running in the cold.

found an article with some good tips.

i should find an occasional running partner.

this was good too:
30 degrees: 2 tops, 1 bottom. Long-sleeve base layer and a vest keep your core warm. Tights (or shorts, for polar bears).
10 to 20 degrees: 2 tops, 2 bottoms. A jacket over your base layer, and wind pants over the tights.
0 to 10 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms. Two tops (fleece for the cold-prone) and a jacket. Windbrief for the fellas.
Minus 10 to 0 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms, extra pair of mittens, 1 scarf wrapped around mouth or a balaclava.
Minus 20 degrees: 3 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 extra pairs of mittens, 1 balaclava, sunglasses. Or, says Arribas, "Stay inside."

3.0 mi., 36:42. [Swim, 8min / 10 laps]

Rating = 8.5. Overall I felt great... My legs just kind of cramped up towards the end.

4:00pm. 5 minute warm-up; 4 minute cool-down.

2 miles of it was running before I took a walk break on and off for the rest.

Mac N Chs and an apple about 2 hours beforehand.

Also, swam afterwards which felt great, but I could definitely tell I haven't swam in a while. My arms were burning after 10 laps.

Finally, a real workout. :)

Time for dinner!

slow-going.

So my "training" has been preeettyyy slow going thus far.

I think my goal for this past week was more just to get out of my house and actually go and do it. Which is a pretty good goal for week one. And I did it... not as much as I would have liked to, but it was a start anyway.

I'd much rather run outside. I need to get used to running on the treadmill again. Last year I didn't mind it at all, but now that I've gotten a taste of running outside it's more difficult, I think. And with this weather being so wet and cold it's kind of a deterrant. So one way or another, I've got to suck it up.

It will be interesting to see how well I do with this during all of the holidays and traveling around. I think that will be a pretty good indicator.

I've got to get on my game though because my first indoor tri of the series in mid-January.

I need to get back in the pool for sure too.

Fortunately, I got off work super early today (because they are sooo disorganized and the office is in shambles and boxes w/o phone lines) so I plan on getting a hard workout in after I finish my women's health review paper for school.

I'll make up for that long run I was supposed to have this weekend and then jump in the pool. Today is as good a day as any!

Cycling

Biked my errands today (church/groceries). Probably only about 6 miles -- it was difficult though, I felt like I was moving like a snail. Definitely out-of-bike-shape. Different muscle groups-- I could feel it.

[This was Sunday, 12/13].

1.25 miles, 10:49

10:20am, oatmeal for breakfast an hour prior.

5 minute warm up.

six-pack attack class afterwards (which kicked my butt).

[this was from saturday, 12/12]

1 mile, 10:07.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

1 mile, 10:07.

notes: 2 minute warm-up, 5 minute cool-down.

no breakfast. 7:20am.

weights-- triceps and biceps.

rating: 6, kind of lightheaded.

so-- training day one didn't work out. i got to the gym without enough time to really work out AND i forgot my running shoes. so that was kind of just a trial run.

today i did a semi-sprint day with just a "quick" mile and some weights. i'm kind of easing into how early i'm getting up in order to work out before having to be at work on the southwest side at 9am.

10:07 is not very quick for a mile, i know (definitely not a "sprint")... i remember the days in high school where we'd have to run it in at least 8min during tryouts and without any previous practice running i would do it, no problem. ugh! but... now 10:07 is pretty quick for me. it's running the whole thing at least, which is what i'm going for. my goal time for the half marathon is 2.5 hours... which is like 11+ minute miles (a pretty high goal, i think), so on my sprint days i'm just supposed to run faster than my "half marathon pace". so i'm doing that. i wish i could run faster, but i'm not quite there yet. plus i figure its better to ease into it so that i don't burn myself out and hate running again. //shrug. step by step. literally.

I'm not a runner, but I'm going to pretend.

I'm transplanting this from my old/regular blog from PA school so that I have my own separate running blog. Woot.

Monday, December 7, 2009

I'm not a runner, but I'm going to pretend.

I've decided to keep a running/training blog. I've registered for my first half-marathon. The longest distance I've run todate in a race is a 5k. The longest distance I've run... ever is maybe 4 miles. And the term running is used very loosely. So this will be interesting.

The half I've registered for is this one --http://www.500festival.com/marathon/

Throughout this training I will also be cross-training with swimming and cycling in an attempt to prepare for next tri-season. I would like to be able to do this onehttp://www.racepensacola.com/2010BoldEagleTriathlon.html in April; however, it is significantly longer than the one I did this past year... hence the need for training.

I'm blogging in an attempt to self-motivate and be able to track my progress, as well as factors that may influence my workouts (weather, food, time of day?). We'll see what happens.

So here I am, on my way. Tomorrow begins Day One. Unless you count today... since I've decided Mondays are rest days. In that case-- tomorrow begins Day Two. Already conquered day one. :)

And here's my motivation for the day (from Runners magazine):

Run Like a Dog

"My dog, a shepherd mix named Cooper, doesn't care where we are or what time of day it is, or even what the weather is like. He doesn't know what his resting heart rate is and rarely bothers to wear a watch. He just loves to run. And every time he does, his face and his body telegraph one simple message: This. Is. AWESOME. I'm runningrunningrunningrunning!