Slump

In a slump. But I jogged this morning! 1.5 miles uphill (treadmill) for 30 minutes...

Do you get a slump or inexplicably down during the winter? I do. I've pretty much been in hibernation/stuffing face with junk mode.... aaaaaaand it didn't make me feel good. Surprise?

I am going to watch Food, Inc. with a couple friends and help a friend make some vegan food for dinner on Saturday. :) I'm scared and excited!

Let's see what I am getting myself into.... :)

Thursday and Friday

Bear with me. I have not had the best ending to my week!

So I will make this rather pain-free.

Thursday I jogged about 3 miles in 45 minutes in my Vibrams (including a period of time going 4mph at an incline of 10%)

This morning I ran with my pup on the treadmill watching the last half of Aladdin (still one of the best movies of ALL TIME!!) and we did a nice and steady 3.5 miles in about 30 minutes, not going below 5mph after my warm up :) In my Nikes.

I don't know what I'm doing, but when I wear my Vibrams, the inside of my knees hurt, and when I wear my Nikes, the front bottom portion of my knee hurts. My lower back is also sore today. Hm.

Oh well, getting up in the morning and getting the blood pumping makes the rest of my day a little easier to handle. I take out much of my I'm-not-a-morning-person grumpiness on the run, and I think I'm probably a much easier person to deal with (generally.) :)

I may need to get up and outside this weekend. Maybe a hike is in order... good think I live closer to the mountains, no excuses! (Unless it's pouring. I dislike mud very much) :D

OH and Thursday evening I donated a PINT OF BLOOD! I can tell you my horror stories and why I haven't donated in nearly 10 years, but let me just say... YOU GET FREE COOKIES! The Puget Sound Blood Center on First Hill has all-you-can-eat COUGAR MOUNTAIN COOKIES!!! :) Yum! AND I didn't puke or faint this time! Let me know if you're going to donate, what an easy way to help others (especially in this financially difficult time when cash money isn't that easy to come by.)

Okay, I'm done rambling. Have a great weekend!

Rested

I feel a LOT better! My throat is starting to hurt less, and I feel good today!

My treadmill is in front of a TV that has basic digital tv (just hooked into the wall) so I watch news in the mornings, but there's really nothing else on during the day.

LUCKILY for me, it has a VCR player attached to it! Now, what shall I watch?

Vote:
Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella (Roger and Hammerstein's/Brandy's), Pocahontas, Mulan, or The Little Mermaid?

I BROKE 4 MILES!

And that was just the running! Well, running for me is 5-6.3mph (12-10 minute miles approx), which may be a light jog for others! .5 miles was the cool down.

This time on the treadmill, instead of using one of those annoying set programs, I set my goal at 4 miles.  I need to do this every time I jump on a treadmill.  The time goes DOWN! How amazing it felt to see only 7 minutes left, only 4 minutes left! Instead of the OH-EM-GEE I've been running for HOW long??  AND if I sped up the treadmill, the time left would SHRINK! How nice! :)

Okay okay, I've been meaning to get out and run outside, but it was nice to have that time at the gym to read some of my book!

Some things I've come away with from the first 19 pages of the book:

• Women have come into the sport of running in herds! Men's running history has been filled with a competitive nature while women find more camaraderie running with friends, training partners, etc.
• The most important investment in your running gear are your shoes.  Expect to pay at least $80 for a good pair.
• Since shoes are the most important investment, go to a specialist, not a big box store!  Go to a running-specific store, like Super Jock n'Jill in Greenlake. They know shoes! In fact, you can have them watch your stride and evaluate you to make sure you get the exact right shoe for you, your foot, and your training. That's where I purchased my Brooks and special insoles.
• The next most important investment for women is their SPORTS BRA8765t43w! That's right ladies, support YOUR ladies! I'm not that well-endowed, but I have heard from some other more lucky ladies that it sucks to run because it is painful/uncomfortable/etc. You no longer need to run with two bras, there are amazing sports bras out there that wick, stick, and pick up those lady lumps into something much more manageable! (And pain-free!)
• They also had advice on buying or not buying chronographs, heart rate monitors, gps, etc. Mostly unnecessary, although I do tend to use my Nike+ quite a bit!

