Candy Cane Dash!

At like 2:00 this morning, I decided that I would run in the Candy Cane Dash today. It's kind of a Shoreline/Shorecrest tradition, so that was cool. Didn't see anyone that I went to school with, but that's probably good. So I got up at 7:30 to run a race at 9 in the middle of all this other stuff we have going on. It was a nice distraction and it was a good way to guarantee I would get my run in today, and not feel bad about not running tomorrow :)

My sister and her best friend have a case of "too cool-itis" so they were being moody teens the whole time, but Allie did finish in 31 mins. I did it in 31:43. Hopefully next 5k I will do better than 30 mins. That's the hope.

Races are really fun, and I need new shoes, like yesterday. I got a blister, again. So I really need new shoes and a new warm longsleeve. This one chafes a lot since it is so old.

Woo hoo!

Only 8 days later

Right now I am doing slightly better than once a week. Tomorrow I am heading out too...woo hoo! Today I ran from Jake's parents' house to Twin Ponds Park (I really wish it was Twin Lakes...I keep typing Twin Lakes and then have to go back and fix it). Anyway, went from the house to Twin Lakes and through the park and then back up Meridian Ave and then up 155th. Only about 2 miles, but that's better than no run.

It was about 38 degrees out and sunny. I wore the long sleeves and long pants. My feet were cold even though I had my smartwools on. And my balaclava is great--I love that thing. I need something else for my ears though :) I may or may not have lost my mp3 player....not that I run with it, but I do need it for driving......crap.

Tomorrow, I will try to go a bit further, maybe try to find another park, or I will have to drive down to the BG....we'll see.

Also on the list tomorrow is hitting the mall for some stocking stuffers and other gifts, and possibly a movie...not sure if I want to be one of those losers who goes to movies alone....

brrrrr-rrrrr

It was about 40 degrees out today. I had long sleeves, long pants, smartwool socks, and my smartwool headband/balaclava. At first I wore it like a headband but then decided to put it over my throat and airways and that was much better. Breathing in the cold dry air felt like inhaling glass, esp after not running for a few weeks and covering up was exactly what I needed--much better. I just ran up to our old rental house and back (about 1.2 miles total)...I just want to get moving again so I can run when I am in Seattle for the next week and a half. I really need this to de-stress and to have some time to myself while I am down there....and I want to get new shoes so I need to run so I actually USE the new shoes that I will hopefully get before I head down there.

Overall it was a good run. I am glad I dressed appropriately. I need more lights/reflective gear--right now I just have a white shirt and clip my bike light onto my neck, but need more gear specifically for night since it gets so dark here so early. The only reason I got out when I did today was because it has been super clear out (hence the cold) and so it seems to be a little bit lighter a little bit later than it has been. Got to get back out there tomorrow too :)

woo hoo

got my butt back out there today. it was about 45 degrees out, still too warm for long sleeves apparently. it was a little slow and kind of hurt, but still good. can't wait to get out there tomorrow.

slug mode

Haven't worked out in a while....fighting a head cold and then working a TON...like 48 hrs within three days....yuck!

I start running again Sunday. woo hoo.

Just wanted to mention that in my email I had a pretty funny Zoe Report re: mixmygranola, which I have seen on all my food/fitness blogs that I hit up. Though that was pretty funny, since all of my interests are melding together :)

Still warm enough out for shorts

It has been sooooooooo cold lately in the mornings. But when I go out and run, I get too warm in my long-sleeve shirt. Guess it's still shorts and short sleeve weather....

Today's run was okay. I haven't run in a week since I had a nasty head cold last week, so I didn't take any long cuts today because I didn't want to overdo it. Hopefully I can ramp it back up this week and get back into the groove I was in last week and keep improving from there. I also want to get new shoes, a new top, and some new pants in the next few weeks :)

Run today

Thanks to that 10k, I can now sustain running for an hour with no problem. The only issues at the park today were the stairs (as usual) and the hill by the cemetery. I even ran all the way through at the beginning of the park after the stairs, where I USED to have problems and need to walk. I cannot wait to run again tomorrow (unless I swim tomorrow). It feels so good to be able to maintain for a long time :)

Today I wore my long sleeve top and long pants, and ended up too warm, but it was only 55 or so and cloudy when I went out.

Hopefully the results will be up tomorrow so I can see my official time.

10k!!!!

This morning I ran in the DVSAS 10k to Run for the End of Domestic Violence. The race went really well. I was really nervous about doing a 6.2 mile race since I maybe have only ever run that far a few times, but probably not recently. And, yes, 6.2 miles is a LONG way. Some of those miles mapped out seemed REALLY long on the course today. I did really well though--ran the whole time and finished in 1:07...I cannot believe I ran for a whole hour. Crazy. And that time is way better than my 5k time last February, so now I want to run a 5k and see how fast I can finish. I am hooked on racing for sure.

