lunge.org - daily randomness

Weekend Race Report

2008-04-10T09:28:00.000-07:00

The big race going on this weekend is the Nature's Path Organic Whidbey Island Marathon and Half Marathon to benefit the Whidbey Animals' Improvement Foundation and Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary. The course takes place on the North end of the island and runs down country back roads and along the coastline. Ultra Marathon Man Dean Karazes will be the Master of Ceremony for the post event celebration. If you're looking for something to do this Sunday and are in the mood to run 13.1 or 26.2 miles you can still sign up for the race at the Expo at Oak Harbor High School on Saturday. If you're not in the mood for running, you can always volunteer (just sign up at the Expo), or just head on over and cheer on all the runners.

Other races happening around the area this weekend:

Robin Hill 3 Mile & 10K Run. Sequim, WA.
Y Run for Kids 5K. Tacoma, WA.
Trout Lake 5K, 10K & Half Marathon. Trout Lake, WA.
Mt. Si Relay & Ultra. Snoqualmie, WA.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

Epic Fail

2008-03-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Looks like I won't be back to running in time for the Whidbey Island Half Marathon. My injury seemed to be getting better last week, and I was even able to run a mile last Saturday without any pain. However, when I decided to give it another try on Monday I ran into some problems. My run Monday just didn't feel right, it didn't hurt exactly, but just felt slightly off. Not to mention at one point my hip started to feel kind of numb. So I went back to the doctor yesterday and she referred me to physical therapy. Meanwhile I won't be running the Mercer Island 10K this weekend as I'd planned. I asked her about my chances of running Whidbey Island next month and she said it didn't look like it would be happening. I'm pretty upset about it, but at the same time I've come to terms with it. My first physical therapy appointment is this coming Monday and I'm actually kind of excited to see what it all entails. While I love my doctor I don't think she was able to give me enough information on what I should and shouldn't be doing. I'm back on the ibuprofen, at least until my first PT appointment.

In the meantime I figure I can keep up doing what I do as long as it doesn't make the pain worse. This week I started the New Rules of Lifting for Women program. I'm not normally one for following diet/exercise programs from books, but for some reason I was drawn to this one. I like the idea of building muscle and becoming stronger. I did my first workout at the gym Tuesday and while it seemed easy at the time, my muscles are still sore from it. The workout consisted of 5 exercises with two sets of each, I think it took me about 20-25 mins to complete it with the warm up and the rest between reps. Today I am doing the second workout, which I'm looking forward to a lot. I do feel kind of intimidated about going in the free weight room at the gym, but I know that the more I go the less intimidating it will be. Not to mention most of the people in there are far more concerned with themselves than anything else. The only thing about this program is that it suggests getting about 30% of your daily calories from protein. Which is difficult, let me tell you. Based on my caloric needs the book suggests about 150 grams of protein per day, and in all honesty even with protein powder and bars and stuff I struggle to make it over 100. I'm not too concerned about the protein at this point though. I figure as long as I make a conscious effort to eat healthy (which I pretty much do anyway, just have to cut down on some of the candy) and eat more protein I should be fine.

I am trying to find a way to work in some Bikram to my routine this weekend. I absolutely love Bikram. Just being in the warm room and sweating, it's so cleansing and detoxifying and when I'm done I feel completely refreshed. However, it requires a lot of time. The class itself if 90 mins and obviously it helps to arrive a bit early, to change and pick out a decent spot, etc. Then after class, you can relax there for as long as you want, then you have to change and get everything together. By the time you make it back home, you've probably invested a good two hours and then you have to have a shower. I think once my 30 classes are done with, I'll probably just drop in on occasion when I feel like it, or pick another type of yoga that isn't so time consuming. I do love it though and think as long as I don't stretch too much I should be okay doing it even with my injury. We'll see, hopefully I can make it there tomorrow or sometime this weekend.

Road to Recovery

2008-02-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to think that this whole "vitamin I" and rest thing is actually working on my muscle strain. Today I don't even feel it at all. Lately it hasn't been painful, but I've often noticed it when walking or turning my leg a certain way. This morning I woke up, after being without ibuprofen for about 9 hours and I didn't even feel it. Of course I still popped my 4 pills just because I don't want to stop taking them prematurely and have the discomfort/pain come back. I'm starting to see a light at the end of this injury though and I'm hoping to put in a few miles by the middle of next week. It's been hard to gear down and step away from the cardio and just let it rest. But now that I can tell it's actually making a difference I'm going to stick with it. I've found a training routine that should get me ready in 6 weeks, which is about all I have left until the half.

