Running with the Big Dog

Phew.

2012-02-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

I ran two on dirt this morning, then took a peanut butter toast break before doing the P90X Legs and Back and following it up with Abs. NOW I AM SHAKY. I slowed the pace a bit on the run, because I knew what was coming, but now I'm thinking I should have slowed it even more because I had worked so hard on yoga yesterday. Kicked back with some cheddar cheese and Triscuits and a nice tall glass of chocolate milk. Nothing but relaxation for the rest of the day.

Finished the Yoga

2012-02-03T07:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I accomplished my goal of finishing the whole 90-minute P90X yoga workout. I fell down a lot. After the kids get on the bus today, I'll be heading out for a run on a beautiful sunny morning, then doing the Legs & Back workout followed by Abs.
I think I'll run with music today.

Keepin' On

2012-02-01T11:38:00.000-05:00

I love to run in the rain. I have fond memories of a particularly crappy brigade run (it might have been a post run) during my Army days, where lah-dee-dah-dee-everybody had to run in formation and you were always either sprinting to catch up or slamming on the brakes (whoa, boy!). They always sucked, but this one happened in pouring rain. Ankle-deep puddles, buckets of water coming down, you name it. Finally, we embraced the suck. We started kicking up as much water as we could as we plowed through the puddles, laughing our asses off and trying not to trip over anybody as we once again slowed to a crawl.

So I enjoyed my two point five today. I kept it on the slow side, although I found that I did pick up the pace a bit for the last half mile. I wore a singlet and compression tights with no shorts over top of them (BALLSY) although I did have a longish oversize jacket on (WUSS). My foot was pain-free.

I came back in out of the rain and did P90X Shoulders and Arms, followed by Abs. I switched to heavier weights for most of the exercises. I found that my form was much better this week and that I could do more of the non-weight moves without having to modify them at all. Followed up with a frosty glass of chocolate milk and paying a month's worth of bills and now the toughest part of the day is done.

Steady as She Goes

2012-01-31T13:01:00.000-05:00

I did not lose any weight this week. I did not GAIN any weight this week, either. What I did was wear a skirt that only last month was too small for me (the Whatever Skort from Athleta). I have a harder time losing weight on PointsPlus than I did under the old Weight Watchers points system, and I'm not sure why. Partly it might be because I hate fruit and love cheese, and bread, and pasta, and all of the other things that are not exactly verboten but are high in points. I'm wondering, though, if it relates to activity points. Under the old system, I didn't exercise nearly as much. Perhaps I'm not eating enough? Do I need to eat more to lose? I don't know.

I did P90X Cardio this morning. I noticed that a lot of the moves are getting easier for me already. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run. Two or three miles, depending on how I feel, followed by P90X Shoulders and Arms, plus Abs.

Meanwhile, I'll go hold my breath and eat a banana really fast. Or maybe have an apple with some peanut butter. Damn, I hate fruit.

Habits

2012-01-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

I did run at Disney again this year! My family and I ran the 5K together, then I managed to finish the Goofy Challenge for the second time (I ran the marathon in 2007, 2008, and 2009, Goofy in 2010, then took 2011 off). Unfortunately, I injured my foot about halfway through the marathon and had to walk most of the way in from there. It was badly bruised, but I still haven't figured out why. My husband pointed out that it wasn't my slowest marathon. Heck, I don't think it was even my second-slowest. So there's that.
So...I've been taking it easy on the mileage this month. A couple miles here and there...I've been enjoying not being tied to a training plan. HOWEVER: my race photos were embarrassing. I looked even fatter than when I was at my fattest. My thighs were blurry from the fat bouncing. So back to Weight Watchers I went. I'm also sticking to my plan of doing P90X post-Goofy. I started the second week today, and I can already feel a difference. I ran two miles before the Core workout, and I was much more aware of how my muscles were working to keep me moving. My goal is to be a better runner by building my core strength and slimming down to around the weight I was when I was setting all those PRs a few years ago. (Also to look like a better runner, but I figure that will follow naturally.) I'm recording my workouts in a paper log, as well as tracking them with Weight Watchers, but now I want to add one more habit: keeping myself accountable online as well.
Tomorrow's a weigh-in day and P90X Cardio day.

Failure? No, Just a Shift of Priorities.

2011-10-21T13:26:00.000-04:00

I have lots to write about, but I felt that I couldn't post without addressing the utter failure of my ambitious goal of running the number of miles it would take to get from my house to Walt Disney World in a rather short period of time.

