Week 7 Day 2

Good God, I am sore today. Knees, ankles, hamstrings, oh my! That might explain (at least partially) why yesterday's long run was so hard. My body is T~I~R~E~D.

This week is an easier week (2 2mile runs, a cross training, and the long run of 5 miles). I might really just take it easy - like super easy - this week.

That and my raving jealousy of Twilight's long run this week. Damn, girl...

Day 30 (Twilight)

I have been errant in running ALL WEEK so, yes, I still suck...That said, I did go snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend for 5-6 miles (hard to tell in the conditions), which should count for something. Back is still a bit off, though... Will see how it takes 7 miles today with Ox.

The view of our destination is to your right (twas more snowy--prolly 3ft of fresh snow in places...so much for summer).

Update: Just came back from our 7 miler and...RAN IT in an hour and 15 minutes so a 10.7 minute mile pace!!! Most importantly--even after climbing approx. 200 ft in elevation (two killer hills)--I still had a ton of energy! This is the first run that has made me feel like I can lick this bitch (not sure if that's the correct expression)!!! :)

Week 6 Day 7/Week 7 Day 1

I got my ass handed to me: Long 7 miles (more or less), walked and ran (more or less), in a whopping 1 hour, 37 minutes. That's 13:51 per mile. More or less.

Terrible.

Week 6 Day 7

Today is supposed to be a long, 7 mile run. I am thinking I will try it tomorrow instead of today.

This is mainly because my left knee has started really hurting. After *extensive* internet research, I think I have pes anserine bursitis. What is it? According to: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00335

"The pes anserine bursa is a small lubricating sac located between the shinbone (tibia) and three tendons of the hamstrings muscle at the inside of the knee. Bursitis, an inflammation of a bursa, usually develops as the result of overuse or constant friction and stress on the bursa. Pes anserine bursitis is common in athletes, particularly runners."

What causes this?
* Incorrect training techniques, such as neglecting to stretch, doing excessive hill running, and sudden increases in mileage
* Tight hamstring muscles
* Obesity
* An out-turning of the knee or lower leg

Wow - my obesity is causing this problem!! :)

Actually, it makes all kinds of sense. This is one problem with increasing mileage too fast and having tight hamstrings - both of which I could be guilty of. I have been stretching a ton, and I definitely feel a difference in my hamstrings. But, they have always been tight. Am I increasing my mileage too fast? Perhaps...

Or maybe I'm just obese. Heh.

Fingers crossed for the long run tomorrow! In the interim, my plan today is to check out the baths in Budapest and maybe the zoo. Yay!

Day 27 (Twilight)

Sigh--today is the day I was originally supposed to defend my dissertation... Feeling glum about that, but in good news ox and myself are going camping in Rocky Mountain National Park for Memorial weekend.

This week has basically been a bust since I've had back problems through most of it. I've been trying to figure out what triggered this and whether it may be related to running. Jury is still out, but I'll go back to my running schedule next week.

Ox and myself walked around our neighborhood yesterday to map out 8 miles going in the opposite direction of my usual run and chanced on a really beautiful clearing with an excellent view of Pike's Peak. Of course, to get to it I run a hill that gains 130 ft in elevation...Not looking forward to that. :(

P.S. In other news, old men are just as gossipy as old women. Sitting at Panera (yes, I gave in...) listening to a bunch of geezers talk smack about their wives...

Week 6 Day 5

3.3 miles in 37 minutes (11+ minute miles).

WTF? I'm getting slower?!?!

This is the route that I went on in Budapest. It was fun. They have this weird tartan running track, so it felt like I was running on a gymnastics mat. I noticed it took appreciably more energy to run on it (so spongy!), so I ran on the gravel and the asphalt next to it instead. OH - AND - I was someone's "Rabbit" for a mile (then she blew right past me). That felt good while it lasted!

Tomorrow is a rest day and Sunday is 7 miles. I'm going to work my hardest to run 2X around the Island in Budapest (6.6 miles) and then run a little change.

I'm also thinking that I might extend these almost daily runs from 3 miles to 5 miles. I always feel pretty sluggish and slow during the last mile. But, after about a 10 minute cool down, I feel like I could get out there again. So I'm thinking about extending them to 3 mile runs, then resting for a short time, and then running again. Anyone know if this is a dumb idea? I do seem to have a lot of them lately...

