I'm not sure how it happened but I was convinced that I need to take the Tuesday morning (5:30am) Kickboxing Class at the Y. Not the Y near my house but the Y nearest my office. This means toting all of my stuff and getting ready for work there after class. I'm not high maintenance by any means but the thought of this brings dread. I don't mind getting up early. I don't mind morning workouts. I have high anxiety about walking out on my coffee pot without turning it on. There will be no time for coffee or breakfast before the class and I don't really want to eat anything before since I'm hearing it's pretty intense. We'll see.....
More new this week... going to a beginner yoga class tonight at a real yoga studio. I have always taken yoga classes at a gym where we couldn't have a traditional yoga atmosphere. I'm scared. This feels like it's for real and I suck at yoga although it helped heal my hip nearly two years ago.
I'm hoping to also get in some quality miles this week and maybe a track workout. My weekly mileage has increased from nothing to around 13 over the last few weeks so it's time to make them count. It won't be long and coach will be emailing to get me back under her wing! Marine Corp Marathon is no joke and I will be taking my training very serious. In the meantime, I have signed up for The Bear, which is a 5 mile race up Grandfather Mountain in July. I hate hills but I'll have good friends with me that are sure to make it fun.
Here's to a great week!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Thoughts
Spring is a great time for me to think about what I want to accomplish. Everything feels new and I'm always excited about warmer weather. I really hate being cold. Sunshine just does my soul good.
This morning my thoughts are swirling... I want to do this, I want to do that... will I have time for all of it? Depends... how important is it? So I need to make myself a list of everything in my head this morning and come back to it. Later I will review the list and make time for the things that are still pulling at me.
What's in my head this morning...... dare I share...
Yoga. A friend just posted a blog about her love of running and yoga. I have always wanted to love yoga because I feel great after a good class. We have a new yoga center uptown and I should make time for this.
Running is always on the list but this morning, trail running is pulling at me. I love love love being in the woods on a trail. Easy trails are obviously my favorite but I would like to progress to more difficult trails.
Beach vacations, fun in the sun, halter tops, sundresses, etc. Must make time for all of these!
Mountain day trips. There are so many small mountain towns that are within an hour or two of us. We should go have lunch, shop, and explore more often.
Invest in our local community. Local farmers market, local events, local restaurant specials, local local local. I sometimes yearn for a bigger city with culture and events on every corner. I would really like to make the most of where we are and should take the time to evaluate what is right here.
Marathon training is a must this summer but these other things can be included as an odd assortment of cross training! Tax season is over and I'm feeling a renewed spirit emerging.
Happy Spring!
This morning my thoughts are swirling... I want to do this, I want to do that... will I have time for all of it? Depends... how important is it? So I need to make myself a list of everything in my head this morning and come back to it. Later I will review the list and make time for the things that are still pulling at me.
What's in my head this morning...... dare I share...
Yoga. A friend just posted a blog about her love of running and yoga. I have always wanted to love yoga because I feel great after a good class. We have a new yoga center uptown and I should make time for this.
Running is always on the list but this morning, trail running is pulling at me. I love love love being in the woods on a trail. Easy trails are obviously my favorite but I would like to progress to more difficult trails.
Beach vacations, fun in the sun, halter tops, sundresses, etc. Must make time for all of these!
Mountain day trips. There are so many small mountain towns that are within an hour or two of us. We should go have lunch, shop, and explore more often.
Invest in our local community. Local farmers market, local events, local restaurant specials, local local local. I sometimes yearn for a bigger city with culture and events on every corner. I would really like to make the most of where we are and should take the time to evaluate what is right here.
Marathon training is a must this summer but these other things can be included as an odd assortment of cross training! Tax season is over and I'm feeling a renewed spirit emerging.
Happy Spring!
Friday, April 13, 2012
It's Friday!
I have been so excited about running the past few days. It seems everywhere I look, something is motivating me. Pictures, blog updates, twitter updates, weather... also tax season is over for me so I'm back to normal hours. This week I have been able to run twice already and it's only Friday. I have a local 5k in the morning. It won't be a race for me but will be great to meet up with all of our running group and some out of towners that come in for this one. It's one of the favorites each spring.
