I signed up for the Army Ten Miler back in the spring. Last year's ATM was my first really long race ("really long" being a relative term... I just mean longer than a 10K) and I finished in just under 2 hours. This past spring, I ran the GW Parkway Classic in 1:47:47. My goal for this year's ATM is to go under 1:45. Training started today.

I haven't consistently run since running the half marathon nearly three months ago. Sure, I've done a couple 5Ks since then, but other than that I have logged maybe 10 total miles. I was just pretty burnt out on the running thing, plus it's been eleventy bazillion degrees around here since the beginning of June (even our gym's AC had trouble getting below 77), so it's not like there were any lovely, cool days calling for me to go for a run.

This time around, I'm really going to try to get all my runs in. I want to do more than just finish, I want to finish strong. I may not get in every run on it's scheduled day, but I hope to get it done at some point during that week. I printed out my training calendar and hung it up on my fridge. Also on my fridge, a set of smiley face stickers ready to be used. (The sticker strategy really works for me... I also used it for making habits of flossing and taking vitamins.)

Today's run: 3 miles in 29:38. (Sub-10:00/mile pace = yay!)

It topped 100 degrees yesterday. It was still 96 at 8pm. Yet, Adam and I were crazy enough to go ahead and run complete the Crystal City Twilighter last night. We'd already paid for it as part of our race package and we'd received an email from the coordinator basically challenging us to run our slowest 5K ever. Well, okay, I could do that.

We ran slowly jogged 2/3 of the race and walked the rest. Well, we did actually run the last .25 miles or so, but most of it we just plodded along slowly. My goal was to finish without throwing up, passing out, or ending up with a raging headache for the rest of the night. Success! (I also got to eat some Fig Newtons and we grabbed some bananas for the rest of the weekend. Bonus!)

They actually broke down our mile-by-mile stats, so I've added those into my usual recap:

Distance: 3.1 miles
Mile 1: 11:32 (jogged the entire way)
Mile 2: 13:29 (mostly jogged)
Mile 3: 14:41 (mostly walked)
Final 0.1: 0:51 (run!)
Total Time: 40:32
Pace: 13:03/mile

They've screwed up my age on every race so far. Because we signed up for all the year's races before March (where they asked for our age and birthday, but apparently ignored the latter), they'd had my age as 29 in every race up through this one, even though I was already 30. Apparently they had to enter in our info all over again for the year's second-half races, and I am now 39 . I was a little upset, but damn do I look good for a 39 year old! (Although I'm still slower than most of the 35-39 age group.)

I hadn't run much since the half marathon... only four miles, actually... leading up to Friday evening's race. Thankfully, the weather was pretty mild for a July evening, especially considering the crazy hot and humid weather we'd had all June. (And by "mild," I mean "under 85 degrees and low humidity.") I wore a watch, but never saw mile marker 1 and after that decided not to even check my watch until I got to mile 3. My goal was really just to finish without walking, which I did!

Distance: 3.1 miles
Time: 32:36
Pace: 10:30/mile

As of yesterday, I can now check off my 101 in 1001 goal* of running a half marathon! Woohoo!

Aside from some strong wind gusts (including pretty much the entire last mile, where I think I may have been moving backwards at some point), the weather for the race was perfect. 50 degrees, slightly cloudy, no humidity. I didn't even finish my entire water bottle and I felt fine! I brought two packets of sports beans with me and probably only ate one of them (I combined them, so I don't know exactly), but I never hit that "wall."

The first half of the race went great. I ran with my friend Carolyn and our half split was 1:09:25, which was 10:36 pace. Right around that time, my knees started to feel really tight, and at about mile 7.5, I had to stop and walk. Carolyn went on ahead and finished the whole race without walking! (Yay Carolyn! You rock!) I knew I was going to need some walking breaks in order to finish (they usually help my legs recharge and I go faster during my running intervals than I would if I ran straight through), so my goal was just to finish in 2.5 hours.

I kept alternating running with a few short walk breaks until I got to mile 10. By that time, my left knee felt really tight. It felt okay while I was walking, but when I tried to run (or, more accurately at that point, to shuffle), it did not feel good. I finished the 10 miles just two minutes slower than I ran the GW Parkway Classic two weeks before, so I was pretty sure my goal of 2.5 hours was within reach... I just needed to cover the last three miles in about 13 minute pace.

By this time, I was definitely walking more than running, but I tried pumping my arms during my running stretches as much as I could to go faster. I wasn't feeling completely exhausted, which surprised me... it really was my knee that was holding me back. I'd try to jog a little bit for a few minutes at a time and then basically power-walk in between. But when 17 minutes had passed and I hadn't seen the mile 11 marker yet, I figured I didn't have a shot at making my goal. There was no way I'd be able to run the last two miles at a fast enough pace to make it. I started extending my walking intervals.

And then...

I happened upon the mile 12 marker. (Note: neither Carolyn nor Adam had seen the 11 marker either. I'm guessing the wind had knocked it down.) But by then, I'd slowed down enough I knew I really couldn't do it. I think if I'd seen the mile 11 marker, I may have been able to push myself fast enough to make it in under 2.5 hours, but I ended up crossing the finish line at 2:32:35. I may not have met my time goal, but I did finish a half marathon and did it in under 12 minute pace. (Actually, prior to running the GW Parkway Classic, my goal was just to go under 12 minute mile pace... I didn't move up my time goal to 2.5 hours until after I did that race at sub-11 minute pace.)

I don't think my knees are seriously injured (my right one was tight and sore by the end too), but just a little overworked. I think it's a stabilizing muscle issue, not tendons or ligaments or anything serious. I'm going to give my legs some time off, and I'm going to train a little differently for my next half marathon. (Yes, I definitely plan on running another one.) In the training program I used, the longest training run was 10 miles. The theory is that the excitement and adrenaline will take you the rest of the way, and yes... I finished, which was the point, but I wanted to finish stronger than that. The training program was for beginners and really is intended only to get you to the finish line, and encourages walking. Next time, I am going to try a more advanced training program that has longer training distances and some speedwork. (Uhhh, I also didn't do any of my training runs between the 10 mile race and the half marathon, except for one 5K race... I'm sure giving my legs that much time off didn't help matters either.)

Distance: 13.1 miles
Time: 2:32:35
Pace: 11:39/mile (sub-12!!!)

* I also checked off another 101 in 1001 goal this weekend... I made a perfectly poached egg! On my first try! I used the technique I found on Beth's blog:

1.) Fill a large pan with sides full enough to cover the eggs and add vinegar to the poaching water.

2.) Bring the water to a boil and then down to a simmer before putting the eggs in.

