Three in the morning.

Nope, that was not what time i got up, that would be 6.50AM.  I missed the end of the Canada vs Sweden Curling by one end, i just couldn't keep my eyes open, but thats besides the point. I'm stoked Sweden won, i used to live there and it holds a special place in my heart. I love Swedes.

No, it was merely a reference to the 3 miles i ran this morning. To duplicate my post from DM " I ran my heart out. The there-and-back is straight but hilly; shallow long hills in both directions. It got to the point, on the return half way up the long hill, i've got my arms swinging like a marching band drummer on speed, i'm huffing and puffing hard; i have no breath left for that quick exhalation needed to do a farmers blow, therefore leaving me with snot and cold-wind tears running down both sides of my face. Pretty huh? Great run though - still the pace won't be accurate coz of the map. But it had to be close to a 10 minute mile. Finished up with some strength stuff."

Then: "Went through the basics, lunges, reverse lunges (1st for these, saw them in a magazine last month, then Kerri mentioned them so i thought why not?), a load of arm stuff. i like the: stand, flex hips to 45 and do triceps extensions a lot more than any other way, i had forgotten about it till today. scissors with the ball, ab crunches and calf raises. 

And Stretch...

Oh yeah, i finished with cold bath water running down my clave's for a few minutes, before and after i showered. I think it helped as i noticed a difference from one leg to the other before i did the right side."

So i wanted to see how much difference there was between the up and down hill within mile 2. Surprisingly little difference, but i did allow myself a 45 seconds stop-clock breather at the turn point. But the return is all up hill, a shallow one, but still a hill.

So i'm pleased.

I did good today.

I am now on a bit of a drive to loose weight, as i have actually put weight on. You see i wasn't concentrating on that in the hopes it would naturally fall of with the increase in exercise. But why should it be easy, huh? Also, a girl, any girl has a limited amount of motivation or will power, if you will. I didn't think i could concentrate and put forth enough effort to tackle and achieve two goals. So i put it all in to the exercise. Now that that comes easy, since my attitude has one-eightied and the will-power tank is full, i think i can tackle the weight. I have a good start because i am exercising already, now i need to look at what i consume and portion control. I have a good idea but...

Since working out i have gained 2lbs. I know that isn't a lot, and that is an average of many weigh-in's, but consider that with the last 82 miles i ran, 14 total hours worth of exercise, over 28 work outs, i have GAINED 2 freaking pounds!

I know its muscle weight, or at least i hope so, but it really irks me that i've gone up and i don't feel like i have lost any size, which i probably haven't. In fact, i noticed that my boots were tighter on my clave's. Thats just not cool dude! So, I can't just do these easy runs, as much as i enjoy them, and unfortunately it was an easy habit to slip in to. I know i have to do runs like today, hard runs, hills and speed work.  And i know i will enjoy them all more when i can run faster and further than i do now.

Oh i almost forgot.  When i got home I had a text from Bryan.  He said "Seeing you running made me buy only one doughnut instead of two. Thanks."

<3 it!

Later!

Road ID and Hill Workout.

Road ID

Recently I have been seeing everyone talk about Road ID which i personally think are a necessity. Last year for my friends birthday in June i bought her one.  I also bought myself and my mum one. I didnt go the expensive official Road ID way, i am always in the look out for a cheaper way of doing things, and i really didn't like the idea of having to put on a wrist band every time i want to run. Well i wasn't running then, but cyclists need them too But anyways...

These little beauties only cost me $4 a piece. You can have more lines of info, i just didn't have much else to put on it. You can choose colour, shape etc. They are actually made for pet tags, and yes, as you can see they can get scratched, i'm not sure how that happened, but i assume my bike. So i'm sure they would hold up just fine for runners. I don't feel it on my shoe. Its just perfect. Though next time, i will get the 1.5" instead of the 2" as it sure would have fit every thing on just fine.

I put Name, Hubbys cell phone, parents home phone, Blood type, My celiac disease status and insurance company.

Here is where i got mine from, but i'm sure you could get it done any where they do pet tags.

