Squeezing in a run

Yesterday was the 1st Houston Fit Fall Marathon group social! It was my first trip to the Goode Co. Taqueria and it was delicious...and to think, I used to work right down the street from the place (for almost 4 years) and had never been there. It was funny seeing all my fellow fit-ers with street clothes, hair done and make-up! I recognized the group I normally run with, but there were folks that I didn't even recognize...could have been the street clothes and make-up, or it could have been that they were much faster than me and I rarely see more than their back side on Saturdays! Finally, the hubby could meet all the folks I have been telling him about and he could hear about the Chicago Marathon from those who had been there. The kiddo had a good time too and was very excited to take home balloons from the event (thanks, JoAnn!)

Since my dreadmill is now working, I decided that I would do one of my morning runs on the treadmill and one at the park. I then decided that Monday would be my treadmill day. My plan was to wake up by 5:10 am and be on the treadmill no later than 5:15 am. Well, I forgot that my mischievous, but adorable 1 1/2 year old likes to play with buttons and dials. She loves pressing buttons on the tv, stereo and yes, the ALARM CLOCK! I usually remember to check the volume and station before I go to sleep, but last night, I completely forgot! Must have been the margarita at Goode Co. I woke up and looked at the clock - it was 5:30 am! The volume had been turned all the way down, so I had no sound coming from the radio to wake me up.

I refused to even think about postponing my run to the afternoon. I was going to be heading out to one of our offices in far south Houston for a late meeting, so I knew that I would be getting home later than usual. So in an effort to get any kind of run in, I threw on the running clothes, did some stretching and ran for 20 minutes. The training schedule says 35 easy minutes today, but I could only squeeze in 20. It has to be better than nothing! I may try to lengthen one of the other runs later in the week to make up for the 15 minutes a bit. Oh well, I tried! Hopefully, tomorrow morning will go better.

Running Stats
Conditions - indoor/treadmill
Total Running Time - 20 minutes
Distance - 1.75 miles
Pace - 11:25

Gettin' into the groove

Today, the Houston Fit Fall Marathon schedule called for 13 miles. Since the hubby's work schedule made it impossible to meet up with the group before the run, I had to just guesstimate where the group would be and when. This week's run actually began with a partial loop around the park, which worked perfectly for me. I parked along the loop and stretched while I waited for the red group runners. As soon as I arrived, I saw the green & yellow folks jog by, so I knew I had gauged my guesstimates correctly.

I met the group at mile 2 of the route. From there we ran to Crestwood, then down Blossom to Jackson Hill. After a little zig zagging, we ended up on the scenic Heights Blvd and jogged until the dead end at 20th. It was warmer than last week...or at least it felt warmer. I ran most of the route with Mary Jane...she and I tend to run about the same pace and always manage to maintain interesting conversations, which is great to keep the mind off any aches and pains along the way!

I like the Heights run. There's a gravel path along a large portion of the run, so it's a little easier on the joints. Coach Tom, our fearless leader, was kind enough to have a water/gatorade stop along the way. It felt great to refill the fuel belt bottles with nice, cold water and splash a little on my face and head too. Along the return trip, we also ran into the regular group of Houston Fitters. Nothing like seeing some friends to get you pepped up a little - I saw Katie, Kay, Kim and Alisa (in that order) and a few other familiar faces with names I can't remember. Of course, the pep didn't last long enough, but it was nice all the same.

Since I missed the 1st 2 miles, I decided to go ahead and complete a full loop at the end of the run instead of heading to the Houston Fit meeting area. I was pleasantly surprised at how great I felt! I felt really strong the entire run and as I rounded the loop for the last couple of miles, I still felt great. At one point, on Memorial Drive, I felt like I was really falling into that groove. The one where you think you can run even more miles....the one that doesn't happen for me as often as I'd like. For a split second, I felt like I was gliding...the word gazelle came to mind and I actually chuckled out loud. I might have felt like one, but I was pretty sure I didn't look like one! :-)

So I finally made it beyond a 10-mile run. Thinking back, I don't think I've run any farther than 10 miles since the Austin Marathon in February. It felt great to not only finish 13 miles, but to finish strong!

