11 minute miles

Yep, writing about running again....

Just got home from my run this morning. It was actually quite relaxing. I didn't push myself, and ran what felt comfortable. I did my 7 miles this morning in an hour and 17 minutes. Nice, relaxed, 11 minute miles. It was actually kind of strange, because I was trying to work on my breathing, and I never really felt all that out of breath or that I was breathing too heavy.

I ran from my house, and around Lake Phalen. There were quite a number of people there, and I kept seeing all of these folks with University of Minnesota sweatshirts on bicycles... it appears that the were having a rowing (or is it crew) competition there. It was kind of neat watching the teams on the boats in the lake. And talk about some "buff" women!

Also, as I was running around the lake, I was pleased to see a man wearing a certain T-shirt - for the Labor Payne 5K race. Our Jaycee chapter is the one that started and runs that race. I was actually the one that came up with the name, it is on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, and it is run with the sponsorship of the Payne-Arcade Business Association. But it was neat to see someone actually wearing our race T-shirt.

Anyway, I need to get showered and ready - I am going down to Mankato with a group of Jaycees for the Mankato Jaycee's "Walkabout" which is a bar hop. It was a lot of fun last year, and I am looking forward to the same tonight. I plan to wear a "dangerous" outfit, as my husband likes to describe it - he told me I should wear a turtleneck instead, since he will not be there... but I like the compliments and the flirting too much!

Ta!
~a

40:26

Ran 4 miles this afternoon. In just over 40 minutes. I thought I had started out too fast, but I continued on, even up the long hill... makes me feel good! That close to 10 minute miles.

I didn't run yesterday, as I had a lovely drive back from Thief River Falls, and a friend of Eric's had given him tickets to the Timberwolves game for the eveining... so I pushed it to get home, and my legs were pretty much screaming at me for driving for so long without much for stretch breaks. I hate it when that happens.

Oh, and the game was actually pretty boring. The arena was pretty sparse, and it was their last game of the season, and they are not in the playoffs. The couple next to us were discussing how they were kind of glad that the season was over, so a fresh start could be made. And to prove how dull the game was... I said something to Eric in the third quarter, and getting no reply, I looked over and he was asleep! I guess we are an old married couple!

It's been kind of a blah day, and I really needed that run to get me in a better mood. I feel like I need something like the couple sitting next to us mentioned last night - a fresh start. Things at work are just getting me kind of down, and I need to work on turning that around. I think that part of it stems from the fact that I have been there for almost 11 years (gasp!) and I have been kind of treading water, doing just what I needed to and not much more. It needs to change, I want to be more excited to go to work. What that means I don't know....

Enough about me, how are you all doing?
~a

yay me

Yep. just a Woo hoo carrots kind of moment.

Traveling, and nice outside, and I got done with work, and went out on my run. It ended up being about 3.25 miles. 36 minutes. So, about 11 minute miles.

I'm trying to decide if I want to go out with my work folks tonight, or just veg in my room, and work on my goals for the year, as my boss will be in town to meet with me on Thursday.

Off to get unsweaty... in other words shower.

ta!
~a

you do the Hokey Polky...

and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about!

Friday was great. I ended up running 5 miles instead of the 4 that I had planned. Yep, and I ran the whole thing! I didn't do the best job of stretching, because after that I was getting ready for my girlfriends to come over... shower, over to Papa Murphy's to pick up pizza, stop at the liquor store for more beer, picking up the house.

We had fun on Friday eve. I made two pizzas, and we ate and drank light margaritas (sugar-free margarita mix - 10 calories per 4 ounces) chit-chatted at the dining room table for a while, then we all dipped our hands in the paraffin wax bath, and some did our nails. And we sat in the living room playing "I never". It was just very relaxing, and catching up with girlfriends. I was up until 2am.

I decided after the late night, there was no way I was going to get up and go running with the group at 8am. So I slept until I felt like getting up, then I started working on painting the accent wall that is shared by our living room and dining room. Eric bought the paint about a year ago, so it was about time! I emptied out the hutch and my curio cabinet, moved those out of the way, scrubbed the walls, taped, and painted two coats of "tomato bisque" paint on the wall.

