In celebration of finishing the half-marathon in a standing position, I will dispense of some wisdom I have learned:
- Don't stop training two weeks before the half. The distance you haven't run is where your body will file for divorce.
- Have friends at the end-line. Nothing beats that feeling.
- Stay in hotels with treadmills. You may hate them, but you won't need your Garmin to GPS your ass home
- After the race, eat whatever the hell you want. That's part of the reward.
- Even if there's no race on the horizon, think ahead. For me, it's likely the marathon (though I said I wouldn't, apparently I'm going to anyway).
- Remember the feeling of crossing that finish line. It will help you cross many more.
- Tell everyone your next race.
- Take one day of rest or easy exercise per every mile (not kilometer) run. I've exhausted my 13 days, so it's back to the grind.
- Really, really, really, do not use your new shoes outside. I have spent $300 on new shoes in the past three months. Two pairs. Glycerin 7s didn't work out.
- Don't be bashful when people say you're looking good or that you've lost weight. You have, even if the scale is lying to you.
- Keep writing your damn blog because it will at least keep your mind on running.
My new challenge will be getting back into cold weather running - I knew I said I love it, prefer it over hot weather running... but we'll see. Almost time to break out the YakTrax!
Oh, and fall-weather running? Blows.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Hot Weather Running
I may have mentioned how much I hate hot weather running. It turns out, I'm a little off. I hate hot, humid weather running. Sadly, in Ottawa, there is a lot of hot and humid.
The keys to running in hot and humid weather are:
1. Hydration: This can never be stressed enough. What I didn't figure out for a long time is that hydration takes a matter of days, not hours. To be properly hydrated for a run, you should really start the week before. Eight cups of water are the usual suggestion, but for runners in this weather, it should be a lot more!
2. Being sensible: Even the hardiest of marathon runners are trimming back their runs today. The Running Room group was to do 32km, but most of them stopped around 27. Myself, I was glad to do only 12km.
3. Knowing when to stop: Running in this weather is really hard on your body. Never mind the hydration, it's plain hard to do. I have heard that running in this heat is twice the effort as running on a pleasant day. So if your body is saying stop, if your calves are cramping and your vision is wavering, and you can't seem to run in a straight line, for Pete's sake, stop! The harm you will do to yourself far outweighs any benefit you could gain.
In other news, I have obtained my new shoes! I stayed with the Brooks Glycerin 7 because I had no issue with my first pair, and it was like running on a supportive marshmallow. And it seems not only do I get to run happily, I'm being environmentally supportive too - Brooks has introduced BioMoGo, to aid in the breakdown of the shoe when I send them to the Golden Shoe Closet in the sky. As long as they don't start breaking down early, I think I'm happy with that addition.
Lastly, I have signed up for two new races:
1. The U.S. 10K Classic, in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm in town Labour Day weekend anyways, so why not?
2. Run for the Cure, Ottawa, a gentle 5K in support of research on breast cancer on October 4. I figure it'll be a nice move back into running after the Army Half-Marathon! (if you'd like to donate, look me up on the website)
Go me!
The keys to running in hot and humid weather are:
1. Hydration: This can never be stressed enough. What I didn't figure out for a long time is that hydration takes a matter of days, not hours. To be properly hydrated for a run, you should really start the week before. Eight cups of water are the usual suggestion, but for runners in this weather, it should be a lot more!
2. Being sensible: Even the hardiest of marathon runners are trimming back their runs today. The Running Room group was to do 32km, but most of them stopped around 27. Myself, I was glad to do only 12km.
3. Knowing when to stop: Running in this weather is really hard on your body. Never mind the hydration, it's plain hard to do. I have heard that running in this heat is twice the effort as running on a pleasant day. So if your body is saying stop, if your calves are cramping and your vision is wavering, and you can't seem to run in a straight line, for Pete's sake, stop! The harm you will do to yourself far outweighs any benefit you could gain.
In other news, I have obtained my new shoes! I stayed with the Brooks Glycerin 7 because I had no issue with my first pair, and it was like running on a supportive marshmallow. And it seems not only do I get to run happily, I'm being environmentally supportive too - Brooks has introduced BioMoGo, to aid in the breakdown of the shoe when I send them to the Golden Shoe Closet in the sky. As long as they don't start breaking down early, I think I'm happy with that addition.
Lastly, I have signed up for two new races:
1. The U.S. 10K Classic, in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm in town Labour Day weekend anyways, so why not?
2. Run for the Cure, Ottawa, a gentle 5K in support of research on breast cancer on October 4. I figure it'll be a nice move back into running after the Army Half-Marathon! (if you'd like to donate, look me up on the website)
Go me!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
16K is far
So I've been naughty again, both with posting and with running. I haven't been doing as much of either as I should.
But today, I got back into the game, and ran the 16-km run, and boy are my knees feeling it now!
It was a lovely run - starting west and running a zig-zag through the Glebe, then downtown to Laurier. From Laurier, we trekked east and north east, to the residence to the Governor General's residence. We waved to the guards on duty, who properly did not wave back (though one was leaning a little!), and carried on, past some more lovely houses (well out of any price-range I could afford), and back down Sussex to the canal.
The day was miserable and rainy when I started, but when we left the store, it was a mere misting. The rain managed to hold off for most of it, and the weather was really pleasant to run in.
However, my knees ache. It's been about eight months since I bought my running shoes, and it's time I switched to a new pair.
But today, I got back into the game, and ran the 16-km run, and boy are my knees feeling it now!
It was a lovely run - starting west and running a zig-zag through the Glebe, then downtown to Laurier. From Laurier, we trekked east and north east, to the residence to the Governor General's residence. We waved to the guards on duty, who properly did not wave back (though one was leaning a little!), and carried on, past some more lovely houses (well out of any price-range I could afford), and back down Sussex to the canal.
The day was miserable and rainy when I started, but when we left the store, it was a mere misting. The rain managed to hold off for most of it, and the weather was really pleasant to run in.
However, my knees ache. It's been about eight months since I bought my running shoes, and it's time I switched to a new pair.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I Hate Summer Running
As the title indicates, I hate running in the summer. Give me a winter run any day; at least I can warm up! There seems to be no way to cool down while running in the sun and humidity that blanket this city, except to not run. Which is sort of not the purpose.
We did 9k today, in spite of my not having done a long run in a couple of weeks and still battling the end of this cold. I did most of it admirably well, and with my trusty new Garmin, I kept pace pretty well. It wasn't until the last kilometer that I really started to feel like I couldn't continue, so I walked a lot of it. I'm just happy I was out there.
And then we went to a local pub and I had eggs benedict and totally ruined my exercise.
We did 9k today, in spite of my not having done a long run in a couple of weeks and still battling the end of this cold. I did most of it admirably well, and with my trusty new Garmin, I kept pace pretty well. It wasn't until the last kilometer that I really started to feel like I couldn't continue, so I walked a lot of it. I'm just happy I was out there.
And then we went to a local pub and I had eggs benedict and totally ruined my exercise.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Cold 1, Jelly .5
I haven't run in about two weeks now. I'm appreciating how much that sucks now.
I went home for a week two weeks ago. I got a couple of fun runs in while I was home, but one night I left the window open, having forgotten how much the temperature drops in that area.
Long story short, I got sick, and have spent the last two weeks getting better, and I don't think I'm quite 'there' yet. It started in my nose and throat, but as they say, shit rolls down hill, and the cold moved into my lungs.
Today, I tried a run, and managed to make it half-way before I gave up the ghost, due to a few things:
Insufficient nutrition: Yeah, I was dumb and didn't eat very well.
Heat: Holy hell is it hot out there at noon. Not only that, it's impossible to choose a better side of the street to run on, because the sun is right overhead.
Not enough water: Since I was only planning to do 4k out there, I didn't think it'd be so bad. Lesson learned.
Damn cold: The cough is still in my lungs, though so much lesser than it was a week ago.
Fortunately (or so I keep telling myself), we're still really early in the running program, so I am hoping to bounce back without too much difficulty.
Something that I've been wanting to do for a while, and hopefully will be able to, is running in the morning before work. The problem is that I am very bad at getting up and doing anything more strenuous than having a shower and downing some Cheerios. Maybe I'll give it a shot this week when I have more time off of work.
And last but not least, I got my shiny new wrist toy! The Garmin Forerunner 305 now clunkenly adorns my wrist, and I've got to learn how to use it. First thing: changing the miles to kilometers. Things seem faster that way.
I went home for a week two weeks ago. I got a couple of fun runs in while I was home, but one night I left the window open, having forgotten how much the temperature drops in that area.
Long story short, I got sick, and have spent the last two weeks getting better, and I don't think I'm quite 'there' yet. It started in my nose and throat, but as they say, shit rolls down hill, and the cold moved into my lungs.
Today, I tried a run, and managed to make it half-way before I gave up the ghost, due to a few things:
Insufficient nutrition: Yeah, I was dumb and didn't eat very well.
Heat: Holy hell is it hot out there at noon. Not only that, it's impossible to choose a better side of the street to run on, because the sun is right overhead.
Not enough water: Since I was only planning to do 4k out there, I didn't think it'd be so bad. Lesson learned.
Damn cold: The cough is still in my lungs, though so much lesser than it was a week ago.
Fortunately (or so I keep telling myself), we're still really early in the running program, so I am hoping to bounce back without too much difficulty.
Something that I've been wanting to do for a while, and hopefully will be able to, is running in the morning before work. The problem is that I am very bad at getting up and doing anything more strenuous than having a shower and downing some Cheerios. Maybe I'll give it a shot this week when I have more time off of work.
And last but not least, I got my shiny new wrist toy! The Garmin Forerunner 305 now clunkenly adorns my wrist, and I've got to learn how to use it. First thing: changing the miles to kilometers. Things seem faster that way.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
On to New Adventures
So I decided to sign up for the half-Marathon on September 20, 2009, for fear that if I slowed down, I would quit. According to my half-assed following of the half-marathon schedule, I think I'm right.
I started the half-marathon clinic this week, and it's a bit different from the 10K. A lot of former 10Kers have joined in, and it's nice to see the familiar faces. The group leaders (there are two now) have a different style from J - the only 10:1 pace is on our long-slow runs on Sundays, and we have a walk before we start our runs.
We did 7km today, and it felt really good. As we were closing in on the home stretch, I found my pace picking up - I don't know if it's because I was on said home stretch, or if I was finding a stride, but I felt really comfortable there. The funny thing was, I was out-distancing my pace group. I think that for smaller, sub-10km distances, that's okay, but once we start hitting longer distances, I'll be more careful.
I started the half-marathon clinic this week, and it's a bit different from the 10K. A lot of former 10Kers have joined in, and it's nice to see the familiar faces. The group leaders (there are two now) have a different style from J - the only 10:1 pace is on our long-slow runs on Sundays, and we have a walk before we start our runs.