Day 25 (Twilight)

Rest day...and oh how I need it. My back is at it again. :( I'm not quite a cripple yet, but I'm having lower back pain reminiscent of that time I was doubled over in DC for two weeks. I REALLY hope this goes away soon. Ox thinks it might be a byproduct of the shoes I'm wearing and is trying to get me into some vibrams...I think it might be my weak core again. Last time I went to a doctor about this, he told me to drop 10lbs and to start working on my core so it could support my back since my sciatica injury made me more prone to getting hurt and a recurrence of this kind of pain. Know what I think REALLY? F**k AGING. ;)

BTW, Fox, did you finish reading "Born to Run"?

Week 6 Day 3

Another 3 miles in just under 30 minutes.

This qualifies as a personal worst. I woke up tired, but was able to get it together enough to go run. Now I feel like I got hit by a bus.

Dude, this sucks. Tomorrow is DEFINITELY a rest day. And by "rest day" I mean I'm going to spend the day walking around Budapest!

I'm off to Budapest for the next week. I think I'll have internet to post, goad and mock. I'm also super excited about running somewhere new.

Day 24 (Twilight)

Yogalosophized today for 50 minutes! The exercises are by Mandy Ingber (fab looking women to your right). She does combinations of poses and toning exercises that I actually enjoy, although Ingber is a bit "talky" in the video (be a "peaceful warrior"? "I have a great ass" as a mantra?). She actually posts some of her poses and exercises on her website and has some decent playlists.

You guys have any other suggestions for yoga videos that aren't slow and boring?

My long run for this week is supposed to be only 5 miles--a break after the supposed 7 miles I ran this weekend...sigh. Well, I'm gonna do the 7 miles instead of the 5 and hopefully won't get injured. Don't let me chicken out again...This is your opportunity to heckle me!

Week 6 Day 2 (The Fox)

I did 30 minutes of Yoga and walked 1.5 miles yesterday as my "recovery" from the long run. I didn't feel very tired or sore. So it seemed kind of lame.

Today I ran 3 miles in 30 minutes (again). I think it might be time to go a little harder on the short runs. They are coming much easier.

This is the last song I was listening to. It was awful:


Finally - can we talk about the "runner's high?" WTF is it? And why do I never (nor have I ever) had it?

Day 23 (Twilight)

Dammit...still posing. :(

Ok, admittedly, I only ran 4 miles today (Fox, I didn't even walk the remaining 3...sigh). I'm still scared of that 7-miler. The weather kept threatening to rain and I'm just not hardcore enough to run in that...;)

BTW, I miss running with girlfriends. I like how it was always slightly competitive, but in good fun and girlfriends--they always wait for you, especially when you're struggling. I'll honestly be glad to run with 20,000 women in October.

Last song: "Window Seat" by Erykah Badu

Inspirational Song of the Day

Go Get'em Twilight!!

Day 22 (Twilight)

Today is my long run (7 miles) and of course the weather blows. From this week onward, I will be breaking personal records in terms of the longest distances I've ever run...which is honestly f***ing daunting. :(

To cheer myself up, I thought about posting on the Hash House Harriers since Fox is stuck in foreign lands and needs running buddies. Who are the HHH (pic above depicts a hashers' race)? According to wikipedia, they are a non-competitive running and drinking club with the tagline, "drinkers with a running problem" or something to that effect. Crazily, there are 1,700 chapters worldwide spanning all seven continents! I was actually thinking of joining them while I was living in Bahrain (seemed a cheeky bunch), but decided against it after going for a trial run and realizing you REALLY can't run in Manama during the summer. Every breath I took quite literally cooked my lungs...I took to drinking instead. ;)

The Constitution of the Hash House Harriers:

• To promote physical fitness among our members
• To get rid of weekend hangovers
• To acquire a good thirst and to satisfy it in beer
• To persuade the older members that they are not as old as they feel

Week 5 Day 7

6 mile long run in about an hour and 10 minutes. That includes walking/running most of the last mile. Boo! I wanted so badly to do the whole thing without walking!

I wish I had a Rabbit or an Ox to run with me. Running by myself is kind of boring and a little lonely.

Tomorrow starts week 6 of the 26 week training! Wow - there is still a long way to go!

