Slow and Steady

Planned on getting 10 miles in this morning, but yesterday started with some weird behind the knee pain ON MY GOOD KNEE! I did some faster running (than I have been doing recently) in the 4 mile run yesterday towards the end, but it felt good! But later on in the day behind my knee just started to hurt. At night when I was sitting on the couch for a while and got up, it was totally stiff and same this morning. The run started out as a limping run, and it felt awful!! I was going to run 10 minutes and stop but I just decided to run slower. And I ended up doing 3 30 minute sessions, right after each other, but just to make it seem like less. It was slow for me, but I was happy to finish it. I can't find anything anywhere about behind the knee pain and have no idea what it is! But at times while running I could feel it also on the inner part of my knee. Anyone have that ever? Really weird, it is right in the crease behind my knee.

While running, the last two "long" runs I have had the new Berry Luna bar with me, and it has been good so far. I want to go out and get some luna moons for the longer runs coming up in August, but the Berry Luna has been good to me so far! For July, it was my highest mileage probably all year, 161.1 miles. I hope to keep it up for August! I wish I was doing a fall marathon, but with other things going on, I decided I'd take off this fall. And with the lingering bad knee pain, and now this weird behind the knee crap, maybe it is better anyway!

My shoes are about 420 miles, I just ordered new ones. When do you replace your shoes? I think 500 is my limit, but when I start having pain in weird places or shin splints, that is when I get new shoes! I just ordered a couple of pairs, one because I like how they look (oops - pink and silver get me everytime) and the other the same pair I've ran in the last 1000 miles (Mizuno's Wave Rider 11). I love the sites that have free shipping and free return shipping (like running warehouse!). Nice!

Runners World Log

So I found some neat things to embed in my blog from runners world. They have distance totals which didn't seem to be working, but latest workouts (because I was totally slacking on that one) and also PRs. So if you have a runners world log, that's fun, you can add the info to your blog!

This week, running has been good. Yesterday did 7 in an hour and today 4 in 33 min, building it up faster as I went. Tomorrow or Friday I'm trying to do my "long" 10-12 miler, 10 has been the longest run I've done in the past several weeks, maybe even months. I think for the weekend I'm going to visit my sister in DC and maybe run there. Hubby is going to the shore for a bachelor party this weekend (boo). I know, I still want to do the SF marathon but I think the hills would eat me up. There's also a run going on down the beach, but I'd have to go for the day and come back, and it starts at 5:30pm - pretty hot right? So, I don't know. I'm all over the place and can't decide.

As I was leaving to go for some workshops today, this older couple was walking down the street with coffees - as if it was a walking town. It is a main road, Route 30 if you are local! I was looking at them questioningly. Maybe they were reading Marcy's blog and the walking profile for our town and since it was over 50, they thought they could walk around? Hmmm.

Oh well, have a good day everyone! My swimming debut should hopefully start again on Monday, we'll see!

Dealing with the Lost Mind

My mind may be coming back, perhaps. I realize that I'm not fully conditioned to do a marathon - yet it is still on my mind! Had I done a few longer (15+) runs in the past few weeks I would feel better about it. I know that I would finish it, but my real goal is to run fast, and really, that wouldn't be too possible I don't think. One poor thing is that my knee is bothering me (it has in the past and I've done physical therapy). Maybe it is a sign.

This week I ended up with 35 miles, which I was happy with. The best days were later in the week, yesterday was somewhat brutal and yesterday was difficult, but overall this past week I feel like my motivation is coming back a bit and I was able to get back into my pace.

The next real run that I have planned is the Philly distance run (1/2 marathon) in September. I'm thinking about signing up for the Baltimore half marathon and that is about it.

I'm still envisioning the SF marathon.

LOSING MY MIND

Not much going on today, but I'm looking for some August marathons. I haven't been training, which is ridiculous, but all I am missing is the long runs (key components). Maybe I am just having a crazy day, could I run a marathon with 10 mile runs most weeks as my long run??

I want to run one before school starts and I really want to qualify for Boston.

So what August marathons are out there??

I feel like I'm back in the groove from the past 2 days, today I ran 4 easy miles at 8:38 pace. The first 2 miles I wanted to break my ipod like the scene from OFFICE SPACE and the copier, but after that, and some patience, I really got into the groove and enjoyed the run.



