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 (25)

By kilax, January 1, 2010 11:57 am

What was your biggest accomplishment in 2009?

I saw this question yesterday all over the blogosphere and loved reading everyone’s answers, so I would love to hear yours as well!

When I was answering this question yesterday, I kept saying that the accomplishment I was most proud of is running my first half marathon in under 2 hours and feeling great afterward.

The more I think about it though, I think maybe my biggest accomplishment was dealing with the setback of being injured and not being able to run, and coming back from that by the end of the year. And not just coming back to running, but getting myself out of a funk.

I hurt my wrist in July, which didn’t affect my running that much, but I had to keep it in a brace and I became very frustrated with doing things around the house. I stopped taking care of myself as well. I really shut myself out from my friends in August. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone – I didn’t feel like I had anything positive to say. I had to stop running completely in September, and I ended up spending two months not being very active.

I’m not telling this very well, but I was in a super funk for a few months of the summer, and finally came out of it in the fall (I think after we watched the Chicago Marathon). I learned a lot about my body and what it can and cannot handle. I learned how to be more open with my friends. I learned how to handle stress better.

I really feel like I’ve turned a corner, and made some huge accomplishments towards being more stable in my health and emotional-state. I am really hoping 2010 won’t be as bumpy of a ride! But if it is, I feel like I’ve learned some new tools on how to handle it.

Comments (16)

By kilax, December 13, 2009 1:12 pm

Day 50 | December 7, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

If I can get through Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred at 3:45 am… that must be a sign I am ready for Level 2, right?!

Day 51 | December 8, 2009: 4 m run + strength

Strength at the office gym… I think I need to figure out something to work my triceps. Any triceps workout suggestions?

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
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

Damn you, winter snow storm. I was looking forward to running outside with Steven. No way that is happening in the slippery snow during a snow storm!

Steven and I both ran 4 miles on the treadmill (with one window open). I set it to 6.0 mph, but it feels so much harder than running that pace outside. This chart says that if you run at 6.0 mph at a 1% incline, it is more similar to running a 9:52 mile. Do you think that chart is correct? Do you find running on the treadmill easier or more difficult? I think the treadmills at office gym are easy, but I struggle at home!

Distance: 4.0 | Time: 44:11 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 10:00

Day 52 | December 9, 2009: cross

Steven and I did Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred together. It was his first time doing it, so there was quite a bit of giggling from me in the beginning. It’s just funny to have two people doing jumping jacks in tandem in our living room! Plus, you have Data running around our feet, chasing a little ball while we are trying to do the moves. Steven actually felt like it was a good workout, so I hope we can do it together again!

Day 53 | December 10, 2009: cross + strength

I was a bit pressed for time during lunch, so I fit in an abbreviated version of my strength workout:

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
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

My train home Thursday evening was stopped on the tracks for more than 45 minutes (due to a pedestrian accident ahead of us). Instead of being pissed off, I was grateful to have my baby computer to keep me entertained, decided to move my run to Friday (Steven got 4 miles in before I got home), and just walk 2 miles on the treadmill in the evening.

Distance: 2.0 | Time: 29:50 | 1: 14:55 | 2: 14:55

Day 54 | December 11, 2009: 3.5 m run + cross

I got pissed off on Friday.

I woke up at 4:00 so I could be to work by 6:30 – giving me a full hour and a half to stretch, warm-up, run, cool down, and take a shower and prep before work at 8:00.

My train was stopped on the tracks just past my stop for 40 minutes. I was so pissed. I could feel my blood boiling. When we finally got to the city, I speed-walked to my office (warm-up), ripped off my gym pants (thank heavens I was already dressed in my gym clothes) and tried to fit those 4 miles in. I got in 3.5. I was feeling great, but had to go poo since 2.9 and it hurt.

I hate when my schedule is out of my control like this. JUST. HATE. IT. I know it’s no one’s fault, but I get so frustrated. I worked very hard to calm down and think I did a good job. I still treated myself to a bonus lunchtime workout to de-stress though!

