Today I went 5 miles, which meant my weekly mileage is 15! I haven't done that before! Full disclosure, I did my run/walk for 4 miles and then was completely bushed so walked the last 1. I'd started at a different part of the trail and had to get back to my car.
After I finished my run I had some pain in my left foot in the inside arch. Last time I was at Road Runner Sports (for the Color Run, I think) I noticed they had this funky foot roller thing for about $20, and it got really good reviews on the website. I've been massaging my foot and everything but I think I'll head to Falls Church tomorrow and get one. I'm debating a regular foam roller too. I don't know. Maybe next paycheck.
What else ... I've been listening to a lot of podcasts. I'd had one on my iPod from several months ago from Jillian Michaels and she talked about vitamins. She recommended one brand of multivitamin, Rainbow Light, because it doesn't have all the damaging toxins that other cheaper brands have. It's ironic that vitamins have toxins. Anyway, this was supposed to be more expensive but Amazon had it for about $20 for 120 or 150 vitamins. It's a 1-dose multivitamin for women, which is good because I've had omega-3 supplements that turned out you're supposed to take 3 at a time and those damn things are huge to begin with. So, we'll see how this one works out. I never really saw a difference when taking the Women's One-A-Day except that it turned my pee fluorescent yellow. (Sorry, TMI.)
I'm signed up for BodyPump tomorrow morning. It'll be good to get back into that. Good cross-training.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
1st Half Marathon - 9/14/13
Well, I signed up for my first half marathon! I'll be running the Diva Half Marathon in Leesburg on September 14. On the one hand, I'm a little intimidated to run 13.1 miles at once. On the other, how intimidating can something really be that encourages tutus and tiaras? The whole website is basically pink. I think I'm going to take the day before off work and stay the night since the race starts at 7:30 and there's really no way I'm waking up at 5 to get there. Plus, if you stay the night there and you're involved with the race, you get 20% off spa services. Fabulous. I'm all for that.
I'm also thinking of signing up for the Baltimore Half Marathon. My friend Erin is signed up for the full one on the same day. It's about a month after the Diva, so I should theoretically have recovered enough and my mileage will be up anyway. Also, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in race swag that has crabs on it. Maryland pride.
I've rediscovered podcasts as something to listen to while running...and in the car on the way to/from Baltimore for work. I've got some from the Nerdist and also the Marathon Training Academy. There are probably others I'm forgetting. For awhile I listened to WTF wtih Mark Marin (sp?) but wasn't really a fan. If anyone has some they recommend, let me know! I love free entertainment.
The weather is supposed to be in the 60s this weekend! Wooooo! Maybe I'll go run along one of the other trails in the area instead of the one by my house. One thing that's nice about the DC area is that we've got a lot of hiker/biker trails to utilize. The Mount Vernon one has been on my list to bike for a long time and somehow I never got around to it. Maybe I'll get there on foot!
I'm also thinking of signing up for the Baltimore Half Marathon. My friend Erin is signed up for the full one on the same day. It's about a month after the Diva, so I should theoretically have recovered enough and my mileage will be up anyway. Also, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in race swag that has crabs on it. Maryland pride.
I've rediscovered podcasts as something to listen to while running...and in the car on the way to/from Baltimore for work. I've got some from the Nerdist and also the Marathon Training Academy. There are probably others I'm forgetting. For awhile I listened to WTF wtih Mark Marin (sp?) but wasn't really a fan. If anyone has some they recommend, let me know! I love free entertainment.
The weather is supposed to be in the 60s this weekend! Wooooo! Maybe I'll go run along one of the other trails in the area instead of the one by my house. One thing that's nice about the DC area is that we've got a lot of hiker/biker trails to utilize. The Mount Vernon one has been on my list to bike for a long time and somehow I never got around to it. Maybe I'll get there on foot!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
4.5 Miles!!
Hi, friends! Happy New Year! I bet you all thought I forgot about you and this little running goal of mine. That's half true - I forgot about the blog (as I do occasionally) but have been running.
Today I ran 4.5 miles! That's longer than I have ever gone before. I meant to run 4 miles but I was tracking distance with a FitBit and miscalculated ... yeah, there's really no excuse for not counting 2 miles right as the turnaround point, but what can I say? Math was never my strong suit. There's a reason why I'm a social worker and not an accountant.
Yeah, so I ran 4.5 miles and I'm feeling very good about April's 8K. I'm really thinking about a half marathon in Baltimore in October. My friend Erin is signed up for the full marathon on the same day and I'm thinking we could meet up for a beer afterwards. I was called in on a really difficult case at work and as a result had a VERY long December (long story - I'll tell you later if you really want to know) but I am very proud of how I handled it and figured if I can do that as well as I did, I can train for a half marathon in October. I have a training schedule laid out for myself and the 8K fits in really well with it, though I'm already ahead of schedule with my 4.5 mile run today. Registration rates don't increase til the end of March, so I have awhile to think about it.