It was over-ambitious of me, and I knew it. I figured I had about a 50-50 shot of managing it, and slightly worse odds of managing it injury-free. The problem was, there wasn't a heck of a lot of room for a margin of error, and if too many things went wrong, the goal would be unattainable in a VERY short time. Guess what happened?

That's right. Too many things went wrong. And instead of talking about my challenges, thus opening myself up to getting support, I went dead silent and fell into a bit of a funk. It happens.

So here's what I did. I re-assessed my goals. I ditched my fall marathon and took a hell of a lot of pressure off of myself that way. I adjusted my training schedule so my long runs would fall on school days and my only weekend run is a short one on Sunday--easily treadmillable if necessary. I re-joined Weight Watchers after an 8-month hiatus. I started taking a boxing class, which has no direct connection with my running but is a hell of a lot of fun.

I am ON TRACK. My pace is picking up faster than I expected, despite a nasty little weight gain over the summer. I have run almost every mile on my schedule--the one exception was a day when I had boxing and then had a full day booked, and I only fit in one mile instead of four--and most importantly, I have not only run them without walk breaks, I've been working on starting off a little slow and finishing strong.

So there it is. And now I can start getting some of these other posts out of my head, since my non-goal-achieving conscience is clear.

Coming soon: a couple of outdated race reports, some gear reviews, and a field trip.

House to Mouse Day 4: 1026 1/4 To Go

2011-08-11T07:54:00.000-04:00

So here's the thing with my son. He can be a royal pain in the ass.

We're members of the Y, and the kids take karate there. I let them know that I wouldn't be watching them and that I would be downstairs riding a bike. I'm humming along happily along, reading and occasionally upping the intensity, and suddenly one of the other moms appears and says, "I think the teacher could use your help."

Well, damn it.

I managed five miles while my son was apparently running around, taking off his belt, throwing it across the room and stomping on it.

I was pissed. So we had a talk, and I sat in on the rest of the class, and he apologized to the teacher, and my son did NOT get a milkshake with his Chik-fil-a dinner. Take that, child.

We got home and my husband was over at a friend's house. I called him and told him I needed a bike ride and explained why. He said, "I'll be right there." He got home, and as I rode away I heard him explaining exactly why my son would be helping him to split and stack wood.

Hee hee. I rode another 5 1/2 miles, for a total of ten and a half for the day.

House to Mouse Day 3: 1036 3/4 Miles to Go

2011-08-10T09:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Day 3. I got a relatively early start and jumped right into Jillian's 30 Day Shred. Then, as planned, I did another three miles on the treadmill--still taking it easy, with one or two walk breaks. I listened to NPR's book podcast and started a Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me. The kids brought a me an ice pack and had a glass of water waiting for me when I finished. No sandwich today. Sometimes, they make a sandwich.

Despite the storm that was moving in, we loaded up the mountain bikes around lunchtime and rode north to the Delaware & Raritan Canal towpath for a ride. There was still thunder and lightning when we arrived, so we waited in the truck until we judged it was past. It was still raining, but none of us mind getting muddy, so off we went.

It was raining, so I didn't take pictures. This is from bikinghikingwithkids.com.

The path was flat and easy and full of puddles--we had a great time! My youngest is not quite seven years old, so we did a seven-mile out-and-back, which was plenty for him. They're both anxious to go riding again. This is good.

So it was a ten mile day yesterday, for a total of 16 1/4 miles. I figure that puts me in Tabernacle, NJ, near the playground on Patty Bowker Road. Tabernacle is the top small town in South Jersey and also the sixth on New Jersey Magazine's list of top towns. If I were actually following this route, I would not yet have encountered a traffic light.

The kids have karate today, so I'll see how far I can get on the rowing machine at the Y. Other than that, it depends on how I feel and how much I get done around the house today. I'm feeling lazy.

House to Mouse Days 1 & 2: 1046 3/4 miles to go

2011-08-09T09:17:00.001-04:00

So I started House to Mouse before I actually posted about it. Hey, with 1053 miles to go, who can waste time, right? I figure I have to average seven miles every day to meet my goal.

Day 1 was Sunday. I was short on time, so I planned to do two treadmill miles and five on the stationary bike in the basement. My husband had to work and I couldn't leave our kids home alone, so I didn't have the option of hitting the road/trails. I hopped on the treadmill and listened to some Bollywood music, which always makes me smile. No problem! I hopped on the bike, which I hadn't plugged in since we had a minor flood a month or so ago. It started out fine, but all of a sudden, I couldn't turn the pedals! The computer thought I wasn't pushing the pedals at all, but I had to practically stand to get them to move (on a recumbent bike, that's quite a feat). They spun backwards fine, but forwards? No dice. Alas, I had to cut my miles off at a pitiful two for the day. 1051 miles to go.