Running Stats
Conditions - 81 w/76% humidity
Total Run Time - 2:37:52
Total Distance - 13 miles
Pace - 12:08

WW Stats
-0.6 lbs this week
4.8 lbs total loss

One more thing...

These are a couple of pics that a co-worker took when watching the shuttle Discovery launch on July 4th. I love this stuff, so I wanted to share....

Another "run" down...

I had planned to run last night with the group at Luke's. I love the change of scenery and running with a group. I always run better with a group and when I run with Luke's I run straight through, with no 5/1's. I usually run with Mary Jane and we catch up on the week, talking about work, politics, the environment, movies, etc.

Well, the run with Luke's was a no-go for the second week in a row. My poor baby girl was not feeling well when I left for work yesterday morning and by mid-morning she was feeling worse. I left work early to take her to the pedi...she's feeling better, but still very stuffy. I did thoroughly enjoy the extra time with my cutie, even if she was sick. At least by the end of the day she was playing and being her cute little self again!

DH offered to give the kiddo her bath while I did a 35 minute run. On a side note, he did fix our treadmill yesterday...however, I opted for a run outdoors. I knew the kiddo would be done with her bath before I finished my 35 minutes and she does not like it when I am on the treadmill running when I could be playing with her. So, I ran at the little park by our house. This time, I did a loop around the perimeter of the park, followed by a loop on the smaller, paved .25 mile track. I just repeated that a few times and the jogged back home. To be perfectly honest, it was hot and I didn't feel much like running. I did 5/1s, but I'll admit, I extended the 1s more than a couple of times. You know, I say I want to be faster, but my actions today sure didn't back that up. I am sure if I had run with the group at Luke's, I would have skipped the 5/1s and would have not walked at all. Something about running with the group keeps you honest and makes you accountable. I didn't have that yesterday and I took full advantage of it. Bad, I know!

Can I vent for a minute?

I know this is supposed to be a running blog, but I need to vent. I am majorly upset about the yesterday's breaking news that the River Oaks Theatre and the surrounding shopping centers are going to be demolished.

Apparently, Houston's historic preservation laws are some of the weakest in the US, so it's possible for the city's historic buildings to be destroyed without the usual waiting period for public comment. As a result, a lot of the awesome historic buildings around town have been demolished....so, the River Oaks Landmark Theatre is the latest victim.

This theatre is where they show all the indie flicks and I even went to see Rocky Horror Picture Show for the 1st time there in high school...they are also tearing down the shopping center around the theatre. All these buildings were built in the late 1930's. And, what are they going to build there???? A freaking Barnes & Noble!!! Well, that and a "residential high rise". Grrrr...all in the name of progress!

If you think losing River Oaks Theater is unacceptable, please visit the link below and pass the information along to as many people as possible. You can also get more information through the links below.

Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/riveroaks/
Chronicle Story: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/metropolitan/4064372

Okay, vent over! Thanks for reading!!!

Never done before...

I ran at the park two mornings in a row! I figured I better take advantage of DH's schedule and run while I can. Hopefully, this afternoon I can actually leave work at a decent hour and spend the extra time with my kiddo and hubby!

I think I have been completely preoccupied by thoughts of the training I had to do today at work, because I could not seem to remember anything. First, the kiddo woke me up at 3 am wanting milk and "giggles" (Wiggles). I suddenly remembered that I had not put my dress shoes in my bag...gee, that would have been funny doing training with my managers in a skirt, hose and dirty running shoes. Then, as I am brushing my teeth, I realize I didn't put my hose in the bag. Next, as I was getting into my car, I realized that I didn't bring my hang-up clothes - no skirt, no sweater set! Finally, I came to the realization that I had been driving for almost 10 minutes without turning off the kiddo's "VeggieTales" cd...I had been listening to "The Wheels on The Bus" and hadn't even realized it!

