Hi everyone and thanks for visiting my new site.
I’m just getting started and I’m new to bogging, so if you have any ideas, suggestions, or comments on the layout or anything you’d like to see in my posts, please let me know.
In the meantime, happy running!
This week was an interesting one. Getting on the treadmill in the garage and plugging though the routines. Looking back on it now, everything seems so distant. All I can think about is how hard my second workout was. Running away, step-by-step, one foot in front of the other, down in a dark dreary garage with the crickets chirping in the background (yes – we have a bunch a crickets in the garage that I’ve been trying to get rid of for a while). But then being able to get out on the weekend to run around the reservoir made a complete difference.
It was a tough week for me, but mostly psychological/motivation-wise. Now I’m looking forward to running outside and at different locations. I think a change in scenery will definitely give me the extra uhmpf I need to continue through this plan.
Distance: 9.5km Time: 1:20 Pace: 8’26 kCal: 873 Heart: 133/163 RPE: 7 Type: 2x10min
First time out after two runs on the treadmill. I was wondering how I’d do since it was my first run outside around the reservoir. I got out pretty late this morning, so I didn’t see many of the regulars. I also had to cut it short at the end in order to make it back in time for work. It’d sure be nice if we could all have 3-day weekends, no?
All in all, I felt pretty good that I could pull this off first thing on a Friday morning. That makes going into the weekend even more exciting. The forecast is for rain, but I’m hoping it’ll hold off a little bit. My plan is to do my runs on the boardwalk between the Newport and Balboa piers. Even though there are usually a lot of cyclists, it’s always nice to run alongside the ocean around sunrise. Besides, it’s the only time I can justify having a coffee and donut!
Did you know that February is American Heart Month?
Since Feb. 14 is valentine’s day I guess it kinda makes sense and…
dark chocolate is good for the heart after all!
But I also think this makes February the perfect excuse to get out and do some exercise. Okay, for you canuks, just walking to the bus stop in the middle of winter is probably enough work, but did you know that over 90% of women have more than one risk factor for developing heart disease? And if you want to talk about us guys… oh… scarry… very scary.
So no matter where you are, try to do a little more this month. Go out for a few extra walks, eat less red meat and more fish and chicken, get a massage or simply indulge in something that can give you a little relief from everyday stress – that indulgence doesn’t include eating red meat of course!
Every little bit counts towards a happier and healthier heart.
I’ve started reading the book called Chi Running by Danny Dreyer.
I have two bad knees and one requires surgery (ACL totally ripped apart from sliding on grass a few years ago). So I’ve been looking for a way to avoid any serious running injuries once I get my milage up – and this is one approach I’m looking into.
After reading the intro I tried to apply some of the logic in what I learned for my last run. Wow! What a difference! I did some visualization techniques while running and it made the run go by so much easier and faster. I didn’t want to stop and actually enjoyed it.
If you get a chance, go down to the local book store and skim though it.
After today’s test, it’s definitely one of the books that I’m going to incorporate into my training.
Hmmm… I love chocolate milk.
And I read that having a glass of chocolate milk after a run is actually good for you! So I started drinking a (small) glass of chocolate milk after each training session. The result? I’m not loosing weight! Rats! So I think I’ll keep with water until I start working on the higher milages.
So here I am, after my first complete week. Four 5-minute runs with 5 minutes walks in between (4x5s). It may not sound like much, but for a person coming from ground zero, it really is no small task. And the biggest thing is to be consistent. It took me 3 weeks just to get myself out and do this on a regular bases.
Then when I think about this last week, the cardio wasn’t really that hard, because after 3 sets the endorphins kick in and I feel as though I can go more. The hard part (other than trying to be consistent) is not doing more than what is on the training schedule. I have to keep telling myself Tortoise and Hare, Tortoise and Hare… do not to overdo things and chance a running or knee injury.
Let’s see if I can take it to next week. For now, I’m going to enjoy the Valentine’s weekend in San Diego.
So this is it!
I’ve made the move. After a few false starts, rain, hurricane winds, and over eating, I’ve kept on schedule for 2 weeks of pre-training. I’ve made the commitment and signed up for the Portland Marathon. It’s a long way off and I know I should be done with my training weeks before the deadline – after all, it’s almost 8 months away. And I’ve heard that this is one of the best marathons for beginners.
Besides, I like Portland and hope to take a few days to fly up and enjoy it before the big race. What a better way to set a goal to something than by adding it to a vacation plan. Yeah!
