Comments (36)

By kilax, March 13, 2010 6:20 am

You know you live in a house of runners when it is normal to see this many pairs of running shoes in your garage:

Of course, each of us are actually only using one pair each right now. Steven uses the Adidas pair in the back, but is thinking about getting some Brooks, and I use the Brook Adrenaline GTS 10s on the end… okay, and the ones next to them when I am running in the mud (like yesterday!).

So, why do I still have so many pairs? Well, I do wear them on the walk to work. But at the same time, I just can’t seem to get rid of them. But I know I need to! There is no reason to hold on to shoes for this long… or is there (sentimental value)?

What do you do with your old, worn-out running or athletic shoes? How many pairs are you holding on to?

Erin and I were talking about this last week, and she told me about this Nike program where they accept any pair of old shoes and recycle them so they can be reused. I’ve also hear of other programs that will send your old shoes to people in developing nations. Have any of you participated in the Nike program or any other program?

Comments (16)

By kilax, March 7, 2010 10:06 am

Yes, it is ironic for me to post this loooong post after asking you about skimming yesterday! But… these weekend updates are always long, and I honestly expect most people to skim them (I mean, I hope you don’t, but come on, let’s be real)!

Day 134 | March 1, 2010: strength

Do you ever have one of those days where you are not 100% alert? You are physically awake… but feel like you never woke up?

That was my Monday morning. For whatever reason, I felt like I was in a complete fog in the morning – despite getting more sleep than I ever do! I think I just had too much going on when I got to work. I was immediately pulled into a meeting that I was unprepared for, then spent the rest of the morning rushing around until I had another 1.5 hour meeting.

Wah.

The point is – taking a break to do my strength workout (not until 1:00!) made me feel more alert. Thankfully! It was an awful morning!

I did the routine below x2:

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs
Shin Developer: 20 @ 10 lbs

Day 135 | March 2, 2010: 5 m run + stretch

I did a nice, easy 5-miler to recover from Sunday’s race. Only a few things to note:

1. When I woke up and saw that it was 28°F outside, I thought “It’s so warm! I can wear tights!” Yes, I have gone crazy.
2. I was spitting up blood for the first mile. Yay.
3. I took these bad boys on their inaugural outdoor run:

My new GTS 10s! I have been putting off wearing them outside, because I want them to stay pretty… but the bottoms of my feet have been hurting. I figured it was time.

Amy wrote about how she babies her new shoes as well (avoiding puddles and mud)… do you baby your new shoes?

I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment when I got back to the house.

Distance: 5.00 | Time: 49:27 | 1: 10:30 | 2: 10:10 | 3: 9:58 | 4: 9:35 | 5: 9:10

Day 136 | March 3, 2010: yoga

Steven and I did the YogaWorks Body Slim workout in the evening. You know, I am not sure whether I should be excited or bothered that I could be so much better at it. I’ll stick with excited for now… it means I can still improve a lot – in my own home!

Um, Data? I am not sure if that counts as a “yoga move” or not.

Day 137 | March 4, 2010: 6 m interval run + stretch

I had plans to get up at 3:45 to run before work, and of course, I woke up at 3:15, wide awake, needing to use the bathroom. I just got up and stayed up.

I did 800s with 400 recoveries. I decided to do as many as I could, which ended up being only 4 sets (with a 1.5 mile warm-up and a 1.5 mile cool-down) in the 14° weather . I did the 800s at an 8:30 pace and the 400 recoveries at a 9:30 pace. It is harder to pace myself when I am not on the treadmill, but I think I did a good job.

I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment when I got back to the house. When I go from downward dog back to standing, I notice I can move my left foot forward more (if I move that foot first into a high lunge to stand up) than my right foot. I wonder if my right hip is tight or something.

I ended up having an hour debate in my head around 11:30 about whether or not I should work out during lunch. I went down to the gym with the intent of doing a strength workout and ended up on the bike. Oops. I am a little… um… un-enthused about my new strength workout.

Distance: 6.00 | Time: 56:00 | 1: 10:14 | 2: 9:13 | 3: 8:54 | 4: 8:39  | 5: 9:28 | 6: 9:28
Bike Time: 45:00 | Distance: 7.88 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 138 | March 5, 2010: rest

Day 139 | March 6, 2010: 10 m run (4 + 6) + stretch

What a perfect day for a run! It must have been near 40°F, and the skies were a clear blue without a single cloud! Steven and I ran four miles together, then we stopped at home where I had a quick snack, and went back out for six miles by myself. Both runs felt good – except for an awful feeling in my chest from something I ate. Maybe that is heartburn? I think it was the “robusto” Italian dressing I had.

After I got back, we did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment to stretch out.

There were lot of kids out playing while we were running. We passed one little boy who was riding a trike on the sidewalk in front of his house, while his parents watched. After we passed, we heard him ask “Why are those people running?” His mom answered, “Because it’s good for you!” Aww. I thought that was cute.

Distance: 10.00 | Time: 1:42:45 | 1: 10:56 | 2: 11:15 | 3: 10:56 | 4: 11:03  | 5: 10:16 | 6: 10:08 | 7: 9:44 | 8: 9:36 | 9: 9:32 | 10: 9:15

Day 140 | March 7, 2010: strength

I did Level 2 of The 30 Day Shred with 2 lb. weights and I was covered in sweat when I was done. It felt harder than it should… then I looked at my exercise log and realized I hadn’t done Level 2 since January 25th. Oops!

