Sunday, January 31, 2010

Weekend

Saturday-Ran 2.5 miles, walked 2 for a total of 4.5 miles in 1 hour, 1 minute. It was just about the same difficulty as Monday (really hard but not impossible), which I was happy about considering I had a 5 day gap between runs and I was just hoping it wouldn't be any more challenging. I had a lot of energy for the rest of the day-I work as a waitress on Saturdays and all of my coworkers was asking how I was still so peppy after a very busy dinner rush haha. Some random observations from my gym experience:

-The man on the treadmill next to me smelled awful! I mean, I understand you wouldn't shower before going to the gym or anything, but still. Maybe some deodorant or something would help? I almost moved treadmills but I only had about 10 minutes left so I tried to breathe through my mouth and toughed it out lol.

-On the way home from the gym, I have to take this road that has 1 lane in each direction for ~5 miles. The lady in front of me was going 20mph in a 30 the whole time...annoying!

Today: Did strength training today. Got a nice workout in, mostly abs with a bit of arms and legs.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to run somewhere between 2.5 and 3 miles depending on how I'm feeling.

Friday, January 29, 2010

The past few days

Tuesday-Didn't feel like running, so I walked 3.5 miles instead. I figured it was better than nothing. Slumdog millionaire was the movie they were showing in the cardio cinema part of my gym and I could've stayed and watched it and kept walking, but unfortunately I had to go to work.

Wednesday-Had a med school interview in NYC. Didn't do any formal exercise, but lugging 2 bags and a suit around the city was hard work! My shoulders were even sore yesterday from it haha.

Thursday-Didn't do any exercise, had a sore throat and slight fever:(

Today-I feel slightly better, but still a little under the weather so I decided to take the day off, get a good night sleep, and go running again tomorrow.


Heather-That link is great! Those poor people though, some of those injuries sound so painful!!

This Post is for All of the NYRs

"Going to the gym in January is like going to the mall on Black Friday, to the bar on New Year’s Eve: It’s amateur hour." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35127528/ns/health-fitness/

Thursday, January 28, 2010

New Shoes Are No Fun

New shoes have to be broken in. Lesson learned.

Tuesday I ran 3.5 miles and the arches of my feet are not happy about it. The run went well - I ran 3.5 in 34.01, which I'm ok with. I ran with my friend Juan, who I work with. He used to do track and field at University, so it was kinda an awkward run for me because I was running hard and he wasn't even breaking a sweat!! It was really nice to run with someone, though, especially because he ran with Larkin and I ran with Buddy. It was a luxury to only have to deal with one dog!

Yesterday, my roommate Siobhan and I took our usual Wednesday step class at the gym. It has started to calm down a little bit, although Siobhan said that Monday's body pump had so many people that they had to share weights. She discovered something awesome on Monday, though. The studio where the classes are held has (wait for it) A BACK DOOR! You can go through this back door without being stampeded by New Year's Resolutionists!! HOORAY!

Step class was good, although my arches were still bugging me. I think my cardio is getting better because I usually die in that class, but yesterday I felt alright. I may not have been pushing as hard as I usually do, though...I'm not sure!

Today I'll be running 3.5 again and then I'm meeting a friend for dinner at my favorite pizza place! Fun =)

Today's Miles: 3.5
Total Miles: 38.5

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The past few days...

I haven't updated in a few days because I have been super busy with wedding planning things - Nick and I sent out our save the dates and did our registries this weekend. Scherenid, I hope you get yours! I wasn't sure how much postage to put on a letter to PR!

Reorganizing my schedule worked out alright for me last week. Friday I decided to do a quick 2 mile run (19:18) instead of having a rest day. Because of that, I was able to take Saturday off from working out. Saturday we did all of our registering stuff, which was exhausting in itself. I was glad I didn't have to work out too!

On Saturday I also went and bought new running shoes because mine have been giving me blisters on my second toe and my heel. I was thinking mine might be worn out - I've had them for about 7 months or so. I love this little running store out where Nick lives called Charm City Run. I went to buy new shoes from there and the girl who sold them to me sold me 9.5's! I usually wear a 7 or a 7.5. She said that for running shoes you want to be able to push your thumb down on the fabric of the shoe and not touch your toe. I bought nice running shoes too with my Christmas money from my Grandpa. Thanks Pop!