Day 2 was yesterday, Monday. Mondays and Fridays are my sacred "No Running" days. I restarted the Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred DVD, which I had used last year. It works well for me, and I don't get bored with it like I do with some other DVDs. I was encouraged that it wasn't as hard for me as it was the last time I started it (but it wasn't as easy as it was when I stopped!). Then I walked briskly on the treadmill for three miles, and last night the whole family went down to the Ocean City, NJ, boardwalk and wandered for roughly a mile and a quarter. 1046 3/4 miles to go.

I woke up this morning feeling just the right amount of sore. Sore enough to remind me to work out again, but not so sore that I don't want to. Today's plan: another day of Jillian, three mile slow run on the treadmill, and a bike ride with the kids!

House to Mouse

2011-08-08T09:12:00.001-04:00

"I find your lack of motivation disturbing." --Darth Vader
Motivation, faith, whatever.

I haven't done squat all summer. I've gained about ten pounds. I lost my running mojo a while back, and I haven't been able to find it. Yes, I've a few minor catastrophes to deal with, but it's really no excuse, and for some reason none of my usual self-motivational tricks are working.

I need a change.

At my husband's request, I did not run any event in Walt Disney World's Marathon weekend this year. The day after the race, I told him I would be running Goofy again in 2012. I haven't scheduled as many races this year as I usually do--I ran the Rutgers UNITE half-marathon again, I'll be running with my team in the McGuire Mud Run next month, and I'll be running Steamtown for the first time in October. Now, I know from experience that I can finish a marathon without training for it. Let's just say that I know I won't be setting any PRs at Steamtown this year...so I'm calling it a training run.

But there's still hope for a successful showing at the Goofy Challenge.

So here's the plan. I'm going to get myself to the start of the 5K by completing the miles from my house to Epcot on foot, by bike, by rowing machine, by treadmill, by stationary bike...all 1053 miles before January 6, 2012. I'll try to figure out where I would be each day if I had actually covered the miles on the road and use that to mark my progress. I'll also weigh myself each Sunday--I'll post the losses/gains, but not my actual weight, thankyouverymuch.

Think I can do it?

Vader is watching. I'm going to have to.

Race Review: Unite Half Marathon 4/18/10

2010-04-20T20:49:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, the Big Dog and I headed to New Brunswick, NJ, to take part in the inaugural Unite Half Marathon at Rutgers University. He's a Rutgers alumnus, so we thought it would be a fun way to spend a spring morning. I went into to it after a week battling allergies and a wicked cough which kept me awake for most of the night before, so I didn't expect to do very well. The Big Dog didn't expect much, either, after hitting a lot of snags in his training.

To start with, I wasn't thrilled with the website. There was plenty of information available, but it wasn't particularly well-organized. You had to navigate all over the place to find what you needed, and there was no natural "flow" to how you could go about it.

When I arrived on campus on Saturday to pick up my race packet, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the disorganization didn't extend to the event itself. There were signs on the roads warning of Sunday morning closures, and once you got in the general vicinity of the expo, it was easy to find. The packet pickup was fast and easy. I was excited that the technical race shirts were NOT unisex for a change, but, sadly, they didn't indicate that during registration. I wear a men's medium, but a women's large, and I was handed a women's medium. I didn't have an opportunity to try to exchange the shirt, which is quite nice...maybe I'll get to wear it in another twenty pounds or so.

The race start and finish are not in the same place. The course winds through three of the Rutgers campuses with the finish about a mile and a half from the start. We chose to park near the finish and walk to the start. There were shuttles available, but the weather was nice and the walking route was well-marked. The starting area had plenty of room to stretch and, of course, not quite enough porta-potties. It was easy to hear all of the announcements from anywhere I stood. There were pacers in the corral with large signs and balloons. Team Brandon got a 30 second head start, so I got to see them head out before the very unofficial sounding "Ready...GO!!" was shouted over the speakers.