On my 4+mile treadmill run today, I was mainly distracted from the time by the fun and informative book I was reading, so I only paused for a sec when I noticed my knees start to ache a bit.  I keep hearing horror stories about painful injuries that take VERY long to recover, so I stopped for a little bit to stretch out. (Remember, no bouncing when stretching, it can cause WAY more injury!)

I seemed to loosen up a little, but now I am sure I'm going to seek out a family doctor who is familiar with Sports Medicine and/or running.  I'm slowly becoming sure that the Vibrams are great to strengthen your feet, but most likely NOT good shoes for long distance the more and more I research into the topic.

I may use the Vibrams on my 2 mile days to keep the muscles strong, but anything longer than that, I think I will start training in my super supportive Brooks with additional insoles that support my feet/arches perfectly.

Now it's way past my bedtime.. I need to wake up in 5 hours to drop off the hubby at school then get to running around Seattle for a change!

Day... 6?

2.5 Miles.

Maybe I shouldn't keep track of the days, but rather the distance. I am trying to run at least 5 days a week. Yesterday I did a quick 1.25miles cause I didn't have much time. (I was lazy.)

I NEED to get outside and run, but it's sooo much easier to just run indoors on the treadmill in front of the TV. Maybe I should challenge myself. :/

Oh, and I've already received compliments! My husband has commented that my butt and legs look better! I don't know if it's the Vibrams or if it's just the fact that I went from NO activity to actually running at least a mile or two 5 days a week! What an encouragement! I do actually see a little definition starting in my thighs, what a wonderful feeling! :)

I'm writing this as I'm stretching. And now it's time to get ready for work.

Day 5

2 Miles. Again.

I need to get outside and run. I've been too lazy/wimpy to get myself to go outside. But I am LOVING my Vibrams while running on the treadmill indoors! I did another "Aerobic Training" program on my NordicTrack (which I love) and it started out at 2.5mph and quickly moved up to 4-5mph at inclines of 4%-9%. By the end of my 30 minute program, I was jogging at 6mph at a 0-2% incline.

Yes, that's my dog running with me. I do much better when I have a running/workout partner :)  Come jog with me?

Day 4

2 Miles

On a Treadmill. At Home. In my Vibrams. With the company of the morning news and my dog!  He ran by my side most of the time. :)

I will attempt an outdoor run this weekend in the Vibrams!  I will have more time, and no shortage of rain.  I measured the distance from the Mercer Island Park and Ride to the 24 Hour Fitness in DT Seattle, and it's 6 miles. Hm, maybe when I am more accustomed to the 4+ milers. :)

I also washed my Vibrams this morning with a tiny bit of laundry detergent, warm water, and a toothbrush. And then squeezed a bit of water out of them before putting them upside down near the heater vent (the only warm place in my house.) Apparently they are easily machine-washable (the inside of the shoes say so!) But some reviews I've read say that machine washing makes them more prone to getting holes on the tops/sides of the shoes.  I plan on washing them at least once a week so they don't even START getting stinky... I hope. :)

By the time I got home, they were completely dry! Yay for Vibrams!


I worry about getting injured a lot because I'm pretty much going from no activity to well, an okay amount without any guidance than random online guides. Here are some tips I've heard about keeping your shins healthy or keeping the shin splints away!

Stretch and exercise the muscles around the shins all at the same time with some Heel Raises!

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:

• Stand with your heels together and toes pointed out.
• Slowly lift your heels up, stand on your toes, and lower yourself back down.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
• Now, stand with your big toes together and heels far apart.
• Slowly lift your heels up, stand on your toes, and lower yourself back down.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 repetitions.

Here is another link for all around great stretches!
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml

Happy jogging! :)