Sunday I ran 5 miles in 51.03! This is the longest run I have EVER done and it wasn't too bad. My heels and toes felt better in my new shoes, but they definitely need to be broken in, because my arches have little blisters on them now. I ran the 5 miles at Nick's house in Baltimore and let me just tell you how strange it was to run on hills!! So much more tiring!! I need to keep doing it though, because the half marathon we are running is near Baltimore, so I'm sure it will be hilly. It was like 40 degrees and misting when I ran, but it wasn't too bad. It was strange to actually see other people while I was running, but I guess that'll happen when you're in a suburban area!

I'm sad to say that it was a really nice break to run without any dogs. Today I plan on running 3.5 with just Buddy. This way, I can focus on dealing with his issues. Nick said that he heard from a vet that the salt on the roads can really hurt a dog's pads. He thinks maybe this is why Buddy has been acting up. Buddy always runs on the pavement, and his pads are probably getting dried out. I'm going to watch out for it and look at his paws regularly. It shouldn't be an issue today, since we got a lot of rain over the past few days.

Friday's miles: 2.0
Sunday's miles: 5.0
This week's miles: 14.0
Total miles: 35.0

Monday, January 25, 2010

2.5 miles today

So before I talk about today, here's a recap of my weekend:

Saturday-rest day.

Sunday-strength day. Had a nice workout-my abs and legs were sore!

Today-I ran 2.5 miles and walked 1.75 for a total of 4.25 miles in 57 minutes. It was actually warm out today-55 degrees-but unfortunately it was pouring and windy so I couldn't take advantage of the rare winter warmth and run outside. I was talking to Heather yesterday and we decided that running on a treadmill often feels a lot harder than walking outside. First, because you can't regulate your pace as well since doing so would require pushing the button rather than just naturally adjusting your speed when you run outside. Also, when you run outside you actually go somewhere! Even though I have the TV on my treadmill, it can still get quite monotonous and I find myself staring at the clock. I'm excited to start running outside again and hope that I'll see some improvement once I'm able to do so.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Progress!:)

Yesterday was a strength day. Sadly, my orthodontist appointment took forever and I only had a half an hour at the gym, but I made the most out of my time and had a really good workout.

Today, I ran 2.25 miles and walked another 2, for a total of 4.25 miles in 58 mins. The best part was that I actually enjoyed the run! For the first mile at least haha. Usually I get tired almost immediately though and have to push myself to do the rest. I didn't feel nearly as tired afterwards as I have been and instead actually felt really good and energetic. I guess this is why people enjoy working out?

Some bad parts about today's wokout-1) I got my monthly friend in the middle...not fun! 2) When I went to take a shower afterwards, somehow I broke the shower rod and it completely fell down. The poor cleaning lady had to fix it. I guess I really must be getting stronger!:p

I've been doing pretty good nutrition-wise, except tonight I really wanted ice cream for some reason and couldn't stop thinking about it so I ended up having 1 scoop with chocolate syrup. It was delicious...so worth it!

Heather-Sorry Buddy's being a jerk. Tell him his Aunt Jackie is not happy with him and he needs to be better behaved so he doesn't become hot dogs!

Selling Buddy to the Hot Dog Factory

Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles in 34.24 but I had to really pick up the pace for the last half mile so I could finish in under 35 minutes. I'm really trying to keep my pace at a 10 minute mile (or better obviously).

The REASON I had to push so hard to make up time for my last half mile is due to my lovely mutt, Buddy, who decided to be a giant jerk for the ENTIRE run. I found his choke chain, so I had hoped that he would be behaved and that my run would be awesome. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. My lovely dog pulled me the entire way, barked and got aggressive every time he heard a dog, and decided it'd be cool to make three (count 'em THREE) pit stops while running. THERE IS NO TIME FOR PEEING WHILE I RUN!! NONE!! The little baby puppy understands this, but Buddy just seems to think rules don't apply to him! About half way through the run, Buddy started a fun new behavior - you'll really get a kick outta this one - he started charging every car that drove past.

So today, my shoulder is sore and I'm sending my dog to the hot dog factory.

I will be running alone today. Maybe he'll learn his lesson. But I doubt it...

This week's miles: 7.0
Total miles: 28.0

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Don't Judge Me But....

