Saturday, May 15, 2004
Walking:
Long walk & hike on the trails in Forest Park with Lola. Man, is it ever hot out there! I didn't really appreciate how hot it was until we had been walking for a while. I think it was a bit much for Lola and I was a little worried about her. Luckily, I had brought water for her, but I still cut the walk shorter than I would have, had I been walking alone. Still, we managed to walk for about an hour and a half, tackled a good amount of trail and forged up & down a number of hills. I think Lola is going to be happy to rest some for now.
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Long walk & hike on the trails in Forest Park with Lola. Man, is it ever hot out there! I didn't really appreciate how hot it was until we had been walking for a while. I think it was a bit much for Lola and I was a little worried about her. Luckily, I had brought water for her, but I still cut the walk shorter than I would have, had I been walking alone. Still, we managed to walk for about an hour and a half, tackled a good amount of trail and forged up & down a number of hills. I think Lola is going to be happy to rest some for now.
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Friday, May 14, 2004
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Running:
I wasn't able to work out a run last night. It was storming out when I got home (and it's just as well that I didn't run in it as I heard on the News that some guy was struck by lightning in that storm a town or two away). I thought to run on the treadmill, but every time I went down to the workout room there was someone using it, and I just did not feel like sharing. So instead I ran tonight, even though it was not on the schedule. The day had started out incredibly oppressive. Remained close to a record for heat & humidity until the end of the day when it seemed to break miraculously. I ran into Carolina in town around 6 PM and she said that when she had gotten home at 4:30 it had still been terribly hot and uncomfortable. Somehow the air had cleared in the hour and a half, and it hadn't even rained! Amazing. Even still, I wasn't in the mood for a run. Tired from a lousy few nights sleep and unmotivated, I had to drag myself out the door. Well, wouldn't you know that I ended up having a delightful run? It always seems to work out that way, when you least expect it, you pull a nice run out of your ass. Anyway, ran about a mile or so in on the Park Drive in Forest Park without walking. I even made it all the way up the series of hills, where before I've always had to start walking about 2/3s of the way up the last one. I ran the whole thing tonight! After a short walk-break, I ran a little bit farther on, and then turned around and ran back the way I had come, the reverse way back across the hills. This was the first time I've successfully been able to do this. Additionally, during the course of this part, I set my sights on a girl running up ahead of me and was able to catch up and pass her on a hill. heh. Also, when I had been running on my first leg, there had been a different girl ahead of me in the distance, that I was trying to use for pacing, basically trying to keep an equi-distance from her, but by the end of that interval, I had gained on her quite a bit. Imagine me passing people while running -- what a concept. Anyway, all-in-all, I was really delighted with the run. I really do think I'm getting better at this. I feel a lot stronger. And various parts don't seem to hurt as much afterwards either. Also, since it turned out to be such a nice evening, I'm kind of glad I did this instead of spinning. Why be stuck in a gym?
Total run time was around 30 minutes (give or take 2 or 3 minutes). In addition to the running, I probably walked about a mile and half or so.
