Comments (16)

By kilax, January 10, 2010 7:43 am

Ugh, this is way too long. Trying to work on that! If you decide to skim, make sure you check out my wipe-out story in the January 9 section (and I always appreciate your feedback on my questions in bold!).

Day 78 | January 4, 2010: strength

I had nightmares on Sunday about how busy the gym would be Monday (due to New Years Resolution-ers). How sad is that? It was unusually crowded. There were a lot of new faces, and a lot of randomness (meandering from machine to machine) but I only had to adjust my routine a bit.

I ended up using the new machines on Monday, and had to up the weight a bit on them (the weight was in different increments than the old machines). Yep. I had shaky arms afterward. Loved it!

Ha ha. I heard a funny conversation in the locker room while I was changing to go work out. One woman was getting ready to leave and another woman came in and recognized her. “Oh!” said the women who was walking in, “You’re starting the new year off right!”

“Actually,” the other woman said, “I have been doing this since October!” (Then she talked about one of the trainers and how great the program is that she set up for her and how it “saved her life.” Yeah. She said that.)

I bet that woman who had just finished her workout was feeling pretty good about herself, being able to say she had been working out since October. The other woman did say this was her “first workout.” Hope she can stick with it!

Biangular Lat Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Biangular Chest Press: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Seated Leg Press: 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 90 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
Woodchop: 15 each side at 30 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Day 79 | January 5, 2010: 6 m run + cross

I don’t know what it is about running on the office treadmill in the morning, but it has been going really well for me. I think I am a morning runner.

I headed back down to the gym at lunch time for some biking. A coworker saw me taking my jewelry off (to lock at my desk) and said, “Are you going to the gym? Weren’t you there this morning?!” (Why yes, I was, remember, you said to me “Your motivation sickens me, Kim!”). Ha. She was only teasing me, but hey, I told her, I have nothing better to do at lunch time…

The only problem is that I am starting to get really hungry. And it’s hard not to eat everything in sight!

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 59:34 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:41 | 6: 9:31
Bike Time: 45:00 | Distance: 8.22 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 80 | January 6, 2010: strength

What is your opinion on strength workouts – should you target areas, like “upper body” or “lower body” per day, or do entire body strength workouts?

I fit in what I can – strength 2-3 times a week, so I focus on whole body (like below). But I overheard this guy telling another guy in the gym about how disappointed he was when his son came home for Christmas and he found out that the son’s college track coach had them doing entire body workouts in the weight room. I was surprised he was so upset (I’m so nosy, I know!).

Biangular Lat Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Biangular Chest Press: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Seated Leg Press: 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 90 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb

Day 81 | January 7, 2010: 6 m run

I had another great 6-miler on the office treadmill (well, great until the last 7 minutes when I had to poo like no other). I get there early, turn on NBC and read the captions while I run and listen to music. Ha, it would be so cool if there was a station I could turn out to read blogs! Would you tune in? The only problem would be leaving comments.

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 59:34 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:41 | 6: 9:31

Day 82 | January 8, 2010: cross

This post is getting WAY too long, so I am not going to say much about this uneventful hour bike ride (okay, except that I read a copy of Health and liked it – I might get a subscription).

Comments (16)

By kilax, January 3, 2010 12:08 pm

Day 71 | December 28, 2009: cross

I walked 4 miles on our treadmill at home. Our treadmill has been getting squeakier and squeakier. I hope nothing is wrong with it!

Distance: 4.0 | Time: 1:00:00 | 1: 15:00 | 2: 15:00 | 3: 15:00 | 4: 15:00

Day 72 | December 29, 2009: cross + strength

Tuesday was my first day back in the office and I felt TIRED, like “How did I make it into the office?” tired. I was already planning on doing an abbreviated version of my workout and then I got to the gym and three of the machines I use were gone (they are being replaced). I took that as a sign to make the workout short and sweet!

Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb

I fit in a 2 mile walk when I got home. It should have been a run, but I am kind of sick of our treadmill… and it’s only the beginning of winter! I think I prefer the treadmill at work.

Distance: 2.0 | Time: 30:00 | 1: 15:00 | 2: 15:00

Day 73 | December 30, 2009: 6 m run

I ran 6 miles on the treadmill at work. I was half conscious when I started running and accidentally set my pace for 6.2 mph instead of 5.8. Oops. After I realized it (it took me a whole mile!) I decided to stick with it.

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 57:28 | 1: 9:41 | 2: 9:41 | 3: 9:41 | 4: 9:31 | 5: 9:31 | 6: 9:23

Day 74 | December 31, 2009: cross

Ugh, I had every intention of doing a strength workout, especially since I wouldn’t be back at the office until Monday, but I just… didn’t. I wasn’t feeling it. My back kind of hurt (total lame excuse) and I felt like an easy bike ride instead.

Bike Time: 45:00 | Distance: 8.24 (Set on “Random Hills”)

Day 75 | January 1, 2010: 5 m run

I ran 5 miles on the treadmill at home while watching a show on TLC called “Obese and Pregnant.” It was really interesting and actually kept me intrigued during the entire run. Has anyone else seen it?

