I did get out and do a 1.13 mile run. The little neighborhood behind our house, loops around. I calculated that and it comes out to 1.1 mile if I run the inner circle as well. I could defnitely feel that I had run yesterday. It wasnt as bad as I thought it might be. I was glad to only be running a mile though! I did 1.l3 miles in 13:50, which translates on the running site to a 12:15 pace. Hmm, doesnt quite seem right but hey Ill take it!
Mrs. F
Last Friday: 171.4 lbs.
Today: 167.2 lbs.
Gain/Loss: -4.2 lbs.
Goal: 150.0 lbs.
Cumulative: 15.6 lbs.
Pounds to lose: 17.2
Comment: I was sick this week, so I definitely had a little extra help. Im a little nervous that once my regular eating catches up to me, that I might gain a pound or two back. I was so excited to hit the 15 lbs lost marker! It finally feels like Ive made a significant dent in my weight loss. Plenty of work to go!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday's Run
The weather was great, even though the roads were a bit messy. It was 30.4 degrees, it felt heavenly.
I set out with no specific route in mind and with the intent of doing a minumum of 3 miles or at least 45 minutes. I was a bit brave today and went up one of the longer hills in town. I didnt really like that much but it was good to get it out of the way.
I varied my route again today in hopes that I would find one that totaled 4 miles that worked for me. And I did! I was looking for a route that didnt make me feel like I was doubling back. So I went from my house, up an east/west street and over and back down another east/west street. I also added in, an additional couple of blocks on another north/south street. And then went back to my traditional ending points. Overall it worked well. I didnt feel like I was doubling back, since I was on a different road rather than the one I started on.
I went 4.23 miles in 52:30. Thats a 12:25 minute pace. I was definitely pleased with that time! Im trying to build up my distance, so I can start the half marathon training. The treadmill hasnt been assembled yet so all of my runs are still outside. Once we get the treadmill up and running, then I want to add in my 1-2 mile runs on the off days on the treadmill. In theory, it should be easier to sneak it in during the day, while the little kids are watching a movie. Otherwise I have been going out after my big kids get home from school. I like running in the daylight and the warmth of the day but thats a tough time to be gone from the house. Its called the crazy hours, between 3-5 when the kids are a bit riled up! So Ive limited it to going out 2-3 times a week but I have been slowly increasing my distance.
I had a good tracking and eating day today. In fact, I probably need to eat some more since I burned a good bit with my run. My net is really low lol, I like having that problem. Im looking forward to the weigh in tommorrow. Im hoping for at least a pound.
Mr. F and our eldest son are off this weekend to a wrestling tournament. Im hoping maybe I can go over to a friends house and try out her new wii fit. It will be nice to try it, so I can see if I like it before I buy it. Thats on the longer term purchase list anyway lol.
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
I set out with no specific route in mind and with the intent of doing a minumum of 3 miles or at least 45 minutes. I was a bit brave today and went up one of the longer hills in town. I didnt really like that much but it was good to get it out of the way.
I varied my route again today in hopes that I would find one that totaled 4 miles that worked for me. And I did! I was looking for a route that didnt make me feel like I was doubling back. So I went from my house, up an east/west street and over and back down another east/west street. I also added in, an additional couple of blocks on another north/south street. And then went back to my traditional ending points. Overall it worked well. I didnt feel like I was doubling back, since I was on a different road rather than the one I started on.
I went 4.23 miles in 52:30. Thats a 12:25 minute pace. I was definitely pleased with that time! Im trying to build up my distance, so I can start the half marathon training. The treadmill hasnt been assembled yet so all of my runs are still outside. Once we get the treadmill up and running, then I want to add in my 1-2 mile runs on the off days on the treadmill. In theory, it should be easier to sneak it in during the day, while the little kids are watching a movie. Otherwise I have been going out after my big kids get home from school. I like running in the daylight and the warmth of the day but thats a tough time to be gone from the house. Its called the crazy hours, between 3-5 when the kids are a bit riled up! So Ive limited it to going out 2-3 times a week but I have been slowly increasing my distance.
I had a good tracking and eating day today. In fact, I probably need to eat some more since I burned a good bit with my run. My net is really low lol, I like having that problem. Im looking forward to the weigh in tommorrow. Im hoping for at least a pound.
Mr. F and our eldest son are off this weekend to a wrestling tournament. Im hoping maybe I can go over to a friends house and try out her new wii fit. It will be nice to try it, so I can see if I like it before I buy it. Thats on the longer term purchase list anyway lol.
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Catching up (again lol)
Ive not been able to get to blogging as regularly as I would like. I hope to get back into a regular pattern of writing again though.
Last week I was able to get out for runs on Monday and Wednesday. After that it got bitterly cold(-20 real temp) and I couldnt get out. I so wanted my treadmill!! On Monday, I ran just under 3 miles and Wed, I ran about 3.6. Its tough to find a good route that doesnt double back yet stays in town. I prefer to stay in town, at this point, since the roads generally are clearer and a little less icy.
I was really excited about wednesdays run. My pace was 12:02~! I was booking it! Usually the beginnings of the run are tougher and then I find my groove.
Thankfully this week, the temps went up to a balmy 21 degrees. Monday's run was foiled by an afternoon meeting. That really bummed me. I was so looking forward to getting out and running in the warmer winter weather. Plus I hadnt run since Wed and I needed to get moving.
Thankfully, yesterday's schedule allowed me to get out for a run. I had mapped out a route ahead of time to try to get up to that elusive 4 mile mark without running around the lake. It seemed a bit chilly at first, but I quickly warmed up. The fun part about running in town is Im definitely getting a harder workout with all the hills! I did 3.95 miles(running ahead rounds up the total to 4) in 50:51. Thats a pace of 12:58.
Once the treadmill is up and assembled, Im planning on trying to add in 1-2 mile runs on the off days. I want to run 3-5 miles every other day outside and then do 1-2 on the off days. My ultimate goal is to do a half marathon. I beleive though, I have to be running 25 miles a week before I can start the half training plan. So it looks like it will probably be the summer of 2011 before I get ready for my half.
Im rather sore and achy today. Not sure though if its the run or getting the stomach flu last evening. Not fun for sure! Thankfully I got my run in before I got sick! It started with our baby girl and of course at 14 months old, she cant hold her own throw up bowl. So momma got the duty of that one. Thus now its my turn to be sick. I have two others who have sucombed to this bug as well. I'm grateful though, that it seems to be a 24 hr bug and doesnt last long. Today, Im feeling somewhat better, just weak and dehydrated.
Oh almost forgot, my weigh in last Friday wasnt great. It could have been worse! Im up to 171.4. I just need to work off the holiday pounds and get back on track. There may have been some residuel water weight in there too. We shall see what this weeks weigh in brings. Im sure being sick will help lol -- not my preferred method of weight loss though!!!
Keepon running
Mrs. F
Last week I was able to get out for runs on Monday and Wednesday. After that it got bitterly cold(-20 real temp) and I couldnt get out. I so wanted my treadmill!! On Monday, I ran just under 3 miles and Wed, I ran about 3.6. Its tough to find a good route that doesnt double back yet stays in town. I prefer to stay in town, at this point, since the roads generally are clearer and a little less icy.
I was really excited about wednesdays run. My pace was 12:02~! I was booking it! Usually the beginnings of the run are tougher and then I find my groove.
Thankfully this week, the temps went up to a balmy 21 degrees. Monday's run was foiled by an afternoon meeting. That really bummed me. I was so looking forward to getting out and running in the warmer winter weather. Plus I hadnt run since Wed and I needed to get moving.
Thankfully, yesterday's schedule allowed me to get out for a run. I had mapped out a route ahead of time to try to get up to that elusive 4 mile mark without running around the lake. It seemed a bit chilly at first, but I quickly warmed up. The fun part about running in town is Im definitely getting a harder workout with all the hills! I did 3.95 miles(running ahead rounds up the total to 4) in 50:51. Thats a pace of 12:58.
Once the treadmill is up and assembled, Im planning on trying to add in 1-2 mile runs on the off days. I want to run 3-5 miles every other day outside and then do 1-2 on the off days. My ultimate goal is to do a half marathon. I beleive though, I have to be running 25 miles a week before I can start the half training plan. So it looks like it will probably be the summer of 2011 before I get ready for my half.