I didn't do ANYTHING yesterday. No training =( annnd to top it off I ate bad too! Now I'm trying to figure out how to reorganize this week's schedule to make up for it. I was planning on taking a step class at my gym at 5:30 yesterday. My roommate and I went to get our hair cut at 4:30 and didn't leave the place until almost 6! So, sadly, step class didn't happen. I decided to stop at the gym and run on the dreaded treadmill, but then I realized I left my ipod at work. Depressing. So, instead of working out, my roommate and I got beer and pizza. Yeah. GREAT substitution!! Oops!

Today I'm supposed to run 3.5 and do strength, but I am meeting a friend for dinner, so I won't be able to take the strength class I usually take. I'll probably just do some conditioning at home instead.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day, but I think I'm going to jumble the schedule around and do my long run (5 miles) instead. Then on Sat and Sun I will cross train and Monday I can be back on schedule. I swear, there need to be more hours in a day!

I don't think I posted for Tuesday, so I'll do it now. Tuesday I had a good run on a nice sunny day. I did 3.5 miles in 34.08 Not the best run, but I'll take it. The dogs were pulling a lot and I got frustrated!! I really need to find Buddy's choke chain!

That's all for now!

This week's miles: 3.5
Total Miles:25.5

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

1.5 today

I went to the gym today and topped out at 1.5 miles, I just couldn't run anymore than that! I walked another 2.5 for a total of 4 miles in just under an hour. I forgot to eat anything before I went to the gym this morning and definitely think that contributed to getting tired really quickly. I got a stomach ache again after I ran, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it has been so maybe my body's getting more used to everything. Also, my minor annoyance of the morning was that I wanted to watch The Today Show but for some reason the sound wasn't working on that channel, so I had to watch Let's Make a Deal instead haha.

Tomorrow will be a strength training day. I have a doctor's appointment at 9:15 and hope I'll get out of there by 10ish in order to have time to complete my strength circuit.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

1/19/2010

My training is going pretty well. I ran 2 miles again yesterday and was really exhausted during and afterwards. It's a little frusturating that no matter how much I seem to run, it doesn't really get much easier. I guess I just have to let my body catch up and slowly get stronger and more fit endurance-wise. I'd taken a month or two off from running and only started up again about 2 weeks ago. so I know it's silly to be worried about not making progress this early on. I hope in the next couple weeks I'm at least able to make it up to 3 miles fairly easily though, because otherwise when I start the training schedule the 4+ mile runs might actually kill me!

I took the day off today because a friend came up and spent the night last night, so I wanted to hang out with her until I went to work this morning. Tomorrow, I plan on running at least 2 miles, possibly more depending on how it's going.

Also, I apologize for the somewhat sporadic posting at times to anyone reading. My personal computer died and getting on the family computer is quite the struggle! I had to annoy my brother for almost 10 minutes tonight before he reluctantly agreed to let me have 15 minutes online haha.

Week 3 begins...

Yesterday was a nice 50 degree sunny day, so of course I strength trained. I've got to figure out how to adjust my schedule according to the weather! I could have switched Monday and Tuesday (run Monday, strength Tuesday) but, sadly, the gym only offers my strength training class on certain days. Sometimes there just isn't anything I can do. The strength training class was pretty good except for the girl next to me, who mistook a pair of under armour underwear for shorts. Let's just say I saw more of her than I wanted to see. I think I'm ready to add a little more squat weight, so I'm going to try that on Wednesday when I take body pump again.

Today I'll be running and there is not a cloud in sky. Hopefully it stays that way! It's so muddy here at the farm that I got to try out the 4 wheel drive on my new car. I'm so glad I had it washed on Sunday. It is now COVERED in mud!!!!

Jackie, how is your training going?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Running in the rain = no bueno

I have to recap about the last few days before I complain about my terrible run today.

Friday was my day off, and I even got off work by 4, so I had lots of time to relax, which I really enjoyed.

Saturday Nick, Siobhan and I went to the gym at 9:30am. Siobhan and I took a body pump class and it was great. It was crowded, but not as crowded at body pump normally is. I think 9:30am on a Saturday is just too early for those pesky NYRs. I had so much energy all day Saturday it made me wish that I could work out in the morning all the time. Unfortunately I go to work at 5:30am so that just isn't going to happen.