Week Summary: 21.00 miles

I feel like I had a good “recovery” week from Sunday’s 5K (okay, honestly, I feel like I was LAZY this week and I am using “recovery” as an excuse). I felt a few twinges in my shins and my left heel this week, so I have been icing them and watching them for signs of discomfort. My race schedule is kind of filling up, and I don’t want to be injured! I am thinking about a 10K mid-April, have a half on May 1st, and just signed up to run the Chicago Half on September 12 with Robin!

I updated my post “Can techniques to boost confidence in running help with other life goals?” to include a link to the Runner’s World article on Kara Goucher that inspired it. Check out the full article if you have time! It’s really inspiring.

Comments (44)

By kilax, February 28, 2010 6:34 pm

Today Erin and I ran the Frosty Footrace 5K in Round Lake. I am so happy Erin ran it! I don’t think I would have gotten the time I did if she wasn’t there, but I’ll get into that below.

Notice that we are matching?! We didn’t even coordinate. This happened at our last race too!

The Frosty Footrace is a very local race for me, and the proceeds benefit the community fitness center. I actually ran it last year too, and I thought it was fun to run it again. Are there races you like to run each year? I think I will definitely keep doing this one. It feels like a kick-off to race season to me!

We had great race conditions – no snow, no rain, almost 40°F, and no snow on the trails (phew). About 275 people ran it, and we were able to start near the front and didn’t have to struggle much with crowding.

Can you find me in this crowd, Dad?

Erin had plans to finish in 26:23, and I wanted to finish in 27:00. We didn’t really plan on running together. She wanted to hit 8:30s, and I wanted to do 8:41, 8:31, 8:21.

I took off a bit fast though! First mile? 8:02. Oops! I just felt so good when I was running that I didn’t want to slow down, even though I kept telling myself I should.

And of course, I did. I would say fatigue hit in around the 2 mile mark (done in 8:12). The course had some small hills, and right after we passed Steven (and he took the photo below) we had to go up this mini hill and I thought “I might not be able to keep this up!”

But you know what (or who, I should say) kept me going? Erin did! Early in the race, I told myself I would at least try to keep her in my sight (which I hope didn’t annoy her). Our goals were so close together, I figured it made sense.

And it worked! I stuck behind her for the last mile (8:28, oops) and found my inner sprinter to finish the race out with a time of 25:51 (only one minute slower than my PR!)!!! Update: Official time was 25:55.3 – slower and shorter than what the Garmin told me.

I was pooped. Look at this finish photo:

And… I accidentally peed myself in the last quarter mile (I had brought a spare outfit and changed). Ha ha.

Erin met her time too! I am not going to give it away though. You will have to make sure you watch her blog for her recap. Update: here is Erin’s recap!

And guess what? We both placed second in our age groups! Boo-yah! It’s a good thing Erin and I are in separate age groups – our times were really close!

After the race and awards ceremony, we went back to our place to eat chili, cornbread, and Steven’s newest masterpiece:

NOM! What a fun day. It was so nice of Erin to trek across the suburbs to run with me, and it was so nice of Steven to be our official race photographer, and make us lunch while we cleaned up.

Here’s to the beginning of my race season! And to a few days of recovery runs!

Distance: 3.15 | Time: 25:51 | 1: 8:02 | 2: 8:12 | 3: 8:29 | 4: 1:07

Comments (16)

By kilax, February 28, 2010 6:09 am

Day 127 | February 22, 2010: 5 m interval run + strength

On Sunday night we got 4 inches of that thick “perfect for snowmen-making” snow. As I was cleaning my car off in the morning, I thought twice (okay, more than twice) about going back inside, putting my YakTtrax on, and running in the snow. I was telling Erin during our Saturday run that I don’t know why I was so devoted to the treadmill last winter – running in the snow can be a lot of fun! And I don’t really mind the cold.

I did go into the office gym though, and did my first interval run! I followed Lacey’s recommendation and warmed up, did some 400s with 200 recoveries, then cooled down. I did 10 of these… so would they be called 10 x 400s? Sometimes I don’t understand running lingo.

I listened to the new Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone podcast, and let me tell you, this workout FLEW by (a combination of changing speeds, trying to listen to something and calculate mileage at the same time). And uh… it was exhausting! But I loved how it made me feel.

I did my strength routine during lunch, and made it through it twice! It only took me about 35 minutes, surprisingly (I think because the gym was sort of empty).

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 46:50 | 800 warm-up @ 5.8 mph, 10 x 400s @ 7.0 mph w/ 200 recoveries @ 6.0 mph, 1200 cool-down @5.8 mph

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs
Shin Developer: 20 @ 10 lbs

Day 128 | February 23, 2010: cross

On Tuesday, my lunch time bike workout was definitely my escape from a CRAZY morning. Of course, it was only a physical escape – as much as I tried to zone out and read a magazine, I could not escape from my crazy day mentally. Do you ever struggle to escape stress when you are working out?

