Tag Archives: running

An injury?

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Well, I’ve been ignoring some pain in my right foot for about a week. I thought it was getting better, and perhaps it was and the interval training has aggravated it again. It usually only bothers me when I’m sprinting; or if I walk more than a hundred yards in flats or shoes without support; or if I’m bending the toes to do push-ups, planks, or lunges.

I keep debating whether or not to see a doctor, but I’m not the type of person to run in at the smallest thing. Whatever the problem is -stress fracture, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, etc.- unless it’s bad enough to need surgery (it’s not), the treatment at this point would be the same: take it easy. So that’s what I’m doing. If I’m careful for 2 or even 3 weeks now, I can still pick up my half marathon training in time. Will I do as well? No, but I should at least finish. That’s better than nothing.

This brings me to a couple of dilemmas. First, I’d just upped my calories. Now that I’m doing less cardio, I’m going to drop my calorie limit again, at least this week. But how much? I keep hearing never go less than 500 under your BMR. Okay, but what if you’re still lifting weights to gain muscle?

Second issue: no cardio. Next week I should have access to a swim center, so I can get some cardio workouts there. I’d like to try the elliptical machine at the base gym tomorrow, and see if my foot does okay with that. It’s when the pressure is on the ball or toes of my foot that I have problems. As long as I’m coming down on my heel on the elliptical, it should be okay. Either that or I’ll walk on the treadmill on an incline. I just need to get some cardio in. I’m scared I’m going to gain fat.

Anyway, this is all kind of depressing. This is my last week of the Winter Miles Challenge, and I’m not sure I’m going to meet my goal! I did get over 5 miles in on Sunday (caused me foot pain all Monday morning), so if I can get a couple of miles here and there on the treadmill or elliptical, I should be okay. I just have to really listen to my body.

Have your plans ever been thrown off by an injury?

One week until Florida!

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That’s right…Baby J and I have tickets to go visit Hubby in Florida! We’re staying for just under 3 weeks. I’ve already been scouting online, looking at the base gyms in the area. It looks like one of them has a family workout room, but I need to call tomorrow for the requirements.

I won’t be taking the jogging stroller, as it’s just too bulky. I’m already going to have a lot to carry and handle, so I’ll have the lightweight stroller. This means J will have to watch Baby J at least three times a week, so I can run…UNLESS I can get good, long runs in on the treadmill. We’ll see.

Last week finished off okay. You can read about my week in my Fitness Friday post on My Life: A Work in Progress. I also finished Lorna Jane’s Move, Nourish, Believe Challenge; and you can read my recap HERE, if interested.

I did meet my Winter Miles Challenge for the week, woohoo! Just one week left for that, so overall it was a good fitness week. Could it have been better? Absolutely. But I think that’s always going to be the case. I can always push harder.

Diet has been so-so. I’ve been struggling with binging. A couple of days ago, I did decide to up my calorie intake again, so maybe that will help. I’m now eating roughly 2,000 calories a day. I think -I hope- that this is the right decision, since I’m lifting more. I still have body fat I want to lose. But of course I need to eat cleaner for that to happen too.

So about lifting…I’ve been reading more and more about the benefits of heavy lifting for women. They’ve got me sold on the idea! I have adjustable dumbbells at home and an ottoman that I can use as a bench for now. I also have some pull-up bars and an exercise ball. None of that is ideal, but it will work for now. If I’ve already mentioned all this before, sorry…I can’t remember what I posted the last couple of times. I think I just talked about running or biking.

I have realized that I need to be organized more when it comes to exercising. So I’m going start recording in a notebook what weight I did for what lifts, so I know immediately the next time. Then I can steadily increase that weight (or that’s the goal).

I also need to map out and plan which days I’m doing what. I’m still training for a half marathon in April, so ideally I need at least one 10-mile jog/run a week. Obviously I don’t want to do legs around that time. So I need to figure out when I plan to do what, and on what days I’ll rest. That schedule needs to be flexible though, as weather is always a factor. In addition, I try to get out for play dates, church activities, etc. often.

Here’s a photo of Baby J and I tonight. We had an impromptu run with my running buddy, Nicole. We took advantage of the last nice night of weather before the cold, and went down to the water. The boardwalk is a great stretch to run. It’s just under 3 miles each way!

photo 95446400-E4A7-45A1-9378-0EB0A11A5569_zpsjn7idlnp.jpg

 

So that’s what’s going on right now. What about you? How was your week and weekend?

Beautiful weather for once!

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So I took the weekend off after my run/jog/walk last Friday. I should’ve run on Monday, but the temp only got up into the 30s. Well, the rest of the week was forecasted to hit the 50s and 60s, so I decided to wait, rather than drag Baby J and I out into it.

Tuesday I did 5.88 miles outside with Baby J and the jogging stroller. It was a beautiful day- sunny and in the 50s! I’ve been reading a bit about interval training, so I did walk/jog/run intervals. Afterwards, I felt awesome!