In other event news, the registration for the Seattle Danskin Triathlon opens Tuesday February 26th. Finally! Then I can stop obsessing and checking the site about a million times a day as I have since the beginning of the month when registration was supposed to open. There is a very limited number of spaces (about 3000 I believe) and it fills up quickly, so I have to be sure to get on it at soon as it opens. Then I'll sign up for the Team Danskin Training, to the tune of $259, however it's apparently a really good program and a friend of mine is actually going to be the workout leader. Also, I'm planning on signing up for swim lessons at the Y starting at the end of March, which seems completely lame, but I haven't actually swam in years so it's pretty necessary.

Things are looking good all over. Not to mention, it's Friday, the sun is shining and other than a fabulous private party with Amanda Palmer, Estradasphere and Jason Webley, we don't have anything going on this weekend other than sleeping in and probably some cleaning.

Sidelined

2008-02-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

I am officially sidelined from running for at least the next week. In fact, other than a little 2 mile test run I haven't run since the 9th. Somehow during that week I managed to pull/strain a muscle in my inner upper leg/groin area. I don't know if it was from running, weight lifting or coughing, or perhaps a combination of all three. I seem to recall while doing some lower body weights that I felt something that didn't feel quite right. I think that combined with an 8 mile hilly run exasperated the situation. I was fine during my 8 mile run, but right after it hurt. It hurt to walk, it hurt to sit. It hurt. Currently it doesn't hurt so much as I'm aware of it. If I overdo it (by walking to much or running 2 miles) it gets kind of bothered.

I took a week off from running and tested the waters with a slow 2 mile run on Monday. I could still feel it after the run so I went to the doctor yesterday. She told me to take 3-4 ibuprofen 3 times a day for a week (or possibly two, depending) and not to run during that time. I think I was pretty annoying because I was trying to figure out what I could do exactly so I don't just sit around like a lump on the couch doing nothing. I was all "so, what about heat and stretching?" and she was like "yes, heat would be good, stretching, no", "so that means bikram is out then?" I think she wanted to shake some sense into me at that point! I know I have to give myself some time to heal, but at the same time going from being super active to practically inactive is hard to get my head around. Basically, I can't do yoga, or run, or anything that would make the strain worse (elliptical, dance, step, etc). We determined that I could probably get away with some cycling and that's about it. I know that I have to give it time to heal and the ibuprofen should help with any inflammation. So instead of push it and run to the gym and hop on a bike for an hour, I've decided to take a break and maybe fit in some upper body, abs and pilates (though nothing that works the legs) in the meantime. Also, while I'm not spending hours running or at the gym I suppose I could be cleaning and sorting and baking cookies. Because I mean, if I can't work out I may as well eat a ton of freshly baked cookies, right?

It's hard not being able to run, especially since I'm in the midst of training for the Whidbey Island Half Marathon that's taking place April 13th. I do think however, that I should be okay by then. If I take it slow and allow myself some time to heal, I should probably be able to step up the training and do okay with 6 weeks to prepare. Granted I won't be running a great half, I'm not even thinking at this point that I'm going to run the whole thing. I might run a mile, then walk some, and just walk/run the whole thing. It's my first half anyway, so of course it's not going to be spectacular. It'll give me a time to beat on my next half though!

The Great Apple Challenge of '08 - Conclusion

2008-02-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

It is safe to say the apple challenge is officially over. Even though there was another apple that we tried that I didn't even bother to review (red rome, beautiful color, VERY mealy) and a number of apples we could have tried, we were able to come to a pretty firm conclusion. And the winner is...

*drum roll*

Jazz!

We settled on the Jazz because it had the best flavor out of all the apples we tried. It wasn't quite as crisp as the Honeycrisp, but it still managed to have a decent crunch. It was by far the flavor that won us over. Sweet, juicy and just a little tart. This week we've been having nothing but Jazz and they've been consistently good.

In other news I've been sick with some horrible flu/cold thing this past week. I am just finally starting to feel better today, so I think I'll hit Alki after work for a slow 5 mile run. I've been pretty much out of commission since Saturday and I'm just itching to get a decent run in. I will make sure not to overdo it though. I don't want to be sick when we go to San Francisco next week.

