Tentative half-marathon plans are off - Amy has a wedding to go to that weekend. We're discussing other possibilities, but the truth is, I'm toying with the marathon idea again. I figure, why not? I keep saying I'm going to do it. My original promise was to run a marathon if I didn't get into school, and that's looking sadly likely right now. So, I've start talking myself into catching the marathon bug.
I keep doing this every time I -
a) Haven't run consistently for a couple weeks and conveniently forget how much it really sucks sometimes
b) Realize I don't have anything in particular to challenge me right now and
c) Feel somewhat adrift
Now, in all honesty, is 12 weeks enough time to train for a marathon?
Showing posts with label crazy talk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crazy talk. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Better now
My sunburn is peeling off and it hurrrrts. I tried putting aloe on it last night and it stung so bad I screamed and had to jump back in the shower and wash it off. If the sun ever comes out again, I am buying the highest SPF spray sunscreen I can find, because 15 just isn't going to cut it this summer.
(Merry, I think you're right about the sun poisoning. Yuck!)
Anyway, last night I did a 5-miler with 3 tempo miles in the middle. And it wasn't hard at all. Either I've been selling myself short (or slow) or I need to recalibrate the ol' Nike+. Or get a Garmin.
In other news, I'm feeling the pull of the marathon bug again. When I set the arbitrary goal of "run a marathon before my 30th birthday", I didn't realize that the reality of the situation is that I'd either have to run a fall marathon this fall or a spring/summer marathon next year. More musings on that later.
Strength training progress : 5x5 bench press @ 60lbs. Definitely switching to a straight-up 5x5 program next week.
(Merry, I think you're right about the sun poisoning. Yuck!)
Anyway, last night I did a 5-miler with 3 tempo miles in the middle. And it wasn't hard at all. Either I've been selling myself short (or slow) or I need to recalibrate the ol' Nike+. Or get a Garmin.
In other news, I'm feeling the pull of the marathon bug again. When I set the arbitrary goal of "run a marathon before my 30th birthday", I didn't realize that the reality of the situation is that I'd either have to run a fall marathon this fall or a spring/summer marathon next year. More musings on that later.
Strength training progress : 5x5 bench press @ 60lbs. Definitely switching to a straight-up 5x5 program next week.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Dreaming of springtime
Long time, no blog!
Also, kind of long time, no run.
I haven't really managed more than 2 or 3 miles lately. I am hanging my head in shame. I've still been on a pretty decent regular exercise kick, including high-intensity cardio (albeit in short bursts) and lifting/swinging around relatively heavy things.
The other day I switched up my 30 minute kettlebell routine by subbing jumprope for the usual jumping jacks. It way ramped up the intensity, and I much prefer the rope to the jacks, since JJs make my right knee feel funny. I left the gym dripping sweat.
The next day, it wwarmed up over 33 degrees, so I thought a jog around the bay would be a great idea. I started nice and slow, and was clipping along at a good pace, but suddenly around mile 2 my legs just QUIT. Below both knees, my entire shin/calf/ankle/foot area was on fire. The pain seemed to undulate between muscular and skeletal, sometimes numbing random portions of my foot and causing my right leg to literally collapse out from under me. For awhile, I tried to keep running. Stupid, right? I know. Anyway, after I finally came to my senses and stopped running, I limped around the causeway and back home. So much for the six miles I was planning.
I spent the next day and my roomie's New Orleans party limping around the house and drinking medicinal bloody marys. After some thought, I realized it might have been the jumping rope that did me in. That's a lot of pressure to be bouncing off the balls of one's feet for that long.
I did some stretching and backed off on the exercise for a couple days. Today I got back on the treadmill, and felt okay, but the legs still hurt a bit. I'll have to take it one day at a time.
While I know googling ailments is a terrible idea and slippery slope, my symptoms do sound an awful lot like compartment syndrome. I suppose it couldn't hurt to talk to, you know, an actual medical professional (as in no Dr. Internet) about it.
Becaaaaause, I have decided to run another half-marathon in May before running my first marathon in September! That's right, I decided on a marathon.
May - Boston's Run to Remember. I'm going to do this one with my friend Natalie, and am interested to see how training goes with a buddy!
September - The Rochester Marathon! This decision was pretty easy, seeing as right after I was musing on it, two of my old college roomies got in touch with my through the wonder that is Facebook, and one of them lives in Rochester (as does my best friend, our third roomie). The fourth one said that if she can, she'll be there too, and we can all have a reunion on marathon weekend! It would mean so much to me to have them there. So, I'm excited.
