Today, I did...

THIS.  It was a first run back after a long break.  I've been hitting the gym recently, but not run since the day of my accident.  Having missed a few group runs, I was eager to be back among my people, er, Turtles.  We did a weird loopy thing in a neighborhood (a neighborhood full of loud dogs, as we learned): we looped up and around, then zig-zagged through the side streets ("snake in a basket").  We trotted at a leisurely pace (11:15-ish), and soon I was leading the pack with a few other ladies and feeling fine.  Turns out my fitness hasn't deteriorated that rapidly!

Now here's the issue:  I took two months off from actively training to recover from the car accident.  I'm really unlikely to PR in either the Hermes 10-Miler or the Cleveland half-marathon (late April and mid-May, respectively).  I'm loathe to spend the money on races in which I won't do well (I have no doubt I can train to finish them, but we're not breaking two hours in the half this soon, no siree).  After today's good run, I think I will register for the 10-Miler for fun, and look to break two hours in the half at Columbus or Towpath half-marathons in the fall.  Reasonable?  But since I was hoping to get a full in this year, I wonder if I should try for that instead.  Thoughts?

Thoughts?

I'm less than a week from my first half-marathon in over a year, having just gotten back to running in June after a year hiatus.  I've also been knocked flat the past three weeks with a lingering sinus/headache thing, and just when I was feeling better, a fever and sore throat.  My questions are thus:

1.  Did I take on too much too soon, setting myself up for this?  Let's say I started at 10-12 miles a week, and hovered around 20 most of the summer (though I hit thirty once).  I was also lifting and swimming, but not super-reliably, and not since the school year started.

2.  Should I still run the half on the 10th?  I'm pretty sure I'll feel better by then, but will have lost a month of training and will be recovering from various illnesses.  But, if I can knock it down to the 10K, at least I won't have to DNF, right?

So send positive vibes my way...the clinic didn't think it was strep, but we won't know until tomorrow.  In the meantime, I'm taking lots of fever reducers and cuddling with the kitten.  No running for me, thanks!


P.S.  Finally got my Garmin!  Have not yet used it except as a costume detail for Spirit Week at school...

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:

Maybe I'll bounce back

Midnight runnaz, unite. Happy New Year, leggies.

20 minutes, 1.25 miles. Trickling rain, melting in the wall behind my treadmill. Soundtrack: Indiesouprunner.com - 2 hour marathon mix (hour 2).