I’ve been back on the running/training bandwagon for about three weeks now. It’s been six weeks since my surgery, and I’ve recovered nicely. But taking three weeks off running? That was harder than I expected.
I haven’t had much of a chance to get outside, so I’ve mostly been running on the treadmill at the Y (where the kids can go to activities.) But my cardio suffered from three weeks off. It’s only just beginning to improve. I used to warm up between 6.0 and 6.5 miles per hour on the treadmill – my first week back, I could barely make it up to 6.0 without feeling like death warmed over.
Huffing and puffing, I’ve been trying to keep up with my training schedule of running (or some other form of cardio), five times a week. A trip to Las Vegas this weekend will derail that a bit, but basically I am getting back to normal. I ran as high as 7.2 yesterday on the treadmill, and even went to a spinning class on Tuesday morning.
So now I really need to find a goal race for all this training. I’m aiming for a 10K, sometime in October, just to make sure I’m right back to where I was before embarking on half marathon training. (The half marathon clinic starts at the beginning of November, and I am so there!) The goal is to run the 10K between 55 and 59 minutes. We’ll see how it goes.
I am also allowed to start weight training again soon. I am really going to try to do more strength and weight training. I know that’s my weakest area (no pun intended), and I know that to run faster, I need to be stronger. Next week, after Vegas, it will all start again.
In the meantime, I’m heading into vacation mode. I tend not to take a lot of time off (self-employment does that to you – you either work and get paid, or you don’t), so it’s pretty exciting that I am going to be gone from Saturday to Wednesday with NO e-mail or Internet access. (I’m sure the hotel will have some, but I am not bringing my laptop!!) I’m also not fooling myself into bringing my running shoes, thinking I’ll go for a run. I know I won’t. We are going to celebrate Mike’s birthday (and his friends’ birthdays) and have a good time. We’ll be walking a lot, and that will have to suffice. I’m going to do a 6K run tomorrow before we leave (our flight doesn’t leave until 9 p.m.), and a 6K run on Thursday after we get home. The rest of the time, I’m going to enjoy myself.
So that’s the update for now. I may be starting over – a bit – but at least I didn’t give up.
Happy trails…
Friday, August 1, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Chop, chop
There’s a pretty decent explanation as to why I haven’t updated my running blog in almost two months – I haven’t been running! Okay, that’s not entirely true. I haven’t taken two months off running. But I have been sidelined for almost three weeks now, and in the weeks leading up that, I was so busy preparing for being sidelined, I didn’t have time to update my blog.
For most of May and June, I simply ran (either outside or at the Y) four or five times a week. I really didn’t follow much of a training plan – just got out whenever I could. One thing I discovered is that if I don’t have a goal race to work toward, I’m not that great at being strict! Oh, I ran, did some speed work and hills once or twice, but nothing hardcore. I never ran longer than 8K either.
But I was pretty busy. I was booked to have surgery on June 20th, and knew that I would have to take three weeks off running, and at least a week off work. When you’re a self-employed freelance writer, taking time off is not quite as easy as it looks. Sure, I work from home – but that means I WORK from home, and there’s no one else to do my job. No one is going to step in and write those articles, or edit those magazines, or write those newsletters while I’m gone. So basically, I had to extra work to get myself ahead to be able to take a week off.
The surgery itself went well, but the surgeon is pretty strict on his no exercise rule. Three weeks minimum. I don’t want to open any incisions. (I’m too embarrassed to talk about it here, but suffice it to say it was NOT life-threatening surgery. But it will help improve my overall health and my running, and I can already say it was worth it.)
This Friday is the three week mark. I’m going to walk for a few days, and go for my first post-surgery run next Tuesday. I have already set myself a training schedule for the next three months. I’m basically going to re-do my 10K training, starting from scratch. That means short runs (3 to 6 K), working my way back up to hill training and speed work. I’m currently looking for a goal race in September (either a 5 or 10K) to keep me good.
