Tempo run….hope I’m doing this right! I keep picking up the speed and looking for the upper limit. Don’t want to increase too much too fast.
The kids are training for the two mile run in a couple weeks. So cute!
Workout:
America is a country that is eating itself to death. I just read an article that predicts that almost 90% of Americans will be obese by the year 2030. Why does this happen? Some of the answers are pretty obvious…food is readily available, with little effort required on our part to get it. Foods with high sodium and saturated fat have longer shelf life than healthier alternatives, adding to their broad appeal. Many highly processed foods are cheaper to manufacture. More jobs involve sitting in an office or cubicle all day. Driving is easier and more comfortable than walking or riding a bicycle. As I mull it over, there are more factors that contribute to the overeating issue, factors that affect us on a more personal level.
I’m working another night shift (yes, on my fanny much of the time….sigh) in the midst of a busy time for myself and co-workers. One of my colleagues took me aside…she wanted to bring in some kind of food for us, as we’ve been working so hard lately, and asked me to choose something for her to bring. This is not a comfortable topic for me. I have had issues with junk food addiction, so I really try to avoid rewards and comforts that are edible. While I tried to decline my friend’s offer, she insisted, to the point where the conversation was becoming awkward. While she was offering things like ice cream bars or trays of cookies, I finally caved and suggested a veggie tray or melon salad that we could all pick at. My friend meant well…it’s been busy here, and she wanted to provide a comfort to all of us. What do we do when we have guests to our homes? We see to their physical comforts first, making sure our guest has a seat, something to eat/drink..then we can relax and enjoy the visit. The intent is to be thoughtful and generous to people in our home, just like my friend is looking to provide for her co-workers. We want to be seen as kind and able to do for others. We become uncomfortable when our generosity is declined, and sometimes even take it as a personal rejection. I think of the holidays…my husband and I would visit his mom, his dad, then my grandmother, all on Thanksgiving day. If we didn’t eat at every visit, things would get awkward, even unpleasant! “Why did you eat supper at your father’s, when I baked this pie just for you?” Relatives would work for hours preparing outlandish feasts, only to feel unappreciated, as though their very worth was undermined. The pressure to overeat can be a difficult hurdle. I know…we should politely decline, or take something “for later”. I’ve even accepted food on occasion, only to discreetly dispose of it (a desperate move to be used with utmost caution). Our holiday dilemma was further eased when my husband and I moved to another state (because of new jobs, not the food issue!)
I don’t know of an easy answer. Our need to provide for friends and family is deep seated, and we can’t “cure” everyone who feels compelled to force feed us. As for tonight, my generous co-worker brought in a meat and cheese tray. I enjoyed a reasonable amount at my normal mealtime, checked the nutrient label, and made sure to compliment the turkey. Hopefully she feels appreciated, and I am happy to have ducked an ice cream attack!
Well, Jen and I met up this morning and ran the park! It wasn’t a showstopper by any stretch, as she was getting back into running, and I had done my long run yesterday, so neither of us was 100%. It was fun to get out, though…we took a route that I had run on a couple 5K races, but went a bit further. Good times!
Workout:
Well, the big race is done, and training continues for the next big race! I’m shooting for a full marathon next June, so increasing my distance is going slower now. I had decided to run the half marathon with *just* enough time to train for it. Made for a bit of pressure, but it was worth it! Now there is lots more time, so I’ll mix the distance running with more speedwork and hill runs. Still, it feels good to log a new distance record.
I wonder…is it a good idea to have one weekly run of near-marathon distance as an ongoing thing, or is that too much for the average runner? Anyone out there with input on that one? I was thinking about working up to 20 miles and running that distance once a week or so over the winter.
Workout:
Made it through, though it went a little rough today. Not quite feeling myself! My daughter is working on running two miles, though. The local track club has a youth thing for running…they list a handful of local races, and kids get medals, depending on how many races they run. How cute is that! She’s been kind of focused on the finisher medal that I got, so if she could win one of her own, I think that would be just the bomb! I’ll try and get my son involved too, though he’s not as warmed up to running as Princess and I are….I’ll keep working on him….
Workout:
I was going to continue following the marathon program, but decided to slow down a little. I have til next June, after all! Jenn and I made plans to run on Sunday morning in a park near work. I’ve run a 5K route a couple times out of that park, and some of the view was really pretty, so I’m hoping to go that road again.
Workout:
Time is a bit improved, and it felt good, though my shoulder is complaining a little. I need to work on my underwater work.
Workout:
Swam this morning after work. I felt a little gooney at first with a green plastic clip on my nose, but ah well…it does make life easier. I had meant to run also, but felt a little sucko and slept instead. I’ll make up for it tomorrow and do a long training run.
Hubby has been so tweaked up and supportive of the whole running circus I’ve taken him on! He actually found a marathon and was suggesting it to me for next year. Mind you, he has a leg injury and won’t be doing much distance running in the near future, so he’s just being a honey and helping me hit my goals. I looked at the website for the race he had mentioned, and I do think it would be a good one. There’s lots of events and stuff going on, and some kiddie races as well. Anyone who reads my babblings knows how I like finding the kiddie races! Sounds like next year’s vacation is sorted out…
While I was perusing the website, a co-worker glimpsed it and suggested that we both do it. I’ve always done my runs by my lonesome, so having a running buddy would make a cool change. we’ll need to map some outdoor courses while it’s still nice out.
Oh, and speaking of hubby, his birthday is tomorrow! The ol codger says he’d like an ice cream cake from the local sundae joint. Not exactly healthy eating, so I’ll have to make sure I do that long run and don’t overdo! I have a weakness for the crunchy layer they put in, gotta admit…
So I’ve now got a marathon goal, a new running pal and tasty treats on the horizon. Good day!
Workout:
Trying to find my “tempo” pace. Going at 6.5 mph wasn’t too bad for a while, it got tougher when I cranked to 6.8 and above. Thinking about doing one more race this summer…there’s one going on in a neighboring town, in the middle of their festival, so it sounds perfect for the kiddies! The burning question is…do I have my older two run the 2 miler while I do the 10 K (Daddy would wait for the kids at the finish), or do I run the 2 miler with them and include my younger son? He has autism, so he can’t really tell me what he thinks of running races. He did run one with us, but that was just 1/2 mile. He’s 5, so I don’t know if a 2 mile race is too much for him. Selfishly, I wouldn’t mind doing the longer run (what runner wouldn’t be tempted?). On the more maternal side, I’d like to have him try a longer race, if he would be ok with it. I think I might just have to do the 2 miler.
Speaking of the little beasties, my oldest tested for her white belt in tae kwon do tonight. She isn’t too sure if she got it, but Daddy and I are confident. And proud!
Workout:
Starting to work those fast twitch muscle fibers, which is kind of a wierd new world. I did ok, about 430 yards x4, speeds went from about 7mph to 9 mph. Today was on the treadmill, as I’m not sure how else to measure out the distances or anything (there’s no track nearby). Ah well, I’ll feel it out in time.
Workout:
Location:Pine Island MN USA 55963
My goals are: Run my first full marathon in 2009. My favorite sports include: running cycling swimming walking My other favorite activities include: martial arts, weightlifting.
Theme: Mandigo by Tom.
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