Im rather sore and achy today. Not sure though if its the run or getting the stomach flu last evening. Not fun for sure! Thankfully I got my run in before I got sick! It started with our baby girl and of course at 14 months old, she cant hold her own throw up bowl. So momma got the duty of that one. Thus now its my turn to be sick. I have two others who have sucombed to this bug as well. I'm grateful though, that it seems to be a 24 hr bug and doesnt last long. Today, Im feeling somewhat better, just weak and dehydrated.
Oh almost forgot, my weigh in last Friday wasnt great. It could have been worse! Im up to 171.4. I just need to work off the holiday pounds and get back on track. There may have been some residuel water weight in there too. We shall see what this weeks weigh in brings. Im sure being sick will help lol -- not my preferred method of weight loss though!!!
Keepon running
Mrs. F
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Holiday Recap
Sorry folks for being absent so long ... it was tough finding some blog time with all the kiddos home!
I did a weigh in on christmas eve and was down about 3/10ths of a pound. I didnt get a weigh in the next week, but Im pretty sure I gained! Now its back to tracking calories and getting my eating under control. I didnt track the entire two weeks the kids were off of school -- oops!
On an upnote, I did get several runs in. One of the highlights was getting to run with my eldest son on christmas eve morning. He ran slow for his dear old mother but we ran together for 2 miles before he took off on his own. The week of christmas, I got 3 runs in. We had a major snowstorm that left us with 16+ inches of snow and I was pleasantly surprised to sneak some runs in! I ran Tuesday before the storm hit for about two miles. Then as Mr. F noted, we got a run in on Christmas eve during a lull in the snow. Then I got out on Sunday for another 3.6 miles. Ive started tracking my run totals with running ahead. One of my goals for this year is to run 500 miles. Its a pretty neat site and I love how it automatically calculates your minutes per mile for you.
I got an after christmas present of a new watch, so I have been enjoying the stopwatch features! I also got a new outer layer. I opted for a soft lined duo dry jacket from target. Previously one of my layers was a very light windbreaker, basically just the outer shell. So I tried out my new jacket on the run yesterday and it was great. I even left off the arm warmers and my fleece vest and was still plenty warm. Which really is amazing since it was about 1 degree!
I finally found a combo for pant layers that works. I borrowed hubbys spandex running tights and added those under my other layers and it works great! So I plan to eventually get a pair of my own. I wear those, then some warm wear, and two loose fitting running pants over the top of that.
Most of my runs have been in town now that its icy and snowy out. I find that when the traffic is light enough, I end up running down the lane of traffic to find the ice free road. Its interesting to me that my feet seem to automatically slow down as I come upon icy road patches. Even with the ice and the cold, I have been pleased that my pace is staying around 13 -14 minute miles.
I got out on the 29th and again on new years day. Each of those runs were over 3 miles. Im trying to work my way up to 4-5 miles on a run. Its been really cold here though, so its tough to run much longer than that right now. And this past weekend, it was dangerously cold, so I didnt get out to run. -23 real temp is just too much for me!
On another sidenote -- we finally ordered a treadmill. The really cold subzero temps and the plethora of ice around town prompted getting that in order. Im kinda excited! Im sure the lure of the treadmill will wear off after running in place for awhile. I like the idea of being able to run during naptime for the little ones while the preschoolers watch a movie or something. Plus I love then knowing how far I ran without either mapping it or driving my route in the car to map it! One of my wish list items is a gps watch ... although with the price range ... it will be a loong while before I save up enough for that one!
When we checked out the treadmills, we actually brought our running shoes in to try them out. I think it amused the store clerks to see such seriousness lol. We ended up with a medium range nordic track. Im hoping this will help Mr. F get back to running as well. Since we wont have to layer up for the run on the treadmill!
I got out for another run yesterday. Not quite as far, 2.86 miles, but I ran it in 36:51. So a good pace for the cold temps. My fleece scarf is a lifesaver on these really cold days. My total for the year, is 6.2 -- woot!
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
I did a weigh in on christmas eve and was down about 3/10ths of a pound. I didnt get a weigh in the next week, but Im pretty sure I gained! Now its back to tracking calories and getting my eating under control. I didnt track the entire two weeks the kids were off of school -- oops!
On an upnote, I did get several runs in. One of the highlights was getting to run with my eldest son on christmas eve morning. He ran slow for his dear old mother but we ran together for 2 miles before he took off on his own. The week of christmas, I got 3 runs in. We had a major snowstorm that left us with 16+ inches of snow and I was pleasantly surprised to sneak some runs in! I ran Tuesday before the storm hit for about two miles. Then as Mr. F noted, we got a run in on Christmas eve during a lull in the snow. Then I got out on Sunday for another 3.6 miles. Ive started tracking my run totals with running ahead. One of my goals for this year is to run 500 miles. Its a pretty neat site and I love how it automatically calculates your minutes per mile for you.
I got an after christmas present of a new watch, so I have been enjoying the stopwatch features! I also got a new outer layer. I opted for a soft lined duo dry jacket from target. Previously one of my layers was a very light windbreaker, basically just the outer shell. So I tried out my new jacket on the run yesterday and it was great. I even left off the arm warmers and my fleece vest and was still plenty warm. Which really is amazing since it was about 1 degree!
I finally found a combo for pant layers that works. I borrowed hubbys spandex running tights and added those under my other layers and it works great! So I plan to eventually get a pair of my own. I wear those, then some warm wear, and two loose fitting running pants over the top of that.
Most of my runs have been in town now that its icy and snowy out. I find that when the traffic is light enough, I end up running down the lane of traffic to find the ice free road. Its interesting to me that my feet seem to automatically slow down as I come upon icy road patches. Even with the ice and the cold, I have been pleased that my pace is staying around 13 -14 minute miles.
I got out on the 29th and again on new years day. Each of those runs were over 3 miles. Im trying to work my way up to 4-5 miles on a run. Its been really cold here though, so its tough to run much longer than that right now. And this past weekend, it was dangerously cold, so I didnt get out to run. -23 real temp is just too much for me!
On another sidenote -- we finally ordered a treadmill. The really cold subzero temps and the plethora of ice around town prompted getting that in order. Im kinda excited! Im sure the lure of the treadmill will wear off after running in place for awhile. I like the idea of being able to run during naptime for the little ones while the preschoolers watch a movie or something. Plus I love then knowing how far I ran without either mapping it or driving my route in the car to map it! One of my wish list items is a gps watch ... although with the price range ... it will be a loong while before I save up enough for that one!
When we checked out the treadmills, we actually brought our running shoes in to try them out. I think it amused the store clerks to see such seriousness lol. We ended up with a medium range nordic track. Im hoping this will help Mr. F get back to running as well. Since we wont have to layer up for the run on the treadmill!
I got out for another run yesterday. Not quite as far, 2.86 miles, but I ran it in 36:51. So a good pace for the cold temps. My fleece scarf is a lifesaver on these really cold days. My total for the year, is 6.2 -- woot!
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
Friday, December 25, 2009
White Christmas
Well, here in Minnesota it surely was a white Christmas. We had about 14" of snow going into midday today. I'm sure glad I got my run in yesterday.
Yes, I got a run in yesterday, on Christmas Eve day. It was the first real run I've taken in a month. I ran a bit over the weekend a week or two ago, but nothing major. I guess yesterday wasn't anything major, either. Since it was my first run in a month, I stuck to a mile (actually, just a bit over a mile). Since we had a break in the snowfall during the morning and the plows were keeping the roads clear, we decided to take a run through the neighborhood. Mrs. F and I set out with our eldest son and our almost 10-year old daughter. Josiah ran with Mrs. F, and Ariana ran with me. I was pleased that I was able to keep Mrs. F and Josiah in my sights--at the end of my mile they were less than two blocks ahead of me.
I could have pushed further on, but decided to take it easy on my first day back at it. Overall, it didn't feel too bad. At the end, I finally felt myself rolling off of my legs. I was tempted to keep running, but erred on the side of caution. Sitting here as I write, I'm glad I took it easy. My leg muscles are a bit sore today, but I can't be sure if it is from the running, or dealing with the snow yesterday, or helping to build some huge snowmen in the yard today.
I was up 1.9 lbs. this week, and my sugars have been edging higher again. I really need to get back to my regular exercise routine. I really need to get back to getting out with Marie, because if I'm left to do it on my own I'm more likely to just take a pass with the intention to try again the next day. Argh! I guess I'll just be thankful that I had some time off yesterday and today, and am now looking forward to a nice weekend.
