Can't pee on my parade

WOOHOO!!!

Ran my long run yesterday with Mac.  On the leash.  Let me repeat that.  I ran 5 miles with Mac, the hyper-as-heck, OMG-I-have-to-smell-and-then-pee-on-everything-dog attached to me. 

 And I'm still alive!!

He only tried to trip me 4 times (yes, he made sure there were people watching EVERY time) and only slowed my times down

a tiny bit.  Overall, it wasn't too shabby of a run and he was pooped afterwards!

That's all I have time for now--out of town and working like crazy.  But still running!!

Run as fast as you can

Did my 3.5 today. Started out with beautiful blue skies, if a bit windy.

by the time I got to the end and was doing my cool down walk?

I was in the middle of a snow storm! Like full blown swirls of snow coming down sideways and pelting my face cuz the wind was blowing so hard. 

I put Mac on his leashed and BOOKED IT back to the car which was still

.7 miles away.  So much for a cool down.

It's hard to see, but it WAS snowing.  And the hazy look to the hills back there? Yup, you guessed it: snow.

So, I got in my car, proud of myself for pushing through my run and not walking up the hill

(yes, that means I jogged..er...ran all the way up the sandy thing) but not feeling

overall good about what I just did.  Until I checked my stats and I had 

a faster per mile pace than any of my other runs thus far.  BOOYAH!
Proof that even if I don't always feel like it, I am making progress and this running
business is paying off.

Now it's out to dinner with the hubs.

But first, some Mac pics:

Always after our runs he hangs his head through
the seats and DROOLS on everything up front.
I think it's his way of saying "thanks".

He loves car rides.  Especially when they lead to runs.

Easy Peesy Lemon Squeezy

I SO did not want to run today.  I was tired, it was getting cold and cloudy out.

My knees hurt a bit from squats and lunges yesterday.

Wouldn't the smart thing be to let my knees rest so I don't injure them?

HECK NO.

Instead, I went to REI to buy new headphones since mine broke. And since I had my dividend

money, I also bought a new pair of socks (I LOVE new socks!!!) and a shirt that plainly says "RUN" on it--how can you deny that?

I went home, collected my running partner, and we headed to our trail.

Score:

Inner Critic--0

Me--1

First thing I thought when I saw the field? It is friggin cold out here and I am not dressed for it.

Give up? Nah.  

I just changed into a long sleeve shirt my husband left in the car (don't tell him though).

Score 2 for me.

I started running and my first thought was--keep a slow pace (usually this thought doesn't creep in until around half a mile, so I was already doing good).  And you know what? It worked! I finished my first

mile pretty dang slow compared to my usual off the block speed and it felt great!

Ya know what else felt great? My knees.  I was trying out a new 3:2 breathing technique (breathe in for 3 steps and out for 2).  The point of it is to alternate which foot you land on when you begin exhaling

because that is when your core is weakest and therefore puts the most strain on your knees.  If you constantly land on one knee like that, it puts that knee at a disadvantage.  

They didn't start bothering me until after mile 3 (usually it hits before mile 2).

Did someone say "progress"?

Cuz I freaking lept for joy!

All this equaled a pretty easy and enjoyable run (yes, I said EASY!).

Last week, 3.5 was a hurdle.  This week, it was a piece of cake all because of training, some simple breathing adjustments and determination.

I used to run because I wanted to be "a runner".  Because I wanted to lose weight.  Now, I run because I enjoy it and I want results, baby!

Goals

Today was a stretch and strength day on my workout schedule so I decided to do a little home gym workout.  I want to focus a bit more on my arms (since there isn't much focus on the arms when running) so I came up with this little circuit:

It took me about 9 minutes to run through it once (I did it twice) and you can substitute a dumbbell for the kettle bell--I did for a couple of them because my arms are wEaK! I also included side steps with a resistance band as part of my ongoing physical therapy.

My cute little home gym set up. I'm hoping to add a step and jump rope to it, as well as setting up my bike trainer to supplement my running cardio.

I took a couple of pics of my arms so I can have a comparison and I also took some body measurements the other day to document my progress. Once I have my new and improved arms I will post before and after pics here.

