Over 4 again

I've been trying to see if I can aim for a 4 mile plus average per day this week, and so far pretty good. This morning I ran 4.3 miles in 43:16 on the treadmill, for a 10:03/mile average pace.

I've been taking my running log into the gym with me lately, and it's helped me to be able to write my time and distance down immediately. I like the option of being able to push for a few more seconds or an extra tenth of a mile, and not have to worry about remembering numbers that aren't rounded to a 5 or a 0.

My next 5K is on Feb. 10 in Raleigh. Can't wait to see if my time has improved. Hoping I'll break 38 minutes this time, maybe get closer to 35.

More Running

This morning I ran 4.55 miles on the treadmill in 45:07 minutes, for a 9:54/mile pace, same as yesterday. I did more incline today, some .5% and 1%, so it was a harder run (not a bad thing). I got some more sleep last night, which helped. I was still a bit keyed up at 10:30, but decided to go to bed anyway. I'm glad this morning that I did.

Breakfast at Home

I'm back from the gym this morning after running 46:34 minutes and 4.7 miles (a 9:54/mile pace!). The plantar fasciitis bothered me a little before I was warmed up; otherwise, it was a pretty strong run. I was a little tired from lack of sleep last night. I learned how to use one of my rice cookers last night, and was a little keyed up from cooking and stuff.

Yesterday was my last day at the Rice House, so I'll actually get to have breakfast at home today! I made lunch ahead last night, some rice and veggies, to which I'll add some fruit. I'm looking forward to being able to head straight to work from home. I'm also looking forward to drinking a Diet Rite (my favorite of the flavors available in the can here is Red Raspberry, wish I could find more white grape) while I'm getting ready for work. :)

New Week, New Ways

This morning I ran 3.57 miles in two runs on the treadmill. My first run was for 1 mile, in 10:19 minutes. The second run lasted 2.57 miles in 25:04 minutes, for a 9:45/mile average pace! My first was bothering me in the first run, though I stopped to run to the restroom. the plantar fasciitis tends to feel better once I've warmed up, so I was able to pick up the pace for Round 2. I should keep this in mind when I go to road races.

Today's my last day of going to the Rice House for my meals! Wow! I've been on the Rice Diet for nearly 18 months, and have been getting my meals there. Last night George and I went grocery shopping together, and I finally started finetuning the kitchen, after six months of living there with George. Tonight I'll start cooking and stuff on my own, and trying to plan for the week ahead. It's exciting, but a little stressful too.

Even More Incline

This morning I ran 46:03 minutes on the treadmill, for 4.61 miles. I tried some more incline today, setting it for .5% for a bit, then increasing to 1% incline. I think this will make for better training.

I ended the running week with 30.05 miles, and I wasn't even shooting for 30! When I got to the gym this morning, I couldn't remember what my total mileage was so far, so I wasn't gunning for 30. Monday's 5.5 mile run certainly helped pushed it over. I don't have the luxury of a day off this week to fun a long one like that, but I'll continue to push toward 4 milers.

Some incline

This mornng I ran 3.75 miles on the treadmill in 37:14 minutes, a 9:55 average pace, a little faster than yesterday! I even set the incline at 0.5%, not much, I know, but a little bit. That's 25.44 miles for the week so far, and I'm feeling pretty strong---tired, but strong, if that makes sense.

Two Runs

This morning I ran for 20 minutes on the treadmill before feeling the need to hit the locker room. Got 1.86 miles in, for a 10:45 pace. I was really feeling tired and slow. After my locker room visit, I ran 1.72 miles in 17:11 minutes, for a 9:59 pace! That's the first time I've broken a 10 minute average m/m pace, so that's exciting! Granted, it WAS on the treadmill, and with no incline, but still, pretty groovy.

Total for today was 3.58 miles, total for the running week is 21.69 miles so far. I just might surpass the 25 mile mark again this week.

