I took a two-week hiatus from running. It was not intentional, but sometimes life (and laziness) gets in the way. This past Saturday morning, after 15 days off from running (but not walking and weight lifting), I got back out there. The night before, I saw that the temps were going to be in the low 70s around 8 or 9 a.m., so I figured I was good. But apparently with a 12-hour lead time, weather.com could not get the temps right. By the time Bailey and I set out for our run at around 8:40, it was nearly 80 degrees with about 75 percent humidity and a real-feel temp of 80 or 82. Yuck.
Usually when I start running, I picture myself as this in-shape, attractive, nice-bodied 30-something. I had no such illusion this time. I was miserable about 5 seconds into the hot run. Bailey was racing down our hill, and I was ready to stop. But I soldiered on. She stopped to relieve herself early on, which was somewhat welcome, and by the time we got to the big hill at the end of the first trip, she was barely moving. I actually had to kind of pull her. When we got to the top of the hill, I stopped for a few second to catch my breath. I was pleased with the 6:17 time. Probably one of my longer times, but the way I felt, I figured it would easily take me 6:30 for that .6 miles.
Running back down the hill was a kind of relief. I don't remember much about the run back home, just that I was anxious to get back and drop Bailey and her BM off. Bailey must have been anxious too; she really pushed us that last tenth of a mile; we finished that half in 6:02.
Once I de-leashed her, I gulped some water, wiped the sweat from my forehead, and tried to apply a little more sunblock to myself, which was pretty pointless as sweaty as I was. After that several-minute reprieve, I got back out there and did the same run again. Nor surprisingly, the second revolution was worse. I ran 6:25 the the first half and an awful 6:53 the second half, but considering I had taken two weeks off and that it was hot and humid, I was perfectly happy with those times. I finished the run with another approximately .6 miles; I did that in just over 7 minutes and on mostly flat surfaces, so it was probably a little further. But even if not, I will take the 3-mile run in about 36 minutes.
I find it unlikely I will run again this week; maybe I will just go back to running weekly. I have been walking Bailey daily for about 1.2 miles. Plus I walk several days a week at work. And I have been keeping up with weight lifting.
I need to do better with eating, but I will take the victories where I can get them and just be glad these legs still move!
Showing posts with label timing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label timing. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2015
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Hope I get another run in
I did not blog about my Saturday morning run. I accidentally deleted it from my stopwatch, but I ran for 40 minutes. That I know. I also know that it is not 40 consecutive minutes because I had to stop for a poop break for Bailey, as per usual. And I when I completed the first trip, I dropped her off, wiped off my sweat, gulped some water, put on a little more sunblock, before heading back out. So my first about 13 minutes had two interruptions. But the next 27 minutes, I just went.
I seem recall not feeling too much pain until I had done the first trip, and then not feeling one of my pains until I finished my second trip. Regardless, it went well, and I could have kept going.
I am hoping to get a run in tomorrow night. Friday night I will be packing. And Saturday we head to the beach, where I hope to get two runs in over the next week.
I have also been pretty good about lifting weights again. I started about 3.5 weeks ago, and have done it 3 times per week pretty consistently. I flaked out last night, but because I woke up early today, I got in two sets. Sure, not my usual three sets, but I was mixing it up.
Oh, and I talked to my cardiologist friend who said that it is okay that my heart rate gets up so high when I run up hills. As long as I am not sustaining the 100 percent (which I am not; I think I keep it around 85 percent during most of my run), then I am fine. So, good.
Later.
I seem recall not feeling too much pain until I had done the first trip, and then not feeling one of my pains until I finished my second trip. Regardless, it went well, and I could have kept going.
I am hoping to get a run in tomorrow night. Friday night I will be packing. And Saturday we head to the beach, where I hope to get two runs in over the next week.
I have also been pretty good about lifting weights again. I started about 3.5 weeks ago, and have done it 3 times per week pretty consistently. I flaked out last night, but because I woke up early today, I got in two sets. Sure, not my usual three sets, but I was mixing it up.
Oh, and I talked to my cardiologist friend who said that it is okay that my heart rate gets up so high when I run up hills. As long as I am not sustaining the 100 percent (which I am not; I think I keep it around 85 percent during most of my run), then I am fine. So, good.
Later.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Took a week off
Last week, it was quite humid. I had planned to run on Wednesday or Thursday, but between the weird pain I have been having in my right calf and the sticky weather, it did not happen. I still manged to walk a few days during the week, but nothing like usual (walks every day at lunch and walks every evening with Bailey), partly because my leg was hurting and partly because I was busy at work and had plans one evening. In any event, I was headed to my mom's again this past weekend, but rather than run before I left on Saturday, I decided to wait until Sunday and run there (plus the grocery trip Saturday morning got in the way). It had been too long since I had run there (I think, since last October).
My mom's neighborhood is much less hilly (grade-wise) than mine. There is only one really bad hill, and then three or four okay ones. But for whatever reason, they seemed easier than my run in my neighborhood, which contains one awful hill and one almost as bad, but not as long, hill.I actually recall struggling more with the first hill the last time I ran than I did yesterday, so there is that!
My original goal was to run for about 20 minutes, since I had not run for a week. Then when I started, I decided I had better shoot for 25. By the time I finished, I had run just over 30 minutes. I did not "measure" my run, so I cannot be sure how far I ran, but I am guessing it was close to 3 miles.
At one point when I was running up a hill, a guy in his yard said, "That looks like work." And I said, "It sure is." I tend to vacillate between love and dislike for running. I almost always start out pumped up, feeling good, even smiling, but the feeling fades pretty quickly. Yet, when I am nearing the end of a run, I almost always feel as if I could keep going, but I tend not to want to run a lot more than 30-couple minutes. Since I did not think I would make it past 25 minutes, I decided to stop at 30. Plus towards the end of my run, the sun came out, and it was already humid (the temps were in the low 70s, which helped).
At one point in the run, I noticed my three "normal" pains--the left hamstring, the right knee, and the right calf. But it was never awful. In fact, I don't think my calf as hurt so much since. Maybe I worked it out of my body. Let's hope, because I would really like to be able to run once this week.