Give me advice please, I think I'm starting to lose it. I went as far as looking up flights and hotels for the San Francisco marathon that Aron and Julianne are doing - NEXT WEEKEND!

Happy Birthday B!

In celebration of B's birthday, I went to the gym in hopes to run 10 miles. I started running and lasted a minute and felt winded. I got on the elliptical instead to warmup for 15 minutes. Then I played WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW in my head and thought about lifting or running. I decided to try running again and as I was running, thought I could do an hour. I set up the treadmill for the hour, an 5 minutes in, I decided 15 minutes would be better and I could lift. But about 10 minutes in, I thought I could make it 20 minutes, so I upped it to 20. Then at 15, I thought let's do 30, and this went on until I had 8 miles done and at that point, I said, ok I can do 2 more miles. I can DO this!! But it was pathetic the mindgames I had to play with myself. I finished the 10 miles in 1:25:00 with a minute or so of letting the treadmill run super slow while I ran to fill up my water bottle. What do you do if you need to stop on the treadmill, do you stop it and start over? The ones at the gym only give you 45 seconds, then it resets. I felt happy after. I haven't done more than 10 since I don't know when, but I know that I can do 3 more for a race.

It's off to a play and dinner tonight, I'm excited. I like this picture of us so this will be my tribute. :) That is a virgin strawberry daquiri in my hand there, I'm not a big drinker, yet that was tasty (and probably full of calories and sugar) over 4th of July.

Get fatty recipes

Apology in advance for more cookies. Tomorrow is my husband's b'day! Last year I went all out and made 5 different varieties of cookies and labeled them in little bags and put them in a big basket for him to take to work. I must have been really bored last summer too! I had to at least match my performance from last year. Enter the New York Times recipe for chocolate chip cookies. The whole cover of the food section (which my MIL saved for me) was chocolate chip cookies. I was salivating everytime that I looked at it. Yesterday I made the cookie dough which has to be refrigerated for at least 24 hours and today was bake day. I have to say one of my diet downfalls is baking so I try not to do it too much, but I enjoy it and I really like eating the dough (REALLY BAD!) and finished product.

They seem to have turned out lovely. I tried some of a hot out of the oven cookie which was delightful and I tried a cooled cookie, which was also very good, but I was surprised that it wasn't soft and chewy - it became a little crispy. Still good though.

Yesterday I ended up running 7.01 miles. Way to be an overachiever and reach my goal of between 7-8! Today I did an easy run of 3.43 miles, did some elliptical and went to a pilates class. Some sense of motivation is returning, for lately working out for more than an hour has not happened. I'm counting pilates in part of that working out bit. The plan from the nutritionist, I can't get into writing it down yet , so I'm still tracking my calories on Fitday. I guess I start eating something that I'm not sure where it fits in (luna bar, hard pretzels) and so I just don't feel like figuring it out. Whatever. Just don't bake chocolate chip cookies everyday and I should be ok.


Tomorrow for Bill's b'day we're heading to a play in Philly and to a nice dinner. I'm excited. Also, tomorrow I have a training in the district for most of the afternoon. YES! I feel like I'm working. Lately I feel like a bum, even though I'm getting paychecks through the summer, I should have obtained some kind of summer job. The boredom is getting to me. I forget if I mentioned it, but RESPECT shout out to all SAHMs out there. I can never be one!! I'm craving the school year to start!

Well, sorry about the baking this week, after posting fruits and veggies, please look at the fruit and veggie picture more often.

Does anyone know any tools for annotating photos? Mini goal to learn how to do that in the next couple of weeks.

By popular demand...

So here's some more info on the nutritionist from yesterday. I found her from doing an internet search in my area and she works at a local college and has a private practice.

Determine your needs for doing NOTHING AT ALL: (Basal metabolic rate)

females: 655+(4.3 x weight)+(4.7 x height) - (4.7 x age)
males: 66 + (6.3 x weight) + (12.7 x height) - (6.8 x age)

Then to maintain weight take that # from above and multiply by .30 and add the result to the basal rate above for moderate activity and .50 for high activity (runners).

To lose weight, take off 500 from the last #. To gain weight, add 500 to the last #.
For pregnant people, add 200-300 calories to that #.

