Quiet...

I had a quiet run this morning. I decided to leave the ipod home along with my heart rate monitor and watch to time myself. I would run tech free. Free to listen to the birds, cars, my breathing, my feet pounding the pavement, the sprinklers and the hum of bugs..

I've read a few articles about leaving it all behind. Some how this is suppose to be good for you, good for your running. I'm not so sure?

I was just so tired of listening to the same 62 songs programed into my ipod and tired of listening to people talk on the radio and hearing all the commericals that seemed to take up most of my run time. I just wanted to skip it all today. I was thinking maybe this is what I needed to enjoy running again.

I do know that listening to the radio or my ipod helps my mind drift. Without that distraction my mind wants to tell myself to just walk, turn around and go home.... why are you doing this.. why, oh why?
I never feel like that when I have something to listen to. Well, I take that back.. sometimes I wonder what I'm doing the first 5 minutes, but I quickly forget once I get in the mood of running and zone out listening to whatever is in my ear.

I had no reason to look down at my wrist, nothing there to tell me how hard my heart was working. No time to check to see how long I had been running. It didn't matter today. Today, I needed to run to keep fit and just run to enjoy it for a day.

So, will I run tech free again? I might.. but not for a long time.. I'll stick with being sick of listening to the radio or the same songs over and over. I'm thinking time to download a few new songs and make my run more enjoyable...

A little bit of everything.. running into each other..

This is a little bit of everything..

I'm not enthuastic about running lately. This morning I got up at 5am.. Still feeling tired like I could go back to bed.

The last 2 days I only ran 4 miles each day. Now that I've been running 7 miles a day, 4 seems like I'm slacking off. Today, I ran the 4 miles close to home in 37 minutes.. a 9 min and 15 sec per mile.

I just feel tired, sore from the knees down and just not very motivated. I'm still getting out the door to run every day. I have to, to keep my weight off.

Steve asked me last night why I didn't want to watch the running on TV. I just don't want to watch others run. I run only because I have to, it keeps my weight under control and it's the only way I know how to do that.

I need to feel energized again. I need to feel rested. I need to feel good. I'm just blah and blah about everything.

I tend to shut down when I feel stressed... I'm stressed because I have a lot of projects I'd like to finish up.. a lot to do coming up and I just don't have the energy right now.

So while I'm having a hard time today. This too will pass and I'll feel good, well rested and energized again. I just have to keep going and take it one morning at a time. I can't let myself quit and I know that.. I just need some rest.

Think I'll take a 30 min power nap.. maybe I'll feel like working.. ????

Help!!! This is when I need someone to motivate me....

No Energy

I stepped outside this morning to get an idea of what the weather was like for my run. "Ugh!" was all I said, then quickly stepped back inside into the AC.

I ran slow.. even forgot to set the stop watch until 2 minutes or more into my run. I was just not feeling it. The Dew Point is up there and almost 80*F at 6am. Too early to be this warm. Thankfully, there was nice breeze and it's over cast so no sun to beat down on me.

I decided to just get a ride home from the gym and work extra hard on my arms and abs today. That too felt hard. I just went about all my exercises at a very slow pace. I had time to kill until Steve was done running so I got on the bike and pedaled for 18 minutes burning 100 calories  and going almost 5 miles at an easy random pace. Good enough..done for today..

Some days you just have to give in and call it good. Some exercise is better then nothing but I just didn't have it in me to push through the heat lazies..

1 Week From Today

That's right! One week from today will be the 4th of July. Our family will run in the Freedom Days Apple Valley 2 mile race.

2 miles doesn't seem like that big of a deal. It really isn't far since I run 7.22 miles or more per day. It's just that I don't run every day like I will for those 2 miles.

I'm excited to run it and see what I'll get on my mile time. I'm just looking for anything under an 8 min mile which I know I can do. Whether or not I place or score a trophie is another story? We will have to see on that one.. no promises.... Just depends on how I'm feeling that day.

I do know I'll need to take a day or two of rest before this race. My shins are sore from all the miles I run and it will be good to give them a break. It's going to be hard to not run but I want to do my best so rest is what I need.

This 2mile run is the first of 3 this month. Next will be a fun 5K (3 miles) fun Color run/walk race, and then what I'm really looking forward to Run For the Gold in Rosemount on the 21st. I want to beat my last years time and maybe place.. 1-5th they give out metals/ribbons.

I have my last race in October, it's the big one.. 13 miles.. the half marathon in Belle Plaine.

So, 7 days to go.. getting closer!!! Have I trained enough? Am I fast enough? I am mentally prepared enough? I'll find out soon enough!

Little Sore...

