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.

Swimming and the knee

Other than a brisk 15-minute walk both Friday morning and Sunday afternoon, I had not done anything in the way of exercise since Zumba last Thursday. But because, for whatever reason, my left knee hurt Sunday evening and most of Monday, I was considering skipping my planned swimming yesterday. Fortunately, I thought better.

I ended up swimming, at a pretty good pace, 25 laps in about 30 minutes. I followed that up with about 15 minutes of jogging in the pool and some arm and leg water exercises. I did not notice the discomfort, which can best be likened to having twisted my knee, at all during my 55 minutes in the pool. It came back once I was home, but I will take what I can get. I hardly notice it now.

I have really been slacking off swimming lately, only one day last week, so I was glad to get in that workout at the beginning of the week. Most likely we will swim again on Wednesday unless the predicted 60-degree weather beckons us to the park. I do hope to either run my two-mile jaunt or hit the steps on Wednesday unless it rains. I think I will give my knee the day off today.

Until next time.

My legs felt like jelly

Yesterday, not feeling like running, I decided to run the 64/65 steps at my kid's school. It had been awhile since I had run those steps (probably since the fall when I last did my "usual" 20 trips). That layoff, coupled with my less-than-stellar-running times as of late, led me to think I would probably not get what I consider a good time. In fact, as I was making my first few trips, I was telling myself that in the long run, I needed to decide if I should be more concerned about timing and perhaps not making as many trips, or if I cared more about getting the "laps," for the sake of distance.

Throughout the run/jog, I felt pretty good. I was out of breath a few times, when I started pushing myself more. And I was breathing heavy pretty much the entire time, but I don't recall my knees or feet hurting at all, so that was good. I did, however, have a (left) side stitch for a bit, but I was able to work through it.

When I had finished my 20 trips, I had clocked in at 16:28, which I am pretty sure is my best time ever.

I have no idea how that can be, considering how my running times have gone in the wrong direction. But I will take it and be proud. In full disclosure, I did stop for about 10 seconds to get a drink, but still good.

I'd like to think I will get a run in on Wednesday or Thursday, but we'll have to see about the weather, which, by the way, was in the upper 50s and partly sunny and a little bit windy yesterday. The next few days are not forecast to be as warm (or if they are that warm, then not sunny).

Until next time.

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.

Stupid cold

Well, so much for my intentions of running and doing other types of exercise this week. My sore throat turned into a cold, which became progressively worse as the week went on. The only other bit of exercise I did was a 15-minute-round-trip walk in the chilly air Tuesday morning (hardly counts, to me anyway) and about 15 minutes on the stepper followed by about 10 on the treadmill on Wednesday. I was going at a low-to-medium intensity on both machines, but yet I felt as if I were running. The subsequent 10 minutes in the hot tub only made things worse. For that reason, I decided I would skip Zumba yesterday, plus the thought of blowing my nose once or twice during ever song did not seem appealing.

I can only hope that next week I will be back to "normal" and can at least get in a three or four days of exercise. I hate feeling lazy and the thought of becoming out of shape.

Slacking off

Because I subbed three days the week before and all five days last week, I have been a little lax with my exercise. I cannot even recall what I did the week before last; I know I did Zumba, but I have no idea how many times I went swimming. Since I subbed for gym that week, I guess I can count the many laps I did that day!

Last week, I did Zumba on Monday and then swam on Wednesday. And that was it for the week. I'd like to think my dancing around with the kids in various music classes also counted for something, but that was only a few minutes per class and I was hardly moving. But at least it was most days.

Today, despite my sore throat, I headed to the pool. I started off jogging for 15 minutes and eventually did 15 laps. It was not an intense workout, but at least I got there.

Here's hoping that the temps will warm up enough to melt the snow so I can get a run in again. It has been too long.

Nothing much new

I have not run since I last posted about it. I had things to do this week, including three days of subbing, finishing up my taxes, and attending a volunteer service, which prevented me from getting a run in. Fortunately, I did sub one day for gym class, and I ended up doing some laps with most of the classes.

On Thursday I did a really high impact version of Zumba. I really felt it (and pain in my stupid right knee when I did some knee bends), but it was a good workout. I am getting better and better at it, though I still can't follow all the moves or completely master the hip shaking.

I went to the pool two other days, and I swam about 20 laps one day and 30 yesterday. I also got in some jogging at the pool as well as some arm and leg things.

This week that is just ending had two really nice days (one in the upper 50s and the other about 60 degrees), as well as some sun on one or two of the other chilly days. Most of the days would have been great for a run. Oh, well.

Since I am subbing every day next week, running is out. I may only get to swim two days as well. But come the following week, I am determined to get back on track.