Bike Time: 40:00 | Distance: 7.12 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 129 | February 24, 2010: 5 m tempo run + cross

Well, I don’t know too much about tempo runs… but know that I am supposed to be doing them! I had to do a bit of research before this run, to try and figure out what a temp run actually is, and how fast I should be going. I found a good article on Runner’s World about why we should do tempo runs, but actually found the explanation and advice here to be the most helpful:

A tempo run consists of a 10-15 minute easy warm-up jog, followed by a 3-6 mile run at about your 10k pace. At the very least, make sure that you are working hard during these workouts; you should not be able to carry on a conversation with someone next to you. After the tempo run, make sure to include a 10-15 minute jog to cool down your muscles. If you are just starting to run tempos, make sure that you don’t exceed 20 minutes of hard running or you’ll be beating up your body too much.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I exactly followed the advice on that site. I have no idea what my 10K pace is since I haven’t been competitively running lately. I ran my last 5K in November with a time of 28:40, so I punched that into the McMillan Running Calculator, and it told me I should do my tempos between 9:42 and 10:07. That seemed a bit slow, so I decided to run them at 9:14 (6.5 mph on the treadmill).

The tempo run went well! I did a one mile warm-up, three miles at 9:14, and a one mile cool-down. I didn’t feel like the run was too hard, but I was happy when it was cool-down time!

I should have done strength during lunch, but I was feeling a bit meh and told myself I would do it the next day… and rode the bike instead.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 47:52 | 1: 10:05 | 2: 9:14 | 3: 9:14 | 4: 9:14 | 5: 10:05

Bike Time: 45:00 | Distance: 7.71 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 130 | February 25, 2010: strength

Um… I was being a bit lazy with the strength workout. It seems to have lost its excitement. Any tips on making doing strength exercises more exciting?

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)  x2
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs u
Shin Developer: 20 @ 10 lbs x2

Day 131 | February 26, 2010: 9 m run (1 + 8) + stretch

Somehow, I came up with the brilliant idea to go run in the snow in the park. I figured it would slow me down and that it would be a nice and easy run.

Ha. Ha ha.

This don’t do much good…

… when the path looks like this!

In the first 10 seconds I felt strangely out of breath. Then my lower legs started to ache like crazy. I lasted a mile. That mile took me 12.5 minutes!

I’ll have to wait until the snow is more packed down. It must have been 8 inches deep, at least!

But it was beautiful!

I went back to my neighborhood and ran 8 miles. My legs still felt tired, so at least I worked at slowing myself down! It was a pretty cold, miserable run though. It was 30° but windy. And I was kind of sick of running in my neighborhood. I keep thinking I would have more fun if I was running with Erin like last week’s long run (or it would be nice to run with Steven… once the weather gets warm enough for him!).

Boring… but less taxing on my body!

I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment when I got back to the house. Then rushed into the shower to warm up!

Distance: 9.0 | Time: 1:38:04 | 1: 12:29 | 2: 11:05 | 3: 11:05 | 4: 10:50 | 5: 10:52 | 6: 10:45 | 7: 10:50 | 8: 10:14 | 9: 9:50

Day 132 | February 27, 2010: yoga

I did the Core Yoga Flow segment of the YogaWorks Fit Abs DVD… and it was much harder than it should have been. I need to work harder at fitting yoga into my schedule.

Day 133 | February 28, 2010: Frosty Footrace 5K

Erin and I are running a 5K in Round Lake today at 11:00! I found out during packet pick-up that the course is not all on roads like I thought… there might be some YakTrax transitioning. We’ll see. Wish us luck! I’ll post a full recap later!

Week Summary: 22.15 miles

I was excited to try an interval and tempo run this week… as well as fit in four days of running! This is the first time I have done four days of running a week in a long time. It would be great to do four days every week, but I want to make sure I have a day of rest after each run, since I am worried about injuring myself.

Links to share:

This was a great article in the March issue of Runner’s World: The 10 Laws of Injury Prevention and they are sharing it online now!

Comments (15)

By kilax, February 21, 2010 2:07 pm

Day 120 | February 15, 2010: strength + abs

Steven and I did the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs, followed by Level 3 of The 30 Day Shred. It was our first time trying Level 3. I had a glimmer of hope before trying it, since Andrea said she found it the easiest of the three levels – but I sure didn’t! Walking planks? Traveling push-ups? All those crazy plyometrics? I was out of breath. I had to pause a few times, and do the modified version of some of the moves. Level 3 will definitely be something for me to improve on.

If you do The 30 Day Shred, which move to you find the most challenging?

Day 121 | February 16, 2010: 5 m run + strength

I finally had a chance to talk to the personal trainer while doing my run on the treadmill in the morning. She gave me some (crazy?) interval/cross-training ideas:

1. “around the world” on the treadmill – you set the treadmill at a slow speed then do sideways and backward shuffles, followed by one minute of sprinting - CRAZY
2. “extreme” workouts on the elliptical – including backward pedaling
3. walking on a very high incline

She also gave me some advice on my form (to try to run with my feet more “under my hips”) and showed me some new rotator cuff and shin exercise ideas.

For the shin exercises, you use the “shin developer” in the photo below. You sit on a bench lengthwise with your shins barely hanging off the end and move that thing up and down. I did three sets of 20, with a 10 lb. weight on the end.

