A Traveling Runner

Spring break has ended, and now I must put my nose to the grindstone and continue along with my life. Second half of my final semester is upon me, and I am sure that it will pain me. But before I look ahead to hours up neck-cramping time in my lab making maps of trees, let me recount the glory that was my road trip!

My friend and I set out for Washington, D.C. two fridays ago. We only stayed a night (with another very gracious and hospitable friend), and time did not allow me to take a running tour of the city. I was saddened, but only momentarily because I realized I will be back there in a month! I am returning to D.C. in mid-April to present my research at an academic conference, so I will run the city then. It'll be much warmer in April, anyway. Also, let me note that EVERYONE runs - runners were simply everywhere! I even overheard people talking about running. Weird.

After we left D.C., we headed for Savannah, where we stayed with my friend's cousin, who attends the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD, for those in the know). We stayed two nights, and I was fortunate enough to get a chance to take a nice 4 mile run around this beautiful city, but I wish I had had more time! My friend called me about 20 minutes into my run, and so I turned back a little while later to as to not hold her up. Oh well! It was still a lovely experience.

After Savannah we journeyed to visit my sister in New Orleans! After driving for so long in a car, all one wants to do is MOVE. The first couple of days in NOLA were quite rain (as is expected in that city), so we tried to refrain from doing things that required prolonged amounts of time out-of-doors, instead choosing to do things like visit the French Market in the French Quarter! Fun shopping :)

On Thursday the weather gods informed me that I would get the chance to run in mid-70 degree weather, with lots of sun. Oh, and 93% humidity. Take it or leave it. I clearly took it. I ran four miles around through Tulane and around Audubon Park (which is lovely! and the egrets were out!) before I got a call from a woman at the transportation office telling me I was parked in the wrong location and had to move my car. Why is everyone interrupting my scenic runs through beautiful cities? Oh well, at least I got a chance to run in them!

Saturday I was in Asheville, NC, but the weather was kind of poor and I sadly had no chance to run :( I would have loved to have done some hill work there - so beautiful! The Smoky Mountains on the horizon would have been a lovely component to any run, but I suppose that will have to be saved for a later date.

After walking/running all of these cities (I literally can't count my all of my blisters, some of which have their own blisters...), I've developed a bit of pain in my right shin. I'm going to give it a couple of days rest... I am REALLY hoping it's just mild shin splints and not indicative of a stress fracture or anything. I'm going to take it easy, though, and we'll see how it goes. Hopefully by that time, this Massachusetts weather will clear up - cold and rainy is no good now that I've had a taste of beautiful weather!

"Very impressive!" - 6.3 miles down!

I skipped lat week's 4.5 mile run. Bad, I know.

This week I was schedules for a 5.0 miler. Daunting. Very scary. Completely frightening. After procrastinating all morning, I suited up and headed out. Through the entire run, little pains popped up here and there, but it wasn't so bad. Around the 1 mile marker I saw a 50-something man running who would make another appearance later in my run. Around this time, I was feeling pretty good - I had some pain in my right hip, but it went away and was replaced by an unhappy tummy. Ruh-roh!

Around the 2.5 mile mark, I saw the man again and had a short conversation with him, because this time we were headed in the same direction. He's running the Worcester half-marathon as well, not shooting for a PR, just looking to cross the finish line. He asked me how far I was going today, I told him I was planning on doing 5 miles, and he responded with a "Very impressive!" I am IMPRESSIVE? I guess so! I took the compliment and ran with it.

I also got some boost of energy (well, it was more like determination - I was pretty tired) to keep running. I ran a total of 6.31 miles in 1:25. HELL. YEAH. !!

I feel pretty awesome. Just sayin'.

Also, down to 206 lbs!

PEE-ESS

This lady's running blog is hilarious, and it is definitely worth checking out! She talks a lot about pooping and farting, which I love. Can't take yourself too seriously! Anyway, she has a great giveaway going on, so if you see this before the 16th, get on over there and enter.

4.0 miles. Yikes!

Yesterday I set out for my long run, a whopping 4 miles, and the longer than any other outdoor ran I've ever attempted. I set out around noon, after it had warmed up a little (30 F) and after I had eaten some fruit. Within the first few minutes, I could already feel my quads burning, which is odd for me, as usually it's my lungs that do me in, not my legs.

I had planned out the 4 mile loop to be identical to my 3 miler up until the first mile, at which point I would take a turn and tread on completely new territory. For the first mile I kept telling myself, "it's okay to just stick to your normal route and do 3, you don't feel 100%." Then I got to the one mile mark and took the turn, because I'm not okay with giving up anymore. The run was hard, one of the most difficult in my memory, but I ran the whole way. I had to stop around the 2.75 mark to catch my breath a little (the cold makes my asthma act up) and stretch out my muscles for a minute or so, which really helped. Incidentally, I mapped out a course that was a gradual incline, so most of the last mile was a bit downhill (my legs were grateful).