The course was well-marked and there were plenty of volunteers out pointing the way. The bands were consistently terrific--possibly the best quality entertainment I've run across in a race. I guess that's an advantage to racing in a college town. The weather was sunny and cool, with a bit of a breeze. There was plenty to look at during the run, especially since all of the water stops (and there were plenty of them) seemed to be manned by fraternities. I don't usually walk through water stops, but this time...I slowed down a bit. The first 10 miles were relatively flat--a couple of overpasses and some rolling terrain, but once we crossed the river for the last few miles we were greeted by a long, gradual hill! Most people probably didn't notice it, but where I live is very flat. I noticed. The course took a turn into a park for a loop through some beautiful flowering trees and then an all-too-short downhill before turning onto College Avenue and what felt like Mount Everest at that point. Fortunately, the last half mile was a nice downhill with a terrific drumline (I LOVE DRUMS) playing at the final turn--I hauled ASS across the finish line, and hope that the pictures will show me running hard for a change. Usually they make me look like I'm walking somehow.

Lots of volunteers at the finish. Medals and water bottles were distributed immediately, but then it got a little confusing. The line to get bags o' food was way too long, so I skipped it and peeked at a bag later--bottle of water, banana, bagel...not worth the wait. There were some tents scattered around for massages and stuff, but I didn't linger to check them out. I had a Phillies game to go to!

Overall, I enjoyed the race. I liked the small field, but I suspect it will grow quite a bit in coming years. I think I'll try it again next year and hope that allergy season isn't as bad. Results? Oh, yes...I took it very easy and ran with a pouch full of cough drops. I figured I'd be lucky to finish in 2:30, but I managed to pull it off in 2:28 and change. The Big Dog, however, set a PR! He shaved about 4 minutes off his previous best, despite his perceived lack of preparation. I attribute it to his relaxed attitude that day and to his general awesomeness.

What I Listen To (Podcast Edition)

2010-03-15T14:06:00.000-04:00

I'm not one of those runners who refuses to run without an ipod, nor am I one who criticizes those who do (unless, of course, they disregard courtesy and safety). When I do run with headphones, I have a long playlist of music with

Driving rhythms,
Inspiring lyrics, or
Both

Sometimes, though, especially on the longer runs, I like to have chattier, more unpredictable company. These three podcasts are my favorites. What do they have in common? They're conversational, topical, and generally smart and/or funny. I've tried listening to podcasts of just one person talking, and they've always made me uncomfortable (particularly when the person laughs at their own jokes), but these all feature at least two people with good, even great, rapport.

Running with the Pack is one of the first running podcasts I started listening to. One of the hosts has changed, and the dynamic is a little different--it seems lighter now, which is fine with me (although I enjoyed it before, too). They're located in central Pennsylvania, so they talk about a lot of the races that I've run or that I plan to run. It's nice to hear their perspective on what a course is like or how well-organized a race is. They do run faster than I do, but it's not discouragingly fast. My favorite thing about Running with the Pack is their product reviews.

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is a popular program from National Public Radio. It makes me laugh out loud when I'm running, with mixed results depending on whether I just took a chug of Gatorade or not. The premise is that it's a news-related quiz show, with host Peter Sagal (a runner, in fact) and announcer Carl Kasell asking questions about current events to a panel of three humorists and to listeners who call in. Absorbing, distracting, perfect for runs of about an hour! There are plenty of good places to break it off and come back later, but I never want to shut it off in the middle, so it encourages me to keep running.

Two Gomers Run a Marathon is the second ~~season~~(?) iteration of Two Gomers Run a Half Marathon. Two friends from high school, one in Florida and one in Arizona, decided to tackle a half marathon and created a weekly podcast about the experience. Neither one had ever been a runner. Listening to them progress has really been inspiring to me--sometimes, I have to admit, it's inspiring just because they make me feel like I'm really fast and know a lot (I'm not, and I don't), although those moments are getting fewer and farther between as the Gomer Nation grows. Mostly I enjoy listening to them because it feels like they're old friends of mine who know how to make me laugh. They're good at making people feel like part of the conversation through Facebook and Twitter--they have a weekly poll, post run updates, and ask for advice, too.

There are plenty of terrific podcasts out there, and I listen to others, but these three have stood the test of time for me. Any suggestions for others? I run slow and have a lot of time for listening while I'm out there...

In Defense of Running Skirts

2010-02-10T15:11:00.001-05:00

So, despite my usual lack of effective training, I'm officially Goofy. (Unofficially Dopey, as well, having run the 5K that weekend.) I had a great time and met a terrific couple from the DC area who let me wander around with them at the Animal Kingdom after the races. The weather was unseasonably cold (SLEET?!??) and the costumes were more subdued than in the WDW marathons I've run in the past. My favorite moment is usually running through the castle, but this year my favorite was near the end of the half-marathon. Shortly after passing Spaceship Earth, the Olympics theme started playing over the speakers! Wow, did I pick up the pace--I bounded along hollering, "Daaa, daaa, da-daa daa daa daa, daa da da-daa da da daa da-da-da da daaaaaaaaa!" and having a great time!