Anyway... just checking in. Things are starting to roll along.
Laters!
Anyway... just checking in. Things are starting to roll along.
Laters!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Guess Who!
So we've determined that I'm a horrible blogger.... well I have been busy.
- Started working part-time at a local CPA firm in January and will continue through tax season.
- Officially became a CPA on February 21st after jumping through every hoop they could find.
- Decided that my next life long challenge would be distance running.
- Signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon.
- Will spend the summer training and complaining.
- Oh I turned 40 earlier this month. No worries...making the most of the wisdom that comes with age!
- Feel like I have lost every ounce of fitness I ever had, which wasn't much.
- Ran 2 more more half marathons this past Oct and Nov. (couldn't run to the mailbox right now)
- Feeling good, although tired from working long hours, and ready to get back at it!
- It's all good. I have a wonderfully supportive husband that promises to get me through this training!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Group Run Win!
I'll start by saying that I think they were in the mood to run slow... either way this was a great run for me! My favorite group run is when we all stay together so we can talk. My contribution to the conversation is a series of short answers between gasps but the others are great at chatting while running along. I'm seriously envious of this.
Our run starts at the old courthouse right in the middle of downtown. It's pretty difficult to start a run here with the wonderful scent of food coming from every direction. There are several restaurants all around the square, some with outdoor seating. The courthouse is being renovated and the grounds around it are always neatly landscaped. This little section of town has a great feel to it.
We head away from downtown and run through an old historic neighborhood with tree-lined streets. This is just a two mile loop but the group is usually at a pace that forces me to take at least one walk break before we get back to downtown. Last night I did not walk!
Our next two miles are in the opposite direction out almost to the highway and then back through another tree-lined street to downtown. This loop takes us by Sonic Drive-In and last night they had a band playing in the parking lot. Yes, a band at Sonic! We thought it was a bit strange but at the time we were discussing whether we were smelling doughnuts or elephant ears... fall is definitely in the air and I think we might have mistaken french fry grease for the scent of the Cleveland County Fair. It's almost time for the carnies to show up and set up those rickety rides.
Oh I didn't walk on this loop either! As a matter of fact, I was leading the pack (not sure how I ended up in the front) when we came back into downtown and right by the outdoor seating at the new burger joint on the corner. I have to admit, that was pretty special.
I do love summer but today I'm daydreaming of fall temperatures and great group runs!
Our run starts at the old courthouse right in the middle of downtown. It's pretty difficult to start a run here with the wonderful scent of food coming from every direction. There are several restaurants all around the square, some with outdoor seating. The courthouse is being renovated and the grounds around it are always neatly landscaped. This little section of town has a great feel to it.
We head away from downtown and run through an old historic neighborhood with tree-lined streets. This is just a two mile loop but the group is usually at a pace that forces me to take at least one walk break before we get back to downtown. Last night I did not walk!
Our next two miles are in the opposite direction out almost to the highway and then back through another tree-lined street to downtown. This loop takes us by Sonic Drive-In and last night they had a band playing in the parking lot. Yes, a band at Sonic! We thought it was a bit strange but at the time we were discussing whether we were smelling doughnuts or elephant ears... fall is definitely in the air and I think we might have mistaken french fry grease for the scent of the Cleveland County Fair. It's almost time for the carnies to show up and set up those rickety rides.
Oh I didn't walk on this loop either! As a matter of fact, I was leading the pack (not sure how I ended up in the front) when we came back into downtown and right by the outdoor seating at the new burger joint on the corner. I have to admit, that was pretty special.
I do love summer but today I'm daydreaming of fall temperatures and great group runs!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Speedwork... or something like that
Hey, it's me! I'm trying to remember to show up here at least once a week. On my long run Sunday, I discussed speedwork with another runner. I like getting opinions on different ways to do effective speed workouts.
My problem is that most include 400 meter repeats or even 800 meter repeats with a short recovery in between. I never feel like I am getting anything more than intervals that are a little faster than my normal run pace. What am I doing wrong? Should I push myself harder? What if I just suck?
