A Little Longer

Today I went for 43 minutes on the elliptical machine (3.29 miles), then 2 minutes on the treadmill (.14 miles). The treadmills were all taken when I got to the gym this morning, and I got on a roll on the elliptical. :)

I returned to the orthopaedist yesterday, a follow-up appointment about my groin strain. The doctor could see improvement, and was encouraging about my 5K last Saturday. She did prescribe 4 more weeks of physical therapy, which will help. I was sore last night from the extra stretching during the appointment!

Meanwhile, I'm thinking about signing up for a Jeff Galloway Training Group that's starting near here next month. I'm especially intrigued by the emphasis on training and staying injury free. Advice is welcome!

New Shoes

After work yesterday I went by 9th Street Active Feet and got some new running shoes. I've learned along the way that taking my old running shoes along can speed up the shoe fitting process, as the common thing to do at specialty shoe stores is to watch the patron walk, discuss shoe use, stuff like that. When I pulled out my old Brooks Adrenaline shoes, the sales person said, "Oh, that's a great shoe, has that worked well for you? Any problems with it?" I told him I'd enjoyed the shoe. He had me walk a little, balance on each foot, and said the updated version of the Brooks Adrenaline would still be a good shoe for me. I was in and out in, oh, 15-20 minutes, which worked for me! (It beat driving to Raleigh, where I got the last pair of Brooks. I was tired!)

This morning I had to try them out, and ran on the treadmill for 5 minutes (.37 mi). I did feel the groin strain a little, which was a bummer. I got on the elliptical machine to finish the workout, and did 35 minutes (2.66 mi) there.

(Yesterday I did 32 minutes on the elliptical. I'm still a little sore from Saturday's race, so I continue to work on my stretching.)

Race Report: Cary Road Race 5K

Yesterday I ran in the Cary Road Race 5K. I was a little nervous, considering that I hadn't gotten back up to 3 miles of running since my injuries. I felt like I had a better than decent chance of finishing, though, since I'd done 3+ miles on the elliptical machine several times since returning to exercise.

I got to the race area at Regency Park in Cary in plenty of time to pick up my race packet and chip. I didn't get a t-shirt for this race, as they cost extra. (I shy away from paying extra for race t-shirts unless they're particularly good, since I already have a pretty good collection of t-shirts. I do regret not buying the CRR t-shirt from two years ago, since it was the race that I first entered in my journey toward getting back in shape.) While I was putting the chip on my shoe, I overheard a lady giving some race advice to some friends running the race for the first time. She told them not to go out too fast because there's a hill early in the race, but after the turn-around, there's a big downhill and a lot of flat course after that. She said she went out to fast last year and was sorry! I was glad to be eavesdropping, and took her advice to heart. (I'd forgotten about that hill from 2 years ago!)


Anyway, the 10K started at 8:30, but the 5k didn's start until 9:45, so I returned to the car, and read and dozed a little bit. I'm glad I didn't oversleep, but I wish I stretched a little more! I found myself trotting toward the start line and getting just a few stretches in before the start of the race. It didn't even hear the starting "gun," but I was in the back of the pack, so when the crowd surged forward, I knew the race had started!

I started the race slowly, and walked up that early hill, which helped. I was able to pick up the pace on the level and downhill stretches, even passing a handful of people. The course took us around a small lake in Regency Park, a pretty picture. The temperature was pleasant at first, but was heating up toward the end of the race. It was also windy at times. I noticed that my Garmin was 10-15 seconds behind the timers along the course, probably from the start that took me by surprise. (I didn't start the Garmin until I saw the surging crowd.)

Injury-wise, I didn't feel my knee much at all during the race, probably in part because I took 3-4 walk breaks (some on flat ground, toward the end of the race). I did feel the plantar fasciitis starting to make a comeback in my left foot, which surprised me a little, but I am nearing 300 miles on my current running shoes, so maybe it's a nudge to get a new pair.

I finished the race a bit under 40 minutes, though official results haven't been posted yet. My Garmin time was 39:30. I was thrilled to finish, and was very surprised to get a finisher's medal at the end! It's the first medal I've gotten at a race, and eventhough it's not an age-group award, it was better than a t-shirt to me now, and just what I needed. With the injuries I've had and recovered from in the first quarter of 2008, finishing this race was indeed a big deal for me. I feel like I'm "back in the race," so to speak, and that's done a lot for my spirits. :)

I'm sufficiently sore today, so I've been doing some extra stretching, and didn't run this morning at the gym. I did go in to keep the routine going, but only did 20 minutes on the elliptical machine. I've gotten a lot of R & R since returning from the gym, as yesterday's race wore me out more than I expected.

I'll post official results when I learn of them. Thanks for all the encouragement.

UPDATE: The official results are in! My official time was 39:47, finshing 247th out of 265 runners in the competitive division. In my age group, I was 14th out of 15. The top female finisher overall was a 43 year old, which rocks! There's hope for me! I'll probably never be the top finisher anywhere, but age matters less and less.

