December 17 - December 23
17
18
19 +3: run 3 miles
20
21
22 +2.5: run 2.6 miles
23
Additional challenge and question points:
Weekly Total: +5.5
Challenge Total: 5.5 + 48.5
Thursday 22 December 2011
Friday 16 December 2011
HBBC Tally - Week 4
December 10 - December 16
10
11
12 +2: run 2 miles on the treadmill
13 +3.5: run 3.93 miles (and it felt great!)
14
15 +4.5: run 4.45 miles
16 +3: 1 hour of yoga
Additional challenge and question points:
Weekly Total: +13
Challenge Total: 48.5
10
11
12 +2: run 2 miles on the treadmill
13 +3.5: run 3.93 miles (and it felt great!)
14
15 +4.5: run 4.45 miles
16 +3: 1 hour of yoga
Additional challenge and question points:
Weekly Total: +13
Challenge Total: 48.5
Thursday 15 December 2011
Run-bot
Sometimes, about a minute or two into my run and usually when I haven't warmed up adequately, I get this awful sensation like something is washing right through me. I don't know what it is, a rush of chemicals or hormones or something, but it's extremely unpleasant and I absolutely detest it. It is this sensation that prevented me from becoming a "real" runner for a very long time because when it comes over me it makes me feel so weak that the effort of continuing to move forward seems impossible. It used to stop me cold but now I push through it and it's over and forgotten in a minute. It hasn't happened for a long while so I had forgotten about it but it happened twice this week. I didn't warm up for either run, just headed straight out, so I guess that's the cause. Anyone know what it is? I hate it. Hateithateithateit.
And another thing! During my last two runs I have gotten into a groove where I feel like I'm on auto-pilot. My legs don't even seem to belong to me. I'm a machine from the hips down and the run is all in my head. What is up with that?
And another thing! During my last two runs I have gotten into a groove where I feel like I'm on auto-pilot. My legs don't even seem to belong to me. I'm a machine from the hips down and the run is all in my head. What is up with that?
Wednesday 14 December 2011
The Kind of Runner I Am
I signed up for the Ottawa Race Weekend today. I've got five months to get cosy with 10k and I am looking forward to it!
Yesterday was the first decent run I've had since becoming sick a few weeks ago, and what a nice morale booster it was! A little over 6k and hilly, which I'm feeling today but I don't mind. It felt great to be out there! As I was looking at my route map it occurred to me that the elevation maps don't always tell a true story. One of my favourite routes covers some nice big hills that don't show on the map because the land elevation is different from the street elevation; two of the hills I like to run are highway overpasses.
As I was running I was thinking about the progress I've made in the past few months. My breathing's better, my form and pacing are better, and I can cover much longer distances. But my speed? Meh. Pretty much as good as it ever was with small bursts of better. So I was thinking...does it matter to me? Is racing important to me? And I have to confess, it's not.
When I think about the kind of runner I want to be, I don't often think about how fast I covered the distance. I want to be the kind of runner who finishes the run she starts. I want to be the kind of runner who covers the distance not effortlessly but comfortably. I want to be the kind of runner who casually says, "Just heading out for a run, back in an hour" or "What a gorgeous day, did five miles this morning and loved every minute of it." I want to be the kind of runner who's lean and energetic and who smiles while she runs. I want to be the kind of runner who signs up for a race not to try to win it but for the fun of it. The only competition I think about is the one in my own head...can I go farther? longer? faster than the last time? That's the kind of runner I want to be, and that's the kind of runner I am.
Yesterday was the first decent run I've had since becoming sick a few weeks ago, and what a nice morale booster it was! A little over 6k and hilly, which I'm feeling today but I don't mind. It felt great to be out there! As I was looking at my route map it occurred to me that the elevation maps don't always tell a true story. One of my favourite routes covers some nice big hills that don't show on the map because the land elevation is different from the street elevation; two of the hills I like to run are highway overpasses.
As I was running I was thinking about the progress I've made in the past few months. My breathing's better, my form and pacing are better, and I can cover much longer distances. But my speed? Meh. Pretty much as good as it ever was with small bursts of better. So I was thinking...does it matter to me? Is racing important to me? And I have to confess, it's not.
