Antsy and ache-y

Today is my "planned rest day" since I am going to be spending the entire afternoon/evening traveling...and I have never been so thankful for a rest day. My knee is still a bit ache-y and I am less than thrilled about that.

Last spring, around this time of year, I irritated my medial plica. You'd think I would have learned my lesson and picked up some more stretching and weight training...but of course not. I think I have re-irritated that same area. It's not all that bad yet so I'm just going to take it easy for a while, stretch, and start running outside again (so matter what the temperature) so I can balance out my leg muscles (running on the treadmill and the indoor track just isn't doing it for me...).

The major cause of medial synovial plica irritation is tight hamstrings (which I'm guessing I have since I've sucked at stretching lately) and poor quadricep strength (which I'm also guessing I have since I've barely run outside since upping my mileage and I haven't been lifting at all). And, since I'm a woman with hips, my larger q-angle is not helping one bit.

All in all, I am one very injury prone gal. But I am not injured yet. I just need to stop the progression before it elevates to the level of last year (where I could barely walk).

With that said, I am leaving for spring break in 45 minutes! I suppose it's not really spring break considering I'm flying into 20 degree weather, but it is break. And I am incredibly excited!!! I can't wait to see everyone in CT and I just want to get a move on now!

Some info for the curious:
http://www.emedicine.com/sports/topic75.htm
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/women/a/Q_angle.htm

I'm the queen of negative splits and procrastination

Ok, I have been majorly slacking off on my running blogging and I'm sorry for the serious lack of action lately...midterms and papers have been completely bogging me down for the past week. But thankfully midterms are over (hallelujah) and spring break is just a day away (!) so I'll have more time to dedicate to procrastinating and writing (as opposed to studying and homeworking like a good student).

To be honest, I don't even remember the past few days. It all just feels like one big blur of studying and testing! My running has been extremely off as well; the runs that I did do were pretty good (As the title of this post says, I am the queen of negative splits: all of my runs have been much faster in the second half) but I've had to throw in some extra rest days due to the fact that I have not been stretching/yogaing as much as I should and I'm starting to feel the consequences of that. Note to self: Must. do. yoga.

Today is one of those aforementioned rest days. I was planning on doing a 7 or 8 miler this morning but that plan immeadiately got sidetracked when I got out of bed and felt a horrible twinge in my knee. I've been feeling it (and ignoring it) since the end of last week but I finally decided that it would be stupid to do a long run on a twinge-y knee...especially with the start of half marathon training in a little over a week. I always manage to get injured right before training starts and I don't want that to happen again this year (I was sidelined for almost 2 months last spring!).

I may ride on a spinning bike tonight if I'm feeling extremely antsy because tomorrow is my planned rest day, but I'm going to try my best to just stretch, do some yoga, and let my body heal. I'm hoping that the rest I'm doing this week will allow me to have some great runs next week when I'm in CT with plenty of running routes and free time. Plus I have a 5k race on Sunday!

But enough of the rambling and ranting...

Monday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.20 minutes

Wednesday: 5.5 mile treadmill run - 45.30 minutes

Tag, you're it!

I've been tagged by 2 fellow bloggers:

Patricio; http://cuencanoinmo.blogspot.com/ and
Training to Tri; http://trainingtotri.blogspot.com/

The rules:

1 - Link to the person who tagged you
2 -Post the rules on your blog
3 - Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog
4 - Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs

My random and/or weird facts:

1. I'm left handed but I use right handed scissors and throw with my right hand because that was the only way they would teach me when I was learning to do those things in pre-school/kindergarten.

2. I have been running since elementary school and haven't stopped for more than a few months at a time since then...

3. I am obsessed with tea. I try as many different varieties as I can get my hands on and I rarely find a type that I dislike.

4. I grew up in and spent most of my life in Connecticut yet I am quite possibly the biggest wimp you will ever meet when it comes to cold weather....which is why I have been doing all of my runs indoors despite the fact that it's been in the low 40s for the past week.

5. I have an addiction to bookstores. I could spend all of my free time in Barnes and Nobles and all of my life's savings on books. Thankfully I (eventually) read all of the books I buy and get a lot of gift cards

6. I really enjoy planning and organizing and researching. Sometimes I'll plan a "dream trip" that I know I won't be taking just because I like researching hotels, restaurants, and various things to do in different locations.

7. My toenails are always painted a shade of either red or pink...no matter what.

Who I'm tagging:

Well I'm going to have to get back to that in a bit because I told myself that I'd get back to studying at 7:00 and it is now 7:05. Bah humbug.

