Adjusted Reality

If you’ve been following me here this shouldn’t be any surprise, but for the rest of you and for my posterity, here is how last week went:

Monday: 3 mile treadmill run + full body weights at home

Check, and check. Did the weights in the morning at home, and did the run in the gym after work since it was rainy. Nothing spectacular to report here. Tried to make this an easy run, but failed. Especially on the treadmill, I just wanna be DONE.

Tuesday: yoga and 30 minute tempo run (5 minute jog, 20 mins at a fast but sustainable single pace, 5 minute jog)

I love me some tempo running. I like pushing my pace. Unfortunately I sorta failed at it being a true tempo run, but since it was my first one, I’ll cut myself some slack. I kept pace for about 10 minutes, then had to go slower for about 3, then found a pace that was somewhere in between the fast and slow for the rest of the duration. With my completely inaccurate timing system, I estimate I did about 2.5 miles in 20 mins. Which is about an 8 minute mile. This week, I have a new stopwatch watch so I can more accurately time myself.

Wednesday: 30 minutes DDR and yoga

Check and check. Did this in the morning because I anticipated a crazy late day at work which didn’t come, so it was a nice early evening to relax. Since it was a beautiful day we sat outside and drank beers, which did not promote excitement the next day for getting up early and running.

Thursday: 3 mile outside run + full body weights at the gym

Check and check. But ya know what, run I did. It wasn’t even so bad. I was able to keep myself at a nice easy pace and by the end I felt great! Then that evening, I hit the gym and did the long, slow weights session (half the reps – but not less than 8 because that seemed like a waste of time – and twice as slow). It was a nice change, but I’m not sold. I might throw this in every once in a while after this training is done, but I don’t think it did much for me. Maybe try 2/3 the reps next time.

Friday: 6 mile run

Check! Was a nice run. I ate a crap ton of food the night before and actually strode into mile 6 feeling energized and like I could keep going instead of exhausted. I did get a blister and felt my shoes were a little worn, but energy-wise – I was totally on. I wanted to try out my running skirt but it was too cold when I started out.

Saturday: Shopping

I only mention it because I was out shopping ALL day (from about noon until 9) and I think it made me WAY more tired than my 6 mile run. The weather was crappy and rainy and Zliten was tired from helping the neighbor with landscaping jobs this week, so we passed on the bike ride we wanted to do.

Sunday: Rest

Check. Spent Easter relaxing. The only active thing I did was playing bean bag toss with the ‘rents.

Total week 2 mileage (running): 15 (plus about an extra mile warmup and cooldowns)
Total week 2 mileage: 15

Week 3 has already begun! Here’s what’s on tap-

Monday: 3.5 mile run outside + full body weights at home

Tuesday: yoga and 6×400 (1 lap warmup, 1 lap 5k pace, 1 lap jog, repeat pace and jog 5 times, 1 lap cooldown)

Wednesday: 3.5 mile outside run + full body weights at the gym (one set to exhaustion)

Thursday: 35 minutes DDR and yoga (switched normal Wed + Thurs to have a more chill workout the day before my race)

Friday: 5k race!

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Bike ride (and hopefully canoeing)

Total week 3 mileage: 13.5 (plus whatever we do on the bike)

The mileage went down because the race takes the place of the long run, but a 3.1 mile all out is just as tiring as a long run! I’m looking forward to getting another race under my belt.

Things I learned last week:

1. The instincts of a gymnast are ingrained in me forever. On mile 5 of my long run, I was shuffling a bit and hit an uneven curb and tripped and fell. I essentially just rolled over my shoulder and kept going, I didn’t even stop or miss a stride. I used to do that in hurdles all the time. Made me happy that even 14 years after my last double full, some things never go away.

2. Eating a big dinner before particularly long/hard runs is essential. While I’m sure eating a big healthy breakfast, letting it settle for a few hours, and then running would be better, I can’t (won’t) do that. It was nice to feel like I wasn’t sputtering out of gas by the end of the run. Will try not to have the dinner include so much fried food and sugar next time, though….

3. Partying the night before is an effective, but not recommended method of keeping myself to a easy running pace.

4. I am really getting into getting either half or all of my workout done before work. It sets the tone for the day – if everything else is going wrong, at least I had a great weights/yoga/run session. I am realizing that Friday mornings are going to become increasingly earlier and earlier.

