personal training

I went to personal training last Monday, but didn't work out at all since then.  I went to personal training again yesterday which was good.  I'm just hoping/working on getting to the gym more than just once a week.  I did arrive early to personal training so I hopped on the treadmill for a little bit.  I ran 5 minutes at 6.0 pace - so I guess that means I went half a mile in 5 minutes - not too bad.  I've got to get back on a running schedule so I can rebuild/maintain my endurance.  I think I'll work on running a 5K, whether we have a race picked out or not! :)

There is a half marthon and 5K in Chicago on September 9th.  Do you think I could train to run a 5K in 30 minutes by then?  Maybe that will be my new goal for the next 3 months.  I think could do it!

i'm back

hey there!

i kind of forgot about the blog, and just went on today and saw how awesome mama is doing!  I have not been so good.  I was really busy this week getting back in the swing of things (coming back from vacation is no fun - I want to go back!).  Plus Vince was really sick with a fever of 101.4 this week so i stayed home with him during the evenings. 

But it was a beautiful day today, so I did go for a short run.  Just left from the house and made it to Independence Park (about 1.8 miles round trip).  It didn't go very well - I only ran for a total of about 16 minutes, and it took me a total of 30 minutes for less than 2 miles - yikes!  My main problem was that I was running and then had to stop at a stoplight.  The instant stopping made my heart rate go down too quickly and i felt kind of sick.  That was right by the park, so I just walked slowly around the park, drank from the drinking fountain, and then started running again on my way home.  Even though it wasn't my best, it was great to be outside and get back to working out.  I'll go to personal training on Monday, which should help my motivation, too.  

Just 20 miles to my first 100

Rode 9 miles this morning. That makes 80+ for the season. Should have my first 100 by the end of the week. Exciting, although I probably don't want to figure out how many miles I have to do each week now to get to 1000.

keeping the focus

Today, I went for a walk. Wasn't able to do the entire 3 miles due to time constraints, but felt good to be out for about a half hour. I sure do miss my watch. I'll have to go get a new one. I'll be doing some more walking as I plan to take the train to work this morning.

In studying about Real Food, I think I'll miss my cereal the most. Bought a lot of good food yestereday. I just need to get myself motivated to prepare it. Lisa has some good ideas.

I weighed myself this morning for a starting point and now I've put my scale away. Shocking!

The year I get fit...no, really!

I know it's ridiculous how many times I have tried this, but then I quit smoking more than once and now I'm quit for good. So...here's hoping and trying.

I rode my bike almost 14 miles yesterday and 22.35 miles today. I have spent a lot of the morning reading 100 days of real food. I was looking at the 14 weeks of pledges. I do many of these things already, but I definitely don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and there is sugar in so many products that I don't even consider that sweet. I'll need to throw away all of my salad dressings and make fresh. That is actually kind of appealing to me...today.

So...I'm off to the grocery store today, but I think I will look at some of Lisa's food plans before I go...just to get more ideas. I'm kind of thinking of getting a tortilla maker. That really sounds fun and would be so great for lunches.

We should figure out our next event and get training.

i am here!

Hello!

I have been trying to stay active, but I haven't had time to blog about it.  So here's my last week and a half:
Sunday 5/5 - Race Day
Tuesday 5/8 - Personal Training
Thurday 5/10 - Kick Ball (not super active, but better than the couch!)
Saturday 5/12 - VisionWalk (on my feet all day)
Monday 5/14 - Jog on the path by the river with Snoop (mostly walking and a lot of stopping.  Turns out Snoop is not the best running partner.  The longest we ran without stopping was 5 minutes.)
Tueday 5/15 - Personal training

And today I am thinking of run/walking after work, but it might not happen because I have to take Snoop to get his nails trimmed and finish up my laundry so I can pack for Saturday!  I am planning to bring work out clothes to Florida and hope to get a lot of work outs in there.

Hello?

Anyone out there? Perhaps we need to pick a 5k quickly so we can keep up our motivation!

I went for a 30 minute run today and did 6 mini speed intervals where I picked up the pace for a little bit (10-30 second sprints). It was fun to switch it up and push myself, plus it's supposed to help me get faster overall. I think my new goal is to run a 5k in less than 30 minutes. :)

Another good run

Did 1 mile in 10:06 again. Was hoping to beat Monday's time but I'll take matching it. Then I walk/ran until I hit a 5k. 3.1 miles in 37:30--not too shabby. That included dropping off Cars 2 at the library too!

Day 3 - more progress

This morning I went to the gym and worked out on the elliptical. I was able to work much harder without having my heart rate soar. And it came back down more quickly after each interval. Today I did my 5k in 31 minutes...I believe that's 10 minute miles. I, too, want to work on cutting that time. I'm shooting for 9 minute miles. Could it be the absence of alcohol?

Day 2 - another kind of progress

I did not exercise this morning. I was so, so tired last night so decided to let myself sleep in. And I did sleep in until 7:15. I decided to exercise this evening even though that's usually not such a good plan for me. I ended up working late and thought I probably missed out, but I came home, had a little snack and went for a walk. It was short...about 30 minutes, but I'm really happy that I went even though it was 8:00. Woohoo!

Kristi, I've been thinking about what you said about not taking on too much all at once. I am thinking about what sort of goals I want to set and how many. My overall goal is to get healthy and fit. Now I need to think about what steps I am willing to take to get there. Along those lines...2 nights without alcohol.

Running free

I went for a run today and it was fun to just go without a training plan. I decided to run a 1 mile loop just out of curiosity...and I did it in 10:06. Now I have a baseline and I'm going to try to beat it. After that I walked a quarter mile, ran a half mile, walked a quarter mile ran a quarter mile. Looking forward to seeing improvement in my speed while still maintaining endurance!

Finish Swine!

Proof that we made it past mile 4! :)

Mission Accomplished

We did it!

Day 1

I did not disappoint myself today.  I went to the gym and worked out on the elliptical...did my interval training until I hit 3.1 miles and then did a cool down. So, I exercised for about 35 minutes, did 3.25 miles and burned about 410 calories. I didn't lose as much as I had feared. All in all, I'm pleased.

I also looked at 5k races last night. I found a couple in September. I did that pretty late. I'll look at it again and send out some ideas.

a morning person

I'm so glad our race is in the morning. I am definitely better in the morning. Just did my regular 3 mile walk in an hour, with a stop at Starbucks! Sunday afternoon it took an hour without a stop. I feel great!

T-shirt ideas

So I had a thought...we could be the three little pigs!!! And the cincy zoo has little baby pigs--3 of them--so we could print a picture of the 3 little pigs on our shirts! If we want to... I'll have to look for ears/nose/tail.

Not a great run...

Going from running in 50 degree weather to the 80s is tough! Plus I've got a minor cough/cold thing going on. So I didn't feel like I was on top of my game...but I still ran 25 min walked 2 ran 5 and then walked 18. It was a total of 50 min, just not the run 25, walk 1, run 25 that I was planning on.

