I ran FAST today. Okay, not that fast, but I ran faster than I have in years. Let me explain. If you've been keeping up, you know that I had a leg and heel ailment. The heel is still bugging me a bit, but the leg feels much better. Yoga yesterday was the test to determine whether I was ready to start running again. During my last yoga class, the step forward transition bothered my right leg. Yesterday, it didn't, so I decided I was ready to run the next day. I was gabbing about this after class, and EK, who organizes the class said, "Hey! I'll go with you."
I was a bit nervous about running with her because she recently ran a 5K at an 8:45 pace. However, I'm of the philosophy that it's best to run with someone faster than you are because it's a challenge. So today, I took on the challenge. I did admirably. I had to struggle to keep up with her but never lagged behind. According to her GPS, we ran about 4 or so miles in 40 minutes. That's a 10minute mile and much faster than I've run in awhile!
On top of that, my leg didn't hurt after! I'm back!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Swimmingly
So, it's been awhile since I blogged. Two reasons for the time away. First, I was away. I went to Seattle for a conference (left this past Wednesday) and second, my leg has been injured. I've dutifully avoided running to allow my leg to heal, and I think that it has finally turned a corner. The pain that I had been feeling above my knee seems to have dissipated. I took advantage of my time at the conference hotel to use the indoor pool. I amazed myself by waking up early on Friday and Saturday to swim -- at 6 and 7 pm respectively. I wasn't even tired in the morning when I woke up, which is even more bizarre.
Swimming is hard! I did about an hour each day. I think that I finally figured out why swimmers sit in the "recovery pool" or hot tub after races. The first morning I went swimming, my locker malfunctioned, so I decided to wait in the hot tub for the security guy. He took longer than I thought, so I went back into the pool because I had been sitting in the hot tub longer than I wanted to. When I went back into the pool, my body felt amazingly fresh and it was much easier to swim.
I'm proud of myself, because this is the first time that I have taken the initiative to exercise while traveling when Eugene wasn't there to harass me to do it.
Swimming is hard! I did about an hour each day. I think that I finally figured out why swimmers sit in the "recovery pool" or hot tub after races. The first morning I went swimming, my locker malfunctioned, so I decided to wait in the hot tub for the security guy. He took longer than I thought, so I went back into the pool because I had been sitting in the hot tub longer than I wanted to. When I went back into the pool, my body felt amazingly fresh and it was much easier to swim.
I'm proud of myself, because this is the first time that I have taken the initiative to exercise while traveling when Eugene wasn't there to harass me to do it.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
It's Been Awhile
There's a double meaning there. It's been awhile since I wrote anything. It's been so busy this week, and I was feeling under the weather for part of it. More importantly, it's been awhile since I ran. I didn't run all week. My run in Central Park was the last run I went on. Before you start thinking that I gave up, hear me out. I resolved my quandary of a few days ago in favor of not running. I wanted to let my injuries rest. My heel still feels bruised and I have a slight pain above my knee. I'm not sure what it is and don't feel like going to the doctor. I hate going to the doctor, mainly because it's inconvenient. I think that my decision is wise. The pain is dissipating. It's been depressing having to sit out again, so here's hoping that I'll be able to run during my trip to Seattle next week!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Quandary
I'm torn. I have various aches and pains and don't know if I should stop running or keep going. In my heart, I want to keep going because I've built up a good base and have surprised myself by running regularly and enjoying it.
On the other hand, my right foot (the one I broke), is bothering me a bit, and I'm unsure whether my injury is being aggravated. It isn't painful to run, so I'm not sure if this is something that I will always have to deal with or whether my body is trying to tell me something. Also, I bruised my heel on the same foot. The bruise isn't that painful, but I don't want to exacerbate it. This is so pathetic. I'm not even old.
What to do? Since I'm not a member of a gym, my aerobic exercise opportunities are limited outside of running. Gahhh.
