This morning, on my way into work, I found myself in a fabulous mood. Awake, cheerful, excited to get busy at the office. I 100% attribute this to getting back on a schedule with running. And, by back on a schedule, I mean running at all...
I know that regular exercise makes me a happier person but I guess that I sometimes manage to blow that fact off. It's nice to already be feeling a mood improvement after just three weeks back on the trails. I'm hoping that I'll also start sleeping better soon. My energy level is definitely feeling higher too. YAY!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Week 2
Another week of very slowly easing back into running... otherwise known as still struggling with motivation and discipline:
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - 3 miles
Friday - rest
Saturday - rest
Sunday - 3.5 miles
This morning's run was particularly enjoyable. We ran the two park route which is so named because it goes through two parks and we let the pup go off leash in both of them. There were so few people out and she was being so good that she actually got to be off leash for nearly the entire way home!! We just leashed her up twice when passing other dogs. The air was cool and crisp... there was little traffic on the roads and paths. For whatever reason, we didn't really talk.
Since my backpack was stolen over the summer, I still haven't replaced my iPod. It was just a beautiful, peaceful and introspective run. My thoughts turned to the things I love about running and how strong I feel when I'm having a good run. I thought about how nice it is to have good running equipment. I thought about how lucky I am that I can just head out and RUN whenever I feel like it. I thought about how great it is to have the most perfect, mellow, loving puppy in the world as a running companion. I thought about how great a cup of coffee and hash with asparagus and red peppers was going to taste once I was home and showered. I probably thought about lots of other things too that I can't recall now but the point is that it was a perfect little run and I'm slowly finding the joy in running again... which is really all I wanted for Christmas anyway;).
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - 3 miles
Friday - rest
Saturday - rest
Sunday - 3.5 miles
This morning's run was particularly enjoyable. We ran the two park route which is so named because it goes through two parks and we let the pup go off leash in both of them. There were so few people out and she was being so good that she actually got to be off leash for nearly the entire way home!! We just leashed her up twice when passing other dogs. The air was cool and crisp... there was little traffic on the roads and paths. For whatever reason, we didn't really talk.
Since my backpack was stolen over the summer, I still haven't replaced my iPod. It was just a beautiful, peaceful and introspective run. My thoughts turned to the things I love about running and how strong I feel when I'm having a good run. I thought about how nice it is to have good running equipment. I thought about how lucky I am that I can just head out and RUN whenever I feel like it. I thought about how great it is to have the most perfect, mellow, loving puppy in the world as a running companion. I thought about how great a cup of coffee and hash with asparagus and red peppers was going to taste once I was home and showered. I probably thought about lots of other things too that I can't recall now but the point is that it was a perfect little run and I'm slowly finding the joy in running again... which is really all I wanted for Christmas anyway;).
Friday, December 23, 2011
Biggest Loser
I've been a huge fan of the Biggest Loser since the very first season. I love the idea of helping people learn proper nutrition and how to exercise. The people on the show are obviously on the extreme end of the health/weight spectrum. Although I consider myself to be reasonably fit and to generally eat right, I still find inspiration from watching the contestant's struggles and I do learn little tidbits from each season. But, I have to say, I do have one major issue with the show and that is how they portray the act of running a marathon.
First of all, that 26.2 mile course featured in the episode looked like the worst marathon course of all time. Totally flat, totally boring, loops in the desert. No cheering crowds, no variety of scenery and only a handful of participants. Sounds incredibly tedious and painful to me.
Second, these people all seemed to be wearing brand new gear. NO veteran runner of any distance would run their first marathon in new clothing. Heck, I will only break in new clothing on runs of less than five miles. New clothing often brings uncomfortable chaffing and blistering and is totally unrealistic in a long distance event.
Third, there appeared to be absolutely no aid, water or energy supplements consumed along the way. I saw only one brief glimpse of one contestant running with a water bottle. I fear that this gives a very false and glib impression that one can run a marathon without any hydration or electrolyte replacement. For those of you who have never run long distances, this is a sure way to become dehydrated, have a horrible racing experience filled with muscles cramps and, worst case, even suffer from serious health issues like heat stroke. I have run three marathons and each had an aid station roughly every mile. An aid station is more than just medical support - they are generally staffed with a dozen or more volunteers handing out water and a Gatorade product at a minimum. Some stations will also have easily digested snacks like gummy bears and popsicle sticks loaded with Vasoline.
There are so many more details that go into running a marathon but these are my three main 'beefs' with the Biggest Loser marathon. Their representation of the event as something where you put on some brand new running gear and run loops in the desert without any shade, water or Gu is ridiculously inaccurate. It could even be incredibly dangerous should someone decide that their glib portrayal is correct and attempt something similar themselves.
First of all, that 26.2 mile course featured in the episode looked like the worst marathon course of all time. Totally flat, totally boring, loops in the desert. No cheering crowds, no variety of scenery and only a handful of participants. Sounds incredibly tedious and painful to me.