Side Note: The office treadmill is a piece of cake compared to ours at home!

Distance: 3.5 | Time: 34:02 | 1: 10:00 | 2: 9:40 | 3: 9:41 | 4: 4:41
Bike Time: 31:00 | Distance: 5.60 (Set on “Random Hills”)

Day 55 | December 12, 2009: cross

Another day of The 30 Day Shred, Level 1. It’s getting pretty easy – time to move on, Kim.

Steven and I also walked 1 mile and ran for 1.5. We intended to run further but Steven had a sudden splitting headache and felt like he was going to throw up, so we quickly walked home. No big deal!

Distance: 1.5 | Time: 14:29 | 1: 9:57 | 2: 4:32 + .5 mile warm-up and .5 mile cool-down

Day 56 | December 13, 2009: 6 m run + strength

I finally tried Level 2 of The 30 Day Shred. Whoa! I got through it, but definitely had to pause a few times to make sure I was doing it correctly. I did the “easier” versions of the Jumping Plank and the Plank Jacks. I thought the Walk-Out Pushups were a great move, even though it killed my wrists. Oh Jillian, you continue to surprise me with your torturous innovative workouts.

A few hours after The Shred I headed outside for an enjoyable 35° run – no joke, it’s the perfect temperature for me! (Steven decided to run on the treadmill).

Data ran outside to be in this picture.

I was hoping I would find clear sidewalks throughout the neighborhood, but I didn’t. There was definitely a bit of slippery snow running, so I did the last half of my run in the neighborhood park (it’s on asphalt), which was clear. I was kind of bored running without Steven, so I jammed to some tunes (one headphone only, of course)! I definitely played “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys more than once. What song are you jamming out to when exercising these days?

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 58:08 | 1: 9:43 | 2: 9:47 | 3: 9:57 | 4: 9:40 | 5: 9:40 | 6: 9:18

Week Summary: 18.00 miles

I enjoyed having a flexible schedule this week (except for Friday’s late train). I made a draft schedule, but modified it as I went along. It was fun to go with the flow and do what I felt like fitting in. I still set goals for each day, but was easier on myself about meeting them.

My legs have been feeling pretty tight for the past two weeks. It may be time to try and fit some yoga in.

This is a LONG post with only one photo… so here are some random ones for your entertainment!

Data wrapped up in a blue towel.

Our Christmas Tree downstairs. Note the huge Nativity.

Huge Willow Tree Nativity. Mom, I am still missing a few pieces!

The Star Wars Christmas Tree upstairs. Note the awesome Star Wars ornaments!

My fave ornament/the coolest shuttle in the entire trilogy – the Shuttle Tydirium.

And Leia is looking pretty hot in the slave girl outfit.

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 (6)

By kilax, November 1, 2009 3:16 pm

Day 8 | October 26, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

I followed the same “Strengthen” routine as last Monday – minus the crunches, plus the moves below. I am really enjoying strength training. I feel focused while I am doing it, and nice and relaxed and tired when I am done.

Lunges: 10 each side with 5 lb. weight each hand. Thanks for the recommendation diane and ChezJulie!
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb.
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb.

Day 9 | October 27, 2009: 3 m run

I felt like I was pushing it, in a good way, this entire run. It made me hopeful that I will get back to my normal pace soon. Of course, it’s still too slow for Steven… unless he has to go to the bathroom, that is! Muah ha ha.

Distance: 3.00 | Time: 32:34 | 1: 10:55 | 2: 10:55 | 3: 10:37

Day 10 | October 28, 2009: 2 m run or cross

This was pretty casual cross-training… we took a walk but didn’t even change out of our street clothes!

Distance: 2.00 | Time: 30:02 | 1: 14:58 | 2: 15:01

Day 11 | October 29, 2009: 3 m run + strength

I got up super early (4:30) so that I could do my strength routine (same as Monday) before work. Usually I do it at lunch and take it nice and slow, but I felt rushed because a coworker asked me to go to an 8:00 am meeting for them at the last minute. Meh.