When I think about the kind of runner I want to be, I don't often think about how fast I covered the distance. I want to be the kind of runner who finishes the run she starts. I want to be the kind of runner who covers the distance not effortlessly but comfortably. I want to be the kind of runner who casually says, "Just heading out for a run, back in an hour" or "What a gorgeous day, did five miles this morning and loved every minute of it." I want to be the kind of runner who's lean and energetic and who smiles while she runs. I want to be the kind of runner who signs up for a race not to try to win it but for the fun of it. The only competition I think about is the one in my own head...can I go farther? longer? faster than the last time? That's the kind of runner I want to be, and that's the kind of runner I am.
Friday 9 December 2011
HBBC Tally - Week 3
December 3 - December 9
3
4 +3: run 2.65 miles, 12 minutes of stretching
5 +4: run 3.19 miles, 21 minutes of stretching
6
7
8 +3: run 3.02 miles
9 +3: run 3.00 miles
Additional challenge and question points:
Weekly Total: +13
Challenge Total: 35.5
3
4 +3: run 2.65 miles, 12 minutes of stretching
5 +4: run 3.19 miles, 21 minutes of stretching
6
7
8 +3: run 3.02 miles
9 +3: run 3.00 miles
Additional challenge and question points:
Weekly Total: +13
Challenge Total: 35.5
Saturday 3 December 2011
Phoebe Buffay
First of all, with respect to HBBC, can I just say that eating 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day is hard? Like, harder than running a mile? Who knew?
Okay, I am feeling so much better now! I'm still coughing but I think (I hope!) I might finally have recovered from pneumonia. It was gorgeous outside today, 1°C and sunny, so I decided to go out for a run. I chose a hilly route of 4.26km (2.65 miles) and planned to take my time and enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine and the exercise. The run felt slow while I was doing it but considering that I'm just coming back from being sick, was running 10 and 1s, hit two red lights and ran up three hills I think thirty minutes is a pretty good time. My legs didn't feel strong but that's from lack of recent practice and activity. More running, regular activity and muscle memory will take care of that pretty quickly, I think. Since I haven't been out much lately so I wasn't sure what to wear and overdressed. I should have used this handy "What To Wear" chart that appeared in the National Post last week. D'oh!
The beauty of running at a certain time of day is that the sun hits your back at that perfect angle so your shadow looks long and lean in front of you. You can imagine that you look like a real athlete and not what you fear you might actually look like: Phoebe Buffay.
Or perhaps this little beauty:
Okay, I am feeling so much better now! I'm still coughing but I think (I hope!) I might finally have recovered from pneumonia. It was gorgeous outside today, 1°C and sunny, so I decided to go out for a run. I chose a hilly route of 4.26km (2.65 miles) and planned to take my time and enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine and the exercise. The run felt slow while I was doing it but considering that I'm just coming back from being sick, was running 10 and 1s, hit two red lights and ran up three hills I think thirty minutes is a pretty good time. My legs didn't feel strong but that's from lack of recent practice and activity. More running, regular activity and muscle memory will take care of that pretty quickly, I think. Since I haven't been out much lately so I wasn't sure what to wear and overdressed. I should have used this handy "What To Wear" chart that appeared in the National Post last week. D'oh!
The beauty of running at a certain time of day is that the sun hits your back at that perfect angle so your shadow looks long and lean in front of you. You can imagine that you look like a real athlete and not what you fear you might actually look like: Phoebe Buffay.
Or perhaps this little beauty:
Friday 2 December 2011
HBBC Weekly Tally - Week 2
I'd love to win a Gymboss to make sure I hold my stretches long enough!
November 26 - December 2 (still sidelined by pneumonia)
26
27 +2: run 2 miles
28 +3: run 1 mile on the treadmill, 20 minutes of stretching, 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
29 +2: stretching & hand weights, 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
30 +1: 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
1 +3.5: run 2 miles, walk .5 miles, 20 minutes of stretching
2
Additional challenge and question points:
+1: HBBC participant with up to date points
+1: Tweet, FB or link back on blog
Weekly Total: 13.5
Challenge Total: 22.5
November 26 - December 2 (still sidelined by pneumonia)
26
27 +2: run 2 miles
28 +3: run 1 mile on the treadmill, 20 minutes of stretching, 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
29 +2: stretching & hand weights, 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
30 +1: 7 servings of fruits & vegetables
1 +3.5: run 2 miles, walk .5 miles, 20 minutes of stretching
2
Additional challenge and question points:
+1: HBBC participant with up to date points
+1: Tweet, FB or link back on blog
Weekly Total: 13.5
Challenge Total: 22.5
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