The Words of a Stranger

Today was my 2nd day of training. I did yoga yesterday for strength training and oh my gooooodness was I sore this morning. It hurt just to sit up to get out of bed. I popped some advil and bravely went running this afternoon. Training day 2 consisted of 45 mins of running (mixed with a few walking breaks because of my soreness) which gave me about 4 mi. What was funny and motivating was while I was on the return route from the downtown stretch. This one guy stops and says "If you keep jogging, you'll be where you wanna be soon." This struck me as interesting. I figured, well, he could be talking about weight. I mean, I don't run to lose weight per se, but it kind of happens anyway, which I'm not exactly complaining about. Actually, I've come a long way. This time last year I was 15 lbs heavier, to be quite honest. Anyway, and if that guy wasn't talking about weight, then I really appreciate the comment! After all, if I do keep jogging, I will be where I want to be. I will reach my goals. So I turned around while running and gave him a huge smile and a thumbs up and continued on my merry way.

Well, the run today was pretty tough. The hills were killers but I can't avoid them, especially since it pushes my muscles, builds my strength, and will prep me for my race that is over similar terrain in April. I'm not used to exercising day in and day out. I ran on Sunday and then have completed my first two days of training. Let's just say every muscle hates me and my legs feel worn, but I feel awesome--like I'm completing something I've looked forward to for so long.

Post Run Munchies

Never have I felt so in need of food after a run. I guess I ate pretty light and pretty healthy today. I ran 5 miles at the gym, lifted a few free weights, did some death sit ups (where you balance on your butt and extend the arms and legs out simultaneously and then pull them back in) and afterward guzzled a bunch of water and decided to treat myself to sorbet (which turned into gelato) but I didn't eat too much of the bad stuff, especially since I need to eat right during my training. And then it hit me. I needed protein STAT. So I ran downstairs and cooked up some chicken, mixed it with some leftover rice and stir fry veggies all in about a 5 minute prep time and I must have finished that plate in 3 minutes. Anyway, this hasn't happened to me before and I thought it was kind of funny/shows me that I need to pay more attention to what I eat and how I'm eating before/after runs--especially after so that I can recover.

The run tonight was a really positive run. I've been feeling quite down lately and was having a serious case of cabin fever and having negative thoughts. I let it get to me and slept sooo much over the past few days to pass time. I had no motivation. Today I woke up at 2pm because I had insomnia 'til 4am, but then I was like, you know what? screw this. I'm being productive with my day. And I was. And on the treadmill (I was dreading the treadmill today), I kept thinking about why I run and thinking about how good I felt, I got lost in my music and the rhythm of my run. I kept thinking about my goals--running goals and goals for life in general--goals for the coming semester included. At mile 4 I was having a tough time with side stitches, but I pushed myself through the last mile, including several sets of sprints. I feel so much better after I run--I sleep better, I worry less, I'm proud of myself. It's intense how much running has such positive effects on my life. I like how it pushes me to get better too and these next few months will be the ultimate test--the true test of my willpower.

Tomorrow is my first day of training. I'm going to be doing a mixture of yoga and pilates to fulfill my strength training requirement for the day. Here goes nothin'.

Decision

I know this might sound strange, but instead of continuing to train for a 10K, I'm going to start a plan for training for a half. I am able to run 5 miles pretty consistently. I came across a plan over the summer in some fitness magazine...to train for a 5k/10k/half. Well, in the interest of saving money and not taking time off of work to run the 10k, I plan on jumping into the 10K training plan during the 3rd of the 6 week training so that I can finish the 10K training in sooner than a full 6 because really, I've been working toward that all along. I plan on running the 10K by myself (not signing up for anything because I really can't spare the time to drive to DC and there are unfortunately no Richmond or Cville races anytime soon). Then I want to jump into half training, which is another 6 weeks, but this would leave me enough time to complete the training and then run in the Charlottesville Half! OH THE POSSIBILITIES. So now I'm pumped.

Oh right, running update. Not yesterday (because I slept in and then worked a LOOOOONG shift) but the day before, I knocked out 5 miles in 53 minutes on the treadmill. I felt pretty good too. What I noticed though is that I need some different running music or maybe just a playlist because I get bored and end up trying to switch up the iPod tunes every few minutes, which actually takes some energy and coordination which I can't afford to spare while I'm trying to stay up on a treadmill (I tend to zigzag and get rather close to the end of the treadmill when this happens).

And a little update on the plan I'll be following. This training plan consists of strength training (i.e. yoga, pilates, or toning exercises), cross training (i.e. swimming, cycling or other non- running cardio), and speed 2 workouts (speed 1 workouts were left behind after the 5K portion of the training) and those include warming up for 1 mile, "then alternate two hard minutes with two easy minutes for 1 mile" and cooling down for .5 mi to 1 mi after that. **Thank you Self magazine.** 5/7 days are spent doing these workouts and then 2 are for resting. I plan on starting on MONDAY!!! I'm pumped and yet sort of terrified.

I'm also kinda freaked out about working 15-20 hrs a week + interning 10 hrs a week + my 13 credit hours + training, but I guess this just means I'll be waking up earlier on some mornings. At least the days are getting longer and they'll gradually start getting warmer. April 9th, here I come.

Victory! (Kind of)

Well, I ran much better today. I think I was so frustrated about yesterday that I pushed myself more today. I ran outside in the bitter winter cold, wind and hills included. Lots of hills. It was sunny though, and I'm a big fan of running in sunny patches when it's chilly out. I headed out with the plan of running my usual outdoor loop when I thought of running downtown on top of the loop which boosted my run to a total of 4.32 miles in 47:06, which isn't horrible for me and hills--especially when I thought I was out of shape as of yesterday. Perhaps my body needed yesterday to be a simple run. I started getting tired on the last mile or so, but I pushed myself up the last of the few hills. Luckily, the stretch downtown is mostly flat, minus running over the train bridge. So all and all, happy with my run and it was definitely good to get some fresh air, even when it was quite cold outside.

Frustration

So. I'm going to be shamefully honest here. I haven't gone running since Christmas morning and that was only a 2.8 mile run around the neighborhood. I've been eating nothing but junk food it seems, too--cookies, candy, chips...I had no restraint for the past 2 weeks. I guess I was just preoccupied and happy, definitely happy. Not about the junk food or the lack of exercise, but about being around the people I love and being home and having fun without worrying about being at work because I had some time off. I think the only exercise I've done beyond Christmas morning was rock wall climbing, which isn't exactly cardio but is great for working the fingers and arms--oh, and a bit of swing dancing.

Anyway, so today I decided to try treadmill running to ease back into things. I've been scared to start up again after the hiatus because I've been too worried to face how my endurance has suffered. Well, the verdict is that, indeed, my stamina/endurance has suffered greatly. At mile 2 (running at a slowwww pace) I felt like my chest was going to explode. It was really tight and I was huffing and puffing. I knew my goal of 4 miles was not going to happen. I slowed my pace down even more to try to make it to 3 mi. Around mile 2.5, I was having such an internal battle between my mind and my legs that I had to stop. I was ashamed to stop. I was disappointed in myself and still am because I probably could have made it to 3 mi. if I had really tried. Well, I guess it can only get better from here. I feel like I've definitely fallen away from my goal of training for a 10K by February, but perhaps it'll still happen. I just have to get back into a rhythm and try not to let this affect me too much. : \