So after much thought, I am moving my morning runs to Tuesday and Thursday and doing cross-training Monday and Wednesday. I plan to do my long runs on Saturday, and after this weekend I feel that running three days a week is good enough for now. My shins were aching a little this morning (and I was sore all over from putting the swing set together yesterday), and I don't want to injure myself by running more than my legs can handle.
So this morning was a bike ride. That's it. I do feel better about the HM. I know I can do it, but I keep getting stupid time goals stuck in my head. I mean, I would love to run it in 2:30 or less, but I have to be realistic. I don't know why I let myself get so caught up in that stuff!
OK, gotta shower for school. Have a great day, everyone!
Today's stats:
Bike:
Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 7.05 miles
Monday, April 7, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
We spent five hours today...
...putting this together for the kidlets:
Pretty cool, huh?
Thanks to my parents and Matty's upcoming birthday, the kids have a new play structure for our yard. We've never had one before, and it's so nice! Tim and I spent about five hours putting it together today. Then the kids played on it until about 6 p.m. They LOVED it!
I am all worn out now, but I think I might attempt a short bike ride tonight after the kids are in bed. Just to get the soreness out of my legs from yesterday. I have a morning recovery run set for tomorrow morning, so we'll see.
I will leave you with the cutest picture of all time:
Back to add my stats. :-)
Today's stats:
Bike:
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 20:48
Pretty cool, huh?
Thanks to my parents and Matty's upcoming birthday, the kids have a new play structure for our yard. We've never had one before, and it's so nice! Tim and I spent about five hours putting it together today. Then the kids played on it until about 6 p.m. They LOVED it!
I am all worn out now, but I think I might attempt a short bike ride tonight after the kids are in bed. Just to get the soreness out of my legs from yesterday. I have a morning recovery run set for tomorrow morning, so we'll see.
I will leave you with the cutest picture of all time:
Back to add my stats. :-)
Today's stats:
Bike:
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 20:48
Saturday, April 5, 2008
My run didn't turn out like I thought it would
It actually turned out BETTER than I thought!
Today was supposed to be eight miles. The weather is OK (slightly overcast) and pretty warm for this area. I got up at 8:30 to get ready, since I knew I would need to eat before I left. There's no way I could tackle a long run without eating something!
So I had a bowl of raisin bran-type cereal and some water. Packed up my fuel belt. Surfed the Internet for a few minutes while I digested. Hit the bathroom and read the newspaper. Got dressed. Finally, at 10 a.m., I was ready to go. Yeah, I'm slow like that.
I am trying (*trying* being the key word) to run slower and pace myself so I can run the entire HM distance. If I have to walk at some point, so be it, but I would like to minimize my walking time, since I don't take walk breaks during my regular runs. It was a pretty good run, although I started bonking around 6.5 miles. I did take a GU at 5.5 miles, but I don't think I ate enough this morning and I started to feel it. But I pushed on through and around 7.5 miles I started getting my second wind.
By the time I hit eight miles, I realized I was still 1.5 miles from home. Why am I so bad at planning out my runs? Well, there's only one thing to do: keep running. So I ended up running 9.05 miles (walked the last .50 as my cool-down) and everything was kosher.
So yay for me!
Today's stats:
Run:
Distance: 9.05 miles (farthest to date!)
Time: 1:42:06 (cool! A PR!! My old PR for 9 miles was 1:43 even back in February)
Pace: 11:17 minute/mile
Today was supposed to be eight miles. The weather is OK (slightly overcast) and pretty warm for this area. I got up at 8:30 to get ready, since I knew I would need to eat before I left. There's no way I could tackle a long run without eating something!
So I had a bowl of raisin bran-type cereal and some water. Packed up my fuel belt. Surfed the Internet for a few minutes while I digested. Hit the bathroom and read the newspaper. Got dressed. Finally, at 10 a.m., I was ready to go. Yeah, I'm slow like that.
I am trying (*trying* being the key word) to run slower and pace myself so I can run the entire HM distance. If I have to walk at some point, so be it, but I would like to minimize my walking time, since I don't take walk breaks during my regular runs. It was a pretty good run, although I started bonking around 6.5 miles. I did take a GU at 5.5 miles, but I don't think I ate enough this morning and I started to feel it. But I pushed on through and around 7.5 miles I started getting my second wind.
By the time I hit eight miles, I realized I was still 1.5 miles from home. Why am I so bad at planning out my runs? Well, there's only one thing to do: keep running. So I ended up running 9.05 miles (walked the last .50 as my cool-down) and everything was kosher.
