damn tired

Tonight I did 3.5. I ran 2.5 at what felt like a good pace and then I walked the last mile to enjoy the cool breeze. I know my days of running outside are limited what with this being the last day of April. I spent almost the whole day painting Ks room and laughing my ass off with a totally hot dude whom I roped into helping me. So I am just beat and glad I mustered up the energy to run. I had to get my 5 in for the week dontcha know.

For All Our New Readers

I thought I would post the picture of the three of us before the Denver Rock n' Roll Half Marathon. Which turned out to be a pretty good race for me, not so much for Sandy or Missy. That's me in the middle, Sandy to the left and Missy to the right.

1.93

Outside miles. I'm not doing timed intervals anymore, I just try to run as much as I can and take as few walk breaks as possible. Today's time was 23:03, 11:58/mile. Not bad. I'm still planning to do the 5K tomorrow.

Blahblahtreadmillblah

3 miles on treadmill today, 1 percent incline the whole time. Time was 38:40. I am going to continue to work on inclines in the hopes that I can someday run outside without the slightest hills sapping my will to run and my will to live. Plus, Sandy says it is good for my weak ass muscles.

I am taking it easy tomorrow, probably only two miles, since I am running this 5K on Sunday. I hope I do well.

I didn't go

I had to take the extra 45 min of sleep instead. I'm exhausted because the school is freaking crazy right now. So 6 miles for this week. i still want to go Sunday, and I would rather not take 2 days off in a row, so hopefully I will be able to convince myself to do at least 1 tomorrow. I have a stupid date tonight so if it isn't going well, I will just go home and go to bed, and that will make going tomorrow a lot more likely. In the meantime I have gained 3 lbs, WTF??????

Hiking

Did four mile hike yesterday evening. I wanted to make sure you guys read this post by Bingham, money quote:

Can we please stop talking about the death of American road running now. PLEASE. Josh Cox set the American record in the 50K in January. He’s an amazing athlete and wonderful human being. He’s also REALLY fast. Ryan is amazing, wonderful, and FAST. Desiree is too. And Kara Goucher who finished 5th at Boston barely six months after having a baby is poised to take on the world.

So to all the critics out there I say: “TAKE THAT!” The tens of thousands of us who are running and walking and walk/running and run/walking and paying our entry fees and filling up races are doing for the sport what no group has ever done before. We are making the pyramid taller so that those on the top can get higher.

Yeah.

I felt only relief . . . and not my normal irritation

when fat dog stopped to poo this morning. Twice. Because I got a walk break. I did 2 miles before work, but walked most of the 2nd mile. In fact, I only started running again when I came upon this old indian woman who lives across the street, probably a mother-in-law, and she waddles every single morning in her full on Indian attire what I'm pretty sure is the same route I run. So, you know, I couldn't WALK past her, I had to show her what's up.

Linky Love

Hahahaha! The guy over at Running Is Funny linked to our blog! And, in a most annoying development, he came up with a better name for us than we did. But of course, he is the running is funny guy, it's what he does, so I won't take it personally.

Anyone coming from there, here's hoping your expectations weren't too high. It's just a pretty boring blog that three sisters keep up in the hopes that the natural competition that develops when growing up with many sisters will get us up and out there. Sometimes it even works.

Day 3, holy shit

I really pushed today. My face was red and everything! I took 2 minutes off my time from 2 days ago. 2 miles so that's 6 for this week so far. I would like to do 3 or 3.5 on Sunday. So if I go 2 tomorrow I will have 8 for this week and be off to a good start for next week. Yay!! My muscles hurt but it's still the good kind of hurt. In other news, I still don't have my iPod situation straightened out. I just need a new laptop but if I can't have a mac then I don't want one.
Also in other news I am doing a home visit today for a student whose parents won't do anything about his shitty behavior. So it's good I have been running, in case I need to run away fast from his house. Yikes.