3.) Crack the eggs in a dish and then pour into the water, don't crack them directly into the water.

4.) Leave the eggs for 3-4 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon.

Perfectly poached eggs! And so simple!

Better late than never: recaps of the last two 5K Fridays and the GW Parkway Classic 10 Miler...

5K Fridays 2010: Race 4
This race was two days before the 10 miler, so I didn't want to go all out and have dead legs come Sunday. I forgot to wear my watch, so I had no idea what my pace was while I was running. It was pretty humid out and I think I started out too fast, because the last two miles were tough. I didn't walk at all though!

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 31:54
Pace: 10:16/mile

GW Parkway Classic 10 Miler
When we woke up (at 5:30 in the morning!!), it was dreary and rainy. I actually don't mind running in the rain... I definitely prefer it to it being hot and sunny, especially for a run that long. But it was coming down pretty hard, which wasn't going to make for a pleasant race. Luckily, by race start, the rain had stopped. It was pretty humid, but it was overcast and relatively cool (I think 60s) throughout the race... good enough for me!

I started the race with a water bottle and a running hat, in case it started raining again. By mile 2, I had to take off the hat and run with it in my hand the rest of the way because I was starting to overheat. I like carrying water because then I don't have to rely on the water stations and I can keep on running when other people are walking through the water stations. Plus, I find it much easier to drink out of a small mouthed water bottle while running or walking than those paper cups.

For my birthday, my marathon-running friend gave me a few packets of Jelly Belly sports beans. I'd never considered using them before that, but they sure do help on long runs!! I'm going to use them anytime I run more than a 10K. I ate a few before the race started and then began eating them around mile 3 and continued to have a few of them at each mile, until I got to mile 7 and then finished the rest so they'd kick in before I finished the race. I ran straight through to mile 7 and only walked three times throughout the whole race. I even managed to run the 10th mile in under 10 minutes! My goal was to come in under 2 hours again (I had finished the Army Ten Miler in 1:59:29)... well, I crushed that!

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:47:47
Pace: 10:46/mile (Under 11 minute pace! I was shocked!)

5K Fridays 2010: Race 5
It was really hot and sticky for the last Friday 5K, so my goal was only to finish without feeling totally sick after. I have had a really bad experience running in the heat and humidity before, and I did not want to relive that. Even when things aren't that bad, I do tend to get headaches from overheating.

I'm still not quite sure how I did it, but I managed to run the whole thing! I kept a pretty steady pace throughout... first mile in 10 minutes, second in 10:20, third in 10:10. And the best part was, I didn't feel sick or even get a headache afterward!

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 31:38
Pace: 10:10/mile

Next race: Pacers Running Festival Half Marathon. My goal is to finish in under 2.5 hours. The weather looks to be perfect for the race as of right now.

This past Sunday, we drove out to Silver Spring for the Earth Day 5K. We rarely drive to morning races (we're lucky that so many start within walking distance of our place), so we had to get up extra early to get out there. We checked the weather before we left and it was 50 degrees, so I decided to wear my running capris, a tech tee, and a running jacket.

When we got to the race, it was cold. Adam checked the temperature on his phone and it said it was 40 degrees! Brr! Somehow we drove 9 miles and it got 10 degrees colder! We (along with a few dozen others) hung out in a parking garage until just before the race start.

Because we hadn't gotten a ton of sleep the night before (we went to a late dinner with my mom and aunt, who were visiting), and we'd run a race just 38 hours before, we decided we weren't going to push ourselves too hard. In fact, Adam actually ran with me! It's been a long time since he's done that. I kept telling him he could run ahead if he was getting bored with my slow pace, but he said he didn't mind. So, he had an easy run... and I still managed to finish in 30:30, which was even faster than my race on Friday! After these last three races, I think I can safely say that my 5K pace is officially under a 10-minute mile.

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 30:30
Pace: 9:49/mile

Next race: Fourth 5K Friday. I can't believe we're more than halfway done with them already! I am going to try not too push too hard, because we do have a 10 mile race on Sunday, but I think I can still do 10 minute pace without doing any damage for Sunday's race.

It was humid, hot and sticky for the 5K race this Friday. The skies threatened rain, which I would have actually welcomed during the race to cool off, but didn't start until after I'd finished. I'd had a bad week of training (or, more accurately, not training) and my legs felt heavy. I was hoping to (a) not walk, and (b) finish under 31:00 (10 minute pace). It was a bit of a struggle, but I managed to accomplish both of those goals.

My mom and my aunt were down for a visit this weekend, so they came out to the race to cheer us on. I think it was the first race either of them had ever been to. I'm sure the first photo they took of me (smiling and waving at the halfway point) looks a lot better than the second (struggling the last quarter mile to the finish, not even looking at the camera).

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 30:38
Pace: 9:52/mile

Next race: Earth Day 5K.

I said after the last race that I might be able to finish in 31:00 (10 minute mile pace) this time, and I knew it shouldn't be too hard to do (I only had to drop 10 seconds off my total time). But then Friday came and it was super windy, and with an out and back course, you are running into the wind for about half of the race, so I figured I'd cut myself some slack if I didn't break 31:00 for the 5K this time.

The race got off to a fast start. I finished the first mile in 9:07 and thought, "Eff, that is way too fast. I'm not even going to be able to run this whole race now without walking."

I didn't want to burn out, so I slowed down the pace a little bit, and got to the two mile marker at 18:54... closer to the 10 minute mile pace I was used to. I kept cruising along at that pace for the next half mile or so and then realized my legs were feeling good. Really good. Strong. Not at all tired. I picked up the pace a bit.

I got to the three mile marker at 28:40, and then busted it out to the finish line.

29:28

Oh. My. Lord.

I dropped a minute and a half off my 5K PR. I ran the race in 9:29 pace. And I felt good. Adam (again) missed me running by him before the final turn, because I was ahead of where he thought I was. I finished the race, grabbed a bottle of water, then jogged up behind where he was standing on the sidelines and said, "Looking for me?"

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 29:28
Pace: 9:29/mile

Next race: The third 5K Friday. Considering I already shattered my ultimate Friday 5K goal of going under 30 minutes, I am just going to have to try to better my time from last week.

(Also posted here.)

Adam and I are doing the 5K Fridays again this year (hence, adding "2010" to the title of this post), and we've even managed to convince a few friends to join us. The first race was this past Friday and the turn out was much larger than last year. There were over 900 runners and walkers this time! (Last year, the first race had 338 runners and walkers.) I'm guessing there will be even more this weekend and as the weeks go on.