Back to the indoor track

Never again will I go to the gym at 11:30; earlier or later, yes...but never at 11:30. That's a crazy, pre-lunch half hour and I just didn't enjoy it one bit.

I had been planning on running on the treadmill again today (because I really liked knowing my pace/distance) but they were all taken up and I didn't feel like waiting around for one to open up. So I sucked it up and headed to the crowded indoor track.

At any rate, my run was fairly good. My legs were a bit tired but nothing dehabilitating. Today was also supposed to be an easier run but some guy was bent on using me as his pacer and I was getting irritated by his heavy footfalls and breathing just a few steps behind me. So I picked up the pace and had to maintain a somewhat quick clip to hold him off. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.

Hopefully, when I go to the gym tomorrow morning, there will be at least one free treadmill.

Thursday: 30 minute run

A good treadmill run?

I decided to run on the treadmill after reading Patricio's comment about indoor tracks not being so wonderful for knees. In my mind I knew that, but during yesterday's run my left knee was feeling a bit tweaky...so I just put two and two together and decided to give the treadmill a go just for a break from running in circles.

And, let me say...I had an a.m.a.z.i.n.g run. I started out with a 10 minute warm-up at a 9:30ish minute/mile pace. Then I kept ramping up the speed every 5 minutes to get in a "tempo run" and to break some of the monotony. By the end of the run I was doing a 6:40 minute/mile pace. Granted, it was only for a couple of minutes but I'm still extremely proud of myself.

Altogether I did 6.3 miles in 50 minutes (which evens out to be approximately a 7:56 minute/mile pace...but I know that's not what my actual pace was because of my constant changing of speed and my slow start).

I was amazed at how quickly those 50 minutes went by. 30 minutes is typically my cut-off (although I once did a 12 mile run on a treadmill because of a snow storm...not something I'd recommend). Usually treadmill runs drag on and make me want to gouge my eyes out with a spoon but it wasn't really all that bad.

Monday: 45 minute run (indoor track)
Tuesday: 50 minute tempo run (treadmill)

Happiness is a warm run

I usually detest running around in circles. I am thankful that I don't have to run on the treadmill, but the indoor track is really only marginally better.

But today, I have never been happier to have an indoor track. It was damp and grey and just an awful day to be outside. So I took my recovery run inside and did a "nice" 30 minuter. I say "nice" because my legs were super tired and I felt like I was absolutely dragging.

But at least it was warm. I am a self-titled cold weather wimp...anything colder than 40 and running outside just does not sound appealing. So although my legs were killing me, the temperature was quite pleasant.

Oh, and the lack of hills wasn't all that bad either.

Tomorrow is going to be another indoor track day; it's supposed to be rainy and grey again.

Sunday: 30 minute run

This week's mileage: 22 miles

Conversations in my head

When I'm running hills, I typically have this monologue going through my head:

- I don't want to run up this hill...
- Yes you do. Be quiet
- No, no I don't. Ow, my legs...
- Shut up and run. You're already halfway up the hill
- No I don't wan....ooh, pretty cloud

The route I ran today was approximately 75% uphill. I had to talk myself into pushing through lots of muscle burning. It is an extremely painful route. But as hilly as it was, my long run was wonderful; I always feel so accomplished afterwards. It took some extra oomph to get myself dressed and out there today because my legs had some residual tightness, but once I got going my legs loosened up and I ended up running a few minutes longer than I had planned. I don't know my exact pace (or even the exact distance of the route) but I do know that I ran at least 7 miles.

I haven't even started my training plan yet. My endurance is shocking. Go me.

Saturday: 7 mile run

Friday moves

I had been planning on running outside today, but I wimped out. Running up a million hills just did not sound appealing today so I headed to the indoor track for a 45 minuter. It was nice to run again but my legs were a bit tired. I don't know what is up with this slow recovery time lately but it's really taking the wind out of my sails.

After lunch I was feeling guilty for not running outside so I went for a 40ish minute walk. It was slow and relaxing and wonderful. It was nice to get the blood flowing through my legs...even though I would have rather been somewhere sleeping. But it was so warm and nice out, I had to spend some time outside.

I also took a spinning class today. It took a while to get warmed up but I'm glad I took the class. The music was much better today (thank goodness!). I'm not a huge fan of techno but anything is better than the slow sappy love songs. Part of me thinks that maybe I shouldn't have taken the class but I did feel much better afterwards.

Tomorrow is just a run though. A long run. Hopefully one hour. We'll see how my legs react.

Also, ABC is re-broadcasting the Ford Ironman Championships...I will so be watching that. Cannot wait.

