Anna ran her first official one mile "run" today (it was not timed so it was not a "race") and I ran my longest race distance today. I think we both did pretty well! Anna seemed really proud of her medal. I stood with her at the start and met her at the half-way point and Craig, Sarah, & Henry were there at the finish to meet her. She wore Craig's Road ID bracelet (that has my cell number on it) and we picked a place to meet if the finish line area was too crowded. I think she was nervous about it until we picked the spot to meet "just in case." She is excited for next month when she & Sarah both run a timed 1-mile race on Thanksgiving morning.

Posted by Becky at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We worked on signs for Anna's one-mile and my ten-mile race tomorrow. We just finished reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" so the sign I made for Anna read, "Run like you have the last golden ticket!"

Posted by Becky at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I ran in a 10k race today with my marathon-training group and I went more than five minutes faster than I did in Boulder in May! I really credit longer miles with this new speed and I couldn't be more pleased with my time (although I'm already wondering how I'm going to beat that at my next 10k!). My next race is a 10-miler in October.

Posted by Becky at 8:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today I started training for my first marathon in March 2012! It is really far ahead but I figured it would help keep me motivated through the hot, hot summer. Today I just did six miles with the group and will get a schedule each week to follow until the big day in March!

Posted by Becky at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We had a great time at the Bolder Boulder this morning. Unfortunately Erin's Craig got sick so he couldn't run it with us but Erin's mom took his bib and ran it. And the best part was that Erin's dad drove us to the start so we didn't have to worry about parking! I saw Ross & Lindsay before the start and then Cathy and Kendra after. Pretty impressive that I saw all three people I knew were doing it plus one more I didn't considering how many people were there! My time was 2 seconds slower than my last 10K (in April) and I think training in the heat of Texas helped equalize the altitude disadvantage I had in Boulder.

Then Erin & I got to hang out more before my late flight home. I think I actually relaxed this weekend! I am ready for our hot house and the last couple of days of school for the girls and for summer break to start!

Posted by Becky at 2:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have started running again this past month (I tried to start in May but only went twice) after I joined Texas Boot Camp for the most recent session. I originally wanted to train for the 10 for Texas 10-mile race in October (when I tried to start in May!) but have decided that I can't get that much training in before the race now so I'll do a 5-miler in November. Both races have a kid's 1-mile and Anna wants to do the 1-mile in November so she is training for that as well (one run per week around the neighborhood).

I ran in a local 5K today and Craig brought the kids out to watch me finish. Anna said she wasn't sure she wants to do the race in November now because she only wants to do it if she's going to win. I don't know if she thought I was going to win and she didn't seem to understand that I only didn't want to come in last! She's doing a 17-minute mile right now so I don't actually have a lot of hope that she'll win but every kid will get a medal at the end so I think she won't be too disappointed. (I hope.)

Posted by Becky at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

I think I mentioned that I've started running again (there is a Nike Plus thing on my side bar where you can see my last five runs). I've been going up the mountain near our apartment and it is so much better than the treadmill. I'm not sure how long it will be light at six in the morning but I plan to stick to the trail instead of the treadmill until it's too dark. Unfortunately, I have taken to carrying a stick to hold in front of my face after hitting several large cobwebs each time I run (I guess the path I am running on isn't used much!).

Today was a big day for Anna: She spoke to her teacher for the first time! Her teacher asked her a question and Anna answered, "yes."

Posted by Becky at 8:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Becky at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Craig & I have decided to take turns hiking the Admiral alone so we can get the full loop in. However, the real exercise is the part of the hike we've been doing with the girls because it is so steep. The way down is long and meandering so next time I may try to do it backwards to increase the length of good cardio exercise. I could definitely tell that I was up until 1 AM (out for Valerie's birthday), hadn't worked out since Monday at TKD, and that I didn't have 21 pounds of Sarah on my back. Hopefully next weekend I'll feel better when I head out.

Posted by Becky at 8:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Good workout; not the best but I'm glad I went.

Posted by Becky at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We really wanted to do the full loop of the Admiral hike today but didn't make it because Sarah started crying and I haven't done the loop since 2004 and I don't know for sure how long it will take. I guess I have to go do it alone one day to scope it out before we take the girls. In the end it would have been OK to do the loop because Sarah ended up falling asleep (she took a horrible nap before we left). Anyway we had a good hike and I think we both felt good going up today because we figured out what clothes to wear with a 20 or 30 pound kid on your back and because we've both been hitting the gym regularly the past couple of weeks. Anna complained she was cold so we might have to put off family hiking until it warms up a bit more, we'll see.

Oh, I should mention that Craig is home Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week for the Lunar New Year. Today is the first day of the Year of the Rat. Happy New Year!

Posted by Becky at 7:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We did the regular warm-up tonight and then played soccer for the second half of the class so it was not as good of a workout tonight but I wouldn't have felt up to a run anyway so it's good I went and got moving a bit tonight (even if we did all have ice cream after!).

Posted by Becky at 9:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sabunim (Pyongwon, not Mijung's husband; he is getting his other dojang started up now so unless otherwise indicated, "Sabunim" is Pyongwon) tried to kill me tonight! I hadn't done all of the kicks I knew yet during the last two classes so tonight was my first try at head kicks (my favorite kick!) and I wasn't flexible enough for them (yet). My high straight kicks were about the same though (bad, since I'm nervous about falling on my back again). Overall, a very good workout tonight. I will go again tomorrow since there is no class the rest of the week because of the Lunar New Year.

Posted by Becky at 9:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was supposed to run last night but got lazy. I hope that I don't die at TKD this week since I have to go Monday & Tuesday as there is no class Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday because of the Lunar New Year.

Posted by Becky at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I decided to run at least 5K so I could compare my time each month against that distance. I took the last two nights off from working out so I had to go tonight. I remember running the summer before I got pregnant with Sarah and I learned that I couldn't take off more than two days in a row without feeling like I was starting all over again the next time I went out.

