busy is good

Seattle Half 08 - Run 5 of 63

2008-08-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Distance: 2 mile speed
Time: 20:20
Course: Loop from home

I was supposed to do this run on Thursday, then yesterday, and wimped out both times because of the heat. Today, though, we spent the afternoon in an air-conditioned theatre watching Tropic Thunder and the first part of the evening in the air-conditioned bedroom watching the Olympic swimming and running. Paula Radcliffe finishing 23rd in the marathon, running basically on one leg after a horrible three months leading up to the Olympics? Yeah, time for me to suck it up and do my measly two 1-mile intervals.

We warmed up with a 1-mile jog, and then started at the corner of the block for the first interval. I tried to be steady all the way through, and truthfully was waiting the entire time to just completely lose it. The plan says 2 one-mile intervals at a 10:43 pace; I did the first mile in 10:04, on a slight downhill. Recovery was a half-mile walk/jog over to the next block, and then we started the second mile interval. By this time I was really afraid that I wouldn't even make it to the halfway point, but somehow at the quarter-mile point, I felt myself start to get into a good glide and rhythm. I ran the first half-mile at a 10:49 pace, and then bumped it, going uphill even, to finish the second half-mile at a 10:32 pace.

I need to keep doing speed intervals, because they give me solid evidence that I can, in fact, go significantly faster than my usual 12:00 pace, and over a decent distance as well. Evidence means confidence. This was fun!

Seattle Half 08 - Run 4 of 63

2008-08-13T22:23:00.001-07:00

Distance: 2 mile easy
Time: 25:00
Course: Loop from home

So, morning running. UGH. 2 miles felt like forever, but I have to admit, it felt pretty good the rest of the day to know that I'd already gotten my run in. CM thinks that doing this short run every Tuesday (or Wednesday, as the schedule permits) in the morning is a good idea.

What would an athlete do? Embrace the morning run, right? Ugh. We'll see how it goes.

Seattle Half 08 - Run 3 of 63

2008-08-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Distance: 5.86 mile long
Time: 1:16
Course: Loop from home

When I'm being coached, I do whatever the coach says to do, but left to my own devices, I tend to shy away from pain, or even the possibility of pain. I'm not afraid of pain itself; I think it's more that I don't trust myself to know where the line is between pushing hard into the zone where you break down and improve your muscles, and the redline zone where you just break down. I'm terrified of hurting myself, and that's keeping me from trying harder.

I guess it comes down to not wanting to take a risk. But I'm pumped up now from watching two days of Olympics coverage, and I'm thinking that I probably know enough about my body now to start bumping up the intensity in an intelligent manner.

Today's run was listed as a 6-mile long run at a 13:00 minute pace. I went out a little too fast for the warmup, managed the big hill at about a 14:00 minute pace, and walked twice to ease off some persistent numbness on the ball of my left foot. According to the Garmin, my pace wavered quite a bit between 11:30 and 13:30. I wonder if part of that is because when I run with CM, he tends to change up the pace so that his legs don't fall into the same slow rhythm.

I concentrated on going easy, which for me means barely noticeable breathing. Today felt good.

The upcoming week looks like this: 2 miles easy on Tuesday, 5 miles speed on Thursday, and 6 miles long on Sunday. FOCUS, DISCIPLINE, ATTITUDE.

Seattle Half 08 - Run 2 of 63

2008-08-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Distance: 3 mile tempo
Time: 34:45
Course: Loop from home

We did a one-mile warmup, and then did a 3-mile tempo run at an average pace of 11:35 per mile.

I tend to use any excuse that I can to slow down: my shoulders ache, my back hurts, I'm starting to breathe hard, et cetera ad infinitum. So today I focused on RPE, and keeping myself honest. For the most part, I don't think I pushed hard enough. My mind was telling me this was a hard run, but I kept checking the state of my breathing (medium tending to medium-hard near the end) and my legs (not tired at all, just slow) and an honest assessment of my physical state says that I could have pushed it more without going into the red zone.

I'm not disappointed; on the contrary, it was a lovely misty morning and I had a great time. But I know I have a lot to work on, mentally even more than physically, and that's going to be a big challenge going forward.

Seattle Half 08 - Run 1 of 63

2008-08-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

Distance: 2 miles easy
Time: 24 minutes
Course: Treadmill

I had a super long day and it's been hot for the past few days, so instead of jinxing the start of the training plan, I opted to get my easy run done on the treadmill. Easy peasy. I can't express how much I love an air-conditioned gym. I'm a wimp.

No, wait, no negative self-talk! That's my focus this time around--eliminating the internal criticism. The mental aspect of training is definitely much more challenging for me than the physical workout, so for the next four months my touchstone words are FOCUS, DISCIPLINE, ATTITUDE.

Last run before real training begins

2008-08-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Distance: 6 km
Time: 44:57
Course: Loop from home

I got a Garmin Forerunner 305 as a first anniversary present, and I've gone for just a few runs with it so far. I love that it tells me everything I want to know about my run: pace, distance, heart rate, elevation, temperature. I hate that it tells me everything that I fear: that I run really really slow, that I've lied to myself in the past about how far a run actually was, that my heart rate likes to sit in the 160s no matter how slow I am. I think Garmie and I are going to have an interesting relationship.

Today's run was nothing special. I had the Shuffle with me, so I went out way too fast and ended up having to take a few walk breaks in the second half, which killed my overall pace. On the plus side, it's nice to know that a 6 km run is not a scary proposition at all.

This week I have three runs: a 2 mile easy run tomorrow, a 5 mile tempo run on Thursday, and a 6 mile long run on Sunday.

Goal #4 - Seattle Half-Marathon, November 30

2008-08-04T16:15:00.001-07:00

I didn't mean to take a blogging break, but as the days counted down to the May half-marathon, I was less and less inclined to record every detail of every run. I think I just got tired, what with everything else going on in my life. In any case, I did complete the half, but just barely. I totally ran out of juice at the 10-mile mark, and walked a good part of the final 5K.

So I've registered for the Seattle Half, and as I did last time, I've counted out the number of runs remaining to the race. 63 this time!

I probably ran about 50 of the 67 runs that I had planned out last time, so my goal this time around is to hit every one of the 63 I have planned for Seattle. I know that if I complete all of the training, the race itself will not be a problem. I've had some difficulty in the past two months hitting any kind of consistency with my runs. Now that I have a solid goal and the training plan in place, I have no excuses.