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I wasn't able to work out a run last night. It was storming out when I got home (and it's just as well that I didn't run in it as I heard on the News that some guy was struck by lightning in that storm a town or two away). I thought to run on the treadmill, but every time I went down to the workout room there was someone using it, and I just did not feel like sharing. So instead I ran tonight, even though it was not on the schedule. The day had started out incredibly oppressive. Remained close to a record for heat & humidity until the end of the day when it seemed to break miraculously. I ran into Carolina in town around 6 PM and she said that when she had gotten home at 4:30 it had still been terribly hot and uncomfortable. Somehow the air had cleared in the hour and a half, and it hadn't even rained! Amazing. Even still, I wasn't in the mood for a run. Tired from a lousy few nights sleep and unmotivated, I had to drag myself out the door. Well, wouldn't you know that I ended up having a delightful run? It always seems to work out that way, when you least expect it, you pull a nice run out of your ass. Anyway, ran about a mile or so in on the Park Drive in Forest Park without walking. I even made it all the way up the series of hills, where before I've always had to start walking about 2/3s of the way up the last one. I ran the whole thing tonight! After a short walk-break, I ran a little bit farther on, and then turned around and ran back the way I had come, the reverse way back across the hills. This was the first time I've successfully been able to do this. Additionally, during the course of this part, I set my sights on a girl running up ahead of me and was able to catch up and pass her on a hill. heh. Also, when I had been running on my first leg, there had been a different girl ahead of me in the distance, that I was trying to use for pacing, basically trying to keep an equi-distance from her, but by the end of that interval, I had gained on her quite a bit. Imagine me passing people while running -- what a concept. Anyway, all-in-all, I was really delighted with the run. I really do think I'm getting better at this. I feel a lot stronger. And various parts don't seem to hurt as much afterwards either. Also, since it turned out to be such a nice evening, I'm kind of glad I did this instead of spinning. Why be stuck in a gym?
Total run time was around 30 minutes (give or take 2 or 3 minutes). In addition to the running, I probably walked about a mile and half or so.
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Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Cher asks:
"You rock! Are you going to miss these classes?"
Yes and no. I really hate having to rush up there after work (especially last night, I took 2 subways -- took me almost an HOUR!) and I've also missed having a 2nd spinning class in the week (usually I spin on Tues & Thurs) but I've found that I've enjoyed the class more than I've expected to. I really like the coach they have for the beginners, however I don't think I like who they have for the next level class, so I don't think I'm missing anything there (last night she had her people running around a freaking FOUNTAIN in front of the museum for 1/2 an hour... I mean, WTF???) I think having JoeB's schedule will be as good as having class for keeping me on track. But I think I will miss having a regular group to run with. If I could get just a little bit better and able to run farther and longer, I could run with Ellen sometimes maybe. I could probably run with Harriet now, only she doesn't seem interested. One of these days Ellen and I will become brave and will show up for a NY Flyers group run. Maybe. Someday.
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"You rock! Are you going to miss these classes?"
Yes and no. I really hate having to rush up there after work (especially last night, I took 2 subways -- took me almost an HOUR!) and I've also missed having a 2nd spinning class in the week (usually I spin on Tues & Thurs) but I've found that I've enjoyed the class more than I've expected to. I really like the coach they have for the beginners, however I don't think I like who they have for the next level class, so I don't think I'm missing anything there (last night she had her people running around a freaking FOUNTAIN in front of the museum for 1/2 an hour... I mean, WTF???) I think having JoeB's schedule will be as good as having class for keeping me on track. But I think I will miss having a regular group to run with. If I could get just a little bit better and able to run farther and longer, I could run with Ellen sometimes maybe. I could probably run with Harriet now, only she doesn't seem interested. One of these days Ellen and I will become brave and will show up for a NY Flyers group run. Maybe. Someday.
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Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Running Class:
Today was an incredibly and unseasonably hot day. I think it hit somewhere around 90, with very high humidity. I was not looking forward to this class at all. While we were still at the school stretching, we could hear thunder out there and by the time we got outside, the rain had started. Because of the weather, they decided that we would follow the footpath that snakes around the Metropolitan Museum of Art, into the Park and back out to Fifth Avenue. One disadvantage, we would need to tackle a bit of sharp hill during the course. So we ran in the rain. At the start it was a moderate downpour, but not terrible (and luckily, I had thought to bring a hat with me) the coach even ran up alongside me at one point and said, "well, it's not that bad, is it?" and I said, "no, I've run in worse", he responded, "me too". However, shortly afterwards the skies really opened up and what had been a downpour became a deluge. By then we were all soaked already anyway, so it didn't really bother me too much, although many of the girls in class were screaming and squealing away (and continued to throughout the rest of the run). The need to handle the unexpected hill on the course made me glad that I've been tackling hills on some of my regular runs on my own. It was hard to keep going each time as I reached the top of it, but I managed it, paced it so that I was able to recover on the downhill that followed it. By the end of this interval I was surprisingly near the front of the pack, so I felt good about that, but it sure was tough going for those last couple of minutes. The 5 minute interval we were required to do after our 1 minute recovery was even almost harder than the 15 minute one had been. Strange how it works out that way. Anyway, once we were completely finished running, the rain seemed to miraculously stop, so we were able to do our stretching outside, in front of the Museum. So, tonight was tough going for me, but I was able to do it without having to walk (it was a real struggle, but I am proud to say that I managed to push through the discomfort). My calves felt so tight and sore after running though, particularly my left one (it has been really tight and knotted lately and felt a bit worse tonight). However, after the mile walk down to the subway after class, it seemed to loosen up a lot and it now feels a lot better. I really should think about getting a massage, I think that would help sort out all my little aches & pains. So anyway, week 9 (15 minute run/1 minute walk/5 minute run) completed, only one more week to go!