Posted by Becky at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not sure how to title my TKD workouts since I usually title my other workouts by time. This doesn't apply for TKD though... Anyway, tonight felt like a better workout than last night because we did more kicking. I can tell that I haven't kept up on stretching and my brain is slow on any move that involves more than two steps. Hopefully I'll get up to speed soon. I did poomses 1 & 2 with Jaynie tonight and they felt familiar but there is no way I'd pass a test on any poomses any time soon! My sciatic nerve started acting up today but I think it was Sarah-related and not TKD related. (I have to hold her while I cook or when I otherwise can't spot her on the floor and she weighs about 21 pounds.)

Posted by Becky at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I went back to my first TKD class tonight. Luckily, Laurel & Mijung were there to help me through. I don't feel too bad tonight but we'll see how I feel in the morning. It felt more like a mental challenge than a physical one. We kicked up and down the room in complicated combinations of kicks that, as a black belt, I should be comfortable with but since I haven't gone in 3+ years I am quite rusty.

Posted by Becky at 9:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a quick run on the treadmill tonight. I tried the Intervals setting tonight but liked the Sprints setting better. I should note that the treadmills in our gym do not have an incline. I guess they figure there are enough mountains around that we can get our hill workouts on those. I do hope to hike with Sarah some days when the weather warms up and Anna is in school. Laurel says the night TKD is at 8 PM right now so I should probably just go and then when I am hooked on the night class I'll still feel compelled to go when it switches back to 9 PM (after the Lunar New Year, I assume).

After you end your workout on the Nike+/Nano the Nike lady tells you in a nice, soothing voice your time, average pace, and your distance. Tonight after she was done, I heard, "This is Lance Armstrong, congratulations on your personal best 1 mile" (or something to that effect).

Posted by Becky at 7:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

At the start of this workout I was trying to figure out how to get the TV in the gym on (I got it on but couldn't figure out how to get a signal from the satellite so I gave up but forgot to reset the Nike+....) I did sprints on the treadmill and was pleasantly surprised how much it didn't suck for not having run since August. So, I hit 5k at about 38 minutes (treadmill minutes, not Nike+ minutes; I guess it's about 43 minutes on the Nike+ graph) but couldn't slow the machine down until the sprint was over (I think this is a dangerous feature of this particular treadmill).

I'm thinking about TKD again but need to convince myself to go to the 9 PM class which is tough since I'm usually ready to be in bed around 10 PM.

I am trying to get started on some weight loss now that Sarah is sleeping through consistently and I'm not so tired any more. I actually only weigh 2.5 pounds more than I did when I got pregnant with Sarah but I think my shape is different again. I'm also in a nice little point in breastfeeding where I can pretty much eat whatever (and not exercise more than going up our stairs and chase & carry 21lb Sarah around the house) and not gain anything. I know that that will shift in the next couple of months though as Sarah starts eating more solids and nursing less so I'm aiming for a 10% loss and this really should be just the first of many new entries to my workout log. I hope to actually have time to shop for clothes that fit when we are in Colorado this summer (dates still undecided).

Posted by Becky at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We hiked up the Admiral again today. Today was a much better hike for me because I wasn't over-dressed like last time. We made it a bit farther today and plan to try to make the full loop next weekend. The kids did great again. I might try to take Sarah up on my own sometimes while Anna is at school. I'll have to use the carrier Anna rode in today because I can't get Sarah on my back in the Ergo by myself (at least with all of the winter clothes on). My sciatica didn't flare up this time so that's the best news. My Nike+ stuff didn't work with the Nano for some strange reason so no data again. We hiked for 1 hour and 8 minutes.

Posted by Becky at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Craig put Anna on his back and I put Sarah on mine and we hiked up the Admiral today. We didn't go all of the way to to the top because we weren't sure about Sarah's thresh-hold in the Ergo and it was pretty chilly. Good thing we turned around because later on the day my sciatic nerve was killing me! I've only experienced this while pregnant so I was disappointed that it flared up now, too. I guess hiking with 20 extra pounds (Sarah) on your back is harder on your body. I need to put a Nike+ chip on my hiking boots because the other one is strapped to my running shoe pretty well and I don't want to mess it up. So, next time I'll have stats (we hiked for 50 minutes) and we're hoping to make this a regular hike.

Posted by Becky at 8:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The right music does wonders for a workout. I convinced myself to go a little farther today and that felt good. I think I've got to do two outdoor workouts on the weekends though because the treadmill is super boring to me.

Distance: 2.8 miles
Time: 35:03
7:30 PM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.8
Miles Walked: 1.3

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Run: 7.2
Miles Walked: 22.6

Posted by Becky at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Craig & Anna went to Costco today so I had Sarah all to myself for the day. We decided to use the Baby Hawk and walk to the bottom of the hill to find the stairs back up that are supposed to be a short cut back up to our apartment. This might be a good walk to take with Sarah on the mornings she gets up early so we could get in a workout before Craig goes to work.

Distance: 1.3 miles
Time: 27:17
4 PM
down & up the hill by our apartment

This Week:
Miles Run: 4.6
Miles Walked: 1.3

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Run: 4.6
Miles Walked: 22.6

Posted by Becky at 9:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I made it back on the treadmill this morning. I should have gone for a hike but didn't sleep well last night so I decided to go back to bed this morning (and felt worse when I woke up so I should have just hiked anyway!). My run felt better this time but my Nano died about 13 minutes into the workout so it was a hard 17 minutes after that.

Distance: 2.2 miles
Time: 30:40
10:45 AM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Run: 4.6
Miles Walked: 0

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Run: 4.6
Miles Walked: 21.3

Posted by Becky at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It took a week to convince myself to get on the treadmill and hopefully I can convince myself to get back on today or tomorrow. I decided to run even though I really should have just walked because the treadmill is boring enough without having to walk on it. I hope to hike some on the weekends for some variety. There isn't really a place to take the kids on a walk during the day or I'd do that instead of waiting until nighttime to workout. Maybe this winter I'll sign up for TKD again, and if I do, then at least I won't be starting from scratch.