Run 35 of 67: 4 miles tempo

2008-03-07T21:06:00.000-08:00

Distance: 6 km
Time: 44:00
Course: Loop from home

The first half of the run was all nervous energy. I went out way too fast, but I really needed to burn off the extra static. I ran out of juice about three quarters of the way through, but it's a nice feeling to know that a 5K run is no longer a big deal to me. Looking forward to Sunday's long run!

Run 34 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-03-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 24:00
Course: Loop from YWCA

Back out on the Seawall! This was barely a warmup, but felt really nice, and was greatly needed. My nerves are completely shot this week.

Run 33 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-03-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

Distance: 4.72 km
Time: 35:49
Course: Loop from home

Another crappy-feeling run. Let rest week be over, please!

Run 32 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-02-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 23:40
Course: Treadmill

I can't say it was fun, but it was over before I got too bored to keep moving. I've made arrangements with KV to run Thursday's 5K outside, so that one should be better. This is an easy week, and next week I run another 7 miles long. I'm actually looking forward to it!

Run 31 of 67: 7 miles long

2008-02-24T21:52:00.001-08:00

Distance: 7 miles
Time: 1:25:00
Course: Loop from home

This is officially the longest distance I have ever run. Woo!

It always takes about 20 minutes to feel fully warmed up, and there were a few stretches where the running was effortless. I experimented with lengthening my stride a bit, and ran the sixth mile in about 11 minutes. Mostly I tried to concentrate on keeping my torso centered and relaxed, with a minimum of side to side movement. The big hill was easier than last week; I'm starting to use my big hams and quads rather than the calves to push up the hill, and it's making a difference in the level of effort.

I was a little apprehensive about this run, and I'm glad it turned out so well. The upcoming week is an easy one, and then the following week there is a 6 mile tempo run and another 7-mile long run. It's time to start experimenting with run nutrition.

Run 30 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-02-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 23:00
Course: Loop from home

It's been an odd week. I got about two hours of sleep on Monday night, and dragged through Tuesday, leaving work early and having an early evening nap. I completely forgot that I was supposed to run that day. That hasn't happened in awhile.

Today I left work early again, and decided to run from home. I've just been exhausted all week, and was thinking that I would do the missed Tuesday run today, and then do the tempo run tomorrow.

Edited to add: Nope, no Friday tempo run. Just too frickin' tired.

I hadn't eaten anything since lunch, and was feeling pretty sorry for myself when I headed out. Suck it up, buttercup. It's barely more than 20 minutes of running. I had no jam while running, but since things have gotten to the point that a 2-mile run is a warmup, I just slapped myself a little bit and cranked this one out.

Run 29 of 67: 6 miles long

2008-02-17T14:32:00.001-08:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:15:00
Course: Loop from home

Rather than the usual late-afternoon run, we left at 11 AM to try a different time. I know that doing the weekend long run in the morning makes sense for a few reasons: most races are in the morning, you get the run out of the way and can spend the rest of your day doing whatever, etc.

I should have eaten oatmeal or cereal instead of a ham and cheese sandwich, I think, although the caffeine in the accompanying coffee probably helped a bit. I made it up the massive hill without stopping, and in fact ran the entire distance without having to resort to a walk. I lost steam, though, in the last two miles, and made it through the final mile at barely more than a geriatric jog.

And now I feel really, really tired. I'm supposed to spend the rest of the day studying, but my leg muscles are already stiffening up as I sit at this desk. I suspect I will be spending the next few nights trying to catch up. Ugh.

Run 28 of 67: 5 miles speed

2008-02-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 55:00
Course: Loop from YWCA

Note to self: go for a run even if you feel tired and your eyes hurt from looking at spreadsheets all day. You're tired BECAUSE you've been looking at spreadsheets all day, dumbass. Sheesh.

Yep, I had to have some pep talked into me before I made it to the gym, but once I was out on the Seawall, no problem. The workout was:

1 mile warmup
2 x 1 mile hard in 11:15 w 800 m jog between
1 mile cooldown

11:15? Pfft. Try 10:00. OH YEAH. For both, even!

Run 27 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-02-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 24:00
Course: Treadmill

Met up with KV and did an easy treadmill run to get the blood moving. Completely forgot to up the pace on the machine, and watched the start of a Harlequin Presents movie while my legs went into auto mode. I can hardly call this a workout anymore!

Run 26 of 67: 6 miles long

2008-02-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 1:11:00
Course: Loop from home

It's been a good day! Got my midterm assignment done two days ahead of deadline, finished off another chapter of required readings, and, oh yeah, ran 6 miles!

The run started out downhill, and I concentrated on moving my feet and keeping my torso properly centered. The first 3 kilometres went by really quickly. Then there's a long uphill pretty much exactly between the 3 km and 4 km marks, and wow, that was a slog. I did make it all the way up the hill before having to walk to get my breathing back under control. The remaining 6 km was practically a cake walk, I tell you.

The highlight of the run was the solid 10-minute mile on the rolling flat between the 4 and 5 mile marks. Awesome. I felt like I could have gone for at least another mile at that pace, but we slowed down for the last bit as a gentle wind-down. I think today's run has been the best one so far.

Run 25 of 67: 5 miles tempo

2008-02-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 57:00
Course: Loop from YWCA

Wow, that was hard. My first tempo run was described as a 1 mile warmup, 3 mile tempo run at 11:55, and a 1 mile cooldown. The mile warmup went by very quickly, and then I started the 3 mile tempo run. I think I did pretty well, despite having forgotten to bring a watch. For the first half, I concentrated on leaning forward a bit and kicking my heel to the back a little more quickly. I got a bit of a cramp near the mile mark, but figured that since my breathing and legs were fine, I would be able to gut it out at least until the turnaround point. I definitely lost steam in the second half, and had to walk twice to get back to the starting point.

I surprised myself with my ability to run at a significantly faster pace than my easy runs, for an extended period of time. I'm getting used to the feeling of running being uncomfortable without being exhausting, if that makes any sense.