Oh well-it was a gorgeous day, Levi had fun, and I ran 30 minutes which I couldn't do at all a couple months ago. :)

Sunday Run-Day for 1

I went running on the path by the river again this Sunday, but did it by myself.  Vince was really tired because he worked all day Friday and Saturday.  So when the alarm went off on Sunday (yes I set an alarm on a Sunday!) he decided to stay in bed.  The good news is that I was able to do week 10 pretty easily.  I ran 10/walked 1 four times.  So I basically ran 40 minutes and walked for 4.  I went about the same distance we've been going on our Sunday runs - about 4 miles.  Just 2.2 more miles and I've done the race!  I bought my hot pink shirt on Saturday, so I will be all set for the race.  Now to find some ears, noses and tails...we'll have to see how piggy we want to be. :)

You girls make me look like a slug. I did get out and walk today for about an hour. I wanted to go longer, but I had to go to the bathroom. I may take a little rest and go out again. I am getting so excited for the weekend. I just wish I had prepared better. I feel like I want to cram for the test, but I don't think that works in this situation.

Week 9 is done!

I went to the gym after work yesterday and tackled the last workout of week 9 (run 8/walk 2 five times)!  This was the one I struggled with so much on Wednesday, but it wasn't so bad yesterday.  It felt good to be running so much and I'm looking forward to running with Vince on the river again tomorrow.  I think we'll try week 10, workout 1 (run 10/walk 1 four times).  Hopefully the weather is ok.

weather.com says it will be 76 and mostly cloudy on race day in Cinci.  that sounds perfect to me!  I'm going to go shopping for a bright pink running shirt to wear today. :)

Crazy active yesterday = sore muscles today

Ran 40 minutes, then power-walked with Kristin Boys in the afternoon, then had a family stroll after dinner to get some Graeter's. I couldn't believe how sore I was that evening and today. Also, how is it that I can run fine, but then when I was walking fast with Kristin I was huffing and puffing? It was slightly hilly, but still! Must use different muscles or maybe it was because I was already tired from having run earlier? Anyway, I might need to go walking a bit more before next weekend!

Back in the saddle...errr running shoes

I went out for a run today with Levi. My hip is weird-it doesn't hurt at all once it's "warmed up" but kills in the morning and at night. Anyway I decided to try to run and see how it felt. And it was great! 60 and beautiful outside, Levi was in a good mood (even with his top tooth about to erupt) and the run felt good. I ended up going 42 minutes with a "walk break" (Levi pet an 11 month old puppy who was really sweet and gentle-so it wasn't much walking) for 2 minutes in the middle. So fun that I can run that long consecutively now! And it's nice not to have to worry about time intervals so much.

rough workout

today was tough.  i was planning to do run 8/walk 2 for 5 times.  I thought it would be pretty easy, but I was wrong.  I was on the treadmill at the hotel which is in a tiny little room where the temperature is set at 72 and there is a lock on the thermostat so I couldn't turn it down.  I also went first thing in the morning before I had anything to eat.  So with the warmth and lack of food, I was not feeling too great and I was scared if I pushed too hard I might faint.

I ended up running for 8 minutes the first time, but then every ineterval after that was for 5 minutes of running or less.  I still was able to go a little over 3.5 miles and burned over 500 calories (if the treadmill is correct) in about 50 minutes. So it was dissapointing, but I'm hoping I can get this workout done on Friday and then move on to the next week on Sunday.

Sunday Run-Day!

Vince and I went running on the path by the river again this Sunday.  We did run 7/walk 2 six times for a total of 42 minutes of running and went about the same distance as last week - a little over 4 miles.  It was a little chilly and my nose was running, but still felt good to be outside.  I have a pretty gross blister on my right "ring" toe.  It doesn't hurt, but it's not pretty.  I did personal training tonight and plan to workout at the hotel in Louisville on Wednesday.  What are you ladies up to?  Just 11 days until the race!

Week 9 Started

On Wednesday, I tried week 9 (run 7, walk 2) and was able to do 5 intervals.  It felt really good and I'm excited to go give it a try again tonight.  Maybe I'll get 6, 7 or 8 intervals in this time.  After running with Vince, I realized that I do best if I'm not paying attention to the time, so on the treadmill I used my towel to cover up the time.  Then I would just look at it a few times so I knew when to walk.  Plus I had my headphones in, and I think the music really helps me keep going.  I'm very excited to see my progress.  I'm thinking about going back to our first posts to see how far we've come. :)

Running Partner

I'm so proud all of us got out this weekend to work out!  Vince and I drove to the path by the river and jogged this morning.  He ran behind me so I set the pace and he kept track of the time.  We ran 5 minutes, walked 1 minute for nine times for a total of 4.35 miles in 55 minutes (We made it from Argyle to Devon).  It's a little slower than I go on the treadmill - I usually average a little over 11 minute miles, but today was closer to 12/12.5 minute miles.  It was great for me because Vince kept track of the time so I wasn't constantly checking the time and playing mind games.  Instead, I just kept running until he ran up to me and said it was time to walk.  We both ran with our headphones in, but turned them off and talked for the 1 minute breaks.

I'm feeling much more hopeful about running outside since this was such a good experience.   Mom - you are right that the weather today was perfect - the overcast sky and breezes were nice.  I'm hopeful we'll have good weather on race day!  I wish I could run on this path for every run, but I think by the time I would be done on weeknights, it would be too dark.  So I think I'll stick with treadmill during the week and outside on weekends.  Now time to relax and enjoy Sunday Funday!

Feelin' Fantastic

Is it because I walked yesterday? Because I did better than I thought I would? Is it because I don't seem any worse for the wear? Or is it because I was out riding my bike this morning? It was a beautiful, peaceful, spring morning. Just the right temperature, not too crowded. Just a bit windy. I rode 13.65 miles, riding time 1 hour 14 minutes, average speed 10.9 mph. I like to average 12 but given the wind and that it is early in the season, I'm good with that. I just have 965 miles to go to get to 1000. Maybe I'll get healthy and fit after all this year. I wanted to do it before I turned 60, but I think it's OK if I do it the year I turn 60. How can I keep this attitude?

Couch to 5k!!!

I ran the entire 5k!!! And it was VERY hilly. And it rained the whole time so I was carrying extra weight from my shirt, pants, and shoes. I definitely played the mind games... At 7:30 I was like " I've run 8 minutes before, I can do this." then at 9 minutes I was like, " my workout today is supposed to be run 10, walk 4... I can at least run 10. Then when I hit 1 mile the guy called out "11 minutes!" and I thought "well the next workout for this week was going to be run 20, so I'll do that." and then when I got to 20 min I was like "I might as well run 2 miles-I an so close anyway" and then after that I was like "I think I might be able to do the whole thing" and I did.

Yay!

I'm walkin'...

I walked for almost an hour today. It might have been a little long for brand new shoes, but it went fine. I'm afraid to see how far I went and then extrapolate that to 6.2 miles and how long? I'll work these next three weeks to go faster and further. Kristi, I want to see how far your place is from mine. I'm going to try to remember to clock it when I come pick you up tomorrow.

hello?

hi guys!  i feel like we've all been a little absent from the blog for a few days.  i did not run on tuesday, but i was able to go on wednesday.  i did week 8 (run 5, walk 1) and really struggled.  i completed 8 intervals, but had to slow my pace down to 5.3 (from 5.5) and added 2 minute walks between runs after a few intervals.  but i did do 40 minutes of running and went 4.5 miles in 56 minutes...or something like that.  i think i'll stick with week 8 for awhile until i feel confident with it before moving on.  i plan to workout at the hotel in fort wayne tomorrow.

how are you two doing?