My mom's neighborhood is much less hilly (grade-wise) than mine. There is only one really bad hill, and then three or four okay ones. But for whatever reason, they seemed easier than my run in my neighborhood, which contains one awful hill and one almost as bad, but not as long, hill.I actually recall struggling more with the first hill the last time I ran than I did yesterday, so there is that!
My original goal was to run for about 20 minutes, since I had not run for a week. Then when I started, I decided I had better shoot for 25. By the time I finished, I had run just over 30 minutes. I did not "measure" my run, so I cannot be sure how far I ran, but I am guessing it was close to 3 miles.
At one point when I was running up a hill, a guy in his yard said, "That looks like work." And I said, "It sure is." I tend to vacillate between love and dislike for running. I almost always start out pumped up, feeling good, even smiling, but the feeling fades pretty quickly. Yet, when I am nearing the end of a run, I almost always feel as if I could keep going, but I tend not to want to run a lot more than 30-couple minutes. Since I did not think I would make it past 25 minutes, I decided to stop at 30. Plus towards the end of my run, the sun came out, and it was already humid (the temps were in the low 70s, which helped).
At one point in the run, I noticed my three "normal" pains--the left hamstring, the right knee, and the right calf. But it was never awful. In fact, I don't think my calf as hurt so much since. Maybe I worked it out of my body. Let's hope, because I would really like to be able to run once this week.
Monday, March 4, 2013
I might be ready for the swim team.
Saturday afternoon, the kid read a a book while I swam. For one hour straight, not including her telling me her name was in the book she was reading, which interrupted me for about 10 seconds or her telling me her stomach hurt, which interrupted me for about 40 more seconds (apparently it was not that bad) a few minutes later.
I don't know exactly how many laps I did, somewhere between 45 and just under 60, I would guess. I was going at a pretty good pace for most of it. But for once it was not about quantity and keeping track of laps. I just knew I wanted to swim for an hour if possible. And it was.
I am certain I could have swum for longer, at least another 15 to 20 minutes. In fact, when I was done swimming, I did some leg and arm exercises as well as a little jogging. Still I find it amazing that kids on the swim team often swim for two hours at a time. When I went back to the pool the next day, I did not have it in me to swim too many laps. Instead I jogged, tread water, raced my kid a few times, and just moved around the pool before ending with a couple of laps. I was definitely tired from the day before.
Not sure when I will do that again. But it is nice to know that I can do it.
I don't know exactly how many laps I did, somewhere between 45 and just under 60, I would guess. I was going at a pretty good pace for most of it. But for once it was not about quantity and keeping track of laps. I just knew I wanted to swim for an hour if possible. And it was.
I am certain I could have swum for longer, at least another 15 to 20 minutes. In fact, when I was done swimming, I did some leg and arm exercises as well as a little jogging. Still I find it amazing that kids on the swim team often swim for two hours at a time. When I went back to the pool the next day, I did not have it in me to swim too many laps. Instead I jogged, tread water, raced my kid a few times, and just moved around the pool before ending with a couple of laps. I was definitely tired from the day before.
Not sure when I will do that again. But it is nice to know that I can do it.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Guess who ran this week?!
After more than four months, I finally ran a real run, on the road. We had another nice Monday; it was sunny and in the mid 40s, so I decided I had come up with enough excuses not to do it.
I was cold in the beginning. I started running at almost 4 p.m., so the sun was going down and hidden behind buildings for a good part of the run. The thin hoodie and thin long-sleeved tee underneath were almost enough to keep me warm, but my head and hands were definitely chilly. Fortunately, I was able to put my hood up and keep my hands in my sleeves. And, as I suspected, I was plenty warm about a mile into it.
The bottom of my left foot hurt a bit only a couple minutes into the run, but the pain was minor, and I hardly thought about it. My knees did not hurt at all, so victory!
This run was not exactly my usual run. Instead of running up the killer hill, I started more than halfway up that awful section. Then I ran the rest of the first mile. I ran back to where I started, but decided to keep going until the bottom of the hill/where I normally start. Then I ended where I actually did start. So, yes, I did cover the same distance, but it was "out of order" so posting my times will be a little pointless. Ultimately, it took me 20:24, which is two minutes slower than when I last ran. It did the first not-quite-one-mile in just over 10 minutes, but to be accurate, I would need to add at least a minute for the section of the hill I did not run until the end.
Regardless, I am not discouraged. I was 40 back then, and I can believe four months of age once you get in your 40s makes a difference. And even though I have been swimming and doing Zumba, it is not the same as running, so it is nearly impossible to not have a drop off after four months without running. Plus, it was cold. Running in 60 degrees is a lot different from running in 40 degrees. When I was in my late 30s, I loved running in 40-degree temps, but now I much prefer the 50s. To think that a few years ago I ran in temps in the mid 20s is almost laughable. I am pretty sure I won't hit the pavement unless it is above 30 degrees for the rest of my life and I may just stick to the 40s and above. But never say never. [Worth noting, it appears the last time I ran in temps below 30 was in February of 2011, when it was 29 degrees. I last ran in temps in the upper 20s and 30s regularly in 2010.]
I was cold in the beginning. I started running at almost 4 p.m., so the sun was going down and hidden behind buildings for a good part of the run. The thin hoodie and thin long-sleeved tee underneath were almost enough to keep me warm, but my head and hands were definitely chilly. Fortunately, I was able to put my hood up and keep my hands in my sleeves. And, as I suspected, I was plenty warm about a mile into it.
The bottom of my left foot hurt a bit only a couple minutes into the run, but the pain was minor, and I hardly thought about it. My knees did not hurt at all, so victory!
This run was not exactly my usual run. Instead of running up the killer hill, I started more than halfway up that awful section. Then I ran the rest of the first mile. I ran back to where I started, but decided to keep going until the bottom of the hill/where I normally start. Then I ended where I actually did start. So, yes, I did cover the same distance, but it was "out of order" so posting my times will be a little pointless. Ultimately, it took me 20:24, which is two minutes slower than when I last ran. It did the first not-quite-one-mile in just over 10 minutes, but to be accurate, I would need to add at least a minute for the section of the hill I did not run until the end.
