Week in Review: Base Building Week #1

Week 1 is in the books and I'm on my way :)

Here's the Week in Review:

• Monday-  2.21 miles easy
• Tuesday-  rest day
• Wednesday - 5.01 miles of trail running at Pilot Mtn with hills
• Thursday - rest day
• Friday - 20 minutes of raquetball followed by 1.07 miles on treadmill at Y
• Saturday - 3.02 miles moderate
• Sunday - 4.99 miles long run and 1 hour yoga

New this week - Cross Training at the YMCA.  I got a guest pass to check it out and did 20 min of Raquetball with hubby Friday and went back today (Sunday) to do an hour of yoga after my long run.  I forgot how awesome yoga is - getting centered, stretching, meditating.  <3!!  Plus all of the balancing positions really tested the stability muscle in my feet which are weak and why I keep getting tendonitis...

My dad called an offered to get me a 12 month YMCA membership for my birthday this month which I am super excited about.  I'm the kind of person that might not use a gym membership allll that much on my own dime, but will absolutely not waste it when someone else is paying so it is actually more motivating.  I've really enjoyed the few things I have done already and look forward to trying more classes and maybe even some swimming...

That's all for now!

Week in Review (Dec 12-18)

In this edition of Week in Review:

Days of Running: 2

Days of Cross Training: 2

Miles Logged: 8

Monday

Back still feeling really crummy.  Lots of time on the heating pad with ibuprofen while studying.  No running, no cross training.

Tuesday

Same as Monday...starting to feel bitter about this whole back hurting thing.

Wednesday

Back feeling ok today but opted to continue rest and finish cramming for my Epidemiology final at 8 tomorrow.

Thursday

Got up at 5 am with Hubs today (he had to orchestrate commencement at his university) and then Epidemiology final at 8 am.  Came home and CRASHED.

Then picked myself back up after lunch and made it into my office to start working on my 10 page paper due tomorrow.  Took at break to go to the local running store's Ladies Holiday Night shopping event.  Running Store + Wine + Making a Shopping List for Santa.  Woot!  I'm sure Chris bought my Xmas gift months ago but still a fun thing to do.  I needed to go try on new shoes anyway because my daily trainers (Mizuno Wave Rider 13s) are nearing 350 miles.  I tried on the newest Wave Rider 15 and was shocked by how much toe roll there was.  They are good normal daily running shoes, but my WR 13s are pretty warn across the toe/midfoot from changing my form and stride and just having high mileage on them.  The WR 15 seemed a bit too cushy for me.  I've really enjoyed the Minimus shoes but want a little more support for doing daily runs and long runs.  So the next shoe I tried was Jenny Barringer Simpson's New Balance 890.  Not only are they super cute, but they rock!  One of the lightest daily trainers on the market and had just enough support to them.  The footplate is more rigid than my WRs and there is a lot less toe roll - great for midfoot striding!  I can't wait to get a pair sometime soon - probably just after the new year.

Back home to the couch and heating pad (back feeling bad again today) to snuggle Oliver and continue working on my paper.  Yes, I fell asleep mid-typing at 11pm...that's what happens on an 18 hr day during finals week I guess.  

Friday

Turned in paper and vegged out.  Really intended to do a celebratory run but was far far too lazy/zonked after this week.  Not feeling so great about the whole lack-of-running situation going on right now...

Saturday

Saturday brought gorgeous weather and a morning run of 3 miles!!  I told myself to keep the pace easy because I had not run all week.  And I did keep the pace slow, but my heart/lungs were screaming half the time.  I kept doing a mental check of what was going on - why was it taking more effort than it should?  Came home to find both my boys snuggling in bed :)  Chris spoils Oliver far far too much (but I'm just as guilty).  As I got ready for my shower the light bulb finally went off - I saw the sharpie marks on my inner elbow...oh yeah - I donated blood yesterday!!  DuH!?!?  Running is also so much harder for the first few days after donating blood and I had completely forgotten.  Smitten with my answer to the question that plagued me the whole run, I hopped in the warm shower and got on with my day.