I'm a little sore in the mornings. My legs are stiff and my body aches. I take 1 Excedrin just to help with the aches. Stretching helps loosen me up. I do a series of stretches that last about 15 minutes. It feels great to stretch!

It is not hard getting out the door for me to run. Running has too many benefits and I don't even consider not running. It's just something I do and I plan for it every day.

I can tell you.. I know the first few steps are the hardest. It hurts my legs and body..It takes about 3 minutes for me to relax and feel pain free. It takes a good 15 minutes before my body feels great running and I'm in the running zone. After 30 minutes.. I could run on but I'm usually at the gym at this point.

It's a little easier starting back up running after I lift weights but I still have those first few steps that I feel the pain and aches. It doesn't last long.. a minute and I'm back to feeling fine running.

I'm not sure my body will ever not feel the initial pains with starting off. Seems no matter what kind of warm up I do.. it still takes those first few minutes of running to really loosen up.

I'm happy to report... it doesn't last.. the pains go away and you start feeling great. After my run.. I cool down... I sit instead of stretching again. My body gets stiff and the aches and pains come back. I feel old walking as I can't go fast. This too will pass and I'll be back up to speed.

So, don't give up with a little aches and pains as it's all normal. Or at least it's normal for me and a lot of others I talk to. It will pass so keep going and keep pushing through the initial pain because it's all worth it..

Loop Running.

I ran just to run this morning. I ran the loop and didn't want to stop to lift weights this morning.

I felt good and refreshed. I listened to the radio instead of just my usual music. I mostly listened to the people on the radio talk but it kept my mind occupied and the time just flew by. Before you knew it.. I was almost home running 1 hour and 9 minutes. for the 7.22 miles. I felt like it would have been a good day to do a long run... 13 miles but I have a busy day ahead so I'll save that for a day where I have nothing going on and can rest after.

It's going to be hot this week... mostly in the lower 90's. I plan to get up and get out early by 5:30am just to avoid the heat. I'm hoping the days start off cooler in the 60's, which is perfect running temp.

Trophy???

I finally talked to Steve about how we were going to do this 2 mile race together on the 4th of July with the kids. Funny how he completely forgot all about this race. I even had a conversation with him a week ago about what size T-shirt he wanted.

Yesterday, I told him my goals were to try and win a trophy for my age group. That means I have to come in 1st place in the women's 40 - 49 year old group. Not sure if I'll be able to do this. I did look up last years results to figure out if I have a chance. It looks promising but only if I run all out. (I will post last years results when I look them up again okay....... I need better then an 8 min & 4 sec per mile time! Got it!! I did 7:51 per mile for 3 miles!!)

Steve's running goals are much different then mine. He prefers to run in the gym on the Cross Ramp and not touch pavement. He has come running with me for 4 miles once and a 1.5 mile run around the neighborhood,but his knees hurt. He doesn't feel the need to be competitive. He's not after a trophy or even placing. He would rather not race. We figured out that he will run with the kids during the race and help Logan with pacing himself. Logan could easily get caught up in the mad dash at the beginning of the race and run too hard and too fast at first and not have enough energy to finish the race running. I want to make sure Steve, Logan and Celina have a great experience running races.

Of course, I have also considered that my kids could probably out run me. I do put in a lot of miles running, but speed is not my thing. I'd rather run the long slow mile after mile then do a fast heart- hurting short race. I'm okay with my kids passing me by.. "catch me if they can".. I am only competing with women in my age group 40 -49, so I'd still have a chance at scoring a trophy.

Do I really think I need a trophy at my age? Sure, why not!!! I work hard every day running, I worked hard for months losing the 50+ pounds, I work hard lifting weights and toning my body and I work really hard on maintaining those lost pounds. That trophy is more then just a hunk of plastic, it validates all my hard work, just not on the race that day, but every day, every day I'm working, working on being healthy. It's an awesome symbol for me of how far I have come. So don't laugh at me for wanting and dreaming about that hunk of plastic at the finish line. I want it.. I want all the glory that trophy will bring me. I need it for continuing motivation and for confirmation..

I have also a realistic side about this race, I know I'm not the fastest runner.. I've only been running outside for a few months.. in doors for 1-1/2years.. still a newbie at running.. I still do have high hopes, but know that even if I don't get first, just doing the race is confirmation that I can do it! I have come a long way...but darn it! It would feel so great to come home with that trophy!

Breakfast is Served!

I have a great husband! Today, after my run, I came home to find sitting beside my cooling off chair out front, a plate of fresh fruit:  strawberries, blueberries, red grapes and 2 bananas. It was such a nice gesture to find breakfast waiting for me and such and un-expected surprise. I had mentioned the night before, we were out of bananas and I needed to go to the store, so I would have some thing to eat after my run this morning. I completely forgot last night, but not Steve. He went out to the store and bought me my favorite breakfast.