Hills

Yesterday was my first dedicated hill workout.  I warmed up for 1/2 mile till i found a hill, then ran up it at almost full speed. It was a 30 second run, arms flying, quick leg turnover.  And then a gentle 1.20 jogging descend.  The hill wasn't that steep and was a block in length.  I think i did it about 17 times, i lost count so just divided the time/loop in to the 30 mins i did it for.  Again, its my lungs that prevent me from going faster and longer.  My legs hurt just going from sitting to standing after Wednesdays strength training, and every step once i was running was sore on my adductor's.  But once i started the hill session, it got better, or rather i was concentrating on other things so it went away in my mind.  Yet at the end it wasn't my legs that were feeling it, but my lungs.   

So i am actually looking forward to my next hill session.  I am going to find a steeper hill though, see if i can get my legs to hurt. - Is that the idea?

Snowboarding and my first 5 miler

Grand Geneva ski Resort

4/10 but only because of the terrain park - which i used!  Or it would be a 1/10.

I was getting bored after 2 hours of the slopes. I almost decided to quit but it seemed like too much of a waste, 2 hours on the snow and an hour drive there and back.  But it really isn't much of a hill to keep the interest up. The steeper more challenging parts of the hill were too short and i couldn't link more then two turns, which isn't enough time for me to get a groove going. I fell a couple of times as i was getting the feel again but really i found it all too easy, and boring.  You see, repeating: 1 minute to descend, then 2 minutes to go up, one minute down, 2 minutes up etc.  2 hours can seem like a long time.  That is when i started thinking of the jump.

Then as i start to hook up my bindings at the top of the run i notice that i don't have a strap, the major one, that goes across the top of the foot.  So i had to go down the hill with no attachment. I had no control on my frontside and nearly fell.  But thankfully, even with no strap, i managed to descend the hill with out falling. You see, that is how easy it is!  Unbelievably i found the strap, screw and nut all just sitting right under the chair lift about 50 yards up the hill.  Thank goodness it was a quiet day on the hill.

I would turn the sound off, or lower it, the wind isn't fun to listen to, and i haven't worked out how to get rid of it.

So it was either go home or try the jump.  I had big balls that day and refused to waste the $20 on just 2 hours on the slopes - slopes being the perfect word. Certainly not a mountain!  See the movie i put together below. The hill really is nothing to talk about.  The second jump attenpt is on film.  The boys in the film were so sweet.  They were doing the same jump and always waited for me, egging me on, cheering. It was cool they hung out with me.  The 4 jumps took me about another 1.5 hours, with hanging out with the boys and watching them, so felt good leaving then.  And i got what i was looking for, an addrenalin rush.  And realised that is what i love about snowboarding, when you just have an awesome run, where you feel like your advancing.  I was not getting such a thing from the slopes.  But that jump - hell yeah, that WAS FUN FUN FUN!!!

Tuesday was my 5 miler.  I think that DM route planner - which is a google app, is not accurate.  I mapped it out and it said 4.92 miles but i ran it in 48 minutes so it can't be right - i most certainly didn't run a 9.45 pace.  I can't wait to get my Garmin.  The run was nice, i drove to the lake front and ran up and down Lincoln Memorial Drive.  There were only a few others out there.  I guess everyone else is wimpy in the winter, as in the summer it would have been busy, even in the week. i speed up for the last bit, and was really happy with the run till i saw that i probably didn't run 5 miles that i really wanted to.

Yesterday i did 40 minutes of strength training.  I used a magazine workout with weights, my ball and a lot of sweat.  I hurt today - the good pain :)  

Chatty Tuesday

Well what a FANTASTIC weekend (not that everyday isn't a weekend for the unemployed)  Friday i did some speed work. I warmed up with a mile jog then I set my ipod to buzz me every 30 seconds, and on that mark, i would run fast, then the next 30 I walked to recover.  I did this for 15 minutes and in that time, i only had to take 2 whole minute breaks. I then did another 1/2 mile cool down jog.  I seriously need to do speed intervals more often, to increase my lung capacity.  Friday night we went out with friends for sushi.  And that was the start of the weekend food debacle.