Our friends Carolyn and Nick ran the race with us. It was Carolyn's first race ever, but she's faster than I am so I had to keep up with her! Actually, I'm pretty sure she had to slow down to run with me... either way, it was the second fastest 5K race I've ever run. (I finished my first one ever in 31:00 - exactly 10:00/mile pace.) Carolyn and I caught up to Nick somewhere in mile 2, and he tried to sprint ahead of us towards the end, but Carolyn ended up catching him right at the finish line. (I was a few seconds behind them, getting boxed in behind a few people when I took the tight last turn of the race.) I'm pretty sure Carolyn's going to beat him next time.

(For those of you who are wondering, Adam kicked all of our asses by a good 8.5 minutes.)

Distance: 5K/3.1 miles
Time: 31:10
Pace: 10:02/mile

Next race: The second 5K Friday. Maybe I'll break 10 minute pace this time!

On March 13 (my 30th birthday!), I woke up to a pretty miserable day, weather-wise. (In fact, this terrible day really affected the whole weekend, which included a trip for what was supposed to be happy birthday fun times in NYC, but ended up being a lot of sitting on a delayed train, or being soaking wet and kind of miserable.) But! I love birthdays. Like, to an unreasonable degree. (Did you see the recent HIMYM with Lily's birthday? Yeah, that's me. But without the photographs.) And I was SO excited to run a race, in the rain, on my birthday. And no, I am not being at all sarcastic. I really was excited to kick off my 30s with the start of another race season.

(Like how I refer to it as "race season" as if I am fast, or something? I'm not. But it's still fun!)

When we walked up to the race start, which was at a local Irish bar, it was drizzling out. I wore my Army Ten Miler hat from last year's race, which was great at keeping the rain out of my eyes. I don't usually run with hats or sunglasses, but it was definitely needed on that day. While we were waiting for the race to start inside the bar, it started POURING outside. Buckets. Luckily, a few minutes before the race it let up and just was a steady drizzle throughout the race. I actually don't mind (and sometimes prefer, if it's summer) light rain during a race, because I tend to overheat very easily. I didn't have that problem at all this time, and only needed a little bit of water from the water station, instead of carrying my own 16oz water bottle for the race.

The course is an out-and-back, with about 1 mile of downhill to start, 2 flat miles in the middle, and 1 mile uphill to end. We've done a few races that cover some portion of this course and I love having the downhill to start, because it gives you a great first mile time. :-) I know that all I need to do is lengthen my stride and gravity does most of the work. I ran my first mile in 9:00!

The second and third miles are very flat. Because it was rainy out, there weren't many people on the streets watching. (Not that many people come out to watch a 5K, but sometimes there will be passersby that stop and watch on their way to wherever, or while waiting for an appropriate time to dash through the race and across the street.) I did the second mile in 10:07 and the third mile in 10:12. (This actually means it was my fastest race 5k ever!)

Then, came the uphill. Before starting the race, I was hoping for a 44 minute finish, which I was fairly certain I could beat. After the first three miles, with a time of 29:19, I thought maybe, just maybe I'd be able to finish under 40, which would be a TOTAL shock, and the fastest pace I'd ever run a race. (Well, over 200M, that is.)

I didn't make it. The first of the two big hills in that last mile did me in. I ran most of it, and then when this guy on the sideline said "You're almost done! It's all uphill from here," I started walking. I think at that point I was walking faster up the hill than I'd been running anyway, plus I was almost at the top of the first hill, but hearing that at that time was it. So I walked about 50 meters or so, if that, up the rest of the hill, and then ran the rest of the race. I finished in 40:54! In fact, I finished so far ahead of where I expected, Adam didn't even see me finish because he wasn't looking for me yet. :-) While it wasn't under 40, I still crushed my original expectations of 44 minutes.

Here's one of the official race photos of me, coming up the last hill of the race, just before the finish line...

Distance: 4 Miles
Time: 40:54
Pace: 10:14/mile

Next race: the first of the 5K Fridays. My goal is to go under 31 minutes, but it's going to be 80 degrees and it's been a while since I've run in that heat. My friend Carolyn will be running with me... it's her first race, but she's faster than I am, so hopefully I can keep up with her and beat my goal.

I've been chronicling my workouts over here for the past couple months (although, admittedly not doing a very good job of writing much about them in detail lately). I've been working on increasing my speed and today I ran an 8:26 mile! That is huge for me! For a long time (years!), the fastest I usually run is a 10 minute mile, so I am really happy that I was able to increase my speed so much in such a short time. I needed to take a walk break after that before finishing the rest of my workout, and I walked a lot of my fourth (and final) mile because my legs were tired, so my overall time for my run today wasn't all that great. Now I need to work on being able to run faster, for longer.

I didn't eat the candy.

This afternoon, I told myself I was going to run 3 miles in 30 minutes. This may not seem fast to most people, but I haven't run that fast since before the stress fracture. I told myself:

My legs are strong enough to run 10 miles.
My legs are strong enough to have run three 11-minute miles, and then finished 7 more.
My legs are strong enough to have run a single 10-minute mile last week.
My leg does not have a stress fracture.

Just because my legs get tired, doesn't mean I can't run 3 miles in 30 minutes.
Just because my legs burn, doesn't mean I can't run 3 miles in 30 minutes.
Just because I'm breathing hard, doesn't mean I can't run 3 miles in 30 minutes.

If I don't push myself, I won't improve.

I can do it.

I will do it.

. . .

I did it.

29:58.

(Tomorrow, I'll post my take on Thanksgiving dinner... as a vegetarian!)

I hate being sick. I realize that having the flu is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things, but as someone who eats mostly healthfully, exercises fairly regularly, and generally takes pretty good care of herself, it is really frustrating to get sick enough to be completely out of commission for an entire week. I didn't go into the office once this week (although I did a not insignificant amount of work from home today), I haven't worked out once this week... I haven't even left my apartment building since last Sunday.

I really, really want to run a half-marathon next year, and I even have the one I want to do all picked out. The National Half-Marathon, which takes place a week after my 30th birthday. It seemed like a great way to kick off a new decade of my life, tackling another goal and crossing it off my list. The only problem is, I have to have a qualifying time to run it. And I just miss the qualifying time in so many categories.

10 Miles - 1:50:00 -- I missed by 9:29.

10k - 1:05:00 -- I missed by 2:59.

5k - 31:00 -- I missed by ELEVEN SECONDS.

ELEVEN FREAKING SECONDS. Argh, I was so close. If only I had run instead of walked just 20 more seconds, I would have done it.

So, I was on a quest to find a race to run by the end of the year where I could run a qualifying time. I figured a 5k would be easiest. I had started to push myself harder on my treadmill runs, doing intervals workouts to increase my speed. I realized that if my leg could hold up during the Army Ten Miler, it was ready to run faster.