Getting Ready for Tomorrow

Tomorrow's the Cary Road Race! I signed up for the 5K before I got injured, so I haven't trained like I planned. I've decided to give it a try anyway.

So today's workout was pretty light. I did 11 minutes on the elliptical, then walked for 21 minutes on the treadmill. No running today, saving my legs tomorrow.

Over a Mile!

This morning I lasted for 20 minutes on the treadmill, going 1.52 miles! It felt really good to go over a mile, with only a little knee pain. I think I'm going to try the 5K on Saturday, perhaps with a run/walk combination. After the treadmill, I did 20 minutes on the elliptical (1.53 miles). Good workout this morning!

A little Farther

I got some rest last night, so I feel better this morning. I got a little more than I expected, as I forgot to set my alarm last night so I overslept a bit this morning. At the gym, I ran for 10:05 minutes and .71 miles, a new post-injury record! (It makes 1.45 miles for the week so far.) My knee bothered me a little, but not much. No wanting to overdo it, I switched to the elliptical for 26 minutes (2.01 miles).

My Body Says.....

I'm tired!!! Two nights in a row of going to bed at midnight is taking its toll this morning. I made it to the gym, but I was grumbling all the way. I schlepped through 5 minutes on the treadmill (.37 mi.) and 15 minutes on the elliptical (1.13 mi.), and that was it.

I have a meeting tonight (go figure!), but I''m heading home after that and getting to bed nice and early.

Still Going

Yesterday I did 35 minutes on the elliptical, a short workout before a busy day! This morning I got back on the treadmill and ran for 5 minutes. Guess what...it hurt! :-( I've got to give my body time to heal, I know. I got back on the elliptical machine, for 42 minutes this time.

I ran .37 miles on the treadmill, a 13:31 pace--faster than last week, at least. I wonder if my knee would hurt less if I slowed it back down. Hmmm.

Finished with .61 miles of running for last week. Can't wait to work my way up to a mile again--that will be a happy milestone! I'll be glad to reach a mile in one session, for sure, but even a mile this week total would be an improvement. Amazing the things you come to appreciate! ;-)

Change of Scenery

Being Saturday, I slept in a bit, then went for a workout at the nicer of the two gyms I belong to. I don't go there during the work week because it's farther away, and it isn't open when I normally get to the gym in the early morning hours. I so enjoy working out there sometimes on the weekends, though.

I did 50 minutes on the elliptical for 4.28 miles, which felt great. I decided to try the treadmill for a little while, and when I got on I noticed a lady I know from the Rice Diet Program across the room! I'd been running about 3 minutes with a little less pain than yesterday, when I noticed her get off her machine and head for the front door. After trotting a total of 3:14 minutes for .21 miles, I stopped the machine and sprinted after what turned out to be TWO Ricers, and we had a nice visit outside.

After that, I decided to call it a day in terms of the exercise, and take advantage of the hot tub and sauna. The heat felt really good on my back and legs!

Rats!

I was looking to shake up my routine this morning, so I warmed up with 5 minutes on the elliptical machine, then climbed on the treadmill for the first time in a while. My right knee (the one I fell on when I broke my nose) started hurting immediately, so I kept it at a slow pace, wondering if I could run through it. It was still hurting six minutes in, so I decided to stop then, after just .4 of a mile (for a 15:02 pace--lovely!). It's a start, but I was hopeful that I could do more. I wonder if I'll be able to do the Cary Road Race 5K on April 12. Yikes, that's eight days away! I don't want to do anything stupid, but it sure would be good for the spirits if I could do it.

(I did get back on the treadmill after that, and did another 35 minutes.)

Any suggestions for my knee, anyone?!

Same Place, Same Time

I did 40 minutes on the elliptical machine again today, for 3.12 miles. I'm beginning to feel like a change of pace, time to shake things up soon. I did go back to physical therapy yesterday, and am sore this morning from the new stretches. Maybe tomorrow I'll take a few minutes to give the treadmill a try again.

More Elliptical

This morning I did 42 minutes on the elliptical, for 3.12 miles. Had to remind myself that I wasn't in a contest to go longer or farther than yesterday, and that a little variety is good. :) Tomorrow I'll return to physical therapy.

Keep On Keepin' On

I made it for 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning for 3.51 miles. It felt really good to build up a bit of a sweat!

This afternoon I had an echocardiogram to follow up with the heart murmur. It was fascinating to see some of the pictures, and hear the sounds of my heart and blood flowing through. The echo. tech documented the murmur and a lot of other areas of my heart--it was an impressively thorough test. The murmur is a mild one, nothing to worry about right now, but the cardiologist is supposed to read it over today or tomorrow and send the results to my doctor.

This picture isn't my echocardiogram, but something like what it looked like.

