I haven't been feeling myself lately. I just couldn't get to sleep and stay asleep. I was restless and just not motivated like I have been. It honestly was struggle to just get out of bed most days. Today I forced myself up and out the door. Well, it really wasn't forcing as I wanted to run today.
Once again, I postponed my long run until Monday this week. Mike is out of town, so I had to run a route that was well populated. I promised him I wouldn't run my country route if he wasn't here just in case something happened. I planned an out and back route that took me a little bit into Waterloo. I know the cities run into each other, but I can say that I ran from one city to the next and back again. It's the little things.
I knew there were a few big hills and a lot of traffic lights on this route. Due to the lights there was a possibility that I could have a lot of stop and start which is hard at times. The run out wasn't so bad. I was at the beginning of rush hour so the lights were with me for the most part. The route isn't really that bad. Lot's of trees and places to stop and get help if need be. When I got to the 4.5 mile
mark, I did walk for a bit so I could eat some of my Honey Stingers and drink. I'm trying to teach myself to run and eat/drink and I'm getting better, but still not quite there.
I wouldn't let myself walk until the halfway point. It took me 55 minutes to get there and that's the longest I've run at one stretch. Even when I run with River we have to stop so she can get a drink. It wasn't so bad. Some of the hills were tough, but I ran up them. Once I got about 10 minutes into the run I felt really good and loose.
After I ate and drank, I started running again. I thought it would be tough to get started again, but it wasn't bad. I felt really good. The run back I hit more red lights though. That was a bit of a hard thing at the end of the run. I felt pretty good the entire run. I had a few pains, but it wasn't injury pain.
I am going to get a foam roller today so I can start using that. I think that will help a lot with my recovery. I do stretch after most of my runs. Today I took River for a 45 minute walk instead of stretching. That was hard. I just wanted to shower and stretch, but she needed her walk.
Nine miles is the furthest I've ever run. I'm pretty proud of myself. I am starting to feel like I can really run this half marathon. I feel like it's doable for me. I just have to keep reminding myself of that when I start to lose my motivation.
This week my training is all wonky since Mike is out of town, but at least I got a long run in and tomorrow I'll take River on my recovery run. I'm so glad I got out this morning.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Day 38: Speed Work and Weights
I had to get up really early this morning to hit the gym. It was hard to get up for some reason. Normally I'm pretty good about getting up, but today not so much. It was tough.
I don't mind speed work on the treadmill as much. My only complaint is the gym always seems really hot even when the air is on. I just sweat so much. So today I did a 5 minute warm-up at an easy pace. After 5 minutes, I did 10 rounds of 45 seconds sprint and 1:15 recovery. The I was going at a pretty good clip. On the recovery, my goal was to get my breathing back to a slower rate. That got tough at the end, but I did it. After my sprint rounds, I did a 5 minute cool down at a comfortable pace.
Then it was weights. Today was upper body and I increased weight on half the exercises. Between the increased weight and the 2 rounds of 12 that I do on each machine, I was beat! My body is tired today, but I still feel pretty good that I did it.
I was telling Mike afterwards that even though I really wanted to sleep, I knew I had to get up and go. It's getting harder to talk myself out of my workouts. And after the past 2 days, I need the stress release. I'm having to rearrange some things I promised James we would do and possibly have to cancel them due to some coaching changes at work. I don't really mind usually, but this time it bugs me. I got the summer schedule out super early so people could make plans to take some time off, but there has been 2 monkey wrenches thrown into the works. I'll pick up the practices and cancel on James, but I hate to do that to him. It's really not fair to him. I just hope he understands.
Tomorrow is a cross training and full body weights day. I'll hit the gym after my morning practice and then come home to give River her long morning walk. Then I have to finish the Cyberman costume. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. I really need some time to just relax, but it looks like that might happen around Christmas now. Oh well...that's the way it goes. At least it's Wednesday! We're on the downhill now!
I don't mind speed work on the treadmill as much. My only complaint is the gym always seems really hot even when the air is on. I just sweat so much. So today I did a 5 minute warm-up at an easy pace. After 5 minutes, I did 10 rounds of 45 seconds sprint and 1:15 recovery. The I was going at a pretty good clip. On the recovery, my goal was to get my breathing back to a slower rate. That got tough at the end, but I did it. After my sprint rounds, I did a 5 minute cool down at a comfortable pace.
Then it was weights. Today was upper body and I increased weight on half the exercises. Between the increased weight and the 2 rounds of 12 that I do on each machine, I was beat! My body is tired today, but I still feel pretty good that I did it.