And then, BAM, the flu. Bronchitis. An inability to do anything remotely active for more than 10 minutes without needing to lie down. Threw a freaking wrench into my plans.

I'm frustrated. I'm sick. I'm tired. I have to work all weekend to make up for the time I missed this week, meaning I am going to have to work 7 straight days. I am behind in my hours and probably won't be able to catch up, as this was supposed to be my busiest workweek of the quarter and it all fell to other people, because I couldn't be there.

I need another nap.

You guys, I did it. I ran ten miles. TEN FREAKING MILES! And not only that, but I beat my original time goal that I had set before I started my training of two hours (12 min/mile pace). My 7, 8 and 9 mile long runs had all been between 12:20 and 13 minute pace, so I figured there was no way I was actually going to finish all ten miles in under two hours. So after those couple of runs, I had revised my goal to finish in 2:10, which would be 13 min/mile pace.

And then today, I ran the first five miles at 11:15 pace. I could not believe I kept up that pace for so long, and I realized two hours might be within my reach. For the second half of the race, I allowed myself to walk at the start of each mile for 1-2 minutes. During my training runs, I'd really hit a wall once I got to 7 miles, probably because the farthest I'd ever run before this training was 6. Today, I didn't hit my wall until I started the last mile. I ended up walking a decent amount of mile 10, and I was sure that there was no way I was going to be able to run enough of it to get in under two hours.

Then, I passed some of the race workers who said there was only 500 yards to go. I looked at my watch... 1:56:30. 500 yards is just over a quarter mile... I could do that in 3:30 minutes if I kicked it in. I worried they weren't really telling us the truth. (I mean, there were some people saying "You're almost done!" at mile 6. Yeah, right.) But, I started jogging again and when I turned the corner, I could see the finish line in my sights. I always somehow manage to have a burst of energy at the end and I ran it all the way in.

1:59:29

Under two hours.

My feet now feel like they are about to fall off. I have ridiculous chafing on my thighs because my legs stopped sweating at mile 8. I'm dead tired.

But I did it. I set my mind to it, trained hard for a few months, and ran TEN FREAKING MILES.

And now, I'm taking next week off from running.

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:59:29
Pace: 11:56/mile

We decided to sign up for this race last minute and ended up running on about 5 hours of sleep after eating a heavy, late dinner at 11p.m., plus we didn't go all out since we have to run NINE miles tomorrow, but all in all, not too shabby...

Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Time: 32:20
Pace: 10:24/mile

I managed to run the entire thing without walking once... the farthest I've ever run without a walk break. The pace was a little slower than I would have hoped had I been completely healthy, but I can't really complain.

Distance: 10K (6.2 miles)
Time: 1:15:49
Pace: 12:12/mile

Oh, and I think I may have run those germs right out of my body... I'm feeling pretty good right now. :-)

I've come down with a bit of a cold over the past few days. Wednesday night, my throat was a little sore and I woke up yesterday just feeling like... blech. Blah. Blargh. (Yeah... that sums it up.) I was hoping it was just allergies (I used to have allergies in the fall up in NY), but by midday, it was pretty apparent I had an out-and-out cold. I was a little dizzy, my nose was getting a little stuffy, I was feeling feverish (although, I didn't actually have a fever). I ended up skipping last night's 5 mile run. There was just no way I was going to be able to make it, so I figured I'd just rest up for this weekend.

Tomorrow, TS and I are running the North Face Endurance Challenge 10K. It's supposed to be a gorgeous day, sunny with a high of 76. We'll be running large portions of the race in the shade (or so we've heard) on the trails. I was really looking forward to this race, so I hope that I feel well enough to run it tomorrow. My biggest concern is how easily I overheat, and if I'm already feeling under the weather, it might be even more of a problem. I'm planning on bringing my own water in addition to the water stations and hoping that with plenty of water and running in the shade, it shouldn't be much of a problem. Before I got sick this week, I was hoping to finish in under 72 minutes. Now I think I'm looking at 80 minutes or so, but I won't sweat it if I go over that by having to walk a lot.

I'm feeling better today, probably because I've been taking DayQuil and Zicam. I'm going to head to bed in a few minutes and hopefully be asleep by 9:30 or 10. We need to get up at 7:30 tomorrow morning, so if I can get a good 9 hours sleep I think that will really help. I really don't want to make myself worse though... next week is our last hard week for our 10 Miler training, before tapering off that last week before the race.

I just ran (slash-walked) the farthest I've ever run (slash-walked) before... seven miles. My legs are TIRED. I finished in just under an hour and a half, about 5 minutes slower that my goal pace is for the ten miler (I hope to finish in 2 hours). The run itself wasn't that bad... my legs got tired towards the last third, but were capable of running. The problem is that I overheat so easily. This is one reason I do a lot of runs on the treadmill... even though it can be 74 degrees in the gym and outside, having the sun beat down me is just totally draining. I used the Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunblock, which claims that it is "ultra sweatproof," and I was blinded by sweat and sunscreen in my eyes within the first mile. I'm sure the product works fine for the average person; I bought it after reading a lot of positive reviews about it (and having a coupon), but I'm just using this as an example of how much I sweat. Keep in mind, at this point, it was about 70 degrees. It's that bad.

Aside from basically drowning in my own sweat, the run/walk went pretty well. It's really hard to complain when my run takes me past Arlington Cemetery, over the river, around the Lincoln Memorial, past the World War II memorial and Washington Monument, past the Smithsonians... it's quite the scenic run. It didn't feel like I was running for an hour and a half (although my legs may beg to differ). I still can't believe I have to eventually run THREE more miles than that though... in just four weeks!

Next weekend, I'll be up in NYC and we're going to run our EIGHT miles in Central Park.

Dinner tonight was grilled tofu, grilled asparagus, grilled peaches (OH MY YUM!), and leftover green onion slaw. It was colorful, summery, and super delicious. The grilled peaches were like juicy pieces of heaven they were so good.

Work has been really stressful lately. I've had a lot of deadlines over the past couple of weeks in this one REALLY BIG case, plus a few other smaller fires to put out here and there. I realize it still doesn't compare to the hours lawyers who work for Big Firms have to put in, but it has been a lot of intense hours, meetings, and work for me. My stress level has been really high and I've cracked and lost it a few times over the past few weeks (not at work, thankfully, just the confines of my own home). It definitely goes to show that I am not someone who could be happy in Big Firm life. Hopefully things are dying down a little bit and I won't have to work this weekend. I could really use a three-day weekend to recharge.