Every time i go out to eat i wonder how much people care that i am gluten intolerant.  I explain my situation, often saying its an allergy, so people who appear to have no clue as to what im talking about, take me seriously.  Depending on what type of place it is, i will say, 'so i can't have soy sauce' or 'so no toast' or the like, if its a flashy place i expect them to know.  So i told our waitress about the soy etc. and ordered my food.  When it arrived, the roll i ordered looked like it had fake crab in it; which i can't eat.  So when i checked, the waitress asked the chef and it turns out the crab was real, but they add soy sauce to the roll innards.  Well didn't i say no say sauce?  er Yes, yes i did, in plain English..  So i get another one on order, lump crab with no soy sauce and a $4 up charge for the lump crab.  Delicious. In the mean time, i pull the fish off the top of that roll and my companions eat the rest - free food!  And i wait for my replacement.

Saturday we drive to Chicago to see friends and their 5 month old boy Sam.  OMG how cute. I am so so so broody (and have been for 2 years - this doesn't help)  We head out for lunch once Sam has been bundled up, take a stroll down the road to a lovely place with loads of beers but no, they don't have any GF beer :(  I ordered a bun-less burger (as always stating why) and when it arrived, well of course, it was in a bun.  So i have to wait, while everyone else is chomping down on fries, steak sandwiches and breast milk.  5 minutes later i get my food, it was delicious and i rarely miss the bun when i do that. The evening is spent playing with Sam, catching up, a little glass of wine and bed by midnight.

Stupidly though, after our 2 hour lunch with a Scotch coffee, i accept more coffee at 6pm and i couldn't sleep till 1am.  Then, as we are sleeping in a loft with sky lights over the kitchen/living room, i am awake with Sam at 5am and then 7.30 with the sun. I get up at 8.30 STARVING as we only had lunch, as late as it was. I got up and intended to eat a protein bar i had bought, but apparently i didn't read the ingredients too well as i looked again and it had oat flour in it. Thumbs down, guess i'm running on empty then. 

9.30 comes around and Brady is awake enough to come out running with me (he was up at 5am with Sam).  We did a brief walk to warm up and set off on our 3 miler.  He was a great pace man. We were running a touch faster than i normally do, he is speedy and it was certainly a slow run for him, but he was pushing me.  I could talk for the 1st mile then then my sentences got shorter and shorter.  Eventually to one word answers and in the last 3/4 of a mile - nothing.  He made me speed up to get through traffic lights a few times.  But that man can sprint on a whim, i maybe picked up my pace by 30 sec/mile!

All in all though, it was a great run (even with no sustenance).  Off the top of my head my splits were 9.45, 9.51, and 9.something for a total of just over 29minutes (because i didn't see it, i can't remember what he said).  I am THRILLED with that.  My legs could have gone lots further but my lungs were shot. I like that i know its my lungs, not my legs that are tired, but they do seem like the hard thing to workout. So that was my tempo run as that's my goal for the 5K in 3 weeks: 30 minutes.  Now i need to learn to push myself like he pushed me. I really liked having a pace man. I am definitely going to find running partners in the UK.

Brady is covering Sam puke on Bethany's boob - Classy.  ;)

We were all starving so headed out for breakfast at Moonshine.  Really nice place, great staff, when i ordered my breakfast (with no toast please...blah blah..) he said no problem, sure, i'll guard it, no worries. When it arrived, for the 3rd time in a row, it arrives with food i can't eat.   Toast stuck on top of it. I always get nervous that they just take it back in, take off the toast and re-serve it to me.  But i didn't get sick so...what can i say, it was tasty.  Back to the house for a little Olympic action and then drive home.  

We planned to go out to dinner with Jeff's Mum as she is going to be in Florida for the next 3 weeks and is only back the day we leave for Asia.  We went to Crawdaddys which has an actual GF menu.  How about that!  I ordered the jambalaya and you guessed it, when it arrived it had 2 pieces of bread stuck in to it.  I mean, come on. I know we were being slightly excessive eating out 4 times in a row, but really, don't any chefs read the tickets?  Thankfully, i assume that they have a big pot of jambalaya going it was quite quick to receive my new GF plate of food.  And boy was it tasty.  And it was big enough for two meals. It didn't even look like i had eaten any when she took it away to box it up.  Man, they are big portions.