Running was exactly what I needed to get my head together. I completed a loop doing 5/1s. Today, it was the left shin acting up instead of the knee. Nothing a little ice and elevation can't help. I finished a little faster than yesterday, but not my fastest loop either.

On that topic, I find myself facing a little dilema...according to the pace calculators, if I want to finish a marathon in about 5:10, I should be running at the following paces:

• "easy" training runs - 13:16 pace
• "tempo" runs - 11:10 pace
• speed work - 9:24 pace
• long runs - 13:16 - 14:50 pace

Here's the problem...today and yesterday were supposed to be "easy" runs. I have a habit of wanting to run faster during the week, rather than trying to follow the suggested 13:16 pace. Today, for instance, I decided I wanted to run faster than yesterday...it's just a little game I play to keep me motivated. However, I have read all the research that says it is better to run at a slower pace during your training runs. Perhaps I should follow that rule, because I am running at the paces that I have always run at and I have yet to beat my time from my very 1st marathon. If anyone has any advice/opinions on this topic, they are greatly appreciated!

Runlong & Livestrong!

ETA: Grrrr...I just added about 20 links to blogs, houston running groups, places to shop, etc. Then, I pushed the wrong button and lost it all. Ugh, I am going to bed now before I cry!!!

2 runs, 1 post

Saturday
Houston Fit ran 13 miles. Due DH's work schedule, I had to meet up with everyone around mile 3, so I ran a total of 10 miles. The run felt great. I felt a little ache in my left shin and my right knee, but nothing significant. The run began at the park, then we made our way to Dunlavy, turned on Kent and ran to the turnaround point on the Rice University campus. I really enjoy running through this area in the wee hours of the morning. The homes are beautiful and there are plenty of trees and shade. My group was the last to finish, but I was happy that I felt really strong during the entire run...even at the finish!

I will admit that I do not like to finish last. In the regular Houston Fit group (the one that trains for the Houston Marathon), there are hundreds of runners, which results in a lot more variety in the paces. Usually, I am in the "medium reds"...meaning, we're not the slowest of the slow runners but not the fastest of the slow runners either. In other words, there is always someone in front of us and always someone behind. But, the fall marathon training group is a bit smaller and it seems that there are quite a few fast reds, as well as yellows and greens. Oh well! I figure since I am nursing so many little aches and pains, it's probably better for me to watch my pace more carefully. My goal is to PR in Chicago, but I can't achieve my goal if I'm injured and can't run Chicago!

I'm also a little concerned, because this is the 3rd time the group has run 12-13 miles, but I have still not been able to run more than 10 miles. I could have added a loop around the park at the end of my run, but the morning was already getting warm and I was just ready to get home. I am going to have to be a bit more disciplined when the mileage gets longer and make myself run the extra loops...otherwise, the marathon distance will be hard to finish.

Run Stats
Conditions - 79 w/humidity
Total run time - 2:00
Distance ~ 10 miles
Pace - 12 min/mile

Monday
Sunday was my off day, so I took it easy and enjoyed time with the kiddo and hubby! Monday morning I made it out the park at 6:00 am, stretched and ran a loop doing 5/1s. The right knee felt great until after the run, then it began to ache and I was wishing I had an ice pack. Other than that, it was a great run!

Run Stats
Conditions - 80 w/78% humidity
Total run time - 33:03
Distance - 2.9
Pace - 11:23

Run long & livestrong!

Surprise run

I didn't think I was going to be able to run yesterday. It was my Mom's birthday and the plan was to celebrate at dinner...meaning no run for me. But, the birthday plans were postponed until the weekend and I was able to run afterall. Since I didn't have any running gear with me, I didn't get to meet up with the group at Luke's. So, I went home. The hubby offered to entertain the kiddo while I did my run. (Many thanks to the hubby...I wasn't looking forward to fighting with the stroller again!)