Because in the fall, the real work starts. It’s time to move on and for me that means the half-marathon. I now have less than two years before my marathon goal, and I want to run at least two half-marathons before training for the full. I’m going to join the half-marathon clinic in the fall, with the goal of running the Chilly Half here in early March. (It fills up fast, so I will actually have to register before Christmas.) I think I can do it. Okay, I KNOW I can do it. I just need some determination.
Of course, throwing a wrench into the plans is that I have done something very necessary, but perhaps a bit foolish. Despite knowing that I work, on average, 40 to 60 hours a week, I somehow decided that it would be best to keep the boys home for the summer! Andrew’s in a lot of camps, I’ve done a lot of work ahead of time… but it’s still going to be crazy fitting it all in. How the big experiment will work remains to be seen. But I’m happy the boys are home. And they’re pretty good… I’ve been able to do some work while they play.
We will see how it goes. I admit to being pretty grouchy since I haven’t been able to run. Here’s looking forward to getting back to it next week!
Happy trails…
For most of May and June, I simply ran (either outside or at the Y) four or five times a week. I really didn’t follow much of a training plan – just got out whenever I could. One thing I discovered is that if I don’t have a goal race to work toward, I’m not that great at being strict! Oh, I ran, did some speed work and hills once or twice, but nothing hardcore. I never ran longer than 8K either.
But I was pretty busy. I was booked to have surgery on June 20th, and knew that I would have to take three weeks off running, and at least a week off work. When you’re a self-employed freelance writer, taking time off is not quite as easy as it looks. Sure, I work from home – but that means I WORK from home, and there’s no one else to do my job. No one is going to step in and write those articles, or edit those magazines, or write those newsletters while I’m gone. So basically, I had to extra work to get myself ahead to be able to take a week off.
The surgery itself went well, but the surgeon is pretty strict on his no exercise rule. Three weeks minimum. I don’t want to open any incisions. (I’m too embarrassed to talk about it here, but suffice it to say it was NOT life-threatening surgery. But it will help improve my overall health and my running, and I can already say it was worth it.)
This Friday is the three week mark. I’m going to walk for a few days, and go for my first post-surgery run next Tuesday. I have already set myself a training schedule for the next three months. I’m basically going to re-do my 10K training, starting from scratch. That means short runs (3 to 6 K), working my way back up to hill training and speed work. I’m currently looking for a goal race in September (either a 5 or 10K) to keep me good.
Because in the fall, the real work starts. It’s time to move on and for me that means the half-marathon. I now have less than two years before my marathon goal, and I want to run at least two half-marathons before training for the full. I’m going to join the half-marathon clinic in the fall, with the goal of running the Chilly Half here in early March. (It fills up fast, so I will actually have to register before Christmas.) I think I can do it. Okay, I KNOW I can do it. I just need some determination.
Of course, throwing a wrench into the plans is that I have done something very necessary, but perhaps a bit foolish. Despite knowing that I work, on average, 40 to 60 hours a week, I somehow decided that it would be best to keep the boys home for the summer! Andrew’s in a lot of camps, I’ve done a lot of work ahead of time… but it’s still going to be crazy fitting it all in. How the big experiment will work remains to be seen. But I’m happy the boys are home. And they’re pretty good… I’ve been able to do some work while they play.
We will see how it goes. I admit to being pretty grouchy since I haven’t been able to run. Here’s looking forward to getting back to it next week!
Happy trails…
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The 10K redux
I do believe I have kicked my own ass.
On Saturday, I ran a 10K race in Mississauga. It’s the big race I’ve been training for since I started taking 10K clinics last fall. My first chance to run a real, timed, 10K race – not just a race done for us at the Running Room.
Originally, I had hoped to run 10K in 55 minutes. As I worked out and ran our two previous “races,” I kind of figured that was never going to happen. The last race we did, I clocked in at 59:20, working as hard as I possibly could. My instructor kept telling me that speed work would make me faster, even if I did it on a treadmill. I dutifully worked out, but even on our practice runs, it just didn’t seem possible that I could run that fast. (And, yes, I do realize that for many people, a 55 minute 10K is not fast… I’m basing this on my own running skills, not someone else’s!)