Treadmill

3 miles yesterday, time was 40:10. 3 miles today, time was 38:30 and today I did a 1 percent incline the whole time. Yesterday was truly awful, I guess maybe I was getting used to the altitude again. Today was awesome. Tomorrow I am hiking with Chris' hiking club, he is leading the hike, so I won't be running tomorrow. I think it is a 5 mile hike, though.

General Malaise

I did 2 on the treadmill yesterday at lunch, but I walked most of the second mile because I was just too angry and distracted about the whole cheer thing. This morning I did 1.5. I took a walk break after only 1/4 mile. Just wasn't feelin it. But I went. And I will probably do yoga tonight. So.

day 2

I did another 2 miles, with the timer and the knee braces. I'm not going to tell myself that I need to lose a certain amount of weight before I start running again - that just didn't work! It wasn't as hard as yesterday. My muscles feel the good kind of sore.

2 miles

It was ugly. 16-minute miles. But it's done.

One Lonely Mile

Today is truly a case of "I went, therefore I win". I did one mile after getting home. It's just all I had in me. Tomorrow it is back to the treadmill, most likely.

10 mi Bday/Easter Weekend

I really rocked it this weekend with Marianne. Fri we did 3 mi at the gym and I did it in 35:25 with my usual inclines, which was awesome. Then on Sat evening I did 3.5 outside at what felt like a good pace although I wasn't timing it, and I ran the whole thing. Then yesterday evening (AFTER the picnic people!!) I did another 3.5 outside. I timed it this time and I was at 39:10, which is about 11:15 min miles. I felt great about that, although its not my best time. As crappy as I was feeling 2 mos ago, it just goes to show that if you keep at it, it always gets better. I don't know why I have to keep re-learning that.

You want a post?

I'll give you a f***ing post!!! I did three miles on the treadmill on Friday, and then did 5K this morning. 5K was what I believe to be a personal best. Time was 37:25, 12:05/mile. WOOT! All things combined to make it possible: lower altitude, very few walk breaks, and the Zyrtec D that Sandy gave me last night, which I did not know has the pseudoephedrine, but which apparently does. Drugs + low altitude = personal best 5K. Hahahaha!

If my flight wasn't so early tomorrow I would go again, just to run again in the lower altitude, but my flight leaves at 9, and even I am not getting up early enough to make that happen.

2 mi morning

I have a pretty damn good morning routine going. It helps that a beam of sunlight stabs me in the eyeball every morning at 6:50am. Tough to go back to sleep after that. So, I get up and go run. This morning kinda sucked, as usual. I'm going to do yoga tonight too.

3 mi outside

I had a little extra time this morning so I did 3 outside. First half was pretty good, 2nd half not so much. I took yesterday off cause my legs were so achy.

my legs ache

I did 2 mi at incline on tready and followed that up with a yoga class that ended up having a TON of legwork. It was exhausting and I had to quit on several sequences because my legs almost gave out! Tonight I'm just aching and I took a muscle relaxer and I'm still aching! Maybe still fatigued from yesterday but I wasn't the least bit sore or even tight this morning. Anyhoo, a good day I think.

4.6 Mile Hike

We hiked the open space near our neighborhood. It was actual hiking up a little mountain, so our time was pretty darn slow, 18:57/mile.

Pats Run

Today I did Pats Run, which was 4.2 miles. Its a decent course for the miles, as it has some good size hills. You finish on the 42 yard line at Sundevil stadium which is awesome, and there were 28.000 runners/walkers, so great spectating. I passed a guy who looked in full-on cardiac arrest with someone giving him violent CPR. He had blood on his head so he must have gone down hard. It was frightening. I finished in 47 and change, which is 11 something min miles (will look up official time and do the math later). I felt pretty good about that but at the 3 mi mark my watch said 33 and change, so I was pacing 10 something up til then!! Crashed in the last mile unfortunately but I feel good. Now I'm sitting at the bar at Dennys (I know, right? Who knew they had a bar?) And I'm eating oatmeal and fresh fruit. Even though I clearly earned a belgian waffle and hot chocolate, I never seem to want to eat crappy after a good workout. Anyhoo I'm learning something about the innerworkings of Dennys.

