I went to the gym feeling not all that motivated, and kind of hungry. Everyone in Oregon was watching the Ducks game, so I figured the gym wouldn’t be that crowded. I was right! There were two people in there, both of which looked more out of shape then me. Not that I’m judging – cuz I’m not – I’m just saying. Anyway, that made me feel pretty good.
I put in my ear buds and hit the button. Started with a good paced walk, then took it up to an easy jog. Started to get into a groove, then I upped my speed. After two miles, I got up to 4.5 and held it for the last three miles! I didn’t stop once to slow down. Overall I’m feeling pretty fucking awesome that I jogged the ENTIRE time. Even when I ran my half-marathon last year, I wasn’t able to do that. I’m feeling like I may be in the best shape I’ve been in! Ever!
Granted, running on a treadmill is a little easier than running outside – don’t have to deal with the elements (primarily the cold). And it’s all flat all the time. I’m still impressed with myself though! Maybe when the weather gets warmer, I’ll be able to test my endurance on the road. But for now, I’m going to stick with the temperature controlled gym :-)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Be Kind, Rewind
It's been a few days, so for convienece I'll post all at once!
Friday: 3 Miles. Did it at the gym by my house, not bad, not spectacular. I did hold my speed at 4.5 for over half the run though! So there's a plus. I would have liked to done it for the whole time, but I was feeling sluggish when I started. I really had to work myself into it. But it seemed that with the right combination of Lady Gaga, Beastie Boys, and Big Willie Style streaming through my earbuds, I was able to keep it up.
Saturday: Rest day. Got a massage too! Felt amazing.
Sunday: Errrr, supposed to be 5 miles. I was very tired all day...and like a lazy bum decided not to run. Instead I stayed in my jammies till 4, then finally took a shower. Of course after the shower I woke up a little bit but had a prior engagement I couldn't miss. Lesson learned.
So today will be my 5 miles. It works out because Sunday run days are sandwiched by two rest days, so I'm not running more than two days in a row. That's what the training tips say - Don't run more than two days in a row. I'll probably hit the gym this evening, seeing as how there is literally ice on my street this morning. I did one almost freezing cold, I'm not willing to do another. Hopefully later in the month things warm up :-)
Friday: 3 Miles. Did it at the gym by my house, not bad, not spectacular. I did hold my speed at 4.5 for over half the run though! So there's a plus. I would have liked to done it for the whole time, but I was feeling sluggish when I started. I really had to work myself into it. But it seemed that with the right combination of Lady Gaga, Beastie Boys, and Big Willie Style streaming through my earbuds, I was able to keep it up.
Saturday: Rest day. Got a massage too! Felt amazing.
Sunday: Errrr, supposed to be 5 miles. I was very tired all day...and like a lazy bum decided not to run. Instead I stayed in my jammies till 4, then finally took a shower. Of course after the shower I woke up a little bit but had a prior engagement I couldn't miss. Lesson learned.
So today will be my 5 miles. It works out because Sunday run days are sandwiched by two rest days, so I'm not running more than two days in a row. That's what the training tips say - Don't run more than two days in a row. I'll probably hit the gym this evening, seeing as how there is literally ice on my street this morning. I did one almost freezing cold, I'm not willing to do another. Hopefully later in the month things warm up :-)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Treadmills Are Not My Friend
My boyfriend came up with the fabulous idea to sign me up for the gym so I didn't have to train in the cold. He kind of tricked me in to doing it, by inviting me to go to the gym with him, and then saying as we got out of the car that he was going to add me to his account. I decided to roll with it because it's only $24 a month that way. And I wouldn't always have to run in the cold!
Yesterday was a gym day, as well as a 3.5-4 mile run day. Holy hell, I didn't think I could ever sweat so much! I don't know if the gym temperature was on high, or if I was wearing too many clothes, or what, but my shirt was damp. And almost see-through.
Here's the thing, I don't really sweat. I get hot, yes. But I don't sweat. Beads of perspiration don't formulate in my pores. They just don't! Don't ask me why, I don't know. And it's not to say that I don't work out hard enough. Anyone who's seen me attempt the Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred can attest to the grunts and groans and bright red face that accompany this work out.
But that treadmill made me sweat. And it tried to trip me. Don't ask me how, but it did. The only benefit to them that I see is that I don't have to run in the 30 degree weather, and still get my miles in. Other than the sweating, the run was ok. Not great, but ok. I took it slow, took it easy, just focused on finishing. I wasn't feeling super well before hitting the gym (needed nutrition most likely), so I didn't want to push for speed. I have another three miles on the calendar for today so I'll push for speed then.
Sunday is the big test! My first long run! Five miles of me, my running shoes, and the road. My focus is completion, not speed.
Yesterday was a gym day, as well as a 3.5-4 mile run day. Holy hell, I didn't think I could ever sweat so much! I don't know if the gym temperature was on high, or if I was wearing too many clothes, or what, but my shirt was damp. And almost see-through.
Here's the thing, I don't really sweat. I get hot, yes. But I don't sweat. Beads of perspiration don't formulate in my pores. They just don't! Don't ask me why, I don't know. And it's not to say that I don't work out hard enough. Anyone who's seen me attempt the Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred can attest to the grunts and groans and bright red face that accompany this work out.
But that treadmill made me sweat. And it tried to trip me. Don't ask me how, but it did. The only benefit to them that I see is that I don't have to run in the 30 degree weather, and still get my miles in. Other than the sweating, the run was ok. Not great, but ok. I took it slow, took it easy, just focused on finishing. I wasn't feeling super well before hitting the gym (needed nutrition most likely), so I didn't want to push for speed. I have another three miles on the calendar for today so I'll push for speed then.