The Great Apple Challenge of '08 - Day 4

2008-01-31T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today's apple is, the Braeburn. It is a rather small apple when compared to the Honeycrisp or even the Fuji. It's flesh is a very pale color, almost white and doesn't seem to turn too brown, unlike the Jazz. It has a decent flavor. Falling in that category between sweet and tart, however neither flavor stands out as being prominent, they're both subtle flavors. This isn't a crisp apple, it's actually rather soft feeling. There is no satisfying "crunch" when you bite into it, Also, it isn't overly juicy. All in all, it's okay, but that's about it. Nothing spectacular. I mean, if it were all I had, I would eat it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

In completely unrelated food news, today I received the Chicago style deep dish pizza I ordered from Lou Malnati's Tastes of Chicago. I've been saying to Shawn how we should just go to Chicago for one night and have some pizza. Sure it would be totally expensive and excessive, but it would be a lot of fun. In lieu of dropping a few hundred dollars on some plane tickets, I decided to give this website a try. So tomorrow we'll be indulging in Chicago style deep dish pizza, straight from the Windy City. Yum!

The Great Apple Challenge of '08 - Day 3

2008-01-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

The apple of the day is Jazz. Feel free to sing the name as though you were on a stage showing off your mad jazz hand skills. That's how I do it, or at the very least how I think it in my head!

On most occasions I cut up apples for our lunches the night before. It's just much easier to have everything ready in the mornings instead of running around trying to get dressed and ready, have some breakfast and on top of it get lunches together. The first thing I noticed about the Jazz apple this morning when I took it out of the fridge to put in my lunchbag was that it had turned quite brown. I'm actually not used to my apples turning this brown over night. Sure, they get a little darker, but not by much. In fact the Honeycrisp barely changes color at all (it's the PERFECT apple, I tell ya).

Dark color aside the Jazz apple is a very lovely one. It has a very interesting taste that actually reminds me more of a pear or plum than an apple. It tastes fruity. Granted apples are fruit, but the Jazz tastes more like fruit than an apple. Go figure. Initially it has a very sweet taste, but eventually leaves you with a kiss of tart.

Shawn says they're "not as crisp" as he normally likes "but not as mealy as a Red Delicious", which I agree with completely. If only it were a little more crisp and crunchy it would be right up there with the Honesycrisp.

From both Shawn and I this apple gets two thumbs up!

The Great Apple Challenge of '08 - Day 2

2008-01-29T13:20:00.000-08:00

Today the apple that emerged in my hand when I reached into the fruit drawer was a Cameo. Actually it's what we believe to be a Cameo as there was no little sticker on the piece of fruit. I do recall picking up a Cameo that looked similar, so that's what we're going with.*

As for the apple, it's decent. It's very crunchy and juicy, but lacks in flavor. It's a little more on the tart side, not very sweet at all. I like the sound and feel when I bite into it, but in all honesty that's about all I like about this apple. For me, I don't think the Cameo has enough to replace the Honeycrisp in my "apple a day.." scenario. It is slightly better though than my orange today that tasted like a chewable vitamin C tablet (that's what I get for buying some fancy schmancy orange with a weird name instead of a staple like satsuma or navel). Back to the Cameo, I could see it being a decent applesauce apple, or one used in cooking/baking. I don't think I'd enjoy it much in a pie, but maybe some kind of apple topping?

Shawn hasn't tried the apple yet, but I will be sure to update with his opinion.

ETA Shawn's Opinion:

The Cameo apple... has no flavor but does have awesome crunch!
Very juicy.

*Obviously this little "challenge" is severely lacking in 'control' but this isn't some professional scientific study or anything.

How Can You Not Love JV?

2008-01-29T07:48:00.000-08:00

John Vanderslice sent out one of his quarterly e-mails updating everyone of his whereabouts. Unfortunately, he will not be coming here anytime soon as he will be in Europe and the East coast this spring. It's only a matter of time though before he makes it back this way. I swear, he ends up coming here at least a few times a year. Probably has something to do with how cool we Seattleites are and more probably because his record label Barsuk is located here.

Anyway, in his e-mail he mentioned that he put up some slideshows of his Fall 2007 tours in both EU and the US. JV takes some amazing photos and while perusing his Fall 2007 US slideshow I came across this photo. It was taken on the Fremont bridge back when he did a little acoustic set, including "Time To Go" to the warning bells. That just so happens to be Shawn and I the second couple from the left (Shawn's got his arm up waving and I'm standing beside him with my sunglasses and a little half wave). It was a great time.

Can't wait for JV to come back to Seattle, and to see who he'll bring with him. He's always got some amazing opening act, from St Vincent to Bishop Allen. He's always got a whole lot of love for those he brings on tour with him. Hopefully he'll be back sooner than later.