We did 7km today, and it felt really good. As we were closing in on the home stretch, I found my pace picking up - I don't know if it's because I was on said home stretch, or if I was finding a stride, but I felt really comfortable there. The funny thing was, I was out-distancing my pace group. I think that for smaller, sub-10km distances, that's okay, but once we start hitting longer distances, I'll be more careful.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Success is 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 45 seconds
I ran the 10K yesterday evening, and got in at a very satisfactory 67 minutes and 45 seconds.
I had been hoping for 60 minutes, but due to some oversights, I'm happy that I made it through the whole course still standing.
The race was fun for a lot of reasons. For example, all the people who like to dress up for the race - someone was wearing a pair of shorts with buttocks, advertising a rendition of the Full Monty. Another thing was, as we were passing underneath the Queensway, everyone let out yells to echo through. That was fun.
I am also extremely thankful to everyone who lined up to watch the 10k'ers go by. All the adults with signs, the children with their pots and pans, and the people who would read my name off my race bib and encourage me to keep going. Even if I didn't know them, it was like each of them were cheering at least in part for me.
I did learn a few good lessons from this, though:
1. Keep water with you: I had decided not to bring my water bottle with me, because I dislike wearing it while running. However, the water stations were set so far apart that, from kilometer 4 to kilometer 8, there was nothing. I was reduced to walk two minutes, run two minutes. By the time I got to the 8km water station, I was knocking back about 2.5 cups. The sun was punishing, and I think I would have gotten a much better time had I had a constant source of water. I'm lucky I didn't seize up or faint!
2. They're not joking when they say hydrate before the run: if I had maintained my hydration level on the day of that I had the day before, lesson #1 wouldn't have been quite as much a problem.
3. If you have blisters from another sport, make sure they're cushioned: I took care of them and while they didn't really cause me that much trouble during the race, I did feel them.
And then the two things that I had known before, through common sense: who cares if everyone else is wearing the race day shirt? If it's hot and sunny, wear white; and, ice your knees after.
I do wish John Stanton's book had a bit more detail of post-race recovery. For me, I did what felt natural. I had a steak dinner, drank water, and went to bed.
I had been hoping for 60 minutes, but due to some oversights, I'm happy that I made it through the whole course still standing.
The race was fun for a lot of reasons. For example, all the people who like to dress up for the race - someone was wearing a pair of shorts with buttocks, advertising a rendition of the Full Monty. Another thing was, as we were passing underneath the Queensway, everyone let out yells to echo through. That was fun.
I am also extremely thankful to everyone who lined up to watch the 10k'ers go by. All the adults with signs, the children with their pots and pans, and the people who would read my name off my race bib and encourage me to keep going. Even if I didn't know them, it was like each of them were cheering at least in part for me.
I did learn a few good lessons from this, though:
1. Keep water with you: I had decided not to bring my water bottle with me, because I dislike wearing it while running. However, the water stations were set so far apart that, from kilometer 4 to kilometer 8, there was nothing. I was reduced to walk two minutes, run two minutes. By the time I got to the 8km water station, I was knocking back about 2.5 cups. The sun was punishing, and I think I would have gotten a much better time had I had a constant source of water. I'm lucky I didn't seize up or faint!
2. They're not joking when they say hydrate before the run: if I had maintained my hydration level on the day of that I had the day before, lesson #1 wouldn't have been quite as much a problem.
3. If you have blisters from another sport, make sure they're cushioned: I took care of them and while they didn't really cause me that much trouble during the race, I did feel them.
And then the two things that I had known before, through common sense: who cares if everyone else is wearing the race day shirt? If it's hot and sunny, wear white; and, ice your knees after.
I do wish John Stanton's book had a bit more detail of post-race recovery. For me, I did what felt natural. I had a steak dinner, drank water, and went to bed.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tapering Down
So begins my last week of running with the 10K clinic. Today was our last lesson, and I'm so sad that it's ending. Fortunately, the topic was what to expect on race day, which did a lot to alleviate my worries - what to do, where to go, and most of the little things that were freaking me out.
I've met so many wonderful people; listing them would take too long. I can only say that I look forward to seeing them again in the next race.
I'm not focusing on race day too much for fear that my nerves will overtake me. My goal time is around one hour. I hope my friends are waiting at the end. Oh, and apparently if I'm running enough on my own, they will announce my name as I cross the finish line. They'll probably mispronounce it anyway.
I've met so many wonderful people; listing them would take too long. I can only say that I look forward to seeing them again in the next race.
I'm not focusing on race day too much for fear that my nerves will overtake me. My goal time is around one hour. I hope my friends are waiting at the end. Oh, and apparently if I'm running enough on my own, they will announce my name as I cross the finish line. They'll probably mispronounce it anyway.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Thirteen-k, schmirteen-k
Remember that lovely little long run I mentioned last week? That was supposed to be 10k, but would be 13k?
It was 14.6k. And I did it all.
It was wonderful. After a week of worrying if my knees would collapse on me, or I'd have enough energy, we did nearly 15k in approximately one hour and 42 minutes.
I won't say that it went splendidly, but it went a heck of a lot better than last week's, and even yesterday's run.
The scenery was fantastic. We ran up the canal, and behind the Parliament buildings, over to the Portage bridge, crossed the river there, and then back along Rue Laurier (on the Gatineau side) to the Alexandra bridge. We came back across that, along Sussex Drive, and then down the Canal again.
Along the way, my knees occasionally felt wobbly and weak, but I kept reminding myself that you can't just push back the wall, you have to break through it. To acknowledge the wall's ability to break means the sky's the limit. By the end of the run, I was still going pretty strong.
Just imagine, another 6k, and that would be a half-marathon distance.
At this point, we're going to be 'tapering down' our distances, resting up for the race day. What this means is that soon, the 10k race will be here (the counter shows 'NAN' for Not a Number, but it's in 13 days), and my lovely group of running partners will be disbanded and move on to other goals. I'm sad to think of this, because they've really shown me how awesome running can be, how friendly runners are, and how wonderful their encouragement is. I've met so many wonderful people through the Running Room, and I'll miss running with them, but that doesn't mean I won't see them again!
On a different note, it occurred to me that I can wait to get my Garmin - I'm sure I won't need it for the 10k race, and I can pick it up when I go home to Alberta for a week because, wonder of wonders, Alberta doesn't have a provincial sales tax! Also, Garmins are much less expensive at Costco. Win-win!
It was 14.6k. And I did it all.
It was wonderful. After a week of worrying if my knees would collapse on me, or I'd have enough energy, we did nearly 15k in approximately one hour and 42 minutes.
I won't say that it went splendidly, but it went a heck of a lot better than last week's, and even yesterday's run.
The scenery was fantastic. We ran up the canal, and behind the Parliament buildings, over to the Portage bridge, crossed the river there, and then back along Rue Laurier (on the Gatineau side) to the Alexandra bridge. We came back across that, along Sussex Drive, and then down the Canal again.
Along the way, my knees occasionally felt wobbly and weak, but I kept reminding myself that you can't just push back the wall, you have to break through it. To acknowledge the wall's ability to break means the sky's the limit. By the end of the run, I was still going pretty strong.
Just imagine, another 6k, and that would be a half-marathon distance.
At this point, we're going to be 'tapering down' our distances, resting up for the race day. What this means is that soon, the 10k race will be here (the counter shows 'NAN' for Not a Number, but it's in 13 days), and my lovely group of running partners will be disbanded and move on to other goals. I'm sad to think of this, because they've really shown me how awesome running can be, how friendly runners are, and how wonderful their encouragement is. I've met so many wonderful people through the Running Room, and I'll miss running with them, but that doesn't mean I won't see them again!
On a different note, it occurred to me that I can wait to get my Garmin - I'm sure I won't need it for the 10k race, and I can pick it up when I go home to Alberta for a week because, wonder of wonders, Alberta doesn't have a provincial sales tax! Also, Garmins are much less expensive at Costco. Win-win!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
New Lessons to Learn
Whee to running 9km today! Only one more kilometer and we've made the race! Next week, 13km, into Gatineau and back. Like we're putting it all together.
I learned a few things in the past few weeks:
1. It doesn't look like I'll be doing without the help of my athletic therapist anytime soon. Admittedly, I did make it almost a month without needing a visit, but after the try-out, my left knee started to hurt. After a check-in, she said it was some muscles that attach to the knee being aggravated. The cure is lots of stretching and not doing try-outs again.
2. Eating even half a bagel in under an hour before I run is a bad idea. I slept in this morning, and suddenly woke up with about 10 minutes to spare before I had to catch the bus. On my way out the door, I grabbed half of a bagel and munched on most of that. The results were sadly predictable: cramps and stitches!
3. Ice is my friend, and I need more cold compresses. I noticed today that my knees felt almost tired and achy; the feeling is hard to describe. I asked my running coach and he said ice them. The only problem being that I only have one ice pack, but I have the standard two knees. Oooh, maybe I can get the ice version of those heat-wraps.
Those are my lessons for this week.
In other news, I have decided that I want to slim down. Admitting this on a blog is kind of big for me, because of the cognitive dissonance and guilt I feel over this idea: Do I really need to slim down? Am I setting myself up for disappointment? Am I allowing myself to buy into silly Hollywood ideals and images? Am I betraying my younger self who swore she would never buy in to weight loss if she wasn't badly overweight?
I had a brief talk with my sister about this. We agreed that losing some extra pounds for running was beneficial (my knees might thank me), and vanity is not the best reason. I figure at least I have two reasons.
It's been hard to even say to my friends. I don't want them to say, "But Jelly, you're fabulous as you are; you may carry some extra pounds, but you carry it well!" I want them to say, "Okay, you'll look awesome when you're done."
However, I realize that I had most of these worries, in one way, with running. The best I can do is go for it, set my goal, be informed, and to keep at it.
Look at where it's got me so far.
I learned a few things in the past few weeks:
1. It doesn't look like I'll be doing without the help of my athletic therapist anytime soon. Admittedly, I did make it almost a month without needing a visit, but after the try-out, my left knee started to hurt. After a check-in, she said it was some muscles that attach to the knee being aggravated. The cure is lots of stretching and not doing try-outs again.
2. Eating even half a bagel in under an hour before I run is a bad idea. I slept in this morning, and suddenly woke up with about 10 minutes to spare before I had to catch the bus. On my way out the door, I grabbed half of a bagel and munched on most of that. The results were sadly predictable: cramps and stitches!
3. Ice is my friend, and I need more cold compresses. I noticed today that my knees felt almost tired and achy; the feeling is hard to describe. I asked my running coach and he said ice them. The only problem being that I only have one ice pack, but I have the standard two knees. Oooh, maybe I can get the ice version of those heat-wraps.
Those are my lessons for this week.
In other news, I have decided that I want to slim down. Admitting this on a blog is kind of big for me, because of the cognitive dissonance and guilt I feel over this idea: Do I really need to slim down? Am I setting myself up for disappointment? Am I allowing myself to buy into silly Hollywood ideals and images? Am I betraying my younger self who swore she would never buy in to weight loss if she wasn't badly overweight?
I had a brief talk with my sister about this. We agreed that losing some extra pounds for running was beneficial (my knees might thank me), and vanity is not the best reason. I figure at least I have two reasons.
