I am an amazing procrastinator… May 29, 2009

Sorry it’s been forever. To my credit, it has been an extraordinarily busy time in my life – but then once I put it off for a little bit, I knew a post would take me a long time to write so I just kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off…

But now I am back, I promise! Annnnnnnd, I HAVE still been running, at least most of the time. Without further ado:

 

 

Thursday 5/7/09	-	-	-	-
Friday 5/8/09	-	-	-	-
Saturday 5/9/09	-	-	-	-
Sunday 5/10/09	≈2	24	Arbor Creek	ran around bike path, walked at meadowridge
Monday 5/11/09	2.56	26.11	Arbor Creek	bike path, plus into a cul-de-sac, walked at mdwrdg
Tuesday 5/12/09	-	-	-	-
Wednesday 5/13/09	2.69	29.56	Arbor Creek	added another cul-de-sac, walked at mdwrdg
Thursday 5/14/09	-	-	-	-
Friday 5/15/09	3.63	40.42	Veteran’s Park	lower route – ran 3, sprinted at end, walked last .63
Saturday 5/16/09	3.66	40.02	Veteran’s Park	lower route – ran 3 sprinted at end, walked last .66
Sunday 5/17/09	-	-	-	-
Monday 5/18/09	3.6	39.56	Veteran’s Park	upper route – ran 3, sprinted at end, walked last .6
Tuesday 5/19/09	3.63	40.12	Veteran’s Park	lower route – ran 3, sprinted at end, walked last .63
Wednesday 5/20/09	-	-	-	-
Thursday 5/21/09	3.59	40.5	Veteran’s Park	lower route – ran 3 sprinted at end, walked last .59
Friday 5/22/09	-	-	-	-
Saturday 5/23/09	-	-	-	-
Sunday 5/24/09	3.68	41.68	Cincinatti	country road, many hills, walked at 2, ran at
Monday 5/25/09	-	-	-	-
Tuesday 5/26/09	-	-	-	-
Wednesday 5/27/09	≈6	40	downstairs	recumbent bike in gym
Thursday 5/28/09	3.68	39.27	Veteran’s Park	lower route – ran 3.15 sprinted at end, walked last .53

 

 

As you can see, I neglected to run from the 7th-9th, but I was moving out of my apartment, and I would like to euphemistically call that cross-training! Mostly I was so busy with my parents alllll day that there really was no time, not to mention the extreme exhaustion caused by stress of packing everything…

I started back up again on Sunday, with the generous support of my parents, who got me the nike+ sensor for my ipod, so that i can keep track of my running. Unfortunately, the first time I used it I had the sensor upside down in my shoe and it didn’t record anything except the time – i had to google-maps the trail to figure out that I actually ran about two miles on the bike path around my Saint Charles neighborhood. I added a few cul-de-sacs and did the same thing the next two days, and was pretty proud to reach my 2 mile goal so easily.

I moved up to Milwaukee on Thursday, and arrived too late and too exhausted (after moving all my stuff in by myself) to run that evening. Buuuuut, I convinced James (b/f’s roommate) to run with me the next day and we found a great ≈3.5ish route down by the lake in veteran’s park. There’s a decent sized hill about 2 miles in, and then the last mile is down Prospect – lots of people watching to do there! Additionally, am so proud that I reached silent 3 mile goal. I will pretty much continue to hold that milage until training actually starts at the beginning of June. I signed Matt up for the marathon, and he has been training with me – only problem is that he runs much faster than me…sometime is trally sucks to be short! Anyway, we have been working out together, and we found another great route down on the lakefront – as in, maybe a foot from the water. It is super windy and that is GREAT for hot days!

During Memorial Day weekend, drove down to Cincinnati all day saturday to watch a baseball game. While there, did a VERY hilly run, and I found the humidity and hills difficult. Had to stop and walk at about 2 miles, and then continued run again at about 2.5. Was discouraged, until Matt pointed out that it was very different from what I was used to, and I was at a disadvantage having drunk most of a bottle of wine the night before, lol. Because of crazy schedule during weekend, and spending 4 hours roasting in the sun at the baseball game the day before, took monday off, and also tuesday (no good excuse). Wednesday was really cold icky day, so went to small workout room in the apt building and used the recumbent bike while Matt used the elliptical machine. We will switch next time b/c the bike kind of sucks. Today we did the Veterans Park rout again and it was lovely. Getting easier all the time!