That afternoon we ventured down to Charlotte for a quick visit with Chris' parents and a haircut for me.  On our way back, we battled Christmas Shopping traffic at the mall and went to REI.  My favorite running glasses are from there and since I am a member I can return/exchange damaged goods anytime (so worth the membership!)  The nose piece on the sunglasses came unglued a few weeks ago and it's been driving me nutzo not to have them running.  These sunglasses are polarized, don't bounce while I run and are overall really durable given what I put them through.  Plus they are a great deal at $35!  While we were in there we became victim to the sale REI was having - 30% off one REI-brand item.  We checked out separate to maximize the benefit.  Chris got some trail running shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt off of the clearance racks and I found a pair of running capris.  I have been shopping around for a pair and didn't realize REI made some as well!  They have a zippered pocket about the rear and mesh behind the knees for some ventilation.  Going into REI is like going to Whole Foods when you're hungry...

Sunday

Got up early and let Chris take the morning run shift while I watched Oliver and got some things done around the house.  I battled a headache all day and tried to take a nap after lunch which only made it worse. So around 3 I got up, popped some ibuprofen and hit the road.  Reminding myself that I was probably still going to feel the effects of blood donation + my low mileage for the week I went out for an easy 5 miles with several long inclines and declines.  The weather was in the 50s which was perfect to try out the new running capris with a tech T - the capris were very comfortable and I'm happy with my purchase.  Now I have full length tights AND capris to rotate through this winter.  The run went well and by the end, my headache was gone.  Amazing what a little exercise (and ibuprofen) can do.  The last half mile was uphill as I had to return to Ardmore from Buena Vista and my right glut was getting tired - definitely an area to strengthen up, but I'm glad I'm recognizing these deficiencies now before my mileage gets too high.

My weekly total was only 2 runs but I managed to get in a quality 8 miles...will def keep to it next week.

And that is my Week In Review - thanks!

Week in Review (Dec 5 - 11)

In this edition of Week in Review:

Days of Running: 3

Days of Cross Training: 2

Miles Logged: 6

Monday

Foot still tender today and it was dark and rainy by the time I got out of the black hole that is my windowless office so I decided to switch today's scheduled run with tomorrow's cross training.  Oliver will be in daycare until 6pm tomorrow so I'll have 5 glorious hours alone at home tomorrow to get a run in and get some schoolwork done after class!

But, back to today!  I cued up the Exercise TV on Demand and quickly clicked on Jillian Michaels' 30 Shred Level 2.  Chris and I watch the Biggest Loser and while I think I'd prefer to have Bob as my trainer, I'd kill at any opportunity to have either of them.  So today, it was Jillian via TV.  Not 100% sure what her 30 Shred program is, but this 25 min cardio/circuit/stretch/strength episode kicked..my..booty!  Loved it!  By the end my legs were wobbly, my arms were shaky and I knew I had earned every minute of workout.  Oliver wasn't so crazy about me doing jumping jacks in the living room, but it felt awesome on my foot - I had never considered jumping as a strengthening exercise to add for my foot.

I followed up this high intensity workout with a 15 minute yoga-based "Athletic Stretch" aimed at exercise recovery/stretching.  It had a good mix of stretching with a little strengthening.  I may keep this one in the rotation for post-run stretching too - nice and short, but focused.

Now for some grub!  

Tuesday

Today was Mr. O's first full day at doggie daycare and I decided to take advantage of my puppy-free rainy/dreary afternoon by heading to my favorite coffee shop downtown after class.  It's in an old warehouse and they were roasting beans the whole time I was there - the place smelled amazing.  After getting some work done, I headed home to find that my new running jacket had arrived!  I got this $90 jacket on a steal-of-a-deal at REI Outlet for around $30 with free shipping.  Now that the winter months are here, it means running in the dark and I can't tell you how frustrating it is that runners aren't visible enough - from both a runner and driver perspective.