Run 24 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-02-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 19:00
Course: Elliptical machine

Oh, elliptical machine, how you LIE LIE LIE to me. As if I went the equivalent of 2 miles in 19 minutes while barely getting my heart rate above 160. I'm not quite sure how to properly discount this figure, but I'm not going to record it in my log as anything other than the usual.

The New Year's resolution crowd is still jamming up the treadmills in the evenings, so I had to make do with an alternate machine tonight. Anything is better than nothing, though. I was miserable all day, completely stressed out and freaking slightly about the volume of studying I still have to get through this month. I feel much better now.

Run 23 of 67: 5 miles easy

2008-02-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 1:15:00
Course: Loop from home

I knew this good vibrations streak was too good to last. My fatal mistake was to change the start of the usual route, and begin the warmup with a couple of hills. My lower calves were aching pretty quickly, and I never managed to find a groove. I was starting to feel pretty sorry for myself before the 2 km mark. We stopped and walked between the 4 km and 5 km marks, and then again somewhere around the 7 km mark. Miserable.

Run 22 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-01-31T15:39:00.000-08:00

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 36:00
Course: Treadmill

Technically this run occurred on Feb 1, but I'm booking it as Jan 31 because it was meant to be a January run, and only due to circumstances beyond my control was it deferred by a day. (I am excellent at self-justification.)

I felt fully warmed up at the 2 mile mark, and the last mile was a nice groove. Difficult breathing is no longer an issue on these shorter runs, and the time seems to go by relatively quickly.

Run 21 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 23:30
Course: Treadmill

It snowed yesterday! I'm timid, so I stayed home and didn't get in my usual Tuesday treadmill run. Luckily the weather has turned wet so I made it to work without any problems this morning.

I bumped the speed to 5.1 mph, which made a 30 second difference in my usual 2 miel time. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't the jaunt that it usually is. Boggling to believe that a 30-second reduction in time over 2 miles requires that much more effort!

Run 20 of 67: Steveston Icebreaker 8K

2008-01-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

Distance: 8 km
Time: 59:00
Course: Steveston Icebreaker

Some kind soul went out at 7 this morning to salt down the race route. How awesome is that? It was pretty slippery out on the path and the boardwalk, but the gravel route was fine. I hit the 4 km mark at 29:15, and finished the race in exactly 59 minutes. Not a scorcher of a time, by any means, but I ran steadily and without any difficulty with breathing or my legs. My back ached a bit, though, so I took a couple of 10-second walk breaks in the first half of the run, and then concentrated on leaning forward and trying to achieve a midfoot landing. I picked it up for the last 500 metres or so, and had a decent finish.

We cleaned up at the draw prizes: CM picked up a sweet Timex Ironman Triathlon watch, and I got an Adidas technical shirt in a men's large, which fits CM very well, For a $28 entry fee, he's seeing a 500% return on investment. Nice!

So the mini-plan for the next three weeks is this: bump the speed on the Tuesday treadmill runs by 0.1 mph each time, so that I get comfortable running at 5.3 rather than 5.0 mph on my easy runs.

Fashion corner!

2008-01-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

It started snowing this afternoon while we were at MEC. A sign, perhaps?

I originally went in with the intention of finding a decent pair of windbreaker pants. Happily this pair of Breeze pants are only slightly too long, and will wear very nicely over a pair of running tights:

Then I found the coordinating Breeze jacket, on sale and in a lovely, flattering shade of pink:

One of my main objections to running in inclement weather is that my hands get too cold, but I don't like sweaty palms either. Solution: windproof, wicking gloves:

And to protect my ears:

In conclusion, unless I "forget" to do laundry, I now have no gear-related excuse not to go out for a run.

Run 19 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-01-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 36:00
Course: Treadmill

Luckily I did manage my 3-mile run on the treadmill today, as there is a fortuitous dearth of people who work out on Friday afternoons. However, I have to go shopping this weekend for outdoor running gear. From now on, two of my three runs each week will have to be outside to accommodate the increasing distance and time--can't reliably do more than 30 minutes on the gym treadmills--and all I have are yoga pants and a super light pair of running capris that are just not sufficient for the current cold snap.

I continue to faithfully follow my schedule of easy runs, and don't start the runs officially designated "tempo" and "long" until the second week of February.

Run 18 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 24:00
Course: Treadmill

The Tuesday easy runs are getting easier. I feel pretty comfortably warmed up by the end of the run, and it's over before I can start mentally beating myself up. I'm looking forward to my 3 mile run on Thursday; I'm going to plan to do it outside on the Seawall.

Run 17 of 67: 4 miles easy

2008-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Distance: 6.6 km
Time: 48 minutes
Course: Loop from home

Today has been an uncomfortable sort of day--one of the cats did its business in CM's office, a behaviour that has never manifested itself before and which is worrying in the extreme. I changed a few things, and I know they've been stressed out because of repairs in the basement that require people to come in and invade their space. Hopefully things will straighten out, but I've been on edge all day. We watched the last part of the first football game, and then decided it was time to get out there before it got too cold and dark.

Hooeeee, it is WINDY out there! The first 2 km were uncomfortable, and running into the wind sucks. I couldn't find a decent pace until the 3 km point, but started to feel better once we were out of the east-west wind corridor. Between the 4 and 5 km points is a gradual hill that used to just destroy me, but today we took it quite easily, and the final mile or so were also fine. I know there was a helpful tailwind there for awhile, but I'll take what I can get.

I'm past the point where I dread runs, but I haven't quite gotten to the point where I'll go out on my own without prompting. Good thing I have a running partner!

Run 16 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-01-18T21:37:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2.6 miles
Time: 30 minutes
Course: Treadmill

I forgot that the treadmills at my downtown gym are set to stop after 30 minutes, so I nearly fell off the machine when it automatically slowed down to a walking pace and dropped the incline to zero. Looks like I'll have to map some outside routes from the gym to get my Thursday runs done.

Run 15 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-16T19:54:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 24 minutes
Course: Treadmill

Had to shift things one day over to accommodate some work scheduling. I barely paid attention during today's run! Heart rate was moderate, breathing was barely noticeable, and my legs just did their thing while I contemplated a muted Japanese cartoon on the TV monitor mounted on my treadmill. The epitome of easy!

Run 14 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:00

Distance: 5 km
Time: 35 minutes
Course: Loop from home

Started out a bit too fast, I think, but that's what happens when you're cooped up all day with nothing to do but procrastinate. I really need to see about getting this run in before noon; it's killing my productivity to put it off until the afternoon.