Second, these people all seemed to be wearing brand new gear. NO veteran runner of any distance would run their first marathon in new clothing. Heck, I will only break in new clothing on runs of less than five miles. New clothing often brings uncomfortable chaffing and blistering and is totally unrealistic in a long distance event.
Third, there appeared to be absolutely no aid, water or energy supplements consumed along the way. I saw only one brief glimpse of one contestant running with a water bottle. I fear that this gives a very false and glib impression that one can run a marathon without any hydration or electrolyte replacement. For those of you who have never run long distances, this is a sure way to become dehydrated, have a horrible racing experience filled with muscles cramps and, worst case, even suffer from serious health issues like heat stroke. I have run three marathons and each had an aid station roughly every mile. An aid station is more than just medical support - they are generally staffed with a dozen or more volunteers handing out water and a Gatorade product at a minimum. Some stations will also have easily digested snacks like gummy bears and popsicle sticks loaded with Vasoline.
There are so many more details that go into running a marathon but these are my three main 'beefs' with the Biggest Loser marathon. Their representation of the event as something where you put on some brand new running gear and run loops in the desert without any shade, water or Gu is ridiculously inaccurate. It could even be incredibly dangerous should someone decide that their glib portrayal is correct and attempt something similar themselves.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Week 1
If last week was Week 1 in getting back into a regular-ish running routine, then this must be Week 2, right? Yesterday, Ty and Onya meet me at the end of my work day and we did one of my regular and beloved routes... I not sure how or why but I never get tired of my tried and true Waterfront routes. We ran an easy 3 miles and it felt great! Here's last week's results:
Monday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Tuesday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - rest
Friday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Saturday - rest
Sunday - rest
As you can see, I definitely did NOT overdue it;). Better to ease back into the routine...
Monday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Tuesday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - rest
Friday - 2 miles, 20 minutes yoga
Saturday - rest
Sunday - rest
As you can see, I definitely did NOT overdue it;). Better to ease back into the routine...
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
2012 Race Schedule
Yesterday, I mapped out a training plan for Joss and I to follow for the majority of 2012. If all goes according to plan, and it usually doesn't, we'll be running the Shamrock 15k, the Helvetia Half and the Portland Marathon!! I used an online calendar program to design a fun calendar with running pictures of us and filled in each day's workout based on Hal Higdon's Novice and Novice 2 plans for each event. I've used his plans in the past and I like them.
In the past, my workouts have generally been 90 to 100% running based and I've decided that I need more cross training in my life. So, through Shamrock, I'll just be running three days a week. I'll be biking two days a week and doing yoga on Mondays for the duration. Once we start training for Helvetia, I've upped the running to four days a week and reduced the biking to just one day.
Last night, I ran another nice two miler with Ty and Onya and then did a 20 minute yoga on-demand that was running geared. It's been way too long since I've run two days in a row and I have to admit that it felt amazing! My calves are pretty tight and sore today but in that good way that makes you feel alive. I think I'll try for another two miles tonight and then an on-demand ball workout (if such a thing exists).
In the past, my workouts have generally been 90 to 100% running based and I've decided that I need more cross training in my life. So, through Shamrock, I'll just be running three days a week. I'll be biking two days a week and doing yoga on Mondays for the duration. Once we start training for Helvetia, I've upped the running to four days a week and reduced the biking to just one day.
Last night, I ran another nice two miler with Ty and Onya and then did a 20 minute yoga on-demand that was running geared. It's been way too long since I've run two days in a row and I have to admit that it felt amazing! My calves are pretty tight and sore today but in that good way that makes you feel alive. I think I'll try for another two miles tonight and then an on-demand ball workout (if such a thing exists).
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Training...
Okay, I'm officially training again!! Six months off was simply too much and I've got to get my ass back in gear. The people in my family seem to have a very bad habit of dropping dead in their early 50's and I simply don't want that to happen to me.
Last night, I logged an easy two miles with Ty and Onya. Over the summer, my backpack was stolen... and I lost several of my most treasured running gadgets including my Garmin. I've yet to replace it so I'm currently running routes where I know the milage and not worrying about or tracking my time at all. It's actually kind of nice considering that I know that I've gotten super out of shape!
One of my goals for this week is to map out a training plan for Joss and I to follow as we train for Shamrock, Helvetia and, ultimately, the Portland Marathon;). 2012 will be a much more successful running year than 2011 has been!
Last night, I logged an easy two miles with Ty and Onya. Over the summer, my backpack was stolen... and I lost several of my most treasured running gadgets including my Garmin. I've yet to replace it so I'm currently running routes where I know the milage and not worrying about or tracking my time at all. It's actually kind of nice considering that I know that I've gotten super out of shape!
One of my goals for this week is to map out a training plan for Joss and I to follow as we train for Shamrock, Helvetia and, ultimately, the Portland Marathon;). 2012 will be a much more successful running year than 2011 has been!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
AAARRRRGGGGGG
This is going to be hard... but, after too long of a hiatus from running, it's time to get my ass back in gear. Feel free to join the journey as I resurrect this blog!
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