Steven and I ran together in the evening, in the light rain. I like running together in the evening. It gives us a good chance to talk to each other with few distractions.

Distance: 3.00 | Time: 32:14 | 1: 10:57 | 2: 10:47 | 3: 10:26

Day 12 | October 30, 2009: Rest

Day 13 | October 31, 2009: 30 min cross

We took a walk during trick-or-treat time, so it was fun to see kids in their costumes and our neighbor’s home decorations.

Distance: 1.79 | Time: 27:30 | 1: 15:22 | 2: 12:08

Day 14 | November 1, 2009: 4 m run

Ugh. I really thought this would be an easy run since the other two this week went so well, but my breathing was all off, and I felt like I was struggling. And I also felt bad that I was slowing Steven down. I hope this gets easier soon.

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 43:31 | 1: 10:52 | 2: 10:57 | 3: 10:57 | 4: 10:32

Week Summary: 13.79 miles

I felt pretty good while running this week, so I am hopeful that my speed and ease will continue to increase each week. I am still icing my shin a few times a day and massaging it.

These recaps have been pretty lame. Sorry. I just like to keep track of my training here!

Comments (10)

By kilax, October 25, 2009 1:21 pm

Last Sunday I was cleaning off my desk and found a printed-out copy of Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon Novice Training Plan. “Hmm,” I thought, “I should see when I need to start training for the January 9th half marathon we signed up to run.” Even though we may not do it, I still want to train like we are.

Yeah, it’s a good thing I checked. I needed to start training on the next day – Monday the 19th! (Um, so I was originally going to run a marathon on the 17th and start half marathon training the 19th?! Bad idea, Kim!)

So… my Sunday training posts are back! MUAH HA HA! I am not sure how much I will have to modify them, because of my shin, but my plan is try to to run three days a week, but cut it down to two and walk one if I need it.

Day 1 | October 19, 2009: Stretch and Strengthen

I used the office gym weight equipment for the first time the week of October 12th and damn… my arms were SORE! Like, “you can’t put your coat on” sore. I am hoping that will go away!

I don’t know much about weights, so I did three sets of 15 reps (to build endurance?) on each machine. With the arm machines, I rotated back in forth between two at a time, but with the leg machines, I did all three sets together.

So… I am doing it right? I put my workout in small print below because it’s boring.

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 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 40 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb. Yeah, these are killer!
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 30 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb. OUCH!
Leg Press: 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Crunches: 10
Bicycle Crunches: 10

Day 2 | October 20, 2009: 3 m run

Steven and I “ran” these 3 miles together, in the dark, but in a perfect running temperature – 55°F! The nice thing about running in the dark is that you are not constantly checking your Garmin. The bad thing about running in the dark is that you CAN’T check your Garmin to see if you are running too fast (well, I can’t figure out the back light). Oh, and that you might trip and fall. Or mistake a branch for a snake, as Steven did. Ha ha.

Distance: 3.00 | Time: 32:33 | 1: 10:23 | 2: 11:10 | 3: 10:58

Day 3 | October 21, 2009: 2 m run or cross

Yawn. Treadmill walking…

Distance: 2.00 | Time: 30:00 | 1: 15:00 | 2: 15:00

Day 4 | October 22, 2009: 3 m run + strength

I did the same strength work-out as Monday, just mixed it the order a bit. I’m liking it so far. I can feel its effects. I think I need to add some lower-leg strength moves though. Do you know any lower-leg exercises?

I put the 3 miler off until Friday, since it was raining.

Day 5 | October 23, 2009: Rest 3 m run

So, I ran in the rain, on Friday with Steven! The “hills” in our neighborhood were killing me, but I can tell my fitness level is increasing!

Distance: 3.00 | Time: 33:05 | 1: 10:48 | 2: 11:08 | 3: 11:07

Day 6 | October 24, 2009: 30 min cross rest

Day 7 | October 25, 2009: 4 m run

Another “run” with Steven, with more difficulty on our neighborhood “hills.” I am struggling with breathing now. I used to not have to think about it at all, so it’s frustrating. But I did enjoy the nice fall weather – clear blue skies and a nice temperature in the 50s.