I am trying to focus on specific, attainable goals.  Besides following my training schedule and getting ready for the half in May, I want to focus on a specific part of my body 

and have a goal in mind when working out (thus, the arms bit above).  

Also, and I am putting this in print so it's out there....

drum roll.....

I am giving up soda. WHAT?!

I LOVE my diet soda. I don't just drink it whenever, 

but with most meals I want a diet to go with it. And if we are eating out?

Keep the refills coming, baby! But, no more.

I am really enjoying the liquid drink mixes (Crystal Light and Mio)--they taste yummy, you control

how much flavor to add and they are portable. Plus, diet sodas are just plain bad for you!

Check out this info here.

Working on amping up my motivation for workouts--Running, no problem.  But weights and other supplemental cross trainings? Most of the time, I just don't feel it.  But, no one else is going to do it for me, so the pressure is on.

No time like the present

Today was my rest day but I decided to take Mac out for a run.  

I thought, I'll just do an easy 2-3 miles and call it good.  My long run was supposed to be Sunday (5 miles).  We got to the trail, I started running and it was so nice I just kept going. 

 It is an out and back trail and when I went 2 miles I figured I'd at least be doing 4 because I still had to get back so why not just go the whole 5? 

So I did.

What is this? Could it be...sunshine?

The trail has a 1,200 foot elevation gain (and not a gradual gain, but an all-at-once hill that is covered in sand and is a b**** to run up) but even with that my pace was faster than the

3.5 I did yesterday.  And faster than my first long run 2 weeks ago

(which was a 4-miler).  And my splits weren't half bad either (a huge slow-down at the elevation change, but other than that relatively close together).  I'm still not at race pace-- today was 11:40 

and I want to be at 10:30 for the half marathon in May. 

That's a big difference, but I'm only 3 weeks into training so it's doable.

And my pain is starting to decrease in my knees.  I'm able to run a bit farther before they start to hurt.  

And I've found that if I just walk a bit (instead of stopping and stretching) I can start running soon after and they're better.  The walking part sucks, but it is what it is.  As long as I am still able to get out there and run :)

Quite possibly the best thing about running is how tired it makes Mac.  I feel like a better pet parent when he is exhausted :)

Mac watching me stretch after our run.  It's been a while since I've been able to take him for longer runs (or even walks) so I guess he is reconditioning, too.

Listen to this!

Seriously, what do you listen to when you're working out?

When you need motivation?

Sometimes I like to listen to music--Pandora's Today's Hits, Imagine Dragons, personal workout mixes--but sometimes I'm not feeling it.  Or I've heard the same songs over. 

and over. and over. 

And let me tell you, it's really annoying

to run to music that is getting on your nerves or to be reaching across your body trying to skip to the next song.  

It ruins the mood.

Sometimes, a lot of times, I like to listen to books. 

Not boring, self-help, yada yada books.

Books that are engaging and action packed and fun.

And usually books that include fighting off bad guys or facing physical challenges (I don't specifically look for that, but it seems to be a common theme for me).

I enjoyed listening to Divergent so much the first time (while not running) that I started listening to it again when I was hitting the treadmill.  And it was great! Really the whole series so far rocks, but listening to the scenes about the Dauntless really revs you up.

Currently, I'm listening to the Strange Angels series--I'm on book numero trece--and it is great running fodder.  Them fighting off vampires, running for their lives while I'm just plain running.  Listening to their combat and running skills, even though fictional, makes me want to run harder. And having to pay attention to the story details distracts me and pretty soon--VOILA! 

I'm at the end of my run and I feel great.

When the end of the world comes and the zombies hit, remember:

:)

Running splits with Ryan Gosling

So, I've been trying to make an effort in paying attention to my running splits.  With Ryan there to cheer me on, why wouldn't I?  Currently, I run posi-negative splits which is my way of saying I don't pay enough attention and end up all over the board--I start out with a huge negative split, have positive splits for the middle miles and maybe a slight negative split for the last mile (for more information on running splits and what they are check here and here). 

Please do...

