Leah Runs

One more pic - Route 66 5k

2011-11-30T19:26:00.001-08:00

Here's the pic taken by the MarathonFoto people... that want to charge $29 for a single photo. I wonder if anyone actually buys them.

I'm happy, my legs look pretty good. Fit and not quite so scrawny anymore. ;)

Route 66 Marathon - 5k Event Pics!

2011-11-26T09:51:00.001-08:00

Here are some of the pics from the 5k event at the Route 66 Marathon. I included all of the pics of myself and some of the runners from my NoBo group.

A few months ago if anyone asked me if I could run 3 miles or if I enjoy running, I would've laughed and said no way. Now I've ran three 5k events and 1 trail run. I'm proud of what I accomplished. Plus my legs are much more toned and I finally have some slightly noticeable calf muscles. (They were burning today on the longest hill!) The past 12 (13) weeks went by super fast. I definitely want to sign up for the 10k group - Pathways - in the spring time.

Anyway, here are the pics!

Fleet Feet - No Boundaries 1 & 2 - 5k Runners & Walkers

Fleet Feet - No Boundaries - most of the N1 group are on the left side.

I'm visible on the left side of the pic.

Approaching the finish line.

Finish line.

Leah (me), Bethany, Coach Kaley, Keith, Stephanie, Jeff, Logan and Coach Betsy

Keith

Stephanie

Coach Kaley and Coach Betsy

Logan

Bethany

Logan, Morgan (I think?), Stephanie and Keith

Route 66 - 5K (NoBo Goal Run!)

2011-11-19T14:16:00.001-08:00

Not my best run today but I finished and I ran the whole thing. It was so windy! I've never ran in wind like that before. Plus hills! When driving, those hills don't really seem like hills. They're much different on foot. The temperature was just right (for me). While we were standing around before race time, the wind made it cold but I warmed up quickly.
My time was 27:13... which isn't bad at all, but I was hoping to do better than my previous time, not run slower! This race was harder for me than the past two. Thankfully one of the N1 guys (Keith) was very close to the same pace for the whole run. That made it easier to keep my pace, especially when I was feeling tired. I admit I drafted of of him on the windy Peoria stretch. He finished just a few seconds faster.
I don't think I was as hydrated as I should've been, among other things. I'm sure I could come up with a half dozen other excuses, but it's not the end of the world. I just like to keep improving.

Everyone in the N1 group finished with great times. I got 4th place for women 25-29. 108th place overall. I think that was out of 916 people. I'll have to verify that.

I just realized I never did stretch after the run. Eek! Better do that tonight or I'll be feeling it tomorrow! It's 10pm on a Saturday night and I feel ready for bed. It's been a long day, but a good one. :)

THE RESULTS:
Number of Finishers: 913

Number of Females: 605 (Top female: 20:40)

Number of Males: 308 (Top male: 17:28)

Average Time: 38:23

MY RESULTS:

Time: 27:13

Pace: 8:51

109 / 913 finishers
35 / 606 women
4 / 72 division (25-29 women).

Here are a couple pics from the run! The first one was taken from Fleet Feet's Facebook. The second was from one of my coach's Facebook. Hopefully I'll have more to add.

Click to enlarge!

Fleet Feet's No Boundaries 1 and 2.
(I'm on the front row, 3rd from the left.)

Most of the NoBo N1 group & our great coaches!

More rain tomorrow?

2011-11-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

Just thinking that I'd enjoy another warm weather run in the rain... it's raining now but the temp is just perfect. We have a good chance of rain tomorrow and the temperature is supposed to be 69 for the high and 62 for the low. I'm actually looking forward to my next rain run... just as long as it's happens before it gets cold. ;)

Running in the rain + a pic from Rt 66

2011-11-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night I had a surprisingly great run... in the rain. The only other time I've ran in the rain was just a short distance and I was hurrying home to get out of it. That day was hot, steamy and miserable. This time was so much better. I actually enjoyed it. The temperature was perfect. I wore a wind-breaker type jacket and was glad I wore a short sleeved shirt under my jacket. I got a bit hot. Toward the end of the run my jacket started getting heavy with the weight of the water. At some point I need to buy a jacket designed for running. The one I wore was just one I had laying around the house but I was glad I had it! I would've been drenched by the time I was finished.

