Runnin' Around

Running High (Part II)

2011-06-14T13:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been blogging in awhile. I'm still doing pretty well with the running though. I did, however, overdo it in the food area this weekend (breakfast out twice, pizza, left-over pizza, etc). I do so well during the week and then blow it on the weekends. I'm sure a lot of people are in that boat, but it's like I really just don't care. Then Monday rolls around and I'm filled with regret. So, this weekend I vow to stay on track. It's going to be hard as it's Father's Day, my birthday, and my brother is coming home for the weekend. This usually involves many meals in restaurants and a bunch of beer. I'm going to track my points no matter what.

Another deficit area for me is water. I hate hate hate it. I'm drinking some now and giving it a dirty look. I also have a secret theory that it gives me a headache. I'm going to start by making myself drink at least a litre a day. That's not so hard, is it? We'll see.

Oh yeah, my run. I jogged 7km at lunch. It's a bit cooler today and the work gym wasn't as disgustingly hot and smelly as it usually is. Not to mention, I had the gym to myself. I'm not the kind of girl who can jog and keep up a conversation, so I sort of like running alone (or with my husband).

I still have over 3.5 months until the half marathon, but it seems to be getting closer and closer. I'm starting to wonder if my body is physically capable of running for 2.5-3 hours. Won't I be starving? What if I have to pee? Am I supposed to eat a lot before? These are all things that I should look into at some point.

Running High

2011-05-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

I just had a fantastic run and wanted to blog about it. I ran 5k in 31:24, which is a great time for me. I always start off slow, so the warm-up is included in there. Now I'm sitting at my desk, completely sweaty and gross, and I feel amazing. I had a slip last night where I budgeted my points for two pieces of pizza (12 points) but ended up eating three (18 points). I felt terrible, but decided to start over today. And I'm so glad I didn't let it set me back.

Sitting here, I realize that I have to start showering at work. I've dreaded this for many reasons. The shower in our gym is kind of disgusting and has no shower curtain. There are sometimes a lot of people working out and it's difficult to even get in there. Not to mention, it's co-ed. Also, if I wash my hair I'd have to dry it and straighten it, which isn't really an option. And if I don't wash my hair, what's the point really?

Okay, so reading this back, I laughed at myself. This is my big problem? To shower or not to shower? Seriously?? There are bigger decisions a person has to make ...

Take 2 (or 200)

2011-05-17T13:29:00.000-04:00

I'm back at work after 11 months off. I actually came back the day after the 10k race. Since that time I've been to Vegas and Myrtle Beach. Needless to say, I haven't been to Weight Watchers at all. I had the best intentions, but it's almost impossible to get to a meeting. The evening ones are at 6:30, which is a crucial bath/pajama/bottle time. I'm not going to give up my Baby A time if I can help it. So, as you can imagine, running has been difficult as well. Basically, I get up at 6:30 (or whenever Baby A decides to wake me), give him a bottle, shower, and go to work. I come home at 4:00, starving. We eat dinner, go outstide for a bit, and then do our bedtime routine. After bedtime we watch TV and eat popcorn. And so I gained some weight. Just a couple pounds, but for someone like me, a couple is a lot. And it's more than that. I feel like crap. Not exercising leaves me almost no energy and then I tend to snack like crazy at night. Not to mention, I think about food all the time . . . bad food!

So now I'm recommitting. Going to meetings is just not feasible for me right now, so I joined the online WW program. It's MUCH cheaper and actually seems pretty good. The only thing I'll miss is the motivation that going to a meeting gives me, and the accountability. We don't have a digital scale, so it's hard to keep track. I've been surfing around the site today and found some pretty good blogs though, and there are some challenges posted that I might sign up for. Another plus is that I just got an IPhone which has a great WW app. You can keep track of points on your phone. Anyway, I'm going to try it for three months and see how I like it.

In terms of running, I've started going to the gym at my work at lunch. It's not a nice gym by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a treadmill. I don't LOVE the idea of being all sweaty in the afternoons, but it's the price I have to pay. I'm not missing any time with my son and I'm usually able to get a good workout in. Today I ran 5k and hope to do this at least 3 times a week. Also, outdoor soccer starts this week, which will kick my ass.

I Did It!!

2011-03-28T14:28:00.000-04:00

I ran the 10k race yesterday and it was awesome!