Basic menu for 1500 calories
6 Bread servings (1 slice bread, 1/2 c cooked pasta, roll, 1/2 c potatoes)
3 veggies (1 c leafy greens, 1/2 c raw/cooked veggies, 3/4 c veg juice)
2 fruit (1 small piece, 1/2 c canned, 1/2 c juice)
3 milk (1 c, 1/2 c yogurt, 1 oz cheese)
2 fat (1 tsp margarine, butter, 2 T cream cheese, low cal dressing, 1 T salad dressing, mayo, 1 strip of bacon, 1/8 avocado, 5 olives, 10 nuts)
1 dessert (2 small cookies, 1 small piece of pie/ cake, 1/2 c ice cream)
2 meat servings (1 oz lean meats, poultry, fish, 1/4 c tuna, 1/4 c hummus, 1/4 c cooked dry beans, 2 T peanut butter, 1/2 c tofu, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 oz cheese

1600 add 1 bread
1700 add 1 bread, 1 oz meat, 1 fat
1800 add 2 bread, 1 oz meat, 1 fat
1900 add 2 bread, 1 fruit, 2 oz meat, 1 at
2000 add 2 bread, 1 veg, 1 fruit, 2 oz meat, 2 fats
2100 add 2 bread, 2 veg, 1 fruit, 2 oz meat, 1 milk, 2 fats
2200 add 4 breads, 1 veg, 1 fruit, 2 oz meat, 1 milk, 2 fats
(If you want to hear more, leave a comment and I can tell you yours specifically of course).

So today I started off with 2 cups of cheerios and 1 cup of milk, had a luna bar in between, where does that fit, not sure. Now I'm trying to eat this yogurt, it is pretty good. I picked it up because of its high protein count being that I'm a vegetarian. It is called CHOBANI Greek Yogurt. Not bad! Before that I had some crackers and salsa. And some dried cranberries. I've had 3.5 bread, 2 milks, 1 fruit, 1 veg, and a luna bar(?) My numbers came out 2369(I think she used my weight from March, 127 and I'm 5"4) - 500 to lose weight about 1869. I don't even think with trying that I reach 1900 most days. I'm going to try to reach the allotment of the above stuff but not stuff my face. Let me know what you think of the formula, if your # sounds high or whatnot. Back in college when I went to lose weight I was eating 1100. oops. Total starvation mode. Explains my crappy metabolism nowadays!

I like how one piece of bacon counts for the meat serving.

NOTE: In no way am I trying to prescribe medical information. I am not a medical professional. Please seek your doctor if you plan to create a diet plan. :)

Recipe for shortbread: 2 sticks of softened butter 3/4 cup of sugar CREAM THESE TOGETHER Add 2 cups flour, gradually. Add in 6 tea bags (the insides) of your favorite tea. Shape dough into a log, place in refrigerator for 30 min, cut into slices, bake at 300 for 20 minutes. Enjoy!


Oh and I forgot yesterday when I ran on the TM I put the nike+ in action and this time it was actually telling me that I ran less than I did! By 0.6 of a mile I think! So running outside which is slower than my normal pace tells me that I'm running more and running on the treadmill at my normal pace tells me less. I don't know what pace I should try to callibrate the thing at!

What? Eat that much?

I went to see a nutritionist today, because I couldn't stand not knowing how much I should be eating, and these 5 pounds that joined me in March and I have failed to drop, I just wanted to find out a ballpark number (sorry, all about #s, math teacher) of calories to eat. Anyway, I told her that 1500 was my number for a while, and I upped to 1800 a couple of weeks ago after I played around with some calculators. She got all of my info over email and number crunched and the # she found was 2369. She said the 1500 was basically putting my body into starvation mode with my activity level and making my metabolism very slow. It makes sense, I think. I'm afraid eating more calories (while maybe it could be fun) will make me a balloon, but it should be ok. 3 scoops of ice cream instead of 1!! Haha, just kidding. That's not what you are supposed to do. Instead of calorie counting though, she gave me a list of all the types (fruit, veg, carb, fat, etc) and I'm supposed to count by serving how many I'm eating and I have a goal (3 fruit, 5 veg, etc). It seems less intense and more healthful to count servings of types of foods rather than calories.

Today I didn't run, and it was kind of nice. Last week drained me from running even though it felt good when I was out there. It started to become a drag. I didn't some lifting and the elliptical at the gym. This morning, inspired by the Maine visit, I took a shortbread recipe and added tea leaves to it - first blueberry, then green +chai tea - they turned out so yummy! I ate way too many of them though and spent the afternoon not feeling too well. But, this is a great concept to flavor shortbread! I love to bake, but sometimes it is bad when I'm my own taste tester. I eat a bunch of these and THEN go to the nutritionist. I felt like crap!

