2009: The Running Year That Was

It was an interesting running year, for sure. I must say that it didn't really turn out like I expected, but I learned a lot about myself. Some highlights:

1) I completed my first marathon, the Triple Lakes Race, in an other-wordly time of 10:55:43. It's rare that someone would be allowed the time to complete a marathon in so much time, but there was a 40 mile race going on at the same time. I ended up falling three times during this trail race, and spent a lot of time at the aid stations, washing out my knee and doing first aid things to it. I was determined to go the distance, and I'm glad I did.

2) My second marathon attempt of the year, about 5 weeks later, was a DNF. My left IT band got the better of me at the Outer Banks Marathon, which was a bummer. I loved seeing the Outer Banks again, though, and running past the Wright Brothers Memorial was a definite highlight.

3) I joined the Raleigh Galloway Training Group for the second year in a row. I dropped out of the group early last year to train on my own, but decided to come back this year, partly because George decided to run with the group as well! That was a lot of fun, and George's participation kept me going to the group runs all the way through the season this year. At the end of the year celebration, I ended up winning one of this year's inspiration awards for finishing the Triple Lakes Race.

4) I got to hear John Bingham talk at the 4th quarter meeting of the North Carolina Roadrunners Club. I've been reading his books and columns for several years now, so it was a treat to hear him talk in person. He was both funny and insightful, and really spoke to me.

5) I got to co-host an episode of a running podcast called the Runners Roundtable, and while I was nervous at first, I really enjoyed the experience! I hope to do it again sometime.

6) George and I ran our first race together, the Mebane on the Move 10K. It was my first 10k in years, and George's first road race ever. I was quite proud of him! He finished ahead of me by a few minutes, which was all good.

7) I started working with a running coach in December, the first time I've tried a running coach. This leaves me with high hopes for the coming year.

8) I ran (or ran/walked) 753.76 miles in 2009. I'm still shooting for that elusive 1000 miles in a year. I'm not sure if that's in the cards for me or not.  Time will tell!

Last Workout of 2009

I ended this year with the elliptical machine and a strength training workout. I started with 2.45 miles (35:14 min) on the elliptical, not a stellar performance, but it's a light cardio workout day anyway. I followed it with a variety of strength building exercises, some of which I added some sets or reps to. (Yay!) At the end, I stretched. All in all, a good workout.

Wednesday Treadmill Run

I got on the treadmill this morning and followed orders to run/walk 2.5 miles, with an ever increasing amount of running and less walking--yay! I did this on the treadmill again, which makes it all easier, but I'm doing it. I did the 2.5 mile stint in 38:10, faster than Monday's run, per orders from the coach. It felt good today, to boot. I stretched for about 10 minutes afterward, which my right IT band appreciated today.

Tuesday Gym Workout and Weigh-in

I rode the recumbent bike for 7.8 miles in 45:05 minutes, then stretched for about 10 minutes and spent about another 5-10 minutes on strength training. Saw my new low-carb diet buddy again at the gym, and it was fun to talk with her a little more. :)

My first 5K of the new year is coming up next weekend--yay! I hope the weather is good, but either way, I'll be there! Now, if I can lose a few pounds between now and then, that would be great! Today I weighed after I woke up and used the bathroom, instead of waiting until after I lost some water weight from working out. I didn't like what I saw, but I have to think of the number as data, not as a measure of my self worth.

Monday Treadmill Run

This morning I continued to follow Brennan's workout schedule, and ran/walked 2.53 miles in 40 minutes on the treadmill. It was a better run than last week, felt like I was more in the groove. I hope it means I'm getting a little stronger too. :) I stretched afterward.

I had a nice conversation with a lady at the gym, the one I met a couple of days ago in the gym lobby. We struck up a conversation about weight loss then, and had an even longer conversation about it this morning. She was very inspiring! I got her contact information, and will drop her an email soon. I hope we stay in touch!

I started a new exercise log today--fun to think about the possibilities that the coming year will hold in terms of my running. One new thing I put in the section for today is this morning's resting heart rate. I think it'll be interesting to track that over the course of the year ahead. I wonder if the number will go down.

Sunday Bike Ride

It took me a while to get to the gym this morning, after a late night playing games at George's brother's house. (We had such a good time, that we didn't leave until midnight, and were still wound up when we got home! It was 2 AM before we went to bed--yikes!)

My workout plan for this morning was an optional 30-35 minutes of low intensity riding on the recumbent bike. I almost didn't go, but decided I'd feel worse mentally, at least, if I didn't go to the gym. I'm glad I did. It was a slow 5.23 miles, but it's in the books.