Hopefully my legs won't fall off!
Also, kind of long time, no run.
I haven't really managed more than 2 or 3 miles lately. I am hanging my head in shame. I've still been on a pretty decent regular exercise kick, including high-intensity cardio (albeit in short bursts) and lifting/swinging around relatively heavy things.
The other day I switched up my 30 minute kettlebell routine by subbing jumprope for the usual jumping jacks. It way ramped up the intensity, and I much prefer the rope to the jacks, since JJs make my right knee feel funny. I left the gym dripping sweat.
The next day, it wwarmed up over 33 degrees, so I thought a jog around the bay would be a great idea. I started nice and slow, and was clipping along at a good pace, but suddenly around mile 2 my legs just QUIT. Below both knees, my entire shin/calf/ankle/foot area was on fire. The pain seemed to undulate between muscular and skeletal, sometimes numbing random portions of my foot and causing my right leg to literally collapse out from under me. For awhile, I tried to keep running. Stupid, right? I know. Anyway, after I finally came to my senses and stopped running, I limped around the causeway and back home. So much for the six miles I was planning.
I spent the next day and my roomie's New Orleans party limping around the house and drinking medicinal bloody marys. After some thought, I realized it might have been the jumping rope that did me in. That's a lot of pressure to be bouncing off the balls of one's feet for that long.
I did some stretching and backed off on the exercise for a couple days. Today I got back on the treadmill, and felt okay, but the legs still hurt a bit. I'll have to take it one day at a time.
While I know googling ailments is a terrible idea and slippery slope, my symptoms do sound an awful lot like compartment syndrome. I suppose it couldn't hurt to talk to, you know, an actual medical professional (as in no Dr. Internet) about it.
Becaaaaause, I have decided to run another half-marathon in May before running my first marathon in September! That's right, I decided on a marathon.
May - Boston's Run to Remember. I'm going to do this one with my friend Natalie, and am interested to see how training goes with a buddy!
September - The Rochester Marathon! This decision was pretty easy, seeing as right after I was musing on it, two of my old college roomies got in touch with my through the wonder that is Facebook, and one of them lives in Rochester (as does my best friend, our third roomie). The fourth one said that if she can, she'll be there too, and we can all have a reunion on marathon weekend! It would mean so much to me to have them there. So, I'm excited.
Hopefully my legs won't fall off!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Marathon musings
I haven't been able to go to the gym all week, and it's been making me kind of crazy, so last night I decided I was going to go for a run. The 30ish degree air felt pretty tropical compared to how it's been lately, and I set out on my usual route. I was just going to run up the coast and loop back, but I noticed that the water by No-man's land was eerily flat and undisturbed, so I decided to just go for it and brave the winds of the causeway since it looked like they'd be pretty mild. There was not a single living soul for about a mile and a half, probably because the ground was scattered with patches of snow and black ice. But, the wind was indeed very mild and didn't throw me against the chainlink fence like it usually does, and I got to see that amazing, heart-melting view of the city skyline across the bay.
I was feeling pretty good, and when I got back to L Street I checked my time on my iPod, and was shocked to see that I had recorded an average 9:12/mile. That's a full minute per mile faster than I was running a couple months ago, and I've only really run outdoors once since the half-marathon. I guess I have to attribute that to all the squatting and deadlifting and HIITing with the occasional Tabata-til-I-almost-puke session. So it is possible to condition for running without actually running!
Now I'm trying to decide which marathon I'm going to run.
Option 1 : Vermont City on May 24.
Pros : It's supposedly a beautiful course, I think May weather would be kind of ideal, it's sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and I would get free ice cream at the end. I could train with Dennis & maybe Bryan while they're training for Boston. It's not too far away. I could get it out of the way before the summer really starts.
Cons : I'd have to start training on Monday. This Monday. Next Sunday I would have to run 10 miles, and it'd only go up from there. I have a very hard time running the cold, meaning below 35 degrees. Weather would undoubtedly derail my plans at least a few times, as would some travel I have planned for February & March (I can run in NYC, but probably not in Jamaica).
Option 2: Montreal Oasis Marathon on September 13th.
