Monday December 5, 2011

Catch up...


Friday - Core Synergistics
I like this workout more and more each time I do it.  I actually kind of enjoyed it on Friday morning.  Still tough, though!


Saturday - intervals on the treadmill
It was pretty wet outside when I woke up, so I opted to run intervals on the treadmill instead of kicking water up on my legs.  I also decided that I'd probably do intervals most of the time if I had to run inside because I think it might be the only way I can get through the boredom of staring at the concrete wall.


Anyway, intervals were good!  I did a 5 minute warmup at 5.0 (12:00/mile), where my heart rate stayed pretty steady at 145.  Then 1:00 at 5.5, 1:00 at 6.0, 1:00 at 6.5 and 2:00 at 4.0 - repeat.  The last interval I came down the speeds instead of going right back to 4.0 and my heart rate stayed steady during that set.  Heart rate was 145 / 155 / 167 / 171 respectively.  I ran 3 miles total, but don't remember the time - must have been pretty close to 34:00.  I enjoyed it and I only needed 2 quick 15 second breaks to take a drink of water.  I really like having the heart rate monitor while I'm running.  Now I know I'm not crazy - it really is as high as I thought.


Today - p90x Chest / Back
Back to the first rotation of workouts.  This workout is hard and I don't enjoy it as much the other ones, but it was fine.  I didn't find that my numbers (pushups or pullups) have increased since the last time I did this specific workout, but they did remain pretty similar.  


My weight was down to 125.4 last Friday, which is the lowest since the beginning of the summer.  It fluctuated over the weekend - 127.4, 127.2, 127.6 this morning.  I'm okay with that - I know I didn't gain 2 pounds over night.  And I didn't eat terribly over the weekend. 

Thursday January 13, 2011

Workout: 6 miles total
Pace: 9:41 (average)
Weight: 128.4


Actual workout was:
2 miles at 10:00 
5min at 9:05 
5min at 10:00 
(repeat) 
5 min at 9:05 
1.25 miles at 9:30


I added the 1/4 mile to the end to make it an even 6 miles.


The run went well this morning.  Much better than my previous few runs and much better than anticipated.  I enjoyed myself and focused on that instead of being miserable.  My floating ankle bone started hurting me toward the end, though - I hope that is not a sign of things to come.


As I was running, I was thinking about what I actually want to do in terms of fitness, weight, body, etc.  I'm seriously considering not running in the 5/3 RBR this year.  I haven't decided, but I'm leaning toward not doing it.  Here's my deal:

I LOVE yoga.  I want to be better at yoga - like I wanted to be better at running 2 years ago.  I feel like I have lost a lot of my strength in the last year or so - since I began training for races and cutting out my weight training.  If I train for this race, I don't have time to do yoga, train, cross train & do strength training.  I simply can't fit it all in.  Yoga is 90 minutes 2x/week right now and I'm not giving that up.  Running is okay right now with 3 & 4 mile runs - I still have time to do abs after that, but in 2 weeks we move up to 5 & 6 mile weekly runs.  I just don't have the time to do that AND abs or any other strength training I want to do.  So I'm trying to decide what is most important to me - running this race and training for it OR running AND strength training.  Strength training will help my yoga, which will help my running...


I am not training for a time, I'm training to finish.  I've already proved to myself that I can finish... I know I haven't run a 15 mile race, but given how I felt after the Holland race, I know I could have completed another 2 miles.  I don't have any ideals of getting much faster - and trying to be faster only proves to be miserable for me... setting expectations, not meeting them, not being able to figure out the puzzle.  I MIGHT decide to run a marathon at some point, but I can't train for it until Georgia is in school all day - so I can't begin to train for it until fall of 2012.  By that time, if I've focused on yoga I should be a much better runner.


I don't want to give up running altogether - it is my cardio of choice - I'm just trying to figure out what is a realistic amount of running for me to do and if this race is more important than my other desires.  I'm going to try to find a different training plan and see if that seems more doable... still thinking about all of this and haven't made any decisions.

Thursday December 30, 2010

Workout: 6.0 miles total
              intervals - 3 mile run, 3x3:00 RP, 1 mile cool down
Pace: average 9:48
Incline: 2%
Time: 59:45
Weight: 128.8


Was not looking forward to this run.  In fact, I did everything I could to avoid it all morning.  Just wasn't excited about running 3 miles and THEN killing myself with the intervals.  Would much prefer to just go straight to intervals.  But I did it and it was fine.  I got interrupted a million times during the 3 mile run, so instead of taking 30:00, I think it probably took 35-40 to finally get that section completed (running time was 30 minutes - held myself to a 10:00 pace).