Distance: 2.4 miles
Time: 30:03
6:45 PM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.4
Miles Walked: 0

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Run: 2.4
Miles Walked: 21.3

Posted by Becky at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I didn't feel like strapping on the heart-rate monitor and then I forgot the chip for the Nano so I just know that I walked 3 km in 32:40 minutes. I walked at an incline the first 20 minutes and then picked up the pace the last 12 minutes. My legs were super itchy from about 15-30 minutes though and it was awful!

I have ten pounds to lose to get back to where I was when I found out I was pregnant with Sarah.

Distance: 1.86 miles
Time: 32:40
7:45 PM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Walked: 1.86

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 21.3

Posted by Becky at 8:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The full moon didn't send me into labor but when I woke up in the night with my regularly scheduled (3-5 AM) insomnia, I had some pretty major pelvic/hip stiffness/pain. Anna & Anita played and I went for a walk on the treadmill and after about ten minutes things loosened back up and I felt better again. However, I slowed my pace from 5 km/hour to 4.3 km/hour because anything quicker was uncomfortable. I'm not sure if I'll make it back to the treadmill the next two days or not, I want to but might decide that rest is the best thing before labor at this point.

Distance: 1.39 miles
Time: 30:24
8:40 AM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Walked: 3.51

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 19.44

Posted by Becky at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anita will say (and rightfully so) that I tried to kill off the family today. Somehow I thought it was a good idea to go for a walk on the Corniche this morning. I mean, it was only 91 degrees at 9 AM, how bad could it be? Anna started crying during the last quarter of the walk because she was so hot. Thankfully the air conditioning in my car works quickly. We came back to the house and had some cool snacks and water and I think we all recovered well. No more outdoor walks for us though, we're sticking to the treadmill the rest of the spring & summer!

Distance: 2.12 miles
Time: 41:16
9:00 AM
91 degrees, very slight breeze, sunny.

This Week:
Miles Walked: 2.12

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 15.93

Posted by Becky at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now that Baby Girl is head-down I am ready to walk again and get things moving toward spontaneous labor. It felt good to get moving again after nine days off! I will try to get out to the Corniche with Anna in the morning.

Distance: 1.6 miles
Time: 30:12
6:15 PM
treadmill

This Week:
Miles Walked: 1.6

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 12.21

Posted by Becky at 9:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna & I went out to the Corniche again today. She has another cold so hopefully the fresh air and sun (with sunscreen, of course) will do her some good. It was sunnier today so I think that slowed me down a bit. That and Anna was up a lot last night (which means I was, too!) so we're both a bit tired.

Distance: 2.07 miles
Time: 41:15
139 avg HR
41:15 in THR
00:00 high HR
00:00 low HR
9:00 AM
84 degrees, 29% humidity

This Week:
Miles Walked: 2.07

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 10.61

Posted by Becky at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna & I went for a walk on the Corniche this morning. It was really windy so on the way out I was walking with the wind and it didn't feel so bad, but on the way back, Anna's stroller sunshade was catching all the wind and causing quite a bit of resistance so I got a very good workout out of that. Craig has the Nano so I don't know exact distance but I think I went a little over 3k (according to the markers on the Corniche). I'll have to walk it again with the Nano later and update my numbers then.

Distance: 2.07 miles
Time: 39:55
144 avg
39:52 in THR
00:00 high HR
00:03 low HR
9:00 AM

This Week:
Miles Walked: 4.44

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 8.54

Posted by Becky at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since my energy boosts are pretty scarce (even now that I have high motivation to get back to the gym) I walked on the treadmill tonight for 45 minutes instead of 30 just in case I have a low-energy week again this week and don't make it back out to exercise more than a couple of times. I might try to hit the Corniche with Anna a few times this week since I do find the treadmill kind of boring; I know I'll be missing my nice Zooper or BabyJogger but the Zapp will have to do (Anna still loves that thing!).

Distance: 2.37 miles
Time: 45:20
139 avg
44:28 in THR
00:00 high HR
01:18 low HR
6:50 PM

This Week:
Miles Walked: 2.37

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 6.47

Posted by Becky at 7:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After the hospital tour we went for a walk on the Corniche. I did find my heart rate monitor and all of the Nano/Nike+ stuff but didn't bring the heart rate monitor with me. We walked 1.75 miles at the Corniche and then .85 miles through City Centre. I have been wiped out since I went to the gym earlier this week; yesterday I even took two naps, today I just took one super intense one.

Distance: 2.6 miles
Time: n/a
HR: not recorded
9:30 AM

This Week:
Miles Walked: 4.1

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 4.1

Posted by Becky at 9:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I finally walked across the street and used the treadmill at our clubhouse tonight. I'd really like to be walking at least 30 minutes five times per week until Baby Girl comes. Of course I could not locate my heart rate monitor and watch and the Nano was in Craig's briefcase so I couldn't charge it. So my notes aren't too detailed but they are what they are.

Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: 30:00
Starting HR: 107
Ending HR: 149
7:30 PM

This Week:
Miles Walked: 1.5

Totals Since 3/25:
Miles Walked: 1.5

Posted by Becky at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I went out later than I had planned this morning. My mom was here so I had planned to get up early, but we all ended up sleeping in until about 8 so I didn't get out the door until around 9 so it was a bit warmer than I would have liked. Still trying to keep my HR in the THR-zone so that required a bit more slowing down than last time (it was more humid today than the last time I went out).

Distance: 3.07 miles
Time: 39:05
163 avg
27:47 in THR
11:06 high HR
00:12 low HR
9:00 AM

This Week:
Miles Run: 6.14

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 96.86 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s & one 5.4 to 5.68
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the thermometer and it said 59% humidity. I stepped outside and it actually felt cool out! Very refreshing. So, even though the sun was out, I felt really good during the run. I had Anna with me and no Nano today. Anna is such a good little running partner though, she didn't complain the whole trip. I had to stop a couple of times to adjust her sunglasses but that was about it. I did have to stop and walk a few times again today to get my heart rate back down. I was running above my THR, but just a few BPM above it so I didn't back off as much today as I did on Sunday.