Pros : Also supposedly a beautiful course. The food is supposed to be spectacular. It was mentioned in a Runner's World feature as a suggestion for those who wanted to run a European marathon but didn't want to have to actually go to Europe. I wouldn't have to start training until the end of March, which would be ideal. I love running in the summer. I'd be able to integrate a bunch of the other races I want to run (Smutty 5k, Thompson Island, James Joyce Ramble, Falmouth, etc) into my training. It's also not terribly far away and my parents would probably come with me. I could get it out of the way before school really gets going in the fall.
Cons : It might be difficult to train that much in the summer if I'm taking classes, since summer classes are four hours/two nights a week for 6 weeks. And I'm just being realistic here, but I don't know how hardcore I can actually train during baseball season.
Option 3 : Rochester Marathon on September 13th.
Pros : It's in Rochester, and I would get to see/stay with my Lunchbox and she could come meet me at the finish line and give me a big hug. That pro is so significant that none of the cons really matter.
Option 4 : BayState Marathon on October 18th.
Pros : Most obvious, it's very close to home, in Lowell. I wouldn't have to travel or stay overnight anywhere, and I could get there by train. Of course, dad would probably insist on taking me. I could make all my friends & family come cheer me on and make goofy signs. Wouldn't have to start training until April. It's a really flat course, and not that I can't handle hills, but it'd be nice to not have to deal with them when I'm running that freaking far. October is generally pretty perfect running weather.
Cons : It's in Lowell. Again, I don't know if I can train that hard during school (or baseball season). I kind of want to run the Manch half-marathon again and doing that a month after this is pretty ambitious.
So there are my options.
I was feeling pretty good, and when I got back to L Street I checked my time on my iPod, and was shocked to see that I had recorded an average 9:12/mile. That's a full minute per mile faster than I was running a couple months ago, and I've only really run outdoors once since the half-marathon. I guess I have to attribute that to all the squatting and deadlifting and HIITing with the occasional Tabata-til-I-almost-puke session. So it is possible to condition for running without actually running!
Now I'm trying to decide which marathon I'm going to run.
Option 1 : Vermont City on May 24.
Pros : It's supposedly a beautiful course, I think May weather would be kind of ideal, it's sponsored by Ben & Jerry's and I would get free ice cream at the end. I could train with Dennis & maybe Bryan while they're training for Boston. It's not too far away. I could get it out of the way before the summer really starts.
Cons : I'd have to start training on Monday. This Monday. Next Sunday I would have to run 10 miles, and it'd only go up from there. I have a very hard time running the cold, meaning below 35 degrees. Weather would undoubtedly derail my plans at least a few times, as would some travel I have planned for February & March (I can run in NYC, but probably not in Jamaica).
Option 2: Montreal Oasis Marathon on September 13th.
Pros : Also supposedly a beautiful course. The food is supposed to be spectacular. It was mentioned in a Runner's World feature as a suggestion for those who wanted to run a European marathon but didn't want to have to actually go to Europe. I wouldn't have to start training until the end of March, which would be ideal. I love running in the summer. I'd be able to integrate a bunch of the other races I want to run (Smutty 5k, Thompson Island, James Joyce Ramble, Falmouth, etc) into my training. It's also not terribly far away and my parents would probably come with me. I could get it out of the way before school really gets going in the fall.
Cons : It might be difficult to train that much in the summer if I'm taking classes, since summer classes are four hours/two nights a week for 6 weeks. And I'm just being realistic here, but I don't know how hardcore I can actually train during baseball season.
Option 3 : Rochester Marathon on September 13th.
Pros : It's in Rochester, and I would get to see/stay with my Lunchbox and she could come meet me at the finish line and give me a big hug. That pro is so significant that none of the cons really matter.
Option 4 : BayState Marathon on October 18th.
Pros : Most obvious, it's very close to home, in Lowell. I wouldn't have to travel or stay overnight anywhere, and I could get there by train. Of course, dad would probably insist on taking me. I could make all my friends & family come cheer me on and make goofy signs. Wouldn't have to start training until April. It's a really flat course, and not that I can't handle hills, but it'd be nice to not have to deal with them when I'm running that freaking far. October is generally pretty perfect running weather.
Cons : It's in Lowell. Again, I don't know if I can train that hard during school (or baseball season). I kind of want to run the Manch half-marathon again and doing that a month after this is pretty ambitious.
So there are my options.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
sickasadog.
