Last week started out with a little too much work and then slid into not nearly enough work and finally ended up in Lesson Learned Land.
I did a hard run on Sunday that went pretty well, then Monday was a nice walk, but then Tuesday I went out and did another hard run, which didn't feel so good. It was very humid and on the edge of raining, but I think the problem had more to do with the fact that I have been being very cautious in my training and two hard runs that close together was pushing myself.
I started out with 70 pounds to lose and a strong paranoia about getting hurt. I am down about 25 pounds and my paranoia is still there, so psychologically this wasn't a good idea.
Wednesday it started to rain for the first time in weeks and I was sore so taking a day off was easy.
Thursday it was still raining, another day off was not a good idea, but that is what happened. I have an exercise bike in the basement that I could ride, but convinced myself that it would be boring to ride it in the basement watching the pool table go by.
Friday it was still raining and I went to an expo and then shopping for bargains, so I got a walk in, but no running or biking.
Saturday, even after 3 days of rain the ground was not squishy except in a couple of puddle spots. Since it wasn't wet I did a moderate run and discovered that the rainy day vacation was a really bad idea. I finished the 4 miles, but I had a backside muscle hurting the whole way, it has been bothering me for a while, but was worse than usual this time. Then after the run my thigh and lower back were hurting. Connected by the lack of exercise to be sure.
Sunday I was really sore, Aleve to the rescue! I went out for a 4 mile walk. The dogs weren't real happy with my training choice, they would run off and come back looking at me like 'what's your problem? Let's go!' I just kept walking.
Today, Monday, I felt pretty good. I also decided why that backside muscle was hurting, a bad case of West Virginia Mountain Leg. You know how all of the cows in WV have one leg shorter than the other from grazing the hillsides? Well, I have been running these hills in the same clockwise direction every day. I try to stay on the flat areas, but sometimes I am on a slope. Today I ran them counter-clockwise and you might think I am kidding, but I didn't have any problems in that area. LOL Hey something had to explain it, right?
So that is my most recent training lesson. No sitting around on rainy/cold/slushy days, do something, anything, just get off the couch! The rest of this week will be long walks or light jogs until Saturday morning when I head to Pipestem for the Pumpkin Run!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Run/Walking the Hillsides
I hade a pretty good week again, this exercise thing is hard work, but is paying off. I am still a long way from fit, but I am just about to hit the big 2-0, twenty pounds lost since June. What is my secret? Faithful readers know - hard work and a goal.
I was laughing to Fabulous Hubby this afternoon when I got done with my run. I was hot and tired and had just finished at least 3 miles of hillsides in about 49 minutes with a heart rate average of 156 bpm. It was barely 2 months ago when I started this phase of exercise that I was in the same hot and tired shape. I had walk/ran 1 mile around the flat course for about 20 minutes with a heart rate average of about the same if not higher. That is Progress, no doubt.
I have mentioned the hills that I walk quite a few times and thought now might be a good time to show you what they look like. The next part of this posting is lots of description of where I spend my time on the trail, so it is kind of odd, but the pictures are pretty.
From this location you can see those trees below the edge of the hillside. Another thing about this picture, if you look between those pines on the left side, you can just about see the spot from where I took the first picture.
On my left out of the picture is a tree line that slopes back down the ridge, crosses a fence line, and then up again to become that way back line of trees you might have noticed in the first picture. I get there by heading to that fence line, circling back to the gate I came in, then up to the top of the ridge and in the gate of the last field. I go around the edges of that one - the dogs and I avoid the cows when we can and walking quietly through them if we can't - and out the gate I came in again. Then go back down the road and up the driveway to the house. This route wouldn't be so long or tough if I could stick to the tree line, but since I have to do a sort of clover leaf rout along the fences it is a very effective workout.
Whew! I got tired just thinking about it. I hope you didn't get lost out there in the field trying to keep up with me... but hey, we missed the cow pies!