I'm very proud of myself and my time (one hour exactly). It was harder than I thought it'd be given the freezing cold temperature, but I knew I wouldn't stop. I couldn't stop really, considering I had told a bunch of people that I was doing the race and even posted it on Facebook. So, that was actually motivating to me. My husband did it in 44 minutes, so I'm really proud of him as well. He's always been very encouraging to me and I appreciate it. Although today he signed me up for a 1/2 Marathon. Yikes!! I have about six months to train, but still. This seems like an impossible task: 22.1km. That's more than double what I did (barely) yesterday. I'll need to get a longer playlist.

I also wanted to mention that I thought yesterdays race was really well done. It was organized by The Running Room and there were lots of refreshments, prizes, a t-shirt for everyone, a kids race, etc. The only part I didn't really like was that instead of having a 10k course, we had to run the 5k course twice. I understand that setting up a 10k course might have been difficult, logistically, but it would have been nice. I find it hard psychologically to re-run the same course twice. I don't know why. However, that's a very minor complaint.

So, now I'm setting my sites on October and still thinking of a reward for myself for the 10k.

Another Goal Reached

2011-03-17T10:38:00.001-04:00

I haven't gotten weighed in two weeks, so I have no idea if I've lost weight or not. To be honest, I feel about the same. However, I wanted to write and say that I haven't given up. Something happened in my personal life with my family that has kept me from the scale, but it hasn't kept me from running. Last Sunday I finally ran 10k. It was awesome. I felt great the whole time and knew that I could do it. It took me 66 minutes and 25 seconds, but I'll take it. Especially for a first attempt . . .

So, the big race is in 10 days. I've decided that if I finish, I'm going to sign up for the half marathon in October. It seems huge, but I feel really confident that I can do it.

I haven't gotten in much (or any) running this week. My husband and parents are away, so I'm home alone with Baby A. I can't exactly take him to the gym with me, but I know I'll get back on track next week. Speaking of which, it's my last week off work. A part of me is excited about it, but mostly I wish I could stay home with my guy. Also, I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to run once I go back. There is a small gym at my work, but it's usually busy. Perhaps I'll have to get up early and go. We'll see . . .

Halfway There

2011-03-02T13:46:00.000-05:00

I lost another pound today. It felt great. I knew I was down a little from my own scale at home, but I was still nervous. I had a great week, including four good runs and a soccer game. I also ate really well and kept on track. Nevertheless, as I get closer to my goal I'm getting kind of scared. I assume it'll get harder to lose a pound each week. Not to mention, I have to go back to work on March 28, which will make it much more difficult to get so many runs in each week. I haven't figured out how I'm going to manage yet.

The 10k is only 25 days away. Ack! I still haven't been able to get in a run longer than 8k yet and I'm running out of time. I'm also getting REALLY sick of my jogging playlist. Any suggestions for up-tempo songs would be greatly appreciated.

Daily Mile

2011-02-24T11:43:00.001-05:00

I signed back up to a website called dailymile.com today. Basically it's just a site to log training, in whatever form. You can walk, run, bike, swim, etc. It logs how far you go, how fast, and how often you train. I find it pretty handy to actually see my progress right in front of me in a bar graph. I'd recommend the site to anyone who would like to track their accomplishments.

On the left side of my blog is a widget that is linked to the website and reports my training for the week/year. It started on Monday, so my weeks will start on Mondays (although I get weighed on Wednesdays). And although I've run more than the 18km it has me running this year, I'm not going to go back in and enter all of these. I couldn't remember them all even if I tried. In addition, it posts my latest run. It has you enter your distance, time, route (mine is usually the treadmill these days), and also how you felt about the run.

Below there is another widget that lists my upcoming races. I can't believe there are only 31 days until the 10k. Ack!

5 Down, 7 To Go

2011-02-23T15:47:00.000-05:00

Well, I hit the five pound mark today at WW. To be honest, I knew I had done well this week and had already decided that the number didn't matter. I managed to get in three long runs, a soccer game, two days of curling (which is surprisingly tiring), and pretty much stayed on track (other than a few beer at the curling tournament). So I had it in my head that even if I stayed the same weight, I wouldn't get discouraged. However, losing that fifth pound felt really fantastic. And yes, I know, for some people it wouldn't be a lot of weight, but for me it's pretty significant.

