Week 1 and 2 were not amazing. Usually this first month is filled with optimism new training plan excitement. This time around, it's been hot and I've been in a war with my lethargy. Stupid stupid lethargy.
Week 1: 1- 3 mile run and my "long run" (previously blogged) of 4.5 miles
(It should have been 2- 3 mile runs, strength/stretching, and a speed workout)
Week 2: 1- 3 mile run, some yoga and a very warm run technically completed during week 3 (Monday)
(it should have been like week 1 and a 6 mile long run on Sunday)
I'm off to a better start this week. If I had not gone out Monday morning and done the 6 miler, I would be far less optimistic. Sometimes that's what these programs come down to: guilt over not doing it vs desire to just be a loaf on the couch. When guilt surpasses desire, running occurs.
Today is recovery. I did a pretty strenuous strength workout last night with the P90X legs/back video.... so many lunges and so many pull ups I can't do..... I wasn't that sore this morning which lulled me into a momentary delusion that all would be fine, but alas, delayed onset muscle soreness has stricken and as the day progressed, my legs are not happy with me. Not as bad as the last time I did the video when I'm pretty sure everything from above my butt and lower was rebelling against me (this time I did not use weights every time they used them for the lunges). But then again, this is Day 1 post workout. Let's see what day 2 brings my way. Either way the plan is to get out for a 3.5 mile run. Hills? Sprints? You can count on it!
I will say I need to get the bottom of my lethargy problem. Maybe its the heat? I hope its the heat. Running loses its splendor when it's 80 at 6:30a.m.....
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Sometimes you just have to pull up the big girl pants
I stayed up til almost 3a.m. last night. The chances of me getting up for that early morning long run were not good. The chances of continuing to screw up my sleep schedule by sleeping til noon were looking possible.
7a.m. the alarm started going off. I felt hungover from the 4 hrs of sleep. I hit the snooze and turned over. Husband said good-bye to me about 7:40a.m. I still wasn't moving.
8a.m. finally I awake, that extra hour in half asleep land helped, but I turned on the tv for the weather and got sucked into "Center Stage" instead. I tried to bargain with myself - maybe I can go tomorrow morning instead. I checked out the 10 day forecast.... no end in sight for the 90 degree weather. This means that if I keep putting it off because of weather, I will never do it. So 10a.m. was the goal to leave the house. I had decided on where I was going to go to run, a mostly shady path around a lake here in my burb.
So with the temps hitting 85 (at 10a.m.), my water bottle belt, phone and headphones, I went to that lake and started running. To my dismay, I was not able to do the full 5 miles. But I did manage to hang on for about 4.6. I went faster than I felt I was going. The heat and humidity had me feeling like I was practically walking.
With every step, my mind went back to last year when I wound up laying on a park bench dizzy, almost vomiting and had to decide whether to walk/jog the last mile and half home or call to be picked up. (this is why I'm very gun-shy about running in the heat, you would be too!)
Luckily I did not end up in that situation. The water belt was one of the best things I bought and saved me today for sure. It feels good to have my long run done. I think tonight I will have no problem falling asleep after my lack of sleep last night.
Week 2 starts with hopefully a 6:30a.m. Vinyasa 1 class and then a massage at 9a.m (both courtesy of Groupon!).
7a.m. the alarm started going off. I felt hungover from the 4 hrs of sleep. I hit the snooze and turned over. Husband said good-bye to me about 7:40a.m. I still wasn't moving.
8a.m. finally I awake, that extra hour in half asleep land helped, but I turned on the tv for the weather and got sucked into "Center Stage" instead. I tried to bargain with myself - maybe I can go tomorrow morning instead. I checked out the 10 day forecast.... no end in sight for the 90 degree weather. This means that if I keep putting it off because of weather, I will never do it. So 10a.m. was the goal to leave the house. I had decided on where I was going to go to run, a mostly shady path around a lake here in my burb.
