Almost Thirty

Still Running...

2010-05-26T20:11:00.007-04:00

Hello all,

I have been a horrible blogger, but fortunately I have been better at sticking to my running goals. With my wedding approaching in 80 days, my life has been consumed with planning. However, I have managed to get in a few runs in between.

Most notably, I finished the Broad Street Run for the second year in a row! My mother, my fiance' and I braved the 90-degree weather for 10 miles!

That's me in the brown running skirt and my mom is next to me in the first pic.

Next up, ING Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon in Philadelphia, PA on September 19, 2010! I'll see you there.

Until then,

Almost Thirty

I'm Back!!!

2010-01-15T05:12:00.011-05:00

Greetings and Happy New Year!

So it's been almost a year since my last post and since I've been MIA. But I think it's safe to say that I'm back. Maybe not I'm not back in the full swing of things, but I'm at least back on the wagon.

First and foremost, let me briefly address my hiatus and I'll make it short and sweet, I promise. Just before my disappearance, I met the man of my dreams, he proposed to me 6 months later, and we're getting married this coming August, a month after my 30th birthday. So, there you have it. I would love to share the whole story of our romance with you but I promised early on that I wouldn't bore you with the details of my personal life. But since this new and totally unexpected development in my life has altered my plans and marathon training, I figured I needed to let you in on it.

Now...back to running, or lack thereof, since that is what this blog is all about.

I must confess that have not been training regularly since my last post. However, I did manage to complete the Broad Street Run last May with my mother. She and I managed to make it 10 miles, in the rain, with very little preparation and we paid for it for about a week after the run. There was no way we could have run 10 miles straight. We probably ran about a good 7 miles of the race. We were completely sore from head to toe after the run, but we thoroughly enjoyed every step of the Broad Street Run. Which brings me to my long awaited return...

My mom and I are stoked about running the Broad Street Run again this coming May. And we'd like to be more prepared this year and maybe run 8 miles...or better yet the entire 10 miles. But we'll see about that.

I just want to get back into running again. There are so many reasons I enjoyed running, but here are my top five:

#5: I met lots of new people as a new member of the running community.

#4: It was a fun and healthy way to spend time with my family, especially my mother.

#3: It was a great stress reliever and I slept like a baby.

#2: I looked amazing.

#1: I ate ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I wanted, and I never gained a pound. If you didn't know...I LOVE to eat.

All excellent reasons for me to return to the sport. However, there was one MAJOR caveat that I know I will struggle with now that I have a significant other: Training for a marathon is TIME CONSUMING!

When I had to choose between running and spending quality time with JN, who is not a runner, I always opted to spend time with him. It was a no-brainer.

But get this...he's so super-supportive of my goals, he has agreed to train with me for the Broad Street Run. I know...he's awesome!

Now, if I could just get him on board for the full marathon training...I know, baby steps.

Back in action

Almost Thirty

DAY 199: WEEKS 26, 27 & 28

2009-01-28T10:08:00.008-05:00

Greetings,

If I had a dog, this would have been me over the past few weeks. To say that I've been lazy would be a gross understatement. I had almost completely fallen off of the wagon in terms of my training regimen.

It's not that I didn't want to run; I am still totally motivated and amped about running. It's just that I've been preoccupied with something else new and exciting in my life. Early on, I promised that this blog would be dedicated to boring you with my journey to becoming a runner, and not to log the chronicles of my personal life (that would REALLY put you to sleep). So, let's just say that I've taken some much needed time to attend to my social life, or lack thereof.

Therefore, I feel a little guilty about missing my training goals over the past few weeks but I had a lot of fun slacking ;-) But thanks to some encouragement from a few of my training buddies and my overwhelming desire to run, I'm getting back on track into my routine.

I'm not going to recap every week I've missed because you could check out the "My Complete Training Log" link to the right, if you're really interested.

Bottom Line: I've been slacking on my training but I feel fine. And once again, there is no new gear to report.

Getting my groove back,

Almost Thirty

WEEKS 24 & 25: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009-01-05T19:44:00.004-05:00

Hello all,

Hope your holiday was awesome! Mine was semi-relaxing: I ran and worked out a lot, but that was the plan. I also worked at my 2nd job Friday, Saturday and Sunday both weekends during my full 2 week break from my regular job. Between working, shopping, spending time with family, and completely chillaxing, I inadvertently skipped my weekly post last week. So, I'm doubling up.

WEEK 24 (Dec. 22-Dec. 28) Recap:

Monday: 5.27 miles
Tuesday: 3.15 miles (Speed work)
Wednesday: cross training
Thursday: Merry Christmas!!!
Friday: 2.74 miles (Tempo)
Saturday: cross training
Sunday: 5.10 miles
TOTAL: 16.26 MILES

WEEK 24 was a good week, despite the fact that I didn't make my 7-mile long run on Sunday. I did an "easy" cross training workout with K on Saturday using the Spinning class bike, and it was anything but easy for me. My legs were completely tired the next day. I was surprised I made it 5 miles...it was tough to get through.

WEEK 25 (Dec. 29-Jan. 4) Recap:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3.5 miles (Speed work)
Wednesday: cross training
Thursday: Happy New Year!!! 5.5 miles
Friday: 2 miles, cross training
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: My first 8-miler!!!
TOTAL: 19 MILES

WEEK 25 was my hardest training week thus far: speed work on Tuesday was BRUTAL; running 5.5 miles at 8 am after only 3 hours of sleep on New Year's Day was challenging, especially with K kicking up my treadmill speed every few minutes; we worked on legs twice this week; and I ran my first 8-miler on the trail with K and M at a 9-10 minute pace the ENTIRE 8 miles. I was totally surprised that I was able to keep up, but I guess that's the benefit of training hard and running with others who motivate and push you.

Injury/Health Report: I had a sore right IT band (illio-tibial band, back side of knee) after strength training on Wednesday, but that subsided after 2 days with good stretching. Outside of a few tight muscles after lifting, I've been physically fine. No complaints.

Tech Report: No new gear, yet :(

Still going strong in the new year,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 23: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

2008-12-22T20:55:00.004-05:00

Hello all,

I have been working 7 days a week for the past 4 weeks, while maintaining my running regimen. I should feel like this guy here, but surprisingly I'm OK. At first I felt tired because I thought I was supposed be tired from the busy schedule. But really, my body felt fine; I just had to get my mind on board. But all that hustle and bustle has come to an end as my vacay from my regular job has started and I'll be off until January 5th. Whoo-hoo!

WEEK 23 Recap:

Monday: 2 miles
Tuesday: 3 miles, speed intervals
Wednesday: cross training
Thursday: 2 miles, light tempo
Friday: rest
Saturday: 5.5 miles
Sunday: rest
TOTAL: 12.5 MILES

This week was a good week to cut back mileage. I've changed my training strategy a bit since I began training with K; adding speed intervals and tempo runs. I also needed to step back because I had been increasing weekly mileage steadily for a few weeks. I've learned that it's good to cut back every few weeks.

Another first for me this week too: I ran with a group outside for the first time. I met K and M at Forbidden Drive for about 5.5 miles on the trail. We ran a pace a bit faster than I'm used to but I was able to keep up with no problem! And the cold weather wasn't too bad either; it was about 28*F. I'm looking forward to running with those guys again soon!

Injury/Health Report: Still feeling fine!

Tech Report: I spent all my money on Christmas gifts for my family, so I don't think there will be anything to report on for a while :(

Happy Holidays!

Almost Thirty

WEEK 22: 6-MONTH ANNIVERSARY!!!

2008-12-15T20:30:00.005-05:00

Hello all,

This week marked 6 months of running for me and I'm still as enthusiastic as I was on DAY 1. I figured that this would be a good time to reflect on the top 10 things I've learned about running and myself over the past 154 days:

Running is fun.
Halloween candy is not good running fuel.
It's not a good idea to run after happy hour.
Being tired is not a good excuse to skip a run, I often feel more energized afterwards.
No matter how many days a week I force myself up at 4:30 am to run, I'm still not a morning person.
My open-toe shoe days are numbered.
Running does get easier if you stick with it.
Running injuries are preventable if you train properly.
Running in temperatures below freezing is not for me (yet).
I am a runner.

WEEK 22 Recap:

Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: My first speed intervals, 3 miles
Wednesday: Cross training
Thursday: My first tempo run, 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 7 miles
Sunday: Rest
TOTAL: 16 MILES

This week, I started training with K and it went well. He showed me how to do speed intervals and tempo runs on the treadmill. I also met a few other runners in his group and I'm looking forward to learning from them. Next week, I think I'll do some hill repeats with them, if the weather permits.

Injury/Health Report: I feel great!

Tech Report: No new gear to report, but that will change soon. I'm on the hunt for more socks, tops, tights, and sports bras. Oh, and another pair of sneakers. Basically, everything.

From only being able to run for 2 minutes at a time to running 7 miles straight: I've come a long way in the past 6 months. And I'm looking forward to another productive 6 months as a newbie runner! And that ever-illusive six pack still would be nice ;)

Almost Thirty

WEEK 21: 7 MILES DOWN, ONLY 19.2 MORE TO GO!!!

2008-12-09T17:28:00.006-05:00

Greetings,

Another busy week...I worked 7 days again. However, I managed to get my first 7-miler in on Saturday morning before my 6-hour shift. I was really determined...maybe I'm a runner after all.

Despite the agony of spending 80 minutes straight on the treadmill, it was a piece of cake. The first 5 miles went by fast because I was chatting with a fellow runner who convinced me to join his running group to train for the Broad Street Run. Did you get that?....I was chatting while running for FIVE MILES!! I used to marvel at the runners who ran their mouths during their runs, while I struggled with my breathing when I first began. I've really come a long way.

WEEK 21 Recap:

Monday: Cross training
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 7 miles
Sunday: Rest
TOTAL: 15 MILES

This week my excess of rest days were actually days I had to work literally all day, so I don't feel so bad about it.

Injury/Health Report: I feel fine but I really need to start eating better and hydrating everyday. I eat like a pig and I don't drink enough water.

Tech Report: No new gear to be excited about, but my new sneakers are working out well. It makes me feel official to rotate between different pairs.

Next week, I'll join my new running buddy K for some guidance on training workouts. I was a bit hesitant at first because he and his buddies are hard-core runners, but his knowledge and dedication to running convinced me that they may be a good bunch to hang out with to get tips and get better at running.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 20: 7 MILES...HERE I COME!!!

2008-12-01T20:50:00.007-05:00

Greetings,

WEEK 20 was super busy due to the Thanksgiving holiday and the biggest shopping weekend of the year. While Thanksgiving was relaxing, I ended up working at my seasonal job (cashier at premium clothing store with a sweet employee discount) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Somehow, I still managed to get my long run in on Sunday even though my legs were killing me after three consecutive 5 to 7 hour shifts.

WEEK 20 Recap:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 6 miles
TOTAL: 16 MILES

Injury/Health Report: No injuries to report and I am perfectly healthy!

Tech Report: I finally found the fuel/hydration belt I was looking for.

I ran with it on Thursday and it wasn't too bad: no uncomfortable flopping and no shifting around. It wasn't annoying but it is definitely something I will have to get used to.

I also ordered some new running shoes that were on clearance at Nike.com. The Nike Structure Triax 11+ is the next generation of the model that I have been wearing since I started running. They fit a bit more snug that my old sneakers but they weren't too tight. They felt good to run in too.

December is the month to hit 7 miles...wish me luck!

Almost Thirty

WEEK 19: MY FIRST 8K!!!

