Running Thoughts

I THOUGHT I might run in the town "Turkey Trot" 2 mile run this morning, but nope...just lazy!  Hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic!!

Oh, clothing manufacturer people, Hear my feeble plea... If attire for running you fabricate, please, for goodness sake, Give them pockets. That's all I ask. I know the arguments... you say I don't need my ipod listen to nature... The world is full of music. I agree, but what about those long runs when I need nourishment... pockets, please, people, for my snackies at least! 6 miles today. I ran to the Hard Tack Mine and back. It was so great!! I had my teeny tiny pocket packed with almonds. Tomorrow is a lifting day...and I love my new workout routines.

I ran uphill sprints today and then did my lifting workout. Now, I have a housefull of little boys. Which is the more taxing workout? All good.

I got home from a 2 mile run to find a package waiting for me!  I got my Nike+ Half finisher's shirt and keyring! Am I cool, or what?

I'll be gone for a couple of days...sort of a mini-vacation with an orthadontic appt thrown in.  Haha!   I'll do some bodyweight exercises while gone and run on Tuesday when I'm back home.  More then!

I had thought I'd run sprints on the treadmill today, but it's too pretty outside.  I ran just over 3 miles instead.  It's muddy out there, though.  I kept having to scrape my shoes.  And I've not seen so many cars on the road since the tourists left for the winter.  Enough complaining, though!  The day is splendid!  I'd like to hear a word to describe yours!  (hope it's a positive one!)

I'm loving getting back into the weight lifting routine!  Here is my in-home space.  It's in my bedroom, but hey, it's warm!  It was out in the storage building behind our house and it was freeeeeeeezing.  My treadmill in in the family room, so it isn't in the picture.  Today's warm-up was like yesterday's, except I did it better.  Then the lifting was slightly different, but similar, with supersets of multiple joint exercises.  Great workout!  

Today was a rest day, but I wanted to report that I am pleasantly sore ALLL over from my whole body exercises from yesterday.  Here are some details from the workout... 5 minute warm-up that consisted of elliptical machine for 2 minutes, bridges, opposite raises, mountain climbers, and breakdancers which ate me alive. romanian deadlifts-2x14 front squats-2x14 one armed rows-2x14 walking lunges 2sets/10steps bench press-2x14 2 arm swings 2x14 All done at home.  Nice.  

Today's 1.6-something mile run marks the coldest run I've ever accomplished.  WOW!  I'm glad I now have a treadmill.  I should consider using it!  I came home refreshed and thankful for my warm house.  I was wearing warm stuff, but not enough of it.  Here are some thoughts I have about running in cold weather. hang in there, you'll warm up soon enough dress in layers with a moisture-wicking layer against your skin sort of cold days require 2 layers very cold days require 3 get some running tights smartwool training socks if your shoes are mesh to make them more breathable, save them for summer and get some non-mesh ones you neeeed one of these ..so worth $20!  Mine is lime green.  It's a neck gator of sorts, but is super versatile and you can breathe through it, so pulling it up over your nose won't slow you down mittens that convert to fingerless gloves are perfect for keeping your fingers snuggled up together, but allowing you to use your fingers on your ipod...

Snowy run today with my Golden.  We had a blast together, and while I thoroughly enjoyed training for the Half-marathon, I feel freedom when I run now.  Like I'm running just for me.  The Half was for me too, but it was an exercise in discipline.  Now, I'm exercising my freedom!! If you've never run in the snow, you've gotta remedy that...snooow much fun!

Here is an article put out by the "truth about abs" e-zine that I get.  It's by the turbulence training guy (also, you may have seen his you-tube video about how to run HiiT style), Craig Ballantyne.   It is a quick way to work your obliques with some exercises that are new to me.  I really like all the workouts I've done by this guy.  Especially traveling or short of time.   Yesterday was my first "long" run since the Half.  I ran 5K.  Today, I'm sore in my neck and back, but I think it's because now I'm sick.  We all are.  All three kiddos and myself.  Hubby is out of town, so lucky not to be here to catch it, I guess!

sprints on the treadmill! I like sprints for several reasons:  I feel great afterward, the workout is short and sweet, and they are great for weight loss! The treadmill is the perfect place for sprints.  The surface is consistent, you control the speed and incline, and you can practice proper form.