Jason thought I was crazy and kept asking "Are you really going to run in the rain? Do you think anyone else will actually show up?" Most of the group did show up. One guy hasn't been coming on Wednesdays anyway so he wasn't there and the 68 y/o man didn't show up. I don't blame him. I thought it would be a miserable run, but it was great!

I think I could love running in the rain if the temperature was always that nice. A few degrees colder and I might have a different opinion...

Oh yeah... I hit the 100 mile point some time during my rain run... so Yay! ;)

My Saturday morning run was chilly, but a good one. I always hate getting out of bed early on Saturdays but once I'm finished running I feel great and realize that it was worth it. I just need to remember that when my alarm is ringing.

Also, here's another pic from before the Williams run with one of the ladies in my group - Stephanie. They actually wanted to sell me this pic... and charge $29.00 for 1 downloaded photo. Yikes! No thank you. I'll stick with this one with "PROOF" plastered across the center of it. If I had an awesome photo of finishing in 1st place, then maybe... but not just a casual pic.

Stephanie and Me

Coming up on 100 miles.

2011-10-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

I'm thisclose to the 100 mile mark since I started running in July. 6 more miles to go... that actually makes me want to go run just to get to the 100 mile mark. That's crazy to me. I hated running in high school and I never ran more than the required mile. I'm glad I've been keeping track of my miles since I started. That makes it exciting. 100 miles. That's almost like running from Tulsa to OKC. It's been close to 4 months since I began. I wonder what I'll be at next year.

Came across this on pinterest the other day and thought it was appropriate for my previous post:

That's all for tonight.

A couple pics from the Williams - 5k

2011-10-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple pics with the typical finish line odd facial expressions. I don't think anyone has a normal running face. Well, actually the female 1st place woman had fantastic triumphant, happy smiling pics. Good for her. I wouldn't like to get first place and end up with pics like mine below. That's pretty vain... I know.

During the Zoo run and this 5k run my neck/shoulder muscles stiffened up pretty bad and I've realized that I need to keep my arms down lower when I'm swinging them. See, look right there - swinging too high. I look like I'm clenching my fists too but I'm actually not. They probably just got frozen in that position. ;) I was cold!

Tonight's run was pretty good. The weather is getting cold quickly. I MUST get gloves before my next run. My hands were, once again, freezing! The rest of me felt comfortably warm/cool in capris and a long sleeve tech shirt. I'm loving my shoes. Light, comfortable. Just right.

That's all tonight.

Williams Quarter Marathon - 5k Event

2011-10-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Great race this morning! I ran my second 5k this morning at the Williams Quarter Marathon event. They had the quarter, 5k and the double (which was the 5k + the quarter) and a fun run.

The first 2 kilometers were the toughest. It took me a while to warm up and it was hard to breathe the cool air. My hands were icy cold the whole time so I'm definitely putting gloves at the top of my list.
I was glad they had a clock at every K marker. The first K was 5 minutes + some seconds... so I tried to keep other 4 kilometers around the same pace. 10:--min, 15:-- min, 20.-- min, then finishing. My time was 26:24. 18 seconds faster than my previous run at the zoo. I think I could've ran it faster but I was too worried about my breathing. I don't do well breathing hard in the cold weather and I don't want to end up having a coughing-fit or whatever you want to call it. I had enough energy left to finish strong. I actually finished around the same time as a lady I recognized from the zoo race.
I chowed down a soft-pretzel and a chunk of orange afterwards. Oh, this was kinda funny -- I couldn't open my bottle of water and thought it was because my hands were so cold but, I asked one of the guys to open it for me and he couldn't get it either. He tried for just a second, then handed me a different one.

THE RESULTS:

Number of Finishers: 581

Number of Females: 353 (Top female: 21:21)

Number of Males: 228 (Top male: 16:59)

Average Time: 31:56

My results:

Time: 26:24

Pace: 8:31 (5:15 k pace)

133 / 581 finishers
41 / 324 women
7 / 485 division... 485 people in my division...? What? That must be a typo? That doesn't make sense.

I'm sleepy from getting up so early so that's all for today.

New Shoes + 3 month running anniversary.