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in a 7-8 miler of decent quality. I kind of miss teaching - it gives me some purpose to life everyday :) and less opportunities to make and eat too much shortbread!

Showers are a waste of time

Many times when I get home from a run or the gym I really just wish I didn't have to shower to get clean. I wish there was another way. I find showers to be such a waste of my time, so boring, I just want to get in, get clean and get out. Maybe if the shower was more interactive, I don't know.

After spending 7+ hours in the car yesterday, and not sleeping too well Friday night, we were pooped when we made it back to PA last night. I wasn't happy spending so much time sitting when I didn't get up to run Sat a.m. but I just couldn't do it. It was too many days of running in a row and my body needed a break! Today we hit the gym together - I love it when we get to go together, mostly only the weekends, sometimes during the week. I was running for 15 minutes when I felt like I had been running for at least an hour. After 7 miles I felt like I had completed 20 (unfortunately not). I think I'll run less days this upcoming week but more quality workouts.

Also, my goal is to start swimming again with my masters program for the month of August. Then I have to decide if I want to continue through the school year - it used to be right at the high school where I teach but it moved to another school and went from $150 to $700. Right.
We'll see about that one!

Last, what is your powersong right now - the song that gets you going? For me, I'm fading, I need some more pump up songs. 'Pump it' has been the song for about 5 months.

Recap of the week

The overall summary of the week:
Although there were many times that I had to hold my tongue, tie my hands behind my back so as not to strangle someone, or want to go for a 3 hour run (it didn't happen), there were still a bunch of positive outcomes. Here they are:

1- Re bonded with my mama, whether it was laughing over my dad's starvation because my inlaws don't eat or going crazy from the foukers.

2- Lots of outdoor running

3 - Great sleeping weather - windows were open the entire week

4 - Survived a week with both sets of parents - can now claim this and share with future children and help to guide them not to do such a thing...

5- Husbandly bonding - got to hold hands and go for walks, fun stuff like that

So, now I'm looking at all the positives, it being Friday and in 12 hours I'll be in the car traveling home! I'll probably miss my parents, after you get used to living with them again and then go back home, you miss that for a few nanoseconds.

Would I return to this area again? Nope. I love to swim and I couldn't get past the seaweed in the water. I never took off pants at the beach because of all the bugs. I like being able to walk everywhere, and you couldn't do that - kind of like an island. I like having unlimited running routes - without driving there - that wasn't an option.

What did I learn? My travel limit with the foukers - 3 days. I can survive my parents after I get used to being around them all the time and they are good people. I love them.

It's back to PA! I wish I could have my google reader in the car, I didn't read any blogs today.
Enjoy the weekend!

Fresh Air

One of the best things about New England is the cooler air (at least in summer). I have enjoyed having the windows open all day long and at night, something we definitely couldn't do at home.
Today I went intending to do a LONGER RUN but ended up still doing less than 7 miles (even though nike+ told me over 7). I ran from the center of the town out to Walker's point where the first Bush president has a home. It was a nice run, I felt like I was running along cliffs with the ocean next to it. It is a bit humid though, so by 30 minutes I've been dying!! Also, running everyday this week, my knee is starting to bother me again. It was another day where I felt like I HAD to run so that I can eat like a champ on vacation, but once I got out there, it was nice.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Change the way you THINK about it

So far, I'm just working on changing my mindset. One of my favorite inspirational quotes is "If you don't like something, Change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it." I really like that. It was on a Mary Engelbreit card. It looks like it is a Maya Angelou quote though.
Today I was running along the road, and this family or group of 4 adults was walking 4 across. At first I thought, get the F*&# out of the road!!! Then I thought, ok, let's make this positive. They are not in my way, so it became 'That's cute - family/friends taking a nice morning walk." It is the little things. Beachrunner's comment that the glass is full but that I'm looking right through it, made me think of an inspirational book that I was reading that was saying how many people spend much of their lives in a 'coma.' Wake up, go through the routine, and you aren't even thinking about it, go to work, come home, but don't enjoy the things around you. It is good to take a step back and be thankful for what is good in our lives.

Good things for today
I can see the beach!
Spending quality time with my hus. and family
Another runner this morning gave me a "keep up the good work" as he passed me :)
Only one more full day of being in one house with inlaws&parents -maybe on the negative side...

