Reflections and a First Run

January 3, 2011 by 5 Comments

Got out today amid the fog and light rain to log my first run of 2011!

I have been resting my left ITB for the past two weeks — though I did sneak in 2 miles on the dreadmill on NYE’s day ’cause I really didn’t want to end the year on injured reserve if I could help it.  So the hope today was to just get out on the road and run a slow and steady, pain-free 5 miles. Mission accomplished!

I was also itching to try out some of the new gear I got for Christmas – especially my new Garmin Forerunner 305 (courtesy of my wonderful hubs J)! I am so excited to figure out how to use it to help with my pacing – which, according to my new little running partner, can be a bit erratic.

It felt so good to be out there this morning – I kept thinking about how far I’ve come since that first “run” last January…where 1 mile felt like it went on forever …..and, then I didn’t try to run again until March! Hmmm, yeah I can definitely say I’ve improved in the dedication department 🙂

But thanks to the C25K plan, that 1 mile turned into 3 and I ran my first 5k in June! Followed by:

In between there were miles in the crazy heat, rain, bitter cold and…yes, even on the dreadmill. There was an off and on argument with my angry left leg. There were goals met…and some not. I discovered a wonderfully supportive and inspiring running community. And, I found a piece of myself that I hadn’t tapped into in a long time.

Can’t wait to see what 2011 brings!
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Filed Under: C25K, injuries, race, running community, Tufts 10k, Turkey trot

The knee watch continues

October 29, 2010 by 3 Comments

So far, so good….

I managed to string together a couple of runs and a killer Pilates class this week, and the good news is any discomfort in my left knee was mild!

So barring any changes in the next couple of days, I’m going to run a local race on Sunday. I’m planning to just go easy, have fun and be moral support for a friend who’s running her very first race after completing the Couch to 5k plan! I’m really psyched for her!  (Isn’t it funny how once you start running, you want everyone else to run too!)

A huge Friday Shout Out to all the runners racing this weekend!

Enjoy the Halloween Weekend!

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Filed Under: C25K, injuries, race, Shout-outs

July already?!?!

July 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment

July already?!?! I know everybody seems to be saying that but it really does feel like the first half of this year flew by in a blink…especially the month of June.

When I laced up for my run yesterday I realized it was my first run in two months without a target – I’ve been focused on getting ready for my first 5K and completing the C25K program. Now the race has come and gone and as I headed out I thought….ok, now what?

So the mid-point of the year seems like a good time to set some goals to carry me through to the frosty days of December.

  1. Run two more 5k races, improving my time with each race. The beauty of being a newbie runner is each race is a PR!
  2. Run a 10k race
  3. Increase my monthly mileage each month. I added 10 miles in June over May so with goals 1 & 2 this one shouldn’t be a stretch.
  4. Embrace hill repeats into my training. I loathe hills so this one will be a real challenge!
  5. Continue to improve my eating habits and find the food/drink that works best for me both pre- and post-run.
  6. Continue the weight training routines I started with the trainer. The trainer sessions are done but I feel like I was making progress, especially with my “angry” left leg and I do not want to regress.
  7. Identify races for 2011….including….dare I say it….a half marathon!

That ought to keep me busy and challenged! 🙂

Would love to hear what others goals are for the rest of 2010! Happy running everyone!

 

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Filed Under: C25K, goals, race, training

Final week in the books

June 20, 2010 by 1 Comment

Finished my last run of the C25K program. I wish I could say it was a great run but let’s just say humidity, hills and an angry stomach made for a very l-o-n-g three miles! Note to self — choose what you eat the night before a run wisely!

On the good side, there’s been no knee pain at all this week. I’m feeling fairly confident that since they’ve held up on the hills this week they should feel fine on the flat course of the race.  Just one week to go till race day!

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Filed Under: C25K, race

random observations from the road

June 15, 2010 by 3 Comments

Hit the road this morning to start the final week of the C25K program . It was an absolutely picture perfect morning and I actually turned my iPod off (gasp!) and just took in the run.

  • it is amazing how many drivers are busy doing something else other than looking at the road
  • every one should walk or run along the road once, it would make them more considerate when behind the wheel!
  • 6:30 am is too early for a young girl to be waiting by herself for a school bus
  • older men are far more courteous (read – say “good morning,” move aside on the sidewalk, etc.) than their younger counterparts
  • running through puddles is inevitable
  • there are too many hills in my town
  • do hills ever get easier?
  • love that I no longer feel so wiped out after a run!

