Towpath Half Marathon

Completed my first 13.1 - YES!!! and completed it in 2:27 just under my hopeful goal of 2:30. Was a beautifully cool day and had no hydration issues. When all was said and done it was hard to believe what I'd actually accomplished. Even now, I'm not even sure I did it - except I did!!

Before and After Running Photos

I still have a LOOONG way to go...but what a difference two years makes!

Picture on the left is from A Shot In The Dark, Winking Lizard 2-miler in 2007 and the one on the right is from the 4-miler completed this past Saturday.







Like I said...there is still a long way for me to go, but it's nice to see the side-by-side changes so far.

Yikes

Crap. Ok. Here goes. I'm putting it out there, so no backing out...right?!

On October 11th, I am going to do the Towpath 1/2 Marathon . I am really hoping that completing the 10-miler earlier this year will help me to be prepared a little more for this race...I mean it's ONLY another 3.1 miles...Right?!?... Ha...

I am running away to Canada this weekend (ok, not literally running there) but then once I am back I will have 10 weeks to get it together and figure out this whole nutrition/hydration thingy because THAT is where I am really lacking. Well that and completing 13.1 miles...

"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth." ~ Mark Twain

Thursday morning (yesterday) I did something I have never really done before, or at least not as an adult and most definitely never before on purpose. I ran in the rain. Wait, did I say rain?, was that rain? or was it a mini-monsoon? Irregardless, there was lots of water falling from the sky when I woke up and yet I still proceeded to get dressed put on my running shoes and headed out the door...on purpose.

Previously I was always able to come up with a really good reason to not run outside when it is raining but I decided it was time to get back out there and run a race, the Winking Lizard race this Saturday in downtown Cleveland, and with a look at this weeks rainy forecast and more importantly the dismal looking forecast showing for Saturday night I figured I'd better just suck it up and go run. End result - I survived all 3 miles, it wasn't miserable, I think I actually came back smiling and most importantly I did not melt!

While out playing in the rain lots of things happened to me. I found out that although I may not melt in the rain, it has been charged as an accessory to murder in the death of my iPhone :( I remembered what it's like to not run with music and only with the voices in my head for company. I found out that I run at the same pace no matter what the weather brings. I accepted the internal fear I have for running on Saturday and ultimately for a race that is still 3 months away. I found out important things like my running socks although wringing wet when I got home where not squishy in my shoes and kept my feet feeling oddly dryish. I remembered the joy you can feel when splashing in a puddle. I remembered that I run for ME and no one else.

...it was a great morning.

Uncertainty

Somehow several weeks have passed with my updates, and yet the world continues to go on? That is odd....

So life has been flying by and yet creeping along at the same time. Summer is almost upon us and some mornings have been beautiful and some still a bit chilly...welcome to Cleveland! My running has been coming along, I haven't really been following my training schedule due to all the ups and downs going on around me but I have managed to keep on moving...and that is a good thing.

Week of May 18 - 24; I managed to get in just over 28 miles.
Week of May 25 - 31; 25 1/2 miles for the week.
Week of June 1 - 7; just over 31 miles for the week.
Week of June 8 - 14; just shy of 23 miles for the week.

So all-in-all the past four weeks haven't been bad. Last week and possibly the next couple weeks my miles will probably be in the low 20's or possibly below...but I am still keeping myself moving and that's where I need to keep my focus at right now. During this "down-time" of sorts though I am getting myself off the treadmill and am running outside. My heel is feeling it, but with continuing my stretching after 1 week of outside running it is actually feeling pretty good. This is a PLUS.

As for the rest of my life...I've mentioned my lay-off and we received the official paperwork and even though I knew it was coming, it still was enough to make you feel like you'd gotten punched in the gut. As of today there are 12 business days left and we are STILL waiting to find out who is and isn't going forward. As a quick recap - I work the government, the county government. They are closing two departments and opening one combined department supposedly with a mix of people from each of the previous two departments. They have hired the directors (all from the department I am not in) and have interviewed and selected a few of the manager positions. As for the rest of us "line-staff", we are waiting to be interviewed...and rumors are surfacing and drama is ensuing and tensions are rising. It's good times!

But as I get sucked into all that is going on I try to remind myself every so often that whatever is best for me, is what will happen and whatever happens I will make the most of the situation! It's like my running...just keep moving, in the end you always feel better than you did at the start! Sometimes you stumble and fall but you just pick yourself up, make sure your not exposing yourself, dust yourself off and keep right on moving...

oh and running blogger Steve is hosting a great contest to win free shoes!!!! SHOES, FOR FREE!!!! check him out to see how to get your name into the contest - http://iwannagetphysical.blogspot.com/

Moving Along

Not much going on, just more of the same. Still struggling with my left foot some from my vacation back at the beginning of the month. Decided to hold off on running the 10k at the Cleveland Marathon...there are plenty more races to come this summer and I really want to get things right with my foot again.

