Logging

I will admit to being a total gadget freak and also a spreadsheet and graph addict when it comes to exercise.  If i couldn't track my workouts down to the minute, second, calorie and stroke, i wouldn't be half as motivated.  Not sure what it is that makes it so important, but it is, and i'll take anything to make working out easier.  If you recall, i started this blog to help with motivation, to keep me focused.

I have all the gadgets: a Garmin Forerunner 305 - wouldn't dream of running without it, a Poolmate swim watch - how did i manage to count laps before?; a odometer on my bike and a dailymile account - one of 2 digital forms i log in to, the other being on my ipod touch in a running log app.   So i can easily track what i am doing, though both have negatives.

So i decided to start a simple spread sheet.  I do love Google Docs and i have a ton of spreadsheets for all sorts of stuff on GDocs.  GF muffin recipe trials; expenses; LadyCorpus inventory (which is my label for bags i make and sell). and training plans of past.  As you can see below, its pretty simple but easily gives me monthly totals and clearly shows my rest days. I'm not so happy with this part.  I can see now that i am not working quite as hard as i would like.  My ipod app has a rest day on the calender but its been out of action for a month now: the battery is so dead it wont charge, so i haven't noticed my streak of rest days this month.

When i do work out , i work out hard, but i need to be more frequent.  February, i will make it so.

I'd definitely like to be getting higher running mileage than that, but currently i'm getting some knee pain and couldn't run on Wednesday. I did the elliptical instead and had no problems.  My colleague physio who is an avid runner immediately asked how old my shoes were.  Well, yeah, they are 500-600 miles old, over a year, they are my first pair i bought a year ago.  So i have some new ones on order - Hubby is bringing them from the States so until then, i will be doing less running and nothing for a week i think, well, at least 4 more days, then i may just have to try!

 But for sure, definitely LESS rest days in February!!

Minus 8 and new shoes

This morning i got up to do a bit of baking, made some blueberry muffins for my husband and mother-in-law. Unfortunately they didn't turn out as sweet as i know they would prefer them - with their American taste buds - but they are edible which given my lack of GF baking experience and the made up recipe, i'm still pretty pleased with.

Once they were out of the over, and one eaten of course, i donned my cold weather running gear and hunted for my trainers.  They are no where to be found. I used them last on Monday, and since then, we have had a 20 foot container load delivered so i have no idea where they are.  fortunately, i did find a pair of New Balance that i was going to sell.  I got them from work and never wore them, they had tags on still.  I was more desperate to run than the twenty bucks i may get for them on eBay so pulled my foot in to them and wondered why i was willing to give them up. They were comfy and have great traction.  They were perfect for running in the ice and snow that is the outdoors right now.  They don't have much cushion but were just perfect for my run today.  Totally stoked i wore them.

5.7miles 54:10 avg pace 9:31   ------------------ 9.17k

nb: i totally forgot i got up at 6.40 to run 3 miles on Wednesday morning. Totally love it when i find i have worked harder than i thought i have.  I did lamppost to lamppost knee us x3 and also leaping x3.  Good run. yay.

7 weeks to a 5k

on march 13th here in milwaukee there is the blarney run. a 5k run or 2k walk. i managed to recruit a friend to join me (we're running!), she's fitter than me as she has been loosing her baby weight, but it will be at least nice to start with someone and have someone there at the end to take a photo of me with the number pasted to my shirt. its sad i know, but i have coveted those numbers for years, years and years. i have never been in any kind of race, apart from school so never had one.


just nipped out at lunch to buy my trainers. i tried on 3 pairs that mr shoe fitter chose, according to what he saw of my feet; bare foot walking, doing a crouch and just stood up. as he correctly diagnosed, i have normal to high arches, and strong feet (as opposed to fallen and flexible). with this diagnosis, i am supposed to wear a more flexible shoe. i bought asics gel-cumulus in a 10.5 in lightening/pool/storm  they are really comfy and available world wide.  why is that worth mentioning?  because you are supposed to wear the same type of shoe once you get used to it, and i will be buying more of these in japan when im ready to run again.  slightly excessive to have two new pairs of running shoes in less than 6 months, esp when i won't have put 500 miles on this pair, but i also don't want to kart around asia, a pair of shoes that i won't wear for two months.

after work im hitting somewhere else to buy some cold weather running gear.  just one set, i can wash and wear them.  until i know that i'm really gonna do this, im trying to not spend too much money.  i really want a garmin 350  (i'm a gadget freak) but i am only gonna allow myself that luxury if i run a half marathon, then i know i'm running seriously enough to warrant that expense. until then, im buying a $5 digital watch off ebay so i can time myself. (finding the link to the garmin, made me just find it for a much lower price than i had come across previously, which makes it harder to resist and may make me change when i can buy myself it - darn!!).