The route was the same one from Tuesday's run. It felt warmer than Tuesday, but it was much easier not having the stroller to push this time. The Houston Fit schedule called for a 30 minute tempo run. I did complete the 30 minutes, but with the heat I didn't feel like I was running very fast. I lost count of the # of loops I did on the .25 mile track, so I am pretty clueless about the distance, too. I am beginning to want a Garmin, now. I did feel a little ache in my knee and my left shin gave me some grief, but overall, not too bad. I wish I had something a little more interesting to report, but it was a pretty uneventful run.

Run Stats
Conditions - 93 w/some humidity
Total run time - 31:23
Total distance - ???

Run long & Livestrong!

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

(From a bumper sticker I saw on the way to work today)

How far are we from the sun?

Another hot day with the "feels like" temp in the triple digits! Yes, this is TX and this is July, but I don't think you ever quite get used to this. I knew I should have gotten up early and gone to the park this morning, but it was so nice to lay in bed another 45 minutes! (Btw, I just checked the temp...at 11pm, it "feels like" 85!)

The hubby had to get to work early for some training...so, I had to cram in a run after work, but still early enough to fit it in before the kiddo's bath & bedtime. I had planned to get outside by 6:30pm, but after searching for the kiddo's sandals and getting the jog stroller out it was closer to 7pm. We headed down to the little softball field in the neighborhood. I wouldn't go there after dark, nit this time of the day, there are usually a lot of kids there practicing for softball, baseball and t-ball. Plus, there's a small asphalt path around a picnic area that is usually occupied by walkers and joggers in the afternoon and early evening.

I had planned to do a few loops around the perimeter of the field, but when I arrived at the asphalt path I realized that it was almost fully covered in shade from the surrounding trees. Not only that, but there was a nice breeze blowing. It actually felt...bearable. I decided to run the path. There was a man completing a loop with that tool that looks like a stick with a wheel on the end (anyone know what that's called?). I asked him about the path and he said it was 1,431 feet, which is just a little over a quarter mile. Not a very long path, but at least I know how far I'm running. I almost asked him if he had ever measured the perimeter of the field...I usually run that instead of the small path.

Naturally, after my first couple of loops the breeze stopped and it just felt hot. I was thankful for the shade though...it had to be better that running in direct sunlight. Before I even finished one loop I was hating the jog stroller. For some reason, it pulls to the left. I feel like I got an upper body workout just from trying to get that thing to stay on course. I think I may be able to correct the pull a little by making sure the tires are inflated correctly...I hope so, because I know I could not run much longer than I did today with that thing!

My total run time was 45 minutes...well, that did include a couple of stops to pick up the kiddo's water bottle, book and whatever else she decided to toss out of the stroller...oh, and I forgot one stop to pet a puppy that a family brought to the park. I didn't count how many laps I did around the path, so I am not sure of the distance. When I arrived home and looked in the mirror, I was drenched and my face was the brightest shade of red that I had ever seen! But, I had another day of running done and one workout closer to Chicago!

Run Stats
Conditions - 91/80% humidity
Location - Neighborhood softball field (grass/asphalt)
Total Run Time - ~45 minutes
Total distance - ???

Who turned on the oven?

From what I can tell on the news, there is a heat wave going on pretty much everywhere. Houston is definitely no exception! Highs today were expected to be in the triple digits, so I opted for a morning run at the park. The training schedule called for 35 minutes....unfortunately, I didn't know that until after my 33 minute run. Oh well, what's another 2 minutes?

Overall, the run went well. The temps were in the low 80's and the humidity was bad. I was drenched before I arrived at the 1 mile marker. I did feel a bit of a protest from my left shin and my knee was achey, but overall nothing hurt too bad. I made sure to just run at a comfortable pace and to not do anything to hurt anything else. :-) It felt great to get the run over with! I did run into Pam as I was finishing my loop and she was starting hers. And, once again, I treated myself to a yummy "pineapple pleasure" smoothie!

Running Stats
Conditions: 80 w/high humidity
Total run time: 33:43
Total distance: 2.9 miles
Pace: 11:37

WW Stats
Points earned: 4
Points consumed: 30
Flex pts used: 6
Flex pts remaining: 18

Run long and Livestrong!