I did the 3:00 RP at 8:57 and the 5:00 in between at 5.8 for 1 1/2 minutes and 6.0 for the rest.  One mile cool down was at 9:30 pace because I wanted to enjoy that mile.


Heart rate was again consistently 180.  One full minute after finishing, it was 138, so I'm recovering fairly well, which is a good fitness indicator.  Still troubling that it is so high while I'm running, but it always has been.  174 during the 3 mile run and 180 when I was totally finished.  Not quite max heart rate, but pretty close.  Would rather be running at 160-165, but not sure how to get there.

Thursday November 11, 2010

Workout: intervals on the treadmill
Distance: 5.0 milesTime: 45:00
Pace: 9:00 average
November total: 18.69/60


Great interval run this morning.  I felt much better about it than yesterday.  Although, now that I think of it, the first 1/2 mile of warm up was torturous.


I did 1/4 mile intervals at 10:00 pace and 7:47 pace (7.6mph).  Those fast intervals were tough and I had to take about 20 seconds to catch my breath after each one, but other than that, it was good.

Thursday September 9, 2010

Workout: Intervals on the treadmill
Time: 32:15
Distance: 3.25 miles
Average Pace: 9:51
Weight: 125.2


Intervals:
1:00 at 4.0
1:00 at 6.0
1:00 at 6.5
1:00 at 7.0
1:00 at 7.5
Repeat


This wasn't the best workout of my life, but considering the fact that I went to bed with really no intention of working out this morning, I would say it was successful.  I had wanted to get a little more sleep this morning so I didn't feel like getting up at the crack of dawn to do intervals.  I figured having a rest day wouldn't be the end of the world, but when Cornbread's alarm went off at 6 and I knew I wouldn't fall back to sleep, I figured I might as well get up and do some intervals.


I didn't do them very well, but at least I completed them.


I counted my points yesterday and did well - My daily point target is 18 + I earned 6 activity points.  I ate 19.5 points.  I was pretty hungry most of the day, which makes me irritated that I have to count points, but I got through it.  I haven't been drinking water like I should be, but I'm happy to see the scale go down by miniscule increments nonetheless.  I again ran errands for a good portion of yesterday afternoon... I need a day of just being home.

Friday August 6, 2010

Workout: Supposed to be 30 minutes cross training + strength (lower body)
               Actual - 45:00 intervals on the treadmill
Weight: 127.4
Distance: 5.0
Time: 47:07
Two Years Ago

Struggled to get up and go to the gym this morning, but ultimately I wasn't falling back to sleep so I got up and went.  I really, really didn't feel like cross training and doing lower body weight training either.  Since I didn't work out yesterday (was going to do the stairs with Michelle, but she was too tired and I didn't want to do them in the humidity), I decided to hit it hard with intervals on the treadmill.  I did 5 minutes at 6.0 as a warm up and then alternated between 1/4 mile at 7.0 and 1/4 mile at 6.0.  I did a 3/4 mile cool down at 6.0 to reach an even 5 miles.  My pace averaged out at 9:28.


It was tough, but definitely do-able.


The humidity and temperature are supposed to be lower today and tomorrow.  I'm supposed to run 9 1/2 miles tomorrow so I need to plan that route sometime today.  Hopefully, with the cooler temps tomorrow morning it won't be as much of a struggle.  I need a good run to give me back some confidence and motivation.  


I also need to lose this weight that I've seemed to gain (vacation?).  I need school to begin so I can get back to being disciplined and have a better routine during the day.  This summer has been really difficult for me to focus on anything and create any kind of routine.  I really feel like I'm simply existing and I really, really don't like that feeling.

Friday July 9, 2010

Workout: Intervals

Time: 37:34

Distance: 4.0

Pace: 9:22

Weight: 122.6

Two Years Ago

Intervals were 1/4 mile at 6.0 / 1/4 mile at 7.0 with a cool down at 6.3 for 7:34 (to finish the chapter in my book).

Finally put my training plan together for Holland. Training was supposed to start on Monday, but I've been kind of floundering throughout the week trying to decide which plan to follow - Hal Higdon's advanced or intermediate plan. Neither one suited me well. The advanced plan was a little too much and the intermediate was not quite enough. So I combined the two along with the plan we had for Indy. I'm happy with it.