Race day came. I carpooled with a few people from our 10K clinic. Two were our clinic’s fastest runners. They were aiming for 50 to 51 minutes. Myself and another girl were aiming for under 59 minutes – we just wanted to beat our best times. We met up with the rest of our class in a parking lot close to the start line.
There was a crowd of about 1,000 people running the race. We did a small warm-up as a group, and shoved our way into the crowd at the start. (I should take a moment to comment on race “etiquette.” If you’re a slow runner, or you’re walking the race, you should MOVE TO THE BACK. Let those people who are trying to race up near the front. My clock time – when the gun went off – and my chip time – when my feet actually crossed the start line – were more than 30 seconds off, because of the crowd gathered near the start line. Others had discrepancies of more than a minute.)
The trail started with a massive hill. Okay, it didn’t seem that big at first, but by the time I got to the top of it, it seemed a lot bigger. Then we had to go up a few more good-sized hills. (“Why didn’t they tell us it would be this hilly?” another girl from my running clinic gasped on our way up one of them.) We hit the first kilometer mark in slightly over five minutes. So far, so good.
Instead of doing 10 and 1s, I decided to take a 60 sec. walk break every 2K. It’s not much of a difference, but it helped push me forward. (I also didn’t walk for the first 4K.) I know a lot of people don’t believe in 10 and 1s, but I swear it helps me run faster. By giving myself one minute of active recovery, it helps me pick my speed back up when I start running again. I know when I move to the half marathon and marathon, I’m going to continue doing 10 and 1s.
Around the 7K mark, I surged ahead of my friend. We had mutually agreed that we wouldn’t stick together if one of us felt good enough to go. I then rounded the 8K mark, and headed into a big “loop.” I saw my other clinic buddies on the loop (totally on track to make their 50 minute goals) and waved. Then I kept pumping.
Once I passed the 9km mark, there were people standing on the sidelines cheering. If you register early enough for the race, your name is on your bib. It was slightly disconcerting to hear people shouting “Go Alison! You’re almost there!” But it also helped fuel my legs toward the finish.
And cross the finish line I did… 55 minutes and 7 seconds after I crossed the start line. I had achieved my goal! I could barely breathe and I wanted to cry – I had done what I thought was impossible for me to achieve.
I grabbed the tin-foil type blanket offered and found my running clinic. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had a great race. Every single one of my running buddies, beat their best times. Whether it was to run it in 50 minute, 55 minutes, or 1:10, we had all achieved our goals.
It’s definitely an accomplishment to celebrate. I had set a goal, and achieved it. If I can run a 10K in 55 minutes (and seven seconds!), I can run a marathon.
I guess it also means it’s time to move on to the half. While I’d like to say I’m going to be starting that training soon, it looks more likely that I won’t start training for a half marathon until the fall. Why? Well, I think that’s a blog posting for another day. For now, I just want to enjoy my own personal victory.
Happy trails…
On Saturday, I ran a 10K race in Mississauga. It’s the big race I’ve been training for since I started taking 10K clinics last fall. My first chance to run a real, timed, 10K race – not just a race done for us at the Running Room.
Originally, I had hoped to run 10K in 55 minutes. As I worked out and ran our two previous “races,” I kind of figured that was never going to happen. The last race we did, I clocked in at 59:20, working as hard as I possibly could. My instructor kept telling me that speed work would make me faster, even if I did it on a treadmill. I dutifully worked out, but even on our practice runs, it just didn’t seem possible that I could run that fast. (And, yes, I do realize that for many people, a 55 minute 10K is not fast… I’m basing this on my own running skills, not someone else’s!)
Race day came. I carpooled with a few people from our 10K clinic. Two were our clinic’s fastest runners. They were aiming for 50 to 51 minutes. Myself and another girl were aiming for under 59 minutes – we just wanted to beat our best times. We met up with the rest of our class in a parking lot close to the start line.
