I'm in training for a 10k. The Phoenix Marathon 10k. In just one month's time I'll be running from Fitch Park to Bass Pro Shops. For better or worse.
I've slacked on my runs this week. I've been so fatigued and have had some really weird and breath-catching joint pain. But mostly fatigued.
Still, I skipped a nap today to go for a run. So, there's that.
3 non-stop miles in 36:07.
My spit was working against me. I'm seriously thinking of having a shirt made for race day that says "Watch OUT: I spit!"
And then there was Gaga on the iPod. I recently ditched my "Workout" playlist in favor of "M's Workout" playlist. And he has Gaga.
Which got me thinking. I have a pretty good running poker face. Face forward, expressionless, focused. Mouth set in a small "o", breathing steadily in, out, in, out.
Oh, but do I ever have a tell.
I hand-dance.
That's what I said! I. hand. dance!
And the occasional little head knod.
And maybe some lip-syncing.
And a hard-set facial expression when running up a hill to Nine Inch Nails' "Only".
And then there was that moment today, when I almost had myself a little Beyonce moment, Dizzy style, when listening to "Single Ladies". It was very nearly a cross between Dizzy and. . . well, this. It was nearly a horrible mess.
So, there's an experiment for you: try to run and listen to that song and not dance!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Wait It Out
So, three months later. . . I ran again. Apparently, I had to wait until I was ready?
Either way, on Friday I went out for a 2 mile run before heading out to work. I thought I stretched down well enough, but my have I been sore in places that I didn't know were possible! Like my groin muscles? And muscles in my back that hurt when I clear my throat? What the. . . ?
Funny how finally getting back out there and running will make you excited to get out and do it again. I have big plans for tomorrow morning.
Perhaps this means my "no love" dry spell is waning?
Either way, on Friday I went out for a 2 mile run before heading out to work. I thought I stretched down well enough, but my have I been sore in places that I didn't know were possible! Like my groin muscles? And muscles in my back that hurt when I clear my throat? What the. . . ?
Funny how finally getting back out there and running will make you excited to get out and do it again. I have big plans for tomorrow morning.
Perhaps this means my "no love" dry spell is waning?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Recovery
First, my low back went out.
Then, I got a stupid cold that lasted for weeks.
Then, heavy period.
Now? I (think I) am in the throes of a full on Epstein-Barr attack.
But! I did yoga last night and it felt SO good. I've been feeling off center and have needed it. I want to do it every non-run day (except maybe Sundays).
The other day we drove by our new house. We are cautiously excited about it and try not to get ourselves to worked up over its better location and all its other good points that sold us on it.
But! I saw a runner coming up the canal bank and it was really really hard not to get excited about the fact that even though we'll be "in the city" we won't be so close to the city that I'll be breathing smog when I run. Oh, and, of course, the challenge of running on the canal banks nearby!
In the meantime, I'm fighting fatigue with activity. First, yoga. Next, running!
Then, I got a stupid cold that lasted for weeks.
Then, heavy period.
Now? I (think I) am in the throes of a full on Epstein-Barr attack.
But! I did yoga last night and it felt SO good. I've been feeling off center and have needed it. I want to do it every non-run day (except maybe Sundays).
The other day we drove by our new house. We are cautiously excited about it and try not to get ourselves to worked up over its better location and all its other good points that sold us on it.
But! I saw a runner coming up the canal bank and it was really really hard not to get excited about the fact that even though we'll be "in the city" we won't be so close to the city that I'll be breathing smog when I run. Oh, and, of course, the challenge of running on the canal banks nearby!
In the meantime, I'm fighting fatigue with activity. First, yoga. Next, running!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
No Love
I don’t know exactly how to say this, but, then again, there are only so many ways to slice a pie, you know? Here it is: I am SO not feelin’ the love part of this hate-love relationship I have with running! I missed it (almost) the entire time I was away, and now that I’m back, I just am not feeling it.
Back to my pie-slicing theory: excuses are excuses, whether they come in the form of being dog-tired from one-year old induced midnight wakings (as in several) or not going first thing in the morning (which was always my recipe for success last time) precisely because I am so tired and then ending up with a headache/shoulder ache/back ache/bad attitude that makes me not want to go later in the day. Like I said, any way you slice it, I’m just not feeling the love.
