More Oatmeal And Step Aerobics

The main purpose of this evening's update is to share with you today's post from The Oatmeal. It's wonderful. You need to read it.

But I'll get to that later.

First, a workout update.

After my hip-hop incident on Thursday, I took it easy for a few days. Not that my workout schedule would have been any different, but I'll pretend I waited until Sunday because I was looking out for my body. Yes, that's it.

So, Sunday ... I ran outside! Yay! Not only did I run outside, but I ran at Woodland Mound, one of my favorite places to be, period, and one of the more challenging places to run as far as hills go. I purchased my fabulous 2012 Hamilton County Parks pass, so I'm set to go for the rest of the year.

Not sure how my still-achy hips would behave, I told myself that I wanted to do 6 sets of my 5-minute/90-second run/walk intervals, but that I'd forgive myself if I wimped out and only did 5. Well, I did 6. It felt good. Once my hips warmed up, they didn't fuss too much. And it was so nice to be back at the park, back outside, back in the sunshine ... at the beginning of February. (Best February on record by my calculations.)

I felt good, but still got really tired at the end. Without venturing too far into Being-too-hard-on-myself Land, I'd like to get 7 or 8 sets of those intervals under my belt a few times before The Pig relay in May. I suppose I still have a while to get there, right?

Patience. It's February. (lather, rinse, repeat)

The hilly run kicked my butt. As in my butt is sore. Along with my calves. No shin splints though! Yay!

Speaking of butt-kicking. I took Step Aerobics tonight at the gym, introducing my kindergarten-era friend, Amy, to my beloved group fitness class. It was challenging. I haven't been in a while--not since I introduced my bestie, Jeff, to it back in December. (Mr. Professional Dancer caught on in about a minute and put the rest of us veterans to shame.) 

But class was fun, and I kept my risers under the Step the whole time and didn't even consider taking them out. Had to take some rest breaks though. Amy also did very well. The first time was so incredibly intimidating when I started back in early spring of 2009. Heck, it stayed intimidating for a few months, I'd say. If you have the chance to try Step Aerobics, please do. And be prepared to stumble and bumble and feel like an ass. But do it anyway, and do it more than once. You won't regret it.

So, have I ever introduced you all to Step Aerobics? Lemme search my past posts...oh, not so much. Found one promise to talk about it later, though.

Well, welcome to later. Consider yourself introduced. Audience, Step. Step, audience.

And again, speaking of kicking butt, I'd like you to watch this video (or at least the first few minutes). Please please PUH-LEASE watch it!

"Make da ankle touch da butt!"

Ah, praise be to the aerobics revolution. 

And to very high-hipped bathing suit thingies. 

And to Spandex. On dudes. (Shivers)

So, do you feel educated about Step Aerobics? No? Well we'll talk about it more later. Or you can come take a class with me. It'd be freeeeee! 

Moving on. It's Oatmeal time! 

I hope Mr. The Oatmeal realizes how much I love him and doesn't punish me for snipping his header and giving him lots of credit. Borrowed from http://theoatmeal.com/  SOURCE

 

Wonderful post today, called At the Gym. Please go check it out. (Some language, but you're a grown up--read it.)

Courtesy of The Oatmeal

I do wish he did a frame about watching a fat girl run on a treadmill. Something like, "Go ahead, make fun of me. But I'm running, and I've been running for the last 10 minutes while your skinny a** sputters away on the recumbent stationary bike* with arm rests! Bam!"

*I am not dis-ing the recumbent bike. It's lovely. I used one tonight, actually. And those arm rests really are the bee's knees.

Un-Skinny Bob Bop Bop Bop!

Really, this post has nothing to do with that amazing song by the boys of Poison, but it came on the radio on my drive home today and made me laugh. You bet your butt I cranked the volume and sang right along.

Here's the video, in case any of you want to listen and read at the same time:

It's amazing how a good commute home can put you in a good place for an evening run and how a bad commute does just the opposite. (That's what happened to me last week. AWFUL!) Today's ... pretty good.

This un-skinny bop ran a B210K Week 1 workout yesterday at Lunken and it went very well. (Here's an old blog about Lunken, including pics and a lot of complaining.) Aside from not being able to run up or down the super steep and super short hill (probably about 50 feet long but a serious altitude change), I completed the workout as it was written.