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Filed Under: C25K, general musings, observations

Another first – a rain run

June 13, 2010 by 1 Comment

I am seriously what you could call a “fair weather” runner and have used the weather as my excuse for why I couldn’t run. “It’s too cold,” “It’s too hot”…or (the most often used) “It’s raining!” That is until this morning. I had planned to run at 6 but woke to the sound of steady rain which easily justified me rolling over to go back to sleep. I clung to my pillow for as long as possible until Thing 1, Thing 2 and the dog made that impossible — time to escape the chaos and go run!

When I came downstairs to head out, my hubby informed me that according to weather.com’s hourly forecast I had a break before the next showers were to begin. Sounded good to me so out the door I went – but I decided at the last second to leave my iPod behind just in case I didn’t want it soaked.  Well… let’s just say Mother Nature has a sense of humor cause I was no more than 2 minutes into my run when the rain started again. As I hit my first hill, it was now a steady rain and I was quickly getting soaked. But instead of turning for home, as I might have done in the past, I decided to just embrace it. Besides I kept telling myself, you can’t control the weather the day of the race so you might as well see what you can do in the rain! Without my iPod (another first for me!), I just listened to the rain fall and my own breathing — it was very peaceful. And as I hit my second hill I was feeling oddly good, my pace was still steady and my left leg was cooperating. The rain subsided and the rest of the run felt good…I even managed to shave a little time off from my previous runs this week! And….drumroll please….I actually didn’t mind running in the rain!

So week 8 of C25K is in the books – final week coming up and still 2 weeks til race day!

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Filed Under: C25K, general musings, race, training

Monday’s Motivation

June 7, 2010 by 2 Comments
“You’ve got to get up every morning with motivation
if you’re gonna go to bed with satisfaction”
                                                      — Lomier
‘Nuf said in my book!Starting week 8 of C25K !! 2.75 mile runs, plus I’m adding weight training and pilates in between! 20 days until my first 5K race! Have a great week everyone!

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Filed Under: C25K, Monday Motivation, Quotes

Signed up for my first race

June 1, 2010 by 2 Comments

OK I did it – I bit the bullet and signed up for a 5K!

On Sunday, June 27th I’ll be running in the 2010 New Charles River Run! It’s a nice flat course around the beautiful Charles River in Boston. After reading others’ race reports, I was inspired to get out and try one. I figured there’s no time like the present, right?

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. In fact as I was finishing my 2.5 miles this morning I was thinking I may have jumped the gun on this whole thing!  But I have to remind myself that I’m right where I’m suppose to be on the Couch to 5K plan  (week 7) and I’m just going to go in to it to have fun! So here we go…26 days and counting…..

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Filed Under: C25K, race

The uninvited guest

May 19, 2010 by 4 Comments

So I haven’t been able to run or cross-train for 3 days.

Why? Because a stomach bug set up shop at my house uninvited and is taking it’s sweet time finding the door! And this bug has a twisted sense of humor as demonstrated by the fact that the only healthy ones in my house right now are my very energetic 4-year old and the equally (if not more so) energetic German Shepherd! C’mon now, that is just wrong!

When I went to bed last night I was determined that no matter how I was feeling this morning I was going for some kind of run…walk…shuffle. Well, that bug must have heard me cause by about 2 this morning it was clear to me that I was going to have to let go of that plan. Now one interesting thing about having this uninvited guest show up is finding myself actually missing going for a run….that’s a first for me! But while I can lie here and try to appreciate this revelation, the bottom line is it’s time for this bug to move on! My C25K plan is waiting and I have some catching up to do! Wish me luck.

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Filed Under: C25K, general musings

The tortoise may be on to something

May 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

I’ve been feeling like my running needs a little focus – a plan – if I’m going to make some progress so I’m going to try Cool Running’s infamous Couch to 5K Running Plan . For those who don’t know, this plan has a ton of fans for it’s gradual progression to move the beginner from 0 to 3 miles in 9 weeks. My first thought was this sounded painfully slow to me (have I mentioned that I have no patience!) But I think part of the problem in my past efforts to start running is my lack of patience. I start out too hard, too fast and end up injured, frustrated or both. Slow and steady might be the answer, especially since I’m dealing with an “angry” left leg.  Since I am already doing some running, I’ve decided to pick up the plan at week 4 — seems like a good compromise. On my non-run days, I’ll cross-train either a pilates class or weight-training.

So I returned to the track on Monday for my first attempt. The good news is there was once again no knee pain and I comfortably completed my 2 miles. This morning felt even better. For both runs, I felt like I could have done more, but I held off….hoping that my patience will eventually pay off.

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Filed Under: C25K, training