So tonight, with mixed opinions from different people, I came up with what will work for me...for now.
At the track. Goal is 2 miles total in around 30 minutes-ish. Short and sweet with hard effort.
Walk 400 meters (one lap) to warm up my legs.
Alt running 100 meters and walking 100 meters to recover in between until I hit 2 miles total.
I prefer to run the straights and walk the turns...helps save my knees.
As I make the turn heading to the straight, I start slow run and end in a full sprint. At the end of the back straight, my garmin had close to 6min per mile pace. Sweet!
Walk to recover and ease back into running pace at the front straight ending in full sprint again. At the end of the front straight, garmin had around 7min per mile pace. Ugh...tired.
Do it again! And again! And again! I made myself keep this up until I was pretty close to 2 miles and then I walked about 200meters to cool down.
Stretch. Done!
I'm going to try and make this my Tuesday night habit. Might alternate hill repeats every other week since that awful stadium hill is right behind the track. We'll see how this goes!
My problem is that most include 400 meter repeats or even 800 meter repeats with a short recovery in between. I never feel like I am getting anything more than intervals that are a little faster than my normal run pace. What am I doing wrong? Should I push myself harder? What if I just suck?
So tonight, with mixed opinions from different people, I came up with what will work for me...for now.
At the track. Goal is 2 miles total in around 30 minutes-ish. Short and sweet with hard effort.
Walk 400 meters (one lap) to warm up my legs.
Alt running 100 meters and walking 100 meters to recover in between until I hit 2 miles total.
I prefer to run the straights and walk the turns...helps save my knees.
As I make the turn heading to the straight, I start slow run and end in a full sprint. At the end of the back straight, my garmin had close to 6min per mile pace. Sweet!
Walk to recover and ease back into running pace at the front straight ending in full sprint again. At the end of the front straight, garmin had around 7min per mile pace. Ugh...tired.
Do it again! And again! And again! I made myself keep this up until I was pretty close to 2 miles and then I walked about 200meters to cool down.
Stretch. Done!
I'm going to try and make this my Tuesday night habit. Might alternate hill repeats every other week since that awful stadium hill is right behind the track. We'll see how this goes!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
That Warrior Dash Post I Promised.....
Saturday afternoon was the much anticipated Warrior Dash. Here and gone with only the muddy pictures to prove we did it. Kim and I had a blast on the course. Neither of us took it serious as far as our finishing time so that made it much more fun to goof around on the obstacles.
I have to admit, I did skip two of the tallest to prevent a nice fireman from having to rescue me. I have an issue with heights that has gotten worse with age. I simply freeze and my legs turn to concrete. So knowing that it was best for everyone, I didn't climb the giant wall or go over the big wooden one that had no cargo net. The others, I jumped right over or in...the pond was almost an issue for Kim since she's shorter and it was pretty deep on the end where we entered. Then getting over the big logs in the water was a challenge for her short legs.
We crawled under a dark shed on our knees, climbed in and out of dumpsters, under barbed wire, through the pond, over fire logs, through the mud pit on our belly... mud was everywhere! We made a curtain with a sheet on the back of her car and stripped down in the field where we parked. Good thing we wore clothes and shoes we could throw away. Tired and sunburned, we rode home laughing about how dirty we were.
I have to admit, I did skip two of the tallest to prevent a nice fireman from having to rescue me. I have an issue with heights that has gotten worse with age. I simply freeze and my legs turn to concrete. So knowing that it was best for everyone, I didn't climb the giant wall or go over the big wooden one that had no cargo net. The others, I jumped right over or in...the pond was almost an issue for Kim since she's shorter and it was pretty deep on the end where we entered. Then getting over the big logs in the water was a challenge for her short legs.
We crawled under a dark shed on our knees, climbed in and out of dumpsters, under barbed wire, through the pond, over fire logs, through the mud pit on our belly... mud was everywhere! We made a curtain with a sheet on the back of her car and stripped down in the field where we parked. Good thing we wore clothes and shoes we could throw away. Tired and sunburned, we rode home laughing about how dirty we were.
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