day 2

I decided I was bored with Week 1 of my C25K plan (60 seconds running/...so I skipped ahead to week 2 for tonights run. It felt more on pace for me right now.

Day 2 complete.

HELLO!?

Oh hi. This blog has been sorely neglected - our last post was in March. Let's change that.

Anyways.

I'm going to try to run a 5K in like 7 weeks. The UWL Turkey Trot to be specific. It will likely be my toughest run since my very first 5K way back in 2009.

I downloaded C25K app, and even though I think I'm in slightly better shape than what's required on "Day 1", I think it's safer to take it slow. So far (day 1) I like the app quite a bit.

My worst fear with getting back to running? Mastitis. After my first (VERY slow) run post-baby, I came down with it for the first time - on both sides. But then my second case (which I'm still taking antibiotics for) wasn't connected to exercise of any sort, so maybe that first time wasn't related either. I don't know. The not knowing is the worst part.

Either way - nothing knocks me on my ass quicker than boob issues. And it's hard enough to run with these giant things - I have so much more respect for all of you with big boobs.

Secondary to the boob issues, my biggest issue is going to be exhaustion. I haven't slept through a night in almost a year - quite the milestone, eh? Working + nursing a baby 3+ times a night + trying to keep my house from imploding due to laundry build up + running is going to be quite the challenge.

I ran/walked 1.59 miles tonights + 5 minute cool down.

Baby steps..right?

12 Miles in Shorts

It has been far too long since I wrote a decent blog post recap of my long runs. But lets be honest, after 8/9/10/12 miles the last thing I want to do is focus on writing a post. I want to eat everything in my kitchen, sleep for the rest of the day, and pop ibuprofen like it’s my job. But instead, I have to be a grad student (i.e. all day group meetings, readings, papers, endless projects, etc.), which leaves little time for blogging about my runs. My own poor little blog has been very abandoned as of late, but I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and soon enough I’ll have my free time back. But for now, we’ll start with recapping my 12 miler from this past Saturday. Important enough for it’s own blog post, written in my fleeting free time, because (to-date) it is the farthest I have ever ran.

Lets start out by saying, the goal for the day was 11.  I was going to run 4 miles by myself, then loop back around to my starting point to meet Kelly, and together we’d 7 final miles. I chose to do my solo 4 as a 2-mile out and back on my usual Rock Creek Park trail (south past the Zoo, just to the Connecticut avenue hill). It was not the most fun I’ve ever had running. Again, like a few weeks earlier, I had it in my head that this was just my warm up. Hard to get into cruise control when I know that my half way point here is NOT actually my half way point. It kind of kills my morale. And it had been raining for like the past 24 hours, so everything was puddles, puddles, puddles. I stopped for two short walking breaks, and I’m going to blame it on my lingering migraine, but really I was just lazy.

Back at my starting point, I met up with Kelly and we headed out on our 7+ miles. The first mile-ish was a lot of walking. My morale was not immediately boosted upon completion of my warm up, but I got into my groove eventually. The way home, after my true half way point, was A LOT easier. Like night and day. I felt like I was floating along the road. I had energy, my legs felt great, my lungs were doing fine. We got back to the parking lot and checked Kelly’s phone (which was tracking our mileage), and it turns out we overshot our turnaround point a bit. My total mileage for the day was 11.76. But I’m calling it 12. Close enough.

Over the course of second half I hate one mixed berry GU (spread out over a couple of miles) and a bottle and half of water (I stopped to fill up at a water fountain around mile 8). I really enjoyed the mixed berry flavor, tied for first with the vanilla bean.

Another great accomplishment of this run was my outfit. I wore shorts for the first time. Not like the first time in my life, but the first time running. I normally stick with my running capris, and lately it’s been cold enough for my thermal long pants. 

Nike tempo track running shorts. Dark purple with teal trim and pink accents.

But, wanting to test run (literally) my race day outfit, I went with the shorts and thankfully the weather cooperated. I was tugging and adjusting them for the first couple of miles. But by the end I couldn’t even tell the difference. And, if I do say so myself, they’re quite adorable. I’m a big fan.

So, all in all, it was a great long run. My last true long run before my half marathon. On Sunday I’m running 8, which retrospectively should take minimal effort compared to the 12. Hopefully at least. Just 11 days until my race. I’m quite excited.

I think that was one of my least favorite things ever.

But it's done. So yay.

10 miles on the treadmill. It had to happen. Group meetings all weekend and I needed to squeeze in my training run somewhere.

I had to call Ange at 4.4 miles to get some motivation. The whole thing was tough. But I made it to 6.2 with moderate success. I basically walked 6.2-7.5, when I realized that walking hurt more than running. So I ran the rest of it. Sort of. What ever. Not my greatest run. But it was 10, and it is done.

I would like to melt into my blue love seat for the rest of the night. I had a nutritious post run meal of key lime gelato, and I expect to fall asleep within the hour. Quite a Friday night, huh?

