Such a crazy life!

  Once again my workout routine is up in the air but I'm actually happy with it which is odd.  I still haven't figured out a day "off" but have a feeling it will probably be Sundays since I have meetings every Sunday night.
  We've built back up to 2 miles which is pretty good.  I'm a little behind on my 10 miles a week goal but quickly catching up.  I ran an "easy" 1 mile last night.  I tried something I'd never done before - I talked to God while I ran.  My RA Jessica swears it helps her.  I looked at it as more of a meditation but the odd thing was it made the run easier (I was running at my usual 10min/mile pace) and I realized half way through that my breath went steady and I was breathing exactly how I was supposed to - one breath in with 3 steps, exhale with 2 steps.  I almost stumbled mid-run when I realized this because I have never been able to accomplish the correct breathing for running.  I also noticed I didn't sweat as much as I usually do when running.  Overall, the experience was very relaxing and enjoyable and completely different from any other time I've ran by myself.  Go Jessica for opening me up to something new!!
  Eryn has been wonderful for me when it comes to the gym.  She makes sure we run our miles then move to weights and ab exercises.  This is what I need - someone to give me the swift kick that my friend Heather used to when we worked out in grad school.  I will do them sometimes by myself but not as hard as I should.  I'm already noticing a difference - I wore a skirt today and my legs look wonderful.  Makes me want to continue with what I'm doing because I'm starting to see the hard work pay off.
  Still not used to the random pains when I move from the ab exercises.  Pain in places I didn't even know existed but again, I can see a little bit of results starting to show.  I took my measurements this morning and I'm already down a half inch in a few places which is also nice to see.  I'm in no way expecting a six-pack from all of this but something that I can feel even more comfortable showing in my bikinis would be nice.
  I'm looking forward to my one-on-one today with my SRA September.  She and I are going to the gym for our workout and she is going to show me all the exercises she and my RA Danielle have been doing.  They both have gotten into great shape hitting the gym for 30 - 45 minutes last semester and I am always open to learning new techniques.
  Finally, I received a call that the pilates class was canceled.  The instructor was unable to take on another class and since Yoga was closed I only had Zumba to choose from that I was interested in.  I decided this semester to just focus on my running class.  We'll be meeting at 8.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays so that along with working with Eryn and running with the group on weekends when it gets nicer out, I'm hoping to be somewhat ready for May.  I'm still leaning towards the half marathon but am considering the 10k as a back up.  We'll see if I can stay injury-free that long and how I'm feeling about my running as it gets closer.

Back to normal...

  So for the most part I feel like life is getting back to normal.  Eryn and I have pretty much set a work out routine.  I told her today that she's a good workout buddy for me because she doesn't let me get away with just running - she makes me do my weights and ab exercises! ha ha  I am horrible about skipping them but as long as I have someone to say "ok, let's do them" I will.  Just need to hear it.
  We had our first long run in... well, since December so about a month.  We made 2 miles!!  That is huge for us - with her knee acting up and my foot freaking out two weeks ago.  We did an easy first mile at 11.5min pace and the second mile a little quicker.  Then we did about 30 minutes of free weights and machines.  We're slowly teaching ourselves how to use the machines.  And tonight I discovered that the best time to go on Sunday is around 4.30pm because there's really not a lot of people on the weight machines which I prefer.
  Our race is 2 weeks ago so the fact that we did 2 miles tonight without either of us being in pain made us very happy!  We're going to push a little higher this week and then next week not as hard since the race will be that weekend.  I'm not going into this race thinking I'll run the whole thing but I'm sure gonna try!  I just want to make sure I don't hurt my foot again.  I have an appointment next weekend to have it checked out.
  I am still trying to figure out my Nike+ thing.  I tried using it tonight and we ran a mile but it said we only ran .5 so I don't know if it's not picking up our running or what.  I'll keep playing with it so I can figure out what I am doing wrong.
  Other than that, I am just continuing to ice and heat my arm - the weights are helping my arm gain strength again but causing a lot of friction and pain so it's been a good/bad thing.  It only hurts in certain positions - when my muscle is pulled a certain way too tight.  Then I get a sharp pain in my elbow.  Otherwise I totally forget about it.
  With my foot messing up a few weeks ago I'm setting a goal of 32 min for this 5k.  If I don't get close because we have to walk (whether bc of her knee or my foot) I'm not going to get bummed.  It's my first 5k of 2011 (outside of my NYE one) so it'll be the "time to beat" for every race after.  Help me to set my goals for the year.
  It feels pretty nice to blog again about not being in pain and actually having a good workout.  Hopefully this will be the trend for the rest of the month and year!! : )