During lunch I ventured down to the gym to see how long my new strength routine takes. I am supposed to do the entire list below twice. I got through it once in 20-25 minutes, then decided I had had enough when I was tripping while doing the second set of Step Ups w/Dumbbells.

This workout is intense. I was sweaty right away. The Smith Machine and Lunge n’ Jump on the Bosu are the hardest parts for me right now.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:05 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:50 | 4: 9:41 | 5: 9:23

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)  x2
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs
Rotator Cuff w/Band: 10 ea. side

Day 122 | February 17, 2010: cross + abs + stretch

Ha ha ha, my quads were pretty sore on Wednesday from Tuesday’s strength workout! Luckily they weren’t too sore to keep me from pedaling during lunch.

In the evening, Steven and I did the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs and 10-minute YogaWorks PM Relax & Restore. During the Fit Abs segment, I made a joke about doing a one-armed plank, and Steven couldn’t hear what I said, so I just started laughing and couldn’t stop. Laughing + yoga = bad combo.

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.53 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 123 | February 18, 2010: 7 m run + stretch

We’ve had warm temps all week (low 30s) so I decided to fit in a long run in the reasonable 25°F weather before work. I actually felt pretty warm at times. I even ran without my gloves on for the middle 4 miles!

I woke up at 4:00 am to run, so I would make it to work by 8:00. I am a bit paranoid about the drivers in our neighborhood, especially when it is dark, so I just ran loops around the park, wearing…

this head lamp I found in our silverware drawer. Schweet!

Two thoughts on this run:

1. It may be time to replace the shoes. I definitely felt a lack of support on the bottom outside of my left foot.
2. Negatives splits are becoming natural. Very strange. Must be all of those forced negative splits on the treadmill training my body!

I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment when I got back to the house. You know, I can tell that I am becoming more flexible. How exciting is that?! It almost makes me want to go take a real yoga class. Almost.

Distance: 7.0 | Time: 1:08:12 | 1: 10:12 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:53 | 4: 9:49 | 5: 9:40 | 6: 9:26 | 7: 9:07

Day 124 | February 19, 2010: cross

I wanted to do strength but decided not to, since I was going rock climbing on Saturday. I didn’t want to be too sore!

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.10 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 125 | February 20, 2010: 8 m run + cross

Warning: picture heavy!

On Saturday morning, Steven and I went rock climbing at the North Wall Climbing Wall in Crystal Lake with Erin, her husband Jason, and Kate. It was my first time meeting Kate and I really enjoyed our time together! I love her sense of humor. I can’t wait to see her again!

North Wall was offering a free belay class at 9:30, so the five us took that and bought a day pass for climbing. I must say, I was really impressed with the employees at North Wall. They were very good-natured, and great teachers. I was kind of nervous about belaying for someone else, but it was super easy!

Kate, me and Erin

They taught us how to tie our own knots for climbing

A Figure Eight Knot

and how to loop the rope and belay when someone else is climbing.

They also taught us commands between the climber and belayer for climbs. After the class, we got to explore the gym and do whatever we wanted! I thought it was so cool that they turned us loose.

We all climbed. I did much better here than before! I think the fancy shoes helped (and the fact that the walls weren’t as tall).

Kate climbing

Kate belaying Erin

Jason climbing

We tried bouldering – climbing without rope -

and slacklining. Erin was really good at it!

We were at North Wall from 9:30 until almost 1:30! We were all pretty hungry afterward so we went to lunch. Then we said our goodbyes to Kate (sad face!), Steven and Jason went to Panera, and Erin and I visited Lippold Park to tackle the snow.

I ran a 5K at Lippold Park in November, on a TRAIL, but we were having issues finding the trail. We ran on the roads in the park until a cop told us the trail is not cleared. Huh. No wonder we couldn’t find it!

We eventually saw what looked like the trail and ran on that, on and off, for eight miles. Can you guess which miles where in the snow from our splits?

At one point, the snow was well above our shins! It was definitely a challenging run. But I loved running with Erin again. The time just flew by.

Erin and I are shoe twins! Same model, same color!

It was a very muddy run… but I LOVED running in the 40°F weather in capris. Woo hoo!

Distance: 8.0 | Time: 1:22:16 | 1: 10:00 | 2: 10:06 | 3: 11:01 | 4: 11:15 | 5: 9:50 | 6: 10:15 | 7: 9:41 | 8: 8:31 | 9: 00:33

Day 126 | February 21, 2010: rest or yoga

I’m not sure if I am going to be able to fit anything in today. I like to get up early on Sundays and get my workout done, rather than wait all day. It’s time to start doing that again.

Week Summary: 20.00 miles

It might be time to actually develop some sort of half marathon training plan. I’ve just been trying to keep my mileage up, and focus on not getting injured. But, I have been doing the same old runs… just trying to run negative splits. It’s time for interval and tempo runs. Yeah, I say that now…

Do you try to have one tempo run, one interval run, and one long/easy run a week?

A link to share:

Shut up and Run! had a great post up this week about runners being judged by non-runners (you know, the whole “running is bad for you!” argument). Check it out!

Comments (28)

By kilax, February 14, 2010 12:34 pm

Day 113 | February 8, 2010: yoga + strength

I woke up at 3:30 (crazy, I know) to fit some sort of workout in before my crazy visit to pick up my computer at work and long drive to Iowa. I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up (which I think is going to be PERFECT for pre-run stretching) and the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs, followed by Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred.