A Little Longer

I went 40 minutes on the elliptical machine this morning for 3.05 miles, almost a 5K! I'm feeling better and better about the fitness thing, but my nose is still pretty tender, and I'm aware of it when I'm exercising, partly with the extra breathing. Maybe I'll try the treadmill sometime this week, see how it feels.

Sticking to the Elliptical

This morning I did another 35 minutes on the elliptical, this time for 2.67 miles. In addition to having to be somewhere atg 9 AM, I needed the reminder that I should be careful about adding time/distance to my workouts, whether I'm on the treadmill or sticking to the elliptical machine. I do feel like I'm regaining some of my fitness. Climbing the two flights of stairs to my apartment was starting to get me a little winded. Not anymore (again)--yay!

More Elliptical

This morning I lasted 35 minutes on the elliptical for 2.65 miles. I'm a little tired this morning as I'm getting ready for work, but it's a good tired. My next goal is to work up to 3.1 miles (5K) on the elliptical machine. I'm wondering if I can be ready to at least finish the Cary Road Race 5K next month. I'd really like to try--to finish, not shoot for a PR, but to finish. Funny, that was my goal at the first Cary Road Race I ran two years ago, the one that I started training for when I started this blog. In that race, I finished--last! Yes, folks, the dreaded last finisher in that race was me! It wasn't embarassing like I thought it would be; I was thrilled to finish! :-D And I know I'm in better shape now than I was then, and 100 lbs. lighter to boot, just a little gun shy (and slightly out of shape) after falling and breaking my nose!

Back at the Gym

I finally got to exercise again! Yay! I did 23 minutes on the elliptical for 1.67 miles. It's an odd time and distance, I know, but I was shooting for 200 on the "calories burned" tracker. I know that number isn't terribly accurate, but it's still fun to watch that number roll over. It felt really good to be at the gym! I watched the treadmill runners with some envy, but I'll be there soon enough.

On the Verge

This afternoon, I return to the doctor about my nose, and am hoping to get the splint off--and to get the go-ahead to exercise again! I can feel a difference in my fitness level, so I'm looking forward to getting back on track. I'll have to start slowly, but I can hardly wait! I know I'll feel better all the way around.

Relief is in Sight

I went to my doctor yesterday about the heart murmur that the anesthesiologist discovered in our preop for my nose last Friday. My doctor says it's very light, but she's going to have an echocardiogram scheduled for me just to be sure. Turns out many people have heart murmurs-go figure! She said it shouldn't interfere with my regular exercise once I get rolling again, but to be aware of other symptoms, like chest pains, or breathing harder than I should be.

Meanwhile, I return to the plastic surgeon about by nose next Wednesday, so less than a week away (barely)! Whew! This white plastic splint on my nose is irritating, and my nose is itching underneath! When I put my reading glasses on, I have to prop them on the splint, which pitches the plastic thing forward. Charming.

Doing Better

My body is healing, slowly but surely. I had the packing taken out of my nose today, though I still have the splint on my nose, a cute look! :o) I'm so relieved to be able to breathe out of my nose now!

I go back to the doctor the middle of next week about the nose splint. The nurse told me I shouldn't exercise before then--ouch! This is a long time to go without exercise. I had to cancel all of the physical therapy sessions I had lined up, because they were all before I see the plastic surgeon again. *sigh* Okay, so I'm a little discouraged. I need to look on the bright side, and think of all the things I can get done between now and then. I'll keep posting here, and let you know how I stay sane. :)

Out of Commission for the Weekend

Repairing my nose went okay todaay, but I am all bandaged up and sore. The doctor put down "light activity" on my going-home sheet, and the nurse suggested no exercise, chores, cooking, anything like that. I must say that at this point, no arguments from me. I'm bushed! As soon as Tina and Henry return with my meds, I'm going to bed. Ouch.

Short Elliptical

This morning I only did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I'm feeling uncomfortable this morning. I went to the dr. yesterday, who set me up for a nose reset under general anesthesia tomorrow. So, I'm off of Tylenol, Advil, and the nifty Hydrocodone prescribed by the dr. at Urgent Care. Boy, I'm feeling my face (and especially my nose) today! Not a shooting pain, just generally uncomfortable. I feel it more after I've had to talk.

They'll pack my nose after they reset it, and put a little splint on it! LOL Not sure what kind of activity I'll feel like doing this weekend.

More Time on the Elliptical

Did 50 minutes on the elliptical machine this morning, good for 3.72 miles and 440 calories burned. It was a pretty light workout, but I'm glad I went.

My head's still hurting a bit, and I'm hyper-aware of my nose. Actually looking forward to the doctor's appointment this afternoon, hoping for a plan of action for my nose.

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!

A Little Elliptical

This morning I did 20 minutes on the recumbant bike, then 25 minutes on the elliptical. It felt pretty good to get back on the elliptical, but I'm feeling a bit off in general so far this morning. My knee seems a little better, at least. I have a physical therapy session this morning, otherwise I may stay home. I feel a little queasy. My eyes are a little black this morning. I know things will get better.