To reward myself I bought a new jacket. It's a size 5 and it actually fits me! I couldn't believe it. And since it was the only one left in the store and I've been eying it for three weeks, I finally caved. I haven't mentioned it to my husband yet though :)

Today when we got home from the mall, Baby A rewarded me as well by having a 2.5 hour nap. It gave me time to go through my entire closet and dresser. I put all of my maternity clothes in a box and filled a bag to donate as well. That felt really good. I still have a box of "skinny clothes" that don't fit, but that gives me some incentive.

Oh, my girls' trip to Vegas got moved up to April 7, so that definitely gives me less time to lose the last 7 pounds. I typically have been losing about a pound a week, so realistically I'm hoping to be down 5 more by then. I think I can do it.

My goal for the week is to run at least 17 km, play soccer, and keep track of everything I eat. I've been sliding in that area for the last two weeks and I find it actually helps.

Phew

2011-02-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

So I didn't have the best week ever. I went to the Pizza Hut Buffet (always a mistake), I had a bunch of meals out, Valentine's Day, etc. But I also ran 8 km on Friday and another 5 on Sunday. I played my entire soccer game (there were no subs). And on Wednesday morning I went to get weighed and discovered I had lost half a pound. Not much, but I didn't gain, which is a giant relief. So, 4 down, 8 to go . . .

Today I tried one of the Smart Ones meals that I bought in Watertown last week. It's the french toast and turkey sausage breakfast (worth 7 points). I have to say, it was pretty decent, especially the sausage. Also, easy to make (just stick in the microwave for 90 seconds). The only complaint would be that they don't give you a lot of syrup, but they're trying to keep the points down. I usually have an english muffin with peanut butter, which is also 7 points, so this was a nice change. I'd recommend it for sure. The frustrating part is that this isn't available in Canada yet, as far as I know.

One more thing to mention. When I was running on Friday, I had decided to do 6 km, which I hadn't been able to do in awhile. Well, when I got to the 6 km mark, I started to feel really great and thought, "well, I can go a little further". I ended up going another kilometre, and then another, and felt fantastic. I guess this is the runner's high I've heard so much about. I have to say, I've never really experienced it before. I felt good for the rest of the night, although sore the next day. Sunday I ran 5 km, as mentioned, and then yesterday I did 6.4 km. I'm still nowhere close to 10, but it feels slightly more realistic than it did a few weeks ago.

Little by Little

2011-02-09T14:05:00.000-05:00

I didn't end up getting weighed last week due to the snowstorm. I felt fine about that and didn't have a real problem staying on track. I went to Weight Watchers today and lost 1.5 lbs. It's slowly coming off and I'm pretty excited about that.

I also signed up for the 10k race that I mentioned. It takes place on March 27, the day before I go back to work. So, that's kind of significant for me. I'm pretty nervous about it though. Yesterday I ran 5k at the gym and it was really hard. There was no way I could have done 10. I have about 7 weeks to train for it, but it just seems so far out of the realm of possibility. I'm going to do my best. In my last blog posting I set a goal of running 15k that week, and I'm happy to say that I did it. I also played almost my entire soccer game (we were short on subs). This week I hope to run 16k in addition to playing soccer.

I've been doing pretty well with eating, other than the giant lunch I had today. I met some friends from work at a buffet, which was difficult. I'm determined not to let it ruin my week. In the past I've had a hard time in the evenings, not snacking. Lately though, we've just been getting up so early with Baby A I find that I'm tired earlier and don't feel as hungry at night. I'm also eating more fruit since, as I mentioned, it's free on WW.

Here's hoping it's a good week . . .

End of Week Three

2011-01-26T18:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I lost one more pound this week. It's such a small thing but it made me feel good. It's funny the things that I see people do before they get weighed-in. They take off their shoes, coats, sweaters, jewelry, etc. I've seen people take their pants off. And no one would dare go with jeans on. Everyone goes to pee first, hoping that will make a difference. I make fun, but I'm no different. I wear the same pair of yoga pants every single time. I don't eat before the 9:30 weigh-in, and I hesitate to drink too much. It's crazy . . .

I'm toying with the idea of signing up for a 10k race. There's only one in Kingston in the spring and it happens to fall the day before I go back to work after maternity leave. I'd have two months to train for it, but that doesn't seem like much time. As it is now, 5k would be a challenge, but as I've run a 5k in the past, I need something bigger. I guess I'll sleep on it. My husband has offered to run with me again, which helps.

I'm also committing to running 15k this week. Hopefully I'll get to the gym Thursday after my husband gets home, once on the weekend, and then Tuesday morning. I also have soccer at 10pm tonight, which is good exercise, although it's torture to go out in the freezing cold at that time of night. I hate to miss it though.