2011-10-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

After my group run downtown this morning, I got fitted for some new running shoes at Fleet Feet and ended up with the Mizuno Wave Elixir 6. They're silver and, of all colors, pink. Ahh! I'm not crazy about pink shoes but they're super comfortable, light weight and narrow. They fit really well... so I can deal with the pink. They're $10 cheaper online. That's not much of a difference. I'd definitely rather pay a little extra for the proper fitting, advice, etc... rather than just ordering a pair online and hoping they work well for my feet. Also, I'm positive I would have ordered the wrong size online, and would've had to send them back. I ended up with a size 8, though I normally wear a 6-7 depending on the brand. I've never worn an 8. I tried on 3 others that were reasonably comfortable but they weren't just right. One pair had "stuff" in weird places under my feet. Another felt way too spongy. So... I ended up with silver and pink shoes. Why couldn't they have been red and silver? Oh yeah... my old shoes were red and silver. How 'bout black and silver. That would've been better.

New shoes!

Mizuno Wave Elixir 6

I also got a few more piece of clothing from Academy last night. Finally got some capris that fit. I don't think I'll buy any more pants online unless I already know the particular brand and style fits me. I already have a couple things to return to Amazon.

As of yesterday I've been running for 3 months. I feel good, I'm exercising regularly, my legs are getting toned again, and I'm meeting new people.... and actually enjoying running. Never thought I'd say that. I don't love running, but I like it a lot. ;)

First 5k! -- Tulsa Zoo Run

2011-10-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

I ran the Tulsa Zoo Run today. It was my first 5k and also my first official race. I don't really count the Turkey Mountain trail run from a couple weeks ago. Trail running feels like a totally different sport altogether.

I got there shortly after 7am, got a decent parking space, then froze my butt off for the next hour and a half. It was cold! I think it got down to 46 last night. I'm not ready for that. I'm a total wimp when it comes to cold weather. The 5k was supposed to start at 8:30 but began a few minutes later. I stopped shivering (literally) about 2 minutes into it but my fingers were ice cold the whole time.
I ran the whole way and kept up a steady pace. I felt like slowing down to a walk a couple times but I kept running. There was a woman a little bit ahead of me in a bright blue shirt that looked like a strong runner so I tried to keep pace with her. Toward the end I was feeling tired but I saw the 4k marker and did my best to stay strong and sprint over the finish line.

I'm happy with my results.

Here are the results from the race:

Top finishers:

Male 16:46
Female: 20:23

Average Time: 36:45

And here are my results:
112th / 710 finishers
26th / 438 women
4th / 66 division (females age 25-29)

5k Time - 26:42
Pace: 5:21

Here's the obligatory t-shirt, number and GPS map.

Tulsa Zoo Run 2011

Map at the Zoo / Mohawk Park

Great weather. Great run!

2011-09-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

Another great run tonight. This weather is just about perfect. We did a little over 2.5 miles through the hill neighborhood. It's a bit of a challenge but I felt really good. I don't feel like I'm over-doing it. I like the gradual build up.

Tonight was a good reminder of how much better it is to wear sweat-wicking clothing. I wore a regular t-shirt and was surprised at how sticky I felt. On that note, I got my FF shirt... so yay, 1 more tech shirt in my athletic wardrobe. ;)

I guess that's it for tonight. Not much excitement... but that's a good thing sometimes.

Scratch that last post + First rain run.

2011-09-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

I guess I spoke too soon about the knee popping possibly being gone. It's still there, so back to ignoring it like I have been for the past 7+ years. Oh well... I was excited about it for a little while. So never mind that last post.

I didn't do the Race for the Cure yesterday... I think I waited too late to sign up (online anyway), but I had some other stuff I needed to do too. I did go for a run around my neighborhood around noon. It wasn't hot but it was humid and sticky out. The air felt thick and it was hard to breathe. Eventually it started raining... so I ran in the rain for the first time. It felt better once it actually started raining vs the nasty sticky air. I didn't know how bad the rain was going to get so I cut across the school parking lot and hurried home. I would've been totally drenched if I'd taken the long route. Over all it was a decent run, though not enjoyable.

dailymile.com + Knee popping gone?

2011-09-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

I eliminated my run-log that I had on the right side column. I'm on dailymile now so I can keep track of runs & other workouts, miles, time, number of donuts burned, etc. I added the widget on the right side column.

