Get thee to a Running Room!

The running, it is great! Yesterday I ran 2.35 miles in my half hour, with only one walking break of about two minutes mid-way. Today my body feels stiff and sore, but I feel good about getting back to it these past few weeks and making a little progress.

For those of you out there who are running or walking, or want to start, and who have an iPod nano, I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself the Nike+ gadget. You don't have to use Nike+ shoes, you can buy a little clip for about $10 to attach it to any shoes, and the gadget itself is only $40. It is the most amazing little thing ever! Not only does it give you up-to the minute results on time/mileage/pace whenever you ask for it, but when you are done your run you plug in to the computer and it uploads all your data so you can track your progress easily. I have set two goals for myself to start, and so far am blowing them away. Albeit, I set them based on the lowest goal they have, just to not over-reach for the first time, and to get an idea of where I actually am. You can also join online teams or challenges so that it is a community of runners, not just you for and against yourself.

I am also going to Bikram yoga this weekend. I know, I know, I haven't gone in AGES, but we bought our condo in April so finances were being dealt with extremely conservatively while we re-decorated, etc. I am so excited to go - although I know it's going to be very difficult. I'm also going with a friend who is super fit, and so I hope I will be able to focus enough on my practice to not let it bother me how great she's doing. That might be one of my favorite things about yoga - after only a few classes I gained this focus that made me feel so good about myself, and about my body. Maybe not the shape of it, but what it was capable of doing. It is such a confidence booster!

steady......steaaaaaady....

I'm still at 197.5. And that makes me happy.

Why would I be happy with that, you say? Because I have neither gained, nor lost, for the past month. In spite of all of my attempts to sabotage myself, here I sit, the same.

While I started running, I have been eating for crap. And the beer....oh, the beer! Summertime calls for it, really. But I guess I could be drinking some kind of blonde, light beer. But no, no, I need the red, full, heavy stuff. Mmmmmm. Mmmmmmmmm.....

So, I am satisfied to stay the same. For now.

I bought a pair of Nike+ shoes, and I am so stoked to break them out and calibrate them and get runnin' and trackin'. We've had houseguests since I procured these little gems, which means my treadmill was rolled up into the corner to make room for a queen-sized airbed. But this afternoon I will give them a test-run. So excited!

We also set up the office/running room the other night, and my treadmill faces a wall. I noted how perfectly a nice little 20" flat screen would fit right there. There was no response, but I can tell he's thinking about it.....

absent minded

I had a run on Wednesday, 2.37 miles in 30 minutes, and while I was very tired while running, I wasn't sore at all on Thursday. this is a small victory! I am totally digging our central air, because otherwise running would be next to impossible, since outdoors is a sauna.

I had planned on running yesterday as well, but then I was so busy I totally forgot. Then it was like 9:30 and I was in my jammies and curled up with a crossword cause I had to get up early this morning and I was like "uh, CRAP!" I had planned to not run at all on the weekend, but now that I missed Friday I will run tomorrow. Today is again, far too busy.

Feeling great - went to Gap this week since I had a discount card for the friends and family weekend, plus I still had a giftcard left from Christmas time. I bought a new pair of jeans and a pair of khakis. The jeans are the same size as my smallest pair I wear now, so I know they will stretch as I wear them and fit great. The khakis are a bit tight in the legs, but I am so confident that will be changing soon that I bought them anyway. For $18, it's a gamble I was willing to take!

Need new running shoes!!!

Another run yesterday - 2.39 miles, so YAY. I feel pretty sore today, but while running I felt pretty good. I'm okay feeling those day later aches - but I will feel a lot better when I don't get them anymore!

My weight this morning was 197.5 - I think that is a gain from what I last reported, but am too lazy to look it up right now. It's pretty disappointing, what with the running and the better eating. I know it's bad that I don't strive to eat perfectly, but I really don't think that's realistic for me - I just want to find a balance, so hopefully the running will get that balance to kick in.

I seriously need new running shoes. I have a slowly developing blister just behind the ball of my foot, on the side of the arch. Each run it rubs a bit, and stings, but doesn't puff up. I wonder how long I can push my luck? I saw two great pairs of runners on the weekend, one Nike+ and one Mizuno, but I didn't try them on since I'm flat broke and didn't want to leave feeling depressed.

oooh my aching back!!!

And no, it's not from running!!!