2008-11-26T21:06:00.002-05:00

Hello all,

I was on a brief hiatus but I'm back now...

WEEK 19 Recap:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3 miles
Sunday: 5 miles
TOTAL: 15 MILES

WEEK 19 ended on a bitter sweet note with my first 8K. Keep reading to find out why.

Abridged version:

IT WAS FREEZING on the morning of the race, but I ran a phenomenal race even though my fingers and toes were numb during the first two miles. If it weren't for my $4 space blanket that kept me warm for an hour at the start, I would have definitely gone home with a DNS (did not start). My official finish time was 51:19 and placed #847 out of 1469 finishers.

Un-abridged version:

THE EXPO...I went to the expo on Saturday afternoon and pick up a few items without spending an arm and a leg:

sun glasses for running on sunny days
neck warmer (came in handy on race day)
running skirt (so cute!!)
3/4-length running tights (hot pink...love them!!)
sports tank top

THE WEATHER...On the morning of the race the temperature was 23*F and it was a bit breezy. I stepped out of the car and immediately stepped back in to open up my $4 space blanket. I figured if it didn't work as well as advertised, I would be going back home because there was no way that I was gonna stand outside for an hour waiting for the start in the freezing cold. But fortunately, the space blanket worked wonders!!! I also had a gang of disposable 'hand' warmers strategically placed all over my body and they also worked like a charm.

THE CROWD...There were thousands of people at the race: marathon runners, half-marathon runners, Rothman 8K runners, volunteers, race staff, spectators, police officers, etc. Offically, over 18,000 runners registered. Despite the crowd, the start/finish area was well organized in my opinion. Some of the volunteers were clueless but it was all good. The first 6 or 7 volunteers couldn't tell me where to line up or where to check my gear, but I eventually found both without a problem.

THE RACE...The race started in 3 waves for crowd control purposes and the Rothman 8K runners were part of the third and final wave. I was soooo glad to finally start running because I was very uncomfortable with the temperature. I had grown so attached to my space blanket that instead of chucking it when the race started, I folded it up as best I could and stuffed it in the back of my tights.

Anyway, I finally crossed the start around 7:25am and I was off. I kept the first mile really slow because my fingers and toes were numb, and my backside had started to get cold without my space blanket. People were passing me and I was tempted to run a bit faster to warm up faster but I just kept at my super slow pace. After the first mile, I had warmed up a little (fingers and toes still numb), so I picked up the pace a bit for the second mile. And it was during Mile-2 that I started passing people because a lot of runners had started to walk. I was pretty surprised. There was no way I was gonna stop now that the heat had started to kick in.

By Mile-3 my fingers and toes had warmed up thanks to my nifty hand warmers, and I was feeling pretty good, so I kicked it up another notch. At this point, I realized that I was seriously weaving in and out of people: runners and walkers alike. I felt awesome at the start of Mile-4, so I gave it a bit more gas.

Finally, when I hit the start of Mile-5 I felt like I could run a few more miles, so I kicked in to the highest gear I could sustain for a mile. I had to slow down just a tad during a slight uphill stretch around 4.5 miles, but I was still flying by people.

With the finish line in sight, I gave it all I had with a smile on my face. I was so excited to finish but I REALLY wanted to continue running just to keep warm. But I was directed to the food tent where I was given some water, snacks and some steaming hot chicken broth...nice.

Here are my mile splits:

Mile 1 - 11:34 min
Mile 2 - 10:52 min
Mile 3 - 10:16 min
Mile 4 - 9:19 min
Mile 5 - 8:56 min (my fastest mile EVER!!!)

Talk about your negative spilts....

So, even though I spent an hour before the race and an hour after the race in the most uncomfortable weather I've ever had to withstand, I had an awesome time running the Rothman 8K and I've got the pictures to prove it!

Injury/Health Report: With all the rest days between WEEK 18 and this week, I was well rested and have no injuries or ailments to report. I felt absolutely fine.

Tech Report: In addition to the items I purchased at the race expo, I went to the Nike Outlet and picked up 4 long-sleeved winter running shirts: 2 base-layer shirts and 2 heavier mock turtle necks with super long sleeves and thumb holes. I also found a nice sports bra. They were all on clearance with an additional 30-50% off, so I made out well.

See you next week!

Almost Thirty

WEEK 18: UNPLANNED TAPER

2008-11-17T20:01:00.005-05:00

Hello all,

This week I was out of commission Monday through Thursday due to a pesky little head cold. I felt like a serious sinus was approaching, so I fell back and rested. I really wanted to run, but I chose to rather be safe than sorry.

It worked like a charm. I ended up having three great runs at the end of the week, including my best 6-miler ever. I shaved 3 minutes off last weeks time, despite cold temps and wind gusts up to 30 mph. The wind was so strong, I swear I was running in place sometimes.

WEEK 18 Recap:

Monday: sick & resting
Tuesday: sick & resting
Wednesday: sick & resting
Thursday: feeling better
Friday: 4 miles
Saturday: 3 miles
Sunday: 6 miles
TOTAL: 13 MILES

Injury/Health Report: I feel completely fine. Even my hip feels fine. Those few days off really paid off. I felt strong on Friday, Saturday and especially Sunday.

Tech Report: Nothing to report, but I'm looking forward to getting some goodies from the Philadelphia Marathon Expo. Things to scope out (and possibly buy of the price is right):

Fuel/hydration belt
Headband/ear-warmer
Long-sleeved Under Armour
Sports bras
Post-long run slip-ons
Running sneakers

Did I mention that I'm totally stoked about my 8K this weekend? Well, if I haven't...I'm REALLY excited about the race this weekend!

Run Well,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 17: KEEP IT MOVIN'

2008-11-09T21:56:00.003-05:00

Greetings,

This week was a test of my commitment to running. Despite being crazy busy at work and hanging out with co-workers at happy hour, I managed to get all my runs in this week. I was really surprised at myself. I even worked 11 hours one day, then sat for an hour in traffic, THEN hit the gym for a few miles even though I was exhausted. I thought to myself, nothing is gonna keep me from getting my miles in...gotta keep it movin.' So that's what I did.

Unfortunately, I didn't eat much better this week. I have absolutely NO control when it comes to dieting. I've always eaten what I wanted with virtually no consequences, but now I need to be conscious about what I eat and when I eat it. Again, I'll continue to work on this. Suggestions are definitely welcome.

WEEK 17 recap:

Monday: Cross training

Tuesday: 3 miles

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 4 miles

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: 6 miles

TOTAL: 16 MILES

My 6-miler was much better this week! It was still tough, but at least I could walk straight afterwards. This distance is a real challenge for me but I know it will get easier.

Injury/Health Report: My hip has still been acting up, sporadically. One day I actually had a few almost painful strides, but it didn't last. It's usually fine after I stretch, so I'm not stressing over it...yet.

Tech Report: Still on the market for a hydration belt. I tried a few this week, but I'll shop around for another week. I definitely want to get one before my next long run. Also, I ran in my new Champion tights from Target and the verdict is out....they were actually pretty comfortable. And cute. I think I may get another pair in a different color, especially now that they're on sale.

Run well,

Almost Thirty

DAY 116: RUN FIRST, THEN GO TO HAPPY HOUR

2008-11-06T22:07:00.008-05:00

Hey All,

A long time ago, I learned a very valuable lesson in math class that can be applied to other areas of life called the order of operations. I was reminded of its importance today...

NEVER go to happy hour, have a few drinks, eat a plate full of nachos, potato skins and fries and THEN go run 4 miles. Always run first, then go to happy hour.

I made this mistake today and I paid for it by struggling to keep the contents of my stomach/intestine from coming out of either end of my digestive track. But I was determined to get my run in. Thanks to a great outer sphincter muscle, some level of voluntary control of my gag reflexes and channeling the image below, I was able to finish my run on the treadmill without making a mess.

So much for adopting a runner's diet...oh, well.

Run well,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 16: BYE-BYE JUNK FOOD, HELLO RUNNER'S DIET

2008-11-04T15:55:00.015-05:00

Greetings,

Through my research on running, I've read about the importance of a runner's diet. However, I felt all that runner's diet stuff should be reserved for real runners.....WRONG!!! I learned all about it first-hand during WEEK 16.

My gross underestimation of the importance of a runner's diet came to a head during my first 6-miler on Sunday, but I got a preview on Halloween during my 4-miler. Let's just say that a bucketful of Halloween candy, especially chocolate, is NOT good running fuel. It ran through my digestive system faster than I could run 4 miles.

Sometime during the week, I got a craving for Cap'n Crunch and that's pretty much all I ate leading up to my 6-miler on Sunday. The good news is that I made it through the entire 6 miles a lot faster than I thought I would, 1:06:08. On the other hand, I could barely walk when I finished. My legs were so wobbly, a woman on the trail actually stopped her workout to ask me if I was OK. I felt fine from the waist up, but my legs were completely done. I wasn't really in pain, my legs just didn't want to move anymore.

Therefore, I've come to the realization that I may actually be a runner now and I may need to start eating like one. So long to the Junk Food Pyramid!

WEEK 16 Recap:

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 2 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles

Thursday: Rest

Friday: 4 miles

Saturday: Cross training

Sunday: 6 miles

TOTAL: 16 MILES

Injury/Health Report: I feel fine now, but my legs were a mess after Sunday's run. I'm guessing it was a result of eating poorly all week and not hydrating properly during the run, which leads me to the Tech Report.

Tech Report: I've been shopping for a hydration belt in order to hydrate on the run. I'm getting into longer runs now, and there aren't too many water fountains on the paths I frequent. I'm still in my research phase, so I haven't purchased one yet. But I did buy some more running gear. I decided to try the Champion C9 line from Target again, but with better luck this time. I got some sports bras, moisture wicking shirts, a pair of running tights, and a wicking zip-up jacket. The sports bras are a no-no: those have to be returned. The short-sleeved tops serve their purpose and I haven't tried the running tights yet, but they look good when I tried them on.

I'm really going to try to get through this week without eating any junk food, but I don't know if I can do it. I definitely need a better plan to eat healthier without depriving myself of the treats I love. Any suggestions?

Almost Thirty

WEEK 15: BRING ON THE WINTER GEAR

2008-10-27T20:06:00.003-04:00

Do you think I could run in this get-up?

This is how I imagine myself dressed for running in the cold. I really, really, really dislike cold weather, meaning anything less than 60*F. I would perfer temperatures in the hight 70's and above, but I know I can't have everything my way.

Either way, I'm determined to run during the winter, and not just on the treadmill. So, I'm currently on the market for winter running gear. Wish me luck!

WEEK 15 Recap:

Monday: Cross training
Tuesday: 4 miles + Cross training
Wednesday: Cross training
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: 2 miles + Cross training
Saturday: Cross training
Sunday: 5 miles
TOTAL: 14 MILES

My 5 AM punishment felt soooo good! It was the perfect plan to get myself back on track. I felt great but I may have overdone it a bit: My legs were completely tired during the last 2 miles of my 5-miler on Sunday, but I pushed through to the end.

Injury/Health Report: Everything feels fine:) No real aches and pains, even after pushing myself through my 5-miler on Sunday. I was expecting some soreness, but it didn't kick in...yet.

Tech Report: Started shopping around for winter running gear, but I'm not quite sure what to invest in. There's so much to choose from.

