I managed to get a run in today, which means I have fulfilled my "requirement" to run in the Race for Pace this coming Saturday. Still not sure I am going to do it, though. It has been months since I have run three miles, and I am not sure my two-mile timed runs, followed by anywhere from a couple tenths to a half mile of jogging will be adequate preparation.
That notwithstanding, today's run went pretty well.
Mile one: 9:54
Mile two: 8:21
I was pushing pretty hard to try to get that first mile at 10 minutes, which I did. So, yeah, me! But, as usual, I was huffing and puffing. I sometimes wonder how smokers run. I have to think they would be wheezing uncontrollably if I breathe the way I do.
If nothing else, it was nice to get out there an enjoy the good weather. The temps were in the upper 60s, maybe 70, and there was just a little sun. This might have been my last run in 2011 in that kind of weather, which is kind of sad, but I do like to run in 50-degree temps just fine.
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Not so bad
I managed to get out there and run yesterday. So this means that running the Race for Pace is not out of the question. Good to have something to push for.
But back to the run. When I first started out, I literally felt pain with my first stride. As I typically do when I run, I was contemplating what this post's title should be, and at that point, I am pretty sure they included phrases like "never-ending pain" and "you've got to be kidding me." But once I got past that slight knee pain (or did the side stitch come first? I really cannot remember) and was making my way up the killer hill, I realized I did not feel awful. In fact, I decided right then and there that I was going to make it through the two miles in a decent time. How could I not give it my best shot when the weather was sunny and the temps were in the 60s?
The rest of the run went okay. Some pain, a little bit of difficulty getting up that last hill, but ultimately I finished it and did not feel as if my lungs were going to burst or as if I was in my 40s (which, to review, I am not yet).
Mile one: 10:19
Mile two: 8:18
Not too shabby.
Honestly, I expected my first mile to come in around 10:10, but my second mile was pretty darn good. Now that I look at it, I have to wonder if wrote down the wrong time. I don't think I ever completed my second mile in that amount of time. But let's just assume I did.
Until next time...
But back to the run. When I first started out, I literally felt pain with my first stride. As I typically do when I run, I was contemplating what this post's title should be, and at that point, I am pretty sure they included phrases like "never-ending pain" and "you've got to be kidding me." But once I got past that slight knee pain (or did the side stitch come first? I really cannot remember) and was making my way up the killer hill, I realized I did not feel awful. In fact, I decided right then and there that I was going to make it through the two miles in a decent time. How could I not give it my best shot when the weather was sunny and the temps were in the 60s?
The rest of the run went okay. Some pain, a little bit of difficulty getting up that last hill, but ultimately I finished it and did not feel as if my lungs were going to burst or as if I was in my 40s (which, to review, I am not yet).
Mile one: 10:19
Mile two: 8:18
Not too shabby.
Honestly, I expected my first mile to come in around 10:10, but my second mile was pretty darn good. Now that I look at it, I have to wonder if wrote down the wrong time. I don't think I ever completed my second mile in that amount of time. But let's just assume I did.
Until next time...
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
15 >> 45
The Race for Pace is just 11 days away. In the past four months, I have run about six times. In the past 30 days, I have managed about three runs. Sure, I have run up and down the steps a few times. I have also been swimming two or three times a week, but as for running at least two miles, on the road, well, that is just not going well.
As I was swimming today, I decided that if I don't run at least two times between now and next Saturday, I should probably skip the race. If I run three times, then I should be able to make it through, though undoubtedly with a time much higher than last year's (27:01).
On a positive note, today, I spent two hours at the pool. The title above refers to my workout there. I swam 15 laps, then I jogged around the pool for 15 minutes. I did that two more times, for a total of 45 laps and 45 minutes of jogging (it took me about 55 minutes to swim the 45 laps).
When I was barely into my second lap, I felt tired and unconvinced that I would accomplish much today. Not wanting to waste this alone time, I decided to break things up and alternate between swimming and running. Well, when you have the resistance of water fighting your arms especially, it is nothing close to running. But I am hopeful that makes the workout even better.
All in all, it was great exercise. It was probably not my fastest, but that I managed to get in the jogging and swimming along with some water exercises such as walking lunges, squats, and push ups, in a two-hour workout, I say bravo to me! (And let's just pretend that when I came home, I did not eat a brat, some cookies, a banana with PB, some tortilla chips and salsa, and a few gingersnaps.)
Hopefully, I will be able to write a post on Thursday or Friday, saying that I manged to get a run in on Thursday.
Stay tuned.
As I was swimming today, I decided that if I don't run at least two times between now and next Saturday, I should probably skip the race. If I run three times, then I should be able to make it through, though undoubtedly with a time much higher than last year's (27:01).
