Wk2/D4 - Treadmill 8K

8.2 K @ 1:00:00

7:19 /km

We received another huge dumping of snow yesterday, effectively shutting down schools, buses, etc. Although the outdoors is very pretty with the new layer of fresh white snow, it is a little depressing because it has been such a hard winter, particularly here in London, and we are in need of a nice spring without so much shovelling! Kudos to the people who still run in these conditions ... I am not one of you! :)

I had a 10K scheduled but learned today that the treadmill in the Cardio Room automatically ends the workout and transitions you into a 2 minute cool down after an hour of running. As a result, I ran an 8K instead today. However, I am thinking this is just as well. Last week, I increased my mileage by more than 10%. I don't usually do this, but I wanted to start my "5K in 30 minutes" training program, and I watched it to make sure that I felt good running this mileage without overdoing it. This week, with the adjustments (missed 5K, shortened run today) is now slightly under a 10% increase over last week so this is very conservative and healthy. Two 8K runs in one week pleases me so I will tackle my official first 10K of 2011 next week.

Today I saw the first half hour of Transformers (the movie) and an episode of Degrassi High - LOL! I think I am getting the hang of running while watching TV. At least it was better for passing the time than in previous treadmill sessions. :)

Happy weekend! Until Monday ....

GYM UPDATE

I attended Kundalini yoga again last night and enjoyed it even more than last week. :) I would like to do this faithfully on Friday nights for the next three months before the class schedule changes. Great breathing exercises, stretching and meditation. I'm hooked! :)

Wk2/D3 - A Lemon Turned Into Lemonade ...

6.44K (4 miles) @ 43:45

Pace 6:48 / km

Happy blogger! :) :)

Yesterday, I was scheduled to run 6.5K. It was a rainy day ... it was not letting up to allow me to go for a run when I had a window of opportunity. Unfortunately, I had a deadline and this had me feeling under pressure all day until submission. Ben is still feeling his workout from the gym the other night (he knows he overdid it) and asked to be excused. I willed myself to go on my own to run, but I honestly did not feel it. I am really trying to stick to my running training schedule, but I just knew that I didn't have it in me so I gave myself permission to take the day off and unfortunately, also missed Kundalini Yoga. :( It was a lemon day ...

Today, I did head to the gym to get my 6.5K done. We had another day of non-stop rain so again, when I had a window of opportunity to run, I opted for the gym so I could stay dry. The Cardio Room at the gym was surprisingly full on the treadmills so I tried the Women's Only cardio room for a change. As expected, the treadmills are older versions of the ones in the Cardio Room, but still good machines. Today I decided to try plugging my buds into the machine so I could watch a TV show while I ran. This helped me to concentrate better and to feel less overwhelmed by the screens (not as many in this space). I kept the machine on "flat" for the entire run and just ramped my speed up gradually. I really enjoyed the consistency of pace on the treadmill today. I am assuming this what treadmill users like so much about the machine ... it is easier to keep a consistent pace without hills, puddles, ice, etc. to impact it. :) I am sure as I use it more over time, I will learn more things to like about it. :)

Anyway, I plugged my 43:45/4 miles into my log at runningahead.com and was *shocked* to see 6:48 as my average pace! I knew it felt good and strong, but at no time did I expect my pace to be less than 7 min / km. It was a wonderful surprise and turned yesterday's disappointment into today sweeeeeet lemonade. :)

So! I have a 10K scheduled for Saturday and since I haven't run a 10K since December, I am regarding it as my long run. I am taking tomorrow off from running to rest. I will still be 5K short of schedule by the end of the week, but I am okay with this. I am just getting back to running regularly, on top of cutting back calories daily and adding gym workouts so understandably, I am feeling more tired. One step at a time ...

GYM UPDATE

I attempted to make it to the gym in time for an Abs Express 1/2 hour class, but the traffic was brutal and prevented me from being on time so I opted to get some strength training done. It felt good and after just a few sessions, I am lifting heavier weight. :)

Wk2/D2 - A Quiet 5K in the Park ... Tuneless Tuesdays?

5:04K @ 38:16

7:36 / km

First and foremost, what a gorgeous sunny day! It was not difficult to get outside to run because the miraculous bright sunshine is wonderful to see! The temperature outside may not yet match the "sunny-ness," but nevertheless, it is spirit-lifting to see. :)

I am thrilled with today's time because my run felt very slow and sluggish; I am quite surprised to see that my pace is faster than expected. I strength-trained last night at the gym so I was feeling a little stiffer and slower than usual for the first few km, and I am still ice-ducking in shady areas of the park so this slowed me down.

