Exponentially Stronger

First of all...let me give a disclaimer.  Although I'm married to one, I, myself, am not a math geek.   So, please don't leave any comments about how the following statement can't be correct...it's just an analogy!!


I think I'm getting exponentially stronger each day (as opposed to incrementally stronger)!   When I first started running I was happy if I ran a full minute before needing to walk.  The other day I was excited to be able to run about three and a half miles with just one walk break.  Today I went a full 5K, not only with no walking, but pretty darn fast.  After that I did Hard Body's ab torture session where I only laid down a few times (hey, don't judge until you come to the class, okay!)... After that I went swimming!  (And...for the record, it was pretty close to real swimming this time (as opposed to splash, splash, splash--rest, rest, rest, rest, rest--splash, rest, rest).  I lost count but I think I did around 400 meters of freestyle, back stroke and legs only with a kick board!!


Okay, as soon as I get over my bad self, I'll write a real post!

*****

I had the pleasure of running with Daisy again.  We went out to a new to us greenway so I could check out the course for the race I'm running on Saturday.  As usual, I was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  My stomach was rolling and my shins were screaming.  I warned her that quite possibly from now on I will start our runs with a disclaimer of, "Okay, I don't know how I'll do today...but, I'll try my hardest."  ...and we started at a pretty decent pace.  I resisted the urge to look at my Garmin, determined to just run...and I still haven't uploaded the data to know exactly what pace we were keeping.  It felt a bit fast for me, but my training plan called for an uptempo run today anyway so I thought I'd just give it a go.

We chatted about various things and I started wondering how long I could hold out before I would have to tell her I needed to slow down or even walk.  It is a BEAUTIFUL greenway.  I wanted SO BAD to take some pictures, but the run was feeling really good.  If I'd have been alone, I surely would have used that excuse to stop for a breather, but I had Daisy to think about and she's not accustomed to stopping mid-run the way I am. 

We got to the half way mark and I was pleased.  I decided to try to make it at least 3/4 of the way before I walked...but if you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know the problem with that is I'm certifiably directionally challenged.  Not only that, remember I was not looking at my Garmin.  I kept playing the "just run to 'there'" game with myself.  And before I knew it, I saw a familiar landmark--THE PARKING LOT!!  It was a few minutes away but I could hear Daisy's voice in my head, "it's only six minutes"...and "you got this".  So, I sucked it up and probably even sped up just a bit until we got about 25-30 feet from the "finish" and I made like a barn sour horse and sprinted in with all my might.

When I told Daisy I had been really dieing almost since we turned around, she was surprised and said she would have never guessed.  After I caught my breath, and assured myself I wasn't going to toss my breakfast...I looked down and saw that we were well under an 11:00 pace!!  I started telling myself it was just a matter of it being much cooler...and that could very well be a big part of it...but I didn't run that well in cooler weather earlier in the year.  (Meaning...I AM getting better and faster!)

I'll skip the tooting of my horn for ab torture...but I do want to pat myself on the back for my swimming efforts today.  I actually made it FIFTY whole yards swimming freestyle!!  I took about a 10 second break on the side in the middle, but still!!  The gal I was swimming with today....I'll call her Sunshine...was AMAZING.  She and Flipper should be swimming side by side as I flail and splash in the kiddie pool.  But, today was the first time I felt like I was actually swimming laps!!

The best part??  I don't feel like I need to just die!!  Although, I think I will have to hire someone to mow my lawn.  ...My husband and I take turns mowing, and it's mine....but, really?  How could he expect me to mow when I have a marathon to train for!  I only have ONE HUNDRED and SEVEN days left!!   (((Okay...that was all just said in the hopes my hubby would read this before he got home and think the lawn was STILL not mowed...but he just got home so the surprise is foiled. ...I mowed the lawn even after all that working out!!)))

Tomorrow is a much needed, and well deserved rest day!.

I'm sorry for all the self-adulation.  I'm just so darn shocked with how well I've been doing.  I'm a complete "in the moment" kind of gal so I tend to think how I'm feeling now is how I have always felt and how I will always feel in the future.  It's good for me to stop and record this moment because one day not too long from now I'm going to forget how I started today wondering if I would even be able to make it 1.5 miles without walking...and I'll need to be reminded of what all I did AFTER that thought almost had me stopping before I even got started!

