…that is the question?
Actually there were a few questions during this mornings workout. Starting with how come I can only find one indoor track in my area open on a Saturday morning? Why does that make any sense? Apparently runners ARE hardcore and thus MUST always, even during a snowstorm, run OUTDOORS!
Anyway, today, I did my first speed workout, on the hamster wheel. I was so looking forward to being on an actual metered track, but apparently mother nature had other plans. (more…)
I’d like to believe that everyone has back pimples just as everyone has excuses. Otherwise, I’d feel really gross and slothful. In an effort to laugh at the many I have, I’ve decided to create a list of excuses why I am still on a treadmill 4 weeks into my training.
Some of these are funny, but I’m being serious. Maybe you fearless, cold-insensitive, outside runners can help me cope and get off my hamster wheel ASAP! (more…)
The exciting thing about today is this was my first 4 miles on my NEW shoes. Oh, and that I covered 4 miles…and for someone who, four weeks ago, thought running late consistently should qualify as an effective training program, that’s pretty huge!
My task/stats:
Run 18 mins (3mins@6pmh, 5mins@6.2mph, 5mins@6.5mph, 5mins@7mph) 2 min break/walk(@3.8mph)
Run 18 mins (5mins@6.2mph, 5mins@6.5mph, 5mins@6.8mph, 3mins@7mph) 2 min break/walk(@3.8mph)
First things first, the shoes felt GREAT! One complaint was that I wished I had got them sooner because at this point my knees are screaming under any circumstance. However, I am confident the pain I felt today was a pre-existing condition and not due to my shoes.
As a result of the advice I received yesterday, prior to running today I spent some real time stretching my body, including extended active stretches in my calves. The stretches felt wonderful but nothing really could have prepared me for 36 mins of running against 4 mins of walking. (more…)
…And I FINALLY got some.
Today, I met with an awesome personal trainer, who happens to be a triathlete and dancer. Oh, and did I mention she was also born to a really great family (gotta love having talented family members). Anyway, she offered to take a look at how I run to determine if there was something she could suggest to stop the random aches. She noticed some inflexibility in my calves (suggested some stretches) and of course as I should have called earlier, she suggested a “good pair of running shoes”. Apparently my 5-year-old Nike Shox had run their course.
Unfortunately being a girl of very little means, I was planning to put off the “real live running shoe” purchase until I absolutely had to buy them. Today, my knee jumped out of my leg, tapped me on the shoulder and said “It’s time!”. (more…)
Today I ran for 30 mins, only stopping to stretch twice…darn leg cramps!
Today’s tasks
15 min Run (3mins@5.8mph, 4 mins@6mph, 4mins@6.2mph, 4mins@6.5mph)
5 min Light Jog (@5.2mph)
10 min Run (2mins@6.2mph, 4mins@6.5mph, 4mins@7mph)
After the last run, I was so depressed about my progress. I kept considering whether I needed to slow down my training or just decided to do something different altogether. My body was in a lot of pain. I didn’t feel like it was BAD pain, but it certainly didn’t feel good. I was starting to believe that maybe my fear of not having a “running suitable” body was beginning to come true and it really got me down.
This morning, it took a lot longer to get out of the bed. I stopped and looked at the computer for a while and got to the place where either I was going to call it quits right then, or get back on the horse and keep going. I decided to head downstairs after realizing that I couldn’t live with the fact that I had come halfway through the program only to give up. (more…)
Dear Running Gods,
Today I must confess, I had an awful running day.
My task:
12 mins run (4mins@6mph, 4mins@6.2mph, 4mins@6.5mph) 3 mins break/walk (3.8 mphs)
12 mins run (2mins@6mph, 5mins@6.2mph, 5mins@6.5mph) 3 mins break/walk (3.8 mphs)
Incline of 2, for the most part.
In order to not relive all the horrible details, I’ll just list the major points of embarrassment. (more…)
So I’m just going to be vulnerable for a minute and say, I’m pretty running illiterate. I don’t really know what a PR is or a bonk. And I think Fartlek sounds like something that smells REAL bad.