This is a mega post, so i will add the snowboarding stuff tomorrow.

I'm now off to run a 5 miler.  1st time ever.  Nice and easy pace.  Last week i missed my mile total by 3 miles! Gotta keep on top of that, not to happy about it at all.

OMG I ran 3 miles in under 29 minutes. I had a pace man as we visited friends in chicago, more later i just wanted to test the phone to blogger system.

What, I'm leaving the country? When....?

Just hit me i'm leaving in 4 weeks. Yup 4 weeks, that's not long.  In fact i would go as far as saying that's pretty fucking close.  Like breathing down your neck close, and its not fresh minty breath either.  Its the you've known for a long time but now its hit you in the face, old cigarettes and coffee breath.  I have lived here 6 years, almost to the day. I arrived on March 22nd 2004 in Milwaukee WI and in 27 days i will be gone, forever.  At least from Milwaukee forever, but most likely the states as a whole.

Well then...

Tuesday i went snowboarding. I have movie's and pictures but can't find the cable for my camera. I bought the usb adapter today online, so when it arrives i will post them.  I tried a jump - that's a good video. Its a damn fine 3.5 hour gluteus workout, all that crouching,  i'm still sore today.

Wednesday i ran 4.4 miles - my longest yet, in 49.25.  It felt good to run for so long, i didn't walk once.  There were mild hills both up and down. Looking forward to doing some speed work, i've not been following my schedule per say and have missed two sessions.

And today i cycled 12 miles in and hour (with a 20 minute break at my old work place).  Which hurt my ass of course, but in that good pain kinda way.  I used to do 15 miles in an hour - where did that go?

Valentines Day Dinner

It was 3 years ago that i proposed to my husband.  Yes i did it on Valentines Day.  This was because i thought that was the only day i could take him out for a fancy meal to his favourite Milwaukee restaurant, in fact, Milwaukee's nicest restaurant; Sanford, with out letting on what i was going to do. 

I bought him a watch and had it engraved with 'Marry Me?' on the back.  I had to arrange my table and have the watch there, as it would never fit in my purse.  So all the staff knew, that was kinda weird.  My sister told me that i had to just 'get it out of the way', or i wouldn't enjoy my meal.  When i'm excited or nervous i can't eat. And you don't want to leave the food at Sanford on your plate, too nice and way too expensive not to finish.  

So that is what i did.   We ordered and got drinks.  I slipped my hand under the table and there it was, as planned, under a napkin, the boxed proposal.  I gave it to him, at the same time i sad some lovey dovey words and asked him to marry me.

I had it engraved for two reasons.  One, as a reminder for life, a token to keep.  And two, in case i got so nervous and couldn't speak, the watch could at least ask for me.  But on the night i wanted to actually say it. It was a little unnerving as the table next to us were quiet and i assume listening. I'm not that great with words and not that romantic so i doubt he [on the next table] was given any tips on how to make a marriage proposal.  No verbal treasures to write down from me. I was boring and safe, a resturant, on valentines day. you can't get more or a stereotypical proposal than that.

  

But in my defense. Food is his big love, Sanford it AMAZING and I PROPOSED! 

He said yes, of course. xxxx 

I LOVE YOU JEFF, YOU ARE MY WORLD.  

On a small side not, i didn't run yesterday, i looked after my poorly hubby and watched the Olympics all day.  Today i'm hitting the slopes of Sunburst WI.

Felt the Urge...

...to run, so screw rest day!

So it went down like this:

• last night we went to a Sheepshead Marathon.
• I didn't get much sleep about 6.5 hours.
• I have this head fog and a frog in my throat, but i feel fine in my body and chest. 
• Its lovely and sunny out and17F.  
• So did a 2.67 mile jog. 
• Very happy me  

Sheepshead has fast become my favourite card game. So simple in practice so many things to think about.  Given we were playing for 8+ hours, i though id be will be shelling out some spondoolies come home time.  We ended up 10c up. (me -13 him +15) Ooo moneys :) i told him not to spend it all at once.

And to report, i have two healthy boobs still.  February's self breast exam - two thumbs up!