Week 9 with a stroller

Awesome run today. 60, sunny, with a little breeze made for perfect running weather. And Levi slept nearly the whole run. It is amazing how much harder 7 minutes of running is compared to 5 at a time. But the workout seem to go quicker when you only have 6 intervals!

New shoes!

I got new shoes yesterday. I'm hoping they will help my knees. Everytime I run, it takes a few days for my knees to get better. Mark at Runners' High says they should help. We'll see.

I am feeling a bit discouraged. There are still 4 weeks, but I feel like it is 2 steps forward and 1 step back. And after reading your posts, I'm feeling sad that I will be holding you girls back.

It has been a few days since I've done anything, so need and want to do something today.

7 minutes at a time!

Just completed week 9, run 1 (run 7, walk 2, 7 times). And for the first time since we started training I experienced the "runner's high"! So fun! I tried mapmyrun.com and it says I went 5.25 miles in the 63 minutes I was out. Which means I averaged 12 min miles. Not too bad. :)

outside jog!

I tried running outside today and did half of week 8 (5 intervals of 5 minute run/1 minute walk) for a total of 25 minutes running and 2.87 miles, according to mapmyrun.com.  I didn't love being outside, mostly because I didn't have a plan of where I was going and it felt kind of aimless.  I had planned to go to the park by our house, and was shocked when I got there after just 1 interval.  Now I realized it's less than a mile away (funny how the walk always seems so long when I go there with Snoop).  So I had to improvise my route and try to decide how far from the house I really wanted to go.

I think for the future, I will use a running path either by the river or the lakefront so that I don't have to make a decision about which way to go.  Just run out for half of the run, then turn around and go back to finish.  Also won't have to deal with traffic and red lights that way.

My shins hurt a little and I feel a little wheezy from breathing the outside air.  I didn't use my ipod at all (even though I carried it) so I heard how hard I'm breathing.  I also had too much stuff - carried my phone, ipod, ID, keys and a water bottle.  I had pockets on my jacket, but everything kept bouncing in there.  So I ended up holding my water bottle and keys in one hand, and my phone in the other hand with my ID and ipod in my pockets.  What do you guys do with all your stuff?

Overall, the outdoor running went better than I expected so I am hopeful.  I'll try to add some outdoor runs into my regular workout mix.

Out and About

Completed week 8 today. It had been awhile since I ran with the stroller so it felt harder but not horrible. I looked at the soles of my shoes and realized they're super worn out. So I ran with my old running shoes (which are also worn out but not quite as bad) to see if my knees/heels/joints would feel any better. I'm thinking I need to invest in a new pair of shoes. I'll let you know about my (hopefully lack of) pain in the next day or so.

another kind of progress

I didn't even try to talk myself out of going to the gym this morning. If I'm going to exercise, it needs to be in the morning. I did the elliptical this morning. I was pleased with my accomplishments. I did interval training for 45 minutes. It was good. And I really need to remember that I feel better when I exercise...except maybe for knees. Tomorrow I'm thinking I will go for a walk for as long as I can.

week 7 completed

I did week 7, and this time I was able to do 10 intervals for a total of 40 minutes of running...and it felt good!  I even did the last minute of running at 6.0 and felt like I could have kept going.  It gives me hope for week 8, which was very scary to me before.

I haven't ventured away from the treadmill yet, but I definitely want to do so soon!  I ran/walked 5 miles in 65 minutes so I think I'll try to find a route that is at least 5 miles.  I might have to save the outdoor runs for the weekends so it is still light outside.  I'm taking Friday off of work to catch up on some things so I may be able to get an outdoor workout in then.  Hope you're both doing well!

Back on track

I went for a run today-first time since Tuesday. It mostly felt good-although my joints felt a little like the tinman--needing an oiling! I was stiff and creaky for the first half of the run. Did either of you get out?

Oh yes I did

I went to the gym this morning. I actually found myself missing it. Who am I? And...I did 9 minute miles on the elliptical, 4 of them. I had to push myself, but I feel so great for having accomplished it and I feel so great!

I'd like to ride my bike this evening to the lakefront so that I can mark out 3.1 miles. I'd like to work on being able to cover 6.2 miles. It's only supposed to be a high of 54 today so I don't know. I'll have to bundle up. Why didn't I do this the other night when it was so beautiful?

How are you girls doing (knees, shins, heels) after your big runs this week?

week 7 and other random thoughts

I started week 7 yesterday (Run 4, Walk 2), which is where I originally started when I switched to mom's program about a month ago.  When I first tried it, I was only able to do 6 intervals.  Last night, I was able to do 9 (not quite the 10 I was supposed to do).  Again, it was really, really hot in the gym.  After the first 3 intervals I was feeling good, the 4th and 5th got tough and then the mental game began.  I kept telling myself - you did 6 last time, you have to at least beat that...now you've done 6, you can at least do 7 - that's 28 minutes of running...well now you only have 3 left...on the eighth interval - this may be your last one, do it good...then on the 9th - just keep going.  But on the 9th I was starting to feel a little lightheaded and dizzy, so I wasn't sure if I'd do the 10th.  The treadmill kind of decided for me.  Once you get to 60 minutes, it says you're done and starts your cool down for you.

So I did 65 minutes total (including warm up and cool down).  I ended up extending some of the walks to 2.5 minutes.  I think I did a total of 36 minutes of running and went almost 5 miles total (with the walking). 

I sure hope it's cool in Cinci on the morning of May 5th.  I can't remember if I mentioned this, but we're running on Cinco de Mayo so there should be some Coronas and tacos in our future after the race!

Also, Vince is planning to come cheer us on! Yay!

50 minutes of running!!

I finished week 8 run 1--5 min run/1 min walk times 10. And I feel good! Hoping my knee and heel feel ok tomorrow. :)

So did you go to the gym momma?

Stayin' Active

So  I haven't run again since Friday, but I have been staying active.  On Sunday, Vince and I went to the park and played basketball for about an hour.  I didn't sweat too much, but my arms are sore from shooting today.  My knees hurt a little, too - I think from being on the pavement and switching directions quickly.  Then I went to personal training today.  I will definitely be sore from that.  The plan is to hit the gym tomorrow for the start of week 7.  Wish me luck!

A much-needed break

I ran today-and I felt so good that I did an extra run interval! And best of all-I got to get out sans baby! I realized today that there's no way I would have ever thought of a run as a break a year ago. But now life has changed, and a chance to get of the house for an hour and not have to think about the baby, and just enjoy the fresh air and time to think is so nice!

Back to the gym

Did the elliptical for about 55 minutes today. I was a bit disappointed with my speed...a little less than 11 minute miles, but I did my interval training the whole time. As I go along, I have to slow down to get my heart rate back down. I think next time I'll see how fast and far I can go when I don't do the interval training. I am seeing real progress which is so great. I mean just that I can work so hard for 55 minutes. Awesome!

And I took the day off

It might be an excuse, but I think it's OK that I take the day off after a big workout, right? So glad you both were at it today. It's so inspiring to me.

week 6 completed

i was able to finish the last workout of week 6 today and it was much better than wednesday.  the hotel had a small little gym with one treadmill, and i was the only one there.  i was able to open the window and get a bit of a cool breeze going, too.  that is the closest i've been to running outside.  :)  i should probably start trying to walk/run outside, but i'm scared of my shins and knees hurting.  maybe i can go to the lakefront on the weekends.  baby steps...

