Sunday, December 20, 2009

Thoughts from Weekend Runs

Saturday's 4.5:
  • Oops! Forgot to lotion my legs.
  • They really should put a sidewalk on this side of the street. This grass is gross.
  • I wonder what they do at this particular Dell building.
  • How many uses are there for a tape measure? Apparently not enough for this one on the sidewalk.
  • What makes white cows white?
  • Oh boy, I hope those birds don't poop on me, although it is supposed to be good luck...
  • If I had a backyard, I would maintain it...probably.
  • Sometimes, I wanna run forever...
Sunday's 7:
  • Must look cool, must look cool, must look cool...
  • I bet this water bottle is making a lot of noise. Blissfully, my iPod prevents me from noticing.
  • Less strollers, please!
  • I always forget how nice the view is under MoPac.
  • Rowing? Perhaps.
  • Why can't I be turning around at this bridge? Or this one? Or this one?
  • Hills suck.
  • Hey dude, there's a door on that bathroom...
  • So that's what GU tastes like!?! Very...gooey.
  • When's it gonna kick in?
  • There it goes! Whoosh...
  • My knee does NOT like this downhill.
  • Wow, Mozart's Requiem sounds great whilst running under a canopy of bare trees. LOVE IT!
  • Wet dogs wet dogs wet dogs
  • Yo, Rottweiler...
  • Sometimes, I just can't run forever, but, man, that GU may have changed my life...
Other than running (and thinking), I baked up a mad storm this weekend. I made Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies twice, and Triple-Chocolate Cookies (America's Test Kitchen) once. Not all for myself, but for different occasions. I may or may not also may have ingested quite a bit of cookie dough and white chocolate in the process, but that's an occupational hazard. I'm normally not a baker (just a cook-er), so it's been kinda fun having my apartment smell like sweet delicious goodness. Tomorrow will be a rest day (from running--sadly, not from work), then back to it on Tuesday. On Tuesday or Wednesday I'll be going to my parents' house, so I'll get to enjoy the flatter terrain...and cope with humidity (oh South Texas). There's allegedly another cold front on the way, so that should be nice. I'm really enjoying this whole "winter" thing we're having this year...

Saturday, December 12, 2009

So, About that Half...

I did it! I was way slow (so slow, I don't think I'll mention my time), but I finished! It was super-humid and kind of warm for November; so warm, in fact, I'm not sure I'll do another long fall race, since Texas falls tend to be temperamental and you never know what you'll get (apparently, the 2008 Rock n' Roll San Antonio was extremely cold and rainy). But anyway, I made it, and learned some lessons along the way.

The day before the race (Nov. 14), my dad drove to my place, and then we drove together to San Antonio. My mom and brother were also supposed to go, but, in true teenager fashion, my brother remembered he had a band function at the last minute, so my mom stayed home with him (nerd). When we got there, we first went to the expo at the Alamodome to get my race packet. This was my first full-blown expo experience, so it was a little overwhelming. At one point, I remember kind of turning around in circles in place, trying to figure out where to go (with my dad laughing at me, of course). I did manage to score various granola bars, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Subway lip balm (???). After that, we checked into the hotel, which was really nice and connected to the Riverwalk (I've always wanted to stay in one of the Riverwalk hotels!). We then walked downstairs to get lunch/dinner at about 3. We stopped at a Mexican place along the river, with lots of other race people (there were expo bags everywhere). I got enchiladas and was pretty full, and didn't really eat for the rest of the day (which I would come to regret the next day). We walked around the Rivercenter mall for a little bit, then went back to the hotel and chilled for a little while (Dad napped with the remote, so I had to watch football and read magazines). I then laid out my race gear for the morning (I decided on a short-sleeve shirt and shorts, though it would be in the 50s in the morning), including my iPod, took a shower, and went to bed (meaning I got in bed at about 9, but fell asleep about 11, and proceeded to toss and turn all night).

Race day (Nov. 15)! I got up at 4 and got dressed. I wasn't really nervous, but mostly because I didn't really know what to expect. I just knew that I'd be running for a substantially long time. My dad got up with me and walked me to the shuttle stop, which was a few blocks away. I got there at about 5:15, and the line was already pretty long. However, it magically doubled as soon as I got there! I still wonder how all those people got to the race on time. The shuttle ride was about 10 minutes, and then we had to walk about a mile to the race start area, which was a little annoying. However, there were porta-potties everywhere! So that was a good thing. :) Once we got to the start area, I got a bagel, a banana, and a bottle of water, and sat down for about an hour. I still wasn't particularly hungry, and only ate half the banana, but maybe that was just nerves, or over-caution. Then I went to the porta-potty (the lines were pretty decent, from my limited experience), came back and sat down some more. The race was slated to start at 7:30, so I went over to my corral (22) at about 7:10. A mistake! Since I was so far back, we ended up standing there for about 45 minutes before we actually started, and my lower back started to hurt (as it does when I stand still for a long time). But, at about 8:15, corral 22 finally got to the start, and we were off.