Time on the Bike

I returned to the gym today. Although my knee is still a little sore from my Saturday evening tumble, I did 40 light minutes on the recumbant bicycle, going 4.94 miles and 134 calories. I didn't work up a sweat, which I miss, but I'm glad I was able to do something.

I got a lot of rest yesterday, sleeping in in the morning, a nap in the afternoon, and to bed around 11, so I'm not feeling the usual sleep deprivation after Daylight Saving Time starts.

Likely Day Off

Last evening I tripped up and my face met up with a concrete sidewalk, scraping up my face and breaking my nose! Ouch! The tumble also hurt my right knee. George got me to Urgent Care, where they checked me out and cleaned up my face. The nose appears to be the only broken bone, thank goodness. I have a couple of prescriptions to start taking today (the pharmacy was closed by the time we got out of the doctor's office). Monday I'll make an appointment with an ear, nose and throat doctor for a couple weeks down the road to see what needs to be done about my nose, if anything. This morning it's swollen and skinned up, but I can still tell it's crooked. Pretty! :-P

Since my knee is still sore this morning, I'm probably going to take today off and just rest.

End of Week 1

This morning I did a 5 minute warmup on the bike, stretches, then 65 minutes on the elliptical. I did more stretches after my shower, as I was getting ready to meet George's family for brunch.

I started Week 2 of my Take 20 (Off) Challenge today. After one week, I'm down 8.2 lbs! I'm excited about that, but I know the loss rate will slow down. I'll ride it as long as I can, though!

Running Inspiration

Just learned of a 101-year-old man who recently completed a half marathon, and is going for the London Marathon in April. If he finishes, he'd become the world's oldest marathoner. He still works three days a week as a plumber in England. He looks amazingly young for a centurion plus. His photo, along with the article, is here.

Stretching

Well, I did pretty well with the stretching this morning. I started with 6 minutes on the bike, then did my PT-prescribed stretches. I followed with 65 minutes on the elliptical machine, then did the stretches again. I would like to have gotten more cardio in, but I know the stretches are important, and I want to be a good patient. I'll need to work on getting to the gym a little earlier. I've already started working on that by not getting on the computer when I first get up. (The computer can be a time sucker, can't it?!)

First PT Session

Well, I had my first physical therapy session this morning. It went well, but I am pretty darn sore now! Heather, the physical therapist, talked with me some about my injury and medical history, and worked with my legs to see where I am. We did some stretching and picked out a few for me to do twice daily. Meanwhile, I have four more PT appointments in the next two weeks.

I asked her when I could start running again, and she said to hold off for at least another week. She said that if I started back running now, we wouldn't know which soreness was from the PT and which as from running again. Meanwhile, when I go to the gym, I'm supposed to warm up on a cardio machine (she suggested the seated bike) for 5 minutes, get off and stretch, then do the 45-60 minutes of cardio I usually do (again, she suggested the bike), then more stretching. And more stretching at night. Did I forget to mention that my guads and hamstrings are tight?!

Hopeful

Although I can't run for at least another week, I did order a new running book a couple days ago, The Runners World Guide To Road Racing: Run Your First (or Fastest) 5-K, 10-K, Half-Marathon, or Marathon. I hope to get some good tips on the 5K end (which I already run), as well as the other distances.

I also ordered The Athlete's Guide to Yoga: An Integrated Approach to Strength, Flexibility, and Focus. Thought this would be great with the whole flexibility thing. I haven't tried yoga since college, but imagine it could be good for me!

Physical Therapy Starts Today

I did 75 minutes on the elliptical this morning in 2 back-to-back sessions (the most the machine will let me do in one session is 65 minutes) for 5.85 miles and 719 calories. My injury is feeling better, and my cold is subsiding-yay! Nice to feel like I'm healing.

I start physical therapy this morning! Thankfully, it's on campus, just a 10 minute or so walk. I'm excited about it, hopeful that it'll help.

More on the Elliptical

This morning I did the elliptical machine for 80:07 minutes in two back-to-back sessions for 6.2 miles (a 10K!) and 659 calories burned. After all that, I weighed the same on the scales today as yesterday! Ah well, I bet I'll reap the benefits tomorrow.

Shorter Workout

I only did 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning, my new way of feeding a cold. I'm a little dicouraged by this cold, which I felt coming on on Friday, but I'm working hard to stay on track with the Take 20 Challenge. I'm down 5.2 lbs since the start of the Challenge on Saturday-woohoo! I'm encouraged by that. I know the weight loss won't continue this quickly, so it feels good to have some pounds in the bank.

Another Hour

I did 60 minutes (4.47 miles) on the elliptical today, although I was dragging a bit from two hard weekend workouts (65 minutes on Sat., 80 min on Sun.) and coming down with a cold. (No fever, thank goodness, just some congestion and a little coughing. I got to bed early last night, and that helped.) I kept the resistance on the elliptical lower for most of the workout to take it a little easy.