And a side note: I needed a few more sports bras and went shopping to TJ Max - my favourite store.  There were few choices but i know i like champion bras and there were three, white, grey and hot pink.  Well if you know me, you know i don't wear pink. But i wanted two and there is no way i'm buying white, it just wouldn't stay that way. So i bought the hot pink one, used it today and i think it turned me on to pink (not baby, jut hot). I love it! I love it so much, that i'm going to show you!  

Healthy Hot Pink Boobs!!

Bike Run Bike - 12 miles of joy :)

Yesterday i decided i wanted to run somewhere new.  So how does one do that? Cycle somewhere first of course.  So i took Oklahoma Ave out to the KK river parkway. I cycled 4 miles to get there, which took longer than i had hoped - i'm rusty on the bike, my glutes were burning up!  I then locked up my bike and ran the route below which is 3.5 miles than cycled home.  It was great to do all that. I loved how i was far from home and there was no way i could cut it short in anyway (not that i have intentionally done that).  It was a really nice area to run, a few gentle hills and no traffic, just me and the snow.

DM says i burned around 1000 calories. I may have to do this everyday as i'm not loosing any weight. I know they ay it takes a few months to really notice a difference though, but i'm impatient.  And i need to watch what i eat more, as always. I have been trying to portion control, but i have a big appetite now i'm working out. Ah the battle of the wills.

Thinking of Tri-ing

Today is a good day.  Awake at 6.55  (not that that is a good thing necessarily) up at 7.20am.  Breakfast of a small bowl of yoghurt and oats by 7.30 and out the door by 7.45am.  I know i'm supposed to wait 30 minutes before leaving but i ate late last night and and i have a good stomach, its strong and doesn't normally give me any troubles. No matter how many drinks i mix!!

Today i RAN for 25 minutes and covered 2.38miles.  It took a little while to get in the groove of running faster but i managed a full 15 minutes of slogging before i stopped for a minute and headed back. I didn't time it properly but i think i ran a bit over a 10 minute mile.  So not SO fast but well, i'm happy.  I got up, and went straight out.  It was cold out, sunny and -11F but as i did what i said i would do, i felt GREAT!

As i really enjoy cycling and can't see myself giving it up, i have been looking in to triathlons.  I realize i haven't even raced a 5k yet but i like to look ahead.  I found one that will be a great starter one. Its a 500m swim in a pool, 14k bike ride and 5k run.  I can totally see myself being able to do that in a year from now.  Its in May 2010 so i guess it would be in May in 2011, and its in the right area and doesn't cost much. 

Up early and still no cycle - bad girl

So i've been bad and didn't get a cycle in today.  I wasn't in the mood first thing, even though i got up at 7am.  Of course my body clock is still on work mode, it still didn't get the memo that i do not need to be awake at 6.30am-everyday.  Normally, given i've most likely fallen asleep on the sofa by 11pm, i've had sufficient sleep by 6.30am and find it difficult to sleep longer.  So i am still getting up earlier than my husband. He works and I do not.

So today i was dressed by 9 and got to doing stuff. I went food shopping, did some packing and valuing of books, baked a loaf of bread. Bread which turned out like a brick. Those Bobs Red Mill GF bread mix's aren't really that good.  And i bought a 6 pack way back when.  So now i'm trying to get through a lot of GF food stuffs, and other pantry items. God knows we have cupboards cram packed with stuff. I see a trip to a soup kitchen in our future.

I also watched a bit of tv and went back to the table of doom to try and sort out what to throw out, shred, pack, sell and argh, what when i doesn't fit in to one of those categories?  The table of doom started 3 days ago, when i decided to unpack the trunk of junk and fill it with things that are most certainly coming with us.  Getting through that table of junk has taken three days. Three quarters of said junk got neatly boxed and placed right back in the trunk.  The rest, some was thrown, a few bits to Jeff to sell on eBay then the last little bits, you know those half used note pads, shoe horns, tape measures, Alan wrenches, pencil sharpeners, you know, junk. I don't know where it goes.  Now, let me ask you.  Do you throw it all away? coz you're not traipsing a crappy tape measure and a shoe horn you don't need across the Atlantic? or do you keep a junk draws worth of junk? coz everyone has junk, there is value in junk.you may need some of that junk one day.

