Another 7 days of running - that makes 15 days in a row and 32 out of the last 36 days! I'm pleased with that and definitely feel that running every day is much easier mentally than running 3 or 4x a week and having the "freedom" to decide from day to day whether to run or not.
I had a few highlights this week:
1. I can wear my Medium running skirts now so I now have 3 bottoms I can wear instead of 1. I've noticed that the legs of the shorts under the skirt ride up if the size is too big and that's happening with my Large skirt so I may have to make that a walk-around skirt soon and retire it from the running rotation.
2. I had my first run with a pace that started with a 10:xx. It was only a 1.2 mile run but it was the last one of the week and in the afternoon heat after I spent the day outside at a race. Also had used our new Podium Legs for the first time the night before.
3. Managed to bump up the mileage of my long run to 3.5 miles due to correcting the issue from last week. I made sure I had short runs and long runs this week and that allowed me to get in a 3 miler AND a 3.5 miler (the cooler weather helped a lot as well).
4. Mileage went up to 15 miles.
I'm struggling with music. I love running with music but I don't NEED music to run. The problem I don't really get into music unless I am running and I haven't done much running the last few years so all my music is old. I've spent the last 1.5 years purposely not listening to the radio (I like to avoid advertising if possible and am too cheap to pay for XM) so I only listen to podcasts in the car. I also don't have time to browse iTunes since I have a baby so I have tired using Pandora. I find it really annoying, though, to not know from song to song if I'm going to be assaulted by Britney Spears and it messes with my running mojo. Pretty much the opposite of what music should do for exercise.
And now it's time for my Monday morning run...until next week.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Training Week #4 Recap
I finally got to my goal of 7 days of running but I am not sure it did me much good. I wasn't able to do a long run this week due to fatigue from running 2 miles just about every day (one day was less and one day was more but the rest were all 2 miles). This coming week I need to force myself to have lower volume days (it just sucks to have to go down to 1 mile again) so I can bump up from my long run of 3.
I also didn't have any great runs like I had last week. Those special magic runs are elusive. But at least I did run 7 days. Let's see how long I can keep the steak going.
Mileage went from 11.1 last week to 14 this week.
I am losing weight still, I think. Andrew bought me some new pajama pants this week and they were a Medium and fit perfectly. But I have felt bloated and puffy, too. And craving some weird stuff like potato chips that I never eat.
Thinking of what I want/need to get back into serious running: shoes, another sports bra that fits, a GPS watch. Maybe after 6 weeks of training I'll start to spend some money.
This week I want to run 7 days and manage a decent long run of 3 or more miles.
I also didn't have any great runs like I had last week. Those special magic runs are elusive. But at least I did run 7 days. Let's see how long I can keep the steak going.
Mileage went from 11.1 last week to 14 this week.
I am losing weight still, I think. Andrew bought me some new pajama pants this week and they were a Medium and fit perfectly. But I have felt bloated and puffy, too. And craving some weird stuff like potato chips that I never eat.
Thinking of what I want/need to get back into serious running: shoes, another sports bra that fits, a GPS watch. Maybe after 6 weeks of training I'll start to spend some money.
This week I want to run 7 days and manage a decent long run of 3 or more miles.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Training Week #3 Recap
It was a good week. The high was getting in my first 3 mile run AND it was my first "I love this. I could go forever" run since I started running again. That was a great feeling and really motivating. I can't wait to feel that way on a real long run, like a nice 20 miler in great weather...ahhh....
The low was my crappy 1.1 mile run in Pigeon Forge in the evening after a full day of walking around Dollywood. That was just as bad as it sounds, although I was proud for getting it done! And then the next day I took the kids on a 2.5 mile hike (with Jack in a carrier on my chest) and we got caught in a downpour that lasted for the last mile or so of our hike. That meant I missed that day of running because I didn't do it in the morning and I couldn't do it in the evening because my shoes were soaked. So my (unstated) goal of running every day of the week so far has not happened.
My mileage was 11.1 miles. Only one run with Jack in the stroller and it was a short one because he cried.
I've noticed some things about running in my neck of the woods. I live in the country but just barely. My road is suburban enough that it has yellow lines down the middle but country enough that people ignore them when going around turns because they assume nobody is coming in the other direction. I don't have shoulders and I don't have sidewalks so I have to be mindful and make sure cars see me. Also, since it's the country there aren't a lot of people out walking and running (although my street gets a good amount of cyclists).
What I do to make myself seen and to get my neighbors used to seeing runners is to simply wave at everyone as they pass me. It's hard to be annoyed at someone who waves at you. But what I have sadly noticed is that the guys always wave back and the girls are only about 50/50. Also, the female drivers are much more likely to not give me plenty of room, to not slow down, and to be talking on a phone and just half-paying attention to the road. I find this all really annoying and sad.