The Great Apple Challenge of '08 - Day 1

2008-01-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

Everyday for lunch Shawn and I share an apple. By far our favorite apple is the Honeycrisp. We've been known to spend nearly $15.00 on apples for a week. The Honeycrisp is the perfect apple, it's crunchy, firm and sweet. The sad thing is, it's season is pretty much over now. It's actually a pretty short season, though we have seen them in stores this late (though the quality is not as good as at the beginning of the season).

Since the Honeycrisp season is over, we have to find an apple to take it's place until next season. Last week we tried Pink Lady apples, which are occasionally good, but the ones we had were pretty much horrible. This weekend while grocery shopping I decided to just get one of each apple that seemed decent and figured we could pick which one we liked the best.

Yesterday while getting our lunches ready I just stuck my hand into the fruit drawer and pulled out the first apple I came across. It happened to be a Fuji. I've had Fujis before and enjoyed them, but have found that they can be hit or miss. Sometimes they are wonderfully sweet and crunchy, other times they are just crunchy and have next to no taste. The apple we had today was on the sweet side. It was rather crunchy and juicy. Not mealy at all, in fact I don't think I've ever had a mealy Fuji. All in all I enjoyed the apple very much. It's no Honeycrisp, but it is definitely going to make it to the next round.

UPDATED:

As for what Shawn thought of the apple..

pretty tasty!
sweet, and good crunch

Meh

2008-01-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

So this whole Heath Ledger death thing is kind of bugging me. I mean really, I was not a big fan of his at all. I think I've seen two movies that he's been in (10 Things I Hate About You & A Knight's Tale) and didn't like either of them very much. However, I think due to the fact that he was so young and it was so unexpected it just seems wrong. I mean we're all on Amy Winehouse death watch, just waiting for her to OD. She's smoking crack, snorting E and doing a myriad of other things, refuses to go to rehab and still managed to fug up the streets of London daily. Yet Heath Ledger managed to take one too many sleeping pills and ends up dead. The logic behind that one escapes me.

I think the thing that has bothered me the most was last night watching our local news which had a story about his death and on screen flashes a shot of a sea of paparazzi/reporters/news cameras and his dead body being rolled out on a gurney in a bodybag. It struck me as a very unnecessary thing to see. I mean, why do we need to see that? We know he's dead, let him be now. It just really bothered me.

I'm not normally one to get bothered by celebrity deaths, and it's not like I'm crying over this one either, but I'm just kind of feeling "meh" about it. Probably for a number of reasons not limited to the fact that he's the same age as me and he wasn't a complete trainwreck like a number of other celebrities out there. I guess it's just another lesson in "life's too short" and a reminder to make the best of it while we can.

On a completely separate note, obviously this site has been lacking with the updates lately. I blame a lot of it on Twitter where it's easy to post a little update and be connected to friends. Also partially to blame is the fact that running updates end up being pretty boring to probably everyone except me. So I've decided to try to bring this back to just a random everything goes kind of deal. See if that helps at all.

Still alive, still running

2007-11-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

It's been quite some time since I've written here. Not because I fell off the running/training wagon or anything, I just haven't had a lot of extra time. Or really the desire to sit down and write.

Anyway, I managed to finish the C25K program a few weeks ago and now I'm working on running for an hour. I was going to do a One Hour Runner training program that is available at coolrunning.com but I decided instead to do my own thing. I'm adding an additional 5 minutes to my runs each week. Currently I'm up to running for 40 minutes and it's going well.

Yesterday I had the best run I've ever had. I was totally in the zone, my stride was great, I was running fast and breathing well. I don't know what my mileage was because I was inside at the track and 19 and a half times aound is a mile and I just didn't feel like keeping track. It was really nice and relaxing and by the end I wasn't even feeling out of breath. Honestly it was a dream run for me.

I'm still running three times per week and still doing the bike as well. I know that soon I'm going to have to start swimming, but I'm really putting it off. I am just not looking forward to it at all. I haven't swam in years, in fact I don't even own a bathing suit. I'll probably end up taking some swimming lessons at the Y, to start. I suppose I'll have to make a point to look into that.

I think I should get a book on triathlon training, that will probably help me get in the proper frame of mine and come up with a good training plan.

Two Weeks Left

2007-10-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm almost done with the C25K program. I probably say that a lot, but seriously I was one of those people who absolutely HATED running. I tried a few times to get into it, but I really over did it and just tried to go out there and run and got frustrated when I couldn't make it for more than a few minutes without feeling like my lungs and heart were going to explode from my chest. Over the past two months I've learned to enjoy running and look forward to it on most days.