Today I ran 4 miles with the pups and oh man it was TERRIBLE! It was 40 degrees and POURINGDOWNRAIN. Let me just tell you how miserable it was. The first two miles wasn't too bad, aside from the cross wind blowing all the time. The dogs were funny in the rain. Larkin decided he was going to make it a point to run through all the puddles while Buddy focused on avoiding them at all costs. I almost tripped and died like 4000 times. It was funny to see all the crazy looks I got from the people driving past me. By the end of my run I felt that those looks were justified. After mile 2, the dogs were awful. Pulling and pulling and pulling. But then, I don't blame them I didn't want to run either and I wanted to get home as fast as possible too! Especially because at mile 2.5 the wind shifted and started blowing directly into my face, making it tough to breathe. And oh man, those raindrops hurt!!

I managed to push through the run and made it 4 miles in 39:21. Pretty excited I cut off about 40 seconds from my previous 4 mile time. WOO HOO improvement. Wonder how much faster I would have gone without the wind in my face!!

Jackie -sorry to hear about those darn NYRs. According to Nick most people give up on their new years resolution by Jan 17th...so that would be today. Maybe it will get better? We can only hope!!

Today's Miles: 4.0
This week's Miles: 10.5
Total Miles: 22.0

My NYR's rant!

So Heather had a rant about the NYR's the other day and I feel her pain. Today I went to the gym to do strength and they were everywhere! Most of them have no idea what they're doing and just kind of wander around and take up space. Then when you ask them if you can work in they tell you they're on the machine, even if they're just standing there not touching it! Thank goodness I wasn't trying to do cardio-every single machine was occupied (and there are a lot of them!). At least I don't have to deal with a crowded gym most of the time, since M-F I usually go between 10 and 11am when people are at work/in school.

The workout went pretty well besides that, I definitely think I'm going to feel it tomorrow!

Friday, January 15, 2010

1/14/10

Yesterday was brutal!!!

I ran 3 miles outside which was AWESOME because it was around 40 degrees out. How nice to run and not need 400 layers! The dogs were behaved and I improved my time a lot. Finished a little more than 3 miles in 28:39 with a 9:28 average mile. I'm really pleased with that.

I also went to the gym and took a body pump class. I added more weight for biceps, shoulders and chest and I am feeling it today!!! Good thing I have today off because I'm sore and I need it!

I signed up to run a 5K in Salisbury on February 6th. My goal is to finish the 5k in 27 minutes. This would take about 6 minutes off of my previous 5k time. It may be a bit of a lofty goal, but I think I am capable of it. I'm not sure though! I'd be happy with anything less than 30 minutes (because that is still a significant improvement). So, we'll see how it goes!

Happy weekend everyone!!

Miles Today: 3.0
Total Miles: 18.0

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Haven't been productive these last couple days...

So these last couple days have not been good training-wise:

Tuesday-Scheduled day off, rested and relaxed.

Wednesday-Woke up ready to go to the gym, only to come downstairs and find that I had an orthodontist appointment that I'd forgotten about. By the time I was done, I had no time to go to the gym before work and after work I was tired from taking care of a 4 and 6-year old (I work as a nanny) and couldn't make myself go. This made me really respect Heather going to the gym after her long work days! I know that being time restricted is a challenge I'll have to face next year when I start med school, so I plan on forcing myself to go next time even when I don't feel like it. Hopefully this'll start a habit of working in exercise even on days when I don't feel I have a lot of time for next year. I always feel great after I go, it's just initially getting there that requires some motivation haha.

Today-Did a little strength training, but I just wasn't feeling it and didn't put in all the effort I should have.


Tomorrow's a new day though! I'll be going to the gym tomorrow morning and doing the same length run I did on Monday-2 miles with another couple miles of walking.


Heather-That makes so much sense about the water thing. Hopefully my body'll get used to it and my stomach won't hurt anymore!

Steptastic!

Yesterday was a cross-training day, so I decided to take a step class that I used to take a lot at the gym. It's a guaranteed hardcore workout. It was obviously more crowded than normal thanks to the New Years Resolutionists (NYRs). Their behavior didn't improve at all from Monday, but I won't rant again (even though I want to). I do just need to say that whoever invented step aerobics did not invent it for black girls. These new girls in the class just COULD NOT pick it up. Here's to hoping they realize they aren't meant for it and don't show up again (they were extremely rude).