Was going to get up and drive to the center of town to do a different run this morning but woke up too late and just ended up doing the same route I did a bunch of times earlier this week. My nike+ said 7.23 but I gmapped it and got 6.56. I'm going to try to go into town tomorrow and do a longer run for this week. This morning getting up and motivated was difficult. Some days are those where I have to DRAG myself out the door and put one step in front of the other.
What motivates you?

half empty

I've always looked back to the time (sophomore year in college) when I learned about nutrition and started to count calories to lose weight - as the time that my personality changed, and I changed as a person. It all went down when I joined the crew team and after a summer of heavy drinking, was up to 148 pounds. I couldn't fathom being a "heavyweight" at 5"4, so I was determined to lose 20 pounds and be lightweight (under 130). In 6 months of counting calories and excessive exercise I lost the weight and was down to an easily maintained 123, so that I never had to starve myself before a weigh-in. The result - the new me stopped drinking (waste of calories), stopped going out (temptation to drink) and pretty much, stopped having fun in life.

I was able to round myself out a little bit in the years following sophomore year, drink occasionally, go out sometimes, but the whole food-exercise thing really changed me.

After reading the past few posts that I wrote here, I started thinking, my god, I am so negative. Granted, it is not the best place to be when you are with your parents and in laws in one house for a week, but it is not the worst. There are many positive things you can think about, but I am focusing on all of the negative. I want to change my view and be half FULL. I still obsess over what I eat, make sure that I exercise at least 6 days a week, and I feel guilty on the days that I am not active. I think this does alot my worldview and view of life. I'm too uptight and can make problems out of nothing.

Any of you counting calories and/or trying to lose weight, have you experienced this?
Any of you super positive people, what are your tricks?

Anyone can change. I want the glass FULL!!

Worst Beach?

5 positive things!
1) You can see the beach from the house
2) Hubby gets off from work so more time with him!
3) Good cooking that I do not have to participate in, just eat!
4) Awesome weather for outside running
5) The couch is comfortable

Enough with that BS! Phew, that was pretty difficult to compile. Last night at dinner, around the lovely table as is every meal, someone asked what were our favorite beaches? Started thinking, naming some lovely beaches, sharing, etc. Then poor MIL asks "What about worst beaches?" Bill didn't miss a beat on that one, but come on, she was asking for it! "THIS ONE!"
and she seemed dejected, "Really??" so I had to open my big mouth and say, "You can even swim, there is seaweed everywhere..." She wasn't looking at me. Bill adds, "And the bugs." Well, it was like she took the time to actually make the beach herself, she was major offended and did not talk to us the rest of the night! Today I'm not opening my mouth. Everything I have to say is asinine.

I got up this morning to run. This island (I'm calling it that because the roads become highways within 2 miles so you can't go to far) isn't the best for running, and I've ran the streets the past 2 days, so I thought I'd run on the beach today. It was like a maze of seaweed. Like someone vomited seaweed all over the beach. I pretty much had to run ON the seaweed. I don't know what the problem is but it makes the beach look like someone just took a big dump.


When I got to the end (as far as I could run without swimming in the water) the seaweed was less and water was cleaner (some seaweed, not full of seaweed - perhaps you could swim in it).
But the end was only about a mile and a half from where I started. I ran all the way down to the other end and from end to end was about 2 miles. I'm sorry, but this IS the worst beach ever. Why this beach sucks:
1) seaweed covering everything AND in water! 2) too short, it has an end in site! 3) bugs everywhere, being attracted to the seaweed - 24/7

Pics
(not sure how to embed this)

But let's be positive - it's a beach. I'm so lucky to be at a beach (with my parents, and in-laws)

Yesterday I rode a bike for 40 minutes. My ass is still pissed. I don't know how the triathletes do it. It was probably a wicked witch of the west type bike though, not an athletic one. Maybe it makes a difference.

nike+

Is anyone successful with the nike+? Yesterday it wasn't too far off, today it showed that I ran a mile more than I actually did! I always go back and check it on gmap-pedometer. I would rather have it tell me less than more! Today I did about 5.5 miles in 55 minutes. It didn't feel that slow but I g-mapped it twice and got the same. We found a gym here so I am going to go there and hopefully take up some time on that later on. This is horrible, but I am just counting it down until we can go home. I know I need an attitude adjustment, but it just isn't happening. I need to duck tape my mouth shut so that I don't make rude comments.