Since this evening's weather was so nice, and since I can't run tomorrow, I decided to go out again. I tackled the Five Mile Trail and turned on another B210K Week 1 workout, thinking ahead of time that I might not be able to finish it, but I'd try anyway. You've gotta know your body and your capabilities, right? I knew I was tired from yesterday and I knew that my shins have been a bit testy lately (more like pesky little bastards, actually).

Well, I was spot on. I did the first two sets fully (run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute, repeat), including my start up the top third of the monster hill. I was really hurting by the time I got through those sets. (My shins are hurting like they did when I first started this running business.) So I took a longer walk, then ran a little, then decided to take advantage of a handrail and stopped to stretch my legs and do a little limb shaking. It helped a bit!

I followed the plan for most of the third set, and only part of the fourth and final set. I feel totally fine about it though. I got a workout. I was sweaty. And surprisingly, according to the ever accurate (right...) GPS feature of my B210K app, I did it all at the same pace as my run yesterday. Must be the downhills.

Anyway, as you've been reading, the Run Like Hell is coming up. I'm flipping excited! My friend Sarah decided to join in the fun. I think she's more excited about the opportunity to re-use her amazing Halloween costume from a year or two ago. Here's a hint ...

Image from Amazon.

Regardless, I'm so happy to be running with my Flying Pig partner and with one of my biggest running supporters and former coworker. Oh yeah, and I'm excited about the party after. There are always festivities after runs, but I feel like I'm always rushed away for some reason, either by my own doing or otherwise.

Well, that's all I've got for the evening. Thanks for reading and thanks for hanging with me during this blog dry spell.  =)

The Forest Hills 5K And A Commitment

I'll address my ineptitude in blogging momentarily. For now, here's a re-cap of my latest 5K adventure.

The Forest Hills 5K was this past Saturday. It benefits the schools I grew up in and runs through the 'burbs instead of the dirty, nasty streets of downtown Cincinnati like so many other races do.

Finishing time: 41:12

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

(Click on the collages to see a larger view.)


A few shots before it started. It was before 8:30 and already steamy hot. It was one of the first hot runs of the year and definitely the first hot race. Hello sweaty head!


Some signs, some firefighters (big and small) and me at the halfway point. I stopped running shortly after this because the course went back uphill. Oh yeah, this course was surprisingly hilly. Yikes! And I've lost my ability to run 3 miles without stopping. I can force 2 miles uncomfortably, but 3 alludes me once again. Turns out I reached my distance peak right before the Emerald Miles back in March (read the post here). Go figure.




Finish line photos. Check out the top left corner shot...I totally look like a runner there! That stupid Bengals mascot was all up in my grill, yo. Had to get around him.


Me and my photographer, my mom. The pile o' donuts at the finish line (along with bagels, water and bananas), me offering the donut to my mom, and some browsing after the finish. Ah the joys of freebies after a race! =)


The race also featured a mascot race. A mascot for each of the 9 local schools (6 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high schools) and some other local organizations like businesses and college and professional sports mascots. My high school track coach (the bee below) won the race last year and took the prize again this year. Go coach!


Me with the mascots. A picture with the organizations from which I matriculated, plus two. Clockwise from top left: Mercer Golden Eagle, Cincinnati Bengal, Xavier Musketeer, Ayer/Summit Bee (can't remember, didn't go there; my high school track coach), Turpin Spartan, Kroger Bagster.

This is the professional picture, taken by Cincy Sports Photos.

After the race-day events, I got some time to rest, get un-sweaty, and get dolled up to go to a wonderful wedding. One of my best high school friends, Anne, put on a beautiful event. It was so great to see her wedding come to fruition after so much planning and it was REALLY great to see all my friends (and a handful of parents) in one place. Here's a collage:




So, about my blogging slackertude. I'm going to remedy this.

Here's what's happened. Running, as I've said before, has become a full-on part of my life--pretty much un-spectacular. I forget to blog about it because of that, but I don't want to stop. I still love keeping you all up to date, and I definitely need the accountability to keep me going. You all have been so helpful until this point and I need your help.

So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to post. I'm going to post after every workout. It might be one sentence, two sentence, 8 paragraphs, 3 pages. Seriously. If I go out and run a ho-hum 2 miles or a crappy 1 mile, you're getting an update. It'll likely be from my phone and will likely be boring. But I'm going to do it.

