Checking in ...

I'm around and still going, although I have been struggling a bit, but due to yucky germs and a cold! Last Thursday and Friday were the worst (fever and body aches) so while I had planned to get 6 miles done on Saturday, I am glad to have finished 4. Today I did my 3 miles on the treadmill and really struggled because it was hard to breathing and catch my breath. I REFUSE to give into the germs and will come out stronger for this!!!

3/15/10 - 2.5 miles
3/20/10 - 4 miles
3/22/10 - 3 miles
2010 - 34.5 miles

Oh, I made it to the "orange" level on nikeplus!!! ;)

This past week ...

So I haven't been on here, but I have been keeping up with my training!


3/8/10 - 2.5 miles
3/10/10 - 2.5 miles
3/13/10 - 5 miles
2010 -25 miles

My Saturday run was disrupted by rain and snow outside and I was too chicken to go out in it! After much debate, I decided to do the run on the treadmill. I was much slower than normal, but the best part is I got it in!

4 mile run

I was a little worried with all the snow we had yesterday that I wouldn't be able to run outside today, but luckily it was warm enough that most of the snow melted so I was able to run outside. I ran on a trail by the train tracks, which I've only done on a bike before. I went back and forth between struggling and feeling powerful, so overall I would say I was right in the middle. I felt a HUGE relief once I got to the two mile mark, because I turned around and ran back, it felt good to be running back to the car instead of away from it!!! Isn't running such a mental thing?

When I struggled, I tried to look and my body (mentally obviously!) mechanically, thinking about the powerful ME that is trying to come out.

3/6/10 - 4 miles
2010 -15 miles

It's definitely hump day!

Despite all the opposition, we got out of bed this morning at 6 and ran two miles at the track. The difference in the way my body felt today vs. Monday was night and day. I struggled to run and my lungs were burning. My whole body was sluggish. I had to walk a lap halfway through. But I DID IT! I know from the past that there are going to be days like this and it is the days like Monday that keep me going! And the satisfaction I feel having finished the workout that was such a mental struggle (it's like saying, "take THAT" to all those pesky thoughts!)

Possible reasons for the sluggishness:

• Key lime pie last night - I had a small slice before bed and even though it was in my calorie range, maybe the sugar was still in my system. Dinner was whole wheat spaghetti with a meat sauce. I think that should be good fuel.
• My body might be recovering - Monday was my first run for a week, so my body was completely fresh. Starting out this morning, I still had some tightness in my muscles and really needed to stretch before and after. My body is getting used to more regular routines.

It's not:

• Sleep - I slept really well and went to bed at a pretty decent hour (10:30pm). I have been experiencing insomnia, but I've noticed the running is helping (which is a big reason why I got up this morning, because I know I will sleep well tonight)
• Stretching - Like I said before I've been really stretching out especially when I notice the tightness.
• Weather - it was warmer (slightly) today than Monday and was quite nice.

So, I'm just going to push through. Saturday we are planning 4 miles, so I think I will take Friday off or just walk 1 mile on the treadmill to stay loose. Tomorrow I will do a little run on the treadmill.

3/3/10 - 2 miles
2010 -11 miles

I'm excited!

Okay, so you may or may not know that I bought a body bugg to help keep track of the calories burned. This is the same thing they use on the Biggest Loser. My issue in using it has come with the fact that to really utilize it for weight loss you have to track your food intake. I hate trying to remember to get to the computer and remembering to enter the food I eat. I found an app for my ipod touch through this website: http://www.livestrong.com/. So now I can easily enter my food on the ipod, which I keep with me everywhere I go and then at night I can enter my total intake for the day. PRETTY COOL!

Last night I wanted to have a snack, so I checked my calorie intake vs. what I actually burned and could quiltlessly have a snack (100 calorie swiss roll and milk)! What an empowering feeling!

Other cool apps/tools I've found to use on my ipod:

• Nike Plus for Ipod - How did I ever run without this before? So the nike plus attaches to your shoe (Nike wants you to buy their special shoes that have a secret place for it, but I cheated and bought a pouch so I can wear my own shoes). My ipod alread had the nike plus receiver built in, so I only need the $19 attachment for the shoe. I open the app on my ipod when I am ready to run, pick my running playlist and start the workout. At any point and can hit the button and it tells me how far I have run, how long it has taken, and (this is VERY cool) what my current pace is. Then when I come home and sync my ipod, it puts the info on the nike plus website and set goals, see progress, share with friends/facebook, etc. Such un inexpensive tool (if you already have an ipod) with such great tools!
• Total Fit by imapmyrun - This is what I was using before I got the Nike Plus chip. It was nice, but would have been much better if I had the iphone. Basically takes the MapMyRun and puts it on your ipod. If you have an iphone, you can have it record your run by GPS, which would be really cool! But, since my ipod can only connect to the website when I have a wireless signal, the obviously doesn't work when I am out running! I did log my runs after I finished, but now that I have nike plus I probably won't keep up with this site.

I laugh when I get ready to go for a run, because I feel like I am totally hooked up between my body bugg, ipod and watch! But I am all about tools to help me be successful!

Tuesday happenings

I wanted to get in just a short run today to work on my consistency, so I got up early and ran just over a mile on the treadmill. I did a short warm up and then ran at a faster pace than normal (since I was only doing a mile). I still hate the treadmill, but I did it!

Now I'm getting ready to go to a PTA meeting where we will be voting in the new board for next year ... I'm getting pretty nervous (I'm going to president) and wondering why I agreed to do it??? ;) Hopefully I'll figure it out!

Carrie

3/2/10 - 1 mile
2010 - 9 miles

Feeling Strong!

Last week a wash ... too much going on with poor planning on my part. But it was a fun week (Aubrey's bday and bday party!) I realize that I need to really look at my week and make time for exercise, because it's not ever going to just be convenient. Also, I have been having a hard time with insomnia so that makes it hard to get up early when you can't get to sleep until after 3 or 4am.

This week is a new week and I feeling strong and determined to do this thing! Taylor and I prepared last night (all our running gear) and I went to bed early (10:45pm) with only a little anxiety that I wouldn't be able to sleep. I DID sleep and woke up ready to go this morning. I planned for a did 2 miles (just a little over). On my last run (which was a week ago) I alternated running and walking every other lap. I just couldn't manage to run more than that as my lungs felt like they were burning. Today I aimed to run two laps, but ended up running it all except for a lap to warm up and a lap to cool down. I could just breath and it felt GOOD!!! Ahhhhhh, what a feeling. I would like to do some yoga this afternoon to make sure I really stretch out (I did that after my 3 miles and that really helped with recovery). Today really encouraged me for the plans that I have ... GO ME!

2/18/10 - 1.5 miles
2/20/10 - 3 miles
3/1/10 - 2 miles
2010 - 8 miles