5. There is no real judge on how your shoes are holding up better than how they feel the last mile of a long run. Prompted me to go get new shoes this weekend since I felt great beyond my heels feeling a little less padded than they should an developing a blister on my left arch. Strangely enough, after trying on all the shoes in the store, I went with my same pair in a different color, in a half size smaller. Who knew that 40 lbs lost = half a shoe size!

Comments are still disabled due to spammers from hell, but I’m going to tinker with it tonight again, I swear! If anyone can let me know how to install a captcha required on WordPress here, or any other ideas on how to keep the blog on a spam-lite diet, please email me at pinksparkly at yahoo dot com. Otherwise, I might just be moving the blog somewhere spambots can’t go. Hope everyone had a happy Easter and I’ll be back soon, hopefully with commenty goodness!

If you’ve been following me here this shouldn’t be any surprise, but for the rest of you and for my posterity, here is how last week went:

Monday: 3 mile treadmill run + full body weights at the gym

Check, and check.  Did these both after work at the gym.  I actually busted my ass with my time on this and did the 3 miles in about 28 minutes.  Weights were good, but for some reason took longer than normal.  Maybe I was just working harder than normal and needed extra rest between sets.

Tuesday: yoga and 4×400 pace run at the track (1 lap warmup, 1 lap 5k pace, 1 lap jog, repeat pace and jog 3 times, 1 lap cooldown)

Check and check.  I did the yoga before work and headed to the track after work to do the run.  Instead of a lap to warm up and cool down I just ran there and back (which is about a mile round trip).  I figured out a good way to time myself – with my Zune! At the beginning of each timed lap, I started the next song on my playlist and then stopped it when I finished.  I wanted to stay within an 8-9 minute mile pace which I did each fast lap.  I felt like I could push myself a little harder each lap but didn’t want to sprint like I was actually racing a 400 meter (which I actually did in middle school track, running this way brought back memories).

Wednesday: 30 minutes DDR and yoga

Check and check.  Did the yoga again before work.  I have to say, I actually really quite like yoga much better in the mornings, it’s a great way to wake up.  At night, I just want to be over and done with my workouts as quickly as possible so I can never really relax during it.  By this day, I was glad it was DDR and not running, as my legs were ready for a break.

Thursday: 3 mile outside run + full body weights at home

Check and check.  I did the weights in the morning at home and tried 1 set to exhaustion (where I start doing pushups and don’t stop until I fall over, then move on to the next exercise instead of 3 sets).  I think I am in love.  It was quicker, it was harder, it definitely worked me in different ways, and I loved it.  This is definitely a keeper.  The run – eh, I was sore from the morning’s weights (did it after work), and was just not into it when I started, but by the first mile marker I was in my groove and at a good pace.

Friday: 5 mile run

Check!  Got up in the morning and knocked this out before work.  I felt a little stiff during this but figured by the end of the run I’d feel better but I didn’t.  The whole day, my tailbone/lower back was KILLING me.  I thought my tailbone injury was going to relapse – which I haven’t had since I started regularly working out again, and which also tends to put me out of commision for up to a week.  However, with some stretching, ice, a hot shower, and a liberal dose of whiskey (ya know, to keep me loose…), the next day I didn’t wake up injured, just stiff.  I think I slightly pulled a butt muscle.  Which I can totally deal with.

Saturday: 15 mile bike ride and 5 mile walk

Unplanned check!  Found out the local running store RunTex was doing a free unofficial 4k or 4 mile walk/run, ending at a restaurant with free food.  I was totally up for the 4 mile run except Friday’s butt fiasco made me question whether it was worth injuring myself for an unofficial race.  Plus, if I walked it Zliten and I could do it together AND we’d be cool to ride the bikes the 12 miles down to the store.  We had a beautiful ride down and JUST made the starting time, hiked our 4k to Curatos, enjoyed tons of water and good grub, and then hiked the 4k back.  We got on the bikes and rode a bit, and after seeing our bus home pass us a few times, we hopped on about 3 miles in and enjoyed the AC.  I was going to push myself and try to make it home, but I was also on less than 5 hours of sleep and doubt I would have made it out to our friend’s housewarming party that night after a 24 mile bike ride w/a 5 mile walk.  That’s just insane.

Sunday: Rest

Total check!  We drove everywhere we needed to go that day, which involved shopping and mass amounts of Chinese buffet.  My butt and the couch became reacquainted and were happy together.