Today I ran 4.5 miles! That's longer than I have ever gone before. I meant to run 4 miles but I was tracking distance with a FitBit and miscalculated ... yeah, there's really no excuse for not counting 2 miles right as the turnaround point, but what can I say? Math was never my strong suit. There's a reason why I'm a social worker and not an accountant.
Yeah, so I ran 4.5 miles and I'm feeling very good about April's 8K. I'm really thinking about a half marathon in Baltimore in October. My friend Erin is signed up for the full marathon on the same day and I'm thinking we could meet up for a beer afterwards. I was called in on a really difficult case at work and as a result had a VERY long December (long story - I'll tell you later if you really want to know) but I am very proud of how I handled it and figured if I can do that as well as I did, I can train for a half marathon in October. I have a training schedule laid out for myself and the 8K fits in really well with it, though I'm already ahead of schedule with my 4.5 mile run today. Registration rates don't increase til the end of March, so I have awhile to think about it.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Hurt but not out
Hi, friends!
Yes, once again I forgot I actually had a blog. I do have some updates though.
On October 27 I participated in the Run For Your Lives as a zombie. I was giddy for most of the day and it was well-worth the 4-hour round-trip drive. However, I also broke my left hand. Long story short, I think the runners forgot that the zombies were actually living people and they got too protective of their flags. It happened in the 1st 10 minutes of my shift and I figured it was probably OK so I finished the 3 hours. Then it was rather swollen the next morning so I went to Urgent Care and found I'd fractured a metatarsal. It was a bit of a circus trying to find an open orthopedist and contacting my doctor and insurance company since this was during the Hurricane Sandy hoopla, but I have a brace for probably 6 weeks. I can exercise/shower in it, so I can still run. Typing is a challenge since I can only really do that with my right hand. Despite the injury, I had an absolute blast and am definitely going to do it again next year. The makeup was amazing. If we're Facebook friends, check out the pictures.
Other than that, I purchased some gear for running in the dark. Woohoo!
Yes, once again I forgot I actually had a blog. I do have some updates though.
On October 27 I participated in the Run For Your Lives as a zombie. I was giddy for most of the day and it was well-worth the 4-hour round-trip drive. However, I also broke my left hand. Long story short, I think the runners forgot that the zombies were actually living people and they got too protective of their flags. It happened in the 1st 10 minutes of my shift and I figured it was probably OK so I finished the 3 hours. Then it was rather swollen the next morning so I went to Urgent Care and found I'd fractured a metatarsal. It was a bit of a circus trying to find an open orthopedist and contacting my doctor and insurance company since this was during the Hurricane Sandy hoopla, but I have a brace for probably 6 weeks. I can exercise/shower in it, so I can still run. Typing is a challenge since I can only really do that with my right hand. Despite the injury, I had an absolute blast and am definitely going to do it again next year. The makeup was amazing. If we're Facebook friends, check out the pictures.
Other than that, I purchased some gear for running in the dark. Woohoo!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Small Victories, Nerd Alert
Well, it has been quite awhile since I wrote. That's not because I stopped running - it's more because I forgot I had a blog. Funny how that happens.
Monday I had a small victory! I moved back home from the disastrous Boston experiment a year ago and back then I was taking long walks on Rock Creek Trail by my house. Monday I went for a run on the same trail and ran farther than my walks!! And I didn't even cheat! I've been doing intervals, which works for me much more than just straight running. Monday I was running 4 minutes and walking 1. I like it better because when I get really tired I look at my iPod (LOVE the free interval app I downloaded) I know that I only have to keep running for so long before I get a walk break. The app uses my playlists and plays a cuckoo sound when it's time to run and dings a bell when it's time to walk. I've been increasing both the run time and the number of intervals and that is working incredibly well for me.
It's my favorite time of year, and while that means Halloween, fading leaves and lots of orange and pumpkins, it also means that the hours of daylight are sharply decreasing. It would be a shame to halt my progress because of a silly thing like darkness, so I did some research on running in the dark, went to Amazon and got a headlamp with a strobe light feature and a reflective single earbud. Yeah, it's safer to run without the iPod at all but it tracks my intervals and I need some kind of musical motivation. This way the sound isn't compromised, I can have 1 ear on my surroundings without the unused earbud flapping around in the breeze, and the cord itself is reflective. Score! I also have to get some kind of reflective vest thing. Picture me with a headlamp, reflective vest and 1 earbud. Yes, nerd alert, coming to a neighborhood near you! Still, I've come to really enjoy running and this is a way I can continue to run outside. I really, really hate the treadmill.