Now, to be honest, the race itself has become a bit of a blur in the past 3 weeks. I ran for the first two miles (through downtown, so the crowds were out and it was pretty exciting), then took my first walk break to preserve energy. The first water station was at about mile 3 (maybe? I'm not sure). I made sure to get a little water at every station, just to keep myself hydrated. I remember thinking that the course was awfully flat for San Antonio (they weren't lying when they said "fast and flat" on website), and we ran through several neighborhoods. It wasn't the most scenic route, but it was relatively flat and there were several residents out cheering us on.

Around mile 6, I think I started walking much more than I wanted to. I was starting to get a little worn down, and the sun was rising in the sky. It was probably almost 70 degrees at that point, and still humid, so it wasn't so great. I tried to run as much as I could, though. Around mile 9 or 10 it got pretty tough, mentally. I remember thinking that I just wanted to stop moving. Propelling yourself forward for 13.1 miles is kind of intense, much more so than I realized. My back was still hurting from standing so long at the start, and I'm sure salt was starting to show on my face (I discovered this particular physical phenom after my 10 miler the week before). The thought of stopping definitely crossed my mind, but I knew I could finish, even if I walked the rest of the way. Somewhere between 11 and 12 we split from the full marathoners, and I remember feeling soooo sad for them, and wanting to give them hugs (delirium, anyone?). However, we also met up with the super-fast marathoners who were almost to the finish, so that was inspiring/annoying. They were also handing out GU at this point. I kinda wanted to take some, but I've never used it before, so I didn't want to risk a stomach upset. At mile 12 we got wet sponges, so away went the salty face. Finally, the Alamodome was in sight, and after an annoying uphill right before the finish (wtf?!?) we were done. Medals, water bottles, wet towels, get your picture taken, get some snacks, and there you go. I found my dad, and we rushed (or, he rushed me and I hobbled) back to the hotel so we could make our check-out time. Some friends of mine had come to watch me, and had seen me finish, but I wasn't able to meet up with them because of the checkout business (if you're reading this, thanks again guys!!! Love you!!!).

Now, I'm 98% sure I fainted sometime after I got back to the hotel. Though I did get some snacks in the after-race area, I didn't really want to eat anything (I have a really hard time eating after I run). My dad was trying to take pictures of me with my medal, and I remember feeling light-heading, breaking into a cold sweat, walking into the bathroom, closing my eyes, opening my eyes, and being on the floor. I got my dad to bring me some sports drink, after which I felt a bit better. I've had these pseudo-panic attacks a few times before, but usually only after someone tells me a really intense medical story (once it happened when someone was telling me about a graphic ski accident). But this is the first time I've lost consciousness. But, I was able to take a shower, pack up, and make it out by checkout time (you're welcome, Dad :-p).
We drove back home, got barbeque, and then my dad left. I think he had a great time being a spectator, for once. ;)

Overall, it was a great first major-race experience. I definitely learned that I need to eat something the night before, even if I'm not particularly hungry. I also shouldn't go stand at the start too early, since it will wear me out a little. And, in the future, I will probably take off my headphones near the finish line. I couldn't hear anyone calling for me, though my dad and my friends said they did. :-D

Since the race, I laid off running for a little bit, but I'm back at it because I'm kind-of, sort-of, maybe training for something in January. However, I'll keep mum on that for now since I haven't actually registered. I went for a super-chilly run on Thursday, for which I regret not wearing gloves, but which was also one of the best runs I've had in a really long time. I'm also trying to focus more on my overall fitness and working on the strength-training business. Although I'm still losing weight (though my grandmother made a point of telling me not to lose anymore at Thanksgiving :-p), I definitely need to work on toning. Tonight I'll hit the gym for some cross-training, and tomorrow will be a long(ish) run.

So, yup, there you go. Epic-ly long post, but epic updates too. :)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Allow me to Reintroduce Myself...