Tomorrow, I start a brand new exercise journal. Pretty good feeling.

Saturday Run at the Gym

This morning I ran/walked 2.53 miles in 43 minutes on the treadmill, and it was one of those "tough" runs. I knew I could gut it out, but I just felt out of sync. I was glad I finished, and my left IT band and plantar fasciitis felt better as I went along. It was slow going at the beginning, though, and it was hard to recover my pace by the end to keep it line with earlier run/walk paces this week. I'm building my endurance back, though, and not every run is going to be a winner.

I had a nice little visit with another gym member on my way of out the gym, as we somehow struck up a conversation about weight loss. She gave me some good tips that helped her, included the book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, which I ordered from Amazon when I got home! Has anyone else read this book? If so, any comments?

Merry Christmas!

I went to the gym this morning, and had more company than I expected. There were two people there when I arrived, and different person there when I left.

Today's workout was optional, according to my new plan from the running coach. I decided to follow it and walked 2.03 miles in 36:07 minutes on the treadmill. I followed it with 2.11 miles on the recumbent bike in 12:06 minutes.

My eye is feeling much better today. I had to delay my workout yesterday due to an early (thank goodness!) appointment with the eye doctor, who diagnosed a corneal ulcer on my right eye. It had been feeling very irritated, so I've been the eye drop queen (two types) for the past day. Minor bump in the road, in retrospect, but it was a little unnerving not knowing what was going on with my eye. Much better now!

Holiday Workouts

Yesterday I ran/walked on the treadmill for 2 miles (31:06 min), did some work on the ab crunch Nautilus machine, then did a light 10 minutes (1.34 miles) on the bike.

Today, I did 3.14 miles in 40 minutes on the elliptical machine, and followed with a 15 minute stretch. I'm still getting used to concentrating on one cardio machine when I'm at the gym. I got so used to hopping around on different machines that it's a bit of a challenge for me to just focus on one. I think it'll pay off, though.

Training Progress

This morning I did 2.72 miles in 36 minutes on the elliptical machine, followed by stretching and strength training, both upper and lower body. While my muscles ache a bit, I'm feeling the satisfaction of hoping that my muscles are getting stronger and benefiting from a more well rounded training plan. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know I've stretched a bit and done strength training even less consistently. Well, I think THOSE days are over, and I'm looking forward to seeing how my body responds in 2010. Stay tuned!

New Week

It's the last full running week of 2009, and it happens to be the last week of pages in my paper workout log that I take to the gym with me daily.

Today I continued to follow coach's orders, and ran/walked 2.52 miles in 40:06 minutes on the treadmill. It was a pretty challenging run/walk for me, and I'm not sure why. It's the longest I've gone in a while, but I thought I was maintaining my fitness level better than that. I'm scratching my head on this one. I'm glad I made it to the end, and am surprised I finished in under a 16 min/mile pace today. Yep, I felt pretty sluggish. Maybe the fact that I'm on vacation and got to the gym a little later than usual had something to do with it.

Another Run in the Books

This morning I ran (on the treadmill) for only the third time this week, but I still have a weekly high for the month. It's been nice having running coach Brennan's guidance on the runs and cross training. One thing I'm not accustomed to is focusing on one cardio thing during a workout session; a couple of people have commented, after looking at my workout log online, that "you sure do do a lot of different things." I thought it was all about crosstraining, but truth be known, and both of those people said it, if I want to become a better runner, I need to practice being a better running. The other stuff is of secondary importance, and will help me become a better runner, but eventually, I'll be doing a lot more running than the other stuff (biking, elliptical, walking).

So, today, I did 2.29 miles of running and walking on the treadmill, increasing the amount of distance I ran, and finished it in 35 minutes. I also did some good stretching afterward.

Meanwhile, I found that online registration is open for the 2010 Run for the Roses 5K in Raleigh, so I'll be signing up for that after holiday shopping is over.

Next Race on the Calendar!

I'm happy to report that my next race is on the books, and the registration fee has been paid! It's the Run for the Young 5K on January 9, 2010, in Raleigh. It'll be my first post-DNF race, and I'm really looking forward to getting back out there!

Meanwhile, my training with the running coach's plan is going well so far, considering it's the first week and all. It's too soon to be noticing improvement, really, but I am pushing myself a bit on the workouts, and have incorporated daily stretching and lower body strength training twice a week. Brennan has me running just three times a week for now, probably a smart move since both IT bands have talked to me some this week. I've gotten religious about stretching because of that, as I'm eager for both of my IT bands to heal totally so that I can forge ahead.