The low was my crappy 1.1 mile run in Pigeon Forge in the evening after a full day of walking around Dollywood. That was just as bad as it sounds, although I was proud for getting it done! And then the next day I took the kids on a 2.5 mile hike (with Jack in a carrier on my chest) and we got caught in a downpour that lasted for the last mile or so of our hike. That meant I missed that day of running because I didn't do it in the morning and I couldn't do it in the evening because my shoes were soaked. So my (unstated) goal of running every day of the week so far has not happened.
My mileage was 11.1 miles. Only one run with Jack in the stroller and it was a short one because he cried.
I've noticed some things about running in my neck of the woods. I live in the country but just barely. My road is suburban enough that it has yellow lines down the middle but country enough that people ignore them when going around turns because they assume nobody is coming in the other direction. I don't have shoulders and I don't have sidewalks so I have to be mindful and make sure cars see me. Also, since it's the country there aren't a lot of people out walking and running (although my street gets a good amount of cyclists).
What I do to make myself seen and to get my neighbors used to seeing runners is to simply wave at everyone as they pass me. It's hard to be annoyed at someone who waves at you. But what I have sadly noticed is that the guys always wave back and the girls are only about 50/50. Also, the female drivers are much more likely to not give me plenty of room, to not slow down, and to be talking on a phone and just half-paying attention to the road. I find this all really annoying and sad.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Marathon Training - My First Two Weeks
I signed up for the New Orleans Rock and Roll Marathon. It's not until the end of January but I am starting not just from zero but from, like, negative 300 or something. I haven't run a single step since (I'm looking this up) July 15, 2013. Almost exactly one year ago, when I was about 6 or 7 weeks pregnant. And if you know me at all, you know that when I am pregnant I gain a shit-ton of weight. I stopped weighing myself at 20 weeks, at which point I had already gained roughly 25-30 pounds. I am still 20-30 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight (this is a total guess since I am still not weighing myself) so here is the math:
no running for 50 weeks +
20-30 pounds of extra weight +
sleep deprivation from having an almost 4 month old
=
-300
The good news is I am running again and I am losing weight. I'm eating pretty darn good and things will get better if I just keep truckin'. So here is my recap of first 2 weeks back to running on my journey to a marathon in January.
Week One: Baby Jack is 15 weeks old and I am finally sick of myself enough to go on that first run. It ended up being way more horrendous than I thought it would be. I made it 8 agonizing, horrifying minutes before I had to walk but I struggle on for a total of 2 miles. I realize that 2 miles is too much and decide for the rest of the week I am not allowed to run more than 1 mile at a time but I will try to run every day (consistency over mileage).
I then run 4 more times during the week, 1 mile only. Missed 2 days in a row when we were in Chattanooga, but I did at least walk a lot both days.
Week Two: I decide I will run a minimum of 1 mile and a maximum of 2 miles total per workout, still aiming to run every day. I skipped one day due to a complete meltdown from exhaustion (Jack's apparent 4 month sleep regression had arrived). I also experimented with run/walk intervals of 8/2 for most of this week. On that last day of the week I ran the entire 2 miles non-stop. This week I also finally started running with Jack in his fancy Mountain Buggy jogging stroller. He seems to like it!
Did I mention that I am running 12:20 miles? Did I mention that I only have one running skirt and one running bra that fit me right now? Did I mention that it's the middle of summer in the South? But it could be worse - I could still be back on Day One. Instead, I am starting my third week and just barely starting to feel a tiny bit better when I am out there. It's progress!
no running for 50 weeks +
20-30 pounds of extra weight +
sleep deprivation from having an almost 4 month old
=
-300
The good news is I am running again and I am losing weight. I'm eating pretty darn good and things will get better if I just keep truckin'. So here is my recap of first 2 weeks back to running on my journey to a marathon in January.
Week One: Baby Jack is 15 weeks old and I am finally sick of myself enough to go on that first run. It ended up being way more horrendous than I thought it would be. I made it 8 agonizing, horrifying minutes before I had to walk but I struggle on for a total of 2 miles. I realize that 2 miles is too much and decide for the rest of the week I am not allowed to run more than 1 mile at a time but I will try to run every day (consistency over mileage).
I then run 4 more times during the week, 1 mile only. Missed 2 days in a row when we were in Chattanooga, but I did at least walk a lot both days.
Week Two: I decide I will run a minimum of 1 mile and a maximum of 2 miles total per workout, still aiming to run every day. I skipped one day due to a complete meltdown from exhaustion (Jack's apparent 4 month sleep regression had arrived). I also experimented with run/walk intervals of 8/2 for most of this week. On that last day of the week I ran the entire 2 miles non-stop. This week I also finally started running with Jack in his fancy Mountain Buggy jogging stroller. He seems to like it!
Did I mention that I am running 12:20 miles? Did I mention that I only have one running skirt and one running bra that fit me right now? Did I mention that it's the middle of summer in the South? But it could be worse - I could still be back on Day One. Instead, I am starting my third week and just barely starting to feel a tiny bit better when I am out there. It's progress!
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