I'm currently in the midst of my half-marathon training, about to start week 8. This weekend, training took on the form of a 10K, specifically, the Run Austin Run 10K (there was also a half-marathon and a 5K). I'd run the 10K distance before, but not in a race, and it was only my 3rd race ever, so I was interested in the outcome. The race was slated to start at 7AM on Sunday morning, so I got up at about 5:15, got dressed, ate a banana, got my stuff together, and drove to the race site. Now, here in Central Texas, we are actually having a fall this year (which we rarely ever have--it usually just sort of stops being hot sometime in November), so it was quite chilly. Chilly enough for me to endlessly debate with myself the previous day about whether or not to wear a long sleeve shirt. After talking to my dad (the uber-runner--and running purist), I decided just to wear a short sleeve shirt, since I would definitely warm up once I got going. Once I parked my car, I sat inside for about 30 minutes because I didn't see any point in standing around being cold for an hour (it was about 55--not cold, but chilly enough for our neck of the woods). About 25 to 7, I got out, put on my race number, reluctantly took off my jacket, and walked over to the starting area.

The start of the race was to be staggered--the half-marathon would start at 7, the 10K would start at 7:10, and the 5K would start at 7:15. However, the police officers working the route ran into a few delays in securing the route, so the half didn't actually start until about 7:15. So, I actually stood outside for about 45 minutes before the 10K actually got going. I put myself towards the back since I know I'm fairly slow. For about the first half mile, my feet were kind of hurting since we had been standing so long prior to starting, but that went away after a little while. Though I started at the back, I managed to begin picking off people that started too fast, so that was kinda fun. At one point, I think I passed a girl I knew in college who was doing the half marathon. However, I really hadn't seen her in about 4 or 5 years, and only knew she had taken up running due to that great bastion of social networking known as Facebook, so I didn't really want to say anything in case she thought I was a weird stalker or something. And I didn't want to slow down and talk (I might send her a message today and mentioned that I saw her and congratulate her).

So, the first 3 miles went by pretty well. I felt good and had warmed up, so I was glad I hadn't worn long sleeves. However, at about mile 4, we got into a hillier, residential section of town. I kind of expected the hills, but didn't really think they'd be that bad. Ha. I do most of my training on relatively flat routes or on the treadmill, so I haven't really dealt with hills too much. But these definitely made me walk more than I wanted to. There was one steep downhill that my knee definitely wasn't happy about. And it didn't help that cars were zooming around us in the neighborhood. I guess they didn't appreciate having a race course on their streets. :-p But there were a few folks outside cheering, so that made up for it.

Once we exited the neighborhood and headed for the last stretch, I remembered someone saying near the race start that it was supposed to be downhill. NOT. It wasn't brutal hills like those in the neighborhood, but it was definitely a steady incline. I ended up running a good portion of the last couple of miles with a lady pushing a stroller. She mentioned she'd never run this far with a stroller, so props to her! I'm sure she would have finished way ahead of me without it. Right before she crossed the line, however, she took her kid out of the stroller and they crossed together--I assume it was adorable, but I was too busy gunning for the line to see it. :-p Overall, my pace was slower than I wanted it to be, but I'll attribute some of that to the hills, and some of it to my slacking-off-in-training (which I'll talk about later). After they cut my chip off, I went in search of water, but couldn't find any (wtf?!?). So I grabbed a random protein drink and headed to my car, since I had brought water with me. It's probably lucky that I left when I did, since it started to pour shortly after I arrived back at my apartment. Very unfortunate for the half-marathoners. I took a quick shower, dressed, and headed out to a brunch with some friends who gave me all sorts of kudos for the race. :-D Then I went home, made chili, and vegged out on the couch for the rest of the day.

I had all sorts of outcomes from this race, other than the soreness in my glutes and hamstrings from those hills. A major thing I learned is that I need to be more focused on my training. A confession: I've been slacking off a bit during the past few weeks--and it definitely showed during the race. It would have been great to been able to tackle the distance with fewer walk breaks, and consistent training definitely would have helped with that. Training has been starting to feel like a bit of a chore, but now that I have a gauge of my current fitness level, I feel excited about where the remainder of my training will take me. I now understand the importance of completing the four weekly runs in my plan (especially the long run!), and also need to work on strength and resistance in both my lower and upper body (those hills!).