I have decided that once I'm done with C25K I am going to move on to another running plan. This one will be a One Hour Runner plan, where over the course of 10 weeks I will slowly increase my running time. So by the middle of January I should be running an hour, or 10k-ish (depending on my speed). Once I'm finished with that I think I'll start working on improving my speed. Then it'll be on to the swimming and biking (the latter I'm not overly concerned with, it's just that damn swimming that I am not looking forward to at all).

I've got some new toys to play with today on my run at the Y. See, the track at the Y is pretty small, which in some ways is nice, but it makes it rather difficult to keep track of how many times I go around. To reach 1 mile I have to go around the track 19.5 times, so when I'm doing nearly 3 miles that's a lot of counting. So I bought myself a tally counter that I'm going to try to use to keep track. It came in the mail yesterday and it's small enough to fit in my hand comfotrably enough and it's pretty sturdy. There's no real chance that I would click it by accident. Hopefully it'll work well. I've also got some nifty new headphones that should fit me a lot better and not fall out like the lame ones that came with my ipod. I also bought a few books about running and have some new ways of breathing to try and some other tweaks to my form. I'm excited to get to the track today and try out all my new stuff.

Week 7 Already

2007-10-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm less than a month away from finishing the C25K program. When I first started I couldn't imagine running for 10 minutes straight, now I'm running for 25 minutes with no breaks. This week is the start of no more intervals. I'm actually pretty excited about it. I'm impressed at how much I can push my body to do things. A lot of it is psychological really. I just have to think to myself that I can do it, and I do. There have been times where I've been running and I've wanted to stop, but I think to myself that I'm 'halfway through', or 'almost done' and it seems a lot more doable.

Today the weather is supposed to be very pleasant, something like mid 60's, so I'm planning on going to the track and running outside for the first time in weeks. I do love running inside on the track at the Y, but I also miss the fresh air and the scenery. From one side of the track I have a great view of the city. I contemplated going for a run down Alki, but the track is half a block away from the Y, so it makes more sense for me to just go there. After I finish my run I'm planning on hitting up the Y for about 30 minutes on the elliptical. I've been using the bike before/after my runs, but I'd like to give the elliptical a try. Hopefully the cardio room isn't too packed.

My First Race

2007-10-16T13:34:00.001-07:00

I just signed up for the Jingle Bell Run on December 9th. It will be my first 5k run, and it should be a lot of fun. My co-worker and I are going to do it together. We're not going to try to go too fast or anything, but it should be fun and good practice. There are others coming up that I might consider as well, like the St Patrick's Day Dash in March.

The only thing about the Jingle Bell Run is that it's the Sunday between two Decemberists shows (The Long & The Short of It) at the Moore that I have tickets to. So I'll have a rather late night and early morning before my run. But, I figured I'd do it anyway.

I'm excited! Now I've got something in the more immediate future to look forward to.

Week 5 = Done

2007-10-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to go to the gym tonight. I think one of the best decisions I've made recently is to join the YMCA. Granted I've only been there three times since signing up, but they've totally been worth it. It's nice to have an indoor track to run on, and the cardio room is nice too. I'm going to have to explore more of their classes at some point, but for now I'm happy where I am.

Last week was week 5 of C25K. I can't believe I've been at it for over a month now. I am impressed with my progress. Saturday I ran for a full 20 minutes without any walking. I was kind of unsure whether I'd be able to or not as I remember running for 3 minutes a few weeks ago was rather difficult. I read a lot of the coolrunning.com message boards in regards to Week 5 Day 3, and everyone said that it's more psychological than anything. So I took that with me as I headed to the gym Saturday morning. I decided that instead of listening to my podcast, I'd listen to my own music and go at my own pace. I made a pact with myself not to look at my watch until I felt I was at least halfway through my run. When I checked it I'd been running over 10 minutes! It felt good. I also made sure to pace myself. I can run pretty fast if I want to, but I didn't want to run out of energy halfway through and have to walk. I made a point to push myself during the last few minutes of my run, which made it even better.

I'm looking forward to my run tonight. It's back to intervals though. I actually think I prefer running for a longer period of time than doing intervals. It seems like when I slow down and walk for awhile I lose my momentum. I do understand that it's better to take it slow though. I don't want to do too much too soon and end up hurting myself. Today it's run 5 mins, walk 3 mins, run 8 mins, walk 3 mins, run 5 mins, shouldn't be too bad. I think before I'll do about 20 minutes on the bike or elliptical. Last week I did 20 minutes on the bike before running, except day 3 when I did the bike after my run, as I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to run the full 20 minutes.