So yay for me!
Today's stats:
Run:
Distance: 9.05 miles (farthest to date!)
Time: 1:42:06 (cool! A PR!! My old PR for 9 miles was 1:43 even back in February)
Pace: 11:17 minute/mile
Friday, April 4, 2008
I have a new page element...
...at the bottom of my page.
Since I am finally feeling serious about this weight loss thing, I have put a ticker at the VERY bottom of the page to keep track of my progress. In the past week, I have lost three pounds! I know that is a lot for a week, but I think my body is so tired of keeping this extra weight on that the healthier eating, along with my workouts, are making my body wake up and shed the weight.
I must admit, the way I have eaten since Thanksgiving has not helped! I ate junk for months, and pretty much ate chocolate every day for the month leading up to Easter. Now I know that working out means nothing if you don't eat better. I mean I still worked out, yet I gained back about 20 of the 25 pounds I had lost. Yikes!!! Not good, and kinda embarrassing.
It just sucks because there was a time, when I was in my early 20s (years ago) that I could eat what I wanted, work out and not gain weight. Those days are LONG gone. Sad but true. Now with this new outlook on everything, I think I can keep myself from falling back into those bad habits. I know I will never get the weight off if I don't stay focused. Not saying that I won't allow myself a piece of chocolate once in a while, but not every night, and not a whole bag worth!!
No stats for today. It's a rest day. Tomorrow is when I am doing my long run (eight miles). Woo hoo!!!
Since I am finally feeling serious about this weight loss thing, I have put a ticker at the VERY bottom of the page to keep track of my progress. In the past week, I have lost three pounds! I know that is a lot for a week, but I think my body is so tired of keeping this extra weight on that the healthier eating, along with my workouts, are making my body wake up and shed the weight.
I must admit, the way I have eaten since Thanksgiving has not helped! I ate junk for months, and pretty much ate chocolate every day for the month leading up to Easter. Now I know that working out means nothing if you don't eat better. I mean I still worked out, yet I gained back about 20 of the 25 pounds I had lost. Yikes!!! Not good, and kinda embarrassing.
It just sucks because there was a time, when I was in my early 20s (years ago) that I could eat what I wanted, work out and not gain weight. Those days are LONG gone. Sad but true. Now with this new outlook on everything, I think I can keep myself from falling back into those bad habits. I know I will never get the weight off if I don't stay focused. Not saying that I won't allow myself a piece of chocolate once in a while, but not every night, and not a whole bag worth!!
No stats for today. It's a rest day. Tomorrow is when I am doing my long run (eight miles). Woo hoo!!!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Ow, my head
I woke up today with a raging headache. So I wasn't interested in springing out of bed early to work out. I had to get up several times last night to comfort crying children, so I was tired anyway. Therefore, I didn't work out until now, since Matty is taking his afternoon nap. Worked out well anyway and I still got done before dinnertime, so no harm done.
Kara helped me pass the time as I peddled on the stationary bike. She is a princess today (like almost every day), so she was showing off her princess charms by twirling in circles, Curtsying, stacking 20 headbands on her head at once (OK, it was only five, but still...) and referring to me as "Queen." I finally told her she could call me Mom again after she spent three minutes calling "Queen!" to me, only to have me ignore her because I didn't recognize my new moniker. She's still calling me Queen, though.
Every day that creeps by I get more and more scared about the half marathon. Of course, I am excited also. But I am scared that only doing one long run a week will hurt me. I am probably just being paranoid about it and everything will be fine. After all, it's not like I'm some world-class athlete who HAS to perform well and run fast. Thank goodness. My main goal is to finish, and if I have a strong finish time, then great!
I'm already seeing some results from my new routine of working out more and eating better. For one, I have more energy. And I have lost a pound since Sunday. I know, I should weigh myself once a week and probably not more often, but I just wanted to see if anything was happening, so I weighed myself last night. I'm hoping to shed eight pounds by my HM, so if I can lose two pounds a week I will be set. :-)
That's all for now. I have to shower and fold laundry (ugh, I wish I had a maid).
Today's stats:
Bike:
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 39:15
Kara helped me pass the time as I peddled on the stationary bike. She is a princess today (like almost every day), so she was showing off her princess charms by twirling in circles, Curtsying, stacking 20 headbands on her head at once (OK, it was only five, but still...) and referring to me as "Queen." I finally told her she could call me Mom again after she spent three minutes calling "Queen!" to me, only to have me ignore her because I didn't recognize my new moniker. She's still calling me Queen, though.
