a good one to run on... when there is no traffic.

I haven't run on this road for quite a while. The hills were intimidating me again. Today I was out of time to dive to a less-hilly, more flat section of town so up the road I went.

I am still working my endurance back up and am adding as much mileage as quickly as I can without risking injury, so I've been doing a run/walk method. Today was run 11 minutes, walk 2 minutes then for all the other segments it was a run 9 minute/walk 2 minute schedule. This worked well although it seemed I was walking more of the downhill sections and running ALL of the up hill sections.

The weather was nice this morning -- overcast and sprinkling a bit, but not enough to get really wet. I did the 9 mile route in 1:32:30 which is a 10:16 pace. For reference, even when I'm in great shape these hills kick my butt and I'm around a 9:30 - 10 pace. I have run 20 miles down this road at a 9 pace but all the hills give way to flat road in the later miles making it easier to make up some time. I'm fairly happy with my progress thus far and hope to continue to see some improvement in the coming months.

Elevation:



S

Excited to be Excited!

I guess that run on Saturday really made the difference to me. I'm just aching to go run today. I have 5 on my schedule and just can't wait to get out the door. Not sure if I'll do it at the track or just up the road.... probably just up the road, but oh, man... I can't wait!

I've been doing pretty good with my stretching lately too. I need to really keep up with this so I don't get injured or sore. I'm increasing my mileage a little aggressively but I hope with some good weight training and some yoga I'll be okay.

I get to workout with a personal trainer tomorrow. I'm REALLY excited to be doing this. I really want to get on a good weight routine schedule -- twice or three times a week. I know I have to lift more than once a week, but after I reach my goal weight I think I can scale it back a bit. I tend to bulk pretty darn quickly. I don't want to be Popeye!

Bike -- I got my poor Cervelo down from the garage ceiling this weekend. It still has a flat tire from last season and I really need to go get it tuned up but if I can get the flat fixed by Thursday I can get a good ride in Thursday afternoon. I think I'll be home that day so it would be a good day to go up Old Belfair. If I don't watch out I'll be wanting to do another endurance du this year and I just don't think I can fit it into my schedule.

Oh, it's exciting to be excited again... hope my run this evening is good so I don't squash all these fuzzy feelings! LOL

Feelin' Groovy

Got in a really great run today. I was actually one of those runs where you literally raise your hands over your head and whoop whoop. It felt good..... just a really invigorating run. Robb had the day off today so I got to go run early this morning down on Beach Drive. There were lots of wonderful smells and sounds to enjoy. I ran with my iPod on low and just went slow and kept my HR low. At the end of the run I picked up the pace and did the last mile a little faster. I felt like running more than 8 miles but knew that I shouldn't or COULDN'T run more because I want to be strong for next week and don't want to up the mileage too quickly. I walked another 2 miles and just enjoyed the sites and sounds.

I think the key to happy running for me is being outside. I NEED that fresh air that the outdoors bring. I really will concentrate on getting myself in gear and getting out the door in the mornings. I know this will be nearly impossible during the summer because of the girls, but maybe I'll look into getting a babysitter/nanny for the mornings.

I think I'm rambling now.... but I'm really excited... wish I could feel this good every day. Maybe soon?

On the Road

This week has been a test of time. Such a struggle to get everything done. Obstacles that weren't planned on, getting in the way, and not being able to recover. I DID get my 7-mile run in that was scheduled for Tuesday.... on Thursday. Today I did a really hilly 4 miles. It's a crazy route that is just hill after hill. If I'm short on time and want a good workout, this is the run to do.

I'm planning on a run tomorrow - not sure the distance yet, 6 would be nice. I haven't once this week gotten in any weights. I need to take another look at my schedule and re-vamp a little for next week. I'm feeling very motivated and good about what I'm doing. No, I'm no where near my fitness level of the last two years -- however, I'm still running a consistent sub-9 on shorter distance and my 'tired' pace at the end of longer runs is around 9:45. No, this isn't the optimum pace I'd like. I'd like to get to sub-9 all of the time... but for being off for 7 months I'm surprised at how well I'm doing. When I do my run/walk on my longer distance - running 11 minutes and walking 4 minutes of every 15 minute segment - I'm still clipping along right around 10-10:30. This is good considering the walk breaks. So... all in all I'm happy with the progress of the last couple weeks and just once on a Friday I'd like to report that I got in ALL intended exercise for the week. Cross your fingers next week finds us with clear skies and not a lot of hidden obstacles that wreck the best-laid plans.

Shel