On the other hand, my right foot (the one I broke), is bothering me a bit, and I'm unsure whether my injury is being aggravated. It isn't painful to run, so I'm not sure if this is something that I will always have to deal with or whether my body is trying to tell me something. Also, I bruised my heel on the same foot. The bruise isn't that painful, but I don't want to exacerbate it. This is so pathetic. I'm not even old.
What to do? Since I'm not a member of a gym, my aerobic exercise opportunities are limited outside of running. Gahhh.
New York Part II
After buying my running shoes at JackRabbit, I took them on their maiden voyage for a run in Central Park. I had been dying to run in the Park especially because of the beautiful fall colors. Sadly, it was raining. Misting a bit at first, but then switching to a major downpour. Since Eugene and I once ran 20 miles in a New Orleans tropical storm, we didn't let a little bit of rain stop us.
Our hotel was located in the Times Square area so we had to run seven or eight blocks to get to the Park. Running to the park was a funny experience. There were throngs of tourists, and at times, it seemed like we were stuck in traffic because of the crowds. Also, because it was raining, people had their umbrellas up, which made it even harder to navigate the crowds.
We finally got to the Park and ran the entire loop. The trees and water were beautiful, especially when contrasted with the beautiful old buildings surrounding the park. The terrain was a nice mixture of flat land and rolling hills. It was surpising to see how many people were out in the rain. Some were running, like us, but others were sauntering without rain gear as if it were a sunny day. We ran past a carousel, a restaurant, an ice rink, and a bunch of fields. I would have loved to see more of the Park's landmarks, but it was all we could do in the rain to run the loop.
So, how did I feel? At times, the run seemed harder than it should on my legs, but they eventually got into the groove. My breathing was easy. Whereas a few weeks ago, it would have been difficult to talk and run at the same time, I was able to carry on a conversation with Eugene without straining to breathe.
On a mental level, the run was fun, but depressing. People kept speeding by me -- even people who looked like they weren't in the best physical condition. Ahhh. Motivation.
Our hotel was located in the Times Square area so we had to run seven or eight blocks to get to the Park. Running to the park was a funny experience. There were throngs of tourists, and at times, it seemed like we were stuck in traffic because of the crowds. Also, because it was raining, people had their umbrellas up, which made it even harder to navigate the crowds.
We finally got to the Park and ran the entire loop. The trees and water were beautiful, especially when contrasted with the beautiful old buildings surrounding the park. The terrain was a nice mixture of flat land and rolling hills. It was surpising to see how many people were out in the rain. Some were running, like us, but others were sauntering without rain gear as if it were a sunny day. We ran past a carousel, a restaurant, an ice rink, and a bunch of fields. I would have loved to see more of the Park's landmarks, but it was all we could do in the rain to run the loop.
So, how did I feel? At times, the run seemed harder than it should on my legs, but they eventually got into the groove. My breathing was easy. Whereas a few weeks ago, it would have been difficult to talk and run at the same time, I was able to carry on a conversation with Eugene without straining to breathe.
On a mental level, the run was fun, but depressing. People kept speeding by me -- even people who looked like they weren't in the best physical condition. Ahhh. Motivation.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
A New York Experience
Eugene and I went to the wedding of one of my law school friends in Brooklyn this weekend. A lot of our trip involved running.
Lately, my feet and legs had started to feel achy after runs, which, for me, is a sign that I need new shoes. There are a few running stores in the DC area. Even though I could go after work, I never really do because I'm bound to the train schedule, and the only one I know of in the city is Fleet Feet in Adams Morgan, which is somewhat of a hike from my office. There are two running stores in Annapolis -- the recently sold Gotta Run, which had crappy and inattentive customer service the last time I went (the sales guy seemed annoyed to answer my shoe questions because I was tearing him away from the book he was reading), and Fleet Feet in Eastport. Both close too early for me to make it there after work.