I also forgot my music! I grabbed my headphones/earbuds without remembering that my Shuffle was still plugged into the computer so I ended up running "quietly" today. It was a little strange, but it got me thinking about my experimentation last season with running without music. This might be a good time to start weaning myself from running with music for every run so, in the spirit of "Meatless Mondays," I am initiating "Tuneless Tuesdays" and seeing if I can't build on it from there. I actually like the idea of running 5K races in under 30 minutes without music so this may be a new goal that I add to the list. :)

Wallace the mixed beagle joined me today for a run, and except for a lunge/growl back at a dog that made the first aggressive move, he was happy and enjoyed his sauntering pace next to me. He loved all the Canada Geese and made for a terrific running partner as always. :)

WeeK TWO of 5K @ 30 minutes Training - Road Work (Day#1)

8.37 K (5 miles) @ 1:00:00 hr

7:11 / km

Quick update as I have little time to write. I ran 6.5K on Saturday instead of 8K - I arrived at the gym too close to closing so I had to cut my intended run short. :( There was very little to report on this blog; it was a straight forward boring 6.5K on a treadmill! Not much I add to that! The good news is that I got my runs in last week, although two of the runs were tweaked shorter than scheduled. I am concluding that Week#1 Road Work went "well" rather than great. However, my first four weeks of my previous training program were "great" and then Snowmageddon/achilles tendon pain happened so I will be satisfied with "good" if it means getting me through this training program without more snow or an injury! :)

Today I headed to the gym yet again for a run, and this time, "three times the charm." I assume it was because I am more comfortable now at the gym, or maybe it is just starting fresh on a Monday morning, but it was my best run to date on the treadmill. I was actually able to zone out for awhile and get lost in my thoughts at various times, but not for long. I found that the time ticked by very very slowly so I tried concentrating on the lyrics in my song choices to make the time pass. I am pleased that I felt up to doing 8K in spite of this, and so I tagged an extra 1.5K onto my run. I felt very good afterward with both my time and my pace. :)

GYM UPDATE

I am committed to going to the gym with Ben Mon/Wed/Fri so I was back there again this evening to strength train. I have started a 5 week introductory program, working each major muscle once with 3 sets of reps. Once I complete this introductory phase (it's been years since I did this on a regular basis), I will start a 3 month program that works each of the muscles with two different exercises, 3X / week. I let Ben hang out in the manly man section to lift weights while I headed to the women only area where the machines are smaller and better suited for me. :) It was impressive to see how many women were there to work out this evening, and there were so many women with personal trainers! I enjoyed my alone time with my music on and working my way through the machines. Maybe someday I will hire a running-specific personal trainer, but right now, I feel good doing what I am doing on my own.

Chopped Vegetable Salad

2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thick

1 bunch asparagus, ends cleaned

1 large green pepper, top and bottom sliced off

2 ears corn on the cob, shucked

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced thick lengthwise

1/4 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed

10 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

3/4 cup olive oil

1 head Romain lettuce, washed and sliced thin

In a large bowl, add garlic and 2 ounces of olive oil. Add vegetables, season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Grill on medium heat and set aside.

Chop all vegetables into medium size pieces just before serving, add vinaigrette, and place on top of shredded romaine lettuce.

Vinaigrette:

Mix balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard in bowl and slowly add remaining 4 ounces of olive oil while whisking.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 258 Calories, 18g Total Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 85 mg Sodium, 22g Carbohydrate, 5g Protein

from Total Health Makeover by Marilu Henner, p. 291

WK1/D3 - 5.5K

5.5K @ 43:05

It was not a wise move on my part to go on this run. I could have gone to the gym, but I thought that the above 0 degrees Celsius weather would make the running paths good for a run, even if it was drizzling outside ...

Bad decision.

The path was covered with hard ice and it was not pleasant running on that surface. A sample time from my Garmin:

Time for 1K

8:33

Moving time

7:49

This gives a better perspective on what it was like for me - able to run slower in most sections, but coming to a stop or slowing down in certain areas of the path. It was heavenly to find patches of pavement to catch some speed on. :( I am a very lucky camper in that I didn't fall or worse yet, severely re-injure the healed?/healing? achilles tendon on my left foot, or re-injure the right ankle that twisted under me last Sunday.

