Road ID, Sore Calves, and Thunderstorms, oh my!

Today my run was pretty lackluster. I aimed for 5 and got in 2. I guess some days are just like that. Within the first mile my poor calves were aching. I don't usually have sore leg muscles (I have relatively weak core muscles, they're usually the first to feel it), but I supposed I've been running a lot recently. I've logged just over 21 miles in the past 7 days, which is a lot considering how poor my training was going before (anywhere from 5-12 miles/week). I ended up forgoing by 5 mile route for my 3 miler and only running the first and last miles of it. Oh, well. I've been working really hard, and I suppose some days you just have to take what you can get.

Weather over here on the east coast is going to be pretty rough for the next couple days with thunderstorms galore! I'm excited, as thunderstorms are one of my favorite things ever Right up there with puppies and science fiction novels. ANYWAY. It was supposed to rain on my run today as the forecast said 80% thunderstorms in my area... I suppose I was in the so-called "lucky" 20%. Bummer! This weekend I'll likely be able to squeeze a rainy run in, though.

I also just ordered a Road ID! I am really excited about this. I live in arguably the 2nd largest city in New England (we'll have to wait for the Census results to be sure... Send it Back!), where Massachusetts drivers are as reckless as they come. I prefer to run outside, and carrying ID is a pain in the behind but totally necessary. Even growing up in a small town on Long Island with lots of runners, I knew the importance of carrying ID. A mother of my sister's friend was struck by a vehicle that broke her back while on a morning run. She has since recovered and made a return to running (this was many years ago), but the point is that accidents can happen to anyone and everyone, even to super-safe long time runners in a small town full of runners. Most of my friends who run opt to either run on treadmills (sadists) or without proper ID (idiots).

Do you run with ID? If not, or, if like me you just don't want to have to deal with carrying a license or some other form of ID, look into a Road ID. With my purchase came a code for a $1 off coupon (it's not much, but it's something!). The code is good for 20 uses and is valid for 30 days.

Road ID coupon code: ThanksBrenna764089

Alright, time to relax a bit! I'm off to enjoy what my garden has given me. Mmm, kale and berry smoothie. So refreshing!

Freaking Out!

My ten mile run yesterday went horribly. I planned and prepared for it poorly, and it showed. The first 3 miles were solid. The next 2 miles were shaky. Mile 6 was pretty solid, albeit SLOW. The last 4 miles would have made you want to cry with frustration and despair. It just wasn't coming together. At all. It was actually an 11 mile route, and I ended up walking the last mile, I was just in too much pain to keep going. All in all, the run was pretty disheartening, but let's recap the things I've done wrong:

• last run was a week ago (WHAT?)
• left the house at midday (wayyy too hot)
• misread temperature as 71 instead of 81
• didn't check humidity
• only ate a banana before heading out
• probably some other stupid stuff that I'm forgetting

Blisters are non-existent, which is good, but my back muscles are really sore. I think it's a combination of the distance and the fact that I was wearing the CamelBak my momma recently gifted me (which I love). It makes me sad that something that brings me so much joy (and hydration) could strain my muscles so much.

The half-marathon is two weeks from today. I need to put in some serious work.

Today running was not my friend! I knew I was out of shape but I didn't know just how bad it was. Let me tell you: it was bad. I ran 2.0 miles total, but I had to take 3 walking breaks - after the first 8 minutes, then when I finished the first mile, then after the next half mile. Oof! But let's be optimistic - my endurance may be embarrassingly low, but I got it done!

I'm already behind a little bit on my self-created schedule because I assumed the school gym would be open this weekend since students were coming back. False! I have no idea why they weren't, but in any case I had to push my start back a few days.

I am ALMOST regretting my decision to run a half-marathon, but then I thought about it, and I realized that this is my one-way ticket to being a complete badass. Also, I never complete anything I start, at least fitness-wise. This one is going to be completed.

Run on!

Womp

I seem to be in an emotional/intellectual funk that I cannot get myself out of. I just don't care about school anymore. No matter what I try to accomplish, I end up on the verge of tears begging for the end.

