Late Workout

I'm just back from a late workout at the gym. After getting up early to work on my novel for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), George and I went to his brother's house in Apex for brunch with relatives in town for Thanksgiving. Since then, I've been writing away on my book again. I finally decided, about 7:30 or so, that I needed to get some exercise!

I got the gym a little after 8 PM, which felt a little weird since I usually work out early in the morning, but there were some other gym rats there for part of my workout. I ended up with a nice mix of cardio and upper body strength training.

1) Rode 10.51 miles (1 hour) on the recumbent bike
2) 2x1o reps bicep curls (1o lbs)
3) 2x10 side lateral raises (5 lbs)
4) 1x10 tricep extensions (5 lbs)
5) Walked 0.86 mile (15:05 min) on the treadmill

Thanksgiving Holiday Workouts

Yesterday (Thanksgiving)
1) Rode 8.75 miles (50:02 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Stretched for 10 min
3) 2x10 sets of pushups (not getting any easier yet)
4) Did 1.4 miles (20:10 min) on the elliptical
5) Walked 0.27 mile (5:01 min) on the treadmill

Today
1) Did 2.36 miles (35:01 min) on the elliptical
2) Walked 1.13 miles (20:01 min) on the treadmill
3) Ran 0.72 mile (11 min) on the treadmill

I'm not sure what has me more tired tonight, today's running attempt, or two days in a row on the elliptical. The running helt pretty decent, but I'm weary of overdoing it.

Hour of Power (No,Just Cardio)

I actually logged 65 minutes of cardio this morning, which felt really good. I started with walking (2.13 miles in 40:07 min) on the treadmill, and followed it with 25 minutes (4.41 miles) on the recumbent bike. I didn't make time for strength training or stretching this morning like I should have, but the cardio felt sooo good. (Only bad thing was a few twinges in my left knee as I walked.)

Short Run

1) Rode 6.75 miles in 50:01 min on the recumbent bike (wasn't paying much attention, so it turned out to be a lazy pace for a long time)
2) Walked 1.11 miles in 20 min on the treadmill
3) Ran 0.32 mile in 5 minutes on the treadmill, first try at running since the Outer Banks Marathon DNF. Body felt a little creaky, left IT band tight, some slight pain around left knee cap

Cardio and Strength Training at the Gym

I enjoyed getting to the gym a little earlier this morning. I did 6.5 miles (40:08 min) on the recumbent bike, followed by about 10 min. of stretching and 10 pushups. Then I walked 1.11 miles (20:16 min) on the treadmill (IT band talked to me a little bit), and ended with some bicep curls and tricep extensions. With the weight training, I am beginning to feel like Little Miss Crosstrainer, though I'm not doing much of it. Still, I think it's a good start.

Saturday Long Walk

I joined the Galloway group again this morning, and still walking, ended up covering 5.31 miles in 1:41:02, about a 19 minute pace. My left IT band was a little bit fussy, but not too bad. Still, I was glad I got out and saw the group and walked. The cooler temps felt really good, too! I met he group back at Panera Bread at the mall, and it was nice to meet a few new (to me) runners from the faster pace groups today. A good morning out.

Mixing It Up

1) Rode 5 miles (30:10 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Stretched for 10 min, mostly IT bands (the right one is bothering me a lot more today)
3) Did 5 pushups
4) Walked 1.10 miles (21:04 min) on the treadmill
5) Bicep Curls, 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10lb weights
6) Tricep Extensions, 2 sets of 10 reps @ 10 lb weights

Good Workout at the Gym

I had a good workout today, though I didn't run. That's a nice hurdle to cross. I so miss running, but I am learning to enjoy other things, so I hope that will help me become stronger and better fit.

1) Rode 3 miles (20 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Stretched (especially the IT bands) for about 10 min, including some yoga poses and the gym's foam roller
3) 10 pushups (I've signed up for a 100 pushup challenge on DailyBurn, and started the pushup count today. Uh, ouch!)
4) Walked 1.01 miles (20 min) on the treadmill
5) Did 0.71 mile (10 min) on the elliptical. (Okay, this may fall into the category of overtraining, but it felt good to push myself here!)

Upper Body Strength Training

This morning I decided to shake things up a little. I started with an easy 2.06 (15:01 min) miles on the recumbent bike, easy mostly because my knee was being a little fussy (runner's knee?), then stretched (mostly IT bands) for about 10 minutes. Then I hopped on three different weight machines to work on my upper body strength. By the last machine, my arms were burning! I feel pretty good about that, as it reminds me that I could use more strength training. I finished up with 15:05 minutes (0.72 mile) of walking on the treadmill.

I am sorely missing the more intense cardio workouts (because of soreness), so I'm a little frustrated right now. I did have an interesting talk with a running coach last night about using her coaching service after the holidays are over. I'm encouraged by the possibility. More to come!

My Legs Say, "Ouch!"

I went to the gym this morning, feeling guilty about overeating at our Covenant Group potluck last night. My legs are still sore enough, though, that I only did 1.05 miles (15:01 min) on the elliptical machine. The soreness in my legs is beyond the soreness of a hard workout, more like, "You push us too hard now and you'll be sorry! Give us a rest!" *sigh*

Workouts to Start the Week

I never got around to posting yesterday, but I did 2.1 miles (31 min) on the elliptical, then returned to Bull City Running and got fit for a new pair of running shoes and inserts. Yay! This morning I was chicken, though, and didn't try running in them. I did 5.62 miles (36:01 min) on the recumbent bike instead. I also stretched both IT bands for about 5 minutes this morning, which helped. They were sore after testing several pairs of running shoes yesterday. Better this morning. Hope it holds, want to run!!

