Meeting Some Goals

I'm glad to finally be able to say that I've broken the 6 minute per mile mark.  I ran this on a Monday and by Wednesday I ran 5:46.  I am pretty sure that I have a 5:30 mile in me...just have to mentally prepare for it.  The seconds seem to be just falling off of my times.  

I ran 4 miles outside at a 6:30 minute pace.  I have an app on my iPhone that updates me on my time and pace every mile.  So one day when I went to run outside on my own, I was so shocked when my phone said I was running that fast.  Never one to back down from a challenge, I had to keep the pace up for 4 miles.  My run was suppose to be 6, but I wasn't sure if I would ruin my time by pushing it too much at first.

 I am giving my new dedication to Centergy and Yoga all the credit for my marked improvement in my times.  I have been happy with the new found flexibility and the fact that we do so many planks that I can do push ups like crazy now.  The most beneficial part has definitely been the flexibility in my hips.  I am running with a lot less issues and although my IT bands reacts when I run hard ( faster than an 8 minute pace) for anything over 6 miles, it's been getting better and I'm confident that with continue commitment to Centergy it will help alleviate my issues.

My next goal is to run a half marathon at a 7:30 minute pace.  Interested to see how long my new goal will take me. 

Ready to Run

My 1st run by myself that I tracked.

I am so excited.  I actually was able to run 5 miles of hills doing 7:30 minute miles.  It was fabulous and  exhausting all at the same time.  I really am hoping that I'm going to look back at this post in 6 months and be embarrassed that I was willing to post this mileage at this time...but right now I am so happy to be running so hard!  It's difficult to really gauge workouts when you are stuck on a treadmill, or forced to run with a jogging stroller.  This run I did all by myself and it really wasn't that bad.  I say that because it took me about 20 minutes to work myself up to doing it.  I am so use to running with Scott or the kids, I just didn't know if I really wanted to run 40 minutes all by myself.  I actually listened to music, which I think helped for some of it, but was very distracting when I lost one earpiece halfway through my run and had to juggle it back around into my ear.

We've been talking about running a half marathon, just to say we did it.  I'm worried about running 13 miles because of my knee and because I really have a hard time pacing myself.  Scott helps keep me on a good pace, even though he ran 4 miles at 7:30 on the treadmill last week.  We are going to get a babysitter and go for a 10 mile run next week.  I figure we'll try to run it around 8:30 minute miles, but I don't know if either of us are going to make the whole 10 miles.  Running for 40 minutes seems like forever...not sure how it's going to feel to run for an hour and a half.

Tracking Goals

I realized that I am still reaching goals and not documenting them.  Since I've been running outside 3 days a week, I don't normally time myself or track my miles.  When I'm stuck on the treadmill in the winter, I have no choice but to set my pace and my miles.  The other day, I took my phone on our 5 mile hill run with the kids and was shocked at how fast we really went.  I  didn't feel the need to document my progress, but then when I look back and realize where I was and where I am, I decided that I'm kind of proud of my 36 year old self and I should be documenting what I'm doing.

 4 months ago 

3 miles at 8:30 minute pace

 2 miles and 7:30  minute pace

level 12 group ride

3 months ago

3 miles at 7:30 minute pace

level 12 group ride

2 months ago

3 miles at 7 minute pace

5 miles at 8 minute pace

level 14 group ride

now

5 miles at 7:30 minute pace

5 miles of hills at 8 minute pace 

(pushing jogging stroller and walking Sawyer's bike up the 2 steep hills)

level 16 group ride

It's fun to see how my hard work has paid off and just how quickly I am able to make improvements.  Scott tells me that most people don't go to the gym to "kill themselves" but why waste your time if you aren't there to improve.   I love that my body fat is still at 16% even though I went to 6 BBQ's in less than 2 weeks and ate a ton of food I normally wouldn't eat.  My body is almost exactly where I want it to be.  I just need to get my knee to not hurt on 10 miles at 8 minute pace so I can go running with the "hot moms" (the nickname, I was told that the staff says, of all the pretty moms with rockin' bodies that all go running together...now that's a mom's club that I wouldn't mind being a part of...lol).  They keep asking me to go with them, but I keep saying no.  I just would hate to embarrass myself...as much as they reassure me I won't, I want to do it on my own first...and then I'll go with them.  