I was going to post a trick or treat/candy post, but Mizfit has already done just that and has done a fab job of it too!  So check that out! Instead, I will rave about the wonderful weather we are having here.  It's normally snowy and I am having to pull on running tights by now.  Today, I put on my shorts and headed out into crisp cool air and warm sun.  Perfect combination for a perfect run.  I said all that to say that today, as perfect as it was, had nothing on the half-marathon day.  I trained 14 weeks injury free with only a sore knee here and there and then the day was paramount when it could have been super cold.  In fact, it could have been the first cold day so that all my training was warm and then BOOM!  But no, the sun smiled that day, and I didn't even mention it!  Mentioning it now...the day was stupendous!! Also, I'm reading an ebook I downloaded a long time ago called, "The Truth About Abs."  I really like it so far.  It promotes free weights (my...

I will admit, reluctantly, that I was slightly disappointed in myself at the end of my Half-Marathon.  I know, I know... Still, I was, just slightly.  I wasn't sure why exactly at the time, but it was really that several things added up to the undermining of my own accomplishment.  I still wasn't sure what my personal best was.  But now I am.  In fact, later that evening I was sure.  I've tried to think how to word this, but come up short.  The best I've found comes from John Bingham's Marathoning for Mortals book.  He says,  "You are going to discover your personal best somewhere during the training or during the race.  There will come a point when you know that you are accomplishing the most that your body, your mind, and your will have to offer.  There will come a point when what you believe about yourself equals what is true about yourself.   "That can happen at a 5-minute pace or a 15-minute pace.  That convergence of belief and reality can happen to ...

This week, I've been resting.  So, I thought I'd use this time to gather thoughts to share about the half-marathon Sara and I completed on the 19th.  This is the next to the last post on that topic before I lay it to rest. I thought I'd share some mistakes I made, so here is a "not-to-do" list when running a long distance run: Don't be so excited that you forget breakfast like I did.  It was an afternoon run and I totally forgot to eat breakfast.  Not a good thing. Don't stop for long at the water stations.  I was super excited that my family had a water station set up for me and I let myself get too "cooled down" at the water stations. Don't leave your jacket at the water station.  You might need it later like I did. Don't forget to clip your toenails even if you don't think you need to. Don't forget to loosen your shoes about halfway through. Don't forget a kneeband if you wear one normally and have problems with "runne...

My family is so great.  If you go here , you will see video of our half-marathon.  My hubby made us bib numbers...I think you'll like them.  We're so 80's!

Today, I ran like a girl.  In the NIKEPLUS "run like a girl" half marathon, that is!  I'll post more about it tomorrow with pictures.  Just a quick low-down for right now... That was HARD!!!!! But I survived and had fun and thought I might die all in one almost 3 hour time frame.  My family was great support, bringing water and snacks.  The day was gorgeous, the scenery couldn't have been better, the company super.  Sara rocked, and we both agreed that 13.11 miles is LLLOOONNNGGG. More tomorrow after I'm rested! ps...I DID IT!!

My hubby and I took a drive yesterday... We went up the road 13.1 miles to scope out Sunday's Half Marathon.  Sara and I plan to run it together (so far, no more sickness!).  I'm so excited that 13.1 miles starts us at exactly the "Empire Chief" mine.  It's the remains of a silver mine from the 1800's that got completely taken out by an avalanche last winter.  The whole town was almost in tears that it had stood for so many years only to be wiped out by the snow after so long.  So, the mine will be our starting place!  Very memorable!  We will run past "Whitmore Falls" which is a beautiful waterfall.  Then we'll pass through "Capital City," an old mining ghost town with only a few cabins left (almost halfway at this point).  We'll be following the edge of the canyon that is home to Henson Creek, which is really more of a river.  The creek is beginning to freeze already and I think we are running this just before the cooooold sets in...

My little boy was sick all yesterday afternoon and through the night.  I didn't go for my 5 miler until today.  The morning was cold...16 degrees.  cold.  I let it warm up to 45 degrees for my run.  It was a really great run.  5 miles feels just right.  I love a 5 mile run.  Strange to say that since not long ago I couldn't imagine that I could run 5 miles.  Now, 5 miles is a comfortable, relaxing run.   Next Sunday is IT.  Half-marathon day!  This week's runs are short (30 min) in prep for Sunday!  Should be a cold week with a nicer, warmer weekend.  AND My hubby bought me a surprise for those too cold to run kind of days....

Fall is my favorite season here. I have looked forward to the crisp air and the beautiful, changing trees. Yesterday's run felt so good! I thought, "This is going to be a new PR!!" It just felt so right and I could tell that my time coming home was really good (for me), but then my nikeplus didn't catch all my steps (or that's my story) and my pace doesn't look that great on the nikeplus graph. Oh well, I just thought I'd share with you that my soul knows that I ran a personal record! Even if it wasn't. For me, it was a renewing and inspiring 40 minutes. And that's what matters!