So tomorrow morning, i'm getting up and going running.  right away. I will have breakfast, i'm a big breakfast fan.  Sometimes i wake up hungry, but even if not i'm eating within 30 minutes of being up.  I want to see how i fare first thing. I love the feeling that exercise bring with it for the rest of the day. I believe it will carry through all dayif i do it in the morning.  So i'd like, when i do get a job, to be able to get up and run before work and have that great feeling tall day.  Also knowing that i'd done my work out already, how cool.

Jeez, this was supposed to be a short one. Sorry!

"Good Dedication"

Yesterday a snow storm hit, not horrendous but it probably laid 6 inches around my neighbourhood.  It did mean that i didn't go swimming though. I wasn't going to drive 20 minutes in that crappy weather just to swim.  I would to shop, but not to swim!  So instead i called my sister, and we spent half the day on the phone. I'm not kidding, the longest phone call in my life.  3.5 hours of wicked sisterly conversation.  It was great to catch up. Then i spent another hour on the phone with my parents.  Soon enough, we'll be close enough that we won't need long phone calls. I cant wait!!

So today the paths had mostly been cleared. I decided that an out and back up Bayview's 'high street' KK (Kinnickinnic) would be the most likely streets to be cleared as most of it is businesses. Well that was mostly true but i did have to jump over a lot of ploughed piles, some as high at 2 feet.  There were several area of completely un-shovelled snow, but I ran through that too.  It was kind of like running through tires, hopping from side to side, stepping on other peoples footprints to make it a tad easier in the deep snow. 

Just as i was setting off as i passed a guy with my thumbs up indicating my appreciation of him shovelling my route, he said with a smile "good dedication" as i ran past.  That really gave me motivation. It was early on, really early but i thought about it several times when i was getting tired.  Also, i wanted to test my mental ability to override my body's moaning and wining that it wants to stop and rest.  So just after i had run though at least 50 meters of deep snow, when my lungs were as tired as my calves and all i wanted to do was stop, i pushed myself and said YOU CAN DO IT, MIND OVER MATTER, i could stop at the Allen Bradley Clock and not a moment before.  I was about 1/2 mile away, (but i had no idea, it's big building and looked closer).  Then more snow to run through, but I DID IT! i ran all the way.  20 minutes solid, then i stopped a for a minute and ran back, again without stopping.  It was a really good run.  Even though it was slow, but it was in the snow.  

Snow = Slow :)

Ran 3.39miles

Time 40.23

Pace: 11.56

25 Degrees F

I considered going out and buying a pair of YakTrax before my run.  And right as i got home, walking the last stretch for a cool down, i saw that someone in YakTrax had in fact been running down my street.  

I so want some now.  I read this review, and though there weren't many places where it was packed snow, it would have helped in those areas where folks are too lazy to do their civic duty and shovel.  So do I or don't I?

A giveaway i'm trying to win - you could too!

Champion Sports Bra, up for grabs, tee hee!

Bike ride AND a run - goodness!!

So today is my first 'its not Monday'.  In that, this is the first Monday where i am unemployed.  So far so good though.  I decided what with all the food I ate yesterday throughout the football, and i mean throughout; i don't think i stopped eating until 15 minutes after the game finished, that a good long cardio session was in order.  I had 20 minute speed circuits on the menu but i wanted to get my bike out and hit the roads.  I love cycling outside, as opposed to my insane hatred to both bike trainers and stationary bikes.  So i did an easy 6.5 miles.  I say easy as it was an easy pace, but felt hard in some spots. It was a mild interval session and it felt great to feel my glutes working.  

My plan was to get home and run this afternoon, doing it in 2 sessions as i really didn't think i could run after riding.  But i got my bike in the foyer and thought 'WTF, why not go out now?'  My muscles are warm (though i was getting cold) so i locked up and set out. I shortened the run i normally do but i only had 2miles planned for today as they were going to be speed circuits.  But i just ran it.  Though i didn't properly time myself, i left on the 45minute and stopped on the hour so with my non-digital watch it was pretty accurate at 15 minutes.  When i put the rout in to DM it said i did a 8.46 minute mile.  But i know that's wrong. There is no way! In hind sight, i wish i had ran more, i really wasn't spent.  That is my problem, i create limitations, i set a route and when i get home, i come in.  I think this will be solved when i get Sally (read on) because i can just run, it will clock it all, as long as i have a general idea so i'm not over doing it, it will provide freedom.  My limitations in to dust.