Up-Coming Race: You may have noticed that I deleted a race from my Up-Coming Race List, the Free to Breathe 5K on November 2. I've decided to keep my races to one per month, for financial reasons. Race registration starts to add up: The Rothman 8K of the Philadelphia Marathon set me back 45-bucks. That's not too bad, but I could be putting more money into my running gear.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 14: WELCOME TO SLACKERVILLE!!! POPULATION: ME

2008-10-19T21:08:00.007-04:00

Hey all,

Week 2 of my slackerness has come to an end. I only ran 3 days this week and cross trained only 1 day. What's my excuse? I'm no longer around the corner from the gym (it's a 10-minute drive away). It's getting colder, so it's harder to motivate myself to go out. I have a 13 year-old little girl in my care who I don't feel comfortable leaving alone for more than an hour. I have been parked in front of a 52" plasma TV with hundreds of premium cable channels OnDemand. This list could go on and on, but I'll stop there. Either way, I have become a total couch potato and I feel wretched. This behavior is totally unacceptable, so I am putting myself on punishment next week.

To make up for my lack of activity, I will be hitting the gym at 5 am EVERY morning this coming week. I'll get to the gym by 5 am and leave by 5:45 am to be back at the house to wake the Kid up at 6 am, as usual.

WEEK 14 Recap:

Monday: Cross training

Tuesday: 3 miles

Wednesday: Slacker Day #1

Thursday: 4 miles w/ my first REAL HILLS!

Friday: Slacker Day #2

Saturday: Slacker Day #3

Sunday: 5 miles w/ MORE HILLS!
TOTAL: 12 MILES

As you can see, there was a bright side to WEEK 14, despite the lack of training.

This week was actually a week of a few firsts for me: my first time running on open roads with cars and my first real hills. I didn't want to leave the Kid for too long, so I decided to run in the neighborhood: through the beautiful hills of Gladwyne, PA.

I was super nervous at first to run on the road with cars, but there isn't much traffic around here and most drivers were pretty cautious not to hit me. I did have to jump off the road once, though. Once I got into a groove, I was eventually distracted by the enourmous estates surrounded by immaculately groomed landscapes, the exotic cars in the driveways, the deer watching me watching them, and did I mention the HILLS! Little hills, big hills, double hills, never-ending hills, all kinds of hills.

Running up the hills was hard at times, but I just kept a slow, steady and controlled pace...key word: controlled. Running down the hills posed more of a problem: it didn't feel good on my knees and I often felt like I was going to topple down, head first. I was out of control and I definitely need to learn some down hill running techniques. I must say that I'd rather run UP a hill, than DOWN a hill. Plus, when I got to the top of a hill, I felt accomplished and victorious! Bring on the next one!!!............ just let me catch my breath first.

Injury/Health Report: Beside feeling 10-lbs. heavier (I know, it's psychological), I feel OK. The hip feels better, as long as I stretch it regularly. My legs felt a bit wobbly after running those hills on Thursday and today, but nothing hurts. I'm sure my legs would feel stronger if I had been keeping up with my cross training and strength training.

That's enough for now. Especially since I have to get up at 4:30 am to go to the gym.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 13: 5 MILES DOWN, 21.2 MORE TO GO!

2008-10-13T19:03:00.007-04:00

Greetings,

I have been seriously slacking over the past few days, in more ways than one. I haven't done any cross training since last Tuesday, I've been eating like a pig, and I haven't been keeping up with my blogging. Apologies to my faithful followers, all three of you. Even though I've been running as scheduled, my overall routine has been interrupted. Therefore, my whole life seems out of order.

Let me back up a bit...On Saturday, I started a 3-week baby-sitting stint for a family that I've been sitting for over the past 7 years or so. So, I've basically moved into their house, which is not too far from mine. But my whole routine has been disrupted and I have to get into a new groove, so to speak.

Despite of the rift, I managed to run as scheduled on Friday evening and on Sunday. I was so eager to run my first 5-miler on Sunday morning on the trail that there was no way I was going to miss it.

Friday's run after work was grueling because I was dreading having to pack later on that evening. But Sunday's 5-miler was awesome! And my mom ran with me! Good thing she did because running with her forced me to run slower than usual. If I had run at my normal 10-11 minute/mile pace I would have been winded. Instead, we ran 12-13 minute miles, and it was eazy-breezy for me. I barely broke a sweat. I felt like I could have run 2-3 miles more, but after I stopped I definitely felt the effects of running for an hour. Nothing specific hurt or was in pain; it just felt like all my joints could have used some WD-40.

Anyway, here's a Recap of WEEK 13:

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: Cross training
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: ANOTHER REST DAY! WTF!!!
Sunday: My first 5-miler!
TOTAL: 15 MILES

Injury/Health Report:

This week was a bit up and down for me. Aside from the occasional stiff hip, my knees felt a bit achy early on in the week and I was sore from working on my legs on Tuesday...which led to the unplanned rest day on Wednesday. That was a good move because I felt fine by Thursday. As for my hip... still no pain, just a bit stiff. Once I get moving, it feels OK. I'll still keep an eye on it though.
Upon moving in with the kids I'm sitting, my diet completely changed to what they had in their fridge: frozen waffles, chips, cookies, candy, and left-over take-out. The excess of processed junk food induced a craving for fast food, so I actually drove to McDonald's and ordered a cheese burger and a large fries...something I hardly ever do, but I did and it tasted great! However, I felt horrible afterward. Not just physically, but I also beat myself up for eating so poorly. But I won't deny myself the occasional junk food and/or fast foods, they taste too good. I'll just do it in moderation next time. Not all in one weekend.
Also, I was feeling a bit blah over the weekend: probably the result of a combination of having to leave my comfy apartment for 3 weeks, shifting my schedule to fit babysitting, eating poorly, and starting a new prescription. I was just all out of whack! But I always felt better after running. I really have to remember to just run the next time I'm feeling sluggish.

DAY 90 Weigh-In/Photos: I didn't forget about the Weigh-In. I just didn't get a chance to do it this weekend, with the move and all. I promise I get it in sometime this week.

Almost Thirty

DAY 88: BUGGIN' OUT!!!

2008-10-09T21:31:00.010-04:00

Greetings,

Today, the warm weather and humidity returned and I was totally excited to go for my run this afternoon, especially since I took an unplanned rest day yesterday. Unfortunately, the return of the heat meant the return of the certain insects...

I ran a different portion of the trail that I normally run on, just for a change of scenery. But that scenery consisted of walls of gnats! The little buggers are not half bad when your stationary, but they're a nightmare as soon as you start running.

During the first mile of my 3-miler, I tried my best to ignore all the tiny smacks against my face, because I was just glad to be running. But by the middle of the second mile, I started to pick up a bit more speed which required me to breath out of my mouth. Without being too grotesque, lets just say that I've had my share of protein for today.

At the turnaround of my out-and-back, I almost stopped and walked back, but I was determined to get my miles in. I started to try to dodge the swarm, but I quickly learned that was impossible. They were everywhere. At the beginning of mile 3, I just put my head down and trucked through the never-ending swarm. And although I emerged victoriously, having run more than 3 miles, it was not without consequence...

BEFORE MY RUN

3 MILES LATER

This is, hands down, the grossest thing that has ever happened to me. My front was covered from head to toe in gnats. Fortunately, I was able to get rid of the ones on my clothes with a few snaps of the elastic fabric. But unfortunately, the ones on my body were glued to my skin with sweat. I shook some from my hair, blew some from nose and I even fished one out of my eyelash.

Did I mention that I was completely grossed out?

On the bright side, I think this run qualifies me as at least one step closer to being a real runner. Three months ago, I couldn't have imagined running 3 miles, but I did today...while inhaling gnats. Who knew?!?!

The Human Windshield a.k.a Almost Thirty

DAY 85: WHAT'S UP WITH THE CAT CALLS?

2008-10-06T20:05:00.006-04:00

Today I went out for my scheduled 4 miles after work on Kelly Drive. The weather was sunny and cool, and I had a stellar run. It seems this running thing actually does get easier.

Running after work on Kelly Drive literally means running alongside a busy, bumper-to-bumper 4-lane artery during rush hour. And while I can appreciate eye-candy as much as the next person, why do guys feel the need to yell out their windows and honk their horns like they're crazy when they pass by a nice looking female?

Not that I was much to look at with sweat dripping down my face and my hair bouncing all over my head, but several drivers thought it was a good idea to try to get my attention while navigating on this busy road. Not only was it rude, it was completely dangerous in today's case: 3 of the 5 offenders actually had to swerve or slam on breaks because they weren't paying attention to the road.

Is it written in some idiot handbook that women find cat calls attractive? Do guys really think we respond to that type of buffoonery?

There were lots of other runners on the path, females included, so I'm sure it happens to others, but I was a bit embarrassed. So much so that, at some point during my run, I thought I would avoid running on this path during rush hour in the future. But then I thought better...I'll get over it and take it as a complement, although distorted. I'm on my way to becoming a runner...I'm not gonna let a few meows slow me down.

But fellas, cut it with the cat calls already. Unlike the kitty in the pic, it's NOT cute!

Almost Thirty

WEEK 12: ENDED ON A GOOD NOTE!

2008-10-05T19:58:00.008-04:00

This morning I ran my second 5K, Philly Health Cares held by Jefferson Hospital benefiting Overbrook High School. The weather was great, the crowd was great, and I had a great run...with my mom!

She totally rocked it! I told you before that she was a beast and she proved it today. She placed 1st in her age group and earned a metal! I was so happy for her! Even though we came in at 35:28 minutes (Garmin), she ruled the 50-59 age group!

Hopefully she'll continue running with me and rock more races in the future!

WEEK 12 Recap:

Monday & Tuesday: Rest. Got my hair done on Monday and baby-sat my sweet-baby-niece on Tuesday, both unplanned. Oh, well...

Wednesday: 3 miles on the treadmill

Thursday: Cross training

Friday: 3.5 miles at Kelly Drive with my mom

Saturday: Cross training

Sunday: My 2nd 5K! 3.1 miles

TOTAL: 9.6 MILES

So, WEEK 12 came to an end on a good note! I have been running for three months now and the newness still hasn't worn off. I still look forward to running, even after work. I feel awesome and I'm slimming down according to my baggy wardrobe. As I mentioned before, that really wasn't one of my goals but I guess it comes with the territory.

Injury/Health Report: My achy hip had been annoying me a bit, but not hurting or preventing me from running. I've found that stretching it well after running helps. Lately it's been a little stiff when I'm not running, but fine when I am running. I'll continue to stretch it out and keep an eye on it.

Tech Report: No new gear or gadgets to report. I haven't gotten a chance to use my new spiffy running gloves. Even though I'm eager to see how they perform, I can definitely wait until the weather gets cooler again.

The goal for WEEKS 13 & 14 is to run 5 miles once a week. I am officially registered for the 8K of the Philadelphia Marathon on November 23 and I plan to be prepared.

Looks like DAY 90 is coming up during this week, so stay tuned for the Weigh-In and Photos.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 11: THE DREADMILL CHRONICLES

2008-09-28T19:11:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

This week I ran on the dreadmill twice, once for 3 miles and the other for 4 miles. It was raining on both days and since I'm not quite ready to run in the rain, so I ended up at the gym. But after struggling through 7 dreadfull miles on the treadmill, I'm more inclined to run in the rain. Recently added to my list of gear to buy: a water repelling jacket and hat for running in the rain.

WEEK 11 Recap:

Monday: 3 miles

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: 4 miles

Thursday: Cross training

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: Cross training

Sunday: 4 miles

TOTAL: 14 miles

Injury/Health Report: For the most part, I feel fine. But I have a bit of an annoying ache in a tendon or ligament or muscle or something where my right upper thigh meets my pelvis, right in the crease that's made when you lift up your leg. I'm not quite sure what to make of it but on a scale from 1 to 10 on the 'annoying ache scale' (1 = barely an ache, 10 = boderline pain), I would rate it a 3. It started early in the week at about a 5 on the scale, but I have been icing after running, so it has gotten better. I don't foresee it becoming a real problem, but I'll keep an eye on it anyway. If it escalates to a 8 or above on the annoying ache scale, I'll take a few days off to give it a rest.

