Not much to say...

Week 4, Run 1: 4mi in 35 min.

Not much to report. I almost made excuses and didn't run, thinking I would be hurting from Friday still, but I did anyways and it was totally fine. I pretty much do that every morning-- fight it for a moment or two. My calf muscles are a little tight, though, so I guess I need to work on strecthing more. I keep meaning to get into yoga, but it's hard to find the time.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to do my long run on a convenient day this week, since I'm helping my sister move on one of my days off, but I should be able to figure it out somehow. Those six miles felt really good, just to know that I can do something I never thought I'd be able to do. To a lot of runners, six miles is nothing, but at the beginning of this summer two miles were my limit. I've come a long way and I feel good about it.

Ugggghhhhh

Week 3, Run 4: 6.37mi in c. 1:07

Oh, baby. I did do my long run yesterday, 6.3 mi to be exact, and it was really hard. But I did it, without stopping, so I now I know I can. I thought my knees would hurt from running the two days prior, but they were fine the whole time... until now! This morning, they're KILLING me!

That being said, I'm glad I did my long run on my day off, because my muscles were tired for the rest of day and it would have been tough to stand at work. I will make that a habit from now on!

And now I have to go to work. Happy Saturday, normal people.

Getting a strong core

Week 3, Run 3: 3.22 mi in 30:00 min.

Whew! The knees are hurtin'.

I had an easy 5k run on the treadmill this morning, after finally doing some weights. My old swim coach (as in childhood, from when I lived in Maryland) is the Fitness Manager at the gym I now go to in Philly-- small world, eh? When I first joined, he set up a weight plan for me, and I do it sporadically at best. Yesterday he got on my case about it, so I promised I'd start doing it for real.

Realistically, I really should. Strength training will help me with running, keep me toned, and it's something to do while I'm waiting to digest my breakfast instead of watching TV at home. :) So I tried it this morning, and I'm feeling good.

I have the day off tomorrow, so if my knees aren't hurting too much, I'm going to try to do my long run. Sunday's was great, but going to work afterwards and standing/running around for 8 hours was not an easy feat by any means. Anytime I run before work, my lower back kills me the rest of the day.. but the more I run, the worse it is. Naturally.

Well, time to hop on the bike and go slice bread! We've all got to earn a living somehow.

When I grow up, I want to be a runner!

Week 3, Run 2: 4.28 miles in 37 min, n/incl CD

After my 5.4 miles on Sunday, I had planned on resting Monday and running Tuesday.. but you know, shit happens. And it did. So I rested both days, which resulted in me feeling incredibly lazy by the time night time rolled around, so I was pretty eager for a run this morning.

I had a pretty decent 4 mi. treadmill run. It's funny, because I think I'm beginning to feel like a runner. I'm not there yet. My sister EmLit is a runner, and both of my sisters are so inspiring to me. Someday, though, I would like to think of myself as a "runner", the way I now think of myself as a "musician" (that one was a long time coming!).

I also weighed myself today and found that I am almost 2 lbs. heavier than the weight I had gotten to earlier this summer through dieting, but I think I'm more toned, so I'm not going to worry about it. As they say, "Eat to run, don't run to eat!" I'm running because I love the way it makes me feel, I love the energy it gives me, and because I want to have a healthy anchor for the rest of my life.

Looooong

Week 3, Run 1: 5.4 miles in 51 mins (9:28/mi)

First off, didn't run yesterday. I don't feel bad about it, because I actually hit the 4 run mark w/out running yesterday, and that's progress enough.

This morning, I had been planning on doing my "long" run, but wasn't so sure if I could do more than 4 miles outside. It was really nice out, though-- nice and breezy, pre-storm weather, and actually under 80 degrees! Amazing, I know. So I mapped out a route down to the Schuykill river and along it for a bt that equalled 5 miles total, and then I went for it.

The first half was really hard, and I all I could think about was how hard the run back would be. But once I reached the river and was treated to the cross winds, I found some hidden energy and perked up a bit. I felt like I was running really slow, but that was okay. I'm still a beginner. I used to live right around there, and last summer I ran along the river every day-- now that's a great place to run! Running further and further is like a reward for your efforts because the farther out you go the prettier it is.

On the way back I ran up the steepest hill so I could get it over with quickly, then settled down into a slower pace. It was then that I realized why the way out was so hard: it was all uphill! The second half of my run was all downhill and such a breeze that I tacked on an extra .4 miles and ended up finishing in 51 minutes.

And boy, did I stretch.

And eat a great lunch : see?

And now I'm going to work with a nice amount of endorphines, on a lovely rainy Sunday, feeling very proud of myself for sticking through that whole run. That was my first 5 mile-straight run in my life.

:)

4 runs at last!

Week 2, Run 4: 4.04 in 35 min (n/i CD)

Once again, I woke up too late too run this morning, but I did make it to the gym this evening for a run. It's a funny thing, walking through my 'hot-spot' neighborhood at 8pm on a Friday night to go to the gym. Everyone is out and about, mid schmooze-and-booze, and here I am, in my gym shorts and running shoes. I always go back and forth about whether or not I like my neighborhood. I guess I'd rather live next to a less trashy night-life area, but you can't win them all. And it is nice to be within walking distance of everything I need (really, everything).

Good run at the gym, and a little self-congratulatory pat on my own back for successfully completing 4 runs this week. I decided not to focus on XTing since I ride my bike 3-5 days a week and that is XTing. If I'm up to it after work tomorrow (a morning shift! yay, actually!) I plan on doing a quick 2 mile run to make up for my shorty on Monday.

Until then, imaginary friends!

What does coffee really cost?

This morning, I had Phil wake me up when he woke up (I had instructed him to not let me talk him into letting me sleep again, so I didn't even try to) at 7:30. I ate breakfast, drank coffee, and watched an episode of Gilmore Girls.

I had 2 cups of coffee, and I was still dozing off come 8:45 (15 minutes before my scheduled run). What's up with that? Am I really so addicted to coffee that 2 mugs does virtually nothing anymore? Or could this be a result of me running and not properly fueling myself? I know I get enough of the basic stuff, i.e. protein, fat, fiber, etc. but I don't really pay much attention to my iron intake or various vitamins. I'm going to start taking that multi-vit, I really am, and maybe that will make a difference. I wish people actually read this so they can give me advice.

Anyway, I moved my lazy butt outside and started my run, which I had mapped out using my training log from RunnersWorld.com. I thought 4 miles outside was a little ambitious, since that's my treadmill limit and I've only run outside once this summer (Sunday) and it didn't go well. Today, however, started out well, probably because my neighborhood is pretty and I recently discovered a whole area that I'd ever been before down Front St. There was a little path surrounded by flowers for a good 4 or 5 blocks-- nice! I baskd in "nature" for a moment or two before veering into the dirty city which we all know so well.

I really do hate running past smokers. I don't blame them at all, in fact I blame myself for mapping out a course that goes through one of the busiest areas of the city. But dare inhale next to someone enjoying their morning fix, and your throat immediately constricts. Ah well, lesson learned. Or maybe it wasn't really that bad.

Anyways, despite dirty Philly, I ran the full 4.1 miles. I didn't think I was going to make it at the end, but I found hidden strength and pulled through. Yay for me.