This was the last song I was listening to (enjoy!):

Week 5 Day 5

3 miles, 30 minutes. The last song was the same one as yesterday. It was the same cheesy playlist. :P

But, I have to tell you, I'm super damned proud of myself. This week I have logged 15.8 miles (ran 8.6 and walked 7.2). That includes new shoes AND the ankle recovery. I almost didn't run today - my body felt tired and my muscles were a bit sore. But I thought I would just try to run, and then walk it if need be.

I got out there and just felt good! I was sucking air at the end - but I made it. Wahoo! Plus, I feel caught up after taking it easy with the ankle last week. Yes! Back on track!

Tomorrow is a rest day (yes!) and then Sunday concludes the week with a 6 mile long run. I've never run 6 miles (10K!) at once before. But, I'm really excited about it!

Day 19 (Twilight)

Well, I went back to my records (i.e. this blog) and realized I started this adventure on the first of May, hence "Day 19" instead of "Day 17". Now that that's settled, back to the more pressing stuff...

Seriously, running in tights or capris makes way more

sense than shorts if you're even the tiniest bit overweight (or your thighs rub against each other...sigh). I've been obsessing about these Lucy (to your right) running tights and finally decided to purchase them on sale. I have to admit they lived up to the online hype and then some! They were especially comfy on my long run and I had no chafing! It's the little things...

In running news, I was supposed to do fartleks today, but chickened out and just went for a 3mile run. My right leg has also been bothering me again, which makes me think an improper stride might be aggravating my old sciatica injury. I've been trying to be more conscientious about stretching post-runs and giving my legs a good walk-out afterwards, but welcome any and all recommendations on how to stretch out calf muscles...

Today's finishing song was Jacob Dylan's "Everybody's Hurtin'". It's slow, but somehow does the trick. I'm actually a big fan of slow music for the long runs--just gets me into the zone. Plus, the following lyrics completely capture my state of mind:

"We've hunted these hills dry. We've long outlasted the winter and our last woodpile. Only one thing's certain--that everybody, everybody's hurtin'."

Misery, anyone? ;)

Finally, I saw a herd of deer and two blue birds on my run! We don't get a lot of the latter in Croatia so I'm always very happy to see them. :)

Week 5 Day 4

I ran 3 miles this am. I timed it at 31 minutes, but that does include construction and 3 stoplights. I wanted to run longer, but I have lunch plans and had to schedule around actually doing stuff today.

I'm thinking about going for a second run later today. What's the verdict on 2 runs/day rather than 1 longer one?

BTW: Aubrey - I thought of you when I finally felt warmed up after about 1.5 miles. Why does it take so long? And what do I do about the fact that by then I'm halfway through the run and just warmed up and - simultaneously - feeling like a lot of my energy is zapped. How do you make a warm up shorter and actually warm you up for a longer run?

And, by popular demand (you're welcome): the song I was last listening to :) Feel free to ridicule :)

Day 16? (Twilight)

Already losing track of time...:(

Anyhoo, just came back from gym and ran 2.5 miles with intervals...For some reason it was super hard and I basically ran it at an 11 minute mile pace. I think the fact that I kept a steady pace is what really burnt me out. When I'm outside and sort of adjusting to the terrain, it seems less punishing, but I guess the goal is to run this damn thing slow and steady. Guess I'll tack on an extra 0.5 mile to tomorrow's fartleks.

In other news, I got TWO issues of Runner's Word this week and learned some new stuff about running. Firstly, I didn't know everyone was such a nut about theBoston Marathon. Apparently, the organizers of the event have recently made the qualifying times EVEN MORE competitive and it's led to a lot of consternation on the part of race applicants and some participants. Honestly, it kinda blows for the person who tattooed "BQ" on their back and didn't manage to qualify this year because their time was a few minutes short of what would have been considered reasonable last year. My heart goes out to you guys!