Don't worry, I'm going to continue to do my classic over-long posts with pictures and such, but because they seem to be happening fewer and farther between, I need to do something else.

So there it is. My plan. Is that okay? I hope so, because I'm doing it anyway.

So, news:

• I got a new job! Big change. Big, BIG change. I'm scared and excited and scared. It starts on June 7.
  
• I start boot camp on June 6. I'm scared and excited and scared about this too. But I've been noticing my arms getting flabbier and fatter lately, so Imma need this.
• I'm doing the Redlegs Run for Home 5K again! This was my first 5K last year, so I'm excited to return to the scene of the crime to see how I fare. This day also marks the 1-year anniversary of my "road racing career." Woooo! (Last year's post.)
  
• My post-Pig toenails are still in less-than-stellar shape. I didn't lose them, but I still think that would have been easier. The big toe nails are still...um...oozing. Goodness. But I finished the antibiotic and I've been keeping them clean, so yeah...good stuff.

Alright, that's all I've got. I guess you'll be hearing from me tomorrow since I plan on running then. Wheee! What's up with you all? How's the running going?

30 Miles in 30 Days: COMPLETE!

Yay! I did it! After running 4 miles with Caitlin this morning on the Five Mile Trail, I completed 30 miles within 30 days, the Spring Into Fitness Run Challenge through MapMyRun.com.

Good run today. Took us 58 minutes and includes some grueling hills, but we did great. Caitlin finished stronger than I did and kicked the final hill's butt, big time. Good job, Caitlin!

Now, on to training for the 10K and half Pig. No biggie ...

The Longest Yet

Oh folks, I don't know how to ease you into this, but this could very well be a painfully not entertaining post. I'm so exhausted that each keystroke is like an individual effort. But the key is why I'm exhausted. Naturally from spending the entire day in warm pajama-like clothes, being extremely lazy on my couch.

Oh, yeah, except for that 90-ish minutes this morning/noon when I ran about 6.5 miles with Caitlin.

No big thang ...

Here's our course on Gmaps Pedometer: click here for the course

We took the out-and-back approach on the Little Miami Scenic Trail. The first half was easy. Too easy. In fact, it wasn't until we turned around to come back that I figured out why it might have been so easy. I think it was down hill. 3 miles down hill. Yeah ...

Needless to say, the "back" portion of the out-and-back was really hard for me. We maintained a 5:1 run/walk interval the whole way out, but took one medium-long and one long walk break pretty early into the second leg. I thought it might make the rest of the run feel like the second run of the day instead of just a continuation. Not sure that worked so well. I insisted on some other longer walk breaks.

The problem for me came mostly with breathing. That's another reason I'm convinced it was uphill on the way back. I don't have breathing problems anymore unless I hit a hill. I couldn't draw in a breath without making noise. You know, like when your breath catches your voice box and makes that hyperventilating sound?

No?

Well, I know what I'm talking about. It's bad news for me. I've hyperventilated once in my life and it was horrifying; I don't wish to experience it again. (Hello, plyometrics box jumps for track practice at Wilmington College! I think I even scared my coach.) Anyway, I don't do well at pressing past episodes like that, which is why I've cowered away from hill workouts so much (and which is why I think I need to do some hill work this week).

As far as leg pain, I didn't have any really until we stopped at the end and I don't even know if I'd classify it as pain. My legs were just tired and me knees were a little disgruntled. (Side note: Apparently during my freshman year of college I once yelled "disgruntled!" out in the middle of the night. Former sleep walker and sleep talker, right here folks.) I felt so good going in and good through the first half. That second half just killed me.

So my question for myself is whether it was the possible hill that got me or the new longer distance that got me. Essentially the halfway point of our run marked the longest I've ever gone.

Either way, when I finished I was elated to chug down my bottle of full-calorie Gatorade to re-fuel (thanks to my pal, Rob, for reminding me I'd need to do that). I may have chugged too fast because I got a teensy bit nauseated. I also thought I was going to shiver to death for a good hour or two after. My blue lips startled my mother a bit. What's the deal with that anyway? Such a weirdo.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of Caitlin and I after our run. Pictures after 90 minutes of running? We must be crazy ... or really amused by the sign and some well-placed graffiti at the entrance to the trail. Please excuse the grossness and consider that we ran the first part of our run in the rain. Thank you.

Wonder where he went?

Caitlin, do you see him?