Distance: 3.07 miles
Time: 38:08
172 avg
10:01 in THR
28:05 high HR
00:02 low HR
8:30 AM; 71 degrees & 59% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 3.07

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 96.86 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s & one 5.4 to 5.68
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been really slacking off this week. Craig had to be to work early most days this week and I just can't peel myself out of bed before 6 AM. Today's run wasn't too bad in spite of my laziness. I really tried to stay in my THR and actually stopped to walk a few times when I got in the high zone—I'm going to try to focus on this more again. It was really humid though which made it a little less enjoyable. Next week isn't looking promising unless Anna & I actually head to the Y for a change. I am really ready for the heat to die down although I know it probably won't until October.

Distance: 3.39 miles
Time: 39:55
165 avg
26:51 in THR
12:43 high HR
00:21 low HR
7:15 AM

This Week:
Miles Run: 3.39

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 95.61 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s & one 5.4 to 5.68
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I couldn't decide what distance to run this morning. So I started out thinking 3, then 3.8, then 4.4, and then decided to just go for it and do 5.4. Except that it was really 5.68 miles. I got out early enough that I had no problems with the sun so I felt pretty good most of the way. I did stop at the park by our house to get a sip of water from the drinking fountain so I could make the last .8 mile-loop to our house.

Distance: 5.68 miles
Time: 62:51
170 avg
20:23 in THR
42:08 high HR
00:20 low HR
6:50 AM 70 degrees & ~73% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 16.42

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 92.22 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s & one 5.4 to 5.68
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I felt really sluggish today! That dip in mile two is where I stopped and turned around because I saw a dog without an owner in my path. I took a different route and ended up going just the tiniest bit further than my usual route so I guess it worked out in the end. Usually I like to try to pick up the pace at the end of my run, but apparently my sluggishness got the best of me in that last mile. Oh well, at least I spent more time in my THR.

Distance: 3.17 miles
Time: 35:07
164 avg
24:41 in THR
09:55 high HR
00:31 low HR
6:15 AM 78 degrees & ~68% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 10.74

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 86.54 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)

I got out early (dark) and had a great run. I sprinted the intersections, hoping it would be obvious on the Nike graph, but I don't think it is. That big dip you see in mile 2 is when I was having to skip through a ton of music. Today's mission is to get my own playlist on Craig's Nano because we do not have the same taste in music, apparently!

Distance: 3.77 miles
Time: 40:35
175 avg
09:08 in THR
31:19 high HR
00:08 low HR
6:15 AM 70 degrees & ~68% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 7.57

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 83.37 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What I thought was 3.2 miles is actually 3.8 miles. This explains my time in the 5K last month and it explains the difference in pacing for my 2.5 mile and the longer runs I did last month. I think the mileage got messed up because I didn't drive it in one piece, but probably on the way to the store and then the other part on the way back. Bad math or bad memory, it seems.

Anyway, today's run was really good because I got out before the sun was too high and the weather felt great. I also ran fast that last mile just so I could see the spike on my Nike graph. Too much fun! I think this Nike+ has already paid for itself (of course we already had the Nano which makes a big difference!) since knowing I'm not as slow as I thought I was has boosted my running confidence a bit!

Distance: 3.8 miles
Time: 41:57
177 avg
06:57 in THR
34:47 high HR
00:13 low HR
7:15 AM 70 degrees & ~70% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 10

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 79.6 *need to update old 3.2s to 3.8s
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Stars aligned for the Nike+ & Nano today. However, I am seriously questioning my 3.2 mile run and/or the Nike+ because my times just don't seem to be adding up at all. I'm going to have to re-drive/re-map/re-run (withthe Nike+) my 3.2 mile route and investigate.

The good news is that I felt pretty normal again running this morning. It helped that I got up before the sun was too high. I was disappointed though that I didn't run the local 5K with Amy as planned. I did go to cheer her on and wished I had run it with her. It just wasn't worth the risk of feeling as bad as I did on Thursday though!

Hopefully this will be a good week for collecting data for the Nike+ system though. You can see a screen shot from my Nike+ account online. I just have this morning's run in there since the last time I tried it the data was bunk.

I just checked out my "3.2 mile" run on HARRA's route creator and it looks like it is really 3.771 miles. That would account for a lot of discrepencies in my life. I'm definitely going that route tomorrow to see what the Nano says. This would explain why last month I was able to run the 5K so much faster than my usual run--it was .6 miles shorter than what I was used to! I will wait until the Nano confirms my distance to go back and attempt to update my total-miles-log.

Distance: ~3.07 miles (I say about because I'm not sure I trust the Nike+ yet)
Time: 34:22
168 avg
15:43 in THR
18:24 high HR
00:15 low HR
6:45 AM 70 degrees & ~70% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 6.207

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 75.8
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not sure how I got home in nearly the same time as when I run 3.2 miles, but I was NOT feeling good today when I did it. I must have not been pacing myself well in the beginning or I run as slow as I walk (I do not think this is the case, however). I am feeling a lot better today: I can actually breathe through my nose, etc. No stuffy-feeling in my head. I guess this provided false-confidence in my ability to bounce-back. I had to stop and walk at least four times, got goosebumps from over-heating, and ended walking. I even took a shortcut at the end through the grass just so I could get home.

So, I have had to cancel my plans to run the local 5K this weekend which is really disappointing. I will just have to plan on the 26th. And I'll also have to plan to get up early from now on and run before the sun is up because that just really gets me every time. This will also solve the problem of the Nano being in Craig's car when I run, like it was today!

The 10-miler is 9 weeks away.