I'm a beach person. My family goes to Ocean City, NJ. It is not fancy whatsoever, but there is a beach, you walk to it, you lay on it, you get tan and read books. The water kind of creeps me out, unless you don't feel things when you walk in it and things aren't floating around you, but it is ok. Yesterday, the beach was so windy here and there were horse flies. I lasted 5 minutes. Then what do you do the rest of the day when the beach is supposed to be what takes up the day? Oh, and the water is like a floating mass of sh#$. I don't even know what is in there, seaweed? But you couldn't pay me to go in it. Today's weather: looks like it is going to major storm. It is totally not a beach day. When I ran, it was completely foggy this morning and you couldn't see too far in front of you. Now, the sun is peeking in and out but the sky is dark. WTF! This makes it very hard to follow my ground rules. I'm 29. Tell me folks, have you ever gone on a vacation with your in laws AND parents? How did I get involved in this? I know I should be enjoying the time, but I'm more like, why the hell am I here, and when can I go home? Why aren't we renting a house with a bunch of our friends? I feel like a tool!! I will just tell you this - NEVER AGAIN. This is uncalled for.

Sorry in advance for the negativity in this post. I try to be a positive person as much as I can but it is hard sometimes!!!

40 on the week

I just went for a run in the cooler temperature Maine. It is always nice when you are somewhere new and can go for a run and explore. I set out to do around 4 miles and ended up doing 5.92 - that is always nice too! I would guess it is around 65-70 here and perfect for running. There is a great breeze! This run put me at 40.1 for the week! I haven't made it to 40 in a while, maybe 2 months or so, even though I've been close! Before I went for the run this morning though, my left knee tinged in pain - it has been problematic in the past, but I haven't felt it in a while! Maybe the hills on Thursday got to it, and the lack of stretching.

So far it is pretty here in Maine. But, I need to make some ground rules for myself so that I don't go insane.
1) Do not complain to husband. He may leave me here.
2) Try to bite tongue instead of biting off mom's head and making rude comments that I regret 2 seconds after I open my mouth. Keep mouth shut.
3) Try to block out mother in law instead of wanting to stab.
4) Try to enjoy time with parents and in laws and be appreciative of their kindness instead of wanting to jump out window or off porch (does this happen to anyone else? I feel like such a brat!)

We'll see how that goes. I am not one for sitting around the family table, unless there are siblings involved here. Not just parents and in laws!! Serenity now!

Don't try this at home

So... the quilt. I half assed this thing and right now it is in the final stage where it needs to be finished by connecting the front, back and soft middle layer. I completely sucked at getting things to match up (as you can see at left here, that is actually how F**ed up it is), but I was too lazy to go back and resew. It is very embarrassing what I did to my shirts! I think in the end I'll be proud of it, but right now being an OCD type person, the non matching corners are killing me. Yesterday many curses were shouted, but today I just have it layed out and when I return from a week vacation I will come back to it (and most likely curse or laugh at it again).

Here's a better look at more squares, maybe if it isn't close up it doesn't look so crappy!

Other than that, I'm enroute Maine for the next week tomorrow. I don't know what the internet access will be, but it might be a nice break from my internet addiction. Hopefully I'll be eating lots of blueberries, getting in some cool weather runs and doing some relaxing. :)
Have a great weekend all!

Thoughts while running

Went for my longer run this morning and decided to go through a town, and turn around and run back. It was a bit hilly and after reading all the pizazz of ncrunner's hill post, I thought it would be good for me to do some hills. After I ran as far as I could until it became main roads with no sidewalks, I turned around, ran back and ended up on the path that I was planning to run on in the first place. In between the 2 though, I needed to stop for major water break. I always think while I am running, Hmm, it would have been smart to bring money to buy some nice cold water, but then I never learn and never bring it. I felt like I was in the desert after about 30 minutes, and when I got to my water/car after 40, I downed way too much. I carried a bottle for the rest, and drank that whole bottle within the next 20 minutes. So, about an hour in, water was bouncing around in my stomach, not feeling the greatest comfort for running. Too much water. I guess I let myself get too thirsty in the beginning - bad bad bad. What do you do for water? Carry it? Run routes with water fountains? Use one of those belts or crazy things on your back? How often do you drink? (water that is)

Sometimes when I'm running and I'm majorly thirsty, I start thinking of ways to get water. Stopping at someone's doorstep and begging? Finding a restroom and drinking it from the sink? Today I saw a gutter dripping water from yesterday's crazy rain storms, I was considering standing under it with my mouth open. I hung on though, I didn't steep that low, but I always have water fantasies when I'm super thirsty.