Total week 1 mileage (running): 13.5
Total week 1 mileage (on foot): 18.5 (biking): 15

Now we are careening headfirst into Week 2!  Here is the plan…

Monday: 3 mile run (outside if the weather cooperates) + full body weights at home

Tuesday: yoga and 30 minute tempo run (5 mins jog, 20 mins fast run, 5 mins jog)

Wednesday: 30 minutes DDR and yoga

Thursday: 3 mile outside run + full body weights at the gym (half the reps, twice as slow)

Friday: 6 mile run

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Rest

Total week 2 mileage: 15.  Rest may or may not involve a bike ride one of those days.

Look pretty similar?  It is – the only difference is a tempo run instead of track intervals and 1 more mile on the longer run (since I’ve done the distance before I’m not worried about it).

In the first week I’ve learned these things:

1.  Stretching is VITAL now that I’m running 4 days a week and active for 6.  I haven’t had body pains in a long time, but Friday’s butt muscle freak out and today, my shoulder blade being a little out shows me I’m pushing myself in ways I haven’t in a while.  2 days a week of yoga is good, but I need to make sure I’m stretching every day.  If I don’t have time to do it before work, do it after and don’t forget!

2.  I am definitely going to take the focus off calorie counts and limiting portions these 3 months.  In fact, this week I am going off of calorie counts entirely to give myself a break.  I don’t plan on going crazy, but gonna try to eat when I’m hungry, don’t eat when I’m not, and try to eat as many Good Things as I can and as few Bad Things as possible.  Ya know, be sane and all.  This 151-153 range I’m at right now isn’t where I want to stay, but it looks pretty good on me.  I reserve the right to change my mind on this, but right now, I’d rather run a half marathon at the end of June than lose weight.  If it happens – hey, that’s awesome.  I’d love to accidentally drop at least 2 lbs below my current low so I can be within the normal BMI for my height, but I guess that’s more semantics than anything else.  I think no matter what weight I run a half marathon at, I’m doing pretty much alright.

3.  I have to start differentiating my training between short run and long run pace.  I can right now run 3 miles in just under 30 minutes, and 5 miles in about 50 minutes.  I should not be running both at approximately the same pace.  Either I’m pushing myself too hard on the long runs or not pushing myself hard enough on the short runs.  According to this calculator – based on my 5k in February, it wants me to slow the steady state runs WAY down.  I’m running all my runs at almost tempo pace – which is the only pace I really have.  What I think that means is I’m ready for a faster 5k race pace if I’m running it regularly in practice.  It’s two weeks until the 5k I have planned, so we shall see.  I’ll definitely have to play with my pacing this week.

4.  I like having the weekends off.  Since Friday night generally is a partying night, Saturday long runs just don’t work for me.  There is nothing like some awesome moderate exercise to kill a hangover, but a long run?  No thank you.  Also, we’ve taken to doing long bike rides on the weekends, and I’d rather not have to run and bike on the same day.  So my training is probably going to stay Monday – Friday for now.  Hopefully 5 days in a row doesn’t kill me.  The other option is counting my bike rides as the day of cross training and cut out the DDR, but…I don’t wanna!  I think I might cry if I have to give up DDR for 3 months.

5.  I also like doing some/all working out in the mornings.  Anyone who knew me before I started this blog is say “who is this girl and what have you done with the night owl?”  I don’t know what happened, but if the 30s have embodied anything yet, it’s been morning workouts.  On my birthday, I got up and did weights and a run before work, and ever since then, I’ve really enjoyed getting up and getting at least half my workout done.  This morning, I got up and did weights so all I have is my 3 mile run after work.  I’ll probably get up and yoga the next 2 days and perhaps even get the whole workouts done.  Anything involving the gym is out though – with the travel time I just have to be up too early and pack too much crap.  However, I am, as a rule, going to do all my long runs in the mornings.  First of all, by the time late June rolls around, it’s going to be hotter than hell after work.  Second – most races are in the morning so I need to get used to it.  Third – I love being done for the week when I roll into work and know that when I’m out for the evening, fiesta can begin.

So, internets, what’s your plan for the week?  Anyone else training for something?  Anyone want to swing by my work and give me a nice backrub and make the shoulderblade knot go poof? 😉  Cute doggie pictures today from ihasahotdog.com.