Waitress: I need a wheat toast
5 min goes by
Waitress: guys I need a wheat toast!
5 min goes by
Waitress: where's my wheat toast?
Cook: I put it up!
W: seriously guys I need it!
C: did someone take it? It was up there
Waiter: oh man sorry I grabbed that I thought it was mine
Ws: omG come on guys, these people are waiting for toast!
Wr: I'm really sorry man, I think it was mine, I promise I didn't steal it
Cook: here you go man
Later ...
Ws: I'm taking 99 cents off this check
Wr: don't do it! Doooooon't do it!
Ws: silence as she continues
Wr: ok, do it

Fortunately I didn't order wheat toast.

The miles won today

This morning, I read this article and, finding it rather interesting, thought I would focus on form today. I tried really hard to make sure I was striking at mid food and having a "bouncy" stride. And I have to tell you that two miles into the run, I thought my post was going to be all about this amazing revelation of FORM! It really did feel good, I felt like I wasn't being so hard on my body and for the first two miles I didn't even feel like I needed the walking intervals.

But then. I don't know, at four miles, I just absolutely pooped out. I just really could not go any further. I was supposed to do 5.5 according to my training schedule, but only did 4.38 and gave it up. I don't know if maybe focusing on the form wore me out quicker, but I think the likelier explanation is that I am just sick with this cold and simply was not up to 5.5 miles today. Also, I did my three treadmill miles yesterday very late in the afternoon, so not much recovery time, since I went out again this morning. Plus, I know I wasn't doing a great job of hydrating this week (which is not good, and when I weighed this morning I was at 200 and I was actually concerned because I really feel this is due to not hydrating well) and I was worried about that right from the start.

Anyhoodle, bottom line, not my best day, but oh well, what the hell are you gonna do? I know I will be walking tomorrow, since I really enjoyed that last week. Running miles for the week: 12.38.

Funny Links

I did two miles yesterday on the stupid treadmill. I am not feeling that well, and have yet another god)&)(amn motherf&(*ing cold! My throat has been sore for three days now! It does seem to be a rather mild cold, and I can still exercise, but I was inclined to take it easy yesterday, and didn't go at all on Tuesday or Wednesday. I will probably go today, and I'm supposed to do 5.5 tomorrow.

Anyways, I wasn't going to post, but I wanted to show you this article. I read this blog sometimes, and he linked to it. This part made me laugh:

Ultimately, I bought my own treadmill. Mostly because the gym had a maximum time allowed. Staff members would point at their watches and let you know your time was up. When I exceeded the 30-minute limit, I felt they should gather others and applaud, not kick me off it.

Now that I've got a treadmill in my home, I can stay on it as long as I want. Maybe jogging or maybe just lying on it with a pillow, a book and a bowl of cereal. Feels athletic when someone calls and asks what I'm doing to pant a little and say, “I'm on the treadmill.”

on a weird sort of roll

I was going to take the day off but then a friend asked me to go hike after work so we did this awesome trail by my house. It was supposedly 4.3 mi but I think it may have been longer. In any case, I worked up a small sweat and elevated my heartrate a but so I'm counting it. And, I now have a new cool place to run.

2 mi morning

I did two this morning outside, and it was pretty good. Beautiful morning out. Fat dog really enjoys the morning runs. I think its possible she's not fat dog anymore but will withhold that determination until family visits for my birthday, as they have the final say in all things related to my petting zoo.

also

I did yoga tonight. I rock.

Well, I did three yesterday at work, and my time was 38:40. When I was going faster on the treadmill is when I got my sore ankle. And I took today off, and I don't do any incline at all, so I think you can put your fears of me kicking your ass to rest. For today. Haha.