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 50:03 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:41

Day 76 | January 2, 2010: cross

Saturday was a very lazy day… a “stay in your pajamas until 4:00” sort of day! I would have liked to do more than a 3 mile walk, but meh, I was stuck inside with the stupid treadmill (high of 10° or something).

Distance: 3.0 | Time: 45:00 | 1: 15:00 | 2: 15:00 | 3: 15:00

Day 77 | January 3, 2010: 3 m run + 1 m walk

I think running inside is killing my running mojo. Do you ever feel like that? I intended to take a long run outside but got up and saw this:

Ugh. So I got on the treadmill, but just couldn’t take it. I ran 3 miles (perfectly timed to what I had left to watch of The Godfather: Part II) then walked 1.

I am just going to hope I can run outside next week.

Distance: 4.0 | Time: 45:31 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 15:00

Week Summary: 24:00 miles (includes 10 miles of walking)

This was not my best week. Sure, I got my workouts in, but I felt lazy. I didn’t feel it. I think this super cold weather is making me feel crappy (And it doesn’t help that I have a super sick husband. Poor thing! Hope he doesn’t pass it on to me). I’ll just keep doing what I can…

I added a little ticker on the right to keep track of my running mileage for 2010. My plan was 1000 miles. Then I saw this 1,010 in 2010 challenge and thought, why not? Anyone else in? (current participants listed here) You can track the miles however you want – running, walking, swimming, biking, elliptical, etc. I am just going to track my running miles.

Comments (20)

By kilax, December 27, 2009 8:46 am

Day 64 | December 21, 2009: strength + cross

I visited the office gym for an early morning strength and cardio workout. I was surprised by the amount of people there at 6:30 – about 6 or 8. Normally, it is me and maybe one or two other people. Monday’s surge (ha) made me kind of worry about how crowded the gym would be after the New Year and everyone’s resolutions. Do you worry about the gym being overcrowded?

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb weight each hand
Crunches: 15
Bicycle Crunches: 16
Woodchop: 10 each side at 30 lb
Drinking Bird: 10 each leg at 15 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.75 (Set on “Random Hills”)

Day 65 | December 22, 2009: 5 m run + cross

30 boring minutes on the bike… 5 boring miles on the treadmill. Yawn…

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:49 | 1: 10:20 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:49 | 5: 9:40
Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.98 (Set on “Random Hills”)

Day 66 | December 23, 2009: strength

I felt somewhat worn out so I did an easier strength workout. I LOVE working out, but I need to be careful I don’t over-do it! I’ve learned that I am not very good at staying active when suffering from an injury, so being sidelined is the LAST thing I want.

90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb weight each hand
Crunches: 15
Bicycle Crunches: 16
Woodchop: 10 each side at 30 lb
Drinking Bird: 10 each leg at 15 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Day 67 | December 24, 2009: 5 m run

I really wanted to run outside, but we had an ice storm on Wednesday (and it continued through Thursday) so I figured I better stick to the treadmill. For the last 2 miles of my run, Steven did Ab Ripper X. My abs hurts just looking at the tv!

Distance: 5.0 | Time:  50:03 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:41

Day 68 | December 25, 2009: cross

I did Level 2 of The 30 Day Shred (with 2 pound weights) followed by a 2 mile walk on the treadmill. It felt good to get a workout in before the holiday festivities (even though it was a small workout!).

Running-related, I got a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes (the GTs 10s!) for Christmas from my in-laws. I really wanted a new pair of running shoes, so I am super excited to have received them.

Pretty new shoes!!!

I also received some cash, which I will likely use for the Wisconsin Half Marathon entry fee, or to buy some YakTrax. Or to pay bills.

Distance: 2.0 | Time:  30:00 | 1: 15:00 | 2: 15:00

Day 69 | December 26, 2009: rest

Day 70 | December 27, 2009: 5 m run

Does anyone else feel super guilty exercising when they have guests in town? I tried to get up early to run, but I’ve been sleeping so well, I didn’t want to get up. So instead of putting in 8 miles, I put in 5, starting at 7:30. I feel bad leaving the house, but I feel so much better all day when I run.

I am going to count my 9:08 mile (in the 18° temp) for Lauren’s Winter Misery One Miler. It was the best I could do in the snow/ice covered sidewalks. I was already slipping a bit!

Distance: 5.0 | Time:  5030 | 1: 10:08 | 2: 10:18 | 3: 10:39 | 4: 10:14 | 5: 9:08

Week Summary: 15.00 miles

Now, to completely contradict what I just wrote… I am really happy with the amount of exercise I was able to fit in this week, despite feeling bad about taking time for it with guests in town. In the past, I NEVER worked out during this time of year. Not this much anyway. This year, I woke up wanting to exercise. And I feel so good when I do. So… I hope that is something that sticks around.

Comments (14)

By kilax, December 6, 2009 5:17 pm

Note: We were training for the Disney Half Marathon on January 9th but decided we should not go. We are still somewhat following Hal Higdon’s Novice Half Marathon training program for fun. We will probably modify the training schedule to coordinate with our schedules (and aches and pains, ha) but I like to report it here on Sundays to hold me accountable!

Day 43 | November 30, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

Blah blah blah, same routine as last Monday and Wednesday. I was a bit sore from the 30 Day Shred. How sad is that?!

