I Probably Should Make My Blog Public again

I always struggle on whether I should log something as fast or not.  I did 5 miles in 45 min.  

I felt great!

I ran outside--it is 40 today, sunny, and all the snow is melting.  It is the first time I've run outside in a long time. My foot felt awesome--I noticed that I use my feet differently when NOT on the treadmill.  I have been trying to push off more on the treadmill, but today I was pushing off because I was running normally.

I planned on doing 4 miles and then I felt good enough to do 5.  Thought about going 6 but 1) I didn't want to push it--these 5 miles are more than 1/2 of the average miles I've done the past 3-4 weeks.  and 2) my husband wanted to go out to get a good seat at the KC's for the Super Bowl.  so I decided 5 was enough.

This was a good motivation--now I need to carry it over during the week.

worked out at home for 40 minutes and then lifted.  Since I was unable to go to my class today I also wanted to do Tae-bo, but I couldn't find my DVD.

My husband is working late pretty much all this week (except Thursday) and I may have to take back my promise never to bring the kids to the gym again.  I can work out at home, but my workout is never as intense when I do.

I know that the reason I felt sluggish today is that I am losing my running fitness.  I am looking forward to 1) the weeks where my husband is home earlier than 6 most days 2) when the days are longer and it is at least a little light out later in the day.

The instructor for my ab core and yoga classes broke her hand and had to have surgery, so my class is canceled until further notice.  I'm bummed because my gym membership runs out soon and that was one of the reasons I wanted to extend my membership and I probably won't now.  I think I'm going to look into getting a yoga video or something like that.

I had class last night--it was supposed to go until 10, but I ended up getting home at 8:30.  I had planned on trying my new yoga video, but opted for watching the rest of Nemo with Caleb.  We both fell asleep waiting for my husband to get home.

I thought I'd do yoga before I had to go to class today, but I slept in instead.  Then as a treat, I got home WAY early from class (it was supposed to end at 4 and I got home at 1:30).  So I ran a nice, long, easy run.  

It was in the 50s today, briskly windy, but the wind wasn't overwhelming.  I wish it would stay this way!

Then I did 25 minutes of my new yoga video.  It gets progressively harder, so I will be working my way into the harder sections!

Just a slow run today.  I left my watch at home.

I'm crossing my fingers that the weather stays like this.  It wasn't warm, but it was in the high 30s.

I'm going to try to squeeze in some yoga today too, but we'll see.  I have some papers to grade too.

I ran outside again.  It was over 60 today!  Crazy.

It was pretty dark when I ran and that made me a little nervous.  I'm not logging this as fast because I didn't wear my watch, but it was faster than normal.

Did a new ab/core workout.  I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.  It wasn't too hard and I think I was looking for more of a challenge, but it was based on pilates, so it was sorta soothing.

I don't know how running is going to go the rest of the week.  I'll do the Gazelle tonight at home while I watch the Illini game (and you know how I feel about that), but tomorrow I'm driving to Chicago, so we'll see.  If I get to my mom's early enough I might run before going to my sister-in-law's.

Did the Gazelle thing during the second 1/2 of the Illini game.  And I alternated lifting because I was getting discouraged with the game.

 They were down for the majority of the game and then they came back for a 1 pt win in the last 3 seconds!  What a great game.

 And Carolyn, I think all college basketball fans are nuts for "their" team--Illini fans are particularly crazy!

Did an hour of yoga.  I enjoy the video that I got, except I can't do all of the poses that well.  I couldn't do the back bend ones well at all.

I wish I had brought clothes to run outside.  While it was still pretty chilly, it was sunny here today.  Oh well.  I'll probably do yoga again tomorrow and then run on Monday.

yoga

Another treadmill day.  My gym membership expires on Sat.  I'm trying to decide whether or not I should extend it.

I have not been for a run since last week! 

I felt good on this run until I completed 3 miles and then I dragged myself through the last 1.3.  I think it was because I was increasing my speed every five minutes for the first 25 minutes and then the last 15 minutes was a cool down.

I know I have lost a lot of running fitness since New Year's, but at least I've still been working out!  I just need to get back on track--if I play my cards right, I'll get in another run today, but I HATE THE TREADMILL!

Oops.  This is really Wed.'s entry.  I'll put today's workout on Wed.

Another treadmill run.  The treadmill I was on was making me mad.  I've never used this particular one before.  I got frustrated because the buttons were hard to push and so I started with a 24 minute run and then when that ended, put in another 20 minutes.  But then for some reason it shut off on me after 2 minutes, so I had to go again.  And then I was watching a show (which I hardly ever do while running on the treadmill) and the volume kept increasing.  I'd turn it down and then it would go back up a minute later.  It would have been funny if it wasn't so annoying!

I think I'm going to extend my gym membership for another 3 months, just so I have the storm season covered too.  I'll be able to run outside much more often, but it does tend to get stormy in April and early May.   I'm just going to try to run outside on Sat and Sun.

I felt good about this run!  The wind was BRUTAL and now that I looked up how windy it was (the weather channel says gusting from 24 to 40 mph!!) I feel even better about the run.

Since the wind was coming from the W, the only time I wasn't dealing with it was when I was going due east.  After the first mile, I ran directly into the wind for almost 1.5 miles, and the only thing that kept me going on the rest of the run was knowing that when I turned around and did the same loop backwards, nearing mile 6, I would have the wind at my back.  It didn't seem that the wind helped me as much then as it hindered me early on in the run, but it was still better than running into it.  Then in the last mile it was hitting me from the side for most of it, but my last .3 miles was directly into the wind. 

I'm sure I looked funny.  Seriously, I felt like I was exerting enough effort to be running at between 6 and 7 minute pace, but I was only going about 10 min pace.  I just wanted to finish and was proud when I did!

According to the weather channel it is 23 degrees, but feels like 7.  I dressed perfectly, although I wish I had worn a scarf because I think I have windburn.

I chickened out about running outside.  It was colder than yesterday (but hugely less windy).  And since it was my last day for the gym, I went there to ask some questions.

The run was pretty good.  I warmed up for 10 min at 6.5 pace, then did a ladder workout.  2 min. hard, 2 min. easy.  I started at 7.0 for hard and went by .5 up to 8.5, then back down.  My easy pace was always 6.5.  I did this pretty much for the next 30 minutes, except at first I was going to do the last 4 minutes at 6.5 pace.  Instead I did 4 min at my last hard pace (7.0) and finished on an easy 2 minutes.

Warmed up .5 mile, then did a 5K at 8:00 pace.  After that I cooled down.

This was a treadmill workout--I renewed my gym membership.  I'm nervous about doing any fast running on the treadmill and was ultra conscious of the positioning of my feet.

It was pretty nice outside today, but I was too hungry right when my husband came home, so I ran at about 7, after I ate.

I worked out at home while I watched the second 1/2 of the Illini game (they won).  I would say it was about 4-4.5 miles (I went for 45 minutes).

Then I lifted.

I remember nothing about this run.  I think the distance was 4.6, but it might have been 4.7.

 I don't remember pace at all.  I think I ran it at 8:41 pace, but I'm not sure.  I think it was done in 40 minutes, so I'll stick with 8:41 pace, although I think I varied throughout.

I started with a 10 minute run at 9:13 pace.  Then I increased my pace.  I went up to 8:57 for 15 minutes, then 8:41 for approximately 20 minutes, and then I finished with my last 2 miles at 8:34 pace.