Today I took Baby J for a 3.34 mile bike ride around the neighborhood. It wasn’t a very strenuous workout, but we did get some activity. In a few minutes I’m going to do some push-ups, ab exercises, lunges, squats, and planks.

I’m debating whether I should get my long run in tomorrow or wait until Friday. The thing is, tomorrow it’s going to be upper 40s in the morning. On Friday, it’s supposed to be low to mid 60s in the morning. Sounds great doesn’t it! BUT there’s a chance of storm on Friday. I guess I’ll head to the park in the AM, and just see how it goes.

I think I’ll be able to up My Winter Miles Challenge this week from beginner (10 miles) to intermediate (20 miles)!

On the diet front, I’ve been eating too much. :( I need to get this under control! I have a plane ticket for Baby J and I to go and stay with my husband in Florida for a couple of weeks. I have a week and couple days until we leave. J hasn’t seen me since Christmas. He knows I’ve trimmed up, because he’s see me on Skype and in photos, but I want to look REALLY good in person, you know?

View during my run yesterday!

Me and Baby J after our bike ride today! He wants to know why my helmet is unsnapped (I just undid it because we were done!).

How is your week going? Have you been meeting your goals?

Finishing strong

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I’m encouraged. Yesterday, I had a great run. I ran at least 6 miles and without my running buddy. I never run well alone, so I was thrilled that I made it that far without her. I’m sure I could’ve done at least another 2 miles, but poor Baby J was getting really antsy. Every time we passed the playground, he started getting upset, because he wanted to play. I kept telling him, “Soon, soon,” and he was being so good about it that I couldn’t do any more laps. Not fair to him!

As far as the distance, it might have been 7 miles. You see, when my running partner and I started training in the fall, we had several people tell us that a particular track was 2 miles around. Well, when I started using RunKeeper a few weeks ago, it told me that 2 mile stretch was actually only 1.8 miles. That’s a little depressing! I need to verify that, maybe with the MapMyRun app. In the meantime, I ran what we used to consider 6 miles, and then threw in an extra 11 minutes of jogging, just in case.

My view on the trail

I have to be honest and say that I did stop during my run. I had a bathroom break after the first 2 miles, and then had to stop several times quickly to adjust my son’s gloves, and once to tie my shoe laces.

Also it was pretty slow, so “jog” would be more accurate. I didn’t time myself, but I’m sure it was at least a 10 minute mile. BUT all that said…I did run the entire distance, so that’s really encouraging. I think at this rate, my long run can be up to 10 miles in February, which definitely puts me on track for the half-marathon in April. It’s going to be okay!

There’s a 5K next Saturday that I really want to run, but we’re trying to be frugal right now. The registration fee isn’t expensive, but I can think of several things that I should spend money on right now before a race, so it’s probably not going to work out.

I’m going to head out in a bit with Baby J to go run some more. Can you believe it’s 15 degrees colder today than yesterday? The weather here is so back and forth. I’ll probably put Baby J in a snow suit, so he can stay warm even with the wind. I’m very jealous of those of you with treadmills and ellipticals at home, by the way!

I just need 2 miles today to meet my Winter Miles Challenge goal for this week. Oh, I’m behind on my push-ups. I’ll have to do them twice today.

Yesterday I blogged about Fitness Friday on my other blog. You’re welcome to swing by and tell me about your goals!

Also on mylifeaworkinprogress.com, I reviewed the Armpocket, and I’m giving one away. This armband is awesome! There are several models to fit different sizes of phones, and some of them have storage room for gel packs, lip balm, IDs, etc. It’s really cool! You can check out the review HERE and the giveaway HERE. And I’m also participating in a giveaway for the Bowflex Boost fitness tracker. Super jealous of whoever wins that one!

How was your Friday? What does your weekend look like?

Blah

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So I have not been motivated this week. I blame the lack of sleep! My son was having some issues (maybe night terrors?) where he woke up several nights in a row, several times a night, just screaming and crying each time. It lasted 45 minutes or an hour usually. The last 3 nights have been good. Also, he’s back in his crib again, so we’re finally both sleeping better! I love sleeping next to my snuggly toddler, but I do get more rest when he’s not kicking my ribs all night!

I’ve only run once this week, and it was only about 2 miles. I did do some hill running, so that’s something. I guess. I really should go out now. Maybe I’ll get myself out the door in a bit. It’s too late to go to my usual running spot, since the park closes in an hour, but I can run around the neighborhood.

It’s been cold too. That’s my other excuse for not running. If it were just me, I’d throw on my ColdGear, but I have to run with my son while Hubby’s away, and it’s SUCH A HASSLE. When it’s cold, I layer him up and put a snowsuit on him (it’s possibly overkill) with gloves and a hat.

I realize, of course, that all of this is just excuses. If I really want to run or exercise, I’ll MAKE it work, no matter the hassle. *sigh*

I’m just so tired this week. :/

Oh! Some fun news- I reviewed the Armpocket on my other blog. I LOVE mine! Best armband ever! It’s really comfortable and has storage pockets for my essentials. I also like that it comes in multiple styles and colors, AND you can choose the strap size to fit your arm. Did I mention there’s memory foam? So comfy =D Check out my review here.