I forgot to mention...I lost a 1/2 lb. After gaining a 1/2 lb last week, I guess I broke even. Now, it's time to really get with it and lose!

3 Loops

I did go ahead with my plan to run loops at the park. I wanted to get to the park in time to say hello to my Houston Fit friends, but didn't quite make it. I ended up doing 3 loops around the park and I did much better than expected. The knee did hurt, but it wasn't unbearable and much to my surprise, it did not get any worse. It actually hurt more when I took my walk breaks than when I was running...you would think that would have been my incentive to not walk at all, but of course I walked anyway.

I misplaced my 5/1 watch, so I just took a quick walk break every 3/4 - 1 mile. I'll admit, my walk breaks did get a little longer on my 3rd loop. But, I finished. On the way home, I used my still frozen gatorade to ice the knee a little and iced again in the evening.

I also saw some of the regular season Houston Fit folks doing their 3-miler. It's the 2nd official week of training for those training for the Houston Marathon and I am sure some of those folks are probably training for their 1st marathon. Hard to believe that I was doing that same 3-miler with Houston Fit for the 1st time four years ago. All that nervousness about whether or not I could actually run a marathon. All that anxiousness about how, each week, I would be running more miles than I had ever run before. :-)

I planned to take it easy for the rest of the day, so the kiddo and I went to the Angelika for the 3rd week in a row for the "Cry-Baby Matinee". (I used to be a movie junkie, but that was before I became a Mommy....which is a title I adore much more!) We saw "The Devil Wears Prada" and the kiddo decided she wanted to go up and down the stairs about 5 times, (which is perfectly acceptable at the Cry-Baby Matinee) - so much for resting the knee! Overall, the flick was pretty good. Never as good as the book of course, but still entertaining. Today the knee has not bothered me at all. I don't understand it one bit...pain is here one day, gone the next...not complaining, just a little baffled. Oh well, hopefully that's an indication of a great week of running ahead.

Run long and Livestrong!

I. am. bummed.

I am more than a little bummed about the way my knee has been feeling. I just don't get it. I have never had these types of aches and pains this early in the marathon training season and it has me a little worried.

Of course, this is the 1st year that I didn't completely slack off during the off season. Maybe that has something to do with it. I usually take a couple of weeks off after the Houston Marathon, then only run about 3x per week for no more than 20-30 minutes at an extremely leisurely pace. This year, I was determined to not have to start from scratch again when Houston Fit started up. So, I ran the Austin Marathon in February. Then, I met up with some friends on the weekends and ran longer runs each week...anywhere from 6 - 10 miles. I worked a little on my speed as well and participated in some 5K & 10K races Honestly, I had a great time during the off season. Overall, I didn't feel like I was really pushing myself or over doing it.

I think rather than meeting the HF fall group for our 10-miler tomorrow, I will do loops around the park. That way I will not be too far from the car if my knee doesn't want to cooperate. I hate doing multiple loops around the park alone, but it's certainly better than not running at all. I was looking forward to the route tomorrow...it's the TC Jester White Oak Bayou route, which is a new one for me. Then, I will see if I can see a doctor, preferably an orthopedic, on Monday or Tuesday. That's the game plan!

Now, I am off to read and then hit the hay. The kiddo had a fun-filled, nap-free day with her cousins at the pool. She was asleep before I made it home from work, so I have the evening to myself. Have a great weekend!

Run long and Livestrong!!!

Knee troubles and mommy woes

I forgot to mention on my last post that I gained a 1/2 lb last week. Bummer, but I really wasn't surprised. I used my inability to run and the holiday as my excuse to eat pretty much anything and everything I wanted. Bad, I know.