Every day that creeps by I get more and more scared about the half marathon. Of course, I am excited also. But I am scared that only doing one long run a week will hurt me. I am probably just being paranoid about it and everything will be fine. After all, it's not like I'm some world-class athlete who HAS to perform well and run fast. Thank goodness. My main goal is to finish, and if I have a strong finish time, then great!
I'm already seeing some results from my new routine of working out more and eating better. For one, I have more energy. And I have lost a pound since Sunday. I know, I should weigh myself once a week and probably not more often, but I just wanted to see if anything was happening, so I weighed myself last night. I'm hoping to shed eight pounds by my HM, so if I can lose two pounds a week I will be set. :-)
That's all for now. I have to shower and fold laundry (ugh, I wish I had a maid).
Today's stats:
Bike:
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 39:15
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Getting used to this morning thing
I woke up at 6:20 this morning to tackle my third morning workout this week. I must admit it's nice to get up early and get it done. Tim and I went to bed really early last night (10:30, which is incredibly early for us night owls), but I'm glad I did because I actually felt awake when the alarm went off.
There was more frost this morning, but it didn't seem as cold as it was on Monday. I warmed up on the stationary bike before heading out, so I was able to start running as soon as I left my driveway. The cold air made me feel like I had been punched in the gut, but after about a quarter mile that sensation eased up.
I must say I have seen more people out running/walking/cycling early in the morning the past few days than I ever did when I was out at dinnertime. Guess they all have the right idea after all. Honestly, a week ago I would not have been sold on the morning workout idea. I have always thought the mornings were just not for me and that staying up super-late was what I was born to do. But right now I feel like maybe I was a bit misguided and that mornings can be good too, if you get enough sleep the night before. I don't know if this morning kick will last (I hope it will), but for now I am enjoying it.
I've decided to take only one day a week off for now, and that will be a weekend day. Of course, this doesn't include sick days, but I hope the worst of the sick season is behind us because I don't want to miss any more workout days. I am down to crunch time now for this HM and I need all the training I can get!
Today's stats:
Run:
Distance: 3.3 miles
Time: 35:28
Pace: 10:44 minute/mile
There was more frost this morning, but it didn't seem as cold as it was on Monday. I warmed up on the stationary bike before heading out, so I was able to start running as soon as I left my driveway. The cold air made me feel like I had been punched in the gut, but after about a quarter mile that sensation eased up.
I must say I have seen more people out running/walking/cycling early in the morning the past few days than I ever did when I was out at dinnertime. Guess they all have the right idea after all. Honestly, a week ago I would not have been sold on the morning workout idea. I have always thought the mornings were just not for me and that staying up super-late was what I was born to do. But right now I feel like maybe I was a bit misguided and that mornings can be good too, if you get enough sleep the night before. I don't know if this morning kick will last (I hope it will), but for now I am enjoying it.
I've decided to take only one day a week off for now, and that will be a weekend day. Of course, this doesn't include sick days, but I hope the worst of the sick season is behind us because I don't want to miss any more workout days. I am down to crunch time now for this HM and I need all the training I can get!
Today's stats:
Run:
Distance: 3.3 miles
Time: 35:28
Pace: 10:44 minute/mile
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Another morning workout -- DONE!
I didn't wake up quite as early this morning as I wanted to, but I still got my workout done. Today was a stationary bike ride and resistance/strength training. For some reason, it was much harder to wake up early today. I'm hoping that after a week or so, it will be easier to get up. Now that I'm done, I feel totally awake! And that's a good thing, since I'm babysitting today and the little guy will be here in a few minutes.
I am also working on eating better again. I got seriously sidetracked by Christmas and Easter. I have this wicked sweet tooth that I need to curb, and all the candy and sweets available that time of year came back to bite me in the butt. But I am determined this time to get that under control! Yesterday was my first day of eating healthy and it felt really good!
Today's stats:
Bike:
Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 7.18 miles
Resistance training:
overhead pull, crunches, squats, biceps, triceps and seated row: 10 reps X 2 sets
I am also working on eating better again. I got seriously sidetracked by Christmas and Easter. I have this wicked sweet tooth that I need to curb, and all the candy and sweets available that time of year came back to bite me in the butt. But I am determined this time to get that under control! Yesterday was my first day of eating healthy and it felt really good!
Today's stats:
Bike:
Time: 30 minutes
Distance: 7.18 miles
Resistance training:
overhead pull, crunches, squats, biceps, triceps and seated row: 10 reps X 2 sets
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