Day 44 | December 1, 2009: 4.5 m run

If someone would have told me I’d be wearing shorts for an outside run on December 1st, I wouldn’t believe them! But, I was. We had a high of 50º and it was still pretty warm when I got home. I wish all of December could be that warm!

This run felt mostly effortless. Of course, we weren’t running fast, but it’s a good sign to me that running is starting to feel really comfortable and natural again. We ran through our neighborhood and got to check out everyone’s holiday decorations. We saw some pretty funny ones. Too bad I didn’t have the camera with me…

Distance: 4.5 | Time: 44:35 | 1: 10:20 | 2: 9:57 | 3: 9:54 | 4: 9:44 | 5: 4:38

Day 45 | December 2, 2009: 3 m run or cross + strength

The schedule didn’t call for it, but I did some strength training during my lunch break – same routine as Monday. To all of you who exercise in the office gym – does it weird you out when you see coworkers down there? On Wednesday I saw a lot of guys from my floor, then two girls in the locker room. So yeah. Not that I was looking, but now I’ve seen my female coworkers semi-nude.

Check out the map of our walk below – wondering why it is so random?

Because we wanted to take pictures of some of the more… elaborate decorations we saw on Tuesday to share with you all. Sadly, they do not look as funny in the photos as they do in real life. I guess they look silly in context. Now I just seem bitchy for posting these. They just had a lot of mis-matchy stuff and it made us laugh.

Brr, it was a cold walk! It was windy and neither of us had our heads covered (dumb, I know). When we got back, both of our faces felt cold for quite some time.

Distance: 2.17 | Time: 32:45 | 1: 14:47 | 2: 15:16 | 3: 2:41

Day 46 | December 3, 2009: 4.5 m run + strength 3 m run

I was all ready to run in the 29°F weather with Steven when I left work… until I stepped off the train to walk to my car and immediately realized the day’s snow and rain had turned into a dangerous icy combo. So, first treadmill run of the season…

I always use the treadmill on a 1% incline. I started running and had pain in my left shin (this happened last week on the treadmill too – what does that mean?). It went away, but then I kept getting twinges on the outside of my right leg above my knee but below my thigh (What the hell is that?! This better not be an IT band issue!). Then I snapped my headband across my eyes (ouch!) and got entirely too hot. Steven actually opened the window for me. I cut it short at 3.00 – I did not feel good. Definitely a fail run. I am running outside next time, as long as it is not icy.

Do you run on a certain part of the treadmill? I always stay too close to the front because I think I might slip off the back! There are tread marks from my shoes on the front of the treadmill cover thingy. Oops.

Distance: 3.00 | Time:  30:21 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 10:00, plus 1 mile total warm-up and cool-down

Day 47 | December 4, 2009: rest strength

On Thursday, Erin was kind of enough to show me a few moves on her office’s cable machine. The schedule didn’t call for strength on Friday, but I was planning on fitting it in since I can’t next Monday (on travel). I tried two of the moves Erin showed me – the Woodshop, and what’s she’s calling the Drinking Bird. The first works the transverse abs and the second works the weakest parts of your body when you do it. I was happy to have some new moves to add (although I am uncertain if I did them correctly). Thanks, Erin!

I did the routine below. Note, I didn’t do any leg machines because of my legs being sore on Thursday. 

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb weight each hand
Crunches: 15
Bicycle Crunches: 16
Woodchop: 10 each side at 30 lb
Drinking Bird: 10 each leg at 15 lb

Day 48 | December 5, 2009: 50 min cross

We had a super busy day and only managed to fit in a short walk. Oh well.

Distance: 1.67 | Time:  25:52 | 1: 15:20 | 2: 10:32

Day 49 | December 6, 2009: 7 4 m run

This run was powered by Vegan Cinnamon Rolls!

We put vegan cream cheese on them when we ate them.

Yum! We made vegan cinnamon rolls to take to our friends’ home on Sunday morning. Steven followed a recipe making them. Shall I share the recipe and a post of our cinnamon roll pictures?

Steven has a sore hip, so we cut this run down to 4 miles. He had to stop at 3.1 though, because his hip started to bother him. I hope it goes away. We are going to adjust our running schedule until he feels better.

The run felt pretty good for me (love those 35° temps!). Must have been the vegan cinnamon rolls! And the fact that I wasn’t on the treadmill.

Distance: 4.0 | Time: 38:48 | 1: 9:57 | 2: 9:54 | 3: 9:49 | 4: 9:04

Week Summary: 13.01 miles

Steven and I had a discussion this week about how we want to move forward with our training (hence the message above in italics). We were originally training for a half we are not running anymore, so we’ve decided to loosely follow the schedule, by running three days a week, but increase our mileage more slowly. I am really grateful to be able to do my runs with Steven. I feel like it is a good way for us to catch up, and a good way to connect. It’s sometimes difficult to coordinate our runs depending on how our bodies feel that day, but we are dedicated to working out together. I feel lucky that I have a partner to help me get in shape (especially as we go through the holiday season).