My YogaWorks complete review is up here if you want to read it!

Day 114 | February 9, 2010: yoga

I did the Core Yoga Flow segment of the YogaWorks Fit Abs DVD. It was a nice workout, but not enough for me. I wanted to run, but couldn’t (not enough time in the day – filled with family activities).

Day 115 | February 10, 2010: 5 m run

Ugh. I could only think three things during this run:

1. I shouldn’t have eaten so much last night
2. I’m so cold. I’m so cold. I’m so cold.
3. Are my eyelashes frozen?!

Okay, four things:

4. Is this over yet?

It was 7°F outside… and it felt like 7°F. My lower body stayed cold the entire run. I think this was the first time I wore my Under Armour Hood up almost the entire run.

Ha, how many pictures do I need to show you with me and my Under Armour Hood?

I have a great poo story about this run to share with you, but I told my family I was going to post it and they all advised me to do a poll instead, to see if anyone wants to read it. So please vote below.

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Since 85% of the people voted “yes” to post the story, here it is…

At the last half mile I got the urge to go poo. I finished the run then did my little speed walk back to my aunt’s house. My stomach wasn’t having it. A few houses away from her place I started feeling like… my body was going ahead with the pooing process without my permission. “Did I just poop my pants?” I wondered.

I got inside the house, scrambled to take my shoes off then ran to the bathroom, where I fumbled around with the drawstring on my pants. I sat down on the toilet and the poo started coming out before I even tried. My butt was like a poopy faucet. Some got on the toilet seat before I even sat down! Yikes. That is so weird.

And yes. I did have poo in my underwear.

I had all of my gear on and was turning to grab more toilet paper and I knocked a little porcelain sandal off of the back of the toilet and broke it. Nice.

The good news is. I didn’t clog the toilet.

End of poop story.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:51 | 1: 10:25 | 2: 10:23 | 3: 10:02 | 4: 9:43 | 5: 9:13

Day 116 | February 11, 2010: rest

Day 117 | February 12, 2010: 5 m run + yoga

This run went much better than Wednesday’s. It was 19°F outside, but it felt great.

And guess what I had on… can you tell from the tracks I was making?

YakTrax!

This was my first time wearing the YakTrax. We had a sporting goods store giftcard, so I used it to buy the Pro version.

I ran on streets with very compacted snow – there were only a few spots where the snow was still fluffy. The YakTrax made me feel super stable. I only felt myself sort of slide on an icy spot once! I felt very confident wearing them. I was definitely running slower, in the snow, but oh well.

I did YogaWorks AM Wake-Up (with my aunt!) when I got back, to stretch out.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 51:04 | 1: 10:12 | 2: 10:16 | 3: 10:18 | 4: 10:09 | 5: 10:03

Day 118 | February 13, 2010: rest

Day 119 | February 14, 2010: 5 m run + yoga

My heart really wasn’t in this run, which is a shame, because it was a beautiful, sunny 24°F outside. I had intended on running 10 miles, but got out there, and just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe next week.

Steven and I did the heart-pumping Body Slim yoga workout after my run.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 51:18 | 1: 10:17 | 2: 10:18 | 3: 10:24 | 4: 10:15 | 5: 10:01

Week Summary: 15.00 miles

This was such an off week for me. I just wanted to sit around all week… and eat (which I did). I didn’t want to work out. I think I will get back into the swing off things this week.

Make sure you come back tomorrow – I am going to be posting a giveaway I am very excited about!

Comments (23)

By kilax, February 7, 2010 1:02 pm

Thank you so much for your kind words about my Grandpa. It really makes me feel better! It feels weird posting this Training recap, but I already had it written out, as well as a few other posts for the week, so what the hell…

Day 106 | February 1, 2010: 6 m run + strength

I think this is the first time I’ve run and done strength in the same day. Every move was about 1.5 times as hard because my body was already tired. And it didn’t help that my face felt hot all day. How weird is that? My cheeks were red all day and I just felt uncomfortable… luckily that went away by Tuesday.

I was thinking about doing a tempo run, or maybe some intervals, since I have a 5K on 2/28…. but didn’t have anything planned out. Any speed tips for me before my 5K? Can you recommend some workouts?

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 58:27 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:50 | 4: 9:41 | 5: 9:31 | 6: 9:14

Biangular Lat Row: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 65 lb, 15 @ 65 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Seated Leg Press: 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 90 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Day 107 | February 2, 2010: cross + yoga

I used the bike during lunch and did the YogaWorks Body Slim DVD with Steven after dinner. Not doing THAT again! I had a major food baby in my stomach and kind of felt like I was going to hurl.

But… my NEW yoga mat kept me smiling…

Can you tell what is on the mat? Let me show you a close-up:

Yes, cheetahs!

What does Data think?

I am sort of a goober, I know. I was super excited to use my new mat and not slip during the warrior poses. However, my hands got a bit sweaty and slippery when doing downward dog and plank. Is this normal? Steven said it happened to him the day before (on his new mat!) but that he was less sweaty the next day. Maybe I was just extra sweaty Tuesday night.