Since we were in New York, which has a ton of running stores, I decided to get shoes there. Eugene thought it would be cool to go to JackRabbit Sports, which sells running, cycling, and swimming apparel, because the sales associates do a video treadmill analysis to determine what type of shoe will work best. Even though I had been evaluated for shoes before, it had been awhile and I wasn't sure if my stride had changed. Also, I had never had a video analysis done before. Based on the video of me running, I have a normal stride (no pronating or supinating) and therefore am best suited to a neutral shoe. The service was excellent, and I bought a pair of Brooks Glycerin -- neutral, yet well-cushioned.
Lately, my feet and legs had started to feel achy after runs, which, for me, is a sign that I need new shoes. There are a few running stores in the DC area. Even though I could go after work, I never really do because I'm bound to the train schedule, and the only one I know of in the city is Fleet Feet in Adams Morgan, which is somewhat of a hike from my office. There are two running stores in Annapolis -- the recently sold Gotta Run, which had crappy and inattentive customer service the last time I went (the sales guy seemed annoyed to answer my shoe questions because I was tearing him away from the book he was reading), and Fleet Feet in Eastport. Both close too early for me to make it there after work.
Since we were in New York, which has a ton of running stores, I decided to get shoes there. Eugene thought it would be cool to go to JackRabbit Sports, which sells running, cycling, and swimming apparel, because the sales associates do a video treadmill analysis to determine what type of shoe will work best. Even though I had been evaluated for shoes before, it had been awhile and I wasn't sure if my stride had changed. Also, I had never had a video analysis done before. Based on the video of me running, I have a normal stride (no pronating or supinating) and therefore am best suited to a neutral shoe. The service was excellent, and I bought a pair of Brooks Glycerin -- neutral, yet well-cushioned.
Workweek Hum Drum
So, last workweek was a spotty running week.
Tuesday sucked. I went for my standard run around the national mall by myself. My legs felt like they were made of lead. I felt like I was running at a glacial pace and had no energy. I didn't really feel good until the home stretch. Maybe I'm better suited for long distances. In those races, at least on my non-elite level, it's okay to use the first 3 miles to warm up.
Wednesday wasn't much better. I ran with one of my running group buddies, and we wanted to use the run to buy newspapers that covered the historic election results. Because we wanted to run up to the Union Station newstand at the end of our run, we projected that it would be a longer run. As I mentioned before, my work running buddies are new to running and reluctant to push themselves too hard. Not only did we walk for the first quarter-mile to warm up, we walked at the end because the run was longer. We also ran at an extremely slow pace. Before this run, I had never really noticed when other people ran super slow, because I'm generally so slow. In this case, it was aggravating for me to slow down so much. I have a new appreciation for Eugene and how he puts up with my slow running. At the end, I felt like I didn't get much out of the run, and the newstand was sold out of papers. Blahhh.
I went to yoga on Thursday and got put through the ringer and then didn't run Friday. All in all, not the best training week.
Tuesday sucked. I went for my standard run around the national mall by myself. My legs felt like they were made of lead. I felt like I was running at a glacial pace and had no energy. I didn't really feel good until the home stretch. Maybe I'm better suited for long distances. In those races, at least on my non-elite level, it's okay to use the first 3 miles to warm up.
Wednesday wasn't much better. I ran with one of my running group buddies, and we wanted to use the run to buy newspapers that covered the historic election results. Because we wanted to run up to the Union Station newstand at the end of our run, we projected that it would be a longer run. As I mentioned before, my work running buddies are new to running and reluctant to push themselves too hard. Not only did we walk for the first quarter-mile to warm up, we walked at the end because the run was longer. We also ran at an extremely slow pace. Before this run, I had never really noticed when other people ran super slow, because I'm generally so slow. In this case, it was aggravating for me to slow down so much. I have a new appreciation for Eugene and how he puts up with my slow running. At the end, I felt like I didn't get much out of the run, and the newstand was sold out of papers. Blahhh.