The race was even at Donovan Park, which is kind of behind Whatcom Falls Park on Lake Whatcom so we rode our bikes there this morning. Jake was not happy with rolling out of bed and hopping on his bike without breakfast. Not my fault that he slept that late. Though I was too tired after the race to ride our bikes home so we rode home with my friend Maria and then we all took showers. Jake and I drove back to the park later to get the bikes.

Yesterday, I swam since I wanted to work out but also wanted to give my legs a break in preparation for today. I even got out the kickboard and leg floaty, which is odd because I usually just swim the whole time I'm there. I wanted to be sure I could rest my body equally while working out and that way I could just work my upper body which I really need since I run and bike most of the time. Overall the swim felt really good too, so I'm excited to get back into that too. I am thinking that tomorrow I will hit the pool for long slow laps after I get off work.

Other than that, I ran every day this week except for Wednesday (I think).

Coming up this week is probably:
Sunday: easy swim
Monday: easy run
Tuesday: Run or bike
Wednesday: Swim
Thursday: run
Friday: bike or run
Saturday: swim or rest

I also saw the water polo balls in the utility room at the pool. I would love to start playing water polo but I don't think there are any rec leagues in Bellingham :(

At least I didn't get yelled at today

But I did generally have a good run....uneventful, but good. Just hit up Whatcom Falls again.

not much

Nice bike ride yesterday and didn't work out today since I babysat and then went to work. The plan is to swim tomorrow since I can do that fairly soon after eating. Otherwise, I will run in the evening!

Yeah, I guess I do

I was asked by an annoying rude person today on my run (from the privileged position of their car window) if I also waddle when I walk. Granted, I had a just started my run, so I was kind of shuffling to warm up, but seriously, how uncalled for was that? How do rude people even stand themselves? I don't get it.

But, yeah, I guess I do waddle a little bit, since I am pretty bottom heavy. But you know what? These thighs and this bum can carry me for miles on feet and even more miles on a bike, so there. I don't see you out there with me 4 days a week. Someone has already made a career of "waddling" http://thepenguin.runnersworld.com/

During the run today, I tried hard to get past it, but for the first half of the run the sun was behind me or on my left, except for the cooler parts of the park, and I just watched my shadow the whole time. I have to say that I hardly waddle or shuffle when I run, but whatever. I know when I do lose weight, my form will get much better and this will be less physically demanding, but right now, it is what it is.

And I love my new shorts. They rode up a little...but no burning rash today, so that's good. Did a slightly shorter version of the course that I did yesterday, so about 7 or 8 miles in one day. Woo hoo.

Guess I need some body glide or something...

Ran maybe 4 or 5 miles today in the sun. Went down Puget St to Fraser, then up the trail to Woburn, then to Iowa St to the Park Trail, then through the park and back around to the Lakeway side by the cemetery and came down Lakeway to get home. It was pretty good and I think I made good time. It was a little warm. Seriously, I need to get out earlier or it needs to get cooler out...I think the more likely option is the getting cooler out:)

So, I wore my adidas "compression" shorts since they used to not chafe, but today they totally did, so I got some new "floppy" shorts. My leg still hurts from that...ouch! Those should be good since they should be loose enough, but short enough that they will stay down. Can't wait to try them out tomorrow.

I also finished the running book last night. It was pretty good, but I don't know if it is necessarily for me since I am not a marathoner (yet)....it was pretty introspective, and I don't know if I have ever thought that much about running. Yeah, I think about it a lot and it keeps me strong: mentally, physically, and emotionally, but it didn't necessarily seem running-related, or related to a runner like me.... I do want to try some more running books though, maybe some novels rather than memoirs.

NEED TO RUN

but I have been working too much lately

RAIN!

I ran in the rain today!! Woo hoo! Can't wait till it rains tomorrow too! Yay!

Love it! Just cranked out a quick 2-ish miles and then came home since I only had a half hour to do it. That just means that I can do it again any other day when I "only" have a half hour.

Ran at the track with music since the track is sooooo boring without. Tomorrow the plan is to hit the park and do a long-ish run. I also should hit the bike and get some errands done :). woo hoo.

need to run

After the week I have had, I REALLY need to run tomorrow...definitely need to clear my head.

book!

oh! and I'm reading a "running book." woo hoo! guess I'm a real runner now. I am reading Haruko Murakami's What I am Talking About when I Talk about Running

huzzah

Weekend

Went to Seattle for a few days....got a run in on Sunday morning before we left. I think it was just a few miles. I was going to hit the track and crank out a quick, measured 2 miles, but the track was in use. So then I stayed on the road and did a lap from Fraser St to the trail that connects by the park but I went left instead of right and got to Lincoln St by Diehl Ford and then came back up Fraser to Puget and then home. So maybe 2 miles? It was already pretty hot that morning too, yuck.