The run itself was fine. The slight uphill at the midpoint of the run is no longer daunting, but I still struggle with remembering that getting to the stoplight at the bottom of the hill is not actually the end of the run, that there's another 400 metres to go from that point. I fixate on the light, and then find the last few hundred metres to be really mentally difficult.

I've had to ban potato chips completely from my diet; the word "moderation" just does not exist in the same room as me when I'm confronted with the divine delectability that is a full-sized bag of Original Lay's. Dinner tonight will be homemade pizza, and then I'm starting a 12-day cleanse tomorrow: no dairy, fermented foods or flour products.

Run 13 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

I stayed home today to stave off a flu attack, but I was feeling pretty antsy by the end of the day so we went to the gym. Finally! Today is the first day in a long time that I can actually say that the run really was easy. I hopped on the treadmill and bounced out 2 miles at 5 mph while watching "The Biggest Loser Australia." It is super packed at the gym in January and February, so I was lucky to grab a treadmill right away.

I love the feeling of clarity that inevitably comes with the end of a workout. No matter how crappy the day has been, and no matter, really, how well or badly the workout goes, whether it's endorphins or just that sense of having accomplished something on an otherwise difficult day, getting some exercise is always better than getting none. Why do I keep forgetting this?

Run 12 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 22:30
Course: treadmill

I mixed it up a bit, starting out at 5 mph, bumping to 5.3 mph and 5.6 mph after about 5 minutes each, and ending at 5.3 mph. I like the 2 mile run because it's over fast. :)

Inspiration: Haile Gebrselassie

2008-01-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

It is absolutely entrancing, watching this man run.

Run 11 of 67: 3 miles easy

2008-01-06T16:56:00.000-08:00

Third run of the year, third run outside. We ran a 5K loop from the house in about 38 minutes. The loop ends on a hill, which probably explains why I feel a little nauseous right now. There were two stoplight breaks at approximately the 1 mile and 4 km points, but other than that I ran the whole way through. I do find it's a lot easier to run the whole way when there's someone else there; you don't want to slow other people down unnecessarily.

I've decided to adjust the schedule so that I don't go more than a day without a workout. I was feeling pretty antsy yesterday and could have benefited from burning some energy. Starting next week, I've dropped in a 30-minute light weights workout on Saturday mornings.

Body observations: my calves have regained their definition, and my hips are looking a lot less, um, hippy.

Run 10 of 67: 30 minutes

2008-01-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

Second run of the year, second run outside. I really need to pick up some cheap acrylic gloves; I don't mind the cold anywhere so much as in my fingers.

I started out slowly, but just couldn't seem to get the pace down to something comfortable, and had to take two short walk breaks as a result. Still, I managed 4K in 27 minutes. Now I'm looking forward to the weekend 5K!

Run 9 of 67: 2 miles easy

2008-01-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

It was my first run outside since the infamous falling-down-while-waiting-at-the-stoplight incident in September, and boy was it COLD for the first kilometre or so. I've turned into such a wimp.

We ran up the hill to the house, which is a little over a quarter of a mile from the corner where the map said we should stop, so we did about 2.3 miles overall. I don't have an exact time, as neither of us thought to wear watches for this one, but I would say we were under 30 minutes.

Tomorrow we go back to work, and the true test of the training schedule begins. January ends with an 8K event on the 27th. I've got 13 runs scheduled this month. I've decided to institute monthly rewards for myself for hitting 100% of my runs. For January, the prize is a set of running socks. I aim high!

To cap the year: some words from Lance

2007-12-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

Run 8 of 67: 30 minutes

2007-12-30T21:29:00.000-08:00

I hit the local Sport Mart a few days ago and dropped some cash on new workout clothes, to replace the ones I've had for the past, um, three years: 3 Adidas workout bras, 2 Nike running tanks, 1 Adidas running shirt, 2 pairs of shorts and 1 pair of running capris. I'm a little ashamed to admit that having cute new clothes is a motivator, but there it is: I'm shallow. :P The shirt and tanks are a little more form-fitting than I was expecting, so I'll be saving those for next month, when I'm feeling a little more confident.

Got a stitch about partway through and had to walk for a minute, but other than that, 30 minutes at an easy 5 mph nets me a total of 2.5 miles. I watched The Sound of Music while I ran on the treadmill, but was listening to my Shuffle workout mix. Julie Andrews lip-synching to Christina Aguilera's Dirrrty. Hee.

Run 7 of 67: 25 minutes

2007-12-28T20:20:00.000-08:00

Interval run, with some decent one-minute intervals. Things are starting to feel runner-y again.

5 - 3 mph warmup walk
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6.5 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6.5 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7.5 mph hard
3 - 3 mph cooldown walk

Run 6 of 67: 25 minutes

2007-12-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

I'm finally starting to feel the holiday rest kick in. It's been a tough year!

5 - 3mph warmup walk
22 - 5 mph run
3 - 5.3 mph run
3 - 3 mph cooldown walk

At about 20 minutes, I felt like I was fully warmed up and ready to hit a groove. I should probably have bumped the speed a little sooner, but this was a "long" run so I'm not too fussed about it.

I don't have anything interesting to say about the running at this point, really. I've done this ramp-up so many times and I'm frustrated that I keep letting my fitness slip back to this beginner level.

Run 5 of 67: 20 minutes

2007-12-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

Slept in until 11, ate bacon and eggs for brunch and snacked on chips all day. It doesn't make for a pretty run, let me tell you. I had to walk in between the last two intervals:

5 - 3 mph warmup walk
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6.5 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7.5 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
2 - 3 mph cooldown walk

I did have a good dinner of rice and roasted asparagus and zucchini afterwards, but now I'm drinking a mini-can of Coke. One step forward...

Run 4 of 67: 20 minutes

2007-12-19T15:22:00.000-08:00

The first run of the week is an easy run, but 20 minutes of straight easy running is pretty boring. It's more bearable to do hard/easy intervals, but apparently my body knows what's good for it--it refused to go any faster after three intervals, and I just settled in for the rest of the jog. Stick to the program!