Regardless, I am not discouraged. I was 40 back then, and I can believe four months of age once you get in your 40s makes a difference. And even though I have been swimming and doing Zumba, it is not the same as running, so it is nearly impossible to not have a drop off after four months without running. Plus, it was cold. Running in 60 degrees is a lot different from running in 40 degrees. When I was in my late 30s, I loved running in 40-degree temps, but now I much prefer the 50s. To think that a few years ago I ran in temps in the mid 20s is almost laughable. I am pretty sure I won't hit the pavement unless it is above 30 degrees for the rest of my life and I may just stick to the 40s and above. But never say never. [Worth noting, it appears the last time I ran in temps below 30 was in February of 2011, when it was 29 degrees. I last ran in temps in the upper 20s and 30s regularly in 2010.]
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
9:59:57
Yesterday, I hit the lap button on my phone as I made it to the top of the hill (well, I came close; I don't quite go to the top, but save myself about a dozen steps) and then immediately hit the stop button as my shoe was untied. Once I took care of that, I hit the resume button and started running down the hill. And that was when I saw that I had completed my first mile in 9:59:57. Which is under 10 minutes.
I don't have a lot to say about my run, which took place under sunny skies and temps in the 60s. My feet did not hurt until after I was done running. Unfortunately, my left knee hurt at the beginning and off and on during the run. No idea why that happened. That is my good knee! I felt winded at the beginning, but when a song I liked came on my mp3 player, that helped to push me.
All in all it was a good run. Mostly because I finished my first mile in under 10 minutes!
Mile one: 9:59
Mile two: 8:18
I really think I can be happy keeping it just above 10 minutes. I truly don't expect to go much below the 10-minute mark. I just want to be happy that I can still keep doing this. Here's hoping I can and will.
I don't have a lot to say about my run, which took place under sunny skies and temps in the 60s. My feet did not hurt until after I was done running. Unfortunately, my left knee hurt at the beginning and off and on during the run. No idea why that happened. That is my good knee! I felt winded at the beginning, but when a song I liked came on my mp3 player, that helped to push me.
All in all it was a good run. Mostly because I finished my first mile in under 10 minutes!
Mile one: 9:59
Mile two: 8:18
I really think I can be happy keeping it just above 10 minutes. I truly don't expect to go much below the 10-minute mark. I just want to be happy that I can still keep doing this. Here's hoping I can and will.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A run I am proud of
Yesterday morning my right hip flexor was hurting like, well, something that hurts a lot. I was wincing every time I walked up steps or lifted my knee even slightly. And I am assuming it is my hip flexor because that is what another mom at school told me it was as I pointed to the place where my leg connects to my body, for lack of a better description. This pain was rather unfortunate as it was such a beautiful sunny October day that I hated to think I would miss a chance to run it. Luckily this woman, who is not a doctor, told me I would probably be fine to run; she insisted my body would tell me if it needed to stop. I decided to go with her thoughts. And I am glad I did.
I don't think I noticed my knee or hip flexor hurting at all, for whatever reason. My left foot hurt only a bit and not consistently, which is always a nice thing. And running to Nine Inch Nails and Arrested Development made the experience of running in sunny and mild (the mid 60s, I believe) temps everything it should be. Best of all, I did not feel lousy and winded, as I often do. Maybe I was still on my "I-came-in-third-place-in-my-age-group-and-finished-the-race-in-under-29-minutes" high. Who knows, but I will take it.
Mile one: 10:19
Mile two: 8:26
That first mile was my best this school year. And I have not done my second mile in under 8:30 since last fall, I do believe. Many months ago, I said I might never get my first mile below 10 minutes, and I was probably okay with that. I still am. Even though I won't completely give up on that happening and I am not necessarily considering that as a goal, I will keep it in the back of my mind.
In other exercise this week: swimming on Sunday, nothing on Monday, Zumba on Tuesday, lunch duty along with running and some tag and soccer playing at the park on Wednesday, and a short (20 minutes round trip) walk this morning. May or may not get in something Friday.
I don't think I noticed my knee or hip flexor hurting at all, for whatever reason. My left foot hurt only a bit and not consistently, which is always a nice thing. And running to Nine Inch Nails and Arrested Development made the experience of running in sunny and mild (the mid 60s, I believe) temps everything it should be. Best of all, I did not feel lousy and winded, as I often do. Maybe I was still on my "I-came-in-third-place-in-my-age-group-and-finished-the-race-in-under-29-minutes" high. Who knows, but I will take it.
Mile one: 10:19
Mile two: 8:26
That first mile was my best this school year. And I have not done my second mile in under 8:30 since last fall, I do believe. Many months ago, I said I might never get my first mile below 10 minutes, and I was probably okay with that. I still am. Even though I won't completely give up on that happening and I am not necessarily considering that as a goal, I will keep it in the back of my mind.
In other exercise this week: swimming on Sunday, nothing on Monday, Zumba on Tuesday, lunch duty along with running and some tag and soccer playing at the park on Wednesday, and a short (20 minutes round trip) walk this morning. May or may not get in something Friday.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
My feet hurt
There are so many thing I want to cover in this post, so expect something quite disjointed.
I will start off listing what physical activity I have done since I last posted a week and a half ago:
On Monday, I had a really good run, and based on that I would think I could finish Saturday's race in under 30 minutes. But I have a bigger problem, which is impeding me greatly: my feet. Unfortunately, my latest pair of Asics Gel Enduros have proven to be worse than my previous pair. My feet were so uncomfortable during Monday's almost three miles (after I did my normal two miles, I ran around the outside of the gym and up the steps a handful of times), I ended up buying Dr Scholl's athletic foot insoles to try to help. Those babies cost an insane $19.99, which is more than half of what my running shoes were on sale (yes, the fact that I paid less than $40 should be a good indicator that I am not buying good shoes!). Anyway, the insoles were little help. They feel good on my feet when I walk, but the bottoms of my feet, particular the balls of my feet, continue to hurt once I hit the pavement. I won't completely blame my Asics; as it turns out the Gel Enduro 7 shoes are apparently trail shoes and I run on pavement. But the Gel Enduro 5 was awesome, and I would assume it was also a trail shoe. Anyway, on both Monday with the old insoles (three miles) and Wednesday with the new ones (two miles), I got through the runs, so I am pretty sure I will make it on Saturday. Just not sure how I will end up. Hopefully, there is not some other issue going on...
I am taking a break today, other than a brief (five minutes one way) walk I have to do as part of a volunteer thing. And if I swim on Friday, I will take it easy and try to swim no more than 10 laps (I swam 18 on Monday and 15 on Wednesday, which is pretty good after a run on those days).