Week of May 4th - May 10th, even with the foot issues managed to get in about 18 miles. Was in Put-In-Bay over Mother's Day weekend and before heading home on Sunday I got out to run the 5k course for the race there the end of September.

Week of may 11th - 17th, got in just shy of 27 miles, so not too bad.

I'm a little bummed since it doesn't look like I'll be getting in a race this month although the Magnificat Run is really close to home, who knows it may be a Saturday night/Sunday morning decision. I'd like to try my hand at another race longer than a 5k, but again the summer has yet to begin and there are plenty of races left.

Re-Running

So...I ran my 10-miler, de-hydrated and beat down but as I mentioned in my last update (if you managed to make it alllllll the way through to the end), I got back up on the horse or well the treadmill and gave it a go again. It was tough and a little uncomfortable, but I ran a couple miles on Monday, then pushed it to five miles on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and then squeaked out 8 on Thursday knowing I'd be on vacation and not see the gym until Monday... I'm not going to lie, there were glimpses of the way I felt laying in bed Saturday after completing the race, I think there may have even been a few dry heaves in there...but I ran. I ran because it's what I've been working so hard towards being able to do. I ran because that's what I started doing after my brother and my Dad died -- if I quit running now, it might be like saying good-bye to them all over again. I ran because it is who I want to be. It was uncomfortable. But then again, don't we usually have to get through the uncertainty of things, the uncomfortable areas in our lives in order to get to the sweet sweet rewards in the end -- and oh how much sweeter they are when you've had to really work towards getting them. So, I ran.

Thursday evening a friend and I headed out to South Carolina for a couple of days. We drove straight through the night alternating drivers every 3 or so hours. The time went by amazingly quick and the hours were filled with laughter and good conversation. We finally stopped at a rest area just outside of Charleston and crashed for a couple of hours then headed off for breakfast and a few other stops before heading to the resort we were staying at on Isle of Palms. We got there and our bungalow was ready...it was beautiful. The beach was just a minute from our spot and we were practically pool-side. There were only a few other people in the surrounding bungalows in our little area, it was great!! I ran on the beach for the first time ever on Saturday. Not really sure how far I ran, but I ran for 60 minutes which is about 5 miles for me, so that's what I'm sticking with. It was tougher than I thought it would be and my hips tightened up after about the first 20 minutes -- but it was beautiful, the sounds of the ocean and people living and loving life on the beach. I had my music going but had it turned so far down I could barely hear it, I was loving just taking in the sounds of my surroundings. Time passed fairly quick, a whole lot quicker than the treadmill that is for sure! A few hours after running, my left heel was a little sore. Woke up early on Sunday to get in a run before leaving and my heel really hurt...so I ran. Ok, I'm not the brightest -- yes, and this has been well documented if you've read previous posts. Was windier on Sunday, so stopped and walked for a bit mid-way through the run but still put in my 60 minutes -- so since the effort was the same, I'm going with calling it another 5 miles.

Totals for the week somewhere around 34 miles. Worked out twice with Trainer-Steve, who is finally back from his vacation.

Injury update, I clearly caused the plantar fasciitis to flair up in my left foot with running on the beach so have taken both yesterday and today off from running. Most of Monday at the gym was spent with Trainer-Steve getting stretched out followed by a short workout. Scheduled to workout with him again on Wednesday and Friday morning (before heading out for another weekend away).

Trainer-Steve brought up the Cleveland Marathon and running the Half. However with the current soreness and being away this past weekend and this next weekend I just don't think I'm ready to try my hand at it. I was however, on the website this morning checking out fees and I noticed the 10k registration...I'd forgotten about them doing the 10k also...hmmm, what to do, what to do...

Weekly Update...

The middle of January is upon us and so far it's been a great year!