5 - 3 mph warmup walk
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6.5 mph hard
10 - 5 mph easy
5 - 3 mph cooldown walk

Run 3 of 67: 20 minutes

2007-12-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

The schedule skews a bit this week because of holiday-related activities. The Tuesday and Thursday runs will instead be on Wednesday and Friday.

Today was the weekend "long" run, an easy 20 minutes at 5 mph on the treadmill at the downtown Y. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and quickly looked away. Ugh. My form has gone all to hell.

Run 2 of 67: 15 minutes

2007-12-14T23:25:00.001-08:00

Hit the treadmill at the local Y after work. 15 minutes of running goes by fast when you have a sweet little Shuffle pounding out Pussycat Dolls and the Dixie Chicks in rotation.

5 - 3 mph warmup walk
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
8 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 3 mph cooldown walk

It was unpleasant, but mercifully over before I really had time to brood about it.

Run 1 of 67: 15 minutes!

2007-12-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Instead of talking myself into a funk about how it sucks to have to start at 15 minutes again, I decided to do intervals. I LOVE intervals, because the time goes by quickly, and I don't give myself enough brain space to think about how crappy my running is. Today's super fast treadmill run went like this:

5 - 3 mph warmup walk
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 6.5 mph hard
2 - 5 mph easy
1 - 7 mph hard
2 - 3 mph cooldown walk

See how I kicked it up to 7 mph at the end? Yeah, baby.

The plan!

2007-12-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

The plan has been developed with a projected half-marathon finish time of 2:30, and my stretch goal is 2:20. From today to May 4, I have 67 runs to complete.

I'm giving myself to the end of December to get back up to a comfortable 5K, and official half-marathon training begins the second week of January. These are the main points:

1. With the exception of one 4-mile run, Tuesdays are all easy 2-mile runs.

2. Thursdays are a mix of easy, tempo and speed runs, the longest of which is 8 miles, but most are around the 4-5 mile range.

3. In March and April, there are 5 Friday runs, all 2-mile easy jobs, likely meant as active recovery for the Thursday runs and to keep my legs fresh for the Sunday runs.

4. The long run is scheduled for Sunday.

This week, I have three runs scheduled, by time only: 15 minutes each on Tuesday and Thursday, and 20 minutes on Sunday.

Argh, okay, restart

2007-12-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

Work = nuts =/ November half-marathon

But! As of this morning, I am registrant #5625 for the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon, which the website conveniently notes is 153 days from today.

!!!

I have an exam this week, so I won't be committing to a training schedule until the second week of December. Next weekend I'll be working out a training plan and posting it here.

September 2007: D5/21

2007-09-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

10:00 AM
5K run

Today we ran the Terry Fox Run! Turns out our local version only had a 1K and 5K run, instead of the 10K I had been expecting. Oh well. I haven't run since last weekend, so 5K was enough for me. It was a little drizzly, which is perfect for running, and I never really got into a groove, but I did run the entire distances instead of wimping out partway for a walk break. Go peer pressure!

Why, you ask, did I not get my runs in last week? Well, let me enlighten and amaze. We did go out on Tuesday night, and I was feeling pretty good after the first mile, until I rolled my right ankle and fell at a stoplight. Yep, caught my toe on a manhole cover and collapsed in on myself like an imploded building. Ugh. I have a horrible great scrape on my left knee, and my right ankle was swollen for three days. It still aches a bit, but was okay enough for the run this morning.

I feel like such a pansy ass, and I'm starting to accept that I likely won't be running the whole 21 kilometres of the half-marathon in November, given my immensely inconsistent training to date.

September 2007: D4/21

2007-09-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

7:15 PM
7.5K run

We won't even talk about pace. Or the fact that I missed my 5K run on Thursday, so I was feeling a little apprehensive about this one. What I will say is that my breathing was fine throughout, my feet felt a little heavy at times, and mostly I tried to concentrate on my posture and maintaining a consistent speed. I did a 20:1 run/walk, and stopped two times for additional 30-second walk breaks, mostly to get my head back into the right space.

The purpose of this run was to build distance. After completing it, I'm feeling a lot more confident about being able to build a little bit of speed on my shorter runs.

I remember what it felt like when I first started running a few years ago, and how a 40 or 50-minute run would wipe me out for the next day. I feel pretty good right now after having thoroughly stretched.

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NUTRITION
--------------------

8:00 AM - grilled salmon, steamed carrots and broccoli, steamed nugget potatoes
1:00 PM - california roll, chicken teriyaki, veggie tempura
9:30 PM - beef and broccoli stirfry over brown rice

September 2007: rest day #1

2007-09-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

rest day!

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------

7:15 PM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1/2 soy milk
9:00 PM - 1 cup coffee
12:00 PM - 1 cup fried rice, 1/2 cup green beans in black bean sauce, 1/3 cup sesame chicken
6:30 PM - Big Mac, fries, bottled water

Yeah, yeah, no one shoved the Big Mac down my throat. It's still CM's fault.

September 2007: D3/21

2007-09-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

8:15 PM - 2 mile run

A lovely twilight run at an acceptable 17 degrees Celsius. ~~I mapped out a run that was exactly 2 miles, and we ran about 3K of it.~~ (Apparently I am incapable of reading a map. I checked my route today and it's actually 4K, of which we ran about 3.8K. No wonder I'm not allowed to drive when we go anywhere.) I had to stop at about the 2K point to stretch my calf, but after that CM paced me for about ~~800~~ 600 metres at a pretty brisk pace. It was awesome! I was running, not plodding. My legs felt good, my posture was easy, and my breathing was barely difficult. CM says that next time he's going to push me to the end, rather than letting me ease off the last few metres. Bring it on!

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------

7:15 AM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup soy milk
9:00 AM - 1 cup coffee
11:00 AM - 1 banana
12:30 PM - grilled pork chop, 1 cup asparagus
3:30 PM - 1 cup chopped tomatoes and cucumbers
5:00 PM - 1 slice banana bread
7:30 PM - 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 grilled salmon
9:00 PM - 1/2 grilled salmon, steamed carrots and broccoli

September 2007: D2/21

2007-09-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Note #34563 to self re life skills: put running shoes in gym bag before going to gym. They don't let you work out in flip-flops. Yes, that brilliant move cost me half an hour of driving back home to retrieve my shoes, which were sitting right beside the entryway, in plain view of my apparently blind self. All of this, and I still manage to get myself to work and pretend to be a normally-functioning human being 95% of the time. The mind boggles.

