The second verse is ALMOST the same as the first

Yesterday, I attempted another run on the treadmill. I loathe to admit this, but I am a little gun-shy about running outside with the snow, a little ice, and the cold temps (which have been around or close to 30 degrees, a temperature I had no problem with last winter). As I mentioned in previous posts, I have been swimming, which is a really good workout, so I am not so worried about staying in shape. But I am a little afraid that when I finally get back out there, I may end up struggling to complete two miles (maybe even one) and/or I will run at a pace well over 10 minutes.

But back to my treadmill run. I ran the first mile in just under 10 minutes, going at about a 6 mph pace. For the second mile, I would alternate between fast runs (anywhere between 6.3 mph and 7.5 mph, hitting above that once or twice) and a slower pace of 5 mph. Then I completed the last half mile at a pace of about 5 mph for the first three to five minutes minutes before walking the final few minutes at about 3 to 3.5 mph.

I felt as if this run went better than the previous treadmill attempts. I was never in doubt that I would run two miles, which is something I can't say about my prior times. However, I still found myself bored and wishing I were outside, where I would have trees, cars, people, houses, the road, etc. to look at. The 4 o'clock news on the TV is just not the same..

Hopefully, after Christmas I can get back on the horse.

Dear real December weather, please come back

This week was crazy cold. There was just no way I was going to run in temps in the teens. Wednesday was pretty decent, with temps in the lower 20s by earlier afternoon, but with the snow and ice still on the road, it was just not enough to motivate me to run outside. I did get a brisk, 20-minute walk in, so there is that.

So when I went to the pool on Friday, I knew that in addition to swimming my laps and jogging around the pool, I needed to get on that dreaded treadmill again. This time, I ran about 1.5 miles, and, once again, it was quite a chore.

I do not understand how people run on treadmills. It is sooooo boring. I simply cannot help myself from staring at the elapsed time, which seems to drag on and on, and wishing I had just completed my mile(s) already. I wanted to be done after one mile, which took me just under 10 minutes, but since my kid was in the exercise room with me watching the last few minutes of a Penguins of Madagascar Christmas special, I figured I might as well keep going.

Even though I have not been running, with the regular swimming I have been doing, I have managed to stay in pretty good shape. I will say that after running 1.5 miles and doing a set of various arm and leg exercises on some weight machines, swimming laps was quite challenging yesterday.

Can't we just have our regular December back?!

And speaking of the treadmill

Some time ago, I wrote about barefoot running, after I had happened upon an article in the Parade magazine. I never could bring myself to try it until yesterday, when I decided to jump on the treadmill for a quick run.

So how was it? After having run about a mile barefoot, I feel pretty confident in saying I won't be doing that any time soon. Or maybe ever. My feet really hurt by the time I had finished. But almost as important, I am not sure I did it "right." It seemed as if I was slamming my feet pretty hard on the treadmill, but maybe I normally do that and just don't notice. I recently read an article that stated barefoot runners come down on the front or balls of their feet, which I definitely did (and the balls of my feet are what hurt). But I have never really paid attention to how I usually run for comparison. I just know it did not feel "normal," whatever that is.

I also read an article about how a young woman got her toe caught in the treadmill and flew backwards off it, resulting in some stitches. Eek! Of course, you could get your shoelace caught as well.

I just hope it warms up soon so I can get back outside to run. It has been in the low 20s the past few days (was only 20 degrees today), with a windchill much lower. There is no way I am going to run in those conditions when I struggled with my run in 37-degree temps two weeks ago. In the meantime, I am going to try to run on the treadmill at least once a week and/or run in the pool.

 It is good to mix it up!

The dreaded treadmill

After last week's tough run in the cold, I could not will myself to do it again this week (welcome to the next three months in Pittsburgh!). But since I had been making such good progress running, I hated the thought of a layoff. So hello, treadmill, old friend!

For about three years now, Bally's has been trying to get me to come back. The $100 offer for a year's membership is pretty good, but I was hesitant to spend the money on something I would rarely use or stop using after a few months. The last one to two years I was a member at Bally's, I probably went four or five times. And my husband reminded me of this, saying instead of rejoining, I should just take a 100-dollar bill and burn it.

Then, about a month and a half ago, my mother-in-law generously bought us a family pool membership at a local hotel. My kid loves to swim (and pretty much has no other interests), so it seemed like a good idea. And I don't hate swimming (more just the bathing suit!), plus I figured the smaller exercise room would give me the chance to start lifting weights again or jump on a treadmill if I felt so inclined.

So I did yesterday. And IT WAS HARD! I could not believe how challenging running about 6 mph was, considering that pace was slower than my usual run mostly up hill. I did start on a 4.5 incline (no idea what that means exactly), and once I started getting into the 9-minute mile pace, I had to cut back the incline.

After running about 3/4 of a mile and being bored and willing the miles to add up, I decided to alternate between a fast (7 to 9 mph) pace for 15 to 30 seconds and a slower one (5 to 6.5 mph) for up to 60 seconds. As challenging as that was, it forced me to keep going and really pay attention to the time. No more boredom!

I was planning to run only two miles, knowing I was going to swim for 30 minutes after and I had already used the weight machines on my upper body. Unfortunately, all that frenetic running caused a wire on the treadmill to come loose, shutting the darned thing down after I had run about 1.75 miles. I tried to start it back up, but after a couple of minutes, I gave up and jumped on the older treadmill for a two-minute walk.

Because it is so darned cold (in the upper 20s and maybe 30 or 31), I am going to try the treadmill again next week. Hopefully that baby rights itself!

Like sucking on a giant ice cube

Today marked the first day of the cold-weather season. It won't officially be winter for almost a month, but the 37-degree temps were definitely not fall weather.

As I started up the killer hill, the cold air that rushed into my mouth seemed like the coldest air I had ever felt. I kind of wanted to blame it on the gum I was chewing, some "ice" flavor, but I am not kidding when I tell you I was actually picturing my mouth wrapped around a giant conical ice cube for a couple of minutes, for some odd reason.

I had noticed last week when I ran that I was breathing in and out through my mouth, kind of forcefully, whereas I think normally I try to sometimes breathe in through my nose and then exhale on more of a "blow," if that makes any sense. Well, with today's frigid air (at least to my mouth), the deeper mouth breathing was very uncomfortable.

Fortunately, after I crested the hill and started running on the flat street, my mouth no longer felt like Antarctica. I was cold for the first mile, for sure, and kept my hands inside my hoodie. But on the way back, I was actually a little bit warm and able to let my hands run free and not worry so much about breathing.

Nonetheless, the cold resulted in my completing my first mile in over 10 minutes (I forget exactly how much). I added some side streets to my second mile, which meant I ran almost 1.5 miles on the way back. And I finished up with a few more minutes of running, followed by three laps around the outside of the gym and up the steps.

I hope the mouth-ice cube thing is just a fluke because we have quite a few months of cold temps coming up. If not, I will just have to deal with it. But for now, I am looking forward to giving my feet and legs some time off from running.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pushing it

Yesterday I completed my usual two miles in about 17:20, which was my Best. Time. Ever.

I actually finished my first, tough, mile at about 9:18, which pretty much blew away my previous best time, at around 9:45. I rounded out my second mile with a time of about 8:02, also my best.

When I was finished those two miles, I ran up the hill parallel to the killer hill (note that this neighboring hill is every bit as awful as my usual first hill). And by run, I really mean jogged slowly as I was almost out of gas. Once I got to the top, I managed to jog for a few minutes before alternating between fast runs (not quite all-out sprints, though once or twice I managed to do just that) and easy jogs. I am guessing I tacked on over a mile with that, based on the 12 minutes it took me.

I am going to try to get in a second run this week; I really want to keep up with my two-a-week runs. But if not, I am planning a couple of swims in there, to stay in shape.