Sunday is the big test! My first long run! Five miles of me, my running shoes, and the road. My focus is completion, not speed.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hi-34
Yesterday I believe the highest temperature was 34 degrees. I went for my three mile run yesterday at around 6...you can imagine how low the temperature must have been. But I had to do it! I suited up, turned on my music, and went for it.
I don't know if it was because it was dark, or so cold, or because I was really finding a groove, but I missed the turn to complete my loop. I ended up running .18 miles out of the way by the time I found my route again. I didn't realize this till I got home and mapped it out, because for some reason it just didn't feel like I had run over three miles. I think the few stop lights had something to do with it. Or maybe it was because it was cold so my lungs always felt refreshed. Whatever it was, it was awesome!
I felt pretty good afterwards, like I could possibly be ready to take on five miles come Sunday...we'll see.
I am rather sore today and very thankful it's a rest day. Tomorrow I hit the road for 3.5 miles! Four if I'm feeling saucy.
That's all for now blogosphere!
I don't know if it was because it was dark, or so cold, or because I was really finding a groove, but I missed the turn to complete my loop. I ended up running .18 miles out of the way by the time I found my route again. I didn't realize this till I got home and mapped it out, because for some reason it just didn't feel like I had run over three miles. I think the few stop lights had something to do with it. Or maybe it was because it was cold so my lungs always felt refreshed. Whatever it was, it was awesome!
I felt pretty good afterwards, like I could possibly be ready to take on five miles come Sunday...we'll see.
I am rather sore today and very thankful it's a rest day. Tomorrow I hit the road for 3.5 miles! Four if I'm feeling saucy.
That's all for now blogosphere!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Girl and Her Blog
I am about to do the relatively unthinkable. I am going to train for a half marathon in a mere nine weeks.
Am I crazy? Maybe. But last year I did it in 10 weeks. Was I in shape enough to go the whole 13.1 miles without stopping? Hell no. Did I finish? You bet I did! And that’s all I’m looking for again this year. I want to finish. And I kind of want to beat my time too. But more importantly finish.
Yesterday was day one of training. Since I've procrastinated training until yesterday, I'm down to only nine weeks when normal people allow themselves 10-15. But I'm not really all that normal.
I used yesterday as a "Test day" to gague how crazy I actually am. I set the goal of 2.5 miles on the treadmill (the training schedule I stole off the internet requires me to have a baseline of 3 miles), and plugged away at it. It was hard, but manageable and I think I'm prepared for three miles today. The first mile was a killer.
Last time I ran was probably a good eight weeks ago. I ran 5K for Race for the Cure back in mid-september, and I believe I busted out one more 2.5 mile run after that. Did I mention that a half marathon is more than five times that distance?
Since I'm working off of the Modified Crazy Casey training schedule, I pretty much had to skip the first week of "easy" runs. Instead of my first long run being 4 miles, I'm already expected to bust out 5 on Sunday! I keep telling myself that last year I did it, and I'm in slightly better shape now, but it still feels daunting.
That's why I'm looking to unload some anxieties and hesitations out into the blogosphere. I'm ready to bare it all to strangers. My triumphs, my failures, my frustrations, my every emotion that I could possibly feel through this. And when it's all done...I'm going to do it all again! My goal for this year is to not run one, but two, possibly three, half-marathons. I'm starting with the one, but I don't want the same thing to happen that happened last year - I took a three week break from running, ran two 3 milers, then took another eight week break. Not exactly the running champ I thought I would become.
So I'm going to make myself keep doing it! There are several half-marathon events in my area throughout the year, all I need to do is pick a few that are a few months apart, and I'm golden. I figure I'll continue to train with the same schedule (except go for the whole 10 weeks!), unless I feel it's too easy. Which let's face it, I probably won't.
Am I crazy? Maybe. But last year I did it in 10 weeks. Was I in shape enough to go the whole 13.1 miles without stopping? Hell no. Did I finish? You bet I did! And that’s all I’m looking for again this year. I want to finish. And I kind of want to beat my time too. But more importantly finish.
Yesterday was day one of training. Since I've procrastinated training until yesterday, I'm down to only nine weeks when normal people allow themselves 10-15. But I'm not really all that normal.
I used yesterday as a "Test day" to gague how crazy I actually am. I set the goal of 2.5 miles on the treadmill (the training schedule I stole off the internet requires me to have a baseline of 3 miles), and plugged away at it. It was hard, but manageable and I think I'm prepared for three miles today. The first mile was a killer.
Last time I ran was probably a good eight weeks ago. I ran 5K for Race for the Cure back in mid-september, and I believe I busted out one more 2.5 mile run after that. Did I mention that a half marathon is more than five times that distance?
Since I'm working off of the Modified Crazy Casey training schedule, I pretty much had to skip the first week of "easy" runs. Instead of my first long run being 4 miles, I'm already expected to bust out 5 on Sunday! I keep telling myself that last year I did it, and I'm in slightly better shape now, but it still feels daunting.
That's why I'm looking to unload some anxieties and hesitations out into the blogosphere. I'm ready to bare it all to strangers. My triumphs, my failures, my frustrations, my every emotion that I could possibly feel through this. And when it's all done...I'm going to do it all again! My goal for this year is to not run one, but two, possibly three, half-marathons. I'm starting with the one, but I don't want the same thing to happen that happened last year - I took a three week break from running, ran two 3 milers, then took another eight week break. Not exactly the running champ I thought I would become.
So I'm going to make myself keep doing it! There are several half-marathon events in my area throughout the year, all I need to do is pick a few that are a few months apart, and I'm golden. I figure I'll continue to train with the same schedule (except go for the whole 10 weeks!), unless I feel it's too easy. Which let's face it, I probably won't.
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