Distance: ~3.2 miles
Time: 44:43
176avg
11:06 in THR
33:10 high HR
00:27 low HR
8:45 AM 80 degrees & 65% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 3.2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 75.8
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Craig had to go into work early this morning and I couldn't convince myself to get up at 5:30 to run so I waited until it was nice and sunny and went with Anna. No Nano today since I think it is in Craig's car. I did reposition the receiver though and it stayed put for the entire run. Next time I will bring the Nano...

I have decied to make 3.2 miles my new short run and not do the 2.5 miles so often. I'd like to at least be getting 30 minutes in each time I run. I've just been taking it easy the past few times since my workouts have been so sporadic with all of the travel we did last month.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 26:15
176 avg
06:24 in THR
19:42 high HR
00:09 low HR
9:30 AM 79 degrees & 70% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 5

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 72.6
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Nike+ didn't register for at least a mile so that data is no good. It was dark when I left, so I couldn't see what was happening and then I clipped the Nano to my shorts and never looked at it anyway. Craig thinks maybe it was because we tied the receiver to my shoe sideways (I didn't even try on the Nike+ shoe where the receiver fits neatly into the sole). I guess we'll try repositioning it and see if that gets it to work next time.

My shoes were comfortable though. I bought a pair of Saucony's which I've never had before.

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 27:52
163 avg
20:06 in THR
07:24 high HR
00:22 low HR
6:15 AM 76 degrees & 72% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.5

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 70.1
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My shoes have been rubbing me the wrong way lately so I thought I'd stop by the local running store and get a new pair. My suspicion that my shoe-size had changed since I had Anna was correct. I went from an 8 to a 9 (according to the guy at the store anyway). While I was there I picked up the new iPod/Nike+ receiver for the Nano. I'm excited to try both the shoes & the receiver (will track distance, pace, and calories on the Nano). Of course I'll report back when I have some data!

Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 42:36
170 avg
12:04 in THR
29:21 high HR
01:11 low HR
7:15 AM 76 degrees & 80% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 67.6
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 8:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 27:45
163 avg
17:49 in THR
09:39 high HR
00:17 low HR
6:10 AM 76 degrees & 82% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 5

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 64.4
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 28:11
166 avg
15;25 in THR
12:33 high HR
00:13 low HR
6:10 AM 76 degrees & 93% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.5

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 61.9
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was better than yesterday! It helped that I got up and went a bit earlier and since I know I'll be sitting on the plane all night, I am really glad I went.

Distance: 2.6 miles
Time:27:42
169 avg
11:51 in HR
15:44 high THR
00:07 low HR
7:10 AM 76 degrees & 65% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 5.2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 59.4
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even though I walked in CO, it has been over a week since I have run and I could definitely tell today. It did not help that it was sunny & humid, either!

Distance: 2.6 miles
Time 27:18
176 avg HR
05:38 in THR
21:15 high HR
00:25 low HR
7:45 AM 75 degrees & 71% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.6

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 59.4
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna woke up super sad this morning. She seemed better after she got somebreakfast (and Motrin) in her. She was not hot though which was a step in the right direction. She was in a pretty good mood the rest of the morning but, apparently, I should have given her some Tylenol before her nap as she woke up about 2 hours in and was crying/inconsolable for about 30 minutes after that. She was in a great mood though after her Tylenol kicked in and we had fun with Jacob & Sam at their house again in the afternoon. She has a rash on her trunk though and that seemed to be worse today than yesterday.

I really regret that we didn't try to get a picture of the three kids this afternoon!

Distance: ~2 miles
Time: ~27:52
24:34 in THR
1:18 high HR
4:08 low HR
Walk around neighborhood w/Anna in Volo. Sunny and no shade but nice temp.

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.6
Miles Walked: 7.3

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 56.8
Miles Walked: 14.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna will, when prompted, say Nana, Papa, and Ross. She doesn't need prompting to point out Riggs the Dog and say "woof" though. I told her that since Riggs is a big dog he says "woof" in a deep voice so now, instead of her old, high pitched "ruff, ruff" she used to do, all dogs say a deep "woof."

Anna was still fussy today and she also felt hot again. I've been giving her alternate doses of Tylenol and Motrin but it seems to be hit-or-miss. She was feeling better after her afternoon nap so we did go out to dinner with Anita, Brian, & Ross. She loved going through the tunnels on the way to the restaurant and didn't get why we could go through them "again" as we continued on the road. There were three tunnels each way and her face was just filled with excitement each time we went through. Anna was quick to give Riggs some goodnight kisses when we got back.

I met Erin R. for lunch which was great. She is due with her first child in September and I won't get to go to her shower in August so I was really glad to see her.

Anita & I went on a walk with Riggs after I put Anna to bed for the evening.

Distance: ~2.7 miles
Time:50:12
136 avg
31:52 in
5:49 hi
12:31 lo
w/Anita & Riggs
7:45 PM 72 degrees and 31% humidity

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.6
Miles Walked: 5.3

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 56.8
Miles Walked: 12.9
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna did really well again for the first part of the day and Corrine, Owen, & Raisa were up to spend the day which was fun. Sometime after her nap (3 hours, just like at home!) she got crabby. Our only theory is that the massive amount of cherries she ate this morning made her gassy. I gave her some Mylicon and she went to bed at 7 PM. Hopefully tomorrow will be better since I am leaving her with Anita & Brian while I meet Erin R. for lunch!

I went for a walk from Brian & Anita's since I knew at this altitude I would be having a pretty rough time if I tried to run. I did end up jogging some downhills and flat areas but definitely stuck to walking the hills. It was really cool and low-humidity so it was actually kind of chilly when I started out.

Distance: 2.6
Time: 42:25
144 avg heart-rate
4:21 low HR
35:49 in THR
2:15 high HR

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.6
Miles Walked: 2.6

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 56.8
Miles Walked: 10.2
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was too sunny so I was less comfortable than yesterday but I am glad I went because I will enjoy my day off tomorrow that much more.