Usually when I don’t know the meaning of the word, I just smile and nod. And try to end the conversation fast before the other person asks for my insight. However, in order to be a real life runner, I’ve decided I MUST figure this one out. So I went to www.google.com, typed in running lingo, and found this:
http://www.valleyforgestriders.com/training_corner/running_terminology.htm
Now, just gotta learn how to use my new vocab in a sentence. Want to take a stab at it? =P
I’ll even give you some food for thought…or more accurately a good laugh. This is adorable little Arnold NOW!
And I think he’s single now, ladies!!!
You betta’ get it while it’s Hot!
If you’ve never endured Pandora radio, you are going to be lost in this post. So either, jump into the 21st century, go download it, and then come read, or just skip to the list below.
Pandora is a very strange animal, to say the least. I have 4 stations and until recently I loved them all. However, little by little, things have went sort of twilight zone-ish in my Pandora World. For those prehistoric, hardheaded creatures that haven’t done what I’ve asked in prior paragraph, Pandorasuggests songs based on your listening preference. To my understanding about the rules of Pandora. You hear a song you like, you “thumbs up” it. And you can be sure you will hear it again and others like it. However, if you “thumbs down” a song, it will not come back on. Furthermore, if you “thumbs down” a single artist twice, then that artist gets no play on your station. Couple of stipulations. One, if you happen to be listening to Madonna radio, you can never, no matter how many times you “thumbs down” her songs, get rid of her as an artist. Also, you can skip a song which doesn’t get rid of the artist or song, but you only have a few times that you can skip in an hour. It’s complicated, but seems like a good system, right? Well, mostly…but there are the following cases…. (more…)
OK, no, seriously, this is going to be a short post. Not short for me, but just short in general. Mainly because while I am VERY proud of my itty bitty success today, I just don’t feel much like writing. So today I am spending my extra time in between periods where I should be working, reading other blogs. I want blog friends. I want to be a cool blogger that runs and writes funny things that people enjoy reading. So I’m slightly(understatement) stalking funny people with blogs until they let me in the funny blog club. Ok, so here’s goes my running related post for today.
My task:
15 min Run (5 mins@6mph, 4 mins@6.2mph, 6 mins@6.5mph) 5 min break (walk@3.5mph)
15 min Run (3 mins@6.2mph, 6 mins@6.5mph, 6 mins@6.8mph) 5 min break (walk@3.5mph)
Today was pretty cool. And by cool, I mean, it was hard as heck but I stuck to it. The first couple of mins of my first run sucked. The reason it will probably take forever to remove my tag line (an anonymous black girl who despises running) is attributed to that horrid first few mins of running. This is when “Devlin” really gets going. She finds pleasure jumping on various parts of my body, including my lungs, with hopes that she can take me down. I don’t think she gets it yet, but I’m not a quitter. Still she IS making my life worse for about 5 mins. So I hate her for being a hater! Once I hit 6.5mph (which I really feel is my most comfortable running pace at this point), I feel great! I am literally running to the beat of Aaliyah blasting in my headphones, and I feel like a super-she-ro. or something like that, though I’m sure super-she-roes run a little faster than a 10 min mile, but whatever…no raining on my running parade. (more…)
I thank my lucky stars that I scheduled a two-day break between my last “hellacious” workout. Or I would have been writing this post from a hospital bed. Jeez, my body was a mess. Anyway, enough negativity, today was pretty good.
Stats:
12 min Run (4 mins@5.8mph, 4 mins@6mph, 4 mins@6.2mph) 3 min Break-Walk@3.5mph
12 min Run (2 mins@6mph, 5 mins@6.2mph, 5 mins@6.5mph) 3 min Break-Walk@3.5mph
I started off walking at a good pace to warmup, then paused and stretched a little before starting. I’ve come to realize that there really is no way my old bones can stretch cold anymore. Not sure why all training programs tells you to stretch first, but I’m assuming the person writing them clearly lives in Miami. So I derailed slightly to do what MY body needed. But don’t fret, rule followers, I jumped right back into training feeling much more prepared. For those that stayed up at night wondering about the state of my poor pulled muscle, I am happy to report that I felt better today. When I started I actually felt pretty normal, the soreness had subsided for the most part. The only thing I noticed was some tightness around my right ankle.
I spent the first 4 mins of my run wondering how it was possible that my body was going to allow a run for 12 mins straight. Again, I understand that’s not much for most, but for a girl who thinks homicidal thoughts when her trainer assigns her laps, it’s unreal. (more…)