It's been hard to even say to my friends. I don't want them to say, "But Jelly, you're fabulous as you are; you may carry some extra pounds, but you carry it well!" I want them to say, "Okay, you'll look awesome when you're done."
However, I realize that I had most of these worries, in one way, with running. The best I can do is go for it, set my goal, be informed, and to keep at it.
Look at where it's got me so far.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Owie.
I missed the 4km run yesterday, because I was instead trying out.
Though it felt closer to some kind of voluntary torture. I was put through sprint drills, plyometrics, regular strength tests, defense scrimmages, and then the full-on scrimmage against the other half.
By the end of it, all the muscles in my upper legs felt like painful lead.
And then I did the ultimate silly thing, and went to do my long-slow run of 8km today.
If I thought it was hard getting onto and off of chairs yesterday, it's worse today.
Almost half-way through today's run (from the store, up along the canal to the Mackenzie King Bridge and back), I developed a stitch in what I believe was my diaphragm. I'm not entirely certain if that was the location, but it hurt with every breath I took. I took that as a sign that, as much as I want to be in good shape for 10km, my body's health is more important, and I walked as much as I needed to. I also took a short-cut home, up Holmwood St. instead of continuing down to the bridge.
I will definitely be taking tomorrow off in order to recuperate for (hopefully) Tuesday run and then Wednesday's hill training.
Though it felt closer to some kind of voluntary torture. I was put through sprint drills, plyometrics, regular strength tests, defense scrimmages, and then the full-on scrimmage against the other half.
By the end of it, all the muscles in my upper legs felt like painful lead.
And then I did the ultimate silly thing, and went to do my long-slow run of 8km today.
If I thought it was hard getting onto and off of chairs yesterday, it's worse today.
Almost half-way through today's run (from the store, up along the canal to the Mackenzie King Bridge and back), I developed a stitch in what I believe was my diaphragm. I'm not entirely certain if that was the location, but it hurt with every breath I took. I took that as a sign that, as much as I want to be in good shape for 10km, my body's health is more important, and I walked as much as I needed to. I also took a short-cut home, up Holmwood St. instead of continuing down to the bridge.
I will definitely be taking tomorrow off in order to recuperate for (hopefully) Tuesday run and then Wednesday's hill training.
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Hills
Bad updater, no cookie.
We did our first round of hill-training this week! I was so super-excited that I was bouncing on my toes before we went out for our run.
We took a slow run to the hill, over at Bronson Place. Then there was a small hill, supposed to be 400 metres. We went up and down it three times, and by the end of the third, I was thinking, "Is that it?"
However, on the run back, I was definitely feeling the thighs!
Then we received strict instruction not to run the following day.
We did our first round of hill-training this week! I was so super-excited that I was bouncing on my toes before we went out for our run.
We took a slow run to the hill, over at Bronson Place. Then there was a small hill, supposed to be 400 metres. We went up and down it three times, and by the end of the third, I was thinking, "Is that it?"
However, on the run back, I was definitely feeling the thighs!
Then we received strict instruction not to run the following day.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
This Long Run Sucked
Today we were without our Fearless Leader, James. Something about that dude, long ago, rising from the dead and disappearing three days later... Oh yeah, happy Easter. Even if you don't celebrate it.
Anyway, I'm probably crankier than I was earlier about the run. It was supposed to be a long, slow run of 8km, but wound up being 7km. However, with the absolutely bitchy wind, it felt like forever.
As we set out, the middle pack had a leader who is usually placed in the fast group. Now I know why - she was at the fast group's pace, and rapidly out-distanced the four people who were not looking for a fast run. Since I was already low on energy, I was one of those four.
This incident also highlights the need to take a timer of any type with you - cellphone, watch, iPod, anything that counts minutes. Since we lost our leader so early on, it became a bit of guesswork to figure out exactly how long until the next walk minute was.
And I have learned another lesson: I don't care how lazy you are, how awesome the TV line-up is, etc. Have a square meal the evening before a running morning. In fact, if you're not in the habit of at least three meals plus snacks (healthy of course!), get into it right away. My shining example: Yesterday, I had:
1/2 bagel with peanut butter (pre-run)
2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, and 2 strips of bacon (around 11 a.m.)
8 perogies (around 9 p.m.)
See that huge gap of 10 hours? The human body is not meant to go that long without food, and to have foolishly eaten such a one-sided meal meant that I lacked a lot of energy and could have hurt myself due to either physical exhaustion or mental carelessness due to exhaustion.
Don't do that.
Anyway, I'm probably crankier than I was earlier about the run. It was supposed to be a long, slow run of 8km, but wound up being 7km. However, with the absolutely bitchy wind, it felt like forever.
As we set out, the middle pack had a leader who is usually placed in the fast group. Now I know why - she was at the fast group's pace, and rapidly out-distanced the four people who were not looking for a fast run. Since I was already low on energy, I was one of those four.
This incident also highlights the need to take a timer of any type with you - cellphone, watch, iPod, anything that counts minutes. Since we lost our leader so early on, it became a bit of guesswork to figure out exactly how long until the next walk minute was.
And I have learned another lesson: I don't care how lazy you are, how awesome the TV line-up is, etc. Have a square meal the evening before a running morning. In fact, if you're not in the habit of at least three meals plus snacks (healthy of course!), get into it right away. My shining example: Yesterday, I had:
1/2 bagel with peanut butter (pre-run)
2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, and 2 strips of bacon (around 11 a.m.)
8 perogies (around 9 p.m.)
See that huge gap of 10 hours? The human body is not meant to go that long without food, and to have foolishly eaten such a one-sided meal meant that I lacked a lot of energy and could have hurt myself due to either physical exhaustion or mental carelessness due to exhaustion.
Don't do that.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Common Sense > Stubbornness
As a follow-up to yesterday's post, common sense totally trumps stubbornness.
When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel so much as a twinge from my hamstring. I will credit to going no faster than a walk yesterday.
This morning, the weather was -6 with wind chill, but I dressed warmly on top and in my new running capris. Turns out that was a good idea - doing 7km in that weather is enough to bring a sweat but not to overheat. And nary a complaint from the hamstring.
The knees were not pleased at not being stretched out, though.
In other news, I now have an exercise ball! My AT and I have been talking about it for a while, and I decided to take the plunge. It's a trusted brand, Everlast (they do a lot of boxing gear too), comes with a DVD, inflating instructions, two-way pump, and the ball. All for $20 at Walmart.
Can't wait for my first full work-out!
When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel so much as a twinge from my hamstring. I will credit to going no faster than a walk yesterday.
This morning, the weather was -6 with wind chill, but I dressed warmly on top and in my new running capris. Turns out that was a good idea - doing 7km in that weather is enough to bring a sweat but not to overheat. And nary a complaint from the hamstring.
The knees were not pleased at not being stretched out, though.
In other news, I now have an exercise ball! My AT and I have been talking about it for a while, and I decided to take the plunge. It's a trusted brand, Everlast (they do a lot of boxing gear too), comes with a DVD, inflating instructions, two-way pump, and the ball. All for $20 at Walmart.
Can't wait for my first full work-out!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Where Common Sense Trumps Stubbornness
I went to watch my clinic's presentation about biomechanics today, but I myself did not run. My hamstring began to hurt yesterday, and during my athletic therapist (AT) appointment, she recommended not playing Ultimate last night, to preserve any goodwill my hamstring had for me today.
When I stopped playing Ulti half-way through the game, I consoled myself with thoughts that at least I'd be able to run today.
When I got up this morning, I realized that I was still in a bit of pain, and though I could run today, the 4km I would do today would not be nearly as important as the 7km run tomorrow.
It didn't help that today's heavy mist/drizzly rain is cold and non-enjoyable.
So now I relax at home, only sort-of watching soccer, and dreaming of tomorrow's run.
Remember, kids: one day of injury-preventative rest can save you two weeks or more of injury-recovery rest.
When I stopped playing Ulti half-way through the game, I consoled myself with thoughts that at least I'd be able to run today.
When I got up this morning, I realized that I was still in a bit of pain, and though I could run today, the 4km I would do today would not be nearly as important as the 7km run tomorrow.
It didn't help that today's heavy mist/drizzly rain is cold and non-enjoyable.
So now I relax at home, only sort-of watching soccer, and dreaming of tomorrow's run.
Remember, kids: one day of injury-preventative rest can save you two weeks or more of injury-recovery rest.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, bloody cold Sunday
Sorry, U2.
Looking back at my post last week, I have decided that Sundays are the days of piercing wind and uncomfortable cold.
On Wednesday, I partook in my first Wednesday running group run. It was nice to see a lot of familiar faces. I had thought to bring my iPod for the run, but I soon realized a good reason not to - chatting with other runners makes the time pass way more quickly than listening to music.
Yesterday was a 4.47k to the Pretoria bridge and back. Though my legs felt slightly lead-like, I still made reasonable time. It was a bright, shining day, an example of Days that are Good to Run On. We were supposed to have a Yoga For Runners class after, but the instructor was unable to make it. I hear that she's well-known in Ottawa, though, so perhaps I'll be able to find her via web-search.
Today, we did 5.5k (close enough to 6) around the Canal, in a slightly different route. I stayed with my new friend, Lorna, and we chatted to pass the time. Much better than having my iPod hooked up to my ear. The weather was pretty crummy though. A slight mist of rain, piercing, cold wind, and not a sunbeam in sight! Since I'd stripped down a lot from yesterday's run (four layers down to three - I should have kept the long-sleeve), I really wanted that sunbeam!
I had gone to catch the bus when I saw it zoom past me. Curses! I certainly wasn't going to wait 30 minutes outside for the next bus! I walked back inside to where a group of women were waiting for the Home and Garden show, and a very kind woman offered to drive me home. She even bought me a coffee!
Runners are really nice people!
In other news, I weighed myself for the first time since I started this crazy journey, and I discovered that, in 3 months, I have lost ten pounds, without even putting a lot of effort into diet. I mean, I'm trying to eat smarter, with more fish and less fried foods, but there's not a lot of change otherwise. Except the spinach. I crave the spinach.
Looking back at my post last week, I have decided that Sundays are the days of piercing wind and uncomfortable cold.
On Wednesday, I partook in my first Wednesday running group run. It was nice to see a lot of familiar faces. I had thought to bring my iPod for the run, but I soon realized a good reason not to - chatting with other runners makes the time pass way more quickly than listening to music.
Yesterday was a 4.47k to the Pretoria bridge and back. Though my legs felt slightly lead-like, I still made reasonable time. It was a bright, shining day, an example of Days that are Good to Run On. We were supposed to have a Yoga For Runners class after, but the instructor was unable to make it. I hear that she's well-known in Ottawa, though, so perhaps I'll be able to find her via web-search.
Today, we did 5.5k (close enough to 6) around the Canal, in a slightly different route. I stayed with my new friend, Lorna, and we chatted to pass the time. Much better than having my iPod hooked up to my ear. The weather was pretty crummy though. A slight mist of rain, piercing, cold wind, and not a sunbeam in sight! Since I'd stripped down a lot from yesterday's run (four layers down to three - I should have kept the long-sleeve), I really wanted that sunbeam!