BOSTON QUALIFYING TIMES
Age Group	Men (Current)	Men (2013+)	Women (Current)	Women (2013+)
18-34	3 hrs 10 min	3 hrs 05 min	3 hrs 40 min	3 hrs 35 min
35-39	3 hrs 15 min	3 hrs 10 min	3 hrs 45 min	3 hrs 40 min
40-44	3 hrs 20 min	3 hrs 15 min	3 hrs 50 min	3 hrs 45 min
45-49	3 hrs 30 min	3 hrs 25 min	4 hrs 00 min	3 hrs 55 min
50-54	3 hrs 35 min	3 hrs 30 min	4 hrs 05 min	4 hrs 00 min
55-59	3 hrs 45 min	3 hrs 40 min	4 hrs 15 min	4 hrs 10 min
60-64	4 hrs 00 min	3 hrs 55 min	4 hrs 30 min	4 hrs 25 min
65-69	4 hrs 15 min	4 hrs 10 min	4 hrs 45 min	4 hrs 40 min
70-74	4 hrs 30 min	4 hrs 25 min	5 hrs 00 min	4 hrs 55 min
75-79	4 hrs 45 min	4 hrs 40 min	5 hrs 15 min	5 hrs 10 min
80+	5 hrs 00 min	4 hrs 55 min	5 hrs 30 min	5 hrs 25 min

I also learned what a "rabbit" is in the running world! Apparently, the ox is my rabbit...:P

Words to live by from the article: Better to have a target, than be a target...

"First, physiologically, it is easier to run from behind than to run in front. The advantages of drafting might not be quite as dramatic as they are in, say, cycling, but they are there. "A good estimate is that it takes 15 percent less effort to run behind somebody," says David Krummenacker, a former 800-meter world champion who is now one of the world's premier track rabbits.

Second, psychologically, it is easier to run from behind, too. Yes, some elite athletes prefer jumping to the front and staying there—that was the calling card of the late Steve Prefontaine—but the majority would rather have a target than be a target. "The odds of you winning a race if you're leading from start to finish are slim to none," says Khadevis Robinson, still a national-class 800-meter runner who took to rabbiting mile races last year as he rehabbed various injuries."

Twilight listens to this crap!

Is this a song? :P

Nobody puts Baby in the corner

That's right beatches - I'm back :)

2.6 miles in 32 minutes (12 minute miles, boo). BUT - I ran it. Ran the whole damned thing.

I thought maybe I should take it easy the first day with the new shoes. BUT they felt so good, I couldn't resist. I'm sore now, but super happy.

Inspirational Video of the Day!

Day 14? (Twilight)

Alas, I was truly living up to the "poser" moniker this week. I haven't run since Thursday due to inclement weather, but am prepping for a long run (6 miles) today.

Yes, yes, I suck--especially since Fox has been out there, kickin' it hard despite rain, snow, and sleet.

Before you jackals nip at my heels, I assure all twas only a temporary respite!

My motto: "Never give up, never surrender!"

Update: ran my 6 miler in 59 minutes. So Fox, I have a spiff idea! We should post the last song we listen to on our respective runs and offer it up for mutual judgment and scoffing! :)

Kylie Minogue: "Come Into My World"

P.S. Yes, liquid cheese flows through my veins...

3 miles

I walked, shuffled, and tried to do some strength training over 3 miles of turf. My ankle is now mostly fine when I walk, but still hurts like crazy to run on.

New shoes come tomorrow. At least they better...

I have thought about walking/light light jogging on the grass. But people here let their dogs shit everywhere. I'm not kidding. I'm not going through there with shoes on, much less with my skin exposed. Ew.

Twilight? How was your weekend? You and the Ox run 500 miles in the snow and in 10 seconds?!?! :)

YOGA!

It's raining out, so I didn't run today (also, you know, the ankle). Instead I did an hour of yoga from the yogamazing podcast. Note: you have to pay to download them from their website, but are otherwise free on itunes.

In fact, there are a whole bunch of free yoga podcasts on itunes, some especially designed for runners.

Good stuff!

Update: Wow. The Yogamazing workout for the glutes is killer. My ass is killing me today!

Blah blah

5.5 miles. I walked most of them. Blah.

Day 11 (Twilight)

My 20 minutes of farts is scheduled for today and I have to admit I'm filled with trepidation at the prospect. I'll give you the update on how that's working out for me, but FIRST, in the spirit of the consumer that I am, I wanted to share my cute new running purchase! Behold my Lucy running pants bought at a reasonable discount and made to insure even the blind can witness my running prowess!

I'm gonna try them out in a few minutes and let ya know if they were worth a blogpost. So far, they're just comfy and "loud"...