Tech Report: My sole pair of running shoes need some relief, so I'll be on the market for a new pair soon. They say running shoes should replaced after about 500 miles and my Nikes are nowhere near that, but I like a bit of variety.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 10

2008-09-21T18:55:00.007-04:00

Greetings,

This morning, I had the honor of volunteering at the ING Philadelphia Distance Run, a very large half-marathon held here in my hometown (5 minutes from my house) every year. There were a little less than 17,000 runners this year, unofficially. If I had to describe the experience in one word, it would be REWARDING.

From 5 AM - 1 PM I was there helping in various capacities, including assisting runners with bibs and timing chips, setting up tables, handing out refreshments, and I was even able to calm down a anxious, hyperventilating runner at the start.

While I enjoyed every minute, my favorite part by far was cheering on runners/walkers at Mile-4 and at the Finish Line. I was excited for each and every runner who finished. I was even teary-eyed sometimes, like when couples were crossing the finish line hand-in-hand, or when seasoned AKA very old runners crossed. (Darn those female hormones!) The Kids' run was a blast too!

Anyway, I can't wait to be able to run in this race and cross the finish line myself!

WEEK 10 Recap:

Monday: 3 TOUGH miles
Tuesday: 4 nice-and-easy miles
Wednesday: Cross training
Thursday: 3 miles at the track
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 4 EXHILARATING miles on the trail
Sunday: Volunteered at the Philadelphia Distance Run
TOTAL: 14 miles

Injury/Health Report: I feel great!

Tech Report: I got a few things at the Expo on Saturday: 2 technical running shirts, a pair of socks and some running gloves. My fingers were numb during the first 2 miles of my 4-miler on Saturday morning. It was pretty chilly. Hopefully, those gloves will come in handy as the weather starts to get cooler.

Almost Thirty

DAY 60: WEIGH-IN / PHOTOS

2008-09-17T21:50:00.004-04:00

DAY 60 fell within WEEK 9, while I was on vacation. I didn't have my nifty high-tech scale to weigh myself, but I did have a camera to take many photos. I don't have much to compare to DAY 0 or DAY 30, but here is one of my favorites...

Yep, that's me. I'm way too shy to post pics of myself in a bikini, but I will say that I got lots of complements from both men and women alike. I don't know how much I weigh, but it seems that all the running is paying off either way. Also, I think I can feel the workings of a six-pack emerging...Check back for the next weigh-in on DAY 90.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 9: A BUST, BUT NOT TOTALLY

2008-09-17T20:51:00.009-04:00

Greetings,

WEEK 9, I mean, vacay in Mexico was AWESOME!!!!

It was a bust in terms of training...but not totally. I ran 3 times while on vacation but only 2 of those days fell during WEEK 9.

Monday: 3 miles on the threadmill

Tuesday: 1 mile + 20 min on the stationary bike

And that's it...

Unfortunately, I only ran/cross trained 2 out of 7 days, as opposed to my usual 6 out of 7 days. I didn't beat myself up over it, but I definitely felt it when I picked back up with my 5 AM Monday morning run the day after I returned.

It's OK, because I'm determined to get back on track. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking time off for vacation. Therefore, I don't feel guilty about it. But I am worried about being set back in my training, so I'll make sure to put more effort into working out more during my next vacation.

Injury/Health Report: No injuries or health concerns to report, knock on wood.

Tech Report: Nothing new to report here either, but I'm looking forward to coming across some cool things during the Philadelphia Distance Run Expo.

Adios

Almost Thirty

WEEK 8: ENDED UP IN MEXICO!!!

2008-09-14T21:09:00.007-04:00

Greetings,

Even though I was in Mexico and not actually able to post while there, I decided to 'post-post' to fill you in on my training, or lack thereof, while I was on vacay. I'm going to insert posts for the past by changing the Publish Post date, so they'll be post dated.

So, if your interested, scroll back a few posts. There will be new posts back there. Sorry for the confusion.

WEEK 8 Recap:

Monday: 2 miles

Tuesday: Cross-training

Wednesday: 3 miles

Thursday: Cross-training

Friday: 2 miles

Saturday: Rest, leave for Mexico

Sunday: 3 miles

TOTAL MILES: 10 miles

Injury/Health Report: No injuries, aches, nor pains to report. Still keeping an eye on that heart rate, though.

Tech Report: Garmin worked like a charm in Mexico!

Bitter sweet end for WEEK 8, but I was still stoked to be on vacation in Mexico!

Almost Thirty

DAY 56: DREAMS OF RUNNING ON THE BEACH IN MEXICO...

2008-09-14T21:00:00.002-04:00

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!

During my first night in Mexico, I had dreams of running in my favorite place...on the beach. I was sooo looking forward to lace up my Nike's and hit the sand for a few miles on the following morning. I even slept soundly through the thunderstorm that pounded through the night, evident by the drenched patio furniture on the balcony of my suite. So, when my alarm went off at 7 AM, I was eager and ready to get going. However, it was still pitch black outside and there was no boardwalk or lights to guide one's feet on the beach where I was, in beautiful Puerto Vallarta.

The waiting game ended about an hour and a half later, when the sun began too peek over the horizon around 8:30 AM. I darted out anxiously to the shoreline just a few steps outside my door. It was hot, muggy, sticky, hazy, humid, and every other adjective used to describe tropical, jungle-like conditions. But, I was amped none the less.

With a huge grin on my face, I took my first few strides and the smile on my face quickly transformed into the look of someone in a physical struggle of confusion: someone having an unexpectedly hard time with the task at hand. I was in the process of fulfilling a dream and I seemed to be having some difficulty with something that seemed so effortless in those dreams.

As it turns out, running in sand saturated with rain from a storm the previous night, on a slight down-hill slope toward the water as a result of heavy waves from said storm, is NOT a good combination for a novice, or ANYONE else for that matter, to attempt to run ANY distance.

But I wasn't alone. I even encountered several other runners, some bare-footed who looked like locals, who were struggling almost as much as I was. The sand just gave completely with each step, literally leaving a hole to push/pull yourself out of with whatever quad strength you could muster up with little stability.

It was awful, to put it simply. Not just because I was virtually unable to run; but more so because my dream of finally merging my long-term love of the sandy beach with my new love affair with running, was transformed into a nightmare in one short, fell swoop.

After several unsuccessful attempts to find dry spots or less-sloped areas, I gave up about a half-mile north of the resort. Completely frustrated, I turned around and walked back to the hotel as best I could. Even walking in the sand was difficult. I almost took off my sneakers to get better footing.

Back at the resort, I promptly asked if there was a nearby path or trail I could run on safely, and that turned out to be a no-no. I was directed to a long stretch of unpaved road just outside the resorts front gate. There was not much around the resort except several unfinished, up-and-coming resorts with lots of local construction workers. I wouldn't run past a bunch of English-speaking construction workers, so there was no way I was going to run on a foreign road in a tiny running skirt and a sports bra, amongst construction workers gawking and cat calling in Spanish. But, I digress...

Back at the resort, I found the gym and the dreadmill. Except, with nowhere else to run, the treadmill was actually my savior on the trip.

I ended up running 3 good miles to close out WEEK 8:

Mile 1 at 5 mph (12:00 min/mile)
Mile 2 at 5.5 mph (10:54 min/mile)
Mile 3 at 6 mph (10:00 min/mile)

Sorry for the long post. I totally planned on keeping it short, but I guess the descriptive narrator in me took over.

Almost Thirty

DAY 52: MY MOM IS A BEAST!!!

2008-09-03T17:48:00.007-04:00

...And I mean that in a good way, with the utmost respect.

Last night, my mom told me that she would run with me this morning...at 5 AM...in the morning. My first thought, "Yeah, right! You are not gonna get up that early and run with me. I'll believe it when I see it."

A bit of background: My mom is 50+, barely 5' 4" and an avid gym-junkie. She does those aerobics and spinning classes at the gym a few times a week AND she used to run track in high school. She's no stranger to exercise, so she's pretty fit, but she hasn't run in years. After my first 5K last Saturday, she felt inspired and said she would run the next one with me. She asked when I was running again and said she would go with me.

So, I told her to meet me at my house at 5:15 AM this morning, and much to my surprise, she called me before my alarm went off at 5 AM and told me she was on her way. Wow! She's serious.

We headed out to the rubberized track at St. Josephs University (5 minutes from my house) and to make a long story short, she ran 3 uninterrupted miles with me. No walk breaks, no water breaks, and we were talking the ENTIRE time. Although we were running at a very easy pace (12-13 minute miles), I was very impressed that she could get out there and run 3 straight miles. When I first started running, I could barely run 5 minutes without huffing and puffing.

So, that's why my mom is a beast. A running beast.

By the way, while running around and around the track can get monotonous and boring, my legs and joints really appreciated the softer surface. I will definitely be integrating more track runs into my schedule, as well as grass runs. There is a large soccer field in the middle of the track with nice, soft grass to run on...maybe on my Friday run.

Almost Thirty

WEEK 7

2008-08-31T11:27:00.012-04:00

Greetings,

WEEK 7 comes to an end today. Here's a brief recap of this week, if you haven't been keeping up:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday: Easy 2 miles.
Tuesday & Thursday: Light cross training.
Saturday: My First 5K!!!
Sunday: Rest
TOTAL MILES RUN: 9.11

Injury/Health Report: Still feeling strong, no injuries to report. However...

Knees: Felt a bit achy about an hour after the 5K on Saturday and I was about to ice them. But the discomfort was short-lived and they feel absolutely fine now.
Heart Rate: I was also a bit concerned about my heart rate during the 5K. According to my FR 305, my heart rate was above my maximum threshold for the latter half of the race: ~185-190 beats per minute (bpm), maxing out at 205 bpm at one point. Even though I knew I was exerting more effort than during training, I felt completely fine. I have to do a bit of research on this to make sure I'm not over-taxing my heart when I push myself a bit harder. I'll keep you posted.

Tech Report: I purchased some new technical running gear this week: my first running skirt, and a pair of calf-length tights. Both by Nike, made from their patented moisture-wicking material, Dri-FIT. I really like the running skirt; it fits pretty well (waistband slightly too big, but I just folded it down to fit more snugly) and it looks super cute! The tights fit and looked great too, but they made this annoying swishing noise between my legs when I ran. I though I was going to start a fire, but thankfully the noise stopped once I started to sweat a bit and the material got a bit moist.

In summary, this was an EXCELLENT week!

The goal for WEEK 8 will be to stick with 2-3 mile runs but up the intensity of my cross training a bit.

I'm headed to Mexico for a week-long vacation on Saturday, so I don't want to be spent during my vacay. I fully intend on running a bit while I'm there, but nothing too strenuous. However, when I return for WEEK 10, I will be coming off of 2 easy weeks of training, so I plan to ramp it up a bit.

I'll most likely have my laptop with me on vacay, but I'm not sure if/how my broadband will work in Mexico, or if the resort will provide free Internet access. So, you may or may not hear from me while I'm there.

Almost Thirty

DAY 48: MY FIRST 5K WAS A BLAST!!!

2008-08-30T19:15:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

My first 5K was FREAKING AWESOME!!!

First and foremost, I gotta give a shout out to my family and friends for all the encouragement and support going into the race! It really meant a lot to me.