So I made the mistake last week of saying "Gee, I haven't been sick ONCE this winter. Amazing!" and the promptly came down with the black lung. This has everything to do with karma and saying the above out loud, and nothing to do with the fact I spent the majority of my winter vacation drinking too much and staying out 'til all hours and jumping into Boston Harbor on New Year's Day. But nope, it's just the karma.
I got to the gym on Monday and did some light cardio (35 minutes on the elliptical, ugh) and my Hundred Pushups Challenge week 2 day 1. Then I did four sets of 10squats with the 12kg kettlebell, at which point I think I pulled something in my back. Good times. I might try and eke out another workout today, but I am really feeling narsty and may not even last through the day at work.
I've been really missing running lately. I'm even itching to get back on the treadmill. It feels like it's been forever, even though it's just been the week. Oh running, absense makes the heart lose track of the time/space continuum. Or something. Sickness aside, this was probably not the best week to hoss up and try running outside, what with the temperature flirting with zero and the wind chill knocking my teeth out of my face and all. Next week, if I feel better, I will get out there.
Since I'm already operating on the assumption that I'm not getting into grad school this go 'round, I've started casually looking at marathons for the summer.
Insanity!
I got to the gym on Monday and did some light cardio (35 minutes on the elliptical, ugh) and my Hundred Pushups Challenge week 2 day 1. Then I did four sets of 10squats with the 12kg kettlebell, at which point I think I pulled something in my back. Good times. I might try and eke out another workout today, but I am really feeling narsty and may not even last through the day at work.
I've been really missing running lately. I'm even itching to get back on the treadmill. It feels like it's been forever, even though it's just been the week. Oh running, absense makes the heart lose track of the time/space continuum. Or something. Sickness aside, this was probably not the best week to hoss up and try running outside, what with the temperature flirting with zero and the wind chill knocking my teeth out of my face and all. Next week, if I feel better, I will get out there.
Since I'm already operating on the assumption that I'm not getting into grad school this go 'round, I've started casually looking at marathons for the summer.
Insanity!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Not so consolation prize
Tomorrow, I take the GRE. After three weeks of studying*, I still feel horribly unprepared. To make matters worse, I'll be driving from Boston to Worcester in my brother's front wheel drive pickup truck during what is predicted to be a quite hefty snowstorm. Party.
And after the horrible test, I have dinner plans with an estranged former non-boyfriend, which I am much looking forward to, but I have a feeling I will totally awkward him out if I ask to crash at his place so I don't die on the icy roads. Double party.
Yesterday I looked up admissions statistics for the program I'm applying for. In fact, I looked up admissions statistics for all the programs at my school (my place of employment is an awesome college in Boston). It started off okay. 78%, 83%, 80%, 68%. Then I got to the program I want. 38% acceptance rate. 38 flipping percent. There is no way I am getting in. Not with my withdrawing from Creative Writing and failing out of Community Chorus. No. Way.
Anyway, the purpose of all this is to announce my "backup plan". I refuse to admit defeat. If I don't make it into this program, if I don't end up pursuing this particular dream, my spirit will not be crushed by the tyranny of academia, nor the fact that I look terrible on paper.
So I am stating this now, before I bomb the GRE and lose any hope of being a graduate student, before I chicken out and pretend I never made myself this promise. I say this in front of the whole internet, on this blog that nobody reads, that if I don't make it into graduate school, I will run a marathon in 2009.
*Holding the book on my lap and staring despondently at pages worth of math that I'll never figure out
And after the horrible test, I have dinner plans with an estranged former non-boyfriend, which I am much looking forward to, but I have a feeling I will totally awkward him out if I ask to crash at his place so I don't die on the icy roads. Double party.
Yesterday I looked up admissions statistics for the program I'm applying for. In fact, I looked up admissions statistics for all the programs at my school (my place of employment is an awesome college in Boston). It started off okay. 78%, 83%, 80%, 68%. Then I got to the program I want. 38% acceptance rate. 38 flipping percent. There is no way I am getting in. Not with my withdrawing from Creative Writing and failing out of Community Chorus. No. Way.
Anyway, the purpose of all this is to announce my "backup plan". I refuse to admit defeat. If I don't make it into this program, if I don't end up pursuing this particular dream, my spirit will not be crushed by the tyranny of academia, nor the fact that I look terrible on paper.
So I am stating this now, before I bomb the GRE and lose any hope of being a graduate student, before I chicken out and pretend I never made myself this promise. I say this in front of the whole internet, on this blog that nobody reads, that if I don't make it into graduate school, I will run a marathon in 2009.