I had gone to catch the bus when I saw it zoom past me. Curses! I certainly wasn't going to wait 30 minutes outside for the next bus! I walked back inside to where a group of women were waiting for the Home and Garden show, and a very kind woman offered to drive me home. She even bought me a coffee!
Runners are really nice people!
In other news, I weighed myself for the first time since I started this crazy journey, and I discovered that, in 3 months, I have lost ten pounds, without even putting a lot of effort into diet. I mean, I'm trying to eat smarter, with more fish and less fried foods, but there's not a lot of change otherwise. Except the spinach. I crave the spinach.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Post-Run
I went out with the Running Room Group (not the same as the clinic - the group is free), and found it very enjoyable. I think it's a great way to challenge my running pace and to meet and converse with new people.
When we took off, I started chatting with a woman who turns out to be an experienced runner. We chatted about running, the weather, careers, and even the bus strike. Turns out we share opinions on the Union and the City. It was a great run.
Something to bear in mind, though: when you are going for a cool-weather run where your end point is not home, take a warm coat with you.
The temperature gods said it was -2 with a -8 windchill. Hah, I said upon leaving, I will layer up in running clothes and be fine. Which I was, until I arrived at the store. By that time, I had realized I would have to lose one layer (of five, admittedly) to run comfortably.
The wind was quite cold and piercing, so I knew I couldn't take off my wind-breaker, so I took off the t-shirt, and left it at the store. The run was fine, I sweated like usual, and like usual, the sweat got trapped by the wind-breaker.
I arrived back at the store, a bit chilled, and upon putting my t-shirt on again, I realized that I would have to get home in damp, cold clothes that would do nothing to trap heat in, like it had on the walk there.
I know from working with horses that, if you have a damp horse, you never leave them to 'dry off' naturally. Horses, and you, lose a lot of heat, and then energy, when you are wet and cold. Always put a warm, dry coat (or blanket, in the case of a horse). The Running Room has a room downstairs where you can leave your coat while you run.
I certainly wish I had.
When we took off, I started chatting with a woman who turns out to be an experienced runner. We chatted about running, the weather, careers, and even the bus strike. Turns out we share opinions on the Union and the City. It was a great run.
Something to bear in mind, though: when you are going for a cool-weather run where your end point is not home, take a warm coat with you.
The temperature gods said it was -2 with a -8 windchill. Hah, I said upon leaving, I will layer up in running clothes and be fine. Which I was, until I arrived at the store. By that time, I had realized I would have to lose one layer (of five, admittedly) to run comfortably.
The wind was quite cold and piercing, so I knew I couldn't take off my wind-breaker, so I took off the t-shirt, and left it at the store. The run was fine, I sweated like usual, and like usual, the sweat got trapped by the wind-breaker.
I arrived back at the store, a bit chilled, and upon putting my t-shirt on again, I realized that I would have to get home in damp, cold clothes that would do nothing to trap heat in, like it had on the walk there.
I know from working with horses that, if you have a damp horse, you never leave them to 'dry off' naturally. Horses, and you, lose a lot of heat, and then energy, when you are wet and cold. Always put a warm, dry coat (or blanket, in the case of a horse). The Running Room has a room downstairs where you can leave your coat while you run.
I certainly wish I had.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Running Room Clinic Week 2
I had my second run with this group today, and again, so much fun was had. However, the spinach and swiss omelette at the Arrow&Loon? Remind me to cook at home instead.
One thing that I can honestly say about the RR is that it is taking me by the hand and guiding me through the process of learning to run 10k. It's great - this week was about buying proper shoes, next week is on stretching, and later on there's one on nutrition.
There's also a printable schedule that has dates and distances, so I know I'm not falling behind. Hill training? No problem, that's in a few weeks. Tempo? Don't worry!
Also, one of the run leaders was wearing a Forerunner 305, and we spent a few minutes discussing it versus the 405. At this point, the unfortunately ugly 305 is winning.
My osteo has given me a bunch of new stretches to do as well - can we say ow? These are things I have never asked my body to do, and the muscles are quite tired by the end of each set. However, I can see the benefit in running and in muscle tone, so I'm in.
Tomorrow: I will wake up at 7 a.m. to go run 5km with the RR, and I'm sure that will hurt even more.
One thing that I can honestly say about the RR is that it is taking me by the hand and guiding me through the process of learning to run 10k. It's great - this week was about buying proper shoes, next week is on stretching, and later on there's one on nutrition.
There's also a printable schedule that has dates and distances, so I know I'm not falling behind. Hill training? No problem, that's in a few weeks. Tempo? Don't worry!
Also, one of the run leaders was wearing a Forerunner 305, and we spent a few minutes discussing it versus the 405. At this point, the unfortunately ugly 305 is winning.
My osteo has given me a bunch of new stretches to do as well - can we say ow? These are things I have never asked my body to do, and the muscles are quite tired by the end of each set. However, I can see the benefit in running and in muscle tone, so I'm in.
Tomorrow: I will wake up at 7 a.m. to go run 5km with the RR, and I'm sure that will hurt even more.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
First Running Room Clinic
I had my first Running Room clinic (RRC) today! And I survived! Even moreso, I enjoyed it.
There's a totally different feeling to running in a group, I found. We did three 10+1s, and I handled it with ease. Admittedly, we were likely going slower than we will be in the future, but we left the shop and ran up the canal to Pretoria Bridge. It's lovely outside today, and though the air was cool, the sky was perfect to run beneath. However, I think sunglasses are a must on days like this.
I just mapped this out on Google Maps, and it's saying that we ran a kilometer longer than the coaches said. Very disappointing, because now I don't know how far I've run. This leads to my next subject: heart-rate, distance, and time monitor watches. I saw a bunch at the Running Room store today, and asked see the Garmin 305. It's a lot larger than I thought it was, which just made its ugliness worse. At least with the 405, I could almost pass it off as a huge watch.
Anyways, I went and spoiled my work-out with an eggs florentine at the Arrow&Loon. I was craving eggs and spinach. I should have gone for the spinach and swiss omelette!
I can't wait for next week
There's a totally different feeling to running in a group, I found. We did three 10+1s, and I handled it with ease. Admittedly, we were likely going slower than we will be in the future, but we left the shop and ran up the canal to Pretoria Bridge. It's lovely outside today, and though the air was cool, the sky was perfect to run beneath. However, I think sunglasses are a must on days like this.
I just mapped this out on Google Maps, and it's saying that we ran a kilometer longer than the coaches said. Very disappointing, because now I don't know how far I've run. This leads to my next subject: heart-rate, distance, and time monitor watches. I saw a bunch at the Running Room store today, and asked see the Garmin 305. It's a lot larger than I thought it was, which just made its ugliness worse. At least with the 405, I could almost pass it off as a huge watch.
Anyways, I went and spoiled my work-out with an eggs florentine at the Arrow&Loon. I was craving eggs and spinach. I should have gone for the spinach and swiss omelette!
I can't wait for next week
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Beginning of... Week Whatever
Today, I started my final week of time-run increases. I am proud to say that I made 10+1x2 today, and I did it reasonably well. I don't think I've plateaued (I'm still waiting for that flat place).
I went a bit further today, and I enjoyed the change in scenery. At one point, I was passed by a car I don't recognize, and people were cheering me on. I don't know if they know me, but it was fun to hear.
This weekend, I start my Running Room clinic. I'm kind of nervous about it - though I've heard that there are all sorts of different runners in the groups, I just don't want to look silly - is that possible, in a group of other lycra-and-spandex-dressed individuals? I guess I'll just wait and learn!
I went a bit further today, and I enjoyed the change in scenery. At one point, I was passed by a car I don't recognize, and people were cheering me on. I don't know if they know me, but it was fun to hear.
This weekend, I start my Running Room clinic. I'm kind of nervous about it - though I've heard that there are all sorts of different runners in the groups, I just don't want to look silly - is that possible, in a group of other lycra-and-spandex-dressed individuals? I guess I'll just wait and learn!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A New Heart-rate Monitor
If you remember, when I started this blog, I was talking about heart-rate monitors. I had decided to go with a very simple one, the F2 by Polar.
It actually came early on that I realized how useless the one-button-to-rule-them-all feature was. I can't flip back and forth between my heart-rate monitoring and my time without stopping the time, a frustration that has led to me using simply the watch, not the heart-rate band.
It comes down to: cheap=simple=not doing what I need it to. So I am in the market for a new one. Le sigh.
Right now, the Garmin Forerunner 305 (which the Sports 4 guy suggested!) is looking really good, despite the price. It can track my progress and distance by GPS, it monitors my heart, I can use it indoors with a superneat Foot Pod (take us to your feet, puny earthling) which ties to your shoe and monitors how far you've gone, and it comes in some nice colours.
However, the Forerunner 405 is a more attractive display, comes with an iPod-like touch bezel, and it can transmit information to other 405 users. It's the same price as the 305, as well, though I don't think the buttons are quite as intuitive as the 305.
Decisions, decisions.
As to why I haven't really looked too hard at Polar: their website is a bit more confusing than the Garmin site - Garmin lets me go through the list of things I need, and suggests an appropriate watch, whereas Polar lets you select multiple watches and shows you the comparisons. I'm just finding Garmin to be easier.
I think this will become a lot more pressing in the next couple of weeks, when I start training by distance instead of time. That gives me a little time to make a choice.
It actually came early on that I realized how useless the one-button-to-rule-them-all feature was. I can't flip back and forth between my heart-rate monitoring and my time without stopping the time, a frustration that has led to me using simply the watch, not the heart-rate band.
It comes down to: cheap=simple=not doing what I need it to. So I am in the market for a new one. Le sigh.
Right now, the Garmin Forerunner 305 (which the Sports 4 guy suggested!) is looking really good, despite the price. It can track my progress and distance by GPS, it monitors my heart, I can use it indoors with a superneat Foot Pod (take us to your feet, puny earthling) which ties to your shoe and monitors how far you've gone, and it comes in some nice colours.
However, the Forerunner 405 is a more attractive display, comes with an iPod-like touch bezel, and it can transmit information to other 405 users. It's the same price as the 305, as well, though I don't think the buttons are quite as intuitive as the 305.
Decisions, decisions.
As to why I haven't really looked too hard at Polar: their website is a bit more confusing than the Garmin site - Garmin lets me go through the list of things I need, and suggests an appropriate watch, whereas Polar lets you select multiple watches and shows you the comparisons. I'm just finding Garmin to be easier.
I think this will become a lot more pressing in the next couple of weeks, when I start training by distance instead of time. That gives me a little time to make a choice.
Cheat Well, Cheat Often
So in this repeat-of-week-6-which-is-actually-week7, I have cheated again. I went out today and did my first eight-minute run, and then started my second. I forgot to check my watch in time and ran an extra minute. Then, since I was having so much fun, I decided to run one more minute. So I really did 8+1+10+1. Bad, naughty Jelly.