I was telling Mike afterwards that even though I really wanted to sleep, I knew I had to get up and go. It's getting harder to talk myself out of my workouts. And after the past 2 days, I need the stress release. I'm having to rearrange some things I promised James we would do and possibly have to cancel them due to some coaching changes at work. I don't really mind usually, but this time it bugs me. I got the summer schedule out super early so people could make plans to take some time off, but there has been 2 monkey wrenches thrown into the works. I'll pick up the practices and cancel on James, but I hate to do that to him. It's really not fair to him. I just hope he understands.
Tomorrow is a cross training and full body weights day. I'll hit the gym after my morning practice and then come home to give River her long morning walk. Then I have to finish the Cyberman costume. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. I really need some time to just relax, but it looks like that might happen around Christmas now. Oh well...that's the way it goes. At least it's Wednesday! We're on the downhill now!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Day 37: Recovery Run
I should have done 5 miles, but it was my own fault. I couldn't sleep last night and so when my alarm went off, I reset it. I just couldn't get myself out of bed in time to do 5 miles. I did 3 instead. River went with me and she seemed off this morning too.
I will say my legs felt better today than they did after my long run last week. The run felt pretty good. I was going at a fairly decent pace until the end when River needed to slow down and kept getting distracted. I don't think she feels too good. She has slept in the past few days and while she has eaten, it just hasn't been with the gusto she normally eats with. I'll have her take it easy today. Poor girl.
Today James starts Mad Science Camp. He's really excited too. He has been looking forward to this since it ended last summer. He loves this camp and everything is right up his alley. This year the camp he's doing has a different theme each day. I hope he likes it as much as he did last year.
It's also the last day of swim school for this session. I really need a break from kids for about a week. I can tell because every little thing is starting to grate on me. After a week I'll be fine. I just need that week to reset.
Things are winding down for the summer. Pretty soon school will be starting up and swim season will be in full swing again. I can't believe how this summer has just flown by. I just want time to slow down for a few days, but that isn't going to happen so I'll just make the most of it now.
I will say my legs felt better today than they did after my long run last week. The run felt pretty good. I was going at a fairly decent pace until the end when River needed to slow down and kept getting distracted. I don't think she feels too good. She has slept in the past few days and while she has eaten, it just hasn't been with the gusto she normally eats with. I'll have her take it easy today. Poor girl.
Today James starts Mad Science Camp. He's really excited too. He has been looking forward to this since it ended last summer. He loves this camp and everything is right up his alley. This year the camp he's doing has a different theme each day. I hope he likes it as much as he did last year.
It's also the last day of swim school for this session. I really need a break from kids for about a week. I can tell because every little thing is starting to grate on me. After a week I'll be fine. I just need that week to reset.
Things are winding down for the summer. Pretty soon school will be starting up and swim season will be in full swing again. I can't believe how this summer has just flown by. I just want time to slow down for a few days, but that isn't going to happen so I'll just make the most of it now.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Day 36: Long Slow Distance
Yesterday I was supposed to do this run, but I slept wrong and couldn't get my hip stretched out so I postponed it until today.
I wanted to be out by 6:30, but my 4-legged alarm didn't go off. River is on a schedule; up at 5:30 for breakfast, back to be for 45 minutes and then up and ready for her run or walk. She didn't get up at 5:30 or 6:30 or even 7:00. She was still in bed when I woke up and started getting ready for my run. At 7:15 she half-heartedly at her breakfast because she thought she was going with me on my run. Unfortunately 8 miles is too long for her to run with me.
I really had to talk myself out the door for this run. I just wasn't feeling it, but I knew I had to do it and once I got going it wouldn't be that bad. Off I went. It took 3 miles to really get a good feel for this run. It didn't hurt, it just didn't feel that good. It was like I was going through the motions. I think part of the problem is I didn't have my normal cranberry orange breakfast pita before running. I had a quarter of a protein bar instead. The store has been out of my pitas so I had to eat something else. I'm stocking up next time I see them.
At 43 minutes, I did a bit of walking to drink and eat 5 of my Honey Stingers. This took me to the start of the really hilly part of the run. Honestly, the hills today didn't bother me. In fact, the last steep hill I was halfway up it before it registered that I was running up the hill and feeling really good. The worst hill was the last one. It is a longer very low grade hill, but it just seemed to never end and I thought I my legs were just going to quit on me. It's funny how that works. The steep ones I had no problem with, but this very low grade one nearly killed my legs. I got up it though and then is was downhill and flat the last mile and a half.
At the 1:20 I walked a few more minutes to drink and eat the rest of my Honey Stingers. That gave me the fuel I needed to get through the rest of the run.
After I got home, my legs didn't hurt near as bad as they did last week. I thought that was a good sign. I have a love/hate relationship with this route so if my legs are feeling stronger that's what I want. I don't want to switch up my long route too much because I need to train the hills, but I HATE hills and would love a nice flat route. I'll stick to this route and just keep adding on to the back end as increase my mileage. I just keep reminding myself that I need the hill work.