I was laughing to Fabulous Hubby this afternoon when I got done with my run. I was hot and tired and had just finished at least 3 miles of hillsides in about 49 minutes with a heart rate average of 156 bpm. It was barely 2 months ago when I started this phase of exercise that I was in the same hot and tired shape. I had walk/ran 1 mile around the flat course for about 20 minutes with a heart rate average of about the same if not higher. That is Progress, no doubt.
I have mentioned the hills that I walk quite a few times and thought now might be a good time to show you what they look like. The next part of this posting is lots of description of where I spend my time on the trail, so it is kind of odd, but the pictures are pretty.
See the bit of hayfield on the right hand side between the two tree lines? My house is to the left of that field behind the trees. The start of my run goes from the house down that lower tree line, back up the road that is below the hillside between me and the cows, past those bushes on the left side of the picture, and then in the gate where I follow the fence line (out of view) back down the hill to the right in this picture and around to the get to the top of the ridge where I am taking this picture.
I continue to the left and out the gate I came in. Then go to the next field.
This is another view about half way up another slope. I go up the inside of the fence on the right and to the right in the back and circle that small field and then come back to a gate on the right and go back up the outside of the same fence and around the back of that field that you see in the distance. See the trees on the right?
From this location you can see those trees below the edge of the hillside. Another thing about this picture, if you look between those pines on the left side, you can just about see the spot from where I took the first picture.
On my left out of the picture is a tree line that slopes back down the ridge, crosses a fence line, and then up again to become that way back line of trees you might have noticed in the first picture. I get there by heading to that fence line, circling back to the gate I came in, then up to the top of the ridge and in the gate of the last field. I go around the edges of that one - the dogs and I avoid the cows when we can and walking quietly through them if we can't - and out the gate I came in again. Then go back down the road and up the driveway to the house. This route wouldn't be so long or tough if I could stick to the tree line, but since I have to do a sort of clover leaf rout along the fences it is a very effective workout.
Whew! I got tired just thinking about it. I hope you didn't get lost out there in the field trying to keep up with me... but hey, we missed the cow pies!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
PWWHM Kick the Couch 5k
I had a great race today! Myself and over 1100 of my new running friends hit the roads at various times in various locations to compete against the grip that the couch and cheesy poofs have had on our lives. I chose to use the Roth Memorial 5K course for my personal race and finished in 42 minutes. That was faster than when I walk it and a time to compete against when I do the regular race in May.
It was a beautiful running morning. I did wait until after 10am to get started, not just because it was chilly, but I wanted to get a package in the mail (Jen, you can tell him it is on the way).
When I got to the starting point on the Concord University campus track I found they were setting up for a football game, glad I didn't plan on doing this in the afternoon! So, I got started and made my first goal to get around the track and out the gate to the parking lot before I stopped, Made It! LOL okay this was a no speed zone for sure. I walked for a bit and then jogged down the hill to the first dorm, then ran a bit and walked a bit for the whole 42 minutes. I found my self jogging up and down the hills, walking when I needed to and using the growing football crowds as inspiration to run just a little bit more to get past them. It worked pretty well I think, not a lot of speed, but I burned a bunch of calories and got off the couch to do it! Thanks for everyone who shared encouragement, next stop is the Pumpkin Run in 3 weeks.
It was a beautiful running morning. I did wait until after 10am to get started, not just because it was chilly, but I wanted to get a package in the mail (Jen, you can tell him it is on the way).
When I got to the starting point on the Concord University campus track I found they were setting up for a football game, glad I didn't plan on doing this in the afternoon! So, I got started and made my first goal to get around the track and out the gate to the parking lot before I stopped, Made It! LOL okay this was a no speed zone for sure. I walked for a bit and then jogged down the hill to the first dorm, then ran a bit and walked a bit for the whole 42 minutes. I found my self jogging up and down the hills, walking when I needed to and using the growing football crowds as inspiration to run just a little bit more to get past them. It worked pretty well I think, not a lot of speed, but I burned a bunch of calories and got off the couch to do it! Thanks for everyone who shared encouragement, next stop is the Pumpkin Run in 3 weeks.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I Found a New Gear
Today was an exceptional run (yes, I think I ran more than walked) that reinforced everything that I have been working on for the last few weeks. My 5k plan said I was supposed to do a hard run today. I have been avoiding these days since at the beginning of my new adventure I had a difficult time staying out of the 80 to 90% heart rate zone, but I figured 35 minutes was possible.