I barely made it to my group run this evening. I felt worn out, rushed, traffic was bad, etc... but I went anyway and I'm glad I did. We ran 2.5 miles today in a different neighborhood with hills. I actually thought the hills would've been more difficult; maybe just not knowing what to expect. My previous experience with inclines and declines usually bothered my left knee but so far so good. Maybe since I've gradually built up to where I'm at my knees have gotten stronger. I'm sure they have. Now that I'm thinking about it... the loud pop in my left knee seems quieter. No. It actually is quieter. It's not totally gone but significantly better. How have I not noticed that yet? It has popped for 7-8 years since before my first surgery (stretched ACL - 2003) and I've just lived with it. I ignore it. Is running - the exercise I loathed - the cure? Weird!

I got my shipment from Amazon today. 1 item (capris) was out of stock but everything else arrived. Hope everything fits. :)

Clothing!

2011-09-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

Nearly all of my athletic clothing is spandex from my speed skating days so I really need a few new things for running. I browsed Amazon and found lots of stuff I wanted... I still have plenty of items in my "to purchase later" list but I had a $75 gift card so I wanted to keep it around that amount for this week. I also need a new pair of shoes, plus I have school expenses since I'm not getting any student loans... Ahh, life!

Anyway, I scaled it down to the necessary items - some long pants, capris, a pair of shorts and a couple long sleeve tops. I'm not picky about brands as long as it's good quality and sweat wicking, etc. Some of them were clearance colors or certain sizes on sale. I didn't quite keep it under $75 but with my gift card, free shipping and a few dollars worth of Amazon points, I only ended up paying just over $11 for the 5 items. Not bad. ;)

Here's what I ordered... and links to each item:

Sugoi Women's MidZero Zip Thermal Top

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O86IIS

$25.50 (reg. $85.00)

Mizuno Women's Meridian Running Pant

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034G4VK2

(I think I got the last Navy)

$19.20 (reg. $63.99)

Brooks Women's Break Away Long Sleeve Shirt

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PDO1K4

$14.40 (reg. $48.00)

Salomon Trail II 3/4 Tight

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00446J124

$16.24 (reg. $64.95)

Pearl Izumi Women's Infinity Short

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ELC05O

$12.00 (reg. $40.00)

So full price would've been $301.94 for everything. And I only paid $11.00 out of pocket. So I kicked butt at shopping today. ;)

That's it for today.

A quick post tonight.

2011-09-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post... the weather is beautiful this week. Barely making it to the 80's! That's a huge change from last week.

Tonight my group ran about 2.2 miles if I recall correctly. I felt pretty good during and after.

My ankles were sore yesterday from trail running on Monday... but felt pretty good today.

My knees are still good, so I'm still happy with running.

Escape from Turkey Mountain - Pics!

2011-09-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

Tons of pics are up online here. I posted a few that I'm in. There were a couple others but I had a stupid look on my face so call me vain but I didn't want to post 'em.

Click to view full size.

STARTING OUT

Starting the 2 mile trail run. I'm the female in the blue shirt.

Starting the 2 mile trail run.

The back of the pack.

FINISHING

Approaching the finish line behind... some guy.

Finishing!

Escape from Turkey Mountain

2011-09-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

The trail run at Turkey Mountain was great this morning. It was challenging but fun. It was actually cold when I got there! 56 degrees around 6:35am. I wasn't expecting it to be that chilly out. I don't have any fall/winter gear for running yet so I kept my jacket on until we had just a few minutes before go-time. I'm glad I got there early and got a close parking spot too. It was packed later on.

The trail run was basically running through a hiking trail, over rocks, lots of tree roots, dirt, up and down hill, etc. When I was a kid we would go bike riding through the trails on the other side of the river. I couldn't help but remember the time I hit a tree root/stump and went flying over the handle bars like superman. I was probably 10. That was painful but I got back on my bike and kept going.
Anyway, the trail we ran today was very similar (pics below). We basically had to run single-file and it was very difficult to pass people. I almost fell a couple times. There were a few people with skinned knees.

My time was 22:17. I finished 5th for my age group and 12th out of 91 women. So that's decent. I saw several people from my regular group I met a few new people too.

I feel pretty good except for my neck and shoulders are tight and hurt. I have a bit of a headache today too. I'm very tired today, but mostly from not getting enough sleep. I took a nap earlier and now I feel like a zombie. I don't like naps!

Here's the GPS map of the math we took today. I use the free Endomondo app on my Droid.

Here are a few pics of the Turkey Mountain trails from here (found via Google). Not your typical running surface!

And my shirt/tag.

I need to get a wicking jacket. I have a $75 Amazon gift card so I might put it to good use. I found a few things on sale so I think I'll order them tomorrow.