Abridged Race Report:
I finished. I had LOTS of fun. I felt great during and after the race. AND much to my surprise, I won my age group!!! SWEET!!!

Un-abridged Race Report:
This was a very small race (~100 runners) held by the Philadelphia Unemployment Project. My best friend forever (BFF) ran with me for support. Even though she didn’t train much, she rocked it!

I was really looking forward to getting one of those timing chips that everyone talks about, but unfortunately, they didn’t have them. But I did get to pin my first number bib to my shirt! #1939. And I got my first race t-shirt. NICE!!!

The course was completely flat, a simple out-and-back along a closed road running parallel to the Schuykill River near the infamous Philadelphia Museum of Art. It was about 75*F and the air was pretty muggy. The skies were overcast with lots of clouds threatening to pour rain, but the sun ended up breaking through eventually.

The start line was very unofficial and the race began with some guy yelling into a bullhorn. People were just sort of standing around chatting, when he randomly yelled “GO!” No ‘1, 2, 3’ or ‘On your mark, get set,’ just “GO!” So, my BFF and I ended up crossing the start line about 30 seconds after the race actually began.

We went out slow and comfortably, just like all my serious ruuner friends suggested. My BFF felt we were going too slowly because EVERYONE took off past us while we were putting along. But she followed my ‘slow’ lead and we ran the first mile in 10:22. As we picked up the pace just a bit during the second mile (9:59), we gradually started to pass people as they started to lose steam and slow down. I was still feeling just fine. My legs felt strong and I wasn’t huffing and puffing. When we hit the beginning of mile 3, I began to pick up the pace a bit more but my BFF started to get side cramps. Running along side my best friend was more important than my finishing time, so I slowed down with her. But when the finish line came into view at about the last half mile, I took off without her (she gave me her blessing) and came in at 30:29, according to my FR 305. However, I think my ‘official’ time was 31:08 according to the digital clock at the finish line.

My family was waiting for me at the finish line, cheering me on and taking pictures. Most of the other runners figured out that it was my first race because my family was making a spectacle out of the event: jumping up and down, rolling a digital video camera, flashing several cameras and of course yelling and screaming. They were AWESOME!

Then to top things off, it turned out that I finished first in my age group, which earned me my first piece of running hardware. I would have NEVER thought I would win anything, but I did and I was flabbergasted.

CLICK HERE FOR PICS FROM MY FIRST 5K

I am stoked about my next 5K race coming up on Oct 5, but I’m even more excited about volunteering at the Philadelphia Distance Run on Sept 21.

I'm going to take a 'rest' day tomorrow and go rollerblading with my mom and sister.

Almost Thirty

DAY 47: PRE-RACE REPORT

2008-08-29T16:27:00.011-04:00

Greetings,

Tomorrow is the big day and I am super excited! My first 5K race!

However, I won't be approaching it as a race, per se, because I'm not running to win, or to compete against other runners. But I have set some goals for myself.

Goals for my First 5K:

Not to go out too fast. Advice from several fellow RWBF formites. (Runner's World Beginner's Forum)
To finish.
To have fun.

Simple. No finishing time goals. No pacing strategies. Just to do what I've been doing for the past 7 weeks: just run and have fun doing it.

I didn't do anything special to prepare for Saturday, but I skipped all the 'hard' cross-training at the gym. And I kept my morning runs to 2 miles, so I should be well rested for tomorrow. I feel great, no aches or pains, and my legs feel strong, literally. My quads are getting stronger and unfortunately bigger. My jeans are feeling a bit tighter around the quad area, but it's all good.

A few people have asked me what I'm wearing and if I bought a new running outfit for the occasion. My response? No new or special running outfit. Just something I've been running in thus far. I did get a new running skirt this week that I love, but I won't be wearing it.

Bottom line: I'm all set for tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it.

Wish me luck,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 6

2008-08-24T13:20:00.010-04:00

Greetings,

Another pretty good week for me. Here's a recap:

Monday: Awesome run on the dreadmill. (see DAY 36: FEELING SLUGGISH...RUN 2.5 MILES! post)
Tuesday: I killed myself on the StairMaster for 30 minutes. Instead of doing my usual level 5, I cranked the difficulty up to level 10 to challenge myself. I was huffing and puffing 15 minutes in, and if I was wearing a heart rate monitor it might have issued a warning to call 911. I was so winded, and my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. Next time, I'll work my way up to level 10, rather than make a leap from level 5 to 10.
Wednesday: Brutal 30 minute run after work. (see DAY 38: EXHAUSTED... post)
Thursday: Easy cross training day. 20 minutes on the recumbent bike and 30 minutes lifting weight. Taking it easy was a good idea.
Friday: Excellent run at 5:30 AM at Kelly Drive. I thought it was going to be tough but I was rolling along after the first mile.
Saturday: REST DAY
Sunday: Awesome run at Valley Green at 7 AM. I almost got my mother to join me but she backed out at the last minute. Anyway, again the first mile was the toughest. Then things were smooth sailing from there, for the most part. A bit of labored breathing on an uphill incline, but that's to be expected.

Injury Report: I don't really have any injuries to report. They're more like minor annoyances that I want to keep an eye on.

Knees: During the first 2-4 minutes of every run, my knees feel stiff and achy. But after I get warmed up, they feel fine during the run and after the run.
Ankle: My left ankle started to bother me about 2 hours after my run on Friday morning. I didn't feel any discomfort while running or immediately after my run. The pain came from the inner side (same side as the big toe) of my ankle and grew worse as I put more weight on it. The weird part was that the pain came and went, it wasn't consistent. By the end of the day on Friday, it was fine again, and it has been a non-issue since then.

Tech Report: My Garmin is great! It performed marvelously on a heavy wooded trail with little to no exposure to clear skies (Valley Green).

There were several valuable lessons learned while training this week:

Morning runs should only be missed for valid, no-nonsense reasons. Otherwise, I'll regret it later.
Running alongside a busy street during rush hour is a BAD IDEA if you plan on breathing.
The first mile is always the toughest. Once I get through it, the rest is cake.

With my first 5K coming up this Saturday, I plan to take it easy this week. So, my goal for WEEK 7 is to run 2 miles on Monday and Wednesday, 1 easy mile on Friday, race on Saturday, and rest on Sunday.

Almost Thirty

DAY 38: EXHAUSTED...

2008-08-20T19:31:00.016-04:00

Greetings,

The title of this post is a double entendre. Keep reading to find out why.

I was excited about today's run because my Garmin Forerunner 305 arrived yesterday and I wanted to take it for a test drive. But I ended up having to wait until the afternoon after work because my co-workers wanted to meet early for breakfast this morning. So, as opposed to running at 5 AM, I ran at 5 PM. Which leads to the title of this post...

First off, running in the heat after working all day is EXHAUSTING! Even though the humidity was low, it was still hot. And just being at work is draining even when I'm not doing much work, but I was actually busy today. So, my legs felt like lead, and I was pretty tired 5 minutes into the run. As you can imagine, the following 25 minutes were a struggle, but I pushed through the whole 30 minutes. The first half my run was pretty much all downhill, which meant that the run back was all uphill, since I ran a simple out-and back route. BRUTAL!!!

Second, Kelly Drive, the trail where I normally do my weekday morning runs, is about an 8.5-mile loop that runs along the Schuylkill River. Less than a few feet away from the trail is a 4-lane major artery that runs parallel to the trail, leading to and from the downtown Philadelphia area. At 5 AM, there are barely any cars on the road: it's cool, quiet and peaceful at that hour. On the contrary, at 5 PM the road is filled with rush-hour traffic in both directions: it's loud, distracting, and smelly from EXHAUST FUMES! Even though I was outdoors with seemingly an endless supply of fresh air, the concentration of cars on the road made for less-than-optimal breathing conditions for a winded, novice wanna-be runner. With every labored breath, I felt like I was sucking in muffler contents. I may as well had wrapped my lips around the tail pipe of one of those vehicles because that's what it felt like anyway.

So, I was exhausted AND sucking in exhaust fumes while running today. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel...

My new toy is freaking awesome!!! I'm not going to list all it's cool features and functions, but here is a summary of my run today, courtesy of my Garmin Forerunner 305 and MotionBased software, which features Google Maps.

Hotness. Need I say more.

Excited owner of a new high-tech gadget,

Almost Thirty

DAY 36: FEELING SLUGGISH...RUN 2.5 MILES!

2008-08-18T20:31:00.013-04:00

Greetings,

This morning, I foolishly convinced myself that I needed an extra hour and a half of sleep, being that it was Monday morning and all, and skipped my 5:30 AM. BIG MISTAKE!!!

Everyone knows that hitting the snooze button only makes waking up worse: it's basically the equivalent of waking up over and over and over again, all in the same morning. As if waking up once isn't bad enough, especially on a Monday morning.

Needless to say, I was miserable this morning, and sluggish, and unmotivated, and cranky, and...need I go on. From the moment I stepped out of my door, I regretted skipping my run. I beat myself up all day for not running, moping and dragging throughout the workday.

So, despite the fact that I was completely unmotivated and drained from being at work all day, I tried to pump myself up to head straight to the gym to make up my 30 minute run. And that's exactly way I did. I came home, changed immediately, and headed right back out the door.

I cranked up my iPod and breezed through 30 minutes on the dreadmill at a 5.0 mph (12:00-minute mile) pace, for a total of 2.5 miles. I couldn't believe how energized I felt 10 minutes into my run. I even had to catch myself a few times because I realized I was actually singing along with my tunes out loud. I was so amped!

I've read that if you can't hold a conversation while running, then you're probably running too fast; and that if you can sing out loud while running then you're probably running too slow. So, I even though about cranking up the speed on the dreadmill, but I decided to be conservative and stick with 5.0 mph. Plus, I was having a great time running at that pace!

I was completely pumped after my run! I went home, showered, did some much needed cleaning that I've been avoiding for a few days, folded some laundry that had been sitting for a week, and organized my 'shoe collection' a.k.a. shoes that had piled up all over the place because I was too lazy to put them away when I took them off.

The moral of the story is...

In the future, I'll need a really good reason to skip my morning run. That extra hour and a half of sleep was NOT worth it.
The next time I'm feeling sluggish and unmotivated, I'll lace up my sneakers and go for a run.
When my apartment starts to get a little messy due to my perpetual lack of domestic motivation, a 2.5-mile run may do the trick.

Still wired from my run 4 hours ago,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 5 - GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS

2008-08-17T11:59:00.009-04:00

Greetings,

The bad news first: Last Sunday's 3.5-4 mile run was actually about 2.5 miles. It turns out that I mapped the run incorrectly. It was only my second time using mapmyrun.com and apparently I need more practice. Instead of being bummed, I decided to make things right, which leads me to the good news.

The good news is that I ran at least 3.5 miles today in about 40 minutes at Valley Green this morning. And I ran the whole time, no walking. It wasn't that bad. I actually felt good. Cardiovascularly I felt fine; no burning lungs or huffing and puffing. I have really been pushing hard during cross training to work on my cardiovascular stamina and I guess it has helped. My body also felt fine, however by the time I hit about 30 minutes muscle tiredness started to creep into my hips. I wasn't really pushing myself, so I'm sure I could have gone farther.

Anyway, about the rest of the week:

Monday: see DAY 30 entry.

Tuesday: 30 minutes on the StairMaster and 30 minutes weight lifting.