Back in August when I started this it seemed like I hardly took 30 jogging steps before my heart rate was zooming up into the 90% of max range. Then I would have to walk about 100 yards before it was back down low enough for me to jog another 30 steps and repeat the whole process. I was about worn out after 15 minutes of that on the first day.
Since my max heart rate is 187 beats per minute today's goal was to stay between 155 and 170 for 35 minutes. I could hardly believe it, but I actually had to run uphill to stay in that range. When I got near the top of the hill I would be at about 165 so I would walk for a bit and my rate would level off and then drop pretty quickly. Then I would jog across the flat area and my rate came up slowly. I even picked up the speed a bit hoping to get to a point where I could walk, which means I have found another gear. I am still more Penguin than Deer, but I see improvement.
Saturday is my PWWHM Couch to 5k run in Athens, so tomorrow I am doing nothing and then Friday is a long walk in the fields to warm up for Saturday morning. Today's experience made me believe that I can push myself and have a pretty good 5k. It should be interesting.
P.S. We have a Marathon Celebrity in West Virginia - Michael Cox was the first American to cross the Chicago Marathon finish line, in 8th place, with a time of 2:21:42, which qualified him for an Olympic trial (the cut off was 2:22:00). Cox graduated from the same high school as Fabulous Hubby, where FH now teaches, and Cox is the cross-country coach at our alma mater, Concord University in Athens, WV (not Athens, Georgia as the Chicago Sun-Times reported).
Back in August when I started this it seemed like I hardly took 30 jogging steps before my heart rate was zooming up into the 90% of max range. Then I would have to walk about 100 yards before it was back down low enough for me to jog another 30 steps and repeat the whole process. I was about worn out after 15 minutes of that on the first day.
Since my max heart rate is 187 beats per minute today's goal was to stay between 155 and 170 for 35 minutes. I could hardly believe it, but I actually had to run uphill to stay in that range. When I got near the top of the hill I would be at about 165 so I would walk for a bit and my rate would level off and then drop pretty quickly. Then I would jog across the flat area and my rate came up slowly. I even picked up the speed a bit hoping to get to a point where I could walk, which means I have found another gear. I am still more Penguin than Deer, but I see improvement.
Saturday is my PWWHM Couch to 5k run in Athens, so tomorrow I am doing nothing and then Friday is a long walk in the fields to warm up for Saturday morning. Today's experience made me believe that I can push myself and have a pretty good 5k. It should be interesting.
P.S. We have a Marathon Celebrity in West Virginia - Michael Cox was the first American to cross the Chicago Marathon finish line, in 8th place, with a time of 2:21:42, which qualified him for an Olympic trial (the cut off was 2:22:00). Cox graduated from the same high school as Fabulous Hubby, where FH now teaches, and Cox is the cross-country coach at our alma mater, Concord University in Athens, WV (not Athens, Georgia as the Chicago Sun-Times reported).
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Time Management
I have had a week of unorganized distraction when it comes to getting my miles in.
Monday I came home to find Fabulous Hubby at work removing the standard, rusty bed of his truck in prep for installing the replacement flat metal bed that he bought at an auction. So I helped him with that some and then made dinner, by the time I was ready to start the miles it was cold out, and I realized that my Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain that I have been ignoring since July) didn't hurt for once - I went back in the house. Thus began my unplanned easy week.