The culprit is in the pic to the right. Yes, I am on WW and I baked cupcakes! I thought for sure that my nephews would be stopping by at some point over the holiday weekend, so I baked cupcakes so they could have something yummy to snack on. I know, I know, a good aunt would offer fruit or veggies...but, I don't want to be the good aunt. I want to be the cool aunt! :-) They didn't get to visit, so of course the hubby and I could not let the perfectly good cupcakes go to waste! No worries though, I am back on track this week.

I took yesterday off...my knee was really bothering me, plus I ended up staying late at work. By the time the kiddo was off to bed, it was 9 pm. And, with no treadmill, there was no running.

I met up with the group at Luke's after work for a 30 minute run. The knee was bothering me with every step, but it wasn't unbearable. We did a run around the bayou. I like running with a group and the route is a great way to get in a few hills. My only complaint was, of course, the heat! It was damn hot! Mix in the humidity and you have one group of really sweaty runners. I suppose it's good for the pores or something, but I really do hate it. I'm not sure how the knee is going to make it through 10 miles on Saturday, but I'll give it a try.

It's a good thing I got my run in before going home. Tonight, the kiddo decided she wanted some milk at bed time...then, when I brought it to her, she decided she didn't want it afterall. She cried "milk! milk!" over and over, but then threw a fit and said "NO!" when I brought it to her. After about an hour and a half of milk tantrums and trying about 5 different sippy cups, she finally drank a little milk and went to sleep. Ah, the mysteries of an 1 1/2 year old! This is so unlike my happy kiddo...hopefully, she was just tired. Or, it could be a taste of what's ahead with the "terrible twos". Oh God, I hope that's not it! I may need to buy a margarita machine. ;-) My point of all this - there is no way I could have run if I would have had to wait for the kiddo to be asleep.

Enough of my mommy ramblings!
Run long & Livestrong!

Wiggles Workout

Sunday was a rest day. The hubby, kiddo and I went to an architectural tour of the Chase Building downtown that was sponsored by GHPA. Very interesting!

The hubby wanted to go fishing on Monday morning, so my morning run didn't happen. I decided to a core workout instead. I did the Abs Diet workout and noticed the pain in my knee from Saturday's LR again. I probably should have skipped the lunges and squats with weights! I iced the knee afterwards, took an anti-inflammatory and hoped for the best. By the way, the hubby broke my treadmill last night! It's a long story, but I am in mourning. It's not completely broken, but it's stuck on the highest incline...I guess I can do hill training at home now. I will call NordicTrack and see if they have any suggestions. I have a feeling they'll have to send someone out. Yikes...I just hope it can be repaired...I cannot afford to get a new one right now.

This morning, I made it out to the park around 6 am. The view of the full moon on my drive over was fabulous! I managed to make it 3/4s of the way around the loop before the pain in my knee kicked in. I took a walk break, which didn't seem to help much and then finished my loop. After getting ready for work, I treated myself to a Pineapple Pleasure smoothie...very yummy and only 6 pts on WW! I added an energy boost to it, and I think it really helped. I felt pretty energetic for the rest of the day. Later, at home, DD & I danced to all the silly music on her Wiggles DVD....I think I have found a new workout - The Wiggles Workout! I still have that fruit salad, yummy, yummy! song in my head.

Running Stats

Conditions - 80/70% humidity (yuck!)

Distance - 2.9 miles

Total run time - 33 minutes

Great long run

I had a 13 mile run scheduled for Saturday. Because of the hubby's work schedule, I couldn't make it to the park in time to start with the group. I ended up guesstimating where the group would be and at what time. I figured that if I made it to the 4 mile mark between 5:45 am and 6 am, I would be able to meet up with the group.

The run was the Tanglewood/Rose Garden to Waugh run. I parked in the Rice Epicurean parking lot and stretched. This was not quite the 4 mile mark, but pretty close. While I was stretching about 3 or 4 folks from the blue (aka really fast) group ran by...I was happy that my guess was correct. I began running in the direction they were coming from and I eventually began see familiar faces from the red group. I was happy to find Pam and Mary Jane. Mary Jane had given me the idea of meeting up with the group this way and offered to take me back to my car when I was done.

