A shorter run over the weekend

I know before too long my running streak will end. I came close this past weekend. I did not have a lot of time before dinner, so I was just going to walk, rather than change into my running clothes. But within about 30 seconds, Bailey was pulling, so I went with it. Unfortunately, I was in khaki shorts, which are not the most comfortable attire to run in. And I have dropped a few pounds, so I found myself continuously pulling my shorts up. That hindered me, but I at least ran (jogged), somewhere between 1.5 and 2 miles. I should probably check.

I really should lift weights tonight, since I had to skip last night, thanks to a painful flu shot in my arm, but my arm is not quite 100 percent, so I may wimp out. With choir tomorrow that will put quite a few days in between.

Oh, well. Sometime you just feel lazy!

Lest I forget

I ran yesterday late afternoon. That was a triumph in and of itself because J had a couple of girls sleep over the night before, and I got about four hours sleep max that night. I was not exactly peppy on Sunday, but I hated to end my streak. Plus, Bailey did not get her walk on Saturday, since I waited until the second/last girl left early that evening, and by the time dinner was done, it was pouring. So no walk for Bailey.

Just before dinner yesterday, I put on my running clothes, and away we went. Bailey, as usual, was booking, at times I could barely keep up. She stopped once or twice for a quick pee break, and then she stopped for her BM. When we finished that first .6 miles, we had been going about 6 minutes. We did about the same on the way back. Then, I decided to drop off her pile of crap, and we ran for another at least 10 minutes, this time around the field and the lot at the end of the field. I figured she could use the extra exercise. This time, I was the one who had to get the dog moving; she wanted to do a slight jog. For the last 10 minutes, I ditched her and ran a different route.

I felt pretty good the entire time, save for a slight, brief leg pain. I am definitely glad I did not wimp out. Unfortunately, I have been slacking in the weight department, but hopefully I can pick that up tonight or tomorrow.

Until next time...

Must have missed logging a week

I ran last weekend, but for some reason did not blog about it. Really the main (usually only) reason I blog about my running is so I can keep track of it. Otherwise, I would never remember doing it. I am thinking I ran on Labor Day, but would not bet the farm on it. But I seem to recall feeling good about eating a lot at the neighbor's picnic that day, so I am going to go with that.

When I woke up yesterday, I was chilly for the first time in months. I looked at the temps, and decided that 55 degrees was too cold to run. Which is crazy, because in my running days, 50-degree temps were the best. But I guess my older body is used to running in warmer weather, and although I hate anything above 70, 55 felt too extreme.

So I blew off running and went about my day. But when I started walking the dog early that evening, I decided to try to run a bit. That decision was mostly made for me because Bailey was in a running mood from about minute 1, so I went with it. I might have slowed down or stopped a couple of times, but it was my almost-typical 1.2 mile run. In jean, no less. When we got back home, and I started to take off my tennis shoes, I decided to re-lace up and get back out there. I ended up running around the field at the end of our street for somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes. I kept a steady, not fast pace. I felt really good and probably could have kept going. I think it helped that it was all flat.I don't think I will be running in jeans again any time soon, but still, not constricting at all.

I am definitely glad I kept my streak up. Once the temps turn really cold or gets wet or snowy, I am guessing I will put my running on a hiatus. The dog needs her daily walk, and I just don't see myself running on wet roads with her without falling.

But until then, hopefully I can keep it up. And the walking. And the weight lifting, which I have been doing about every three days.

Four weekends in a row, and I want a medal.

During this morning's run, Bailey was really moving. So much so that I am thinking I ran my fastest to date:

5:39 for the first .6 miles
5:59 for the return .6 miles

As usual, I stopped once while Bailey did her business (well, twice, but I hardly count her not-even-10-second pee break). And once we finished our run, I deposited her waste, dropped her off, gulped some water, and wiped some sweat off, so I got another couple-minute break.

Then I went on to run for another 18+ minutes, this time including another crazy hill. Up until I got to that point, I was mostly jogging; my heart rate was "only" around 160 bpm, I think. But once I ran up the hill, my heart was around 190, so I ended up walking for a minute. All in all, I am guessing I ran about 3 miles. The temps were decent; around 70, I think. Sunny, but not too humid.

Regardless, I am proud of myself of actually running four weekends in a row (and continuing to walk during the week).

I still get some pains here and there. I wish I had remembered to tell my doc about the weird, sharp leg pain I get in my left calf. But the pains don't last long, so I am not too worried.

Until next time...

Make that three weeks!