I'll update again in a week or so to report my progress.

Progress

2011-01-25T14:30:00.000-05:00

I'm nearing the end of week three of my new "lifestyle". So far things are going well. I'm not going crazy or anything, just trying to eat properly and jog. At this point, it hasn't been that hard. I lost 2 lbs at my second weigh-in, which leaves me only down 1 lb from where I started, but this week has felt pretty good. I managed to go running twice, played soccer (at 10pm in the freezing cold), and haven't regretted any of my food choices. I'll weigh-in again tomorrow and see if it paid off or not.

The running is getting a bit easier. I was able to go a little longer today and felt fantastic afterwards.

The new Weight Watchers program is a bit different these days. In the old days, I would get 18 points a day (the minimum) and often felt hungry. On the new program, I get 29 (still the least you can get), but many of the points values for things have gone up. The difference is that fruit and vegetables are free, which is awesome. I always thought it was weird that I should feel guilty for eating an extra apple. As well, the points now take into account the amount of carbs, protein, fat, and fibre in different foods. I see some obvious flaws in this, but I've decided to go with it. Like I said before, I don't think this is a perfect system, but if it works for me, who cares? I sort of just eat everything I did before, without going overboard. I realize I could do this myself without giving them money, but it's motivating to me, and that's really all that I needed. Hopefully I feel the same way after tomorrow . . .

Take 2

2011-01-18T11:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in over two months. There are a couple of reasons, but the main one is that I haven't been running regularly. I have lots of excuses (a trip to Florida, a sprained foot, hating the treadmill, holidays), but none of them are great. So, instead of mentioning them all, I'm going to start fresh.

I'm doing things a little differently. I've actually rejoined Weight Watchers. A part of me thinks it's not the best program, but another part of me remembers losing 20 lbs a few years ago, so I'll give it another shot. The first time I joined, I basically ran every day and ate mostly what I wanted. This seemed to work for me. Going to the meetings and getting weighed every week gave me motivation to work out. And, for that reason alone, I think it was worth it. My husband thinks it's a waste of money, and I tend to agree, but like I said, it worked. Also, I'm a lifetime member, so if I can manage to lose 10 lbs I wouldn't have to pay. That's a pretty good incentive, since it's kind of pricey.

I had some disappointing results the first week. I kept track of my points and actually had some left over. I went in last Wednesday only to discover that I had gained 0.6 lbs. Not a big gain or anything, but most people lose weight on their first week. I didn't really let it get to me, after a few minutes of sulking. My goal the first week was to keep track of EVERYTHING, and I did. My goal this week has been to eat three healthy meals a day and only eat fruits and veggies in between. I've been pretty good at this. I did splurge on some frozen yogurt twice (and a cookie that my sister-in-law baked), but I had the points left over for it. So, I'll get weighed tomorrow morning again. I don't really feel like I've lost anything, but who knows?

I've already decided that my goal for next week (on top of keeping track of points and eating healthy) is to drink more water, at least four glasses a day. This is really hard for me, since I hate water, but I'm going to try to force myself.

Oh yeah, I'm back to running. So far I've only been able to go twice a week, on Tuesday mornings and then once on the weekend. I also have soccer again on Wednesdays. I have to say that I still HATE the treadmill, but I'm forcing myself to use it until the spring.

Wish me luck tomorrow . . .

1st week - 13.5km

2010-11-14T21:02:00.000-05:00

I got a head-start on my 100km goal this week. I had some pretty good outings; one in particular that was quite enjoyable. I parked my car at the RMC gym and ran across the causeway, up Queen St, across to the Court House, down Ontario St, and back across the causeway. This was a great route as it was different than my usual and I got to jog along the water for quite awhile. The weather was also fantastic. We've been really lucky this week in that regard. The uphill part of Queen St was a bit tricky though.

So I've gone 13.5km and have 86.5 to go, in just under 7 weeks. I absolutely think I can do this. It seems that running isn't getting a whole lot easier, but I'm still doing it and, for the most part, enjoying it. To be honest, I actually only enjoy the part when I'm finished, but I feel a real sense of accomplishment. During the 35 minutes or so that I jog, I pretty much feel like I want to die.

I also need a new playlist. Mine is getting really old and is becoming less motivating (with the exception of one Eminem song that I'm embarrassed to say that I love). All ideas are welcome . . .