It feels more like work than anything. Like I have to run, instead of I want to run. Which, I do. Want to run, that is. I just don’t want to have to run. It feels like there are too many other things crowding my understanding (and my time!) right now and running is the thing that gets left at the bottom of the barrel (well, running and laundry are keeping each other company down there. . . )
Don’t get me wrong – I am still excited about doing the 8k in a few weeks. And I will be able to do it, I just don’t know how well. I cannot seem to get to running 3 times a week: last week it was only once and not a single time so far this week. I want to run because I want to, not because I have to. And that seems to be part of the battle I am waging with myself right now. As it is, my stubborn streak is winning out (I will not go and you can’t make me!) which is kind of disheartening to the part of me that is willing and wanting to make it work.
Mostly, though, I really am pretty tired lately. I am taking lots of naps. Which, who knows what that’s all about, but whatever. I still never have gotten up to 4 miles, but have big plans next week (yeah, you’ve heard that from me before). So, we’ll see.
Back to my pie-slicing theory: excuses are excuses, whether they come in the form of being dog-tired from one-year old induced midnight wakings (as in several) or not going first thing in the morning (which was always my recipe for success last time) precisely because I am so tired and then ending up with a headache/shoulder ache/back ache/bad attitude that makes me not want to go later in the day. Like I said, any way you slice it, I’m just not feeling the love.
It feels more like work than anything. Like I have to run, instead of I want to run. Which, I do. Want to run, that is. I just don’t want to have to run. It feels like there are too many other things crowding my understanding (and my time!) right now and running is the thing that gets left at the bottom of the barrel (well, running and laundry are keeping each other company down there. . . )
Don’t get me wrong – I am still excited about doing the 8k in a few weeks. And I will be able to do it, I just don’t know how well. I cannot seem to get to running 3 times a week: last week it was only once and not a single time so far this week. I want to run because I want to, not because I have to. And that seems to be part of the battle I am waging with myself right now. As it is, my stubborn streak is winning out (I will not go and you can’t make me!) which is kind of disheartening to the part of me that is willing and wanting to make it work.
Mostly, though, I really am pretty tired lately. I am taking lots of naps. Which, who knows what that’s all about, but whatever. I still never have gotten up to 4 miles, but have big plans next week (yeah, you’ve heard that from me before). So, we’ll see.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Doing the Can-can: Week 4, Day 1
So.
So much for "plans".
Did you guess by now that Saturdays are not my most successful running days?
Or that, try as I might, I can never make it up on a Sunday?
Did you know that my race is on a Sunday?
And I have no idea how that's going to work?
Is my training all over the place?
Do I routinely skip my third run?
Yesity yes yes.
Whatev.
Is all I have to say.
Started fresh off today! Planned for 3 miles, but started running late in the day. It was getting dark, my husband had a no-good, horrible, F-word inducing work day, and at the end of mile two I just felt I had better get home. I called M and said "Wohahu?" and he told me a tale of a cranky backseat baby who had drunk all his milk and was a very hungry boy.
So, good thing I was home.
Relieved as I was to be making some dinner for the boys, I still felt the tiniest bit cheated out of my run.
Whatev.
Is all I have to say.
And?
I'm on track to run 4 on Wednesday. So. . . Week 4 here I come!
(Btw? Mile 1? Sucked. Mile 2? Infinitely better. Sad I had to stop. Glad I went, even though I tried talking myself out of it several times.)
So much for "plans".
Did you guess by now that Saturdays are not my most successful running days?
Or that, try as I might, I can never make it up on a Sunday?
Did you know that my race is on a Sunday?
And I have no idea how that's going to work?
Is my training all over the place?
Do I routinely skip my third run?
Yesity yes yes.
Whatev.
Is all I have to say.
Started fresh off today! Planned for 3 miles, but started running late in the day. It was getting dark, my husband had a no-good, horrible, F-word inducing work day, and at the end of mile two I just felt I had better get home. I called M and said "Wohahu?" and he told me a tale of a cranky backseat baby who had drunk all his milk and was a very hungry boy.
So, good thing I was home.
Relieved as I was to be making some dinner for the boys, I still felt the tiniest bit cheated out of my run.
Whatev.
Is all I have to say.
And?
I'm on track to run 4 on Wednesday. So. . . Week 4 here I come!