Hindsight is 20/20, but I should have gone to the gym. Proud of myself for getting out there and sticking to the run schedule, but it was a little too risky. :(

GYM UPDATE

I attended a Kundalini yoga class in the evening and not only did I appreciate the deep breathing and meditative aspects of it, but the strength training of the poses was excellent. I hope to do this on a regular basis Wednesday and Friday evenings.

An Interesting Find ...

This week, I took my purple workout binder off the bookshelf. It is a former record of my efforts from over eight years ago, and contains a lot of information I collected back then on weight training. In my notes, I found a section that I completed. I am re-typing it here:

By the end of the program, I hope to:

(the following was hand-written)

• have lost body fat %age
• decreased pant/dress size
• feeling more fit
• feeling like I am being prepared to train for a marathon

June 21, 2002

It made me smile when I found it because there it was - my desire to run a marathon, evident already this many years ago. Too bad I veered off the path back then ... but not this time!! :) :)

WK1/D2 - 5K on a Treadmill

~35 minutes - 12 minutes per mile?

The weather was not running friendly today (for me) so I took advantage of my new gym membership instead. After a kickbutt pilates class (this was for beginners?!?! An excellent class, but my core is really aching!), I jumped on a treadmill and ran for 5K. It was a little confusing because I couldn't find the metric measurement switch and my Garmin was useless so I ended up playing with some of the speeds. It ended up being an impromptu interval workout.

I have only had this one experience so far, but I found the wall of TV screens a little distracting and running flat on the same spot was a little boring. I used my music/ipod rather than watching a TV program - perhaps concentrating on watching one show on one screen may help. I also just turned the machine on and ran; I did not take too much time to figure out the settings and options. A 5K run was one option so I just used it to get myself going (time constraints). I am sure I will have a more favourable review on treadmill running in the future because this is new to me and I need a little more time to get accustomed to it. However, it did make me think about what I am enjoying about running - the scenery, the people-watching, taking one or two of my little 4-legged partners with me, and being outdoors. There's more to running for me than just pace and mileage after all! :)

Anyway, Thursday is a day off so we'll see what Friday brings. The next time I use a treadmill, I will be better prepared.

GYM COMMENTARY

On a side note, I had an initial "Discovery Session" on Monday evening with a fitness coach. We paid an additional $25 each for an additional "$200 value" Fitness Support package, which includes four sessions; Discovery Session, Club Orientation, Personal Training Demo, and Program Review. I have not written about it until now because I was so pissed afterwards. I needed some time to put the experience into better perspective ...

IMO, this session was mainly an aggressive sales pitch to hire a personal trainer. Ben and I had separate one hour sessions, and he went first. Ben has some workplace injuries; there are muscles he needs to concentrate on rebuilding. He discussed these injuries in detail with this coach who, "armed" with this knowledge, still insisted that Ben try different moves in front of him as a "test" to prove how out of shape Ben is, and what he needs to start doing right away to improve his core and posture. Ben was in pain as a result, and a little miffed that the the so-called expert didn't realize that these very moves were not easy for him. Ben has never belonged to a gym before, and felt overwhelmed by all the lingo this coach used with him that he didn't understand. By the end of this session, he was trying to convince Ben that he needed a personal trainer 3X week for the next few months, and 48 sessions in total!

I was unaware of this until my "consult," which went a little differently. I have lost a good chunk of weight (3 sizes) in the last few years, and I am working on changing my eating habits. I shared this with the consultant, and enthusiastically spoke about my passion for running, explaining how I was ready to layer my achievements by committing to the next level of fitness. This info went in one ear and out the other because my past and current efforts were barely acknowledged. The fitness coach focused on where I was failing - my high body fat percentage. He then proceeded to criticize my muscle-burning running, and to advise me to avoid isolated strength training until my core was in better shape by working with a PT. The fitness coach then started explaining to me why Ben needed a PT for 48 sessions whereas I probably did not need a PT for as many ... the session ended with a short joint session with all three of us as the consultant pushed the <$3,000 personal training programs to us, and how he could give us a discount if we booked that night ...