Monday's run
Mile one: somewhere over 9 minutes and under 11 (I forgot to turn on the stopwatch); it was a pretty good run, so I am thinking and hoping it was around 10:30)
Mile two: 8:30
Wednesday's run
Mile one: 10:55
Mile two: 9:17
No idea why Monday's run was better, but it was. Hopefully, I can get back to better times soon. And, more importantly, here's hoping the feet feel better soon. Those babies still hurt a little today.
I will start off listing what physical activity I have done since I last posted a week and a half ago:
- Zumba the last two Tuesdays
- Swimming last Wednesday, Saturday, Monday, and yesterday (Wednesday)
- Running on Monday and Wednesday of this week
- Short (just over 15 minutes round trip) walk on Monday
- Lunch duty two days both last week and this week
On Monday, I had a really good run, and based on that I would think I could finish Saturday's race in under 30 minutes. But I have a bigger problem, which is impeding me greatly: my feet. Unfortunately, my latest pair of Asics Gel Enduros have proven to be worse than my previous pair. My feet were so uncomfortable during Monday's almost three miles (after I did my normal two miles, I ran around the outside of the gym and up the steps a handful of times), I ended up buying Dr Scholl's athletic foot insoles to try to help. Those babies cost an insane $19.99, which is more than half of what my running shoes were on sale (yes, the fact that I paid less than $40 should be a good indicator that I am not buying good shoes!). Anyway, the insoles were little help. They feel good on my feet when I walk, but the bottoms of my feet, particular the balls of my feet, continue to hurt once I hit the pavement. I won't completely blame my Asics; as it turns out the Gel Enduro 7 shoes are apparently trail shoes and I run on pavement. But the Gel Enduro 5 was awesome, and I would assume it was also a trail shoe. Anyway, on both Monday with the old insoles (three miles) and Wednesday with the new ones (two miles), I got through the runs, so I am pretty sure I will make it on Saturday. Just not sure how I will end up. Hopefully, there is not some other issue going on...
I am taking a break today, other than a brief (five minutes one way) walk I have to do as part of a volunteer thing. And if I swim on Friday, I will take it easy and try to swim no more than 10 laps (I swam 18 on Monday and 15 on Wednesday, which is pretty good after a run on those days).
Monday's run
Mile one: somewhere over 9 minutes and under 11 (I forgot to turn on the stopwatch); it was a pretty good run, so I am thinking and hoping it was around 10:30)
Mile two: 8:30
Wednesday's run
Mile one: 10:55
Mile two: 9:17
No idea why Monday's run was better, but it was. Hopefully, I can get back to better times soon. And, more importantly, here's hoping the feet feel better soon. Those babies still hurt a little today.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Continuing to blame it on the heat
This afternoon, I finally tackled my "usual" two-mile round trip school run. I had well over an hour to get it in, so I figured even if I had to crawl the last mile, I should be able to make it back in time for pickup.
Most of the run was without pain, so there is that. I do recall feeling some ankle pain (I forget which foot) early on, but it subsided quickly. Or, the constant panting took over, "drowning" out any other suffering.
The temps were around 80-couple degrees, but, once again, the humidity was pretty high, or so it felt to me. But I was determined not to let the heat, my age, and my inconsistent/rare running keep me from doing what I set out to do. Part of me really wanted to get a longer run in since I had the time, but wanting to know where I stood time-wise for my usual run won out.
Here are the stats:
Mile 1: 10:43
Mile 2: 9:00
Looking back at previous posts, this is definitely one of my worst runs, and I fought to get the first mile under 11 minutes! But between the heat and my running so little this year (probably six to eight times the first eight months of the year), I won't beat myself up about it too much. Besides, once I got my almost 20 minutes in, I jogged around the outside of the gym and up the outside steps over a half dozen times, for about eight or nine minutes. On top of that, my heart rate gets up pretty high when I am running uphill or up steps (between 160 and 180 bpm), which I know is not good, so I feel a little limited.
I also swam about 25 laps on Sunday and 30 laps yesterday, with some pool jogging and leg and arm work thrown in for good measure. If I can round the week out with Zumba and another swim, then yee-haw for me!
Most of the run was without pain, so there is that. I do recall feeling some ankle pain (I forget which foot) early on, but it subsided quickly. Or, the constant panting took over, "drowning" out any other suffering.
The temps were around 80-couple degrees, but, once again, the humidity was pretty high, or so it felt to me. But I was determined not to let the heat, my age, and my inconsistent/rare running keep me from doing what I set out to do. Part of me really wanted to get a longer run in since I had the time, but wanting to know where I stood time-wise for my usual run won out.
Here are the stats:
Mile 1: 10:43
Mile 2: 9:00
Looking back at previous posts, this is definitely one of my worst runs, and I fought to get the first mile under 11 minutes! But between the heat and my running so little this year (probably six to eight times the first eight months of the year), I won't beat myself up about it too much. Besides, once I got my almost 20 minutes in, I jogged around the outside of the gym and up the outside steps over a half dozen times, for about eight or nine minutes. On top of that, my heart rate gets up pretty high when I am running uphill or up steps (between 160 and 180 bpm), which I know is not good, so I feel a little limited.
I also swam about 25 laps on Sunday and 30 laps yesterday, with some pool jogging and leg and arm work thrown in for good measure. If I can round the week out with Zumba and another swim, then yee-haw for me!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Way out of running shape
Despite my rare appearance on this blog, I have been exercising. I managed to do Zumba once a week during August (including one week with two classes) as well as swim two to three times per week all month long. Unfortunately, I had not gone running since the beginning of July. That is until last week.
Now that school is back in session, and I have had time to kill between lunch duty and pick up, I figured I had no excuse not to lace up the running shoes. So this past Tuesday, I finally got back out there. It started off okay, though I felt warm almost right away. I don't recall feeling too much, if any, pain, but realizing I was struggling mightily, I decided to run only to the stop sign just before the final (big) hill during the last couple tenths of the first mile. I could not risk running out of gas and then leaving my kid stranded in the parking lot on the first full day of school.