Also, when I'm really tired, and I'm on a shady route, with not too many people around, I start thinking, if someone jumped out and accosted me, I don't think I'd care. Haha, that's just great!

My run ended up being 10.14 miles, it was to the point where I had met my time goal (1:40) but not my mileage goal - 11 miles. I really just couldn't go a step further at this point. And I didn't really know how much I'd gone, because my nike+ is a liar(Is yours? I've calibrated it 27 times and it is never accurate), and I usually plug in my runs to gmap-pedometer to verify it. Nike+ was telling me when I was checking my stats that my current pace was 25 something and I was running nonetheless!!! Oh well. I just really suck at keeping my pace going when I'm outside running alone. Better luck next time, sucker!!

High Heel Marathon

After that pizza yesterday, I didn't feel the greatest. I think my craving has passed for a few days!
Sorry to those who I made want pizza, hehe. So I'm gearing up both physically and mentally for next week's IL (in law) trip. I am hoping my parents and his parents will counteract each other and they will forget we are there. Is this what the future looks like? Why did I not plan to take a course during this upcoming week? I'm kicking myself in many ways. One thing I am looking forward to is cooler less humid air - not only will it be great to run, but it will be a great way to get out of the house.

Today I ran a somewhat crappy 7 miles on the treadmill while watching the Kelly Ripa high heel marathon - anyone see that? It was pretty funny, in Central Park about 500 people running 1500 yards in at least 3 inch heels to win $25,000 ! A lot of money for a short run!! These ladies are FLYING people! Looked like fun, but would I do it? I don't think so! I would have probably been an injured casualty.





Tomorrow my plan is to go for an 11 mile run in the am, we'll see. Does anyone know of a website where you can find a gym when you are on vacation or something like that? Or look for running routes?

Humidity + Pizza

It is super humid here in PA. I finally sucked it up and went running yesterday outside through some busy streets and it was fine. It wasn't the best ever and I wanted to run for an hour but it ended up being 42 minutes. There just wasn't any further that I could go without possibly getting hit by a car so I turned around and ran back. There was no enthusiasm to my run yesterday, it was majorly humid, I was cursing my town (what happened to "WHAT IS?"), and having headphone issues (still working on that one). The husband bought me 2 pairs of headphones and I'm sorry, neither of them is going to work out. What a pain in the ass I am, but I'm moving on to some of the ones that you all suggested. I ended up coming home and checking my pace which was super slowpoke for myself, and then running 18 min on the treadmill due to my anal nature. Today I took off from running, the knees are bothering me a bit and I figured I ran too many days in a row. Running plan for the next 2 days: Try for either an easy 6 miles tomorrow or intervals, and then try 11 on Thursday as long run. We're going away for HELL week (his parents, my parents, and the 2 of us - kill me!) on Saturday to Maine, so I want to get in some good running before I go, but you can bet I will be running to save my sanity probably everyday while I'm there!

And now, the second part - pizza! When I was at the beach for the long weekend, when we'd head home around midnight there were pizza places everyWHERE. Both nights we spent there, I ended up getting pizza at midnight, hot, right out of the oven, delicious pizza. I've been picturing it and craving it ever since. Before that it was cheese sandwiches. This is bad, my friends. Cheese slowly exited my life when I started watching what I was eating, and now I am having these days where all I want to eat is cheese sandwiches or pizza! I met my cousin for lunch today and got non else but pizza. It was delicious. I hope it satisfied by craving for at least a few days. I'm picturing that picture without the pepperoni on it. Or I was until I ate the pizza. Bad, bad, bad.

Wanted: Running Partner

Back to the grind. I'm sitting here thinking where I am going to run today. I don't think that I can do the treadmill. I succumbed to it yesterday and I don't know if I can do it again. I wish I had someone to run with 24/7 and we could go run at different places for each run, in my dream world. It makes so much of a difference and I can't stand my recent lack of motivation (the past month or maybe 2). I want to move just so that I can more easily walk out the door and run, I really like up and backs and would love a place with a straight long street that goes on for miles and miles with a sidewalk that I could turn around anytime and run back. Do you do the same route when you run? How do you switch it up? Do you drive somewhere to run or leave from your house? Have a good Monday!