Needless to say, Ben was overwhelmed and upset by the time we left because, after spending money on new club memberships for us, suddenly our new venture was tripling in price before our first workout! I felt overwhelmed by it, too, as it was not what I was expecting at all. So much for "addressing my concerns, answering my questions, and helping me to feel comfortable" as advertised! :( After using the gym for the last few days and seeing a significant number of PT's working out with clients, I am guessing that these aggressive "discovery" sessions work. My experiences so far in the scheduled classes has been great and the facilities themselves are great so this uncomfortable experience is not enough to chase us away ... Ben and I went together for a workout session just to explore what was available. Ben was in much better spirits about joining after this, feeling more optimistic about its possibilities.

This is what our experience was like from our perspective - Mr. "I'm Blunt" Fitness Coach probably has a different point of view (side note: why is it that people who brag about being blunt, like this coach did with me, believe that this alone is a good trait? They excuse their rudeness by claiming it's "just" being "honest." Well, I can be "blunt" and "frank," too, when necessary, but not without its mandatory partners, "compassion" and "tact"). The fact is, Ben should and will look into hiring a personal trainer in the next month to help him with his specific needs; this is a very good idea and something that will likely benefit him. However, pushing 48 sessions all at once on him was the wrong approach. Instead, introducing Ben to the benefits of a PT through an initial 12- session block and then taking it from there is the route we are going to pursue instead.

As for me, it was written right there in my "discovery" session notes that I have successfully worked out before on my own, that my current motivation level is high thanks to running, and that I am open to hiring a PT six months from now after working on my own, with the intention of working toward a higher level of fitness ...

However, there is one thing from this session that I will grasp onto tightly and view as a motivator - the fitness coach's genuine comment (as in, he really did not sound or come across as trying to kiss my butt) that, given my lean body mass and the loss of my current excessive body fat %age, I have the potential of becoming a kickass runner ... Amen, brother, amen!

WEEK ONE of 5K @ 30 minutes Training - Road Work (Day#1)

5K @ 36:34 = 7:18 min/km

What a glorious day for a run! :)

Day#1 of this training program is always on a Monday, but I usually take a rest day following a race. The Monday inclusive schedule will be back on track next week, and then for the rest of the month ...

Considering the very cold and snowing weather we have had of late, I assumed that I would be heading to the gym with my new membership and using one of the dozens of treadmills to get my 5K completed. However, the sunshine today was just glorious and our quiet street is clear of snow, an indicator that more popular streets and roads are also snow-free, so I took a chance and headed to Springbank Park for a run with one dog - my little Beagle/Basenji-cross mutt, Wallace. :)

I am so so so glad that I did this! Although the stairs from the parking lot to the pathway were icy and treacherous, the path itself was clear, and for the most part, the pavement was dry. There were multiple sections of black ice and melting snow, but only in the shady areas where the sun's rays could not find them. I was very careful running in these sections, slowing to jog or walk over/through them to ensure I remain injury-free. :)

I dressed appropriately for the colder weather, too, wearing for the first time my new orange/black jacket from the Running Room (the swag from the New Year's Eve Fun Run I ended up skipping in December). :( It felt a touch too warm when the sun blazed down on me in certain sections, but all it took was a periodic blast of icy wind to reassure me that the jacket was a wise choice. I am also liking the feel of my new running shoes. I think the error I made the last time was wearing two new pairs at the same time ... they then wore out at the same time, thus making it more challenging for me to judge their retirement date. This time, I am going to work in my current new pair for little while longer before adding a second rotational pair. I have my eye on a local sale right now, waiting for my brand to decrease again in price, before scooping them up.

My after-run high was terrific. :) It is feeling very very very good to be running again! Today was ideal, mood-lifting, and motivating!

Monthly Review - FEBRUARY 2011

25.2 km TOTAL

More km than in February 2010 - yahoo!

More km than in January 2011 - yahoo!

Less ~7 km than in December - boo!

Starting block for more running in March - woo hoo !!

How to Clean a Kettle - Chemical-free and Environmentally friendly

All you need is one lemon and fresh water ...

1. Cut the lemon into 4 sections. Put in the kettle filled with fresh water and boil.

2. Let the boiled lemon and water sit in the kettle for 1 hour. Boil again.

3. Dump the lemon water and fill the kettle with fresh water. Boil.

4. Dump the boiled rinse water and wipe clean.

Source unknown

REALLY CHILLY ROAD RACE 5K - London Honda Series #1

35:40 Chip Time

35:36 Garmin Time

Wow wow wow! What a morning!

I went on my own to the race so there was no one to take pictures of me. However, here's a pic of my new shirt and my number/chip (there is a chip crazy-glued to the back of this bib - ingenious!).