I will be 39 in just over 1.5 weeks. I am planning to roar right into the end of this decade.

Oh, the pain

This week was one of my most productive, athletically speaking, in quite some time. I ran about nine miles over two days. I swam three times; though technically the third time I managed only a couple of laps, I did work my legs for about 20 to 30 minutes while sitting on the edge of the pool each of those days. I ran up the 65 steps 20 times on Friday. And today I walked around downtown Pittsburgh for several hours for the Light-Up Night second day celebration. On top of that, thanks to my not being able to find everything and forgetting things on my list, I covered a lot of distance at several grocery stores multiple times this week!

I am beat and I am sore. I am not sure if the leg pain (both thigh and calf) is because I had not run that many steps that many times for over two months or if it was because I just did not stretch enough when I was done. Either way, I probably could have done without all the walking today. But no rest for the weary: I am supposed to take my kid swimming tomorrow, and hopefully the ol' legs will be recovered by then.

Regardless, I want to hang on to this week because with Thanksgiving next week, I will be lucky to get one run in. And even if I do manage to run and swim twice, with the amount of food I plan to consume...

Just call me the every-day marathon runner

If I had a dollar for every time one of the parents at school said to me, "That is so great that you run every day" or "I can't believe you run all the time," I would have a lot of dollars. Each time, I have to tell them that I run only twice a week (and sometimes not even that), which surprises most of them.

On a very good week, I will run and walk twice each, but that so rarely happens. The more likely scenario is I leave my car two or three times a week to walk or run, and if someone saw me exiting my car, they would not necessarily know which of those activities I am doing since I don't start running until I am out of the lot and down the driveway. Of course, I do run by probably a dozen or more cars of parents once I actually start running.

I also think it is funny that one of my friends is impressed because I "run marathons"; to her anything over a mile is pretty much a long-distance run, thus counting as a marathon in her eyes. And a woman at lunch today could not believe I manage to run four or five miles at times.

But back to this week, during which I ran about 4.5 miles on Monday and about 4 miles today, which was followed by eight minutes of running around the outside of the gym, including 20 steps (I counted). Hopefully, I can get an "official" step workout in, but my guess is I am done running for the week. On a positive note, I think I cut a minute of my time from Monday to today. On an indifferent note, I noticed that for some odd reason since the temps have turned cooler, I rarely exhale in a "blowing" sort of way. I pretty much pant.
No matter, I feel pretty good about my last few runs.

Finally two runs in a week

I finally got my butt in gear and ran on Monday and again today. Monday's run was another short one, just over two miles at a decent pace overall. I did manage to pick it up a bit while running through a nearby park on my way back. I appreciated the change of scenery, and my knees and feet appreciated the softer ground. I ended the run by doing three laps around the outside of the school gym, which included running up a bunch of steps (20? 30?), down and around the sidewalk, and along the driveway. It was nice to end the run with that.

Today I had more time, so I ran for over 40 minutes, which was about four miles. I took this run about 25 minutes after eating a not-so-small lunch, so it was a bit more leisurely, at least in the beginning. I felt good overall, though kind of chilly for at least the first mile. The temps were probably in the lower 50s, but sunny, so I ran in a long-sleeved t-shirt. After the first mile, I was glad I did not have another layer. At the end of my run, I decided to walk to the local coffee shop, which is about 15 to 20 minutes round trip.

I most likely will not get a third run in this week; I am happy to have accomplished what I did. But I am going to try to swim and get a 15 to 20 minute walk in.

A better run

Today, after yet another week between runs, I managed to complete my usual two miles in 18 minutes. Best. Time. Ever.

The first mile I completed in 9:46; it has been nice to keep the tougher mile below 10 minutes the past few times. I ran my best second mile, at 8:14. Definitely better than my crappy, stress-induced second mile from last week.

After the two miles, I managed to jog up the hill that is pretty much parallel to the killer first-mile hill, no easy task after having had a pretty good run. Next, I ran back and forth in the flat upper lot a few times, stopped only by the smoke drifting out of the cars of a mail carrier car and a cable guy. I guess that lot must be a good place to take a smoke break. I ended with three runs up and down the 66 (or however many) steps.

All in all, it was a pretty good workout, although I really should be getting a second run in most weeks; I can't even call myself a runner anymore, for the love of Pete. I have been swimming some at least once a week as well as walking or running around with my kid to try to keep in shape, but this blog is not called "Doing Various Exercise Around the Burgh"!

Stressed out + running = good and bad

I ran yesterday, for the first time in over a week. This layoff was due mostly to a family medical situation that forced me to be on the phone for hours a day with various people as well as required a few trips to the hospital. So despite my feeling stressed out and tired, I figured it would do me some good to run.

Oddly enough, before I knew it, I was finished running up the killer hill. For the first time in pretty much ever, it did not feel too terribly taxing, but, of course, it was no walk in the park either. As I was running, I was thinking I had a good chance to finish that first mile in under 10 minutes again, so I pushed myself as much as I could. As I came near the top of the hill at the end of mile 1, my stopwatch hit 9:43. In full disclosure, I turned around just before I reached the peak, but that was still probably my best time to date.

Unfortunately, I paid for that during my second mile back, which is mostly downhill. More often than not, I try to run down the last steep hill, to keep that second mile time around 8:30 or so. Yesterday, it was all I could do to jog the last couple tenths of a mile. I ended up finishing that mile in about 8:50, which is the worst second mile I have had for quite some time. I was also not able to run up the driveway of the school and run around the upper lot to get in at least another half mile, as I typically do when I have finished my two miles.

Hopefully things will be back to normal soon. But for now, I can at least be glad I got a short run in this week.

Sucking wind (or Why I should not let so much time lapse between runs)

I last ran on Saturday the 9th, in the Race for Pace, clocking in around 27 minutes AND beating a sixth grader on the cross-country team, in case you forgot!

The weather was crappy several days last week, and the one day that it was nice, I was just not feeling it, so I walked for about 20 minutes instead. Today, however, I knew I had slacked off long enough, so I set out for my usual run.

Of course the beginning hill was awful. I was panting like a dog in the summer and cursing myself for letting nine days go by since I last ran. But I soldiered on, and even forced myself to pick up some speed as I started the final uphill near the end of the first mile. I was not about to let the half dozen guys paving the road think that I was out of shape!

I finished the first mile in just under 10 minutes, so I can't be disappointed. The second mile I ended up in about 8:15, so also a pretty good pace. I ran at a more leisurely pace for most of the third mile, speeding up for the last two minutes of my run.

All in all, despite my feeling out of shape at the beginning, I have to call it a good run. I managed to get in about three miles, in about 28 minutes. But the important thing is I actually ran.

On a funny note, as I was waiting in my car after school (about 15 minutes after I had finished my run), one of the teachers asked me if I had gone tanning, as my face looked "different." Yeah, no hiding when I exercise; even if I have stopped sweating, the red face remains for quite some time. :-)

Race for Pace

I ran in the Race for Pace this morning. I decided since this was, in all likelihood, going to be my last race of the year, I should "leave nothing on the field" as Hines Ward says. So from the get-go, particularly since the beginning has a slight downhill, I started off at a pretty nice pace. Within the first minute and a half or two, I ran up to one of the seventh graders that I sub. I think he runs (or at least ran) cross-country, and I did notice he started the race at the front of the pack, something that "good" runners tend to do. When I reached him, I asked what his pace was, thinking if it was around 9 minutes, maybe I could run with him. He told me he had no idea, and I realized that I was slowing down a little to talk to him, so I left him in the dust, never to see him again until after the race.

So how was the race? The course has some up and down hills, nothing as steep as what I normally run, as well as some flat sections. I did my best to pick up speed any time I went down a hill, which helped with my timing. The unfortunate thing was there was no one shouting out times or mile markers, at least not when I ran by, so I had no idea how far I had run at any point during the race.