So with the temps hitting 85 (at 10a.m.), my water bottle belt, phone and headphones, I went to that lake and started running. To my dismay, I was not able to do the full 5 miles. But I did manage to hang on for about 4.6. I went faster than I felt I was going. The heat and humidity had me feeling like I was practically walking.
With every step, my mind went back to last year when I wound up laying on a park bench dizzy, almost vomiting and had to decide whether to walk/jog the last mile and half home or call to be picked up. (this is why I'm very gun-shy about running in the heat, you would be too!)
Luckily I did not end up in that situation. The water belt was one of the best things I bought and saved me today for sure. It feels good to have my long run done. I think tonight I will have no problem falling asleep after my lack of sleep last night.
Week 2 starts with hopefully a 6:30a.m. Vinyasa 1 class and then a massage at 9a.m (both courtesy of Groupon!).
is my schedule flipping back?
I can't sleep.
I can't wake up in the morning.
I just may be reverting to my old ways now that I'm not getting up for tons of 5am shifts.
I can't wake up in the morning.
I just may be reverting to my old ways now that I'm not getting up for tons of 5am shifts.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Half Marathon training commences
Just over 3 months until the Big Woods Half Marathon. To many people that means I have plenty of time to start, but I know better. My plan requires 3 months, so that means as of Monday, I'm a lean mean, half marathon training machine.
I'm doing the intermediate level of hal higdon's plan. His plans are a bit intense (6 days of training a week) but I'm determined to maximize the training this time and get my speed down. Goal for this next trail half marathon: sub-2hr30min. That means knocking over 6 minutes off my overall time. Less walking would accomplish that. It's a trail run so I think that's do-able. If I were doing a road race, I'd be setting a much more aggressive goal (probably sub 2h20min) but anyone who runs knows that a trail race is drastically different. I will even potentially be buying some trail running shoes for this event instead of my shiny new mizuno babies.....
Well enough talking, more doing... time to get out for my inagural 3 miles.
Live long, run hard.
I'm doing the intermediate level of hal higdon's plan. His plans are a bit intense (6 days of training a week) but I'm determined to maximize the training this time and get my speed down. Goal for this next trail half marathon: sub-2hr30min. That means knocking over 6 minutes off my overall time. Less walking would accomplish that. It's a trail run so I think that's do-able. If I were doing a road race, I'd be setting a much more aggressive goal (probably sub 2h20min) but anyone who runs knows that a trail race is drastically different. I will even potentially be buying some trail running shoes for this event instead of my shiny new mizuno babies.....
Well enough talking, more doing... time to get out for my inagural 3 miles.
Live long, run hard.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
more options
http://www.cce.umn.edu/Master-of-Biological-Science/index.html
I registered for an informational session on this program. I may be too far out of the lab to do this, but it would be a great way to get a masters, get my lab skills current and stand a chance of re-entering the lab field.
http://www.nursing.umn.edu/MN/home.html#info
Bachelors to Masters of Nursing (not the same as a MSN -master of science in nursing for advanced practicioners) program geared towards taking a bachelors degree (not in nursing) to nurse. I would have to take a couple classes to strengthen my application.
And the last option I'm pondering is the 14 month CLS program through the U of M to get me back in the lab.....
Either way I think I better take a couple classes this fall at the community college.... in my brief search, I found a Human physiology class that would fit in with my work schedule.
The only thing that bothers me is that this doesn't fix my current situation. How will I survive the next 3 years? How do I work on changing my future and change my current life at the same time?
ugh. this makes my head hurt.
And now for some bitter ranting:
Sometimes I feel like Ripon was a big waste of my time. I know it wasn't but I feel like my degree was a complete waste. this is why they are getting 0$ from me and probably will not get any from me ever again. Anything I will accomplish from here on out is despite my education there. It is my own doing. I look at what skills I should have learned in my science classes there and realize just how outdated the program was. When your senior seminar professor won't let you use power point for your presentation because she feels its a crutch and everyone should still be able to present via transparencies, you know you're behind the times....
Yes I accept that most aspects of my life turned out pretty awesome. Its just frustrating to be so stalled professionally and looking at starting over.....