There was a crowd of about 1,000 people running the race. We did a small warm-up as a group, and shoved our way into the crowd at the start. (I should take a moment to comment on race “etiquette.” If you’re a slow runner, or you’re walking the race, you should MOVE TO THE BACK. Let those people who are trying to race up near the front. My clock time – when the gun went off – and my chip time – when my feet actually crossed the start line – were more than 30 seconds off, because of the crowd gathered near the start line. Others had discrepancies of more than a minute.)
The trail started with a massive hill. Okay, it didn’t seem that big at first, but by the time I got to the top of it, it seemed a lot bigger. Then we had to go up a few more good-sized hills. (“Why didn’t they tell us it would be this hilly?” another girl from my running clinic gasped on our way up one of them.) We hit the first kilometer mark in slightly over five minutes. So far, so good.
Instead of doing 10 and 1s, I decided to take a 60 sec. walk break every 2K. It’s not much of a difference, but it helped push me forward. (I also didn’t walk for the first 4K.) I know a lot of people don’t believe in 10 and 1s, but I swear it helps me run faster. By giving myself one minute of active recovery, it helps me pick my speed back up when I start running again. I know when I move to the half marathon and marathon, I’m going to continue doing 10 and 1s.
Around the 7K mark, I surged ahead of my friend. We had mutually agreed that we wouldn’t stick together if one of us felt good enough to go. I then rounded the 8K mark, and headed into a big “loop.” I saw my other clinic buddies on the loop (totally on track to make their 50 minute goals) and waved. Then I kept pumping.
Once I passed the 9km mark, there were people standing on the sidelines cheering. If you register early enough for the race, your name is on your bib. It was slightly disconcerting to hear people shouting “Go Alison! You’re almost there!” But it also helped fuel my legs toward the finish.
And cross the finish line I did… 55 minutes and 7 seconds after I crossed the start line. I had achieved my goal! I could barely breathe and I wanted to cry – I had done what I thought was impossible for me to achieve.
I grabbed the tin-foil type blanket offered and found my running clinic. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had a great race. Every single one of my running buddies, beat their best times. Whether it was to run it in 50 minute, 55 minutes, or 1:10, we had all achieved our goals.
It’s definitely an accomplishment to celebrate. I had set a goal, and achieved it. If I can run a 10K in 55 minutes (and seven seconds!), I can run a marathon.
I guess it also means it’s time to move on to the half. While I’d like to say I’m going to be starting that training soon, it looks more likely that I won’t start training for a half marathon until the fall. Why? Well, I think that’s a blog posting for another day. For now, I just want to enjoy my own personal victory.
Happy trails…
Monday, April 28, 2008
A question of time
If I’m supposed to start updating this blog on Sundays after my long run, I’m either doing very well or very poorly – seeing as how it’s Monday! But since it had been months since I updated, I figure being a day late isn’t too bad. Even now, though, I’m whipping this post off before heading to a doctor’s appointment, picking up Andrew from school, getting groceries, picking up Chris from daycare… and I do still have tons of work!
After yesterday’s 10K group run, I’ve figured out one very important thing. I am becoming obsessed with time, and not in a good way. I know that, when running, you’re really only running to beat yourself. But I’m starting to really panic about my 10K time (much like I did with the 5K), and I’m worried it’s taking the enjoyment out of running for me.
I originally planned to train hard enough to take my 10K time down to 55 minutes. But the more I run, the more unlikely it seems that I will meet that goal. That’s a whole four minutes I have to shave off my time (four minutes and 20 seconds, to be precise), and I think I might be putting too much pressure on myself.
Part of the problem is the running clinic I’m in. Before, we had very few people in our clinic, and I was one of the fastest runners. Now, we have 37 people – and while I’m not the slowest, I’m also nowhere near the fastest! But who cares, right? I do, only not for the reasons you’d think.