During the last just over 1/2 mile (or thereabouts), a woman behind was saying to her running buddy that they needed to pick up the pace going up this last hill. Personally, I was really struggling, having given it pretty much my all so far, but when I heard her say, "We run 10-minute miles normally; we run 9-minute miles for races," it seemed as if she was talking to me. So I decided to push it as much as I could, which was not easy. I also looked at my cell phone stopwatch at that point and was both surprised and excited to see I had been running for just over 21 minutes. Even though there was a good crowd at this race, I started to believe I could finish it way under 30 minutes and maybe even place.

I gave it pretty much all I had as turned the corner into the long driveway to the school, and I crossed the finish line at what I remembered as 26 minutes. Unfortunately, as I later discovered, I actually crossed the time clock at 27 minutes; no idea why I remembered it as 26.

I ended up finishing in 5th place in my age group out of 15 and 138/300, at a time of 27:01. For comparison's sake, when I ran this race in 2002, I finished 1st in my age group out of 8 and 75/195 at a time of 26:20. I am pretty happy considering I am eight years older than when I last ran this race, I had to run with an extra 100-plus people, and I ran only once this week, on Monday, and no times last week thanks to being sick.

Do you hear that sound? It is I, giving myself a high five and a pat on the back.

Oh, I got there!

Thanks to a late start, I had barely over 20 minutes to get in my run on Monday. So while doing my two-minute warm-up walk, I debated if I should try running the two miles, since that would not leave me much time after to stretch. Once I started running up the killer hill, however, I decided to really push myself, figuring if I was ever going to do that first, tough mile in under 10 minutes, this would be a good time to try.

I was panting pretty hard during this mile (though to be fair, the long, black yoga pants I wore on this warm sunny afternoon did not help), hard enough that I was thinking I had a pretty good chance of reaching the top of the hill before the stopwatch (i.e., my phone)  reached 10 minutes. As I hit the top of the hill, I thought I pressed the "lap" button on my stopwatch. But when I looked at it as I started down the hill, I realized I must not have. So even though the time read 9:55, I might have actually finished that first mile in about 9:53 or maybe even 9:50.

Woo-hoo!

But I don't plan on doing that too often...

Running through the pain

When I first starting running again, I would often write about various pains I felt. At one point, they seemed to be far and few between. Today, however, it occurred to me that I probably almost always have some pain, somewhere, when I run, but I just push through it and tend not to notice it so much. Hey, if professional athletes can sprain an ankle or injure a knee and get back out there sometimes during that same game, then I can't let a little pain stop me, right?

This morning it was about 55 degrees when I ran. I was kind of cold in my shorts and t-shirt, which was the opposite of how I felt when I ran in long yoga pants Monday afternoon when it was in the mid 70s. I can never seem to dress right. And right after I felt the chill in the air, I noticed my ankle hurt. I was pretty much willing it and myself to keep going, and eventually, the pain lessened. Or maybe I was too busy being chilly.

By the end of the run, I hardly felt my ankle pain, and a leg pain I had felt in the middle of the run also went away. At that point, I was glad I was in shorts and a t-shirt and happy to have run a good distance. I ended up running about 4.8 miles, my longest since 2002, in about 47 minutes.

It is also worth noting that when I ran my "regular" route on Monday afternoon, I finished the first, tough uphill mile in just over 10 minutes, which was my best to date, even if only by a few seconds. I am still searching for that elusive sub-10-minute first mile.

I will get there.

A pretty good workout week

I started my Labor Day with a run around Indiana County (particularly, my mom's neighborhood). I added an extra street or two, so I ended up running around 3.3 or 3.4 miles (my best guess, based on my time, which was around 35 minutes) at a fairly easy pace. I really like that run. The hills don't seem awful.

Wednesday, I ran around my neighborhood, visiting streets I had not been on since 2002, when we bought our house. One of the hills was an absolute killer, but it felt good to complete it, even slowly. I am guessing I ran about 4.5 miles, again based on my time, which was around 45 minutes. Mostly I am glad that no one ran me over; a couple of times cars came pretty close, which I found surprising since I was running up the street (barely a hill) for quite some time. It was not as if I were darting across the street out of nowhere. This is why I no longer run while listening to music.

Today, I ran up and down the steps near my kid's school 20 times, with a break halfway between. I did that in about 17:30, but not sure how that compares to previous attempts. I did not feel as if I was running (well, jogging) as fast as I normally do, but I blame that on yesterday's run. When I completed the steps, I ran around the upper lot for about 12 minutes, ending with a sprint for the last 30 seconds. I hope that I did not correctly count my bpm; if so, when I finished my sprint, I was at 200, which might have put me close to a heart attack. But within a couple of minutes, I was down around 100, so I am guessing not.

Tomorrow, I will be subbing for the gym teacher, so I should get some jogging in during the kids' warm ups. All in all, I call this a good week. I feel (and felt) pretty good overall and I "mixed" it up a little.

My longest run since, well, a long time

Yesterday, I ran (well, mostly jogged) up and jogged (perhaps closer to a fast walk) down the 65 steps in the school lot about 22 times. I felt it during and after, but just not enough to give myself a day off today. With that in mind, this morning I decided to try a longer run, without pushing myself speed-wise.

I did not time my first (usual) mile, though it was probably around 11 minutes. The middle part of my run was on Greensburg Pike, which I used to run on when I lived in the Forest Hills/Chalfant area. I sped up a little during that part because I noticed two senior citizens running at about the same pace as I was; there was just no way I was going to let grandma and grandpa outpace me! Fortunately, there are no killer hills on that road, just some smaller up- and downhills, and I ended up running that leg of the journey in under 25 minutes. I tried to take a slight advantage of the last, mostly downhill mile (I again passed the grandparents), though that mile still took me about nine minutes to complete.

I ended up finishing the run in 45 minutes, give or take a minute. When I measured the jaunt, I was happy to see I ran almost 4.5 miles. I am guessing the last time I ran that far was during the Great Race in 2002 (I actually ran 6.2 miles, since I ran the 10k).

The thing about running races, at least for me, but I bet for most people, is you don't really need to run that distance on a regular basis. If you can run close to it without taxing yourself too much, then you will probably be fine to run farther. This entire summer, I ran 3 miles only twice, and yet I managed to run the 3.1 5k on Saturday just fine.

Anyway, I felt pretty good at the end of today's run, confident I can run even farther next time. So much so, that if I were going to be in town on September 26, I would so be running the Great Race (at a very slow pace, mind you). I guess I will just have to try to get in some more longer runs, for my own satisfaction.

Another run around the track

Although I can now run my usual route near my kid's school, there was no way I was going to do it today when it was 90 degrees (or the next two days for that matter). So I decided to run in the morning instead, around the local track.

I ran the first three laps at about two minutes each, pushing myself because I had no hills to contend with. Unfortunately, during the fourth and final lap of my first mile, I could not keep up the pace, so I ended up finishing the mile in about 8:10 or 8:15. I guess I should be happy considering I typically run my second mile in my usual route (the one with the big downhill at the beginning and the end) at around 8:30. But I tend to focus more on what I can't do, or at least what I end up not doing well.

I spent the next a little over two miles alternating between sprinting (for me, anyway) and jogging about 110 yards each (the sprints were probably a little farther). I tended to do each one between 19 and 22 seconds. After the first few intervals, I generally felt overworked and tired during the sprints. Even though I did not seem to be running fast (and my form was surely not pretty), I could not muster up the stamina to run any faster. Yet when I did my recovery jog, I typically felt okay at the end. If I had jogged a greater distance in between each sprint, I might have done better overall. Who knows.