Tuesday since I had decided my foot might actually need the rest, I went to the fitness center and reintroduced myself to the elliptical machine. I spent 30 minutes at about 75% of my max. When I got done I realized that I should have done more.
Wednesday I worked late since I had a business trip coming up. It was dark by the time I could have been ready to start the miles, so I didn't again.
Thursday was the trip and I didn't get home until dark, no miles again.
Friday I was going to go do a long bike ride, but that plan didn't work out so I did 4 miles - yes! finally some real miles!
Saturday is usually my long miles in the morning, but Friday's 4 miles were harder than they should have been so I planned to do a light walk, but that got dropped for a trip to town - and a new boycott on Applebee's - not a story for this blog, though it does include salmon instead of steak.
Sunday should have been off, but since my week was so messed up, I chose to hit the hills for a moderate heart rate hour.
So the week didn't start out too promising, but by the weekend I think I redeemed myself.
New gadgets in the house include a fat scale - I was telling Fabulous Hubby about the one that MP brought to work for us to use and he didn't disagree about buying one. He might have changed his mind about that since he isn't too happy to see what his personal numbers are, but my success so far has caught his attention, we will see where he goes with this.
Speaking of that fat scale - the difference between the first of September and the first of October showed nothing. That is right, not a change. As a verification to that, I got exactly the same readings on the scale that MP brought in and on the one I purchased, no fat loss at all. One reason was that wedding trip, I actually saw a slight gain, which I managed to get rid of again, but my fat percentage did not change for the month. The second reason might be because most of my miles have averaged in the "Hard" range. According to what I have read on the subject, that would be good for exercise, but not for burning fat. So, this week is going to be long walk/runs at 75% HR because that is supposed to be the best burning zone. Since I have my own scale I will be able to check out my progress weekly. That is it for this week. Keep moving everyone!
Monday I came home to find Fabulous Hubby at work removing the standard, rusty bed of his truck in prep for installing the replacement flat metal bed that he bought at an auction. So I helped him with that some and then made dinner, by the time I was ready to start the miles it was cold out, and I realized that my Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain that I have been ignoring since July) didn't hurt for once - I went back in the house. Thus began my unplanned easy week.
Tuesday since I had decided my foot might actually need the rest, I went to the fitness center and reintroduced myself to the elliptical machine. I spent 30 minutes at about 75% of my max. When I got done I realized that I should have done more.
Wednesday I worked late since I had a business trip coming up. It was dark by the time I could have been ready to start the miles, so I didn't again.
Thursday was the trip and I didn't get home until dark, no miles again.
Friday I was going to go do a long bike ride, but that plan didn't work out so I did 4 miles - yes! finally some real miles!
Saturday is usually my long miles in the morning, but Friday's 4 miles were harder than they should have been so I planned to do a light walk, but that got dropped for a trip to town - and a new boycott on Applebee's - not a story for this blog, though it does include salmon instead of steak.
Sunday should have been off, but since my week was so messed up, I chose to hit the hills for a moderate heart rate hour.
So the week didn't start out too promising, but by the weekend I think I redeemed myself.
New gadgets in the house include a fat scale - I was telling Fabulous Hubby about the one that MP brought to work for us to use and he didn't disagree about buying one. He might have changed his mind about that since he isn't too happy to see what his personal numbers are, but my success so far has caught his attention, we will see where he goes with this.
Speaking of that fat scale - the difference between the first of September and the first of October showed nothing. That is right, not a change. As a verification to that, I got exactly the same readings on the scale that MP brought in and on the one I purchased, no fat loss at all. One reason was that wedding trip, I actually saw a slight gain, which I managed to get rid of again, but my fat percentage did not change for the month. The second reason might be because most of my miles have averaged in the "Hard" range. According to what I have read on the subject, that would be good for exercise, but not for burning fat. So, this week is going to be long walk/runs at 75% HR because that is supposed to be the best burning zone. Since I have my own scale I will be able to check out my progress weekly. That is it for this week. Keep moving everyone!
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