Tuesday June 7, 2011

Workout: 30DS + 2 miles
Friends: The One With The Engagement Pictures


Both workouts were fine.  I slept so great last night... and I didn't have to get up early to work out because it is summer break!  So I worked out at 7 - SO nice!  I think I would prefer to get started between 6 & 6:30, but I couldn't get myself out of bed that early this morning.  


Neck is still incredibly sore and stiff.  Dave massaged it last night and it didn't help at all.  I took some back pain pills this morning and it is still sore, but I can at least turn my head now. Hamster is still hanging on for dear life.  I've given him permission to go, but apparently he doesn't care about what I say.  Dave and I have gone round and round about what is the best thing to do for him - he wants to poison him, but I can't stand the thought of that.  So ultimately, he thinks it is more humane to allow him to die naturally in his own environment - where he is fed, watered, warm and safe.  I defer to him, because I can't stand the thought of intentionally killing an animal (costs $49 to have the vet do it!!!).  I think the stress of this situation is manifesting itself in my still, sore neck... so I need him to get on with it already!!!


Ran in shoes today.  Heart rate was slightly higher than when I run barefoot: 160ish bpm.  Still much lower than that 176 it was when I first started.  I think I'm doing the right thing by going slow.  Maybe by the fall I'll be able to run a decent pace again without wanting to kill myself the whole time.  


When I think back to the three years I spent trying so hard to be a runner, I know that I truly enjoyed running on very few occasions.  It was more a matter of sheer determination and will to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish.  A matter of pride in being able to tell people that I ran 5-12 miles.  A matter of obsession in burning calories or keeping to a training plan.  I started out with good motivation - wanting to run and enjoy it.  I had that very briefly until last summer when I became obsessive about it all.  I need to not be like that.  My family needs me to not be like that.  I am enjoying my workouts and my eating right now.  I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm trying to be healthy.  And truly, I don't NEED to lose weight... I'm good where I'm at.  I NEED to get my cholesterol lowered and to be in a place where I enjoy working out so I get the benefit of exercising everyday, but don't do it for fear that if I don't I'll get fatter.  I've been at this weight (although tend to gain 5lbs at christmas and then lose it in January) for 4 1/2 years, I think I can be confident that I no longer have to run away from those 15 pounds.

Thursday May 27, 2010

Workout: 5.5 miles (treadmill) - turned into intervals at the end

Time: 52:00

Pace: averaged 9.27/mile

Weight: very interesting question:)

I actually got up to run yesterday morning, but ended up going back to sleep on the couch. My carpal tunnel has been bothering me quite badly since shoveling all of the dirt into the garden a week ago and my forearm and hand were feeling crappy and I decided I just didn't feel like going. I really had no time to make it up that day because my best friend was coming over for the day. I decided at 7:30pm to hit the treadmill while the girls were watching So You Think You Can Dance.

I really only intended to run about 3 miles because of the time and because I had hardly eaten anything during the day and hadn't eaten dinner yet, but 3 turned into 4, which turned into 5, which turned into 6... but the girls needed me for something so I stopped short at 5.5. First 3.5 miles I ran at 6.4, which is 9:30 pace, for the last 2 I increased my speed by .1 with every minute, until I reached 7.0mph, then I decreased my speed by .1 every 30 seconds until I got back to 6.4 and then decreased every minute. I think I ended at 5.8.

I also ran 6 miles on the treadmill on Tuesday afternoon - I have figured out a way to read my book while running and it makes it go so much quicker. The weather has also been terribly hot and humid, which is why I ended up on the treadmill so much in the last week.

Now for my weight... yesterday was such a good example of what water retention does in my body. I have not been drinking enough water - I know this based on how much I have been drinking, but also by how badly my carpel tunnel is bothering me (CTS is inflammation of the nerves in the wrist... dehydration = water retention = inflammation = numbness and pain). I've been intending to drink a gallon of water every day this week, but it never happened - and never even got close. But with Kim here yesterday I literally sat at the table and drank water all day. Not sure how much I drank, but it was nearly a gallon.

Yesterday morning I weighed myself at my normal time - when I woke up, after I went to the bathroom, with no clothes on. I weighed 127.0, which shocked me as thats the highest I've been since Christmas and I haven't been eating badly at all. I weighed myself again after I got done running and I was 121.6. I was 121.6 again this morning (Friday) so it wasn't just all of the sweating. So apparently I lost 5.4 pounds in 12 hours:) I feel like I spend a lot of time chalking up my weight fluctuations to water retention and at least my next door neighbor thinks I'm crazy... but I've been paying attention to my body for so long, I know this is how it goes.

Skipped my workout today. Will decide how many to run tomorrow - I have the morning to myself!

January 2, 2008

Workout: Running
distance: 3.549
time: 45:00
speeds: 3.9/5.3/6.2(last 1/4m)

Running felt terrible today. I don't know why - physically I was good, but cardiovascularly it was tough. I took more water breaks than I like to. I need to get better at this - which is why I'm sticking with the run 1/2m/ walk 1/4m situation for a while.

I seriously can't wait until next week when I will get my eating back on track. I've definitely gained the 5 lbs back that it took me 8 months to lose:) I know some of it is water, but some of it is NOT water. I can feel a difference in my self-confidence and in my clothes. It is time to do something about it - and I will start on Monday.

My running goal for this year is to run 550 miles in 2008. I'm going to keep track at coolrunning.com. I will get there if I continue to run 3.5 miles 3x each week. Hopefully I will exceed 550 because I'm running more than 3.5 miles each session. I look forward to seeing what number will be there at the end of the year.

2008: 3.549 miles