(Btw? Mile 1? Sucked. Mile 2? Infinitely better. Sad I had to stop. Glad I went, even though I tried talking myself out of it several times.)
Friday, January 21, 2011
I DID IT! (Week 3, Day 2)
I was tired. I had procrastinated. I had taken Excedrin. . .
But, I had also left early from work with the intention of going on a sunset run. And so I did.
That second mile is on an uphill grade, so it was a little tough. I was leery of a weirdo dude wearing jeans, sandals with socks, and a suit jacket and carrying all manner of boxy briefcase, plastic bags and cowboy boots. I wanted to say "wife kick you out?" but I didn't. I did, however, eye him suspiciously each time I passed him, which was three. (My point? Hmmm. Get back to you on that one.)
I ran. (I suppose that's my point.)
I also became more fully aware of just how much I'll miss non-smog air and mountain views when we move back into town. And how much my shins ache in the first 3 or so minutes of running. And how letting the mind lead, not the body is really good and practical advice in all sorts of scenarios, not just running.
Oh? And also? I run primarily for fitness, secondarily for weight loss/maintenance. Well into my second mile, I was all "wow! I feel really good doing this!" and then my brain recalled all the chocolate, butter cookies and Half Baked I have consumed over the last 2-3 days (more butter cookies than the other two, and the chocolate was darkity dark. . . but still . . . ) and I realized this was probably barely a break-even kind of run. Man! I must do better on the eating thing!
Here's the lovely thing that sometimes happens when running: I got into that third mile and my mind decided my body had quieted down enough such that I could run forever. Of course, my body quickly disagreed. They settled their negotiations on the original 5k. (Only the route I have always thought was 3.1 miles - 5k - was actually only 3 miles today - and probably every other day I ever ran it too. Bummer.) (Maybe this would have helped?) (No. It wouldn't have. It says the route is 2.9 miles, which I know it isn't because I have driven it in my car and odometered it, man. . . )
Either way, the hump distance of 2.5 was overcome today, triumphed by a full 3! I haven't done that in over 2 years!!
I ran non-stop, but added the twist of following my seester's idea of pushing it in the last stretch. I ramped up my speed just as some bicycling and scootering little kids meandered in my path then saw me running fast and said "whoa!"
I finished strongly at 31.15 minutes. 10.38 minute mile average. Not too shabby. But who are we kidding? It's no 9.3! (Mayhaps Wednesday's couple of spoonfuls of Half Baked followed with a massive butter cookie chaser, Thursday's mini chili dog and slider lunch, and today's dark chocolate squares and more spoonfuls of Half Baked had something to do with anchoring me down?) (Perhaps.)
Good news? I am excited to go again tomorrow.
But, I had also left early from work with the intention of going on a sunset run. And so I did.
That second mile is on an uphill grade, so it was a little tough. I was leery of a weirdo dude wearing jeans, sandals with socks, and a suit jacket and carrying all manner of boxy briefcase, plastic bags and cowboy boots. I wanted to say "wife kick you out?" but I didn't. I did, however, eye him suspiciously each time I passed him, which was three. (My point? Hmmm. Get back to you on that one.)
I ran. (I suppose that's my point.)
I also became more fully aware of just how much I'll miss non-smog air and mountain views when we move back into town. And how much my shins ache in the first 3 or so minutes of running. And how letting the mind lead, not the body is really good and practical advice in all sorts of scenarios, not just running.
Oh? And also? I run primarily for fitness, secondarily for weight loss/maintenance. Well into my second mile, I was all "wow! I feel really good doing this!" and then my brain recalled all the chocolate, butter cookies and Half Baked I have consumed over the last 2-3 days (more butter cookies than the other two, and the chocolate was darkity dark. . . but still . . . ) and I realized this was probably barely a break-even kind of run. Man! I must do better on the eating thing!
Here's the lovely thing that sometimes happens when running: I got into that third mile and my mind decided my body had quieted down enough such that I could run forever. Of course, my body quickly disagreed. They settled their negotiations on the original 5k. (Only the route I have always thought was 3.1 miles - 5k - was actually only 3 miles today - and probably every other day I ever ran it too. Bummer.) (Maybe this would have helped?) (No. It wouldn't have. It says the route is 2.9 miles, which I know it isn't because I have driven it in my car and odometered it, man. . . )
Either way, the hump distance of 2.5 was overcome today, triumphed by a full 3! I haven't done that in over 2 years!!