First and foremost, I am really really proud of myself for running a race in February! :) :) :) Last year at this time, I only ran once during the month of February, and it took some work until I was able to run my first 5K later in May. I am tickled pink that this year, I have started running in local races months earlier. Accomplishment #1!

Second, I am so pleased at having a decent 5K race for me! My average pace earlier this week during my return-to-running workouts did not give me the indication that I could run a 7:09 pace. I was aiming for under 7:30 and was very excited to see a pace closer to 7:00 come naturally to me. For someone who had 10+ weeks off from running from an injury and from being buried in snow, this is great! Accomplishment #2!

Third, I turned on my right ankle in the parking lot just before the race, but I was still able to run - I must have had a lucky horseshoe on me. :) Such a stupid thing - I left the Agriplex on my way to the start line and suddenly, where I stepped in the snow, gave way and I turned my ankle painfully. A horrible horrible moment. I went to this race by myself so I was alone when it happened, and all I could think about was nonononononono, please don't tell me I have hurt myself and can't run! It really hurt, too! I kept walking with it to see how bad it was and noticed that I didn't limp. The initial pain subsided as I kept walking toward the start line. I would not have run on it if it kept hurting, but oddly enough, my ankle was fine all through the run except for one time on the course when I felt a slight twinge of it. Very odd, but I am very grateful. I continue to walk just fine, but can still feel a tenderness in the area. I have turned on that ankle so many times in my life ...

As for the run itself, it was great to have main roads and streets cordoned off for us with pylons so we could run on wet pavement. The course itself was once around for the 5K and twice for the 10K so I was happy not to run the same path twice. :) There was the usual swoosh of people running faster than me at the beginning, and I caught myself running faster than I should at the start, but I reigned myself in and settled at a "race pace" within the first 2K. It was very cool to see how the race finished inside the Agriplex (we ran under an overpass and right into the building), and as always, my local Runner's Choice did an excellent job of organizing the event. This particular run was on the east side of the city and near some of the factories (Kellogg's, McCormick's). I am not sure which one was processing a chocolate-flavoured processed food, but there was the smell of chocolate in the air while we ran down Dundas Street - a nice distraction from the running! I did not stick around long after the race as time today did not permit, but it was great to see the greater number of people participated in the 10K than in the 5K (I want to be one of them next year!).

Most memorable moment: I was passed by several super fast 10K runners on their first loop (it made me think, that must be an ego boost, running past someone who started a little more than 10 minutes before you!). They helped me run a little faster because I couldn't help, but pick up the pace thanks to their suction draft - LOL! As nice as it is to have all the volunteers along the way encourage me (I alway say thank you or smile at them when they clap or cheer), I was surprised and touched the most by one of the 10K runners who suddenly turned to me as he passed and enthusiastically said, "Good job!". His tone was clearly genuine and kind (not condescending) and I responded with an enthusiastic "Thank you!" back to him before he left me in his dust. :) As I sit here in the afterglow of my run, this is what I remember the most from the race. Thank you, Anonymous Nice Guy!

1K 6:59

2K 7:14

3K 7:04

4K 7:05

5K 6:41

New Exciting Development ...

This is a very good thing ...

Today, Ben and I joined the Athletic Club. This is a fantastic development for me because I now have access to durable, commercial-grade treadmills for the next year to use whenever the weather is too lousy for running outside ... as in now! I am very excited because it means I can truly commit to starting my "5K in 30 minutes" training schedule without relying on good weather days. I am also looking forward to using the pool (I love swimming!) and the other machines for cross-training purposes, in addition to eventually getting back into yoga. I used to do yoga in Vancouver and loved it, but I have never found a class here in London that kept me interested the same way. With so many variations of yoga classes at this club, I am hoping I can once again find an instructor whom I like or a certain class that works for me.

An added benefit: we discussed with the membership coordinator our needs and I was very pleased to learn that there are personal trainers who are runners and who are available to me for my introductory sessions ... I can gear my weight-training at the gym toward my running, too. Fabulous!

And this is why you have not seen crunches and push-ups posts in the last few days. First, I have not once but twice read about crunches not being the best exercise for your back and your abs. What I read was enough to make me pause and reconsider the challenge. I admit that as a result, I felt unmotivated to do my push-ups, but with Ben asking/wanting me to go to the gym with him after work Mon, Wed, and Fri, it looks like I can re-start this challenge next week and have scheduled time for completing it.