I can now feel it a bit in my legs, and darn doesn't that feel good! I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!
In other news, I went to my osteopath, because it felt like I had more muscle on my dominant side than the other, in my back. It's something I've noticed since I started running, that my back feels tenser on one side after the other. If I tense the muscles of my back, it feels like there's nothing on my left-hand side, but my right side is tensing right along nicely. I didn't think had been caused by running because I couldn't figure where it would have come from.
Anyways, I saw my osteopath, and she said that there was quite a bit more muscle definition along the right side of my spine than my left. It's not unusual, and she didn't seem worried or put out by it. My almost obsessive need for symmetry is put out, though - if my muscles aren't even, how can the rest of my world be?
She gave me an exercise called the Superman. I think the video link provides a very good explanation.
She also noted that my pelvis is very well-positioned. She sounded a bit surprised about that - a lot of runners have tilted pelvises, I've heard. I'd like thank riding horses for my spectacular pelvic positioning. Now a word from our sponsors.
I have signed up for my Running Room course. I'm a bit nervous - will I keep up? Is my pace on par for the others? Will I like running with people, or will they like running with me?
These are all silly worries that, according to my psych class, is a sign of a maladaptive stress reaction, which is pretty much the story of my life. However, I've paid so much money on it that I can't let myself not go. As P. would say, I'll be fine, I just have to relax. Relaaaax!
I can now feel it a bit in my legs, and darn doesn't that feel good! I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!
In other news, I went to my osteopath, because it felt like I had more muscle on my dominant side than the other, in my back. It's something I've noticed since I started running, that my back feels tenser on one side after the other. If I tense the muscles of my back, it feels like there's nothing on my left-hand side, but my right side is tensing right along nicely. I didn't think had been caused by running because I couldn't figure where it would have come from.
Anyways, I saw my osteopath, and she said that there was quite a bit more muscle definition along the right side of my spine than my left. It's not unusual, and she didn't seem worried or put out by it. My almost obsessive need for symmetry is put out, though - if my muscles aren't even, how can the rest of my world be?
She gave me an exercise called the Superman. I think the video link provides a very good explanation.
She also noted that my pelvis is very well-positioned. She sounded a bit surprised about that - a lot of runners have tilted pelvises, I've heard. I'd like thank riding horses for my spectacular pelvic positioning. Now a word from our sponsors.
I have signed up for my Running Room course. I'm a bit nervous - will I keep up? Is my pace on par for the others? Will I like running with people, or will they like running with me?
These are all silly worries that, according to my psych class, is a sign of a maladaptive stress reaction, which is pretty much the story of my life. However, I've paid so much money on it that I can't let myself not go. As P. would say, I'll be fine, I just have to relax. Relaaaax!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Trying Week 6 Again
I am trying this week over, a bit like Groundhog Day, but all week, and only with running. Essentially, the way I felt on Monday got worse over the week, and though the cold never moved into my lungs, my head was so tired and achy that the idea of running gave it a headache.
Yesterday the windchill was chilly, and today was better by only 2C. But I decided that I've got to get back out there and running if I'm ever going to do 10K in three months. I was tired, cold, and reluctant, but I went out there, and I did it anyways.
Of course, I should probably take the advice from Runner's World and build up to running 8+1x2, but I was having so much fun out there that I went the whole way anyway. If anyone was taking advice from my blog, I would tell them to build up to the pace they were running before, be safe, love your knees, and take your time. But that's not the point: this is my blog, and learn from my mistakes!
As I was taking a quick extra jog back, I was so very glad to be out there and running again. It reaffirmed why I am doing this: because I feel good, I enjoy the small ache in my leg, I love the way I see myself in the mirror. And it makes me feel worth it.
Yesterday the windchill was chilly, and today was better by only 2C. But I decided that I've got to get back out there and running if I'm ever going to do 10K in three months. I was tired, cold, and reluctant, but I went out there, and I did it anyways.
Of course, I should probably take the advice from Runner's World and build up to running 8+1x2, but I was having so much fun out there that I went the whole way anyway. If anyone was taking advice from my blog, I would tell them to build up to the pace they were running before, be safe, love your knees, and take your time. But that's not the point: this is my blog, and learn from my mistakes!
As I was taking a quick extra jog back, I was so very glad to be out there and running again. It reaffirmed why I am doing this: because I feel good, I enjoy the small ache in my leg, I love the way I see myself in the mirror. And it makes me feel worth it.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Starting... week 6, I think
So I totally lied and spent most of yesterday napping in bed. I think it was worth it.
Today, the windchill brought the temperature down to -16C, and I didn't want to risk my cold getting worse on it. But I was getting very edgy about not running, so I took the road less travelled, the less-preferred course, the duller of two options, and ran on the treadmill thingy downstairs.
I still consider it cheating - 8+1x2 would have been harder out there, with wind resistance and so on. It's also boring - the only thing I get to look at is my mouth, singing along to the words of my music.
I will admit, though, that by the end of that second run, my gluteus maximus was starting to feel some burn.
The second benefit to running inside is that I was able to shift over and do some weights. The stomach-crunches felt harder on the soft mats, oddly enough.
Suffice to say, I really prefer running outdoors, but I guess I can do it inside if I must.
Today, the windchill brought the temperature down to -16C, and I didn't want to risk my cold getting worse on it. But I was getting very edgy about not running, so I took the road less travelled, the less-preferred course, the duller of two options, and ran on the treadmill thingy downstairs.
I still consider it cheating - 8+1x2 would have been harder out there, with wind resistance and so on. It's also boring - the only thing I get to look at is my mouth, singing along to the words of my music.
I will admit, though, that by the end of that second run, my gluteus maximus was starting to feel some burn.
The second benefit to running inside is that I was able to shift over and do some weights. The stomach-crunches felt harder on the soft mats, oddly enough.
Suffice to say, I really prefer running outdoors, but I guess I can do it inside if I must.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Bad Girl
So I've been a bad girl, not posting when I should.
I have still been running, and am getting to 6+1x3 with only a bit of difficulty. the first day of it was hard - I felt my muscles saying, "Aaaahhh! I thought we were friends! We'd do a bit of jogging, rest a bit, but now it's all running!" I wonder what they'll think when it's 8+1x2 next week.
However, I have hit my first blockade on the path to progress. I am sick. Stuffy head, sore throat, blocked-up lymph nodes, stuffed nose, and decreased hearing. This sucks!
The magazines that I've bought makes it clear that yes, you can run with a cold. They have conditions: don't run with heart palpitations, a chest cold, diarrhea/vomiting, high fever, or shortness of breath. I happen to not have any of those, so I am thinking that I will do my run today. But it goes against almost everything my parents taught me, growing up, and what an office environment encourages now: stay home, lots of fluids, rest your poor aching body. My head, when it can coordinate two thoughts in the same area, is conflicted, but the rest of my body is hungry for food, and a run. And hot sauce.
I will write about how my run goes today. I think it will be interesting to see how running with a head cold affects the rest of my body. Psychosomatic, or physiological?
I have still been running, and am getting to 6+1x3 with only a bit of difficulty. the first day of it was hard - I felt my muscles saying, "Aaaahhh! I thought we were friends! We'd do a bit of jogging, rest a bit, but now it's all running!" I wonder what they'll think when it's 8+1x2 next week.
However, I have hit my first blockade on the path to progress. I am sick. Stuffy head, sore throat, blocked-up lymph nodes, stuffed nose, and decreased hearing. This sucks!
The magazines that I've bought makes it clear that yes, you can run with a cold. They have conditions: don't run with heart palpitations, a chest cold, diarrhea/vomiting, high fever, or shortness of breath. I happen to not have any of those, so I am thinking that I will do my run today. But it goes against almost everything my parents taught me, growing up, and what an office environment encourages now: stay home, lots of fluids, rest your poor aching body. My head, when it can coordinate two thoughts in the same area, is conflicted, but the rest of my body is hungry for food, and a run. And hot sauce.
I will write about how my run goes today. I think it will be interesting to see how running with a head cold affects the rest of my body. Psychosomatic, or physiological?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week 4
So week three ended with a bit of a whimper (or was that my thigh muscle?), and week four came roaring with great weather. Today was -6, and I wore three layers and the coat.
Yesterday, I actually covered 4.2k, and did some extra-fun sprints on the way home. My thigh muscle is still tight, and I'm a wee bit worried on that, so if it's not better by Wednesday, I'll see the Osteopath on it.
Today was good. I'm onto 5/1x3+2/1x1, and I think my body is responding splendidly. At one point, my right knee hurt on the inside, but I kept running (not the smartest idea), and it worked its way through. I really must remember to do all my stretches, no matter how long it takes. Recovery time after injuring myself will take a lot longer!
A few times, I felt the weariness in my pace, especially on the third rep, but I kept going. I can't tell if I varied my speed at all.
I've also noticed that not everyone in Ottawa is diligent about cleaning their sidewalks! Please, people, think of the runners! Think of me! Running on ice, however buried in snow it may be, is a scary proposition, and I like it just slightly less than running on the road.
I got my acknowledgment of payment from the race people: I'm in, and this is really real.
Yesterday, I actually covered 4.2k, and did some extra-fun sprints on the way home. My thigh muscle is still tight, and I'm a wee bit worried on that, so if it's not better by Wednesday, I'll see the Osteopath on it.
Today was good. I'm onto 5/1x3+2/1x1, and I think my body is responding splendidly. At one point, my right knee hurt on the inside, but I kept running (not the smartest idea), and it worked its way through. I really must remember to do all my stretches, no matter how long it takes. Recovery time after injuring myself will take a lot longer!
A few times, I felt the weariness in my pace, especially on the third rep, but I kept going. I can't tell if I varied my speed at all.
I've also noticed that not everyone in Ottawa is diligent about cleaning their sidewalks! Please, people, think of the runners! Think of me! Running on ice, however buried in snow it may be, is a scary proposition, and I like it just slightly less than running on the road.
I got my acknowledgment of payment from the race people: I'm in, and this is really real.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
On Not Running
As much thought as I put into running itself, I also put some thought into not running. The difference is important.
Running is awesome, but there are times where not running is just as conducive to your overall fitness as running. It's that time where you give your feet, ankles, knees, and muscles a break from the stresses of pounding pavement, and do something else. It can also go under the title of 'cross training'.
I said I was going to run every day this weekend, because the weather is so nice. However, I didn't run yesterday (at least in a straight line) because I walked home. Then I walked to Ultimate, and ran there.
I didn't run today because my legs are aching. I'm a bit surprised how much they hurt, in fact! My calves are tight, and my quads ache with each stretch I do. I think it's because running in Ultimate is a different style of running, in which different muscles are used. When I get to that heavenly plateau of speed-training, I will get to remember this then.
Today will be a day of rest and recovery. Some theorize that 'pain is nature's way of telling you you're doing it right', for a very certain definition of 'pain', excluding things like broken arms. That's wrong.
However, I learned one lesson early on in ever running - if it hurts now, and you overdo it again, your muscles will lock up, and you will feel very sorry for yourself the following day.