Did you read the article on Well this week about shinbone (tibias) stress fractures? Since I had a stress fracture in my shin this summer, I found it particularly interesting. The article covered two studies. The first study recommends strengthening your calf muscles to prevent stress fractures (but says this is only applicable to women), and the second study (from the university I went to) recommends shortening your stride.

I have been muchos careful when my shin, icing it often, and paying close attention to how it feels. I did have strange leg aches ALL WEEK, all over my legs. I wonder if it is from the “hills” I ran last Sunday. Ha ha.

Comments (8)

By kilax, November 29, 2009 2:59 pm

Day 36 | November 23, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

I did the same routine as last Wednesday plus lat pulldowns (15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb) per Erin’s recommendation. And no one in the gym harassed me about the legitimacy of my routine! Yay!

Day 37 | November 24, 2009: 4 m run rest

Reasons to Not Run:

1. You feel exhausted
2. Your lower back is sore (why is my lower back sore?)
3. Your legs are sore (why are my legs sore?)
4. It’s raining outside. Hard.
5. You’re sick of running in the dark.
6. You just don’t feel like it.

Okay, some of those reasons are more valid than others, but they’re ALL reasons why I didn’t run on Tuesday night…

Day 38 | November 25, 2009: 2 m run or cross 4 m run + strength

… and ran Wednesday morning instead – at 6:30 am at the office gym treadmill, meaning I caught the 4:56 train. The nice thing about working out before work is that you save time at home by not putting on makeup and getting ready – you do that at the office.

Both shins hurt for the first half mile, so I iced them later in the day. I listened to Holiday Music on 93.9 and watched the Today Show while running. It was kind of fun combo.

I visited the gym again during my lunch break and did the same strength routine as Monday. I had to be careful not to overdo it, because my back hurt all day Tuesday, but surprisingly, I felt fine.

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 40:44 | 1: 10:32 | 2: 10:11 | 10:11 | 4: 9:50

Day 39 | November 26, 2009: 4 m run + strength 5K Race

We ran the Crystal Lake Thanksgiving Day 5K in 28:40. This is my first 5K since the one I ran in August with Erin (side note – I miss running with you, Erin!!!). Three whole months without racing! It felt good to race again – not that I race to be competitive – there were plenty of people ahead of me. I just like to get out there in the running community.

Distance: 3.09 | Time: 28:40 | 1: 9:49 | 2: 9:11 | 3: 8:52 | 4: 00:46

Day 40 | November 27, 2009: rest or easy run

Yeah. This was a day of REST. Unless Wii Rock Band counts?

Day 41 | November 28, 2009: rest 6 m run

Warning: Photo Heavy Recap Ahead!

To take advantage of higher temps (50°) and a lower chance of rain, we decided to do our run on Saturday, and we tried a new trail! On the way to our 5K on Thursday, we drove by a sign for the Moraine Hills State Park. I was intrigued, so on the way back home, we drove through it to check it out.

We found that the park has four seperate trails (crushed limestone), as well as some dirt trails! I feel so ignorant for not knowing about it! This State Park is only 10 miles from my house and I am JUST NOW finding it? We decided to go check it out for our run (and hey, we actual got there at a decent hour!).

What a treat it was. This park has real trails and real HILLS. And the trails were so beautiful. We ran by prairie areas, by lakes and streams, and through the woods. Actually, the trails we took went through mostly wooded areas – I bet it would be a great place to run in the summer.

We took a very easy pace – around 10:20. And we were very stop-and-go. At first it was to make sure we were following the correct paths (they are directional) then it was to stop at the car so Steven could change (I was WAY overdressed) then it was to stop and take silly photos and look at neat wildlife.

I am excited to go back there again, especially because of the hills. And maybe even in the winter, Steven and I could do some snowshoeing.

Hills,

hills,

and more hills.

Like my improvised shorts?

Lake Defiance

Steven and Kim

Wetlands

Distance: 6.00 | Time: 1:02:05 | Our splits got messed up but you can see them here.

Day 42 | November 29, 2009: 5K Race 30 Day Shred (Level 1)

Oh, the 30 Day Shred. How I’ve neglected you. Usually, when I do it after I haven’t for awhile, it completely kicks my butt. Well, not this time! I found the strength and ab moves easier than before. It was the jumping jacks, butt kicks and jump rope that were bothering my shin. Someday, maybe someday, I will move on to Level 2. Ha ha.

Week Summary: 13.09 miles

Ha, I am not sure if there was even a point of putting the base Hal Higdon Novice Half Marathon Training Schedule up this week. We basically did our own thing to accommodate for the holiday and the 5K. Coincidentally, the plan did call for a 5K race this week, so that worked out well.

I would really like to see my weekly mileage increase, but I want to take it slow so I need to be patient. It’s kind of hard to up your mileage very much when you are only running three days a week! I really think that is the best plan for me right now though – I don’t want to overdo it and hurt myself.

Comments (7)

By kilax, November 22, 2009 5:37 pm

Day 29 | November 16, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

I’ve only been doing my little strength routine for a month but I can already feel definition in my legs, arms and chest. I am excited to see how my body reacts if I keep it up!

So, what’s up with people who don’t clean off the gym equipment after they use it? They go from machine to machine, do a bunch of quick moves, and never clean up. Do they have some special privilege I don’t know about? Are they germ free? Am I just paranoid?