Regardless, I am glad I "mixed it up"; when you do the same thing over and over, your body gets used to it. Plus I recently read that a good way to increase your speed is to throw in some sprints. Tomorrow I hope to get a regular run in, though maybe for only two miles. If not, then I will plan to get in good run on Thursday. I gotsta have goals!

I ran around the square!

It took me almost four years to run in a 5k race (and about 11 months since I started running again), but I finally did it. Yeah, me!

Here are my thoughts:

• I was pretty nervous last night, and I did not sleep well as a result.
• When I arrived in Regent Square this morning, I had a lot of trouble finding a parking space. In 2002, there were 865 runners. This year, there were almost 1,600 runners plus 372 runners who ran the 1.5-mile race (which did not exist in '02). Quite a difference.
• When I walked from my car to the start (a few blocks), my ankle hurt. Fortunately, that went away.
• It was a beautiful day for a race. Probably around 60 degrees with low humidity when it started.
• It was weird not to have someone to start off a race with; when I used to run 5Ks, I almost always had my friend Zuri and/or MBB to begin a race with.
• For the first time in a race, I waited until almost everyone else had started running before I crossed the starting line, which took almost three minutes. Back in the day, I would try to stand/start with the eight-mile pace crowd.
• I liked waiting around to start (well, except that it meant I had to dodge the walkers). Less pressure and fanfare.
• Along with a smile, I am pretty sure I got a tear in my eye as I began the race. It felt good to be doing this again.
• I was glad to see the people cheering, singing, playing instruments (love me some steel drums), and passing out beer and champagne along the way. Great motivators.
• I actually took advantage of the downhills, more so at the end.
• Having run this 5k only once and eight years ago at that, I had forgotten how the course went, so I really could not "plan" for my best pacing.
• Now having just run it, I can say it was probably a good layout--you start off mostly flat and slightly downhill, then you move to a tough mile 2, which is mostly uphill. The last approximately half mile is downhill, which gives you a chance to kick it in.
• I am so glad I did not trip; between the cobblestone in the first mile and the rocky trail for another 1.5 miles, I came close at least once.
• A few times during the second mile, I contemplated running very slowly. In fact, at one point the thought of walking crossed my mind; the uphill climb, although not steep, seemed never-ending. But I just went with a slower-than-usual pace to get through it.
• And that meant I had the energy to pretty much sprint down the final hill.
• When I finished the race, I had a smile on my face (and, I am pretty sure, another tear in my eye).

The most notable thing about this race compared to what I remember from previous ones was that I did not push myself super hard. As I mentioned in another post, I used to be very competitive, so I would give it my absolute all, more so than a regular run. But this time, as evidenced by my waiting so long to start and taking it easy up the hills, I just wanted to prove to myself I could do it and do it with a little grace.

Yes, in the back of my mind, I wanted to finish in about 30 minutes. But last week, when I realized I finished the Run in 28:14 when I was in the best running shape of my life eight years ago, I was pretty sure 30 minutes was not going to happen, and I was just going to have to be okay with that.

Ultimately, I finished it in 30:08. I am really proud of myself, though, honestly the tiniest bit disappointed that I did not finish in under 30 when I clearly could have. Because I ran no harder than I do when I run regularly (and probably even less hard), I could have sprinted another quarter of a mile for sure at the end. Had I known where the finish line was, I would have run even harder/faster those last few tenths.

But the good news is that because I did well and yet did not quite achieve that under-30 time, I want to run in another 5k to prove to myself I can do.

Oh, I plan on it.

Last run before the race

Today I ran my two-mile route at my kid's school just before pickup. School is back in session, which means so is, hopefully, more regular running for me. I had really wanted to get a three-mile run in, but I played tag and raced with my kid off and on for over an hour yesterday, so I did not want to push myself too much today. That and I could not get this vision out of my head: Running my old route and falling or getting an awful cramp, rendering me unable to make it back to my car in time. As a result, my kid is left waiting for me in the parking lot, wondering why my car is there, but not I. Actually, she would not be wondering; she has expressed this very fear to me sometime. :-(

I think the run went well. I did my first mile is 10:07, which might be my best time for that not-so-fun mile (wish I had recorded my times more often). I did my second (easier) mile in 8:26, which is probably also my best second mile (I made sure I took advantage of the downhill today, fear be damned!). I did end the run with a couple trips up the 66 steps, but I felt an odd pain in my upper thigh, so put the kibosh on that pretty quickly.

Am I ready for Saturday's race? Not really. But all that I can do is give it my best and hope that I find a nice balance between pushing myself more than when I usually run and not overdoing it so I end up having to jog slowly or (gasp!) walk at some point.

Wish my luck! I will need it.

In conclusion, hills, heat/humidty are evil!

This morning I ran around Indiana, Indiana County again. I ran the same route I did three weeks ago, but I threw in another .3 miles for good measure. Well, that and because the Run Around the Square 5K (3.1 miles) is only four days away. Ugh!

When I started my run today, the wind was in my face and it was quite breezy. The last time I ran in temps that were around 60 degrees, it was probably May. I actually felt a little chilly. Not that I am complaining.

This run felt pretty good. Sure, as usual, it was a struggle anytime I ran up a hill. But actually my bigger concern is that I don't take advantage of the downhills. I guess the speed scares me, so I tend to run kind of slowly. I was thinking about how I need to channel the competitive edge I used to have/feel when I was running regularly years ago. Hopefully, I can do that on Saturday, assuming there are some downhills.

When my run ended today, in stark contrast to last week, I felt pretty good, even though I was pushing myself at the end (mostly because I had been feeling like a running slacker for most of the run). Of course, it makes all the difference in the world when you end your run on a flat street. Still, I was kind of surprised that when I checked my heart rate as I was finishing up today, it was only around 140 bpm. Contrast that with the end of my uphill run last week, when my heart rate was at a very high 180 bpm (which is pretty much my maximum).

I probably should have run a little farther today than the 2.9 miles I did, considering the (usual) lack of struggle I felt. Yeah, low temps and flat ending. Regardless, hopefully I can get an over 3-mile run in on Thursday, but that will be it before the race. Almost there.

Slightly better run

Knowing that the Run Around the Square is just nine days away meant I had to get out and run again this week. This morning I ran the same route I did on Sunday, and fortunately it went a little better. I finished the around 2.7 jaunt in just under 27 minutes, shaving over a minute off my time from four days ago. As I was coming up the last hill, I looked at the stopwatch on my phone and saw that I was almost at 26 minutes, so that gave me the motivation to push myself. I just hope I can find that same drive next weekend.

I also wish I remembered the course for the Run Around the Square. According the race packet, the first 1/2 mile is through Regent Square's streets, which are pretty flat, and the second 2 1/2 miles are through Frick Park's cross-country trails. Honestly, the only trail part I remember from 2002 was when someone handed out shots of beer or champagne (people along the Great Race also hand out one or both of those beverages). I thought that was so cool, so I grabbed one. Not sure if I will be so eager this time, eight years older and all...

Regardless, it might be a good idea to run on some type of trail before the race. Not sure where; I just don't know Frick Park that well to feel comfortable enough to run around there alone. The few times I have walked there with my kid, we do so for no more than 15 minutes one way; I am always afraid the trail will end up being five miles long, and she will get tired.

Hopefully, I will feel motivated enough to run Saturday morning. I want to get in two more runs before the race; three would be ideal for me, but probably not realistic.

Almost there.

Cleary I am not ready to Run Around the Square

After almost two weeks off, this morning I ran my new route around my neighborhood. I was pretty sure if I had a knife, I could have cut the humidity with it (it was over 90 percent), which made the run quite challenging.

When I run, I get very sweaty. On top of that, I breathe pretty heavily too. I kept thinking about those two things since I finally signed up for a 5k; can't wait for everyone to see and hear scary-looking me!