Next on my list if to get a heart rate monitor or watch that I can clock my laps on. I was trying to do it in my head, but the laps at the gym are pretty small (19.5 = 1 mile) and I seriously lose track after awhile. Currently though I'm just running for time. Once I'm done with intervals I'll start running for distance. I'm hoping I can pull off at least 10 minute miles when the program is done. Maybe even a bit better by the Danskin, though I'm not overly concerned about racing, I still want to do well.

End of Week 4

2007-10-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here I am at the end of week 4, I can't believe I'm almost halfway through!

Last weekend on my last day of week 3, I started using the Couch to 5K podcasts from ullreys.com. I must say it's nice to be able to just listen to music and be told when to run or walk instead of trying to time it myself with a watch. I know there were times where I'd mess up when timing it on my own and I'd end up running too much or walking too little. With the podcasts I can just focus on what I'm doing and not worry too much about anything else.

Last Saturday I went for a run around my neighborhood. I've never actually spent much time walking around the area and it was interesting to see everything from a different perspective. I'm thinking that I'll probably do a run every Saturday morning. It was just so nice, quiet and relaxing. Even at 10am, there weren't many people out and about, or much traffic.

This week I made a point to finish my work on time on both Tuesday and Thursday and went for a run around SoDo. Tuesday's run was really good and the first time I ran for 5 minutes straight. I had plenty of energy and pushed myself and did well. Thursday I didn't do quite so well, though I ran when I was supposed to. I just didn't have much energy and I think I might have had some fruit a bit too close to my run because I kept getting side cramps. I felt like I could have done a lot better, but I am happy that I managed to finish my run.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow to my last day of Week 4 and my run around the neighborhood. I'm also planning on checking out my local YMCA this weekend, as they have a special going on right now where the joining fee is waived. They have everything that I'd want in a gym from an indoor track, to pool, to triathlon training groups. I think it would be helpful to have somewhere to run when the weather turns significantly colder and wetter.

Update

2007-09-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't end up running last Sunday, I did it on Saturday instead. I ended up heading over to Lincoln Park for the last day of Week 2. It was decent, nothing much to report. I did my 90 seconds run/90 seconds walk without incident.

I wasn't planning on running again until Tuesday, but Monday I just had the urge to go so I went over to the West Seattle Stadium track and started Week 3. Week 3 is run for 90 seconds and then walk for 90 seconds and then run for three minutes and then walk for three minutes X 2. It was actually a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, but I think I was actually running a bit faster than I should have been. The three minutes is supposed to be 400 yards (or 365 meters) and as far as I know a lap around the track is 400 meters. Well, in my three minutes I was able to go slightly more than one lap around the track which leads me to believe I was going a bit too fast. Towards the end of the three minutes of running I was definitely feeling it and had to tell myself "just another 30 seconds" and count down. I did feel good once I finished though.

I was thinking of running yesterday, but in all honesty I hadn't had a day off from working out since the previous Wednesday, so I figured it would be a good idea to take a rest day. It was a really nice day out yesterday though, which would have been nice for running. Today I'm hoping to get done with work on time and head out at 3:30. If for some reason I can't do that I'll most likely head over to the track or Hiawatha Playfield again. I like running at the track though, it's kind of boring running in a circle, but there isn't much chance of some kid or dog running out in front of me like at the park.

Thursday Recap

2007-09-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Thursday's run up and down the street outside my office was the best so far. The sidewalk was fairly new and large. It was very luxurious. I ran the 90 seconds and walked the 2 minutes with no problem at all. I think part of it was that I didn't have to be on the alert for kids, dogs, bikes or anything else that might get in my way like at Lincoln or Hiawatha Playfield, there was no one around. That's part of the fun of working in an industrial area. I think I'm going to bring my running gear with me to work and see if I can manage to squeeze a run in before picking Shawn up. I know most days it won't be possible, there are times that I have to work a few minutes late, however if I can get one or two in every now and then I'll be happy.

Today is a complete rest day. Yesterday I came home and did some yoga which was nice and relaxing. I'm actually contemplating taking a Bikram Yoga class once a week or so, maybe on Fridays this winter. I think it might be good for my muscles from running. Also, it would probably be nice and warm when the weather gets cooler. That's one thing that drives me nuts is that even with the heater on and all, when the weather is cooler it takes my muscles a lot longer to warm up when I'm doing yoga. Maybe I'll just do a "drop in" class before I consider making a commitment.

