Goals for 2011.

After exclusively fun running all fall (after the Towpath 10K), I've been thinking a lot about what I might want to accomplish in 2011 w/r/t running, and have come up with some varied goals (per a Runner's World article's recommendation):

1. Skinny jeans by March.  I've lost about 12 lb. since June (aided by a recent stomach flu).  I think eating vegan has finally caught up with me, and switching medications might be helping, too.  I'm not quite into my smallest clothes, but all my recently (within the last year) purchased clothing is too big.  I want to see if I can get back into those jeans.  If I can't by this time next year, they're out of here, along with every other slightly-too-small item of clothing (except maybe my blue silk BR cocktail dress, just in case).

2. Get my half-marathon time down to under two hours.  My PR (from 2009) is 2:09, run while on antibiotics after a patchy six weeks of training.  Given a goal and the last six months of prep-work, I think I can do it.  If I run the half in Cleveland again this May, I don't have to do much distance work in advance versus a full, which is ideal for winter-training (i.e., no very long runs in the cold and snow and/or no very long runs on the (beloved) T-mill).  And if I don't make my goal time, then I can train all summer and into the fall for a faster time at a fall race.

3.  Run 100 miles each month.  I think this is a manageable training load.  I work half-time (with a reasonably predictable schedule), live conveniently close to some very runnable trails and courses, and have a gym membership (when the garage gets too cold and/or for cross-training).  I have no excuses.

4.  Run a full marathon.  This would be the icing on the cake (and I'd probably only do it if I meet my half-marathon goal in May).  There are so many lovely fall courses and places that I'm sure I can find a race that suits me.

Soooo....some of these are long shots, but I think I can do it if I screw up my courage and motivation.  Running with the club girls (though we're on hiatus and so I only see one or two regularly) has been a real boon, and I've been blessed with some seriously amazing gear this fall.  The pieces are falling into place for a great running year.

*image is from runningwarehouse.com, which is where I purchased that lovely item above.  So far, major props to the site for their immediate delivery and very inexpensive prices!

Success.

Tonight's 400 calories in 38:00 on the (beloved) T-mill was a success.  I barely noticed that I was even running.  It was still about 80 degrees, but the heat barely registered.  I've been blaming everything on hydration (and stepped up water consumption; I at least a liter of seltzer a day before I run (or bed if I'm taking a day off)) and the heat.  What I changed today was eating a snack about a half hour to 45 minutes before my run, which is terribly unusual for me (I like to run on an empty stomach or at least wait two hours after eating).  Could this be the lynch pin in my summer training?

I'm still calorie conscious as I've dropped exactly ZERO lb. these few weeks (while running 12-ish miles and netting about 1400- 1800 calories daily).  The birth control won't be out of my system (or even begun to be flushed) for another month, so maybe it's still affecting my metabolism.  I've taken to checking my body fat percentage a few times a week to see if my muscle mass is increasing.  So far, just establishing a baseline (about 30%).

Will put in paperwork to the gym tomorrow!  I hope it goes smoothly (as the membership is for us, but the funds are from a parental unit whose last name no longer matches mine), smoothly enough for an afternoon swim before dinner with the Spanish teacher!

Outdoor!

Sorry about the kitten.  She's just so cute, and I think image-heavier posts tend to hold everyone's interest.  Moving on.

So I have done TWO outdoor runs since I last posted!  They both kind of stunk (literally, as they are in the valley, which smells of sewage).  I went out with the Towpath Turtles on Sunday to Sand Run, and it was hot.  I ran with two others and we did okay (we strayed from the path, but we think about 3 mi. total).  I find I feel kind of sloshy in the heat; today I felt it in my lungs.  I DO, however, think I'm doing a much better job of hydrating throughout the day.


Tonight I stuck to the path and did about 3.5 miles, some walking (usually about half a minute to a minute).  I felt sluggish in the heat, but mostly okay.  I wish I felt better about it, but not every run has to be a victory.  I think the Sand Run jogging trail is 6 miles total, so it may become my near daily run (since the path is just a couple miles from home).  My plan is to run with some SARC people twice a week (poky run on Sundays, track workout Tuesdays?), run on the (beloved) T-mill twice a week (easy mileage or speedwork, depending), and then do 4-7 miles outdoors at either my mother's or the Sand Run path (the former when school starts again). 

We are also joining a GYM!  My mother is gifting us a membership!  It has two pools, and access to lap lanes is open most of the time, so I can get back to swimming!  Also, one of the SARC ladies is a member and will meet up with me to lift weights.  Better break out the weight-training books.

Maybe, MAYBE will run the towpath half marathon on 10.10.10.  I think if I build mileage these next couple of weeks, then finagle a training plan that includes a couple of ten-milers and lots of cross-training (SWIM!), I might be able to fit to run it by October.  Probably won't PR, but it might feel pretty good to feel closer to my former fitness (a la me and Liz at the 2008 Hermes 10-Miler!):

Crap.