How have you been holding up this week? Better than I am?

An easy weekend

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I planned on both Saturday and Sunday being rest days, but some friends of mine wanted to run. So yesterday morning I ran a couple miles at an easy pace with them, and then we walked a couple more. Today, Sunday…no running. Hopefully my legs will be well rested for tomorrow. I’m meeting three friends; it’ll be a fun run!

In other news, for some reason I thought my push-ups app was a daily thing, but realized you’re only supposed to do it three days a week. I’m going to do arms Mon-Wed-Friday then, but I’ll add in some free weights.

Abs I’ll probably do Mon-Fri. I’m wondering if there’s some sort of online fitness tracker, or if I should just use an Excel Spreadsheet.

Anyway, not a lot to report, except I did meet my Winter Miles Challenge for this week, woohoo! About to head over to Run with Jess to report that.

How was your weekend?

TGIF and I’ve joined the Winter Miles Challenge. You can too!

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Winter Miles Challenge Button

I’ve signed up for the 2014 Winter Miles Challenge hosted by Run with Jess! This free challenge is to motivate us all through the toughest two months of the year- January and February. Although it doesn’t get really cold here in Southern Virginia, I still can use the motivation.

You don’t have to be a blogger to participate, so check out the link above for more info and to sign up. The challenge is open to everyone, and you can pick how many miles you plan to run each week (and change that at any point). And there are prizes you could win!

I knew this week I’d have trouble getting mileage in, so I picked the beginner goal at 10 miles of running a week. We’ll see how I do, but hopefully by February I’ll be in the next category, which is intermediate.

On a different note, today I blogged a Fitness Friday post on my other blog, My Life: A Work in Progress. If you’re interested, you can pop over there and read my current fitness goals as well as view some photos. I even posted my measurements (scary stuff- for me!). You’re also welcome to join me over there every week for Fitness Friday, and you don’t need a blog to do so!

Today’s run was the third this week. And I’ve gotten progressively slower. But I ran a little farther, so I’m not depressed about it. It balances out, right? I figure it’s going to take a few weeks before I get back into the swing of things. I will be able to run faster and farther…it’s just going to take some time to build my endurance and speed back up.

To recap:

  • Wednesday, I ran 1.8 miles at an average pace of 9:36.
  • Thursday, I ran 2.15 miles at an average pace of 9:39.
  • Today (Friday), I ran 3.62 miles at an average pace of 10:58. I actually did run/walk intervals for a couple miles after that, but I wasn’t tracking the time or exact distance.

I was very stiff and sore today, and really struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Just have to keep working at it! I haven’t done any ab or arm exercises yet today, but I’m about to run my push-up app.

How was your day? Did you meet your goals this week? Are you working out this weekend or taking a break?

Rough, but I did it.

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Went for a second run this week. It was a little warmer out. I ran a little farther, and a little slower. Not going to lie; it was HARD for me to even make two miles. Tomorrow I’ll be running with my training partner, now that she’s feeling better. She’s a much better runner than I am, so she motivates me to keep going! I was depressed today, but I’m feeling better knowing that I’ll show progress running with her.

I definitely broke a sweat!

How was your day? Did you run? How did it go?

Starting over

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I always claimed to “hate” running. This fall I just got tired of my negativity over it and decided the only way to beat my attitude was to run a half marathon. Basically, just make running a part of my lifestyle. After just a couple months of running I went from running barely 1 mile to being able to run 10. It was quite a difference for me! Over the holidays with travel and family gatherings, my training slowed down. I’d determined to only run twice a week, and I did just that. It was a mistake. I’m basically starting over now.

I was able to run once last week. I’d intended to run several times, but ended up coming down with a stomach bug. So now my training and this blog are starting about a week late.

Today was rough. I’d hoped to do 6 miles (3 laps), but stopped after just 2 miles (actually less). The Canada Geese poop was all over the trail, and no matter how I tried to dodge it with my jogging stroller, it did end up on my tires. So disgusting! I couldn’t take it anymore. Starting tomorrow, I plan to run the boardwalk at the beach, until it rains and the bird excrement is washed off my usual course.

So the positive:

  • I got out and ran, even though it’s cold.
  • First run since being really sick.

And the negative:

  • I’m slow. My average pace was a 9:36 minute mile, so I have a lot of work to do.
  • Today I used Run Keeper for the first time. According to the app, the track I’ve thought was 2 miles for a few months now, is actually 1.8 miles.

Jan. 8, 2014 run

Calories burned are most likely off, especially since I pushed a jogging stroller with a toddler. He’s a skinny toddler at less than 23 lbs., but it’s still a little extra workout.

My race is in April, and I’m a bit concerned. I know I have a lot of work to do. Hopefully my running partner will feel better soon (she had the same bug), and we can start training together again! I always do better running with someone else than alone.

How was your day? Did you meet your fitness goals?