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb weight each hand
Crunches: 15
Bicycle Crunches: 16

Day 30 | November 17, 2009: 4 m run

I don’t know if it’s the cold weather, losing a few pounds, or having to poo, but we’ve been running faster, and it’s been feeling pretty good.

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 39:31 | 1: 10:17 | 2: 9:51 | 3: 9:42 | 4: 9:36

Day 31 | November 18, 2009: 2 m run or cross Strength

I had to fit my strength routine (same as Monday + shoulder press) in Wednesday morning because of my busy schedule this week. I enjoy using the office gym when it’s so empty. There’s hardly anyone there, except for the well-intentioned gym manager (a new one this time, goes by “Captain Ed”).

He waited until I was done with my routine to introduce himself. Then he asked where I got my routine. And I told him the truth – I just made it up using the machines available. He kind of laughed at me. I know he was trying to be helpful. He mentioned classes he teaches and offered to help me develop a (better?) routine. Unfortunately our schedules don’t match up any time soon. I was somewhat annoyed that he was laughing at me. I used to not do any strength training at all, so I’ve been giving myself huge pats on the back. I guess it’s time to get more serious about it?

Day 32 | November 19, 2009: 4 m run + strength

I only got 4.5 hours of sleep, so I took a rest day. I don’t feel good when I run on so few hours (and I am already kind of worried about exhaustion and running burn-out after this summer).

Day 33 | November 20, 2009: Rest 4 m run

I (selfishly?) ran this 4-miler alone while Steven and my dad were working on the car, and my mom and grandma were cutting up pizza toppings. My mom, grandma and I walked around Chicago for about 6 hours during the day. My legs felt SUPER tired while I was running. But I really wanted to get out there and run, because I knew I would not be eating so healthy the next day… and needed some time to decompress too!

I was surprised that I could run negative splits without Steven with me. Maybe that means I am getting better with pacing? That would be great! I keep telling myself “the slower you start off, the easier it is to run negative splits!”

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 39:55 | 1: 10:35 | 2: 10:19 | 3: 9:43 | 4: 9:18

Day 34 | November 21, 2009: 40 min cross

I really wanted to fit in a whole 40-minute (or more!) walk with my family, but we were just TOO busy. I am happy we at least got these 25 minutes in. I was excited to show my grandma and mom the Nippersink Forest Preserve. I enjoy showing family members the areas I frequently visit.

Grandma and mom…

… mom and me.

Distance: 1.26 | Time: 24:52 | 1: 19:41 | 2: 5:10

Day 35 | November 22, 2009: 6 4 m run

After cutting it so close (with sunset and the park closing) last week, I though we would work out our schedules better today – NOPE! We were super busy and didn’t start running until 3:50. Then we both had to stop and poo at 3.66 miles. After that, it was too dark, so we just finished the 4 out, and decided to do 6 next week (I think it’s a slower week or something).

I felt good running, at least! But damn, my calves are SO SORE from all of the walking downtown and standing in the kitchen all weekend.

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 41:16 | 1: 10:17 | 2: 10:28 | 3: 10:24 | 4: 10:03

Week Summary: 13.26 miles

I think our trip to Disney World for the Half Marathon is off. Sounds like we are just following a training plan for fun now! That’s fine with me – I need something like this! And running has been getting much easier and more enjoyable so I am happy about that.

Comments (9)

By kilax, November 15, 2009 5:45 pm

Day 22 | November 9, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

Same strength routine as last Thursday. I was having a very stressful and hectic morning at work, and tried my hardest not to let it affect my workout. I hoped breathing slow and taking my time would calm me down. It did, a bit, but I still did the routine faster than normal. At least it felt somewhat easier, which I take as a sign than I can start trying heavier weights soon.

Day 23 | November 10, 2009: 3.5 m run

All of our evening runs are in the dark now. Did you read the Runner’s World online article Run to the Dark Side (it’s an old article that was in this week’s newsletter)? In the third paragraph they mention how runners have always been warned not to run too close to bed time, because they’ll feel wired all night and won’t be able to fall asleep. But then they go on to discuss a University of South Carolina Study showing that people who exercised intensely for one to three hours were able to fall asleep a half hour later.

First of all, I hope the people in the study refueled with food and drink since they were working out for so long. And secondly, they were able to fall asleep because they EXHAUSTED their bodies! Anything over an hour is fairly taxing. For me, anyway.

Do you ever have issues falling asleep after an evening workout? I don’t. Not recently anyway. I have had issues of waking up an hour before my alarm since we switched off of Daylight Savings Time.

I decided to wear shorts for this low 40°F temperature run. I told Steven that my white legs would work well as reflectors! The wind on my legs made me feel like speeding up, so I did! Or so I thought. Our first two miles were almost the same as last Tuesday! Wah. Hmm. At least we’re consistent?

Distance: 3.50 | Time: 36:24 | 1: 10:42 | 2: 10:38 | 3: 10:18 | 4: 4:44

Day 24 | November 11, 2009: 2 m run or cross

Hooray for Veterans Day and having the day off! Steven and I went on a relaxing, slow and long bike ride at the same place we rode last Saturday. We both had sore legs before, during and after.

