I'm baaaaack

OK, So I took a month off from blogging about running. I'm so sorry. I write for a living so sometimes it is tough to motivate myself to write for ME :)

Training is going well overall, of course there are bumps and bruises and a lot of soreness along the way. I am going to get new sneakers very very soon because I'm having some hip pain and getting blisters on my feet and I think the sneaks are the culprit.

I've pretty much raised all the money I need to run my half marathon, which is a HUGE relief and I'm so glad now I can just concentrate on running. I'm upping my mileage to 4-5 miles during the week and this weekend my long run will probably be 6 or 7 miles, depending on how mean Coach wants to be to us :)

For work, I will be covering the Boston Marathon this year which is so incredibly exciting! I am going to be featuring runners and interviewing people at the finish line and I can't wait. I think it will inspire me for my race, and I love talking to other runners!

Speaking of my race, I checked it out online to get my acquainted with how it's going to be in June. I checked out the map, which looks good, and also the elevation map - ehhh....haha. I'm training in a pretty hilly place but I've been babying myself on the hills. There are a few hills on the elevation map. Miles 5 to 6.5 ish... yeah, not excited for that.

Anyway, since I like to write things down just for my personal records, here are some things I'd like to get better at. Obviously they all revolve around eating right, which is the hardest part for me:
1. eat breakfast
2. drink more water
3. eat a more balanced meal the night before a run

that's it for now. :)

I took the leap...but for right now I'm taking it easy

So, I did it. I signed up to run a half marathon! Oh my goodness. I'm crazy. You can't bullsh-t 13.1 miles, you just can't. Now, aside from training, there's only one thing in my way.

I have to raise $2,900 to even run this race. Oh boy. That alone has me terrified. If I can't make $725 by April 1, I have to either "recommit" by giving them my credit card to make up for the rest of the money or drop off the team. Oh boy.

Here is my fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/rnr10/kperry9raz

As you can see I have a whopping $50 so far! YES! haha. I am putting a raffle together, though, hopefully that will generate a lot more interest. But please, donate if you are so inclined!

Anyway, I'm taking it easy this week (aka not doing much at all) because starting next week, I'm in the gym 6 days week. Here's what my schedule is going to be, roughly:

Monday: Cross train @ gym (cycling/elliptical)
Tuesday: Run @ gym
Wednesday: Cross train @ pool (swimming)
Thursday: Run (OUTSIDE)
Friday: Cross train @ gym (cycling/elliptical) or @ pool (swimming)
Saturday: Long run (OUTSIDE)
Sunday: OFF

As you can see I've decided to incorperate swimming into my cross training, which I'm so very excited for. I always hated swimming when I was little- you know those stupid swim classes school made you take? I used to BEGGGG for notes to get me out of it! But I think that if I can go at my own pace I can really get a lot out of it, just for exercise. Swimming is also supposedly very good for people with injuries, and with my ankle injury, that sounds awesome. Of course I'm sure that will be harder than I say it is!

I only have a few days left of freedom before the craziness starts. I'm already stressed out about the fundraising in a big big way. AHH!

Aaaand I'm back in the game!!

I took about a week-longish break from running to let my ankle rest. I decided to repeat week 5 of my Couch to 5k plan this week, and (I know...it's Wednesday, I'm so not on the ball) today was my first run of Wee 5 part 2.

And I actually did really well!!! No ankle pain, yay, and I completed all the runs. granted I did it kind of slower than usual, at about 4.4 mph, which sucks...but what can you do. It felt great.

I didn't know if I would be able to run as well but the days I haven't gotten to the gym I've been doing my Jillian Michaels workout video which really pumps me up and I feel like I work hard and am getting toned at the same time.

I'll probably run again tomorrow and spend some real quality time at the gym. Lately I am getting sad that my gym (planet fitness) doesn't offer good classes. It's a cheap, no-frills gym, so I can't expect much, but I'll say this: If they did offer say, spinning or yoga, I'd do it!!

That's all for now: I'll update tomorrow. xoxo

Taking it easy

So I've been running lately but I haven't updated lately because I guess I just don't feel good about it. I've really been taking it easy, doing about half of my runs because of my ankle and I don't want to overdo it. I want to get into a doctor and eventually physical therapy for it, and I don't want to mess anything up. Perfect excuse, right? O:)

So lately I've just been running for about 15 minutes, usually a 5 minute run followed by two 3-minute runs, and some walking in between. Then after that I've been doing some biking and the elliptical machine to still get my cardio in.