Too hot, I guess.  I like to run pretty empty-stomached and had finished eating by about 2:00 today.  Around 8:00, I had a fruit leather.  So by 10:00, I was sure I wasn't too full of food to run.  I set the (beloved) T-mill at 400 calories over 38 minutes, and felt pretty strong until just after the first big interval.  Queasy!  I hopped of with ten minutes to go.  Boo. 

Tomorrow, my window to run is something like 3:30-4:30 (garage sale clean-up/husband time, AM; James Taylor and Carole King with my mom, PM), which is likely to be HOTTER. 

Today's problems and tomorrow's solutions:

1. Heat- Okay, I can't fix the weather.  But maybe I can convince the Writer to haul out a box fan and position it for me.  May also try wetting my hair before I run.

2. Hydration- I had a couple of drinks last night (as I do every night lately, because I don't have to work!) and may not have properly re-hydrated throughout the day, especially for this kind of heat.

3. Sloshy belly- Eat more throughout the day.  I had a small breakfast and was STARVING by lunch, of which I then ate a ton.  I'd also been feeling some digestive upset in the morning; perhaps eating something gentler (or taking some Pepto) would have helped.

Still not feeling very confident about running on the roads, or about joining the running club.  Their next meeting is Tuesday, so I may just show up and ask some questions (and join the pre-meeting run?).  I could use some solidarity, I guess...they also have a slower division/sub-club.  They might turn out to be my people!

Now to shower off my shame...

New shorts!

Chatted with the guy ringing me up and distracted him to the point that he gave me 20% off the whole thing (two pairs of shorts), instead of the single item listed on the coupon!  Woo!

I got a size up from a pair I own (boo!  But it will make me feel more confident running on the streets- or with a local running club I may join- if I have nice-fitting, no muffin-top-y shorts).  They are Nike and have a pseudo-compression boy short (not just bun cover lining) inside.  I also picked up the Nike Pro compression shorts in black with a long, 7" inseam (and a larger size).  I have the bun shorts in red for under my tights and hiking pants- I use them exclusively as running UNDERpants (am no Kara Goucher) and love the fit and feel.*  Gear-related, too: purchased updated RoadID, with husband's info (new) and on a shoe pouch!

Anyway, 400 calories in 43 minutes felt easy today.  I may have to drop down to 40 minutes and see how I do tomorrow!

As a side note, some of this audience may be aware that after nine years of vegetarianism, I have become entirely vegan in my dietary choices as of this year (while working on the rest).  So far, I feel great!  I can get comparable protein and calcium to cow's milk from soy, almond, or rice milk; seitan has a whopping 22 grams of protein per serving (and I love it!), etc.  I'm eating almost all my own cooking and preparing everything from scratch, whole food style.  We keep Boca burgers and fake nuggets on hand in case there's no time to cook, but at least 80% of what I eat is my own cooking (or fruits, veggies, nuts, etc.).  Here was my post-run snack/meal:

 
A half cup of oatmeal (dry), made with water in the microwave.  Before I nuked it, I tossed in a handful of frozen strawberries and a tablespoon-ish of chia seeds, which are supposed to be awesome for you.  I munched on some raw almonds while it cooked.  Should be around 430 calories (ha!) and about 10 g. protein, plus some much-needed fat (crucial for injury prevention, I read).  Pretty good, no?  It took my gross calorie intake today to just under 1800, netting me about 1400, which is in the healthy zone!

*I can link to these, I think, if anyone wants me to.  Or photograph myself in them?

Am genius!

Why, yes, that IS a PBR tallboy can koozie (nicked from Whackadoo's) keeping the water in my Nathan bottle fresh and cold!  Why, yes, it ALSO kept said bottle from rattling in the beloved T-mill's bottle holders!

I did 400 calories in 43 minutes tonight (and Saturday: I skipped yesterday afraid of the storm and power outages.  I had wonderful and horrifying visions of flying backward off a suddenly dead, but beloved, T-mill into a suddenly dark garage full of ghoulies).  It looks weird to put it that way, but the weight loss program is better designed than the other programs on the machine, and it usually evens out to about 2.8 - 3.1 mi., which is my lower limit for a run, anyway.

Anyway, it was lovely both times.  I spent slightly less than half the time actually running (jogging?  trotting?), rather than walking quickly.  It feels better to run than walk, and better to run faster (though I can't go as fast for as long) since it seems to be a more fluid motion.  Am proud of myself (though mostly about the koozie).

And again!

Same routine.  How is it possible to feel like tonight was simultaneously easier (breathing controlled, better posture, more run than walk, less pain) and harder (low energy)?  Am taking tomorrow off to ponder.  Will return on Saturday with a time of 43:00!  Upping the tempo!

Have made tentative friends with the ghoulies in the garage.  There's a white spider that hasn't moved in several days and it comforts me to know it's probably dead.  Tonight, a moth and a lightning bug kept me company while hanging out on the door frame.