And yes you guessed it, i am a lucky girl i'm getting a Garmin Forerunner 305 for my birthday in March.  AND I CAN"T WAIT!!!!!  I have been spending a lot of time in putting my miles, time or pace in to websites and they aren't particularly accurate either.  And i have been doing it on several sites, as i find new ones, i test them out.  I like Dailymile.com(DM), mostly for its cute looks but also for the widget, and the easier more accurate mile/route tracker. But i noticed that you can sync the Nike+ system but nothing for the Garmin. I have an Actice.com account but see no advantages over DM, and the mapping system isnt as good. I was first a member on taketothestreets.com but it doesn't appear to cater or entice you to use it as a social networking site too.  Which, now i just typed it, realize that i like that part of DM.

No one i know of is a runner per say, but then i found out Kerri does on her post-partum fitness drive. We're not close but we have befriended each other on Dailymile, so its like we are training together somehow.  And she plans to do the Blarney run with me if she is free.  I bet she will kick my ass though, she has been running and stuff way longer than me.  Good motivation, to see if i can keep up!

I was chuffed when she accepted the envite for DM.  Its nice to have supporters out there, people to pat me on the back so to speak.   So i'm waiting, until i get my Garmin, (already she has a name and its Sally.  I have no idea why, i just think a Sally could help me run). When i get her, i will see what is the easiest and nicest website to use.  Though i doubt i would drop DM as i have a flesh friend on there :)  With this blog i also hope to get a bit of inspiration, whether just by having a place to track where i have come from.  Some where to see the path i took to get to where ever it is i end up.  Or by followers comments.  So if i do have any followers, please do drop me a line of support, advice or even just to say hi!

Later that month/four post later.....i just discovered this bike run combo is called a Brick Workout. I like it!

Reworked Blarney Run 5K Training Schedule

15 degrees Fahrenheit and My Shades

Today I wanted to do a 'long run' and mapped out 3.5 miles (which in hind sight wasn't much longer than my Wednesday run).  Even though it was super cold, with the wind chill it was 15 degrees but it was sunny, and its mind over matter now isn't it?  So off i set with balaclava, my favourite white down body warmer, dual layer cold weather under armour and my ipod.  i also remembered my camera - yay. Even when the sun was not strong enough for shades, or it was behind me, the difference in temperature of my face was significant enough to want to, or rather need to keep them on.

It was a good run. I did 3.48 miles in 35.59 giving me a 10.38 pace.  So looking at the last few runs, it does seems that my comfortable running pace is between a 10 and 11 minute mile.  I totally want to decrease that number for the 5K.  I hope that adrenalin will help on race day but also the next month of working out training.  

I am about to change my schedule due to two things. I worked this one from a C25K (couch to 5K) schedule and i think that i was a bit fitter than the average couch potato, so under estimated how i would handle it all.  I am running 3 plus miles regularly now so i feel it needs adjusting. And the second reason is now i'm unemployed.  Don't get me wrong, i have plenty to do, leaving the country n'all (yeah, i just made that word up, it sounds right and it works for me, and probably you n'all!).  But also, i most certainly have time to do some cross training.  I'm going to make good use of my bike and my mother-in-law's swimming pool.

As before, the lake was frozen but i didn't want to properly stop and take photos as i was timing my run, and i know i could spend ages trying to get the right shot.  Photography being a hobby of mine, i will go back with my proper camera.  So i opted for slightly blurry photos.  Then i ran past this.  

I stopped, turned around and ran back to take this pic.  I just can't believe that they still have Christmas decorations outside on February 6th!  You know that by February 6th Mary and Joseph had found digs, they were no longer hangin' in the manger.  In the UK we're a bit superstitious and not as decoration happy as here.  Most folks have their decorations down by Jan 6th as that is the last day, the twelfth day of Christmas.  Then, barring birthdays there is no reason for decorations until Halloween (none that i can think of).  Then its still nothing like here.  Though in regards to Halloween, i appreciate the over-the-top-ness of America, you get some really cool stuff.