Downtown Run

2011-09-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

We ran just over 2 miles downtown this morning. It wasn't hot but it was humid and sticky out. I feel good though. Still no knee pain and I'd like to keep it that way. The biggest challenge was just finding somewhere to park! It's terrible that I've spent my whole life in Tulsa and I've probably been downtown 5 times. So I enjoyed doing a little sight-seeing during my run.

After my run I stopped by Whole Foods and got more PowerPak (electrolytes) and coconut water... and chocolate almonds. I love chocolate almonds.

I'm looking forward to the trail run on Monday. I think it'll be fun.

Good (hot) run... plus signed up for my first run!

2011-08-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

Another great run with my Fleet Feet group. I've probably said it 3 times already but it's so much better running with other people and I like my group. There's a couple older people (early 40's I'm guessing) and several 20-somethings. It might seem stupid but it's a nice change from skating. That always seemed to include me and a bunch of older men and maybe a couple small kids. Not the most fun environment... especially not fun when a little kid causes a pileup. I still have scars from that.

It was blazing hot today - 105 degrees with a hot breeze. Thankfully there was some shade where we were running. Still very hot though.

After our run there was a gear clinic... basically telling us all about proper shoes, sports bras, gps devices, bottles, nipguards and other stuff. Lots of great info. I'm planning to get fitted for shoes soon... just gotta make sure my super high electric bill is paid first. Priorities! Of course... but my toes are hurting a bit from my shoes.

There's a trail run called Escape From Turkey Mountain on Monday (Labor Day). A 2 miles and a 5 mile. I've never done a trail run so I'm going to do the 2 mile. I bet it'll be fun. Several of the other people in my group are also doing it. This will be my first run. The hard part will be getting out of bed early on my day off. ;)

Running with Fleet Feet. :)

2011-08-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

So far I really like running with Fleet Feet. I'm glad I changed to the more advanced group. I think I would've been totally bored if I had stayed with the beginner group and so far it's been easy to run with my pace group.

Today we did 2 miles -- Run 6 minutes. Walk 1 minute. Repeat.

I've noticed that when running with the group, my side hasn't hurt and my neck hasn't hurt either. I don't know what I'm doing or not doing but obviously I like not having any pain. My knees are doing just fine too. I notice a little hint of pain or discomfort every now and then but not enough to worry me. I need to strengthen my knees and the muscles around them.

I'm getting calf muscles! It's silly but I'm excited. No more scrawny calves. Well, they're still scrawny but I'm finally seeing a very slight difference. Yay!

Running group

2011-08-22T20:14:00.001-07:00

I had my first group run/class with Fleet Feet. Tonight was mostly orientation and figuring out what pace groups everyone will be placed in. It was a short run so I felt pretty good. I met a few people. Hopefully I'll remember their names and meet more as the weeks go by. There were so many people! My guess is at least 100 people!
Anyway, I'm excited about it. I never imagined I would be excited about running. Crazy!
School tomorrow, then running again on Wednesday. I'm thinking about skating outdoors for a bit of exercise variety. I have the stationary bike too... and of course Pilates.

6 weeks + joined a running group.

2011-08-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

I'm around the 6 week point from when I began running. Tonight I ran 2.12 miles at a steady pace without slowing to a walk. The last half mile was pretty hard. I kept looking toward the next sign, shrub or some other landmark. Reminded me of when I was skating and getting pretty tired and just concentrating on that next pylon. The the final stretch was uphill. Uggh! But I did it... so I feel pretty good!

No major neck paint tonight. No headache so far. And my side only hurt a little bit. I drank a PowerPak about 45 minutes before running and I felt pretty good the whole time. I still need to work on my breathing.

I have more good news too! I joined the local Fleet Feet running group. I'm starting with "No Boundaries 2". I'm not going to do the "Couch to 5K" group since I'm already off the couch. I'm excited about it. It starts Monday.

I bought some new gear today... mostly in the children's section. Nike's girls size Large shorts fit me much better than the women's XS... and they have built in granny panties. Yay? I don't know if I like that yet. Anyway, children's sizes typically cost a bit less too. I also bought a boy's Medium fitted Nike DryFit shirt and it fits perfectly. I also bought a sports bra - not from the children's section... but it's nothing special. I don't need much support. Just sweat wicking.

Nike Girls DryFit Shorts

Nike Boys Dry Fit shirt.