As for my run this morning. I decided to run to the gym and then workout with the weights. After, I ran home doing my new running loop. I haven't been working on speed or even keeping my heart rate above 141. I just ran... ran to enjoy it, ran to get fit.

This week # ___ running totals are in 49+ miles this week. Zero biking. Not sure how much weight lifting as I'd have to go back through my records to figure that out but I'm guessing 3 hours or less in all.

I managed to run 6 of the 7 days this week, with one long 11.22 mile run but on the average I ran 7.22 miles per day. I didn't do any short runs this week.. nor quick as they were all leisure miles. Not training this week.. giving myself a break and time to enjoy just running.

Hate it!

I hear a lot of people say they hate running. Those same people that say they hate running are running. They run because it burns calories and tones up your body, gets your heart pumping and eventually the runners high-kicks in..

Unfortunately, those same haters are still looking for the runners High... They don't reach that because to be a true runner, you have to run at least 3 times a week. Not every once in awhile.

That's why they hate running.. because they don't do it constantly. It feels hard, a lot of work and it makes them tired and sore. It never gets any better because it's so in-consistent they never get to the point where they enjoy it.

There is also the other issue of being consistent with a pattern of exercising time,it's all over the place. Some times they workout in the morning, at noon or at night. It's never the same time of day. It's just whenever they can fit it in or should fit it in. It's a recipe for failure. It's never going to get any better, they are never going to like running and they will never see the running results they are hoping to achieve. They will always hate running because in order to like it or love it you have to set yourself up to win.. not fail.

Here's my advice.. don't run if you will never figure out how to get to the point where you will like running. You can only like running if you decide to be consistent about your running. Pick a time of day (hint.. morning exercisers are more likely to keep exercising then doing it any other time of the day).  Make a plan to run at least 3 times a week. If you can't schedule in those two things and be consistent. Pick something else to do.. something like sitting on the couch or TV, Internet, eating, or pretty much anything other then exercising. My reason for this harsh reality.? Haters of running are going to hate any type of exercise to get fit. It doesn't matter if it's running, biking, walking, swimming or lifting weights. You will always hate exercise if you don't make it part of your life and be consistent. Any amount of exercise will always feel hard and you'll never get to the point where it makes you feel good.

It's so straight forward. One word "consistent" sums it all up. Anything worth your health is worth making a plan and being consistent about it. It's not about hating something.. because it's not worth doing it if you hate it. Life is too short to HATE something. So pick something you do like or love and just be consistent about it.

Don't be a hater.. because the hater is all about hating having to be consistent about anything that's worth while doing.  No one is that busy to not care about themselves. We all care about ourselves and spend lot of money to make ourselves look and feel good. The too busy for exercise card needs to be thrown out!

Get out there.. stop hating it! You can do it.. one day at a time.. the same time!

New... new... New.. new..

It's time.. and I know it. After losing 50+ pounds you realize that the clothes that use to fit are way too big. That applies to underware too. My bras all are too big.. and my underware. Sure, I've bought some new stuff, but not enough to keep up with all the changes of my body.

For some reason I was keeping these bras and underware that no longer fit. I really don't consider wearing the old bras while I work or workout as I'd be lost some where in them. Underware on the other hand, or on the buns.. well, you can get away with.. or sort of.. until I realized that it's just not that comfortable to run in underware that's too big.

I've been reading about Hi-tech clothes that breath and don't hold in sweat/moisture against your skin. They have shirts, shorts, socks, sport bras etc.. I'm sure they have underware too. After all I heard the Army developed some underware that was microb-free for up to 10 days and water resistant. They must make something for the average person, but not to that extreme.

I can't say I found any of these Hi-tech underware, but I did find some in my size. They no longer bunch up. Let me note that when you run and run a lot of miles, things tend to rub or you notice anything that might be even slightly uncomfortable.

I've made some adjustments along the way with trial and error on my part. I learned the hard way that you don't have to settle for pants/shorts that creep down while you run, or a tank that drives you crazy or rubs the wrong way. I still have a long way to go to fix all the uncomfortable aspects of running and having some friction between me and my clothes or equipment. It's definately a trial and error on my part and mostly a lot of errors.

I also want to add... there will be no panty lines of any kind! It aways makes me giggle when I see lines on others and realize.. those are granny panties they are wearing. What's wrong with you people that they think that's a good look with pants or without. I'm guesssing those that wear those granny panties must think coverage and full coverage is best. I'm not there with you on that one, but that's too much info.. and to each there own..

At least today.. I had a new take on running in new underware that fit and fit to be running comfortable... oh how nice! lol........ And no.. it's not going to help the giggling...