Friday: 45 minute run and a 1 hr. spinning class

V-day spinning

I originally had a long run planned for today but I definitely deviated from that plan. I don't know why, I just had absolutely no running motivation this morning.

I'm guessing that part of the blame can be placed on the fact that I didn't get to sleep until around 2:00 AM. And even though I did sleep until 8:00 AM, which put me at a fairly respectable 6 hours, it just isn't the same as getting 6 hours from going to sleep earlier.

And, I know this is no excuse, I walked to the grocery store this morning. I didn't have to but I wanted to buy some candy for the girls in my hall. I'm enough of a scrooge already when it comes to Valentine's Day. So that chewed up a big hunk of time.

But I digress. Despite the fact that I did not run today (grumble grumble grumble), I did go to spinning class. It was a Valentine's Day themed class. The music sucked (love songs are notoriously slow) but the energy was great, the instructor knew what she was doing, and the intensity was high. Perfect for a spinning class. My legs are tired but I know they'll thank me later.

Tomorrow, however, I shall run.

Thursday: 1 hr. spinning class

Hello swollen quads, I've been expecting you...

Today was a semi-rest day (semi because I still had to walk a whole bunch to get to and from class, et cetera) and boy, my quads are swollen. Walking up the many stairs and hills was quite uncomfortable. All I could think about doing all. day. long was putting on my pajamas and propping my legs up on a gigantic stack of pillows.

Honestly, I would much rather being dealing with DOMS. At least then I would know that yes, my muscles were indeed overworked. Heaviness and swelling does indicate that rest is needed, but it also proves to me that I have not be stretching or massaging nearly enough. And although I knew that, physical proof is never comfortable.

Thankfully I have noticed an improvement over this morning. Still swollen, but not quite as unbearable.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a much nicer and busier day (I have a run, spinning, and a walk to the grocery store planned) so I'm crossing my fingers that everything will be resolved through massaging and yoga tonight.

I am a runner

Despite the fact that I should be reading for history class right now, I wound up browsing the Runner's World website. And not to my surprise, I ended up reading through Kristen Armstrong's blog.

First, let me just say that I think she is an amazing and strong woman. Reading her blogs not only make me want to be a better runner, they make me want to become a better person. When I'm feeling down or lazy, I mosey on over to her blog and it successfully motivates me to get up off my tuckus and do something (which some days take a lot). If you have never read it, you really should (http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/)

Second, I love hearing the inner thoughts of runners like me: runners who run because it makes them feel alive, fulfilled, and calm. Sure, time counts on the outside. And it feels great to keep passing people on the indoor track (haha). But, on the inside, I see things such as times and PRs as the frosting on the cupcake; it's absolutely delicious and sweet at first, but you can't subsist on it. In order to keep running and keep pushing, there has to be something more...an inner drive, per se.

So when I stumbled across her post for February 3rd, 2008 I was floored by this passage. It somehow embodied everything that I feel a "real" runner is, or should be.

This brings us back to the introduction of my post today. Every single
one of us connected here today understands the implication of the "I am"
statement below:
I am a runner.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with
race results, placings, PR's, split times, training programs, gender, age,
racing schedule, weekly mileage, or pace bands. This has to do with
something deep, something tender, something profound, something powerful and
something untouchable about who we are in our hearts. This is why we
recognize each other, on the road or in coffee shops, and we nod and
smile. This is why we are never alone, even if we are training far from
our hometown or way outside our comfort zone. Even if no other "I am"
statement feels good about our life at the moment, we always have that one.

Tired, tired legs

I have no idea what is up with my legs lately. I decided against spinning lasat night because my muscles were so swollen but even with taking it easy yesterday, they just did not want to move this morning.

I did manage to get in a slow 45 minuter, but it was no easy feat. I felt like my entire body was made out of concrete and iron rods. Even my hips, which I don't feel very often, were tight as all get out (post stretching at that). Me and The Stick are going to be great friends this morning because I really would like to spin tonight.

I'm sure it didn't help that I refused to let myself be passed by anyone else running. I don't consider myself to be an extremely competetive runner, but when I'm on that track it's like the measure of my worth depends on whether or not I'm passed or not. I'm guessing it's some leftover feist from my cross country days, but it strikes me as funny that the only time I feel uber-competetive is on that indoor track.

Thankfully tomorrow is an active rest day. I'm hoping that the yoga will help to loosen me up some.

Dragging feet and dehydration

First, just a random aside because I am sufficiently embarassed. Yesterday wasn't actually my birthday...it's not until May (when the race is). I was just excited about the receipt of an early birthday present. But thanks for the wishes!