Step class kicked my butt wayyy more than running, and I think it was a good cross-training class to go to. I will probably keep doing it throughout my training. I left the class feeling really sick to my stomach though...I think I ate too close to working out. It's really hard to work out a schedule of when to eat because of work and working out etc.

And just fyi...I want a soda soo bad

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A Warm(ish) Day!

Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles in 35:08 and it was 34 degrees out!! Of course, I wore too many layers and got warm while running. I should have realized I didn't need a jacket and underarmour when it isn't 17 degrees! It was alright though, I just got hotter than normal.

I took both dogs running and it went alright until a giant salt truck drove past us. Buddy freaked out and tried to bolt while Larkin decided the best reaction was to sit and refuse to move. I felt like Stretch Armstrong! Other than that the dogs were pretty good. Larkin does like to randomly run in front of me so I'm sure at some point on this adventure he's going to trip me and I'm going to get road rash on my face. I'm just waiting for the day.

I haven't talked about it before - but I'm using my nike+ and my ipod to track how far I run. I seriously love this thing! I just put a little thing in my shoe and somehow it communicates with my ipod and tells me how far I've gone while recording my time. Pretty amazing if you ask me.

Also I think I want to put a daily miles/total miles count on my posts so, here it is so far:

Miles Today: 3.5
Total Miles: 15.0

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Rant about the New Year...

So. Yesterday I took my usual Monday evening strength class at my gym. Let me just rant for a second about all these "New Year's Resolutionists"(NYRs). It's not that I mind them being in the gym - they have just as much right to it as I do. What bothers me is how they are sooo rude and are constantly in the way. Plus, they're EVERYWHERE.

Yesterday's class was probably twice the size it would normally have been. That's fine. There was (sort of) room for everyone. One of the best things about my gym is that people are generally considerate. They pass back equipment and wait their turn to get something politely. They stand to the side out of the way when setting up their weights. BUT NO. These NYRs show up and start pushing and shoving to get their equipment. They stand right in front of the weight racks to set their stuff up. And to top it all off, they COMPLAIN through the class. UGH SUCK IT UP!!! And please, don't even get me started on how rude and pushy they are at the end of class. Didn't they pass kindergarten? Didn't they learn how to wait their turn? Apparently not!!! Can it be February yet?

Ok, rant over. Time to switch gears. Strength training. Yes. The class (aside from the NYRs) was great. We had a better instructor than last week, which is a definite plus. She actually walked around and helped with the technique. I added 3 kilos to my squat weight and still felt ok with it. I might add more next time -we'll see. I can definitely tell that I am getting stronger. In fact, I added about 3 kilos to my weight for every exercise (except for triceps...mine are ridiculously weak!)

Today, I'll be running 3.5 miles outside. Buddy is very excited about this. Me, not so much considering the cold...but I'll get through it!

Jackie - I've read that it takes time to get used to drinking water while you run, this could be the reason your stomach hurts...apparently it's really good to get used to drinking water as you go, so that on race day it doesn't shock your system. But who knows!

Monday, January 11, 2010

ran 2 miles today

On Sunday I did the same strength routine I did with my trainer on Wednesday. It was really hard, but I didn't get nauseous this time so that seems like a positive thing. My arms are sore again today but not nearly as sore as they were the end of last week...they were sore for 4 days after my Wed workout! I had a cheat day yesterday too and ate a bit more than I planned on at dinner. I had 4 fried potato pancakes that my dad homemade and they were just sooo delicious I didn't even care:)

Today I ran 2 miles at the gym in just over 20 minutes and walked another 2.25, for a total of 4.25 miles in just under an hour. I was exhausted by the end of it so I think I'm going to try for the same thing on Wednesday again and hope it's a little easier before I increase how much I run. Also, I got a stomach ache right after I finished that lasted about 2 hours. I'm not really sure what that means-did I not eat enough before? too much? eat too close to running? push myself too hard? I drank an entire 24 oz water bottle while I was running so I don't think it was dehydration. Oh well, hopefully it doesn't happen again but if it does maybe I'll try varying what I eat before my workout or not eating quite so close to my workout time.

Tomorrow I'm taking the day off, I'm planning on sleeping in an being a couch potato before work:)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

So, I've gotta group the last 3 days together into one post because I don't have Internet at home, so this thing just wasn't getting updated over the weekend.