American Tobacco Trail Walk

I'm back from a walk on the American Tobacco Trail, where I did 4.43 miles in 82 minutes and change. I went with the Galloway group, but decided to take it easy and turn around early. Still, I'm glad I did it. I enjoyed catching up with folks a bit, and it was the first run/walk since Triple Lakes where I really enjoyed the trees! :D Some leaves were still on the trees, but this past week's rain had brought down a lot of leaves, leaving a carpet of color on the ground. It was still cloudy and cool this morning, but very pleasant.

Afterward, I walked into Bull City Running Store to look around, and the owners asked if I'd had a good run. One thing lead to another, and we got into an interesting conversation about my shoes, and how I probably needed a different make and model. I'll go back there in a few weeks to get some new shoes. They were very helpful!

Rest Day

I decided to take a break from the gym this morning, in hopes of running or walking with my running group this morning. I had a rude awakening a little while later, as I was walking down my apartment stairs to go to work this morning, that made me glad I hadn't gone to the gym! My left IT band hurt walking down the stairs, a sure sign that I need to give it a rest. *Sigh* I think it's time to pull out the one or two yoga books I have, and perhaps look into some yoga videos. I also have a good book on stretching and another on strength training for runners. Time to put some other things into action while my leg heals.

Tight IT Band

I returned to the gym this morning after a rest day yesterday, and had a pretty decent workout, though my left IT band is rather tight.

1) Rode 5.72 miles (35:01 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Stretched the IT bands for about 5 minutes
3) Walked 1.5 miles in 25:09 min. on the treadmill

I haven't decided yet whether or not to try to run/walk with the running group on Saturday morning. They'll be meeting at the American Tobacco Trail in Durham, a pretty easy course. Maybe I'll go and walk.

More Gym Time

I returned to the gym this morning, planning to do a short workout. I ended up riding on the recumbent bike for 11.36 miles in 63:22 minutes. I got carried away, between the podcast I was listening to and the thoughts going through my head, and before I knew it, I had to stop right then and there and head home to start getting ready for work! It felt good, though.

I was thinking about the two marathons I've started this year now, and how neither one of them went like I expected. It's interesting, disappointing, enlightening, all sorts of things. Part of me wants to say, "Okay, half marathons and distances shorter will be good enough for me." But, a bigger part of me wants to have a better marathon experience, to nail it and get a marathon PR in a more "normal" time. I WANT to show the distance that I can do it, and do it decently.

Yesterday at work, several people asked me about the Outer Banks Marathon, and I did a decent job of putting on a brave face, but to be honest, I wish I could've told them I'd finished. I want to do it again and have the sense of accomplishment, not just of finishing but of improving as well.

Monday at the Gym

1) Rode 7.05 miles (41 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Did 0.75 mile (11:02 min) on the elliptical

I'm pretty sore from yesterday's OBX DNF, but it felt good to get to the gym and do some non-impact exercise. My body could've used the rest, I'm sure, but mentally, I needed to "get back on the horse." *sigh*

Outer Banks Marathon DNF

Well, the big news isn't what I hoped for. I was hoping to report a big fat PR, but instead, I had my first DNF, or Did Not Finish. I have mixed feelings about it, but am glad I went. George and I did this race together, and we both learned a lot from it.

We did run, by several accounts, the prettiest half of the course, and decided to stop there, as my IT Band continued to hurt, and George ended up with an unexpected knee injury, which he got diagnosed at the medical tent later. He has decided since then that it was probably caused by the new pair of shoes he had to by in Kill Devil Hills Saturday afternoon because he'd left his shoes at home! The pair he was sold was a size narrower than he's used to wearing, a recipe for injury, it turns out!

We were glad to get a half marathon in, but it's too bad we didn't get a finisher's medal for it. Sunday's race course took us through pretty neighborhoods and past the Wright Brothers Memorial, which was awesome! I took pictures, which I'll post later. We were impressed by the volunteers at the water stops and aid stations, as well as the crowd support along the way.

I'm still processing the experience, but here are some things I've learned:
1) I need to continue to work on speed, endurance, and weighht loss to improve my running.
2) Make a checklist of things to pack for a marathon out of town, and start packing earlier.
3) If George and I run another long distance race together, we need to get on the same page in terms of packing, shopping, and sleep, about a week in advance.
4) I need to work on stretching my IT bands more frequently, perhaps returning to yoga class.
5) I enjoyed running with George, and I'm glad we talked a bit beforehand about a game plan.
6) It might help to think about things to talk about ahead of time, when I'm planning to run a long distance with someone. Actually, it helped me to have George talk and be able to listen to him as I ran through some tough sections!


I've already signed up for my next race, a 5K in a couple of weeks. I need it to help me pick my chin up and keep going. I must remember to allow myself to rest and recover this week too, though.

UPDATE: George's and my split times didn't show up on the official race results! Arrrgh! It was one of those little strips that you pull off the back of the bib and loop on your shoe laces. George already emailed the company, and I will as well, after I get home and look at my bib number again (I don't remember it.)

Back in the Gym

This was my first workout since Sunday (which I didn't post). I had a mild fever Sunday and Monday nights, and felt like I was fighting a bug, so I've been making it to work, but laying low otherwise. I'm resting up for Sunday's Outer Banks Marathon, as well as taking part in National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November.

Anyway, I wasn't sure how today would go at the gym, but I was looking forward to the workout! I did 6.23 miles (35 min) on the recumbent bike and walked 0.60 miles (10:06 min) on the treadmill, both of which felt great! I decided to run next, and ended up doing 0.43 miles in 7 minutes, and was limping by the end because my left IT band was hurting! Yikes! I wonder if I can walk the OBX Marathon and finish in time. Hmmm.