Rainy day run

It was raining out but I decided not to let that stop me! I'm so glad I bought a rain cover for the jogging stroller. Levi stayed dry and I got a run in! :) I was quite drenched however. But it was pretty refreshing!

Run Jackie run

This morning I went to the lakefront to walk/run. The first 3 times, I ran for 45 seconds. The next 5 times I ran for a minute. I feel great. This weather is sure helping the workouts. I hope to do a longer stint this weekend.

Ride Jackie ride

I just got back from my first bike ride of the season. I did a big 10 mile circle. It felt great. Much, much cooler by the lake front. I'm guessing 20-25 degrees cooler. It was 86 when I was out in my car this afternoon, but it felt chilly by the lake. Amazing! So...biking is my FAVORITE way to excercise or maybe dancing. I'm all psyched about riding more this summer. Can I ride 1000 miles this season? I rode 500 the summer before last, but only 250 last summer.

back in the saddle again...

so after more than a week without running (yikes!) i finally went to the gym yesterday evening.  i tried to do week 6, run 2 (run 3, walk 2 ten times) and it was hard.  the most difficult part was that it was so freaking hot in the gym - my face was redder than ever!  I ended up just doing the interval 7 times and stopping for a total of 35 minutes.  so i am hoping to complete week 6 tomorrow or Friday (I'm traveling for work, but I think the hotel has a gym).  i'm a little off track, but i'll keep up with it as much as I can.

while i was running i watched the biggest loser that focused on the vacation and the excuse "i can't lose wait on vacation."  I found it very timely as I just gave up on working out on my vacation.  oops.

Week 7

I completed week 7, run 1! Levi was a bit overdue for a nap about halfway through and got fussy. If I sing to him he calms down. So picture this: I'm running red-faced (of course) huffing and puffing and pushing a crying baby and singing "twinkle, twinkle little star." I must have looked ridiculous!!! But I finished (and he fell asleep about 15 minutes before the end)! I had to walk during one of the run intervals because of a hill-they're so much harder pushing a stroller with a nearly 18 pound baby!

2 in a row!

I went for a walk/run again today! In order to keep up with the training schedule I had to go again today and I'm so glad I did! It was another gorgeous day. This time I was supposed to run 3 minutes 10 times but I ended up running 11 times and added a little extra time to a few of the runs for a total of 36 min running and 22 min walking. It felt good.

While I was out, Matt took Levi for his own walk/run. He and I are thinking about doing a 5k on April 14 (he'd walk/run it and I'd run it as one of my training runs).

I did it...already!!!

I went 6.2 miles on the elliptical in just over 61 minutes!!! When I got to 45 minutes, I didn't think I would make it, but I convinced myself to go to 5 miles. When I got to 5 miles, I convinced myself to get to 5.2 miles and then I could "walk" the last mile. And I did it!!! Ever more hopeful for May 5. Next week, I'm going to work harder on the food and drink part. It will be easier if I don't have so much to carry.

I just want to say that I can't ever work out in secret. Red face and sweaty body give me away.

Do you girls mind if I give out the blogpost or do you want to just keep it for us?

More than an hour!!!

On this GORGEOUS St Patrick's Day, I went out and (apprehensively) attempted the 65 minute (run 3, walk 2) workout. I got in a groove, got to see new neighborhoods, and was overcome by the beauty of spring (quite early): trees are in full bloom, daffodils and tulips are out, people were mowing their lawns. So crazy. Anyway I felt good with no tummy cramps. Hopefully my heel will feel ok later. Kristi have you found a beach to run on yet?

Back at it

I took a couple of days off. Apparently I thought I was on vacation with Kristi. I can tell you why I didn't go, but if I think about it, they are really just excuses. I was a little nervous that I was headed down that lazy path, but I am back at it today. I had planned to go to the gym, but I got outside and it was so beautiful. But I didn't have my watch, so went to the gym. When I got to the gym, there were no parking places so I headed to the lakefront. I thought it was a sign. I missed my watch, but I just ran when I felt like I could and for as long as seemed sensible. I walk/ran for almost an hour. It makes me feel like I will be able to do the 10k after all. Tomorrow I plan to go to the gym and see how long I can do the elliptical. I'm hoping for an hour. I also am hoping to ride my bike. Feels like forever.

Still at it.

Today I walked for about 35 minutes...I think it was faster than we did on Sunday, Kristi...and I did a few personal training sort of exercises. It was great to be outside and it was great to push through some sore muscles.

Feels like summer

I did week 6, day 1 (i'm just a little behind you Kristi) today. It was 75 and sunny--hotter than I'm used to! Levi loved it and I did well for the first 9 runs but my tummy started to cramp. I decided since I was relatively close to home that I'd stop for a quick bathroom break and then finish. But once I stopped I realized my body has already decided I was done (the cramping got worse and I was a little shaky). So I didn't finish but I'm still happy with having run 27 minutes total on hills pushing a stroller with a big baby in it! :)

Personal training

I went to the gym after work today for personal training.  it was pretty good, but not too painful.  we'll see if that's what i'm still saying tomorrow or the next day.  i'm planning to do run 2 of week 6 tomorrow.  but there's a lot to do before vacation, so we'll see.  off to fold some laundry now...

I hate the time change!

I know it's only an hour, but it sure does seem to affect me. The bad news is that I couldn't get going this morning and I had to be at the office earlier than usual so I didn't get to the gym. But the really good news is that I did a personal training session here at home instead. I think this is huge progress. Usually, I would give myself permission to skip, but I didn't. I think I'm going to be really sore in some spots. I'm feeling it in my triceps already. Yikes! I am really looking forward to the elliptical tomorrow. I'm going to set my alarm so that I don't get up too late. Who am I?

I am not MIA! :)

Hi! Hope you 2 are having as beautiful a day there as we are here! While Levi napped at home I went for my run (week 5, run 3). It was gorgeous and I covered 3.75 miles with lots of hills. I even got to discover some new roads with huge houses. It felt like I was running in Beverly Hills.

So jealous that the 2 of you get to walk together on the Lakefront. Hope you enjoyed it!

week 6

I did the first workout of week 6 today (run 3 minutes, walk 2 - 13 times!).  With my warm up walk, that was 70 minutes of working out.  The treadmill actually forced me to do a cool down after 60 minutes so I had to keep increasing the speed and then start the last 5 minute interval on a new workout.  I ended up going about 5.5 miles, and ran for a total of 39 minutes - crazy!  Momma and I might walk along the lake front tomorrow morning which should be nice to be outside.

And 5

Had a great day on the elliptical...45 minutes, 4.2 miles, 515 calories. Just 2 more miles for the 10k. I'm shooting for 6.2 miles in an hour before May 5. It's probably a lofty goal, but I want to see how close I can come. It will be good to know I can go that long and that far.

4 for 4

It was a walk day today...very, very close to 40 minutes. I did feel it a bit more today. I'm thinking it might be sore muscles/shins from Tuesday. When I'm on track, I can't figure out why I don't do this. It's not that hard. But when I'm lazy, I can't figure out how to get started. Silly! Hope I can stay on track.

make that 3

Today was bad news and good news.

Bad news...I didn't do as well as Monday in terms of minutes per mile. Today was more like 10.5 minute miles. Monday, the heart monitor wasn't working so I may have worked a little harder than I should have.