Yep, so that was pretty much my day. I have been loosely following a half-marathon training program, and the long run for Saturday was supposed to be 8 miles. I was kind of thinking after the 5 on Friday, I would do 3 on Saturday... but with the painting that just did not happen.

So Sunday, I pulled out my waist belt with the water bottle holder, and set out. I ran 8 miles on Sunday.

Can I say that again. I RAN 8 MILES.

I have a couple of routes measured out from my house, but none of them are 8 miles, so I did a 5 mile loop, then a 3 mile loop.

And except for a small walk break after about 6.5 miles to take a drink of water (about 50 feet), I ran the whole thing. I ran the 5 mile loop first, and it was real tempting to call that good enough. But I don't want good enough. So I persevered. I was tired at the end, but it was all good.

This week is my turn-about. After a week of "eh" eating and not tracking things, I am back at it, notebook in hand, running schedule on a post-it on my computer. I will be traveling again this week, but I am not going to let that stand in my way.

Onward and downward.

~a

On again, off again

So I have weeks of great exercise and eating. And I have some not so great weeks of exercise and eating.

This was a not so great week. It started out with Easter. It would have been okay, if not for all of the "appetizers" that my MIL had out. Brie with slices of pear and apple. Shrimp and coctail sauce. Kettle chips. Cheese and crackers.

The meal was fine - I ate a small portion of scalloped potatos, carrots, peas, cucumber salad, and a roll. I don't do ham, which was the only meat that she prepared. Which is just fine with me.

Then there werethe deserts. And the Easter Candy. And too many Jelly Beans.

I also took a handful of jelly beans home with me, to eat that evening.

And I think that set the tone for the week. It really was an "eh" week. Monday, after I did 30 minutes on the NordicTrack, Eric and I went to the Jaycees board meeting to present a project, and I really did not want to cook and was hungry, so we went from there to the Chinese buffet by our house.

Tuesday, I had lunch out, and a long day, so dinner was pizza rolls and ice cream.

Wednesday, was driving to Enderlin, ND, then talking to folks there, and train rides. I did have some food packed, but they were having an employee appreciation cookout, so I ate potato chips, and baked beans for lunch. And for an afternoon snack. (They had bratwurst... but since I don't eat them...) I managed to get into my hotel at 8:30 pm. The good news was that I did have a "lean" frozen dinner with me that I heated in their microwave and that was dinner.

Thursday, I got up in the morning, and headed to the exercise room to discover that someone else was on the treadmill. So I did the stairclimber for about 25 minutes until she was done, then ran about a mile. Breakfast was fruit, and a large bagel with cream cheese. Lunch was a salad with real cheese and regular dressing. I did limit my driving home (4.5 hours) snacks to a 100 calorie pack, but then when I got home, I ate tortilla chips, with cheese and salsa...

I kind of decided that I wasn't going to count points this week. And I haven't.

I have had a couple of good moments:

1. The two things I bought from the gas station convenience stores on my trip were: a slim fast optima bar, and a Sobe Lean. No chips, gardettos, etc, etc.
2. I stopped at a Wal-Mart to get some snacks (and use the restroom), and did not buy any clearance easter candy... I got flavored water, and ritz mix 100 calorie packs.
3. I started drinking a can of regular pop (root beer) on Wednesday, and ended up pouring out most of it, after I drank what I wanted
4. The scale this morning said I weighed the same as last Friday, even though it was up a couple of pounds on Tuesday. (????) Although I'm not sure how that happened.
5. I turned down a cookie at lunch on Thursday. I gave it to someone else, because I didn't really want it.

And that's about the sum total for the week. Hopefully next week I can convince myself to be "on again", and to lose some more weight.

On another note - Eric is out of town for the weekend, so I have decided that I needed some girl time... I am hosting a slumber party tonight at my house. I have light margarita mix, baked tortilla chips, and I am planning on getting some Papa Murphy's de-Light pizzas. And I have a 4-mile run planned for this afternoon before folks come over. It will be a night of "dishing, chick flicks, makeovers, and adult beverages." I am really looking forward to it!