Distance: 4.00 | Time: 46:02 | 1: 11:02 | 2: 11:19 | 3: 11:47 | 4: 11:51

Week Summary: 12 miles

Starting over is exciting (because it seems like you are reaching a new goal each day) but frustrating (because you feel like the goals you are reaching are something you did months ago). I have been making sure to take it nice and slow, and stop if I feel any strong pain in my shin. I hope I don’t have to modify this training schedule too much!

Comments (27)

By kilax, June 21, 2009 11:34 am

Welcome to week 1 of marathon training! If you click on the activity links after the dates, it will take you to the Garmin connect website for full stats.

Day 1 | Monday, June 15: Cross-train for 30 minutes

I had my mind set on doing the 30 Day Shred and walking for 30 minutes, but I just wasn’t feeling it when I got home. I felt sad and worn out. So Steven and I walked two miles together, made dinner, watched Bride Wars, and went to bed “early” (10:00 PM).

Distance: 2.00 miles | Time: 29:48 | 1: 14:36 | 2: 15:09 | 3: 00:02

Day 2 | Tuesday, June 16: Run 3 Miles

Oops. This was supposed to be a “comfortable” pace, with specific instructions not to “push the pace.” Well. I think Erin and I were just having too much fun! We took off, and started chatting, and I knew I was going faster than I should, but I didn’t want to slow down (even though my body did). I will work on going slower. And wow. It was SO FUN to do this midday lunch run with Erin. It totally made my day! I noticed I was super hungry the entire day though, even after dinner. I will have to handle that better in the future.

Distance: 3.07 miles | Time: 26:42 | 1: 8:26 | 2: 9:11 | 3: 8:27 | 4: 00:36

Day 3 | Wednesday, June 17: Run 5 miles

Ugh. This was not my run. I felt exhausted from only getting 5 hours of sleep, and was also crazy hungry all day, even though I brought more than enough food to work. To try to pep myself up for my run, I read Runner’s World articles on their website on the train ride, and ate some pomegranate Luna Moons when I got home.

My goal was to start out slow then speed up in the end. As you can see in my splits below, that didn’t happen. I felt lethargic, somewhat dizzy and thirsty (even though I drank A TON of water during the day) the entire time I was running. I felt like my muscles never “warmed up,” despite the sun being out and a 70°F temperature. Boy, was I a sweaty mess. I. Just. Felt. Awful.

FAIL run.

So what did I learn? Start out super, super, SUPER slow if you plan on speeding up in the end, and especially if it is hot outside. And maybe I even need to bring water with me on a run of this distance when it is so hot. Oh yeah, and make sure I have food in my stomach, because running when you are hungry like that SUCKS.

Even though I felt like I was running slower than I wanted, when I looked at my heart rate on the Garmin website, I realized I probably shouldn’t have pushed it any further. I was at my maximum heart rate for most of the run.

Now, if I could only figure out why I felt like I was going to puke after I tried to eat my taco salad at dinner time. Hey, at least feeling sick got me in bed at 9:00!

Distance: 5.00 miles | Time: 47:57 | 1: 9:28 | 2: 9:18 | 3: 9:29 | 4: 10:09 | 5: 9:29 | 6: 00:01

Day 4 | Thursday, June 18: Run 3 miles

I was determined to make this a better, slower run – “comfortable” like the training said. The sun was shining and the temperature was in the mid 70’s (although, like Wednesday, it was supposed to be raining), so I took my Ice Mountain water bottle with me. And I got to run with Steven! He hasn’t been running much lately because he is still recovering a hip injury from the half marathon. He ran the first mile with me, and the first half of the third mile.

So, how did it go? I felt almost as crappy as on Wednesday’s run. The sloshing water bottle annoyed me. I felt like I was going too fast, even though nothing was in pain. I just felt uncomfortably hot.  I felt like the sun was melting me, I was so sweaty again. The humidity must have been 2000%. Okay, not really, but Steven brought up a good point – that the humidity probably WAS high since it was supposed to rain. I checked when we got home – humidity at 73%, dew point at 67°F.