That reminds me of this years Halloween.  My favorite kid that came to the door, he was maybe 12-13 and in a banana suit.  Jeff's commentary of the costumes as they came to the door alerted me, so i grabbed a banana and offered it to him,as multiple hands rummage through the candy bowl.  He looked up and said "No thanks, that would be cannibalism now wouldn't it?"  rofl, pmsl, lol

oddly, my last day at work.

on wednesday i did 3.2 miles at a 10.50 min/mile.  its funny, i rounded it up in my head to 11 minutes then scalded myself for adding on the last ten seconds. ten seconds is a long time.

so lets see: i took a new route, it was full of snow as i forgot or rather, its never occurred to me before, that the public path down by the beach wouldn't be shovelled.  so i ran through snow and i'd liken it to running in sand; way more tiring on the calves.  there were also plenty of ice patches and un-shovelled side walks.  i ran on the road for some of it.   over all i really enjoyed the run. it was good to run a new route.  i had been doing the same circle since i had started and i had no idea that i was so bored of it.

down by the beach (if 100 yards of sand on the lake side can be classed as a beach). it was cold: 15f / -9c. and it been that way for a while, so the lake in the breakwater is mostly frozen, it was so pretty, i must go down and take some photos.

OH and you know what?  i can go down to the lake and take photos all day, every day! For you see, the government stopped me from legally working, and today was my last day.  i was told this yesterday.  i'm not sure i've totally absorbed it yet.  no work on monday.  no work on tuesday and no work on the rest, oh my its been a while. actually its been 2146 days. aren't visa stamps convenient for preciseness?

so now i'm off until jeff can leaves work. yay!great!  i can go snowboarding, cha-ching!  go running in different, unusual places and in the day time, w00t w00t! go cycling (i still haven't the nerve to hit the roads in the dark for some reason, and i have a great light too *shrug*) toot toot!   all this mixed in with a healthy batch of minor repairs, sanding and painting, seeing friends, packing and taking inventory, trashing, visa applying, travel reading, flight booking and with all that probably drinking a crate of redbridge and a bottle of single malt. maybe.. per..week?...!

i have 6 weeks before i need to leave.  today i didn't run, i came home and had a glass of wine, then a glass of whisky. oh well, the first and last slip fro mteh schedule.  going forward im gonna do more crossraining on rest days in so i'll be upping it all in the next month.  that will make up for tonight.  ahh the tv is calling my name.

10.09 mile

so yeah, that's right i ran 2.15 miles in 21.51 minutes.  i'm not saying it's fast, but its a good start.  it's the first time i have properly timed myself, and it was a good night to do it.  i decided that i would run as fast as i could with out stopping, the whole way.  i paced myself well as i felt like i was going the same speed all the way, with a little slowing on the incline and vice versa.  i couldn't have held a conversation and it was a bit tough at the end, but i could have gone further, i think, if needed.   and i can tell you something, i didn't run that fast (10min/mile) a few sessions ago, like i thought i had. 

since starting this endeavor there has not been one day where i haven't looked forward to my run.  this  information astounds me.  i can't tell you how different it feels when i'm tugging my tights on, maneuvering myself in  to cold compression tops and lacing up my (professionally fit) shoes.  i'm high spirited, i smile when i see my shoes (i'm a shoe person, they are still new, they are comfy, i have matching tops -- need i say more?).   its 18 deg f outside and i'm excited to get out there!  i think my rest days are harder on me than my run days.  i long to be pounding the pavements,as they say.  i 'm eager to be out there longer.   as today was a speed day wednesday is gonna be endurance, and as much as i will try and not over do it, i think i could tackle a 35 minute jog.  and tomorrow i'm planning some core and arm work.

oh and please note - spartacus - blood and sand, is not worth watching, i just sat through the second episode, and no, just don't. thumbs down.  though this may change your mind, if you had in fact persuaded you, jeff said it could be called 'fucking and fighting' and it wouldn't be wrong.