When I finished my run, I was convinced it had to be about 90 degrees. Turns out it was only 81, but the humidity was definitely high. Between the heat and my not-in-running-shape body, it took me probably 10 minutes to stop panting. At least two parents in the lot after commenting on how I seemed to be struggling while running (they drove past me), and I told them they were not wrong, but I considered it a victory that I was still walking. I cannot recall how long it took me to run that approximately 1.5-mile route, but it was irrelevant. Since I had not run that route since March, I am not overly disappointed. Hopefully before too long I can get the two miles in.
Now that school is back in session, and I have had time to kill between lunch duty and pick up, I figured I had no excuse not to lace up the running shoes. So this past Tuesday, I finally got back out there. It started off okay, though I felt warm almost right away. I don't recall feeling too much, if any, pain, but realizing I was struggling mightily, I decided to run only to the stop sign just before the final (big) hill during the last couple tenths of the first mile. I could not risk running out of gas and then leaving my kid stranded in the parking lot on the first full day of school.
When I finished my run, I was convinced it had to be about 90 degrees. Turns out it was only 81, but the humidity was definitely high. Between the heat and my not-in-running-shape body, it took me probably 10 minutes to stop panting. At least two parents in the lot after commenting on how I seemed to be struggling while running (they drove past me), and I told them they were not wrong, but I considered it a victory that I was still walking. I cannot recall how long it took me to run that approximately 1.5-mile route, but it was irrelevant. Since I had not run that route since March, I am not overly disappointed. Hopefully before too long I can get the two miles in.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
No, weather people, it does NOT feel like 73 degrees!
My second run in as many weeks. Look at me go!
When I went to bed last night, amidst the windy, stormy weather, I was convinced my morning run would be in 70-degree and low humidity weather. I figured I would take the same route as last week, and see if my time had improved. But when I started my run around 9:50 a.m., the temps felt about 80 degrees and the sun was blazing, I was pretty sure that was not happening.
When I was halfway through my water bottle and only 1/3 of the way through my run, I, once again, considered cutting in short. But I decided even if I could not beat last week's time, I could at least come close to it. So I soldiered on.
Because of the sun, heat and humidity (I cannot believe it was only 73 degrees, but I can believe the humidity was 100 percent), I hardly noticed any pains. I was, however, cursing the sweat that kept running down my face. The ponytail holder kept my hair off my face and neck, but what I was really missing was a hairband to keep the sweat on my brow. Oh, well.
When it was all said and done and my lukewarm water was down to its last few rationed drops, I ended up coming in at 29:16. I have no idea how I bested my time from last week by almost two minutes. And I really felt it at the end (as did my rapidly beating heart which took quite a few minutes to slow down). But I did it.
Not sure when I will get my next run in (just last week I said it would probably take me a month or two), but if I can keep up with swimming and/or Zumba a couple times a week, hopefully I can stay in decent shape.
When I went to bed last night, amidst the windy, stormy weather, I was convinced my morning run would be in 70-degree and low humidity weather. I figured I would take the same route as last week, and see if my time had improved. But when I started my run around 9:50 a.m., the temps felt about 80 degrees and the sun was blazing, I was pretty sure that was not happening.
When I was halfway through my water bottle and only 1/3 of the way through my run, I, once again, considered cutting in short. But I decided even if I could not beat last week's time, I could at least come close to it. So I soldiered on.
Because of the sun, heat and humidity (I cannot believe it was only 73 degrees, but I can believe the humidity was 100 percent), I hardly noticed any pains. I was, however, cursing the sweat that kept running down my face. The ponytail holder kept my hair off my face and neck, but what I was really missing was a hairband to keep the sweat on my brow. Oh, well.
When it was all said and done and my lukewarm water was down to its last few rationed drops, I ended up coming in at 29:16. I have no idea how I bested my time from last week by almost two minutes. And I really felt it at the end (as did my rapidly beating heart which took quite a few minutes to slow down). But I did it.
Not sure when I will get my next run in (just last week I said it would probably take me a month or two), but if I can keep up with swimming and/or Zumba a couple times a week, hopefully I can stay in decent shape.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Another beautiful day in Pittsburgh
We have had some beautiful March days lately. I probably should have used yesterday's just about 70-degree sunny day to get in a run, but I decided to run the steps instead. This time I smartly went sleeveless, though I probably could have also done without the 3/4-length leggings.
As usual, I felt great going up the first time, but, man, it does not take long for me to wonder how I am going to get through 20 trips. Pretty much by the second trip down, I was feeling tired and warm. I decided not to worry too much about my timing since it was the warmer than when I last did steps, but I definitely did not want to increase my workout by more than a minute.
Luckily, somehow, I bested my time from two weeks ago. I completed 20 trips in 16:07, shaving just over 20 seconds off that workout. I am not going to boldly claim that I want to get my time below 16 minutes, because, quite frankly, I would be happy with 17 minutes, maybe even 18. I cannot figure out why my timing has gotten better this year/month as compared to previous years, when I felt as if I were in better shape. Perhaps I stopped more during those workouts and then did not stop my stopwatch while doing so.
And the downside of getting through steps in a short(er) amount of time is that if I do nothing else, that means I get just over 15 minutes of exercise in, which is pretty much nothing (well, don't tell that to my thighs and heart!).
So I when I finished my 20 trips up and down the steps, I proceeded to run around the outside of the gym, which includes about 20 steps, for seven minutes. So I probably ran about 3/4 of a mile, maybe more. I am definitely satisfied with 23 minutes of working out.
If I did not work my legs so hard, I would do something today, but probably I will just walk around for a bit and enjoy the weather. Too nice to go to the pool (which, by the way, we did on Monday, and I got in about 20 laps).
As usual, I felt great going up the first time, but, man, it does not take long for me to wonder how I am going to get through 20 trips. Pretty much by the second trip down, I was feeling tired and warm. I decided not to worry too much about my timing since it was the warmer than when I last did steps, but I definitely did not want to increase my workout by more than a minute.
Luckily, somehow, I bested my time from two weeks ago. I completed 20 trips in 16:07, shaving just over 20 seconds off that workout. I am not going to boldly claim that I want to get my time below 16 minutes, because, quite frankly, I would be happy with 17 minutes, maybe even 18. I cannot figure out why my timing has gotten better this year/month as compared to previous years, when I felt as if I were in better shape. Perhaps I stopped more during those workouts and then did not stop my stopwatch while doing so.