I also found out that I enjoy racing. Not necessarily being competitive, but running with other people who have the same goal as me. It inspires a sort of, "We're all in this together" feeling in me, which is fun. Normally I just trudge along on my own, but it was great to be out there with other runners, and not just fitness buffs at the gym. I'm looking forward even more to RNRSA, especially to the camaraderie I'll get to experience with thousands of other runners and spectators. Running really is a community.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Making Room for Real Life

The week before last (first week of August), I managed to get in my first double-digit week in a few months. Sad, yes, but I take my little victories as they come. I was on track to continue the trend last week (in preparation for my half-marathon training that starts next week), but alas, life got in the way. I planned to do 3 miles on Friday and 4 on Saturday morning before my fam came into town. However, not long after I got up on Friday, I found out that one of my friends had been hit by a car the previous night and was in the hospital. She fractured her sternum and left kneecap, and may or may not have done something to one of her upper vertebrae. Luckily, the car was only going about 15 mph at the time, so she wasn't hurt worse (remember guys: be careful walking home at night!). She's at home now and seems to be feeling a bit better, and her mom flew in to be with her. Needless to say, most of Friday was spent in the ER waiting room, and Saturday I slept in.

Later Saturday morning, my parents arrived to drop of my brother while they took a weekend trip to nearby Fredericksburg for their anniversary. Now, my brother's 15, so I suppose he could have stayed home alone, but would you trust a 15 year old boy to stay home alone? Not this one, I wouldn't. :-p So I played the nice big sister and we hung out at the mall and got pizza and ice cream for dinner. Somewhere in there I managed to sneak to the gym to crank out 4 miles on the treadmill. Not as terrible as it sounds, since I broke it into three segments: 2 miles, water break, 1 mile, water break, 1 mile. However, my knee wasn't too happy at the end, so I made sure to ice it afterwards. It's still a little cranky today...

Yesterday, my brother and I got breakfast at a pancake place and I had this epic green chiles and swiss cheese omelette that had to have been made with about 5 eggs. I ate half, along with 3 pancakes, and I was pretty much full for the rest of the day. Though, later in the day, I did have a bag of Sun Chips. My knee was still bothering me yesterday, so I didn't do anything. I'd rather let it rest than aggravate it and have to sit out for 2 weeks.

I've mentioned this before: I'm not a morning person. I've decided to give running at sundown another try this evening, just to see if I can tolerate the heat. It seems to be about 95 around sundown. Although it is nice running in the morning when it's cooler, I'm not sure I've been feeling this alertness you're supposed to feel from getting your physical activity in before your day starts. Mostly, I'm just tired. So, I plan to set out around 8:30 PM for 3 miles, to test my heat tolerance and my cranky knee. If the heat's too much, then mea culpa, and it's back to 5:30 AM (at least until late September)!

So...though I didn't maintain the double-digit base last week, I was able to be there for a friend in an emergency, and I definitely think that's more important. You have to remember to stop and make room for real life, and just be grateful to have the ability to run when you can.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Motivation and Four-inch Heels

So, I seem to keep losing motivation to run on Saturdays, when I've tentatively scheduled my long runs for half-marathon training. Everything's fine during the week, but then Saturday comes and I have no desire to get out of bed, let alone run in the morning. If I only had to do a short run that could be done on a treadmill later in the day, I don't think there'd be a problem. Or if it wasn't like the surface of the sun by 8AM, and I could just run outside later than 6... I guess I'll keep working on the scheduling of this training business, and we'll see how it works out. This week I'll either do my long run on Wednesday or Friday, with Saturday as cross-training. We'll see...

I was going to run this Saturday, but ("what had happened was...") my Dad was in town buying me a new car (!!!), and I figured I'd just stay in and make pancakes for him. After he left, I thought I might hit the treadmill at the gym, but...yeah. You get the picture. Later that night, I went out dancing for a friend's birthday. I haven't been to a club in ages, so I was kinda of excited to get all dolled up--which happened to include a rather fierce pair of four-inch heels. It was a fun night, with lots of hip-hop, dancing, and perhaps a few too many drinks. Since it had been so long since I'd been out to a club, I'd forgotten that my feet feel fine while I'm groovin', but the pain kicks in as soon as I slow down. Actually, it wasn't too bad, but I did decide to let my feet (and my knee, which also probably has a beef with the heels) a rest. Not to mention the fact that I didn't get home 'til about 3:30...

This week got off to a good start with a nice 3-miler this morning (would have been nicer if that lady's dog had been on a leash--who walks their dog at 6AM?!?). This week, I'll concentrate on getting my miles in before the weekend to avoid the end-of-the-week malaise.

How do you stay motivated during the weekend, when the temptation of laziness (or greediness?) sneaks up?

Thursday, July 23, 2009

So I lied...

...about using the Runner's World beginner's half-marathon training plan. After doing a bit more research, I decided that I liked Hal Higdon's Half-Marathon Training Plan for Novices (like myself) better. It's still 12 weeks, but it's rather simplified and flexible, allowing you to focus on mileage. I don't get to start until August 24, so in the mean time I'm working on building my base and cross-training.