At any rate, I have not been drinking nearly enough water as of late. I'd like to blame it on the colder weather, but up until yesterday the temperature had been well into the 50s...and even in the 60s some days. Water just hasn't been all that appealing to me lately, despite the fact that I know it is absolutely crucial to my running performance; it is even more crucial now because of the sweaty spinning classes that I have been taking a few times a week.

Today's run took place at the indoor track. Because of the higher temperature in the gym, my lack of water guzzling became extremely apparent. I felt like my legs were cinder blocks and running was the last thing they felt like doing. Even worse, my mouth was dry and I would have given my left arm for an orange or a banana. That is not a good state to be in...at all.

I'm scheduled for a spinning class this evening so I am going to be chugging water like it's nobody's business up until then. And then I am due for some very serious stretching/yoga-ing, which I have not done nearly enough since ramping up my miles.

Monday: 30 minute run (approx. 3 miles) and a 1 hr. spinning class

Last week's mileage: 24.3

Happy birthday to me!

My wonderful father just "bought" me the most wonderful birthday present I can think of...he registered me for Boston's Run to Remember 5-miler, which will be taking place the day after my birthday. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate another year of me and I am wicked psyched about the Olive Garden carbo-loading that will take place on the night of my actual birthday.

I am going to have an amazing late spring/early summer race line-up and I cannot wait.

Like the terminator

After running at the gym, I decided to go grab some lunch from the dining hall like usual. Upon finishing, as I was gathering my things to go, a guy approached me. He told me that he always sees me running at the gym, wanted to know how I could run so long, and asked me if I had any tips for him.

Me, being extremely surprised, told him that running just came natural to me and I wasn't sure that I had any good tips for him.

He went on to scan my tray, saying that I probably eat extremely healthily and that I probably have a low body fat. And then again said that he was amazed that I could run so long...this is the clincher...like the terminator.

I am a very happy girl right now. Being complimented about my running is quite possibly the highest compliment I could get.

Sunday: 45 minute run on the indoor track

Today's run was definitely an easy one. My legs felt rested and I felt like I could have kept running forever, which is a wonderful feeling. I had been planning on riding the bike for a half hour after running but I didn't have time because I needed lunch and the dining hall was closing in a half hour. That's fine though, I'll have plenty of time to bike this week.

Food on the brain

As people may have noticed, this blog is purely devoted to training and everything running specific. But because food is a major part of training and because health is extremely important to me, I have developed a blog that can be devoted to food and the random musings of me.

Check it out: http://sleepeatrun.wordpress.com/

Finding some time, part II

Obviously the whole blogging thing is new to me; I forget to update for days on end. But better late than never...


This week was a good week, running-wise. So far I've done a little over 19 miles, not including the shorter runs that I am planning on doing this weekend. I got in three super hilly mid-distance runs (6.5 and 2 5 milers) which left me feeling strong. I know that 5 miles isn't a distance that regulars runners bat their eyes at, but I'm pretty proud of myself for being capable of those runs considering that I came out of a 2 month running hiatus only a few weeks ago.

I also got in some quality bike time. My body is still getting used to being back in the saddle, but no workout leaves me feeling quite as worked out as a tough spinning class (other than a speed workout on the track of course...).

Swimming was non-existent this week. My swimming day, Tuesday, was occupied by a chemistry lab. Because preparing for half marathon training is my top priority right now I'm not incredibly stressed about the non-swimming deal.

Today is supposed to be our last good weather day for quite a bit, both temperature and precipitation are expected to beginning dropping as the weekend progresses. I had been planning a longer run for today but because I don't want to ramp up mileage too quickly, and because the majority of my runs were longer this week, I am going to go out for an easy 30 minuter.

Happy running :)

Finding some time

I've been MIA for a while; the first round of tests hit hard and left very little time for updating. Thankfully I managed to keep finding time to run.

This brings me to an interesting thought. I had many conversations last week about the fact that people could not find time to get to the gym. Yet those same people always found time to watch reruns of The Office on TBS. Despite the fact that I was swamped with homework and studying, I set aside time to run or get to the gym...even if it was only a half hour. So why do so many people constantly say that they "can't find the time" to workout? In my opinion it's all about priorities. If running, or walking for that matter, is a top priority then time can be scheduled in. There's (usually) always time to for a quickie workout. Come on people: stop finding excuses and then whining about it.

Anyways, I'll step off my soapbox now.

Monday: 30 minute run on the indoor track and a 1 hour spinning class