I really need to get up in the morning tomorrow and GO! But I have just had such a hard time going outside in the mornings, I can't even tell you. I tell myself I'm going to go, and I just cannot bring myself to get up and do it! I am going to give it a try again tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes. Part of the problem is that I have this "safety net" of the treadmill at lunch, I know I can fit it in some other way, so I talk myself out of it in the morning. But I really need to be getting more outside runs in, the treadmill just is not the same. I like the treadmill, and sometimes it saves my bacon as far as just getting in the mileage, but I think for me, I have to do to a certain amount of outside running.

3 mi lunch

is what I did today at gym, at my usual inclines in about 36:30. I'm disappointed at that time but it was a really good workout. I don't know why that feels like such an accomplishment but it does. My morning runs are just real short and somewhat stroll-ish. I guess I'm disappointed because let's face it, I need to be kicking Marianne's ass on this blog and she's basically laying me flat. But anyway. Also I discovered that my favorite morning muffin place also serves steel cut oatmeal with fruit. So, I may make that my habit when I come in to work hungry and craving a good breakfast.

because I'm kinda awesome

I did 2 before work this morning. It wasn't good. I wonder if my body will ever get used to running first thing in the morning? It always sucks. But its so good to have it out of the way. I am sore from my yoga, but not as sore as I thought I'd be.

namaste

I too crosstrained today with an hour of yoga its such good strength training! And an hour really wears me out. My butt is already sore and I can tell my shoulders will be too. Good stuff. Mari you are rockin it!!

Windy Walk

Of 5.33 miles. Time was 1:18:36, 14:45/mile. It was windy and chilly and kind of miserable, especially there at the end. But I'm glad I did it. I spend enough time stuck in the gym during the week, I don't need to be stuck there on the weekend. Plus, I love just walking. The route I took was really hilly, but I don't mind hills so much when I am walking them.

14 running miles for the week, as well as the walk today. Pretty good week.

3.5 today

it went ok. Couple walk breaks but it got done.

She said cuz I set myself on a quest for truth, And she was there to quench my thirst. But I am still thirsty...

5 miles today for the long. Time was 1:04:14. 12:51 per mile.

It was an okay run. Kind of tough at the end, but it got done.

feelin it

I had a good 3 at gym on Wed during lunch. 36 min at 2 and 1 pct incline. Best run I've had in awhile. Then I did 2 before work yesterday. So that's 4 for the week already, today will make 5. Its raining here. So we'll see what today brings.

3

Ok, did 3 treadmill miles yesterday and the day before. Took it slow, about 40 minutes both days. My right ankle is sore for some reason. I am going to start doing ankle strengthening exercises, I got some off the google. I'm off today and supposed to do 5 tomorrow.

I did 1.14 miles on Sunday making a total of 11.1 for the week.

Did three miles on the treadmill yesterday, time was 36:25. I am telling myself that I should just take today off, but I think I am going to just pack my gym bag and see what happens, because I don't feel like skipping today.

2

I did 2 this morning. Very slow 2!!! I started getting stuffed up yesterday and my sinuses were hurting, so I took sudafed and rested all day. I felt ok this morning but my chest was a little tight, and I was wheezing just a little, so I walked and hardly ran at all. It seemed like it took forever. But I did it and I'm glad! I think I fought it off, the cold or whatever it was. I've been taking vitamins. Yay me! Yay all of us!! We are doing so good!

2 mi morning

Before work. And I have to say it sucked. Abs feel ok today although there's a pinch in my lower left side, feels weird like maybe a stitch is pulling? But not sore yet from my crunches yesterday. So we'll see.

i heart my gym

Today I fell in love with my gym again, just as I fall in love with running outside each fall. I did 2 mi on the treadmill at 2 and 1 pct, then I did one more on the indoor track. I was tired! I'm pretty outta shape right now but workin my way back up. Also did some crunches, about 60 so we shall see how I feel tomorrow.