Yesterday at the dentist (my first crown!) my dentist asked if I was a runner because my blood pressure was so good. Also, I had a fasting blood test a few weeks back and I have brought my tricglyerides down to normal which is great since I've been working on that for a few years now. Of course I have to keep working at it, but it was great to hear that I've made some progress.

The next few weeks are going to be hectic scheduling wise so I've really got to stay focused to keep up with my running 3-4 days each week.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 43:03
165 avg heart-rate
00:17 LOW HR
28:43 IN THR
14:03 HIGH HR
7:00 AM, 76° and 74% humidity
Most inspiring song: Can't Get You Out of My Head—Kylie Minogue

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.6

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 56.8
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was feeling wishy-washy on what distance to go this morning. So I set out to do at least 3.2, then thoguht about 4.4, then just decided to go for the entire 5.4 I had originally planned. It felt good although I could tell that I worked way too hard on Saturday (shin splints) at the race. I will wait a few more weeks before I increase distance again.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 5.4 miles
Time: 63:21
171 avg heart-rate
00:10 LOW HR
20:09 IN THR
43:02 HIGH HR
6:50 AM, 76° and 82% humidity
Most inspiring song: Let's Go Crazy—Prince

This Week:
Miles Run: 5.4

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 53.6
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 1:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is me (in blue) finishing the race! Photo copyright race organizers.

I did my first local race this morning. Of course I was nervous at the start because I think the last time I ran in a race was the Cherry Creek Sneak with Erin F. (when was that, Erin?) and I didn't really remember how it felt. Anyway, this race is a small group of about 50 people so that is even more intimidating. My ultimate goal was to not finish last and I did that. I won't lie and say I was comfortable at the pace I chose to run at, but I am happy with my time! (I had resigned myself to finishing around 40 minutes before the race so I was pleased to do it in 9 less minutes!)

I finished 40th of 50 runners and 8th of 13 female runners and my "official" time was 30:47.

Edited to add: I biked with Anna in the trailer (and Craig rollerbladed) to the park this morning after I had some breakfast so I've added 2.6 miles to the biking totals (it took 16:46 round-trip).

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 3.1 miles
Time: 30:45
183 avg heart-rate
00:10 LOW HR
01:21 IN THR
29:14 HIGH HR
8:00 AM, 76° and 65% humidity
Most inspiring song: shuffling feet behind me

This Week:
Miles Run: 12.4
Miles Biked: 2.6

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 48.2
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 8.5

Posted by Becky at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Corrine & I went out in 90% humidity this morning. It is definitely the sun and not the humidity that slows me down on the days I have gone out with Anna. It was fun to run with someone and makes me consider joining a local seemommyrun group.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 28:19
160 avg heart-rate
00:27 LOW HR
22:09 IN THR
05:43 HIGH HR
5:55 AM, 74° and 90% humidity
Most inspiring song: talking to Corrine today

This Week:
Miles Run: 9.3

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 45.1
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Corrine & I went to the Y this morning because it was raining pretty hard outside. I found that I run slower on the treadmill and I can't not watch the numbers on the machine—and it's not necessarily motivating. I did run at a bit of an incline though, since I don't get much of that around here when I'm outside.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.4 miles
Time: 31:08
162 avg heart-rate
00:23 LOW HR
19:40 IN THR
11:05 HIGH HR
7 AM, inside
Most inspiring song: talking to Corrine today

This Week:
Miles Run: 6.8

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 42.6
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was actually really nervous before setting out for this morning's run. I haven't run 4 miles for a very long time, so I was thinking I might have to walk a bit. Surprise, surprise: it was easy. I ran at my THR for the first half, taking it easy so I'd have energy to get home. Then I decided to pick up my pace a bit on the way home and I felt great!

I am doing a variation of this training schedule for the ten-miler in October. I have been trying to run 3x/week and am going to step it up to 4x/week this month OR 3x/week plus a cross-training day. Since I have 15 weeks to train instead of the schedule's 10 I am going to play around with it a bit. I'm also referring to the book Bonnie recommended, Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running by Dagny Scott. My ultimate goal in doing this ten-miler is to run a ten-miler. I don't have a time in mind yet as I'm hoping I'll be moving a bit faster by October than I am now!

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 4.4 miles
Time: 51:55
166 avg heart-rate
00:18 LOW HR
31:50 IN THR
19:47 HIGH HR
7:30 AM, 73° and 82% humidity
Most inspiring song: I'm Still Standing—Elton John

This Week:
Miles Run: 4.4

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 40.2
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was a lot better although my legs felt a little tired from the start. I easily stayed below my THR for over the first half of the run. I am just so impressed that Anna is such a good little stroller companion, I guess she likes getting out with me. Someone made a comment on her reading (Opposites by Sandra Boynton) in the stroller like it was the craziest thing they had ever witnessed. Not sure what that was about.

We also saw an older man that I believe I have seen running before. He runs like I do in my dreams (haven't had this dream recently): exaggerated motion and it looks like how I feel in my dream where I would describe it like "running through molasses." Putting forth all sorts of effort but not getting anywhere fast.

It was more humid today but the sun was behind clouds for a good portion of our run (and the path we chose today was more shady overall) so it felt better today than yesterday. I am feeling pretty tempted to get up at 6 tomorrow for my first "long" run just to not have to deal with the sun.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 29:19
167 avg heart-rate
00:09 LOW HR
15:21 IN THR
13:49 HIGH HR
9:00 AM, 78° and 65% humidity
Most inspiring songs: talking with Anna today.

This Week:
Miles Run: 8.2
Miles Biked: 4.9

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~35.8
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I probably pushed myself a little too hard this morning. Anna woke up earlier than usual so I probably should have waited to eat breakfast until after the run, but I had no way of knowing she'd wake up so early so oh well. The sun felt pretty hot beating down on me the second half of the run (lucky Anna was in the shade all the way home and then mixed sun & shade on the way there).

I am really hoping for cloudy weather next week at the 5K. I am also going to run the one on July 22 with another friend so I am finding good motivational friends to keep me on top of my workouts! I am trying to decide if I should run tomorrow and Sunday or just Sunday.

