Still Out There

I just realized it's been a few days since my last post here! I'm still running and working out, but have toned things down a bit to nip IT band issues (right leg) in the bud. I had a nice 4 miler outdoors yesterday, as I've taken yesterday and today off from work. Monday is a university holiday in honor of Sunday's July 4th holiday, so I'm enjoying an extra-extra long weekend! I helped my department finish the 2010 fiscal year (which ended June 30), so I'm enjoying some R & R.

I plan to post about tomorrow's long run later this weekend.

Another Mileage Milestone

Yesterday's long run/walk was a tough one, the hardest of the season for me. I finished 7.02 miles in 2:18:11, and finished is the operative word here. The 19:41 average pace is one many walkers can beat. It was a warm and humid morning, though, and speaking of walking, most of the last mile and a half was uphill. I walked most of that. It was my highest long run/walk/walk mileage of the year, though, so I guess that counts for something. Also, I've finished the running week with 14.58 run/walk miles, a 2010 high as well.

Part of my problem yesterday was that I tried some metatarsal pads yesterday. I went back to the podiatrist on Friday, and he gave me some to try before considering custom made orthotics ($400-500 not covered by my health insurance) or surgery to shorten the metatarsal bones (yikes!). I must have misplaced (not lost, incorrectly placed) the metatarsal pads, as my right toes started hurting around Mile 2, instead of the usual Mile 3). Eventually, I sat down on a bench, pulled my shoe off and detached the pad from my sole insert. The sticky on the bottom of the pad was gone then, so I tossed it, put my shoe back on, and continued. *sigh*

Meanwhile, I've started another 100-Day Challenge. I did this last year with some success. It's time to refocus on my weight loss, so I'm doing it again. The scoop is that I've created a spreadsheet on Google Docs, and I'm going to track my weight, pedometer steps, and whether or not I've drunk 64 ounces of water on each day. My goals will be to lose weight (of course!), walk at least 10,000 steps daily, and drink at least  8 cups of water each day.

Yesteray's Run on the Incline

Yesterday's running assignment was 4 miles of run/walk, with 3 of them running. I opted for the treadmill again, as I continue to be a wuss in the heat, at least during the work week. (I'll run outside tomorrow morning.) 2 of the running miles were at a 2% incline, and 1 running mile (the middle one) was at a 1% incline. I had quarter mile walk breaks at the beginning, end, and between each mile. Let me tell ya, that was a pretty tough workout for me, tougher than I thought it would be! I finished 4.02 miles in 63 minutes, a few minutes faster than my long run pace.



The treadmill picture is from http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art/treadmill.html Since I work in for a university library, and use the treadmill a lot, maybe this should be my unofficial logo. What do you think?

Thank Goodness for Air Conditioning!

Okay, I've been a wuss this week, at least when it comes to the heat and working out. Granted, two out of three workout assignments this week have been on gym equipment, so I have an easy out!

Monday:
3.02 miles in 41 minutes on the elliptical, plus some core stuff

Tuesday:
SPEED WORKOUT
Walked 0.21 mi in 4:07
Ran 0.54 mi easy in 8:00
Ran 1 mi in12:47
Ran 1 mi in12:42
Ran 0.50 mi in 6:04
Ran 0.50 mi in 6:01
Walked 0.27 in 5:07

I rested 3 minutes between each interval. The miles were supposed to be sub-13, so I was happy to nail that. My half miles were supposed to be sub-6, not quite there.

Today:
Recovery bike ride, 6.23 miles in 42:00. I'm a bit tired this morning.

Weekend Workouts

Yesterday's long run/walk was an "H" trifecta: hot, humid, and hilly! I got it done by starting early and taking advantage of the Galloway water stops. In the end, I completed 6.62 miles in 2:10:21. It was a good bit slower than last week's pace, but I didn't worry about it yesterday. I still ended up between pace groups, faster than the group I ran/walked with last year, but not fast enough to join the next group up. Maybe I'll get there as I continue to lose weight.

My body has been tired today, but I hit the gym anyway. My assignment was to bike 30-45 minutes, depending on how my legs felt. My legs weren't sore (except for my knee, which got banged by a chair after the run was over!), but I'm just feeling tired today, so I ended up riding 6 miles in 36:03 on the stationary bike. It wasn't a very hard ride, but I still came home and took a nap!