Oooh!  So bright and shiny :D

The weather was warm (mid 60s), dreary, and drizzly - just about perfect weather to test out this jacket! It's waterproof and the right sleeve has an extra blinky LED light which I found to be a neat feature.  I went out for an easy 2 mile run to test it in the afternoon and found that it was extremely lightweight (about 6 or 7 oz) so if you wanted to take it off and tie around your waist, it wouldn't be a bother.  It breathes decently for a waterproof jacket, but I did get a little warm in it towards the end of my run.  It's probably best for really rainy runs or for when the temps are below mid-50s.  I'm ready for the temps to drop a bit (it doesn't feel like December when it's this warm) and when it does I'll be ready!  Pace was slow today- legs felt like lead, but that's ok - kept it comfortable and paid attention to form.  Sometimes it's good just to have a workout focused on form!  

Wednesday

Got 2 fantastic miles in today.  The cold front went through leaving beautiful running weather (50s) and the new jacket was much more comfortable.  Ran the same route as yesterday and averaged 30 sec/mile faster.  Chalk it up to looser legs & better weather.  That was some fun running!  Came back and did two 10 minute abs workouts on FitTV.

Thursday

Cross training day.  Really a very light cross training day.  Just did a few ab workouts and hit the books in prep for finals week.

Friday

Fast Friday (2 miles).  Ran with my New Balance Minimus shoes on.  Even though these are minimalist shoes without much cushioning at all, I feel like they are easier on my foot.  I land forefoot/midfoot and evenly distribute my weight on pushoff.  Also, I tend to take shorter strides (yay!) and with practice that has meant more turnover with my legs and a faster pace.  Without trying to push it too hard, I ran a 9:18 min/mile average on the same loop as Tuesday (9:54 avg) and Wednesday (9:24 avg).  Love these shoes and am really glad I can get out in them more than I used to.  I am working on slowly building up the mileage in them.  

Saturday

Saturday was packed with studying so I told myself I could do my long run Sunday (tomorrow) and hey, the weather would be nicer too!  Today was a rest day.

Sunday

Woke up with wicked back pain.  Spent the whole day on a heating pad with ibuprofen...studying...no fun.  Scratched the long run considering it hurts to walk.  Am I falling apart?
Did take some time off from studying to go to a movie screening (fancy right?).  It's a documentary featuring some of the world's best ultramarathoners at the Western States 100 Mile Race in 2010 - an epic battle.  The movie is called Unbreakable and was truly inspiring.  Also, fantastic scenery (both nature-related and sexy-trail-runner-related).  It was a really fun small screening at our local running store and lit a fire in me all over again to get out and do more trail running.  Maybe next weekend?  I really wish we had better trails around here...it always entails driving at least 30 min to get anything technical.  My poor trail shoes have <50 miles on them and that is a problem in my book.  I am teetering on whether to register for the Pilot Mtn Payback Heavy Half trail run again.  It's a FANTASTIC event (capped to 250 I think, all great trails, sweet race management) but the mileage may be a touch high for me come that weekend...I'll have to wait and see a few more weeks...

And that is my Week In Review - thanks!

Week in Review (Nov 27 - Dec 4)

I'm going to try to keep this better up to date - the blog was a great motivator last year while I was training and hoping it will keep me honest and on track.

So here's this edition of Week in Review:

Days of Running: 4

Days of Cross Training: 2

Miles Logged: 8

Sunday

Rest Day. Enjoyed a wonderful 10 year anniversary dinner with Chris & decked the halls. Or really just the porch because I knew that Oliver would just pull a Christmas tree crashing down. Hanging all the garland turned out to be a great upper body work out - who knew!

60 feet of fresh garland with some holly berries I added from our yard's bushes - watch out Martha! Now just waiting patiently for a nice snowfall like we had on the day we moved in last year!

Monday

Took out ye ole running shoes for a short jaunt. Did a 5 min walk to warmup, a 1.5 mile run, and a 5 min walk to cooldown. The pace was nice and easy at 9:48. Started to mist/light rain during the run which was awesome with the 55 degree weather. I do miss running in the fall!! My foot felt a little sore towards the end of the run but the hip flexor was fine.