See, the problem is that I’d made some running buddies in the “fast” crowd – and now my buddies are outpacing me. I want to keep up with them because we’ve had some great conversations on our runs, and they make the runs a lot more fun for me. But I can’t. I simply can’t run that fast. Some will end up breaking 50 minutes on the 10K, and it’s never going to happen for me.
I guess the point would be to make new running buddies. But I really LIKE the people I run with now. So I either get faster – or let it kill me.
To try and get a little faster, I’ve been upping my speed workouts. Will it pay off on race day? I think it’s unlikely. I think I’m running about as fast as I can go. So what should I do?
I don’t have the answer, but I do know I plan to take a bit of the pressure off myself. Next Sunday, when I run with the group, if I can’t keep up, well, I guess I’ll talk to my buddies after. And if I run the 10K race in an hour, then I do. It’s not the Olympics, after all. Running is supposed to be FUN. If I keep worrying about my time, I’ll drive myself crazy. So fun it is.
Less than two weeks until race day… we’ll see what happens then.
Happy trails…
After yesterday’s 10K group run, I’ve figured out one very important thing. I am becoming obsessed with time, and not in a good way. I know that, when running, you’re really only running to beat yourself. But I’m starting to really panic about my 10K time (much like I did with the 5K), and I’m worried it’s taking the enjoyment out of running for me.
I originally planned to train hard enough to take my 10K time down to 55 minutes. But the more I run, the more unlikely it seems that I will meet that goal. That’s a whole four minutes I have to shave off my time (four minutes and 20 seconds, to be precise), and I think I might be putting too much pressure on myself.
Part of the problem is the running clinic I’m in. Before, we had very few people in our clinic, and I was one of the fastest runners. Now, we have 37 people – and while I’m not the slowest, I’m also nowhere near the fastest! But who cares, right? I do, only not for the reasons you’d think.
See, the problem is that I’d made some running buddies in the “fast” crowd – and now my buddies are outpacing me. I want to keep up with them because we’ve had some great conversations on our runs, and they make the runs a lot more fun for me. But I can’t. I simply can’t run that fast. Some will end up breaking 50 minutes on the 10K, and it’s never going to happen for me.
I guess the point would be to make new running buddies. But I really LIKE the people I run with now. So I either get faster – or let it kill me.
To try and get a little faster, I’ve been upping my speed workouts. Will it pay off on race day? I think it’s unlikely. I think I’m running about as fast as I can go. So what should I do?
I don’t have the answer, but I do know I plan to take a bit of the pressure off myself. Next Sunday, when I run with the group, if I can’t keep up, well, I guess I’ll talk to my buddies after. And if I run the 10K race in an hour, then I do. It’s not the Olympics, after all. Running is supposed to be FUN. If I keep worrying about my time, I’ll drive myself crazy. So fun it is.
Less than two weeks until race day… we’ll see what happens then.
Happy trails…
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ouch!
My new Mizuno running shoes are great. I started using them on Friday, and have not had one problem with shin splints. (Considering I was in agony on Wednesday night after running in my Nikes, that’s a big deal.) There’s just one little problem… ouch!
See, the new Mizunos aren’t broken in, and they’ve given me two rather massive blisters on my heels. We’re talking big-time blisters, and are they painful! I ran an easy 5K on Friday, which is when the blisters first started. On Saturday, I did some speed work on the treadmill (four minute, intense speed intervals – yuck!) and didn’t even bother doing weights because my feet hurt so much. Somehow I got through today’s easy 10K run, but I have to admit, my feet are in pretty bad shape now. I’m going to soak them in Epsom salts tonight, but I’m afraid of what tomorrow will bring. I have to be at a trade show all day, and I think the blisters might kill me!
Ultimately, I think I’ll be very happy with the shoe choices. The aches and pains/shin splints are already gone, proving to me that it was indeed my shoes that caused the problem. These shoes have great support, and if I can get the blisters under control, it will be great.