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.79 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 108 | February 3, 2010: 7 m run + yoga

Lucky me… I got to work at home Wednesday because of a special work exercise! I took full advantage of the opportunity to do midday yoga with Steven. We did the YogaWorks Beginners DVD and it felt so much easier than Body Slim! No slippage either.

Do your wrists ever hurt when you are doing yoga? Mine didn’t so much on Wednesday, but sometimes, they ache just a bit.

I also got to fit in outdoor evening run because I didn’t have to commute! It was a great 7 miler…

1. I got to run in the daylight!





Our town home is in the far right in the background

2. And listen to the new Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone podcast. There was a call-out to Jen! How cool!
3. It was a warm 26°F
4. I didn’t fall



I avoided spots like THIS ONE!

5. I didn’t have to poo!



6. I was done by 5:40 pm!

except…

1. Jack, the Garmin, kept beeping every 5 seconds to tell me to turn (couldn’t figure out how to turn off GPS)
2. My water bottle spilled onto my jacket and pants and made a big frozen spot on my thigh



That is what my water bottle did to my pants… nice.

3. Said water bottle had a cap that tasted like soap. YUMMY.
4. I kept feeling like I had to cough something up, but nothing would come out. Does that ever happen to you? Damn you boca chicken salad!

Now, if only I could fit in 45 minutes of yoga and a long run every day! Wouldn’t that be great?!

Distance: 7.0 | Time: 1:06:27 | 1: 9:50 | 2: 9:48 | 3: 9:44 | 4: 9:38 | 5: 9:24 | 6: 9:00 | 7: 8:59

Day 109 | February 4, 2010: strength + yoga

I did a strength workout during lunch at the office gym, and the YogaWorks Core Body Flow (part of the Fit Abs DVD) with Steven when I got home. I was worried it would even harder than the Slim Fit DVD, but I found it a bit easier, and that it really helped me feel stretched out. I’ll do a full review when I review the YogaWorks series sent to me!

Biangular Lat Row: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 65 lb, 15 @ 65 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Biangular Chest Press: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Pectoral Fly: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Seated Leg Press: 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 90 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Day 110 | February 5, 2010: consulting w/PT + cross

I met with one of the personal trainers (PT) at the office gym on Friday and I am SO HAPPY I did! The PT is also a runner, and I could tell she has a lot of knowledge to share with me. I gave her my exercise history, my current exercise routine, and told her about my shin stress fracture. She watched me run on the treadmill to study my form, then helped me develop the routine below, which I will go through twice on a normal gym day (we just reviewed it, I didn’t do all the moves on Friday). Her method is to start working out the big muscle groups, the move to the small ones at the end of the routine. She incorporated a lot of balance moves, to help with my shin (and overall balance), and also some speed moves, sort of to help with my running speed/burst of energy. She wants to meet again next week (which will probably have to be pushed back until I come home from Iowa) to give me some advice on my running form (yay!) then I am to follow this routine for about a month, until we tweak it again.

Kim’s New Routine x2

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs

Notice, no more weight machines? She wants me to stick to this. I was nervous about doing any free weight work, since I am unsure of my form, but she helped me with that.

So… I was spent just sampling this routine. Anything involving that damn Bosu is intense. I can’t wait to try this out next week, and get better!

I did 30 minutes on the bike afterward, but very slow.

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.11 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 111 | February 6, 2010: 6 m run

I was hoping for a relaxing 6-miler, but that wasn’t the case:

• It was 26°F and sunny, but SUPER windy
• The sidewalks were icy, so I had to run in the street, which stresses me out
• I felt like I had lead legs

Well, they can’t all be easy!

Distance: 6.0 | Time: 56:43 | 1: 9:46 | 2: 9:40 | 3: 9:32 | 4: 9:21 | 5: 9:16 | 6: 9:03

Day 112 | February 7, 2010: yoga

Steven and I did the YogaWorks Body Slim DVD and I was drenched in sweat. Is this ever going to get easier?! I have noticed my downward dogs have become easier – my legs have been straighter and I don’t feel it as much in my calves. That is a sign!

Week Summary: 19.00 miles

I really loved fitting yoga in this week, and doing it with Steven. It would be great to make yoga a daily habit. It’s easy to do since we have DVDs and mats at home.

I found out this week that Tony is also running the Wisconsin Half Marathon – I hope I get to meet him!

And, I totally forgot to post a link to my guest post on Andrea’s site – check out my tips on cold weather running!

Comments (34)

By kilax, January 31, 2010 9:12 am

Day 99 | January 25, 2010: strength

On Monday morning, I had the brilliant idea of working out in the office gym after work instead of before.

Yeah.

By the time my hectic day was over, I just wanted to GET out of there!

Lesson Learned: Put Yourself First. Morning workouts work best for me, so I need to stick to them!

Do morning, midday or evening workouts work best for you?

I did level 2 of The 30 Day Shred with Steven when I got home. Honestly, it was a bad night for me, and I was not into it at first, but the exercise made me feel better.

Day 100 | January 26, 2010: 5 m run + cross

Whoa, I have been tracking my workouts for 100 days! How cool is that? Let’s see if I can go for another 100…

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:00 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:50 | 4: 9:41 | 5: 9:18
Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.68 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 101 | January 27, 2010: strength

Oh my gosh. By Wednesday, I had not done a “traditional” strength workout in 2 weeks (I had just been doing the Shred)! I need to be careful NOT to turn into a CARDIO QUEEN!