Walking Machine

Today's assignment was 45 minutes of brisk walking, so I decided to head outside to a nearby neighborhood instead of going to the gym. When I started, I forgot about the "brisk" part of the workout, as I was enjoying being outside. Then I realized I needed to pick up the pace! I ended up doing 3.28 miles in 1:05:01, a longer workout than I'd planned, especially before work, but it was great to start out the day outside! My mile splits are below:

1) 21:37

2) 19:37

3) 18:39

.28) 5:07

Meanwhile, here's a fun little photo from the San Francisco Chronicle:

 

Bob Schneeveis of Palo Alto demonstrates his battery-powered "Walking Machine." Chronicle photo by Michael Maloney

Another Speed Workout in the Books

Today's speed assignment was 3 mile repeats between 13:00 and 13:30. I looked at this with a hairy eyeball, but decided to see if I could have negative splits, to boot! First , I warmed up a little.
Walked 0.25 mi in 5:00
Ran 0.53 mi in 8:02
Ran 1 mi in 13:21
Ran 1 mi in 13:14
Ran 1 mi in 13:12
Walked 0.27 mi in 5:03

I wish I could claim this workout on the road, but alas, it was on the treadmill, which is an easier way to go. Still, it was a good workout for me.

Longest Run of the Year!

Today's scheduled 6-miler turned out to be my longest run of the year! :)

I started out about 6:20 this morning in the Crabtree Creek area of the Raleigh Greenway System, and got a couple of miles in early before meeting up with the rest of the Galloway group. I saw some other Gallowayers on the trails getting in some early mileage before the group run as well, which made me feel a little "hardcore" like I think they are! :) After walking an extra quarter of a mile with the pace group, I started my own run/walk routine. It was a warm and muggy morning, but not quite as bad as I expected. I enjoyed stopping at the Galloway water stops and allowing the pace group to catch up with me. Since George is one of the pace group leaders for that particular group, it was fun chatting with him as well as the others for a couple of minutes. Toward the end of the run, one of the runners actually caught up with me, as he was in the mood to go a little faster than the group was going (and I was following my running coach's orders), so we had a nice chat. Herb is in his 80s, and is a real inspiration to me! I enjoyed talking with him so much that I ended up going an extra half mile today, finishing 6.5 miles of run/walk in 2:00:03! It was a long time to be out there, and it was slow, for sure, but it was one of the nicest runs I've had in a while.


Picture of Crabtree Creek above from http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmartin/3448508863/

This Week's Treadmill Runs

It's HOT here in central North Carolina, so I've enjoyed my treadmill runs this week, I must admit! Tuesday's run was a little bit of a speed workout, but not a big deal, really (3.62 miles in 52:52). For yesterday's run, I did some incline work on the treadmill, 1% at first, and 2% later on. I worked up a good sweat doing that (3.75 mi in 1:06:16)!

Tomorrow's run/walk assignment is a 6 miler, the most I've done in a while. I'll be running outside, and it's going to be another scorcher, so I hope to get an early, early start.

Decent Run Today!

I joined the local Galloway training group again for my run today, as I enjoy the people, the running comraderie, but I did my own run/walk assignment. (I continue to hope I'm not causing any ill will or confusion by doing this!) My Garmin Forerunner battery died before I completed my 4.2 mile assignment, but it did record 3.92 miles in 1:07:50, which was a 17:18 overall pace for me, pretty darn good for a long run for me, especially since it was pretty hot and humid at the start.

1) 19:44 (walked the whole mile)
2) 13:44 (ran the whole mile)
3) 17:59 (ran/walked, going uphill)
.92) 16:23 (ran/walked, going uphill)

At the halfway point, we stopped at the Galloway water stop, and noticed that someone down the street was on the ground! It was a neighborhood runner who had passed us on the other side of the street, it turned out. There were several nurses in our group who went down to help and stay with him until help arrived after the 911 call. Scary stuff, and reminded me of the importance of drinking water and being mindful of how I'm feeling out there!