Really, where'd he go?

Yay! Caitlin found him!

Emerald Miles: Full Recap

So I had a bit of a goal going into this race. Blech. Goals. You know how I feel about those. I didn't make this one for myself, though. I kind of adopted it from Caitlin. I wanted to run the whole stinkin' thing.

Since she and I had a great 3.1-mile run two weeks ago, I knew we had a pretty good chance of making it happen.

So anyway, backing up a bit ...

I had some buddies in this run. Caitlin, of course. This was her first 5K and the one she wanted to complete before her birthday later this month. Matt also jumped on the bandwagon.

Caitlin in her first race T-shirt and race bib. YAY!

The three of us before the race. (Thanks for the pictures!)

We couldn't have asked for a better mid-March day to run the first race of the season. It was warm enough to leave the gloves, fleece vest, and ear-covering headband in the car. The sky was completely clear and the sun was shining.

The starting line at the start of the Purple People Bridge in Newport, Kentucky.

We found out mid last week that the mighty Ohio had overrun its banks so much that our race route was underwater. During packet pick up on Thursday, they assured us that there was a new path and that it was flatter than the old one (YAY!) Unfortunately, it wasn't all that much flatter. There was still a monster hill to climb during the last half mile of the run. Slow and long. Whew.

So yeah, unfortunately that hill had me pretty much convinced from the beginning that I wasn't going to be able to run the whole time. I'm wicked bad on hills, which should make the Pig really fun. I walked for a total of maybe 1:30 to 2 minutes in three different places. Two of those were really brief, one (on the hill) was much longer. I stayed in front of Caitlin until the hill up to the bridge where, as I predicted, she kicked my butt and got a nice distance ahead of me. Go girl!

As I finally got to the top of the hill (the middle of the Purple People Bridge), I could see the finish line and REALLY wanted to sprint to the finish. Yeah, turns out it was a bit further away than I thought. That was the hardest I've worked during a finishing stretch yet. My body just did not want to go any faster and I couldn't catch up with Caitlin.

Caitlin finishing. I'm in the white long-sleeved T-shirt over her right shoulder.

All in all, I'm pleased with myself. I set a new PR and I ran more than I could have dreamed I would at my last 5K. Very cool!

Me, post-run and post-post-run-snack, quite content to be sitting and leaving a monster butt print on the pavement.

Somehow they captured our finishing times and pace without timing chips. Someone will have to explain that to me. Anyway, here's the screen shot of mine and Caitlin's finishing times. Matt, the newest runner of the three of us, came in around 33 minutes (WOOHOO!) and kicked both of our butts.

There we are!

The good news is I won't be running another 5K until mid-May (Forest Hills 5K). That will be after a 10K, after a half marathon, and after completing another 4-week session of boot camp. I should be hot to trot! (Oh yeah, looks like Caitlin and I are doing the Rat Race 10K. Yikes again!)

And to wrap up, here's our group post-race picture.

Great job you two!

Holiday In Lights 5K Results

The results are in! Okay, they've been in since Saturday, but someone is a slacker. I wrote most of the post yesterday, but never got to adding the all important photos.

[Allow me to add a disclaimer about the pictures. I forgot my camera, so these are from either my iPhone (not too bad) or my mom's cell phone (terrible). Forgive us.]

In case you couldn't figure it out, the Holiday in Lights 5K was a holiday-themed event. Based on my previous experience with the Jingle Bell Run (I volunteered with my Sports Management classmates for Xavier in 2002), I figured I should probably dress for the occasion. Unfortunately, I decided to dress up about 10 minutes before I got ready to leave for the race. Oops. I had enough time to put on my race t shirt and grab some obnoxious holiday socks.

Socks! I hate how tall socks make me look like I have cankles. I actually don't!

To make the socks extra visible, I committed the ultimate fat girl's sin. I wore spandex pants without something over them.

GASP! EEK! AVERT YOUR EYES! It's worth noting that I've had these pants since 8th grade, when I had to have a pair of "slimeys" for track. Had to have them. (I hope the bold italics help illustrate the drama associated with a 15-year-old's insistence on having these pants, because everyone else had them.) Well, they still fit, so a sound investment, I'd say.

My running "costume" and blatant misuse of spandex pants. Forgive me.