Anyway, on more than one occasion, I overheard women casting aspersions on running skirts. Now, when they first came out, I didn't understand the point of them, but I never insulted people who chose to wear them. After all, what other people choose to wear has no real effect on me (with the exception of a few people who probably should wear something over their tights--I run faster so I don't have to watch the backfield in motion). I finally saw the point. when I saw the pictures from the 2008 WDW marathon. My face looked good, my stride was okay (at least I didn't look like I was walking as I so often do), but unfortunately, I hadn't seen the photographer in time to yank down the inseams that were riding up on my inner thighs. Not only did I finish the race with insane chafing, there was photographic evidence! I decided to give skirts a try.

LOVE them. Less chafing, with the added bonus of being able to strip off tights midrun without having to take everything off.

So there.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

2009-11-01T16:31:00.002-05:00

Ah, the end of Daylight Savings Time. I woke up before my alarm went off and did this 10K today for the second time. I'm not in such good shape as I was last year, and struggled with shin pain for the second half of the race. Hours later, my shin is still painful--this is new to me. I'm proud that I finished the race, although I wish I'd picked up the pace a hair. I finished 37 seconds slower than last year at 1:00:18 (15th in the Athena division--at 6'0" tall, I'll never fall below the 140 pound cutoff).

Race of Cakes

2009-10-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

Well, it wasn't Ironman, but I did run a 5K today. And it's my birthday! My gift to myself was to run as hard as I could...and I did. This was an inaugural race to benefit our local college's alumni association, and the logistics were about what you would expect of a very small inaugural race. In other words, I don't know what my time was! I have a terrible habit of forgetting to press "START" on my own timer until several seconds after the gun, and also of forgetting to press "STOP" at the finish. I know my time was in the very near vicinity of 27:00, and I'd say plus or minus 10 seconds. So, with very little good training, I still managed to pull off either my first or second-best 5K ever. Happy Birthday!

The Big PUSH

2009-09-30T19:28:00.005-04:00

Updates!

First, I haven't been putting in the miles I should be. This does not surprise me. What does surprise me is that the races I've done to assess my training have turned out okay. By "okay" I mean that I did about as well as I expected, which is not nearly as well as I would have liked. Aside from the slow times, there were aches and pains that I know wouldn't have been there had I been following my training schedule. The races served their purpose, though--I know I need to get focused or I'll never finish the Goofy Challenge.

Speaking of which, I have to correct an earlier post--I believe the 5K prior to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend will be at Epcot, and is no longer the Circle of Life. I forget what it's called. I'm too lazy to look it up.

So I ran the Philly Distance Run with the Big Dog. My time was about 20 minutes slower than last year's. I expected that, since I trained more seriously last year. The weather was perfect, and since he stayed at a rather posh hotel near the start, I got to meet him in the lobby and avoid the portapotties and the accompanying lines. SWEET.

Less than a week later, I found myself at McGuire Air Force Base for the 2nd Annual McGuire Mud Run with Team Big Dog. It's a 10K run filled with obstacles--crawling through mud, wading chest-deep across streams, crossing streams on bridges made of barrels, climbing low walls, going over muddy hills--and if you enter with a 5-person team, you have to start and finish together. WHAT A BLAST! Great weather, plenty of people in costume, and a total lack of inhibition on all parts. Fortunately, I had a pair of shoes that were just about dead that I sacrificed for the cause with my least favorite pair of socks. Also, there really was free beer at the end.

Next, I abandoned the Nike+ system in favor of a Garmin Forerunner. Love it. It's far more accurate (except during the downtown portion of the Philly Distance Run, when the tall buildings interfered with the satellite reception) and it's not as bulky as I thought it would be. I do wish I'd saved my money and gotten the 205 instead of the 305, but how was I to know that I would HATE wearing the heart rate monitor?

Finally, I regretfully abandoned the running group after two weeks. Despite the free Balega socks and very nice people of all speeds (I was in the top 20% of finishers both weeks yay), it was a long drive for a short run--the routes were no longer than three miles. I did have my gait analyzed by the Saucony people. I wore my Mizuno Wave Alchemy 8s and ran on a treadmill with a video camera set up behind it. To my immense relief, the camera only captured from the calf down so I was not subjected to the full rear-view. I was thrilled to see absolutely no pronation (and calves about halfway to awe-inspiring). The Mizunos work for me...so they immediately became difficult to find. Hooray for Zappos.com! I signed up for an alert so they would notify me immediately when any Mizuno Wave Alchemy 8s in my (gigantic) size were in stock. The Saucony people, of course, also recommended some Sauconys that might fit the bill as well. Since I always like options, I picked up a pair of Saucony ProGrid Omni 8s which have been working out well. I like the way the laces fit--the shoes hug my feet and don't slip, and feel a bit lighter and cushier than the Mizunos.