--------------------
WORKOUT
--------------------

7:00 PM
weights workout
dumbbell press 3x15 @ 15/15/20 lbs
1 arm cable row/lunge 3x12 @ 17/17/22 lbs
iron cross 3x12 @ 5 lbs
overhead cable pull 3x12 @ 22 lbs
bicep curl 3x15 @ 15 lbs

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------

10:00 AM - pork and veggie curry over white rice, 1 cup coffee
2:00 PM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup soy milk
5:30 PM - 2/3 cup bean salad
8:30 PM - stirfried garlic asparagus, tomato/cucumber/feta salad, grilled pork chop

September 2007: D1/21

2007-09-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

3:00 PM
4 mile run

The loop was about 6K, but I took a few walk breaks, more for the mental pause than anything else, I think. My legs and breathing were fine, and I don't feel drained like I usually do after a "long" run.

When I run from the house, my loop goes clockwise and the end of the run features a 200 metre hill climb--our house is at the top of a hill. I bitch and moan about it, but one of the things that makes a run feel so satisfying is when I've got enough energy left to jam it up that tiny piece of incline. Today I did!

So, while I haven't run for the past two weeks, I'm still on schedule with my training, distance-wise. I just can't afford to miss the 2 and 3 mile runs scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. So...I won't.

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NUTRITION
--------------------

12:00 PM - sourdough toast, hashbrowns, egg, sausages
4:00 PM - apple slices with peanut butter, 1/3 ham and cheese sandwich
7:30 PM - Japanese pork and veggie curry over white rice

August 2007: roundup and assessment

2007-08-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

Two notes to self

1. Schedule in flex time so that the unscheduled stuff has its own place in the timetable, rather than taking up workout time.

2. Bring enough to eat at work during the day. Crashing on the couch with a bag of chips at 7 PM does not contribute to healthy living!

The rest of August

The last two weeks of August were, alas, a bust. I started a new job on Monday the 20th, and got overwhelmed by all of the stuff you normally get overwhelmed by in the first week of a new job, and the second week was just as intense.

We did manage a trip to Tofino on the weekend of the 25th, and I took in my first surfing lesson. I still don't have enough core strength to pull myself upright on the board. I managed to get to my knees easily enough after the first few tries, but that's as far as it went. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours in the afternoon, but I think I'll stick with running for now.

Overall impressions of August

I'm not going to make excuses. A little bit of willpower and I could have stuck it through, but I wimped out and fell back into easy, lazy habits. I lost sight of my motto, BUSY IS GOOD, and fell into BUSY IS REASON TO EAT JUNK FOOD AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ALLEGEDLY CRAPPY STATE OF MY ACTUALLY EXCELLENT LIFE.

It's frustrating to think that I let myself miss out on the cumulative benefits of 10 workouts this month. Brooding, however, is wasted energy. I think I'll give myself a C grade for this month, and look to significant improvement in September

August 2007: D11/23

2007-08-20T22:05:00.001-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

8:00 PM
2 mile run

Finally got to the run that I was supposed to do on Saturday. Ugh. The good news is that I've sped up a significant amount, even in just the last three runs. The bad news, well, there isn't any, really, except that this is not something I can bag on. I've got another 2 mile run tomorrow and Thursday, and then 5K on Saturday for the first time in ages.

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------

7:15 AM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup soy milk
11:00 AM - 1/4 chicken quesadilla, 2 cups coffee
3:00 PM - pork and eggplant over brown rice
7:00 PM - whole wheat penne w spaghetti sauce and fat free cottage cheese
9:30 PM - 1/2 cup carrot-orange-ginger soup

Still no greens. ARGH. I even have bagged baby spinach in the fridge! Maybe I should shove a double handful into a veggie frittata tomorrow night.

August 2007: rest day 4

2007-08-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

Oops, run got bumped again. There was a whole big thing with my mom's computer needing to be tweaked (stupid Vista, you know) and then returning CM's trailer rental and just a whole bunch of life stuff that pretty much derailed everything that I had planned for the day.

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------
9:00 AM - whole wheat toast, 2 eggs, bacon, coffee mmmmm
1:30 PM - pork and eggplant over brown rice
3:30 PM - chicken quesadilla and onion rings
7:30 PM - Japanese veggie and beef curry over white rice

August 2007: D10/23

2007-08-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

Today is supposed to be a run day, but I had my second weights session with the trainer today, so I've bumped the run to tomorrow.

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WORKOUT
--------------------

10:00 AM
weights session with trainer

I did my second hour-long session with the Y trainer today, and I'm glad that's done. These two sessions came with the gym package, and while I'm sure trainer boy is a perfectly nice guy, I've been thoroughly spoiled by my two years of personal training at the fancy downtown studio. I've come to peace with the idea that it's worth the bags of cash they smilingly take from me to be properly monitored and professionally assessed on a semi-annual basis. I think I'm good for the next few months to the half-marathon, but after that, I'm going to check in again.

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NUTRITION
--------------------

9:30 AM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup strawberries, 2/3 cup soy milk
12:00 PM - 1 cup steamed baby carrots, baba ganoush for dipping
1:30 PM - 1 slice pizza
7:00 PM - eggplant and pork over brown rice

Okay, so the pizza wasn't exactly half-marathon-training-approved (HMTA!), but it was the third day and the very last slice and CM isn't here and you can't eat pizza after the third day, that's gross. So in the dual interests of economy and hygiene, yes, I ate it.

I also made an enormous pot of carrot-ginger soup. The recipe called for 4 cups of chicken broth, and I only had one, so I used some (a LOT of) chardonnay to top things up. The important thing is, go veggies! It's cooling right now, and I'm told it freezes well. Taste test tomorrow!

August 2007: D9/23

2007-08-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have a bug bite on the arch of my left foot, courtesy of the tragic combination of Crescent Beach and slip-on sandals. I keep putting itch relief lotion on, but it lasts for like 15 minutes and then the itch returns. ARGH.

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WORKOUT
--------------------

10:00 PM
bodyweight core workout

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NUTRITION
--------------------

7:45 AM - bacon and egg McMuffin, hashbrown, coffee
12:00 PM - brown rice
2:00 PM - popcorn
6:00 PM - turkey club sandwich
11:30 PM - perogies

Honestly, even when I keep track, if I'm on vacation, I can't help but eat crap food. At this point, it's not so big a deal, but I can't be doing this when I'm running more than 10K in a session!