I will run tomorrow.
Running is awesome, but there are times where not running is just as conducive to your overall fitness as running. It's that time where you give your feet, ankles, knees, and muscles a break from the stresses of pounding pavement, and do something else. It can also go under the title of 'cross training'.
I said I was going to run every day this weekend, because the weather is so nice. However, I didn't run yesterday (at least in a straight line) because I walked home. Then I walked to Ultimate, and ran there.
I didn't run today because my legs are aching. I'm a bit surprised how much they hurt, in fact! My calves are tight, and my quads ache with each stretch I do. I think it's because running in Ultimate is a different style of running, in which different muscles are used. When I get to that heavenly plateau of speed-training, I will get to remember this then.
Today will be a day of rest and recovery. Some theorize that 'pain is nature's way of telling you you're doing it right', for a very certain definition of 'pain', excluding things like broken arms. That's wrong.
However, I learned one lesson early on in ever running - if it hurts now, and you overdo it again, your muscles will lock up, and you will feel very sorry for yourself the following day.
I will run tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Run 2, Week 3: Cold!
What does a girl have to do to earn a good cup of hot chocolate around here?
Go running in the cold, apparently.
It's -13C, with the windchill bringing it down to -22C. I didn't run yesterday because I'd run the two previous days and don't want to push it. However, I realized that to keep up my training, I would have to run today, on one of the colder days of the week.
I dressed up to the nines and headed out, empowered by tunes and a new direction to run. Starting out, I knew my calves were tighter than usual. Usually, that works itself through early on, but it lasted longer today. I felt more tired overall, and I wonder if it's because of the cold or overall tiredness.
Sadly, the path by the river is still covered by snow, but the run by the mall is open, so I went down that and it was almost enough.
To make a long story short, I was glad to get home and relax with a good cup of Farm Boy hot chocolate. Since I didn't finish this run with a sense of "Hell yeah!" I think it qualifies as a 'meh' run, and I feel a bit disappointed.
Go running in the cold, apparently.
It's -13C, with the windchill bringing it down to -22C. I didn't run yesterday because I'd run the two previous days and don't want to push it. However, I realized that to keep up my training, I would have to run today, on one of the colder days of the week.
I dressed up to the nines and headed out, empowered by tunes and a new direction to run. Starting out, I knew my calves were tighter than usual. Usually, that works itself through early on, but it lasted longer today. I felt more tired overall, and I wonder if it's because of the cold or overall tiredness.
Sadly, the path by the river is still covered by snow, but the run by the mall is open, so I went down that and it was almost enough.
To make a long story short, I was glad to get home and relax with a good cup of Farm Boy hot chocolate. Since I didn't finish this run with a sense of "Hell yeah!" I think it qualifies as a 'meh' run, and I feel a bit disappointed.
Monday, February 2, 2009
End Week 2, Start Week 3
I forgot to write about yesterday's run, but there's not much to write on. It was the end of the run 3 minutes/walk 1 minute x 5, and I didn't really enjoy it. The weather was a whoppin' 3C ABOVE zero, so I dressed a lot lighter - in fact, too lightly. One skin layer and a top is not enough for that.
Today, however, began the 4/1x4, and I loved it. There were a few times that I looked at my watch and was surprised to see I still had a minute of running left, but it didn't hurt to keep going. The sidewalks were relatively bare, due to the high temperature, the breeze was quiet, and the air with just a touch of chill. I had a skin layer, shirt, and long-sleeve top.
None of my joints hurt either. Sometimes a knee aches for a few strides, but it goes away. Once in a while, one calf will pull a bit, or the achilles, but I haven't had to stop and make it better. Sometimes, I feel the inside of my patella (the knee cap) aching, but I should warm up better.
The only cause for concern is my breathing right now. It's fine through out the run, even on bad runs, but I'm wheezing a bit now. Maybe I'll take P's advice and see a doctor about asthma. I really don't want to have it diagnosed.
Don't get me wrong - asthma can't stop me from doing anything I want to do. My sister has had asthma all her life, and she's a national gold medalist in boxing. But at the same time, I know how much of a pain in the ass and the lungs asthma can be, having to remember keyswalletcellphonepuffer makes it one item more to forget at home one day.
All in all, though, I'm pretty lucky. And as long as I can run, it'll be okay.
Today, however, began the 4/1x4, and I loved it. There were a few times that I looked at my watch and was surprised to see I still had a minute of running left, but it didn't hurt to keep going. The sidewalks were relatively bare, due to the high temperature, the breeze was quiet, and the air with just a touch of chill. I had a skin layer, shirt, and long-sleeve top.
None of my joints hurt either. Sometimes a knee aches for a few strides, but it goes away. Once in a while, one calf will pull a bit, or the achilles, but I haven't had to stop and make it better. Sometimes, I feel the inside of my patella (the knee cap) aching, but I should warm up better.
The only cause for concern is my breathing right now. It's fine through out the run, even on bad runs, but I'm wheezing a bit now. Maybe I'll take P's advice and see a doctor about asthma. I really don't want to have it diagnosed.
Don't get me wrong - asthma can't stop me from doing anything I want to do. My sister has had asthma all her life, and she's a national gold medalist in boxing. But at the same time, I know how much of a pain in the ass and the lungs asthma can be, having to remember keyswalletcellphonepuffer makes it one item more to forget at home one day.
All in all, though, I'm pretty lucky. And as long as I can run, it'll be okay.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Cool Runnings
I think I can say that, in the short time I've been doing this, yesterday was the hardest run I've done.
In fact, in retrospect, the decision to go out there was foolish and ill-considered.
Let's take a look at yesterday's weather: the regular temperature was -9C, but with windchill, it was -18C. That's not the problem. It was pleasant. The issue was the blowing snow - they had predicted from 20 to 25 cm.
I had walked home in it. I knew it was going to be bad. But I really really wanted to be somewhere, and it would be almost perfect running distance.
I had so many excuses not to go out; legitimate ones! The weather was unsafe, I was tired from walking home, it wasn't really necessary to go.
But I did it, and I'm proud to have proved that I can run in a snowstorm. But I don't think I'll do it again any time soon.
I think I'll use the gym next time.
In fact, in retrospect, the decision to go out there was foolish and ill-considered.
Let's take a look at yesterday's weather: the regular temperature was -9C, but with windchill, it was -18C. That's not the problem. It was pleasant. The issue was the blowing snow - they had predicted from 20 to 25 cm.
I had walked home in it. I knew it was going to be bad. But I really really wanted to be somewhere, and it would be almost perfect running distance.
I had so many excuses not to go out; legitimate ones! The weather was unsafe, I was tired from walking home, it wasn't really necessary to go.
But I did it, and I'm proud to have proved that I can run in a snowstorm. But I don't think I'll do it again any time soon.
I think I'll use the gym next time.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Running, Week Two
So I've been doing this crazy 'running' thing for a week. A whole week. That's a long time... in ant years.
The weird thing is, I'm loving it. I was really enjoying the run today. I'm up to 3 minutes run, 1 minute walk, and I am eating this stuff up! My legs aren't tired or sore right now, and I find I end the night with a rousing 36 crunches and other stretches.
Today's run took me down a slightly different path. I was running along the river, a flattened path of snow. It was a good run, but I was glad to be wearing my red jacket; the path was pretty dark, and I felt a bit nervous seeing other people on the path - who are they? What if they're muggers, looking for a naïve jogger like myself to harm? What if I slip and fall and knock myself out? What if, what if, what if.
Anyways, apart from my fears, I'm doing fine. By the end of the week, this will be a breeze, and I'll be ready for the next challenge.
I'm slowly trying to modify my diet, too. Tonight was baked chicken, boiled baby potatoes with a sprinkle of salt, and veggies. No butter, no oils (though oils are healthy!), nothing naughty. Hopefully this will make up for my morning breakfast of a fried egg-and-cheese sandwich (on brown toast, no butter!) and coffee.
Gear-wise, I'm happy with everything but the heart-rate monitor. In the sad case of this one, simple means stupid. I can't switch from the monitor back to the timer, there's no discernible stopwatch, and I highly doubt there's any nightlight that I can operate without screwing something up. I challenge Polar to make it better!
The weather is supposed to be going up this week, which has me all a-squee. I won't have to wear long-johns under my pants! Which reminds me of my next topic - layering is everything, and you can run in -20C weather if you're dressed right.
If I can, anyone can!
The weird thing is, I'm loving it. I was really enjoying the run today. I'm up to 3 minutes run, 1 minute walk, and I am eating this stuff up! My legs aren't tired or sore right now, and I find I end the night with a rousing 36 crunches and other stretches.
Today's run took me down a slightly different path. I was running along the river, a flattened path of snow. It was a good run, but I was glad to be wearing my red jacket; the path was pretty dark, and I felt a bit nervous seeing other people on the path - who are they? What if they're muggers, looking for a naïve jogger like myself to harm? What if I slip and fall and knock myself out? What if, what if, what if.
Anyways, apart from my fears, I'm doing fine. By the end of the week, this will be a breeze, and I'll be ready for the next challenge.
I'm slowly trying to modify my diet, too. Tonight was baked chicken, boiled baby potatoes with a sprinkle of salt, and veggies. No butter, no oils (though oils are healthy!), nothing naughty. Hopefully this will make up for my morning breakfast of a fried egg-and-cheese sandwich (on brown toast, no butter!) and coffee.
Gear-wise, I'm happy with everything but the heart-rate monitor. In the sad case of this one, simple means stupid. I can't switch from the monitor back to the timer, there's no discernible stopwatch, and I highly doubt there's any nightlight that I can operate without screwing something up. I challenge Polar to make it better!
The weather is supposed to be going up this week, which has me all a-squee. I won't have to wear long-johns under my pants! Which reminds me of my next topic - layering is everything, and you can run in -20C weather if you're dressed right.
If I can, anyone can!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Running in a New City
I have found a new, novel use for Yaktrax: if you are running in a new city, with lots of twists and turns, you can follow your yaktrax tracks back to your origin.
I am in Trois-Rivières this weekend, to watch my sister box. A lot of people seem... maybe not awed, but approving of my declared intention to run 10K. Coming from a boxing community, where a lot of their cardio is gained from running, this feels like a pat on the back.
I went out for a run this morning. The weather was a cool -15C with windchill to about -25C. After a few minutes of running, of course, I didn't feel the cold much anymore. I had my tunes going, I was out adventuring a new city, and I was running through a nagging tension in my left calf (an old issue, which I will explain when I remember exactly what it is).
I felt slightly plateau-ey. I didn't have quite as much fun as last time, but I'm aware that you have some good days, and some bad days, and hopefully it averages out to the good side.
This run would be classified as 'average'. There were a few times that I over-ran the clock (I'm still on the 2m run, 1m walk), so I think moving to the next week will be reasonably easy to follow through on.
I almost got lost, too! Fortunately, I headed back the way I came and then found my old Yaktrax marks in the scraped snow, thus saving me from an ignominious, chilly death.
However, I think I got a bit of frost bite on my face. Gotta be careful with that!