Wednesday: 30 minutes at Haverford College Track unsuccessfully attempting to calibrate my Nike+iPod system. After this second calibration, it was still off: once tracking 0.34 miles when I had only ran 1 lap, which is only 0.25 miles. It even reported that I had run a 5:11 minute mile once, which is absolutely absurd. I'm sooo slow, I run 10-12 minute miles.

Thursday: Unplanned rest day due to car troubles.

Friday: 30-minute run at Kelly Drive. 30 minutes is getting a bit easier, finally.

Saturday: 30 (hard) minutes on the Elliptical trainer and 30 minutes lifting weights.

Sunday: 40 minutes, ~3.5 miles at Valley Green. My longest run since training started!

Now that I'm well on my way to becoming a runner, I have been craving a better way to track my runs: distance, time, intensity, etc. The Nike+iPod system is not going to cut it, obviously. So, after weeks of research (I'm a scientist, remember), I broke down and purchased a Garmin Forerunner 305. It's a GPS system and heart rate monitor all in one personal running assistant, with wicked software to manage and track workouts. Most of the serious runners I've encountered use GPS systems and heart rate monitors to track runs, and everyone swears by the Garmin Forerunner 305. It costs a bit more than the $30 Nike+iPod system, but I've been told by several happy owners that it's well worth it . It should arrive this week and I can't wait until it gets here!

Overall, another good training week for me. Bring on WEEK 6!

My goal for WEEK 6 will be to continue with 30 minute runs, with at least 1 run of 3.5 miles to prepare for my first 5K, which is in 12 days.

Chilling out for the rest of the day,

Almost Thirty

DAY 30

2008-08-12T18:41:00.018-04:00

Greetings,

Yesterday I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes and now I realize why runners call it the "dreadmill." It was soooo boring. And it's much harder to keep up with a steady pace, as opposed to speeding up and slowing down when you feel like it. Of course you can change the settings on the dreadmill but it's a pain.

My knees were feeling a bit weak after running on the trail on Sunday, so I wanted to run on the most 'knee-friendly' surface I could get to quickly. I wasn't in any pain or discomfort, I just wanted to give the old knees a break. They feel much stronger after cross training today: 30 minutes on the StairMaster and 30 minutes lifting weights.

Without further adieu, here are my DAY 30 stats and pics:

Day 30 Weight: 151 lbs. One pound less than my start weight is negligible, but I didn't expect to lose any weight anyway.

Day 30 Body Fat Percentage: 29.5%. The high-tech scale I have been using may be off, but I've lost 3.5% body fat since I've starting training, which is believable.

Day 30 Photos: Again, no make-up. No photo shop. Just me...and my gut.

There's no need for a DAY 0 - DAY 30 side-by-side comparison, because I look exactly the same. The only things that's different in the pictures is my hairstyle (or lack thereof). I'll do another weigh-in and photo shoot on DAY 60. Maybe by then I will have started to develop a six-pack, or at least a two-pack, and then a side-by-side comparison would be in order.

Until then, stop by to see how my training is going in the meantime.

Signing off to watch some Olympic boxing,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 4 - 30 MINUTES???

2008-08-10T09:05:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

Today marks the end of week 4 of my training and my goal was to be able to run for 30 minutes straight, comfortably, by the end of this week.

During the week, I struggled through 25 minute runs on Wednesday and Friday, which left me a bit skeptical that I would be able to make it to 30 minutes by Sunday. I was even more skeptical after I attended a wedding reception last night with an open bar. A late night and several drinks is not how I usually like to prepare for a Sunday morning run.

I set my alarm for 6 AM anyway, and I was up and ready to run by 6:30 AM. I tuned into to the news to check the weather and thankfully, the forecast was a lot cooler than it has been lately: 66 degrees Fahrenheit with hardly any humidity. Sweet! I arrived at Valley Green for my 7 AM run as scheduled.

By the way, the Valley Green portion of Wissahickon Trail has become my favorite running venue, by far. It's shaded by lots of trees and runs along the Wissahickon Creek. There are lots of birds, squirrels, other runners, walkers, mountain bikers, and hikers. Even though the running surface is a bit rugged (very rocky and occasional mounds of horse manure), I look forward to running on the trail on Sunday mornings.

Anyway, I headed out ready for an uphill battle to get to at least 25 minutes today. Fifteen minutes into my run, I felt totally relaxed. I was going at a slow and steady pace, enjoying the cooler weather and the scenery. The next time I look at my watch, I was into 27 minutes of running! I ran right through 25 minutes with no problem. I was really surprised because during the previous 25 minute runs, the last 5 minutes were a real struggle.

The last 3 minutes were almost just as comfortable as the first 3 minutes. No heavy, labored breathing, no muscle tiredness, no knee issues, just a nice, easy-going 30 minute run. I felt awesome afterward. Not just because I met my goal, but because I had a good run in general. I felt like I could have run another 30 minutes.

Thus far, I haven't been paying much attention to how far I've been running because I wanted to focus just on the length of time I can run to increase my endurance. But today I was curious about how far I ran today, so I used MapMyRun.com to get an estimate. It turns out that I ran between 3.5 and 4 miles, which is a lot farther than I thought it would be. Nice! This is a huge confidence boost with my first 5K coming up in less than 3 weeks.

My goal for week 5 will be to just stick with 30 minute run sessions and start tracking the distance I run. I will have to recalibrate my Nike+ system or return it for another one because it was way off before and after I calibrated it when I first bought it a month ago. I haven't used it since then because I wasn't concerned with distance or mile splits anyway. But I think now is a good time to start tracking those variables.

My Day 30 Weigh-In is in a few days, so check back in for some before-and-after pics and to see if I lost any weight.

Relaxing after a great run,

Almost Thirty

DAY 27

2008-08-09T13:31:00.006-04:00

Greetings,

Here's a recap of week 4 so far:

Monday: Still exhausted from the party I hosted on Sunday, I dragged myself out of bed at 5 AM for my 20-minute run/1-minute walk/7-minute run training session. Totally unmotivated, I began my warm-up around 5:30 AM at Kelly Drive. About 5 minutes into my run, I realized that I felt fine, as opposed to sluggish and tired. My brain was telling me that I should've skipped this morning's run and caught up on some much needed rest, but my body was saying I could definitely run through the tiredness...and I did. This run turned out to be a breeze, even though I still felt like going back to bed afterwards.

Tuesday: I stayed up until midnight on Monday night working on a presentation for work, so I was completely set on skipping my 5:30 AM cross-training session at the gym on Tuesday. However, I pulled myself out of bed again at 5 AM, much to my surprise. When I arrived at LA fitness, I was still in a sleep fog. But after a few minutes on the StairMaster, I was completely pumped. I hashed out a good half-hour on the StairMaster and a quick half-hour lifting weights with no problem. I was completely shocked that I pulled through this workout, considering how tired was from a lack of sleep. I eventually lost steam at work around 3pm, so I left early and hit the pillow as soon as I got home.

Wednesday: With my goal for this week in mind (30 minutes of running with no walk breaks), I pushed through 20 minutes and hit 25 minutes. It was not as easy as hitting previous goals, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The last 5 minutes was a bit tough, but I made it through.

Thursday: Cross-training at the gym for 75 minutes. I took the day off from work, so I focused a little more time on weight lifting. I really think the leg strengthening exercises are helping with my knees. They have been feeling fine this week.

Friday: My attempt at 25 minutes this morning was a bit more labored than Wednesday's attempt, but I made it happen. I was pretty tired afterward, but we'll see what happens on Sunday. I really wanted to give it another go on Saturday before my last run of the week on Sunday, but I'll let it go and REST as scheduled.

Saturday: I rested as scheduled, but it wasn't easy. I can't believe I've gotten to the point of WANTING to run on my days off. I actually look forward to running. However, I keep reading about how important rest is for recovery and injury prevention, so I will stick with at least one day of complete rest per week, no running nor cross-training. I'm sure I'll look forward to those days off when my training get more intense down the line.

Sunday: Will I be able to meet this week's goal and hit 30 minutes? Check back in tomorrow to find out!

Ready to run tomorrow,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 3

2008-08-03T22:25:00.002-04:00

Greetings,

If you have been following, you pretty much know how week 3 turned out. I reached my goal of running for 20 minutes straight, but I ended up taking off yesterday and today to give my legs a rest (although I didn't rest at all today).

I'll keep this one short as I am EXHAUSTED from throwing the birthday bash of the century: my sweet-baby-niece turned one and I hosted her birthday party. It was a blast, but I digress.

I'm going to get back out there tomorrow morning and pick up where I left off. My goal for week 4 is to be able to run for 30 minutes straight. I don't know about that; 20 minutes is still tough for me. But we shall see...if you stay tuned.

Totally pooped,

Almost Thirty

DAY 19

2008-08-01T22:48:00.004-04:00

Greetings,

This morning's run was horrible.

Again, the weather was hot and humid, however more bearable than Wednesday. I planned to run another 20-min run/1-min walk/7-min run session, but 18 minutes in, I was ready to stop. I felt tired and winded, but I kept going. I walked for 2 minutes instead of 1 and I still struggled through the last 6-min run. This was the first time my legs actually felt tired. No weird knee issues or pain. Just plain tired. I REALLY wanted to stop, but I didn't. I pushed through, but it wasn't fun.

Maybe it was the weather, maybe I'm over-training, or maybe it was just a bad training day. Whatever the case may be, tomorrow is my rest day and this will be the first rest day I am actually looking forward to. I may even take Sunday off too, depending how I'm feeling. I really want to get back out there and push onward. But I must take the advice of many of my new running buddies to listen to my body. I'd rather take another day off and come back strong, than to keep pushing and have another bad run.

Listening closely (to my body and to advice from experienced runners),

Almost Thirty

DAY 17 - ROLLER COASTER RUN

2008-07-30T09:27:00.006-04:00

Greetings,

This morning's run was a bit of a roller coaster, so I thought I'd blog about it.

I headed out around 5:20am and when I arrived at Kelly Drive I had already started to sweat before I even stepped out of the car. It was SOOOO hot, humid and hazy. I thought, "This is not gonna be fun in this weather."

I was planning on running 15-min and 12-min run intervals with a 1-min walk in between. So, I shook it off and began my 2-min warm-up walk. As I warmed up, I was feeling great and reconsidered that this might not be such a bad run after all.

Then I started to run and things turned bad again. My knees were so stiff and rigid. I could hardly bend my knees to run. It wasn't exactly painful, just awkward and uncomfortable. I was a bit worried that this might happen because my knees felt funny after my run on Monday. But I did 30 minutes on the StairMaster and lifted weights on Tuesday to loosen them up a bit, and they felt fine up until I started to run this morning.

Anyway, I pushed through the uncomfortable feeling, and after about 20 strides, they felt fine. A minute into running, I had forgotten all about my knee issue and was ready to get through my first 15-min running interval. Then I realized that my breathing was labored, already. I had just started running, so it was way too early to start huffing and puffing.

I was so focused on my knees during the first few minutes of my run that I didn't realize that I was sucking in thick, hot air. Five minutes in and I was dripping with sweat and trying to adjust my breathing to compensate for the lack of "fresh" air. At this point, things are not looking so good.

However, I push on and try to find my rhythm. It's getting hotter by the minute but I won't stop. Ten minutes in I'm thinking I might throw the towel in early because I'm sweating bullets and I'm focusing so hard on breathing. But, I keep running anyway because I'm not actually in pain or gasping for air, just a bit uncomfortable.

The next time I glance at my watch, I see I've almost reached the 15-minute mark and I re-evaluate my situation. I'm actually feeling OK now and I'm thinking maybe I could keeping going and reach 20 minutes, which was my goal to accomplish by the end of the week. Somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes I started to enjoy myself. My breathing regulated and I was feeling great.