After my great run the other day, I was a bit worried that I would be very taut yesterday - you know when you feel like your ligaments are about six inches too short, and you just can't extend your legs all the way? But no, my legs felt great. A little discomfort in my shins, but that was from the walking, actually, since I think I walk differently and definitely faster when I'm on the treadmill.

But, no, yesterday I went to visit one of the cats we are caring for and I seriously wrenched my back. I could practically hear the tearing as it happened, and then I spent all day hobbling around and taking drugs. This morning I still felt pretty sore, but I bucked up and had my run anyway.

Today I ran 2.29 miles. Well, ran/walked, but same deal as my first run, and probably for the next few weeks. I run while I'm feeling it, and walk when I'm feeling dead. I'm pretty good at pushing myself, and worse at holding myself back, so this strategy usually works for me. I've already added .8 miles to my 30 minute distance. Wow I run slow. But whatever, one step at a time, right?

After my run I took a nice bath, but my back is still tight. I've planned my start to take the weekend off, so my next run will be on Monday. This will give me time to loosen up a bit, plus we're planning on scooting around on the bikes on Saturday, so that will be a little bit of fun exercise.

Eating has been better since all our company left, but I have developed a weird sweet tooth in recent months, and am having a hard time kicking that habit. But I'm working on it!

Day #1 of Operation Butt In Gear

Yesterday I took some time in the afternoon to head on over to the Fitness Depot so i could get my treadmill fully functional again. The treadmill works great, but our new condo has fantastic hardwood floors which I was not willing to risk ruining by running on my big giant extra-heavy treadmill. So, I sucked it up and invested in a fabulous treadmill mat, and also a kit to lubricate the running board and track to keep it running smoothly.

That means that today, I was able to take my first run.

It went well. I did forget to stretch before, which I'm feeling now, but I plan on not running tomorrow, so instead I'll stretch well a few times throughout the day. I took a look at coolrunning.com to see what this Couch to 5k program is all about, and it makes sense. Nothing is worse than trying to run flat-out for half an hour, almost dying because you haven't run more than three steps in the past six months, and then paying for it for days. But, I am stubborn enough that I couldn't take it as slowly as they recommended. They recommend walk five minutes to warm up (which I did do!! Yay me!!!), then alternate 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking, until you hit 25 minutes total, then a 5 minute walk to cool down (which I also did!!!).

I did more like a "run while I feel it, walk when I need it", so would run 2-3 minutes, then walk a minute or 2. I ended up doing 2.21 miles in 30 minute (keep in mind, I'm pretty sure I run verrrrrry sloooooowwly). I felt like I could go on at the end, but didn't want to push it. I already feel pretty tight in the legs, but during the run it wasn't so bad.

I do however need a new pair of running shoes - I feel a blister coming on and had some discomfort in my arch on one foot. I can't really afford them, but I realize running in bad shoes can do some serious damage. At least I don't run tons, so it buys me a little bit of time. The ones I have now are Mizuno, and I adore them, so am considering getting another pair, but I like the new Nikes as well. And either way I want to try the Nike+ system - you can attach the sensor to any pair of running shoes if you buy a little adapter, so I'm glad I don't absolutely have to buy Nike runners. What kind of running shoes do all you peeps out there wear? Are your feet wide/narrow/pronated/flat? Where do you buy your runners?

Wow I suck

Sorry people. If there are any people left reading this blog. Life has been hectic. So hectic, that I have totally fallen off the wagon. I'm not even on the road behind the wagon anymore.

While we had family here, and our business cars were dying and my computer was sucking, I managed to gain gain gain. I weighed myself yesterday in the morning and was at 195, so almost back to where I was when I started this blog. Before I started this blog, my highest weight was 206, so I'm still down 11 pounds, but I'm still disappointed in myself. At least I had a realistic view - I could feel myself slipping, eating just whatever, not really caring, so I expected the gain, I could see it coming. It would have been much worse if I had been lying to myself, "oh, I just had a bite of that", or "I was really good today, so this won't matter." I was never good. And I never took just one bite.

It would appear that I have gotten as far as I can get by making small changes, and that it's time to get a bit more serious. I am not walking my group as often because they are all on holiday, so I need to get that exercise elsewhere. For my birthday my fiance bought me a new iPod Nano, to replace my STOLEN one, so now all I need is a mat for under my treadmill (I would die if I ruined our hardwood floors!) and I can start running (well, walking, then running). I could use a new pair of running shoes, but I think to start out the ones I have will be okay.

So if anyone uses a treadmill mat, what do you like/not like about yours? What are your favorite songs to run to?