Friday was my day off from exercising, so I just made sure to be really careful about what I ate. I also did kinda get a workout here at work placing my chicks. I was here until about 6:15, which wasn't fun at all. After work, my fiance met up with me and we got sushi for dinner. yumyumyumm!

Saturday I was planning on having a cheat day and didn't worry at all about what I ate. It's crazy though, because I didn't eat anything bad at all...unintentionally. I also went to the gym and did 30 minutes of cross training on the elliptical. SO BORING.

Sunday I did have a cheat day...I had half a sandwich from Panera (with cheese) and we had fillet and mashed potatoes for dinner. I also made a very healthy butternut squash soup that I think I could make a lot this winter!

I also ran 4 miles outside on Sunday and it went really well. I finished in 40:08 with a 10:02 average mile. I'm really excited that I kept my pace even though I added another mile. It was fun to run a little bit further up the road and see what all was there. I ran past a really cute house with a little horse farm. Of course, they had a dog so Buddy went ape-shit. Maybe that's why my time didn't get worse...since I ran faster to avoid the dog.

Today I'm taking a strength class at the gym. I'm so glad it isn't a day for running because it is 17 degrees outside!!! SO COLD!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

ran 1.5 yesterday

So yesterday at the gym I went 4 miles total-1.5 running at 5.5mph and 2.5 walking at 3.6/3.7mph. It took me just under an hour and I wasn't quite as dead as when I ran a mile earlier in the week. I'm taking the day off today, then tomorrow I'm going to do the same strength circuit as I did Wednesday with my trainer, then Monday I plan on running 2 miles. I'm hoping to build up to 3 miles by the end of next week, then have a few weeks to get accustomed to running 3 miles easily and try and increase my speed before I start to increase my mileage.

On Wednesday when I was talking to my trainer about nutrition, I told her that I'm never hungry for breakfast when I wake up in the morning. She told me that means my metabolism isn't working properly, which is an interesting explanation I'd never heard before. After eating a small meal every 3 hours the past couple days, I actually woke up hungry this morning so that seems like a good thing! I'm definitely going to continue eating something small every few hours and trying to add more fruits and veggies into my diet.

Friday, January 8, 2010

3 Mile Thursday

Yesterday I ran 3 miles outside. It was way windy, which made it a lot less fun to run. I also took both the dogs with me. I could only find one choke chain so I got an arm workout as well (from trying to control pulling dogs). My first mile went great but as soon as I hit a mile I had to stop to take the choke chain off my dog and put it on my roommate's dog. Then, when I hit mile 2, Buddy decided he was done running and sat down, slipping his collar. After I caught him and put his collar back on, the last mile went great. I felt like I could have easily run a mile or two more (we'll see Sunday - I have a 4 miler...) I only added 2 minutes to my time, which I think is pretty great considering all the interruptions from the dogs.

So recap ... today 3 miles in 32.04

Note to self, buy another choke chain if I'm going to run with both dogs again. I think I will though because I got so much love from both dogs all night after I got home!

Also, for anyone reading...when you see a runner on the road DO NOT speed up and drive like you're aiming to hit them and turn away at the last second. This happened to me yesterday and it really scared me. What was this guy thinking!?!?

I woke up this morning to 3 inches of snow on the ground, so again I'm glad its my rest day because I'm not sure how running in the snow would go. It might be fun, though. Who knows?

Thursday, January 7, 2010

SO sore!

So I did not go running today, I'm so sore from working out with my trainer yesterday that it hurts to raise my arms or sit up after being reclined in a chair! I'll go running tomorrow morning though-my legs actually aren't that sore so I should be fine.

Food wise everything has been going pretty well these past couple days. I'm trying to eat something small every few hours and make little changes towards making my meals healthier, like limiting salad dressing or choosing a fruit instead of a brownie. It feels good to be focusing on improving my health:)

Day 3 = death!

Yesterday was a tough workout for me. I had to change up my plan because the gym changed the class schedule for the new year. They took away the bodypump class on Thursday, which means I can't do strength the way I want to on Thursdays. I will now be doing cross-training/strength on Wednesdays instead of Thursdays.