New Goal

2010-11-11T17:16:00.000-05:00

I had some inspiration the other day while cleaning out my closet. While putting away all of my maternity clothes (finally!), I also found a bunch of my "skinny clothes" from early 2009. I can't fit into a single thing and that made me kind of sad. But it also made me really want to keep running. I don't want to donate those clothes to charity; I want to wear them again. Especially the jeans ...

However, I don't want my actual goal to be to lose 10lbs (although that'd be awesome). I want it to have something to do with running. So, I thought of a goal that I think I can meet but will still be a challenge. Between now and New Year's Day (about 7 weeks) I'm going to run 100km. It's about 15km a week, taking into account that I might miss a few days over the Christmas holidays. So far I've run 8.5km this week, so I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up. I definitely need help to keep motivated, but I have a great support system, including family members who will watch Baby A for a little while . . . so thanks everyone!

Now What?

2010-11-09T11:26:00.001-05:00

Now that I've done the 5k, I find myself wondering what my next challenge should be. I went running downtown today. I parked near The Running Room and ran one of the 6k routes that they have mapped out on their website. It was nice jogging in a different area instead of around my neighbourhood. Basically the route took me around Queens, up to Kingston Penitentiary, and back down King Street along the water, so it was quite enjoyable. Still, I found myself having trouble staying motivated. I realized that this might be one of my last outdoor runs for the season and I'm not looking forward to the treadmill. I also found it much harder today than usual for some reason. It could be because I have nothing to strive for. I mean, I could set a goal of running 7k, 8k, etc. but that doesn't really excite me. I'm also coming to realize that a half marathon is really far and I might not be able to do it by May 18. It's kind of daunting.

That doesn't mean I'm going to quit running, but I have to come up with some kind of short term goal and a way to make it fun again . . .

Race Day

2010-11-08T10:45:00.000-05:00

The day finally arrived. Saturday morning my husband and I headed to City Park for the Freedom Run for Diabetes. We "registered" at 9:30 and got our race kits, which basically consisted of a t-shirt and a tote bag full of coupons, business cards, and brochures. Although I was jealous to note that my husband got a granola bar in his. There was also a bottle of Gatorade to replenish our electrolytes.

At 10:00 we all lined up and some random guy said "Go!" and then we were off. Well, to be honest, a lot of the people were walking. There were a bunch of elderly people and families with little kids. So basically there were about 10 of us running and 30 people or so walking. Some girls were ahead of us for the first lap. My husband ran beside me and I knew the pace was driving him crazy. He kept trying to get me to speed up so when we finished the first lap I told him to go ahead. It didn't take much convincing and he was gone.

I didn't really enjoy the fact that it was five laps around the park. The ground was icy in patches and I thought for sure I'd fall. It was also kind of psychologically demoralizing to keep running the same loop over and over. I had this constant fear that I'd be the last one finished and everyone would be waiting for me. I assumed that anyone walking would just do the 3k and not the 5k. Luckily I was mistaken. My husband lapped me on my third lap and ended up winning the race. He even did a sixth lap so he could finish with me, which I appreciated. He's kind of a great guy.

So, all in all I felt pretty good. I was exhausted afterwards, but it was nice to cross the finish line and have all the volunteers cheering. The only bad part was that we had to wait for about 40 minutes in the freezing cold for the last people to finish. Then came the prizes! It was kind of embarrassing, but we won a bunch of stuff. Instead of awarding prizes based on merit, they set it up so that you would throw a ticket in the hat for each lap you did. So people doing 5k would get five chances at a prize. I ended up winning three and my husband won one. We actually left before it was over because we didn't want to win any more. Not to mention that we were starving and freezing. We went to the Toucan's all-day breakfast and replenished all the calories we had burned.

I'd say in general that my first race was a success and I think I'd do it again. It was nice having support with me and I feel a sense of accomplishment. This was a goal I didn't think I'd be able to achieve a few months ago and I'm hoping to continue on from here.

6 Days Until Race Day

2010-10-31T21:46:00.000-04:00

I've had a great week (well, until Baby A came home with his Halloween candy). I worked out five days this week and even reached my second goal. I actually beat my 5km time by 3.5 minutes, twice. So, needless to say, I'm feeling pretty darn good. I bought myself a new running jacket for the winter weather as a reward. I have to say though, that I'm quite nervous about the race. First of all, I imagine it's going to be freezing cold at 9am, which I'm not used to. But most of all, I don't want to be the slowest person there. My husband has promised to run beside me, but I definitely won't hold him to that. He's a foot taller than me and has run a half-marathon. He's in good shape. On the other hand, I know I can finish, and that's something I probably couldn't have done a couple of months ago. So at this point I've decided to be cautiously optimistic. Stay tuned for results . . .