I feel pretty good about this run. My schedule is a bit off for this week, but that's okay. Tomorrow I'm out for a 5 mile run with River. We'll see how my legs feel after that run. Wednesday is speed work. Thursday is cross training. Friday I'm up to a 6 mile run. Sunday I increase my long run to 9 miles. I'm usually feeling pretty good at the back half of my runs so hopefully 9 miles will feel okay. That will be the furthest I've ever run in one stretch.
Off to take a relaxing bath and to read for a bit. Then I have to tackle a Cyberman costume. Have a great day!
I wanted to be out by 6:30, but my 4-legged alarm didn't go off. River is on a schedule; up at 5:30 for breakfast, back to be for 45 minutes and then up and ready for her run or walk. She didn't get up at 5:30 or 6:30 or even 7:00. She was still in bed when I woke up and started getting ready for my run. At 7:15 she half-heartedly at her breakfast because she thought she was going with me on my run. Unfortunately 8 miles is too long for her to run with me.
I really had to talk myself out the door for this run. I just wasn't feeling it, but I knew I had to do it and once I got going it wouldn't be that bad. Off I went. It took 3 miles to really get a good feel for this run. It didn't hurt, it just didn't feel that good. It was like I was going through the motions. I think part of the problem is I didn't have my normal cranberry orange breakfast pita before running. I had a quarter of a protein bar instead. The store has been out of my pitas so I had to eat something else. I'm stocking up next time I see them.
At 43 minutes, I did a bit of walking to drink and eat 5 of my Honey Stingers. This took me to the start of the really hilly part of the run. Honestly, the hills today didn't bother me. In fact, the last steep hill I was halfway up it before it registered that I was running up the hill and feeling really good. The worst hill was the last one. It is a longer very low grade hill, but it just seemed to never end and I thought I my legs were just going to quit on me. It's funny how that works. The steep ones I had no problem with, but this very low grade one nearly killed my legs. I got up it though and then is was downhill and flat the last mile and a half.
At the 1:20 I walked a few more minutes to drink and eat the rest of my Honey Stingers. That gave me the fuel I needed to get through the rest of the run.
After I got home, my legs didn't hurt near as bad as they did last week. I thought that was a good sign. I have a love/hate relationship with this route so if my legs are feeling stronger that's what I want. I don't want to switch up my long route too much because I need to train the hills, but I HATE hills and would love a nice flat route. I'll stick to this route and just keep adding on to the back end as increase my mileage. I just keep reminding myself that I need the hill work.
I feel pretty good about this run. My schedule is a bit off for this week, but that's okay. Tomorrow I'm out for a 5 mile run with River. We'll see how my legs feel after that run. Wednesday is speed work. Thursday is cross training. Friday I'm up to a 6 mile run. Sunday I increase my long run to 9 miles. I'm usually feeling pretty good at the back half of my runs so hopefully 9 miles will feel okay. That will be the furthest I've ever run in one stretch.
Off to take a relaxing bath and to read for a bit. Then I have to tackle a Cyberman costume. Have a great day!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Day 34: Rest Day And It Is Needed
Today is my rest day. I didn't realize how tired my body was until last night. When I went to bed I, think I was asleep before I even laid down. Mike came to bed about 5 minutes after me and I don't remember him coming to bed.
The dogs got me up at the usual 5:30 this morning for breakfast. By 6:45 I was out on a long walk with River. We did about 3.5 miles this morning and it was a really nice walk. There was a nice breeze and the temperature was about 54 degrees. Just a beautiful morning. River pouted for a bit when she realized that we weren't running, but she quickly got over that.
When we got home, I was still the only one up. I put some cinnamon rolls in the oven and went to Starbuck's to get some coffee. James got up just as the rolls were getting done. Mike got to sleep in which he really needed.
As the neighborhood woke up, River became really nosey so I had to take her for another short walk. Once she secured the neighborhood, she went back to bed. It's now quiet and we have the windows open to let the nice breeze through the house. It's been wonderful to not have the use the AC too much this summer.
Today I'm starting on James' Cyberman costume for FanExpo. I will be doing the cutting and then running to Michel's to get the silver spray paint and odds and ends I will be needing. Tomorrow morning is my long slow run. I have 8 miles on the schedule and the weather is supposed to be perfect for a long run. I'm looking forward to it.
The dogs got me up at the usual 5:30 this morning for breakfast. By 6:45 I was out on a long walk with River. We did about 3.5 miles this morning and it was a really nice walk. There was a nice breeze and the temperature was about 54 degrees. Just a beautiful morning. River pouted for a bit when she realized that we weren't running, but she quickly got over that.