In my inaugural post, I mentioned that I developed runner's knee back in February. Due to financial reasons, I was never able to have it treated by a physical therapist, so I've just been kind-of working through it on my own. For the most part, it rarely hurts anymore. But, as I've been upping my mileage, I've been noticing a twinge every now and then. Not enough to stop, but enough to say "hey, I remember what that feels like...it sucks." Hopefully strength training will help my quads become stronger, which will in turn help to support my knees. I don't want to be 25-going-on-75.

This morning I did 2 miles on the treadmill at Gold's while listening to the Runner's Lounge half-marathon podcasts. Wasn't sure how I'd do listening to people talk whilst running, but it didn't seem to pose a problem. And gave me something else to think about other than "in 2, out 2." Tomorrow I plan to do my "long run" of 4 miles, though I haven't decided if it'll be at the lake or near my apartment complex. Then, on to Nordstrom's! SALE!!! Lucky I got those gift cards for graduation...

Monday, July 20, 2009

There's No Turning Back...

On Saturday afternoon, I finally did it. I took the plunge. I signed up for the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon on Nov. 15. Holy cow! I'd been playing around with the idea for a couple of weeks, and had pretty much made up my mind to do it, but I just hadn't made the commitment and signed up. Then, on Saturday afternoon I was messing around on Facebook and saw someone's status message, which noted that the Aramco Houston 1/2 sold out in ONE DAY. I knew that the RNRSA was prone to selling out (though maybe not in such epic times), so I just decided to go ahead and seal my place. I put my estimated time as 2:30, so hopefully I can make that happen. My family plans to come and cheer me on (we've spent years doing the same for my dad at marathons), so that should be fun. It claims to be "fast and flat," but San Antonio is kind of in the Hill Country, so we'll have to see about that. Luckily there are plenty of hills around here to train on, just in case.

I've decided to largely use the beginner's plan outlined in this month's Runner's World. It's a 12-week plan and consists of 2 or 3 easy-moderate runs during the week, with a long run on the weekend, and 2 days of crosstraining and one rest day. This is about what I do right now, so it shouldn't be too difficult to officially call it training. The long runs start with 6 miles, but I'm not quite there yet (the longest I've gone is 4), so I'm starting out with 4 and I should be at 6 by the time the 12 weeks starts in August.

I was at my parent's house this weekend because my mom treated me to a spa day on Friday(!). She got a manicure and I got a pedicure, then we both got massages. Not a bad way to spend a Friday afternoon. ;) Later, we pick up my brother (in all of his 15-year-old perpetual summer laziness), went to Chili's, then went for ice cream. That morning I'd gone for a nice two mile run through our neighborhood (where I was spotted by one of my dad's coworkers, who later mentioned that she'd seen me--I think he got a kick out of that), so I felt ok about my ice cream treat. I can never feel too bad about ice cream...

I meant to go out on Saturday morning (and on Sunday morning, for that matter), but my body wasn't feeling it, so I went to the gym yesterday when I got back in town and got on the elliptical for a while. This morning I guess I started training (ooo, doesn't that sound hardcore), and went for 2.5 miles. It felt pretty easy, and there were a few other people out. Pre-sunrise really is the only good time to do anything outside right now, IMO. It was kinda windy, but the wind did feel really good. I was planning on going to the gym tomorrow for cross-training, but since I'm taking Wednesday off (hair appointment--don't want the sweat screwing with my relaxer!), I think I'll do another morning run tomorrow.

Let the training begin!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Traditional vs. Circuit

I recently received an email from Gold's for a free PT session, so I went in today to use it. I wanted to see if I could learn anything about using the weight room and performing exercises using free weights. However, like the last trainer I worked with, he showed me how to do a circuit. He assured me that it would burn fat quicker than doing traditional resistance training, which involves doing 2 or 3 sets, then moving to a different exercise. As in the circuit that the previous PT demonstrated for me, this circuit involved small bursts of cardio. I'm sure I would have appreciated this more...had I not already done 25 minutes on the elliptical prior to the PT appointment. We did about 8 different exercises, doing one rep of each, moving quicking between each exercise, and did the circuit 3 times.

Overall, he was helpful, and did show me how to do a barbell squat (though I had to ask him), but I still really wanted to work more with the free weights and learn how to do traditional resistance training. I don't really see anyone in there doing circuits on their own, so are circuits truly where-it's-at? It makes me wonder if the trainers are supposed to tell all the free clients the same thing, then maybe cater more to their requests once they become paying clients. Or maybe I'm just thinking about that too hard. Conspiracy!