In other news, I think I like running in winter. I must be crazy.
I am in Trois-Rivières this weekend, to watch my sister box. A lot of people seem... maybe not awed, but approving of my declared intention to run 10K. Coming from a boxing community, where a lot of their cardio is gained from running, this feels like a pat on the back.
I went out for a run this morning. The weather was a cool -15C with windchill to about -25C. After a few minutes of running, of course, I didn't feel the cold much anymore. I had my tunes going, I was out adventuring a new city, and I was running through a nagging tension in my left calf (an old issue, which I will explain when I remember exactly what it is).
I felt slightly plateau-ey. I didn't have quite as much fun as last time, but I'm aware that you have some good days, and some bad days, and hopefully it averages out to the good side.
This run would be classified as 'average'. There were a few times that I over-ran the clock (I'm still on the 2m run, 1m walk), so I think moving to the next week will be reasonably easy to follow through on.
I almost got lost, too! Fortunately, I headed back the way I came and then found my old Yaktrax marks in the scraped snow, thus saving me from an ignominious, chilly death.
However, I think I got a bit of frost bite on my face. Gotta be careful with that!
In other news, I think I like running in winter. I must be crazy.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
What Moves Me
I must be crazy. What possesses a young woman, whose only background in running is chasing after a plastic disc, to declare that she's going to run a 10 kilometer race in the spring?
Especially in January?
I'm not sure I can rightly say what gave me the bright idea. The bus strike, as mentioned in my first post, was a good start. But to go from 'this is boring, I want to move faster' to 'let's run a 10K!' leaves a lot of bridging to be desired.
I knew I was going to have to make a financial commitment, so I couldn't just say, "I don't have the equipment, it's not worth it," or, "I haven't paid for the race, so I'm not obligated." But now I am. I have good equipment and gear, and I have obligated myself to the race by paying $30. Sounds cheap, perhaps, but I want to get my $30 worth.
What gets me out the door? To be honest, thinking about the race. When I think that I do want to run these 10 kilometers, I remember that there's hard work involved. And I can do it. I've had a lot of shifting of personal beliefs in the past two years, and one of the biggest is reminiscent of Barack Obama's campaign phrase: Yes, I Can, combined with another phrase batted about on TV: I'm Worth It (Dove).
So now I've committed myself financially, and I've rethought my personal value, and I'm out the door. There's gotta be something to get me moving, and keep me moving. A lot of it my music. When I listen to it, I have fun. Some people are purists - listening to music ruins their concentration. Not me, man. It's the thing that keeps me from thinking about running (which is very dull for me - there's only so many steps I can count before I don't care anymore). When I'm listening to music while I run, I mouth the words, I do little dances at red lights, I have fun with it. I don't suggest trying to do the Time Warp, though (the start is fine, but the pelvic thrust is a bit hard). Music has always been a part of me, albeit shut away recently, and now that I can incorporate it into something dedicated in my life, I find it's coming back to me too.
Speaking of Motivation, Runners' World has a hilarious series of articles called the Newbie Chronicles, written by Marc Parent, a self-admitted over-weight, over-40 year-old father who has recently gotten in to the running scene. His latest article that I read in RW's February issue, is on what keeps him moving - action movie scenes in his head.
Frankly, reading any of Mr. Parent's articles motivate me, because I think they're hilarious - even if I wasn't into running, I would enjoy his humour. I highly suggest it for a laugh.
And finally, what gets me back out there? Visualizing the end of running 10 kilometers, and that feeling of amazement, of excitement and pat-on-the-back. At night, as I lay in bed trying to sleep, my brain keeps me up with visualizing the end of the run. I take part of my visuals from John Stanton's book, as he describes visualizing the race - ending strong, feeling in charge, and hopefully, very hungry! If I don't watch it, I might just get up at that point and go for a run! But the PJs aren't waterproof, and it's cold outside, so I tell myself, "Tomorrow, we're gonna have a great run."
Especially in January?
I'm not sure I can rightly say what gave me the bright idea. The bus strike, as mentioned in my first post, was a good start. But to go from 'this is boring, I want to move faster' to 'let's run a 10K!' leaves a lot of bridging to be desired.
I knew I was going to have to make a financial commitment, so I couldn't just say, "I don't have the equipment, it's not worth it," or, "I haven't paid for the race, so I'm not obligated." But now I am. I have good equipment and gear, and I have obligated myself to the race by paying $30. Sounds cheap, perhaps, but I want to get my $30 worth.
What gets me out the door? To be honest, thinking about the race. When I think that I do want to run these 10 kilometers, I remember that there's hard work involved. And I can do it. I've had a lot of shifting of personal beliefs in the past two years, and one of the biggest is reminiscent of Barack Obama's campaign phrase: Yes, I Can, combined with another phrase batted about on TV: I'm Worth It (Dove).
So now I've committed myself financially, and I've rethought my personal value, and I'm out the door. There's gotta be something to get me moving, and keep me moving. A lot of it my music. When I listen to it, I have fun. Some people are purists - listening to music ruins their concentration. Not me, man. It's the thing that keeps me from thinking about running (which is very dull for me - there's only so many steps I can count before I don't care anymore). When I'm listening to music while I run, I mouth the words, I do little dances at red lights, I have fun with it. I don't suggest trying to do the Time Warp, though (the start is fine, but the pelvic thrust is a bit hard). Music has always been a part of me, albeit shut away recently, and now that I can incorporate it into something dedicated in my life, I find it's coming back to me too.
Speaking of Motivation, Runners' World has a hilarious series of articles called the Newbie Chronicles, written by Marc Parent, a self-admitted over-weight, over-40 year-old father who has recently gotten in to the running scene. His latest article that I read in RW's February issue, is on what keeps him moving - action movie scenes in his head.
Frankly, reading any of Mr. Parent's articles motivate me, because I think they're hilarious - even if I wasn't into running, I would enjoy his humour. I highly suggest it for a laugh.
And finally, what gets me back out there? Visualizing the end of running 10 kilometers, and that feeling of amazement, of excitement and pat-on-the-back. At night, as I lay in bed trying to sleep, my brain keeps me up with visualizing the end of the run. I take part of my visuals from John Stanton's book, as he describes visualizing the race - ending strong, feeling in charge, and hopefully, very hungry! If I don't watch it, I might just get up at that point and go for a run! But the PJs aren't waterproof, and it's cold outside, so I tell myself, "Tomorrow, we're gonna have a great run."
Running with Yax
I promised myself I wasn't going to do this to my bank account for a few more weeks, but I have. And I don't regret it. I bought a new pair of running shoes.
The rule of thumb is that you should replace running shoes every 6 to 8 months, or every 1000 km.
My old shoes are about two years old now, and when I took them to the Running Room guy, he said that, while they'd be good for puttering or walking about in, they were not suitable for running. He then showed me the side of my shoe, down by the bottom, where some creases were showing. Apparently, there is foam, like an Aero bar, in there, and the creases indicate that the foam is no longer springing back as it should. How educational!
So I broke down and got a new pair of shoes. Lovely Brooks shoes, the first ones on that I tried, and they're so comfortable. I don't even need to put my Superfeet insoles in them!
I also got a pair of Yaktrax ice-grippers. My hesitation in buying them lay in whether they would grip the slush that coats the sidewalks as well as snow and ice, but the salesguy assured me it wouldn't be a problem.
I would like to take a moment to mention - the Running Room sales people, and so far all running-equipment salespeople, are priceless. I was asking all sorts of newbie questions: what's a clinic like? It's more than one lesson for $75? Do you have any coming up for the 10K? and the guy answered them all patiently and thoroughly. He also gave me times when he would be less busy, and thusly be more able to answer any more questions I had.
Then, equipped with these things (and a price around $200! yikes!), I got home and went out immediately for a run.
I layered up - old long-johns underneath my lined running pants on bottom, a skin layer, long-johns top, my hooded top, and my wind-breaker on top. I was toasty as a marshmallow, lemme tell ya, but not too toasty. For this weather, it was great! I was doing one minute walk, two minutes run, rinse and repeat, and I can really say I felt great doing it. A couple of times at the end of the runs, I felt like continuing, and a couple of times, I felt like a walk was necessary, but it felt great!
The Yaktrax were a good addition - while they didn't keep me from slipping on every surface, they did a good job with the slush. The one problem was when they got bogged up with snow. Stomping on my heel did the trick to loosen the snow.
Anyways, I have a guest coming over for dinner (a healthy baked salmon with wild rice and broccoli with a not-as-healthy cheese sauce), and I've got tons of cleaning to do.
Later, what motivates me, and others.
The rule of thumb is that you should replace running shoes every 6 to 8 months, or every 1000 km.
My old shoes are about two years old now, and when I took them to the Running Room guy, he said that, while they'd be good for puttering or walking about in, they were not suitable for running. He then showed me the side of my shoe, down by the bottom, where some creases were showing. Apparently, there is foam, like an Aero bar, in there, and the creases indicate that the foam is no longer springing back as it should. How educational!
So I broke down and got a new pair of shoes. Lovely Brooks shoes, the first ones on that I tried, and they're so comfortable. I don't even need to put my Superfeet insoles in them!
I also got a pair of Yaktrax ice-grippers. My hesitation in buying them lay in whether they would grip the slush that coats the sidewalks as well as snow and ice, but the salesguy assured me it wouldn't be a problem.
I would like to take a moment to mention - the Running Room sales people, and so far all running-equipment salespeople, are priceless. I was asking all sorts of newbie questions: what's a clinic like? It's more than one lesson for $75? Do you have any coming up for the 10K? and the guy answered them all patiently and thoroughly. He also gave me times when he would be less busy, and thusly be more able to answer any more questions I had.
Then, equipped with these things (and a price around $200! yikes!), I got home and went out immediately for a run.
I layered up - old long-johns underneath my lined running pants on bottom, a skin layer, long-johns top, my hooded top, and my wind-breaker on top. I was toasty as a marshmallow, lemme tell ya, but not too toasty. For this weather, it was great! I was doing one minute walk, two minutes run, rinse and repeat, and I can really say I felt great doing it. A couple of times at the end of the runs, I felt like continuing, and a couple of times, I felt like a walk was necessary, but it felt great!
The Yaktrax were a good addition - while they didn't keep me from slipping on every surface, they did a good job with the slush. The one problem was when they got bogged up with snow. Stomping on my heel did the trick to loosen the snow.
Anyways, I have a guest coming over for dinner (a healthy baked salmon with wild rice and broccoli with a not-as-healthy cheese sauce), and I've got tons of cleaning to do.
Later, what motivates me, and others.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
I Can Has Cold
As of this morning, I think I will have to acknowledge that I am getting a cold.
I can fight it and ignore the signs and pretend that everything will be okay, but there's more at stake than just my pride.
First, there's the running. So I'm not going to run today, but I will tomorrow.
Second, I am going to Trois-Rivières this weekend to see my sister, and I will have to run there.
So I'm going to take it easy and take short-cuts when I can - today, I'm getting a ride in to work. Maybe I'll get a ride home, too.