Ta!

~a

Rain, Snow, go away...

I wanted to go for a run last night. But on my way home it was literally crap falling on my vehicle - rain mixed with snow.

I had already had a bit of a shock to my system on Saturday, when I went for a run with my group. We ran in the rain/drizzle in the 40 degree weather. Really not what I was used to after a week in Florida. I probably did not run as far as I should have to stay with the training program I am following right now - I am doing a half-marathon training... we'll see if I actually run the race since it's a week after I get back from Isle Royale, but my friend told me she would like me to run with her, and you can register the day of the race.

Sunday, I met up with the two friends that are going to Isle Royale with me, and we hiked hills wearing our packs. We logged about 6 miles. In the drizzle. And I was tired and STARVING when I was done. After I got showered and warmed up, we went to a friend's suprise birthday party (well, we got there after the suprise). The strange thing is, with all of the exercise I have been doing, alcoholic beverages just do not sound good at all. I was noticing that in Florida too.

Anyway (okay quite the ramble today) yesterday my training schedule said a 5 mile run was on the schedule. No way in hell I was going to run outside. So I did manage to motivate myself to do 60 minutes (and 6 miles) on my NordicTrack. Yay me! I have to admit that I seriously considered skipping the workout, but I preservered, and did it.

Yep. That's about what's going on. It's COLD here today (wind chill makes it feel like about 5 degrees F) and we will see what it looks like this afternoon when I get home. It might just be another NordicTrack afternoon.

I did pull out some Flounder out of the freezer for dinner tonight, but the fridge is looking pretty bare, since I have not hit the grocery store since before I went on vacation, and heaven forbid my husband should go shopping... unless he wanted something right at that minute... so that is what I have planned for this evening.

I just wish it would warm up some!
~a

Vacation

And, I'm back.

It was a good week of relaxation. And exercise, actually.... I went running most every morning with the sun rising.

Let's see, the short recap:

Friday, my flight got in at 10:45pm, and my parents picked me up at the airport in Tampa, then we drove to their RV which they have in a park in Ruskin. Bedtime!

Saturday, we got up and went for a walk around the park to look for alligators. A visit to the citrus ranch, some lunch, shopping, a dip in the pool, then dinner, then over to the neighbor's 5th wheel to watch a movie.

Sunday, a 4 mile run, off to Church, pancakes, a float in the pool, an afternoon walk to look for alligators (we saw 7!) dinner, then off to their friend's condo to watch the sunset on the beach. I got some great pictures!

Monday, a walk with my parents around the park. Water aerobics in the pool with all of the "old" folks, then floating in the pool until lunch. Then, we drove over the bay bridge to enjoy a beach near St. Petersburg, where we got to walk and pick up some shells, then bake in the sun, and cool off in the bay/ocean.

Tuesday, a 2 mile run, on the tour bus to the orchid green house, then a winery tour. Back at about 3pm, to a "cocktail" party.

Wednesday, a 5 1/2 mile run, then walked another mile or so. Breakfast, then off to see if we could see some Manitees in the inlet by the power plant... no such luck. Then to the friend's condo to visit, and there were 3 manitees in the canal behind their condo that we got to watch. Back to the park to float in the pool. Dinner out at an Italian Restaurant (I got grouper for my entre) then we watched the sunset on another beach close to there.

Thursday, a 4 mile run, a relaxing shower and getting ready (while the others were at water aerobics), lunch out on a deck overlooking the water (we saw a pink flamingo fly by!) and Shopping until we dropped! Out to a local watering hole for dinner, then I got everything packed up for me to catch an early flight home Friday morning, then out in the evening air, having drinks and chatting with all of the neighbors.

Not lots and lots of activity, but that is just what I wanted. The only down side was that I got hives on my arms from too much sun exposure - they started on Wednesday evening, and they are still bothering me. Thank goodness for benadryl cream!