I really want to run a longer distance (without Anna) on Sunday so if I go tomorrow, Anna & I will just go the shorter route. She did really awesome in the stroller today though considering we were out for so long. I was slightly worried about it when we were leaving but she didn't fuss once so I'm lucky that she likes the stroller so much already! She didn't really read her book today, either (The Pokey Little Puppy), she just watched for dogs and trucks. We saw about 5 dogs right away and then she was saying "more dogs" so I was glad that we saw several more dogs on the rest of the run.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 43:49
183 avg heart-rate
00:00 LOW HR
04:14 IN THR
39:35 HIGH HR
8:40 AM, 70° and 63% humidity
Most inspiring songs: talking with Anna today about the dogs, big trucks, and other people we saw.

This Week:
Miles Run: 5.7
Miles Biked: 4.9

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~33.3
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna started another sign language class last week and she added three new signs (cracker, monkey, and fan) to her vocabulary. So the hesitation I had about doing another signing class disappeared pretty quickly—she seems to enjoy the class, too, which is important. Every time we sang a song, Anna pretty much froze and stared at the teacher, watching her sign. We also got hooked into watching the sign language DVD a few times last week. Since we don't usually watch TV I was a little scared by her intense reaction to wanting to watch more when we were done with the video. She got over that pretty quickly with a few distractors though.

Our class goes through the end of July and it is close enough that we biked to it today. We were late though because I didn't allow in my planning time to get all of the stuff Anna would "need" to accompany her in the bike trailer. It took me longer than I thought it would, too, and I think it's because I may have another flat tire; I'll have to take a closer look. (17:47 minutes there and 16:35 minutes home—I had to stop and get Anna's water cup off of the floor of the trailer on the way there but she held on tighter on the way home.)

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.5
Miles Biked: 4.9

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~30.1
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 7.9

Posted by Becky at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna & I went out together today and the weather was so much nicer today. Humidity makes such a big difference in my life when I'm running outside! We went a little farther than last time since I was more confident that she would be able to handle a longer amount of time in the stroller. I pushed myself a little harder today and didn't stay in my THR much, but I ran at a pace I was comfortable in so I felt good. I had a better time pushing the stroller today, too, since Craig aligned it for me and I was able to very easily push with one hand the whole time—very nice!

I did want to note that I had to make a couple of pit-stops for Anna: one to adjust her sun-shade, one to help her get her book that fell down on the footrest, and one to pick a flower to look at on the way home. So it did surprise me that I ran this distance one minute faster this week than last (when I was alone) and I still felt so good when we pulled back into the driveway.

15 weeks until the 10-miler.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 29:03
171 avg heart-rate
00:08 LOW HR
09:17 IN THR
19:38 HIGH HR
9:00 AM, 70° and 60% humidity
Most inspiring songs: talking with Anna today

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.5

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~30.1
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think my theory of never taking more than two days off between running is probably right. I felt better today than Monday & Wednesday although I didn't stick to my THR; I just ran where I was comfortable and then went faster across intersections for variety.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 44:02
178 avg heart-rate
00:09 LOW HR
6:39 IN THR
37:14 HIGH HR
7:40 AM, 74° and 78% humidity
Most inspiring songs: Are You Gonna Be My Girl—Jet

This Week:
Miles Run: 7.9

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~28.6
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I felt better today than on Monday but still not as good as last week. The humidity must play a big part in my comfort level. Other than that I felt good to get out again. I should really go out around 8 AM this weekend and next so that it's not such a shock to my system when I run the 5K at 8 AM in a couple of weeks.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 30:20
168 avg heart-rate
00:17 LOW HR
10:53 IN THR
19:10 HIGH HR
6:15 AM, 71° and 87% humidity
Most inspiring songs: Pride and Joy—Stevie Ray Vaughan

This Week:
Miles Run: 4.7

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~25.4
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anna & I took the jogger for a spin this morning after she ate breakfast. Of course the weather is a lot nicer this time of year at 6 AM than it is at 9 AM but I couldn't resist taking her out since I just got the stroller! Thankfully the sky was still cloudy this morning so at least we didn't have the sun beating down on us.

I felt awful during this run probably because I took so many days off in between runs and because it was so humid out. Yuck! I got above my THR almost as soon as I got going and never brought it down. It is, of course, more difficult to run while pushing the stroller than it is to just run alone. However, the stroller turns like a dream and it is much easier to run with than I had anticipated so I'm super excited about my find!

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.2 miles
Time: 23:23
180 avg heart-rate
00:07 LOW HR
01:33 IN THR
21:43 HIGH HR
9:30 AM, 73° and 89% humidity
Most inspiring songs: none today as I was busy reading Dear Zoo with Anna

This Week:
Miles Run: 2.2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~22.9
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Craig had to leave for work on time this morning (the nerve!) and I didn't get up early enough to run 3.2 miles so I did a shorter run. I'll have measure it when Anna & I go to our last swimming lesson today. Overall I felt really good and decided that I should never let more than two days pass between runs because when I've gone three it feels like I'm starting over again. The weather was great and there was minimal traffic (foot & road).

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 30:13
160 avg heart-rate
00:12 LOW HR
24:26 IN THR
05:35 HIGH HR
6:05 AM, 67° and 63% humidity
Most inspiring songs: Tom's Diner—Suzanne Vega

This Week:
Miles Run: 5.7

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~20.7
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 6:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I ran the 3.2 mile loop and although my HR shows I was above my THR for most of the run, I was only 2-3 bpm above it for the majority of that. At the end of the run (the last 1/2 mile) I just went at a pace I was comfortable at which also put me at a higher HR. However, I'm sure I was able to run the whole distance because I stuck so close to my THR. I saw some inspirational people along the way but there was a lot more traffic because I left an hour later than I usually do.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 3.2 miles
Time: 45:22
173 avg heart-rate
00:03 LOW HR
08:58 IN THR
36:21 HIGH HR
7:00 AM, 67° and 67% humidity
Most inspiring songs: The Distance—Cake

This Week:
Miles Run: 3.2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~18.2
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I couldn't go slow the entire time today so I mixed it up a bit with some sprints. I started in the ditch then took a path toward the road and came back that way. It was a pretty good route with variety. I even saw a small opossum (I saw a really HUGE one in Somerville, MA one night when we lived there so all other opossums are measured against that one). Overall, I felt pretty good.