It was the typical hot & balmy Houston summer morning. I hate this kind of weather, but somehow managed to suck it up and just run. We did 5/1's the entire route. Amazingly, my shins did not hurt even a little...crazy what a little rest, ice and stretching will do! I did feel a weird little pain in my right knee, so I'm not sure about that...it wasn't enough to cause any alarm. Overall, I was able to complete the run feeling strong. I did have some chafing on my arm, but I think that was due to the extreme humidity. I've only experienced that one other time and it was in the same type of conditions.

When we finished, the regular Houston Fit registration was going on at the park. This is registration for the group that will begin training for the 2007 Houston Marathon. It was great seeing my running buddies from last season...Kay, Bob, Jack, Coach Gaye, Coach Fred and a handful of others. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the seminars after our Saturday runs! I think I have enjoyed training with Houston Fit because of the friendships I have made....the sense of accomplishment I feel after completing a marathon is just the icing on the cake!

I'm baaaack!

I did an easy 30-minute run last night with the gang from Luke's Locker. It was hot and humid, which is to be expected this time of year, but it was fantastic to be running again!

When I arrived at Luke's I decided to buy a amphipod water bottle (see pic). I've been seeing these more and more at the park and thought it would be much better than a) going waterless on the shorter runs or b) toting my ozarka water bottle around again. I was also able to pick up my Houston Fit packet! They give you great coupons for Luke's, a free box of brown Success Rice, a cool training log and some other great stuff. So, I accomplished quite a bit at my trip to Luke's...and I thought I was just going there to run!

We set out on W. Gray to Waugh, then Waugh to Allen Parkway, then followed the path on Allen Parkway until we hit the 15 minute mark. Then, we turned around and went back to Luke's following the same route. I forgot to set my 5/1 watch, but realized that I didn't need to. We had to stop a couple of times at an intersection, so walk breaks weren't really necessary. I did have to keep reminding myself to take it easy. I kept wanting to go a little faster and push it a little more, but I knew that it wouldn't be a good idea my 1st time back out. Other than a few brief seconds of achiness, the shins felt great! They felt better than they had in the past 2 months! I'm hoping that this is a good sign. After the run, I went home and did the stretches the dr prescribed. I followed that with ice packs on both shins. This morning, they still feel great. I am so relieved!

Tomorrow's long run will be 12 miles. Due to the hubby's schedule, I will not be able to get to the park early enough to start with the group. Instead, I'll probably meet up with the group somewhere along the route and then make-up any lost distance by doing a loop at the park. I'm a little nervous about taking it from 8 miles to 12 miles, because I missed last week's run. I am just planning to take it very easy, even if it means being the last one back to the park.

Running Stats
Conditions - 86/70% humidity
Total Run Time - 30:42
Distance - ???
Pace - who cares?

Have a GREAT weekend!
Run Loooong & Livestrong!

Feel the burn!

I decided to give the shins one more day to recover. I am still doing my stretches, icing the legs and taking the NSAIDs, but thought I would wait and try to run with Luke's on Thursday evening. I'm hoping all is well and I'll be able to do the 12-mile LR on Saturday. (Keep your finger's crossed!)

I decided to use my little break from running to do more core training. I did about 45 minutes of DH's Abs Diet Workout, which I really enjoy. It's great because they do an abs workout for every area (lower, mid and upper abs, plus lower back). Then, they do a full-body workout using weights. My absolute favorite is the tricep workout. Crazy, I know, but I love to "feel the burn"! I think I may adjust my schedule a bit so I can work in a few core workouts each week.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Mon - easy run
Tues - run (speedwork/hills)
Wed - core workout
Thur - tempo run (Luke's)
Fri - core workout
Sat - Long Run (w/HF)
Sun - Pilates/Yoga

I still really want to fit in the swimming lessons this month, too. I guess I'll need to see if I can work that out with the hubby's schedule...it's only 2 weeks of lessons, so it shouldn't be too hard.

Run long! Livestrong!

Happy Birthday America!