So, I keep trucking right past 15 minutes. I reach 19 minutes and I'm still feeling fine. But considering the weather, I don't want to overdo it. I stop at 20 minutes and take a minute to regroup. Then I pick right back up for the last 7 minutes of my 30 minute session. These last 7 minutes were a breeze, even though I am dripping with sweat when I'm done.

Despite all the ups and downs this morning, I ended on a great note: I reached 20 minutes of non-stop running today, ahead of schedule. I was stoked!

Today turned out to be a good training day!

Totally stoked,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 2

2008-07-27T09:20:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

I've made it through week 2, but not without some struggles. Like last week, I ran for 30-minute sessions on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, cross-trained on Tuesday and Thursday, lifted weights on Thursday and rested on Saturday. I was able to meet my goal of 10-minute running intervals, with 1 minute walks in between. So far, my body is feeling fine, no knee problems or aches and pains.

However, my run on Wednesday morning was a real struggle for me. My stomach was upset and I was totally out of breath as I attempted my 8-minute running intervals. I was able to finish but I felt sick and winded afterward. It may have been that I was over-worked from the yoga and cycling I did the night before, or the whole wheat pasta I decided to try the night before, or the fact that I didn't sleep well that night. Whatever the case may be, I've decided not to work out the evening before I run, I make sure that I'm in the bed and winding down by 9:30pm the night before I run, and I'm more mindful of what I eat the night before I run.

You may have noticed that I've added a ticker to my blog, counting down to my first 5K race. I've decided to register for the "Race for Jobs" held by the Philadelphia Unemployment Project. It's a 5K USATF Certified Race Course at the Philadelphia Art Museum (Kelly Drive) being held on Saturday, August 30 at 8am. After visiting the organization's website, I figured it was a good cause to run for.

My goal for week 3 is to continue to increase my run intervals from the current 10 minutes to 20 minutes by the end of the week. This may be a stretch but I thought this would be a good time for me push myself a bit. I've been pretty conservative for the first 2 weeks. Check back in next week to see how I do!

Up for the 20-minute challenge,

Almost Thirty

OH YEAH...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2008-07-20T10:53:00.004-04:00

Greetings,

I almost forgot...I turned 28 on Tuesday. Happy birthday to me!

Aside from getting pulled over by a rogue cop and the annoying "You better start freezing your eggs" comments, it was a pretty good day, thanks to my family and friends.

Headed for 29,

Almost Thirty

WEEK 1

2008-07-20T09:18:00.002-04:00

Greetings,

This week went pretty well. I ran/walked for 30-minute sessions on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, cross-trained on Tuesday and Thursday, did some weight training on Thursday, and relaxed on the beach on Saturday. My goal was to be able to run 5-minute intervals, and I was able to go a bit above that goal: by Sunday I was able to do 6 minute run/2 minute walk intervals. No real aches or pains, but I was a little sore after lifting weights on Thursday.

I decided that I would follow the advice of many running experts and run without headphones for safety reasons (except on the treadmill). Headphones are now banned from many organized races, so I wanted to get used to running without music. And it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I mixed it up a bit by running in different places: on the treadmill at the gym, on Kelly Drive, on the track at Haverford College, and a trail through Fairmount Park, to keep things from getting monotonous. While I love rocking-out to my favorite tunes while working out, running without music turned out to be quite enjoyable, and safer. Plus, if I were wearing headphones, I wouldn't have been able to hear all the encouragement from other runners I encountered.

For the most part, runners are extremely aware of each other and don't hesitate to acknowledge each other. Almost every other runner I encountered gave a nod, or a wave, or a "Good morning!" as we passed each other. At the track there were a handful of walkers and runners who, I guess, were regulars, an older guy even said, "I haven't seen you around before. Welcome! Glad you could join us." While running on the trail, I began to slow down to walk and two guys passing me said, "Come on, you can do it!" And another young woman on the trail surprised me saying, "You go girl! You look great!" It was all very encouraging, especially as a beginner to the sport.

Also, it's easier to dissociate (zone-out, in runners lingo) when running with music, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. It's OK on the treadmill because it's completely boring to run on a treadmill (unless there's a TV attached), but there is no chance of getting hit by a car or a cyclist, or tripping over a crack or rock in the road. But one needs to be very aware of these things and more when running outdoors. At one point on the trail, I was being followed by two people on horseback. If I was wearing headphones, they would have definitely startled me when they passed.

And more interestingly, running without music allowed me to be a lot more aware of myself: my breathing patterns, my form, and how my body felt in general. Instead of being engrossed in the lyrics of Lil Wayne, or a tight Timbaland beat, I thought, "My quads feel a bit tight. Make sure you stretch well afterward," or "Oooh, stepping in that little pot hole did not feel good on my left knee. Let's keep an eye on that to make sure I didn't really injure it," and "Don't lean forward too much. Your back is gonna hurt later if you don't run upright."

Next week, I plan to continue to increase my run intervals from the current 6 minutes to 10 minutes by the end of next week. Stay tuned to see how it goes!

Looking forward to week 2,

Almost Thirty

IN SUMMARY...

2008-07-13T19:36:00.002-04:00

If you missed my first 12 posts, here's the long and short of it.

WHO: Me. (My Complete Profile, THE NON-RUNNER post)

WHAT: Start training for a marathon to run on or around my 30th birthday. (THE GOAL DEFINED post)

WHY: To focus on a positive progression towards turning 30, as opposed to succumbing to the stigma of "getting older," to embark on a new and exciting adventure monumental enough to compete with the advent of turning 30. (THE PROBLEM post, THE SOLUTION post, THE NEW GOAL post)

WHEN: Training over the next 2 years, starting the week of my 28th birthday.

WHERE: Wherever I can train: trails, the gym, the track, the road, the sidewalk, you get the point.

HOW: By training by butt off. (TRAINING DETAILS post)

Did you get all that? I don't know if you can keep up, but keep trying.

Almost Thirty

DAY 0

2008-07-13T14:01:00.013-04:00

Greetings,

I read that one could spent up to $80 for a good sports bra, and although no woman likes the feel of her girls bouncing around while running, I thought 80-bucks was a bit excessive. That and all the hype about the more expensive running apparel made of moisture-wicking materials to keep you drier and more comfortable while running. But since I've been working out in the same clothes for the past 5 years or so, I thought it was a good time for me to invest in some new gear.

So what did I, Frugal-Frannie, do? I went to my local Target to check out their less expensive versions of the popular name brand sporting apparel. BIG MISTAKE!!! While the sports bras, shorts and tops were easier on my budget, the quality was not up to par, at all. I ended up taking all of that stuff back and hitting the clearance rack at the Nike Store. It was a bit more expensive, but much better quality.

Anyway, training officially starts tomorrow, so I thought it would be a good idea to get my starting weight and some before photos. As a matter of fact, I may even do this every month, just as another measure of progress. Even though I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm pretty sure that I will during this process.

Day-0 Weight: 152 lbs.
Day-0 Body Fat Percentage: 33% (Or so says my aunt's high-tech scale. If this is accurate, then I am officially obese according to the American Exercise Counsel)
Day-0 Photos: Here I am. No make-up. No photo-shop. No shame, even though it took a lot for me to publish these.

Ready to run,

Almost Thirty

TRAINING DETAILS

2008-07-12T13:06:00.001-04:00

Greetings,

Over the past few days, I've come across numerous suggestions and training schedules for beginner runners, all of them tailored for specific goals like, 3 months to 5K, or running your fastest mile. Most the schedules were also geared towards two types of beginners, complete novices who are fairly inactive for which they prescribe a walking-to-running program, and beginners with some running foundation to build upon. I don't really fit into either of these categories: I'm pretty active, but I don't run.

Therefore, I decided to combine some of the strategies used in the schedules I've read, and develop my own program. I plan to sort of make it up as I go along, but here is what it looks like so far for the first 2 months.

General Plans:

Run: 3-4 days/week
Cross-train: 1-2 days/week on non-run days (anything but running, cycling, elliptical machine, Stair-Master, yoga, etc.)
Weight training: 1 day/week on run or cross-training days
Rest: No activity 1-2 days/week

More specifically:

Goal by week 4: Run for 30 minutes straight. Interval walk/run training for 30-minute sessions at least 3 times a week, increasing run time until a full 30 minutes of running is achieved comfortably. Endurance is the goal, not distance.
Weeks 5-8: 5K Training. Gradually increase endurance training to full 45 minutes of running and run 5K (3.1 miles) at least 1 day/week until 5K Race Day (keep reading to find out more about race days).

I also thought it would be a good idea to set up some training check-points for myself by pre-registering for some organized races along the way. Of course the distances of the races will be in line with where I am in training. So, here are some dates and race goals I am considering, but we'll see how it goes.

2 months (late August/early September) - 5K (3.1 miles) - There are a few to choose from, but I haven't decided on which one yet.
4 months (mid-November) - 8K (4.97 miles) - The Philadelphia Marathon, November 23, 2008.
6 months (mid-January) - 10K (6.21 miles).
10 months (early May) - 10 Miles - The Broad Street Run, May 3, 2009
12 months (summer 2009) - Half-Marathon (13.1 miles)

Seems pretty ambitious, doesn't it? It may look over-zealous on paper, but most of the runners I've consulted with said it's definitely doable. In fact, they think 12 months to train for a half-marathon is way too long, even for a beginner. I've come across a few half-marathon training schedules for beginners, and they all range from 18 weeks to 28 weeks. So, I think 52 weeks to a half-marathon is a very attainable goal.

Eager to begin,

Almost Thirty

GETTING READY FOR RUNNING

2008-07-11T19:01:00.002-04:00

Greetings,

When I went to Spain a few years ago, I immersed myself in everything Spanish for two months up until the time I left. I brushed-up on my Spanish using Rosetta Stone, my TV was always tuned to a Spanish-speaking station, I listened to Spanish music and broadcasting on the radio, and I had all the travel guide books on Madrid. By the time I left, I was literally thinking in Spanish. And that was only an 11-day trip.

But I'm a scientist. I'm naturally inclined to do research. So, you can imagine how much research on running I've done over the past week or so. I've perused books, magazines, websites, specialty stores, everything that has to do with running. After looking through a few dozen of these resources, I've settled on a couple to invest in based on beginner-friendliness, readability, and practicality.

Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running by Dagny Scott Barrios
Runner's World Training Journal
Runner's World Magazine (yes, Runner's World seems to be the authority on running)

I also invested in some gear, starting with the most important piece of running equipment: running sneakers. Moisture wicking socks and clothing are next on my To-Get List. While surfing the web, I also came across a little gadget called the Nike+ System. It's an inexpensive system that can easily track how far and long you run, and keeps it organized in an online running log. Everyone in one of the running stores that I visited was talking about it and there was even an article in this month's edition of Runner's World Magazine about it. Since I'm not getting paid from Nike for advertising, you can visit Nike.com to check it out for yourself.

I tried it out last night along with my new running sneakers, which also happen to be made by Nike. I took them both out for a pre-training test run/walk just make sure everything was copacetic. I love the sneakers, and the gadget is actually cool and easy to use.

Now that I'm almost ready to run, I should fill you in on my training schedule. But you'll have to wait until the next entry...

Off to the track for a brief walk,

Almost Thirty

THE GOAL DEFINED

2008-07-10T21:38:00.007-04:00

Greetings,

So, you already know that the ultimate goal is for me to run a marathon on or around about my 30th birthday. But almost all of the running books that I have been reading suggest setting specific goals and writing them down if your serious about training. And I am. So, I should more specific in defining my goals; what this whole process will be, and what it won't be.