But really I am much more concerned about how I will do in the race, the Regent Run Around the Square, which is now less than two weeks away (yes, I finally signed up for a 5k!). I know I am not as prepared as I need to be. I really should be running twice a week, and today marked 13 days since my last run. I could "train" like this at 34, but at 38, I am not so sure.

After a few months of running during the school year, I decided I wanted to run a 5k in the spring, and my goal time was under 30 minutes. But since I have not been running as I had been, I think I am going to have to shoot for a more realistic 32 minutes. (Today, I finished my just over 2.6-mile run in 28 minutes exactly.) And that bums me out. I know it is just a number, and the way I felt today, my goal should probably be to finish the race without walking, but I have to aim higher.

For the record, when I ran the Run Around the Square in 2002, I finished in 28:14, and that was when I was in great shape. Yeah, I might just have to hope for 35 minutes...

Running two counties away

Yesterday, I ran in Indiana, Indiana County. The last time I ran in this area was 1996 at the latest, which was when I moved from there to the Burgh.

Indiana County is where it all started for me. I ran laps in gym class there. At track practice, I ran around the track that circled the football field. I ran around my neighborhood for evening and the occasional morning runs. I ran my first few 5k races there, the Torrance Run for Mental Health and the Blairsville Blast.

But last evening I also ran with a running partner, my 24-year old cousin, Annie. The last time I ran with someone was probably at the beginning of the Great Race in 2002. But when you are running over six miles, it is nearly impossible to keep pace with the same person, so I am guessing I was flying solo within the first two miles.

Fortunately, Annie and I managed to run the entire 2.6 miles together, though I did have to ask her to slow down just a bit after the first couple of minutes. I do have about 14.5 years on her, and she typically runs most every day. Plus, as has been chronicled here, I have not been keeping up with my running over the summer, just as I feared.

We ended up completing the 2.6 miles in about 26 minutes. I probably could have gone farther, but since I had just run two days earlier and this run was hilly, I call it a success. Even better, considering before we knew exactly how far we had run, I feared it was only about two miles.

I am thiscloseto signing up for the Regent Run Around the Square. I think I have almost two weeks to sign up for the early bird registration. Here is hoping I will just do it.

Running around an indoor track

Over the weekend, I took my daughter to a birthday party at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford. While she was playing games, I ran around the track. At the club, 10 laps equal one mile, versus only 4 laps on the local outdoor track; yet I actually found this run to be less boring than on the outdoor track. Being around others has always been a good motivator for me; I don't want people to think I am slow or out of shape, so I am sure that helped keep me going. Running in the AC certainly did not hurt!

A big downside of a short track, at least for me, is I have trouble keeping track of how many laps I have run. I am pretty sure I ran only 8, not 10, when I thought I had completed my first mile. I just don't see how I could have run a mile in just over six minutes, even though I was running at a pretty decent pace, obviously without any hills. But when I correctly counted laps later, the about eight minutes seemed much more accurate, if not disappointing.

I ended up running about three miles (maybe two laps shy). I threw in a fast lap a couple of times as well as a few slower ones for good measure. It was a nice change of pace, and, more importantly, it was good to get another run in just over a week after my last one.

A 7 a.m. run

For the first time in about forever, I ran at just after 7 a.m. I was playing airport taxi this morning, and I could not see myself going back to bed at around 7 a.m. when I got home. Plus, most importantly, I was way overdue for a run.

I ran the same route I did almost three weeks, but it went decidedly better this time. I finished the about 2.6 mile run in just under 28 minutes, which was a little faster than I did last time, and I felt better overall. In fact, I started out at pretty nice pace, unlike how I ran right out of the gate last time. And I did not have to walk at the end, even though I was hating that uphill ending. It was also less humid, and it was probably just under 70 degrees, which are pretty good conditions for a late July run.

I still am unsure when I will run that elusive 5k. I have a couple in mind, one in August and one in September, but I am not sure that I have trained enough for either. But if I can step it up a bit, I may be okay.

The first couple minutes are the most difficult

For the first time since probably 2002, I ran around my neighborhood, which is actually hillier than my normal route near my kid's school. Unlike that route, this run started off pretty flat. And, yet, from the get-go, I still felt as if I was not going to be able to run more than a few minutes.

I blame the heat, mostly. It was a hot 75 degrees at just after 10 this morning. Although it did not feel super humid, the sun was beating down. But I think age has something to do with the challenge. When I was training to run the Steelers 5k in 2006, I ran once a week for about six weeks. That was all I needed to do, at age 34 1/2, to get ready for that race. I don't recall feeling a drop off from week to week, and I did just fine in that race, finishing in just under 30 minutes.

But now that I am four years older, each run seems a little challenging. To be fair, I did not run at all last week, so I probably lost a little fitness. Although the bench stepping was quite difficult and a pretty good workout, it was not the same as running for at least 30 minutes non stop up and down hills.

To my credit, I do keep going. Since I started running again about 10 months ago, I have never stopped, at least not that I recall, without running at least two miles. Today, I ended up stopping at probably a little more than that, because the hill was just too much for me. So twice up that hill, I walked for at least 30 seconds. Sometime this week, I will drive the route I ran to see how much distance I covered. I am guessing about 2.5 miles. Since it took me almost 30 minutes, I will be pretty disappointed if it is not at least that, though I do have to consider the minute-plus of walking plus bigger, longer hills.

I guess I just need to keep at it.

Jumping on a bench

Today marked eight days since I last ran or even really exercised. I can't exactly count doing some sort of tricep dips in our little blow-up pool; and walking around the zoo this weekend, although a bit of a distance, was not really strenuous.

So while I was at the park with my kid, I decided to take advantage of the benches there by stepping up on that wooden thing many times. For each set, I stepped up/on the bench 40 times (20 times per each leg getting a turn to "lead"). My ballpark estimate is that I did this at least a dozen times and as many as 20. I would take a break in between each set, for as little as two minutes and as much as 10 or more (there was an minor accident which I was mildly interested in). But I did do this over an hour to an hour and a half period.

I was disappointed that my legs did not shake the way they did when I ran the 65 steps at my kid's school, and I could not go as fast as I did then either, but the bench was quite a bit higher than regular steps and my heart rate was definitely up each time I did a set.

When I was done, I wanted to run around the park, but I really was not dressed for it. Plus, it was odd enough to do what I was doing in front of several families. At least I was setting a good example by exercising, and I was able to keep an eye on my kid the entire time.

But I miss running...

Running around the track

Today, I finally took advantage of the school taxes I have been paying all these years and ran around the high school track. I had forgotten just how boring running around (and around) an oval can be. Better than the track at the gym (something like 12 or 14 laps for one mile), for sure, but completing 12 revolutions to run three miles is a lot more challenging than I had remembered.

Who would have thought I would miss the hills on my normal run? But I did, because they not only make the run interesting, but they also provide the ebb and flow; just when it gets really tough, you have a downhill to help you out. Despite the high humidity (a recurring theme), because of the absence of hills, I felt as if I was cheating. Or, at the very least, not doing a regular run.

When I had completed my three miles, which also included two 110 yard (or is it meters) sprints, I considered running the bleachers. I was tired, but my thighs were not begging for mercy, a sure sign of a good run (with hills).

In the end, I think it was good to try the track. I am sure my body appreciated the softer surface, and it did provide a change of venue. I am not eager to do it again soon, but I do plan to come back. Who knows? Maybe I will try a barefoot run next time.

Finally back out there

Just as I suspected would happen, the first week my kid is out of school meant no running for me. I had hopes of running with my brother while visiting him in NC late this week and through the weekend, but time and the ridiculously hot (96 degrees!) weather conspired against us.

Fortunately, I managed to get a run in yesterday. Even better for me, a creature of habit, it was the same running route I normally take, thanks to sending my kid to vacation Bible school at her school. I ran just over two miles, which was less than I would have liked, but I did end the session by running up the 65 steps between lots five times, so I am pretty satisfied. Since it was before noon, it was not as hot as it was when I ran eight days earlier, but the humidity was still up. Up so much that it rained ever so slightly near the end of my run. I would have been happy for something a little stronger/harder.