My plan for tomorrow involves waking up at a decent hour and getting my run out of the way. I'm thinking the earlier I go the better it will be. If I can get to Lincoln park at a decent time, there probably won't be so many people around. Or maybe I'll go give the West Seattle track a try.

Week 2

2007-09-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I started week 2 of my Couch to 5k program at Lincoln Park. Before heading out for my run I did about 20 minutes of some cardio DVD that I have because I had some time to spare. I'm not sure if that was the best idea as my legs were feeling it a bit already when I started running. You wouldn't think that running for 90 seconds as opposed to 60 seconds makes that much of a difference, but it seemed to be a little more difficult. Which could be because of the cardio I'd already done, or the fact that I was running directly into the pretty steady wind for a good part of the 20 minutes. It took a bit more work, but when it was over I felt really good. It was warm down by the water (even though it was windy as all hell) and it was just a nice day.

Today I'm hoping to go out for Day 2 of Week 2 at about 3:30 when I get off work. Shawn doesn't get off work until about 4pm which means most days I've got some time to spare. I figure if I head to the bank during the day and head out for my run right at 3:30, I'll be done shortly after 4, just in time to pick him up. Then the plan is to go home and do a little more cardio and/or toning and do a nice, relaxing cool down. Getting the run out of the way will mean that I have more time in the evening to just hang out and relax, and probably practice my guitar. Anyway, I'm planning on running down the street by my office. My co-worker has run it before and she says it's not bad. The sidewalk is fairly wide and it's all pretty flat.

Week 1 In Review

2007-09-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

So I made it through week 1 of my Couch to 5k program. It all went pretty well. Thursday I headed out to Hiawatha Playfield right in the middle of West Seattle and ran the dirt track surrounding the soccer field. It was a little tough at the beginning just trying to get use to it all. Also, towards the end I started getting a cramp in my left side. I blame it on the energy drink I had before leaving the house thinking it would help my performance (which it did not). I was able to complete the 60 seconds jogging/90 seconds walking without much problem. I did spend a bit too much time worrying about whether I was running properly and how my feet were hitting the ground. Also, whether I was going to get hit by a soccer ball from the practice that was going on.

Sunday I decided to change things up and go to Lincoln Park where I ran the path along the water to the pool and back a few times. I don't know if it was because it was my second day, or the fact that the path was flat and paved, that I was next to the water, or something else, but that day was a lot easier. There were occasions in my 20 minutes when I ran for 90 seconds instead of 60. Let me tell you, it goes by fast. Before I knew it, my time was up. The only bad thing about that day was that my lower back was feeling kind of sore/tight from a bunch of walking I did around Kubota Gardens the day before in probably not the best walking shoes. Oh, and the smell of smoke from people bbq-ing. I don't know if there's anything worse trying to get a breath of fresh air and inhaling bbq smoke instead.

Today I am planning on going back to Lincoln Park to start on my second week, where I will be jogging/running for 90 seconds and walking for 2 minutes. I am really looking forward to being done with work so that I can go change and get started. I've tried running in the past and didn't like it much, but so far this taking it slow and building up to it helps. I enjoy being outside and getting exercise, feeling the cool air coming off the water and just enjoying being there. It really brings me into where I am and I can pretty much forget about everything and just listen to my music and run.

Scratch that - Starting over

2007-09-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

I've decided to completely change my running/Couch to 5k routine. I've come across a new plan that just makes more sense to me. Not to mention, it should have me up and running 3 miles in 2 months instead of 4. I think the other plan, even though it was "aggressive" was more for someone who didn't do any type of physical activity to begin with. I have a good base of working out for about an hour 5 days a week and honestly, the idea of walking for 27 minutes and only running for 3 sounded a bit boring. Anyway, the new plan is still only 3 days a week and on the first day I'll be jogging for 60 seconds and then walking for 90 seconds, repeating until I reach 20-30 mins, in fact, that's what the entire first week looks like. The progression in this plan just seems to flow better, and like I mentioned before, it just makes more sense.

I'll be starting this program today after work. I've got my iPod shuffle (yes Jish I bought an iPod; you're welcome!) all ready to go with running music and I'm excited to get started. I'm thinking of starting on day two, just because I already did day 1 of the other plan, right?? I'm going to keep the training days the same as the previous plan of Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; they are my "normal" cardio days anyway.