Whether you observe it or not, I hope you've all had a Merry Christmas day.
Yes, I got a run in yesterday, on Christmas Eve day. It was the first real run I've taken in a month. I ran a bit over the weekend a week or two ago, but nothing major. I guess yesterday wasn't anything major, either. Since it was my first run in a month, I stuck to a mile (actually, just a bit over a mile). Since we had a break in the snowfall during the morning and the plows were keeping the roads clear, we decided to take a run through the neighborhood. Mrs. F and I set out with our eldest son and our almost 10-year old daughter. Josiah ran with Mrs. F, and Ariana ran with me. I was pleased that I was able to keep Mrs. F and Josiah in my sights--at the end of my mile they were less than two blocks ahead of me.
I could have pushed further on, but decided to take it easy on my first day back at it. Overall, it didn't feel too bad. At the end, I finally felt myself rolling off of my legs. I was tempted to keep running, but erred on the side of caution. Sitting here as I write, I'm glad I took it easy. My leg muscles are a bit sore today, but I can't be sure if it is from the running, or dealing with the snow yesterday, or helping to build some huge snowmen in the yard today.
I was up 1.9 lbs. this week, and my sugars have been edging higher again. I really need to get back to my regular exercise routine. I really need to get back to getting out with Marie, because if I'm left to do it on my own I'm more likely to just take a pass with the intention to try again the next day. Argh! I guess I'll just be thankful that I had some time off yesterday and today, and am now looking forward to a nice weekend.
Whether you observe it or not, I hope you've all had a Merry Christmas day.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday 's run
Its been a very stressful week, so I was tempted not to run. I knew though, that I had a holiday party for Mr. F's work and probably needed to burn some calories before hand!
The temps felt tropical compared to the subzero stuff from before. Its amazing how relative tempature feels. I remember complaining bout running in 30 degree temps earlier in the season. Now Im particularly thankful for a 20 degree day to run in!
I ran my alternate neighborhood route. Basically I run from my house, through a neighborhood and out of town on a gravel/dirt road. It works well since the traffic ie really light and the roads are fairly clear of snow and ice.
Overall it was a good run, had a few slow spots but I did 3 miles in 44 minutes. Not too shabby for cold weather running. I keep reminding myself, its not so important how fast but that Im out there moving and improving my fitness.
Weight check went well. I was hoping for two pounds down but I'll take the 1.2!
I'm enjoying being in the 160s's even if its on the high end. Im down a total of 14.3 pounds. Seeing the weight come off definitely helps on the motivation end. Plus if I run, i can eat some chocolate. You know the important stuff!
Im hoping to get to run with my eldest son over break. Hes been super busy with wrestling, that we havent had a chance to run together. Im sure he will take off and meet me on the run back but hey, we can start together. Some of my younger kids want to come run too. They will likely not make it hte entire three miles but it should be fun getting out together.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
The temps felt tropical compared to the subzero stuff from before. Its amazing how relative tempature feels. I remember complaining bout running in 30 degree temps earlier in the season. Now Im particularly thankful for a 20 degree day to run in!
I ran my alternate neighborhood route. Basically I run from my house, through a neighborhood and out of town on a gravel/dirt road. It works well since the traffic ie really light and the roads are fairly clear of snow and ice.
Overall it was a good run, had a few slow spots but I did 3 miles in 44 minutes. Not too shabby for cold weather running. I keep reminding myself, its not so important how fast but that Im out there moving and improving my fitness.
Weight check went well. I was hoping for two pounds down but I'll take the 1.2!
I'm enjoying being in the 160s's even if its on the high end. Im down a total of 14.3 pounds. Seeing the weight come off definitely helps on the motivation end. Plus if I run, i can eat some chocolate. You know the important stuff!
Im hoping to get to run with my eldest son over break. Hes been super busy with wrestling, that we havent had a chance to run together. Im sure he will take off and meet me on the run back but hey, we can start together. Some of my younger kids want to come run too. They will likely not make it hte entire three miles but it should be fun getting out together.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The run around the lake, number two
The temps were warmer, a balmy 10 degrees, and the sun was shining -- so I took off for my long run around the lake ( 4 miles). It was nice not having subzero winds blowing for a change.
The first two miles are the tougher of the 4. So I reminded myself of that as I was running. I didnt get to borrow a watch, so I carried the cell phone instead. That gave me a starting and ending time but I elected not to pull it out as I ran each mile. Good thing I didnt, it died right after that lol.
I was looking forward to the mile segment of the trail I often run on. Last time, I was able to make up some time on that stretch as its mostly flat. Not this time! The recent snows left the trail tough to run down. Snowmobilers had packed down some of the snow but it made it hard to get traction to run. The uneven terrain of snow bumps didnt help either. I ended up walking 3 different times during that segment. It really was just hard slogging along. I allowed myself those walking segments, for 15 or 30 seconds. I figured I was at least moving!
Next time I run around the lake, I plan to take the parallel road nearby. It will add some distance but not too much more. It seems to parallel the trail fairly closely. I think though I will lose my flatness and have more hills to run.
The last mile seemed the easiest. Perhaps cause I knew I was almost done or perhaps just getting back to the mostly clear roads. It was much easier runnign there, than on the snow covered trail.
All in all, it was pretty tough running it out but IM glad I got out there and did it! I did 4 miles in 58 minutes. For comparison, last time I ran around the lake I did it in 52 minutes. It was warmer and no snow too though.
I made some good choices on food today as well. I knew I wanted a bigger sandwich at mcdonalds (the crispy chix), so I elected to skip the fries and go with water as well. I did ask my son if I could have a few of his fries and that satified my desire for those. Been busier and more stressed lately and less time for snacking. All good for weight loss, I suppose.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
The first two miles are the tougher of the 4. So I reminded myself of that as I was running. I didnt get to borrow a watch, so I carried the cell phone instead. That gave me a starting and ending time but I elected not to pull it out as I ran each mile. Good thing I didnt, it died right after that lol.
I was looking forward to the mile segment of the trail I often run on. Last time, I was able to make up some time on that stretch as its mostly flat. Not this time! The recent snows left the trail tough to run down. Snowmobilers had packed down some of the snow but it made it hard to get traction to run. The uneven terrain of snow bumps didnt help either. I ended up walking 3 different times during that segment. It really was just hard slogging along. I allowed myself those walking segments, for 15 or 30 seconds. I figured I was at least moving!
Next time I run around the lake, I plan to take the parallel road nearby. It will add some distance but not too much more. It seems to parallel the trail fairly closely. I think though I will lose my flatness and have more hills to run.
The last mile seemed the easiest. Perhaps cause I knew I was almost done or perhaps just getting back to the mostly clear roads. It was much easier runnign there, than on the snow covered trail.
All in all, it was pretty tough running it out but IM glad I got out there and did it! I did 4 miles in 58 minutes. For comparison, last time I ran around the lake I did it in 52 minutes. It was warmer and no snow too though.
I made some good choices on food today as well. I knew I wanted a bigger sandwich at mcdonalds (the crispy chix), so I elected to skip the fries and go with water as well. I did ask my son if I could have a few of his fries and that satified my desire for those. Been busier and more stressed lately and less time for snacking. All good for weight loss, I suppose.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
A short run
I knew I needed to get out last night, since I didnt run this weekend.
It really was an out of sorts day. I was really super tired and grumpy. So I elected to just go for 2 miles or so. It was getting colder and with the windchill warnings hitting like 30 below. I knew I wouldnt want to run in that!
It actually felt slightly warmer than when I went out in the 3 degree weather. I was dreadfully slow of course but I kept reminding myself that Im getting out there and moving!!!
All in all, I think it ended up being like 2.25 miles. I even got to try out my new headlamp since it was nearing dark.
I really enjoyed the run but coming home to chaos wasn't so much fun. My off day turned into the kids off day too. Sigh. Oh well, today is a new day.
I did semi okay on the eating. A bag of one of my favorite types of xmas candy did not help. Thankfully I ran, so i had a few extra calories of indulgence.
Keep on running folks
MRs. F
It really was an out of sorts day. I was really super tired and grumpy. So I elected to just go for 2 miles or so. It was getting colder and with the windchill warnings hitting like 30 below. I knew I wouldnt want to run in that!