I had my alarm set and my workout clothes all ready to go this morning, but when my alarm went off I just couldn't make myself do it. BUT, I did go this evening after getting done with work around 4:45 and realizing IT WAS STILL LIGHT OUT!!!

I checked online and saw that I still had 2 hours before sunset. Halle-freakin-lujah!

I jumped into my running clothes, grabbed one happy dog and headed out.

We did 3.5 miles--not one bit of it walked, thank you very much. Saw 7 deer along the route...7 not very happy deer once Mac caught sight of them.

  After our run...who looks more tired? Admittedly, I did not chase deer all over a field.

My splits weren't very good (sorry, Ryan).  I did my usual too-fast-first-mile, too-slow-second-mile, and started to even out a bit on the final mile and a half.  But, I was aware of my pace which is more than I can say about previous runs.

I came home and did my kettle bell sets.  Once again, I am so glad I purchased my own kettle bell.  It's so nice to be able to pick one up whenever I want and not have to hit the gym!

Happy Tuesday!!

Victory is MINE!

What a beautiful day in Eastern Washington today!! I actually debated sunscreen as I began my run today, but in the end opted out for some good ol' vitamin D exposure.  

I started my day out working, after which I planned to head straight to the start of my run and GO! All morning the only thing I could think of was finishing work (even though I LOVE what I do) and hitting the trail.  I brought food with me to make sure I was fueled before I ran (I think that is a big problem for me--with Weight Watchers looming over me I don't think I am eating right before and after my runs and causing my own fatigue....but that's another story) and made sure to eat it early enough that it wouldn't effect me whilst doing said run. Finally work finished, I changed and headed out.

I ran the same 4 mile out and back I ran last weekend for the sheer ease and beauty of it.  I told myself this time I would not walk and I DIDN'T.  But I must admit that I stopped a few times when my knees started hurting, stretched for 10-30 seconds and then kept running. I felt jazzed the whole run, found myself smiling and waving at everyone and even got a high-five from another runner when we both reached the top of a hill.  THIS is why I love running!!

After my four miles were up, I walked around downtown a bit, found a spot not covered in geese poop to do my stretching, and walked around a bit more. And guess what?? Not only did I have fun, but I beat my time from last weekend by 31 seconds! Say what?! 

I'm still not fast, it still wasn't as easy as I would like it to be, but it's an improvement. Both in my attitude and in my body and that's the whole point.  I don't run to look good or do it for other people (I had to tell myself this as I got passed several times today), I run to better myself and today I felt like I did that.  Today, victory was mine.

Excuse me, I have excuses to make

Well, it's been a few days since I posted.  Mostly because I haven't done anything blog-worthy.  Yes, I've ran, but not with gusto (excuse).   I tell myself, at least I get out there and do something when I REALLY  don't want to...but when I don't want to do something, it's hard to give it my all (excuse).  And when I don't give it my all, I feel frumpy.
I had a case of the allergies this week (excuse) which made me all congested and tired so I switched my rest day from Friday to Wednesday.  And today my knee was hurting (excuse...it's been doing that a little the last couple of days but usually goes away...I've been debating: call the PT? Take a break even though I just got started again? Stretch through it?) so I decided, since it was a short "two-mile or cross train day" (excuse) it was an okay one to skip and let my knee rest.  I have to remind myself that it's ok to feel tired sometimes and rest--running isn't about pushing yourself until you're injured or sick or burnt out.  It's about pushing yourself to improvement and sometimes in order to get there, you have to rest up a bit.

This quote got me this week.  It makes me think, one foot in front of the other; give it my best, even if this week my best is a really slow 3 miles because I'm out there doing more than I want to do, more than I was doing just a minute ago and because in giving it my best today means maybe tomorrow my best can be a really comfortable and evenly paced 4 miles.




Tomorrow I am doing my long run (another 4-miler) and am actually pretty excited for it. The weather is supposed to be a balmy 50 degrees and I am well-rested and ready for it.  I'll let you know how it goes, but in the meantime, here's a picture of my pup and I (and his tongue).  He is an absolutely wonderful running partner who helped me push through my 3 miles yesterday.  It's hard not to enjoy running when he loves it so much.

Let's run....to the restroom!

