Thursday, March 30, 2006

Sidetracked

Image hosting by Photobucket
I've been feeling a little off lately, and CRAVING carbohydrates, and all the wrong ones,like cookies, sugary cereal, chocolate cake, candy, etc... It was suggested to me that my glycogen levels were depleted since my activity levels have gone up. It makes perfect sense. I've been eating as if I were adhering to a regular round of Body For Life instead of marathon training. For marathon training I need more carbs, but more of the right carbs. I should already be doing this because I marathon trained last year... DUH! I need to start carb loading a few days before a LSD (long slow distance) run. That being said, I made a huge pot of brown rice to have on hand for the next several days, and I need to stock up on steel cut oats.

Today was supposed to be my LSD run at the lake but it didn't happen. Thursdays work so well for my LSD runs because the lake is not that busy and there's not as many bike riders, skate boarders, walkers, dogs, small children, etc., to dodge. Oh well. I guess running with the masses on the weekends will prepare me for running with the masses at the marathon on on June 4th. I am back-up daycare for my 2 1/2 year old grandson, he has a cold and conjunctivitis (pink eye) so I spent the day with him. I thought I could fit in some Tae Bo during nap time but that didn't pan out, either. I ended up making phone calls.

Now that it is quiet and I have time to myself, I think I'll go do upper body circuits.

Peace
Image hosting by Photobucket

Monday, March 27, 2006

23:57

Reality Check:
I really needed that full day of rest that I took yesterday... It has made all the difference. I did things like read the paper, leaf through home improvement magazines, and stayed in my jammies all day...

Things that went right:
*I'm so jazzed right now because I'm very much back on track with my "casusal" running times. I ran my 2.5 miles in the neighborhood in 23:57. That's about a whole minute less than the last time I ran it. Not being in pain makes such a huge difference!
*I changed my schedule this week because it's going to rain tomorrow, so today was my run and tomorrow will be weights.

Things that need improvement:
*Shoes, AGAIN, but in the somewhat distant future. I must be the grim reaper of running shoe styles... I received a friendly little e-mail from Road Runner Sprots announcing that they're discontinuing the Asics I just bought and "hurry up, stock up and save 10%". I'm sort of back to square one, but at least I don't *need* a new pair of shoes right now. I'm still alternating with my Nikes, so the Asics will take me throught the marathon in June.
*Look at new light fixtures for the "new" master bedroom.
*Figure out new running routes in the new 'hood.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Blustery Day...

We've been blessed with a few days of gorgeous Spring-like weather, and now it's back to rain and drizzle...

With the arrival of Spring, arrives flowers on the "orchid" tree at the "new" house. I'm not sure what type of tree it is, as it's probably not really an orchid, but it produces a beautiful show of pinks, fuchsias and purples...

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Same old same old...

Not much happening in the way of fitness and change.Disappointed

Reality check:
I've maintained my same weight for over the past month. The good news is I haven't gained any weight, but the bad news is I haven't made any real fitness progress with muscle tone, weight, and performance. Some of this "maintaining" has to do with my arm and hip pain, and not giving a full out effort like I need. The other part of it is not eating clean when I should. Sure, my focus has been in other places, but I should have more control over my fitness goals. My fitness goal for this year is/was to marathon train without losing a ton of muscle tone like last year. I was also a good 10 pounds heavier AFTER last year's marathon...Runner

Things that went right:
*I did my 2.5 mile run around the neighborhood, sub 25 minutes! It has been a while since I've seen that! I couldn't find my stopwatch so I used the clock on my cell phone. I'm trying to get a little faster where I can, without killing myself.
*No pain.
*The new shoes are working great! Now, I need to find them on sale somewhere...

Things that need improvement:
*Find my stopwatch. I think I saw the little guy with it.
*Sift through a bazillion old photos and slides at the "new" old house. It will be interesting but tedious.
*Try out some different electrolyte options just to see what else is out there and if those will agree with my system.

Peace.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Addicted To Blog Quizzes! What Kind of Shoe Are You?

I couldn't resist! I found this particular quiz on Fuzzyelf's Blog...

You Are Big Black Boots!

You can be best described as: attitude
You've got lots of it - and you love to give it
A guy has to be pretty gusty to hit on you
But if he's your type, you'll warm up... a little

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Finally...

Escrow finally closed Tuesday, late afternoon. Whew!

