Saturday, July 03, 2004
Running
Went for a really nice little trail run with Lola in Forest Park this afternoon (during the hottest part of the day). My intentions were to keep it really, really short and easy, walking as much as running, since it's hot and I also want to run a "long" run tomorrow. Once I got going however, I really started enjoying myself and so I found that I really didn't walk at all. Stopped briefly here and there to give Lola water and/or to let horses go by (on the short bits when we were on the actual bridle trail). There were a few spots on the off-roads trail where it was necessary to walk because of dead fall, or the grade was too steep or the footing too dicey, but otherwise I ran. Slowly. It was a lot of fun. Also enjoyable not to have an agenda or a time limit (ie: trying to fit in a run after work). I did keep it short though only spent about a half an hour on the trails, I probably shouldn't have brought Lola at all, but it is such a nice day and I enjoyed her company, and having her with me ensured that I kept the time short. I want to have a decent run tomorrow.
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Went for a really nice little trail run with Lola in Forest Park this afternoon (during the hottest part of the day). My intentions were to keep it really, really short and easy, walking as much as running, since it's hot and I also want to run a "long" run tomorrow. Once I got going however, I really started enjoying myself and so I found that I really didn't walk at all. Stopped briefly here and there to give Lola water and/or to let horses go by (on the short bits when we were on the actual bridle trail). There were a few spots on the off-roads trail where it was necessary to walk because of dead fall, or the grade was too steep or the footing too dicey, but otherwise I ran. Slowly. It was a lot of fun. Also enjoyable not to have an agenda or a time limit (ie: trying to fit in a run after work). I did keep it short though only spent about a half an hour on the trails, I probably shouldn't have brought Lola at all, but it is such a nice day and I enjoyed her company, and having her with me ensured that I kept the time short. I want to have a decent run tomorrow.
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Thursday, July 01, 2004
Spinning
Class was much easier tonight compared to Tuesday. Even still, I was so tired today that I was tempted not to go. Luckily, I was meeting Ellen there, so that was enough incentive to motivate me. Of course I'm happy now that I went.
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Class was much easier tonight compared to Tuesday. Even still, I was so tired today that I was tempted not to go. Luckily, I was meeting Ellen there, so that was enough incentive to motivate me. Of course I'm happy now that I went.
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Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Running
I specifically came in early this morning with the plan to leave work early and go run in Central Park. At the last minute, I changed my plans and left early to come home and run in Forest Park instead. No matter, either way I did a run. Took Lola with me, which meant today was an "easy" day. It's really hard to gage easy vs. hard days with me right now as running is still difficult enough for me to make any day with a run on my schedule hard. But, with Lola in tow on a Summer day (even though the humidity was relatively low and the temps were in the low 80s), I had to take more walk-breaks to make sure that she didn't over-heat. Additionally, I did my bridle path loop in the other direction. The easier direction, in my opinion. Still, we hit plenty of hills and I ran up one hill that (since I'm usually going in the other direction) I usually walk down because it's so steep, I feel like the risk of injury out-weighs whatever small training benefit I might get from running down it. I'm not sure, but I don't think I've ever run up the entire thing before. Maybe last Summer, I can't really remember. It's not particularly long, but it's pretty steep. Anyway, it was also a nice change to hit my three-tiered killer hill in the reverse direction. Running up the backside is a lot easier and then you get to run down those tiers -- the hill seems much shorter this way. In any case, it was a pretty nice run. I cut off a corner of it in the beginning by taking a trail through the woods from the Park entrance, so the total mileage was probably only around 2.5 miles. (maybe a little over 3.0, if you want to count my walk to and from the park). My calves and shins were a little more sore on this run than they were on Monday, but it wasn't too bad. I think in general for right now I need to run every other day (occasionally maybe taking a 2-day break from running) until my muscles and ligaments, etc. stabilize. When I get too ambitious and try to run two or more days in a row I start to run into some issues. I'm also going to buy that "stick" thing to help work out the kinks from my calves after running. It's supposed to work pretty well.