Fox, did you get your A

sics in the mail?

Update: So I ran those damn fartleks. O.M.G. Excruciating. I think I did about 4 cycles in about 20/25 minutes over 3 miles...Not fun. Fox and myself are thinking of other ways to incorporate endurance training. Perhaps cross-training would work and not be so hard on our joints (contingent on the type of activity...swimming?).

For the record, my ever-so-cute, but expensive shoes below! Mizunos! I've been pretty happy with this shoe and fully admit I don't know squat about x-nating...These shoes work well for me, though I have contemplated Vibrams...

Week 4/Day 4: The Science of Subtleties or "Dear Diary" and 3 miles

(Because, let's be honest, the amount of whining I've done about various knee/ankle problems is more conducive to the self-indulgent crap of a diary than to a public-ish blog):

This morning, in an act of desperation for some reprieve from pain in the lower right portion of my body, I put on my old pair of Sketchers. This the same old pair of Sketchers that I nearly threw away last week after realizing that I have such poor form. In fact, I threw away an embarrassing amount of threadbare socks (lovin' grad school life!) and a~l~m~o~s~t tossed the shoes too. I have worn them nearly everyday for the last 7 or 8 months; they are exhausted. They showed that I land on the outside edge of my right heel, then underpronate. My attempts to correct this form have, as discussed ad nausea, not only lessened/eliminated my knee pain (yay!), but have brought on new kinds of ankle strain (boo!) from now overpronating.

I put on these terrible shoes and - sweet Jesus! - my ankle feels so much better and I can walk again!

So, for now, it's back to the old, crappy shoes for daily wear. I just walked/shuffled/jogged/ran the 3 miles that I was supposed to do yesterday. At least I'm not falling TOO far behind the training schedule, right?

But, I have to confess, I think it's amazing. It's really crazy to see how subtle these differences are in where you place your foot during your stride, and yet how profound their outcomes. The various sundry sources of information on the internet aren't lying when they talk about "taking it slow" when you start running. A small twist, a small turn, and you definitely can hurt yourself.

The new shoes are supposed to be here tomorrow. I have a feeling the new shoes will help the right foot and the old shoes will work just fine for the left foot. I'll be wearing mismatched shoes. AWESOME. The adventure continues...

Mileage and Madness

To answer Aubrey's question about tracking miles, I just use Google Maps. There is also this very cool website (www.run.com) where people post their runs. Good stuff.

I am super bummed to say that I fear this week will be a wash. My ankle is still driving me crazy. After shuffling 4 miles on it on Monday, it's still painful to walk. My new shoes should be here tomorrow, so I'll try a walk with those. It's totally maddening.

Day 9 (Twilight): Gazelle watching...

Rest day!

I dig watching this guy run...He's a fellow CC alum. I first read about him in this Westword article and have been fascinated ever since.

While I'm not the biggest fan of hippies, this guy undeniably has some smooth moves despite the granola vibe.

Day 8 (Twilight)

Veni, Vidi, Vici Montis!

Hoooray! Stupid hills conquered!!!

Ox and myself ran the 5 mile long run today,

keeping a 9 min

ute mile pace (ran it in 45 minutes) while climbing 200-300ft in elevation!

Honest to God, I was really afraid that I wasn't going to be able to run this one...

F***ing mile 6, gimme what ya got!!! :)

Full Disclosure: The photo above does not depict my backyard, rather it features the Hindu Kush mountains. ;)

Appropriate Running Gear

Does not include these underwear.

Unless you want to be hiking up your panties the whole time you're running, stick to something with a real elastic waist.

Week 3 Day 7 / Week 4 Day 1

I pushed back my long run by a day (from the last day of Week 3 to the first of Week 4) because of my ankle. It's so crazy frustrating to have this one spot that only hurts when I'm putting weight on it and trying to move forward. So, I took an extra day of rest and walked/jogged the 4 miles today. Walking hurt much less, but that might be only because it was in comparison to the jogging - OUCH. To be honest, I looked like one of those little old ladies that was shuffling rather than actually running or jogging.

As Aubrey pointed out, pronation (over or under, which I think is the cause of my ankle injury and my knee injury, respectively) is impacted by shoes. So I just order another pair. The current pair that I'm using are a relatively new pair of Asics Gel Strike-2; nothing fancy, but at ~$45 per pair, they are cheap. The pair I just ordered are the Asics Gel Foundation-9. They should be here on Friday or Monday. I'll keep ya posted!

