The Training Blog of newbierunner

Woohoo! This was the last big thing I wanted to do before my surgery date (which is Monday). I got through the test and earned my first belt. This was really exciting for me…even though the instructors and other students are very welcoming and encouraging, I now feel like some kind of initiation is ended. I have a belt, I’m in the club now!
I’m still percolating with nervous energy over the whole thing, so I’ve been sewing a bag to keep my uniform in. Martial arts is so cool!

Workout:

• Type: Other
• Date: 08/06/2008
• Time: 19:00:00
• Total Time: 1:30:00.00

Ran into Amy at the pool. Actually spent about 30 minutes just bobbing in the water and yakking! So, our jaws got a good workout. Eventually I did get 35 laps in, so that’s not too shabby. Running and maybe some weights tomorrow!

Workout:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 08/03/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:25:00.00
• Distance: 880 yd
• Average Pace: 2:50.45/100yd

How the mind dictates what the body can do…as I’ve slowly gone further and further distance running, I find that getting into the right headspace is as important as warming up the legs. If I set out to run three miles, then I gasp and huff across the three mile mark. If I run twelve miles, then that’s when I huff and moan (so I’m a drama queen, sue me!), and I barely notice the three mile mark. But there is another facet to the mental part of endurance sports, something my kids have taught me.
I love the little things dearly. We feed and clothe them, read to them, spend the day at the fair with them, and get them involved in running. We do our best by them, but dangit…when Mommy is on the treadmill, Mommy needs to pay attention to what she’s doing! Bless their little hearts, we usually spend the first 30 minutes or so of a run with little squirts walking right by Daddy to bring Mom such emergencies as fort building, crayons, and fighting over the remote. Augh! Most of the time it’s not a big deal, but there are days when there is no peace to be had! After three or four interruptions, I find that it’s hard to get my head back where it belongs.
I know…one day I’ll miss all this. They are interrupting because they are sweet, busy little things, and they forget that running time is Mom time. I just keep reminding them, and try to keep my mind on my run.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 08/02/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 1:37:25.00
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Pace: 9:44.42/mile

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:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/30/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00
• Distance: 3.41 miles
• Average Pace: 8:47.86/mile

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:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/27/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:37:00.00
• Distance: 4 miles
• Average Pace: 9:14.7/mile

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:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/26/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 2:28:00.00
• Distance: 15 miles
• Average Pace: 9:52.11/mile

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:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/23/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 00:27:28.00
• Distance: 3.1 miles
• Average Pace: 8:51.76/mile

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:

• Type: Run
• Date: 07/20/2008
• Time: 15:00:00
• Total Time: 1:37:05.00
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Pace: 9:42.52/mile

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:

• Type: Swim
• Date: 07/20/2008
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:49:00.00
• Distance: 1,760 yd
• Average Pace: 2:47.66/100yd