Have done more research, and finally decided on the Hal Higdon Novice 1 training schedule. We start June 1, and I am very excited. The first week is 3 miles on tuesday, wednesday, thursday, and a five miler on saturday. Therefore, goal for tomorrow is 4 miles, though we will pick a slightly longer route and see if we can do a bit more! Please please continue reading/commenting/encouraging – it really does help!

Time for a new goal! May 7, 2009

 

Monday 5/4/09	1.6	16	Zingermans	ran 1.5 mi, walked in the last .1 for cool down
Tuesday 5/5/09	-	-	-	-
Wednesday 5/6/09	1.7	18	Zingermans	made turn at red light, ran all but last .1

 

Yay – goal accomplished! I ran 1.5 miles without stopping. Took tuesday off – studying for my last final…ugh. Today I ran the whole way and just a little bit further too (1.6). I think I could have even made it further – maybe 2 miles. My running pace was pretty steady, but it’s slow, I think, like ten-minute-mile slow. At that rate it will take me 262 minutes to finish a marathon, thats 4 hours and 22 minute – and that’s if I can keep up that pace the whole time…right now that seeming a little unlikely. Anyway, I couldn’t have finished it if it hadn’t been for the comment from Jess – so thank you for the encouragement! Plus, I didn’t want to report back bad news and disappoint everyone.

On another note, was watching the Biggest Loser last night and 4 of those folks ran a full marathon – and if they can do it, than I certainly can. Notably, however, they had been working out hard for about 17 weeks already…they may be bigger than me still, but they have waaaaaay better endurance. I’ve got some work to do to catch up, lol.

New goal: 2 miles

wish me luck!

also: don’t wait up for more posts. I am moving out of my apt and my schedule will be a little crazy for the next several days…(but no worries, I will keep running )

I am learning… May 4, 2009

 

Friday 5/1/09	1.6	18	Zingermans	1 red light, walked from .8-1.0 then ran it out
Saturday 5/2/09	-	-	-	-
Sunday 5/3/09	1.6	16	Zingermans	1 red light, walked from .8-1.0 then ran it out

 

 

Went running on Friday before Matt got here. I learned two very important things:

• When you forget to eat lunch (because you are working furiously on your copyright take home final so you can spend some time with your b/f over the weekend) and then go running around dinner time, you get tired rather quickly…and suddenly you are so hungry you could eat an entire Zingerman’s sandwich, AND you are tortured by the fact that all the restaurants you pass on your run are in the middle of the dinner rush and smell absolutely amazing!
• Also, when you start off running very quickly at the beginning, you fell like you are going to die after about 3 minutes

Because of these things, I was having some trouble. Made it to about .8 miles and walked most of the way home and finished it out for the last .2 or .3 miles. I tried to wait until the rain would come, but we only got a sprinkling…lame.

Other things to note: I have been stretching a lot before and after each run and I am hoping this will hep me get back to the amount of flexibility I had in high school…we’ll see.

Saturday=no run. Matt was here, I was working on my copyright final, and we went to a Tigers/Indians game (a GREAT game, by the way, including a grand slam, a few home runs and cotton candy, of course!).

Sunday, Matt was still here and since he had brought his running clothes and shoes, we went on a run together. He really had to talk me into it, because I didn’t want to hold him back or anything. It ended up being fine, even though I started off too fast at first and had to walk a block at about .8, but then we ran again and even sprinted at the end. He’s definitely faster than me – but his legs are also longer (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!)

note to self – don’t start out so fast next time! I WILL go at least a mile tomorrow, and my goal is a mile and a half without stopping…wish me luck!

Ruuuuun-ing in the Rain… May 1, 2009

 

Thursday 4/30/09

1.4

16

Zingermans

no stops, walked last .2 miles

 

Just ruuuuuun-ing in the rain – what a won-der-ful feel-ing!

Yeah, I thought I would hate it, but I loved it. I wish I could run in the rain every day. Perhaps I should move to Seattle, or London, or somewhere really rainy. But I think I love Chicago sports too much to move to another city…I type this as I watch the Bulls finish off their third overtime in Game 6 with the Celtics – BULLS WIN BY 1 at the end of 3 OT!!! (Series is now tied: 3-3, the Bulls are going to Boston for game 7!)