But, the fact that in 3 weeks of running, I have somehow magically and mystically injured myself in a very weird way (hah!), raises the question: Am I ready for this? To answer the questions:
1) Have you been running for a year? No (Likewise - not off to an auspicious start)
2) Do you have enough time to devote to training? Yes, for the first time in my life, I don't feel like this is competing with other life/career interests.
3) Are there other stresses in your life? Heh - unlike Twilight, I'm stress-free ;)
4) Do you think you can do it? Yes. As Twilight once pointed out to me: If the guy from "The Biggest Loser" can do it...
5) Why do you want to run a marathon? Yes, ok. I share Twilight's competitive edge. But I also have a much more immediate interest: It's crazy fun to learn these new things about my body. Ok, not to be overly hokey about the whole thing, but think about the kinds of experiences women (sorry dudes) are having in their bodies at our age: kids (some of them have had more than 1... or 2, some miscarriages), one of my friends has successfully battled eye cancer, and one of my friends is positively addicted to hot yoga. I looked around and thought, "When have I ever tested the limits of my physical self?" Certainly, a PhD has tested the limits of my mental and intellectual self. And all my crazy exboyfriends have tested the limits of my emotional self. But physically? Never. And learning about my body this way is a really cool opportunity. So, finishing will feel amazing. No doubt about it. But so will this process of learning - again and anew - who I am and what I like and what I don't like. Who knew that I would prefer a long run to the Farts? Certainly not me. And I never would have known without this.

Day 7 (Twilight)

My calves are still sore from snowboarding at Loveland yesterday (sigh...supposedly a "rest" day) so the long run may turn into a long walk. :/ Long run tomorrow!!!

In other news, guest-poster Aubrey recommended Fox and myself discuss whether we are in all actuality ready to run a marathon. The primary questions we should largely respond to with a "yes" are:

1) Have you been running for a year? No (not off to an auspicious start)

2) Do you have enough time to devote to training? Yes

3) Are there other stresses in your life? Always

4) Do you think you can do it? Yes, because I'm a badass. And scrappy.

5) Why do you want to run a marathon? Honestly, I've come to the realization that this might be the only way I can stay fit. I hate going to the gym. I don't do well with yoga or pilates classes. The exercise videos and looming weight gain don't motivate me. Hell, not even my doctor's orders to drop 15lbs after a back injury could motivate me. However, whenever someone challenged me to run a race or I'd decided to run one (usually, the BolderBoulder--a 10K), I'd started training again. I think this may be the only way to get me off my butt--channeling my competitive self.

What say you, Fox?

P.S. BTW, Runner's World, where is my MAG?

Day 5 (Twilight)

Full disclosure, lame-ass that I am, I did not do ANYTHING, but walk yesterday so no "rest" day for me on Saturday. I'm attaching the schedule for those of you curious about how Fox and myself allot rest vs. work days.

Today is a short run day, so I'll be doing my 3 miles again. Not too worried about that...

On another note, Fox brought up proper posture and form, and gave us tips on a website that does a great job explaining what your stride should look like. I noticed they recommended a 180 cadence and wonder how that lines up with BPM? Aubrey, one of our favorite (and only outside of Tristy--hehe) guest posters turned me on to thePodrunner podcasts which sync up your target BPM to techno music. Might be a worth a gander, Fox!

P.S. Ox and myself ran our 3 hilly miles today in approx. 23 minutes (7.6 minute mile)!!!

What is WRONG with me?!?!?

I have sufficiently altered the way I walk and the way I run so that my knee feels AMAZING. Really - pain free for the first time in about a decade. It's phenomenal.

The flip side? I clearly have overcorrected or dove too quickly into the knee issue, and now have a shooting pain in my ankle when I walk. Jesus...

Today: Fartlek (or tried. God I hate that crap). I ran hard, practicing good form, for 4 minutes, then walked to recover; I did 5 cycles of this. Covered 4 miles.

Ooh - here's a question: ice or stretch first?

I have bad running form.

I have been thinking that some of the knee issues I have (and this new ankle pain right on the calcaneofibular ligament) are probably tied to bad form.