We've jumped through one hurdle, now we have to jump through the hurdle of brining the house up to code. I'm surprised my uncle didn't burn the house down with all the extension cords he had going through the house to run his many, MANY air filters. There's even marks on the wall where the outlets became too hot. Yikes. He didn't have a computer or several "newer" items that we now own, which probably saved the house from an electrical fire... I highly doubt the 1947 electrical system could handle a family with 2006 electrical gadgets like computers -- we each have our own, plus DVD players, a microwave oven, plasma screen TV, etc... I hope Michael and I are able to move in by the end of April, just so the house isn't empty too long...

On the fitness front...

20K Thursday
Last year, about this same time, I was having major knee issues. I was subjected to stabbing knee pain, even with low distance runs and walks. I was diagnosed with arthritis. I'm not sure what the difference is this year, perhaps knowing what the pain is, but I have yet to experience that stabbing pain this year, while running. I've added fish oil capsules in addition to the plethora of supps I take. I don't know if that's it or what, but I sure am happy!
Reality check...
I know I'm suppose to ease back into the long slow distance runs, just because that endurance needs to be built up to prevent injury, but I felt so good today that I could have run the whole marathon distance... I did go further than I should have... But I still feel good!

Things that went right:
*I did my LSD run at the lake today. 20K (about 12.8 miles) in 2:23ish. I'm not speedy but I kept an even pace the whole time.
*No knee pain, even after the run.
*The weather was perfect for a LSD run. high 50's to low 60's. It's supposed to rain by Friday...

Things that need improvement:
*Buy more Accelgels. I still have a case of Powergels from last year. I like the Accelgels for the latter part of the run.
*Buy a couple more pair of running socks... Mine suddenly went missing
**********************************************************************
Wednesday's Workout
It feels great to get the workout done! I even gave shoulders presses a whirl, and could actually muster a few reps. It has been a long while since I've been able to do that without wincing.

Reality Check:
I feel good!
Image hosting by Photobucket
Things that went right:
*UBW - High reps, low weights, 5 sets... My biceps are toast, but it's a good thing.
*My hip is feeling less pain
*We have a nice break between storms. It's really pretty outside right now.

Things that need improvement:
*Plan out my long slow distance run for tomorrow... It's supposed to rain all weekend
*Find a replacement for the office manager at Michael's office. The prior one quit yesterday. She was the best... hated to see her quit. And, no, I won't work at Michael's office...

Peace.

Monday, March 13, 2006

My Personal DNA

I found another interesteing "Test" on Cathy's blog. Yep, I gave it a go, and some of the "answers" or "analogies" surprised me.

You are an Animated Leader.
About You
You are a Leader

Your solid grounding in the practicalities of life, along with your self-assuredness and your willingness to appreciate new things make you a LEADER.

You're in touch with what is going on around you and adept at remaining down-to-earth and logical.

Although you're detail-oriented, this doesn't mean that you lose the big picture.

You tend to find beauty in form and efficiency, as opposed to finding it in broad-based, abstract concepts.

Never one to pass on an adventure, you're consistently seeking and finding new things, even in your immediate surroundings.

Because of this eagerness to pursue new experiences, you've learned a lot; your attention to detail means that you gain a great deal from your adventures.

The intellectual curiosity that drives you leads you to seek out causes of and reasons behind things.

Your confidence gives you the potential to take your general awareness and channel it into leadership.

You're not set on one way of doing things, and you often have the skills and persistence to find innovative ways of facing challenges.

You are well-attuned to your talents, and can deal with most problems that you face.

You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.

Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.


If you want to be different:

There's more to life than the practical - take some time to daydream and explore the aesthetic sides of things.


How You Relate to Others
You are Animated

You are outgoing, comfortable with others, and up for anything, which makes you ANIMATED.

Some people find crowds and parties exhausting, but not you! You are energized by spending time with others, and are able to be yourself in many situations.

Sometimes it is hard for you to understand why others feel the way they do, but that doesn't stop you from trusting them or having faith that they are good people.

You know the world is complicated and that there is often more than one side to a story, so you are careful not to make judgments about others too hastily.

You would rather experience the world than sit back and observe it—you are not one to sit on the sidelines.

You are an independent thinker and don't get too worried about how others might perceive you—you are not self-conscious about being the active, engaged person that you are.