And this nifty handheld water bottle. I used it tonight. I didn't drink much since I kept running the whole time but if I was doing intervals I would've probably used more. It's easy to hang onto without thinking about it. I would've preferred the stainless steel bottle (2nd pic below) but it was quite a bit bigger, awkward regular bottle shape and $40! If it was the same shape as the amphipod it would be totally worth it.

Amphipod

Amphipod PURErun stainless steel bottle.

August 16th

2011-08-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

Another pretty good run tonight. I did 1.57 miles before I had to slow to a walk... then I just walked the rest of the way home. 1.87 miles total. My knee ached for the first minute or two then I quit noticing it.

When I got home, Jason and I took the dogs for a walk. That helped me cool down a bit more.

Sipping on ice cold coconut water now. Refreshing. :)

Cooler weather = better running.

2011-08-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight's run was alright. The cooler weather makes it SO much better. I did 2.11 miles total. The first mile felt great. It took 11 minutes. The second mile took about 15. My legs felt good but my side started hurting pretty bad. Maybe I didn't wait long enough after eating? I'm not sure. I walked/jogged/walked/jogged on the way home. I sprinted up the last incline before getting back to my street for a cool-down.

I feel pretty good now but my sides hurt so bad. Oh well... I'll take that any day over knee pain.

Finally! A great run.

2011-08-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

I actually had a great run tonight. I did 1.55 miles around the neighborhood in about 19 minutes. I kept a steady pace the whole time and didn't slow to a walk until I got back to my block/circle. Then I walked home to cool off.
It was hard towards the end but I kept going. I kept telling myself "If you were skating you'd keep going". And it's true. Of course on wheels you can change up the stride a bit or bend/straighten your legs. My muscles weren't screaming so I could continue. I tried to control my breathing a bit better but I'm still having trouble with that. My knees were hurting a bit on the inclines but I managed alright. I wonder if I should wear my knee brace? I got a throbbing headache right after I got home. My neck was hurting pretty bad too (on the right side).

Aside from the aches and pains... it was the best run I've had. It's been about an hour and a half and I feel really good now. Just need a snack.

A slight break from the heat.

2011-08-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

It's only 95 degrees tonight. Only. Actually it's a big difference considering that we've been hitting 112, 114 lately... crazy hot weather. So 95 feels alright. Just got home from a short run with Radcliff. It's already starting to get dark earlier so I took my big boy with me. He did alright but he's just not made for endurance or keeping a steady pace.

Only 1.26 miles tonight. I felt pretty good and I could've kept going but it was getting dark quickly and Radcliff was lagging behind. I guess that's it for tonight.

Way too hot!

2011-08-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

1.25 miles tonight in 15:21 minutes... not that I'm counting time.

I did 3 laps around the school's track plus a little extra. I'm pretty sure it's a 400m long track. I've skated around it before... it seems so much longer on foot rather than on wheels.

102 degrees out at 9pm... this heat is brutal.

I haven't ran much lately and I haven't had a headache in a few days... I'll see if I get a headache later tonight or tomorrow.

Run No. 8

2011-07-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

Nothing exciting about run number 8. It's still been brutally hot so I ~~ran~~ jogged 1.49 miles the other night around 8:30pm. I slowed to a walk a few times. It had cooled down to about 97 degrees but it was still awful. Since I didn't run as much as I wanted to I came home and got on the stationary bike for 10 minutes or so.

I've been getting headaches regularly since I began running. Not during the run but afterwards or the next day. That part sucks. I've been taking the PowerPaks and drinking plenty of water... so I'm still trying to figure that out.

I'll probably go out for a run tonight again. Currently (1:15pm) it's 103 out. Ouch!

Run No. 7

2011-07-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

Jason and I took the dogs for a walk and a run in the school yard, then I went for a solo run. I only did 1.32 miles tonight in about 17 minutes. This heat is just brutal. It's after 9pm now and still 102 degrees out. Also I ate too recently so my stomach wasn't playing nice either. I ended up walking quite a bit. Oh well... before long I'll be whining that it's too cold.