After extensive internet research (hah!), I learned that - holy crap - I have really bad form.

I found this website and really like it. I'm going to try some of their techniques today!

TWILIGHT IS A ROCKSTAR!

Today, when I came into the Institute, I had a package from Amazon waiting for me. "That's weird," I thought, "the book I ordered arrived yesterday." In fact, I have been absorbed in Asef Bayat's "Life as Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East." I opened it up, and saw the book, "Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen"

It was a gift from Twilight!

It was totally a boost that I needed, and a WONDERFUL surprise! What an AWESOME way to kick off the day!

Thanks Twilight! You're a rockstar!!

Day 4 (Twilight)...Cntd.

Today is a cross-training day! It will either contain swimming or yardwork. Here's hoping for swimming! Last time I went to the pool an old geezer asked me if I was training for a meet or something (continuing with the "poser" theme)...hah! I think it was my no-frills Speedo that confused him.

Maybe I'll get some flirty action tonight...;)

In any case, if you want some of THAT, you need to wear THIS:

Day 4 (Twilight)

Ran 3 very hilly miles yesterday with Ox and broke a 10 minute mile! I won't lie, it was excruciating...It's kind of ridiculous how 10 extra pounds will affect your running fitness. I decided to look up how much poundage I'd have to shed to increase my running speed. The results via runner's world:

"There's no denying that healthy runners will race about two seconds per mile faster for every pound they lose."

Lose Weight, Gain Speed

This table, based on changes in maximal aerobic capacity, provides a rough estimate of how much your race times will improve if you lose weight, as long as you have it to lose. If your BMI drops below 18.5, you're at risk of becoming weaker and slower.

WEIGHT LOST	5K	10K	HALF-MARATHON	MARATHON
2 lbs	12.4 secs	25 secs	52 secs	1:45
5 lbs	31 secs	1:02	2:11	4:22
10 lbs	1:02	2:04	4:22	8:44
20 lbs	2:04	4:08	8:44	17:28

No denying it makes a difference...Ox with his 15% body fat smokes me every run, BUT I think my scrappyness will ultimately prevail. ;)

Week 3 Day 3 (SF)

Ran 3 miles in 32:65. 3 or 4 stoplights (I forget...)

It was really cold out. 45 degrees and I don't have winter gear here anymore. I ran in leggings that kept falling down and a long sleeved shirt. I really need to buy proper running gear...

Otherwise, it was ok. Perhaps even a good run :)

I'll Fartlek on Friday when the weather is warmer.

38 degrees?

I can't Fartlek in this!

It's supposed to warm up to a whopping 57 degrees this afternoon. I'll wait until then...

Day 3 (Twilight)

Rest or yoga?

Day 2 (Twilight)

Fox, it's a "RECOVERY DAY"--that means you have to do something semi-active outside of running, not just sit around and smoke shisha! :P

Think I'm gonna do some yoga with my Yogalosophy video. I actually kinda dig it even though Ox makes fun of me for it...and yes, I did purchase the video because it was endorsed by Jennifer Aniston. Have you seen the legs on that woman? I'm BUYING...I wonder if they have yoga for hair, too.

Anyway, I'll post again when I've actually completed the yoga exercises...until then I'm just a POSER (haha...bad pun). :)

In the interim, dissertating...

Update: Swam for 25 minutes instead!

What Marathon Training Program Do YOU Use? (by SF)

I'm using this one: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/marathon-training-schedule.html

It's designed for beginners who have a kind of fitness level (like, you might suffer, but you can get up an go run 5K without dying), but don't necessarily have experience running. This is for me.

The last time I ran with any regularity was while in the Middle East. I had a gym membership to a local spot, and ran 5K on an almost daily basis. I also lifted freeweights and used the nautilus machines. And I smoked A LOT of hookah. But, in the end it was my right knee that prevented me from running more. I reached a point where I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep. So I quit running.

This time around, however, I am doing things to prevent this knee issue from reemerging. I have been using a patella strap (<3 IT!!) and paying attention to the way that my right foot falls when I walk and when I run. The truth is that, although I experience stiffness and have an overall loss of flexibility, I feel pretty good. I worry of course, but the cracking and popping is starting to slowly ebb. And I remain hopeful that I'll be able to do this! Wahoo!