Frankly, I am kind of boring myself with all my running details. I think the important thing for me (since pretty much no one comes here) is just to document my exercise. I am extremely forgetful. Had I not blogged about gaining weight last year, I would have not recalled that I was up to one of my highest weights (ignorance is bliss).

Keeping track of these things gives me accountability. It makes me feel guilty, and guilt is a powerful motivator for me.

I can't get down with the latest eating craze (the 21-day fix, shakeology and the like). I just try to eat well most days. I unfortunately add junk on top of my eating well most days. But when things seem to start getting a little out of control, I tend to back off/get better. Hence my working a little harder and eating a little less (most days) after my May weight gain.

I was surprised to see that my weight was down around 151-152 this week. Much, much better than the 157-8 I was lugging around in May. But my weight flucuates so greatly, that I am fairly certain that during this upcoming week, my weight will be back up around 153-4 (hopefully no higher than that). When I was at the doc, she said my weight was fine and I seemed healthy, so there is that.

I have been walking pretty much every day. I missed a Bailey walk Thursday evening, but I walked during the day at work (as I try to do 3 or 4 days per week), and I did walk around the picnic I went to (I ate a lot there as well, so...). Friday I also skipped a Bailey walk, thanks to taking the kid to a friend's house and hanging out there, but I did walk at work, once again. I made up for it Saturday by running in the morning. I ran my 1.2  miles with Bailey and then for another 12 minutes around the field and my street. I also did some errands that afternoon, and I walked Bailey for a short walk that evening. Today there were a few more errands and the typical 1.2 mile walk with the Bai-Boo.

I have been keeping up with lifting weights, though I really don't want to. I typically do it 3 days per week, every other day and then a two-day hiatus in between at some point. I do push-ups most days, but if I forget to do them when I first wake up or I just don't feel like doing them, once Bailey is around me, push-ups are impossible.

So there you have it. I mostly like myself the way I am, because I mostly work at it. There is certainly room for improvement, particularly as far as eating goes, but I want to live a little too.

Until next time...

Check me out running two weeks in a row!

When I woke up yesterday, I decidedly did not want to run. I tried to come up with some excuses, starting with "but I just lifted weights last night and I did three sets," and which moved easily to "it is going to be 90 degrees in a few hours" and ended with "I am pretty sure I had heat exhaustion last week after running, so is it really worth it?!"

But, fortunately, my good self won out, due in no small part to my having to wash my hair that morning anyway. So I got dressed, leashed up the dog, sun-blocked up, and off we went.

There was nothing remarkable about yesterday's run, only that Bailey decided not to drop a pile during the walk, most likely because I did not feed her breakfast and she is used to saving it up for our evening walks.

But I felt decent. Not great. Warm, but not overly. The temps were around 74, I think. I did the first .6 miles in 6:06, and the second .6 in 5:53, and then I got a much-needed reprieve when I dropped the dog off and gulped down some water. I ran for another 12 minutes just around my street, the field, and the lot beyond the field, so I figure I ran for about 3 miles, which was better than last week.

Now I need to talk myself into lifting weights again tonight. Pretty sure I will come up with a few good reasons not to. :-)

Too much time in between runs

Somehow I thought I ran last weekend. I honestly can't recall. But I did run yesterday, and it was tough!

I felt so completely out of shape. I actually ended up doing the first half in about 5:48 (I think!) and then the second half was 6:12 (I might have the numbers reversed). After that, I tacked on another 10 minutes among my street, the field at the end of the street, and the lot at the end of the field, so I probably ran a little more than 2 miles.But it was a struggle to get there.

In the past couple of weeks, because I have slacked off in running, I would sometimes run for a couple minutes at a time during my evening Bailey walks. I probably did this 3-5 times per week. Some days I would manage only one 2-minute fun. During other walks, I would run a few times, anywhere from 1-3 minutes. Unfortunately, I tended not to stretch after those walks, which resulted in soreness the following days.

I think I am giving up the twice-weekly runs; considering I can't seem to run every week, I have to be realistic. And, if I can continue to get in a few bursts of running during some of my Bailey walks each week, I think it will all balance out.

I will say that running in the heat yesterday morning (it was about 74, but the sun was strong) and then later walking around Phipps, and finally helping the hubby cook on the grill and in front of a hot stove resulted in too much time in the heat/sun. It really affected me. I was kind of dizzy/light-headed for most of the evening. I ended up not even going to work today, as I was just not feeling myself. Mostly I was feeling old. :-(

Until next time...