Anyway, I've been reading a couple of resistance training books geared towards women. The first, New Rules of Lifting for Women, gives you specific exercises to do in specific stages. The other book, Sculpting Her Body Perfect, recommends three different stages, but gives you a number of exercises to choose from in order to design your own routine. You do your whole body three times a week, using one exercise per area of the body. At the moment, I'm leaning towards Sculpting to get started, and maybe continue on with NROLW when I become more comfortable in the weight room.

I'm visiting my parents in the town where I grew up, so I'll get in a couple of runs on FLAT ground, which will be nice. I'll also get to run through our neighborhood, which is always an adventure, and kinda nice. And maybe, after these runs, I'll announce something BIG! Whoosh! Such a tease...

Monday, July 13, 2009

Catch-Up

Stating the obvious: it's been a while. I keep thinking of things I'd like to say in a post, then neglecting to actually post them. I'm real lazy about the Internets (I often forget what I mean to do immediately after sitting down to my computer). Here's what I've been up to:

  • Went to the beach
  • Went to New Orleans to visit family (and eat a whole lot of seafood)
  • Due to the obnoxiously high temperatures as of late (consistent 105s, anyone?), have largely moved my running indoors--which I will address shortly
  • Have stopped eating bread daily (except for the occasional whole-wheat bagel)
  • Have started having smoothies for breakfast and soup or tuna for lunch
  • Am trying to eat more vegetarian dishes (hello, lentils!)
  • Weights!
I'm not a morning person. But, I do like working out in the morning. It's much less crowded, it's cooler outside, and I like not having to think about working out throughout the day. So, last week, I mainly went to the gym in the morning. It was nice, and would have been nicer had I been able to get more sleep at night (I've always been a bad sleeper). I ran on the treadmill or used the elliptical, and did weights, then came home, showered, and got ready for work. Hopefully my internal clock will adjust itself and I can sleep better, so I can continue this business. It's not like I have to study or anything... :-p

I live in Texas. It's hot. It's always hot in the summer, and I accept this, but this is the first summer I've had to try to run around said hotness. It's even gross in the morning. I made an effort up until about a week into June, then decided to move indoors, not unlike our Northern friends do in the winter. It was alright for a while, but last week I realized how bored I get on the treadmill after about 20 minutes. There's TVs and everything, and the treadmills at Gold's are on the second story, so you get to watch people weightlifting (which is always a hoot), but it still gets old. And when I get bored, I tend to get tired, which leads to me quitting early...no good. So this morning, I decided to venture out for an easy jog, just to see if I could handle it. At 6, it was about 78F and not too humid. There was even a breeze (!!!). I was slower than usual, but I chalk it up to waking up my outside legs (much different than my treadmill legs). So...I think I'll try to get outside at least 3 times a week, especially for a long run, and continue cross-training and doing weights at the gym. Weights!

So, I've been thinking about doing something, running-wise. It kinda depends on how this week goes, but I've mostly made my mind up. But more on that another time. :)

Monday, June 8, 2009

Gold's Gym and 4 miles (finally)

On Friday afternoon, I finally made it over to Gold's Gym to start my 1-week trial. Well...it's a gym. Lots of strength training equipment and tons of cardio machines (which are upstairs and overlook the weight machinces--kinda cool), a decent-sized pool (with a sauna!!!), a basketball court, a few classrooms, a spinning room, and a smoothie bar. There's also a "Cardio Cinema," where they play movies on a huge screen in a darkened room while you do your cardio. I think this would be a little unnerving, because it's really dark in there and I'd be afraid I'd fall off a machine, in my typical clumsy style. I'll probably try it out one day, if I like the movie they're showing.

So, I got the tour from this dude who seemed more interested in trying to be super-cool (and flirty?) than actually telling me about the joint. Luckily I asked lots of questions and forced him to do his job (what a novel idea...). He also kept trying to get me to join that day instead of doing the week trial, which totally defeats the purpose of a week trial. I held my ground and signed up for the week trial. If I'd been a different person, this guy might have turned me off of the whole place. But I wasn't there to deal with sketch dudes, I was there to work out.