If you click on the “cross” link above, you can check out our garmin stats, and it shows an interactive version of the little map below. It’s fun to get home and look at the map and see how far we went!

Bike Time: 1:25:47 | Distance: 12.30 miles

Day 25 | November 12, 2009: 3.5 m run + strength

I didn’t get my full strength workout in because my fellow gymmates were annoying me so much – I had to get out of there! (One person was using the weight machines to balance themselves while they did karate moves. WTF? A few other people were chilling on the weight machines, waiting for the gym manager to show them how to use them.) On the plus side, the gym manager interrupted me in the middle of using the leg press machine to show me how to improve my form. And, I upped the weight on a few moves.

Seated Row: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @45 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 31.25 lb, 15 @ 43.75 lb, 15 @ 43.75 lb
90 Degree Chest: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Leg Press: 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 80 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb

I don’t know what my deal with Thursdays is, but I always just want to chill. So I asked Steven if we could run on Friday (We ended up watching The Ugly Truth and chilling. It was kind of funny? I love Gerard Butler but he didn’t look as good as he normally does. This is Sparta!)

Day 26 | November 13, 2009: Rest 3.5 m run

I am getting really sick of running circles in the park, so we ran through the neighborhood instead. I could feel it on the top of my right foot (we did right turns) right away. And the next day. Boo.

Distance: 3.51 | Time: 36:51 | 1: 10:45 | 2: 10:39 | 3: 10:29 | 4: 4:57

Day 27 | November 14, 2009: 40 min cross

We took a very leisurely walk through the neighborhood. It was nice enough to ride our bikes during the day, but I accidentally (?) feel asleep and kind of wasted the daylight. So… walk it was.

Distance: 2.77 | Time: 44:53 | 1: 16:18 | 2: 16:12 | 3: 12:22

Day 28 | November 15, 2009: 5 m run

Whoa! Check out those awesome negative splits below! The rapidly setting sun must have made us speed up – I was worried we were going to get kicked out of the “we close at sunset” forest preserve. We had a super busy day and were trying to get out of the house to run. We didn’t make it to the park until about 4:00, and yeah, doesn’t the sun set at 4:30 now?

Who cares! This run was a whole 5 minutes and 28 seconds faster than last Sunday’s 5-miler. Boo-fuck*n-yeah!

(Okay, my breathing sucked the last mile (Steven kept saying “breathe!”) and my shin was a bit achy. But I feel pretty good!)

Distance: 5.00 | Time: 49:48 | 1: 10:18 | 2: 10:06 | 3: 10:01 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:30

Week Summary: 14.77 miles

I feel really good about our training this week. I hope we can keep it up! We bump up to weekday 4-milers next week and a Sunday 6-miler. We have a crazy week ahead of us (see tomorrow’s post) so it will be interesting to see how much we can fit in!

Comments (6)

By kilax, November 8, 2009 5:11 pm

Day 15 | November 2, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

Same routine as last week, plus the ab moves, minus the 90 Degree Chest (I think the machine was broken or something).

So, when are these darn arm curls going to get easier? I am using a machine like this… which makes doing arm curls look easy, when they are really NOT. I wonder if I have the seat too low. I guess I’ll keep trying. What strength move do you find to be struggling?

I totally wish we had weight equipment like this at home. Doing strength training makes me feel so worn out and calm… I bet I would sleep well after doing it in the evening! (“It” being strength training!)

Day 16 | November 3, 2009: 3.5 m run

Ha. The temperature was about 37°F but I was being a total baby about the cold and got all decked out in my Under Armour and hat and gloves! I love running when it’s cold like this. I felt like Steven and I were going super fast, but alas, our splits say “No. You weren’t.” I do like that I am not constantly looking at the watch when I am running in the dark.

A super bright shirt and a reflective belt for safety!

Distance: 3.51 | Time: 36:58 | 1: 10:41 | 2: 10:40 | 3: 10:29 | 4: 5:06

Day 17 | November 4, 2009: 2 m run or cross

We made this a functional walk – we somehow managed to get exactly 2 miles in between our home and our neighbors – where we were picking up some pizza kits we ordered from their daughter. Steven asked if walking counts as cross-training. Well, Hal Higdon says it does! Ha ha. I hope it does. I feel like it works my calves more than running. And it makes me sweaty so… it counts, right?

Distance: 2.00 | Time: 29:36 | 1: 14:46 | 2: 14:49

Day 18 | November 5, 2009: 3.5 m run + strength

Early morning strength training at 6:30 am (that means I got up at 4:30, people!). I did Monday’s routine, plus the 90 Degree Chest, which was fixed. Damn, I hate getting up that early, but LOVE having the gym mostly to myself.

I convinced Steven (it wasn’t that hard) that we should do our run on Friday in the daylight, at a park. I won’t be surprised if I put off every other Thursday run to my Friday off!

Day 19 | November 6, 2009: Rest 3.5 m run

We “ran” at the Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve. It was nice and sunny and warm (about 53°+F) but DAMN was it windy. The last 2.5 miles were straight into the wind. I felt like I was running through water. Or wading, actually. Bleh. We got to see a lot of beaver dens at the end. That was fun.