Let's get to the race. I won't make you wait any longer. Here are my results:

• 44:24 chip time
• 14:19 minutes/mile
• 351st place out of 732 (women only)

Not so hot, huh? Five letters, people. H-I-L-L-S

Waiting to start. I think I was a little more than halfway back in the group here.

To say the course was hilly does not do it justice. I wish I had some visual way to demonstrate how un-flat it was. First, I'd say 7/10 of the first mile was up a massive hill. Not a gradual incline ... no. A monster hill. I walked up it and was hugely out of breath.

Mile 2 was completely downhill, so I ran the whole way (with the exception of a stop at the water table and a brief walk (less than a minute) at a flat-ish part.

End of mile 2 from my mom's camera phone. Note the tall socks.

A hot second later that the previous picture.
I'm in there somewhere, entering the Holiday in Lights loop--the beginning of Mile 3.

Mile 3 was through the Holiday in Lights loop, which is essentially a roller coaster full of bunny hills. Up and down, up and down, up and down.

A relatively flat space between hills, and the fitting "bah humbug" sign.

Since I have ZERO training on hills, I knew the up wasn't going to happen. I ran down the hills, ran through the trough, then walked up the hills. I felt useless, but knew I couldn't do better.

Let me expand on that thought. My legs could have done better. That was clear in the way I finished (I'll explain later). My lungs could not handle the hills. It's like they close up or something. Hills and stairs ... my kryptonite. Now, we all know I'm accustomed to being out of breath. It's how I roll. But the kind of "out of breath" I get on hills (including several times on Saturday), is literally out of breath. Nothing to draw in. Closed throat. What the heck?

My guess is this is where my weight actually affects me. My legs are strong from years of carrying myself around. My legs are powerhouses. Allow me to give an example. My freshman year of college, while lifting for track (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin), I leg pressed 400 pounds for 8 reps. 400 pounds. I was pushing more than the dudes, folks. BEAST! My lungs? Not so much apparently. To steal my friend Jeff's example, I will collapse from doing a set of lunges too quickly.

I digress. Back to the run.

Despite the terrible time (very close to the time of my first 5K, the Redlegs Run for Home 5K this spring), and the poor performance of my lungs, I'm pleased with myself. Considering how much I walked, I did well! I ran the whole second mile, the last quarter to half a mile, and SPRINTED to the finish!

Crossing under the timer arches at the finish line! Whee!

I actually sprinted! I kicked my heels up and took giant strides, swung my arms and crossed that finish line like a champ, high-fiving the Hamilton County Parks mascot (a raccoon) and Santa Claus. Did I mention it was a downhill finish? No? Well, it was. But it was awesome.

I'm also glad my mom got to go. Thanks for standing in the cold, Mom! Someone (not naming names) apparently got a little teary-eyed at the start of the race. Don't worry, it had nothing to do with her overwhelming pride in her only daughter's accomplishments. No, she was crying because she saw Santa running and they were playing Christmas music.

So yeah, good experience. Holiday fun. Striped socks. Spandex. Oh, and the post-run food was fabulous! Cookies, granola bars, bananas, bagels, miniature Skyline 3-ways, and LaRosa's. Nom!

Holiday In Lights 5K Packet Pick-Up

I'm pretty sure that packet pick-up is the most exciting part of signing up for a race (or getting your packet in the mail). This was never more obvious for me than when I did the Walk to Remember where participants just got their stuff there at the race. Now, that's usually an option for race participants anyway (race day packet pick-up), but that's silly. Where are you supposed to put your crap if you don't have spectators?

I drove up to Fleet Feet after work today to get my packet. Check out the goody bag!


First and foremost, a long-sleeved t-shirt! I think all races, regardless of season, should give away long-sleeved t-shirts. Who needs short-sleeved ones, anyway?. Then the other big ticket items: 3 free Skyline cheese coney coupons, 1 free Chik-Fil-A sandwich, something free from McDonald's, 1 free admission to the Holiday In Lights display, a Holiday in Lights ornament, and my number bib with timer chip (go #571!). Other promo items: water bottle, lip balm, some kind of scraper (ice?), polar bear/igloo fake tattoo, and a brochure with a candy cane taped to it.

Now, I have two big decisions to make. First, do I wear the shirt of the race to the race? I haven't done that yet ("Don't be that guy!" Name the movie!), but this one's pretty sweet. And, I do have two Jingle Bell Run long-sleeved tees (from volunteering years ago with school) that I wear on a regular basis and fit the holiday theme. Tough one.