The next day I had a free session with a personal trainer, which more than made up for dealing with the sketch dude. This guy seemed to know his stuff and was able to give me tips on working off the last 10-15 lbs. He suggested that I eat less complex carbs, like cereal and bread (I eat cereal most days and bring sandwiches to work on whole wheat bread), and drink smoothies in the morning. He also suggested I incorporate resistance training into my workout regimen and showed me some exercices that I could make into a circuit. He was able to answer all of my questions and gave me very helpful advice regarding nutrition. I thought I was doing ok in that department, but there's always room for improvement. He then scheduled me for a follow-up visit for this Friday.

I had a friend staying with me this weekend who is a hardcore foodie, so there was lots of good eating and socializing to be done. Even so, I committed myself to finally getting in those 4 miles on Sunday morning. I got up at about 7 and set out. It wasn't hot, and it was cloudy and breezy, which made for a pretty nice time. I started out slow and took breaks periodically to avoid early fatigue. Even so, I hit a mental wall at about the halfway point. I think this was because I was doing 2 laps of a 2-mile loop, and I had to pass in front of my apartment complex, which made me just want to quit and go home. However, I took a walk break and continued on. For the rest of the time, I did a 5:1 run/walk breakdown which really kept me from getting really tired. I probably could have gone on another mile doing this, which is good to know for when I do go another mile. So...hooray! I went back to my apartment, ate cereal (I think carbs are kinda necessary post-run--I'll save the smoothies for the non-running mornings), stretched, showered, and went to church and lunch with my friend and her uncles.

This morning, I made my first smoothie with banana, frozen strawberries, skim milk, yogurt, and a little bit of protein powder. It was really (really) thick, so maybe less yogurt, more milk next time. For lunch, I brought one of those soup cups and my usual apple and yogurt. I also brought some carrots as an afternoon snack, so I won't starve until dinner. After work, I'll hit the gym for cardio and maybe do some of the circuit exercises. It will be interesting to see how things work when it's full of the post-work crowd.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Schooled.

Ah, life lessons. And I thought all that learning business was over and done with after graduation last week. Silly me...

On Saturday, I woke up and drove to Lady Bird Lake with the intention of running 4 miles--my longest distance to date. Well, actually, I was going to use more of a Galloway "run/walk" approach, since I didn't want to wear myself out too early. I left my apartment at about 8:20ish and got to the lake at about 8:45. I munched on half a Clif bar on the way, and drank some water when I got there. Although it was only about 9:00, it was already 80 degrees, sunny, and kinda humid. However, since it was an hour earlier than my last (failed) attempt to run at the lake in the sun, I figured I'd be alright. WRONG.

I decided to do the Pfluger pedestrian bridge/I35 loop, which is approx. 4 miles. It also takes me along Riverside Dr., which leaves the immediate proximity of the lake and follows the street. I started off just fine, even after taking a wrong turn and ending up on Congress. However, when the trail veered off onto Riverside, I about fell over.

Problem 1: no shade (or not much). For some reason, I have a real problem running in the sun. Since I started running in November, when it was much cooler, it hasn't posed much of a challenge up to now. But since the temperature has started its rapid and sadistic yearly rise, I'm having trouble finding a good time to run. The last time I ran at the lake, it was about 10AM. The first half was fine, since it was in the shade. On the second half, however, I hit a wall on Cesar Chavez (not literally, but it probably would have had the same effect). I really think I need to just invest in a good hat. Or run earlier. Or in the evening. But more on that later.

Problem 2: Hills! But that's Austin. I need to get over that (no pun intended--or maybe it was).

So, I hit Riverside. And walked. Didn't get to 35, but turned around and headed back into the shade. Once I got back by the lake, I felt better and was able to run back to my car. Overall, I covered about 3.5 miles. Not 4 miles, but I'm ok with that.

Last night, I went out about 8PM to do 3 miles, as part of my plan to increase my mileage this summer. For this 3 miles, I just planned to do 2 laps around Dell. So, I started off great, saw a few other runners also trying to dogde the sun and heat, and generally felt good. I hit my first mile at 11:00 minutes, which is fast for me. So I slowed down a bit, but I knew the damage had already been done. At the halfway mark, I pooped out. I walked for about 5 minutes, ran a little more, walked a little more, then ran home at a pretty nice pace. 2.5 miles. Boo.

So, my lessons learned?

  1. Get a hat.
  2. Run before 8AM, or after 7:30PM (until about October).
  3. Don't start out too fast (which I've been doing lately, and I really need to work on).
Tonight I start a trial week at Gold's Gym, since I can't go to campus anymore. I need to incorporate more cross-training and strength training into my routine, especially since I've got more time now (outside of job hunting...). Check back for a report on that.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

One year, 67 pounds later...