It actually felt slightly warmer than when I went out in the 3 degree weather. I was dreadfully slow of course but I kept reminding myself that Im getting out there and moving!!!
All in all, I think it ended up being like 2.25 miles. I even got to try out my new headlamp since it was nearing dark.
I really enjoyed the run but coming home to chaos wasn't so much fun. My off day turned into the kids off day too. Sigh. Oh well, today is a new day.
I did semi okay on the eating. A bag of one of my favorite types of xmas candy did not help. Thankfully I ran, so i had a few extra calories of indulgence.
Keep on running folks
MRs. F
Into the new week
I woke up tired and sore yesterday, and woke up down today. My calves are sore from running in my winter gear this weekend, and from hiking over many hills throughout the day. I came home from work yesterday not excited to run, but ready to run, but then I realized that all of my tech undergarments were still in the wash from this past weekend's camping trip, so I took a pass on the run. I made productive use of the time, however, and got nearly all of this week's coursework done by the time I turned in. I now only need to stay active on the course discussion board for the balance of the week. That will let me get a head start on next week's work.
I remember my mother being after me regularly to get my room clean. Typically, when I set about to do it, I'd find something interesting that would take my mind off the task and the task would then drag on and on and on. I think I started keeping my room better when I discovered girls, and was allowed to have an occasional visitor of the finer persuasion. Perhaps it is only fitting that my kids seem pretty much cut from the same cloth. Unlike my childhood home, where my mother would not let us do household chores apart from our rooms (she said it was her job, after all), our kids have been doing chores since they've been able to follow instructions. There's enough of them to spread out the work (perhaps that's part of the problem?), so none of them are overloaded. Each has one chore room or area to care for each week, along with one specific dinner-related chore (e.g., clearing and washing the table, washing up the little ones, doing the dishes, sweeping the floor). They are on a rotation. Yet getting them to do that oftentimes feels like trying to pull teeth from a velociraptor. If we put our attention one one or two who are slacking, the others start slacking. If one gets a room cleaned well and early, some others will toss some things in it or make it a complete mess again. I now understand why one of my schoolmate's parents made some rooms of the house off-limits, but that's a policy I would not be able to tolerate. Perhaps I'll resort to my mother's course of action: wishing that her kids would grow up to have kids just like them. No, I would not wish that on my kids, though should they ever have kids of their own they might finally understand why I could so often get so frustrated so easily.
Anyway, I just wish they would realize that they get more freedom, and more privileges, when they take care of the house and keep up on their chores. Time spent on chores--doing them, doing them again, re-doing them yet again--is time that could be spent elsewhere. The extra wear and tear on the house and furniture means we need to repair or replace things more often, taking monies we could have spent on other things.
To top it all off, I'm not super-handy when it comes to home repairs. There are some things I can do (I really like mudding and taping drywall), but most things take me so much longer and are so far outside of my comfort zone that I'm always second-guessing myself. When the budget allows it, I'd rather hire one of the handy fellows from the church to come over and take care of project A or B, but the budget rarely affords such luxuries.
I'm really starting to sense that being healthy goes way beyond nutrition, rest, and exercise. It has to do with limits and margins; it encompases how you live in all areas of life, not just what goes into the body through the mouth.
The cabin this past weekend had no TV, no computer, and no phone. Heat was a wood stove. While there was time for fun and conversation, much time was spent preparing meals and keeping the fire going (to keep warm). It hearkened unto a much simpler life. Admittedly, a much harder life, but a simpler one. I would just love to figure out some ways to simplify my own life, without making a drastic change like joining the Amish or moving to a cabin in the woods. I really believe that a lot of the inner struggles that plague me arise from all the craziness I've allowed to come into our lives. Running should be one of those things that gives me a taste of that simpler life, but in many ways it seems more like "just one more thing" I'm supposed to be doing.
Until my outlook changes, I just need to keep my feet going, my intake limited, and my sleep regular. For now, that's all I can do.
I remember my mother being after me regularly to get my room clean. Typically, when I set about to do it, I'd find something interesting that would take my mind off the task and the task would then drag on and on and on. I think I started keeping my room better when I discovered girls, and was allowed to have an occasional visitor of the finer persuasion. Perhaps it is only fitting that my kids seem pretty much cut from the same cloth. Unlike my childhood home, where my mother would not let us do household chores apart from our rooms (she said it was her job, after all), our kids have been doing chores since they've been able to follow instructions. There's enough of them to spread out the work (perhaps that's part of the problem?), so none of them are overloaded. Each has one chore room or area to care for each week, along with one specific dinner-related chore (e.g., clearing and washing the table, washing up the little ones, doing the dishes, sweeping the floor). They are on a rotation. Yet getting them to do that oftentimes feels like trying to pull teeth from a velociraptor. If we put our attention one one or two who are slacking, the others start slacking. If one gets a room cleaned well and early, some others will toss some things in it or make it a complete mess again. I now understand why one of my schoolmate's parents made some rooms of the house off-limits, but that's a policy I would not be able to tolerate. Perhaps I'll resort to my mother's course of action: wishing that her kids would grow up to have kids just like them. No, I would not wish that on my kids, though should they ever have kids of their own they might finally understand why I could so often get so frustrated so easily.
Anyway, I just wish they would realize that they get more freedom, and more privileges, when they take care of the house and keep up on their chores. Time spent on chores--doing them, doing them again, re-doing them yet again--is time that could be spent elsewhere. The extra wear and tear on the house and furniture means we need to repair or replace things more often, taking monies we could have spent on other things.
To top it all off, I'm not super-handy when it comes to home repairs. There are some things I can do (I really like mudding and taping drywall), but most things take me so much longer and are so far outside of my comfort zone that I'm always second-guessing myself. When the budget allows it, I'd rather hire one of the handy fellows from the church to come over and take care of project A or B, but the budget rarely affords such luxuries.
I'm really starting to sense that being healthy goes way beyond nutrition, rest, and exercise. It has to do with limits and margins; it encompases how you live in all areas of life, not just what goes into the body through the mouth.
The cabin this past weekend had no TV, no computer, and no phone. Heat was a wood stove. While there was time for fun and conversation, much time was spent preparing meals and keeping the fire going (to keep warm). It hearkened unto a much simpler life. Admittedly, a much harder life, but a simpler one. I would just love to figure out some ways to simplify my own life, without making a drastic change like joining the Amish or moving to a cabin in the woods. I really believe that a lot of the inner struggles that plague me arise from all the craziness I've allowed to come into our lives. Running should be one of those things that gives me a taste of that simpler life, but in many ways it seems more like "just one more thing" I'm supposed to be doing.
Until my outlook changes, I just need to keep my feet going, my intake limited, and my sleep regular. For now, that's all I can do.
Monday, December 14, 2009
The weekend
Mr. F was gone for the weekend, camping with 3 of our boys. It was a looong weekend with doing some deep cleaning and not getting enough sleep. Sick baby girl added to the fun.
I found it much more difficult to make good choices and get out and run when tired. So I didnt run either Sat or Sun. And I ate an entire small supreme pizza -- no I didnt track that day! I really dont want to know how many calories I overate!!!!
But Im trying to get back on track today even though kids were up again last night. Its hard not to reach for food when you are tired. I already had an extra cup of my coffee. That added enough calories with my creamer!
Mr. F and I plan to run tonight. So Im hoping to get my body back into submmission.
Mrs. F
I found it much more difficult to make good choices and get out and run when tired. So I didnt run either Sat or Sun. And I ate an entire small supreme pizza -- no I didnt track that day! I really dont want to know how many calories I overate!!!!
But Im trying to get back on track today even though kids were up again last night. Its hard not to reach for food when you are tired. I already had an extra cup of my coffee. That added enough calories with my creamer!
Mr. F and I plan to run tonight. So Im hoping to get my body back into submmission.
Mrs. F
Friday, December 11, 2009
A long overdue weight check! (Friday weight check - Week 15)
I had to go all the way back to November 20th to find our last posted weights. I know that we have weighed in since then, just didnt post it in the format.
Friday weight check (week 15)
FatManRunning
Last Friday: 283.0 lbs.
Today: 279.4 lbs.
Gain/Loss: -3.6 lbs.
Goal: 210.0 lbs.
Cumulative: 21.0 lbs.
Pounds to lose: 69.4
Comment: Mr. F isnt here to give me official totals from last week. So I estimated about where he was then. He will chime in when he returns.