I went to yoga on Thursday and got put through the ringer and then didn't run Friday. All in all, not the best training week.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Home Depot and Lowes Veteran's Day discounts
In honor of Veteran's Day, both Home Depot and Lowes are offering 10% to all Military personnel. Home Depot's promotion is running 11/6-11/12, Lowes promotion is from 11/6-11/11.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Gutter Sense
If you've ever visited our house, you know that we are completely (and I mean completely) surrounded by trees. And while I do enjoy the turning of the leaves every fall - this time of year marks the start my annual battle of keeping the gutters clear...
In case you're wondering why it's a big deal, I am particularly sensitive to keeping the gutters clear because I've had seen first hand the kind of water damage that can happen to a building that has clogged gutters (what were those storms? Isabel, Ivan, Dennis... and oh yeah, Katrina). If rainwater can't make it to the downspout and directed away from the house, it just pours over the lip of the gutter and then straight down the side - and sooner or later it can make its way into the basement.
I know, there are gutter covers that are designed specifically to prevent leaf build up out there, but I have my doubts as how effective they would be with the sheer volume of leaves we get every day (I have a feeling that instead of going into the gutters, the leaves would just build up on top). Sometimes it seems I am out there clearing them twice a week. The other thing is our gutters look like they were installed about the time the house was built, and while they are not in the worse condition, there are some sections that definitely could be replaced. I would rather not invest in covers now before having upgrading the gutters themselves.
The tongs themselves are adjustable to different angles, depending on how far you are standing from the side of the house. What you do is hook the tongs into the gutter, work them side to side, and then pull the rope. This thing pulls up a LOT of leaves, and then you go and dump them wherever. Note: if you've had any rain recently, and the gutters were full - you WILL get some water/mud dripping down on you, so dress accordingly.
Unfortunately, if you have the little screen traps at your gutter ends to prevent debris from entering the downspout, it is hard to clear stuff around them using this device alone, mainly because you're doing it in the blind. Every once in a while I still get up on the ladder to clean those areas out. Some other things to note - 1: The tongs themselves work off a spring mechanism that uses a little bit of fish line to pull them together, and this line is what's connected to the rope you pull. I pulled a little too hard one day and broke the line... was easy enough to fix, but I ended up doubling the replacement fish line to make it a little more sturdy. 2: The device comes with a 12 ft rope, which really isn't long enough to get to some higher second story gutters. I replaced it with a 25 ft rope, which combined with my 25 foot extension pole lets me get about anywhere on the exterior of the house.
In case you're wondering why it's a big deal, I am particularly sensitive to keeping the gutters clear because I've had seen first hand the kind of water damage that can happen to a building that has clogged gutters (what were those storms? Isabel, Ivan, Dennis... and oh yeah, Katrina). If rainwater can't make it to the downspout and directed away from the house, it just pours over the lip of the gutter and then straight down the side - and sooner or later it can make its way into the basement.
I know, there are gutter covers that are designed specifically to prevent leaf build up out there, but I have my doubts as how effective they would be with the sheer volume of leaves we get every day (I have a feeling that instead of going into the gutters, the leaves would just build up on top). Sometimes it seems I am out there clearing them twice a week. The other thing is our gutters look like they were installed about the time the house was built, and while they are not in the worse condition, there are some sections that definitely could be replaced. I would rather not invest in covers now before having upgrading the gutters themselves.
Which brings me to my nifty tool of the week - Gutter Sense. This is a incredibly simple and inexpensive device ($19.95 plus s/h) I found while surfing the net one day. Basically it's a set of tongs that get placed on top of a standard extension pole, and are operated by pulling on the connected rope. It is very easy to use, and I have found that I can actually get all the gutters on my house clear in about 20 minutes.
The tongs themselves are adjustable to different angles, depending on how far you are standing from the side of the house. What you do is hook the tongs into the gutter, work them side to side, and then pull the rope. This thing pulls up a LOT of leaves, and then you go and dump them wherever. Note: if you've had any rain recently, and the gutters were full - you WILL get some water/mud dripping down on you, so dress accordingly.