We're currently 4.5 weeks away from the Army Ten-Miler. We've been following a slightly modified version of Hal Higdon's novice half marathon training, because the 10M/15K training only had us do 8 miles before going into the race. There was no way I would be able to make the jump from 8 to 10 miles on race day, so I'm doing the half marathon training up through week 10 (a 9 mile long run), then doing week 12 on race week (so skipping week 11). This Sunday I will be running SEVEN MILES, which will be the furthest I've ever run. Since I'm breaking into new territory here, I figured I'd try to document my workouts for the next four weeks so that I have this to look back on.

Today's workout was a 4.5 mile run. I ran on the treadmill today and finished in 53:00, which if I did my math right is approximately 11:47 mile pace. I walked the first 5 minutes and then took two other walking breaks during the run. My calves have been getting super tight lately and take forever to loosen up while running. I stopped after 2.5 miles to stretch them out a bit and then was able to pick up the pace a bit for the last 2 miles. I wish I could figure out exactly what was going on with my calves... I stretch them well after I run, but it still doesn't seem to help much. I'll have to look into some additional stretches.

Well, TS and I have started a new daily cleaning schedule so hopefully we can break it up during the week and not spend 2 hours of our weekends cleaning. Time for me to go clean up the kitchen from making lunch and do the remaining dishes!

I am going to be running in the 2009 Komen Global Race for the Cure this Saturday, June 6. If anyone would like to donate, please leave me a comment and I will contact you with the donation information. This cause is especially important to me as I have both a grandmother and an aunt who are survivors.

If you're in the DC area... come out and cheer us on, or RUN! :-)

Hopefully it won't be quite as hot and humid as last year (and what a disaster that was!), but if you want to meet me at the finish line with a gallon of Gatorade, I will love you forever.

Yesterday, we ran yet another 5k. This one is one of my favorites, for two reasons: (1) it is right through my neighborhood, and (2) it is almost entirely downhill or flat (except the last .2 miles or so). My goal was to go under 31 minutes, but I went over by 11 seconds. It's kind of frustrating, because that basically means if I had run 20 more seconds and walked 20 seconds less, then I'd have met my goal. I'm still pretty happy about it though.

One thing that I've noticed is that my recovery after each race is better each week. When we first started this six weeks ago, I would be just exhausted after the race. We'd just come home and crash on the couches for our Friday night, too tired to even decide what to have for dinner. Last week, we were able to rush home, shower, change and then go out to a fancy dinner with TS's sister and mom. This week, we got home and were out the door to brunch by 10:30. Even though I was tired yesterday afternoon, I think that probably had more to do with spending so much time outside this weekend and two late nights. I've definitely seen some improvement in my endurance and recovery over the past month and a half, which feels good after not being able to run for so many months.

Which actually leads me to another thing I'm quite happy about -- my leg seems to be truly healed. The past two races, since I've had my orthotic inserts, I've had zero lower leg pain. I know I can't rush back into running 30 miles a week (even if I was fit enough for it, which I'm probably not), but now I'm not so worried that my leg isn't properly healed and I started back too soon. Now I feel like I can start increasing my mileage a little bit, week by week.

Well, this ends my string of 5ks. My dad and I were going to run one next weekend while he's in town, but the rest of our weekend is just so completely jam-packed, it'd probably stress us (and my mom) out too much, so we decided against it. I'm still up in the air on the Race for the Cure, just because there is a chance I won't be in town that weekend. I'm in good enough shape that I can just sign up for that one the week of, if necessary. So now, I'm just back to running for running, not with hundreds of other people around me. Hopefully I can stay motivated to keep getting better each week.

Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 31:11
Pace: 10:02/mile

Yes, I know... the race was 5 days ago, but I did it! I ran all five 5k races! And miraculously, given the horrible weather we had in April, it didn't rain during a single one. (Shortly before and/or after, yes... but never during.)

I ran the last race in 35:25, or 11:24 mile pace. It was very humid that day and I had to do a lot more walking than usual because I kept feeling a little dizzy and nauseous. TS's mom and sister were coming into town just an hour later and we had fancy dinner plans, so I didn't want to feel like crap for the whole evening. I'd also done a legs session of my weight training just a couple days before the race, so I don't think they were quite recovered.

All in all, I'm quite happy with the results. Even though I peaked at Race 3, and my last race was by far my slowest, I'm still pleased that I completed all five races. People thought we were a little crazy for spending our Friday nights running, but TS and I are pretty proud of ourselves.

This Sunday morning, we have another 5k. It's pretty much all downhill, so I'm hoping it's my fastest race yet. :-) Then I'll be done with races until June, when I'll run the Race for the Cure if I don't end up going out of town. (My dad and I were going to sign up for a race when he's in town next weekend for my brother's graduation, but now I think we'll be too busy with other things to actually run it.)

This 5k thing... totally addicting, I tell ya.

Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 35:25
Pace: 11:24/mile

I told you I'd run slower this week. I kept my word this time. :-)

Actually, I just realized (or more accurately, it was pointed out to me by a friend) that the mile splits that were being posted were for gun time not net time. So I've actually been running a few seconds faster per mile than I had thought.

I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to beat last week's time this week, but I was pretty close. I was ten seconds off pace for the first mile and overall, and I walked an extra minute this week (I think).

But, more importantly, the insoles I bought for my shoes seem to have done the trick. This was my first pain free run in... well, in over a year to tell the truth. And all it took was a few millimeters of foam. Huh. Now don't I feel like an idiot. It's another one of those "why didn't I do this sooner?" things that make me feel like I wasted a chunk of my life. Oh well, at least I seemed to have figured it out... hopefully it continues to solve my problem.

Okay, time to hit the gym, go to the library, continue to do some wardrobe revamping, and then head up to Baltimore for a baseball game. I love Camden. They even have funnel cake. :-)

Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 33:07
Pace: 10:40/mile

Turns out the Army 10 Miler falls on the same weekend that TS and I were planning to begin our road trip through California. The timing of the California trip is otherwise perfect -- it falls right before TS needs to be out there for a work conference, so his work will pay for his flight, our hotel for our weekend in San Francisco, and for some of our car rental. We'll be staying with friends for most of the trip, so if we plan it during that week, we're only really paying for my flight and part of the car rental. So, this means we're not going to run the Army 10 Miler after all.

I'm really disappointed... I was looking forward to running that race. I'd even entered all my training workouts into my planner already. (I still use an old-fashioned, paper planner so now I have to either deal with a lot of white-out or buying a new calendar insert... I may have to go with the latter.) I really wanted to do a ten miler this year and a half marathon next year. With my injury, I wasn't able to do the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, so this one seemed like the next best thing. I've been trying to find an alternate race to run around the same time (early fall), but no such luck. Of course, there's a ten miler this weekend, but there's no way that's going to happen. Even if I was in shape enough to finish ten miles (which I doubt), it would probably resulting in reinjuring my leg. If anyone knows of any ten mile races in the DC, NY, or CT areas in the fall, please let me know!

