Week 4

I went for a run yesterday with the intention of running 4miles.  I wound up doing a walk/run where I walked 2 miles and I ran 2.75miles.  It wasn't what I had planned on, but I least I did something - and in the end the distance was more than what I had planned.

I also bought some 5lb hand weights to use at home.  I pretty much decided that I need to incorporate more strength training into my routine.  My arms are very weak.  (I am like a t-rex with long, skinny arms that don't support my body weight!)  Hopefully they won't just sit under my bed gathering dust like some of my other fitness equipment. 

My other goal for myself is to work more on my diet.  I love food and I like to eat.  Normally I don't give to much thought about what I'm eating, why I'm eating, or how I'm eating.  I don't believe in diets or cutting out entire food groups.  But I am trying to each 3 meals of 400 calories each and I can have 2 snacks of 100 calories.  I can eat whatever I want - if I want to eat 400 calories of chocolate for lunch, so be it.  (This morning I had poptarts for breakfast.)  I read about this idea in the January issue of Woman's World.  I'm also trying to drink a gallon of water each day - which is easier said than done.  On the days I work out, I can add the number of calories to my daily diet if I choose.  That way if I want to go to a restaurant I'm not limited in what I want to eat.  It's all fine and good.   

When I'm working out regularly, I tend to eat better and make more of an effort.  I try to do things that are sustainable for long periods of time.  I don't want to start something that I won't be able to manage during birthday parties, or holidays, or ward parties.  I love food and I love to eat.  It's all about balance, but balance is a tricky thing to maintain and control.   

End of Week 3

I went running on Wednesday.  I ran 3.25 miles at the gym and I walked enough to total 4.65 miles when all was said and done.  This made me feel pretty good about my progress so far. 

On Thursday I read an online fitness article about how you shouldn't do crunches anymore.  Doing planks will give you the best ab workout.  (A plank is when you hold your body in push-up ready position for as long as you can.)  I decided to try it out yesterday.  I only did maybe 6-10 reps at 30sec - 1 minute each, but I woke up SORE this morning.  It does give you a good workout.

Even though I had more company on my morning run today, it didn't go quite as planned.  I ran the first 2 miles, but my side was hurting, so I wound up walking the last 2miles.  I'm a little disappointed that I didn't make the full 5 mile run like I was supposed to, but I didn't want to risk hurting myself.  Lesson learned:  no more planks before a long run.

I've also been debating whether I should keep my running mileage low (instead of increasing it each week) in order to incorporate more strength training.  (I should clarify that by low I mean 2-4 miles each run.)  Over a longer period of time I think I would become a better runner.  For the 1/2 marathon in April, it may mean I would have to walk and run it.  Hmmm......choices.

P.S.  My friend Uilea was truly an inspiration for running today.  She did awesome!! 

Day Whatever

Okay, so I'm totally slacking in the blogging department, but I am keeping up with running.  Saturday I ran 4 miles.  Yesterday I ran 2.5 and walked another 2.  I've decided that I need to update my music because everything is starting to get old - either that or I have a short attention span.  Both are probably true.  Isn't it amazing how a good song will help motivate you?

I have been incredibly busy the last week.  It's crazy trying to manage the social lives of 3 kids.  There's always a party, playdate, soccer practice, swim lessons, piano lessons, art classes, and other assortment of activities.  I'm making a mental reminder right now to remember that Melanie is giving a talk in Primary on Sunday.  I can only imagine what my life will be like when they become teenagers. 

That is just their lives.  Then I try to factor in the things I need to do, want to do, and don't want to do but I have to do.  (I don't even try to keep up with my husband's schedule.)  I'm like a little hamster on the wheel, except I don't run that well.

Well, tomorrow I plan on sneaking in a 3 mile run - okay it's not really sneaking if I plan on being on the treadmill for an hour.   

Day Ten and Eleven

I ran 3 miles last night.  Everything good I said earlier about running, has been officially revoked!  It was horrible.  I was dripping with sweat and it was so hard.  I ran the first 2 miles at a 1% incline and ran flat for the final mile.  The only good thing I can say about it is that I finished.  Today I get to rest before I attempt to run 4 miles tomorrow.

The ear, nose, and throat doctor is pretty sure my thyroid is going to have to be removed.  He's going to look down my throat in a couple of weeks.  On one hand, it's nice to know that I'm not crazy or being overly sensitive about the symptoms I have.  On the other hand, it sucks to be right! 

I have a pretty good excuse not to run......so tempted to use......

Day Nine

I haven't decided if I will run today or tomorrow.  Probably tonight because I am accompanying someone singing for a funeral this weekend and we're going to practice tomorrow.  I really like my training program because there's a lot of flexibility as long as I don't procrastinate.  That sounds pretty good too.....

In other news, I'm seeing an ear, nose, throat specialist today who is going to tell me if my thyroid needs to be removed.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that no surgery will be needed, but I know it's probably only a matter of time before it gets removed.  (I have about 6-9 nodules that range in size from 2mm to 11mm across.  2 years ago I had 3 nodules.) 

Also, if you call my house - make sure you're speaking to the right person.  For some reason my son doesn't think it's funny that people confuse him and I.  No boy wants to be mistaken for his mother.  Although it does provide me with some great laughs!

Day Seven and Eight

According to my training schedule Monday is supposed to be a rest day, but I wanted to have some time to myself.  You know it's going to be a long day when the 2 year old has already had several time outs and it's not even 8am.  The kids take an art class on Mondays and I had some errands to do, so it took everything I had just to get the kids to cooperate.  I figured I was already in a mood, so why not just run?

My run was very very good yesterday.  It was the first time that I truly believed I could run the half marathon without dying.  I was scheduled to run 2 miles, but I ran 2 1/2 - which tells you that it was a pretty good day.  I decided not to focus so much on speed, but just on my breathing and form. 

The other plus to running yesterday was being able to catch up on the Bachelor in peace.  It's my guilty pleasure show, but my husband can't stand it.  In this case it was a win-win for everyone.  I got to watch the show and he got some peace and quiet. 

Today I don't have to run - which makes this an awesome day already!  But I am sort of looking forward to my run tomorrow.  I just might be becoming a runner.  Weird.
 

Day Five

Today was my 3 mile long run.  I wasn't able to finish running it all because my hip started to twinge a little more than I liked, but I did run 98% and my total finish time (even with walking) was 33 minutes.

Last October I tore all the muscles in my right hip while training for a half marathon.  I went through 4 weeks of physical therapy and didn't do much running after that - until now.  While I hate to make excuses, I also am very careful about how hard I push myself.  I don't want to go through that again.  It can take up to 6 months for an injury like that to completely heal.  So I am motivated, yet cautious.

Now I have the rest of the weekend to relax and enjoy.  No running or blogging tomorrow.  Monday it will begin again.