Mrs. F
Last Friday: 171.8 lbs.
Today: 169.7 lbs.
Gain/Loss: -2.1 lbs.
Goal: 150.0 lbs.
Cumulative: 13.1 lbs.
Pounds to lose: 19.7
Comment: I am so happy! My hard work, aka running, aka watching my caloric intake is paying off. I felt like I had a good week, so I was hoping for one pound down and was estatic when I realized it was 2!!!! It was so much fun to lower my culumative amount to lose below 20. Yay!!!
Friday weight check (week 15)
FatManRunning
Last Friday: 283.0 lbs.
Today: 279.4 lbs.
Gain/Loss: -3.6 lbs.
Goal: 210.0 lbs.
Cumulative: 21.0 lbs.
Pounds to lose: 69.4
Comment: Mr. F isnt here to give me official totals from last week. So I estimated about where he was then. He will chime in when he returns.
Mrs. F
Last Friday: 171.8 lbs.
Today: 169.7 lbs.
Gain/Loss: -2.1 lbs.
Goal: 150.0 lbs.
Cumulative: 13.1 lbs.
Pounds to lose: 19.7
Comment: I am so happy! My hard work, aka running, aka watching my caloric intake is paying off. I felt like I had a good week, so I was hoping for one pound down and was estatic when I realized it was 2!!!! It was so much fun to lower my culumative amount to lose below 20. Yay!!!
Although I haven't exercised...
Although I've not run or done my pushups in two weeks, I have some good news to report. Simply by returning to getting a full night's rest and by being a little more careful with my food intake, my weight has dropped back to where it was on November 13! It had gone up a half pound on the 20th, about another pound on Thanksgiving week (I only got to weigh on Wednesday that week, so I cannot be certain), and was up almost two more pounds by December 3. As of today, I'm back to 279.4! What a relief!
I won't have time to post our regular Friday Weight Check today. Mrs. F might try to get it up later this evening. At 2 PM, I'm off to pick up some things for our Boy Scout outing this weekend, and then two of our boys and I will head out about 5 PM. Our eldest son, our first cross country runner, decided to wrestle again this year, so he'll be at a tournament tonight. Mrs. F will drop him off in the morning.
Have a good weekend, all! I'm looking forward to a fresh start next week.
I won't have time to post our regular Friday Weight Check today. Mrs. F might try to get it up later this evening. At 2 PM, I'm off to pick up some things for our Boy Scout outing this weekend, and then two of our boys and I will head out about 5 PM. Our eldest son, our first cross country runner, decided to wrestle again this year, so he'll be at a tournament tonight. Mrs. F will drop him off in the morning.
Have a good weekend, all! I'm looking forward to a fresh start next week.
Really cold!
I did my first almost subzero run yesterday(technically the temp was 3 degrees!). I had the option of borrowing a friends treadmill but I really wanted to see what I could do in this kind of weather first.
This is a real change for me, I hate cold with a passion. So going outside in nearly zero weather is not first on my list, let alone running in it!
I added a few things to my running gear -- arm warmers, windbreaker pants, hubby's biking googles, and wrist bands worn at the ankles. I was looking for something to add as another layer for my arms, when I remembered that asics had sent us arm warmers. Bingo! Those worked great. I wore the wrist bands at my ankles since thats where my warm wear tends to ride up and i figured it would keep that area warm. I felt like a giant dork in the big ski type googles but hey I kept my face from getting frostbit.
I orginally thought Id just go two miles. The first mile and a half was great. I didnt feel cold and breathing was okay with my fleece scarf on . Although it did threaten to freeze to my face but since i kept breathing in and out, it didnt have a chance to. The run was feeling good, so I elected to go my full route of three miles. I did my alternate route through the neighborhood and out of town since hubby had both sets of the keys. My the time though I hit two miles, my thighs were pretty darn cold. Im wondering if its cause i put a cotton layer between the warm wear and windbreaker pants or if it was just that cold. Either way, I knew that walking would just make me colder, so i had no option other than running the rest of the way home.
There were challenges like the googles steaming up in spots but not wanting to take them off to clean them in the cold. Or my shoe coming untied. That always seems to make it extra challenging to get running again after stopping.
All in all, a good run. I went pretty darn slow and even slowed further at points when breathign was getting harder. I am pretty proud that I got out there and ran in that cold of weather. I, really , never thought Id be one of "those" runners!
After I got home, I remembered back to the early days of C25K and how some days, I could barely walk after running. And here I am doing 3 miles! Its pretty darn amazing.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
This is a real change for me, I hate cold with a passion. So going outside in nearly zero weather is not first on my list, let alone running in it!
I added a few things to my running gear -- arm warmers, windbreaker pants, hubby's biking googles, and wrist bands worn at the ankles. I was looking for something to add as another layer for my arms, when I remembered that asics had sent us arm warmers. Bingo! Those worked great. I wore the wrist bands at my ankles since thats where my warm wear tends to ride up and i figured it would keep that area warm. I felt like a giant dork in the big ski type googles but hey I kept my face from getting frostbit.
I orginally thought Id just go two miles. The first mile and a half was great. I didnt feel cold and breathing was okay with my fleece scarf on . Although it did threaten to freeze to my face but since i kept breathing in and out, it didnt have a chance to. The run was feeling good, so I elected to go my full route of three miles. I did my alternate route through the neighborhood and out of town since hubby had both sets of the keys. My the time though I hit two miles, my thighs were pretty darn cold. Im wondering if its cause i put a cotton layer between the warm wear and windbreaker pants or if it was just that cold. Either way, I knew that walking would just make me colder, so i had no option other than running the rest of the way home.
There were challenges like the googles steaming up in spots but not wanting to take them off to clean them in the cold. Or my shoe coming untied. That always seems to make it extra challenging to get running again after stopping.
All in all, a good run. I went pretty darn slow and even slowed further at points when breathign was getting harder. I am pretty proud that I got out there and ran in that cold of weather. I, really , never thought Id be one of "those" runners!
After I got home, I remembered back to the early days of C25K and how some days, I could barely walk after running. And here I am doing 3 miles! Its pretty darn amazing.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The run in the snow
There is a wicked winter storm heading our way. It did start this afternoon and should give us 6 inches or so, when its all done. So although, technically I should be running tommorrow - I elected to get out today before it got too deep to run.
We still havent gotten a treadmill yet, so options are limited. My friend, Amy, did let me know that I can come over and use hers though.
It was around 16 degrees and blowing snow. The winds were about 12 miles an hour. Given the weather conditions, I decided that I was just going to run 2 miles.
I grabbed my fleece scsrf for todays run. That helped tremendously!!! It kept my face much warmer and kept the pelting snow off my face. Overall, the run was great. The last 3 runs have been tough for me, so it was really nice to have a good one.
The only time it was particulary cold is where the trail is more open to the lake. At those points, the wind blowing off the lake made the snow hit me like ice pellets. I tried to turn a bit to prevent it from hitting me as directly.
Since my mp3 was almost dead and it was snowing(I didnt want it getting wet), I elected to leave it home. Im kinda glad I did, it gave me some good thinking time. I found my groove and I just ran. Its been several runs since Ive had that good of a groove. I had a good pace and I kept it throughout until the last half mile. Then I slowed a bit. I was feeling good, so I ended up going 3 miles today.
I thought for sure the snow would have made a tougher run. Apparently not!
Ive been doing a better job tracking calories this week, so im looking forward to seeing the scale on friday.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
We still havent gotten a treadmill yet, so options are limited. My friend, Amy, did let me know that I can come over and use hers though.
It was around 16 degrees and blowing snow. The winds were about 12 miles an hour. Given the weather conditions, I decided that I was just going to run 2 miles.
I grabbed my fleece scsrf for todays run. That helped tremendously!!! It kept my face much warmer and kept the pelting snow off my face. Overall, the run was great. The last 3 runs have been tough for me, so it was really nice to have a good one.
The only time it was particulary cold is where the trail is more open to the lake. At those points, the wind blowing off the lake made the snow hit me like ice pellets. I tried to turn a bit to prevent it from hitting me as directly.
Since my mp3 was almost dead and it was snowing(I didnt want it getting wet), I elected to leave it home. Im kinda glad I did, it gave me some good thinking time. I found my groove and I just ran. Its been several runs since Ive had that good of a groove. I had a good pace and I kept it throughout until the last half mile. Then I slowed a bit. I was feeling good, so I ended up going 3 miles today.
