This week's TiaRT is turning the tables and letting us and ask questions of our fellow running bloggers. Since you guys have unknowingly bestowed upon me such invaluable running wisdom during my almost daily lurks on your blogs, it is kind of appropriate that I want to pose a question about running buddies.
Last night, I met up with New Friend Natalie, who I am running a half-marathon with in May. It will be the second for both of us, though she has also run a marathon. It will be my 12th road race, and the first one I've ever trained for with someone else.
Over dinner, we chatted about speed workouts and long runs and race shwag, and it was all very exciting to think about. However, now I am starting to get a little nervous. My first year of running was entirely solo, save for races and the one time I ran with my brother for about a mile until his IT band acted up.
So many of you talk about your running pals and support groups, and it all sounds so great, but what happens when one pal is significantly faster than the other? Is it a hindrance to the faster pal, or a painful annoyance to the slower?
My question to you, oh wise running bloggers, is how do you make your running relationships work?
Signed,
Commitmentshy
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Anything you can do, I can do more awkwardly.
So today I ripped my underpants at the gym
Yeah, that's right.
Ripped my underpants. By accident. By sheer force of the awesomeness of the squat.
See, as tough as I am, I like to wear sassy pink underpants pretty regularly (today's pair, upon further inspection, were hot pink with pink lace inlays in the front and navy blue hearts on them. No big deal.) Anyway, I was in gym on my lunch break today, and I was at the bottom of a squat and suddenly I felt this *ping* around my right hip and realized that the lace inlay on the right side of my underpants had ripped and left me with disconnected undies.
Luckily, I was wearing really tight pants which kind of salvaged things, and I finished my set before making a hasty exit to the locker room.
Good times.
This kind of stuff only happens to me. And aren't you glad, all three of you who read my blog, that I come here and write about it?
Yes. Yes you are.
Yeah, that's right.
Ripped my underpants. By accident. By sheer force of the awesomeness of the squat.
See, as tough as I am, I like to wear sassy pink underpants pretty regularly (today's pair, upon further inspection, were hot pink with pink lace inlays in the front and navy blue hearts on them. No big deal.) Anyway, I was in gym on my lunch break today, and I was at the bottom of a squat and suddenly I felt this *ping* around my right hip and realized that the lace inlay on the right side of my underpants had ripped and left me with disconnected undies.
Luckily, I was wearing really tight pants which kind of salvaged things, and I finished my set before making a hasty exit to the locker room.
Good times.
This kind of stuff only happens to me. And aren't you glad, all three of you who read my blog, that I come here and write about it?
Yes. Yes you are.
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.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
2009 Crazy In A Good Way : Update
1.) I'm going to Jamaica for 5 days over spring break. I have never been, and I can't wait. It's going to be sunny and relaxing and fabulous. I booked the trip just this past weekend, and it's kind of weird that I chose Jamaica given how much I hate drugs and reggae, but I felt that it was just calling to me.
It's amazing how easy it is to save up a little money and then immediately spend it.
2.) I just realized that if I start a typical 16-week marathon training program this coming Monday, the end will coincide exactly with the Vermont City Marathon, which happens to be a mere 3 hours drive away. Will muse on this later. Can't decide if I want to do a spring marathon or a fall one, need to make some pros & cons.
3.) The people in my gym continue to amaze & amuse me on a regular basis. I have no reason to be ashamed of my high-rep kettlebell snatches and H.I.I.T. sweat sessions when there are guys dressed in jeans and cowboy boots Riverdancing away, girls performing their own one-woman step class, ballerinas in legwarmers, and two dudes boxing with each other all in the middle of the same aerobics studio.
Yesterday's workout
8x20sec/1min intervals on bike (no more stationary bike for me. not a fan of bikecrotch.)
4x12 sumo squat with 12kg kettlebell, switching l/r
4x12 one-arm rows with 12kg kettlebell, switching l/r
4x10 military press with 8kg kettlebell, switching l/r
bunch of swings & snatches, alternating l/r
It's amazing how easy it is to save up a little money and then immediately spend it.
2.) I just realized that if I start a typical 16-week marathon training program this coming Monday, the end will coincide exactly with the Vermont City Marathon, which happens to be a mere 3 hours drive away. Will muse on this later. Can't decide if I want to do a spring marathon or a fall one, need to make some pros & cons.
3.) The people in my gym continue to amaze & amuse me on a regular basis. I have no reason to be ashamed of my high-rep kettlebell snatches and H.I.I.T. sweat sessions when there are guys dressed in jeans and cowboy boots Riverdancing away, girls performing their own one-woman step class, ballerinas in legwarmers, and two dudes boxing with each other all in the middle of the same aerobics studio.
Yesterday's workout
8x20sec/1min intervals on bike (no more stationary bike for me. not a fan of bikecrotch.)
4x12 sumo squat with 12kg kettlebell, switching l/r
4x12 one-arm rows with 12kg kettlebell, switching l/r
4x10 military press with 8kg kettlebell, switching l/r
bunch of swings & snatches, alternating l/r
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!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
These are the people in my gym-orhood
Since we're still on break, the gym is blessedly free of awkward undergrads and lots of people I work with who I don't necessarily want to see me in my sweatshorts (nor I them, in their sweatshorts). It is not, however, free of "characters".
Today's highlight was a slightly older gentleman who I see frequently. Judging by his age and sweet 80's-mullet-lite, I'm guessing he's probably a Media Arts professor or something. Anyway, he refuses to pull back his lionesque mane with a hairband, and runs quite quickly on the treadmill without moving his arms at all. Today I noticed he was actually holding 5lb dumbbells by his sides, running bolt upright, probably faster than I was running. Huh. I mean, hardcore, but strange.
Today's workout :
4x8 sumo squat with 12kg kettlebell (alt right and left arm)
2x30 Russian Twists with 12kg kettlebell
5min warmup on treadmill, 20 min tempo run at 9:13/mile (woohoo!), 5 min cooldown
Week 1 day 2 of the Hundred Pushups Challenge - 6,8,6,6,7 with 90 sec rest between each set.
I couldn't quiiiite finish the 7th rep on the last set but it was a good effort.
Today's highlight was a slightly older gentleman who I see frequently. Judging by his age and sweet 80's-mullet-lite, I'm guessing he's probably a Media Arts professor or something. Anyway, he refuses to pull back his lionesque mane with a hairband, and runs quite quickly on the treadmill without moving his arms at all. Today I noticed he was actually holding 5lb dumbbells by his sides, running bolt upright, probably faster than I was running. Huh. I mean, hardcore, but strange.
Today's workout :
4x8 sumo squat with 12kg kettlebell (alt right and left arm)
2x30 Russian Twists with 12kg kettlebell
5min warmup on treadmill, 20 min tempo run at 9:13/mile (woohoo!), 5 min cooldown
Week 1 day 2 of the Hundred Pushups Challenge - 6,8,6,6,7 with 90 sec rest between each set.
I couldn't quiiiite finish the 7th rep on the last set but it was a good effort.
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