Shorter Run

This morning I ran 3.45 miles on the treadmill in 35:19 minutes, a 10:14 average pace, a little faster than the past couple of days. Needed to make a pit stop at that point, and when I returned from the locker room, all the treadmills were full. *sigh* I did sleep in a little this morning, and getting to the gym later has its drawbacks. Doing something other than the treadmill can be a good thing, though, so I ended my workout with 10 minutes on the elliptical machine.

Weekly total so far is 18.11 miles. Maybe I'll hit the 20 mile mark tomorrow morning,

Feelin' Like the Energizer Bunny

Again, I went to the gym this morning, feeling tired and aiming for a mile or two on the treadmill. I ended up going 4.8 miles in 50:04 minutes! I hit the 1 mile mark, then two, and just kept going, like Forrest Gump. My average pace was 10:25 m/m, my slowest of the running week, but still not too bad for me. My total for the week so far is 14.66 miles, so hitting 20 should be pretty easy.

I feel the stress level building in other areas of my life, so the running has become very therapeutic. I think it even helps to be on the treadmill, to have it help pull me along and stay on track, stay focused without having to think too much, to be able to pound out the miles without worrying about traffic, safety, or weather. Does that make sense?

A Tired Run

I headed for the gym this morning, still a bit tired from yesterday's long run. Even so, I just kept going and ended up running 4.36 miles on the treadmill in 45:04 minutes, a 10:20 average pace. I definitely felt slower than yesterday, but expected that. No nap today! It's back to work this morning after a long weekend.

I think part of the reason why I've clocked some longer runs lately is because I've had so many commitments with other people over the past week plus. Sounds odd, I know, but I'm an introvert at heart, and haven't had much time to myself to regroup lately. My early morning workouts, and the runs especially, have become a way to focus and be "alone," even when there are other people in the gym.

New Daily High

I have today off from work for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, so I slept in a little, then went to the gym for a run on the treadmill. I ended up running 5.5 miles in 55:43, a 10:07 m/m average pace! And here I thought I'd just get in a mile or two, since I was tired when I started. Now I'm tired, for sure, and am glad for the day off...I see a nap in my not-so-distant future. ;)

New Weekly High

This morning I ran 3.33 miles on the treadmill in 35 minutes, a 10.30 m/m pace. I felt tired from yesterday's run and a busy Saturday, eventhough I got to bed before 10:00 last night. When I got to the gym I couldn't imagine not running, but I didn't have it in me to push too hard. I did bump up the speed a little as I got warmed up, but it felt right to take it easy this morning.

I finished the running week with 26.33 miles--yay! A new high. This is the mileage I was hoping for last week but just couldn't bring myself to do. Gotta continue to learn patience, and to listen to my body.

Total Distance Record

This morning I had to be at the gym at my normal early time, as George and I were helping with something at church at 9:00. I ran 1.9 miles in 20 minutes before having to make a locker room run; luckily I didn't have much competition for the treadmills when I got back. ;-) I ran another 32 minutes, clocking 3.21 miles. The second run was at a 9:58 m/m pace, which surprised me! Nothing like getting warmed up with the first run. The two runs totaled 5.11 miles for the day, a record since I've started running again. My total for the week so far is 23 miles, with tomorrow to go. I feel good about today's run, but I'm definitely tired, and my foot (with the plantar fasciitis) is bothering me a little.

On the Run

I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill this morning, in 35:13, a 10:04/mile average pace. That's the fastest average pace I've done on the treadmill! Perhaps a 10 m/m pace is within reach after all. I'd love to be able to break 10 minutes per mile on the road in time.

I've run 17.89 miles with two more days to go in the running week. Tomorrow might be a short run since I have a commitment early in the morning.

Back on the Elliptical

This morning I started with 12 minutes on the elliptical machine before hitting the treadmill for 31:04 minutes and 3 miles (a 10:21 pace). It felt pretty good to warm up a bit before running.

Joining the 1000 Mile Club

I dropped my registration for the NCRC's 1000 Mile Club in the mail this morning! I'm going to try to fun 1000 miles in 2008. The Athlete's Foot at Cameron Village is keeping track of it. I need to average 2.74 miles a day to nail the goal. So far in January, things are on track for hitting the mark, and I'm excited about that.