*Holding the book on my lap and staring despondently at pages worth of math that I'll never figure out
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
For the love of food
I have a secret. I'm not very good at secrets, so I've managed to keep it for a whole week. Sort of. I mean, I told my friend McG and she told everyone we know because she's kind of like a proud mama, so I guess it's not really a secret any more. But I digress.
Anyway, here it is, for the whole internet to witness.
I'm training for a half marathon.
That does not necessarily mean I am going to ACTUALLY RUN a half marathon. That is Crazy Talk. I am however following a training plan (the Hal Higdon Novice plan) at the end of which I will suppooooossedly be able to run 13.1 miles straight. We'll see about that. I mean, the last day of the plan does just happen to coincide with the Manchester City Marathon & Half Marathon, and I do happen to be a stone's throw away from good ol' ManchVegas. But that's just a coincidence.
Anyway, the point of this is that in order to step up my running and general fitness level, I have to step up my eating habits as well and I just don't know how to do that. I've noticed that since I started running more, I have been absolutely RAVENOUS. I don't generally have a huge appetite (especially in the summer), and I use most of that appetite eating tasty things that aren't good for me, so this newfound hungryness is kind of hard to deal with.
Yesterday was my "long run" day, and I ate a bag of butter lovers popcorn and half a pan of brownies for my after-dinner snack.
Now, I'm not sure if this is related, but this morning when I got to work and started sucking down my iced coffee as per usual, I started to feel so incredibly ill I almost didn't make it through the day. After a lunch of Pepto and saltines (reason #467 to love self-checkout) I started feeling better, but I still had to come home and take a nap.
I need sustenance. I need healthy sustenance and enough of it that I don't run out of all the healthy stuff in the house and start digging into the sour patch kids at 4pm on any given weekday. That is not going to make me feel good. At all. I'm starting to think that frankly, I can't eat vast amounts of candy any more or my blood sugar level is going to plummet, leaving my gasping for breath and dragging my feet halfway through a four mile run. And that will just not do.
I'm also wondering if I should try and give up caffeine. Just for a bit. The thought of that turns my blood to ice, but I can probably do it for a whole week. Next week. Or maybe the week after.
Also beer. But only crap beer, which I shouldn't be drinking anyway, because it is gross and I hate it. I refuse to give up Guinness. Guinness is good for me.
This should be interesting.
Anyway, here it is, for the whole internet to witness.
I'm training for a half marathon.
That does not necessarily mean I am going to ACTUALLY RUN a half marathon. That is Crazy Talk. I am however following a training plan (the Hal Higdon Novice plan) at the end of which I will suppooooossedly be able to run 13.1 miles straight. We'll see about that. I mean, the last day of the plan does just happen to coincide with the Manchester City Marathon & Half Marathon, and I do happen to be a stone's throw away from good ol' ManchVegas. But that's just a coincidence.
Anyway, the point of this is that in order to step up my running and general fitness level, I have to step up my eating habits as well and I just don't know how to do that. I've noticed that since I started running more, I have been absolutely RAVENOUS. I don't generally have a huge appetite (especially in the summer), and I use most of that appetite eating tasty things that aren't good for me, so this newfound hungryness is kind of hard to deal with.
Yesterday was my "long run" day, and I ate a bag of butter lovers popcorn and half a pan of brownies for my after-dinner snack.
Now, I'm not sure if this is related, but this morning when I got to work and started sucking down my iced coffee as per usual, I started to feel so incredibly ill I almost didn't make it through the day. After a lunch of Pepto and saltines (reason #467 to love self-checkout) I started feeling better, but I still had to come home and take a nap.
I need sustenance. I need healthy sustenance and enough of it that I don't run out of all the healthy stuff in the house and start digging into the sour patch kids at 4pm on any given weekday. That is not going to make me feel good. At all. I'm starting to think that frankly, I can't eat vast amounts of candy any more or my blood sugar level is going to plummet, leaving my gasping for breath and dragging my feet halfway through a four mile run. And that will just not do.
I'm also wondering if I should try and give up caffeine. Just for a bit. The thought of that turns my blood to ice, but I can probably do it for a whole week. Next week. Or maybe the week after.
Also beer. But only crap beer, which I shouldn't be drinking anyway, because it is gross and I hate it. I refuse to give up Guinness. Guinness is good for me.
This should be interesting.
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