5K number four tonight! I will be shocked... shocked... if I manage to beat last week's time, especially as I overheat pretty easily and it's going to be in the mid-70s and sunny.

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I managed to better my time again. This time, I ran it in 32:44 -- more than a minute faster than the last race. I ran the first mile in 9:40, which included walking for one minute. There were even more people this week than last (just about 500) and the group went out fast. It didn't feel as fast as it was though. I was really shocked when I saw that I finished that first mile so quickly. I felt more comfortable about taking a one minute walking break every five minutes after that.

My left calf was a little tight before the race started, but loosened up while I was running. I made sure to cool down and stretch once the race was over, but my calf started hurting. Then the next day, my ankle felt a little tight too. Obviously, something has been wrong with my left leg for over a year now. I've been contemplating going to see an orthopedist or a podiatrist for a while, but with all the time I've had to take off work for my dentist appointments (and there are still three more!), I can't really take off any more time for a non-urgent appointment. But it seemed like every time I fixed one problem with my leg, another popped up.

Then Sunday night, as I was standing there, barefoot, on the bathroom tile, looking at my feet, it was as though a lightbulb suddenly went on. My left foot looked... off. Flat. Crooked. Like it had eleven years ago when I had all sorts of problems with my left knee. Problems that all stemmed from a fallen arch.

Really, the only though that came to mind right then was... DUH!

So, yesterday I spent some time researching recommended insoles to correct fallen arches. After work, I stopped by my local running store and purchased some Superfeet. (I must add right here that I love, love, love knowledgeable salespeople. Seriously, they answered all my questions in deciding which pair to get without skipping a beat.) I slipped my new Superfeet insoles into my sneakers last night before hitting the gym and it was plainly obvious that the arch of my left foot had fallen. I couldn't feel the right insole at all, but could definitely feel the left one. In a good way (I hope).

Anyway, that's the latest in the saga of my leg injuries... hopefully I've found the actual source of the problem and a way to correct it. It would be so nice to finally stop dealing with these various leg injuries.

Distance: 5k (3. miles)
Time: 32:44
Pace: 10:32/mile

The rain actually held off until late last night and the race went off as planned. It was about 70 degrees out, and surprisingly not that humid considering the rain that was about to come. There were definitely more people this week than last week -- about 430 as compared to 340.

I somehow managed to beat my time from last week. (And my timing chip worked this time, too. Apparently you need to have the chip on the top of your shoe, not the side. Hey, maybe try putting that on the instructions instead of just "tie to shoe.") Anyway, yes... I bettered my time. At the 2 mile mark, I wasn't so sure that was going to happen, so I really tried to pick up the pace at the end. I ended up running a 33:46. I'm still getting nervous about my leg, but it seems to be holding up. I know that a lot of people relapse their stress fractures because they do too much too soon, so I am trying to really keep my walk:run ratio even during the week. But come race time, I don't like to take that many walking breaks. Some are good, because I always run faster after the break than if I just powered straight through, but I couldn't convince myself to take more than 1-2 minutes of a break at a time yesterday. I could feel my leg at the injury spot, but it wasn't really pain. I think I am just much more aware of every feeling coming out of that part of my leg now. For a while, I was confusing that with pain, but then I'd remember what it really felt like when it was injured and it is nowhere near that bad. I think this is just my legs in general wondering what this running thing is all about, didn't we give this up 6 months ago? Not so, my friend, not so.

These races are just totally addicting. I actually emailed my dad yesterday to see if he wanted to run one with me when he is down for my brother's graduation. If he says yes, then I am up to... get this... SEVEN 5ks in seven weeks.

Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 33:46
Pace: 10:52/mile

Today is supposed to be the second of our five 5ks. Originally, the forecast showed rain all day, but then it starting to let up around 6pm... which was perfect because the race starts at 6:30.

It's now a quarter to noon and still not raining. I just checked the forecast and now the heaviest rains, possible thunderstorms even, are scheduled for 6pm. Fantastic. I'm thinking if it really is raining as hard as "forecasted," we'll end up skipping tonight's race and just do the "5K loop" setting on the treadmill. I don't mind running in the rain, but the idea of running when it's lightning out frightens me a bit. (Not that it should, considering I'll be running by very tall buildings, but still... )

I am so glad that I decided to go for a run outdoors yesterday. The weather was perfect. Low 60s, partly sunny, no humidity. I'm not usually an "outdoors" runner, unless it's a race, but I really liked the new route I've discovered. It was just a short 2.5 mile out-and-back... just from our place to the Memorial Bridge and back. We came home and gmap-pedometered (yes, that's a new verb) the route over the bridge, to Roosevelt Island, loop around the Island, and home to be exactly 5 miles. I'm really looking forward to trying out that route. It looks nice and tree-covered, which would make it bearable even when we go above 70 degrees. Maybe Sunday.

Last Friday was the first of the five 5K Fridays. Going into the race, I set a goal for myself of 40 minutes. I hadn't done much running since last fall and am still easing into running so that I don't relapse my injuries, so it seemed like a decent enough pace to run/walk a 5K. My other goal was to improve my time with each subsequent race.

Well, I think there is a good chance I won't be able to meet goal #2. The reason is, I kinda blew goal #1 out of the water.

Not that I was fast or anything. In fact, I crossed the finish line with a 78 year old man.** But, I walked a lot less than I had planned, so I ended up keeping a pretty decent pace. I finished with a time of 34:30, which comes out to about an 11:03 mile pace. About 2 minutes faster than my "lofty" goal of 13 minute miles.

I probably ran more than I should, but my leg feels fine. I am going to continue to run/walk about a 50/50 split during the week so I don't overdo it, but plan on mostly running come Friday. Last race, I ended up running the first mile in 10:40, walking 1:20, running 5, walking 2, running 7, walking 2, running to the end. Hopefully my first mile will be faster this Friday and I'll still take the occasional 2 minute walking breaks and still be able to beat last Friday's time.

Distance 5k (3.1 miles)
Time: 34:21
Pace: 11:03/mile

** Good thing the 78-year-old man was running besides me, because my timing chip malfunctioned and I don't actually show up in the race results. Luckily, I knew the approximate time that I crossed the line and the 78-year-old telling me to "kick it in!" and us "racing" to the finish line was pretty memorable (and adorable), so I could base my finishing time off of him.

I've never really been a good runner. I joined track in high school to hang out with my friends. The fastest I've ever managed to run a mile is 8:20, and that was after months of training to do so. And that was only one mile. The farthest I've ever run is a 10K I did last year. I ran the 10K at about 11 minute pace and was extremely happy with it. (The last half was uphill after all, although the first half was downhill and consequently the fastest 5k in my life.)