Note to self: Don't listen to skating music while running. Too tempted to bust a move... which probably wouldn't work out too well on feet. ;)

Run No. 6

2011-07-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight I jogged a full mile before slowing down to walk for a short distance. I think I took 3 fast-walking breaks on the way back. My calves actually feel sore already. Hope I can walk properly tomorrow

I did 2.28 miles total. Was whistled at once by some teenage boys. That doesn't bother me. As long as they're not talking trash to me. I'm cool with a whistle. ;)

I didn't take any of the dogs with me tonight. They've slowed me down the last couple times. Once I got home from my run, Jason and I took them all out for a walk. That helped me cool down too. When I walked in the front door and stopped moving I just started sweating profusely. I hate that feeling.

My left heel area was tingling a bit on the second half of my run. Not sure what that's about... Maybe my shoe was too tight? I'll need to figure that out. I tried to make sure I wasn't landing hard on my heels and lift my feet up a bit more in my stride. It went away pretty quick.

I hope later on I'll be able to look back and think how crappy and slow I used to be.

It's got what plants crave!

2011-07-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Since I started running I've been drinking even more water than I normally do. Lately It's been about 72oz per day and the past few days I've still felt thirsty. And I've been getting headaches. In this crazy heat (over 100 degrees every day for almost 2 weeks), water alone just doesn't cut it. So today I went to Whole Foods stocked up on some electrolyte supplements and a few other things (like dark chocolate covered almonds). A few things turned into $75... that always seems to happen at Whole Foods!

For hydration purposes I got Electrolyte Stamina Power Pak by Trace Minerals. It's cheaper online at Vitaminshoppe.com and also on Amazon but I needed it now. I'll have to order it online before I run out again. It's basically a packet of powder that you mix with water. It fizzes and foams, then you drink it. It has vitamins works really well.
"It's got electrolytes. It's got what plants crave!"
(If you haven't seen the movie Idiocracy, just ignore that.)

I also got another product called U Natural Hydration by Nuun. It comes in a tablet form (like Alka Seltzer) so you just drop a tablet in your water, wait a few minutes and drink. I need to do a more thorough comparison between it and the Power Pak to see which is better. When you break it down, they cost about the same per serving.

I bought the Cucumber Mint and tried it tonight. It doesn't have a strong taste and it's not very sweet. I don't mind it.

I absolutely hate drinking out of plastic cups and bottles. The only way I put up with my Camelbak bottle is because I never put anything in it except water.

I've considered buying a glass water bottle like this one but they cost anywhere from $16 to $25 and though I don't mind spending the money on a quality bottle... I haven't done it yet. Tonight I came across a fancy glass bottle of water called VOSS artesian water from norway at Whole Foods. It was only $3 and change so I bought it. I bought it for the bottle. I'm couldn't care less about "artesian" water and I very rarely buy bottled water. This VOSS bottle is cheap enough to buy a few so I can leave one at work, and keep a couple at home, etc.

The VOSS artesian water comes in sparkling and regular. Unfortunately I picked up the "sparkling" type which tastes strange but soon I'll be filling it with filtered water. It holds 800ml which is about 27oz. That's close enough to my current Camelbak bottle. It might be silly but I'm quite happy to have found a suitable, inexpensive glass bottle for every day use. I will grudgingly stick to plastic or polycarbonate to use while actually running.

Moving on from the fancy glass bottles... I ran 1.82 miles this evening. Actually I walked about half of it. I took Bree, our most recently retired greyhound, thinking she might have more endurance than the others. I was wrong... She did just a little bit better than Radcliff but greyhounds just don't make good running partners. I'm planning to join a running group in August so hopefully that'll be better than running with the dogs. They're holding me back. They're sprinters so they just don't have it in them to keep up a decent pace for very long.

Here's Bree doing what she does best.

Run No. 4

2011-07-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

Sir Radcliff

I went for a late run last night with my big buddy Radcliff. So far he's been the best to run with. Scandal is lazy... or rather, I bet since she's so girly she doesn't want to break a sweat... or something equally prissy. She can sprint like... well, like a greyhound, but once she's done she turns into a bum. Memory was decent to run with but he tired faster than Radcliff and he's more easily distracted by little yappy dogs and things like that. I haven't tried running with Bree yet. Maybe next time.

According to the GPS, I only did 0.96 miles last night but I kept a steady pace and only paused for a moment to let Radcliff pee on a light post. I forgot to turn off my running app as soon as I was finished so I don't have an accurate time for last night's run. It was a shorter run than the last few.
It was also still very hot, even after 9pm. I can't wait for Autumn. It's my favorite time of the year and I bet running outdoors will be fantastic and beautiful.