And the downside of getting through steps in a short(er) amount of time is that if I do nothing else, that means I get just over 15 minutes of exercise in, which is pretty much nothing (well, don't tell that to my thighs and heart!).
So I when I finished my 20 trips up and down the steps, I proceeded to run around the outside of the gym, which includes about 20 steps, for seven minutes. So I probably ran about 3/4 of a mile, maybe more. I am definitely satisfied with 23 minutes of working out.
If I did not work my legs so hard, I would do something today, but probably I will just walk around for a bit and enjoy the weather. Too nice to go to the pool (which, by the way, we did on Monday, and I got in about 20 laps).
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Going the distance
I ran about four miles yesterday. Yeah, me! I understand that most runners would be unimpressed by that, but considering how often (or infrequently) I run, I think running four miles is pretty darn good.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, in the mid 60s. For that reason, I decided that I wanted to do a long run. Probably about eight minutes into the run, I was wishing I had short sleeves, so up my sleeves went for the remainder. For some reason my legs, covered in yoga-like pants were fine, despite their being insulated with more fat and muscle.
I did not push myself, as I was going for distance, not time, and I am not really sure how far I went. I decided after I ran my first usual mile, I would make a right and go up the Pike for about 10 minutes, which would leave me 10 minutes to get back. I made it back in less time, because there were more down hills. Then, about halfway through my final (usual) mile, I cut down a sidewalk and ran through a park, down that street and then up another steep one to get back onto the usual street.
As for pain, I noticed the top of my right thigh hurting for a bit. My left knee also hurt at the beginning, which made me panic, as I had somehow forgotten that my left knee has been hurting the previous two days. Luckily, it mostly subsided. My feet hurt off and on, but nothing major.
I did Zumba today, and I found it much more difficult to do it high impact, but I kept up. Tomorrow I will probably swim. A pretty good week.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, in the mid 60s. For that reason, I decided that I wanted to do a long run. Probably about eight minutes into the run, I was wishing I had short sleeves, so up my sleeves went for the remainder. For some reason my legs, covered in yoga-like pants were fine, despite their being insulated with more fat and muscle.
I did not push myself, as I was going for distance, not time, and I am not really sure how far I went. I decided after I ran my first usual mile, I would make a right and go up the Pike for about 10 minutes, which would leave me 10 minutes to get back. I made it back in less time, because there were more down hills. Then, about halfway through my final (usual) mile, I cut down a sidewalk and ran through a park, down that street and then up another steep one to get back onto the usual street.
As for pain, I noticed the top of my right thigh hurting for a bit. My left knee also hurt at the beginning, which made me panic, as I had somehow forgotten that my left knee has been hurting the previous two days. Luckily, it mostly subsided. My feet hurt off and on, but nothing major.
I did Zumba today, and I found it much more difficult to do it high impact, but I kept up. Tomorrow I will probably swim. A pretty good week.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Leaves are falling
After a month off from running, I got out there yesterday. The day began full of sun and decent temps, but by the time I started running, the sky had clouded up. About halfway through my run, I felt a few raindrops that fortunately did not turn into an all-out rain. Not so bad when it is almost 50 degrees nearing the end of February. Worth noting is that a leaf hit me in the face during my run, which struck me as odd since it is February. Shouldn't all the leaves have fallen off by December at the latest?!
As I began the run, I felt pain somewhere, and I tried to make note of it for this post, but I forget where exactly, so that is probably a good thing. What is not so good is that my left knee has been bothering me since the run; it feels as if I twisted it. Weird, because it is usually my right knee that bothers me. My thighs also are a bit sore, but I blame that as much on swimming some laps at the pool an hour later as I do the run and subsequent five trips up and down the outside gym steps. Yeah, I definitely got in a good workout yesterday.
When I started running, since I had just gotten over my cold, I told myself to take it easy and not be worried about time. This is hard for (competitive) me, and when I looked at my stopwatch on my cell phone as I was nearing the top of the hill at the end of the first mile, I did try to push myself so I would not be too far over 10 minutes.
Mile one: 10:25
Mile two: 8:54
Even though that time is worse than what I did last month, which was against the wind (there was some wind yesterday), I am satisfied. I was sick last week and did almost no exercise. Plus I have to think my nearly gone cough had to affect my running. I know I was breathing hard during most of the run. But the important thing is I went out there and did it. And swam some laps after that. Oh, and I did Zumba yesterday and plan to do it again today.
Hopefully in another month or two, I can work on getting my time back down. But until then, I will try to focus on just getting exercise.
As I began the run, I felt pain somewhere, and I tried to make note of it for this post, but I forget where exactly, so that is probably a good thing. What is not so good is that my left knee has been bothering me since the run; it feels as if I twisted it. Weird, because it is usually my right knee that bothers me. My thighs also are a bit sore, but I blame that as much on swimming some laps at the pool an hour later as I do the run and subsequent five trips up and down the outside gym steps. Yeah, I definitely got in a good workout yesterday.
When I started running, since I had just gotten over my cold, I told myself to take it easy and not be worried about time. This is hard for (competitive) me, and when I looked at my stopwatch on my cell phone as I was nearing the top of the hill at the end of the first mile, I did try to push myself so I would not be too far over 10 minutes.
Mile one: 10:25
Mile two: 8:54
Even though that time is worse than what I did last month, which was against the wind (there was some wind yesterday), I am satisfied. I was sick last week and did almost no exercise. Plus I have to think my nearly gone cough had to affect my running. I know I was breathing hard during most of the run. But the important thing is I went out there and did it. And swam some laps after that. Oh, and I did Zumba yesterday and plan to do it again today.
Hopefully in another month or two, I can work on getting my time back down. But until then, I will try to focus on just getting exercise.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
That first mile keeps getting longer!
Wanting to take advantage of the decent (mid 40s) temps again, I decided another run was in order. Today's jaunt was a bit chillier than Friday's; I was only slightly warm as I ran up the hill, but never enough that it warranted removing the same hoodie I wore on Friday. In fact, I almost wished I had gloves on as I was running up the hill, but after about a half mile, I got over that.