I've always wanted to be a real runner. You know, those thin and fit people who seem to so easily run miles and miles outside. Those people who think a 7 minute mile is a "jog," who have a desire to run every day and feel incomplete if they don't. I see them all the time and am so envious. I want to be that fast. I want to enjoy running that much. But I just... don't. No matter how much I try, I'm never fast. I can never run far. Anything more than a 10:00 mile is a very good day for me. Anything more than 5 miles seems like an extraordinary effort... not a light jog.

Last year, when I was training for the 10K, I got up to being able to run 5 miles a few times a week. I wasn't fast, I had to walk here and there, but I was able to do it. Then I ended up with all sorts of shin splints, stress fractures, strained calf muscles... you name it, my lower left leg was in pain because of it. Eventually, late last October, I realized I needed to just stop. Stop running, take time off, let my leg heal.

I've done a run/walk a few times since then, but it's hard for me to get back into that routine I had last spring. I know that I need to build my distance slowly or I am going to end up with the same overuse injuries I had last year. I'm almost afraid to run, but at the same time I just want to do it... none of this run/walk baloney. My goal this time around is to eventually work my way up to a half marathon. I don't think I'll ever be a marathoner, and honestly I don't know if I want to ever try one. I know I'm never going to be fast and, frankly, even assuming I could keep a 10 minute pace for an entire marathon (which I doubt I could), that'd still be 4.5 hours straight of running. I think I'd be bored out of my mind.

So, my goal is to run a ten miler this year and a half marathon next year. Last fall, I was planning to do the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler, which is next week, but I didn't think I'd get my leg strong enough in time. So my ultimate goal is the Army 10 Miler on October 4. I sign up tomorrow.

To lead up to that, TS and I have signed up for a ridiculous number of road races in the coming months. Starting this Friday, and for the next four Fridays thereafter, we're going to be running the Crystal City 5K Fridays. I'm definitely going to have to do a lot of walking in the first few to make sure my leg doesn't fall off, but at least I'll be motivated to run outside. (I generally prefer the treadmill to running outside... I like watching the numbers go by.) Then, the weekend after those races are finished, we're doing the 5k at the Pacers Running Festival. (This race replaced the 10k we did last year.) I'm also going to do the Race for the Cure in early June, which I've done three times since I've been down here. (You can read about my hellish experience at last year's race, of my own doing, here. This year I will be smarter.)

As you can see, I am trying so very, very hard to be a real runner. Maybe by the end of this it will finally "click." Or at least I will lose a couple pounds and be able to run more than 5 miles without feeling like dying.

I've got shin splints. I've had them off and on since about February, when I wore a pair of sneakers that had an arch that was all wrong for me for about three days. Those sneakers seriously messed with my left leg -- wicked blister on my arch, shin and calf pain, all the way up to my knee. At first I thought I was just having trouble breaking them in, but it was pretty obvious the way the ailments just kept creeping up my leg that it was the wrong kind of shoe.

I bought a new pair of shoes and the pain started to go away. I then went on vacation and didn't run for a week, and when I got back things were fine... at first. Then I started the boxing classes, which include multiple sessions of jumping rope. Rope jumping can put a lot of strain on your lower legs and I definitely wasn't diligent enough about stretching my calves before and after class. Result -- shin splints and eventually ridiculous calf pain.

I actually was pretty worried about the calf pain for a while there, thinking I might have torn or pulled the muscle. Turns out there were just these absolutely enormous knots in my calf muscles. Like, disgustingly huge. I had TS work on them for me over a series of a few nights, which included my first heating them with a hot water bottle, taking advil, and then yelping in pain. But it totally worked. I hadn't realized, but all those months my calves were never loose, even just walking around during the day. I had forgotten what it was like to have un-flexed muscles. My calf pain has not returned since.

The shin splints, however, have stuck around. Because of canceled classes and my trips out of town, there were a few weeks there where I didn't make it to boxing class. I still was running during that time, but for the most part the pain in my shin was pretty minor... just a dull ache that would go away after running. I started back up with the boxing classes, but after my shins hurt like hell again, decided I needed to skip rope jumping and just do the bike during those exercises. I bought new sneakers (again) with even more arch support because it's apparent that I over-pronate, and then started back up with the rope jumping. The first class was fine. Second class went pretty well too. Third class, my shins were a little sore after class, but I had been able to make it through the jump rope sessions no problem. First run after that third class, pain.

I'm 90% sure my problem is that I am not letting it completely heal, but just letting it heal enough that it doesn't hurt right away. I'm jumping right back into my full workouts, rather than easing into them like I should be. I don't think my shin splints have ever healed since the problem first appeared in February, because I've never taken more than a week off, and even then I still tell myself running just 2 miles won't be that bad. Being a high school and college athlete, I got used to playing/running through the pain... you use heat and ice, take Advil, and you heal during the off-season. Well, there's no off-season anymore. I kinda forgot that.

So, for the next three weeks, I am banning myself from running and boxing. And I am actually quite sad about it, especially boxing. I've gotten into such a habit of getting to the gym 4-5 times a week, that the weeks I only go three times I feel lazy. But I need to fix this problem for good... not temporary fixes that just lead to pain a few days later. I really want to run the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler next spring and I need to be able to start my training in mid-January, pain free. So, no running and no boxing it is.

My plan is to still go to the gym 4-5 times a week, if possible. For the first week, I am just going to alternate doing upper body strength work, lower body strength and ab work, and yoga. After that, I am going to try spinning (some resources say it can be done in place of running when you have shin splints, but I've also read that it can cause shin splints, so we'll see how that goes), and add in some plyometrics that do not put stress on my lower legs. It's not going to be the same as a good cardio workout, but it will have to do. If anyone has any tips for other exercises I can do (no access to a pool), or ways to prevent future shin splints, I am open to suggestions.

I survived the weekend... but barely. Actually, I barely survived Saturday morning/early afternoon, but once I got past that little hiccup, things went pretty well.

As to the hiccup... apparently there is such a thing as drinking too much water. And I experienced just what that is like on Saturday after the race. See, it was super humid, and although it was overcast for the race, as soon as it was over the sun was shining something fierce. Plus, it was probably 85 degrees by 9 a.m. I think I would have been fine after the race if I just had some water, a banana, and was able to head home for a cold shower, some Gatorade, and some food. But, we lost one of our friends. Our friend who had no money, ID, phone, metrocard or anything on her, because we had it. Our friend who forgot where our meet up spot was. So, I spent an extra hour and a half in the sun that I was not expecting. All told, between 6:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., I consumed about 120 ounces of water. (120 ounces = just shy of a gallon.) And I sweat quite profusely in the climate controlled gym... you can only imagine what it was like in 85% humidity, 85 degree weather. I was literally covered in salt.