Glad I was able to get that run in. Not sure when I will run next. I hope soon. I really miss it!

End of the season run

Today was my kid's last day of school for the year, which also makes it my last day of running my regular route.   :-(

But I am happy to report I ended the "season" on a high note. I am guessing I ran a little over four miles; since my run took about 40 minutes and I tend to average about a nine-minute mile, that seems about right.

I felt pretty good throughout the run. I don't remember my knee hurting at all, and perhaps my running backwards down a couple of the steeper hills helped. Of course, I was hot and very sweaty with the high humidity again, but I did not feel awful as I did when I ran earlier this week. Could it be that I am getting used to it?!

The timing of my run probably was a factor. I typically run around 2 p.m., or just before, but because today was a half-day for the kids and I was already at school, I began my run at just after 10 a.m., with about two bites of a pop-tart and a generous-sized mocha in my belly. Not ideal, but it is what it is.

I am glad that I had a pretty productive week of exercise, definitely one of my best this entire school. I really think running steps in between regular runs gave me an edge. And as crazy as it sounds (at least to me), my thighs seem toner today than they did earlier this week.

I am such a creature of habit, and now I won't have my running route/routine. I really should have run a 5k race by now. But, alas, I did not, so I just have to hope I can get a run in around my very hilly neighborhood when I can. Maybe I will try the local track. We'll see.

Fingers crossed.

Maybe it takes weeks.

After yesterday's lackluster run, thanks to the weather, I decided to run up (and jog down) the 65 steps between the upper and lower parking lots near the school. And just like yesterday, it was tough from the get-go.

I decided to run up 10 times before stopping for about 10 or 15 seconds to suck down some water. I made 5 more trips before another brief water break, and then watered myself again after 4 more runs. I managed to run my last set of steps at a pretty good speed, though I was hurting, so incredibly hot. I was partly buoyed by the older gentleman I passed on trip number 19 who said, "That is great for your leg muscles." To which I replied, "Not so much if I have a heart attack."

Afterwards, I walked around for about four or five minutes, as I typically do to cool down after a run. But for the first time in a long time, my legs were actually shaking. Not sure if it was because I really pushed myself, because the heat and humidity were high again, or a combination. I just know it was not a good feeling, and over an hour later, while at the park, I felt kind of crappy.

As I said yesterday, I have no idea how people who live in high humidity/temp areas run outside. I just know my body is pretty far from adjusting.

Worst. Run. Ever.

Okay, I have certainly had a lot less successful runs, but today's run, in 80-degree temps and high humidity, was surely the most challenging and unpleasant one I had since I started running again this past fall. I considered walking after a mile, but forced myself to get in just over two miles, as much as it pained me. I started panting about 10 seconds into the run (up the hill, of course) and did not stop my labored breathing until the bitter end.

I ran only one day last week, on Monday, so I am sure the eight-day hiatus from strenuous exercise did not help. But regardless, I just could not help wondering how people in the South, particularly in areas with high humidity, run outside. I felt ill for most of the run, almost as if I were going to be sick.

Because I am disappointed with my results today, I am going to try again tomorrow, breaking my rule of not running on consecutive days. But considering tomorrow is going to be a little hotter than today, I might just end up struggling through running the steps a bunch of times. I really don't want to feel that awful feeling two days in a row.

Is it too much to have July weather in July only?!

Finally a long run

Last week, I managed only one (three-mile) run, plus about 10 minutes of running steps. Not a good week when you consider I spent most of the ensuing weekend eating, thanks to one aunt in town visiting and the birthday weekend of another aunt.

Yesterday, having an hour to kill, I decided to try a long run. I managed to go for about 40 minutes. I am pretty sure I could have run another 10 minutes, but since I ended my run by going up a hill (which is how I normally start), I decided to call it a good run at that. On top of my usual route, this run mostly consisted of running up and down side streets. I ended up running backwards down a couple of streets, which is something I had not done since I was 30. Fortunately, eight years later, I was still able to do this without taking a tumble, and my knees were grateful for the break. My calfs were probably not as happy for the workout, but I needed it.

While on Facebook a few weeks ago, I was debating whether or not to run. A friend suggested I run three miles and see how it feels, and if that worked out, she said to keep going. I had to tell her that three miles is a good run for me; a test run is more like five minutes. But after yesterday's run, which, admittedly, was kind of slow thanks to all the hills, I'd like to think I can push myself into longer runs.

I will never do a marathon or even a half-marathon, but I am determined to keep going, keep improving, and just to try to be in the best possible shape I can.

Day 2 of new shoes

I took the new shoes for a spin last Thursday. The first few strides were like walking on clouds. Ah. So amazing that I am pretty sure I was actually smiling up the hill. Unfortunately, the next gazillion steps I took were rather painful. In retrospect, I probably should not have done a three-mile run my first time out in new shoes. But looking on the bright side, the pain in my feet pretty much eclipsed the usual pain in my knees, so there is that!

Fortunately, today's run was better. My feet hardly hurt at all, and my knees were relatively pain-free. Of course, I was more focused on my usual struggles on the hills and the sun beating down my face. But I did manage another three-mile run, so yeah me!

I really need to run a 5k soon. I am quite sure I won't be able to handle the summer heat, so my running days are probably numbered. Plus, I am such a creature of habit that I don't know if I will be able to run anywhere else other than the streets by my kid's school, which will be letting out for the year in exactly one month.

Better get moving.

New shoes

Nike has always been my running shoe of choice. I went with New Balance one year because I noticed the winning team in the Steelers 5k all ran in New Balance, so I promptly went out and bought a pair. Of course, most companies/manufacturers make dozens upon dozens of running shoes, ranging in price from about $30 to over $200 (though most fall in the $50 to $100 price range), so buying by brand does not necessarily guarantee you a good shoe.

Yesterday, I decided to check out Kohl's "lowest prices of the season" sale for running shoes. I typically go by looks, then price. After not finding some Nike's I liked in my size, I came upon an Asics shoe, the Gel Enduro 5. The price was right (just over $33 on sale, from $65), and I liked the gray and fuchsia coloring. But what sold me on this shoe was the feeling. The shoes were so cushiony that everything I tried on after paled in comparison. I was talking to a woman who had recently started running and told her about the shoe. She too was a Nike person, but after trying on the Asics, she went with the same pair.

I am not entirely sure if I am ready to break out the shoes yet. Most running experts recommend replacing shoes every 250 to 500 miles, depending on your weight, running style, and running surface. Assuming I have run about 5 miles a week most weeks since September, I should have logged less than 200 miles. But I also wear my shoes most days while doing errands and taking walks once or twice a week. And I do run outside and probably pretty hard while going downhill.

I will let you know how they turn out. In the meantime, I am happy to report that on Tuesday, I managed to get my first mile down to 10 minutes. My second (easier) mile was about 10:25, so not as much progress there.

Almost famous

I follow and frequently check out Pittsburgh Mom. Recently, the owner of the site asked people, via Facebook, to complete this sentence, "I run because..."

I immediately posted a comment back saying, "I can." The site owner then emailed me and asked if I would take a picture of myself holding a sign with that statement; she was launching a new site dedicated to mothers who run, I Run Like a Mother, and was compiling pics of mothers holding various signs proclaiming their reasons for running. So I had hubby snap a pic, she (or someone else) created a video, and the rest is history.

Check me out at about 19 seconds in (that is the pic above). And check out the site too.

I really have to hope my knees hold up now!

Step off!

Yesterday, I had an unexpected hour to wait at my kid's school before dismissal. I did not have my running clothes since I thought I was going to be doing something else, but I did have my running shoes. What's a girl to do? Well, when you wear baggy clothes, you can run up steps!