There's the temptation to feed a cold, but I'm sticking to my guns with the Take 20 Challenge. I want that new iPod! :)

A Little Sore

This morning I got an extended workout in on the elliptical machine, going the maximum of 65 minutes the first time, and then another 15 minutes after that. I was wondering if I could do a 10K (6.2 miles) on the elliptical, since that's the next race distance I'm signed up for, on March 30. Can I be ready, fitness-wise? I ended up going for 80 minutes total, burning 808 calories, and "traveling" 6.36 miles. Not a bad way to spend a morning. I am feeling a little sore, but in places other than my injured groin area. It's a good feeling, but I do need to stretch today.

My running distance for the week was 1.79 miles. *sigh* I do miss running.

I had a nice weight loss this morning on Day #2 of the Take 20 Challenge, nearly 3 lbs off of yesterday's starting weight! I've decided that my reward for losing 20 lbs. (whenever that happens) is an iPod classic. I really enjoy my red nano, and will hang on to it, but would love more storage space and the ability to watch some video podcasts. (I've never really been into music videos, though I love the one by OK Go with the guys on the treadmills!)

The Elliptical is My Friend

I was back on the elliptical today, and felt better about it. I went 65 minutes today, for 5.2 miles and 665 calories.

I've listened to all my running podcasts for the week, so I listened to a couple other newsy podcasts, then went to my workout playlist. It's funny what songs get me going at different times. Right now, the two songs like make me "kick it up" the most are "Dancing on the Ceiling" by Lionel Richie, and "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa! Funny, huh? :)

I've got my starting weight for the Take 20 Challenge-yay! The Yahoo Group for this challenge is 10 strong, and there are several more on the Rice Diet Program's Online Support Forum who are doing it with me as well. Since this is going on for 20 weeks, I'm grateful for the company.

Sticking with the Elliptical

I did 45 minutes on the elliptical this morning for 45 minutes, 3.4 miles, and 421 calories burned. I find I'm getting a little bored with the elliptical machine, but it burns more calories than the bike. Thank goodness for the iPod! I've been listening to a lot of podcasts over the months, but this week I've gone back to more music and my workout playlist to pump me up.

My injury is still a little sore.

Tried a Little Running

This morning I did 35 minutes (2.79 miles) on the elliptical, them tried a couple minutes of running on the treadmill for .16 miles. My strain is a little sore now from the running. Maybe shouldn't have done that! So now I know my body's not ready for running again yet. *sigh*

More Elliptical

I was back on the elliptical machine this morning, doing 3.53 miles in 45 minutes. I'm still a little sore from yesterday's visit to the sports medicine clinic--lots of stretching to pinpoint my injury. That'll get better, I know.

I have noticed that my stress level is up since I haven't been able to run my usual mileage. Grrrr.

Doctors' Visits

This morning I had my second doctor's visit in two days. Yesterday was a general follow-up with my primary care physician re: my diabetes. Today I met with the orthopaedist at the sports medicine clinic about my self-diagnosed groin pull. I mentioned the groin pull to my doctor yesterday, but today's session was most helpful on that concern. I was evaluated ahead of time by a couple of people-intern types, I think, and then the doctor came in. Both times I got stretched and pulled, and it was decided I have a groin strain. It was nice to know I was in the right ballpark. The doctor also concluded that my quads and hamstrings are tight, and that if I don't get more flexible, I'll be back with more injuries. She prescribed four physical therapy sessions (my first is next week), and I'll return to see the doctor in six weeks.

I'm definitely looking forward to the physical therapy sessions, a brilliant idea. I just looked up stretching online, and found this good, but kinda funny website. It wasn't meant to be funny, but the stretches are demonstrated by stick figures. Primitive, but you get the point! Check it out here. The stretch to the left, from this website, is called Bum Stretch # 2.

Take 20 Challenge

I've decided to give myself a challenge to jumpstart my at-home dieting efforts, and make it public! (Yikes!) I'm going to lose 20 lbs. in 20 weeks, starting March 1. I decided to make the start date on Saturday, in case anyone wants to join me between now and then. I'm hoping to lose more, but that will be the minimum. I've created a Yahoo group for it, thinking that that sort of forum may help some people, but I'll be posting my progress here.

The name of the Yahoo group is Take 20 Challenge, and the URL is http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/take20challenge/ New members to the group will need moderator (that's me) approval, so just type a few words about your weight loss desires/efforts. (Just want to keep spammers out.)

Still Sore

I did 55 minutes on the elliptical this morning (for 4.39 miles), then tried the treadmill for 5 minutes (.45 miles). The groin pull is better, but still sore. I go to the sports medicine clinic this morning, so I'll report later.