My left foot hurt less than it did on Friday; really, it was hardly noticeable, so that was good. But I did not push myself, mostly because I had eaten a pretty big lunch about an hour prior to the run. But a bigger reason for my running without worrying about time was that I don't want to get my heart rate up too high. When I ran up the steps after my two miles on Friday, I checked my pulse, and it was over 180, which is too high for my age, unfortunately. So I just can't see myself giving it my all as I run up the final hill at the end of my first mile.
Mile one: 10:42
Mile two: 8:52
So even slower first mile than on Friday, but what can you do? Over the next few months, I will have to decide if I can accept that mile one may never get below 10 minutes again. For now, in January, at the age of 40, I am okay with it. After all, I am still running!
My left foot hurt less than it did on Friday; really, it was hardly noticeable, so that was good. But I did not push myself, mostly because I had eaten a pretty big lunch about an hour prior to the run. But a bigger reason for my running without worrying about time was that I don't want to get my heart rate up too high. When I ran up the steps after my two miles on Friday, I checked my pulse, and it was over 180, which is too high for my age, unfortunately. So I just can't see myself giving it my all as I run up the final hill at the end of my first mile.
Mile one: 10:42
Mile two: 8:52
So even slower first mile than on Friday, but what can you do? Over the next few months, I will have to decide if I can accept that mile one may never get below 10 minutes again. For now, in January, at the age of 40, I am okay with it. After all, I am still running!
A great day at the pool
Before I blog about today's run, I wanted to document my morning at the pool yesterday.
Much like I did a few weeks ago, I swam 20 laps, jogged for 20 minutes, swam 20 more laps, and jogged for 20 more minutes.
I was not feeling it at first, but I pushed myself a little because I know I need to get in better shape and burn off those holiday pounds. I was pretty pleased with my timing of the 20 laps; it took me about 27 minutes for the first 20 laps and about 25 for the second 20 laps. I kept my pool jogging pretty moderate, save for trying to run as best as I could the last few minutes.
My feet did not cramp up as they have been doing lately, so it was a good workout. Probably won't work that hard at the pool the rest of the week!
Much like I did a few weeks ago, I swam 20 laps, jogged for 20 minutes, swam 20 more laps, and jogged for 20 more minutes.
I was not feeling it at first, but I pushed myself a little because I know I need to get in better shape and burn off those holiday pounds. I was pretty pleased with my timing of the 20 laps; it took me about 27 minutes for the first 20 laps and about 25 for the second 20 laps. I kept my pool jogging pretty moderate, save for trying to run as best as I could the last few minutes.
My feet did not cramp up as they have been doing lately, so it was a good workout. Probably won't work that hard at the pool the rest of the week!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Wardrobe malfunctions
The American Dialect Society defines a wardrobe malfunction as "an unanticipated exposure of bodily parts." My wardrobe malfunction today was fortunately nothing like that, but just a few annoyances while running.
Yes, I am happy to say that I did manage to run today, in sunny, 55-degree weather, a rare treat in January. I opted for a long-sleeved t-shirt and thin hoodie, but was already too hot in the hoodie just a few tenths of a mile into it. Even before I became uncomfortable, my keys fell out of my hoodie pocket, which necessitated my stopping, turning around, picking up said keys, and starting again. I also was contending with my mp3 player, something I rarely use/wear, mostly in the interest of safety (i.e., the fear of not being to hear a car). Today, however, for some reason I could not keep the clip on my hoodie, so I ended up holding it, which was annoying.
When I reached the top of the hill/first mile, I hurriedly took off the hoodie and tied it around my waist, promptly ripping out my earphones from my mp3 player. I also managed to lose my headband in my hoodie for a couple of seconds. For the record, I stopped timing myself during this minor ordeal.
Fortunately, the run back went more smoothly, although I did manage to once again rip out the headphones once I finished the run and started going up and down the gym steps about a half dozen times.
All told, the run was a bit difficult, which is not surprising considering I last ran outside over a month ago. My feet, mostly my left one, hurt a bit during the first mile, but I hardly noticed it/them after that. And my timing was not great. But I completely the two miles, ran up and down the steps about five or six times, as noted above, and even managed to swim eight laps in the pool an hour later. Therefore, I call today a success. Not bad for a 40-year-old gal!
Mile one: 10:30
Mile two: 8:54
Yes, I am happy to say that I did manage to run today, in sunny, 55-degree weather, a rare treat in January. I opted for a long-sleeved t-shirt and thin hoodie, but was already too hot in the hoodie just a few tenths of a mile into it. Even before I became uncomfortable, my keys fell out of my hoodie pocket, which necessitated my stopping, turning around, picking up said keys, and starting again. I also was contending with my mp3 player, something I rarely use/wear, mostly in the interest of safety (i.e., the fear of not being to hear a car). Today, however, for some reason I could not keep the clip on my hoodie, so I ended up holding it, which was annoying.
When I reached the top of the hill/first mile, I hurriedly took off the hoodie and tied it around my waist, promptly ripping out my earphones from my mp3 player. I also managed to lose my headband in my hoodie for a couple of seconds. For the record, I stopped timing myself during this minor ordeal.
Fortunately, the run back went more smoothly, although I did manage to once again rip out the headphones once I finished the run and started going up and down the gym steps about a half dozen times.
All told, the run was a bit difficult, which is not surprising considering I last ran outside over a month ago. My feet, mostly my left one, hurt a bit during the first mile, but I hardly noticed it/them after that. And my timing was not great. But I completely the two miles, ran up and down the steps about five or six times, as noted above, and even managed to swim eight laps in the pool an hour later. Therefore, I call today a success. Not bad for a 40-year-old gal!
Mile one: 10:30
Mile two: 8:54
Friday, December 2, 2011
Yep, it's December!
Running won out over Zumba yesterday, surprisingly to me.
I "bribed" myself into running by telling myself that I could skip at least half of the first hill. I figured with 40-degree temps (though sunny skies), my lungs would appreciate staying right where they are and not exploding in the frigid (relatively speaking) temps.
I ran in my lined black pants that typically are used from December through March. I also ran with a thick hoodie over top of my Run Around the Square long-sleeved t-shirt. I opted against gloves and a hat, though the hoodie was up. I started off feeling pretty good, if not a tad cold. A little more than halfway into the first mile, however, I was actually warm and wishing I had worn a thinner hoodie. I did not seem to notice the pants. When I hit the top of the hill, I took off my hood, but after a minute or so decided it was probably smarter to keep it on with the cold temps and my sweaty head.