While working out this morning, a new personal trainer at the gym approached me about signing up for a free consultation with him, and by the end of the conversation, he was "looking forward to working with me." Pretty hard sell. Thinking about it for the rest of the day, I think that paying for the gym membership and a running coach is plenty for now. In time, I could see myself having some strength training sessions with a personal trainer, but for now, I've got a full plate.

He seemed surprised when I asked him about his educational background, and replied that his BS is in something sports related, and he's in Duke's physical therapy program now. What else should I expect from a personal trainer? Should he/she have personal trainer certification, in addition to experience?

Runners Roundtable Podcast

Last night, I co-hosted a podcast called Runners Roundtable with Mike and Albert, and it was fun to do! It was my first time to do a podcast, and we used the website Talkshoe to record the call-in, live-recorded (and not-edited) podcast, so it was a big ole learning experience for me! It was a good one, though, and I would highly recommend the experience!

The guests on the podcast were Jan Seely, publisher of Marathon and Beyond, and Joe Henderson, a columnist for the magazine. I'd never heard of "Marathon and Beyond" before, and had a hard time finding it at the bookstore, because it's a shorter magazine, height-wise, than others, but it has a lot of great articles. I enjoyed learning more about the magazine, and found both Jan and Joe very personable.

The link to the show notes and last night's podcast is here.

Another Run and More Stretching

Following Brennan's training plan for me, I did another run/walk today on the treadmill, going 2.28 miles in 36 minutes. It felt strange finishing my cardio so soon, but it felt like enough running for today, considering my left IT band and plantar fasciitis were peeping at me.

Afterward, I had a great stretching session, which went on for about 15 minutes. Once I get on the floor, my right IT band felt as tight as my left, so I gave them some extra TLC. I also did some calf lifts and vertical leg lifts. It's nice to feel like I have permission to include lots of stretching now, as I've been bad about making time for it. Now stretching's on the schedule, part of the plan.

Starting With the Running Coach

Well, yesterday I started my workouts planned by my new running coach, Brennan Liming. It's felt a bit strange being out of control of planning my workouts, but then again, I've never done a lot of planning. Often, I would just show up at the gym and do what I felt like doing, and stop when I had to. Already, I've done a variety of things, all with some energy left to spare. I'm not overdoing yet, though it's been a little hard not pushing myself a little harder, especially on the treadmill and elliptical. I've felt a difference later in the day the past two days, though. My legs haven't felt sore hours afterward, and my plantar fasciitis has hurt less. All progress, I think.

Yesterday (Monday):
1) Ran/walked 2.1 miles (33 min) on the treadmill, measuring my run/walk cycles by distance instead of time, which was nice.
2) 10 min. stretching

Today:
1) Did 2.37 miles (30 min) on the elliptical
2) 20 situps on the stability ball, plus 20 obliques (1o left, 10 right)
3) I inserted some stretching here, though it wasn't part of the plan for today
4) 10 Superman moves
5) 2x10 calf lifts
6) 2x10 1-leg lunges

I was tired this morning at the gym, and kinda down, so it was nice to have a plan, especially with some new things to try.

Sunday Afternoon Workout

I ended up getting a late start this rainy Sunday morning, then ran some errands before going to the gym. I decided to keep it simple by riding an hour (for 10.53 miles) on the recumbent bike, followed by some stretching. At home, I did some bicep and hammer curls with 5 lb dumb bells my sister sent me for my birthday. First time breaking the 5 pounders in, and it was fun being able to do some strength training at home--yay!

Saturday at the Gym

This morning I slept in, and made it to the gym for 45:03 minutes (3.55 miles) on the elliptical before calling it a day. Then I met Teri at Shelley Lake for a quick photo shoot of me running a little bit. She's writing an article about John Bingham's visit to Raleigh a couple of nights ago, and wants to ask me a few questions tomorrow afternoon about my marathon and my impressions of Bingham's talk to the North Carolina Roadrunners Club. Pretty neat!

More Running Today, Plus John Bingham

Today I started with 5.3 miles (30 min) on the recumbent bike, then went straight to the treadmill, where I ran 1.41 miles in 20:04 minutes! Let me tell ya, it felt good! Once I warmed up a little more, it felt just right, so I went longer than the 15 minutes I was planning. I really enjoyed being able to increase my distance a bit. I finished with 15 minutes (1.25 miles) on the elliptical, a faster pace than usual for me, probably because I was pretty jazzed about the run. It's all still a pretty slow pace, but it's picking up!

