Thursday, December 30, 2010

27th Birthday Run

December 30 - Today is my 27th Birthday! Last night I purchased a new car, a 2010 Honda Fit. It is 'fitting' for this journey of fitness that my car also be oriented to my effort.

I have been feeling so crappy about myself for not working out as I need to do. And alas today I was blessed to be let out of work at 2:00pm so I had no excuse to not run. I couldn't claim I was too busy, too tired, too full from eating, migrainey, or anything even remotely acceptable as a reason to not run. So when I got home I changed and got on with the journey.

The Baltic Sea - First 1.0 miles in 12:09 118cals, kept going and completed the 1.5 miles in 17:37 172cals.

I did 10 kettlebell throws per arm of the 15lb kettlebells.

Listowel, Ireland - This course is starting to become infamous as the 'just a little bit more but not the whole thing' course. I targeted to do 1.0-1.5 miles and end it. But once I got going I urged myself on to do 2.0 miles. And then once I was there I urged myself on to do the last 0.5 miles. And so in 26:54 I completed 2.5 miles 289cals. My split times were: 1.0/11:35; 1.5/16:28; 2.0/21:37. I ran at 5.0, 5.5, 5.8 and even 6.0mph.

Most Motivating Song heard during the workout: Chris Cagle "My Love Goes On and On"; it has a good driving beat for a fast run.

New Miles: 4.0
Total Miles: 31.5
Miles Remaining: 1469.5
Weight: 145.2

Friday, December 24, 2010

1 marathon + 1 mile

Woke up and felt like not doing anything, so I got myself on the treadmill and jogged/ran 1.0 miles of the Baltic Sea in 12:06 117cals.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 27.5
Miles Remaining: 1472.5
Weight: 144.0

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Get back on the horsepower

On December 21 I got back on the horsepower after what felt like a long time. It was so easy to just sit and do nothing and it was so difficult to remember the journey I am on for myself. But alas 6 days after my last run I ran up the Alps between St. Johann im Pongau and Alpendorf. 2.5 miles of variable inclines and jogging; done in 32:58 and 314cals.

Most motivating song heard during the workout: Two Man Gentleman Band "Drip Dryin' (Reprise)"

New Miles: 2.5
Total Miles: 26.5
Miles Remaining: 1473.5
Weight: 145.0

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Embrace the Pace

I completed the Local 1.0 route in 13:09 121 cals. It was a good warm up with two elevation changes to prepare me for my second mile of running Bruges, Belgium. Instead of fighting the pace this time I embraced the pace from the first step. I climbed on up to 6.5mph and held that pace for 2.5 minutes then I gradually slowed back down, completing 1.0miles in 10:31 117cals.

My ankle popped out of its socket for a few strides mid-run; I held myself up on the arm rails and methodically rolled my foot front to back til it felt better, then I kept on running. Usually when that happens I can feel it pop back in but this time it didn't. Afterwards as I cooled down my ankle quickly got sore, indicating it still needed to pop itself back into the right place. You may wonder: Does popping your ankle back into its socket hurt? The answer is: Yes, but fortunately only momentarily.

I then lifted my 5lb weights 5 different ways 15reps each. Did 10 push-ups then crunched out 100 crunches the pushed out 10 more push ups.

New Miles: 2.0
Total Miles: 24.0
Miles Remaining: 1476.0
Weight: 140.0

Monday, December 13, 2010

Do more!

My warm-up consisted of sweeping the driveway of 2 inches of snow.  This got me ready to run the beach of the Baltic Sea at 5.0mph for .5miles then 5.4mph for .5 miles then 5.0mph for .5 miles. I finished the 1.5miles in 18:08 178cals.

Then the Listowel, Ireland route came up and I did .25miles at 5.4mph then another .25miles at 5.0mph. I was wrapping up the last .5miles that I planned to do at 4.0mph when somehow I heard my body actually tell me "Do more!". I recovered so much in the walked half mile that somehow my body believed it could do more; it was surprising feedback and utterly unexpected. And so I listened to myself and was glad I did as I went another .5miles at 5.0mph and and it felt good! I did the second 1.5miles in 19:39 182cals.

I also did 100 crunches and 20 push-ups.

Most motivational song heard during the workout: Miley Cyrus "7 Things" (slightly embarrassed to admit that)

New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 22.0
Miles Remaining: 1478.0
Weight: 141.6

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Fitness Level 0.5

My Familiar Favorite 2.0 mile course came up and somehow I managed to jog/run it all. At the steepest parts I jogged at 4.6mph and during the low-to-no incline parts I ran at 5.0 or 5.2mph. For part of it my right ankle ached, right where I broke it. I stuck it out and finished the route. Then I brought up Listowel, Ireland and ran .5miles at 5.4mph. I finished the 2.5 miles in 30:22 307cals.

I lifted my 5lb weights at 15reps in 5 different ways. Laid on the floor and did 100 crunches then attempted real push-ups and pushed out 10.