Until then, though, I think I’m in for some painful times ahead!
Today also marked another milestone for me with my running. Today I started my experiment with different types of energy drinks and gels. I know they’re not to important for me right now, considering I’m only running distances of up to 13K right now, but as I move to half marathon training in the fall, it will become much more important. Any time you’re out running for longer than 90 minutes, you need to put both carbohydrates and electrolytes back in your body. And while you could try munching on an apple while running, energy drinks and gels are really the best way to get those nutrients back into your body. (We had a sports nutritionist come in and talk to our clinic… can you tell?)
So today I tried a gel before my run. Disgusting! I didn’t notice it gave me more energy (although the run was easier – I think that’s because we slowed down our pace a bit), but it certainly didn’t upset my stomach either. Next week, I’m going to try an energy drink instead of water on my run. We’ll see if that makes any difference.
Happy trails…
See, the new Mizunos aren’t broken in, and they’ve given me two rather massive blisters on my heels. We’re talking big-time blisters, and are they painful! I ran an easy 5K on Friday, which is when the blisters first started. On Saturday, I did some speed work on the treadmill (four minute, intense speed intervals – yuck!) and didn’t even bother doing weights because my feet hurt so much. Somehow I got through today’s easy 10K run, but I have to admit, my feet are in pretty bad shape now. I’m going to soak them in Epsom salts tonight, but I’m afraid of what tomorrow will bring. I have to be at a trade show all day, and I think the blisters might kill me!
Ultimately, I think I’ll be very happy with the shoe choices. The aches and pains/shin splints are already gone, proving to me that it was indeed my shoes that caused the problem. These shoes have great support, and if I can get the blisters under control, it will be great.
Until then, though, I think I’m in for some painful times ahead!
Today also marked another milestone for me with my running. Today I started my experiment with different types of energy drinks and gels. I know they’re not to important for me right now, considering I’m only running distances of up to 13K right now, but as I move to half marathon training in the fall, it will become much more important. Any time you’re out running for longer than 90 minutes, you need to put both carbohydrates and electrolytes back in your body. And while you could try munching on an apple while running, energy drinks and gels are really the best way to get those nutrients back into your body. (We had a sports nutritionist come in and talk to our clinic… can you tell?)
So today I tried a gel before my run. Disgusting! I didn’t notice it gave me more energy (although the run was easier – I think that’s because we slowed down our pace a bit), but it certainly didn’t upset my stomach either. Next week, I’m going to try an energy drink instead of water on my run. We’ll see if that makes any difference.
Happy trails…
Friday, April 18, 2008
Run versus write
I was at a birthday party last weekend, when someone asked me about updating my running blog. Was I not running anymore? Why hadn’t I updated it in a while?
I asked myself, has it really been that long? And the answer is yes! Three months is way too long to go without updating my running blog!
It’s no secret that I bit off a bit more than I can chew in terms of work this year, and lately I don’t seem to have much time for any “leisurely” writing pursuits. The good news is, I HAVE found time to run.
I completed my second 10K clinic and, once again, there was no official 10K race happening in the area to match the end of the clinic. But the Running Room put on another race for us from the store, where I clocked in at 59:20. I had a bit of a rough run, running out of steam toward the end. I hadn’t been feeling great leading up to the race, which may explain my lack of energy.
I then signed up for a third 10K clinic. I am determined to run one “real” 10K race before moving on to the half marathon distance. I’ve signed up with the Mississauga 10K in May, and the past few weeks I have been working toward training for that race.
My training has been a bit off, though. I’ve only done one 10K run since March, and that was on a treadmill. I’ve been having some shin splints and foot pain, but I just bought a new pair of shoes which should help. I was beginning to wonder if the Nikes I was using weren’t the best shoes for me. This time around, I’ve chosen a pair of Mizunos, and I took them out for a spin this morning. They seem to be a lot more comfortable (minus the fresh blisters on my heels, mind you!)