So, I’m a law student, which means I pretty much don’t do anything without researching well beforehand so before I left I Googled “running in the rain with an ipod” – b/c I know I can’t do this without my tunes! I found some good tips:

• don’t wear cotton socks- you will get blisters – wear wool instead
• if you don’t have a waterproof case for your iPod, a sandwich baggie all wrapped up will do just fine
• wear sunglasses so the rain doesn’t get into your eyes (really important if you are a contacts wearer like me)
• the less cotton clothing you wear, the better – when wet it is heavy
• putting newspaper in your shoes helps dry them out

So yeah, running in the rain feels good. It keeps you cool, and I like the way it sounds. Bad things about running in the rain – puddles you have to leap over means you have to step strategically, and running next to streets means cars splash huge waves on you. Yup, happened to me – 3 times. I was soaked by the time I got home, but it was so much fun! Annnnd, I ran even further b/c I didn’t get stopped by any red lights. I ran 1.2 miles, on my fourth run, without stopping – already a huge improvement from my first run where I couldn’t even make it a mile

(I hope it rains again tomorrow…)

The first three days… May 1, 2009

 

Date	Length (mi)	Time (min)	Place	Notes
Sunday 4/26/09	1.35	21	Gallup Park	stopped to walk three times, stopped to swing once
Monday 4/27/09	1.35	19	Gallup Park	stopped to walk after stopping to swing
Wednesday 4/29/09	1.6	forgot timer	Zingermans	stopped at red lights, walked last .1 mile

Gallup Park=the most beautiful place to run – and there is a set of very convenient swings right on the trail! So its set up on a little lake with some bridges to little islands in the middle. I don’t think there could have been a better place for me to go for my first days of running…er, well, running and walking. It was sunny, quite breezy, and low to mid 70′s. The water was rippling under the wind, and it was pleasantly cool. Unfortunately, I was quite discouraged by the fact that I can’t even run a mile (a single mile! – and I want to run 26 of them in a row…) 

The next day, when I went back, I had a better sense of the path and I could judge a little better how far I was and how much was left, and so I only had to stop to swing…And then I decided I should probably stay away from Gallup, because I simply cannot resist swinging when I see swings. It is the best feeling in the world to swing – wind in your hair, creak of the chains, steady rhythmic pumping and feeling the swing respond by going higher and higher…It is by far and away the best place for me to go when I need to think or reflect because it is so relaxing. And after the puny amount of running I did after no exercise for 5 years I definitely needed some relaxation, or at least my breathing did. I knew I ran a bit farther the second day, and when I checked my stopwatch I could see I was actually a little faster too (mostly because I was doing more running and less walking). Since I had already improved a little, I thought I could try again the next day.

Tuesday, though, was not to be a running day. First of all, it was pouring (and though I discovered today that I actually like running in the rain, I wasn’t ready to learn that yet). Second, I had my criminal law final from 1:30-4:30, and I didn’t wake up until about 10:30 – yikes! So instead of running I prepared for my final, ate lunch, and prepared some more. When it was done, I was so exhausted from 3 hours of frenzied thinking and typing that all I could do was veg in front of my TV. I really thought about giving up on this goal on the third day. So lame, I know…but I’m really bad at waking up to do things I know I should do – i.e. church, special/interesting presentations at the LS, and occasionally even class. So it is empirically unlikely that I will be able to keep up with this, and that is discouraging. 

But when I got up on Wednesday, I picked out a new route on the ever-faithful Google Maps – one that didn’t require driving 10-15 minutes to a park and finding someplace to put my car keys while I was running. Turns out, Zingerman’s Deli is about a half a mile from my house, so I went there and back on different streets (like a rectangle) and took the total length up to 1.6 miles. I ran 1.5 of them, but only kind of, because I managed to get stopped at almost every stop light, and I kind of jogged in place, but it was more of a rest than a workout. I think I can keep up this route. I was mad, though, that I forgot to set my stopwatch!

And so it begins… May 1, 2009

As noted in the about page, I kind of just up-and-decided to run the Milwaukee Marathon, in October. But, not counting the times when I am running because I am late for class, I haven’t exercised in approximately 5 years. I’m not overweight or anything, so I never really felt the need to work out, (plus I mostly hate it) but this means that my level of cardiovascular endurance is little to none. However, I recently realized that I am not getting nay younger, and if I am ever going to run a marathon, now is certainly the best time. My schedule is flexible because I am still a student, I live in a place where parks with running paths abound, and the younger you are the easier it is to recover from injury. So a-running I go, I guess.

I am using this blog to keep me accountable. I will write about where, how far, and how long I run and will do my best to track my progress accurately. I will also write commentary, I think, because I would like to be able to go back and read it at the end. Please feel free to leave comments – I will gladly take advice, encouragement, agreement, etc, and please give me crap if I am not keeping up with blogging or running!