Yoga Fun

  So due to someone quitting as an instructor at the local gym, the PiYo class I wanted to take this Spring has been canceled.  Last night Eryn and I attended the Yoga class to check it out.  Neither of us have ever done yoga before (I don't count the few poses I've done once or twice on the Wii).  We were both excited and I was extremely nervous - mainly due to my elbow problems.
  I knew yoga was supposed to b e intense but it was insane.  About half way through I was curing myself and wondering why I was doing this.  By the end, I loved it.  I knew I'd be in pain the next day but I didn't think it would be this much!  I am hurting in areas I didn't know existed beneath my ribs.
  At the same time, it makes me want to go back.  Last semester I watched two of my staff go every night for 45 minutes at the gym and attend PiYo twice a week and they changed their bodies quite drastically.  I am not really in it for the weight loss - more for the toning and shaping aspect.  Also the strength - I want to make my arms stronger and hopefully help heal my elbow issues.
  My foot is still in pain so I am going to continue to stay off it until next week and try running a mile on Monday.  Tonight we are going to do some weights and I may bike a little bit to keep the leg motions going.  I don't want to lose how far I've come but also don't want to mess up my foot again.
  Finally, I signed up for a clinic to talk to him about ways to help with my elbow and my new foot issues.  We'll see what he says.

  This past week has just been a not good week for me and running at all.
  Earlier in the week I suffered a horrible migraine and then had a few days of decent running.  We've been averaging about 1.5 because Eryn's knee is not good and her doctor doesn't want her pushing herself too hard right now which I totally support.
  On Thursday night we went for what was supposed to be a 1.5 mile run.  Around the mile mark my foot started to hurt and 2 laps later I could barely walk on it.  The outer right side was throbbing in pain and shooting up to my ankle.  I barely was able to walk on Friday night either.  I think it was due to the heels I was wearing to work the day before - they were higher than I am used to and I think it messed with my foot more than I thought it would.
  I've iced it all weekend and wrapped it when I walk and it feels much better.  I don't think it was a stress fracture because when I spoke with my student who had/has one she said her foot swelled up horribly and mine hasn't at all.  Just  pain when I walk.  I'm hoping it will be slightly better tomorrow so I can run this week.
  In exciting news, I finally got my Nike+ watch!  I can't wait to start training with it!  When Joey went to weigh in today for Big Loser at Runner's World I bought the shoe holder for it.  Now I'll be a big dork with my key holder on one shoe and my Nike+ holder on my other shoe but it will be worth it if this thing works as well as it is supposed to.
  Hopefully this past week is all the pain I will endure this year with running.  I feel like in one week to have this many issues should clear me for a few good months. : )  We shall see.  Still on course for the next 5k (we downgraded due to Eryn's knee) in Feb.  No more issues before then I hope!!