Matchy McMatchersons!

Distance: 3.50 | Time: 38:00 | 1: 10:19 | 2: 10:38 | 3: 11:22 | 4: 5:40

Day 20 | November 7, 2009: 40 min cross

Steven and I celebrated the 70°F  (!!!) November weather by taking our bikes to the Singing Hills Forest Preserve to explore a bit of the Millennium Trail.  The Millennium trail will eventually connect 35 miles of trails (with forest preserves as hubs) in the county I live in. Only certain parts of it are completed right now – 11 of those completed miles are very near our home, but we had never visited! I wanted to run on the trail this summer, but there are not many toilets on the path. Ha ha!

We had a fun ride. We actually really enjoyed the scenery, and are sad it will be winter soon and we won’t be able to ride much on this trail. I noticed that our mile splits were lower than an elite runner, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t getting a workout! Plus, we spent about two hours painting when we got home. That counts for something, right?

My brother-in-law gave me a gift card for my birthday and I used it to buy a bike helmet in August! I didn’t have one!

The start of the trail at Singing Hills – can you tell it was getting dark when we got there? We both wished we could have started earlier! We wanted to keep going!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a home right off the trail? Easy access AND fun people watching!

Bike Time: 44:00 | Distance: 7.39 miles

Day 21 | November 8, 2009: 5 m run

Sad Face McMatchersons. Have you noticed I like for us to match? I don’t think Steven likes it, but he puts up with it! Another runner started a conversation with us by asking about the shirts. See – good conversation starter!

I don’t know what to say about this run. I actually had high hopes for it, since we had a nice temperature (low 70s) and since I was feeling pretty crappy all day. I figured the run would make me feel better.

But, it didn’t. We started off well, and I felt like I had to go to the bathroom about 1.4 miles in. When I finally got to a toilet at 3.4, the phantom poo went away, and I was very upset, because I have been feeling constipated for… well, too long (I went when I got home).

Steven took off ahead of me at the last mile, and then I felt even crappier for being slow. I am going to blame it on the weather, and my sour mood. At least my shin felt good!

(And I have a suspicion I should be running all of my “longer” runs at the pace of my last mile. Ha. 5 miles used to be a SHORT run!)

Here are two pictures of the beaver dens (is that what they’re called?) we saw on Friday (we ran at the same place on Sunday). I thought it was neat to see them all together!

Distance: 5.00 | Time: 55:16 | 1: 10:32 | 2: 10:53 | 3: 10:50 | 4: 11:11 | 5: 11:46

Week Summary: 14.00 miles

I enjoyed our workouts this week, except for the last one, because painting, website issues, and a work report left me in a bad mood. I have a feeling that the workouts will be even more fun when I am carrying LESS weight around. I’ve lost 9 pounds in the last three weeks so let’s HOPE I keep that up!

Comments (20)

By kilax, September 5, 2009 3:44 pm

I visited the sports medicine doctor on Thursday. They examined my left shin and left heel. Their prognosis?

Because the shin pain is isolated to a single spot on my leg, they think I have a stress fracture, and want me to get an x-ray, and a bone density test if it does not show up on the x-ray. They told me to continue to ice it, gave me a stretch to do, and instructed me to NOT run, but to bike very easily or swim in the meantime. They specifically said NOT to use the elliptical machine, because it it their opinion that the elliptical causes you to move in ways that are unnatural.

They think I have a bit of plantar fasciitis in my left foot, and instructed me to ice it, and use a golf ball to massage the bottom of my foot. My heel hurts the most in the morning, and there are braces you can wear at night that keep your foot pulled upright so the muscle doesn’t relax, but I don’t want to spend the extra money on that right now.

Data shows concern as I ice my foot and heel.

So, I need to get the x-ray, and am going to try to fit it in my schedule for next week (after I make sure my insurance will cover it!). If I really do have a stress fracture, I won’t be able to run for about 6 weeks, so I need to figure out how to get some exercise in. I am looking for a cheap place to swim around my house, and can continue to use the office gym, as well as my own bike.

I will probably continue to write a weekly workout post on Sundays, because I enjoy keeping track of it, but you probably won’t see one tomorrow, because I’ve been fighting a cold this week and have only made it to the gym twice! And you didn’t see one last week because I ate my weight in french fries instead of working out.

So… how do I feel about all of this?

Well, when I was there, at the clinic, I felt pretty out of place. I am overweight now, and don’t really look like an athlete, and there I was, with all of these UIC college athletes, taking time away from their doctor. I felt like I didn’t belong. I almost felt like I didn’t deserve treatment – not from any way the doctors acted, but just from my own guilty feelings.

When I was explaining my running history to the resident doctor, and she asked what kind of training program I was following and if I increased my mileage too quickly, I told her I didn’t feel like I did. I felt comfortable. I felt like I had built the mileage. I felt really good! But when the doctor came in, he implied that my injuries were a cause of “too much too soon” or maybe of getting ahead of myself. Maybe they are… but I don’t feel like they are. I just feel kind of unlucky. And maybe unprepared, which IS my own fault. Instead of being smart and cautious then, I have to be smart and cautious now.