I'm actually noticing some slight definition in my calves! And all it took was... running. I've tried calf raises and all sorts of different exercises and they never made my calves any bigger. But now my scrawny calves might actually get some shape. I took a "before" picture of my skinny calves but I'd rather not post it until I have an "after" picture to go along with it. A tan wouldn't hurt either. ;)

I'm not a cold weather person so I'm already thinking about looking for a treadmill on Craigslist or in garage sales. My dad picked one up at a garage sale last year for only $25! It's not fancy but it is in good shape and does exactly what it's supposed to. I'll have to be on the lookout for that.

Run No. 3

2011-07-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Run number 3 tonight. I only did 1.33 miles according to the app on my Droid, but this time I jogged almost the whole way. I walked on my street to warm up and cool down. Once I got to the sidewalk I jogged the whole way. I feel good. I did the 1.33 miles in about 15 minutes. I wasn't running fast (obviously!); just a steady jog. My calves actually hurt a bit too. Maybe I'll finally get some nice calf muscles.

I did stop once to let Memory tend to the fire hydrant. You'd think greyhounds would be great runners but they really have no endurance. Memory was totally worn out. At least he didn't drag behind like Scandal last time. I'm sure if I take him often he'll gain more endurance too.

Anyway... I'm making progress. My right knee hurt for a few minutes but the pain is gone now. Probably just hurts from lack of use. ;)

That's all for tonight.

Run No. 2

2011-07-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I guess I'll need to start up a running blogs soon... I have this project blog, a greyhound blog and a reading blog... why not a running blog too? But what to call it? I'll have to come up with a suitable name.

My legs were a little sore after my last run. Just my quads and the muscles on the outside of my shins... the tibialis anterior according to the internet. I need to figure out if I'm running correctly, etc.

Today was run number 2. More like walk and jog. I don't think I've really done any running yet. But I have to start slow. According to the GPS on my phone I did 2.13 miles. I have to admit, the GPS tracking is a little bit creepy. It shows when I diverted off the sidewalk with Scandal to pass another jogger. Freaky, but also cool.

I dropped by the closest running store to see what is available. I'll probably buy a pair of running shoes next weekend and I think I'm going to sign up to be in a running group this fall. I think it stats at the end of August and goes for 12 weeks. I'll get more details later. I think it'll be good to run with other people, and it would be good to make some new friends too.

I got a SpiBelt... which is a stylish name for a fanny-pack... Yeah. I actually bought a fanny-pack. Jason got a kick out of it and of course, made fun of it... but I don't blame him. It's a fanny pack! Oh well. Gotta have some place to carry my phone and drivers license.

Here's what it looks like.

No, this isn't me.

That's it for tonight.

Starting To Run

2011-07-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011

I've been thinking about trying running/jogging and I keep putting it off. Yesterday I came across this Nike ad on Pinterest.

So true.

So tonight I got off my butt and I went for a short run/jog tonight. I mapped it out with Google and it seems to be about 1.25 miles. I'm not sure if that's totally accurate. I walked, jogged, walked, jogged and walked. Probably the first time I've ran more than a half a block since high school cheer leading. I hated running back then but I want to do something active and running is free and I can do it any time... so I'm giving it another try. Being outdoors makes a big difference.

I've had 5 knee surgeries, but so far my knees both feel pretty good. My left knee (4 of the 5 surgeries) felt a bit odd when I was going down a sloped area on the sidewalk so I slowed to a walk 'til I was down the slope. My right knee (1 surgery) felt just fine. I'm not going to baby my knees but I need to start out slow. I don't want any more knee injuries or knee pain.

Knee surgeries (2003 to 2006):
1 Left - stretched ACL (the doc did a heat-shrink procedure - electrothermal shrinkage)
2 Left - torn ACL (not quite torn in half, but like a very frayed rope)
3 Left - scar tissue
4 Left - scar tissue (the 2 scar tissue surgeries were easy. Maybe 1 full day on crutches.)
5 Right - torn meniscus (not a bad tear; just a few days on crutches)

I took Radcliff with me for "protection". I'm not sure just what he'd do if someone tried to mess with me, (I don't want to find out) but he's 92lbs so he's almost as big as I am. He's well behaved so he can be intimidating. I need to get him to bark on command. He's got a big, bad bark.
Memory was totally jealous when I got home so next time I'll take him. I'll plan to switch dogs each time so no one gets too jealous. ;)