Good news...I went longer than I did on Monday. I went for 45 minutes, did more than 3.5 miles (I forget exactly), and burned over 500 calories.

Really good news...I felt so GREAT today. This is what makes me want to go again tomorrow.

So really...today was really great news!!!

2 in a row

I did not go to the gym this morning, but that's because I wanted to go for a walk. I forgot my watch, but I'm pretty sure I walked at least 30 minutes and probably closer to 40 minutes. I want to keep building on that. I did feel it in my knees a bit today, but I'm hoping that will get better. I think I will look for new shoes this weekend. Tomorrow...back to the elliptical.

No reprimanding necessary

I did get to the gym this morning so you don't have to reprimand me. I didn't want to, but I just couldn't come up with a reason not to go. And I didn't want to tell you that I didn't go. I did really well...almost like I had been going all along. I did 3.5 miles on the elliptical in 35 minutes and burned over 400 calories. I did 9.5 minutes miles for the first 2 miles and was please to end up at 10 minute miles. I was thinking I could keep up with you girls if we could figure out a way to make the elliptical go on the route.

does cleaning count as a work out?

I meant to get to the gym today, but the cleaning took longer than I expected. At least I wasn't just lying around the whole day. I've kind of run out of steam. Have just a little more to do. Let me have it if I don't get there tomorrow.

week 7 - new program

so i tried week 7 of mom's program today - run 4 minutes, walk 2 minutes 10 times and it was tough!  Katie, you were right that it is way more than I am used to running.  So unfortunately I was not able to finish.  I did it 6 times for a total of 24 minutes running and 18 minutes walking (plus a 5 minute warm up walk and 5 minute cool down walk).  I did the running at 5.5 and the walking 3.5.  I would like to calculate how far I ran, but I'm too tired right now.

so next steps...I think I may back up to week 5 where it starts with a total of 30 minutes running.  I think this will still keep me on track for the race, but that is assuming I don't have to repeat any weeks or get sick.

movin on

i just tried to do week 6, run 3 which is a 25 minute run, and it didn't go so well.  I ran for 10 minutes, stopped to grab a drink and fix my hair and then i felt like i might faint.  so i decided to walk very slowly to see if i would feel better...and i did.  i ended up running another 10 minutes so i did get 20 minutes of running in, but still didn't complete week 6. 

since the rest of the c25k program is just running for 25 minutes or more for the next 3 weeks, i'm deciding to switch to mom's program.  i think i'll try to start at week 7 and see how that goes.  Run 4 minutes, walk 2 minutes 10 times. back to training on Monday and running on Tuesday.

Back at it

Ran week 4, run 1 Wednesday. It was tough (run 2, walk 3, 11 times). That's 22 minutes of running! I made it a double-tasking event and brought along clothes to donate to goodwill and a library book to return... So the load was a bit lighter on the way home. Levi continues to love the rides and I've got a rain cover for the jogger now too-so I can't even use rain as an excuse! :)

update

On Monday I did personal training and was super sore (and still am a little sore) in my quads, abs, arms and some other muscles I didn't even know I had.  I did week 6, run 2 on Wednesday and next up is a 22 minute run.  I will probably try to do that on Friday or Saturday.  Hope you guys (and your little guy, Katie) are getting healthy and can get back to it.  10 weeks until the 10K!

and she's back

I went to the rec plex today and tried out my new shoes.  i decided to repeat week 6, run 1 since it's been 5 days since my last workout.  it went pretty well, but was a little harder than when i did it the first time.  it felt good to be running again and i'm looking forward to personal training on monday and another run on tuesday.  oh and the shoes worked pretty well.  no knee pain yet, but it usually takes a day or two to hurt so we'll see.

maybe i'll see you both at grammy's and we can run/walk together?!?

new shoes!

i bought new shoes today at runner's hi & tri in arlington heights.  picked up some brooks again.  my knees are feeling better after 3 days of no exercise, but i'm anxious to get running again.  i think i'll give it a try tomorrow with the new shoes and see how my knees feel.

week 6

i started week 6 today.  run 5 min, walk 3 min, run 8, walk 5, run 5 and it was pretty easy.  after running for 20 minutes it wasn't too tough.  although my knees are starting to hurt.  they don't hurt while i run, but once i'm done they hurt a little.  nothing unbearable, or even enough to make me say "ouch" but a little uncomfortable.

where are you guys?

Week 5 Completed

I did it!  I ran for 20 minutes.  woohoo!  I ran for 10 minutes straight and then stood on the edges of the treadmill for about 1 minute just to get a drink of water, fix my hair, wipe the sweat off of me and catch my breath.  but then i got back on the treadmill and ran for about 11 minutes (i felt like i should add the extra minute since i took a break).  my heartrate got back down really quickly and it felt good.  my lower legs (shins and calves) are sore now, but i stretched a lot so hopefully they'll be better soon.  Week 6 starts with a walk/run interval again so i think it should be easier compared to today.  i'm at dad's so i went to the rec plex again - it's much cooler there and i wasn't sweating nearly as much as i normally do at XSport.  plus they space out thier treadmills a little more so we aren't all on top of eachother which is nice.  too bad it's $9 a day to go there.  looks like they'll be getting at least $36 from me this week (more than 1 month membership at XSport!).  but at least i'm investing in my health. :)  I'm taking a break tomorrow, but then week 6 starts on Monday or Tuesday.

week 5 what?

Just did week 5 run 2.  ran for 8 minutes in a row pretty well the first time. the second time was a little tougher and had to stop for a bit but I did do it though. next up...running 20 minutes non-stop. wish me luck!

Week 3 of 10k plan begun

Had a good run...but could definitely tell the difference between 1 minute of running and 1.5! Love you both. Hope you're doing well.

Week 5, Run 1 Done

I have officially moved on to week 5!  I did three intervals of running 5 minutes and walking 3 minutes, running at a 5.6 pace.  It was not too hard either.  I am a little nervous about the next run which is run 8 minutes, walk 5 minutes times 2.  And then week 5, run 3 is just to run for 20 minutes!!! How am i supposed to go from 8 minutes to 20?  yikes!  I'm still going to try and will keep you updated.

btw - the low pony tail worked great.  i think i might have to invest in a sweatband though - the sweat was dripping down my face - yuck!  please don't laugh at me too hard if i really do get one.

hope you're doing well too!

Week 2 of 10k training plan completed

I finished week 2 and felt good! Levi loves the rides too! I'm so thankful for the springlike weather we've been having that allows me to run outside!