I ran the 4 miles in 52:14 for a 13:04 pace. Again, a bit slower than I'd like to see, but I completed the run and that's what really matters, at least for now. Yesterday's run not only marks the furthest I've ever run outdoors, but also the longest duration that I've ever run, so even if I was slow, it's pretty exciting.

Now, as for unraveling why I may have been slow (I should be around 11:30-12:00 splits):
-I gave blood this week, and it left me feeling a little tired and weak.
-I have not worked out since last Sunday, when I did my 3.5 miler. I need interim workouts!
-I think I may have been a little bit dehydrated.
-I could have woken up earlier and eaten more.

All things I can work on! Except for the blood thing, but that is an irregular occurrence.

Cold Weather Run #2

Today wasn't nearly as bad as last week's cold-weather run Temperature-wise, it was a balmy 28 F (not sure of the wind chill - somewhere in the ones or low teens). My goal was to run 3.5 miles, which I proudly achieved! It was a little tougher physically this week, though, because I waited until later in the day and didn't give myself enough time after eating. Also, the wind was at my face for the first half of the run, which is never fun. I may also have been a little bit dehydrated. I had enough to drink yesterday, but today I wasn't doing so well with the water. Woops! My time was 44:47, so that put my pace a little over 13:00. Not what I'd LIKE to see, but let's look for the positive: 1) I didn't wuss out and completed the whole 3.5 miles and 2) I ran the WHOLE way - no walking breaks. I think that's a good sacrifice for a bad pace.

I am surprised that I'm sticking to this so well! Last week I only got in one easy run at the gym (on Thursday), so this week I have to try and be better about that. Tuesday I've signed up to give blood, so I've also got to be conscious of that. You can't workout within 24 hours of giving blood, right? I should look into that... Otherwise, it's just back to the old grindstone!

"Running" Errands

Wow! My cold-temperature run went much better than anticipated. The beginning of my training for the half-marathon has been off to a rough start, and today got me (more or less) back on track! My basic training plan is to run 2-3 days during the week nice and easy and then do one long run per week on Saturdays, increasing the long run by 0.5 miles every week. I missed my first 2.0 miler because the gym wasn't open yet and I was afraid of the cold air, then I was swamped with work last week and had to cut out the gym from my schedule.

Yesterday, according to my schedule, I was to run 3.0 miles, but I just wasn't prepared. I couldn't mentally get myself together to get to the gym and get on the DREADmill, plus I was dehydrated. I spent last night organizing my life, taking it easy and relaxing by myself, and hydrating. REALLY hydrating. Then I woke up, had a cup of tea and a clementine, and decided, "To hell with the gym with it's stuffy air and too few machines!"

I have asthma, so the cold air typically does a number on me, but I had never run outside in such cold temperatures before (22 F, when I ran past a thermometer outside a store front). Usually, come first snow fall, I am at the gym until all the snow goes away, then I make my way bake outside. Add the the asthma problems my inability to stay upright while walking in ice-free conditions (my mom has been known to call me 'Grace' for my complete lack of it), cold weather in central Mass scares me. A lot! But as of today, I had had enough, and set out to run my favorite 3.0 mile route, albeit a day late.

Like I said, it went surprisingly well! I finished in 33:47, for an average pace of about 11:15. The only times I stopped running were at lights (but I jogged in place), and then I had to do some banking (lol), so I paused my watch and "ran my errands." I hadn't noticed the effects the cold had on me until I got inside, when I started wheezing. Just have to be a little careful about that, and consciously pay attention to my breathing, I suppose.

So yeah, success in the cold! Not my favorite, but it's doable and doesn't cause too much damage. I don't think I could run much colder than this though... the wind chill was 9 F! It was bitterly cold when I started, but once I got warmed up it wasn't so bad at all, especially because it's quite sunny today. It started to get cold again near the end when I started sweating - once I acquire some funds I'll have to invest in a ColdGear UnderArmour shirt...

Oof!

It's been a rough week and a half. Last week was the second of the semester, and I already had a presentation worth 20% of my grade! It was a difficult presentation regardless of who my partner was, but I ended up getting paired with a girl who spoke very poor English, which made everything doubly difficult! Because of my attention to the presentation, I slept very poorly and only got one workout in (2 miles last Tuesday).

And now I'm behind on my fitness, and my work for all of my other classes! I figured that if I don't get back to my workouts, I'll just let them slip away completely, and then I won't get to run my half marathon, so I am prioritizing. Sure, my work is important, but I can sacrifice and hour and a half a day for this (re: for myself). Today I have decided to run outside (20 F, windchill 9 F), and I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the butt. I just HATE treadmills. SO boring, and the gym at school is not a very good facility and has incredibly poor air circulation. I just can't handle it! So I'm off to brave the cold - I'm already all suited up. Wish me luck!