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I specifically came in early this morning with the plan to leave work early and go run in Central Park. At the last minute, I changed my plans and left early to come home and run in Forest Park instead. No matter, either way I did a run. Took Lola with me, which meant today was an "easy" day. It's really hard to gage easy vs. hard days with me right now as running is still difficult enough for me to make any day with a run on my schedule hard. But, with Lola in tow on a Summer day (even though the humidity was relatively low and the temps were in the low 80s), I had to take more walk-breaks to make sure that she didn't over-heat. Additionally, I did my bridle path loop in the other direction. The easier direction, in my opinion. Still, we hit plenty of hills and I ran up one hill that (since I'm usually going in the other direction) I usually walk down because it's so steep, I feel like the risk of injury out-weighs whatever small training benefit I might get from running down it. I'm not sure, but I don't think I've ever run up the entire thing before. Maybe last Summer, I can't really remember. It's not particularly long, but it's pretty steep. Anyway, it was also a nice change to hit my three-tiered killer hill in the reverse direction. Running up the backside is a lot easier and then you get to run down those tiers -- the hill seems much shorter this way. In any case, it was a pretty nice run. I cut off a corner of it in the beginning by taking a trail through the woods from the Park entrance, so the total mileage was probably only around 2.5 miles. (maybe a little over 3.0, if you want to count my walk to and from the park). My calves and shins were a little more sore on this run than they were on Monday, but it wasn't too bad. I think in general for right now I need to run every other day (occasionally maybe taking a 2-day break from running) until my muscles and ligaments, etc. stabilize. When I get too ambitious and try to run two or more days in a row I start to run into some issues. I'm also going to buy that "stick" thing to help work out the kinks from my calves after running. It's supposed to work pretty well.
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Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Spinning
Scary Spinning Class seemed even scarier than usual. It was one of those classes where every minute seemed to last a half hour. Brutal.
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Scary Spinning Class seemed even scarier than usual. It was one of those classes where every minute seemed to last a half hour. Brutal.
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Monday, June 28, 2004
Week 19
Running
I was a complete slug all weekend. Lazed around and did nothing at all. It was a beautiful weekend too. Well, once you got to around mid-day on Saturday anyway. Oh well, that's the past, no sense wallowing in it. Tonight I went to Forest Park. Ran in on the road first and, although I felt pretty good running, I was having some trouble getting my breathing in sync. It was a little weird, I was breathing easy and sort of hyperventilating at the same time, does that make any sense? Well, it doesn't to me either. Let me put it this way, I wasn't all out of breath the way you feel if you're running too hard (or if you're hitting a hill hard or something), that part felt okay, but I couldn't slow my breathing rhythm down to match my pace. It took me a good half a mile to settle in. Anyway, I ran in on the road and then off through the woods on the bridle path, all the way to the large three-tiered hill I've spoken about here. Took a quick walk break at the base of the hill and then "attacked" it. Okay, attack is maybe a strong term. I shuffled up the hill. This time, instead of taking a break on each plateau, I just slowed my running to try and get control of my breathing, but I didn't stop or walk. That is up until the very last bubble of hill. Couldn't quite make it to the end. Oh well, each week or so I seem to do a little bit better. I'm sure I'll be able to run the whole thing by the end of the Summer, if I keep at it. Maybe before then. I then ran down the backside of the hill and along the outer edge of the bridle path loop, took the long way around this time. I realized on the second half of the loop that going in this direction, that this half is almost all up hill. No wonder it's so hard. No wonder I have to walk as much as I do. I made a point though to run as many of the uphills as I could and then, if I needed a break, tried to make that happen at the top of a hill, or going down one. Hills are your friends. heh. Anyway, after running the last sharp uphill on this loop, I was spent and had to do a slow jog/walk combination for the last half a mile out of the park. Took my SDM with me tonight, so, all-in-all I did a little shy of 3 miles inside the park. Comes to a little over 4 miles, if you count walking there and back. I'm generally feeling pretty good about running these days. My shin didn't bother me tonight, so that's good and I feel pretty steady and strong on the run up to about 1.5 miles or so and then I start falling apart. I would be a lot happier if I felt as steady and strong for an entire 4 mile run as I do on this 1.5 miles, but I'm willing to agree that these things take time and that I'm somewhat farther along than I was last month or so. I just feel if I could run a competent 4 miles, then that is something I can work with. It'll come, it'll come, it'll come...
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