Kristi, how did week 5 go? Also did mom ever send you the training plan? Here it is just in case:

10k training
(*-date after week # is the latest I should begin that week's plan)

Week 1 2/5*
​1 (35 minutes)
​Run 30 seconds. Walk 4 minutes, 30 seconds. 7 times
2 (40 minutes)
​Run 30 seconds. Walk 4 minutes, 30 seconds. 8 times
3 (40 minutes)
​Run 30 seconds. Walk 4 minutes, 30 seconds. 8 times

Week 2 2/12
1 (45 minutes)
​Run 1 minute. Walk 4 minutes. 9 times
2 (40 minutes)
​Run 1 minute. Walk 4 minutes. 8 times
3 (40 minutes)
​Run 1 minute. Walk 4 minutes. 8 times

Week 3 2/19
1 (50 minutes)
​Run 1 minute, 30 seconds. Walk 3 minutes, 30 seconds. 10 times
2 (40 minutes)
​Run 1 minute, 30 seconds. Walk 3 minutes, 30 seconds. 8 times
3 (50 minutes)
​Run 1 minute, 30 seconds. Walk 3 minutes, 30 seconds. 10 times

Week 4 2/26
1 (55 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes. Walk 3 minutes. 11 times
2 (45 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes. Walk 3 minutes. 9 times
3 (50 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes. Walk 3 minutes. 10 times

Week 5 3/4
1 (60 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Walk 2 minutes, 30 seconds. 12 times
2 (50 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Walk 2 minutes, 30 seconds. 10 times
3 (50 minutes)
​Run 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Walk 2 minutes, 30 seconds. 10 times

Week 6 3/11
1 (65 minutes)
​Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 13 times
2 (50 minutes)
​Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 10 times
3 (50 minutes)
​Run 3 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 10 times

Week 7 3/18
1 (60 minutes)
​Run 4 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 10 times
2 (54 minutes)
​Run 4 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 9 times
3 (54 minutes)
​Run 4 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 9 times

Week 8 3/25
1 (60 minutes)
​Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. 10 times
2 (48 minutes)
​Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. 8 times
3 (54 minutes)
​Run 5 minutes. Walk 1 minute. 9 times

Week 9 4/1
1 (63 minutes)
​Run 7 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 7 times
2 (54 minutes)
​Run 7 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 6 times
3 (50 minutes)
​Run 8 minutes. Walk 2 minutes. 5 times

Week 10 4/8
1 (44 minutes)
​Run 10 minutes. Walk 1 minute. 4 times
2 (41 minutes)
​Run 20 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 20 minutes.
3 (45 minutes)
​Run 22 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 22 minutes.

Week 11 4/15
1 (51 minutes)
​Run 25 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 25 minutes
2 (56 minutes)
​Run 30 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 25 minutes.
3 (51 minutes)
​Run 40 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes

Week 12 4/22
1 (66 minutes)
​Run 45 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 20 minutes
2 (56 minutes)
​Run 50 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Run 15 minutes.
3 (45 minutes)
​Run 45 minutes.

Week 13 4/29
1 (50 minutes)
​Run 50 minutes.
2 (40 minutes)
​Run 40 minutes.
3 (60 minutes)
​Run 60 minutes or complete your first 10k run.

week 4 completed

i just did week 4 for the 6th time and it felt pretty good.  i am a little nervous to move on to week 5, but i think i can do it.  i'll probably do that on Tuesday since personal training is on Monday.

random question:  how do you do your hair while you're running to get it to stay put?  I have been doing a high messy bun to keep it off my neck and face, but it keeps coming out during the run.  too much bouncing i guess.  today i actually mastered redoing my hair while running, but it was tricky.

how are you ladies doing?

Catching up

So last week I had a bad cold (so did Levi and Matt) and it rained alllll week-we didn't see the sun once. So I didn't work out a single time.

But yesterday I ran and then again today! I didn't think I could do the week 4 (running 3 min then 5 min twice) after not running a whole week. So I did week 2 of mom's plan (run 1, walk 4 times 9) and it went really well!

The pig is 13.5 weeks away... And mom's plan is 13 weeks long. Just sayin'.

Love you girls! Should we register for the pig??? It'll make it real!

Here's my idea

So...I've spent quite a bit of time researching our options and here is what I have come up with. What if we would do the Flying Pig race in Cincinnati on Saturday May 5 and then on Sunday hop on a plane together to vacation in St. Petersburg? I have found some beach houses that are do-able and available. I also found out that airfare from Cincinnati is cheaper than from Chicago. United had fares @ $268 with one stop.

http://www.flsundownerbeachhouse.com/

http://www.3palmspmg.com/reservationsIRM.html?Arrival=05/06/2012&Departure=05/13/2012&People1=5&People2=1

All of this research makes me want to get up and get going. I noticed our posts have dwindled. Have we lost momentum. I know I have, but I'm getting revved up again.

Let me know what you think and if you like, I'll pursue further. Meanwhile, I'll check with a friend who lives in St. Petersburg for other ideas.

A little motivation

This article made me laugh. I don't agree with it all, but thought it could be motivating! :)

So where are we going in May?

I'd love for us to decide soon so we can start to book flights and reserve a place to stay... Any progress in making a decision Mom?

week 4 is tough

hello there!  i am writing from sunny california (here for a work trip).  We got in and did some drinking and eating, but i stopped after 3 coronas and had a couple hours pass because i was determined to work out.  I tried to do week 4 for the first time and was not able to complete it.  I think the food and beer might have caused me some problems because I had to stop because of stomach cramps.

I did the 5 minute walk, 3 minute jog at 5.7, 90 second walk, 5 minute jog at 5.7, 2.5 minute walk, 3 minute run at 5.7, but then I was hurting.  I extended the walk time after the second 3 minute jog and tried to do the five minute run, but just made it for an extra minute.  so a total of 12 minutes running for me.  Better luck next time!

Ran 16 minutes total!!!

And my face is nearly purple!

Progress made...

...went to the gym 2 days in a row, even though it is frickin' cold this morning (that was trying to be an excuse not to go as well as the dishes I needed to wash).

...didn't let the excuses win today!

...was able to work harder before my heart rate got to my limit.

...and even better, my heart rate went back down further and quicker during the "walk" time.

...and I feel terrific!

make that 5 days in a row

did week 3, run 2 today.  i tried increasing my speed, but wasn't as successful as i hoped. 5.7 on run 1, 5.8 on run 2, 5.9 on run 3 and then i had to go back to 5.7 for the last 3 minute run.  But i did complete it!

mom, i asked about the guest passes and they said you could be a guest if you had never been a member of XSport, so i'm not sure if that will work out after all.  they said they'd see what they could do, but i'm guessing you'll have to listen to a big, long spiel.  I can always come to cheetah if you have guest passes there.  i'm in louisville until Friday, but maybe we can go saturday morning (like after 10)?

Back on track?!!

You girls are so helpful and supportive. Thank you. I'm so happy that we're doing this together. And now that I'm back from the gym, I feel terrific. Why do I dread going so much? 45 minutes plus 3 minutes cool down, 3.77 miles, and here's the best part...515 caloreis. I'm thinking I might do some personal training stuff when I get home tonight. We'll see. I'm also thinking that I'd like to get an exercise video. That might be fun once I get my blu-ray set up. I see Kathy Smith is still making videos. :) My knees still aren't quite right so I'll have to pay attention to them.

We still need to figure out where we're going. I am leaning toward either Sonoma (Wildcat Canyon is scaring me) or Pensacola. It looks like there may be a lot of fun things to do either place. Nancy Creighton sent me a link to a place that has zip lining very neary Pensacola. I'll confess that I haven't looked at the link you sent Katie. Maybe I'll have some time this evening to do that. Would love to know what you guys are thinking.

Here's the link...

http://www.adventuresunlimited.com/

Personal Training - I'm all in

I am going to do it.  I had a group personal training session today and I think I'm going to sign up for more.  It is $20 per session for a minimum of 10 sessions - so essentially $200, which is more than I want to spend.  But it is working more than just the running muscles and will keep me accountable.  I think it's a good investment.