All in all, it was a pretty good run. I finished off the just-under-two mile jaunt with three or four laps around the outside of the gym, which also included a set of stairs. All told, I ran for about 25 minutes, so I probably ended up running about 2.5 miles.
Mile 0.8 (approximately): 9.36
Mile two: 8:30
As an aside, I ran with my mp3 player for the first time in ages. I keep the volume low so I could hear cars coming up behind me (I run on the road, close to the sidewalk, against traffic). The music was a nice change of pace, and I actually found myself speeding up when Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" came on. At one point, I was actually doing the air drums!
And on that note, see you soon, 40.
I "bribed" myself into running by telling myself that I could skip at least half of the first hill. I figured with 40-degree temps (though sunny skies), my lungs would appreciate staying right where they are and not exploding in the frigid (relatively speaking) temps.
I ran in my lined black pants that typically are used from December through March. I also ran with a thick hoodie over top of my Run Around the Square long-sleeved t-shirt. I opted against gloves and a hat, though the hoodie was up. I started off feeling pretty good, if not a tad cold. A little more than halfway into the first mile, however, I was actually warm and wishing I had worn a thinner hoodie. I did not seem to notice the pants. When I hit the top of the hill, I took off my hood, but after a minute or so decided it was probably smarter to keep it on with the cold temps and my sweaty head.
All in all, it was a pretty good run. I finished off the just-under-two mile jaunt with three or four laps around the outside of the gym, which also included a set of stairs. All told, I ran for about 25 minutes, so I probably ended up running about 2.5 miles.
Mile 0.8 (approximately): 9.36
Mile two: 8:30
As an aside, I ran with my mp3 player for the first time in ages. I keep the volume low so I could hear cars coming up behind me (I run on the road, close to the sidewalk, against traffic). The music was a nice change of pace, and I actually found myself speeding up when Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" came on. At one point, I was actually doing the air drums!
And on that note, see you soon, 40.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The holidays and the weather break my stride.
After my short run on Friday, I did absolutely no exercise for the next couple of days. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and excess of children. On Monday, as much as I just wanted to stay in my PJs and do nothing, I thought better of it and hit the pool.
As I have been trying to do, I mixed it up a bit. This time around, I swam 10 laps, followed by 10 or 11 minutes of jogging in the water, followed by another 10 laps, proceeded by another 10 or 11 minutes of jogging, followed by a final 10 laps and 15 minutes of jogging. I managed to get in some leg and arm water work as well.
I was not feeling it very much; perhaps it was all the food I had consumed over the holidays. My guess is my sugary breakfast did not help. But I got my swimming in, and that is what counts.
Yesterday, I headed back to the pool with the kid, and only got in about 16 laps, though I was swimming around on a noodle with the kid for awhile. I also tread water for a few minutes. I still was not feeling it.
Today, I will either run or take a Zumba class. The cold weather may make the latter more palatable, but my lack of coordination and not wanting to look like an idiot in front of people may tip the scales in the run's favor. We'll see.
As I have been trying to do, I mixed it up a bit. This time around, I swam 10 laps, followed by 10 or 11 minutes of jogging in the water, followed by another 10 laps, proceeded by another 10 or 11 minutes of jogging, followed by a final 10 laps and 15 minutes of jogging. I managed to get in some leg and arm water work as well.
I was not feeling it very much; perhaps it was all the food I had consumed over the holidays. My guess is my sugary breakfast did not help. But I got my swimming in, and that is what counts.
Yesterday, I headed back to the pool with the kid, and only got in about 16 laps, though I was swimming around on a noodle with the kid for awhile. I also tread water for a few minutes. I still was not feeling it.
Today, I will either run or take a Zumba class. The cold weather may make the latter more palatable, but my lack of coordination and not wanting to look like an idiot in front of people may tip the scales in the run's favor. We'll see.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
My legs hurt
After a great stretch of exercising, I kind of slacked off. I had that really good swim last Thursday, and then I did nothing until yesterday (Tuesday), other than walking the streets of Indiana for their Light-Up Night last Friday.
It has rained the past few days, and because I prefer to run in no more than a light drizzle, running has been pretty much out for me. So yesterday, I headed back to the pool, determined to get a solid, strenuous workout in.
This time around, I swam 20 laps, which took me around 23 minutes. Then I jogged in the pool for about 30 minutes, a new record for me. I followed that up with another 20 laps, though for some reason that set took me about 30 minutes. I finished up with almost 30 more minutes of jogging in the pool, before I did some leg and arm exercises for about 10 minutes.
It was definitely a good workout, if not a slightly annoying one during my second set of laps. For some reason a woman at the pool does her laps around the perimeter, and she does not really pay attention to where she is going. I don't mind when I am swimming a front stroke; I can move out of my lane/her way. But it becomes rather bothersome when I am on a backstroke, and I have to stop and turn around to make sure I don't hit her. Not a big deal, though.
My legs are hurting a little today, so I am definitely going to take it easy. I would love to get up and run on Thanksgiving, taking my Indiana County route, but not sure if that will happen. We'll see.
One thing I am pretty sure that I will be running towards is the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pies tomorrow!
It has rained the past few days, and because I prefer to run in no more than a light drizzle, running has been pretty much out for me. So yesterday, I headed back to the pool, determined to get a solid, strenuous workout in.
This time around, I swam 20 laps, which took me around 23 minutes. Then I jogged in the pool for about 30 minutes, a new record for me. I followed that up with another 20 laps, though for some reason that set took me about 30 minutes. I finished up with almost 30 more minutes of jogging in the pool, before I did some leg and arm exercises for about 10 minutes.
It was definitely a good workout, if not a slightly annoying one during my second set of laps. For some reason a woman at the pool does her laps around the perimeter, and she does not really pay attention to where she is going. I don't mind when I am swimming a front stroke; I can move out of my lane/her way. But it becomes rather bothersome when I am on a backstroke, and I have to stop and turn around to make sure I don't hit her. Not a big deal, though.
My legs are hurting a little today, so I am definitely going to take it easy. I would love to get up and run on Thanksgiving, taking my Indiana County route, but not sure if that will happen. We'll see.
One thing I am pretty sure that I will be running towards is the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pies tomorrow!
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