August 2007: D8/23

2007-08-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

8:30 PM
2 mile run

The run felt several times better than Tuesday's run, thank goodness. The trick, as always, is to pretty much crawl for the first few minutes, nearly for the entire first mile, and then I'm warmed up and trucking by about a mile and a half. Obviously at this point that only gives me about 800 metres at my actual pace, but this is good prep for race day. I'll know to either warm up with a jog before the race starts, or to just take it super easy for the first mile.

I've got three more sessions at this distance, and then I start bumping up the distance and/or speed for the Thursday and Saturday runs. I'll start wearing a watch again too, once I get past 5K.

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------

4:30 AM - 2 slices pizza
8:30 AM - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 cup coffee
11:30 AM - 2 slices pizza
2:00 PM - 2 cups popcorn
5:30 PM - beef noodles
9:30 PM - veggie stirfry over brown rice

Whoa. Way heavy on the carbs, very little protein, and negligible veggies. This is what happens when I spend the day at home reading and tormenting the cat.

August 2007: rest day 3

2007-08-15T22:54:00.002-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

Rest day!

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NUTRITION
--------------------

7:00 AM - ham, spinach and cheese omelette, 2 slices bacon, 2 cups coffee
11:00 AM - smoked salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, edamame
3:30 PM - 2 cups white cheddar popcorn
7:00 PM - 3 slices pizza
9:00 PM - white chocolate strawberry gelato

Not a good day, meal-wise. Note to self: indulge on an 80/20 basis, not 20/80!

August 2007: D7/23

2007-08-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm booking our hotel reservation for the half-marathon tonight so that I don't chicken out midway through training! Eek!

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WORKOUT
--------------------
7:30 PM
2 mile slooooow run

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NUTRITION
--------------------
7:00 AM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup soy milk
9:30 AM - 1/2 cup canned corn, 1 cup baked beans
12:00 PM - edamame, spicy tuna roll, smoked salmon roll
2:30 PM - 1/2 cup canned corn, 1 cup baked beans
6:00 PM - 1 cup spinach salad, 1 cup Smartfoods white cheddar popcorn
9:00 PM - perogies mmmmm

August 2007: D6/23

2007-08-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

So, a few months ago I bought two pairs of running shoes on sale. Saucony Grid, my favourite stability shoe, one pair with light pink stripes, the other pair with dark pink stripes. I keep one pair in my gym bag at work, and one pair on the shoe rack at home.

I think we all know where I'm going with this.

This afternoon I happened to be doing one-arm dumbbell rows, and happened to look down at my feet. I'm a runner; do I never look at my own feet? Apparently not. Yes, on my left foot I had light pink stripes, and on my right, dark pink. Good lord. You know I've been running around for the past four months with mismatched shoes like a fashion-challenged three-year-old. I am an idiot.

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WORKOUT
--------------------
1:00 PM
5-min dynamic warmup
dumbbell press, 3x12, 20 lbs
one-arm dumbbell row, 3x12, 20 lbs
lat pulldown, 3x12, 45 lbs (wuss!)
upright row, 3x12, 40 lbs
stability ball leg curl, 3x10
side plank 2x20 seconds

Felt a little sluggish and weak at the gym, although that might just be due to increased reps.

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NUTRITION
--------------------

7:00 AM - 1 cup Kashi cereal, 1 cup soy milk
9:30 AM - 1 cup strawberries
11:00 AM - chicken and veggie peanut stirfry w brown rice
2:00 PM - 2 oz salmon w 1/2 cup canned corn
6:00 PM - 1 cup Smartfoods white cheddar popcorn (95 cal)
6:30 PM - beef noodles
7:30 PM - 6" seafood sub (oops)

Well, I started out okay! Stupid lack of dinner planning...

August 2007: rest day 2

2007-08-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

Not a bad first week back. I hit the gym 5 out of 7 days, firmed up some running goals, and made some decent steps toward cleaning up my diet. I've been a productive girl this evening and already have my lunchbag packed for tomorrow!

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WORKOUT
--------------------

Rest day!

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NUTRITION
--------------------

10:00 AM - sourdough toast, fried eggs, 2 cups coffee
3:00 PM - peanut stirfry w brown rice
6:00 PM - baked salmon, spinach salad w strawberries, feta and avocado, 3/4 cup soy milk

I might have had some sour cream and onion chips in there. Might.

August 2007: D5/23

2007-08-11T21:00:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

A very productive session with the trainer today. We discussed my plans for the half-marathon, and how I needed to tweak my weights program. My revised weekly program looks like this:

MON - weights - core and light lower body
TUE - run
WED - weights - core and upper body
THU - run
FRI - rest
SAT - long run
SUN - rest

I'm cutting out a lower body/back weights session and all interval sessions, since the running will take care of leg conditioning and my overall goal is now distance, not speed, Reps will increase to 12, and weights will decrease to a maintenance level. In late October I move up to 4 runs a week (eek!) which will reduce my weights workout to one weekly core and upper body session.

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NUTRITION
--------------------

8:30 AM - ham and cheese sandwich, 1 cup coffee
1:00 PM - egg, sourdough toast, hashbrowns, 2 sausages
5:00 PM - 1 cup Kashi cereal w 1/2 cup soy milk
7:30 PM - chicken, prawn and green veggie stirfry w brown basmati rice

August 2007: rest day 1

2007-08-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------

Unplanned rest day! I moved my personal training session up to Saturday morning, and I had an assignment due for my information systems course, so I took a break today. Alas, this had, um, unintended effects on my meals for the day...

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NUTRITION
--------------------

7:15 AM - 1/2 cup eggplant and pork, 1/2 cup white rice
8:30 AM - 2 cups coffee
10:00 AM - 1 pkg Oreo thin crisps (100 cal)
12:00 PM - 1/2 cup fried rice, 1/2 cup garlic pork, 1/4 cup sesame chicken
3:00 PM - 1/4 cup calamari
7:00 PM - Big Mac and fries mmmmmmmmmmm

August 2007: D4/23

2007-08-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

SLIGHT change of plans. My intrepid workout partner, KV, who has been mostly sidelined this past year due to a knee injury, is back in action and wants to do the Seattle Half-Marathon on November 25. !!! I can do it, but it requires a tweak or two to the program. Serendipitously, I'm seeing a personal trainer next week as part of the intro package at my new gym, and this is exactly the kind of thing on which I can get some useful feedback.