When we got home, I was still the only one up. I put some cinnamon rolls in the oven and went to Starbuck's to get some coffee. James got up just as the rolls were getting done. Mike got to sleep in which he really needed.
As the neighborhood woke up, River became really nosey so I had to take her for another short walk. Once she secured the neighborhood, she went back to bed. It's now quiet and we have the windows open to let the nice breeze through the house. It's been wonderful to not have the use the AC too much this summer.
Today I'm starting on James' Cyberman costume for FanExpo. I will be doing the cutting and then running to Michel's to get the silver spray paint and odds and ends I will be needing. Tomorrow morning is my long slow run. I have 8 miles on the schedule and the weather is supposed to be perfect for a long run. I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Day 33: Yuck!
This morning I woke up with a headache and just plain tired. I got dressed and got River ready for our run. I never really settled into this run. It never felt good. It didn't hurt, it just didn't feel good. I think my body is just tired. What should have been 5 miles turned into just under 2.5. I just couldn't force myself to do more today. I really wanted to, but my body just couldn't do it. I don't want to get injured so I just cut it short.
Tomorrow is a rest day so that should help. Hopefully my long run on Sunday will feel better.
Tomorrow is a rest day so that should help. Hopefully my long run on Sunday will feel better.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Day 32: Sleepy Day of Cross Training and Weights
Thursdays are getting to be hard for me and I think it's because I know the end is near and my schedule will be changing again. On Thursdays I get up between 3:30 and 3:45 in the morning
to coach an early morning Masters swim practice. I get a bit discouraged as Thursday mornings is a light day and only about 3-4 swimmers show up.
I always have problems sleeping the night before an early morning practice as I'm afraid of oversleeping and missing the practice. So I dragged myself out of bed and got everything ready to go. Luckily I had all my workout clothes ready to be put in my bag. All I had to do was throw them in the bag along with my shoes and water bottle and I was ready to go. I grabbed a breakfast pita to eat in the care after swim practice. I had some Fruit-To-Go bars in my desk at the pool so I also had breakfast while coaching.
After swim practice I really didn't want to go to the gym. I just wanted to sleep, but I knew I had to go to the gym. I need to stay on track with this training. Once I got doing on the bike it felt smooth and easy. I read my book, but still kept the RPMs up above 95 most of the time. I didn't even realize it had been 40 minutes until the machine beeped.
Today's weights were legs. After Monday lifting on really tired legs, this felt really good. In fact, I'm ready to increase weight next week on everything. It felt so good. Honestly, I was surprised at how good this workout felt considering I was so tired.
When I got home poor River had to get out for her long walk. It was almost 10am by the time we got out for her walk. That's a good 2-3 hours past when she normally goes. She was more than ready for her walk.
After her long walk, I was finally able to get some more food in my stomach. Leftover potato soup never tasted so good! I'm still ready for a nap, but I feel like I have more energy since I got my exercise in and ate some food.
Tomorrow River and I have a 5 mile run and we will be doing it early so it will still be cool. I'm really looking forward to it too. On to the rest of my day!
to coach an early morning Masters swim practice. I get a bit discouraged as Thursday mornings is a light day and only about 3-4 swimmers show up.
I always have problems sleeping the night before an early morning practice as I'm afraid of oversleeping and missing the practice. So I dragged myself out of bed and got everything ready to go. Luckily I had all my workout clothes ready to be put in my bag. All I had to do was throw them in the bag along with my shoes and water bottle and I was ready to go. I grabbed a breakfast pita to eat in the care after swim practice. I had some Fruit-To-Go bars in my desk at the pool so I also had breakfast while coaching.
After swim practice I really didn't want to go to the gym. I just wanted to sleep, but I knew I had to go to the gym. I need to stay on track with this training. Once I got doing on the bike it felt smooth and easy. I read my book, but still kept the RPMs up above 95 most of the time. I didn't even realize it had been 40 minutes until the machine beeped.
Today's weights were legs. After Monday lifting on really tired legs, this felt really good. In fact, I'm ready to increase weight next week on everything. It felt so good. Honestly, I was surprised at how good this workout felt considering I was so tired.
When I got home poor River had to get out for her long walk. It was almost 10am by the time we got out for her walk. That's a good 2-3 hours past when she normally goes. She was more than ready for her walk.
After her long walk, I was finally able to get some more food in my stomach. Leftover potato soup never tasted so good! I'm still ready for a nap, but I feel like I have more energy since I got my exercise in and ate some food.
Tomorrow River and I have a 5 mile run and we will be doing it early so it will still be cool. I'm really looking forward to it too. On to the rest of my day!
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