A Little Bit More

This morning I stretched my run out a little more, running 47:05 minutes for 4.55 miles on the treadmill, a 10:20/mi. avg. pace. It's my longest run of 2008, so I'm pretty excited about that. The early morning gym population has a little more sparse this morning. While I like having some people around, I was glad it didn't feel as crowded today, especially after being around so many people yesterday for Bubby's funeral, lunch after, and sitting shiva last night. My introverted self enjoyed this morning's "long" run almost alone.

Longer Run

This morning I ran 3.51 miles in 36:01 minutes on the treadmill, a 10:15 average m/m pace, not bad--for me! Felt like I could've gone longer, but needed to get ready for George's grandmother's funeral this morning. It was a very moving service. I may touch on it more in my other blog later. For now, I need to get some rest, as I feel pretty drained.

(Almost) The Same as Yesterday

This morning I ran 3.33 miles again, in 35:11, for a 10:33 m/m pace. It was a little slower than yesterday. I went to bed early last night, but am still feeling a bit out of sorts. George's grandmother passed away yesterday morning after a stroke Friday night. She was 87, and a real trooper of a lady. I'm glad I got to know her.

The run did help, eventhough I still feel down mentally. I feel like I still have some running energy, so I probably could've gone farther.

Getting Better

This morning I ran for 35 minutes straight for 3.33 miles (an average 10:30 m/m pace) on the treadmill at the gym. It felt good to get that long a run in, considering my "bathroom break" issues from this past week! My total running for this past week is 21.09 miles, which isn't the 25 I was hoping for, but is a more realistic increase in mileage for me, really.

Meanwhile, I've signed up for the Run for the Roses 5K in Raleigh on Feb. 10. It's a 2 PM race, which is a little different. Most races are in the morning. I ran this race back in the 80s, while I was in college. It'll be fun to run it again after a 20+ year hiatus.

Two runs again

I started out at the gym this morning, and ran 2 miles in 21:11 minutes (a 10:35 average pace), then hit the locker room and had to head home after checking my cell phone voicemail. (There was an important message to pass along to George.) I was thinking that would be it for the day, but I decided I had some energy to burn, so I put on my Garmin Forerunner and ran around the apartment complex. Ended up surprising myself by going 31:11 minutes for 2.67 miles, an 11:40 average page. That's 4.67 miles for the day, which puts my weekly total up to 17.76 miles, not bad. Hopefully I'll hit the 20 mile mark tomorrow to end the running week.

It was really nice to run outside again. It was a little windy at times, and I had a few minor hills. It felt really good.

A Little Longer

This morning I ran 2.1 miles in 23:01 minutes on the treadmill, before having to make a pitstop. Better, but still not great. I had another problem today, though! I'd been wearing leggings this week to run, but they've been too warm, as we've been having warmer than normal weather this week. Well, the shorts I wore were too loose for running, as I had to keep pulling them up when they slipped to my hips! Good problem to have, I guess, but irritating when I'm trying to run longer. Need to go shopping.

When I got out of the locker room, the treadmills were full AGAIN (same as yesterday), and the same woman as yesterday was on the treadmill I'd been on. This time I'd taken all my stuff with me. Good thing, I guess. I did get on the elliptical for 10 minutes before coming home to get ready for work.

I've been getting to the gym later and later this week, after being able to pop right out of bed Monday morning when the alarm went off at 5 AM. I've gotten to bed later and later this week, which explains a lot. Need to work on that.

I've run 13.09 miles for this running week (starting on Monday). May not make 20 this week, but I won't worry about it. My foot's feeling a bit better, which is good for something. And I'll get pretty close.

Eureka!