The other big change I’ve made is skipping the Tuesday run. Instead, Mike and I have been going to “Boot Camp” at the YMCA. We get a babysitter and head to the gym every Tuesday night for a combined strength/cardio workout. It’s fun – and it’s been especially nice to share my newfound love of fitness with Mike. (Unfortunately, we have to wrap it up in May, because Mike starts ball hockey again on Tuesday nights. And I KNOW I won’t drag myself out of the house Tuesday nights when I can go for a run Tuesday mornings.)
So that, in a nutshell, is the past three months of training. I’ve decided I want to make it a point to blog a bit more. Every Sunday, after my long run, I’m going to try to write about the week’s training. I know that’s an ambitious goal, but so is running a marathon, right? There’s a lot of ground to cover, so to speak, and I’m going to try to cover it all.
Happy trails…
I asked myself, has it really been that long? And the answer is yes! Three months is way too long to go without updating my running blog!
It’s no secret that I bit off a bit more than I can chew in terms of work this year, and lately I don’t seem to have much time for any “leisurely” writing pursuits. The good news is, I HAVE found time to run.
I completed my second 10K clinic and, once again, there was no official 10K race happening in the area to match the end of the clinic. But the Running Room put on another race for us from the store, where I clocked in at 59:20. I had a bit of a rough run, running out of steam toward the end. I hadn’t been feeling great leading up to the race, which may explain my lack of energy.
I then signed up for a third 10K clinic. I am determined to run one “real” 10K race before moving on to the half marathon distance. I’ve signed up with the Mississauga 10K in May, and the past few weeks I have been working toward training for that race.
My training has been a bit off, though. I’ve only done one 10K run since March, and that was on a treadmill. I’ve been having some shin splints and foot pain, but I just bought a new pair of shoes which should help. I was beginning to wonder if the Nikes I was using weren’t the best shoes for me. This time around, I’ve chosen a pair of Mizunos, and I took them out for a spin this morning. They seem to be a lot more comfortable (minus the fresh blisters on my heels, mind you!)
The other big change I’ve made is skipping the Tuesday run. Instead, Mike and I have been going to “Boot Camp” at the YMCA. We get a babysitter and head to the gym every Tuesday night for a combined strength/cardio workout. It’s fun – and it’s been especially nice to share my newfound love of fitness with Mike. (Unfortunately, we have to wrap it up in May, because Mike starts ball hockey again on Tuesday nights. And I KNOW I won’t drag myself out of the house Tuesday nights when I can go for a run Tuesday mornings.)
So that, in a nutshell, is the past three months of training. I’ve decided I want to make it a point to blog a bit more. Every Sunday, after my long run, I’m going to try to write about the week’s training. I know that’s an ambitious goal, but so is running a marathon, right? There’s a lot of ground to cover, so to speak, and I’m going to try to cover it all.
Happy trails…
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Cleanin’ out my closet
On Wednesday, I started my second 10K clinic. Unlike the first time I started the 10K clinic, this time, I know I can physically run 10 kilometers, which is great. Unfortunately, the clinic instructors – one of whom ran my 10K race with me – know I can run 10K!
Basically, they’ve given me (and two other women who are repeating the clinic) a much more aggressive training schedule. Instead of taking it easy with the rest of the class, we’re going to be logging more kilometers and doing more speed work and hills – at least once a week.
To be honest, I wouldn’t even want to go back to the old training schedule. It was great, but most of the first few weeks are taken up with 3K runs. I’m a little past that by now! So I’m off this morning for an 8K run, and by next week, it’s back to 10K on Sundays. (Or more, in a few weeks!)
The other thing we’ve been working on in my house is getting better control of nutrition. I’d say that when it comes to breakfast and lunch, we all eat very well. I’ve written about nutrition enough and read about nutrition enough to know what we should be eating. (Lots of veggies, lots of fruit, whole grains, lean proteins…)
And, during the week, I really try to make healthy dinners. It’s hit or miss some weeks, depending on how busy we are, but I have some great cookbooks I rely on and we try to have good meals.