A Walk on the Wild Side

I crossed over to the wild side and I'm still a little uncertain about the move.  

I am a runner.  That's my thing.   I may not be the fastest and I may not be able to run the furthest, but I run.  I like it and I feel good doing it.  A friend of mine encouraged me to cross train and join a spin class. I'm so glad I did, because I think it's given me the break my IT band really needs.  I still run at least 3 times a week, but the other 2 days I ride a bike.  

While riding the spin bike I wear what I always wear running...a t shirt and shorts or a t shirt and sweats.  I am not at the gym for social hour.  I am not at the gym to be able to say I went.  I am one of those annoying people that go to the gym for results.  I don't wear makeup, I don't do my hair, and I definitely don't buy clothes to wear to the gym.  I am just not that girl....until now...

I just couldn't do it anymore.  I couldn't keep riding the bike in sweats, they were getting in the way and making me too hot.  I was concerned that with my running shorts I was maybe not getting the coverage I needed on the bike....not that the instructor was looking, but still, no one wants to see that.  I decided I had to get a pair of biking shorts.  

I didn't want to do it because they are so form fitting.  I know how women look in form fitted outfits, and I hear all the men commenting on said outfits.  I don't have a distorted view on my size, but I don't go to the gym to impress anyone...okay maybe my husband... and I don't go to the gym in order to embarrass myself, I'm there for me.  

So, I very reluctantly decided to go ahead and walk into a specialty store and try on bike shorts.  It's funny because something that I was so dreading actually turned out to be fun and ego boosting.  The sales women were so excited to "dress me up".  They brought me way more than I even wanted to try on, but it was hard not to get into the whole workout shopping experience when they kept saying how great I looked.  I know that I'm not a big girl, but to look good in all the extra small outfits and to have these women telling me that I looked fantastic in the them was more than I could take.  

So I spent $150 on these adorable outfits.  I walked away with bags full of stuff.  But not just stuff, MATCHING WORKOUT CLOTHES!  Once I got home and opened the bag, I decided that the sales women had made their money that day.  They may have boosted my ego into outer space and while it was there, it dropped my mind off too.  HELLO...I do not wear matching workout gear.  I do not go to the gym to look trendy.  What was I thinking?  I could barely look at myself in the mirror.  When I "modeled" the outfits for Scott, he looked at me and said, "That's not really your style, is it?"  And I had to agree.  

I am not the girl who looks good at the gym.  And I don't want to be the girl who looks good at the gym.   What was I thinking???

I have to admit, out of all the clothes I bought, I decided to keep a pair of form fitted running shorts (which my husband loves) and I did keep one pair of biking shorts, which was the whole reason I went into the store in the first place...for one pair of biking shorts.  I did not keep the matching tops that went perfectly with said shorts though.  The rest is going back to the store...where someone else, who is way more in touch with her sense of style can purchase them and happily wear them to the gym.  

Running Partners

My most favorite running partner  is my husband.  Lately we've only been able to run together when there are 2 treadmills open that are next to each other.  In fact, last week we ran 5 miles right next to each other, on the treadmill at the gym, but we both had headphones on and didn't talk until we were done.  That was so crazy, because usually we have some great conversations while running.  I don't like to listen to music when I'm running outside, Scott does but only when he runs alone.

When we first started running together, 16 years ago, I was by far the better runner.  Scott actually said it annoyed him because I'd keep running ahead of him or would keep the pace too fast for him to actually talk and run.  He had to be able to run a mile and a half in 12 minutes, which I still think is way too slow for men, but in order to train, I told him we needed to run 3 miles at 8 minute pace, so he knew he could do it no matter what.  Ever since then, I don't think Scott has ever run less than 3 miles.

Yesterday we had no children with us, and Scott thought we should go for a hill run outside.  It was fabulous, and the 5 miles just flew by.  I really miss being able to run outside together...and since my mother in law loves having the kids in them mornings, it looks like we will be able to do that a lot more this summer!  In fact,  even when we have the kids, we decided we will take them with us...we just can't do hill workouts with one child in a jogger and one on a bike.

Having my husband as a running partner has been one of the greatest gifts.  

Secrets to Being Your Perfect Weight

I love reading about nutritional research, fitness research and how to stay healthy.   It fun, finding new sites and resources that help you live a healthy life.  I recently stumbled upon a site that said this was the diet that works best...and I laughed reading it, because unfortunately, it is so true!