It's frustrating, but I have time. My next race is Feb. 28, which is in about 7 weeks. I shouldn't be stressing right now but I don't want to get off track! I also need to definitely start running outside. Humph. :(

I also picked up:


JILLIAN! haha. I'll probably pick up another Biggest Loser video too, for the days that I am soooo lazy that I don't want to go to the gym, or when I'm snowed in, etc.
I've heard they're both really good workouts, so I'm pretty stoked for that.

I'll probably give myself today off, and run again tomorrow.

Hit the wall, running.

:(

I kind of knew week 4 of Couch to 2k (also known as C25K) would be the worst yet, one I'll probably have to repeat. It is brutal. I did the day 1 90% fine. Today - I don't know if it was that I took two days in between running or what - it was such a disaster. I MAYBE got a few 3-minute runs in. I'm supposed to be getting comfortable with 5 minute runs.

The ankle pain is getting unbearable and I think I need to see a physical therapist ASAP to deal with this if I want to keep running. I'm trying to listen to my body and not run through the pain when I don't think I should, which is what I did today. I backed off when I really felt like something was wrong. At the same time, I'm frustrated, and as soon as pain starts to happen I get upset and depressed and I don't want to continue working out. It's really crappy.

To make matters worse, I've been feeling, let's just say, not 100% all week and it's not that I haven't been paying attention to my diet - it's that I've been retaining water or some other ridiculous crap. Anyway, the number on the scale was absolutely disappointing when I weighed myself today, and it just added fuel to an already horrible and depressing and awful fire.

Two weeks into me being serious about this and I've hit a wall. I am getting flashbacks of my 15-year-old self, doing the same thing, still trying to become healthy, and seeing where I am today, that obviously never happened because I am in the same exact place, probably even worse off because I have more lb's to lose.

This is so depressing that I can't even write about it anymore.

Resolutions for 2010

So, before I get started with resolutions, I just want to say: I've never been this sore before.

I've never had to actually ice my knees and ankles after a run (or a race). My calves are still not feeling so hot, but I really want to run tomorrow, so hopefully I can shake that off. I also won't be able to run outside tomorrow due to an all-weekend snow storm, so to the gym it is.

I'm still a little frustrated my work on the treadmill hasn't translated to the street. That is something I definitely need to work on - and pacing myself. Why am I finding this so hard? Do other people find this hard too?

Anyway, here are my goals for 2010:

1. Run a 5k in 37 minutes.

2. Run and finish a half marathon. (Oh boy is that terrifying! But it would be a dream come true!)

3. Continue to monitor what I eat.

4. Learn to love vegetables.

5. I need to cook more and not be terrified of it.

Okay so that's really it. I'm not really comfortable setting too many goals or resolutions, because I hate being disappointed. This will have to do.

Look out, 2010. I will OWN YOU.

Oh boy, race, you showed me what's up. But i will OWN YOU.

Bad running picture of the race:





Anyway:


Today's race had a lot of good and bad aspects, but overall, I'm pretty happy.

Good: I beat my last time by 4 minutes! yay!

Bad: Oh hey, running on the street is like totally different than running on a treadmill. My "12 minute mile" on the treadmill became embarrassingly slow on the street.

Good: I met a really nice lady during mile 2 who ran with me!! She was super nice and reminded me to pace myself. As we were going, some 10k runners were already on their second round, and she was like "Next time that will be us!" Love her.

Bad: I can never pace myself correctly. I start off too fast then get tired. I do short sprints to get ahead then get tired. I hate it! And in some places, looking back, I felt like I could have pushed more.

Good: I really, really love my pink medal with champagne on it.

Bad: I had walked a little before I hit mile 3 and just decided to run the rest. Then I almost became Sicky McThrowup. I made it to the finish running but a cop on the way seriously almost had it in. I really felt like I was gonna puke!

Good: One thing I really love about racing is the people who don't even know you telling you that you did an awesome job. I got to the finish and met up with the lady I ran with at mile 2 and she was like "You beat your last time! And you're not last!" I said thanks but hunched over because I felt like I was gonna puke, and she rubbed my back. So nice!!!!

After that I felt better and decided to go get some water. On my way in a lady looked at my medal and was like "That's so great!!! Look at how amazing you are." WHAT?! I just ran a race that was probably really crappy, but you think I'm awesome!? I love you!

Now I'm pretty sore right now, but it's bearable.

I guess I have to bite a bullet, though: I need to run outside. At least more often than I am now. Ughhhh.

Next race is Feb. 28.