Week 9: Run 3

Run 14 minutes
Walk 1 minutes
Repeat 2 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.72 miles
Pace: 11:02/mile

Run Review: It was cold, but we felt ok during the run. (Maybe the cold helped?) It was probably about 15-20°, but we still saw three other runners out. Runners are very friendly, which I love. The run itself was also really beautiful. I need to take some pictures while we're here of the path. If it's one thing my blog is thus far lacking, it is pictures! I acknowledge that. My New Years resolution will be for more pictures on my blog. (Easy enough, right?!)

Our 5K is fast approaching...Good news, bad news: We're going snowboarding tomorrow. My brother was so excited about taking us up to the mountain (one of his favorite things to do), and I was excited to try snowboarding for the second time ever...This morning it hit me, "We're running a 5K race on Friday...I hope we don't get too sore from snowboarding!!!" It'll probably be ok, but I know the last time I snowboarded I was completely sore all over my body for several days, and that was 10 years ago. I'm a little older now, which isn't easy on the muscles. Hopefully our running will help rid our bodies of all the lactic acid we build up tomorrow. I think our next run will be on Monday morning, before we leave for home again. Maybe an ice bath will help? Or does being outside on the mountain count as an ice bath of its own?

Update: We didn't end up going snowboarding. We chickened out. Also, my brother was planning a whole day of it...Yeah, we're not that "leet".

Week 9: Run 2

Run 14 minutes
Walk 1 minutes
Repeat 2 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.63 miles
Pace: 11:25/mile

Run Review: In the end, I felt great. I haven't really had a bad running day in a long while (*fingers crossed* don't wanna jinx myself!) After the first five minutes, though, I decided my calf cramp was not, in fact, going away, so we stopped for a minute to stretch it out (which helped immensely). Unfortunately, I didn't think to stop my watch during the run and wasted 1 minute of doing nothing during our run. Hindsight is 20/20 and all that, but I'm not too surprised we didn't make it as far today as we did on Monday. Still a pretty respectable time, if I do say so myself; at least in comparison to our other runs!

It was foggy all day yesterday, which made breathing a little cumbersome, but it turned out alright. It was also kinda of chilly outside (~32-34°) but there weren't any slick spots, fortunately!

I have to work today (12/24 i.e. Christmas Eve), but tomorrow (Christmas Day) J and I will be driving down to Sunriver to spend Christmas with my Dad and Step-Mom. While we're there, we hope to get at least 1 run in. There are many bike paths to choose from, so I'm not worried about where to run. What I do worry about is the quality of the ground (i.e. slickness). I don't need any bruises on my rear; I would like to continue using it for sitting thank you very much! I'll update on how it goes when we get back!

Week 8: Run 2

Run 13 minutes
Walk 2 minutes
Repeat 2 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.63 miles
Pace: 11:25/mile

Run Review: This run was AWESOME! (Mostly because I had the worst day ever, but how great is it that all I wanted to do when I got home was go out for a run? Much healthier than eating a large carton of ice cream, huh?) I felt quicker today. My shins hurt a bit, but not too bad. I was definitely sore after the run. Is it weird that I missed being sore (from my swimming years)?!

Anyway, the weather behaved. I was sure it would pour on us, but hardly any moisture made its way down to us. Go figure!

Week 8: Run 1

Run 13 minutes
Walk 2 minutes
Repeat 2 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.72 miles
Pace: 11:02/mile

Run Review: So great! 13 minutes? No problem! I totally picked up the pace at the end too! I didn't have pain during the run, and not too much afterward, either! (Some shin "warmness", but not really pain!) The temperature was a "balmy" 42°. (I had to take off my gloves and jacket!) And it managed not to rain on us. (Always a bonus in the Pacific Northwest!)

I am soooo excited for the 5K coming up December 31st/January 1st! There were definitely moments during the run when I thought to myself, "I would really like to be walking right now..." But I didn't, and I think I can make it through the whole 3.1 miles. Let the countdown begin!

Week 7: Run 3

Run 9 minutes
Walk 1 minutes
Repeat 3 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.64 miles
Pace: 11:22/mile

Run Review: I felt pretty good. I felt like I picked up the pace, too. (J agreed, but that might be because his run didn't feel that great.) I'm a little bit nervous about upping our running time to 13 minutes next week. It just seems like such a big jump from running only 9 minutes at a time, but I'm sure it will be ok!

This week was definitely an adventure weather-wise for us. Rain, sure, we're ready for it. But freezing temperatures? Without the wind-chill of Monday, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be. We were able to avoid the treadmill, anyway. Go us! Next week it should be back to regular old rain. (I kinda like running in the rain!)

Week 7: Run 2

Run 9 minutes
Walk 1 minutes
Repeat 3 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.59 miles
Pace: 11:35/mile

Run Review: I felt good! Maybe it helped that it was 26°, and I couldn't feel my extremities. Whatever it was, I had so much fun, and so did J.

Confession: I have a bit of a confession....So you know how my "calves" have been hurting for awhile. Well, I'm pretty sure it's actually "shin splints". Yes, the dreaded Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome. I denied the truth for awhile, but after my shins was "burning" after the run on Monday, I was kind of clued in. I've been ice massaging them for the last 2 days, and stretching my calves like crazy. For today's run, I stretched my calves beforehand (and afterward!), and also taped my arches to prevent overpronation (which I'm not entirely positive I do). This seemed to stave off any pain (although it was really cold out there...).

I really don't want to stop running now. We've just gotten into such a good flow, and I'm afraid we'll never get back into the groove if we stop now. So the plan is to keep plugging along, and keep stretching my calves!!!

Week 7: Run 1

Run 9 minutes
Walk 1 minutes
Repeat 3 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.64 miles
Pace: 11:22/mile

Run Review: How did it feel? Hard to tell, since it was freezing!! It was about 26°, but the wind made it about 15°! Good thing we got J some new winter running clothes! They worked great, and we didn't have to slum it on the treadmill. :)

In other good news, the new sports bra I got is wonderful; what a difference some extra support makes. I'm not "well endowed" by any means, but it still made quite the impression (not literally). Here's a link to my new bra!

Week 5: Run 1 (of the "new plan")

Run 8 minutes
Walk 2 minutes
Repeat 3 times
30 minute "run"

Run stats:
Distance: 2.56 miles
Pace: 11:44/mile

Run Review: I felt good last night. I felt like I picked up the pace. (Which is not my focus at this point, since I'm starting this "adventure" by upping the amount of time I run first; but I just felt good.) The weather was pretty nice. It was about 50° and NOT raining, which is unusual for the Pacific Northwest this time of year :) There were a lot of runners out last night too, which helps keep me motivated. During last Friday's run, runners were scarce. I'm not sure whether that was due to the weather, or the fact that it was Friday night. Either way, it was good to see so many people out there.

**I'll post about my "new plan" in a separate post. I'm a sucker for organization (OCD?)