Two More Steps

I started out on the treadmill walking; knowing I had to do something but not exactly feeling like moving. I listened to PRI's The World as I walked along for two laps. Then I started jogging slowly and did that for a little and then I decided that since I was taking the time to do it I better just commit to it and actually run to help burn off some cookie calories.

I started off slowly, but then a story came on about Pia Sundhage and women's soccer and that was motivating in and of itself. I thought about how I am an athlete and I used to run a lot and run hard and play soccer so competitively, and I want to be that. And so I bumped it up more - but just to 6.5mph. And then I ran until the story ended.

In the story Pia Sundhage talked about taking two more steps, and that the American players always seem to find a way to take two more steps no matter how exhausted they are. I like that idea, and know how true that was back in my college soccer days. I know today I didn't run a lot or run very hard, but I did run - I took two more steps than I thought I would - it isn't a World Cup victory but I'll take this as a win on my mini-world scale. Total Workout: 2.0 in 22:28 1%.

To hear the story I listened to: http://www.theworld.org/2012/12/pia-sundhage/

If you play soccer you’ve probably heard of Pia Sundhage. But if you’ve got a daughter, heck, if you’ve got a son, who plays soccer, then they probably know her even better than you. Pia Sundhage was the coach of the US women’s national soccer team. They had a great run under Sundhage. World Cup finalists, gold medalists at the Olympics. But now Sundhage is back in her native Sweden, coaching the national women’s team there. The World caught up with Pia Sunhage during a US visit…and she talks about her tenure as the coach of the US women’s team, and her coaching style that focuses on positives, and on doubling one’s best effort.

New Miles: 2.0
Total Miles: 1237.0
Miles Remaining: 233.0
Weight: 128.0

Lunch Walk

1.0 in cold but nice and dry. a bird was merrily trilling.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1235.0
Miles Remaining: 265.0
Weight: 128.0?

Run for Cookies

1.0 walk at lunch in a very strong downpour but I did it with umbrella. It was in the upper 50s - so it was warm and nice despite the fact my legs got very wet. The fresh air was very much needed and very much appreciated.

In the evening I went onto the treadmill and ran. I would have run outside in the rain but the temp dropped sharply and was just 41 degrees by the time I would have gotten outside. So I walked a lap, jogged another, jog/ran 2 at 6.0 then 6.5 and then grabbed a little water. I came back and ran 1.0 solid at 7.0 mph then cooled down, jogging then walking, for one lap. Total Workout: 2.25 miles in 22:44 354cals 1%.

I listened to NPR during my run and continued to listen as I jumped off the treadmill and into the kitchen to bake Christmas cookies. I did that for 3 hours - just rolling dough balls and popping trays in and out of the oven, as I had made all the dough the night before. Then 8 dozen chocolate chip with walnut and pecans, 8 dozen regular chocolate chip, and 8 dozen Russian tea cakes later I finally sat down - and my body was happy. Then I let them join their Snickerdoodle cousins in the freezer as they wait to be called up to action on Christmas. So hopefully standing during all of that burned a few calories, as I definitely taste tested many of my cookies in dough form and then in baked cookie form. My new cookie making hobby is delicious yet disasterous -- so many extra calories that I am not working off. But it's the holidays, right? So can I use that as an excuse to forget everything I have been working so hard for? Probably. But I definitely can't let myself!

New Miles: 1.0 + 2.25 = 3.25
Total Miles: 1234.0
Miles Remaining: 266.0
Weight: 128.4

Twice as Nice

4.0 in morning in 35:55
4.0 in afternoon with Ryan in 34:14 (minus over 1 minute for traffic but I didn't stop my watch) plus a .25 cool down walk

New Miles: 4.0 + 4.25 = 8.25
Total Miles: 1230.75
Miles Remaining: 269.25
Weight: 128.8

Lunch Walk

It was a nice enough day and so I got a 1.0- Lunch Walk in.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1222.5
Miles Remaining: 277.5
Weight: 128.8?

Super Sore

Working out some soreness I got onto the treadmill and walked a lap at 4.2mph then I stretched and I jogged a lap at 5.0 and 6.0 which loosened me up. Then I ran at 6.5mph for 2.25 miles. Then I jogged a cool down from 6.0 to 5.0 to 4.2 in one lap.  Total Workout: 3.0 in 31:43 473cals 1%.