Just as I adjusted to running on the treadmill, I've come to adjust to life on the elliptical, although I still long for a day when I can get outside and run... But, now is the time for building up strength and listening to trainer-Steve since he ALWAYS seems to be right about these things. I had a pretty good week and have really been focusing on 1)adding Sunday workouts and 2)getting in some long workout sessions on the weekends. Again both of these tasks are being achieved thanks to trainer-Steve coming in on his Sunday off day to work out with me! So here's what the middle of January looked like for me:

01/12
0.50 miles - treadmill, warm-up then 1 hr. PT session with trainer-Steve
7.20 miles - elliptical

01/13
4.00 miles - elliptical, after ab workout

01/14
4.00 miles - elliptical, after 1 hr. PT session with trainer-Steve

01/15
0.50 miles - treadmill, warm-up then light ab workout
6.00 miles - elliptical
1.15 miles - treadmill, first attempt back at running; run 1 min, walk 2 min.

01/16
7.50 miles - elliptical

01/17
0.50 miles - treadmill, warm-up then 1 hr. PT session with trainer-Steve
9.76 miles - elliptical

01/18
3.75 miles - elliptical
1.57 miles - treadmill, run 1 min, walk 2 min
1.00 miles - treadmill
(this was a solo Sunday workout w/instructions of no more than 60 minutes of cardio; which I actually followed)

TOTALS 47.43 miles


Now in looking at my numbers I completed the total miles in about 7 1/2 hours which leaves me averaging around 10 minutes/mile for the elliptical... but that seems a little high, my hours or working out may be wrong since I typically complete a mile on the elliptical in about 9 minutes. But anyhow, the real question is will this have any effect at all on my running time? I was averaging about a 10 minute mile on the treadmill and coming in at about a 10-11 minute mile in my 5k's. I so would like to be faster. However, that being said, going 7 1/2 weeks without being able to run at all... well, it sort of put the whole "speed"complex I have into perspective.

Will most likely finish out the month of January taking it easy with the running and working on the run 1 min, walk 2 min with increasing the amount of time I'm actually on the treadmill (first two times was 20 minutes, and the third time was for 30 minutes). Would like to sign up for my first race in February, but realistically it may not be until March or maybe even April...I don't know, we will have to see. For right now it is just getting through one step at a time...

Monthly totals

So here's what I ran for the rest of November...

11/10 - 5.00 miles treadmill
11/11 - 5.40 miles treadmill
11/12 - 3.10 miles treadmill - session with trainer-Steve
11/13 - 3.00 miles treadmill
11/14 - 4.00 miles treadmill (now granted this was all walking due to my left heel, but I'm counting it anyways!)
11/15 - 3.36 miles elliptical - session with trainer-Steve
11/16 - off - signed up for New Orleans 5k, bought new shoes

Total for week - 23.86

11/17 - 5.00 miles treadmill - morning
2.00 miles outside - evening
11/18 - off - unscheduled off day, up late night before watching the Browns
11/19 - 5.00 miles treadmill
11/20 - 5.00 miles treadmill
11/21 - 5.00 miles treadmill
11/22 - off - travel, trip to New Orleans
11/23 - 3.1 Ole Man River 5k

Total for week - 25.10

11/24 - off - travel, back from New Orleans :(
11/25 - off - left foot/heel hurts to put weight on; think the 4-5 hours walking around after the 5k really took its toll...crap...
11/26 - 9.50 miles bike - session with trainer-Steve (first session in 11 days)
11/27 - 5.00 miles bike, before heading out for turkey at my sisters had to skip the turkey run in Avon due to heel issues
11/28 - 3.75 miles elliptical, back was tightening up and it felt good to be moving
4.00 miles bike
11/29 - 4.60 miles elliptical
11/30 - off

Total for week - 18.50 miles bike; 8.60 miles elliptical

Totals for month (adding elliptical and running together):

week ending 11/02 - 21.40
week ending 11/09 - 24.00
week ending 11/16 - 23.86
week ending 11/23 - 25.10
week ending 11/30 - 8.60
** 102.96 TOTAL **

Hopefully the rest and stretching will help clear up the plantar fasciitis soon... Bypassing the Reindeer Run this Saturday (unless of course if everything miraculously feels better come Saturday morning -- hey one can always hope!)

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!!

Personal Training update

So had my 6th training session this morning and will be re-signing this Saturday for at least another 8 sessions, if I can figure out the finances though I may sign up for 16 -- that'll get me through to my birthday. I just find it hard to believe that the first set of sessions is almost over. Time sure does fly when you are having fun - lol.

My trainer (Steve) insists that I'm getting stronger and says it looks like I've lost some weight. But it's only been a couple of weeks, and I don't feel it or see it. All I see is the negative stuff, like I'm still not able to do lunges all that well and my form is all off and my lower back is really fighting me the past week and I don't know what's up with my running but I'm lucky to complete a mile without stopping and blah, blah, blay. I know BE POSITIVE! I am re-building my leg muscles and getting them stronger so they fatigue quicker once I run after training...it WILL get better. The weight didn't really come on over-night, so don't expect it to come off over-night. I am eating healthier and making better choices when I eat out.

