Sorry I have been gone/ Quick life recap

Since I actually had followers I really feel like I should apologize for suddenly dropping off the face the earth for several months.  Life got in the way of both consistent running and blogging. Yet, I still feel badly about not saying, "by the way I am taking a break for a bit." Also, I can see now how the blogging helped w/ the consistent running part.
So, I am back.

Here is a quick recap since my last post in October:

• October - End of October I had a flare up of an old SI injury and had to stop running for 2 weeks.  I was somewhat demoralized as I had just joined one of tall mom's challenges. Didn't feel inspired to blog at the time. Then some biggish "possibilities" came up in our life and I didn't have the time or focus to blog.
• November - got back to running. Ran 5.5 miles the Saturday before thanksgiving.  Hoping to run six miles with my brother over the holiday.  But nasty weather, and sickness cut that to about 3 miles. 
• December - Winter decided to set in early.  Not much time for running in the holiday busyness.
• January/February - Lots of snow. With no sidewalks, snow and ice covered roads w/ 3 to 4 foot walls of snow along the side - I decided it just wasn't a safe place to run. Especially in the dark early am, as during tax season that is my only option most days. I did some interval work on the treadmill sporadically. I did some weight training sporadically.
• Last wk of February - the weather started clearing, and I had gained 2 lbs since November. As I started flirting w/ 170lbs I decided I needed to get back to running. I was delighted that I could still run 2 miles!
• March - I was not impressed that after 2 weeks back to running I had gained 4 lbs!! Went to bed frustrated, only to wake up just after midnight in horrible abdominal pain followed by trips to the bathroom that left me shaking on the floor. Found out the 4 lb weight gain was an ovarian cyst, and the cyst ruptured in the night.  Spent several days on vicodin. Took 2 weeks off running.  
• April - I resumed running sporadically by the end of March. But with 2 weeks until my 37th birthday I was determined to lose the 5 lbs I needed to officially be at a healthy BMI.  When I weighed myself in on April 14th I was 164 lbs. My official maximum healthy weight!  That is the first time in more than a decade I wasn't overweight.  Of course with 3 birthdays, Easter, and Mother's day in the next 2.5 weeks I gained back 3 of those 5 lbs.
• May - my running was still somewhat sporadic. I decided I needed a plan and a goal like I had last year. I also encouraged myself that in May 2010 running wasn't even on my radar, and now I could run 2 miles (my very first goal) easily.  I knew my goal would be to do a 10k in September. For my plan I found a 8 week beginner and 8 week advanced beginner 10 training program.  With a few modifications I put them together to make a 15 week training plan.
• June - weather again has been a factor. A week of frequent storms threw me off schedule. That week was followed by vacation (which I had planned to "take off") So this week I am back at it and back on track. 

I ran 3.54 miles this morning in 48 minutes. Not a fabulous time. But since this time last year I thought I would die running 6 minutes straight, I am reminded how far I have come.  

5 miles!!!!!!

I ran 5 miles!!! I ran 5 miles!!!!!

Yesterday was a beautiful morning. Hubby wasn't leaving for work at any specific time, so I headed out around 6am. It was still dark, but there was a rosy glow on the eastern horizon. I felt pretty good. My long run goal for the week was 4.75. But I new 5 miles wouldn't be impossible since it would only be about a 10% increase over last weeks 4.5 miles. I like to get my long run in as early in the week as possible so I don't have to be pressured if things don't go well later on in the week.

My adrenaline got pumping a little bit when I saw a smashed pumpkin in the subdivision behind us. Then all down our road south of the subdivision I saw vandalized pumpkins. Many smashed right in the middle of the owners' driveways. I was so angry at the obnoxious brats that have fun at others expense, I wasn't surprised when my mile time was 12:40. However as I crossed the bridge and turned off our road the rest of the pumpkins were intact, and I calmed down. But I still was at about a 12:40 pace.

Our town is really small, I don't know if we even have 5 miles of roads. (The opposite corner of town is only a 1 mile run) I went about 3 miles snaking through town. I felt so good I decided to try for 5 miles, so I circled the "neighborhood" on the opposite corner of town until I was up to 4 miles. Then I just had to run home. I was amazed my pace was still about 12:45, but I knew the last quarter mile would be uphill so I didn't expect to keep it up. I was amazed at how good I felt at 4.75 miles. I had told myself I could walk then if I wanted, but I felt so good I decided to run faster.

