The Weekend is here and Setting Goals

Why do the short work weeks always feel like they are twice as long as they are?...

Other than clearly not getting enough sleep lately (4 or 5 hours is just not cutting it!) and missing the gym twice, it has actually been a pretty good week and looking back it appears as though I made the most of the three workouts that I was able to get in.

10/13 - (recapped) skipped gym due to knee issues and a tender back
10/14 - barely got in 4 hours of sleep due to staying up to watch that awesome Browns game (seriously, who the hell was that team out there in our uniforms playing? and clearly that could not have really really been DA -- maybe Quinn was trying out his Halloween costume?...lets just hope they bring it again this week). Anywho... with little sleep in the system, no energy and a little crabby I headed to the gym. Put in 4 miles on the treadmill and felt 100% better and cheerier when done.
10/15 - got a whopping 5 hours of sleep and had a kick-butt session with trainer-Steve. I was completely exhausted when my hour was up but managed to get in 3.6 miles on the treadmill.
10/16 - skipped gym, another night of sleep deprivation but somehow managed to get in 5 hours and just not enough energy to hit the gym for a workout or a run.
10/17 - just 4 hours of sleep, went and watched G play hockey and didn't get home until 11pm, then took me a whole hour+ to fall asleep. Managed to wake up energized though and headed to the gym -- treadmill - 5.27 miles!

Okay, so this is sorta big for me here. Since the month of October has started I have been toying around with starting to set more goals with my running. Currently my goal is something like, "...just get your butt up in the morning and try to pretend you are a runner". But the thing is, I don't think I want to keep pretending, I think I really want to be a real runner. A couple weeks back my friend G and I were talking about running and how much he hates it and how he thinks of me as a "runner"...I liked the way that sounded and felt. So, I have been toying with this idea of setting more concrete goals. I was looking at what I've done so far for the month of October:

week ending 10/04 - 14.65 miles for the week
week ending 10/11 - 12.79 miles for the week
week ending 10/18 - 12.87 miles for the week so far...

This morning trainer-Steve told me that he has the time from 6-7am open tomorrow and asked if I wanted to come in and run with him, granted it's more treadmill work but again I really think it's helping me to understand what pacing feels like and to know where my heart rate is and all that jazz. SO, I am heading to the gym to run with Steve at 6am tomorrow and then having my training session with him at 8am. If it's a good day I am hoping to put in another 5 miles (again...i am slow...it takes me about an hour to crank out 5 miles) which would put me at 17.87 miles for the week -- this would be the most miles ever for me... like as in first time EVER in the 41 years I have been on this earth. And here's the accountant in me coming out maybe, I am sort of wanting to round that off to an even 20, I mean that'd only be another 2.13 miles right?... Hmmmm.... that would mean 7.13 miles, ok today's 5 miles is only the 2nd time I've ever run that far, I am just not sure I am going to pull out the extra and then still be able to move to get through my training session (lol)... Ok, so I will plan for the 5 miles tomorrow (fingers and toes crossed -- well maybe just fingers, it'd be tough to run with the toes crossed) and then just sort of see what happens...

Ok, well, it appears as though I have just set a minor goal.

Now to think about a mileage goal for next week...
"hmmmm, how many miles..." it looks like I've given myself something to think about on my run tomorrow.

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!!

Getting Caught Up and Finally Becoming a "Cool Kid"...

Ok, let me start with the last thing first -- I am now the proud owner of an iPhone! And for someone who knows nothing about computers (more about that later) and does not adapt well to changes (my old phone was only 2 years old, and was only the 2nd (or maybe 3rd) cell phone I have owned in about 8-9 years) this is just the COOLEST thing in the world. Ok, well maybe I am just a big dweeb and need to get a real life.

Whatever!

Anyway, now that I have a cool iPhone, I will have no excuses for not updating my blog...unless of course if it is because I am doing something with my iPhone!

Now, in my defense for not updating for more than two weeks, ok well it's not really a valid defense plan...I accidentally clicked on some pop-up and flooded my computer with crap, and messages saying I'd done terrible awful things to my computer and if I'd just click some more I could download programs for mere $$$ to fix the problems I caused by clicking in the first place.... aaaaggghhh... so I immediately shut everything down and did what needed to be done, I texted G and told him in a panic that I thought I'd totally screwed up my computer. THANKFULLY G is a great, awesome, terrific, patient and just my bestest friend EEVER!!!! So, he came over early on a Sunday and installed programs to make it all better -- thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! (I so wish the extent of my computer knowledge was more than knowing how to turn the thing on.)

So with that breaking news out of the way lets get back to things... so, where did I leave off in this blog...oh yeah, I was sick -- well I have finally kicked that mess, took probably about a good 2 weeks plus a day or two to finally get that thing out of my system (and just think the cold/flu season is just beginning!).

On the exercise front... still working out with trainer-Steve at least twice a week and I've re-signed for additional sessions that should take me through mid-January. I am almost at my initial weight goal and since nothing is ever good enough for myself I figured it is time now to set new goals and seriously get motivated!

Running... I've been running a lot on the treadmill and completed another 5k. I've even been out running with G twice now and wouldn't mind making this a weekly thing, but we will see how that goes and for now I'll just take what I can get.

9/27 - training session (fairly easy, still recovering for cold)
9/28 - woke up feeling crappy again, took the day off from working out
9/29 - training session (hard); treadmill - 3.75 miles
9/30 - treadmill - 3.8 miles; deep-deep tissue massage in the afternoon (awesome)
10/01 - training session; treadmill - 4 miles
10/02 - off
10/03 - training session (hard); elliptical machine - 2.6 miles (first time ever)

10/04 - Nature's Bin 5k, Lakewood - 32:54; ran pretty consistent in first two miles, but a side stitch crept up just before the 2 mile mark and I had to stop a couple of time to walk and try to stretch it out. Was hoping for a better time especially since this course is completely flat, but am not complaining since it's my 2nd best 5k time (best time for this year though). Decided while running that I will probably do the Pumpkin Race 5k on the 26th.
10/05 - Dad's birthday, he'd of been 82 today -- love him and miss him still every single day!!! G was over today to help me with my computer woes then we went out for a 3.1 mile run...just what I needed to help me get my head straight for the day!
10/06 - treadmill - 3.6 miles; abs
10/07 - off; sister Linda's birthday!!...happy bday sis, I Love Ya (even if I never mailed out your cards).
10/08 - training session; elliptical - 2.1miles
10/09 - treadmill - 1.8 miles (running really late, but figured some time is better than no time)
10/10 - treadmill - 2.45 miles

10/11 - training session; treadmill - 1.88 miles; run with G - about 1.75 miles
10/12 - off; Apple Butter festival in Burton with my Mom, walked for 1 3/4 hours.
10/13 - off; knee was really hurting yesterday and woke up with back pains today, despite wanting to run today was advised to take the extra day to rest and make sure the knee and back are ok.

The circle of life continues... I am so pleased and happy to welcome Michael into our family; my niece Miranda who lives in San Diego got married on Saturday, October 11th!! I hope they both know we thought of them often that day!! We also received the very very happy news that Miranda is pregnant! and so our family continues to grow -- I am positive that my brother John is looking down from heaven above and pleased as can be in his little girl!! I am so sorry though that he won't be here to become a grandpa...

And just one final note - Way To Go at Chicago Frank! Frank finished in just 3:07!!!! I can not even imagine...Congrats again!!

Now it's time for dinner and wait for the Giants vs. Browns game to start! Let's go Browns!!