A Little Longer

I had a longer workout this morning, probably motivated by the fact that I have a doctor's appointment today, a checkup with my primary care physician. :P I did 50 minutes on the elliptical first, then went 13 minutes on the treadmill for 1.18 miles (11:01 average pace), beating my total mileage for all of last week. I think I'm getting a little competitive with myself. Well, actually, that's not a new revelation! The whole thing about trying to beat each 5K time is showing my competitive self too, I suppose.

Elliptical and Treadmill

This morning I was back at Anytime Fitness, and did 45 minutes on the elliptical machine (3.39 miles). I was pretty worn out by yesterday's 65 minute elliptical session, so I was surprised to last 45 minutes today. I even tried the treadmill after that, and ran .43 miles in 5 minutes. No big speed record there, and I'm still feeling the groin pull, but it was a good gym session, all in all.

I ended up with 1.14 running miles for the week, a sign of the times. I'm looking forward to my appointment with the orthopaedist at the sports medicine clinic on Tuesday.

A Change of Scenery

Today I slept in a bit, then went to a different gym to work out. I always enjoy going to the Duke Fitness Center, though it's a farther drive for me now. There are always plenty machines, plus there are lots of windows (love the natural light) AND an indoor and outdoor track. I also enjoy the pool and hot tub! I went today, planning to do some cardio and then enjoy the pool and hot tub, but I ended up getting there later than expected, and felt spent after a hard 65 minutes (5.44 miles and over 600 calories burned) on the elliptical machine. It was heading toward 1 PM by that time, and I was ready to go home and fix some lunch. I hope to get back for the hot tub soon!

I missed running in the Coach Bubba 4 Mile this morning, but I'm glad I didn't risk it. The groin pull is better, but not well yet.

A Little Running

This morning I ended up doing a variety of things for just a bit. I did the elliptical machine for 20 minutes, then tried running for 6 minutes for .51 miles. (The groin muscle is still a little sore.) Then I did 5 minutes with the 5 lb free weights.

I checked my fasting blood sugar after exercising for the first time in a while, and it was 88! Yay!

A Little Shorter Today

I did 40 minutes on the elliptical this morning. My groin muscle is still sore, and I'm generally tired this morning. I got close to 6 hours of sleep last night, not too bad, so I decided to take it a bit easy on the workout, especially after the hour-long workout yesterday.

I'm glad to be able to continue the cardio workouts, but I continue to eye the weights and weight machines. They're calling my name.

Back to the Elliptical

I stayed off the treadmill today, and stayed on the elliptical for a whole 60 minutes, for 4.41 miles. Meanwhile, I got an earlier appointment at the Sports Medicine Clinic, but I still can't get in until next Tuesday. *sigh*

Gave it a Try

I started with 40 minutes on the elliptical machine this morning, and my leg was generally feeling better, so I decided to try running on the treadmill for a bit. I was wondering if I might be able to go slowly in Saturday's race. I ran for 2:30 minutes and logged a slower .2 of a mile. Bad news, my groin muscle hurts a little more now. *sigh* I've made an appointment with a sports medicine doctor, but he can't see me until next week. :-(

Short Elliptical

I just did 20 minutes on the elliptical this morning. My injury is still sore. I'm tired from the weekend, and have a 2-hour meeting after work today. I felt like I had to get something in today. Looking forward to getting back on track, perhaps some weight training soon!

Day Off

I took today off from exercise, mostly because of my injury, and partly because George and I had a full weekend! It all started yesterday when we went bowling, then to lunch at Panera. Yesterday afternoon we checked into an area hotel with an indoor pool and hot tub, for a day of R & R away from home (but nearby). It was really nice! This morning, we had breakfast at the hotel, got some more pool and hot tub time in, then went for lunch at Doc Green's, a salad place. After a nap back at home, we went to a move ("Definitely Maybe"), then to Chammp's for dinner with my parents, uncle, and nieces. It was a fun weekend!

My groin muscle in still bothering me, though. *sigh* I'll see what I can do at the gym in the morning. More later!

More Elliptical

I did 31 minutes on the elliptical this morning for 2.34 miles. Still not ready to run yet. After a little internet research, I think I have a groin pull, hence the level of pain in that location of my leg. Ouch, ouch, ouch! *&*%$#$@

Another Elliptical Day

I'm feeling slightly less sore this morning, but I decided to stick to the elliptical machine again, doing 5 miles in 61 minutes. It felt great to last that long! My leg didn't bother me, and it felt good to go the distance.

Now I feel like I'll get back to running fairly soon. Not sure yet what I'll do about next week's Coach Buba 4-mile race.

Back on the Elliptical

I just couldn't do it this morning...my right leg hurt too much when I tried to run the treadmill. I even started by "warming up" on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, before trying the treadmill. I think I'm going to have to spend more time of the elliptical for a few days and see how it goes. I called my doctor's office yesterday afternoon, and can't get in until Feb. 25 (she's out of town). *sigh*

A Stretch

I ran longer than I expected this morning, 4.67 miles on the treadmill in 50 minutes, for a 10:42 average pace. Not very fast. I did take a couple of rest/walk breaks. A muscle in my upper right leg is still surprisingly sore since the long weekend run and the race. I guess I'm still a little tired too. Pushing myself hard Saturday AND Sunday--bad idea! I feel a little impatient with my progress this week because of it. Can you tell? :p I just need to remember to listen to my body and give myself time to heal. I'm glad I didn't sign up for another race this weekend.