On a positive note, today, I spent two hours at the pool. The title above refers to my workout there. I swam 15 laps, then I jogged around the pool for 15 minutes. I did that two more times, for a total of 45 laps and 45 minutes of jogging (it took me about 55 minutes to swim the 45 laps).
When I was barely into my second lap, I felt tired and unconvinced that I would accomplish much today. Not wanting to waste this alone time, I decided to break things up and alternate between swimming and running. Well, when you have the resistance of water fighting your arms especially, it is nothing close to running. But I am hopeful that makes the workout even better.
All in all, it was great exercise. It was probably not my fastest, but that I managed to get in the jogging and swimming along with some water exercises such as walking lunges, squats, and push ups, in a two-hour workout, I say bravo to me! (And let's just pretend that when I came home, I did not eat a brat, some cookies, a banana with PB, some tortilla chips and salsa, and a few gingersnaps.)
Hopefully, I will be able to write a post on Thursday or Friday, saying that I manged to get a run in on Thursday.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
That was pretty productive.
This morning after I dropped the kid off at school, I decided to go swimming. As I have probably mentioned before, the laps I do at the pool are between time spent playing with the kid at the pool. Typically I swim about 10 laps before taking a break to splash around. Some days, I may only manage six or eight before I am summoned to "play with me."
This morning, I decided I would swim at least 30 laps before calling it a morning. My last two times at the pool, I swam 20 and 25 laps respectively, so I figured I, being alone, should be able to surpass that.
I ended up swimming 45 laps, so yeah me! Most laps were at a medium speed, and some were even slow. I ended up doing only about a half dozen fast laps. As I have stated on this blog before, I could probably swim way more laps than what I normally do, so long as I go slowly; I have a lot of endurance.
When I finished lap #45, in about 55 minutes, I decided to run around the pool for 15 minutes. Before I started my swim, I considered going running this afternoon. But once I hit 40 laps, I figured it might be best to skip the run. Jogging back and forth the length of the pool is so much easier than pounding the pavement, and it still counts!
Since I was feeling pretty good, I spent the last under-10 minutes doing some walking lunges, split squats, regular squats, and push ups. All in all, it was a good workout.
But if I expect to run in the Race for Pace, which is two and a half weeks away, I better get myself motivated to run soon.
This morning, I decided I would swim at least 30 laps before calling it a morning. My last two times at the pool, I swam 20 and 25 laps respectively, so I figured I, being alone, should be able to surpass that.
I ended up swimming 45 laps, so yeah me! Most laps were at a medium speed, and some were even slow. I ended up doing only about a half dozen fast laps. As I have stated on this blog before, I could probably swim way more laps than what I normally do, so long as I go slowly; I have a lot of endurance.
When I finished lap #45, in about 55 minutes, I decided to run around the pool for 15 minutes. Before I started my swim, I considered going running this afternoon. But once I hit 40 laps, I figured it might be best to skip the run. Jogging back and forth the length of the pool is so much easier than pounding the pavement, and it still counts!
Since I was feeling pretty good, I spent the last under-10 minutes doing some walking lunges, split squats, regular squats, and push ups. All in all, it was a good workout.
But if I expect to run in the Race for Pace, which is two and a half weeks away, I better get myself motivated to run soon.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
At least it was the OTHER side of my chest that hurt
I ran steps on Tuesday, as I just blogged about. That was due mostly to weather, but partly to just how darn hard running has become for me lately. Since my stepping on Tuesday was pretty challenging, I figured I might as well just go for broke and get out there and run today.
So I did.
And, much like my 20 trips up and down the steps, this run was no walk in the park. As I struggled up the first killer hill (which, to be fair, I probably do 98 percent of the time), my thoughts alternated between a disappointing, "Am I just too old for this" and a sad/angry, "But some people in their 50s and 60s run almost every day."
I will be 40 in two and a half months. I really wanted to leap into 40 and be able to say that I was in great shape. That age was irrelevant. That I could run circle around people half my age. But lately those thoughts are fading. Sigh.
Anyway, I got through the run with the typical shoe annoyance. (I really think I am going to have to give up on these stupid Asics.) I felt chest pains, fortunately on the side opposite my heart for no more than a couple minutes. My side stitches lasted probably for about five to seven minutes, so, hey, not even a mile. I did not drop over, despite my labored breathing. And, to be fair, the temps had to be near 80, and it was fairly humid.
Mile one: 10:29
Mile two: 8:50
Sure, I wonder if my first mile will ever get below 10 minutes. Or, for that matter, will it ever get close to 10 minutes! But I am still standing, so let's just go with calling it a successful run. :-)
So I did.