Sweating profusely + overconsumption of water = NOT FUN.

Upon doing some scientific research (i.e., Google), we discovered that I probably had some mild water poisoning. (We being TS, as I was practically passed out on his bed.) It sounds crazy to think someone can drink too much water, but if you sweat a lot (and I did, believe me), you lose a lot of salt, which can mess up the sodium levels in your blood... and adding water, but not electrolytes or even just plain old salt, actually makes it worse not better, because even though you are rehydrated, your sodium levels get even more out of whack. My symptoms were headache (throbbing every time I moved, only exacerbated by drinking water), nausea, and light-headedness. Once I got some Gatorade in me (which was kind of hard at first, because the drinking initially made my head pound), ate a couple pretzels and had some cheese, I felt much better. It was still kind of scary though, because I had never felt like that before. I've been overheated and been sick from the heat before, but this was definitely different... especially since it hit full on a few hours after the race actually finished (and I was actually in air conditioning), but before I ate or drank anything other than water.

So yeah, lesson learned. Be more prepared, drink more wisely, and water isn't always the answer to dehydration.

Other than that, I figured I'd just recap my weekend by editing my previous list (below the jump):

I am going to be running in the 2008 Komen National Race for the Cure this Saturday, June 7. If anyone would like to donate, please leave me a comment and I will contact you with the donation information. (I don't want to directly link to it here because it's got my real name and everything.)

If you're in the DC area and would like to come out and run with us or support us from the sidelines, just let me know. I think today's the last day to sign up (yeah, I'm very last minute here), but you've got three whole days to make signs or plan to drag yourself out of bed early on a Saturday morning to cheer us on.

The forecast is 90 degrees and sunny for Saturday... here's hoping I don't collapse from heat exhaustion! It's been chilly and rainy the last two times I ran this race, and also when I ran the 10K a couple weeks back. I have to say I much prefer running under grey skies than blue ones. If you want to meet me at the finish line with a gallon of Gatorade (red please!), you will totally be my BFF.

I just finished my very first 10K. My time was 67:59, which is a full 12 minutes faster than my goal. I have never run that far outside before and there are two major hills, which pretty much everyone, including me walked up. Yet, somehow I finished the race with an overall 11 minute mile pace. We actually did the first 5K in almost 30 minutes flat, which is faster than I've ever run a 5K before. I'm pretty much in shock. The entire time I kept telling TS his watch was just wrong, or that we underestimated how late we were in starting the watch. But no, the official clock confirmed it. Best race of my life. :-) (Not that there are a whole lot to compare them to, but still.)

I'm officially exhausted. Even my hands are having trouble typing this, I'm so tired.

Distance: 10K (6.2 miles)
Time: 67:59
Pace: 10:56/mile

I've mentioned before my smiley-face-sticker-strategy ("SFSS") for motivating my lazy ass to get to the gym. Basically, every time I go to the gym and burn a set amount of calories, I get a smiley face. If I burn double that set amount, I get a star. (There aren't too many stars on there.) If I get there twice in one day and meet my goal both times, I get two stickers. I put them on my monthly calendar I have hanging above my desk in my apartment, and when I see more than two or three days go by without a sticker, I start to feel guilty. So far, the plan has been working pretty well... I go to the gym more frequently now than I did before implementing the SFSS.

However, I'm still not seeing the results I'd like to see. I'm sure that has something to do with (a) the fact that I don't plan my meals in advance so I end up just snacking (although mostly healthy stuff) all night long, rather than eating a balanced dinner, and (b) I really have just been meeting my minimum calories-burned requirement for the gym.

So, in order to drop those ten extra pounds I managed to pack on since this time last year (we'll work on the remaining ten extra pounds I put on the year before that later... baby steps), I have to make some changes. First, I am upping my minimum requirement of calories burned in order to get a sticker. And, if I can manage to get 20 smiley stickers for the month, I'm going to treat myself to something fun. (Not sure what yet, but something.) Second, I am adding a new sticker for doing weight training at the gym. (It'll have to be a heart sticker, since the smileys and the stars that came in my pack are already claimed.) Third, I signed up for this to plan three or four dinners a week, which I am super excited about. I already bought the groceries to make four of this week's dinners. Hopefully eating regular dinners will mean that I won't snack so much at night, but I am also going to try to be very mindful of the extra calories I absent-mindedly consume after 9PM. (I even bought super strong mint gum to help out with that.)

Aside from my weight-loss goal, I have also decided to motivate myself by signing up for some races. I am going to sign up for the Race for the Cure 5K here in DC in June, and then hopefully for the Marine Corps Marathon 10K (like I could do a full marathon anytime soon... yeah, right) in October. I know I could go out and run a 5K right now if I was so inclined, but a 10K? I've never run that far without stopping ever in my life. So that'll actually be a bit of a challenge for me. I know I can do it, it's just going to take some real motivation for me to get there. And it's not even physical fitness... I could probably do it tomorrow (albeit, painfully) if I had to. It's really about the mental stamina more than anything else. But if I am ever going to run a real marathon, I've got to get over the boredom factor.

Plus, runners can eat anything and look great. Who wouldn't love to be able to do that?

Yup! I actually got off my lazy butt and went for a run. Not super long or anything - only 25 minutes, which, given my snail's pace, is approximately 2.5 miles. But it felt good and I actually did it and I want to do it again tomorrow. And I'd have made it all the way home if the massive amounts of Chinese food weren't sloshing around in my stomach. I've just got 10 days until the Race for the Cure 5K, so hopefully I can get back into the swing of things enough to beat my last (and only) 5K time - 31:00. Yup - even 10 minute miles. Such a pokey.

So, on my way home, I catch up to this guy near the Costco and he starts talking to me. Nice enough guy though, not creepy like some of the strangers who talk to me. He was telling me I ought to be careful running near the mall b/c people don't look for runners when they're driving. He then asked me if I was a student, and I told him I went to law school. He asked what kind of law I wanted to practice, so I told him I wanted to go into litigation, full on expecting him to make some remark about slimey lawyers. So he says, "I'm a trial lawyer. I love it, but it's not good for your personal life." Then he proceeds to tell me how he's never been married, one friend is on his fourth wife, one friend just got divorced from his fourth wife, and another was just thrown out of the house by his third wife. Well, that's just dandy, isn't it? Like I don't have enough worries about my relationships...

I'm telling you... this gift-basket/cafe business is sounding better and better.