Although you have a keen understanding of different people's life circumstances, you occasionally have trouble seeing why people get so upset and emotional about things—they should just lighten up and have fun!

In addition to having faith in the world, you have faith in the people around you—you trust others to do the right thing and to be honest.


If you want to be different:

Those who are as outgoing as you are often need to remind themselves that time alone can be just as fulfilling—take some time for yourself and you might find that there are many things in your inner world that are just as compelling as the world outside your window.

Your open-mindedness about the ways of world gives you an understanding of people's differences, but that knowledge doesn't always translate into sympathy. Don't be afraid to let your trust and understanding influence your feelings.


Monday, March 06, 2006

Shopping

Yesterday, Michael and I went out to Road Runner Sports in search of a new running shoe for me, and to see what he could find since he'll need newer shoes soon, anyway. Right off the bat, Michael checks out the clearance shelves for discontinued/returns/worn once shoes AND finds his Brooks shoes Image hosting by Photobucketwhich aren't discontinued or worn -- brand new, this year's version... My guess is they were a catalog return. Me, on the other hand, spend an hour trying on several pairs of shoes... The sales people there are on commission, so the guy helping me kept bringing out the uber expensive shoes... After a while I narrowed it down to two pairs that felt good and spent time comparing... This is what I ended up with, Asics Gel Nimbus VII:
Image hosting by Photobucket
I swear, they better not discontinue these any time soon!!!

I also ended up with Adidas shorts:
Image hosting by Photobucket

and a hydration belt:
Image hosting by Photobucket

It still bugs me that Michaels shoes haven't been discontinued and can find them new on the sale shelves! He saved about $30. on his shoes. I don't wanna talk about mine... Even with my VIP discount they were still not cheap... Well, they are comfy

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Hip Stuff & Such...

Running this weekend was a total bust, but I did manage to fit in a 3 mile walk with Michael on Saturday, and later on a upper body circuits with resistance bands. The outer right side of my hip has become rather bothersome and "twingey" with pain... All running books and articles suggest new shoes with more cushion when hip pains occur. I alternate 2 pairs of shoes that have about 100 miles each on them, and they both have extra cushion. Perhaps I'm breaking down that particular make/style of running shoes quicker than normal. Most running shoes should be good for 300 miles or so, but running shoes are not created equal. Since my Nike's were discontinued, I do need to find a different style and/or make anyway... I did set up an appointment at the doctor's for Thursday morning.

One of my friends has become quite the runner over the past year. I'm truly excited for him and the progress he has made. He e-mailed this picture to me of him running in his neighborhood and asked about form -- looks good to me! I don't think I have a picture of me running in my own neighborhood...

Thursday, March 02, 2006

4 Miler

Image hosting by Photobucket

I decided to run on the gym treadmill today since I was going to be out and about with errands. Much to my surprise, there were a couple of shiny new treadmills! The "ride" was nice and smooth.

I received a phone call from a former coworker asking me to join her in the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk for breast cancer. It's in November and I would have to raise money to do this, but I'm also planning to run in the first San Jose Rock N' Roll Marathon with my brother in October. I'm not sure if I can do both.

Reality Check:

The reason why my former coworker wants to do the 3 day walk is because she had just learned that another former coworker was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. :sad: It's such a shock because this lady is the most fit, healthful, exuberantly happy person you would ever meet. I never worked with her (I was her replacement when she quit) but she did join us for girls night out.

Things that went right:
*4 miles on the treadmill at the gym, HIIT-- I did it in just over 42 minutes.
*It was cool that my friend considered me to participate in the 3 day walk with her.

Things that need improvement:

*I always want to go faster on the gym treadmill...
*Cures for cancer...

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Reflection

The rain has subsided today and it's gorgeous out right now. I've changed up my workout with the intent of increasing my running mileage.

Reality Check:
March 1st. I have a lot on my mind -- A lot of reflecting... Today is the 20th anniversary of my mother succumbing to colon cancer. She was only 57. I miss her terribly.

Image hosting by Photobucket

Things that went right:
*LBW - Bowflex. I lowered the tension rods to 40# and increased the sets. I did 10 sets, 20 reps each of leg extensions and leg curls, squats with out weights and finished each set with 40 crunches. This probably doesn't sound all that heavy duty, but I was cranking these sets out and my heart rate was definitely going.

Things that need improvement:
*Pay bills...