This morning's workout was a little choppy again. I warmed up with 10 minutes on the elliptical, then hit the treadmill. Made it 12 minutes before a pit stop, went 1.07 miles. I took my iPod with me, but left my keys and cell phone on the treadmill. When I returned, someone else was using my treadmill, and all the rest were full! Grrrrrr. I told the lady that I left my stuff there, and that I'd left some of my stuff there with the intent of coming back. I got on the elliptical again, and after three minutes, another treadmill opened up. I ran for 15 minutes and went 1.37 miles, a 10:56 pace. I felt pretty good with that run, but had to leave to come home and start getting ready for work, one of the pitfalls of working out in the morning.

I think I've discovered why I'm making unexpected pit stops lately during my workouts! Recently, I started snacking on Wheat 'n Bran Shredded Wheat at night, and perhaps it takes a little while to work all the way through in the mornings. I'll experiment with that and see what happens tomorrow.

It was a total 2.44 miles for the day, and 10.99 miles for the week. I'll likely make 20 miles for the week, don't know about 25. My foot (plantar fasciitis) is feeling better this morning.

Short Workout

This morning I did 16 minutes on the elliptical, then 5 minutes on the treadmill (. 43 miles), then 10 minutes on the treadmill for .90 miles. Still getting interrupted by pit stops (what's up with that?!), plus I'm dragging this morning. (I've had meetings the past two nights in a row, so it's taken me a while to unwind each night, and I've gotten to bed later.) The plantar fasciitis in my left foot has also been bothering me this week, probably worse from the increased mileage. I may need to pull back on my hopes of a 25 mile week this time out. Well, one of the best things I can do is get a good night's sleep tonight. Sheesh, I am missing caffeine right about now, but I'll stay away and just get some rest.

Choppy Workout

This morning's workout was chopped up in segments, a little strange. It may have been due in part to sleep deprivation, partly due to my foot being sore from the plantar fasciitis. I also had to make a couple of unexpected pit stops--thank goodness I was working out in the gym! I started out on the elliptical machine for 10 minutes, then headed for the treadmill. Ran 5 minutes for .42 miles, pit stop here, another 5 minutes for .45 miles, another pit stop. *sigh* Then I ran 22.21 minutes for 2.14 miles, for a total of 3.01 miles.

I'm icing and massaging my foot, and taking ibuprofen.

I made it to the gym early again today, so I feel good about being on a roll with that. It's busier there, probably New Year's Resolution-ers.

More Running

This morning I ran 4.21 miles on the treadmill in 45:31, a 10:48 pace. The plantar fasciitis in my left foot was bothering me this morning, a carryover from yesterday, actually. (Had a long-ish run yesterday, then walked around the Flea Market in Raleigh yesterday.) Still hoping to hit 25 miles this week, but we'll see how things go. I was tempted to sign up for some more road races last night, but decided to hold off and see how the foot feels.

I head back to work today after two weeks off, so my alarm went off at 5 AM. I'd gotten to where I'd snooze and sleep for another 30-40 minutes after the 5 AM alarm would go off, but I got on up today, and it felt good to get on over to the gym and get my workout done. I did like being able to see the sunrise from the gym, but instead I came on home in the dark, showered and am blogging and updating my online running log with "The Today Show" on in the background. (The presidential race is the big story, with the New Hampshire primary coming up tomorrow.)

Back on Track

I hit my regular gym this morning and did 4.14 miles on the treadmill in 42 minutes, some of that at a 9:13 m/m pace. My average pace was 10:09, according to my online running log at running2win, which is faster than usual for me. I guess that's what a day off can do for you. I shouldn't be afraid to take it easy for a day or so, at least as far as running is concerned. (I still need to think about burning calories, though.)

Today's 4.14 mile run was the longest of the week for me, and I ended this running week with 24.3 miles. Perhaps it's time to start stretching for a 25 mile week. Of course, I return to work tomorrow, so I need to work on getting to bed on time.