Second big decision ... how to run.

On Monday's run, I did 4:1 run/walk intervals through my 'hood for 40 minutes. I tried to run a little hard, too, and succeeded, thanks to my new running play list. (Side note -- "Kashmir" is my new favorite running song. Love.) Then yesterday, after guilting myself into running instead of making pizza, I did Day 2 of Week 8. It went well.

The combination of those two experiences makes me wonder if doing planned intervals for the race on Saturday is really the best idea. Is that the best I can do?

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with the course to plan my walks/runs based on terrain. But what if I planned on running all the time, unless I got hung up on a hill? Is that a good tactic or should I stick to intervals? Thoughts?

This is my first race since I've been able to run for a long period of time without running, so I'm kind of excited. I'm also afraid I'll disappoint myself by setting my expectations too high. But mostly, just excited.

That's all I've got for today. If you have any insight on the interval vs. winging it tactics, please let me know!

Another Positive Post ... And A Few Pics

Are you totally sick of my gushy positive posts yet? Well kiss it, because this is another one.

I had another GREAT run today and I'm feeling so hopeful about this whole "project" of mine.

Tuesday's run at Veterans felt good, but I didn't have a way to really measure my progress. Today I returned to Juilfs to see how I'm doing. Well, I finished my normal two laps (one mile each) with 3:10 left on the clock.

For the win!

My last run at Juilfs was last Tuesday and I finished with 2:36 on the clock. So, whoa, big improvement in a short period of time, I'd say. I think I need to up my target of 2 minutes left. Seems a bit weak now, right?

I've been trying to run a little bit -- a really litte bit -- faster, and also continue running for about, oh, 3 to 5 seconds after the walk alarm goes off. That adds up I guess. Oh, and the running down hill thing is way fun. =)

Anyway, I'm not going to drag this out today, but I do have some pictures from Juilfs. I'm continually impressed with the quality photos I can take with my iPhone!

The best playground ever!

From the top of Beast Hill. I generally run coming toward the camera.


This is where I start running. Look how pretty the sky was tonight!


AHHHHH! GIANT SHADOW MONSTER!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Unexpected Developments

Well, friends, I've done it. I was a bit over-ambitious yesterday in my physical activities and now I have the back pain to show for it. Or feel. Whatever.

After my post yesterday morning, I headed out for my second try at Week 2 Day 1 of C25K. The great news is that I found a place to start that keeps me from running up the beastly hill twice. WOOHOO! Oh, and I shaved some more time off the two-mile run. Since I ended my last running interval before Beast Hill (that's it, I've now named it), I was able to jog to the finish line.

New progress milestone: 2 miles in 28 minutes -- a 14-minute mile pace. WOOHOO!

Anyway, I completed my run, doused myself in a cold shower, and moved some crap into my new apartment. Unfortunately, somewhere between my run and leaving the new digs, I did something to rip my lower back to shreds. It's strange because I don't even remember straining it, or kicking any boxes (which usually does me in in a snap). Needless to say, that put a damper on my moving activities for the rest of what was supposed to be a productive Saturday.

Wah waaaaaah!

Kind of messed with my Sunday, too. I could have run this morning. I could have taken two loads of stuff to the new place. But, I settled for one minor load. At least it's something, right?

Why am I telling you this? Because I'm making an excuse, that's why. And what are you supposed to do when I make an excuse? All together now ... "SHOOT HER DOWN!"

[ducks and covers]

I'll let you be the judge of my legitimacy. I will, once again, be spending the night cuddled up with my dream man, Ben Gay. Hopefully he gets rid of this kink so I can get something done this week, whether it be running, moving, or both.

Excuses, Excuses ... and Meet My Park

Happy Saturday morning, readers!

First, I’d like to apologize for my poor showing so far. As I’m sure happens with many ambitious bloggers, I started with a bang, full of hope for my little plot of websphere, and quickly fizzled out. Well, I have an excuse: I’m moving this month – more specifically next weekend – and I’m a bit preoccupied. I got the keys to my new place this week and I just can’t keep myself away. I love the new place so much that my poor little running habit has been packed away in one of the moving boxes and I’ve had some trouble finding it. Well, I found it this morning; it was packed in the same box as my grasp on reality and the cat nip. Wouldn’t you know it, my blogging commitment was also in there. Geesh.