I thought for sure the snow would have made a tougher run. Apparently not!
Ive been doing a better job tracking calories this week, so im looking forward to seeing the scale on friday.
Keep on running
Mrs. F
Monday, December 7, 2009
I am my own worst enemy
For the first time in over a week, I have the time to write here, but I find that I don't have the desire to do so. I just finished up a class last night, so this is the first night in a couple of months that I don't have a boatload of writing or reading to do. Technically, I could get a head start on the next class, but I just can't.
If it were not for the fact that one of our sons celebrated his birthday this weekend, I'd have no clue as to the date. I've not run in 10 days, and I haven't finished the second week of 100 Pushups. I've been staying up way too late, getting too little sleep, and have been using food to get me through the longer study nights. I'm up a couple more pounds, and I have no desire to exercise. On top of that, I'm dealing with a lot of personal stress on other fronts right now. I just want to give up, but I know I can't. I need to get back in the game. I need to stop the snacks and get back to healthy portions. I need sleep, and I need to exercise.
Please don't be mad at me. This is a real struggle for me.
I'm so tired. I want to give up, but I don't want to give up! That sums up much of my struggle. It's a battle in my head, and my life and health are at stake.
I guess I need to celebrate the little victories, even in the midst of my losses. I've gotten back to biking to work regularly. When my knee was giving me problems, I laid off on the biking. I resumed a few times, but would stop again after the next rough run. Now that my knee is no longer bothering me, I'm trying to ride every day, even though we're below freezing and expecting six inches of snow. I have some gaiters that both protect my lower leg and ankle from the wind and keep my pants from snagging in the chain, a light fleece balaclava that fits under my helmet and keeps my face warm, large snowmobile-type gloves, and (since I wear prescription glasses) ski goggles. Overall, it makes me quite a sight, especially in this smaller town where most people think of bikes as three-season transportation. Mrs. F got me a set of studded ice tires last spring, but I don't yet have a second set of rims on which to mount them. I'm keeping my eyes open for a used bike I can rig with them, so I won't need to worry about switching them off and on as the weather changes.
I've had enough for tonight. I need sleep. I've come to learn that a lack of sleep affects everything else--my mood, my energy level, and even how much I crave crappy foods. When I'm well-rested, I feel better and think clearer. To that end, I'm signing off now.
If it were not for the fact that one of our sons celebrated his birthday this weekend, I'd have no clue as to the date. I've not run in 10 days, and I haven't finished the second week of 100 Pushups. I've been staying up way too late, getting too little sleep, and have been using food to get me through the longer study nights. I'm up a couple more pounds, and I have no desire to exercise. On top of that, I'm dealing with a lot of personal stress on other fronts right now. I just want to give up, but I know I can't. I need to get back in the game. I need to stop the snacks and get back to healthy portions. I need sleep, and I need to exercise.
Please don't be mad at me. This is a real struggle for me.
I'm so tired. I want to give up, but I don't want to give up! That sums up much of my struggle. It's a battle in my head, and my life and health are at stake.
I guess I need to celebrate the little victories, even in the midst of my losses. I've gotten back to biking to work regularly. When my knee was giving me problems, I laid off on the biking. I resumed a few times, but would stop again after the next rough run. Now that my knee is no longer bothering me, I'm trying to ride every day, even though we're below freezing and expecting six inches of snow. I have some gaiters that both protect my lower leg and ankle from the wind and keep my pants from snagging in the chain, a light fleece balaclava that fits under my helmet and keeps my face warm, large snowmobile-type gloves, and (since I wear prescription glasses) ski goggles. Overall, it makes me quite a sight, especially in this smaller town where most people think of bikes as three-season transportation. Mrs. F got me a set of studded ice tires last spring, but I don't yet have a second set of rims on which to mount them. I'm keeping my eyes open for a used bike I can rig with them, so I won't need to worry about switching them off and on as the weather changes.
I've had enough for tonight. I need sleep. I've come to learn that a lack of sleep affects everything else--my mood, my energy level, and even how much I crave crappy foods. When I'm well-rested, I feel better and think clearer. To that end, I'm signing off now.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Weekend Wrapup
I managed to get in two runs this weekend - Friday and Sunday. That gives me a grand total of 10.6 miles for the week -- woot! I ran 4 miles on Wed, 3.3 on Friday and another 3.3 today.
It wasnt easy but it sure felt good afterwards. Both weekend runs were tough but Im thankful I pushed thru it.Fridays run was 3.3 miles in 42 minutes. I know I have done that stretch faster but the cold weather really does have an impact. It was 18 degrees and the wind was biting. My core was plenty warm, thanks to a new fleece vest from lands end but my thighs were ice cold!
I took my mp3 player out and got it charged. So I enjoyed having it on both of the weekend runs. My playlist consists of Go fish music. I love their upbeat fun music. I had on my christmas cd, Snow, and then snazzy and superstar as well. Some of the songs are so upbeat that you just want to run faster :)
Its a good thing that I started C25K in august. I know had I started in the cold weather I would have given up by now. Thankfully, I have learned to enjoy it and make it a habit, so the cold isnt as much of a deterrent anymore. Today it was 17 degrees, so chilly but less wind. I added an extra pant layer and that definitely helped. On my top, Im wearing a tech long sleeve shirt, then a light windbreaker and a fleece vest. On my bottom, Im wearing some warmwear, then my yoga capri pants and then a mesh long pants over the top of that. Top it all off with fleece gloves and a stocking hat!
The only part of me that really was cold today was my face. So next time, I think ill grab my scarf. I thought of it again today, but I just didnt want one more thing to mess with, if I got too warm while running.
I didnt have a watch today but I could just tell I was slower. The first mile was pretty good, as was the next .66. It was the 2nd half of the run that was just tough. The last mile in particularly was torturous. It didnt help that twice, my shoe came untied. So I had to stop and tie it, and walk some while getting my gloves back on. Its been a long time since I had the desire to walk, while running but it was strong today. Its good thing the bench that I run by was frosty or I might just have sat down!
To get through the last mile, I pulled out my mental trick of counting down 12 or 13 cement blocks. I picked a tree or spot ahead of me and then imagined hitting that block with a sledgehammer. That seemed to help me finish.
On an upnote, since its gotten colder, I rarely see people on the trail, other than an occasional dog walker. Today two doe bounded across my path, not even 30 yards ahead of me. It was really cool! Definitely can tell I live in a more rural area!!!
I need to do my weight post yet. I was pretty discouraged this week. Since I had the kids at the doctors office on Thursday,I weighed myself. It was an icky 176.2, another 2.2 lbs up. I hadnt tracked exceptionally well but still, it was disheartening. Well, on Friday, since I was going for a run anyway, I decided to weigh in my workout clothes, for the official weight check. I normally weigh in on fridays in workout clothes. Note to self -- Jeans are bad for weigh ins lol. And somehow, in the last 24 hrs, I dropped 4.4 lbs!!! I was down to 171.8. Strangest weigh in ever! Though that definitely made me get cracking on the tracking calories.
Still have to get back to the pushup challenge. Life is really really overwhelming right now. So its tough to do stuff like the pushup challenge that I really dont like at all. I still enjoy the running -- I get a break from the house and kids. So thats not too hard to get motivated to do.
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
PS - Mr. F is writing his last paper for this class -- hooray! He starts another tommorrow but it only has 1 book, so its got to be easier!
It wasnt easy but it sure felt good afterwards. Both weekend runs were tough but Im thankful I pushed thru it.Fridays run was 3.3 miles in 42 minutes. I know I have done that stretch faster but the cold weather really does have an impact. It was 18 degrees and the wind was biting. My core was plenty warm, thanks to a new fleece vest from lands end but my thighs were ice cold!
I took my mp3 player out and got it charged. So I enjoyed having it on both of the weekend runs. My playlist consists of Go fish music. I love their upbeat fun music. I had on my christmas cd, Snow, and then snazzy and superstar as well. Some of the songs are so upbeat that you just want to run faster :)
Its a good thing that I started C25K in august. I know had I started in the cold weather I would have given up by now. Thankfully, I have learned to enjoy it and make it a habit, so the cold isnt as much of a deterrent anymore. Today it was 17 degrees, so chilly but less wind. I added an extra pant layer and that definitely helped. On my top, Im wearing a tech long sleeve shirt, then a light windbreaker and a fleece vest. On my bottom, Im wearing some warmwear, then my yoga capri pants and then a mesh long pants over the top of that. Top it all off with fleece gloves and a stocking hat!