Thanks for stopping in, come again real soon!
:D

Grab Bag

I have a lot of pretty random things to talk about today.  That's not any different than usual, but I can't seem to collect my thoughts into a "topic" like I've been trying to do lately; so today is just a hodge podge of stuff.

The Marathon Show

First of all.  Like I mentioned in my last post I found a fantastic blog radio show/podcast called The Marathon Show.  I'll probably mention this show over and over from now on because I love it.  Monday's show was called Down to the Running Store.  ((I would link it, but I can't figure out how to do that since it's an iTunes podcast.))  There is an incredibly interesting section on proper fit of running shoes.  I HIGHLY recommend listening to this discussion before you go out and buy your next pair of kicks.  I harp on proper fitting shoes all the time because it's just about the most important thing you need as a runner.  The show's guest gives excellent information about the fit process that I've never heard anywhere else.

You should also listen to the show because in the intro the show's host, Joe Taricani, gave little ole me a shout out!!  (Thanks Joe!)

Running With Daisy

I had another GREAT run with Daisy Monday.  It was funny because I had planned to go to Hard Body's spin class and then follow it up with her Ab Torture with my neighbor (I'll call her Mrs. Rogers--as in "Won't-You-Be-My-Neighbor" Mr. Rogers---come on, laugh, you know you want to!).  I was all ready to go, with my fancy spin shorts on, but Mrs. Rogers hadn't confirmed yet when I got a text from Daisy asking if I was running and did I want company.  I quickly changed clothes and told her, "why yes, I'm running!"  We did a four mile road loop.  I was able to keep up with her for two miles then I had to throw in some walk breaks and slow down....until the last maybe 30 feet when I was magically able to sprint.

This brings me to the question---when I'm in the middle of a run and I feel like I just can't keep running anymore, is it just a mind game?  I almost always have a little something in the bank which enables me to sprint in at the end of every run...but in the middle I feel like I just can't keep going.  Am I able to sprint because I've walked some in the middle, or am I fooling myself thinking I can't keep running?  I had "decided" that it was a mind game when Turtle hit the wall.  I had "decided" that I needed to keep running no matter how I FELT...but doing it is a lot harder than "deciding to do it".

I think I need to go back and read my own post about Behaving in Accordance.  The problem I'm running into (no pun intended--when I typed that, it was a complete fluke...)....the problem I'm running into is the fact that I can "decide" anything.  "I'm going to run 10 miles today."  That would not be something I could realistically do so, just telling myself to behave in accordance with something I previously decided to do really isn't enough.

I think the key is looking at where I'm at realistically and setting achievable goals.  My main problem is that I'm an optimizer.  I want to make sure I'm training to the very best of my ability.  I don't want to do less than the very most I'm capable of.  If I'm capable of running without stopping, then that's what I want to do.  I think the real issue is that I really don't know exactly what I'm "capable" of.   Sometimes I surprise myself and afterward I think "WOW, I never knew I could do THAT!"  But, other times, like Monday with Daisy, I think, "wow, what a loser, you should have been able to do that, you just didn't gut it out."  But, at the time, when we were running and I said, "I have to walk", I really believed I HAD TO walk.   I think even if she had said, "you can do it, keep running" my mind would have told my mouth to say, "NO, I really can't" but is that true???  

The very fact that I'm questioning it makes me think it's not true.

Sprints

Today I did (EASY*) speed work with Turtle.  We went to a local track and started out with a warm up lap.  I was pretty sore** so all I wanted to so was walk that first one.  Now, I have to say, I'm a pretty fast walker so it's not as bad as it sounds.  Then we sprinted the straight-aways and ...cough... recovered (read: walked) the ends.  I'm not gonna lie-it was TOUGH.  There's no way I would have given the effort I did without Turtle there to "compete" with.  Yes, I admit it...I'm competitive okay.  