Tuesday

Honestly planned to do some yoga and did not. Honestly tried to take Oliver for a good hour long walk - he did not want to though. He was curled up by the heat vent in the bathroom and even though I put his sweater on, he was not going to make it any farther than two houses away. I feel guilty pulling him along for a walk but he needs the exercise (and so do I!). I think he's entered into the "fear stage" puppies enter around 5 months and suddenly he's terrified of going on walks. Last Tuesday's walk at the Greenway was only marginally more successful. Foot still sore from Monday's run.

Wednesday

Foot still sore. Lots of massaging it during the work day. Logged a 2 mile run at moderate pace to baby the foot a bit.

Got home and felt like doing some more so I cued up the FitnessTV on Demand.   We got rid of cable for about a year and a half and before that I did a lot of Namaste Yoga and Gilad Cardio on Fit TV...apparently there is not longer Fit TV - merged with Discovery Health which is mainly ER and birthing stories all day...No more Namaste Yoga and Gilad only comes on at an ungodly hour in the morning... I did a 10 min yoga session to stretch out after the run followed by 2 different 10 min Ab workouts.  2 different ones mostly because the first was a floor-based Ab workout and Oliver thought it would be the perfect opportunity to attack me and play.  Then I found a "standing Ab workout" and had much better success completing it!  

Thursday

Cross training day 

Mr. Oliver and I ventured to Salem Lake and logged a suh-weet walk.  That dog can go & go and taking him out to the Lake was more of an adventure for him - lots of sniffs and trail to explore, but less distractions and no traffic to freak out about!  At one point he stopped, pushed me to one side of the trail and started growling very protectively while staring at the embankment.  I never saw what he was carrying on about (he barked somewhat aggressively/protectively for about 2 minutes), but I trust his nose and think it may have been a snake or bobcat.  This was the first time he's gotten protective of me like that, and I have to admit - it was pretty cool.  The walk continued back to the car and all told, we did about 2 1/2 miles of brisk walking with 6 short jogs of 30-60 seconds to start getting him used to running at OUR paces.  We worked on heeling and by the end of the walk, I had a VERY tired puppy who was walking loose leash at my side.  Definitely need to keep up this kind of training for Oliver / cross training for me.  I could feel my foot getting some good strengthening and my hip flexor was able to stretch out with long strides.

Afterwards, we made the drive over to Ruff Housing for Oliver to claim his $250 winnings in gift certificates for a photo contest with the newspaper - Top Dog in the Best in Show & Cutest Puppy categories!  

"What!! I won? I really really won!?!?! Wowza mom!!! I can't wait to go to daycare and run around all day!"

Friday

Today was a 1.5 mile day - half the distance planned for the long run tomorrow.  Rushed home and got out the door in the cold to finish my run as daylight dwindled.  I chose not to take the headlamp and safety light based on how much daylight was left, although the safety light should probably always be worn.  I knew my route was well-lit and I would be sticking to the sidewalks.  A quick run with a few hills to it in a modest pace.  Great way to start the weekend! 

Saturday

So I had planned to do my long run today but my foot was a little tender which was enough of an excuse for me to wait an extra day and get some schoolwork done....Rest day today.

Sunday

Long run day! Not so long, but today I did a 3 mile "long run" - don't snicker!! Cardiovasculary it's nothing, but am still having tenderness with my peroneal tendon...
Run went EXCELLENT!  I kept a nice even pace and enjoyed the beautiful mid-50s weather.  About an hour afterwards though, my foot was sore.  Did some good stretching and rested while catching up on schoolwork and football.  Fast forward a few more hours - was outside playing with Oliver and felt a pull in my foot like after the half marathon. NO NO NO!  Man that was painful.  Back inside to the couch with an ice pack, ibuprofen, rest & elevation.  The foot felt better by bedtime and I as I write this on Monday, it's still a good bit tender but no stabbing pains today.  I'll have to wait and see how it's feeling later - hoping I can do a short run.

And that is my Week In Review - thanks!