Take this child, lord, from Tucson Arizona

Give her wings to fly through harmony, and she won't bother you no more.

I did 2 at gym yesterday. Was gonna do more but I had to hop off treadmill to drop a deuce. And was late to pick up princess Kailey. But, that's 4 for the week, which is better than I've been.

the movie, part deux

I'm still thinking about the movie, so it made a pretty big impact on me. I have to tell you that my own behavior bugged the shit out of me and is still bugging me. I was having one of those days where my brain talks like grandma. Everybody I look at, I have a mean thought. Hateful thoughts that come out of nowhere. I don't get those days very often any more. (I used to have them a lot more.) But it was that kind of day and I hadn't been able to talk myself out of it, and I wanted popcorn and candy for the movie but I was afraid of being judged because I thought everybody in the theater would be runners and they would think... well, the hateful things I was thinking about myself. No need to type them out. There were probably 10 people total in the theater. And yes, they were runners, and they were eating popcorn too. So what the fuck? Did I stop there? No, I saw the ladies in my row wearing running shoes and I thought, I should have worn my running shoes to identify me as a runner. I guess I felt I needed to prove my presence there was justified. Idiotic! Maybe I am being too hard on myself... wanting to identify with a community is normal, and one of the ways we do that is through the things we wear. Anyway I had to get that off my chest.
I think the run was how Hitchcock mourned his wife. She clearly meant the world to him and losing her was so devastating to him. He couldn't really mourn in front of the kids and our culture doesn't allow a lot of time for grief, especially for men. I know that running is incredibly cathartic for me. I work out all kinds of stuff as I listen to the steady rhythm of my breathing and my feet hitting the ground. Walking isn't the same, it doesn't do the same thing. I think by the end, he was a different person, and he was his own person who was a widower and was still living and his life was ok. By the end he had something to live for, and it seemed like before he ran he felt there was nothing keeping him tied to living except that his kids needed him. And that makes grieving harder.
The thing I liked most about the whole thing is that he actually did it.
I took today off but I did 2 yesterday with a little more running. I am hoping to do 3 tomorrow.

4.5

For the long. Time was 57:49, 12:51 per mile. This was a very comfortable pace for me, and I want to make this pace my goal for the long runs. I was pretty happy throughout the run, I made it a point to try to go slower than I did last week for the four mile, because I remembered that the long runs are not for speed, you are supposed to go slower on those if you are training for a long race, right?

Anyhoodle, when I finished the first mile I thought about that movie and how he said that the first mile was the worst one and I thought how true that is. The first mile sucks, the rest is just a head game.

the movie

I have a few minutes to post before I hit the road. I enjoyed watching the movie. I had never heard of the guy who ran across Canada. Now that looked painful. I wonder if that guy was Hitchcock's hero before he decided to run? If so why?
Things I really liked about the movie:
Hitchcock never made it about himself, even when he crossed the finish line and talked about single parent families!
Hitchcock never got skinny. He had a paunch and manboobs the whole 75 days.
He wanted to quit every day and he figured out a way to not do that.
Even when he didn't get the public support he expected, and his team left, he still didn't quit.
His older son didn't quit either, and the run shaped who he is today.
When the radio DJ talked about how this guy doesn't look like a marathon runner.
When the trainer didn't talk about telling Hitchcock that he would not train him because of the health problems.
"Be somebody's hero."
"Make the world a little bit better place today."
Things that bugged me a little:
Hitchcock never seemed to consider walking when he was in pain. It was either run or lay down.
I couldn't make the connection between the run and being a single parent. I get that he wanted publicity but what was he going to do once he got it? Is that "Kids Are Forever" thing a foundation or what? What does it do?
He talked about hitting the second wall, and the trainer talked about what a wall is, but nobody ever explained how he got past it when he never took a day off. Is it like the side stitches thing? He kept going? How can you do that when your body says no?
I have a lot more thoughts but I have to change and go.