How do you make sure you balance your strength, cardio and stretching? Each week, I try to aim for 4-5 days of cardio, 2-3 of strength, and daily stretching. Yeah, I don’t always meet that goal.

Because it had been so long, my body was nice and sore. Yay!

Biangular Lat Row: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 65 lb, 15 @ 65 lb
Lateral Raise: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb, 15 @ 37.5 lb
Biangular Chest Press: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 50 lb, 15 @ 50 lb
Shoulder Press: 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Lat Pulldowns: 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 60 lb, 15 @ 60 lb
Arm Curl: 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb, 15 @ 25 lb
Seated Leg Press: 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 70 lb, 15 @ 90 lb
Leg Extension: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 45 lb, 15 @ 45 lb
Leg Curl: 15 @ 30 lb, 15 @ 40 lb, 15 @ 20 lb
Hip Abduction: 3 x 15 @ 115 lb
Hip Adduction: 3 x 15 @ 55 lb
V Bar Pushdowns: 3 x15 @ 30 lb

Day 102 | January 28, 2010: 5 m run + cross

You know, I really like being a regular morning “poo-er” but I am sick and tired of stopping in the middle of my runs at the office gym to run to the bathroom! Meh!

I always feel so much better after I do though.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:00 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:50 | 4: 9:41 | 5: 9:18
Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.58 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 103 | January 29, 2010: yoga

I tried the YogaWorks Body Slim DVD. It’s a 50 minute workout that starts out with some ab work, then does some (what where killer for me) yoga moves. Yikes. I think my arms are still shaking typing this. I will do a full review when I post my review of the entire series (well, the three I received from the series!). I am looking forward to getting better at this!

I’ve been thinking about getting a yoga mat since I am slipping around so much when I use a towel! Does anyone have recommendations for a good but economical yoga mat? Are the ones from Target decent?

Day 104 | January 30, 2010: 8 m run

It was snowing lightly when I woke up on Saturday, but it stopped in time for my run. “Yay,” I thought, “All I have to deal with is this pretty dusting of snow.”

WRONG.

That pretty dusty of snow did a pretty good job of hiding all the icy spots on the sidewalk. I fell on my left knee AGAIN at the 1.5 mile mark. And in the new track suit my mom got me! Luckily, no holes in my pants this time.

The bottom is also blue with yellow stripes on the sides

I ran a slow eight miles in the 19° weather. I felt comfortable and fine, but made sure I watched for signs of pain in my knee. Looks like it is back to icing it.

I made homemade granola bars Saturday morning, so I ate one during my run. Yum! Why haven’t I made these in so long? I feel so much better (mentally) eating bars I know have natural ingredients in them.

Distance: 8.0 | Time: 1:19:09 | 1: 10:04 | 2: 10:05 | 3: 9:580 | 4: 10:05 | 5: 9:46 | 6: 10:05 | 7: 9:34 | 8: 9:29

Day 105 | January 31, 2010: yoga

I had a hard time deciding which DVD to do Sunday morning. I really wanted to do The 30 Day Shred, but thought it would be too much for my knee. So I settled on the the YogaWorks Body Slim DVD which gave me a great workout, but made me feel extremely inflexible. Ugh. Why is my body so tight?!

Steven and I may do another workout later in the day (emphasis on may).

Week Summary: 18.00 miles

I didn’t want to announce it until I was sure, but Erin is running the Wisconsin Half Marathon on May 1st as well! Woo to the hoo! And… Erin and I are both also planning to run the Chicago Marathon… registration opens tomorrow! I want to register before the registration reaches capacity… but I am worried about not being able to run (like what happened with the Kansas City Marathon last year) and wasting money. Ugh. Why does marathon registration have to be so stressful?

A couple of links I wanted to share:

Check out Ameena’s An Obsession with Exercise post. She talks about how she went from exercising just to lose weight, to exercising to enjoy it.

I also found this advice about driving to a race interesting. A newbie runner asks if driving an hour to a race is too much. The trainer responds that it isn’t, but advises on considering how your sleep, morning routine, and body is affected.

Comments (19)

By kilax, January 30, 2010 6:29 am

I am really digging the March Runner’s World article – “Mind Games” – about Kara Goucher’s struggle with finding confidence as a runner, and how her work with coach Alberto Salazar and (especially) sports psychologist Dr. Darren Treasure has helped her overcome her doubt of herself. Update: read article here.

I know – she’s run a 4:33.19 mile – what doubt?

Well, some elite runners have a tendency to be Type A perfectionists. So while we would be more than elated to run 1/10th of a mile at their marathon pace, it’s extremely disappointing to them when they don’t meet their goals. Arguably even more disappointing for them, than for us, since they are in the spotlight.

I know she was disappointed in her Boston 2009 performance, but damn, I WANT her body!

So while we cannot relate to her elite level, I know we have all felt doubt in ourselves or been disappointed in a performance at one point in time or another. And that is the point of the article – to read about what worked for her, and apply it to your own personal (running or otherwise) goals.

