Takin' it to the Street!

Looks like I was spending the winter mustering up the strength to go in for one last fight at school.  (Listserv fights -- almost never a good idea.)  Got so wrapped up in it that I didn't direct that energy back to running.  (Boo! Hiss!) Even after a week and a half off from running, my first outdoor run is not too far off from when I last did the route right after my Ironman. I'm okay with that.

Spring break is a very good thing.  This is week one of my 8-week plan to a half-marathon.  Tomorrow I add a mile, and I suspect it will be a slow-ass session.  (My new M.O. is to set the bar low so I can be pleasantly surprised.)

Other than that, I have nothing eloquent or insightful to add.

Back in the game, baby!

3 Weeks to a 30 Minute Running Habit: Days 9 & 10

Day 9: Rest Day

Day 10: Run 2/1 x 6 for a total of 18 minutes. Don't forget your 5-10 minute walks for your warm-up and cool-down!

Quote of the Day: "Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." --Joshua J. Marine

What I Did: 
Warm-up: 5:00 @ 3.5mph
Run/walk: 2/1 x 6 @ 6.5/3.7
Cool down: 7:00 @ 3.5

Topped off with 30 min on the recumbent.  Pretty standard issue.  Got sweaty. Finished the workout.  The only noteworthy thing was that I ran into a couple wearing NMSU t-shirts on my way in.  I asked them if they were from Cruces and graduated recently, and they said, "Well, in 2008. What about you?" As I formed the words "In 1998," I saw the look of horror and pity wash over their faces and I half wished I never opened my mouth at all.

First of the Month

Krissy: Hey there. You look vaguely familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?

Vegetables: Yeah. It was January.

Well, I solved the weight-gain-energy-loss mystery of 2010.  I looked back through my food log and I ate like crap for the last three weeks.  High in fat, low in greens -- the result of more than a handful (but less than two handfuls) of meals had on campus.  That'd do it.  Basically, I was only looking at the overall calorie deficit, but not where the calories were coming from.  And though I didn't keep specific track of this, I do know that I was only mindful of drinking enough water during the last two weeks of January. 

Here's the workout summary from February. There definitely needs to be more strength training in there. I'll shoot for three 30-min workouts on an upper-core-lower rotation each week.

Looking at this summary, I'd say there's nothing chronic about that cardio. :^\

3 Weeks to a 30 Minute Running Habit: Day 8

Today's run: Warm up. Run 3/1 x4, 1/1 x4. (Run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute 4 times, then run 1 minute, walk 1 minute 4 times. This run should take you 24 minutes.) Cool down.

Quote of the Day: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." -Steve Prefontaine, American running legend

What I Did:
Warm up: 5:00 @ 3.5
Run/walk: 3/1 x 2 @ 6.5/3.7; x2 @ 6.0/3.7
1/1 x 4 @ 6.0/3.7
Cool down: 1:00 @ 3.5

Again taking a cue from Sunny, skipped the bike tonight.  But I reserve the right to do a 30 minute upper body strength workout after I get some work done.  I've done a whopping two strength workouts all year. 

3 Weeks to a 30 Minute Running Habit: Day 7

Given the multiple unscheduled rest days this week, I'll skip Day 6 (which was yet another rest day) and get straight to Day 7:

Today's Run: Warm up. Run 2/1 x6. Cool down.

Quote of the Day: "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." - Les Brown

What I Did:
Warm up: 10:00 @ 3.5mph
Run/walk: 2/1 x 6 @ 6.5/3.7
Cool down: 5:00 @ 3.5
Then 30 min on the recumbent.  

I racked up another rest day, mostly because I didn't manage my time well yesterday.  I got all caught up looking up ukulele stuff, tuning, and playing the one my Tagalog tutor gave me, so I ended up not getting to the gym before it closed. 

I'm taking a cue from Sunny, and I'm not going to get down on myself. I picked it back up today where I left off. And even though I am tempted to head back to the gym later on tonight, I will resist that temptation as I think it is ultimately not a healthy impulse.

Eat It, Day 5!

warm up: 5:00 @ 3.5
run/walk: 2/1 x 5 @ 6.5/3.7
1/1 x 2 @ 6.5/3.7
cool down: 6:00 @ 3.5

I was supposed to do the 1/1 intervals 5 times, but I started feeling nauseous, so I walked it out.  Then I finished it off with 30 min on the recumbent. 

Again, lungs and legs feel great; this time my guts threatened a mutiny.  I need to figure out what the crap is going on.

Well, Shit

My body insisted on a third rest day in a row.  Rather than fret about staying on schedule, I'll just pick up at Day 5 tomorrow.

Just a note: in addition to being really freakin' tired, my body was really HUNGRY today!