So, I guess I feel hopeful that the next time around things will go smoother. I will be smarter about cross-training, stretching, increasing my mileage, and listening to my body.

But I do feel really sad seeing people running in my neighborhood. And reading Runner’s World. But I am trying not to let it get to me.

Comments (19)

By kilax, August 23, 2009 9:37 pm

Welcome to week 10 of marathon training! If you click on the activity link after the dates, it will take you to the Garmin connect website for full stats.

Day 64 | Monday, August 17: Rest Cross-Train

Wow – this must have been a tough workout, because I felt dizzy and weak when I was done!

I ordered a shin brace on Monday night (thanks for the suggestion, Holly!). I am excited to see if that helps.

Bike Time: 30 min | Distance: 8.8 miles

Day 65 | Tuesday, August 18: Run 4 miles Cross-Train

I wanted to run on Tuesday, but figured since my shin was bothering me laying in bed Monday night, and it hurt when I woke up, I better NOT.

I feel really bummed out when my running friends at work ask me how training is going, and I have to tell my sad story. But, telling them at least got me a referral to a doctor a lot of them use at the UIC Sports Medicine Center.

I called my regular doctor asking him for a referral on Tuesday morning, and he said he could give me a name, but all I was going to hear was “rest and physical therapy.” He told me to take two weeks off from running, do low intensity workouts, then come back to running slowly. I asked him if this meant I could still run two times a week… and he kind of said “no.”

He told me there is no reason to see a doctor, because there is nothing there (in your shin) to hurt majorly. Yeah, not sure what he meant about that. BUT, there actually is a small bump in my leg where it hurts. I can feel it when I massage my leg.

So, I hope this UIC guy can give me some pointers (my appointment is 9/3). I don’t expect a miracle.

Elliptical Time: 30 min |Distance: 2.9 miles

Day 66 | Wednesday, August 19: Run 8 miles Rest

Woke up limping. Why?! Why would I be limping?! I haven’t been running!

Day 67 | Thursday, August 20: Run 4 miles Cross-Train

I had a lunch-time run scheduled with Erin, but she had to cancel (She forgot her work computer at home and didn’t realize until she got to the office! So she went  home and worked from there). I was sad I didn’t get to see Erin, but it’s probably better that I took another day off from running. It was down to the office gym for the third time this week…

Bike Time: 30 min | Distance: 8.9 miles

Day 68 | Friday, August 21: Rest

Day 69 | Saturday, August 22: Run 17 miles Run 2 miles

I left to run at 11:00 am. It was about 68°F. In August! This is wrong! I keep saying, “Why wasn’t it this cool last Saturday…?”

Anyway, my goal was to run 2 miles. I got out to the park and thought, “Ooo, maybe I can do 3 or 4!” Yeah. I ran 1 mile and walked 1 mile (plus warm-up and cool-down).

During the first .25 miles of my run, my gait was SO OFF. It was like I forgot how to run. It felt unnatural and uncomfortable. I got in to it after the first .25 miles, but my shin started to ache at about .75 miles. So I called it quits at 1 mile. LAME-O. And I probably shouldn’t have even walked a whole mile after that, because my shin was throbbing a bit. I iced it when I got home. I ice it a lot now. I don’t think it does much anymore.

Distance: 2.00 | Time: 26:01 | 1: 9:57 | 2: 16:04

Day 70 | Sunday, August 23: Cross-Train

Steven got my bike ready on Saturday, so I could take my first “real” bike ride on Sunday! And, since my awesome-o car can fit TWO bikes in it, he decided to come with me!

Love my car.

We went back to the Rollins Savanna for an easy 12 miles, which is two times around the path.

I know nothing about biking.

I like this Forest Preserve because it feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. Once you get on the trail, there are only a few times you see the highway or houses.

We saw four deer together and stopped to take some photos. A man rode by on his bike and said to us, “that’s what it’s all about!” He’s right. Life IS all about enjoying these small things. Life isn’t about worrying about your crappy shin and how you can’t run.

There is a place to stop and look through binoculars over the savanna. We were spying on some people who were letting their dog play in the swamp. The entire lower half of his body was covered in mud!

Later we saw a hot air balloon (you’ll have to click on the image to make it larger).

We enjoyed our bike ride. I still felt like I got somewhat of a workout (I made sure to use a high gear when we were riding so I could feel it in my quads), but had fun while doing it.

My shin brace came on Saturday, so I wore it most of the day, and on our bike ride. It feels good to wear it. It distracts from the pain, but my shin still ached when we were done with our ride.

Bike Time: 1:07:12 | Distance: 11.81 miles

Week Summary:

Thank you to everyone who has been sticking around for the pathetic-ness my “marathon” training has become. I am not even really sure if I can call this “marathon training” anymore. It may become “half-marathon training,” or just, “training.” I did change the name of the category to Running/Training.

I am not terribly upset that I may not be able to run this marathon. If my body wants me to wait, I’ll wait. It’s just that now, I have to decide what to do. Should I try to run the half instead? Not run at all? I don’t really feel like going to Kansas City just to run 13.1 miles. Especially since Steven’s 10-year reunion is about two weeks later and we might go down there for that.