Monday, September 29, 2008

3 miles @ Jordan Parkway

We (me and boys in stroller) did an out-and-back. We were pressed for time because we had to meet Buba t 7pm as she got off of work, so I was concerned only with running as fast as possible and entertaining the boys.

We spent a lot of time talking about the ducks, flowers/trees, and bikes. (Meatball repeats almost everything we say right now.)

Because we didn't have a lot of time, and this portion of the parkway doesn't have good mileage markers, I figured that we would have 40 minutes to run, and that would be cutting it close. With the stroller, I run 13mpm no a good day, so I decided to try for that. This would get us done in 39 minutes. The "out" was 19 minutes, and it felt pretty good for the first mile, but then I started to tire because it was 85*. So, I was worried about the "back" because Bub hates it when she has to wait. So, I just dug in and pushed as much as I could. We did some 15-20 second fartleks on the way back as a challenge to myself.

Knowing that the "out" was 19 minutes because that's exactly when we turned around, imagine my surprise when the "back" was only 17 minutes! Woo-hoo! We finished in 36:06! I do well to run this without the boys and stroller!

What's that saying? "You're stronger than you realize, faster than you can imagine, and braver than you know." Well, something like that. I'm finding that if I really push myself (as miserable as it can be), I do more than I've given myself credit for in the past. My limitations are mental.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

3-miler

Ran to the golf course clubhouse and back. My pace was 12:53/mile. I took the boys and Lizzy. We had fun, but I was kind of tired.

We concentrated on breathing and getting Cheetos out fast enough during the walk breaks.

Tighter than my own wallet

I am notoriously thrifty, cheap, tight with the purse strings.
Well, now we can add all of the muscles in my body to the "tight" list.

I did yoga yesterday. Wait - let me clarify that. I TRIED to do yoga yesterday. Honestly! I can barely do a torso twist, and it's not a pretty sight.

"Back in the day" I could do the splits in both directions, twist my back like a circus performer, and fold in half so that my head not only reached my knees but proceeded past them to the floor.

In all of my free time (oh, ha-ha-ha), I need to add yoga to my regimen a few times each week. Not to mention the weight lifting. And the 20-60 miles/week running/walking. And the aerobic cross training.

So, maybe I don't have a ton (any) of free time, but if I could find time to do even half of this, just think what the possibilities are for my (someday) hot bod.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Back again

Yeah! The boys and I ran today for the first time in almost two weeks. It was tough, but we did 3.3 miles at a 12:20 mpm pace. I'm pleased with that. I'm still congested in my head/nose, so there was a lot of sniffling, and my lungs got a bit "gaspy" at times, but I'm glad that I got out and did something.

I did do aerobics once last week which was really hard. I was exhausted at the end. Then, I felt the effects of the crunches for the next three days. My stomach and my thighs are areas of concerns for me, so I'm going to try and target them going forward.

I have managed to lose two more pounds since I started running again for a total of five lost so far (175). Only 35-40 to go! I've been more conscious of what I'm eating (no more late night ice cream binges), and I've cut my meat consumption down to 1x/day. I think that this is just a good idea overall - regardless of the weight loss attempts. Now that I'm able to run again, I think that I'll be able to stay on track (pun intended) better.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Of course

I start a running blog and then spend the next four days not running. Late nights at work account for a couple of the days, and then the whole household has come down with an end-of-summer cold that really sucks. Stuffy noses, congested heads, sore throats, a bit of achiness.... Of course!

Back to running very soon. If not, at least the stationary bike in the basement for me.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Don't expect too much

Many of my runs consist of thoughts like "I'm so friggin' tired," "This stroller is a bitch to push," "Oh, my God!" "This hill is killing me."

Sometimes I have deep thoughts, but often, not. I frequently think of things that I need to get done, but by the time I'm done running, I've forgotten most of them.

Today, I concentrated on my breathing. Really, that's about all that I thought about. The boys and I chatted, pointed at the clouds, laughed while they held their feet up on in the air. We stopped at the park and played on the slide and steps.

It was windy but warm. The last part of the run was into the wind, though. Tough when pushing the stroller! My time, however, was about 12:36 for 4.5 miles. That's GREAT for me considering the conditions.

I also thought a bit about a 'thon that I would like to do next year: Runs with Horses. It's in Green River, WY in August. Most of it is on dirt roads through a state part (I think). Anyway, there are wild mustangs all through the run. Sounds like fun!