So, here I am. Not much fitter, but with new shoes and a Garmin.

Running with a Group

2009-07-08T14:08:00.004-04:00

Tonight, at 6:00 PM EDT, I'm going to try a group run--with complete strangers. I'm not naturally friendly, and not too good at small talk. I have trouble finding common ground with people. I hope running is the common ground that helps me feel welcome and motivated enough to make this a weekly trip.

It's organized by a local running store, and a rep from Saucony will be there. They'll provide maps, water, and freebies. I don't know anyone who's ever participated in a group run like this, so I don't know what to expect beyond that. How many people will be there? What's the ability range? Will they all know each other? Will I be an unwelcome intruder? What do I have to offer?

See, I'm not much of a worrier, and I have no problem with doing most things by myself, but I'm very uncomfortable with situations where I'm the outsider in a small group. But I'd really like to try something different, to keep myself inspired and even slightly accountable to others. So I'll give it a shot, and remember that if I don't like it, I don't have to go back. At least I'll get some free socks out of the deal.

Technical Problems

2009-07-02T16:07:00.006-04:00

I've been without a Nike+ for a while. I figured the battery had died in the chip and I ordered a new one. However, when that arrived, it didn't work either. Hmmm. I'm reluctant to shell out the cash for either a whole new system or another chip until I'm certain I've exhausted every possibility, but I'm also reluctant to spend too much time trying to figure it out. So I've just been running on the treadmill or measuring with mile markers and a good old-fashioned Timex. (I suspect that the miles are marked out longer than they really are, though. I'd like to go out with a measuring wheel and check, but again, I'm reluctant to spend too much time, etc.)

Well, I'm officially in training for the Goofy Challenge in January. I'm incorporating several other races into the training. I completed two 5Ks last month--one was actually with the Big Dog himself, the other was with my brother-in-law who's getting ready to deploy to Iraq. I don't have any other races scheduled until September, but I'm keeping an eye out for good ones.

My training mantra is "GET THE MILES IN" no matter what the pace. I'm so happy that in the past day, I've had two people offer to train with me at least sometimes. Company + variety = motivation, right? Right, people?

On the Porch

2009-05-12T20:42:00.007-04:00

I've been a lazy schlub.

I've spent a lot of time planning my training, and scheduling races, and talking about running over the past two weeks. Have I spent any time actually running?

No. Nein. Nyet. Non.

After spending a good chunk of the day talking with a friend who had walked her first 5K and planning to get a team together with my dad for a 10K, I went home and put some fertilizer out in the garden, put in a load of laundry, and started making dinner. I had two miles scheduled for today, and usually if I don't get my miles in first thing they don't get done. Today, I decided to fit it in. So, while stew simmered on the stove and the kids played in the backyard, I hopped onto the treadmill and ran two faster than I ran them in my first PT test in basic training. This made me feel pretty good. When I can run faster than when I got out of the Army, though, I will throw a party.

So I'm back down from the porch. Three miles on the schedule for tomorrow.

My plan is to take it easy for the next month or so--light mileage, easy pace. I'm planning on a couple of 5Ks in June to keep myself motivated. I'll add more as I go along. I'm scheduled for the Philly Distance Run (13.1) and the McGuire Mud Run (10K) in September, the Cooper-Norcross Bridge Challenge (10K) and Philadelphia Marathon in November, and the (unofficial) Dopey Challenge at Disney in January. That consists of the Circle of Life 5K on a Friday plus the Goofy Challenge, which is the half-marathon on Saturday and the marathon on Sunday.

I haven't been able to concentrate on Brain Training for Runners, and yes, I recognize the irony in that.

I have read Once a Runner. It's pretty absorbing, even to a non-competitive runner. The best writing is, predictably, in the passages describing Quenton Cassidy's runs--both training and racing. I have the recently released sequel, Again to Carthage, and will read it...eventually. I wasn't impressed enough with the first one to want to jump right in.

Well, on my last run, I didn't use my Nike+. I ran on the treadmill and didn't bother with it, although I probably should have.

Today's run:

2.00 miles
17:36
8:48 pace

Curse You, Lance Armstrong!