The only part of me that really was cold today was my face. So next time, I think ill grab my scarf. I thought of it again today, but I just didnt want one more thing to mess with, if I got too warm while running.
I didnt have a watch today but I could just tell I was slower. The first mile was pretty good, as was the next .66. It was the 2nd half of the run that was just tough. The last mile in particularly was torturous. It didnt help that twice, my shoe came untied. So I had to stop and tie it, and walk some while getting my gloves back on. Its been a long time since I had the desire to walk, while running but it was strong today. Its good thing the bench that I run by was frosty or I might just have sat down!
To get through the last mile, I pulled out my mental trick of counting down 12 or 13 cement blocks. I picked a tree or spot ahead of me and then imagined hitting that block with a sledgehammer. That seemed to help me finish.
On an upnote, since its gotten colder, I rarely see people on the trail, other than an occasional dog walker. Today two doe bounded across my path, not even 30 yards ahead of me. It was really cool! Definitely can tell I live in a more rural area!!!
I need to do my weight post yet. I was pretty discouraged this week. Since I had the kids at the doctors office on Thursday,I weighed myself. It was an icky 176.2, another 2.2 lbs up. I hadnt tracked exceptionally well but still, it was disheartening. Well, on Friday, since I was going for a run anyway, I decided to weigh in my workout clothes, for the official weight check. I normally weigh in on fridays in workout clothes. Note to self -- Jeans are bad for weigh ins lol. And somehow, in the last 24 hrs, I dropped 4.4 lbs!!! I was down to 171.8. Strangest weigh in ever! Though that definitely made me get cracking on the tracking calories.
Still have to get back to the pushup challenge. Life is really really overwhelming right now. So its tough to do stuff like the pushup challenge that I really dont like at all. I still enjoy the running -- I get a break from the house and kids. So thats not too hard to get motivated to do.
Keep on running folks
Mrs. F
PS - Mr. F is writing his last paper for this class -- hooray! He starts another tommorrow but it only has 1 book, so its got to be easier!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Feeling dead tired (papers, papers, papers)
Last night saw me up until nearly 2 AM to get a paper in on time. I was up this morning at 6 AM, so I'm running on fumes. Less than four hours of sleep definately does not cut it for me. Work has also required some longer hours of late.
I have a research paper due Saturday and another paper due on Tuesday. It's not the school work itself that is getting to me, but rather the lack of sleep and exercise. I've really started to feel the difference between when I'm rested and when I'm not, and I now can also feel a difference between when I am exercising regularly and when I'm not.
I need to finish Week 2 of the One Hundred Pushups challenge, and I need to run. I've not run now for a week (since Thanksgiving Day). I'm falling asleep in my chair as I'm writing this. I need to get in early tomorrow, because we have a new employee starting and I was informed just this morning. I have yet much to do to be ready for his arrival at 8 AM.
Yikes! I need a break.
I have a research paper due Saturday and another paper due on Tuesday. It's not the school work itself that is getting to me, but rather the lack of sleep and exercise. I've really started to feel the difference between when I'm rested and when I'm not, and I now can also feel a difference between when I am exercising regularly and when I'm not.
I need to finish Week 2 of the One Hundred Pushups challenge, and I need to run. I've not run now for a week (since Thanksgiving Day). I'm falling asleep in my chair as I'm writing this. I need to get in early tomorrow, because we have a new employee starting and I was informed just this morning. I have yet much to do to be ready for his arrival at 8 AM.
Yikes! I need a break.
The run around the lake
I didnt get my run in yesterday -- life got the better of me and it didnt happen. Mostly cause when I did have time, my workout clothes werent dry yet. Then the evening flurry of activities occurred. This included a late night run to target for a black shirt for a holiday program and sheets for our new bed. I discovered I have no willpower whatsover at 11 pm at night.
I knew I only had 12 calories left but yet I found myself in arbys drive thru. Fast food is one of my weaknesses, so its a good thing we dont have any in town other than subway! I ended up with some mozz sticks and curly fries but at least I ordered a small and shared with my daughter. All said, i ended up 564 calories over -- yikes!
Mr. F wasnt going to be able to go with me tonight, so I took the opportunity to run when my big kids got home from school. I was excited to try to run around the lake. A bit scared that I wouldnt be able to complete it but still excited. The only bummer I had was that I forgot my mp3 that I just uploaded new music to.
I walked to my starting point, in this case, it happened to be city hall. That took about 8 minutes or so. I tied my shoes and I was off. I must say, it was a bit more intimidating for me to run in town. I realize no one probably thought anything of it, but it was a bit of mental battle for me. The route took me up a hill and then out of town, around the lake and back down my trail and into town again.
The first mile was particularly tough. I started out going uphill and it was an unfamilar route to me. If I measured accurately, the first mile was about 15 minutes. It was just about at the one mile mark, that I stopped to tie my shoes again and then walked just a little bit as I put my glove back on. Then back to the running I went!
The next mile was tough but a little easier. I was nearing where I could view the lake again and the road was far less busy, vechile wise. I had a bit of aches and pains during the run but nothing that caused me to stop, thankfully. I did enjoy running on the gravel road section, it was far softer than the asphalt of the first part of the run. That one seemed to be about 15 minutes as well.
The next part of the run was easier, since it was familiar territory. I ran the mile segment of my normal route on my trail. After having some different terrain(more hills and slopes), it was nice to get back to the mostly flat! I lost track of exactly how many minutes this took, but I think I was able to make some better time on this stretch, given the lack of hilly terrain. It was also encouraging to be able to see the city hall(where I started) and realize that I have made it nearly around the entire lake!!!
The last mile, was back on asphalt, and had a couple more hills. Though it didnt seem as difficult. I think part of it, was realizing, I was on the home stretch. At most, I only had a mile left. I was able to speed up the last stretch of hill by the lake park and finish strong.
My goal was to do it in an hour or less. It looked as if, I wouldnt make that goal. I told myself, that it was okay, after all Im out and moving and exercising. I finished 4 miles in 52:34!!!! I believe that calculates out to 13:08 miles. Woot!
It felt really good to complete that. In the beginning, I was a little unsure I would make it all the way around running. But I did! I even stopped in at our local pharmacy to encourage the people there that are doing couch to 5k!
The walk home though was cold!!! I was fine while warming up and running but afterwords it certainely was cold. The tempature today was about 32 degrees. I thought I would be colder than I was. I am encouraged, that baring 3 feet of snow, perhaps I will be able to run through the winter afterall.
Tracking calories is going better. I tracked yesterday and today again. It feels good to be getting back on that wagon and getting my eating under control somewhat. Dark peppermint truffles are a downfall! Even though I ate 9 truffles today, I got out there and moved my butt.
I plan to get back on track with the dreaded pushups tommorrow. So I will be finishing up week 1 of the pushup challenge tommorrow. Who's idea was this pushup challenge anyway(pointing the finger right at MR. F)
Keep on running folks,
Mrs. F
I knew I only had 12 calories left but yet I found myself in arbys drive thru. Fast food is one of my weaknesses, so its a good thing we dont have any in town other than subway! I ended up with some mozz sticks and curly fries but at least I ordered a small and shared with my daughter. All said, i ended up 564 calories over -- yikes!
Mr. F wasnt going to be able to go with me tonight, so I took the opportunity to run when my big kids got home from school. I was excited to try to run around the lake. A bit scared that I wouldnt be able to complete it but still excited. The only bummer I had was that I forgot my mp3 that I just uploaded new music to.
I walked to my starting point, in this case, it happened to be city hall. That took about 8 minutes or so. I tied my shoes and I was off. I must say, it was a bit more intimidating for me to run in town. I realize no one probably thought anything of it, but it was a bit of mental battle for me. The route took me up a hill and then out of town, around the lake and back down my trail and into town again.
The first mile was particularly tough. I started out going uphill and it was an unfamilar route to me. If I measured accurately, the first mile was about 15 minutes. It was just about at the one mile mark, that I stopped to tie my shoes again and then walked just a little bit as I put my glove back on. Then back to the running I went!