Today: 10
Last Saturday: 6.2 (a 10k that I'll blog details on eventually)
Sunday/Monday: 4 miles

February total: 38.75

New Gym

Going to a new gym can be a little intimidating--new people, new rules, new equipment, new everything!  So I was pleasantly surprised when I was told I could have up to two complimentary sessions with a personal trainer to help acclimate me to the equipment and set-up a suitable plan.  Since I'm extremely comfortable with the cardio circuit, I elected to take them up on one session to focus on strength training.

Today's Lesson:  A good trainer is worth their weight in gold.

I'm very grateful for all my trainer's work this morning.  I'd send him a thank you, but my muscles never want to speak to him again...

15K

Today's goal was 9 miles. Milage covered: 9.3 miles. Success. It wasn't pretty, but I got it done.

I did the first 5.25 on my own; out and back headed south in Rock Creek Park from my usual parking spot. It went well, but I couldn't get into it mentally because I knew this run was going to be broken up. About 45 minutes in I took half of a vanilla GU. After last week's upset stomach incident I was afraid to take the whole thing. I felt fine, no problem! Success!

Back at the starting point, Kelly was waiting for me and we headed north to clock an additional four miles. Another 45 minutes after the first half of the GU, I took the rest of it. I didn't ration my water well enough, so my stomach was a bit upset (nothing like last time though) and I was really thirsty.

Kelly was sick, and bless her heart for even coming out in the first place, and I was hurting a bit by the end, but we got through it. I didn't have time this week to work out at all, and I can tell the difference in my body. I need to get to the gym, at least once during the week. No excuses now, my new office has a small gym and weekly yoga classes!

The worst thing about today's run, my feet. They are in rough shape. It think it's finally time to break down and buy some actual running socks. The balls of my feet and my toes are pretty torn up. But I'll survive.

Homework, movies, lounging around, and a giant hamburger await me today. Can't wait :)

February total: 18.55

5 great miles + 3 sick miles = my 8 mile training run

Today I headed up to Rock Creek Park for my solo 8 mile run. It was going to be the first time I ran anything over 6 by myself, the first time I tried a GU, and the first time I tried my new water bottle.

Let's start with the successes:

I loved my water bottle! After last week's failed attempt to like the belt contraption, I picked up this handheld model with the hopes that I would be able to tolerate it for long enough to make it worth while.

The brand is Ultimate Direction and I got it at a camping store, sadly not my usual running store. I liked this better than the usual Nathan's bottles that you see at running stores because it has an insulated bottle. Rather than your hand being on the bottle itself, it's on the neoprene sleeve that goes over the bottle. This stops your warm hands from ruining a perfectly good bottle of ice cold water. And, the condensation from the bottle is absorbed by the sleeve and not by your hand. It has a small zipper pouch, enough room for my car keys and a GU. The greatest thing (at least compared to last week's disaster) is the mouth piece. See that little red thing at the top? In order for the water to come out, you have to pull it out. It's easy to do, and you're supposed to just use your teeth. It ends up looking like a small duck bill. That's not really worth mentioning, but it's all I could think about when I was running today. Did I mention I ran without my iPod. Yeah, so my mine needed to be occupied by something. I think that mouth piece feature would bother some people, but my main concern is water leaking out, but no problems with this one! It took about a mile to get used to holding it (found out I prefer it in my left hand, not my right), but then I didn't even have to think about it once I got into the swing of things.

My first 5 miles were amazing! I ran well past my halfway point without stopping. I didn't wear a watch or an iPod so I have no idea what my pace was, but all that matters was I was comfortable. I felt like I was cruising for a long, long time. About 5 minutes past my halfway turn around I started to hit a wall; my legs needed to stop for a break. So I decided it's be time to try out a GU for the first time. I had the vanilla bean flavor, which tastes just like frosting. Delicious, delicious frosting. I was expecting it to taste like a mushy power bar (I hare power bars), but the taste and consistency didn't bother me at all.

Fast forward 15 minutes.

Hello problems.

I started to not feel so great. I can't really describe other than to say it was a tummy ache. Not quite cramps, not quite like I had to puke. But I didn't feel great. Another 5 minutes go by and...well...I needed to find a bathroom. ASAP. Thank god I was right by the National Zoo so I took a quick detour and got to the first bathroom I could find. (For you non-DCers, the National Zoo is free, so I could just walk right in.) Sorry if this is TMI, but we're all runners here so I'm just going to say it. That GU destroyed me. I felt like hell for about 20 minutes and was terrified to leave the zoo bathroom because it was still another 2 miles back to my car and no more bathrooms in between there. Eventually, I determined I was fine, and I'd sprint the final 2 as needed.

I felt worlds better when I started running again, but even now a few hours later I don't feel great. I've had a lot of water, a banana, and a couple of clementines, but I think some soup and saltines are calling my name shortly.

Next time, should I go with half a GU? Do I need more water with it? Or do I just write off that form of on-the-go energy?

It's hard to tell if it even helped me toward the end, because I felt so sick it was hard to concentrate on anything other than...well...making it back to my car.

But all in all I'd call it a great run. The first half was much prettier than the second half, but I got it done. Running alone without music was also a new experiment, and I quite liked it. I could concentrate on the scenery, the runners and bikers around me, and just zone out for miles at a time. I think I'm going to leave the headphones at home for future runs.

February total: 8 (today) + 1.25 (Wednesday on the treadmill) = 9.25