I have a confession. I do not like having my picture taken. In groups, I will usually try to offer to take the photo so I don’t have to be in it.
Have I mentioned this before? I think know it’s part of my “heavy girl” mentality that did not seem to change when I lost weight…8 years ago. But anyway, the other day I was out to dinner with my dad and he wanted to snap a photo of us. I refused, saying my hair was in a ponytail and I had no makeup on, and if he wants to take my picture, he needs to tell me so I can prepare for it. His response? “Oh, but you can show pictures of yourself on your blog all sweaty from a run or biting into a cannoli?” Touché, Dad. I had no response (but he still didn’t get his picture).
Tomorrow, Mitch and I are getting dressed up and going out to dinner to celebrate 4 years of dating bliss. My lovely fella has demanded requested that we go to La Jolla (i.e. really pretty beachy part of town) to take some pictures before dinner, because we don’t have many photos of the two of us, let alone “nice” ones. If I like the way they come out, perhaps I’ll share them here.
That doesn’t have anything to do with my weekly workouts, but I wanted to share. However my “new” blog looks when I start grad school, I think I’ll keep up the weekly workout recap, because it keeps me accountable. Plus, I like having an outlet to overanalyze talk about these things to an audience that cares about fitness and health as much as I do (as opposed to people IRL who I think get sick of my blabbing sometimes).
So, this week:
Monday: I took Nina for a 45-50 minute walk. I stretched a little afterwards, but I have been bad about stretching. I’ve leaned this the hard way but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Tuesday: I was supposed to run, but I was NOT feeling it. I think Tuesday was when I first started feeling a little sick-y, so I traded Nina days with Mitch and took her for a 55-minute walk.
Wednesday: There was no getting out of my run today! I ran 4 miles in 50 minutes, which yes sounds super slow, but I ran 2 miles uphill, so I’m ok with it. I only took one walk break, and in the past I had to take 2, so I consider this an improvement. After work, I went to the gym for 30 minutes of strength training, mostly abs and upper body with a few deadlifts thrown in for fun.
Thursday: I started feeling progressively worse…you know that pre-sick feeling where you could get full-blown sick, or you could be fine? That;s what I was feeling. But it was my day for Nina, so we went on a pretty easy 45-minute walk (the other ones were more challenging) and called it an “active rest” day.
Friday: I was supposed to run 5 miles, but between the crappy way I was feeling and the fact that I had evening plans and didn’t leave work early enough, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. So 5 became 4 and then 3. I was feeling congested and my throat hurt, but I also really needed to move, you know? So I did 3 miles in just under 33 minutes. Anytime I’m less than 11 min/mile, I’m happy.
Saturday: Rest. And I mean…REST. I did nothing but watch TV and lay around all day. And I loved/hated it. I had stuff to do! But I knew I needed it, because my body was screaming for a break. Luckily, I had Mitch around to make me go back to bed when I tried to get up. “GO back to bed…if you want tea, I’ll get it for you…” etc.
Sunday: Long run…9 miles! We ran a new path today, which was nice because when you run for 1 hour and 45 freaking minutes, a change of scenery is very helpful. Man…that was a long time to be running, but we didn’t stop to walk! The only fuel I took was 45 calories worth of Gatorate, but that was all I felt I needed. I felt SO accomplished when we finished. And all the rest of the day, I kept thinking to myself. “Dude…I ran NINE miles…”
BUT…my foot started to hurt at the end of the run and it’s still tender today. I thought it was a cramp, but now I’m really hoping it’s not the start of plantar fasciitis. Basically, now is NOT the time to get hurt…I’m SOOO close (one month!). So I was going to do a 30 Day Shred session today, but I think instead I’m just going to do some major stretching and maybe some push ups and core work. I really hope if I start stretching now, it’ll get better and I’ll be able to complete my running and training.
So. do I run tomorrow as planned, or do I go to the gym for some elliptical and cross-training instead? Honestly, sometimes I’m just kind of ready for this half marathon to be over…I don’t think I’m meant to be a long-distance runner, and I don’t think I need to be in order to be healthy and fit. I have been neglecting my strength training because I only have so many hours in the day and I need to run and Nina needs walks. But I finish what I start, and I know I’ll be SO glad to have “half marathon” crossed off my bucket list. But I’ve already picked out my next fitness adventure so it’s always something new with me!
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1) I’m having a major “Hmmmmmm….” moment about 4 year dating anniversary and pictures on the beach? Hmmmmmm…. Can’t wait to hear how that goes!
2) Ellipticize. And stretch. Running is really hard on your feet with all your weight hitting the pavement (or treadmill) so give them a rest.
3) You gotta break out of your “heavy girl” syndrome and feel proud of all you have accomplished and flash those pearly whites for us! You’re gorgeous! Flaunt it!
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Nice work!
An interesting tip I learned this week to help with endurance is to slow down and run for longer periods of time, not longer distance. Next thing you know your actually running longer distance. I was struggling to get past 4 miles this week and yesterday I did 6.2 without thinking about it. Took about an hour and fifteen minutes…
I like your personal blog entries the best! It’s much better than the typical “5 ways to get in shape” most people seem to write about these days. Glad to see you writing from the personal side of things….
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I say cross train! The long runs are the ones that matter, and cross training can sometimes be just as helpful when training for a race. I started getting plantar fascitis symptoms and taping my feet pretty much cured it!! Just take athletic tape and cover the bottom of your foot with horizontal strips, then add a layer of vertical strips, then another of horizontal. Your foot will look like a mummy, but it really helped me!
Have fun at your dinner!! You better share some of those pictures
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Congrats on the long run. Sorry you are hurting. I would say play it safe because you don’t want to end up worse off.
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Great job on the long run! And yes, as Susan suggested, you should definitely consider cross training. I personally run my long runs but then mix it up with spin classes as well. That way I get the cardio but give the pounding a rest for a few days. This is the half marathon program I use and it promotes cross training as well: 12-week Half Marathon Training Program.
Good luck with the training (and clothes shopping)!!
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