I did the same lifting class I took on Monday and then I ran a mile and a half on the treadmill. Let me tell you...that mile and a half was like 5 million times harder than the three miles I ran 2 days ago. I also died a little inside because my roommate got taco bell for dinner and it smelled soo good. But I abstained - and it sucked.

Today I'm running another 3 miler outside. I'm trying to decide if I can handle Buddy and roommate's puppy while running. Not sure if I want to risk it but her puppy is a really good dog so I think it would be ok...I'll let ya know tomorrow what I decide to do.

Looking forward to Friday being my day off from working out. I'm glad for it because it looks like I will be at work until at least 7 Friday night, and who wants to be in the gym Friday at 7:30? Not this kid!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

worked out with my trainer today

So for my birthday, Heather and our other friends got me 3 personal training sessions at the gym I go to. I had one of the sessions today and she kicked my butt! She worked me so hard that about 45 mins in I felt nauseous and had to take a break, but then I was ok after that. She said my strength has improved since the first time I saw her which was 3 weeks ago, so I'm happy to see some progress. As an added bonus, she weighed me at the first session 3 weeks ago then again today and I lost 3 pounds. Definitely an accomplishment considering xmas and new years were right in the middle of that stretch!

She's also been making me record what I eat, then today she graded me and gave some suggestions. Some things I'm supposed to work on are-eating within a half hour of waking up, eating every 2.5-3 hours even if it's something small, and adding a fruit or veggie with each meal.

I plan on running again either tomorrow or Friday depending how sore I am. I'm hoping to run 1.5-2 miles and walk another 2-2.5. Unfortunately, I live in an area of the country even colder than Heather and it hasn't reached 25 degrees in weeks now. I plan on running on the treadmill until it at least reaches mid-30's since I hate running outside in the cold. Hopefully this won't affect the training program too much.

Day 1...done

Sooo yesterday I ran 3 miles in 33 degree weather. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The cold kind of just made it so that I couldn't really feel my legs. I finished the 3 miles in just under 30 minutes. I was even able to sprint the last quarter mile.

My dog, Buddy, needs to get better at running without stopping to pee. Maybe he will learn as we run outside more frequently (can dogs run a half marathon or is that too far for them to run?...I wonder).

It has been 6 days since my last soda. Boy do I miss it.

Today I'll be cross training. I haven't decided if I'm going to take my usual step class @ the gym and be forced to deal with all the new years resolution people or just go in and do the stair stepper for the recommended 30 minutes. Decisions, decisions

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

First Day of Training...

Yesterday was my first day of training too...but I am already up to running 3-4 miles comfortably, so I decided just to jump into the training. This way, if I hit a wall and feel like I need to slow down the training schedule, I have the cushion to do so.

On the training schedule, Mondays are for stretching and strength. Normally, on Mondays I take a lifting class at my gym, so I didn't have to change anything from my normal routine as far as exercise goes. After the lifting class the gym offers a yoga/Pilate's type class that I am planning on adding in to my workout routine once I recover from the holidays. I didn't have 2 hours to spend at the gym yesterday after working 9! Especially since I haven't done laundry in who knows how long...

As far as eating goes, Jackie and I are really trying to work on our diets because it makes a big difference, according to a lot of people we have talked to who have run half marathons and marathons. My biggest challenge is going to be giving up soda and foods that are easy (aka freezer food). I think the eating part of this will be easier for me than it will be for Jackie because I live alone and am responsible for all of my own food choices.

Today, I'm going to run 3 miles outside in the 28 degree weather...it should be interesting.

Monday, January 4, 2010

start of training

So today I started pre-training in order to be ready for the training schedule we plan on beginning in early Febuary. I walked 2.5 miles and ran 1 mile on the treadmill at 5.5mph...and was exhausted! It definitely made me realize just how much work I'll have to put in to be ready to run 13x further in just 4 months.

Heather and I also plan on eating healthier in order to help our bodies be able to train the most effectively. By limiting fat and getting proper nutrition, it'll go hand in hand with our exercise program. I'm living with my family this year and know that'll make it harder to achieve this goal since my dad often cooks unhealthy (but delicious!) dinners. Tonight's menu was chicken parm with pasta, bread, and salad. I avoided the bread, limited the salad dressing, and ate a reasonable portion size so hopefully it wasn't too bad for me...and I even avoided chocolate chip cookies that were made for dessert!:)