What Would John (Stanton) Do?
I can fight it and ignore the signs and pretend that everything will be okay, but there's more at stake than just my pride.
First, there's the running. So I'm not going to run today, but I will tomorrow.
Second, I am going to Trois-Rivières this weekend to see my sister, and I will have to run there.
So I'm going to take it easy and take short-cuts when I can - today, I'm getting a ride in to work. Maybe I'll get a ride home, too.
What Would John (Stanton) Do?
Monday, January 19, 2009
The First Run
I woke up this morning, and knew today would be the day. Today would be the first leg of my journey into jogging. And then I hit the snooze button.
When I did emerge from my warm cocoon of blankets and linens, I pondered how I would pull this off. I had to walk to work, so what would I do with my coat? What would I wear on the way to work? How would I get it home?
Fortunately, I'd thought about this. I decided to layer my heavy fall coat over my wind-repellent spring coat. At the end of the day, I would leave it at work, and bring my heavier coat in tomorrow, bringing both home that night.
Shirts were easy to fit into my back pack, and I wore my running pants under my work pants. I could fit my work outfit into my backpack on the way home.
In the end, everything worked out, but I have discovered my first hatred of running. Worse than the ache in my knee, worse than people in my way (though that was quite irritating), it's the slush. The slippy, slidy, uncertain footing of snow that's been ground in with salt, and the city hasn't had time to clean it yet. There are these things called Yaktrax that fit around your shoe to prevent slipping on ice - but what about mushy snow? There's also STABILicers, which have the same set-up, but they seem heavier-duty, like baseball cleats. However, with all the salt that's spread on Ottawa's streets, something that serious seems unnecessary.
Anyways, the run itself was interesting - I couldn't figure out how to get my stopwatch sorted out, so I ran according to my heart-beat. I would run until my heartbeat was way above the MHR, then walk until it had dropped to about 150 bpm. I think the continuous surpassing of 160 bpm is due to both lack of fitness and the slushy roads - keeping on my feet required a lot more effort than it should!
The weather was decently warm - when I left, it was -10C and the windchill was 'calm'. However, the snow - what a pain!
I'm not too happy with how I felt during the run - I needed to stretch out more, but after a while, the threat of seizing went away and it turned into a gentle tired feeling. I think with more practice, it will get better. I just really have to keep working on it.
Now, for my congratulatory dinner, I will be making a nice, hot curry.
When I did emerge from my warm cocoon of blankets and linens, I pondered how I would pull this off. I had to walk to work, so what would I do with my coat? What would I wear on the way to work? How would I get it home?
Fortunately, I'd thought about this. I decided to layer my heavy fall coat over my wind-repellent spring coat. At the end of the day, I would leave it at work, and bring my heavier coat in tomorrow, bringing both home that night.
Shirts were easy to fit into my back pack, and I wore my running pants under my work pants. I could fit my work outfit into my backpack on the way home.
In the end, everything worked out, but I have discovered my first hatred of running. Worse than the ache in my knee, worse than people in my way (though that was quite irritating), it's the slush. The slippy, slidy, uncertain footing of snow that's been ground in with salt, and the city hasn't had time to clean it yet. There are these things called Yaktrax that fit around your shoe to prevent slipping on ice - but what about mushy snow? There's also STABILicers, which have the same set-up, but they seem heavier-duty, like baseball cleats. However, with all the salt that's spread on Ottawa's streets, something that serious seems unnecessary.
Anyways, the run itself was interesting - I couldn't figure out how to get my stopwatch sorted out, so I ran according to my heart-beat. I would run until my heartbeat was way above the MHR, then walk until it had dropped to about 150 bpm. I think the continuous surpassing of 160 bpm is due to both lack of fitness and the slushy roads - keeping on my feet required a lot more effort than it should!
The weather was decently warm - when I left, it was -10C and the windchill was 'calm'. However, the snow - what a pain!
I'm not too happy with how I felt during the run - I needed to stretch out more, but after a while, the threat of seizing went away and it turned into a gentle tired feeling. I think with more practice, it will get better. I just really have to keep working on it.
Now, for my congratulatory dinner, I will be making a nice, hot curry.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Diet
When I think of diet, I usually slide into the 'lose weight fast! Call Jenny Craig' idea of diet - that I'm not going to be able to enjoy my usual foods. I have to get my mind out of that rut. Diet should mean eating smarter.
I eat a lot of pasta, red meat, potatoes, rice, and cheese. These are like the staples in my diet. I never really ate salad, growing up - leafy greens aren't prominent in my household's British cooking style.
But I'm trying to change that. Now, I am at least aware that cheese is pretty fattening, and to be enjoyed sparingly (a little treat after a long walk home), whole-wheat pasta is just as yummy as durum-wheat pasta, I can still eat red meat but trim the fat, and potatoes and rice... those are good.
What I've managed to accomplish since I moved here is to almost completely eliminate fast food from my diet, avoid most junk foods like chocolate bars and chips (though there's been a recent falling-off-that-wagon), and putting yohgurt on pancakes is a fun new way to eat my favourite breakfast food (which I haven't eaten much of in a long time anyways).
So I'll talk about diet pitfalls and so on too.
I eat a lot of pasta, red meat, potatoes, rice, and cheese. These are like the staples in my diet. I never really ate salad, growing up - leafy greens aren't prominent in my household's British cooking style.
But I'm trying to change that. Now, I am at least aware that cheese is pretty fattening, and to be enjoyed sparingly (a little treat after a long walk home), whole-wheat pasta is just as yummy as durum-wheat pasta, I can still eat red meat but trim the fat, and potatoes and rice... those are good.
What I've managed to accomplish since I moved here is to almost completely eliminate fast food from my diet, avoid most junk foods like chocolate bars and chips (though there's been a recent falling-off-that-wagon), and putting yohgurt on pancakes is a fun new way to eat my favourite breakfast food (which I haven't eaten much of in a long time anyways).
So I'll talk about diet pitfalls and so on too.
Friday, January 16, 2009
On Heart-Rate Monitors
So I figured if I'm going to do this, I may as well do it properly. So I got a heart-rate monitor (HRM).
Suddenly, what I've read in John Stanton's Running Room's Book on Running is making more sense. Maximum heart rate, target zone, fartlek - these words hold no menace for me anymore. Since heart rate seemed so important to training, and moreso to not exhausting myself, I figured I would look into a heart rate monitor.
Since I'm starting out, I rationalized I only need a very simple monitor - you can get them with bells, whistles, doodads and add-ons to make your head spin. Of course, the more doodads, the higher price. Also, I'm on a budget.
I was looking at the Acumen Eon Basix heartrate monitor, because it seemed like the most basic and least expensive of them. The review I read was pretty blasé - there are pluses, there are minuses - but it seemed to be generally what I wanted.
The book mentioned above describes Polar as the best monitor brand out there, however, so when I didn't see Acumen at the store, I wasn't too depressed. I ended up purchasing the F2 by Polar for $70 plus tax. However, the salesman was really adamant that I might just be wasting my money. Instead, he suggested the Garmin Forerunner, either the 205 or the 305. According to him, the heart rate is less important than the pace and speed.
I certainly can't disagree with something I don't know enough about. But I was also looking for a timer/stop watch, and I'm going on what I do know, which is that when I started running the first time (somewhere, an ex is chortling at the words 'first time'), we used a heart rate monitor, and it was fun.
Not to mention - the 205 comes in at a cool $199 and the 305 is $299 (suggested retail prices on Garmin's website). Since that totally blows my budget, I think for now, I will keep it to the basic monitor that I bought, until I have a better understanding of what I'm doing.
Suddenly, what I've read in John Stanton's Running Room's Book on Running is making more sense. Maximum heart rate, target zone, fartlek - these words hold no menace for me anymore. Since heart rate seemed so important to training, and moreso to not exhausting myself, I figured I would look into a heart rate monitor.
Since I'm starting out, I rationalized I only need a very simple monitor - you can get them with bells, whistles, doodads and add-ons to make your head spin. Of course, the more doodads, the higher price. Also, I'm on a budget.
I was looking at the Acumen Eon Basix heartrate monitor, because it seemed like the most basic and least expensive of them. The review I read was pretty blasé - there are pluses, there are minuses - but it seemed to be generally what I wanted.
The book mentioned above describes Polar as the best monitor brand out there, however, so when I didn't see Acumen at the store, I wasn't too depressed. I ended up purchasing the F2 by Polar for $70 plus tax. However, the salesman was really adamant that I might just be wasting my money. Instead, he suggested the Garmin Forerunner, either the 205 or the 305. According to him, the heart rate is less important than the pace and speed.
I certainly can't disagree with something I don't know enough about. But I was also looking for a timer/stop watch, and I'm going on what I do know, which is that when I started running the first time (somewhere, an ex is chortling at the words 'first time'), we used a heart rate monitor, and it was fun.
Not to mention - the 205 comes in at a cool $199 and the 305 is $299 (suggested retail prices on Garmin's website). Since that totally blows my budget, I think for now, I will keep it to the basic monitor that I bought, until I have a better understanding of what I'm doing.
Introduction
I've decided to start this blog as an encouragement to run. It's a bit nerve-wracking. I mean, I don't come from a family that runs, and I've never really enjoyed running for its own value.
You might be asking why the hell I'm doing this, then! A very good question.
The idea came to me as I was walking to work one day. This walk wasn't voluntary - the city's transit union is on strike, grinding the city to a relative halt. I, without car or carpool options, decided that walking 5.4 kilometres in winter wouldn't be so bad.
After doing that a few weeks, I was getting bored, so I thought it'd be a lovely way to get into running again.
I thought, however, that I needed some extra motivation - so I went and enrolled myself in the 10K run that will be happening on May 23, 2009.
So with all that, and with some extra gear for running in cold weather, I guess I'm ready.
Except for the weather, which turned even more unseasonably cold this week. I asked my friend who said that running in too-cold of weather can cause ice particles to form in the lungs. Since it's been -25C with a windchill taking it to -35C and lower, I've held off starting until next week. I think it would be detrimental, shocking my lungs like that.
That should get better by the end of this weekend, however, and next week should be much more exercise-inviting.
You might be asking why the hell I'm doing this, then! A very good question.
The idea came to me as I was walking to work one day. This walk wasn't voluntary - the city's transit union is on strike, grinding the city to a relative halt. I, without car or carpool options, decided that walking 5.4 kilometres in winter wouldn't be so bad.
After doing that a few weeks, I was getting bored, so I thought it'd be a lovely way to get into running again.
I thought, however, that I needed some extra motivation - so I went and enrolled myself in the 10K run that will be happening on May 23, 2009.
So with all that, and with some extra gear for running in cold weather, I guess I'm ready.
Except for the weather, which turned even more unseasonably cold this week. I asked my friend who said that running in too-cold of weather can cause ice particles to form in the lungs. Since it's been -25C with a windchill taking it to -35C and lower, I've held off starting until next week. I think it would be detrimental, shocking my lungs like that.
That should get better by the end of this weekend, however, and next week should be much more exercise-inviting.
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