Now I have to ask - MOM...where are you???  I know it's January, but I hope you can find some time to get a work out in.  I have guest passes if you want to come to my gym so we can go together and motivate each other.  Or if it gets nice out again, we can do something outside.  And maybe you can help me with the food part.  Let me know if you want to meet up for a workout.  Love you - you can do this!

Running in the rain

Did week 3, run 3 today in the rain while matt watched Levi. I accidentally skipped the first walk break (hit a button only phone) so I ran 4.5 minutes straight! That's the longest I've run in more than a year! A little nervous to start week 4, but I think I can do it!

4 days in a row!

i finished week 2 on Friday, did personal training on Saturday, and ran the first run of week 3 on Sunday.  I'm going in today at 6 for another free personal training session, but will be part of a group.  So that will be 4 days in a row going to the gym!  Week 3 was hard, but i just ran on a 5.7 so i didn't get too tired.  I think i'll try increasing slowly next time (5.7 for first run, 5.8 for second run, 5.9 for third run, and 6.0 for 4th run...if I can handle it).  I decided to start week 3 on Sunday so I could do the workout 4 times this week if I needed to (Sun, Tues, Thurs, Sat).   I am going to Louisville Wednesday - Friday so I'm hoping my hotel has a gym for my Thursday workout.

I'm not doing so well on food, at least not on the weekend.  I had a couple beers and a little bit of popcorn.  We also went to Olive Garden (we had a gift card) and I had lots of bread sticks and eggplant parmesean (and I had salad, too).  I'm thinking about my decisions a little more (I had the eggplant instead of something with alfredo, but it was still fried AND i got a FUZE juice drink at the movies instead of a pop, but it had 42 grams of sugar!).

How are you guys?

To the gym I went!

After approximately 1.5 years of NOT using my gym membership, I finally went! Got week 3, run 2 done. Yay!

Snow days?

Did we all take a few days off because of the cold and snow? I need to get back on the horse...I just really prefer to be outside vs the gym.

week 2, run 2

done.  and i'm officially a member of XSport now.  Complimentary personal training session on Saturday - yikes!

Kristi, where are you?

I miss you!

A minute can be a very long time...

...but I did it! 9 times!!! And I feel good! I do like getting up and it in the morning. It is a beautiful time of day. I have to remember that when I don't feel like going. In fact, I didn't want to go this morning, but I just couldn't come up with an excuse. Oh wait...this is no excuses, isn't it? I did just take a couple of Aleve and the hot shower is going to feel really good.

I haven't had a chance to look at the other race possibilities yet. I'm having a busy week. What would be perfect for me is to go to a fun, warm destination. I'd like to be able to rent a house for a week so that we could all go race and then relax together. I'd like to provide the house so that all you guys have to worry about is the transportation and activites while we're there. We'll find something.

Another option...

If we Wanted to save some money and do less of a destination, there is this option:
http://www.flyingpigmarathon.com/race_information/schedule/10kevent.shtml

It's May 5 and a BIG event. It's close enough that we could get some fan-support and it'd be about the right timing for training. Just a thought.

Or we could do any of these...it's a good visual map of all the 10Ks in the US happening between May 1 and June 2 of 2012.  There are a few that are even right on Mom's birthday!  I know we're supposed to be narrowing options, not adding more...but just wanted to throw these out there in case another one sounds just perfect.

http://runningintheusa.com/Race/MapShot.aspx?Rank=Date&StartDate=5-1-2012&EndDate=6-2-2012&Special=10K&Page=1

week 2, run 1

did the first run of week 2.  my ipod was turned up really loud so i couldn't hear myself huffing and puffing, but it felt good.  i'm a little worried i'm going to be bad at running outside and pacing myself since i'm so dependent on the treadmill, but hopefully i can build up my cardio and then it will be spring and i can practice running outside.

katie - if we do a 10k, do you have a plan for after you finish couch to 5k?  I haven't looked for one yet, but was wondering what you had in mind.

Week 3, Run 1

Hardest yet (so hard to believe I ran a marathon when just 3 minutes of running seems IMPOSSIBLE now). But I finished!

good workout for me, too

week 1, workout 3 is complete.  i ran on the treadmill at XSport and did the running part at 6.0 mph (10 min miles) and i was feeling pretty great.  I came home and had a bunch of energy - walked the dog and even ran with him for about a half a block.  i'm looking forward to starting week 2 - it means a new playlist, too. 

i do have to commit to a gym now as my free pass expires on tuesday.  XSport was great on Saturday at 7 pm, but unfortunately the rest of the week they are very busy.  They are much more affordable than the Y ($25 a month vs. $50 a month).  As long as there isn't a long commitment, I think I will stick with XSport, and may explore the XSport gym that is by my office (I could work out and then drive home to avoid traffic).  Anyway, I'm feeling good!

Race Options

I went ahead and spelled out dates, place, and cost (if there's more than one it's because it gets more expensive the longer you wait to register). I put them in order of dates. I checked out the one in CA that you said is your favorite-it is hilly and 90% unpaved trails, but their recommendation is to walk the uphills and jog downhill and flat areas. It looks gorgeous! I'll add pros and cons soon.

***edit: I've added approx flight costs based on a kayak search. Looks like it'll almost definitely be in the $300-$450 range no matter where we go.

***edit 2: I've added pros/cons for each

I think my top 3 are 1) Wildcat Canyon, 2) Windsor Green 3) Pensacola
Crescent City Classic
New Orleans, Louisiana 
April 7
$25/$30/$35
http://www.ccc10k.com/site3.php
$380 ORD to MSY
$400 CVG to MSY
Pros: fun city, new place, relatively inexpensive
Cons: early date

The 38th Annual Fiesta  10k/5k
Pensacola, Florida
Saturday, May  5
$??
$390 ORD to PNS
$410 CVG to PNS
http://www.pensacolarunners.com/?p=PRA_Events
Pros: beach vacation, more likely to have family support, see Jonna
Cons: not much info re: race, lame website

The Colorado Marathon
Fort Collins, Colorado
Sunday, May 6
$45
$400 ORD to CYS (hard to get to ft Collins-no major airport nearby)
$520 CVG to CYS
or
$300 ORD to DEN
$440 CVG to DEN
http://www.thecoloradomarathon.com/
Pros: downhill run, cool city, beautiful views, BIG event
Cons: hard to find lodging? No nearby airport, altitude?, katie's already been

Wildcat Canyon 10k
El Sobrante, California (30 min from SanFrancisco)
Saturday, May 19
$34/$39/$44
$360 ORD to SFO
$400 CVG to SFO
http://brazenracing.com/wildcat.html
Pros: gorgeous views, fun vacation spot, wine country
Cons: hilly/trails-may have to walk some of it (could be a pro), less family support 

Windsor Green 10k
Windsor, California (in Sonoma county 65 miles north of SanFrancisco)
Sunday, May 20
$40/$50/$60/$70
$360 ORD to SFO
$400 CVG to SFO 
http://www.windsorgreenhalfmarathon.com/home.htm
Pros: beautiful views, in wine country
Cons: farther away from San Francisco (a bit of a drive once arrive at airport), less family support

More good news

Just back from my walk/run and I feel good! Makes me want to go again tomorrow, but I won't. I'll go to the gym and do the elliptical. So far, the workouts have been difficult and I didn't have this good feeling. It will be easier to go if I feel like this when I'm done.

Good news!