We started our first sprint, and Turtle took off.  We discovered the couple on the track with us at 5am had two unleashed dogs--lab puppies actually--who just LOVE new people!   Consequently we didn't really finish the first sprint.  The second time she started up, I dug down, sprinted my legs off and flew past her (top pace...are you ready for this??  4:22!!!  WOW).  I was able to do that the second time too (run past her).  The third time she started a bit earlier than I did and I was never able catch her.  The fifth time she pretty much pooped which gave me permission to slack.  It's funny because you can see a drop in my pace from 4:33 to 5:28.   We finished off with a "slow" cool down jog.*** (Yes, we only did a total of about1.25 miles-(*)that's why I said it was "easy" sprint work--but we're beginners, cut us some slack, okay!)

Newtons

*NOTE:  I was sore because I ran 4 miles with Daisy Monday morning, then another 1.5 with the NOBO group (in my Newtons) that night.  Then Tuesday morning I did Power Yoga.  I love those shoes, but they certainly work different muscles in my calves and ankles.  My hope is by doing some limited distance runs in them I will build up those weaker muscles which I hope will help make me a better runner.  I wasn't so sore I couldn't run this morning, but my calves weren't exactly happy to be going at it again.  ((I wore the Newtons for this morning's speed work, too.))

Advantage of Speed Work

**NOTE:  It was very interesting...when Turtle and I did our cool down lap, I thought we had slowed down to about a 12:00 pace.  That was my goal anyway. When I took a look at the Garmin data...lo and behold...it was actually an average of about a 10:30 pace!!  That's what speed work can do for you!  Just like hill work, it makes everything else seem that much easier.  It reminds me that it's all relative.  Slow for me isn't slow for someone else...and slow after running fast isn't as slow as it is when I'm starting from walking.  There are a lot of technical advantages, but that's the practical application advantage.

*****

It's only Wednesday and, already, it's been a FANTASTIC week.  I'm heading to Hard Body's Ab Torture class, then I'm swimming later today with Flipper.  Tomorrow is a (much needed) rest day.  Friday I'm running six with Daisy and another runner*.  Saturday I'm volunteering at a Sprint Tri**.

*NOTE: This other runner {I'll have to come up with a name for her (at some point I'll have to make up a "Cast of Characters" list on the side bar so you can keep up with who's who)}...this other runner is a woman I saw at the very first race I entered here.  I vividly remember seeing her before the race and thinking to myself that I wanted to be like her one day....that thought was completely confirmed at the race.  She is a little older than me, very fit looking, very encouraging, and (if I remember correctly) took first in her age group.  I couldn't resist, I had to tell her just how amazing I thought she was!  A while later I met her when I volunteered at Cookie Dash packet pick up.  She is one of the ladies I ran trails with recently, and the runner with whom I ran Saturday's first two miles.)

I'm more than just a little intimidated to be running with two ladies I admire in so many ways, not the least of which is running ability.  They are both amazing women and fantastic runners.  I will undoubtedly slow them down, but they are going into it knowing that, and have welcomed me to come along (enthusiastically even!!).  I feel like the ugly/nerdy kid in high school who was just (sincerely) invited to the popular girls' house for a party!!!  I CAN'T WAIT!!  I need to pick out my outfit and make sure it's ready to go Friday morning.  Maybe I should get a new one.  It's important to look good for these kinds of things!

Well...I have a lot more words to get out, but Hard Body won't wait for me to get there to start the torture session, not to mention I've blathered on long enough.

Thanks for stopping in, come again real soon!
:D

What Was THAT??

This morning I went running with Turtle.  My plan called for 30 minutes at an easy pace.  Her plan called for just a mile, but she was doing more than that before the program started up.  We were running along at a sssllllloooowwww pace, talking as usual... when all of the sudden she just stopped running.  Without the warning she usually gives, "Okay, I'm done, I have to stop/walk," she was just walking.  Then, to make it even stranger...she said, "DID YOU SEE THAT?  I just stopped running.  What was THAT?  Why did I just stop?  What happened??"

Now, I don't know for sure if what I said was completely correct, but I told her she had just experienced "the wall".

Now, I would never presume to know what's going on in someone else's body/mind...but at the same time, I've run with her enough to know she doesn't "ever" just simply stop.  That combined with the fact she was completely shocked as to why on Earth she stopped, I believe what I told her was the truth.  I know I've hit that point in my runs in the past where I couldn't have run another step if the Boogie Man was chasing me with an ax.  I firmly believe that's exactly what "they" mean when "they" say "hitting the wall".