Painful night

  So last night was my first night back in the gym in, well, a long time.  I set a 3 mile goal for myself which I know was pretty hefty since I haven't run all break (except for the race) and have been sick since the 1st with bronchitis.
  I didn't make my goal and learned a very important lesson last night - don't push yourself too hard after you've been sick and taken time off to get better.  I don't think I hydrated enough yesterday and then pushing myself so hard on the track resulted in a horrible migraine last night.  On top of that I had hall gov which I really enjoy but with the bright lights in the parlor and the excitement of the girls I was in so much pain!  As soon as the meeting ended I went straight to bed and somehow managed to sleep despite the pain.  I woke up at 1.30am and the ache was gone and thankfully fell back asleep until 8am.
  I did notice though as I ran that I was able to keep my time just under a 10 minute mile so that made me very happy.  I ended up doing 2 miles on the track - 1 mile straight and then a half lap walk followed by 6 laps, half lap walk and the last 2 laps.  Then I jumped on the treadmill and ran .4 at a 5 mph pace before Joey found me for dinner.
  I did realize how much I missed eating at the caf though over break.  I had around 3oz of chicken fried steak, chocolate milk, a ton of corn and broccoli and mashed potatoes.  I also ended up grabbing a small side salad as well to add to my veggies.  Our caf food isn't always the best tasting or selection but usually I can find some kind of healthy meat/veggie mix that fills me up.  I also tend to eat less at the caf yet stay more full at the same time.  Not sure how that works but it does and I am thankful for it!
  I am going to take Tuesdays off this semester I think so let my legs rest (and make sure I don't push too hard) and then probably Sundays.  Tonight I think I will focus on weights and then maybe some core or bike exercises.  The goal is to definitely hit the gym 5-6 times a week to stay in shape.  I also have to go 48 more times this semester so I can get 50% off my membership next year (that's like a $50 savings!).
  I'm also super stoked because I learned today that they are offering free "trial" classes next week so you can figure out what classes you want to do.  I'm going to try this semester's Zumba class - new teacher so we'll see if I like how she does it.  I also want to try out the yoga class.  And I have to grab a schedule tonight so I can see when Eddie set class for the Spring semester.
  It's going to be a great semester with working out and staying in shape. : )

  I have been a horrible runner since break!  I am so thankful I ran that 5k because I haven't run since.  The bronchitis took the energy out of me most of this week and with the gym being on a weird schedule and closing early 3 times and closed the entire weekend I wasn't able to use the indoor track.  I wanted to run yesterday and today but it was been way too bitterly cold here (and I heard via facebook that back home is even worse).  I've just been an all around major fail all week/weekend.  I am planning on going to the indoor track tomorrow night to get in at least 3 miles (or more if possible) and then starting training with the group mid-week this week.  I want to make sure I can at least do my 3 miles before attempting the 5 mile runs they are up to now.  I really want to run this half at a good time but I also don't want to injure myself by pushing too hard after taking time off and then getting sick.
  I am also going to try very hard to do more weights, yoga and core exercises on my off running days.  I finally reset my wii balance board so the goal is to get on a regular sleeping schedule again (cross my fingers) and then do yoga in the morning before work and runs 3-4 times a week after work and on weekends.  I am going to start doing the 7.45am Sat morning runs too.  Realistically if I go out on weekends I usually go out on Sat. nights anyway so there's no reason I can't get up for a run on Sat morning then come home and nap for an hour after and then start my day.
  I am happy to say that I have been keeping up on my goal of veggies and fruit on a daily basis.  Even with cooking for myself this week I've managed to have 2 veggies with each meal and if we've had subway at work I've stocked up on the greens in my sandwich - spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers and can't forget the onions!  I also grab the bag of apples (or fresh fruit from the c-store) when we eat.  Really seems to help me keep the weight off and stay full.  The only downside is this week I've had my exercise appetite but haven't been hitting the gym so I've gained 3 pounds but not worried because I know they'll be gone as soon as I have a week at the gym under my belt.
  And finally, I signed up again this semester for the TU Fit program.  Bought a new battery for my pedometer and am all set to start tomorrow.  That thing really keeps me on track - my goal is 80,000 a week or higher and with my increased runs I should be golden. : )

New Race, New Year

  So the group I am going to start training with is running 5 miles this Saturday... and I'm still not 100% from this bronchitis so I emailed the instructor to ask her what advice she could give to help me catch up with the group.  I can run over 3 miles pretty easily but def. not 5 miles yet - especially sick!  Hopefully she'll be understanding...
  On another note, I picked my next race!  Always exciting - gives me something to look forward to and train for. : )  I've decided to do the local Sweetheart Run.  I posted it on my facebook and Eryn (who I'm training with for the Half Marathon) and her roommate both want to do it as well.  So... I have a feeling we're going to go for the 10k instead of our usual 5k.  I think it's definitely possible - esp. since I know I can run a 5k and it's a month away so I can add at least another mile or 2 to my running by then.  Just means more outside runs because I can only run so many loops on that damn indoor track before I get completely bored out of my mind!  Maybe trying out a few loops around campus might be in order as well as few practice loops at the river. : )  I miss running by the river so much!  Even if it does make it colder due to the wind off the water - it's still nicer scenery than running the neighborhoods in my area.
  I'm also looking for new music to add to my ipod for running.  I tend to go for upbeat music - usually a pop/rap mix.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
  Have a wonderful day and hopefully you are feeling much better than I am and don't get sick! : )

