Something Different

A few months back, I canceled my gym membership.  It was something I knew I needed to do.  Not only did I feel like money was being wasted on something every month that I rarely used, but I also felt that it was softening me up.  I couldn't handle the elements, the hills, the whatever anymore.  This is just me personally...I know plenty of people that use the gym correctly and have awesome results...I was just not one of those people toward the end.

Back in the beginning of January, I fell on the ice.  I slammed down hard on my side and really hurt my hip.  Did I head right over to the doctor to get it checked out you ask?  Nope, not this girl.  I would rather moan and complain to my hubby...and then suck it up and go out for a run on it, all the while telling myself how tough I am...sigh.  Anyway, it has really been bothering me.  I think it's because I have upped my workouts and mileage over the past two or three weeks.  The pain is more noticeable now and sometimes in the evenings has me limping around here like I am 90 years old.

I work at a hospital.  One of the perks that comes along with that is that I get to use their fitness center (which is nothing special...at all...but, hey, it's free) for free.  I think I really need to cut back on the pounding several times a week and switch it up to see if that helps.  So, yesterday was my first day back in the gym.

The treadmill is like a comfort blankey to me.  I run.  I know how to run.  I know how to use a treadmill.  So, not only did I run 3miles at 5AM with my running buddy, I got on the treadmill and did three miles.  My hip was killing me last night (probably because I did a total of 8 miles after all was said and done).  Today, I went out of my comfort zone a bit.  After I did 5 on the elliptical, I gave the rowing machine a try...man, was that fun!  I am looking forward to going back there tomorrow and rowing my little heart out...but I might need to eventually get some gloves because it kinda killed my palms.  I am going to try lower impact a few times a week and see if it helps.  If not, I am giving myself until the end of March and then dragging my butt in to the doctor to see what is going on.

Question for today...or every day...

I read the words, "Why Are You Still Carb Loading?" and immediately I felt a little guilty.  Carb loading?  Me?  Okay, yeah, that's me.  And yes, I ran my last race four months ago...but I am still carb loading.

Carb loading is used by endurance athletes (or those of us who love bread), such as runners, to maximize the storage of glycogen (or energy) in the muscles.  It's recommended for endurance events lasting more the 90 minutes...which I am pretty sure, doesn't describe my day to day activities.

So, I am caught...with bread in my hand, yogurt with granola on my spoon, and a big bagel with cream cheese in my mouth.  Yep, still carb loading.  Granted this was an advertisement for the Paleo diet, but it still got me thinking about what I put in my mouth and lately, it's been carbs, carbs, carbs.

Why am I still carb loading?  Well, it's because I got a little taste and never stopped.  Goal for this week: stop.

Line Up

This weather here in the midwest has got me going crazy.  One day I am running in the rain, the next I am running in the sunshine without all the layers, and the next day I wake up and there's ice and snow on the ground and it's below zero with the windchill.  I am desperate for spring here so I can have a little consistency and know what my workout week looks like in advance.

Because I can't seem to plan my weekly workouts out, I have been spending a lot of time mapping out my racing season.  I really want to go for quality this year and not quantity...I want to run my best half, my best 10 mile, and my best full.  Last year, I set a new PR for myself in the half and also in the 10 mile.  I want so badly to get my full under 5 hours again.  So, I still need to firm things up for the full I want to run in the fall, but here is what 2013 will hopefully look like for me:

May19th - Rockford Half Marathon
June 1st - Milk Days 5K with my daughter (her first race!!)
August 24th - The CRIM 10 mile
October 20th - Des Moines Marathon

I would like to find a fun mud run and another half sometime in November, but this is what I've got so far.  I am looking forward to the end of March when training begins (and hopefully the snow ends).

And now that I think about it, I think this year marks 5 years since I entered my first race.  I am hoping to set a few more PRs this year and looking forward to where my feet take me.

Happy Running!

A Runner's Valentine's Day

I thought this was perfect to post to my husband.  I love lacing up my shoes and heading out the door when I am stressed to the max and don't think I can take much more...and my man is ok with my escape...he knows I always come back...and in a better mood.

 

 

 (Picture courtesy of Slow is the New Fast)

 

I have been desperate for a new pair of shoes.  My last new pair was back in March of 2012...and I have done a whole lotta running since then...almost 700 miles worth and that doesn't include biking and hiking.  So, needless to say, my feet, hips, legs, and just about everything else have been killing me these past couple of months.  I gave my husband a not so subtle hint the other day.  I woke up this morning, came out to the kitchen, and on the counter was an Asics box with the words, "I love you".  It made my whole entire day!  Most women would love diamonds, a coach purse, flowers, chocolates...but me, I love me a new pair of shoes.  I laced them up today and I had forgotten what it was like to run on a cloud.  This is the beginning of many, many miles together.

 

 I am one happy girl...and my feet are happy too!

(My hott new pair of shoes!)

Here's to a new year...

Well, I am back.  I have been throwing around the idea of starting to blog here again and I am to a point where I really think it will be beneficial for me.  So, after I sat and thought and tried to remember my password, here I am.

The past few months have been overwhelming for me.  I have always thought of myself as a driven, motivated person but there have been more days that most that I have been struggling to find that drive within myself.  I was pretty consistent with my mileage and my workouts when I had the gym membership...when I didn't use it, I watched the money fly out the window so that in itself was motivation for me.

So, I started January 2013 the same way I started the January before...a few pounds heavier and disappointed that I let myself end up back where I started.  I sat down at the end of January, mostly because I desperately need new shoes, and went back through my workouts of 2012 (because I keep a log).  From September to the end of the year, my mileage fell drastically and my workout days were sporadic...which explains the 8 pounds coming back for a visit...thankfully, not here to stay.

January was a half way decent month.  I got back on track with my mileage, got some 5 AM's in with a running buddy of mine, and found a little bit of that motivation that I had lost.  I lost four pounds, but still no where near what I wanted to lose...wishful thinking had me hoping for the whole eight.  I have realized though, that I am so used to putting whatever in my mouth because while I am training, I know I will run it off and then some.  It has been a struggle for me the past few years to get out of that mentality when I am not running 40+ miles a week.  PMSing did me in this month already, but I have jumped back on the wagon (hey, that's what counts, right?!) and I am focused and ready to get these pesky last 5 (yep, up 1 since Jan already) off before we head to Florida for my ten year anniversary in March. 

Bikini, here I come!