2009-04-08T10:59:00.007-04:00

Lance, I respect and admire you. You are a hell of an athlete, a philanthropist, and judging from your tweets, a good dad, too. Also, you're nice to look at. HOWEVER...I regret to inform you that it doesn't take long for me to start cursing your name during your "Run Long" workout.

"Shut...up...Lance," I gasped, upon your self-righteous remark about pain being temporary and quitting being forever.

"Easy...for you...to say," I muttered, when I was "Halfway there!"

That day was the first time I completed the workout without walking. I have to tell you, I felt pretty good about myself (except that I forgot to put BodyGlide on my legs...why didn't you remind me, Lance? Chafing sucks!) and was happy to have Joan Benoit-Samuelson congratulate me on my fastest Nike + mile at the end of the run. So, I humbly apologize for my mid-run rants and beg your forgiveness. Overall, the music is good, and you're a motivating coach (hell, with your work ethic and record of rebounding from illness and injury, you could guilt me across the finish line) and I fully plan to curse your name again in the future. Thanks.

As far as Oddman...I did end up pacing F., who finished first in his age group. This is not saying much, as he was the only person in his age group. It was his first 5K, and he set a PR (he had been timing himself in training) with a 29:21. I finished second in my age group, and I'm here to tell you that if I had known the young woman in front of me was 30 I would have ditched F. in the last 400 meters to finish first... It took me a long time to warm up, but I felt good at the finish. I was shocked that there really was a hill on the course! There was a woman with really short legs in front of me on the hill, and I couldn't get around her until we were headed down. On the way up, I thought I was going to have to push her over the crest. It stopped raining before the race, and the course was in good shape. No puddles, no mud, a couple of slippery wooden walkways. It was a lot of fun, and I'd like to recruit more people for next year. Oh, yeah, and I love the brown long-sleeved t-shirt. :)

I just picked up Once a Runner, by John L. Parker, Jr. It's a novel that's considered a classic in the running community. I haven't started it yet, but I'm amused by the quote from Runner's World on the cover: "The best novel ever written about running." Okay. How many novels have been written about running?

WOW.

2009-03-28T07:41:00.003-04:00

I hadn't realized how long it had been since I'd posted. A series of minor injuries and illnesses led to a whole lot of riding on my stationary bike, and only a couple of runs since my last post. It'll be interesting to see how this affects my run today.

This morning, I'm heading out in the rain to run the Oddman Trail 5K in Medford, NJ, with a newbie friend. I'm not out for a PR, and it's a good thing, since I know it's out of the question! I was planning on pacing my friend, F., but now it sounds like he's improved quite a bit and he'll be hot on my heels--so my goal is just to beat him. Oh, yeah, and to have fun. :) It's a trail race in the rain...perfect conditions for a good time, if not for a good Time.

So now I'm off to drink my pre-race coffee.

Over 70 Degrees!

2009-03-08T20:03:00.006-04:00

It was a beautiful day! I ran in the afternoon out to where my husband and kids were cooking out with some other people. I wasn't sure how far it would be, and I felt good. The smell of the cedar swamps was fantastic, and it was very satisfying to hear the crunch, crunch, crunch of the sand as opposed to the whir, whir, whir of the treadmill. There was some mud from snow melt, but not nearly as much as I'd expected.

Yesterday, I picked up Matt Fitzgerald's book, Brain Training for Runners. I've read some of his articles and quite a few reviews of the book, so I finally decided to go ahead and get it. I'm looking forward to figuring out the useful bits and the useless bits and hopefully becoming a better runner as a result.

Tomorrow, I plan to sleep in, due to my later-than-usual run today. If I have time in the evening, I'll run or ride the bike for a bit.

Today's run:

7.76 miles
1:21:33
10:30 pace
View on Nike+ website

Snowed In

2009-03-06T11:46:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I'm not hardcore.

I refuse to run in snow that comes up over the tops of my shoes.

Combine that disinclination with a couple of Internet-less days due to snow on our satellite dish, and you get a couple of days where I don't even bother to run on the treadmill. I did, however, spend those days excavating the basement so I don't kill myself when I head down there, bleary-eyed, on the rare occasion that I do hit the belt.

I did manage to run on Wednesday and this morning. I went a little faster today, and felt good about it, although it was only a two mile run. Tomorrow's an off day, but I'm planning a long run for Sunday. No specific distance, I'm going to play it by ear. I figure at least six miles qualifies it as long, based on the length of my weekday runs lately.

Wednesday's run:

3.10 miles
29:49
9:36 pace
View on Nike+ website

Today's run:

2.01 miles
17:55
8:54 pace
View on Nike+ website

The Loop

2009-02-27T06:28:00.006-05:00

I'm lucky.