Another Goal Reached

2010-10-26T19:03:00.000-04:00

My husband got us a family membership at the gym at the Royal Military College. He works there so there is a significant savings. So, I decided to start getting our money's worth last night and went to check out the cardio room. I have to say, while the facility as a whole is beautiful, the cardio room was just okay. It was pretty hot, there was no air at all, and the three TV's were all tuned to sports. Just because someone likes to exercise does not mean that they like to watch sports on TV. Also, does anyone have a radio on them these days?? I would think most people have IPODS and therefore can't tune to 88.8 FM to listen to the TV. So that was kind of disappointing, but not a big deal. I used to run on the treadmill exclusively, at work and at Premiere Fitness, but I found that I didn't enjoy it this time at all. It was all I could do to run 3km without throwing up. It could have had something to do with the heat in the room, but I was also really bored. Anyhow, it'll have to do in the winter months, but I'll definitely be running outside whenever I can.

Today, my Mom had Baby A, so I set out to run from my house (in Greenwood Park) to the Food Basics on Barrack Street (beside the K-Rock Centre). This was a million times better than yesterday. It's about 6.2km, but it felt like nothing. It was a nice change of scenery to the usual jog around my neighbourhood and running across the causeway was really great. My husband met me at the store on his way home from work so I wouldn't have to run home (there's a lot more up-hill on the way back) . . .

So, I've reached one of the goals I mentioned last week, of running 6km before my trip to Orlando. To reward myself I decided that I'll buy new headphones. The ones I have now are great, but one side doesn't work anymore. I still have my second goal of beating my 5km time by 3 minutes. That one might be a little harder.

Oh yeah, sort of funny: when I was running through Barriefield, a sort of chubby-ish girl blew by me. I started to feel a little discouraged. I mean, she had a fanny pack! However, when I rounded the corner I saw she was walking, so I felt a little vindicated. Mean, I know . . .

3 for 3

2010-10-17T19:11:00.000-04:00

So, I didn't think I was going to get a third run in this week, given that I had soccer on Wednesday and then was going to a cottage on Thursday morning. However, I'm happy to say I ran another 5km on Saturday. Since there was really only one way to run I just headed down the Loyalist Parkway for 18 minutes and then ran back. It was pretty boring to double back, but it's a great view there along the lake. We had some nice weather this weekend as well.

I'm pretty proud of myself for getting in 15km this week. My next goal is to increase my time by 5 minutes before the race (November 6) and also run 6km before I leave for Orlando (November 25). I think it's possible and I'll have to come up with something to reward myself if I can do it.

In other news, being at the cottage caused me to eat a ton of junk food, so I'll have to really watch what I eat this week. Also, I'm starting to get sick of my playlist and need some new suggestions.

And Again . . .

2010-10-12T18:50:00.000-04:00

Two days in a row. I wasn't planning to run, since I did yesterday and I have soccer tomorrow, but my husband convinced me and said he'd watch Baby A. How could I pass up some alone time with my IPOD? So, I ran the same route as yesterday, but in reverse. Sadly, my time was no faster, but it wasn't slower either. I'm pretty proud of myself. Hopefully it'll get easier in time because it was pretty tough, but I feel awesome now that I'm finished.

We're going to a cottage from Thursday to Sunday, so that might be a challenge. I'm bringing my work-out clothes and will hopefully be able to get in at least one run.

I also added some Mumford and Sons to my playlist, which I liked even more when I found out that they were not Canadian . . .

5km

2010-10-11T11:35:00.000-04:00

Finally :)

Today my husband offered to run with me and, although I warned him a thousand times about how slow I am, he stayed with me the entire time. I'm sure it was torture for him, but it was great for me. If he hadn't been there I probably would have stopped after my usual 3km or so, but I kept going so as not to embarrass myself. We did a random route around the neighbourhood and I later discovered that it was exactly 5km. So, I'm pretty happy about that. As noted in a previous entry, I'm going to reward myself with new workout clothes. Looks like Baby A and I will be hitting the Adidas store tomorrow.