Random

  As I am cleaning my office, I decided to fix my bib wall.

  Pretty excited to add a few more this year - including a Half Marathon in May. : )
  And only I would notice this but the higher my number the better I race.  So odd.  That and the fact that my 2250 and 252 are only 15 seconds in time difference.
  Told you - I'm weird. : )

Happy New Year!

  I just finished adding up my total mileage since I started keeping track the first week of May.  I'm happy to say that I've run over 200 miles!  That's not including all the miles before I started keeping track.  Such an accomplishment!
  I did end up running the New Years Eve race.  That in itself was a feat!  I went to the bar with friends to celebrate and had set my alarm to remind myself to leave about 45min in time for the race.  As I left the bar in my heels and a dress, I quickly realized I left my sneakers at Joey's apartment when we were getting ready to go out.  Thankfully I live very close to the bar we were at so I very dangerously threw on my pants and sped back to my apartment to get my extra old sneakers that sit in the back of my closet.  I literally ran from my car to the back door in my strapless dress and running pants in bare feet, threw on the sneakers, socks and a sports bra and ran back to my car to put on my shirts and hoodies.  I drove quickly back to the race site and Stephen called me as I was pulling into a spot to wish me a Happy New Year (I'm an hour behind him).  As I quickly talked to him on the phone I realized I couldn't find my number bib.  I knew they wouldn't let me race without it and probably wouldn't believe me that I had already registered.  I searched the car for another 5 minutes after I got off the phone and finally found it under the car seat.  At this point I had about 10 minutes before the race started so I headed up to find the starting point.
  I was so stressed which is never a good way to start a race, but I had my mind set - I wanted to run a sub-30 and run the entire race.  This goal doesn't seem that bad since my last race was sub-28 however I hadn't run in almost 2 weeks at this point and I knew this course was hard - it was the same one as the Skirt Chaser's in September - when I did a 36.18.
  I ran my heart out and realized half way through that I wasn't going to hit sub-30 but I was ok with that.  I could tell because they started setting off fireworks at midnight and I hadn't hit the half way mark at that point yet.  I kicked it up a notch and pushed myself a little harder and kept setting my sites on people ahead of me to pass out and push myself harder.
  I'm happy to say that despite 2 weeks off, I did pretty well.  I finished the race at 31.20 and ran the entire race.  As I returned to my friends they all made sure to let me know that although I didn't make the time goal I wanted, I beat my last time on that track by 5 minutes and I was one of the crazy people who chose to run in 26 degrees while most were inside drinking and enjoying life.  My results were 60 out of 247 (women only), 7 out of 29 (my age group), 199 of 520 (overall) and 7 of 40 (weight placement).  With those stats, definitely one of my better races.
  I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I want my goals for running and exercising to be this year.  I feel like I've come so far in so many ways but I still have a long way to go before I'm where I want to be.  I hate making "new years resolutions" but instead, after talking to a friend a few days ago, I'm making goals for my health in 2011.
  - I will run a half marathon on May 1, 2011.  Current goal is as close to 2.30 as possible.
  - I will continue train at least 3-4 times a week with the training group as well as my running class.
  - I will go to the gym to cross train at least 1-2 times a week.
  - I will start doing yoga or piyo at least 1 - 2 times a week to gain a more sculpted body.
  - I will continue to eat veggies at least once a day 5 days a week.
  - I will give up diet coke for lent again and not start drinking it once I give it up.
  - I will drink at least 50 oz of water a day to keep my body hydrated and keep me healthy.
  - Finally, I will do my best to keep myself as healthy and happy as possible.