And, much like my 20 trips up and down the steps, this run was no walk in the park. As I struggled up the first killer hill (which, to be fair, I probably do 98 percent of the time), my thoughts alternated between a disappointing, "Am I just too old for this" and a sad/angry, "But some people in their 50s and 60s run almost every day."
I will be 40 in two and a half months. I really wanted to leap into 40 and be able to say that I was in great shape. That age was irrelevant. That I could run circle around people half my age. But lately those thoughts are fading. Sigh.
Anyway, I got through the run with the typical shoe annoyance. (I really think I am going to have to give up on these stupid Asics.) I felt chest pains, fortunately on the side opposite my heart for no more than a couple minutes. My side stitches lasted probably for about five to seven minutes, so, hey, not even a mile. I did not drop over, despite my labored breathing. And, to be fair, the temps had to be near 80, and it was fairly humid.
Mile one: 10:29
Mile two: 8:50
Sure, I wonder if my first mile will ever get below 10 minutes. Or, for that matter, will it ever get close to 10 minutes! But I am still standing, so let's just go with calling it a successful run. :-)
This is getter harder and harder!
On Tuesday, because the sky looked a little cloudy, I decided to run up the 64ish steps near the kid's school. As usual, I decided ahead of time to complete 20 trips up and back. Not surprisingly, after I had made my third or fourth trip up, I considered stopping at 10.
It was just so hard, and I don't know why. Can the difference between almost 39 and almost 40 be that great? I again want to blame it on the shoes, which felt fair at best. I just cannot get over that the next iteration of the same brand and style of shoe would be that much different and worse to boot.
That notwithstanding, because I put a decent amount of pressure on myself when I exercise, I ended up completing all 20 trips. It was not easy and it was not pretty, but at least I did it.
The good news is that I finished my set in 17:19. I looked back at previous posts, and that seemed to be about my best (or at least my best since I started keeping track last year), so perhaps I am being a little hard on myself. But I think what has really been bothering me lately is how difficult it has become for me to get through a run (or steps). I just feel it so much more than I did last year. And I don't like it one bit!
It was just so hard, and I don't know why. Can the difference between almost 39 and almost 40 be that great? I again want to blame it on the shoes, which felt fair at best. I just cannot get over that the next iteration of the same brand and style of shoe would be that much different and worse to boot.
That notwithstanding, because I put a decent amount of pressure on myself when I exercise, I ended up completing all 20 trips. It was not easy and it was not pretty, but at least I did it.
The good news is that I finished my set in 17:19. I looked back at previous posts, and that seemed to be about my best (or at least my best since I started keeping track last year), so perhaps I am being a little hard on myself. But I think what has really been bothering me lately is how difficult it has become for me to get through a run (or steps). I just feel it so much more than I did last year. And I don't like it one bit!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Another tough run
After not running for two weeks, I was not expecting to improve my time from two week ago. But I was not necessarily planning on it being worse either.
Today's run seemed even more difficult than two weeks ago. I felt winded for most of it, which I assumed was because I was really pushing myself and going faster than previously. I figured I was going to hit the top of the hill at 10 minutes, so I was surprised to see about 10:25 on my phone stopwatch. Since I was so disappointed, I pushed myself even harder on the way back, wondering if my age or less-than-great eating habits were catching up to me.
Unfortunately, I am not sure how fast my second mile was. I cannot find the scrap of paper I wrote my time on, although I do recall finishing my run at just about a new minute; I am just not sure if my final time was about 19:00 or 20:00. Considering how fast I thought I was going, I am fairly certain I had to do that second mile in under nine minutes, so let's go with that and call the second mile a good job.
I still hate my shoes, and I am still disappointed that I have apparently lost a step. But what can you do.
Today's run seemed even more difficult than two weeks ago. I felt winded for most of it, which I assumed was because I was really pushing myself and going faster than previously. I figured I was going to hit the top of the hill at 10 minutes, so I was surprised to see about 10:25 on my phone stopwatch. Since I was so disappointed, I pushed myself even harder on the way back, wondering if my age or less-than-great eating habits were catching up to me.
Unfortunately, I am not sure how fast my second mile was. I cannot find the scrap of paper I wrote my time on, although I do recall finishing my run at just about a new minute; I am just not sure if my final time was about 19:00 or 20:00. Considering how fast I thought I was going, I am fairly certain I had to do that second mile in under nine minutes, so let's go with that and call the second mile a good job.
I still hate my shoes, and I am still disappointed that I have apparently lost a step. But what can you do.
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