Recovery Week Continued

So this continues to be a low-key week, exercise-wise. It's been a nice change of pace, which unsettles me a little! Am I losing my passion for running? I don't know about that, but I'm certainly discouraged about the pain in my feet (at around 3 miles), and I'm going through road race withdrawal. I'm signed up for an 8K that happens tomorrow, but that distance is beyond my pain threshold, and my coach has encouraged me to take a pass on this nearly-5-mile race. *sigh* I should look for some 5K races coming up, but haven't yet. I do have a 4-mile run/walk tomorrow morning, so hopefully I'll get my "sea legs" back.

Meanwhile, the Second Empire Grand Prix Series luncheon is coming up next month, and that's definitely something to look forward to! More good news is that the Duke women's open team that I formed for the Run for the Oaks ended up finishing 3rd in the corporate cup series! So, we're getting another plaque and a check for $35! I'll be splitting the winnings with the other two ladies on the team, so it doesn't look like I'll be quitting my day job to become a professional runner! Oh well. :)

Recovery Week

So, this is a recovery week for me. Brennan schedules me for three "hard" workout weeks, followed by one "recovery" week, to let my body rest for a bit. I still work out, but it gives me a chance to recover a little bit. At first, it felt a little strange, but now I kinda look forward to that fourth week of low-key workouts. Since this will be a busy week at work, I'm thankful for the shorter workouts, too.

George and I enjoyed a short getaway to Emerald Isle, North Carolina, from Sunday to yesterday, where we gathered with some other family members to break in my sister's newest rental house on the beach. We helped hang pictures and arrange things, and it was fun to help out, in addition to getting a little extra exercise. :) We also enjoyed the hot tub and pool for a bit, in addition to the beach, and as an added bonus, my uncle gave George, Emily, Laura, and me a long tennis lesson Sunday night! The tennis lesson was great exercise, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the game! Now I want a new tennis racquet and lessons!

First Raleigh Galloway Run of the Season!

Today was the first Galloway run of the season, and it was fun seeing old running friends and meeting new people! I really enjoy meeting new runners, so this morning was a treat for me! It was bittersweet, though, because I couldn't stay with them. I had my own run/walk intervals to do, so it was a little tough to leave the group behind. I did my first mile before the group started, so I had another 4.5  to do once the groups were given the signal to start out from Raleigh Running Outfitters on Six Forks Road. I followed the same course the rest of the group used, but had to go beyond the turnaround for my extra mileage. Once I started running by myself, it was fun to see the other groups as they passed me after their turnaround (and before I got beyond the turnaround).

As usual, my right foot started hurting at about mile 3. *sigh* I'm beginning to look forward to those orthotics, eventhough they're expensive.

Total for the day: 5.5 miles in 1:43:11


Afterward, a bunch of us met up at Panera Bread down the road. It was especially fun to walk with a fellow Gallowayer, Eric, who is one state away from completing a marathon in all 50 states. He'll be completing that last marathon in Alaska in mid-June! How cool is that?!

Tuesday on the Treadmill

I did yesterday's speed workout on the treadmill, and let me tell ya, it's sooo much easier running on the treadmill. That's a good thing, and it's a bad thing. My assignment was to walk a half mile to warm up and another half mile to cool down, with two 1-mile repeats @ 13:00, with a 3-minute rest in between. I would've been hard pressed to hit the 13 minute mark on the roads, but I was able to nail it on the treadmill.  Well, okay, I'll be honest, it was pretty hard to do on the treadmill, and I was relieved to be able to do it! It was a nice confidence booster, to be honest, but I know it's not reality--yet.

Final results:
Walked 0.52 mi in 10:05
Ran 1 mi in 13:09
Ran 1 mi in 13:00
Walked 0.56 mi in 10:06

Running With New Shoe Inserts

I ran at Shelley Lake yesterday morning, and eventhough it was early (around 7 AM), the humidity was pretty thick already! I had the new Sole inserts in, and was hopeful that it would be a good 5 mile run/walk along Shelley Lake and Crabtree Creek. Although I don't usually run with music outside, I had my iPod with me yesterday for a change of pace. Things started out well, but then the right foot pain returned as usual just before mile 3. :( I didn't have any problems with the plantar fasciitis on my left foot, which was a good thing, but the right foot pain was bad enough that I increased my walk breaks, and my running intervals were slower too. Of course, the bottom fell out of the clouds while I was out there, as a big thunderstorm rolled over! *sigh* We've been in need of rain big time, so it's hard to complain too much, but I'd rather it waited til I was in my car!! At the end of the run/walk, it was 5 miles in 1:33:27. Stinky time, but I made it in.