I ran non-stop, but added the twist of following my seester's idea of pushing it in the last stretch. I ramped up my speed just as some bicycling and scootering little kids meandered in my path then saw me running fast and said "whoa!"
I finished strongly at 31.15 minutes. 10.38 minute mile average. Not too shabby. But who are we kidding? It's no 9.3! (Mayhaps Wednesday's couple of spoonfuls of Half Baked followed with a massive butter cookie chaser, Thursday's mini chili dog and slider lunch, and today's dark chocolate squares and more spoonfuls of Half Baked had something to do with anchoring me down?) (Perhaps.)
Good news? I am excited to go again tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Week 3 Do-Over? Hated It!
Today was a hate-it kind of running day. After struggling last week with timing and energy and such, I decided to do Week 3 over.
Following a particularly slow and dawdling morning, I self-imposed a shortened lunch hour today, which meant I would be running at the gym or somewhere near work instead of traveling home to go on my favored route. I could not bear the gym, so I improvised a route (2.35 miles) and set out.
Only, I had forgotten the hills up and down that route. My shins immediately protested (which reminded me I must really get more serious about doing yoga), so I improvised an alternative route. Which only brought more inclines/mini-hills. In fact, that was the theme of today’s run, if you really want to know. They were everywhere I ran! But, upside? The weather was fabulous. Even so, I was sweating in the crease of my right elbow, which, truthfully, does not make me very excited about running into the summer months.
Nonetheless, I totally won the victories over each those mini-hills, and victories over my protesting shins, over my tired body, and over the dreaded why-on-earth-am-i-doing-this speed bump that sits at the very beginning of nearly every run lately.
So, party people, I am here to report that I continuously ran 2.49 miles in 23.19 minutes!! Even with the hills, Simon Says that’s a 9.3 minute mile! Woooo-freakin’-hooooooo!!!!!
Now, here’s the trouble I had last week that I am hoping to avoid this week: I again delayed my first run of the week til Tuesday. Logic says my next two runs should fall on Thursday and Saturday – except I’m home with my kid on Thursday, which means I will have to run two consecutive days.
I don’t know quite what my mental block about that is, since I ran consecutive days back when training for the half. . . but I will have to overcome it if I am going to be successful this week. Oh, and I’ve banned my husband from going fishing this Saturday, so that takes care of that!
So, look for me tomorrow. I’ll be attempting a back to back and doing a 5k (my first since. . . . well, since this one).
Following a particularly slow and dawdling morning, I self-imposed a shortened lunch hour today, which meant I would be running at the gym or somewhere near work instead of traveling home to go on my favored route. I could not bear the gym, so I improvised a route (2.35 miles) and set out.
Only, I had forgotten the hills up and down that route. My shins immediately protested (which reminded me I must really get more serious about doing yoga), so I improvised an alternative route. Which only brought more inclines/mini-hills. In fact, that was the theme of today’s run, if you really want to know. They were everywhere I ran! But, upside? The weather was fabulous. Even so, I was sweating in the crease of my right elbow, which, truthfully, does not make me very excited about running into the summer months.
Nonetheless, I totally won the victories over each those mini-hills, and victories over my protesting shins, over my tired body, and over the dreaded why-on-earth-am-i-doing-this speed bump that sits at the very beginning of nearly every run lately.
So, party people, I am here to report that I continuously ran 2.49 miles in 23.19 minutes!! Even with the hills, Simon Says that’s a 9.3 minute mile! Woooo-freakin’-hooooooo!!!!!
Now, here’s the trouble I had last week that I am hoping to avoid this week: I again delayed my first run of the week til Tuesday. Logic says my next two runs should fall on Thursday and Saturday – except I’m home with my kid on Thursday, which means I will have to run two consecutive days.
I don’t know quite what my mental block about that is, since I ran consecutive days back when training for the half. . . but I will have to overcome it if I am going to be successful this week. Oh, and I’ve banned my husband from going fishing this Saturday, so that takes care of that!
So, look for me tomorrow. I’ll be attempting a back to back and doing a 5k (my first since. . . . well, since this one).
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