I learned that Chicago has a Halloween marathon and half marathon every year in October. I think I'm going to train for the 2013 half marathon, which will put me in good shape to do the 2014 full on in Hawaii as originally planned. I can definitely get there by then. I heard some quote awhile ago that the difference between a goal and a dream is a plan. True story.
What else ... last weekend I signed up for an account on myfitnesspal.com. I was on Weight Watchers for awhile and it was expensive. This is free and has the same stuff. You log in calories rather than points, but it's all still tracking. I've found that I like this a lot better. The online community is really good and supportive, and they have a lot of ideas for things. The app is also really easy to use. I'm tired of being dissatisfied with how I look. Day to day I don't feel too bad about it, but then I see a picture and I'm like, "Ew. Get your act together." So I am.
Monday I had a small victory! I moved back home from the disastrous Boston experiment a year ago and back then I was taking long walks on Rock Creek Trail by my house. Monday I went for a run on the same trail and ran farther than my walks!! And I didn't even cheat! I've been doing intervals, which works for me much more than just straight running. Monday I was running 4 minutes and walking 1. I like it better because when I get really tired I look at my iPod (LOVE the free interval app I downloaded) I know that I only have to keep running for so long before I get a walk break. The app uses my playlists and plays a cuckoo sound when it's time to run and dings a bell when it's time to walk. I've been increasing both the run time and the number of intervals and that is working incredibly well for me.
It's my favorite time of year, and while that means Halloween, fading leaves and lots of orange and pumpkins, it also means that the hours of daylight are sharply decreasing. It would be a shame to halt my progress because of a silly thing like darkness, so I did some research on running in the dark, went to Amazon and got a headlamp with a strobe light feature and a reflective single earbud. Yeah, it's safer to run without the iPod at all but it tracks my intervals and I need some kind of musical motivation. This way the sound isn't compromised, I can have 1 ear on my surroundings without the unused earbud flapping around in the breeze, and the cord itself is reflective. Score! I also have to get some kind of reflective vest thing. Picture me with a headlamp, reflective vest and 1 earbud. Yes, nerd alert, coming to a neighborhood near you! Still, I've come to really enjoy running and this is a way I can continue to run outside. I really, really hate the treadmill.
I learned that Chicago has a Halloween marathon and half marathon every year in October. I think I'm going to train for the 2013 half marathon, which will put me in good shape to do the 2014 full on in Hawaii as originally planned. I can definitely get there by then. I heard some quote awhile ago that the difference between a goal and a dream is a plan. True story.
What else ... last weekend I signed up for an account on myfitnesspal.com. I was on Weight Watchers for awhile and it was expensive. This is free and has the same stuff. You log in calories rather than points, but it's all still tracking. I've found that I like this a lot better. The online community is really good and supportive, and they have a lot of ideas for things. The app is also really easy to use. I'm tired of being dissatisfied with how I look. Day to day I don't feel too bad about it, but then I see a picture and I'm like, "Ew. Get your act together." So I am.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Long time no blog
Wow, it has been about 2 months since I last wrote! I'm still here. I stopped running for a month and a half maybe - the DC area did its best impression of Hades and I couldn't bring myself to run in a heat index of 100+. I also got LASIK and couldn't wear contacts for a week before and couldn't exercise for a week after. With all that, I got out of the habit, and I'm good as long as I'm in a routine. Getting back into a routine is like pulling teeth for me. Oh well.
I joined the coed MCRRC 5K group. It started August 15 and I'm really enjoying getting back into running. It's nice that I don't have to start at the total beginning - I can actually run longer than we're supposed to and I'm not overly out of breath. I think it's starting to cool down outside too, which is nice. The tradeoff with that is it'll get darker earlier, and I don't know how safe it is to be running around the neighborhood before/after work when it's dark. Anyone have any suggestions?
I joined the coed MCRRC 5K group. It started August 15 and I'm really enjoying getting back into running. It's nice that I don't have to start at the total beginning - I can actually run longer than we're supposed to and I'm not overly out of breath. I think it's starting to cool down outside too, which is nice. The tradeoff with that is it'll get darker earlier, and I don't know how safe it is to be running around the neighborhood before/after work when it's dark. Anyone have any suggestions?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
One of the world's best marathons
Ultimate goal: running the Honolulu marathon at the end of 2014 for my 30th birthday. If I'm going to run 26.2 miles, there sure as hell better be amazing scenery along the way as well as blue water to jump into and umbrella drinks waiting for me at the end!! ;)
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