Last night I attended the fourth quarter meeting of the North Carolina Roadrunners Club, and had the privilege to hear John Bingham speak. He was a very entertaining, funny speaker, and I'm so glad I went!

More Elliptical

I started with the elliptical machine today, and it was nice to change up my routine a little bit!

1) Did 3.03 miles (40:02 min) on the elliptical
2) Rode 3.55 miles (2:04 min) on the recumbent bike
3) Stretched for about 5 min
4) Did 10 pushups

Wednesday Workout

1) Rode 6.15 miles (35:04 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Did 2 miles (25:16 min) on the elliptical machine

I was soaked before I even got to the gym, as it was storming big time when I went down to the parking lot of my apartment complex. I couldn't remember where I parked my car last night, so I ended up trying to put my car key in a couple of incorrect blue cars! Third time was the charm, but I looked like I'd fallen into the pool or something! I thought about going back up two flights of stairs to dry off and change shirts, but I had a feeling if I did that, I might not make it to the gym! As it was, I was on the fence until I pulled out of my parking space. I was glad I went--once I got there!

Still Working Out

Well, I've gotten behind by a few days on blogging, but I've continued to work out the past few days, honest! I ended up having a busy, but very fun birthday weekend, which included meeting with my new running coach and attending the Galloway training group's end-of-year party at Frankie's. It was fun to see everyone in normal clothes, with hair down and makeup on in some cases even! :) I was surprised to receive one of the Inspiration Awards given out for finishing the Triple Lakes Marathon in what turned out to be an all-day affair. (Here's hoping I get to go for a PR eventually!)

Anyway, today's workout:

1) Rode 6.73 miles (40:01 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Ran 1.02 miles (15:04 min) on the treadmill
3) Cooled down with 0.38 mile (5 min) on the elliptical
4) Stretched for about 10 min
5) 10 pushups

Birthday Run

1) Did 3.08 miles (40 min) on the elliptical
2) Walked 0.70 miles (12:09 min) on the treadmill
3) Ran 1 mile (15:09 min) on the treadmill

It felt really good to run a whole mile on the treadmill, eventhough my legs (especially IT bands) were tight, and I didn't leave time for stretching this morning!

Today's my birthday, and I'm so excited about getting some dumbbells and a Jillian Michaels DVD from my sister! I actually asked for some dumbbells, and she saw the Jilliam Michaels DVD and thought I'd like it. The reviews for it on Amazon are quite good, so I can't wait to check it out! (Thanks, Lisa!)

Thinking about Running

Well, I thought about running again today, but did more crosstraining instead. My legs just aren't quite ready yet, with the fussy IT band. That being said, I haven't made time fore stretching yet today, but I must make the stretching a regular part of my routine. My recovery and return to running depend on it.

Meanwhile:
1) Rode 4.07 miles (31 min) on the recumbent bike
2) Did 3.3 miles (45:04 min) on the elliptical machine (this felt great, and is currently replacing my running, I think)
3) Walked 0.60 miles (10:15 min) on the treadmill

Mid-Week Workout

1) Rode 3.25 miles in 20 minutes on the recumbent bike
2) Did 3.02 miles in 40 minutes on the elliptical
3) Walked 1 mile in 17:05 minutes on the treadmill

I felt like a crosstraining machine today, on the cardio machines, anyway. I miss the running, really miss it, but I don't feel physically ready to start it up again. Soon, I hope!

This Week's Workouts

I've gotten a little bit slack about updating my workouts here on my blog, mostly because I was busy finishing the rough draft of my novel for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November. I'm happy that December is here, but I really enjoyed channeling my writing in the month of November. My story as about a group of runners. Now, I need to decide what to do with this rough draft of a novel, which I titled The Finish.

Meanwhile, here are my workouts from the past few days:

Sunday
1) Walked outside for 3.09 miles and 60 minutes. I stopped at a little family cemetery back off in the woods near this particular course that I take sometimes. It was both neat and creepy to be back there.
2) Did 0.75 miles in 10 minutes on the elliptical in the gym


Monday
1) Rode the recumbent bike for 5.55 miles in 35:03 min


Today
1) Rode the recumbent bike for 3.51 miles in 20:01 min
2) Stretched for about 5 min
3) Did the elliptical for 2.32 miles in 30 min
4) Walked 0.56 mile in 10 minutes on the treadmill