Eat 1500 Calories a Day

Example Schedule:

Breakfast: Eat 400 calories (When you wake up)

Lunch: Eat 500 calories (During your lunch break)

Dinner: Eat 600 calories (At least 3 hours before bedtime)

Results: About 1 lb per week...or about 50 lbs per year

What do you do if you eat more than this each day?

Exercise. Get on the treadmill and work off the extra calories.

And remember...if this were easy, there wouldn't be so many fake diets out there.

Sometimes it is so hard to not overeat.  Especially when you vacation, or go to events or even just going out to eat.  But it's not those times that matter.  I've actually read on a health website and found from personal experience, that sometimes when you are at an ideal weight, it is okay to indulge and have blue cheese dressing on a salad instead of a vinaigrette or having some sour cream on a burrito, because when you don't add some extra calories at least once a week, you will stop burning calories at a higher rate.

There are 4 things that I have found that have made the biggest impact in my goals to being healthy and staying at my perfect weight.  (Perfect weight being when what I see in the mirror and what I see on the scale both make me happy...lol). 

1.  Be Happy.  I will admit that being happy in life makes it so much easier to not over eat.  I think almost everyone finds that food is a comfort when we are trying to deal with other things.  And because, as a society, we have so much processed and unhealthy food so readily available, people don't over eat raw almonds (a fabulous and healthy snack) or broccoli but over eat processed crackers, cookies, etc.  Life is not perfect, but it's your attitude that makes all the difference.  Being around other people who are happy with life also makes such a big difference. 

2.  Exercise.  When I started getting back into working out a minimum of 5 days a week, I really looked forward to going to the gym and had so much fun catching up on my reading while I worked out.  I enjoyed the elliptical, the stair climber and the stationary bike.  It only took me about a month to realize that even though I was exercising, I was not really pushing myself.  I started pushing myself in Group Ride and found that my muscle tone in my legs became even more defined.  I started running hard on the treadmill and found that not only did my endorphins start flowing but I felt amazing (and happy) when I was done. 

3.  Get rid of processed foods, trans fats and white flour and watch the weight disappear.  Again, just like the diet listed above, this is not easy, but it works.  Our body's are not designed to know how to process these foods, so they store them.  Really not excited to think that my body wants to hold onto that cookie I decided to eat.

4.  AGELESS!  Univera is one of the greatest companies I have found.  I started taking Ageless, now called Xperia about 6 years ago and I love it.  It keeps me healthy, it keeps me young and it keeps me from overeating.  The first time I was given Ageless, I had a horrible cold and was losing my voice.  I took one ounce before my class started, and by the end of the class, I felt amazing.  It has made all the difference for both Scott and I in staying healthy and both of us staying happy and fit.  It replaces drinking coffee and it replaces feelings of hunger.  Could not ask for a better product. 

 



Finding Happiness in the Small Stuff

I set a goal for myself of 5 miles at a 6 minute pace.  I am no where near hitting that goal.  I am so far away from that goal, that I had to start setting smaller goals...in the hopes that someday...in the far away future...I'll be able to run 6 minute miles.  I have doubts that this goal is attainable.  I have doubts that this was even a reasonable request to ask of my 36 year old body.  I have not give up my original goal...but  I am finding happiness in being able to meet my smaller goals.

Goal 1 - Run 5 miles at an 8 minute pace.

Goal 2 - Run 3 miles at a 7 minute pace.

Goal 3 - Run 1 mile at a 6 minute pace.

Goal 4 - Get to level 14 at Group Ride.

Goal 1 ~ Today I finally was willing to run on the treadmill for 40 minutes.  It seems like an eternity, being stuck indoors, running in place, but I did it.  I would love to put Reed in the jogging stroller and run with him, but he's so happy going to the gym, and I'd rather run when Scott can push him.  My IT band started hurting 4 1/2 miles in...but I knew I could run with the pain for another 1/2 a mile.  I felt great when I finished and am hoping my IT band will be willing and able to work with me doing this again next week.