Weekly total so far: 10.02 miles

Getting Back to Normal

I'm still sore this morning, but a little less so from the weekend's running. I was able to clock 4.25 miles on the treadmill in 45:19 minutes, a 10:39 average pace. Not as fast as I'm used to running on the treadmill, but still faster than my race pace so far (no hills or wind resistance today, thank goodness!).

Recovery

This morning's gym time was pretty tough; I probably could've used a day off, in retrospect. I tried running first, made .93 miles in 10:37. I just couldn't keep going! My legs are so sore from the weekend running, and so is my left ankle! I did do 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, for 2.29 miles. I tried the treadmill again, 2 more minutes for .17 miles. So, I started the week with 1.1 running miles. Delightful. If I hadn't had the longer run on Saturday, I'd probably feel better today, so I only have myself to blame, huh?! I'm glad I did the long run on Saturday, but it was probably too much considering the race yesterday. I should've taken it easier on Saturday, so I'm paying for it now. I hope everything feels better tomorrow!

Race Report: Run for the Roses 5K

This afternoon I ran in the Run for the Roses 5K in Raleigh. It was a 2:00 race, an unusual time, since most road races start around 7 or 8 AM! I was glad for the chance to sleep in and rest my aching legs from yesterday's 5 mile run/walk. It was a pretty day, sunny--but windy! I wondered how the wind would affect my time, since I'm accustomed to running indoors on the treadmill.

George decided to go with me this afternoon, and he was good company. We got there early enough to find the community center where the race started, and I picked up the racing chip to tie to my running shoe. I saw one of the ladies I met yesterday at the Shelley Lake run, and we commiserated. :-) (I saw another lady out on the course, calling out splits at the one mile mark.) While I was stretching and such, someone came up and asked me about my Garmin, and it was fun to talk shop.

I decided to go out for a warmup run, partly to see how my legs would do and how the wind would feel during the race. I took it easy, running .53 miles in 6:48. I was surprised at how sore my legs were, but okay with the wind at that point.

The race started promptly (I think), and the course went by Peace College, then through part of the historic Mordecai neighborhood of Raleigh. It was a very pretty route, with a lot of flat areas, but some hills as well! Whew! Of course, the wind seemed to kick in big time on some of the steepest parts. ;-) I was tempted to stop and walk on occasion, but I was able to push through. Having the split times at each mile helped, eventhough I had my Garmin this time (the first race I've run since receiving it for Christmas). It was great to have the Garmin for tracking distance as well as time, especially when I could see I'd gone two miles, and I had a half a mile left.

The race ended where it began, so I knew from that too when I was getting close to the end. Since I started out the race pretty fast (for me), I didn't have a lot of kick at the end, but I tried to push a little and hold it to the end. It was a great feeling to see the finish line banner and hear someone over the loud speaker, eventhough I could understand what was being said at first, or see the clock yet. As I got closer, I could tell that I couldn't beat the 35 minute mark that I was hoping for, but that's just another goal for the next 5K, right? I ended up finishing in about 35:30 (my Garmin says 35:28), though I'm still waiting to see the official results posted on the website. That's about two and a half minutes faster than my last best time, so I've very happy about doing that much better, especially with the wind!

I had a great nap after I got home! Now I'm even more sore, but it was worth it!

(I ended up with 29.14 miles for the running week, but the way!)

***Official results have been posted, and my gun time was 35:30 (11:26 pace), chip time 35:08! I finished 424th out of 488 runners, and 28th out of 39 in my age group.

First Shelley Lake Run!

This morning I joined an NCRC group run for the first time at Shelley Lake. I met some nice ladies, several of whom were talking about running on relay teams at the Myrtle Beach Marathon next weekend. (That sounds like fun to me!)

The trail around the lake has is very scenic, lots of trees, a few bridges, some geese, and lots of runners, walkers, and cyclists (and a partridge in a pear tree!). This group runs 5 minutes and walks a minute, then repeats the cycle. Today they (oops, we!) went five miles. My final time was 1:02:25, a 12:29 average pace. It was great running outside, and nice to have varied company. I was a little disappointed with the final average pace, but I have to remember it was my first time running outside in quite a while, and the trail was new to me. I did get turned around at the end of the run, and separated from the group. I stopped (but left the Garmin running) while I tried to figure out which way was back to the parking lot. It was a wierd, "Twilight Zone" feeling, seeing quite a few people and not recognizing anyone in the group. Anyway, I finally asked someone the way back (choice of two trails), and they pointed me in the right direction.