On a related note, I signed up for a 5km run on November 6. I think I mentioned previously that I was considering it. Well, I paid the entry fee so now I'm pretty much committed. My husband signed up as well in a show of support. I think he's trying to get a husband-of-the-year award. I also find it hilarious that he listens to science podcasts while he jogs.

Anyhow, I'm feeling pretty fantastic today and hopefully can get out for another run soon . . .

Setting a Goal

2010-10-06T12:50:00.000-04:00

I finally ran again yesterday. Actually, I had no excuse not to. My Mom took Baby A for the day while I cleaned my house and went jogging. I felt surprisingly fantastic. I'm up to 27 minutes (3.3 km) and felt as if I could have gone further except I started to get a familiar pain. When I was pregnant my pelvis hurt all the time. My doctor said that this was just pressure from the baby pushing on it, but I was skeptical. I couldn't even roll over without crying and I could barely walk. Anyhow, he said it'd go away after the birth, and it did. Unless I run. Then it comes back in full force. I'm hoping it's just residual soreness and will go away in time.

I was actually pretty inspired by my husband recently. On Sunday he ran a half marathon in one hour and 47 minutes, which is quite impressive. I'm really proud of him.

I realized that I need to set a goal for running 5km by a certain date. So I'm going to sign up for a race and make myself be ready. I'm thinking of the Diabetes one that takes place on November 6, which gives me about a month to train. This is really scary for me as I'm pretty slow and will likely be embarrassed, but if I don't push myself then I'll never do it . . . I'm hoping to increase to 4km by the end of next week and also pick up the pace a bit.

Wish me luck.

PS I've discovered that a good warm-up song is the "Billie Jean" cover by Chris Cornell.

Still Here

2010-10-02T08:55:00.000-04:00

So I haven't posted in awhile. I haven't been running in awhile. I'm not sure why. I have no good excuse. I ran a week ago and had my best outing yet. I ran for 25 minutes before having to catch my breath (3.1km). So I'm going to run today for sure. I really am committed to this and want to get back into it.

In other news, I started indoor soccer again last week. Talk about tiring. It's not the same as running slowly for long periods. It's more like sprinting in 3 minute intervals. I'm not very good, but I'm enjoying it a lot so far.

So, if anyone actually reads this, please don't stop now, because I am going to keep going . . .

Slightly Better

2010-09-17T17:36:00.000-04:00

Okay, I haven't posted in a bit, but I've run (ran?) twice this week so far. And yes, it's Friday, so that means I have to run tomorrow or Sunday, if not both. Monday I ran 4.2km; basically a loop from my house to Highway 15, down to Gore Road and back through the neighbourhood. I hate running in one direction and then having to retrace my steps to get home. As of that day, I could only run 19 minutes without stopping. I realize that using time as a gauge is not the best idea, but I don't have a pedometre to calculate distance at this point. And I've actually never had one that worked properly.

Today I ran from my house to the highway, down to Tim Hortons and then along Innovation Drive to Bluffwood and home. I'm sure no one cares about this unless you actually live in my area, but I like to keep track. I also noticed that there is a new daycare down there that I might have to look into when I go back to work. I am now up to 21 minutes without stopping. I'm happy to be improving although still aware that I am terribly far from where I used to be.

Oh, I also made a playlist that I've used this week. I hope to make a new one each week. This time it consisted of The Black Eyed Peas, Journey, The Killers, Sublime, Spoon, Jason Mraz, and The Pixies. Kind of an unusual mix, but it seemed to work. I'm still in the process of downloading more music as my IPOD was wiped clean during an update by my husband. Who, by the way, I have to say again, is awesome. He played with Baby A while I jogged and is, at this moment, singing to him and playing his guitar while I type this.

August and Everything After

2010-09-09T12:02:00.003-04:00

Well, I've run twice so far this week; once on Sunday and then again yesterday (Wednesday). I had planned to go on Tuesday but it was so hot that I just went for a walk with Baby A.

Sunday I ran to the grocery store in my neighbourhood and back. I was tempted to stop and buy a giant bottle of water, but I didn't have any money. I felt pretty slow and tired, although I blame the Counting Crows. I'm a fan and have even seen them in concert, but I wouldn't recommend a single song for running.

Yesterday I ran a longer route, about 4.2km, so I was pretty happy about that. My husband is under the weather and was home sick from work, allowing me to jog during the day. This time I listened to Sublime, which was fantastic. Every song was great and motivated me to keep going. By all rights, I shouldn't like this band, but I LOVE them, and always have. If only Bradley Nowell was still alive.