A Looong Week

So, Saturday was my first session with my personal trainer, I woke up feeling a little crummy and was not really looking forward to being tortured so I was really happy when I got to the gym that I'd forgotten our first "session" wasn't working out but going over eating habits and goals and measurements and such not. I didn't even look to see what my body fat figure ended up being...I know it's bad! I wasn't going to look on the scale either, but at the last second I glanced down and saw the number I'd pretty much expected. But, as was said many times during that hour, "it is what it is". I am looking forward to getting back on track, getting healthier, and looking better is never a bad thing either!

After all the info was gathered I did stick around the gym and worked out some, still feeling crummy though I opted out of doing any running. Sunday ended up being an off day -- not purposely, but laundry and other miscellaneous house cleaning duties called before heading over to get my Mom and head out to my sister's for the day.

Recap for the rest of the week --
Monday, hour workout consisting of upper body, arms and abs then hit the track for about 20 minutes. Spent the rest of the day with my Mom, she came over to my place this time and helped me clean up the lawn furniture and hung out while I cleaned out the garage. Hung out at a friend's house later in the day for a few hours. All-in-all a relaxing Memorial day.

Tuesday, abs, lots of pre and post run stretching, run for about 20 minutes; total time at gym 70 minutes. Work was crazy busy. But busy is so much better than the alternative!

Wednesday, hour workout session with trainer followed by an hour consisting of pre and post run stretching and doing a run/walk offset for 40 minutes. Today would have been my parents 59th wedding anniversary; so I took the day off work to spend it with my Mom. Got to her house early and headed out to Lodi to do a little shopping and walking followed by a nice late lunch/early dinner out.

Thursday, abs, stretching and 20 minute run. Expected with being off on Wednesday that work would be busy, but instead it was just a nice steady day. Headed over to a friend's house to catch up on some of the daily happenings at Roland Garros and to watch LOST! (I like the show, just wish I didn't always feel quite so lost after it's over...lots of great story twists.)

Friday, abs, stretching and 40 minute run/walk offset. Work is obviously slow today since I'm here updating things...

As of Monday I started keeping a log of what I'm eating and the calories, fat calories, protein and carbs as well as logging my workouts. I know when I check out other runner's logs and see their recaps it motivates me to do more and work harder...hoping my own personal logs/recaps will help push me even more!

Countdown

Only three days until my new workout routine starts with Steve, my personal trainer. I am looking forward to getting started, I only wish I felt better. While on vacation a week and a half ago I caught a cold and boy has it sunk its teeth into me the last couple of day. Needless to say, I'm not sleeping much and have missed a several days at the gym and the whole running agenda has been non-existent -- I tried running the day after vacation but not being able to breath didn't seem to help my cause and I was walking within 5 minutes of starting. I'm not giving up though, I will get a running routine established and am hopeful that working with a trainer will help solidify things for me.

Ok, off to get a new box of tissues and a fresh pack of cough drops...

New Beginnings

So I've decided to make some changes in my life...and let me tell you, I am not a fan of change! But this is long overdue and I am hoping that maybe by keeping tabs with myself I'll stay motivated. I want to get serious about running...again. I started running last year, a good friend from work and I started entering 5k's. The goal was to do one each month! I am not the fastest runner, but I did find solace in running and I found myself having lengthy conversations with my brother and my Dad (my brother passed away in October 2005 and my Dad in January 2007). Now, I know running a 5k may not seem like much to many, but the feeling I had after that very first race...I've never experienced anything like it (is it possible to experience a runner's high from just 3.1 miles?...lol). Anyhow all was well until mid-August of last year, when everything just sort of caught up with me and everything stopped, running, working out, pretty much everything. About a month ago (April 25th) I decided that enough was enough, and life is way too short for all the self-pity I was wasting time with and I got my butt to the gym! My short-term goal was to drop about 40 lbs before heading on vacation on May 9th...hmmm, 2 weeks and 40 lbs...ok, so I guess my initial goal was a little unreasonable, but everyone wants to look great before vacation! Ok, so the point was I got up and got myself back into the gym, and that is something. Got back from vacation on Thursday, May 15th and was back into the gym on Friday and signing up for 4 weeks with a personal trainer!

My sessions start on Saturday, May 24th and will go until Tuesday, June 17th. So here's to change, and improving one's health physically and mentally. And who knows, maybe I'll be back on the 5k course before the end of the season this year!!