There are 64 steps between the middle and upper lots, plus two small landings. I ran up those bad boys about a dozen times; I lost count after about eight or nine trips.

When you lack grace and have limited coordination, running up steps is no easy task. I would pretty much sprint up the first few steps, but then I would look ahead and see the shadows lying across most of the steps and scare myself into thinking I was going to trip. As a result, I ended up jogging at times. It also did not help that my size 10 shoes seemed almost too long for the depth of the steps. More than once, I pictured myself taking a tumble backwards down several dozen steps.

In the end, it was a good workout, something different, and best of all, I stayed upright the entire time (it helped that I walked down the steps; no use pressing my luck). Unfortunately, I did not stretch when I was done, so my thighs are really feeling it this morning. But I like to think my muscles will eventually thank me for mixing it up!

Finally hit three miles

Or at least I came close, anyway.

I had a lot of time to kill yesterday, and time is often my biggest enemy when it comes to running. I tend to have about 30 minutes or so to get my run in, including a couple of minutes of walking (cooling down) and stretching, so I usually have to settle for about two miles. Yesterday I had about 1.5 hours, so I figured I should try for three miles.

I skipped most of the big hill at the beginning, but I pretty much made up for it by running up and down four other, smaller side streets. I passed some guy on the way up and back, a guy who "looked" like a runner. He had the shiny running shorts and matching shirt (or maybe it was a body suit). His form, like most runners, was better than mine. But I was just happy I was able to keep going, to run as long as I did. After I cooled down and stretched for a few minutes, I also took a brisk walk to a coffee shop, for another 15 minutes.

Last week I tweaked my knee. I was walking in the woods and my foot hit a tree root kind of funny. The pain was intense, though it fortunately subsided after a few minutes. However, I was very uncomfortable sleeping that night. I did not run the next four days, just to be safe. I was really worried that I might have to give up running and my goal of a 5k this year, but assuming I can keep going and keep my pain to a minimum, I am still hoping to run that 5k at some point.

Time will tell.

Not a fan of July in April

Because more than a week had gone by since my last run (thanks to my kid being off school), and because I have been eating a plethora of Easter candy the past few days, I knew I had to brave the 83-degree heat yesterday and get out and run.

It was most difficult. I pretty much panted the entire time. I managed to run my first mile in just a little more than my usual time (which is around 10:30), which made me pretty happy. But the second, normally easy, mile was anything but. I was so whopped by the heat, I struggled to complete the mile in just over 9 minutes. I was so glad when that run was done, I was practically singing. Or I would have been had I had much breath left.

The good thing is thanks to the heat, I did not notice the pain in my knee. Helps to look on the bright side.

I am definitely looking forward to cooling temps. I will take 30 degrees over 80, at least when it comes to running, any day.

I must think it is still winter

Twice, maybe three or four times, in the past few weeks, I have run in clothes that are better suited for temps that are 10 to 20 degrees cooler. Who in their right mind would run in a long-sleeved t-shirt when it is almost 70 degrees? Yep, that would be I. The black polyester pants that work well in 50-degree temps also were making me rue the day that I wore them (which was yesterday).

But it is more than just the recent memory of two feet of snow that keeps me pretty well covered. I am just not a fan of shorts. Particularly ones that I can run in. I like my legs just fine. When they are covered up. Hopefully I can get over that soon.

But this is Pittsburgh, so we should be fully prepared for several dozen more 40-degree days. Then those polyester pants and long sleeves won't be so bad.

Hill avoidance

A couple of days I go, I was beset by a cough, only a day after I made the comment that I had been healthy for such a long time. Figures. This cough presented a dilemma, thanks to the beautiful weather yesterday. But sunshine and wanting to keep alive my two-days-per-week runs won out.

Not wanting my lungs to give out at the beginning of the run, I decided to walk up the killer hill. Turns out, that was a good plan. I still had to contend with a (less daunting) hill at the end of mile one, but I made it through the entire run with nary a cough and lungs still intact. And it was nice, for once, not to be huffing and puffing so soon into my run. For the record, that hill is a challenge even when you briskly walk it.

This afternoon, I plan to take a leisurely walk, including my favorite hill and knowing I got in my runs for the week. Go me.

Stinkin' knee

Maybe the asphalt is catching up to me. My right knee has been hurting quite a bit the last week or so, mostly just when I walk up steps.

For almost two years, back at the beginning of this century, I worked out a lot. Most days, I spent about two hours in the gym between cardio and weight-lifting. I was in great shape. I had low body fat. But my knees started to hurt at some point. Back in August of 2001, I finally made an appointment to see a physical therapist. My first appointment was scheduled a day or two after 9/11. I never went.

Eventually the pain mostly went away. I am sure it helped that I stopped running in 2002, other than that brief period in 2006, which was spent mostly on a treadmill. However, I do recall my knee starting to really bother me late last winter. I remember walking up the 44 steps to the office and deciding that I was going to have to take the stairs. I was laid off that week, so that dilemma was solved!

I really don't want to give up running. I do it only twice a week and for not much more than two miles. But I also don't want to ruin my knee.

I am going to try to tough it out for at least another month or two, so I can get a 5k in.

Wish me luck.

The tale of two miles

On Monday, I finally managed to successfully time each mile of my two-mile run.

Mile one: 10:24
Mile two: 8:36

I consider that a pretty stark contrast, though I am not too surprised considering the first mile has the killer hill at the beginning and then another, longer, though not as steep, hill at the end. I also pushed myself harder on the way back/down, just knowing it took me over 10 minutes to run the first mile.

Based on my 19-minute run, I feel as if I should be able to run a 5k in the next few months, and I may even be able to do it in about 30 minutes. However, because I have run three miles only a couple of time since I started running again this past fall, and I doubt I will run three miles too many times before I actually run a 5k, I will be satisfied finishing a 5k in about 32 or 33 minutes.

Of course, once I get closer to an actual race, I may change my goal. The type of course, naturally, will also affect my time. And this also assumes I don't throw in the towel. I have kept up with running for six months, but I can be fickle about this sort of thing.

Stay tuned.

I love a Monday run

Since I have pretty much decided I will be running only two days per week and not on consecutive days, I always try to run on Mondays. That way I have three other days during the week to get my second run in. I wish I knew if my various pains from last fall were caused by my running on consecutive days or by my running three days in one week. I am too wimpy, at least in winter, to add a third, non-consecutive day to test the theory. I don't want to mess up my groove.

I am happy to report that I ran twice last week, although my second run was for only a mile. I figure one mile is better than 0 miles! Yesterday I got a late start, so I managed about a mile and a half, maybe a little more. As pretty much always, I struggled up the hill, wondering how I would ever make it. It was made worse by knowing a guy I see and say hi to during my runs was right behind me. I could not run slowly and risk his thinking I was out of shape or something, so I was really huffing (as inconspicuously as possible, of course).

The temps were great, just above freezing, and no snow was falling. I did have to work to avoid puddles on the road; could not take the chance there was ice underneath. The only real downside of the run was avoiding getting run over by cars. Unfortunately, the road has not been completely cleared; each side is missing about a foot or more of road due to the snow. I notice drivers glaring at me as I run in the road. I would love to tell them to yell at the people who live on the street who have not shoveled the sidewalks in front of their houses. It would be dangerous and counterproductive for me to keep going back and forth between semi-cleared sidewalks and the road.

Ah, winter.

Finally back in the game

The Burgh saw quite a bit of snow from early to mid February. Fortunately, I got a run in the day before the clouds opened up and dumped almost two feet of snow on the area. Thanks to school cancellations and roads that still remained icy and snow-covered, I was unable to run for two weeks. But yesterday, I got back on the horse.