I registered for an informational session on this program. I may be too far out of the lab to do this, but it would be a great way to get a masters, get my lab skills current and stand a chance of re-entering the lab field.
http://www.nursing.umn.edu/MN/home.html#info
Bachelors to Masters of Nursing (not the same as a MSN -master of science in nursing for advanced practicioners) program geared towards taking a bachelors degree (not in nursing) to nurse. I would have to take a couple classes to strengthen my application.
And the last option I'm pondering is the 14 month CLS program through the U of M to get me back in the lab.....
Either way I think I better take a couple classes this fall at the community college.... in my brief search, I found a Human physiology class that would fit in with my work schedule.
The only thing that bothers me is that this doesn't fix my current situation. How will I survive the next 3 years? How do I work on changing my future and change my current life at the same time?
ugh. this makes my head hurt.
And now for some bitter ranting:
Sometimes I feel like Ripon was a big waste of my time. I know it wasn't but I feel like my degree was a complete waste. this is why they are getting 0$ from me and probably will not get any from me ever again. Anything I will accomplish from here on out is despite my education there. It is my own doing. I look at what skills I should have learned in my science classes there and realize just how outdated the program was. When your senior seminar professor won't let you use power point for your presentation because she feels its a crutch and everyone should still be able to present via transparencies, you know you're behind the times....
Yes I accept that most aspects of my life turned out pretty awesome. Its just frustrating to be so stalled professionally and looking at starting over.....
progress
I've never really done a before and after shot. I didn't ever think I'd lose weight so I never did a full length official before shot so while looking through old vacation photos and suffering from major wanderlust I decided this is the closest I can get to a before/after analysis of my progress.
2007 the cookie monster shirt ... in Greece (approx 142-144 lbs) -- for the longest time, these photos are where I felt the "smallest" and best about myself.
Toronto/New York Road Trip 2009 (approx 152-155lbs) - I had just found out I was losing my job.
I only have a handful of pictures of myself from this trip and most are from the shoulders up
because I felt that bad about myself.
Fast Forward 2.5 years, many miles logged and 25 lbs less, the Cookie Monster Shirt reappears in Miami
Approx. weight: 127-130.
.JPG)
Key West
And yes... I wore a 2 piece! I may be pale and still a bit soft, but I was brave. And now I'm being brave and posting this photo!
.JPG)
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Happy Independence Day
Happy 4th of July!
This is actually a photo I took back in 2010 while I was participating in a photo-a-day project. I was looking back over those photos and this is still one of my favorite photos I took during that project.
If you're lucky enough to have the day off from work (I managed to be double lucky and have the day off of BOTH jobs!) enjoy this midweek break and just think, you only have to survive 2 more days before being rewarded with a weekend (once again, if you're lucky enough to have a M-F job).
Sunday, July 1, 2012
chocolate chip cookies
Because I keep forgetting the recipe my mom uses and then end up taking a recipe a trying to merge it with what I remember from my mom's.
This time I think I finally nailed her recipe and my cookies turned out the best they have in a while:
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 c butter flavored crisco
1/3 c softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground flax seed (this is a new addition to her recipe. Trying to sneak in good for you things too!)
2 c flour
Chocolate chips, m&m's... whatever you decide
Oven preheated to 350 degrees
Bake 9 minutes
I had received a silicone baking mat for a gift and had been trying to use that on my air bake cookie sheet. I decided this time it was hindering the cookies from baking properly so I skipped it this time. Perfection!
mm.... cookies
This time I think I finally nailed her recipe and my cookies turned out the best they have in a while:
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 c butter flavored crisco
1/3 c softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground flax seed (this is a new addition to her recipe. Trying to sneak in good for you things too!)
2 c flour
Chocolate chips, m&m's... whatever you decide
Oven preheated to 350 degrees
Bake 9 minutes
I had received a silicone baking mat for a gift and had been trying to use that on my air bake cookie sheet. I decided this time it was hindering the cookies from baking properly so I skipped it this time. Perfection!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
