Training Week 3 Recap

Definitely stepped it up from last week, but still have some room for improvement.

Sunday - Ran 5 miles, 30 min Pilates, strength (chest, shoulders)
Monday - Biked 7.25 miles
Tuesday - Ran 3 miles, strength (legs)
Wednesday - 30 min Pilates, strength (biceps, triceps)
Thursday - Ran 3 miles
Friday - Walked 2 miles, swam 500 meters
Saturday - rest

I am most pleased with the swim. I still had a small rest between lengths, but it was a lot shorter (10-20 seconds compared to 40-60 seconds last time). I wanted to go to 600 meters but both of my feet started cramping. Though 500 isn't bad considering I only did 200 last week.

Next week will be much of the same. I have to up my weekday runs to 4 miles. My right IT band has been acting up this week but not too bad. It only hurts if I push on it or lay on it. It rarely hurts when I'm actually running. I am doing every stretch I can find so I think it is getting looser.

Looking forward to my rest day. This poor body is tired! I can't remember the last time I worked out 6 days in a row.

You know you've been dieting for too long...

...when the clock says 4:53 and in your head you think "453 calories."

:(

Pilates

I used to think it was pronounced "Pie-lates." I wasn't too smart. I also used to think it was easy. Not smart either. However, I should be styling some rock-hard abs if I keep it up. I have a 2-pack, now I am just working on the lower 4 :)

Training Week 2 Recap

I am postponing my long run until tomorrow, my calf is still very tight from cramping last night during my swim. And I got carried away and spent half the day decorating the gym.

Sunday - 30 mins elliptical, 60 mins walking
Monday - rest
Tuesday - ran 2 miles, strength training (triceps/biceps/abs)
Wednesday - biked 7 miles
Thursday - ran 3 miles
Friday - swam 200 meters
Saturday - rest

Overall pretty good. Hope next week is even better!

Chlorine + contacts = not good

I just did my first swim practice ever. I took swim lessons when I was a kid but I have never just gone to the pool to swim laps. Until today!

I swim crooked, always have, and I wanted my own lane so I waited until 8pm on a Friday to go to the pool at the gym. The gym was surprisingly crowded for a Friday night. But there was one lane open! I got in the pool and I had to get into the middle lane. I had serious anxiety for a second about going under the water to get into the lane. It was weird. I haven't been in a pool for over 2 years and I'm not used to having my head underwater.

I'm not sure what you're supposed to do at swim practice. Since the last time I tried to swim I could not even do one length, that was my goal. To make it all the way down the pool without stopping. And I did! And then I did it 7 more times. I took about a minute break between each length, towards the end of each swim I would feel worn out and a little panicky. I have a huge fear of drowning. I got a calf cramp during my last length so I stopped after 8. 200 meters isn't bad for my first swim. I don't know how fast you are supposed to go, but I was averaging about 35 seconds per 25 meters.

The good thing is, the last time I attempted to swim (2008) I was exhausted after 10 mins, and today I didn't feel tired in the least. I don't even feel like it counts as exercise. I feel like maybe I should have done 300 or 400 meters, but I don't want to do too much too soon.

Tomorrow I am hopefully doing a long run and some strength training. Gotta work on my bootay if I'm gonna be struttin around the pool in my swimsuit.

No wonder Lance Armstrong is in such good shape

Cycling is hard. Wow. I hopped on the trainer expecting to have an easy 30 min ride...I was sweating within minutes. Admittedly it is the first time I have ridden a bike since taking spin classes back in November. But I didn't think it would be THAT hard! I didn't have a real goal for the session, I just wanted to see how far I could go in 30 min. I was going medium-hard and I went 7 miles. I have no idea if this is good or bad. I am happy with it though. Now time to eat!

So much for my perfect training record!

I was so pleased I had been following my training plan perfectly. Not too much, not too little. Well, no more. I had a 3-miler on deck for today, simple enough. My IT band, however, would not have it. I had to stop after 2 miles. That barely even counts as a run. I am fighting the urge to hop back on the treadmill for 1 more mile. I did do some strength training to make up for the short cardio session. I am still bummed though, I had been doing so well :(

Training Week 1 Recap

Though at a slower pace than I would like, I did all of my scheduled runs this week:

Tuesday - 3 miles @5/5.5mph
Thursday - 3 miles @5mph
Saturday - 4 miles @5/5.2/5.4/5.6mph

I want to start cross-training two days a week but I was too lazy this week. I did do the elliptical at the gym on Sunday at least. Next week I am going to have Chris setup the bike and the trainer so I can use that for my cross days.

This weekend we are on a little trip to Seattle. I have been good on my diet for 11 days so I am letting myself eat whatever I want. Oh yeah, I had gained a total of 13 lbs since August. But I already lost 7.2 lbs since starting my diet. And now that I am back in training I'm not worried about gaining a pound since I can lose it pretty quick.

I am playing around with a new goal. Something I have wanted to do for over 2 years, but I have been too afraid. It is kind of on my "bucket list" so I am hoping I get up the nerve to go after it...More to come!

Pre-training week

My first week back has been slow-going but good. No more 7mph sprints or 9 mile runs, that's for sure. This was the schedule for my pre-training week:

Tuesday - 2 miles @ 5mph
Thursday - 2 miles @ 5.5mph
Saturday - 3 miles @ 5.5mph

This is the first week I've run 3 times since early November. The first half-marathon I am looking at is April 3rd, 12 weeks from today. So training official starts tomorrow! I am going to incorporate more cross-training (hill walking, yoga, elliptical) and more stretching. I can still feel my IT bands a little at times, but nothing too bad.

Here are the races I am looking at this year:

April 3rd: Race for the Roses Half-Marathon - Portland, OR
May 1st: Eugene Marathon - Eugene, OR
June 4th: Oregon's Run for the Roses Half-Marathon - Sherwood, OR
June 11th: Helvetia Half-Marathon - Hillsboro, OR
July 17th: See Jane Run Women's Half-Marathon - Seattle, WA
September 4th: Oregon Wine Country Half-Marathon - Dayton, OR
October 9th: Portland Marathon - Portland, OR
October 9th: Goodlife Fitness Victoria Half-Marathon - Victoria, BC

Of course I cannot do all of them, it is hard for me to choose though since there are so many good ones right around here. I am currently registered to run Eugene and walk Helvetia with my mom. The other ones are up in the air for now.

Happy running!

2011

Yes I have been very bad at updating and running the last 6 weeks. We got caught up in the move, which became very complicated when our closing got pushed back 2 weeks and we had to move twice, once from Virginia to our storage unit, and once from our storage unit to our house. Combine that with living at my parents for a month, hubby having a 90-minute commute, using all my PTO for moving crap and appliance deliveries, weeks of constant rain, and gaining 10 lbs, and you have a very unmotivated runner. But I'm back! We are making a home gym and our treadmill arrived today, whoo-hoo! I think I will have to postpone my dream of running a full marathon at Eugene since it is less than 4 months away and I'm nowhere near ready for training. I was going to push it back to Portland for the full, but it's $135! I can register for 3 half-marathons I'm looking at for that price. So we'll see. Anyway I am glad to be back and itching to run. More to come!