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Today was an incredibly and unseasonably hot day. I think it hit somewhere around 90, with very high humidity. I was not looking forward to this class at all. While we were still at the school stretching, we could hear thunder out there and by the time we got outside, the rain had started. Because of the weather, they decided that we would follow the footpath that snakes around the Metropolitan Museum of Art, into the Park and back out to Fifth Avenue. One disadvantage, we would need to tackle a bit of sharp hill during the course. So we ran in the rain. At the start it was a moderate downpour, but not terrible (and luckily, I had thought to bring a hat with me) the coach even ran up alongside me at one point and said, "well, it's not that bad, is it?" and I said, "no, I've run in worse", he responded, "me too". However, shortly afterwards the skies really opened up and what had been a downpour became a deluge. By then we were all soaked already anyway, so it didn't really bother me too much, although many of the girls in class were screaming and squealing away (and continued to throughout the rest of the run). The need to handle the unexpected hill on the course made me glad that I've been tackling hills on some of my regular runs on my own. It was hard to keep going each time as I reached the top of it, but I managed it, paced it so that I was able to recover on the downhill that followed it. By the end of this interval I was surprisingly near the front of the pack, so I felt good about that, but it sure was tough going for those last couple of minutes. The 5 minute interval we were required to do after our 1 minute recovery was even almost harder than the 15 minute one had been. Strange how it works out that way. Anyway, once we were completely finished running, the rain seemed to miraculously stop, so we were able to do our stretching outside, in front of the Museum. So, tonight was tough going for me, but I was able to do it without having to walk (it was a real struggle, but I am proud to say that I managed to push through the discomfort). My calves felt so tight and sore after running though, particularly my left one (it has been really tight and knotted lately and felt a bit worse tonight). However, after the mile walk down to the subway after class, it seemed to loosen up a lot and it now feels a lot better. I really should think about getting a massage, I think that would help sort out all my little aches & pains. So anyway, week 9 (15 minute run/1 minute walk/5 minute run) completed, only one more week to go!
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Sunday, May 09, 2004
Week 12.
Running:
"Long run" in Forest Park. The first 12 minutes or so up and down the hills went well, but after that, the run kind of feel apart. Spent part of the run on the track (which I hate, particularly this track) and the remaining 15 minutes or so back on the hills of the Park Drive. All for a total (more or less) of 40 minutes running. Outside of this, I did a lot of additional walking, even venturing into Forest Hills Gardens for a spell. All-in-all, between the running and the walking, I was out there for about 2 hours. Not my best run ever, but I got out there and did it.
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Running:
"Long run" in Forest Park. The first 12 minutes or so up and down the hills went well, but after that, the run kind of feel apart. Spent part of the run on the track (which I hate, particularly this track) and the remaining 15 minutes or so back on the hills of the Park Drive. All for a total (more or less) of 40 minutes running. Outside of this, I did a lot of additional walking, even venturing into Forest Hills Gardens for a spell. All-in-all, between the running and the walking, I was out there for about 2 hours. Not my best run ever, but I got out there and did it.
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