I ran 5 miles. My time: 63:10!

That is a 12:38 pace! I kept that up for 5 miles!

My goal for October was 5 miles. I think I will "rest" next week. Meaning I won't try to add distance. But I will still be well on my way to my goal of 6 miles by Thanksgiving.

I never ever thought I could or ever would run 5 miles. Just WOW!

Solving Problems...Learning...

I have been running for more than 3 months now. And I don't intend to quit!!! Yesterday I ran 4.5 miles in 58:14. Which means my pace was 12:56 per mile! So great to begin to move out of the 13's. And I am learning ways to keep going even when obstacles arise.

In order to run that 4.5 miles I had to get out in the cold, dark, predawn world. It was so cold! Frost was on the ground, I could see my breath, and I need warmer running clothes. (See problem/solution #1) It was also dark. I didn't know if I could run in the dark. My hubby isn't thrilled with the personal safety aspect. And, my concern is being able to see what I am running on (see problem/solution #2)

I have also been working with my treadmill. I say "working with" because just straight running on it can be tedious and grueling. (See problem/solution #3)

So here is how I have worked through some of my obstacles:

• Problem #1: I need warmer running clothes, but don't want to spend big bucks. I am finding that running gets expensive. And oversized long sleeve cotton shirts weren't cutting it. I can't even find long sleeve running clothes at the local super store where I got my other "wicking wear". I thought this was going to necessitate a trip to the sports store, where stuff is way more pricey. Solution: The thrift store! I found a long sleeve tech top in good condition, and a nearly new running jacket. Total price $4.90! I had read this suggestion online, but was still surprised at the amount of great stuff there.

• Problem #2: It is dark in the morning now. Really the only consistent time I get to run outside is if I can get out before my hubby leaves for work. But it is dark outside until after 6am now. Our little town is pretty safe as far crime. I have never heard of any "stranger danger" at all. But our little town only has scattered sidewalks and street lights, posing dangers to feet ankles and other body parts since you can't see the surface you're running on. Solution: A headlight! While I may look like a dork, this is a great solution. My parents put all kind of handy/goofy gadgets in my hubby's Christmas stocking. Last year he got a headlight. Basically it is a light on an elastic strap. And it even tilts down so I can aim it at the ground. It even gives my some added safety when it comes to "traffic" (I usually see at least 2 or 3 cars on the road.)

• Problem #3: The treadmill. I have had to deal with the fact that I will have to get used to the treadmill. Running on the treadmill is hard. I thought about it a lot. One of the hard things for me is the repetitive motion. Outside you have terrain changes varying the demands on your muscles. With the treadmill it is just the same thing over and over. Mentally and physically it is boring. Solution: Focus on exercising, not running. I had to shift my paradigm. Distance is not the point. Working up a good sweat is the goal. I do my own version of speed work. Not because I am driven to be speedy, but it is a way to challenge myself. The treadmill is actually fun when I run a mile in less than 12 minutes. My treadmill also has programs where the speed and incline varies. It can actually be fun to do these, even though they include some walking. And I can speed them up if I want. So, even though I don't focus on running, I still run.

Perseverance, creativity, discipline...running is helping me to develop these characteristics. I am so thankful God chose to bring running into my life. ( BTW I love that I am only 1 pound from my pre-1st baby weight as well ;) )

Problem solving needed

I want to scream, cry, or whine. But what a waste of energy. I just need to solve these logistical problems.

I feel like I will never be able to run more than 3 miles!! Not because of lack of ability, but because of availability. With the changing of the season the sun has started sleeping in until almost 6 am. And my hubby has started to need to leave for work by 6:30. 30 minutes is just not enough time.

I tried starting just before sunrise, but our sidewalks are hit and miss (both quality of sidewalks, and existence of sidewalks) Lighting is pretty hit and miss as well. So besides the traffic issue, I have a hard time seeing the ground. It just seems like a good way to get injured. Also, my husband does not like the idea of me running in the dark.