I should start swimming again, but it's so hard to spend money considering that running is free and the weather is still so nice.

Still looking forward to a run in the rain!

No run today

Didn't have any energy today, maybe it's the working 100 or so hours the last few weeks. Maybe tomorrow I can get my butt out. Hope it's kind of rainy :)

Just running

I'm kind of paranoid about riding my bike in the rain....don't want it to rust. Had a great run today. Ran by the track since marching band was practicing and wasn't sure if I was allowed to use the track while they were there. From the track, ran through the Fraser St trail and then up to Whatcom Falls on the back trail behind the cemetery and then back up to the top of Lakeway and then down Lakeway to our house. Ran for a total of 40 mins.

Got home and drank some OJ and then took a shower. Back to work tonight and for a day shift at MV tomorrow. Hopefully I can get a workout in. I'm kind of on the every two days workout thing...need to get into a better routine, but it's hard with minimal sleep.

i have a bike now too! and I can just ride trails to get to work...woo hoo. so yay for outdoor alternatives to running :)

woo hoo. can maintain for 75 minutes. yay. also have added weights, so that's cool, and that's really helping me lose weight, but I haven't been able to get myself inside lately. running is just so GREAT.

woo hoo


and things are moving along great with the house :)

it's been a while.

but I am still kicking ass on the fitness thing--have lost about 20 pounds since the crisis point, where I was waaaay too close to a certain number that no one who is my height should ever get to. So I alternate running, swimming, and weights/biking/erg at the gym and it's great. All three are helping me to do each one better--swimming is good for the running endurance and the weights are really helping me trim down, I think.

And on the life side of things, work is good. The two jobs isn't getting to be too bad---though that may be because I didn't have any shifts this month, but that works for me, esp with the nice weather we have been having. Jake and I are in the process of buying a house--just waiting for the appraisal and then we should be coming up on closing. Woo hoo. Our house is kick ass, I cannot wait to start moving and everything :D

Life is pretty good right now, and summer is coming very soon!

woo hoo

I can run the whole 3-ish miles from downtown to the end of Taylor Dock along the South Bay trail and back without stopping...woo hoo. Love it. One of these days I'm going to do it twice or run through Fairhaven or something. I just need to get out of bed earlier, which means that I have to stop staying up until 3 am.

So Jake and I are going to buy a house this year. As much as I like my weekends at home, I also find that I get bored at home, so I am going to start a second job on-call at Skagit Valley Hospital. That should be fun. They actually pay more than SJH, so it will be worth it to work a few shifts a month down there. I can't wait to start. Hopefully I can meet their needs and make some extra dough :)

5k and Sun!

Did the 5k this weekend in 36:27...still kind of slow, but I don't care...I ran a race :) And am doing one next month and hopefully a 10k in March or April. Then, of course the 1/2 in June! Yay!

And it was clear today after starting out at a chilly 26degrees, but I still went to Boulevard Park and ran there, it was too nice not to. I love that place.

Race on Jan 17th

Woo hoo. Running a race on the 17th. Depending on my long run tomorrow, I'll do either the 5k or the 10k...hopefully I can do the 10k...it's in Mt Vernon and even starts at 10 am, which is a great start time :)

woohoo

so far the plan is great. I have worked out every day this week. I even did hills on Thursday. Usually when I run the hill (Yew St Hill, yeah), it's really hard to get up and I walk a good portion of it since I pretty run out the door and onto the hill with no warmup. Of course, the downhill portion always feels really good, but then I just feel like I ran down a hill rather than actually running the hill. So, Thursday on the way down, rather than just run straight down, I turned around and sprinted back up to the previous phone pole and then back down a bit and then back up, all the way down the hill. This way, I actually got a hill run in, and it felt great.

I have been erg-ing for cross training and on the easy xt day, I biked and did core stuff. Monday I go back to ballet. Tomorrow, I'm on schedule to run 7 miles, hope the sidewalks are clear. I am so done with this snow stuff.

I'm also seeing really good results on my body. A lot of my clothes are too big, even my workout clothes are getting loose. I can run longer faster already too...I love it. So far I'm down 18 lbs from the "crisis" weight from October 2007.

Time for a nap before work tonight....hope the run tomorrow goes well. I'm sure it will. Yay!