Just RUN

Total side note but I saw a great shirt last night, it said "Just DID it" with the nike swoosh. Haha, a good one.

I spent the last 2 days with my siblings + their friends at a beach house in Dewey Beach, DE. It was a good time! I figured I'd try to get in a run one of the days that I was there, but also was going to be flexible and maybe even not run. But then, alas, my brother's girlfriend of about a year who happens to be my sister's friend (which makes it awkward for my sister!) asked me if I wanted to get up and run on Friday morning. YESsss!!! So we woke up and went for a nice run, sans ipod, barely looking at the watch and not really knowing how far we had gone, and it was great! Low key, nice and easy pace, JUST RUNNING! It was a bit humid but good. I'm making a big deal out of a 40 minute maybe a little over 4 mile run, but I needed the change up, to wean myself off of the treadmill for a while and keep myself running outside. This morning I got up and ran the same route. I think it was about 4.2 miles so the pace was a bit slower than my normal pace and I'll have to work on that outside, but it wasn't like it was a chore. No ipod, just my watch, just running along. It was populated with runners, strollers, bikers, and walkers. I love seeing people out there and either waving or offering a good morning to everyone that passes by. Keep the running outside going!! Temperature, stay moderate!!
Happy 4th everyone!

Refreshed

Yes! I'm refreshed. Actually I don't think that I will subject myself to the treadmill if I don't have to. Today I ran with my running buddy Abby OUTSIDE (YEAH!) in her hood. It felt good, not like a chore, was a good run, and good conversations always pass the time quickly. I love running with people, and the conversations are always good, at least for me - I always feel like whatever is on my mind flows out easily when running. This was a path that we ran to near Philly (probably considered in philly, but a part of it) that Abby calls "Valley Green" and we were able to run from her house, which was a super bonus! We got in 10 miles which was great. It was a good start to the mini holiday weekend which will be spent at the beach with my siblings and their friends. Hopefully this will start a series of outdoor runs for me, and no more blah crappy treadmill runs. I feel happy (I'm picturing a chorus of I FEEL PRETTY from an Adam Sandler movie).

After that I had to get home and change quickly and go to the doctor and I realized when I got home that I looked a mess. Oh well!!! Let the runner's high carry through the day.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I'm not the sewing type

Last summer I learned how to sew. There were many curses thrown about as I tried some projects on my own. Today I took out the good ole' machine (present from my mom a couple of years ago) and started putting t-shirts together. The damn machine breaks or stops or gets tangled (who the &%# knows what it is doing) about every 30 minutes. I managed to untangle it once, but after the second time and various %$#@ bombs, I couldn't deal and gave up. But up above is the layout at least... I can't figure out how to rotate it. Some of the shirts were hard to cut and say goodbye to!

I didn't go swimming today. Who was I kidding, it is going to take more effort to get up early again and do that. I was set up for failure today because I had a mid-morning appointment which logistically would have left me sitting around for 2 hours in the morning with nothing to do near my appointment. I did run, and it was better than Monday, but still, the passion is lost for now. Looking forward to running outside tomorrow with a buddy! One of the things that I want to do when we move to a new house (right now it is a townhouse) is be able to run out my door and go for a run and not worry about getting hit by a car. That would be nice.

Swimming

All throughout the year, I was swimming with a low key master's team that happened to practice at my school's pool before school. It was early mornings 3 days a week but I felt great after! In the summer they continue it outdoors and I did it last year, which meant driving about 30 minutes one way 3 days a week and getting up early in the summer. This summer I decided with the gas, and my motivation lacking, that I'd take off from swimming. It has been a month since I swam and I'm missing it! I'm considering going back to swim, maybe less days a week. It is so hard to get motivated when I've been sleeping until 7 or 8, to get up at 5:20ish to go swim when I have nothing planned for the rest of the day. I love the swim part but it would be great if it could be at 7:30am!

I didn't run today, I did some cross training instead and I feel like I'm getting a little burnt out, maybe just running too many days with no training plan going on. I did make one up at smartcoach, but I already didn't follow it today. It has you running 5 days a week, but I'm hoping to knock it down to 4 and get back on track and motivated. Hoping to run outside this week with one of my running buddies for a longer run. Motivation is low, I need to round up the troops!


Considering the wake up tomorrow to go swimming. Maybe.