I drove a loop near our house yesterday that measures 3.2 (5K) from our door so I am going to do that on my next run. Not for time though, just to do that distance and have something concrete and measurable to compare to later on. I am meeting someone from my mom's group at the local 5K race on July 8 so I'm excited to have that to look forward to and train for.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: ~2.7 miles
Time: 32:00
167 avg heart-rate
0:12 LOW HR
16:46 IN THR
15:48 HIGH HR *times don't match total time b/c I forgot to stop the watch
6:15 AM, 72° and 67% humidity
Most inspiring songs: I'm Still Standing—Elton John

This Week:
Miles Run: ~7

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~15
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 7:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today was easier than Sunday I think because I went on Sunday. I had an easier time staying in my THR although it was still really slow (perhaps I just became more accepting of it). Also I didn't have the problem of wet socks rubbing on my foot like I did at the end on Sunday. Today I stuck to the paved trail, which I'm sure was harder on my knees.

I found a ten-miler to train for in October. Hopefully that will provide some inspiration as the weather gets warmer (and warmer). I also plan to run in a few of the local 5Ks this summer. Next up: training plan.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: 2.3 miles
Time: 30:06
161 avg heart-rate
0:16 LOW HR
27:13 IN THR
2:37 HIGH HR
6:10 AM, 71° and 67% humidity
Most inspiring songs: none, really—it doesn't take much inspiration to go as slow as I'm going!

This Week:
Miles Run: ~4.3

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~12.3
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Obviously I didn't stick to my new "routine" while we had company—shame on me! I guess they were wearing me out more than I realized! Anyway, I got back in the saddle today.

I decided to run in the bayou/reserve/ditch today instead of on the paved paths for some variety in my life. As a result, I really don't have an idea how far I went but that wasn't the point of today's run (turned out to be a really bouncy walk, really). Today I tried to stay in my THR. I did not but I was close and I went really slow. And I feel a lot better today than I did the last time I went out. I realize that I will get in better shape and I will go faster while staying in (or really near) my THR so I'm going to really try to focus on that.

Here are today's stats:
Distance: ~2 miles (guessing!)
Time: 30:11
170 avg heart-rate
4:00 LOW HR
8:14 IN THR
12:53 HIGH HR
7 AM, 69° and 74% humidity
Most inspiring songs: Kung Fu Fighting and Stuck in the Middle with You

This Week:
Miles Run: ~2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: ~10
Miles Walked: 7.6
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 7:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I ran with my watch & heart-rate monitor today. By all indications, my heart-rate monitor must have thought I was about to die. I should investigate further, but it may be that I have a high resting heart-rate. I'm thinking it will lower when I get in better shape though? My average heart-rate was 176 for my run which probably means that I should slow down a bit! I think this next week I'll focus on going for 30 minutes and try to keep my HR lower (between 95-161 bpm).

Today was harder because I went out about 90 minutes later than I had last week so there was a lot more sun in my eyes and it was 66° and 67% humidity.

(Craig rollerbladed & I biked to a park w/Anna yesterday ~3 miles round-trip.)

This Week:
Miles Run: 2

Totals Since 5/14:
Miles Run: 8
Miles Walked: 5
Miles Biked: 3

Posted by Becky at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Same two-mile run this morning; 55° & 65% humidity (very nice!). I did it one minute faster by the kitchen clock.

I found my watch this morning after I got back: it was in a drawer in my office. I'm excited to use it next time (although I probably need to check the heart-rate monitor battery before that).

(I walked to a park a little farther away with Anna yesterday.)

Miles Run This Week: 6
Miles Walked This Week: 5

Posted by Becky at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My second run went better today than on Sunday. My legs were still a bit stiff from Sunday but I forced myself out of bed and went. Weather was cool (about 55° with 60% humidity) and the most motivating song was Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel. Still haven't located my watch, but I noted the time on the oven when I left and came back and 24 minutes had elapsed.

(I walked yesterday with Anna.)

Miles Run This Week: 4
Miles Walked This Week: 2

Posted by Becky at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've decided to start running again for various reasons.

1. It's a good workout
2. I know how to measure my fitness-level when I run
3. It is fantastic me-time with just my thoughts and no other responsibilities

I'm going to see if I can set up a little workout log here to keep me accountable since I know you all will be reading (who you are, I don't really know--I should have a day where everyone is required to leave a post if they read this blog!).

I have been "working" on losing some weight since about February this year. I have lost 11.5 pounds by joining Weight Watchers (I'm paying for it now but I haven't actually tracked points since just before Anna's birthday) and exercising sporadically. (I honestly think stopping nursing and eating better is the ticket for the relative ease of these first 11.5 pounds.) Someone on my mom's group message board was looking for someone to meet up with at the local twice-a-month 5K and that was just the motivation I needed to get in the running frame of mind.

The plan is to run in the morning while Craig showers because I don't currently own a jogging stroller and cannot justify buying one until I can prove that I'm going to stick with running. And it would make more sense to just wait until we have another kid to buy a jogging stroller so that I can just get a double and not mess with/waste money on a single.

I cannot locate my heart-rate monitor watch (I have the strap, but need to search for the watch) so I don't have my time today, but I ran 2 miles this afternoon after the rain stopped and the weather felt pretty cool (no sun and it wasn't too humid). Perfect, actually, for an afternoon run in mid-May in this part of the country! I listened to The Doors and they were appropriately motivating (especially the end of L.A. Woman).

Posted by Becky at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)