I wouldn't have run 5 miles on my own today at all, so I feel great for going the distance. At the beginning of the run, I was behind the back of the pack, but had some company in a nice lady who's going to be part of one of the relay teams next weekend. Once the group turned around, I was able to keep up with everyone, which surprised me! I'd like to be able to keep up better early on.

I enjoyed using my Garmin today, by the way!

I've got 25.52 miles under my belt for the week now, with tomorrow to go. Tomorrow is the Run for the Roses 5K, of course. Today I'll go pick up my race packet-yay!

Back to an Hour

This morning I started by running 36 minutes on the treadmill for 3.54 miles, a 10:10 average pace. I was tempted to longer, but wanted to go a little easy on the running, with the race coming up on Sunday. I'm also joining a group run for the first time in the morning! I'm excited about that, but feeling a little intimidated too.

Anyway, I got on the elliptical machine for 25 minutes, for 2.03 miles. It felt good to be back on the elliptical! Felt good to get an hour of exercise in again.

Longer Run

It was nice to get back to a longer run this morning, even if it was a split run. First, I ran 1.45 miles on the treadmill in 15:02 minutes, a 10:22 pace. I had to make a pit stop, and when I got back on the treadmill, I ran another 3.3 miles in 33:16 minutes, for a 10:04 average pace. I feel like I could've run longer, but I overslept by an HOUR (yikes!), and had to come home to get ready for work.

That's 4.75 miles for the day, and 16.98 miles for the running week so far.

Short(s) Run

I actually got to wear shorts during my run this morning! It's been cold enough early in the morning that I've been wearing leggings, and have gotten used to the feel of them. It was different wearing shorts for a change--I felt a little exposed! I'm enjoying the warmer weather, but it's going to be cooling off again soon.

I ran a shorter run today, thinking about tapering a little for Sunday afternoon's 5K road race in Raleigh. I ran 3.53 miles on the treadmill in 36 minutes, for a 10:11 average pace. My leg muscles are feeling a bit tired--but I am feeling more rested in general.

Running Through the Tired

I made it through 41 minutes on the treadmill, for 4.01 miles, a 10:13/mile average pace. I could feel myself being slower this morning, just had to let it go. After a busy, busy weekend, I had my bi-monthly covenant group meeting last night, and didn't get home until nearly 10 last night. *Yawn!* I need to catch up on some down time. My introverted self feels very overextended. There are worse problems to have than that; I just need to make time to recover soon.

One month down...

I just submitted my first month's miles for the North Carolina Roadrunners Club's 1000 Mile Club, with my January miles of 114.35. It feels good to have a solid start with that goal! If I keep up that pace, I'd have over 1300 miles for the year, which sounds insane to me at the moment, but I feel like I'm pretty strong and getting in better shape all along. I need to remember not to overdo it, though, and get injured on my own accord. Acccidents happen, but I won't be happy with myself if I get injured from overdoing it!

Hard Morning Run

I had a hard time getting going with my morning run, after having to run last night. I wanted to get back on track this morning, though, especially since I have a meeting tonight. I ran 26:33 minutes for 2.57 miles (10:19 average pace) before accidentally hitting the pause/reset button TWICE! Usbkrufpphuh! (I thought I was hitting the distance/current pace/average pace button. It pays to LOOK!) I got going again and ran another 2.12 miles in 21:02 minutes, for a 9:55 average pace. I am tired now, but I'm happy to have my run behing me for the day. Not doing it in the morning yesterday, it was hanging over me all day, and I missed the run until I did it.

I ran 4.69 miles for the day.

Night Run

I ended up having to run tonight. I was a worship associate for both church services this morning, so I wanted to save my energy for that, especially since I didn't get to bed until midnight. George and I had lunch at Saladelia, and then I took a big ole nap, which felt great. I had a fairly early dinner so that it could settle before getting a run in. Even so, I didn't get to the gym until 8:00, and I knew I needed to take it a little easy, since it's getting kinda late for a workout. Need to keep in mind winding down afterward and my run in the morning. I decided to work a bit on speed work, so I ran 3.26 miles in 31:40 minutes (on the treadmill) for a 9:42 pace! I think that's the fastest average pace I've had! Still, I missed running longer, and much prefer running in the morning than at night.

I finished the running week with 27.71 miles, a little less than last week, but still not bad.

Shorter Run

This morning I ran 3.21 miles in 33:01 minutes on the treadmill, a 10:17/mile pace. I was tired and sore this morning from a hard day at work yesterday (moving and reshelving several booktrucks of books, not my usual routine, so I'm sore!), and short on time as well (had to be at work at 8:00 AM, a little earlier than I'm used to), so I went as far as I could go.

That gives me 20.3 miles for the week so far. I have a 9 AM meeting tomorrow (Saturday) morning, and have to be at church by 8:30 Sunday morning to be the Worship Associate, so my next two runs may be a little short as well. I'll shoot for at least 25 miles this week.

I logged 114.35 running miles for January, not too bad.

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.