Friday and Saturday are more of a challenge, because Mike and I tend to feed the kids early and cook special dinners for ourselves. Sometimes they’re great, but sometimes… sometimes it’s things like nachos. (Baked in the oven with cheese and beef, and eaten with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Mmm!)
So last week, I decided we needed to “cleanse” our systems. Last spring, I did a cleanse recommended in a book. Basically, you cut out red meat, grains, processed sugar and dairy for five days. It’s meant to cleanse your body, improve your skin, and, yes, you should lose about five pounds.
I put both Mike and I on the cleanse last week, and it went fairly well. At the end of it, Mike lost five pounds! Me? I lost… zilch.
I was disappointed. I mean, who couldn’t stand to lose five pounds? (Okay, there are a few people, but most of us would probably like to lose five pounds. Some would like to lose 10, and some even more!) It’s hard not to get disappointed when you put in that kind of effort for no reward. (Which is why I like running… I feel like there is a reward, when you beat a time, or run a distance you’ve never run before.)
But I’m determined to stick with healthy eating. We’re not perfect, but I’m trying to make sure that we eat very well 80 percent of the time, and have treats in moderation. I’m even trying out baked goods from a new cookbook, and made brownies with spinach and carrots last night! I swear you couldn’t taste the veggies at all! (Andrew ate the brownie, naturally. And, just as naturally, Chris – my picky, picky eater – took one bite and said, “No thank you!”)
Time for an 8K run this morning. Here’s hoping this week’s training goes well.
Happy trails…
Basically, they’ve given me (and two other women who are repeating the clinic) a much more aggressive training schedule. Instead of taking it easy with the rest of the class, we’re going to be logging more kilometers and doing more speed work and hills – at least once a week.
To be honest, I wouldn’t even want to go back to the old training schedule. It was great, but most of the first few weeks are taken up with 3K runs. I’m a little past that by now! So I’m off this morning for an 8K run, and by next week, it’s back to 10K on Sundays. (Or more, in a few weeks!)
The other thing we’ve been working on in my house is getting better control of nutrition. I’d say that when it comes to breakfast and lunch, we all eat very well. I’ve written about nutrition enough and read about nutrition enough to know what we should be eating. (Lots of veggies, lots of fruit, whole grains, lean proteins…)
And, during the week, I really try to make healthy dinners. It’s hit or miss some weeks, depending on how busy we are, but I have some great cookbooks I rely on and we try to have good meals.
Friday and Saturday are more of a challenge, because Mike and I tend to feed the kids early and cook special dinners for ourselves. Sometimes they’re great, but sometimes… sometimes it’s things like nachos. (Baked in the oven with cheese and beef, and eaten with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Mmm!)
So last week, I decided we needed to “cleanse” our systems. Last spring, I did a cleanse recommended in a book. Basically, you cut out red meat, grains, processed sugar and dairy for five days. It’s meant to cleanse your body, improve your skin, and, yes, you should lose about five pounds.
I put both Mike and I on the cleanse last week, and it went fairly well. At the end of it, Mike lost five pounds! Me? I lost… zilch.
I was disappointed. I mean, who couldn’t stand to lose five pounds? (Okay, there are a few people, but most of us would probably like to lose five pounds. Some would like to lose 10, and some even more!) It’s hard not to get disappointed when you put in that kind of effort for no reward. (Which is why I like running… I feel like there is a reward, when you beat a time, or run a distance you’ve never run before.)
But I’m determined to stick with healthy eating. We’re not perfect, but I’m trying to make sure that we eat very well 80 percent of the time, and have treats in moderation. I’m even trying out baked goods from a new cookbook, and made brownies with spinach and carrots last night! I swear you couldn’t taste the veggies at all! (Andrew ate the brownie, naturally. And, just as naturally, Chris – my picky, picky eater – took one bite and said, “No thank you!”)
Time for an 8K run this morning. Here’s hoping this week’s training goes well.
Happy trails…
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