I managed to run a little over 1.5 miles; I was feeling pretty out of shape the first few minutes, so I did not run the entire length of the street, which is one mile, as I like to. I probably ran over a 10-minute mile (I kind of screwed up the stopwatch feature on my phone, so not completely sure), but considering my layoff, I was fairly satisfied.

My last half mile was punctuated by a steady rain, so not exactly ideal conditions, but what can you do. Be glad that the snow is melting and I can see pavement, which means I can run again!

That ice cream had nothing on me!

Yesterday, I helped serve ice cream (well, more specifically, I spooned sprinkles) at my kid's school. At one point, I helped myself to some of the soft-serve, complete with hot fudge, sprinkles, and whipped cream. And about 40 minutes later I went running.

I used the stop-watch feature on my cell phone, only to accidentally touch a place on the touch-screen phone that I should not have. And, alas, the time on the stop watch went away. But I tried again on the way back, and my second mile clocked in at 8:36. I am pleased with that, though I was running pretty hard (for me) down the hill at the end, doing my best to complete my mile in under nine minutes. For a brief time, I actually thought I was going to do it in under eight minutes, but decided if I pushed myself that hard, I would fall down the hill.

This (more or less) sprint made me think of the time I ran in the Montour Trail 5k (it used to be called the Ikea 5k, FYI). The first mile has a huge downhill at the beginning, and because of that, my first mile came in at 6-something. In fact, I think I had my best-ever time in that race back in 2002, with an impressive (to me) 23:53.

I still want to increase my mileage, but I am happy to end this week's runs with an improved time.

tick, tick, tick

I discovered today that my cell phone, which acts as a watch so I can keep a pretty close gauge of my running time, has a stopwatch. The next time I run, which will hopefully be Thursday or Friday, I plan on using it.

According to the time on my cell phone (before I discovered the stopwatch), it took me about 10 minutes to run up the street and just about nine to run down the same street yesterday. Actually, it was probably a little under nine; I had to stop to tie my shoe as I was practically careening down the ending hill.

I would love to do that two-mile jaunt in 18 minutes; actually, 17 would make me feel really good. But considering it is still cold around here (about 28 at most when I ran on Monday), I am not beating myself up about it too much. Plus, I have to wonder if it is counterproductive that my run always begins up a hill, and a tough one at that. When you start out winded, it is hard to pick up steam.

But I also wonder if I should start increasing my distance, rather than worrying about how long it takes me to run my usual two miles. The fear of biting off more than I can chew keeps me from running any farther. After all, I have had relatively little pain in the last month, and I have not run much more than two miles at a time, most weeks only one time. Last year, I would run close to three miles during some of my runs, and I would often run on consecutive days.

I guess I just hate to mess with a (pretty) good thing.

First running casuality

Yesterday when I ran, I put my keys in my windbreaker, without thinking. A few minutes into the run, I checked to be sure they were still there, as I tend to do several times throughout my run. (What do I think, I would drop my 10 keys without hearing them hit the ground?!) Sure enough, they were there. But then it hit me: they were in the zippered pocket that I had trouble unzipping last week.

I tried not to panic and worked at it a bit while running, then gave up to focus on my run. At the end of my shortened journey, which was punctuated by a rare headache and burning ears thanks to the dropping temps, I went into the church to try to get that blasted zipper open. After a few minutes, I gave up, and asked one of the church ladies to cut my pocket open.

And here I thought I would drop a glove, rip my pants, or break my phone long before I witnessed the death of a zipper.

Not feeling motivated

I had a decent run on Wednesday of this week. I forgot my mp3 player, but that did not seem to affect me too much, other than I felt kind of bored as I ran. I run up and down the same street, which makes me wonder if I should change the blog to "Running up and down the same street." Less catchy title, for sure, but more accurate. Regardless, I am not so bored that I am ready to pick another route; that beginning hill gets me every time, so shouldn't I master that before moving on? And I hate to pick a more flat route, thus taking out some of the challenge.

I should run today, now that I am back on my two-a-week run cycle, or so I thought. I just cannot motivate myself to put on the layers and running gear. And the gray skies are not helping. Unfortunately, I also need to stop at a funeral home after my run/when I pick up my kid, and I feel a little funny walking in with running pants and matted hair. Maybe I will just walk a little today, as I did yesterday. Speaking of boring...

Two this week

I just wanted to get a short post in so I could acknowledge that for the first time in over a month, I managed to get two runs in, in one week. Yesterday's run was close to 2.5 miles, so it was also the farthest I had run in quite some time.

The best thing about yesterday's run was the temps were actually in the 40s, a nice change for January. Running up the hill at the beginning was a little bit less challenging than it was on Wednesday, but still not easy.

The other positive was that my side does not hurt. Unfortunately, when I was done running on Wednesday, and pretty much for the next 24 hours, my left side was aching as it has done off and one since I started running again. I really need to look into this!

Gasping for breath

My most recent runs, prior to today, went well, as noted here. Thirty-eight had nothing on me! Unfortunately, today I found myself struggling as I trekked up the hill. I was not sure I would make the two miles, let alone one. But I refused to quit, so I panted pretty much non-stop. Thankfully, when I was down to my last 1/4 of a mile, "I Gotta Feeling" came on the radio on my mp3 player. Finally! I managed to get some speed going, made easier by the slight downward slope, though I was breathing pretty heavily. I must admit, though, I was glad when the song was over. I could not have kept up that pace, which I am guessing was about 5 to 6 mph. (I am doing my best to remember speed from when I used to run on the treadmill at the gym, quite a few years ago.)

After I did just over two miles, and walked for a minute or two, I decided to sprint for about 10 yards a few times. Well, run fast is a little more accurate. I was disappointed in the first half of my run, so I wanted to go out on a high note, or at least in a way that says I am not over the hall and out of shape.

I am glad the temps were right around 30; as I mentioned before, I loathe to run in temps under the upper 20s. Tomorrow and the next day, temps should be around 40, so I hope to be able to get a second run in this week. We'll see.

Running in a winter wonderland

Today I did what I was not sure I would or could do--I ran in the snow. The temps were better than previous days (around 27 or 28 degrees), and the roads seemed fairly clear, so I decided to brave the lightly falling snow and just go for it.

Overall, it went well. There were a couple of slick spots on the road, but thankfully nothing did me in. I had, for once, the right amount of clothes on--a long-sleeved t-shirt, a thin sweatshirt, a running jacket and a windbreaker, plus some gloves. Once I tied my scarf around my head (which was quite a sight, I am sure), I felt fine.

I did not run my usual just over 2-mile jaunt. I am guessing I instead ran just over 1.5 miles. But that seemed enough considering I last ran almost three weeks ago. Fortunately, no aches or pains, so I call it a success. I cannot say, however, when I will try a snowy run again. I am just not the most coordinated person, so I can see me taking a tumble at some point. But I will at least continue to walk in the snow a few days a week, as I did for 20 minutes this morning as well as yesterday.

Barefoot running?

I read an article in Parade magazine this past weekend about running barefoot. The idea is you come down on your forefeet with your toes spread, bending your ankles and knees to absorb the shock. Apparently shoes lessen the elasticity of your tendons and may cause a hard landing on your bony heels. According to a study, barefoot runners experiences significantly less impact than runners in shoes. Hmm.

Obviously running barefoot outside is impractical this time of year. And I can't help thinking about running over some glass or other sharp objects if you run on the street or sidewalk. But I would be tempted to try this on a track, particularly a cushioned one. After all, during a brief "hippie" stage in college, I did walk around campus barefoot for a couple of weeks, with no ill effects I can recall..

In the meantime, I have to hope the weather here improves. Running in 20-degree weather, sans sun and on snow-covered roads, is not something I really want to do. But considering I last ran on December 16, I need to get back into the game. Walking 10 minutes here and there is not cutting it.