That leaves the treadmill. So I decided to just get on the treadmill this afternoon while my 1 y/o was napping. Once when I did this I just set my 3 y/o up with a movie and she promptly fell asleep, it wasn't too bad. Well the last 2 times I have tried it, I am constantly being interrupted. I guess this is more of a behavioral issue w/ my child. But it is hard for her too, my running on the treadmill a few feet away is distracting. And I just don't deal with distractions well when I am running so I become frustrated and "mean mommy" comes out. I don't like running in the afternoon that much anyway.

Maybe tomorrow I will try getting up at 5:15 for a date with the treadmill. I really wish I had an mp3 player so I didn't have to entertain myself, while I stare at our paneling. I used to have no problem when I walked on the treadmill, I would read. But I haven't figured out how to read while running yet. Alas, I will probably have to wait until Christmas for the mp3 player...sigh...
I think I will type up a few super-large print Bible verses, tape the to the paneling and memorize them while I run. I actually have some posted, but they aren't quite large enough. Maybe I can find some dealing with perseverance to keep me going....

Struggles and Accomplishments

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was going to write a blog post titled "struggles". But I was too tired to bother. Today is a different day where I want to write about my accomplishment!

39:49!!!

That was my time for the first 5 kilometers I ran this morning! I accomplished my goal! Then I ran for another 5 minutes, so I know in a race situation I could even finish faster. I ran a total of 3.5 miles. (3.76 miles including my warm up and cool down walking)

I noticed how long it has been since I posted. Life got busy, between my 3 y/o's birthday, vacation, new computer training at work, my mom's group starting back up, etc....etc... But, I have still been running, some days better than others. A lot of the time I have been struggling. But struggles are a part of life, an integral part, as that is where we learn. So here is what I learned about running through some struggles of the last few weeks:

1. If you eat badly, you will feel badly when you run. I discovered this on vacation. The first morning I ran I felt pretty good. Then after eating too much food, and food that mostly fell into the categories fried, rich, or sugary; I felt awful when running. Plus I gained 4 pounds. It took me a couple of days to recover, and I still have 2 pound to go to my pre-vacation weight. SO: eat well to run well!
2. Sleep is crucial. This one I couldn't control much this week, but sometimes I can. My 16 month old threw up in the middle of the night 3 nights in a row. When I tried to run on 4 hours of poor sleep I just ran out of gas. I probably would have been better off with a nap SO: sleep well to run well
3. Don't run where you know you might run into obstacles. I decided to try running north again, the first time I didn't encounter the dog, but I did burn some time and energy watching for him. The second time, sure enough he came blasting/barking out into the road, and I twisted my hip in my quick turn away from him. Truly my best runs have been my runs south. That route lets me concentrate on my running form etc... not on what I might encounter along the way. SO: Choose your route wisely.
4. A few bad days or a bad week doesn't reflect reality. I went on vacation and thought I had set myself back for weeks, but then I had 2 really good 3+mile runs a few days after I came home. This week I had a really bad 3 days of running, then today I met my goal! SO: keep running it will get better.

My new goal is to run 4 miles by October 1st. I don't think that should be too hard to reach. The trick is that I usually only have about 45 to 50 minutes to run (including warm up/cool down). So I need to get a bit faster to run 4 miles in that time frame. But I'll just keep running until I get there.

I ran 5k!!!

I ran 3.11 miles today. Ran the whole thing!!! I can do a 5k. =) I am slow. It took me 43:44. But I have 29 days to get faster.

My initial goal was to do it in under 40, then I changed it to less than 35 minutes. That seems like a lot. But when I consider that 1 month ago I was so excited that I ran for 10 minutes straight, it doesn't seem beyond reality.

A dog and a change of direction...

On Saturday I headed out for my run/walk. I was feeling pretty good, thinking I would do 11 minute intervals instead of the prescribed 10. I did my 5 minutes of warm up and then was 3 minutes into my first interval, when all the sudden a barking dog came running toward me. He stopped few feet from me. He did not want me running past his house. After a moment of sheer panic picturing bloody limbs, I calmed down and reflected that it wasn't worth trying to pass him, especially since I would have to pass back the same way. So I turned around and prayed that he wouldn't chase after me. As soon as I turned he stopped barking and sauntered back into his yard.