Anyway, this is the perfect opportunity for me to share a little more about myself:

I’m a rationalizer, an excuse maker, and an abandoner.

Usually these nasty character traits only rear their heads when I’m dreading something. For example, there was a time (most of my life, actually) when I didn’t like to exercise. Shocker! I’d rationalize not going to the gym by saying, “It’s not like the gym is helping me at all,” or “Skipping step aerobics isn’t going to make me gain weight.” I’d skip a workout with excuses like sore muscles, menstrual cramps, lack of sleep, a broken fingernail, or a happy hour with friends. Then I’d get frustrated at all my excuses and lose hope of getting back on track because of all my skipped workouts, and finally, I’d give up. A perfect example: I once signed a three-year contract for a gym and only used about 9 months worth. I’ll get into that more later.

Here’s the difference this time around: I’m enjoying running. The excuses I make now just make me sad and more eager to lace up and hit the pavement next time. I actually encountered this phenomenon with my step class; I liked the workout, I liked the cheesy ‘80s music, I liked my classmates and I hated missing class. (I’ll talk more about step class in later entries. Bottom line is it’s fun and a great workout.)

There is a significant problem with skipping a few running workouts that I didn’t experience with step aerobics. Missing a run really sets me back in my progress: I feel like I have to go backwards to continue moving forward. Skipping a step class meant I didn’t get better, but I certainly didn’t lose progress by missing one workout. Skipping a run means it'll be all the more difficult to complete the same interval next time, let alone increase intensity, as dictated by C25K.

Speaking of C25K, I finished my first round of Week 2. (Week 2: 5-minute warm-up walk, then alternate 90 seconds of jogging with 2 minutes of walking for 20 minutes, then cool down walk for 5 minutes.) This one kicked my butt, and I’m already planning on at least another two bouts with this “week.” It’s hard. I struggle to finish the 90 seconds of jogging, especially since it always seems to happen on a hill.

I’m running at a local park. I basically grew up at this park. I played softball there for 10 years, skinned my knees on its sidewalks, got the wind knocked out of me by falling off the jungle gym, got sand in my shoes and hair and eyes, received electro-shock therapy from the static generated by the friction of the slides, flew kites in its muddy fields, pretended to play tennis on its courts, and sweated all over every blade of grass within its fences. Ah, the memories…. Truly, I do love it there. It’s home, and what better place to embarrass myself as I learn to run?

Anyway, the run/walk/bike path is a mile long, which allows for convenient distance measurements, and it meanders up and down a seemingly slight hill. Somehow, no matter where I start running, the C25K dude being piped through my iPhone headphones always manages to tell me to run up the same friggin’ hill. It’s a gradual incline and lasts for approximately 90 seconds of my running speed. Perfect. Geesh.

The beastly hill at Juilfs Park

At least I’ve made it every time so far, mostly because my ability to talk myself into things is quite strong. (Unfortunately it’s not a strong as my ability to talk myself out of things, but it’s still strong, nonetheless.) I purposefully quicken my breath and start leaning forward as I approach the hill. That seems to help a bit. It doesn’t help the craaaazy shin splints that I can’t seem to escape, but it helps with momentum and breath control. (Shin splints will be a recurring theme and, again, I’ll talk about them later.)

Go ahead and throw 100 – 150 extra pounds of weight on your shoulders and see how your legs and lungs feel after running uphill for 90 seconds. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Ha!

So back to what I was saying: I’ll be repeating Week 2 a few times, I’m sure. I just need to stay on track with my workouts. It’s going to become increasingly important that I stick to a three-times-a-week regimen as the weather gets warmer, too. Ugh, even thinking about running during a Cincinnati summer brings flashbacks to high school gym class and that one dreadful year of “summer gym.” I can feel my chest clogging with humidity now. Gack! Cough! Heave!

Excuse me. Ahem.

So, huge blog. Sorry. I just have so much to fill you in on, and I will. I must learn to balance background information with current affairs. Oh, and since you’ve been introduced to my excuse-making habits, please, please, please call me out on it. If you see me drifting toward rationalization and abandonment, don’t let me get away with it. Please and thank you.

Progress report: I'm finishing 2 miles in about 28:40 (1:20 left on my 30-minute workout when I finish the second mile). So that's a 14:20 1-mile pace, right? Hmm, better than high school. Interesting.