It really struck me, too.  Here's the thing...in the past she (because it's easier to talk about her rather than talk about me because it feels much more objective rather than subjectively looking at myself)....as I was saying....  In the past, she has said at some point in the run, "I can't keep this up.  I'm going to have to stop/walk."  (something to that effect)  But, almost without fail I've told her, "YES YOU CAN, come on....'this' much more."  And, she's able to keep going for "this" much more.  

I think our minds try to get us to stop before our bodies really do "give out".  What that tells me, I think, is that I can do a lot more than I think I can and if I'm thinking to myself, "I can't keep this up" then I probably certainly can keep it up, even if it's just seconds longer.  I can trust that when it's time, my body will just stop and I'll look around and ask, "WHAT WAS THAT?"  Well, okay, I won't ask, because I'll know already-so maybe I'll just say, "BONK"!!

This lesson has come at the perfect time, too....Tomorrow I get to run with a dear lady I met when I volunteered at a race.  We're doing a 3.5 trail run.  I'm so excited about it, but incredibly nervous.  She's a REAL runner (read: FAST).  I sure hope this is just a recovery run for her...and I hope I can be in top form.  I'd really like to make the whole run with her without thinking I can't do it and stopping myself short of the "BONK".  Wish me luck.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon.
:D


Great run this morning, by the way.  (Turtle took a short walk break, ran a bit more then stretched out as I was finishing up my 30 easy minutes.)  Later on I went to Hard Body's Extreme Ab Torture Session.  I am getting stronger, I can tell...but I'm still no where near being able to do the full class without slacking a bit.

Parlez Vous Swimming?

I went swimming again today....and...I think I got a little bit better.  YEA ME!

I don't think I shared this before, but I didn't learn to swim until college.  I mean, sure, I could dog paddle, I could swim under water, I could splash around all summer long...but my first swim lesson (that I remember) was when I was five years old.  It consisted of my brother and cousin (both four years older) taking me to the deep end of the pool and telling me to swim or drown.  Obviously I made it out alive, and not overly traumatized....but I wouldn't say that lesson was terribly successful!

In college I needed a "PE" credit and I figured it was probably time for me to learn to do more than tread water, so I took Swimming 101.  I do remember a few things from that class, but I believe that particular sport is more like speaking a foreign language than "riding a bike" in that if you don't practice, you can quickly forget how.  Let's just say it's been more than just a few years since college....and since that class,  I haven't "spoken" more than one stroke....until the other day.  (And, in keeping with the analogy, what I did in the pool the other day was like saying, "Can me flopping your mother's fish dog in the soup fan, yes?"   ...if you know what I mean.  I may have had the components "right" but I didn't put them together in a meaningful way.)

When I learned to speak French, one of my professors told me it was a process.  First you translate from English to French.  You have to think about every word, the sentence structure, pronunciation and so forth.  She said eventually, with enough practice, you begin to simply speak, and understand, the language without the added step of translation.

Flipper and Me!! :D

I just spent the last hour and a half watching youtube videos on learning to swim freestyle (thanks to the suggestion of my swimming buddy-I'll call her Flipper from now on).  Tomorrow...I'm going back to the pool again for some "translation practice".  I'm not going to focus on putting it all together, but instead I'm going to break it down into chunks.  Just like when learning a new language you don't start out conjugating verbs, you learn some simple nouns first.....

((I'm also planning to go to Hard Body's Extreme Abs class before hitting the pool.  Later tomorrow night is the first NOBO group run!!!  I have to say, out of the three activities planned, I'm most excited about the NOBO run.))

Thanks for stopping, come again soon!

:D

Excuse me, are you a bad man??

After only about five hours of interrupted sleep, I went out for a trail run yesterday morning as soon as I woke up.  I hadn't put in many miles at all over the week and I knew if I waited, it wouldn't get done.  The hiker's parking lot was "packed"!  (It's a relative term...usually there are only one or two cars, yesterday morning there were like 10 or 12.)  Like I said before, I can let my mind get a little carried away with the "what if there's a bad man in the woods" scenarios, but it doesn't usually stop me from running solo...on the trail or off. 

That all changed this morning!