I have a route in the neighborhood planned, but this week was a fitness trial of sorts (rather crap out on the treadmill or re-sprain the ankle in the garage than miles from home).  Look for a new mapmyrun after I achieve said new route.  Or I'll just run my old routes at my mother's.

I did it!

I have "run" tonight!  I did the calorie-counter/weight loss function on the T-mill (roughly 3 miles over 45 minutes, so a lot of power-walking with some jogging mixed in), and I feel good (ankle appears to have healed- details below)!  I have been lax about running and swimming since about this time last year and am now lethargic, pudgy, and stressed.  Some of these things have other roots, but running will help ALL of them.

Here are the sources of the 15 lb. weight gain:
-got fired
-got engaged
-started new medication (is it too ew to mention that it's birth control known for causing minor weight gain?)
-started new (!) job, teaching high school (joyfully and maddeningly stressful)
-got married
-rescued a kitten (not really a factor, but she's super-cute!)
-moved to another county
-planned a wedding
-nursed desperately ill (with pneumonia) husband back to health
-got desperately ill with pneumonia
-sprained ankle and broke toe in April


Am taking June off and am back on track for my goals of shedding the dreaded weight (and lethargy, and complaints about said weight- it bugs the Writer).  I'm going to think about running the Columbus half (mid-October) and have the weight off by then.  I'll be going off this particular birth control at the end of the summer, and will try to have my mileage up to 20-25 mi./week by school starting (mid-August).

I leave you with a kitten:

Registration for half-marathon achieved, and running well this week. I did, in fact, nail the twelve-miler on Sunday! I'm working on incorporating ChiRunning posture principles, and I think it helped me keep up my stamina and recover (also, free massages from a willing Writer help). Every other run (seven miles last Friday, five yesterday, four intense miles on the Tmill tonight) has felt arduous. I've gotten through them, at pace, but it's been an effort. Do I need more sleep? More water? I'm working on it...


Birthday gifts were all fitness-inspired! Future in-laws bought me some delicious Sugoi R+R Knee High compression socks (which I have worn after every run since, and my calves feel better, though it could also be improved posture and stride efficiency, a la ChiRunning). If I continue to be happy with them, I will consider a second pair (probably either these or these). A birthday check from my father will soon go (in part) to a membership at the local pool, so I can swim laps in the early morning. Also, the Writer gave me a water-proof case for my iPod and water-proof headphones so I can rock out while I swim (more importantly, so the last song I hear before I jump in the pool isn't stuck in my head for the duration of my swim).

More reviews when I have a better sense of how I like the CW-X tights (so far, I do)!

Possible win.

I just found out I can, in fact, run ten miles on a treadmill if need be.

Win? or fail?

As for "new sights," I watched this (uh, 1.5 times) in the Cardio Cinema (image from about.com).

treadmill runs this week

I've only run twice this week (2.55 miles 23:39 on Monday, 3.45 miles 30:00 today). I'm not sure what I was thinking with my 7-days of workouts + 35 miles goal; I have to work up to that. On Monday I didn't even make it to three miles because my stomach started cramping up (likely from not eating for most of the day). Today felt better, but I'm still trying to shake a lot of stress and the malaise symptom of wanting to slink out the door and onto the T the second I see a treadmill. I came into the gym incredibly unhappy instead of psyched to run off the stress. I hope this changes. I've never trained for a marathon in the winter; Boston 2009 training should be a mental test of strength as well as an adventure.

A fellow teacher and fellow CRCer have offered their Boston training schedules. I'm going to look at both and see what works better for me during the upcoming 18 weeks. I'm also looking forward to starting up yoga, lifting, and spinning. I don't anticipate being as cheerful or as excited about running as I was this summer, however. For the past few weeks I've been feeling alternately powerless, stressed, or distraught and I've been using running as a distraction mechanism, and it's only going to continue.

Bah!

Intestinal disaster that knocked me on my ass* for all of Friday (and still echoed through Saturday) botched my last two runs, too. Well, I'm blaming it, anyway.

Yesterday, I did three miles of intervals on the treadmill (same formula as before: 3 minutes @ 4.0 and 1%, then alternating 1 minute @ 8.0 with 3 minutes @ 6.0 until I hit my mileage, cool down). I was trying for 4-5 to make up for being knocked on my ass all weekend, but was felled early by discomfort in my lower abdominal region.

Today, same cramping/aching occurred about three miles in. I forced myself to five miles; I am proud of my fortitude (and so is some lady on Lalemont Rd., who cheered me on while raking). On the upside, I mapped (and ran) a legitimate three-mile route that, when run in combination with the two mile zig-zag, will yield an actual five- or seven-mile run!



Note to self (and perhaps others who train in cold weather): it is actually worse to be too warm and overdressed than a little chilled. I'd have been fine, even better, if I had left my vest and maybe my headband at home.

*In all honesty, folks, don't accidentally grab fiberfull yogurt- the pressure it created in my belly was intense and agonizing for 36 hours straight on ONE serving!