Not Much of Anything

I puttered around this morning and ended up having to go to the Rice House for check-in and breakfast before my workout due to time constraints at the RH. I packed my gym bag and anticipated getting a workout in at the other gym I go to sometimes. It has a pool, sauna, and hot tub, very nice. They also have an indoor track, and I tried running around it, using my Garmin Forerunner to keep track of distance (rather than counting laps, yuck!). It was challenging weaving in and out of the traffic on the smal track, though, and I ended up having to stop early for an unexpected pit stop. I didn't have it in me to keep going again, so I came on home, a little disappointed, and tired anyway. I got in .64 miles in 9:16, a 14:32 m/m pace. Kinda sad, huh?! But I did hit 20 miles for the week with that run, with a total of 20.1 miles.

I may try to go for another short run before my day starts, or perhaps I'll just wait until tomorrow. I feel like I could use the rest, but I don't want to give into the blahs--a bad precedent!

Outside-In

This morning I started out running around my apartment complex with the Garmin Forerunner attached to my wrist. I was in good shape, clothing wise, but my hands, sans gloves, were FREEZING! I ran outdoors for 10 minutes before calling it a day--for outside running, anyway! I did go .82 miles for a 12:13 m/m pace, getting better on the outdoors thing. Of course, running less than a mile, I can hardly boast. :-P

I drove across the street to the gym and got on the treadmill for 30 minutes, running an additional 3.23 miles, a 10:50 m/m pace. That's 4.05 miles for the day, and 19.5 miles for the running week (which starts on Monday for me).

I feel like I need to start heading toward a 5-mile run if I plan to be ready for the Inside Out 10K in late March.

Two runs

This morning I had two runs, split by a short elliptical session. I started with a 20 minute run on the treadmill for 1.80 miles (11:07 pace), and decided to stop because my left foot and ankle are still a little tender-mostly plantar fasciitis, maybe a little tendonitis. I did 5 minutes on the elliptical machine, and decided I could do a little more running, 15:02 minutes on the treadmill for 1.38 miles (1o:53 pace). So that's 3.18 miles of running for the day, and 15.45 miles for the week so far.

It's still pretty cold outside. Here, at almost 11:30 AM, it's 30 degrees, but feels like 24 degrees. That's cold! It's supposed to warm up a bit a tomorrow and continue into the weekend. Maybe I'll hit the roads again by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, I got my most recent labwork when I went to the Rice House for breakfast this morning. My cholesterol is down to 156, and my Hemaglobin A1c was 5.3! When I started the Rice Diet, my cholesterol was 178 and my A1c was 10.9.

Back Inside

It's in the 20s outside this morning, so I wimped out on running outside this morning and hit the elliptical machine and treadmill inside the warm gym this morning. I did 15 minutes on the elliptical, then 4.13 miles on the treadmill in 45:01 . My average pace/mile was 10:54. Lots faster than on the road, but there are advantages to the treadmill. It's nice to know I CAN run faster, even when it's the treadmill pulling me along on a consistent pace. Also, the treadmill is a little easier on my body. My feet and ankles are feeling the effects of a couple of days on the asphalt! Still, I'm looking forward to more training on the road.

Outside!

This morning I decided to run in a nearby neighborhood, Brier Creek Country Club. I drove there, as I'm still getting my bearings in that area, and I didn't want to get stuck. I didn't know at the time if I'd get my whole workout done there, or if I'd go to the gym afterward.

I parked by the tennis courts, which I figured would be a good landmark as I ran around. I started my Forerunner and hit the sidewalks, sticking to the main road mostly. (In time, I hope to explore a little more.) The weather was nice, in the mid 40s and slightly windy. The sidewalks had some slight hills. I ended up running 3.62 miles in 45 minutes, a 12:26 min/mile pace, a little faster than yesterday's outdoor pace. It's still a good bit slower than my treadmill pace, and slower than my last 5K too. I'm glad to be getting the outdoor running experience, though. It's reminded me that I need to do more of it, though during the work week that's not very feasible.

One of the neat things about my new Forerunner 205 is that when I sync it to my computer, it puts information about my run right into the computer! It does time and distance, pace, calories, even a map of the route I've run. There's other information too, stuff I haven't figured out the value of yet. Because of the high tech stuff, I have learned that I have to give the unit time to power up before I run. It takes a while for it to locate and communicate with the satellites in the area.