I listened to pop music on Pandora which helped me not think so much of my soreness. The sprinting from the other day has had me barely walking - I've been trying to stretch and work it out but even a few days later I am still tight and sore. I am hoping just forcing myself to move was what my body needed.

New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 1221.5
Miles Remaining: 278.5
Weight: 128.4

Lunch Walk

Lunch Walk in 66 degrees, cloudy and nice though windy. I wore a jacket because the breeze was so strong and chilling without it.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1218.5
Miles Remaining: 281.5
Weight: 128.8

Fast Mile: 6:53!

Today was a cloudy day with some rain, but it was 60 degrees when I got out of work! So I immediately went to the track to run. When I started there was no rain, then it started very very lightly so it was almost imperceptible, then it started misting, then it starting drizzling, and then it started raining.

I ran a warm up lap and stretched. Then as I got back into Lane 2 a couple came to the track and decided to run in Lane 1 and 2 in the opposite direction! Very annoying! Who does that?! (Actually more people than should.) So I stayed in Lane 2 as there were walkers in Lane 1 (ugh!) and Lane 3 and in the outside lanes. At least the man then moved to share Lane 1 with the woman, and I moved over a little or into Lane 3 each time we passed.

I ran 1.0 miles in 7:18 - which felt hard but good. Then I grabbed some water and did 10 lunges, 10 squats, and 10 push-ups. I then got back into Lane 2. After making such surprising good time that first mile I decided I wanted to try for an even better time -- not try to get the best mile time ever, but get something that felt good. I started off with doing 1:45 minute laps which was good, but on the 3rd lap I made up a little time and somehow did a really fast lap for the 4th one and finished the mile in 6:53!

I then did a cool down lap. Grabbed a little water. Then I geared up for some 100m sprints as the rain started misting and getting harder by the minute. I walked to the end of the straightaway (temporarily joining the wrong-direction runners but at least I wasn't in anyone's way). Then I pumped up April Smith and the Great Picture Show and ran 100m in 16 seconds. Then I turned around, walked back, waited for the 2 minute rest to be complete then I did it again - again in 16 seconds. I did that 2 more times - and each time doing it in 16 seconds. Then I ran 2 more laps at an easy jog to cool down - but then I did some butt kicks, high knees, high skips, side shuffles, and backwards runs along the way. Then I did 10 more lunges, 10 squats, 10 push-ups, grabbed a little water, grabbed a little stretch and then headed home.

And I am no longer sure what my record mile time is at this point but with a mile under 7 minutes I think this is one of my fastest mile times in a long while. Not perhaps in my entire personal history, but definitely along this 1500 Mile Journey.

I wore my Nike Free Twists and at first they felt like it might have been a bad choice, if I wanted to do distance and mundane miles, but definitely felt like the right choice as I focused on running fast and short bursts. My feet felt light and airy. Between them and the soft rain and 60 degrees it was a perfect night.

New Miles: 3.5
Total Miles: 1217.5
Miles Remaining: 282.5
Weight: 127.8

Evening Walk

Treadmill for 2.0 at 1% 28:38 327cals with India music hour and Solitaire.

New Miles: 2.0
Total Miles: 1214.0
Miles Remaining: 286.0
Weight: 129.2

Trail Hill #1

Run at the county park around the lake with Ryan; cloudy with a little sun - 55 degrees! - 5.0; plus I made the mistake of pointing out a hill trail we could run and Ryan said "Let's do it!" and so we ran up the hill. It was a struggle to make it to the top. I paused the watch for our rest time up there (<30 sec). 5.0+ in 45:07. I looked up our side hill adventure and it added over .25 to our running.

A few days ago I bit the bullet and decided to sign up for the Hyner View Challenge 25K. I like the idea of being that fit. I don't like the idea of training for that fitness. But since Ryan will be doing it I figured I might as well try it too. As of today's mini-hill venture - this was a horrible idea. As Gob from Arrested Development would say, "I've made a huge mistake."

New Miles: 5.0 + .25 = 5.25
Total Miles: 1212.0
Miles Remaining: 288.0
Weight : 130.2