Anyway, Friday is coming fast and I still haven't managed to get in a third run this week. I'm running out of time for sure.

I've also signed up for indoor soccer again this season, which will give me a good workout on Wednesday nights. I'm looking forward to that, although I'm nervous about my lack of coordination.

End of Week One

2010-09-02T10:25:00.001-04:00

Well, I barely got my third run in this week. I thought that if I ran at 9:00am it wouldn't be as hot. I was wrong. Baby A and I went to my parents and my Mom watched him while I ran. I did the same 3km route as last time, but it was at least 10 degrees hotter. I made it though. I almost passed out on their lawn when I got back, but I'm pretty happy I kept going.

I'd like to lose weight, obviously, but I've decided not to set weight goals. My ultimate goal (besides running the half-marathon in May) is to just feel better and have more energy. I'm sure it'll come in handy when Baby A starts to walk. So anyway, I'm going to set small goals that are not related to the scale. My first one is to run 5km without stopping. It's a bit depressing, because that used to be easy for me. At this point it seems like a major accomplishment. When I do that I'm going to buy new running clothes to reward myself. Mine are pretty shabby and ill-fitting.

Today I listened to the album "Gordon" by the Barenaked Ladies. This is their first (and arguably best) album, dating back to 1992 when the band was still together. My personal favourites are "Be My Yoko Ono" and "Blame it on Me", but for running I would recommend "Hello City", especially at the start of a run.

Well, week one is over and I ran three times for a total of 9km. I'm sure I can beat that next week . . .

Run #2

2010-09-01T08:47:00.000-04:00

The second run was a bit better than the first. Of course, I had to choose what was probably the hottest day of the year. I just ran around my neighbourhood and found out later that it was 3.1km. So, pretty similar to my first run. I'll also have to admit to having to stop at one point, which felt like a bit of a failure. I decided to give myself a break though, given the heat and my total lack of physical fitness at this point.

I'm also trying to work on my eating habits, because when I was pregnant I ate EVERYTHING I wanted, and lots of it. My husband is really helpful in this area. He loves fruits and vegetables and is an excellent cook (a skill I don't possess). He's also really encouraging which makes a huge difference. Since I set my goal he's constantly telling me to go and run while he watches the baby. I couldn't ask for a more supportive partner in this. He's also running his own half-marathon in a month, which is giving me some motivation as well.

Oh yeah, today's run was sponsored by The Police. Although one of my favourite bands, most of the songs would be better suited to a warm-up.

A Half-Marathon? Really?

2010-08-27T23:40:00.000-04:00

As advertised, I went for my first run today in well over a year. To put it bluntly: it sucked. I was slow, tired, sore. But I did it. Okay, only three kilometres, but it beats all the sitting around that I've been doing for the last year. On the other hand, do I really think I can do a half-marathon? Really? This is what was running through my head the entire time. And let me tell you, it was a LONG time. When I say that I "run", I should mention that it's really more of a slow jog. Okay, so some people walk faster. But like I said, it's been a year.

After a few minutes I considered quitting and walking home. Then I thought of something that I read in a magazine awhile ago. Someone said, "I can do anything for one minute". And that's true. It helped a little. So, I'm not going to give up after one day. I think I'll need a day off tomorrow for sure, however, as I'm incredibly sore.

On a side note, the song "Joyride" by The Killers is an excellent song to add to a running playlist. I'm going to need two or three hours worth of songs before this is over . . . Suggestions?

Here we go . . .

2010-08-25T14:15:00.000-04:00

So, I used to run every single day. Not fast, not far, but it was something. And I felt good. I felt tired sometimes, but I also felt strong. Now I feel like crap. I had a baby three months ago and the combination of breastfeeding and an infection caused me to lose every one of the 30 pounds that I had gained. I didn't even have to try. Unfortunately, I've now stopped breastfeeding and the pounds are inching back on; one at a time.

I haven't run in a year. Being pregnant gave me a great excuse to eat whatever I want and sit around all day. Well, I'm running out of excuses. Pun intended. Now I'm going to start over. My goal is to run a half marathon by my son's first birthday (May 18, 2011). I'm afraid of failing. I'm afraid of being embarrassed. But I think this blog will help me to be accountable, even if no one reads it but me.

So right now I'm hopeful. Running starts in two days . . .