A year ago yesterday, I was bored and decided to go to the gym. Because it was Memorial Day it wasn't crowded. I did the elliptical for 20 minutes and the recumbent bike for 20 minutes. Then I went to Central Market, went home, and made curry.

Fast forward 366 (or 367-wasn't it a leap year last year?) days: I ran 3 miles this morning at 6AM. It was kinda trippy (almost literally) because I didn't wear my contacts or glasses, on the suggestion of my Dad. I thought I almost ran into a curled-up snake, but on closer examination it was just a dead bird. I stopped once, so my time was a little slower than my usual turtle pace, but I was ok with it. And I got back in time to not be late for work.

This past year hasn't been easy, but it also hasn't been nearly as hard as I thought it would be, as I had told myself it would be for many years. At the beginning of last summer, I set out to lose 10 lbs. I enrolled in a twice-weekly aerobics class at the university, and went to the gym twice a week. Though the aerobics class was challenging, I enjoyed moving, sweating, and feeling like I was doing something. The university gym was nice because it was summer and only a fraction of the student population was on campus. Thus, no lines for machines or general crowded-ness. So...I set out to lose 10 lbs. and I lost about 20. I went down at least one dress size, and when I went to visit family in August, everyone commented that I looked a little smaller. Success for part 1.

When school started again in the fall (the second year of my master's program), I re-enrolled in the aerobics class and continued going to the gym twice a week. I also decided that, after the aerobics course was over in early November, I would start running. And I did. A friend lent me The Runner's Handbook by Bob Glover, which has great plans to get started and to increase your mileage. Slowly, I built up to running 20 minutes, then 30. Then I developed runner's knee mid-Februrary, which sidelined me for a couple of weeks. I considered going to a physical therapist, but it just wasn't feasible on my grad school budget. So I just iced and ibuprofen-ed (and still do), and slowly started adding distance again. I continued to lose weight and inches. On Saturday, April 18, I competed in my first 5K. In the rain. Which wasn't so bad, though I smelled like a wet dog afterwards. Two weeks later, I ran the Schlotzsky's Bun Run 5K with my Dad, who has been running for 30+ years. We definitely ran faster than I would have alone, but I'm happy with that because now I know I can push myself further than I thought I could. Later this year, I plan on training for and completing longer races.

During this time, I've also worked on nutrition. I don't count calories, but just pay attention to what I eat. If I've had a big lunch, then maybe I'll just have a salad for dinner. I still love sweets, but only really eat them if I'm not at home. I don't buy ice cream, cookies, or candy from the store. This way, I view a sweet as a special treat to be purchased individually (no more Chick-fil-a shakes!). I've largely switched over to whole wheat grains, and I eat fruits everyday. Overall, I think my strategy has been to just eat less of things, and not stress and nitpick about what I eat. Otherwise, I'd overthink it and sabotage myself. I do allow myself treats, but in moderation.

So, here I am. One year and 67 lbs later. Sometimes I think that it's sad that I had that much weight to lose (and still more). But things happen, life happens, and you work through them and do what you need to do to thrive. I've learned many things over the past year:

  • Exercising and weight loss is 90% mental. I think everyone has to overcome whatever mental road block they've set up for themselves in order to be able to commit to any type of plan or program. For some reason, the "physical activity roadblock" switch got turned off in my head a year ago, and I've been able to commit to my goals moreso than previous attempts.
  • You really have to do what works for you. What works for me probably won't work for everyone. Some people really need to count calories or exercise with someone for support, so if that works for you, then go for it. My introvert tendencies lead me to prefer working out or running alone. That's just what works for me. If you choose to follow a plan, such as Weight Watchers, or South Beach, or Biggest Loser, don't be afraid to alter it and make sure it works for your pace and progress level. Otherwise, you could become discouraged at not making some prescribed goal.
  • Concentrate on being healthly, not being cute or thin. I've got diabetes on both sides of my family, so I knew that I was going to be a matter of when, not if, I was diagnosed if I didn't do something about it. I was also beginning to have trouble with my joints from carrying around so much weight on a 5' 3" frame. These aren't problems that one should be facing at 25 years of age. Once you're on your way to health, the weight loss will follow.
  • What's the hurry? It took me at least 7 years to put on all this weight (probably more), so I'm in no huge rush to take it off. While I do have a goal weight in mind, I don't have a goal date. I'll reach maintenance when I reach it.
So, the world according to Ari. Check back for further updates on my running progress (20 miles/week by the end of the summer), culinary efforts, and general musings on life, the universe, and everything (now that I've graduated and have time to muse on such things...).