Back at it...

Man - I've been trying to sit down and update this blog for a couple of days now. What is going on?! Life got a little crazy again...OR...it could be that we have discovered another TV show on DVD that is pretty fun...

Anyway...

Finally back on track with running and getting back on the treadmill at the gym. Tonight there was a boatload of people and I was lucky to get on a mill where I can see people coming and going and working out with the weight machines etc. Lots of newbies...we'll see how long they last ;)

Today was a good run though, 3 miles at a moderate pace. It really is no fun trying to get back into running while still getting over a head cold. At least all I've got going on right now is a drippy nose. I decided during my run on Monday that I would do 2 miles then, 3 miles today and then back to 4 on Saturday. Might be able to step it up a bit more next week and I'll be back at 7 miles in no time and back on track with my training plan. Now that I'm feeling better I am realizing that I really missed running. Amazing! Yeah, so no more sickies around me!
This week I started my new work schedule of 0800-1700. I'll take hour lunch breaks so I can do quick training rides of 5-7 miles and maybe more if my condition improves quickly. This has been a bad weather week...lots of rain - BOOOO! I am storing my bike at the station during the week and to be considerate of the newly shampoo'd carpet, I don't think that I like the idea of traipsing my grimy bike thru the hallways to get to my secret storage room. Looks like tomorrow will be a good day, so I'm good to go! I may as well load up my bike to bring it home tomorrow also. If the weather forecast stays (ha) then Sunday might be another good day to get out and ride again.

The next Duathlon is just over 80 days away and I need to keep on track with my running...I know I can do better with both of the runs. With Robin riding the bike leg I just need to keep my legs warm and loose so that the second run doesn't kill me!

This year is going to ROCK! There are so many events that I want to do and I can hardly wait to do each one. The first event will be the Shamrock Run (8K)...WOO HOO!

Run Baby Run!!!

Under The Weather

Have been taking it easy the past week...I'm a little under the weather. I don't want to push it and have been trying to rest, so no running for a week. Although, on Saturday we rode our Mtn Bikes down to Starbucks/Fred Meyer to run an errand - seemed to me that riding our bikes would take far less effort than me trying to run 3 miles. Which in reality shouldn't be a problem, but MAN I have been tired!

So, I'm hoping to get to the gym tomorrow morning before work and hopping on a treadmill and pushing out 3 miles...we'll see how that goes. My last run was on the road and to the track and somewhat slickery. So tomorrow should be more comfortable.

Even though I have been more consistent in the last couple of weeks, I still feel like I'm slacking. Tom tells me that I'm doing great and whoever else might know that I'm running like a fool. So I should just quit being so hard on myself - if I am feeling a little sick, I'm a little sick. That's it. Rest is good. Really it is - I'll make friends with that concept some time!

Here's to tomorrow morning!

Run, Baby, Run!

Tempo

Each time I attempt to run a specific workout on the treadmill I somehow am able to mess it up or just plain give up...NOT TODAY!

Today's Tempo Run was totally awesome...yeah, on the treadmill even. 1 mile warmup, 3 miles @12:34 and 1 mile cooldown. I got into my rhythm pretty easily and just settled in for the long haul. Really, running on a treadmill almost feels like I'm running twice the distance, but it was good - even got close to my target pace - 12:39 mile - so yeah, not bad!

My body tried to send the "you don't want to do this" signals past 2 miles and I was not going to stop. For that I did gain myself a nice little blister on my pinky toe. Socks had some stray threads rubbing...OUCH!

Looking forward to my long run on Saturday!

Took a rest...

My last run was last week on Monday. It was evident on Wednesday that I would not be doing a run, my hip was messed up and needed some TLC. Normally, I would be fretting because I am not running (or riding for that matter). I have finally decided if my body is not happy I shouldn't push the running too much.

Every morning last week when I woke up and got out of bed my hip was feeling not that great and not getting better with each day - especially since I had gone to my chiropractor and was snapped back into place in several areas including my low back which my chiropractor thought might have been giving me my problem. By Friday things did not settle down, so I called and made another appointment and went in after work. My hip was truly not behaving so my chiropractor probed about my hip region which turns out to be a very ticklish spot for me. She found that it was nicely out of alignment...which gave the dull ache. She worked her magic and the ache and soreness went away...just some lingering ache for going to long without attention, but all is well again.So good that this morning I went to the gym and did my Monday morning run and it felt really good...I even kicked up the speed just a little - I'm always pushing it! I'm looking forward to my tempo run on Wednesday.

Even though I missed just a couple of days of running, I just plain missed running. I'm not pre-treating with my inhaler anymore and it just feels so good to be moving that I missed those two days terribly!

Rest is good though...this week will be awesome - Looking forward to getting back on track!

Going long...

After having a hard time figuring out my speedwork on Wednesday my long run this morning was the BEST! Crazy cold and running the last half by myself and all, but it really felt great!

Had a visit with my allergy/asthma doc this week and per his advice I didn't pretreat with albuterol before my run this morning. I was having doubts about my not using my inhaler before Tom and I got started, but it turned out alright. I am thinking that having a puff or two of albuterol might not help as much as I think. Also, Dr. D said that my lungs/breathing will only get better with my running, so I'm pretty excited about that. Only had a little coughing once I finished and was back home, so really, all is going well!

Last week Brittany (at Starbucks) said I was a machine or something like that after I told her we just finished our run. Which I thought was pretty funny. One definition according to Merriam Webster is - One that resembles a machine (as in methodical, tireless or consistently productive). I suppose I'm a machine...I like a plan and I like sticking to a plan, I'm usually productive and this running stuff has certainly gotten me a little on the crazy side of productive. When Spring rolls around I'm not sure how I'm going to incorporate cycling and still keep up with running. Oh and add swimming too...CRAZY!

A year ago I was happy to be running a couple of miles...now I'm doing six and on my way to seven next week will work up to doing at least ten by the time I'm done with this current training plan. Having things to work toward is really helping too.

Right now I'm just looking to get to the Spring Classic Du in April. Tom and I may run the 8K Shamrock Run in March - that would be a perfect event a few weeks after I complete this training and move to maintenance training.

2010 is going to be a BLAST!