Yesterday was a particularly bad day - it seemed like everything in the world was pitted against me. I bet you're thinking, "But then this really awesome thing happened, right?!" Nope. It was just an awful day, and it didn't help that I was unable to get a run in. I ate poorly (not necessarily junk, but I ate sporadically and didn't get enough nutrition), didn't get enough water, and just generally wanted to cry about every five minutes.

I got myself moving this morning and all I could muster was 2.25 miles before I was internally screaming mercy. Coupled with my foul mood, I was a bit dehydrated and I didn't eat anything before I went out. It was just no good. It wasn't the worst run ever, but it's the worst run I've had in a while. On the plus side: no chaffing!

I have an abstract due today for an academic conference in April - there's still a lot of work to be done, so here's to hoping I can bang it out and get over my moping.

Feel the burrrrn!

The sun burn. You would think that after getting burnt once already this season (and badly, might I add), you'd think I'd learn. But no. Back of my legs, and my shoulders a bit. Ouch.

I wanted to go for my run before I went to the beach this morning, but my sister failed to wake me up when I asked her to, so I went this evening at around 7:00, knowing full well that this is a terrible time for me to run. Like real bad. I never eat right on days where I plan on running in the evening (don't ask me why), and today I did a poor job hydrating. Plus, I'm just a morning person. I do everything better in the morning.

In any case, I planned a 3.5 mi run around town, and ended up walking for a short leg, thus cutting it to a 3.3 miler. I ran into a friend (ha! Get it? Ran into? ...Anyway.), which was cool! Cutting the run wasn't why it was bad, though, I just felt like crap the whole way. Literally, the entire time I either had side stitches, pain in my left knee, or pain in the used-to-be-blister-that-I-thought-had-healed. It ended up being a 12:27 pace. Meh.

To better days and better runs! At least I got out there, right?

Mileage: 3.3
Pace: 12:27
Total Time: 41:05

Bleh Run

This whole week has been and will continue to be easy, school wise, at the very least. This week is the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAGs) in Las Vegas. As I am a geography major, all of my professors are gone! It's lovely that I don't have as much work this week, but I really function much better on a tight schedule. I need to have deadlines for myself.

That said, I didn't wake up until 9am, didn't do any work until 10:30, and didn't leave for the gym until a little before 1:00pm. I wanted to run at least 2.5 miles on the dreadtreadmill, but I really had to push myself to finish 2.0 miles. It seriously took just about all of my will-power not to hit the stupid 'cool down' button after 15:00. I don't know what it was (maybe the fact that I was back inside?), but I just wasn't feeling it. It should be warm enough for me to run outside for the rest of the week, so here's to hoping. I really just hate the stagnant, smelly air around me, the lack of scenery, the lack of sun, and the boring homogenous run that treadmills entail. I just can't take it! Well, I guess I can, but I really don't like to.

I've also been slacking on cross-training workouts and eating well. I confess, last night after dinner I ate a bagel and 1.5 doughnuts. I'll do better next time? I guess that's the best I can do.

2.0 miles, 21:50

Bad Day... again!

So today I set out for the gym with high hopes. I hadn't run in a week and a day, so clearly I should be able to make up for what I'd missed, right? Wrong. Oh-so-very wrong. I was running for about 4:00 when I wanted to call it quits. I was breathing more heavily than usual, my muscles were already tired, and I was getting multiple stitches. I kept going until I got to 6:00 (~0.5 miles) and then decided to see if I could walk it off. After 8:00 walking, I still had vestiges of pain, but I couldn't stop after just 0.5 miles running. I don't think I've run so poorly since I started running again in January. WOMP.

After the 8:00 walk I decided to get myself up to at least 1.0 miles by doing some 1:30 run x 1:00 walk intervals. I did that until I finished up the mile, and then pushed myself to run and additional 4:00, totalling ~ 1.33 miles. Not so bad. Not great at all. Far from great, in fact. But I pushed myself to go further, and that's what matters. Looks like I'm starting over. Again!