Unfortunately, if you have the little screen traps at your gutter ends to prevent debris from entering the downspout, it is hard to clear stuff around them using this device alone, mainly because you're doing it in the blind. Every once in a while I still get up on the ladder to clean those areas out. Some other things to note - 1: The tongs themselves work off a spring mechanism that uses a little bit of fish line to pull them together, and this line is what's connected to the rope you pull. I pulled a little too hard one day and broke the line... was easy enough to fix, but I ended up doubling the replacement fish line to make it a little more sturdy. 2: The device comes with a 12 ft rope, which really isn't long enough to get to some higher second story gutters. I replaced it with a 25 ft rope, which combined with my 25 foot extension pole lets me get about anywhere on the exterior of the house.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Priorities: Eat, Run, Sleep
So, I listed my priorities in that order. On Sunday, I was drained and tired. I forgot about daylight savings and woke up an hour too early and was coming off of a rough weekend. I thought that it would be nice to go for a run to blow off some steam, but I also wanted to take a nap. Running and sleeping are both nice forms of escape. For the first time ever, I chose the run over the nap with some encouragement from Eugene. It was a wonderful run. I ran 4.2 miles -- out of our neighborhood and down the road to the next one, where I ran a wicked hill. The fall colors were beautiful. The road that runs by our neighborhood is windy and lined with hills, streams, and trees. I ran for a few stretches where I was the only one on the road -- no cars on the usually busy road. It was beautiful and peaceful and just what I needed.
Today, I was all set to go for a run during lunch, but I got a call from one of my friends who invited me to lunch. You can read about Proof, where I went, in my food blog. I never turn down time with friends and good food for running. So that's where my priorities lie. I'll pick running over sleep but definitely not over good food.
Hey, at least I went to yoga this evening. It was hard but relaxing, and I fell on my head doing a handstand. That's another story....
Today, I was all set to go for a run during lunch, but I got a call from one of my friends who invited me to lunch. You can read about Proof, where I went, in my food blog. I never turn down time with friends and good food for running. So that's where my priorities lie. I'll pick running over sleep but definitely not over good food.
Hey, at least I went to yoga this evening. It was hard but relaxing, and I fell on my head doing a handstand. That's another story....
Vote and get free Starbucks!
In case you missed it, for all you Starbucks junkies out there (like me)... Starbucks is offering a free 12 oz coffee to anyone who votes tomorrow.
Of course, even if you don't drink coffee, I encourage you to exercise your civic duty and vote anyway :)
Of course, even if you don't drink coffee, I encourage you to exercise your civic duty and vote anyway :)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
A Parallel Universe
So, Eugene always used to harass me for not running, and oftentimes, he would go running while I would sleep or laze around the house. He would also usually run every day or close to that during the week. This week, something unprecedented happened. Something that has never happened in the history of the world. I ran more than Eugene! I ran on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Eugene ran once during the week and on Saturday. Saturday was pretty funny because normally, he tries to get me to run. He really didn't want to go out on Saturday. I kept bugging him and bugging him, but he told me that his knee was bothering him, so I relented. In the end, he decided to go out despite the knee. A run with me is still like a recovery run for him because I'm still so slow (although a tiny bit less). We had a nice four or so mile run and did some killer hills.
I guess I have to burst my bubble a bit. The only reason Eugene didn't run a lot this week was because he ran the marathon last Sunday. Even so, the normal me wouldn't have run four times in one week, so that's something.
It's still a parallel universe, though, because I've gotten to the point where I look forward to running every day. I have never felt like that in my entire life, even when I was training pretty faithfully for my first marathon.
I guess I have to burst my bubble a bit. The only reason Eugene didn't run a lot this week was because he ran the marathon last Sunday. Even so, the normal me wouldn't have run four times in one week, so that's something.
It's still a parallel universe, though, because I've gotten to the point where I look forward to running every day. I have never felt like that in my entire life, even when I was training pretty faithfully for my first marathon.
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