Goal 2 ~ I also accomplished 7 minute miles for 3 miles this week.  This was not as much fun as running 5 miles at 8 minute pace...in fact I was gagging for the last 1/2 mile.  I was so happy to be off the treadmill at the end, that I kind of thought about laying flat on the floor and resting.  My body was working hard and was ready to be done.  My abs are rocking now...but it was hard work to get there. 

In fact, running as much as I have been, I've been enjoying the benefits of burning calories faster than I can intake them!  I even ate a piece of Konditori cake this week.  It took my 3 days, and it's my first sugar I've had since the beginning of Lent, but I needed to eat extra calories and that sounded like the most fabulous choice.

Goal 3 ~ I keep meaning to get to the gym early enough on a Tuesday or a Thursday to get one mile in before Group Ride...but I have yet to get that done!  I realize that 6 minutes is not that much time to schedule in, so I am pretty sure I'm still scared to do an actually 6 minute mile.

Goal 4 ~  This one is kind of a hit and a miss.  I did get to Level 14 and I did maintain it and I did keep going back to it...but that was the first 20 minutes of class...and after that, I just couldn't recover enough to get that high again.

I was pretty disappointed since I've slowly been working my way up the levels of the bike at Group Ride.  I didn't understand why going from Level 12 to Level 14 was such a staggering difference.  I asked the instructor what he thought and he asked me how much I weighed.  Since working out so hard has kept me below 110 pounds right now, I was not the least embarrassed to tell him.  And then he pretty much said he was impressed I was even able to move the pedals at Level 14.  According to him, I don't weigh enough and to keep working at it, but not to be discouraged.  So there was a little compliment and then a bigger challenge all in one.  Since I'm really getting into Group Ride...and almost to the point of being willing to buy the $80 shoes to wear during it...I'm accepting the challenge!

Two small goals down...two more to go.  And I'm still waiting to decide what my next running speed goals will be.  In fact today, I'm just hoping my knee lets me walk on it tomorrow.

The dreaded ITBS

Trainer Joe is my most favorite person right now! When I went to ask him what he thought my training should look like to run faster for longer, he gave me some good ideas but then we stumbled upon the bane of my running existence. My iliotibial band. I damaged it in high school and it loves to flare up when I push myself too hard. It tightens up and won't let loose. It hurts so much that sometimes it's hard to walk up my stairs.

All those problems may be gone, or at least I'm hoping they are gone. Joe showed me a stretching device that works on your IT band! It's amazing and when I ran my 3 miles at 7:30 minute pace I had no pain! Now that I've been stretching my IT band, I have no more excuses for slacking off. Scott just did 6 miles at an 8 minute pace, and so I need to get in better shape fast or I may never keep up with him when we run outside this summer!

Running

I've been running again, and despite the pain in my IT Band, it's been going fairly well.  The problem I am having is the difference between jogging 6-10 miles and running 3-5 miles.  I have been jogging with my friend Janine, and we do 9 to 9 1/2 minute miles for 6 to 10 miles, depending on how she's doing.  I love to run with her, because we visit the whole time, and my knee never hurts jogging but once we stop, I am immediately recovered.  I doubt my heart rate gets up very high, which probably means I'm burning fat, but that may just be wishful thinking.

I called my dad and complained about my ability to jump on a treadmill and run 7 1/2 minute miles but then the agony I suffer with my knee for days afterwards.  He then told me how he understands and when he runs 10 miles, at a 6 minute pace on his treadmill his feet really hurt him.  WHAT!?!?  6 minute pace for 10 miles???  I am such a slacker!!!  I was impressed with 2 miles at 7 1/2 minutes.  What I realized is that I am setting the bar way too low. 

So to help motivate me, I've decided to track my running.  I'm going to try to work up my speed, while at the same time work up the distance.  I'm going to be happy jogging 6-10 miles, because it'll help with endurance, and on the treadmill I'm going to try to work on increasing my speed for shorter runs 3-5 miles, and then we will see how I do.

I'm keeping a log, but at this point in time I'm able to run 6 miles at 9 minutes, without working too hard and I yesterday I ran 3 miles at 8 1/2 minute pace without feeling too tired. (I also had to go slow because I had to buy another new pair of shoes because the Nike's I bought were so stiff that it not only hurt and made my feet go numb on the stairclimber but cramped my foot and injured my toe while running.)  This week I'm going to take it slow  and steady and then kick it up a little next week.

Goal, to run 5 miles at a 6 minute pace.