Well, our 4th was pretty uneventful and I loved it! The hubby had to work tonight, so he spent most of the day sleeping. I missed the 5k due to the shin trouble. So, I took the kiddo to my parent's neighborhood 4th of July parade and cookout. Afterwards, we came home, took a 2 hour nap (even I napped!), made cupcakes and found that a Blue's Clues marathon was on (oh joy!). Sooo, we watched Clues and colored most of the afternoon. When the hubby woke up, we took advantage of the few moments of sunshine and grilled. Naturally, the neighbors decided to start popping fireworks right at the kiddo's bedtime. Just when I thought she was about to drift off to sleep, we would hear a loud POP. The kiddo would open her eyes, sit up and ask "What's that?". (This is something her daddy taught her to ask a few weeks ago. She often says it really fast and it comes out sounding like one word - sh*t - instead of two words!) So, I answered, "Just fireworks sweetie, go to sleep". We continued this for about 30 minutes until she was finally asleep...just in time for mommy to watch the fireworks on tv.

Oh, and I watched the shuttle launch! I'll admit, I am a big science nerd. I was a member of the "Young Astronauts" as a kid, I wanted desperately to go to Space Camp, and I loved to build model airplanes and rockets! I majored in aerospace engineering, then mechanical engineering, then um, business. There was even one boring summer in college that a friend and I went to Hobby Lobby and bought model rocket kits. We spent several summer afternoons launching rockets in the polo field at A&M. I still get giddy when I see a shuttle launch, I tend to let the remote linger on the NASA channel while flipping through the stations and I still vividly remember where I was during the Challenger and Columbia tragedies - 8th grade PE and the Museum of Fine Arts 5K. I was so excited to see a successful launch...I just wish the rest of the world felt the same way! Here's to a safe and successful mission for STS-121!!!

I did manage to get in a workout yesterday. My hubby is a huge fan of the Abs Diet and talked me into trying his new Abs Diet workout DVD. I made it through the beginner and intermediate workouts when he walked in and asked my why I was still working out...and why I was doing the advanced workout. Apparently, I was only supposed to one of the three 15-minute workouts. Oh well! My stomach and triceps were nice and sore this morning...I love that feeling!

Well, enough of my rambling! I hope everyone had a great 4th! Thank you to all the men and women of the armed forces who have fought for our freedom and are currently serving!!!

Withdrawals

Saturday it felt very strange to sleep in until 7 am. Even in the off season, I have been getting up at the crack of dawn (or before) for a long run on Saturday mornings.

Saturday, since I didn't run, I managed to make it to an earlier WW meeting - I lost another pound! That's only 3.5 in 3 weeks, but I guess that's better than no loss at all! Then, the kiddo and I went to the "cry-baby" matinee at the Angelika. This week's feature was The Lakehouse...not my 1st choice for a movie, but oh well! It was kind of far-fetched, but overall a pretty good romantic flick with a happy ending. I was happy to arrive home in time to catch the shuttle launch (I love that stuff!), but was disappointed to find out that it had been postponed. Later, my wonderful hubby took me to a better-late-than-never celebration dinner at one of my favorite Tex Mex places. He knows me well...after all studying, I needed a margarita...or two!!! And, I had them. YUMMY! Unfortunately, I am not the margarita drinker I once was...I fell asleep by 10pm!

On Sunday, after the kiddo's play group, I drove by Memorial Park on the way home. As I was driving, I watched the runners and walkers go by and actually felt a tinge of jealousy. I actually missed being out there, heat and all! I was having withdrawals!!! Then I thanked God that it was only a shin splint and 5 days of no running. I couldn't imagine being out longer than that!

I wasn't able to ice my shins every 3-4 hours over the weekend as suggested, but I did manage to ice 2x on Saturday and 3x on Sunday. And, I am taking my NSAIDS as directed. Every now and then I feel a little soreness, but I don't think I will know for sure how I'm doing until I try an easy run on Wednesday.

I guess that's all I have to report. Have an awesome 4th!!!