The next mile was tough but a little easier. I was nearing where I could view the lake again and the road was far less busy, vechile wise. I had a bit of aches and pains during the run but nothing that caused me to stop, thankfully. I did enjoy running on the gravel road section, it was far softer than the asphalt of the first part of the run. That one seemed to be about 15 minutes as well.
The next part of the run was easier, since it was familiar territory. I ran the mile segment of my normal route on my trail. After having some different terrain(more hills and slopes), it was nice to get back to the mostly flat! I lost track of exactly how many minutes this took, but I think I was able to make some better time on this stretch, given the lack of hilly terrain. It was also encouraging to be able to see the city hall(where I started) and realize that I have made it nearly around the entire lake!!!
The last mile, was back on asphalt, and had a couple more hills. Though it didnt seem as difficult. I think part of it, was realizing, I was on the home stretch. At most, I only had a mile left. I was able to speed up the last stretch of hill by the lake park and finish strong.
My goal was to do it in an hour or less. It looked as if, I wouldnt make that goal. I told myself, that it was okay, after all Im out and moving and exercising. I finished 4 miles in 52:34!!!! I believe that calculates out to 13:08 miles. Woot!
It felt really good to complete that. In the beginning, I was a little unsure I would make it all the way around running. But I did! I even stopped in at our local pharmacy to encourage the people there that are doing couch to 5k!
The walk home though was cold!!! I was fine while warming up and running but afterwords it certainely was cold. The tempature today was about 32 degrees. I thought I would be colder than I was. I am encouraged, that baring 3 feet of snow, perhaps I will be able to run through the winter afterall.
Tracking calories is going better. I tracked yesterday and today again. It feels good to be getting back on that wagon and getting my eating under control somewhat. Dark peppermint truffles are a downfall! Even though I ate 9 truffles today, I got out there and moved my butt.
I plan to get back on track with the dreaded pushups tommorrow. So I will be finishing up week 1 of the pushup challenge tommorrow. Who's idea was this pushup challenge anyway(pointing the finger right at MR. F)
Keep on running folks,
Mrs. F
Monday, November 30, 2009
Quitting
No - don't worry, running is the only thing right now that I dont want to quit. I know its a season but seriously I'm ready to give up on most everything.
Tracking calories and eating less is just plain hard. And the gain last week, really made me just want to give up. Thankfully, I still enjoy the running, so Im not completely sabataged.
Life is hard sometimes and I'm in a stage where I need to make some order out of chaos. My natural inclination is to hide and avoid. Thats really working well, I tell you.
I cant seem to get myself to do the pushup challenge either. I defitinely want to quit that! I managed to do the first two days of week 1 and havent done any since. Sigh ... I know I need to get back to it. It just feels like its one more thing for me to do. And I definitely have enough of those "things" to do.
I did get out for a run on Saturday. I was having a hard time, so it felt good to take it out in the form of exercise. I decided I was just going to run. I didnt have a watch or my mp3 player or even a specific goal in mind. I just started running. I ended up running the whole segment of trail and back and thats 3.3 miles. I briefly thought bout going on further until I remembered that I have to get back to the car lol!
One hour runner just doesnt feel challenging enough for me. Right now Im finding I want to run further and longer. Mr. F acknowledged too that hes nearly running an hour already. Im thinking bout creating our own plan. Both of us want to increase our distance, so we may work on that. Im just not sure and Im open to suggestions. I like the idea of following a program but OHR just doesnt seem to match well. I was thinking of first, running 3 miles, 3 times a week. Then adding in 1 mile runs on the off days, 1 extra day per week. So first week would be a total of 9 miles, then the 2nd week would total 10 and the 3rd would total 11 and the 4th then 12. So then, we would be running a total of 6 days a week. Still not sure on that though.
I find Im liking the longer distances. It takes a while for my body to find its stride and just run. So I think thats part of it.
Hope y'all have a great week, keep on running
Mrs. F
Tracking calories and eating less is just plain hard. And the gain last week, really made me just want to give up. Thankfully, I still enjoy the running, so Im not completely sabataged.
Life is hard sometimes and I'm in a stage where I need to make some order out of chaos. My natural inclination is to hide and avoid. Thats really working well, I tell you.
I cant seem to get myself to do the pushup challenge either. I defitinely want to quit that! I managed to do the first two days of week 1 and havent done any since. Sigh ... I know I need to get back to it. It just feels like its one more thing for me to do. And I definitely have enough of those "things" to do.
I did get out for a run on Saturday. I was having a hard time, so it felt good to take it out in the form of exercise. I decided I was just going to run. I didnt have a watch or my mp3 player or even a specific goal in mind. I just started running. I ended up running the whole segment of trail and back and thats 3.3 miles. I briefly thought bout going on further until I remembered that I have to get back to the car lol!
One hour runner just doesnt feel challenging enough for me. Right now Im finding I want to run further and longer. Mr. F acknowledged too that hes nearly running an hour already. Im thinking bout creating our own plan. Both of us want to increase our distance, so we may work on that. Im just not sure and Im open to suggestions. I like the idea of following a program but OHR just doesnt seem to match well. I was thinking of first, running 3 miles, 3 times a week. Then adding in 1 mile runs on the off days, 1 extra day per week. So first week would be a total of 9 miles, then the 2nd week would total 10 and the 3rd would total 11 and the 4th then 12. So then, we would be running a total of 6 days a week. Still not sure on that though.
I find Im liking the longer distances. It takes a while for my body to find its stride and just run. So I think thats part of it.
Hope y'all have a great week, keep on running
Mrs. F
Friday, November 27, 2009
Post Thanksgiving Day and Pushups
Well, today was the day after Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful that I had the day off. We woke up early--4 AM--to get in some Black Friday shopping today. It's the first time we've done it in a number of years. We knocked off a bunch of our gift shopping during the year through clearance purchases and our regular monitoring of bargain websites, so we didn't have a hard and fast list for the day. The way we approached it was with a number of door-buster items noted, but we'd be fine if we didn't get any of them. We figured it was some time together, for Marie and me.
Overall, that went well. We got plenty of walking in, and got some good deals. We were home before lunch, and the kids had kept the house in decent shape, so we decided we'd all go out to the budget theater to see G-Force. It was a fun film!
The later afternoon had me feeling exhausted. I couldn't concentrate enough on my reading to get my final chapters done, and I ended up falling asleep in my chair. The rest of the evenign went well, too. I don't have any aches or pains from yesterday's race, and that's a good thing!
Right now, it's going on 9:30 PM, and everyone is already in bed, including Mrs. F. I stayed up a bit later to get my pushups in. It's W2D2 for me, I did a total of 53 pushups tonight, in five sets (10-12-9-9-13). The final set (13) was the minimum required for that set, but I really had to strain to finish it, so I'm happy with that set. My next workout will put me 1/3 through this six week program. The earlier sets tonight were surprisingly easy. The fourth was tough, but not horrible. The final one really required some fighting to get through it. Instead of collapsing near the end, I paused in my up position a couple of times (after the ninth and twelfth), and was able to finish them all. I'm waiting to be able to see some of the benefits in my chest; some benefit is already visible in my shoulders (deltoids).
Anyway, I'm going to take this opporunity to get to bed early. I'm glad tomorrow is a Saturday and work free.
Overall, that went well. We got plenty of walking in, and got some good deals. We were home before lunch, and the kids had kept the house in decent shape, so we decided we'd all go out to the budget theater to see G-Force. It was a fun film!
The later afternoon had me feeling exhausted. I couldn't concentrate enough on my reading to get my final chapters done, and I ended up falling asleep in my chair. The rest of the evenign went well, too. I don't have any aches or pains from yesterday's race, and that's a good thing!
Right now, it's going on 9:30 PM, and everyone is already in bed, including Mrs. F. I stayed up a bit later to get my pushups in. It's W2D2 for me, I did a total of 53 pushups tonight, in five sets (10-12-9-9-13). The final set (13) was the minimum required for that set, but I really had to strain to finish it, so I'm happy with that set. My next workout will put me 1/3 through this six week program. The earlier sets tonight were surprisingly easy. The fourth was tough, but not horrible. The final one really required some fighting to get through it. Instead of collapsing near the end, I paused in my up position a couple of times (after the ninth and twelfth), and was able to finish them all. I'm waiting to be able to see some of the benefits in my chest; some benefit is already visible in my shoulders (deltoids).
Anyway, I'm going to take this opporunity to get to bed early. I'm glad tomorrow is a Saturday and work free.
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