I got properly fitted for running shoes yesterday at Super Jock N Jill in Greenlake. After Shawn consulted one of his friends (who spends a lot of time running) he suggested it instead of Road Runner. Since my friend suggested both, I figured I'd go with Super Jock N Jill. I tried on a bunch of different pairs of shoes and ran up the street a bit in each to see how they felt. I ended up with a pair of Mizunos that so far seem very comfortable. They have a bit of support, but not too much. They're a little less like "running on a cloud" than some I tried, but I prefer the stability these have. I'm going to see how they work for me today, and can always return them if they're not right.

Week 1 Day 2 Recap/Day 3

2007-09-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first day "on program" and it was pretty easy. I forced Shawn to join me on my little walk (by bribing him with an iPod Touch) which took us on some trails along the Duwamish, south down West Marginal Way and back. We walked for about 30 minutes (even though I was only supposed to do 25) and I would say about a mile and a half. We didn't walk all that fast, but enough to get the heart pumping a little. After the walk I went home and did about 35 minutes of some cardio dance dvd and a nice little 8 minute cool down/stretch. It was nice.

I don't know if I'm going to do the walking anymore though. Really it's not challenging at all, and it kind of feels like I'm wasting my time. I mean I know that I can walk for 30 minutes no problem. Hell, I'm sure I could have kept on walking for quite some time. Even Shawn said that perhaps walking was pointless. I do want to take things slow, but not too slow. I think I might jump into week 3 of Phase 1 where I walk for 24 minutes and run for 6. I think Thursday I'm going to head over to the track in West Seattle that's by my old apartment and give it a try. If it's too much, I'll cut back. If it's not enough, the next time I'll pick it up. I think I'll just follow the plan loosely, and hopefully I'll be able to get it over and done with sooner than I expected. Maybe even in time for the Jingle Bell Run.

In other news, I think after work I'm going to head over to Road Runner Sports and get properly fitted for some running shoes. I have a number of pairs of running shoes, but in all honesty I've never been properly fitted for them. I want to make sure that I do everything I can to ensure that my running experience will be a good one.

Today is a rest day, so nothing going on in regards to exercise. I honestly can't wait to get home and just sit back for awhile.

Week 1 Day 1 - CT5K

2007-09-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of my aggressive Couch to 5K program, and it involves no walking or running. Yay! However, just because according to the program it's a rest day, doesn't mean I'm not going to do anything. I will be doing my normal Monday routine which involves about 20-30 minutes of upper body weights/toning and about another 30 minutes or so of yoga. Mondays normally involved some yoga or pilates, but since I did some cardio/pilates yesterday, I've decided today will be yoga. I don't want to work the same muscles two days in a row (though I've heard conflicting theories on whether it's "okay" to work abs every day, better safe than sorry I say).

Tomorrow is the actual start of the program where I will be walking 25 minutes. This will not be a problem in the least. I'm sure that I could get away with not doing the first week at all and jumping right into the second, where there's a bit of running. However, I want to take this slow to decrease the likelihood of getting injured. I'm sure I'll end up supplementing my walking with some cardio at home later.

I'm excited about this program and hope that I end up enjoying running. I've been wanting to run for quite some time and have tried it on a few occasions, but it's never worked out. Maybe taking it slow will help.

Sometime this week I have to go get properly fitted for some running shoes.

One Year

2007-09-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have given myself one year to get in shape for the Danskin Triathlon. I'm in pretty good shape now, I work out at least 5 times a week. I do yoga, cardio and strength training. However, I do no swim, bike or run. I will have to start from the beginning on all those areas. Granted I know how to ride a bike, and that's the one that worries me the least. I honestly think that swimming will be the most difficult thing for me.

I am planning to start by doing an aggressive couch to 5k program, which should get me running by the beginning of the year. I'm quite happy that I live somewhere that the weather doesn't get too drastically cold in the winter. If it gets too tough running outside in the winter though, I might consider finding an indoor track, or joining a gym. However, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I plan to supplement my couch to 5K program with my normal yoga, cardio and strength training. I think once I start running more, I'll decrease my amount of cardio and keep up with the yoga and strength training/toning. Once I've got the running under my belt, I'll really start the triathlon training.

I've decided to do the Danskin because I work out a lot, but I'd like to actually accomplish something by doing so. I mean sure, working out keeps me fit, but I want to say, "yeah, I did a triathlon". I don't really care about how well I do, I just want to finish it.

This is my journey.