Well, I survived my first "long run". I did everything in my power to NOT make it happen, but eventually I ran out of excuses and just did it.

My long run was Sunday so Saturday I went online to try and find a good route to run that was 4 miles.  If I don't already know the route I am running, I like to be able to see it beforehand, or at least pace it out, just so I can visualize where I am at in the grand scheme of the run. I ended up picking an out-and-back route that runs along the river and through one of the many college campuses here.

I had run the route before so I knew it was fairly flat, pretty, and somewhat populated.

Morning of, I slept in an hour longer than I had intended to. When I finally got up (to blue skies instead of rain-YAY!) I started doing my pep talk about how I WAS going to run and I WAS going to like it and I WAS going to be sorry if I didn't.  Finally, I was dressed and in my car.

I had about a 10-minute drive to get to the route and in that 10 minutes, I suddenly really had to go to the bathroom. Hadn't I gone TWICE before leaving the house?? Of course, there were no public restrooms where I ended up so I walked around downtown trying to find a place that was open at 9am on a Sunday morning.  

That place ended up being Starbucks--I used their facilities and left, much to my guilt (my husband said he buys enough coffee from them that I'm ok).

The plus side is that all the walking and stair-climbing I did looking for a restroom was a great warm-up.  I finally began my run and immediately did not feel it.  It was cold and I was tired and I still had 3.95 miles to go?! But, I kept pushing. The first mile was incredibly laboring and I even had a stitch in my side.  I thought maybe it was the difference between treadmill running and road running until my phone chirped in my ear that I had just run a 10-minute mile.  Not fast by any means, but a whole two minutes faster than what I had been doing at the gym getting back into this game.  

I told myself to slow down, enjoy the run, and focus on what I'm doing.

I ended up finishing in 47 minutes, with an average pace of 11:44.  It turned out to be a great run and the weather was beautiful.

Sometimes I ask myself why I run. If going on a long run is such a chore, why do it? I really do enjoy running (maybe not always at the time of the run, but definitely before and after.  And usually during it, too).  I like the soreness afterwards, the feeling of accomplishment, and the feeling of belonging to something.  I run.  I am a runner.  A slow, plodding, incredibly red-faced runner, but a runner nonetheless.  

Rest day, Schmest day

So, today was supposed to be my rest day, but it's hard for me to stop and rest when I've just gotten back in the game. I know rest days are important, and I don't recommend skipping them, so I thought...ok, I WILL listen to Hal Higdon and I WILL rest today.  And then I rationalized--It's a rest day for my legs, so why not do some upper body work? Plus, yesterday I bought a couple of new toys at the store.  Why spend the money if I'm not going to use them, right?

Meet my new kettle bell:

Felicia introduced me to kettle bells at the gym, but doing them by myself in front of everyone is a little strange for me.  I didn't want that to effect my progress, so I got one to use at home.  It was $32 at Sports Authority (on sale) and, if you can't tell, it's PINK! I'm not necessarily a huge pink fan, but I do like a little variety. I knew some limited kettle bell moves, so I looked online to expand my horizons and found this workout from Women's Health.
There are 8 moves and you go through them once, take a short break, and go through them again (2-3 times).  I set a stopwatch and did each move for a minute.  For the sets that used only one arm, I did my right arm the first time through and my left arm the second time through.  It was a short 16-minute workout, but I was sweating and feeling it by the second time around! It hits several major muscle groups (arms, legs, abs, back....guess I didn't rest my legs, but I was very gently on them) and was diverse enough to keep me interested. I will be incorporating that into my weekly routine for sure!

This is a Tiger Tail (Made in the USA!!!) and works wonders! I borrowed Felicia's for awhile but just had to get my own.  It has a foam roller between two handles and you just roll it across sore muscles (legs, back) for instant, magical relief! I use it mostly on my IT band (up the outside of my thigh and hip) which is where my PT was focused and where I am usually the most sore after running. I also got this at Sports Authority and it was $30.

I have a long run this weekend (long meaning 4 miles) and I think I am psyching myself out with the word "long".  Trying to have positive self-talk and to pump myself up for it.  I am excited though--it's fun to push my body and mind and see how much I really am capable of.