Even though I ended up doing 3.5 on the trail yesterday and my right shin/calf was not too happy with me this morning, not to mention it felt like it was already 102 degrees (at 5am), I went over to Turtle's house to run a mile or two.  We started out complaining to each other about the stifling heat/humidity and headed out, knowing that once we got started we'd be fine.

Our neighborhood has a little parking lot right at the front of the subdivision.  It was either intended for parking for the non-existent club house and/or pool, or was just built because we have a non-enforced "no cars parked on the street" rule.  If you have company staying with you for an extended period of time, theoretically they would park there.  It's not ever used for anything and we have tried to get it demolished, but you'd be surprised how much it costs to have a parking lot torn out.  Anyway...I told her we were going to go into that lot to do some dynamic stretches and drills.

As I was scoping the lot seeing where we needed to start...I noticed her stopping short.  And...then...I heard a male voice saying something from the car that I had not even seen that was parked about 20 feet from me!  (I found out later he asked if we live in the neighborhood.)  Turtle said, "yeah, what's going on?"  He proceeded to tell us that he had broken down on the mountain (it's a good mile from our neighborhood) and he had gotten the car that far but was now waiting on his wife to come get him.  We just kind of looked at each other and then at him and said "Okay" as we turned around and headed back to her house....

The story didn't add up for several reasons

• we are not the closest road from the mountain-he had to pass by two roads and two turn-around areas he could have pulled over at.
• his car was backed into the parking space-that's not something you would do if your car had broken down
• if his car broke down, how did he get it there?

We took off and sprinted back to her house and then she drove me to my house.  I felt we might be over-reacting just a little bit, but come on...it was FIVE O'CLOCK in the morning.  It was dark.  We were two women running alone-well, with each other, but alone as in not in a group and without a man, or a big scary dog, or mace, or even a phone!  No one is supposed to even be in that parking lot.

To make matters worse, I came home and read a story about this woman who started running after being raped (as recovery).  Note to self-always carry my phone, even in the neighborhood, even when running with Turtle.

I'm sure it was completely fine...what would you have done?  Kept running, chatted him up a bit asking, "So, where do you work? What do you do?  Have car trouble much?", said, "Excuse me for asking, but are you a bad man?  Because if you are, I need to scream to wake up my neighbors who may or may not come out here to investigate what's going on."?

Well, the run was scrapped, but I went to the Extreme Abs class...let me just say, I am getting stronger but I still can't do the whole class.  I don't feel bad about that because (other than the instructor) there are only two people in there who can (out of 15-20).

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D

Overdoing It??

I'm supposed to be coming back to running "slowly", without "overdoing it". 

Well, what exactly does that mean??  "Overdoing".  In true NORK* fashion, I looked it up.  (*Yes, I made that word up--part nerd, part dork..."derd" just isn't right!)  Mirriam-Webster says it's doing something in excess or to exhaust.

Well, I think I got very close to "overdoing" it today...if I didn't in fact cross over that imaginary line.  The thing is...for all you runners reading this...don't we all overdo it?  Isn't that kind of the point of training?  You find that line where you think you've given all you have and then go just a bit more.  You run as fast as you can, and then just a bit faster.  Or you run as long/far as you think you can and then just a little longer/farther.

Today I started my run with my Newton's...only about a half mile (I'll write more about them later).  Then I changed shoes and joined up with Turtle.  The run I planned for us was three minutes running a bit faster than "comfortable"/two minutes walking for a couple of miles....and that's almost exactly what we did.  (We did 3/2, 3/2, 2/2, 2/2, 2/cool down.  Man!  What a great run.  I can tell I've improved a great deal because I seriously didn't feel like I needed to stop after the first three minute interval.  Running with her is SERIOUSLY helping me.  She doesn't realize what good shape she's in.  She struggles, but not like I did when I started out.  She reminds me of Speedy-she wants to say she's "slow" or "can't" go further...but she certainly can.

Anyway, I digress....our average pace over all was somewhere around 12 (I forgot to stop the Garmin when we finished).  The best I can tell, our average running pace was about 10.  Our average "best" pace was about 9!!