My long spandex still fit me! I was pretty sure I was going to have to go buy long pants. I don't know how they fit (hint: spandex), but I'm really glad they do! I'm off to do my second...yes I'm behind...walk/run.

Race day ideas

Here are some possibilities and my thoughts...

http://www.pensacolarunners.com/?p=PRA_Events
The website is pretty lame and there isn't much info available yet, but I'm including it because I've heard Pensacola has beautiful beaches so it might be a fun place to go.

http://www.sharkstooth10k.com/
This website is really, really lame. I'm including it because it is very, very close to Jonna. I'm thinking we could rent a nice beach house and maybe have lots of family support.

http://brazenracing.com/wildcat.html
This might be my favorite. It looks so beautiful and I think we could find a million things to do in and around San Francisco and wine country. My only concern is the trail. It looks like most of it is grass. Do you think this would be a problem?

http://www.windsorgreenhalfmarathon.com/home.htm
This could be really fun too. It may not be as beautiful as the Wildcat Canyon, but we would have some of the same options as the Wildcat Canyon. California is pretty far.

http://www.ccc10k.com/site3.php
I've been wanting to go to New Orleans. This could be really fun. I wish the date were later.

http://www.thecoloradomarathon.com/
This could be beautiful. I was concerned about the altitude, but it says that the race is downhill. That would work for me.

Thoughts?

First run with a jogging stroller!

Because it is sunny and 58 today I decided I HAD to get outside! I went to Once Upon A Child and got this one for $60. The tires were low and I had to fix a strap but otherwise it's great!  Clearly Levi enjoyed the ride too (slept for the entire second half, even with sun on his face).


I did week 2 run 3. And yes Kristi my face turns beet red! Wayyyyy harder to run while pushing a 14-pounder in a stroller! But maybe I'll lose those 14 pounds and we'll even out a little! :)



I'm feeling much better today, aside from a tickly throat I'm nearly 100%!

Oh yes I did

I didn't need the alarm this morning and made it to the gym. I worked on the elliptical. I need to do another walk/run but I'm holding out for tomorrow and Saturday so that I can do them outside. It's supposed to be much warmer. I may still need to see if any of the long pants I have in there will fit. Kristi, do you want to come with me to Cheetah sometime this weekend?

I watched Biggest Loser last night. The theme this time is "No Excuses". Hope I can make that work for me!

Katie, feel better!

Sniffle, sniffle

I got a cold that started yesterday with a sore throat and sinus pressure. I'm bummed because between getting stuck in Southern Kentucky and feeling sick yesterday and today, i keep missing my runs! I did look at the gym I have a membership to (which I haven't used in over a year) and their Kids Playland is open 3:30-8 M-F. It's included in the membership so I can drop off Levi for 30 minutes while I work out. Might try that soon.

Also, tried to buy a jogging stroller withy Christmas money at Play-it-again sports but no luck. I've seen them there before but when I asked the guy if he had any, he acted like I was crazy. Finally he said that yes, sometimes they have them but only in spring and summer (and acted like I was stupid to think I could find one in the winter). Boo. However Once Upon a Child has 4 in stock (I called first!) so I might be able to get one there.

frustrated

i just got back from XSport and it was not a good experience.  I was going in to get my 7 day free pass, and assumed I'd have to listen to a 15 minute spiel, do a 30 minute work out, stretch and be home within an hour or so.  Little did I know... 

First, I drive there and can NOT find a parking place - I got stuck in a parking lot, drove around the block 3 times and then finally found something (strike 1 - way too hard to find parking).  Then, I asked for the 7 day pass at the front desk.  They asked me to fill out some paperwork and someone would be with me soon.  The paperwork had some basic info but also asked about my goals and how serious I was about them, etc. 

After a bit of a wait someone realizes I'm still sitting there, and in comes Sebastian.  He says he will weigh me and measure my body fat, etc.  OK - why not?  I'm not even embarrassed by the results.  They weren't good, but I didn't care what he thought.  Then we go sit down at the desk and that's where it turns bad.  He wants to tell me all about his plans for me and how I need a program that will work.  While I was mostly zoning him out, I reminded myself that the 7 day pass is free and I can use their equipment free of charge.  Of course he wanted me to sign up with their 30 day money back guarantee, because I could get my full investment back.  Well I made him say "you will get 100% of your money back" before I would even hear anymore (he avoided it twice and so I was like "I want to hear you say it").  Anyway, I told him I wanted something that works and that if I can't find parking and the machines are always being used, then this wouldn't be for me...so the 7 day trial will give me a good feel for if this is the right place and I would go ahead and do that.  Of course it was not that simple, on and on he went...I am starting to get hungry now since i was planning to eat dinner after my "quick" work out.  Then he takes my ID and says, go work out.  I ask where the locker room is and he points and says, "i hope you brought a lock."  I did.  thanks jerk.  So Sebastian overall is strike 2.

So I go to the locker room, getting a little shaky from not eating since lunch and getting a little nervous that i might faint while working out, but i just drink a bunch of water and get on with it.  I go to find an elliptical, and they are all full.  So on to the dreaded treadmill I go. (Strike 3).  I ended up getting pain in my left shin about half way through, but powered through to finish the workout.  Then I have to go back to Sebastian to get my ID and he gives me the 7day pass (which I'm pretty sure I won't be using) after more waiting.  All said and done, this venture took 2 and a half hours, and my dinner is cold, it's past my bedtime and I still need to shower.

So the good news in all of this is (if you're still reading) that I was able to complete the week 1 workout 1 on the treadmill, going just about 2 miles (and I can't tell you how many calories b/c apparently my machine was broken).

Now I just need to figure out where I'm going to walk/run on Thursday.  Curves is the only other gym I had in mind, but I don't know if I can use the treadmill for a half hour since they do circuit training.  Maybe I need to check out Cheetah? Or maybe the Y wasn't that bad.  encouragement please?

zumba!

I didn't do anything on Sunday, but today I set up my Zumba game for the Wii and did a 45 minute workout.  it was a lot of fun - i got sweaty and i'm pretty sure my arms and calves are going to be more sore than from the elliptical.

do your faces turn bright red after you work out, too?  just wondering if it's genetic.  off to take a cold shower.

not sure where i'm walk/running tomorrow - haven't decided how i feel about the Y.  I may try XSport on my way home.

took the day off

Was feeling a bit sore and had lots to do. Hope these aren't excuses!

two days in a row

I did go to the gym today. I used the elliptical for nearly 40 minutes, went over 3 miles and burned more than 400 calories. Walk/run is on tap for tomorrow. Starting to feel the run from yesterday a bit more. Better get some more Aleve.

finding a race

So I spent quite a bit of time looking at races yesterday. I found 2 great sounding ones near San Francisco...one in Sonoma and one in Wildcat Canyon. They both sound amazing, but maybe too far away. I'm just not finding anything that I love in Florida. I'd like to find one in Florida because I like the idea of combining beach vacation with the race and getting together with family. I really like the idea of the one in New Orleans, but the date isn't good for me. I wish it were at the end of April for both my work and my training. The beginning of April is cutting it really close. My training program is 13 weeks.

Aleve, anyone?

So...a bit sore this morning. Hips, shins. But not too bad...at least not yet. I plan to head to the gym in a bit to do the elliptical. Looking forward to listening to music. I may do some other exercises, like squats, planks, etc. We'll see how it goes.