A Busy Galloway Weekend

It's been a busy weekend, much of it filled with Jeff Galloway-related events!

George, my better half, is going to be a pace group leader for the Raleigh Galloway group this season, so we were invited to the program director's home Friday night for a party, and Jeff Galloway was there. It was really nice to chat with him and  quite a few others Friday night.

Yesterday morning was our annual Galloway kick-off for the new season, which starts next weekend. It was a great turnout at the art museum auditorium, fun to see "old" friends and meet some new people. Afterward, George and I both participated in the running school taught by Jeff Galloway at Rex Wellness Center in Raleigh. Between the kick-off and the running school, I got a wealth of information, and left with a good bit to process. During a break at the running school, I had Jeff Galloway sign my training log, and one of our classmates took a picture of George and me with  Jeff.

Sole Sisters

I finished the book Sole Sisters over lunch today, and I enjoyed it! I am a sucker for running stories, learning what makes runners tick, how they got started, what continues to motivate them to run. I got a lot of that in this book! I especially enjoyed learning more about elite runners like Grete Waitz and Joan Benoit Samuelson in this collection of stories. Since I'm still looking for a running group of my own, it was interesting to hear about how some other running groups got started. Some of the story themes were predicatable (though still interesting to me), like being motivated by divorce or cancer, but still, it's a nice collection of stories about women runners.

Intervals on the Bike

This morning I did intervals on the stationary bike, doing 5.54 miles in 30 minutes. I still had some gas left in the tank at the end, so I think I could've, and probably should've, pushed harder. I was still a little down in the mouth about the pain in both feet, although it was a non-impact workout. Whenever I get injured, I wonder if I'll be able to run again, though I've always been able to return!

Well, a few minutes ago I decided to call the ortho clinic and see if there was a cancellation, and I was thrilled to be able to go day after tomorrow, instead of waiting until the end of next week! Yay! Stay tuned.

Speedy Tuesday

I went ahead and did my speed workout today, somewhat against my coach's advice. I was hoping to be able to run outside again today, to compare it to last week's outdoor speed workout. (I also love that I've finally figured out how to sync my Garmin to my online training log which makes it sooo much easier to record my runs!) I decided to run on the nearby, softer treadmill, as a compromise. ("Run on softer surfaces this week," she said.)

So, I hit the treadmill for the splits below. My plantar fasciitis bothered me today, and I think I felt a little bit of burning in the ball of my right foot, but I couldn't quite tell if it was a phantom pain because I was looking for it, or a real one.

Walked 0.53 mi in 10:09
Ran 1 mile in 14:06
Ran 1 mile in 13:51
Ran 0.50 mile in 6:17
Ran 0.50 mile in 6:11
Walked 0.51 mile in 9:06

Yep, I wonder how it'll be if I can get my feet feeling right, now that my legs seem to be ITBS-free. (Woohoo!) I received the Spenco gel cushions for the balls of my feet. Actually, I just need it for the right onw (maybe), but I wonder if I should where both for balance the next time I run. Huh. I don't want to get overzealous with the gadgets. Maybe I'll call the podiatrist's office tomorrow and check on possible cancellations! Meanwhile, I am icing my feet as I type!

Good News

This morning I searched through this blog, trying to remember the podiatrist I was recommended last summer before an NCRC series run. Well, I found the post and the link I'd included for the North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic in Durham, so I called the appointment line this morning and made an appointment for next week! Wish I could get in sooner, but it'll do. The lady I spoke with asked which doctor I wanted to see, and since I wasn't sure, it was an interesting process to whittle it down based on the issues I'm going in for. She finally asked me if I were diabetic, and when I gave a positive reponse, she said I had to see a particular podiatrist. So there. Funny thing is, I think it's the podiatrist that the runner mentioned to me last summer!

Meanwhile, I did a 40-minute elliptical workout this morning, followed by some stretching, core exercises (up to 85 ab crunches on the ball!), and some upper body weightlifting with 5 lb and 10 lb dumbbells.