Exercising felt good! That must mean something, so I'll take it to mean that I can proclaim myself at a new Fitness Level! Yes, I dare do that at just 19.0miles into this Journey1500. I am now at Fitness Level: 0.5! Perhaps I will have better perspective on my actual fitness level in the near future, say in 100 miles, but for now I dare to believe I am FL0.5! Perhaps I will remain at this fitness level for a while, I am not concerned about that right now, because it feels so nice to declare myself not at Fitness Level 0!

Most motivating song during the work out: The Magic Numbers 'This is a Song'

New Miles: 2.5
Total Miles: 19.0
Miles Remaining: 1481.0
Weight: 142.8

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Too much eating

December 8: In Gaithersburg, MD for work, my co-worker and I walked to dinner and back. After 2 days of over-indulgence and no exercise it felt nice to move about.

New Miles: 1.5
Total Miles: 15.0
Miles Remaining: 1485.0
Weight: Unknown

December 9: Thankful to be back home and on the treadmill. I lightly jogged at an average 5.0mph pace and completed 1.5 miles in 18:49 and 183cals.

Most motivating song during the work out: Dierks Bentley 'Every Mile a Memory'. When this song came on I thought, "How fitting for this Journey!" You can't beat these lyrics when running on a treadmill: "Funny how no matter where I run, Round every bend I only see, Just how far I haven't come."

New Miles: 1.5
Total Miles: 16.5
Miles Remaining: 1483.5
Weight: 143.8

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Texting while Walking

After stringing up the Christmas lights on the front porch and on the inside windows, I queued up a Christmas CD on the iPod and walked 1 mile. My Listowel, Ireland course was up with a blurry GoogleMap so while the thought of my Grandma's hometown was a nice thing to have for the 14:10 122cal walk it was disappointing to not be able to see anything but road names.

Also during the brief walk I attempted to send a few texts; this proved extra challenging and I did have to slow the pace down so I wasn't flung off the treadmill. I have no idea why people think it's an okay idea to text and drive since texting while walking is dangerous enough. This will be an activity I don't try again.

Best song heard during the workout: Guster 'Donde esta Santa Claus?'

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 13.5
Miles Remaining: 1486.5
Weight: 142.2

Friday, December 3, 2010

First Attempt at Running

I moved three 1.0 mile courses to the top of my iFit queue; so I could receive new scenery with every mile in the hopes to keep me going. I expected to briskly walk much of it and try my hand at jogging some to see how that would go, but immediately upon the start of my 3-mile-journey I discovered I was in for some expected territory but unexpected pace. I somehow hadn't created 3.0mph steady courses but rather the computer decided for me, and thus began my accidental foray into running.

Turns out I can surprise myself from time to time. I fought the increased pace for the first 2 minutes and then decided "I got to start running some time so why not today?" And lo and behold I found myself running around the streets of Bruges, Belgium at 6.5mph pace for few minutes. I pulled up the elevation display so I could see the pace surprises that were in store and sadly I forgot to watch the GoogleMap of beloved Bruges for much of the 1.0miles.

Overall impression of running: I am pretty certain the left side of my body suffered a stroke; my heart was straining and not from pumping too much but literally felt as though I was pulling a muscle and my left arm pinched a nerve up to my neck. So all in all I didn't pass out or appear to have suffered permanent damage, and I finished the mile in 10:58 and 117cals - so it was "successful".

After a little breather which included a strange side venture into talking into the woodstove while my husband listened on the roof to determine how best to proceed with enhancing our other fireplace, I returned to my NordicTrack1750 for round 2. The Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey of 0% incline and max speed of 6.5mph, which I toned back to 5.0mph, had me finishing my second mile in 12:20 117cals.

Enjoyed a Cardio break by working out my arms and abs. 10 x 10lb kettlebell and 100 crunches.

Then came mile 3, which was momentarily contemplated in the "Don't do" activities of life, on the shores of Presque Isle, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania. I'll call it the competitor in me but it may be the masochist, I ran half of this at 6.5mph and completed 1.0 miles in 10:40, 116cals.

I wrapped it all up in a cool down of lifting my 5lb weights in several different ways til I decided it was enough; about 6 different activities of 10 reps each, including Bicep curl, Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extension, Overhead Dummbell Press, Front Deltoid Raises, and quick punches.

Bruges, Belgium


Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey


Presque Isle, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania









New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 12.5
Miles Remaining: 1487.5
Weight: 141.6

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

1 Mile isn't that much

Completed 1.0 miles at mostly 4.3mph pace in 14:21 and 121cals. The Baltic Sea course came up and my reaction was one of disappointment and then I thought about how sad that was that just yesterday I was so happy to 'be in' the Baltic and now I was disappointed. I realized quickly though that I was only disappointed because I created new routes last night and thought that one of them would be my route today.

During my walk I actually had the thought "One mile isn't that much." Not even 10 miles into this 1500 journey having this thought is surprising; I know right now 1.0 mile is still a lot for me and I am only walking it. But it  gave me hope that if I am having this thought right now I soon will really not only think but believe that one mile isn't that much.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 9.5
Miles Remaining: 1490.5
Weight: 140.4

Most interesting song heard during the workout (via Ryan's iPod): Rockapella 'Land of one thousand dances'