I have access to miles of privately owned sand roads in a beautiful, flat landscape. I take full advantage of this and try to run a different route every time. I've encountered wildlife both majestic (bald eagles) and humble (skunk). I get sand in my running shoes and mud spattered up the backs of my legs. Sometimes I run into somebody I know, but usually I have glorious alone time. The one thing that's always true is that no two runs are the same.

Until today.

In a couple of months, my husband's schedule is going to get much more unpredictable. In previous years, this has meant I've been relegated to treadmill running, as we have two kids. I started thinking about possible solutions, and I realized that the answer is literally in my own front yard. There's a nice little loop, all within sight and shouting distance of my house, that I decided to measure today. It's half road and half dirt, and it's a hair shy of eight-tenths of a mile. I tried it out for my four-miler--I ran five loops, plus a little extra at the end (to the neighbor's house).

I wouldn't want to do it every day, but it wasn't bad at all. I liked knowing that I could cut my run short at any time, and I felt safer being that close to home before the sun came up. I also liked the frequent change from asphalt to sandy road, since I prefer running on sand but like to get some miles on the road for race prep.

I did very little strength training today, but I did it. I need to work up a plan for the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow's my rest day, I'll work on it then.

Today's run:

4.00 miles
39:41
9:54 pace
View on Nike+ website

She Likes to Move

2009-02-26T07:09:00.007-05:00

Woke up at 5:00 am to N.E.R.D. "She Likes to Move" and went to A.'s house for our run. It was cold, but not windy, and the sun was almost up. The ground was still frozen, so we didn't have to worry about avoiding mud. Good conditions.

Running with a friend is a lot better for me than I ever would have thought. There are mornings when I wouldn't even get out of bed, but I don't want to let A. down. We talk, which makes the miles fly by. We take it easy and walk a bit sometimes, which is good since I tend to push too hard. I'd rather run slowly than not run at all.

A. ran her first 5K a couple of months ago. She had a hard time due to a stitch in her side that wouldn't go away, but she refused to walk. She was already planning what she would do differently next time before we even reached the finish line! That day confirmed that A. is a perfect training partner for me.

A., if you're reading this, thanks. And see you tomorrow.

Today's run:

4.53 miles
54:03
11:56 pace
View on Nike+ website

Tomorrow's goals:

Strength training
Slow four miles

Finding Time

2009-02-25T09:53:00.008-05:00

I just couldn't get myself out of bed at 5:00 am. So I thought about my day, and how I could squeeze in a three mile run, and I thought about the 50 minutes between my kids getting on the bus and the time I have to be at work. So I put on my workout gear and got the treadmill set up with my iPod and water bottle while the kids put on their shoes and coats. As soon as the bus pulled away, I went straight into the basement and did my three. It felt good to run again, but I felt a little weak and carried a lot of tension in my right shoulder particularly. I really tried to focus on form to stay relaxed, but it wasn't easy. Happily, it's a sunny day, and focusing outside did help. In fact, I even pictured where I would have been if I had been running outside, and that helped me a lot in the last mile. Oh, and I have to remember to be a little less enthusiastic when air-drumming. I knocked the magnet off the treadmill and accidentally shut it down about halfway through. :)

Today's run:

3.01 miles
27:33
9:09 pace
View on Nike+ Website

I just barely made it to work on time, with my hair dripping wet and my face still beet red. It's a glamorous life I lead.

A. texted me that she'd like to get back into it. I miss running with her, so I'd better get to bed early tonight. Goal for tomorrow: four slow miles.

New Year Redux

2009-02-24T20:12:00.003-05:00

So far, my 2009 plans haven't worked out so well. Sure, I got off to a great start--I ran the Walt Disney World Marathon in 5:05, which was just about where I wanted to be, I got a new recumbent bike to have alongside my treadmill, and I had a great time spending the Fleet Feet gift card I got for Christmas. But, other than that, I haven't gotten much done. I wanted to get back to my weekday morning runs with my running partner, A., but I've been having trouble getting in gear in the mornings. I wanted to run a 13-mile long run every week after the marathon--I've managed it twice.

I'm already noticing a difference in my diet, my energy level, and my overall fitness, and I'm ready to get back to it. I have a couple of new pairs of running shoes to try out--I can't find my New Balance 1222s anymore, and I'm not satisfied with the 1223s or 1224s. I've got some new songs on my Running playlist, and a Nike+ Mini on my Facebook. Tomorrow: three miles.