M/W/S = running

T/F = cross training with strength training (could substitute intervals for the cross)

TH = circuits or hill repeats

The plan starts at 21-24 miles/week and ends at 27-30 miles/week. The beginning weeks are actually probably slightly less than what I've been running in the last month already.

I'm glad to finally have something in writing so I know exactly what I need to do every day. I'm not sure if I'm going to set a time goal for myself or not... I'm definitely running faster and I'm doing intervals and hill repeats for variety but also for speed training. I think perhaps my goal is just going to be that I want to finish faster than 2:12, which was a 10:02 pace.

Wednesday June 30, 2010

Workout: intervals on the treadmill

Distance: 4.308 miles

Time: 40:00

Pace: (average) 9:17

Got up early this morning to get my run in. I was less than stellar. I sucked. Big. Time. My legs felt tired, my body felt tired and I took a lot of small step-offs. I think I should have slept in.

Friday June 11, 2010

Workout: Intervals on the treadmill

Time: 37:25

Distance: 4.01 miles

Pace: average 9:20/mile

Weight: 123.4

Ran on the treadmill again today because Cornbread really wanted to go to the gym before going to the office. We can't both go in the morning and I'd rather he goes in the morning so he can come home earlier at the end of the day.

I only wanted to run long enough to cover the points I would have accumulated if I had gone to the gym. I actually earned 1 extra activity point because I ran to the even 4 mile point.

WW was okay yesterday. I don't think I ate all of my points, but I'm not sure, I didn't keep track very closely... but I ate lightly because of the previous night and what I did count shows 15 points.

Wednesday June 9, 2010

Workout: 20:00 warm up, lower body

Weight: 123.4

2 years ago

Did 20 minutes of intervals on the treadmill this morning. Two minutes at 6.0/2 minutes at 7.0. I think I actually ran for 21 minutes and a total of 2.25 miles. Run was hard, but good. It is always good for me to run on the treadmill at the gym because I'm reluctant to step off and take a breather because other people are there to see me do it... not that they're paying attention to me, but its just an added motivator in my workout.

Lower body was good. I worked it hard again and was tired and sore when I got home. My upper body is still recovering from my workout on Monday. This is a good workout schedule, but I'll be glad to lower my weights when training begins.

Didn't eat all of my points yesterday. It was rainy all day and every single thing that I planned got away from me or was later than intended. Consequently, I didn't eat lunch at all. So by the time I got to dinner at 9:00, I ate a little more than I usually do at dinner, but I still had points left over. I think I'll make up for that today because I'm starving.

Friday June 4, 2010

Workout: Intervals

Time: 30:23

Distance: 3.25 miles

Pace: Average 9:21

Weight: 124.0

Today should have been a 2 mile warm up and weight training, but since I got up so early yesterday I wanted to sleep in this morning. I was going to skip it altogether, but wanted the activity points:)

Interval workout was as follows:

intervals on the treadmill at 1:20pm
*warm up: 5:00 at 6mph
*intervals: 20:00 alternating - 2:00 at 7.0 (8:34 pace), 2:00 at 6.0 (10:00 pace).
*last minute of intervals: 8.0 (7:30 pace)
*Cool down: 4:00 at 6.0

I felt good the whole time. Strong, comfortable, able to do it. I wondered if 2 minutes at 7.0 was going to be tough and it really wasn't. Next time I do intervals I'm going to increase them to 2:15 for each speed and hope to eventually get more and more time at each interval and a longer total workout, too. I wanted to keep it at around 30 minutes today due to timing and other stuff I have to do.

I really enjoy interval workouts. I'm excited for the training to begin because every week includes intervals and hill repeats. I look forward to the variety and the intensity. Two of my friends from high school are going to do the training plan and the race with me and I'm really jazzed about that. Not sure what kind of training Cornbread is going to do - may prove difficult for him to find the time to do what I'm going to do.

Weight Watchers was good yesterday. I stuck pretty close to my points. I'm not sure how many I ate exactly. I had 9 points left for dinner and then Cornbread walked in the door with a plate of leftover lasagna and spinach dumplings from a Chamber of Commerce dinner he had attended. I had a bite of the lasagna, just for the taste of it, but I ate all of the dumplings (there weren't a whole lot on the plate). Then I had a bowl of high fiber cereal and that was it. I think I did okay and didn't go too far over considering I had 6 activity points that I wasn't planning to use. And I was happy to see my weight down this morning - I was beginning to think that my actual weight was that high. It also helped to motivate me to continue with the plan.

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!