With that said, my goals for this endeavour WILL be to:

Train for a full marathon to be run on or near my 30th birthday.

Maintain a consistent training schedule.

Participate in and attempt to finish several organized races during my training, including but not limited to 5K's, 8K's, 10K's, and half marathons.

Contribute to local charities and organizations by participating in organized races, as a sponsored runner, if applicable.

Embrace the approach of my 30th birthday by looking forward to being fit and fabulous.

On the flip-side, this endeavour WILL NOT be an attempt to:

Train to become an Olympian. I'm not running for speed. I just want to finish. Although, it would be a bonus if I turned out to actually be good at running.

Diet and exercise to lose weight. I would like a six-pack, though.

Run everyday. That's excessive and ill-advised by all the running professionals I've encountered.

**I fully intend on sticking with these goals, but remember that goals are pliable: they can be amended and added upon as circumstances change.**

Just getting back from a pre-training walk/run,

Almost Thirty

WHY BLOG ABOUT IT? PART 2

2008-07-09T22:13:00.003-04:00

Greetings,

As I was saying, writing this blog has been a struggle for me. So, the following is an attempt to define the boundaries of of this blog.

This blog IS intended to:

be a journal of my adventures in training for a marathon.

be informational, to keep you posted on my progress and/or struggles.

be kept short, written and published within 30 minutes per blog.

consist of 1-2 blogs per week once training starts (these first 2 weeks of entries are a bit excessive, I just wanted to blog my total creative process leading up to training).

be a forum for your comments, questions, support, suggestions, etc., as it relates to my training. Haters welcome too.

This blog IS NOT intended to:

be the focus of my journey. As a matter of fact, it's not even secondary to the task at hand.

be a literary masterpiece, so expect some grammatical errors, colloquialisms, and run-on sentences.
be a blow-by-blow of every detail of my current endeavour.
be an open forum for you, or me, to vent or ramble about topics unrelated the purpose of this blog (just scroll up if you've forgotten).

This is my ninth entry so far and it is getting easier for me to adhere to these guidelines with each blog. But I feel like I still have so much to cover before my training starts. So, look forward to a few more during the rest of the week covering my goals more specifically, some reservations I have about training, and a brief overview of my long-term training schedule.

Headed to bed a bit early tonight,

Almost Thirty

WHY BLOG ABOUT IT?

2008-07-08T22:45:00.003-04:00

Greetings,

I started this blog before I told anyone that I was planning to train for a marathon. I intended for it to be just an online journal for myself, just to jot down a few goals and milestones during my journey through training. I started to tell people about my new goal around about the third entry. After telling them, I kept getting asked the same series of questions of why, when, for what, for who, and "Are you crazy?!"

So, I decided to let people in on my blogspot, so you can take a glimpse into my journey whenever you feel like it. So, you can read all about the whys and whens, my plans, my goals, and in the future, how I'm progressing and/or struggling.

You already know that I am not a runner, but I should tell you that I'm closer to being a runner than I am to being a blogger. I've seen people run before, almost everyday actually. I've even experienced running myself on more than one occasion, to say the least. And although I've read a blog or two while perusing the web, I've never met a blogger or seen blogging in action.

I had no clue how hard it be for me: blogging. My entry on July 1st, which was literally my first blog, took about an hour and a half for me to publish. The trouble wasn't with finding a blog-space to blog on, or even setting up an account on blogger.com. That part took all of a few minutes to accomplish. The problem was treating this blog like a blog, and not like a dissertation. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing, always double checking my grammar and sentence structure, and triple checking my syntax and fluidity. But I have a life; I don't have time to spend two hours on each blog. The whole point is to blurt out whatever idea comes to mind, and try to convey it coherently. So that's what I've been attempting to do, but in 30 minutes or less.

On that note, this is getting a bit lengthy. To be continued....

Feeling refreshed from a great yoga class tonight,

Almost Thirty

THE NON-RUNNER

2008-07-07T21:37:00.002-04:00

Greetings,

Now that I've told you all about how and why I've decided to train for a marathon, I should tell you a bit more about myself as it relates to training for a marathon. Trust me, I won't bore you with my life story... I'm not that interesting. Plus, all the unimportant details are in my profile.

I am 5 feet 9 inches, about 156 pounds and I'm a size 8 in ladies/misses clothing. I have an athletic build, probably from playing several sports throughout high school (basketball, volleyball and soccer) and maintaining a fairly active lifestyle. I go to the gym, but not regularly, and I dabble in a number of sports from time to time. I've played tennis, golf and softball sporadically over the past few years. In addition, I've taken several yoga and pilates classes, as well as a few ballroom dancing lessons recently, just to change things up and keep things interesting.

While I am no stranger to the treadmill, I am no runner. Honestly, running is my least favorite cardio exercise. However, I've always wanted to be able to say I was a runner for some reason. Hopefully, I will be able to soon.

Unwinding from a rather stressful pilates class,

Almost Thirty

JUSTIFICATION

2008-07-06T18:06:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

So, why a marathon? Basically, because all the other ideas that I came up with and from friends, were lame, or insufficient to say the least.

I turned to some of my more creative friends for input on ideas for my new goal, and here are a few of the suggestions (and why they were dismissed):

Go sky-diving on my 30th b-day: I have no desire to jump out of a plane at 20,000 feet above the ground, depending solely on some parachute to open properly and some random jump instructor to pull the cord in time.
Train to go real rock climbing for my 30th b-day: While rock climbing is fun and very rewarding, the closest I want to get to scaling the side of a mountain is indoors at my local rock climbing facility, or watching Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger from the comfort of my sofa.
Plan a back-packing trip through Europe: A trip to Europe would be incredible, but back-packing? Please.....

Trust me, I thought long and hard before settling on training for a marathon. But at the end of the day, it was the most practical, and economical choice. Plus, it easily fit all my criteria: a new experience, physically and mentally challenging, has a long-term training period, relatively inexpensive and can be done independently.

Finally, I've decided to train for a marathon, but I'm not a runner. Where do I start?

Off to finish folding laundry,

Almost Thirty

P.S. - Training starts 1 week from today. Are you ready?

THE NEW GOAL

2008-07-05T23:47:00.005-04:00

Greetings,

Before I came up with some ideas for my new goal, I set a few general guidelines.

This endeavour had to be a new experience,
had to require some physical effort,
had to require some mental effort,
and preparation could be stretched among 2 years.

Given these few guidelines, the first thing that came to mind was ballroom dancing, specifically Latin ballroom dancing. I thought maybe I could train to dance in a Latin ballroom competition for my thirtieth birthday. I've always wanted to learn to be a sultry Salsa dancer or a passionate Paso Doble dancer. It just looks so sexy and they get to wear those cute little outfits.

So, I started researching dance studios in the area and finding out about group and individual lessons. I found a really nice dance studio and I even took a few lessons. But I quickly realized that I needed to add a few more guidelines for my new goal:

It had to be relatively inexpensive,
and independent, no partner or group required.

Dancing lessons are very expensive AND I would need to find a partner. Also, even if I did have the finances to go through with dance lessons and found a partner, my success would greatly depend on how good my dance instructor AND partner would be.

Too many variables: I needed my new goal to be as self-sustaining and self-fulfilling as possible, not dependent on other people. Of course I would get expert opinions and seek guidance from professionals help to work out the details and give me advice, but I wanted to be able to execute the plan by myself.

So, my next immediate idea...train for a marathon.

Exhausted from running around all day,

Almost Thirty

THE SOLUTION

2008-07-04T11:03:00.001-04:00

Active Denial

Greetings,

If and when those feelings of despair start to surface as I approach thirty, I won't suppress them, because that's unhealthy according to most psychologists. I'll acknowledge them, but I won't give myself a chance to dwell on them. I plan to actively deny those feelings and thoughts from occupying space in my head by focusing on positives that come with turning thirty, focus on what I have to look forward to at thirty. It seems simple.

But what are the positives? What do I have to look forward to? Besides the obvious things like, hopefully I'll still be around to celebrate, and I'll be more mature, I don't have the luxury of a crystal ball to show me exactly what I have to look forward to. I don't know if I'll meet someone and be married by then, I don't know if I'll be still at the same job, I don't know if I'll still be living in Philadelphia...you get the point. I could make resolutions based on those types of unknowns, like "I want to move to Florida when I turn 30," or "I want to move to a different company by the time I turn 30," but I've setting those kind of goals for myself all my life.

I wanted to focus on a different type of accomplishment. Something new, something exciting, something monumental enough to compete with the advent of turning thirty. But what?

Of course you already know, but stay tuned to find out how I came up with the idea.

Heading out to roller blade,

Almost Thirty

THE PROBLEM

2008-07-03T23:39:00.006-04:00

Greetings,

You may be wondering what prompted me to decide to run a marathon. So, I'll try to explain over the next few entries, starting with this one...

As I stated in MY VERY FIRST BLOG, it seems that there is a consensus among the late-twenty-something cohort that turning thirty is the onset of some type of terminal illness. Turning thirty is a guaranteed panic attack just waiting to happen. Turning thirty is the official end of youthfulness. And if you're a woman (like me), and you're still single (like me), with no children (like me), you're a prime candidate to be taken behind the stables and put out of your misery.

For some reason, we have been conditioned to feel this way. I've seen it time and time again: women, and men for that matter, get depressed and sulk as this milestone birthday approaches.

Although I am very aware of this sentiment, I can't help but to think that I may have been subconsciously programmed to feel the same way. I don't know when it's triggered, this feeling of utter hopelessness and doom that creeps up from below and tries to pull us down. But I won't wait for it in fear. I plan to face the beast head on, with a weapon I call active denial. What's active denial? Stay tuned...

Off to bed now,

Almost Thirty

THE BOTTOM LINE

2008-07-02T23:11:00.001-04:00

Marathon to 30!

Greetings,

So, here it is: As July 15th (my twenty-eighth birthday) quickly approaches, I am seriously considering to begin training for a Marathon. Yes, you read correctly! A marathon! 26.22 miles! 42.195 kilometers! 138,441.6 feet!

Training, which will begin the week of my birthday, will be a marathon in itself: 104 weeks of preparation. It's not a sprint, because I'm in no hurry; and it's not a competitive race, because this is a personal journey; and my goal isn't the finish line, because completing a marathon AND turning 30 will be a new beginning for me.

My plans are still under construction, as I will be researching running literature (for beginners), marathons, training schedules, and etc. over the next few days. In the meantime, I guess I should fill you in on things like how and why I decided to run a marathon, who or what is my inspiration, what are my goals, and why blog about it. Stay tuned for the answers to all of these inquiries and more.

Getting ready to hit the hay,

Almost Thirty

MY VERY FIRST BLOG

2008-07-01T23:46:00.002-04:00

DISCLAIMER: This is officially my first blog, so please bear with me.

Greetings,

In exactly two weeks, I will be celebrating another year of life on this earth. And it's always about this time that people begin to remind me that I have a birthday coming up, promptly followed by, "How old will you be?" Then, comes my not-so-prompt response, "Twenty-eight." Of the eight or nine people who have asked so far, ALL of them have had the same type of reaction, "Wow! Twenty-eight. You're getting old...you're almost thirty!" As if it's the end of the world and everything goes down-hill from there.

Since when is hitting the Big 3-0 the onset of some sort of terminal illness? It is this question that has led me to my latest journey and this blog. Hang on and stay tuned to find out what it's all about...

Tired from working out tonight,

Almost Thirty