This kind of threw me. I hadn't mapped out where I would run heading south through town. I way underestimated my turn around time and had to run back past my home to finish my intervals, I turned around well before the dog's place though, which meant I had to go past my house again to cool down.

It was weird too, I had never seen this dog before. His apparent home is the next house after ours, but about 1/2 a mile away. We've drive past this house several times a week, and have never seen the dog since either. At first I thought he was a little vicious demon. I even cried a little as the adrenaline drained from my system and I felt shaken. Then I started to wonder. I had been considering running through town, but was too embarrassed. I had some concerns about the safety of running 2 miles in the country w/ only 2 houses, on a 55 mph road. I'd been saying it would be nice to have someone to run with, but never actually ran in a place where I might see someone else running. Makes me wonder if he was a little messenger dog, sent to make me turn around. Either way, now when I head out I am running south.

I RAN A MILE!!!!!

I actually ran for an entire mile!! It took me 13:30, but I did it! And the amazing thing is that I didn't collapse after! Instead I walked 2.5 minutes then ran another 12.5, walked 2.5 minutes, then ran another 12. The second interval was tough, but as I was running on the bridge over the interstate a pick-up below honked (cheerfully), that really gave me a boost for the next few minutes.

I feel like I have tons of energy, I am so pumped from "really" running.

10 minutes!!!

Did my 10 minute intervals today!! I was sucking wind a bit after the first interval. I had to remind myself halfway through the 2nd interval that the second one is the toughest. After that I started to feel good, and I ran for 11 minutes in the 3rd interval.. I think I went about 3.4 miles in 44 minutes. (I need to break out hubby's GPS, then I could have a definite time and distance.) That put me at 12:56 per mile!!! Ok not amazing or anything, but for me, it is great to break 13 minutes. I even had to stop for about 20 seconds to fix my sock. (Note to self, wear socks that stick out above shoes...)



It is getting hard not to just keep running. I would really love to get out there and just run w/o walking. But, I realize that I have a training regimen for a reason. And I am going to stick to it. Besides running today was challenging, but definitely doable. And to think less than 3 weeks ago I was wondering how I could possibly do 6 minute intervals. Next week I get to run for 12 minutes, that might be a whole mile!

No more flowers, but a new discovery

As I headed out on my easy day walk/run this am. I was disappointed to notice that my flowers were gone. The roadside had been mowed. Only hearty thistle looking flowers survived. Nearly all of the delicate white flowers were gone. It was mostly greenish brown grasses, with all the white and purple gone. But then I looked closer. Along the edge were baby ferns. There intricate patterns were fascinating. I'm sure they were there all along. It is amazing what you don't see underneath the pretty and the obvious. It was easy to admire the flowers but more work to find the ferns. There is some type of deep thought in there.

Since I don't have an ipod or mp3 player, my walks/runs are spent praying, thinking, and singing hymns in my head. I guess that is another part of what I love about running. It motivates me to get up and spend time reflecting and talking to God.

Up before the flowers

I actually got up before the flowers today to run/walk. Today my hubby had to leave just after 6am. Which meant in order to get my training in I had to be out the door by 5:20. I am yawning now just typing this.

At midnight and 3am, when my 1 y/o was fussing I thought there was no way I was going to be able to get up at 5:15. I had not set my alarm, I asked God to wake me up if he wanted me to do this. Well my clock said exactly 5:15 when Heather cried out again and fussed just long enough to wake me up. God provided a cute, though occasionally irritating, little alarm clock.

When I got out there I was glad I had to start so early today. It was oppressively humid, but since the sun was just starting to rise it wasn't too hot yet.

We have a lot of nice wildflowers along our country roadside. There is one that looks like lovely delicate white scalloped bowl when I am out running in the early morning sun. But today they were still curled up like little trumpets. I was awake before the flowers.

I think I went about 3 miles. I definitely went farther than Tuesday. It took 42 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down. Not a fabulous time, but good for me, and I can only get better right?