I’ve gotta learn how to run in the heat, since I usually run in the evening on weekdays.

I was supposed to do strength training after this run. Um yeah. No.

Data likes to rub up against my sweaty legs when I get home and try to get me to take him outside. Nice try, cat. The first thing mommy has to do is take a shower…

Where ever did Data learn such language? Has he been hanging around that bird?!

… after she eats half of a vegan banana muffin, that is!

Steven made these! Recipe here.

Distance: 3.01 miles | Time: 28:10 | 1: 9:23 | 2: 9:27 | 3: 9:17 | 4: 00:02

Day 5 | Friday, June 19: Rest

Day 6 | Saturday, June 20: Run 5 miles at marathon pace

This was my first run at race pace – the pace I plan to run during the marathon. Since we ran 9-minute miles at our half marathon, I am really hoping to run the same at the full and keep the race under 4 hours. I realize this is incredibly ambitious though, so I may have to adjust my goal as I progress through training.

I was nervous about this run since my last two had been so hard. I made sure I was out of the house by 6:00 am. It was already bright and sunny (it was the longest day of the year!) and halfway through, I had to stop and drink some water, and pour some down my front and back.  I could tell the temperature was rising just in the hour I was outside! It was 69°F, with a 67°F dew point and 90% humidity. Can someone please explain what all of this means to me?

Overall, I stayed within my goal of finishing in 45 minutes, but as you can see, I need to work on my pacing.

During the last mile, I felt a blister starting to form on the outside of my left foot. I think I jinxed myself! I was just commenting on Beth’s post about shoes and blisters that I NEVER get blisters. Darn darn darn.

Distance: 5.00 miles | Time: 44:10 | 1: 8:39 | 2: 8:44 | 3: 8:45 | 4: 9:02 | 5: 8:58

Day 7 | Sunday, June 21: Run 8 miles

The training program advises the runner to do their long runs “anywhere from 45 to 90 seconds per mile slower than their marathon pace,” which would be 9:45-10:30 minute miles for me. Phew. I felt reassured knowing that I was supposed to take this run nice and slow. And I was successful in doing that.

I got up early (6:30 am) and went to the Nippersink Forest Preserve, which is less than a 5-minute drive from our house! I felt like I needed a change of scenery from running in our neighborhood.

The shrubs were not this high when I was here a month ago!

This forest preserve has an inner and outer loop, both about 1.25 miles in distance.

Quite a few people showed up to fish while I was there.

Again, the heat caught up with me by the end. I wore our hydration belt, and was still dehydrated when I stopped running. I think I need to stop at the car and rehydrate with even more water during these longer runs.

This is what I like to do after I get up so early to run:

I love to nap with Data!

Data is tired from, uh… sleeping all day on Saturday?

Distance: 8.00 miles | Time: 1:18:38 | 1: 9:59 | 2: 9:44 | 3: 9:58 | 4: 10:06 | 5: 9:49 | 6: 9:52 | 7: 9:44 | 8: 9:22

Week Summary: 24 Miles

The heat made this a tough week for me. I felt like it just came out of nowhere. Even though I diligently keep myself hydrated throughout the day, I still found myself fighting symptoms of dehydration during my runs. So, I am going to continue to wake up early to run on the weekends, and bring lots of water with me.

I realized I really need to focus on my pacing and follow the program. If I am supposed to run “comfortably,” I need to run comfortably! Otherwise, I could potentially mess up the rest of the weeks runs and risk overtraining.

Writing about running is addictive! I now understand why people have blogs solely devoted to it! Please let me know if you have any suggestions on what would make my weekly recaps better!

P.S. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! I know you’ll read to the very bottom of this. Thanks for sending me emails each week with the typos you found on this website! You’re always watching my back, ha ha. Seriously though, thanks for putting up with all of my craziness and supporting my “interesting” hobbies over the years. I love you!