The article has a section with five tips on how to run “with mind over matter” (and I think these tips can be applied to any goal, except for maybe the fourth one!):

1. Worry early, not late – identify your worries early and train to overcome them, focus on your strengths as you get closer to race day*
2. Employ a key word – focus on a key word during intense training, then use it during critical moments in a race**
3. Embrace your competitors – think about running with others, not against them***
4. Enjoy the motion - notice how nice the motion feels, and get it tune with it, so you can relax*
5. Define success by your progress – try to get better every day – by comparing to your own personal progress****

Basically, it’s 1: planning ahead, 2: finding a key word that stimulates a response you want, 3: letting your competitors bring out the best in you, 4: being in tune with your  body and enjoying it, and 5: judging your progress only by comparison to yourself. Using these techniques should boost confidence in your own personal performance, and train you to perform your best.

Do you think you would use any of these techniques – either for running, another form of exercise, or a personal goal? Do you think they would help boost your confidence?

I do use some of these techniques now, especially the last two. Every run, I try tune in to how my body feels, and modify my form so it feels the most natural. And I also keep track of my progress, so I can look back and see how I’m doing. That is one of the reasons***** I write those long Sunday posts – so I can reflect. Right now, my goal is just to run without injury and I have been doing great! It’s gives me pleasure to see that I am keeping up with running and other physical activity. It does boost my confidence!

There were a few other parts of the article that really spoke to me, so click on “continue reading” if you feel like reading more!

Continue reading 'Can techniques to boost confidence in running help with other life goals?'»

Comments (22)

By kilax, January 24, 2010 4:28 pm

Day 92 | January 18, 2010: yoga

After running 8 miles last Saturday, snowshoeing and rock climbing on Sunday… I was not feeling too energetic Monday morning. In fact, my left knee (the one I landed on when I wiped out two Saturdays earlier) started hurting the night before, and I was walking a bit funny Monday morning. I stuck to the YogaWorks Beginners DVD in hopes that it would stretch me out and loosen me up.

Day 93 | January 19the, 2010: rest

Day 94 | January 20, 2010: 5 m run + yoga

This was an easy 5 miler – but not a 100% enjoyable one. My diet from the last two days caught up with me and I just felt gross. I had to stop and use the bathroom at 2 and 3 miles. I think it is time for a processed foods detox.

I did the YogaWorks Beginners – PM Relax & Restore 10 minute routine in the evening. It actually did make me feel relaxed!

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:59 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:27

Day 95 | January 21, 2010: strength + yoga

Steven and I did Level 2 of hell The 30 Day Shred (I used 2lb. weights and he alternated between 5  and 10 lbs.) and the YogaWorks PM Relax & Restore. My body felt really off all day – I felt kind of sweaty and gross. I wonder if my body was doing its own detox! Or if I am just naturally sweaty and gross (very possible).

Day 96 | January 22, 2010: 5 m run + cross

Have you ever felt like you aren’t completely awake during a run? That was me Friday morning. I ran before work. I wake up at 4:20 when I run before work, and usually stay awake during the train ride, but on Friday (since my computer had a virus and I had nothing to do) I slept on the train. And I felt like I never woke back up until my run was over.

I went back down to the gym at lunch to ride the stationary bike.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:59 | 1: 10:21 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:00 | 4: 9:50 | 5: 9:27
Bike Time: 45:00 | Distance: 8.44 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 97 | January 23, 2010: strength + yoga

Does anyone else find Level 2 of the The 30 Day Shred to be completely exhausting? Steven and I sure do. Especially when we don’t start until 11:10 PM! Yeah, due to my crappy day/mood, the exercise got pushed back big time. I hate it when that happens. Oh well. We did the Shred (I used 2lb. weights and he used 5 lb. weights.) and the YogaWorks PM Relax & Restore. I really like the YogaWorks DVDs and am excited to write a full review when I have done them all! I hope to be more focused and calm at yoga by that point!

Day 98 | January 24, 2010: 5 m run

37 Degree weather in January? That’s like a heat wave for us! Of course, I just used a gift card on Saturday to buy a pair of YakTrax! I am sure I will get a chance to use them… reluctantly.

Thumbs up for…

…clear sidewalks in January!

Steven and I ran 5 miles, stopping to walk a half mile at the 3 mile point. Steven has not been able to run for a few weeks because he was sick, so it was nice to run together again. I think we need to figure out our plan of attack for the half marathon on May 1st!

At the end of our run today, a dog jumped up on Steven and bit a hole into his pants. You can see the hole, and the dog’s slobber in the picture below. Isn’t that kind of crazy? The owner apologized before he let the dog jump up on Steven. Nice.

Distance: 5.5 | Time: 59:46 | 1: 10:19 | 2: 10:11 | 3: 10:16 | 4: 12:27 | 5: 10:51 | 6: 5:41

Week Summary: 15:50 miles (includes .50 miles of walking)

So, my knee. I need your help, blogger friends. My left knee has a dull ache going on, sort of under the knee cap and on the sides. It doesn’t hurt while running, but after sitting a long while, or if I kneel. What is up with that? I really don’t feel like I am doing too much, too soon, so I wonder if I just have internal bruising from my fall two weeks ago. Thoughts?

Ha, ha. Do you ever have an internal pain, like a sore knee, but you keep looking at the outside of your body for signs of it? I keep looking at my knee, expecting to see something that looks “out of place” but I don’t.