But, really, that was a digression as well....because what I was really talking about was "overdoing" it.  After my great run, I went to a spinning class.  Today was the first time I stood up on the bike.  Talk about HARD.  I could sit in the saddle "all day", but standing up?  Jesh!  That really took it out of me.  Another neighbor went with me and she said her experience is just the opposite-she could stand "all day" but sitting is harder for her.

About half or two thirds through it, I felt what I can only describe as a bee sting in my right calf.  Ouch.  It didn't last long, but, at that point I had a decision to make, a decision I didn't even realize I was making.  I had to decide what "overdoing" means to me.  I quickly sat down and slowed down, but I kept going.  The sting pretty much went away....so after spinning I went to the Extreme Abs class!

My abs IMMEDIATELY started screaming at me, "YOU'RE OVERDOING IT!!!!"  I seriously couldn't do half of what I did Monday.  I tried, but I just simply couldn't.  Thankfully, my neighbor (who I conveniently rode with) had to leave before we started glutes.

When I came home I took an ice bath and then (after my real shower) I iced the "sting" (10 on, 10 off) for about an hour.  It isn't hurting so I think it's okay...  I think I found that fine line that runs between quitting too early and overdoing it...and I might have crossed just a few toes over it.  I think in order to be classified as "overdoing" the whole foot has to be over the line, so I'm good!

I think I'll wait until tomorrow to decide if I'll do Body Power or take a rest day.  After all, I don't want to ...well, you get it.


FOOD UPDATE

I don't think I've done a food update in a while.  I have given up the food on my list of allergies for about a month, with only a few little snafus here and there.  I feel much better when I'm not eating the stuff on the list.  My appetite is great-I don't feel hungry or have food cravings like I usually do.  Eating out is the hardest thing.  It used to be one of my favorite things....but now, it just completely stresses me out.  I hate it.  Just thinking about it makes me feel anxious.  We're going to Olive Garden tonight for my daughter's birthday dinner (her choice)...I'm NOT looking forward to it at all.  (At least not the eating part.)  It's hard to figure out what I can and can't eat, and garlic is in just about everything! 

But the good news is that I feel great.  I've maintained the weight loss, although I'm not losing any more.  And...amazingly enough, my thyroid (that's been swollen for about 5 years) feels completely back to normal!!  I've been on Synthroid for almost 8 months...I don't think that's what has caused the shrinkage that's happened just this month!

I am fast on my way to becoming a zealot about the dangers of food allergies!!

Thanks for stopping in; come again soon!
:D

Rules.....

I subscribe to Runner's World and get a daily email with all kinds of helpful information.  My favorite section is the forum.

The other day a fairly new runner had a question about the "10% rule".  For those of you who haven't heard of it, basically the "rule" says you shouldn't increase your mileage by more than 10% a week.  The poster asked if it was okay to increase a single run with 10% of the weekly mileage.  This question sparked a very lengthy argument debate.  One zealous writer pretty much blasted the "rule" saying it should be completely ignored.  One poster actually took it to mean you "should" increase your mileage by 10% every week.

Then there were people like me....who said, "I need rules".  If I had followed this rule when I started out, I don't "think" I would have gotten injured.  Maybe I'm wrong...who knows.  We can't turn back the clock to find out what would have happened, but I know one thing's for sure, I'm going to keep it in mind when I can finally get back out there again.

The whole conversation got me to thinking about rules in general and why it is that I like them (generally speaking).  I think for me, they provide clear boundaries.  When I was younger, those lines were seen more like state lines, begging to be crossed over in order to discover exciting new territory.  Now that I'm a little older, and hopefully wiser, I like to think of them as bowling alley bumpers.  If I can stay inside the lane I'll do much better in this game called life.

What's really important is learning the "rules", and especially what they really mean.  Not just in running...but in every aspect of life.


I know...you can't wait for me to get back to running either, right?

Thanks for stopping in, come again soon.


BTW--I did get some bike shorts-and LOVE THEM.   I actually finished a whole spinning class on Monday without feeling like my nether regions were on fire.  Those veteran spinners were right-one week in the saddle toughened up more than just my leg muscles!  Tomorrow's challenge--an hour spin class followed by "Extreme Abs" (about 15 minutes abs, 15 minutes glutes)....I really don't think I have glutes, but maybe this class will help me find them!!