--------------------
WORKOUT
--------------------
6:30 PM
TT Weights Workout
A1) DB squat 3x8 @ 25 lbs/30 lbs/30 lbs
A2) Stability ball ab crunch 3x15
B1) DB reverse lunge 3x8 @ 30 lbs/30 lbs/ 25 lbs
B2) DB row 3x8 @ 15 lbs/20 lbs/20 lbs
C1) Back extension on stability ball 3x10
C2) Side plank 3x20 seconds

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NUTRITION
--------------------
8:45 AM - WW bagel w light cream cheese, 2 cups coffee
1:00 PM - 1/2 cup minestrone soup, 1 cup salad greens w chicken and avocado
4:30 PM - 2/3 cup eggplant and pork over 2/3 cup white rice
8:00 PM - ham and cheese sandwich, 1 cup soy milk

August 2007: D3/23

2007-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

It was a close one today; we got home within 10 minutes of each other, and we forced ourselves out the door before apathy set in. My interval session went reasonably well. I could have pushed it quite a bit more, I think, but experience says it's better to ease into things for the first few days.

--------------------
WORKOUT
--------------------
6:45 PM
Treadmill intervals
2-min warmup @ 3.5
3-min warmup @ 5.0
30 s hard @ 7.0/90 s easy @ 4.5
30 s hard @ 7.0/90 s easy @ 4.5
30 s hard @ 7.0/90 s easy @ 4.5
30 s hard @ 7.5/90 s easy @ 4.5
30 s hard @ 8.0/90 s easy @ 4.5
30 s hard @ 8.5
5-min walk @ 3.5

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NUTRITION
--------------------
7:15 AM - 1/2 cup white rice
11:00 AM - tuna with Ritz crackers
12:30 PM - Lean Cuisine chicken teriyaki bowl, 1/2 cup baked beans
3:30 PM - 1 obscenely large peach
4:30 PM - 1 cup strawberries
8:30 PM - 3/4 cup eggplant and ground pork, 3/4 cup white rice

August 2007: D2/23

2007-08-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

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WORKOUT
--------------------
2:00 PM
TT Weights Workout
A1) DB split squat 3x8 @ 20 lbs
A2) DB incline press 3x8 @ 20 lbs
B1) Stability ball leg curl 3x15
B2) Pushup 3x15
C1) Stability ball jacknife 3x10
C2) DB rear delt raise 3x10 @ 8 lbs/8 lbs/5 lbs

So, when I said I wasn't going to obsess over meal plans, you knew I couldn't actually stick to that, right? I just can't help it; I find that it's extremely positive feedback to review what I've been eating over the past few days so that I stay motivated to avoid the sour cream and onion chips in favour of a brown rice cake topped with soy cheese melted over salsa (ok, that sounds kind of gross, but is actually pretty good).

--------------------
NUTRITION
--------------------
7:00 AM - 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup FF plain yogurt, 2 cups coffee
9:45 AM - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 oz raisins
12:00 PM - 1/2 cup canned corn, 1/2 cup white rice, 2 oz steak
3:15 PM - 3/4 cup blueberries
4:00 PM - 1/2 cup canned corn, 1/4 cup white rice, 2 oz steak
7:30 PM - 4 chicken wings, 4 mini Swedish meatballs, the last of the wedding cake!

August 2007: D1/23

2007-08-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

There are 23 workout days left in August, so that's how I'm going to keep track. (Don't mind my anal-retentiveness; it's not catching.) If I manage to hit every one of them, I'll...buy myself an iPod? (no, wait, got one) Heart rate monitor? (no, cheaper to get the battery replaced in my old one) Cute workout shorts! Oh, let's not kid ourselves; I buy cute workout shorts at any opportunity. Um, so I guess I'll just have to settle for the satisfaction of having a green bar on every workout day in my Google Calendar, and this is actually a very satisfying reward, because I am a GIANT NERD.

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WORKOUT
--------------------
4:00 pm
30 min run

CM and I just joined a YMCA near our house, and I already have a membership with a YWCA near work, so now I REALLY have no excuse ever to miss a workout. I did a 10 min warmup jog on the rooftop track (tiny, but useful) and CM mentioned that my warmup is now faster than what my regular run pace used to be. Woohoo! Apparently I've been doing something right. The other 20 min was a pretty gentle 2 run/2 walk on the treadmill. Nothing too taxing for my first time out in three weeks, since tomorrow is a more intense weights/intervals session.

August Goals: 45 min run, 5 lb loss, increase in speed

2007-08-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

I think I've put my finger on it: when I have a concrete short-term goal, I find it a lot easier to keep it top of mind than when I make some six- or nine-month commitment where halfway through I've lost all of my enthusiasm for it and there's still a zillion months to go before it's met. So from now on, I'm not committing to any fitness-related goals beyond a three-month window. Which means I won't be talking about that February half-marathon (you know, this one) until at least November.

But I will be talking about this run! 9.5 km around the Seawall (which should have reopened by then) on October 28, and my personal challenge is to complete it in under 60 minutes. It would be nice to graduate in speed from Slowest Human Ever to possibly Slightly Faster Than Turtle. To accomplish this, of course, requires two things: lose some of the padding around my waist, and a strong emphasis on speed intervals. For August, I'll be following the Turbulence Training for Fat Loss program, combined with 3 run sessions per week. A typical week will look like this:

MON - TT weights session with treadmill interval workout
TUE - 30 min run
WED - TT weight session
THU - 30 min run
FRI - TT weight session with treadmill interval workout
SAT - 35-45 min run
SUN - rest day

Instead of obsessing over meal plan choices, which is my usual MO, I'm going to focus instead on getting the workouts done, no matter what, and keeping the fridge full of veggies, fruit and whole grains. The protein part of a meal generally takes care of itself, and good nutrition choices come much more easily to me when I'm working out regularly.

Because today is a holiday, I can't get to the gym. I'll just switch around my weight and run sessions for this first week. First run is later this afternoon!