This piece is exactly why what happened in Boston is so heartbreaking.
Running has become a safe place for me. It's more than a workout. It's a way to work through demons. To find a little peace. When that safety gets violated, I get mad.
But I'm not special. I think almost every runner would tell you they feel the same way about running. And they'd tell you that they'd keep running, no matter what.
But what really upsets me? That spectators were injured and killed. If there's something crazy about running just for the hell of it, there's something even crazier about watching a race. At least the runners stay warm, burn some calories, and earn bragging rights. Why would anyone stand around in the heat, cold, rain or blistering sun for hours, just waiting for a loved one to run by? Why would someone cheer on a complete stranger? Why would someone hand out food, water, blankets and hugs to a sweaty, delirious runner they've never met, and will never see again? Like the Jezebel piece says, if you want to find your faith in humanity, don't look at the runners. Look at the spectators, the volunteers, the friends and family waiting at the finish line.
I've never run a marathon, but I hope to run the Big Sur Half Marathon some day. But even in short races, knowing someone's waiting for me at the end makes the all the difference. Everyone who's shown up to support a runner, and all the smiling, cheering people in between who have handed out water, cheered strangers on, and picked up all of those empty cups -- they're the special ones.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Monday, July 16, 2012
Move/make: Week 16
Weight (as of Monday morning): 171.8 pounds.
Workouts:
Monday: Biked 20 miles
Tuesday: Ran 45 minutes
Wednesday: Ran 40 minutes
Thursday: Off
Friday: Hiked 30 minutes
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Ran 45 minutes
Thoughts on food:
Still eating gradually healthier. I am trying to swap out Diet Coke for iced chai and Arnold Palmers. So far, I've made it one day without soda. Not that all the sugar in chai and iced tea/lemonade is healthy. It just seems better than the toxic chemicals in soda.
Otherwise, my eating has been pretty unbalanced. Not junk food, per se, but a lot of cheese, crackers, soy milk and strawberries. Not exactly healthy. I have no energy, and I'm training for a 10K at the end of August. Go figure.
Overall reflections:
There are parts of my life that are very, very good right now. But I also have a huge mental block about two things in my life: eating/cooking, and finding a job for the fall. Those two things are really sapping my energy. And, of course, I need energy to overcome those speed bumps.
Running, as always, has been keeping me relatively calm and happy. We've had heat wave after heat wave, but I've been managing to keep going.
Goals:
Given how I've been feeling, I owe it to myself to actually make good on some goals this week:
A bonus if I can finally get down below 170 pounds, but I'm not going to stress it. I need to start eating better, once and for all, first and foremost.
I'd like this week to be the last week I have to keep writing the same list of goals. I want to move forward!
Workouts:
Monday: Biked 20 miles
Tuesday: Ran 45 minutes
Wednesday: Ran 40 minutes
Thursday: Off
Friday: Hiked 30 minutes
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Ran 45 minutes
Thoughts on food:
Still eating gradually healthier. I am trying to swap out Diet Coke for iced chai and Arnold Palmers. So far, I've made it one day without soda. Not that all the sugar in chai and iced tea/lemonade is healthy. It just seems better than the toxic chemicals in soda.
Otherwise, my eating has been pretty unbalanced. Not junk food, per se, but a lot of cheese, crackers, soy milk and strawberries. Not exactly healthy. I have no energy, and I'm training for a 10K at the end of August. Go figure.
Overall reflections:
There are parts of my life that are very, very good right now. But I also have a huge mental block about two things in my life: eating/cooking, and finding a job for the fall. Those two things are really sapping my energy. And, of course, I need energy to overcome those speed bumps.
Running, as always, has been keeping me relatively calm and happy. We've had heat wave after heat wave, but I've been managing to keep going.
Goals:
Given how I've been feeling, I owe it to myself to actually make good on some goals this week:
- Do something other than running. Go to the gym and swim or lift weights at least once. It will keep me from burning out before the 10K.
- Find two easy dishes to make for meals this week.
- Go grocery shopping and make those meals.
- Apply for jobs.
A bonus if I can finally get down below 170 pounds, but I'm not going to stress it. I need to start eating better, once and for all, first and foremost.
I'd like this week to be the last week I have to keep writing the same list of goals. I want to move forward!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Think/act: Acceptance
I've been more active than I have been in quite a while, and I've been thinking a lot about body acceptance.
As a teenager, I was always self-conscious of my legs. I hated wearing shorts, because even at my skinniest, I had huge leg muscles. Even on the hottest summer days, I'd usually be in jeans. In college, there would be days where I felt so fat, and so unattractive, that I couldn't even get dressed and go to class. Paralyzed, I'd put pajamas back on, and get back in bed.
I realize how ludicrous that sounds. I missed class because I felt "fat." And that was about 30 pounds ago.
Thirty pounds ago, I had disordered eating patterns. Thirty pounds ago, I couldn't even put on an outfit to leave the house.
After college, I realized that it was silly not to wear shorts, to be miserable because of something as superficial as clothing, or body shape. Especially when, by all accounts, I wasn't overweight. My legs were strong and healthy. There was nothing wrong with me. By then, I understood that bodies change. Mine had changed a lot. I had gained a good amount of weight -- I was probably at my heaviest when I first went back to graduate school. But I could get dressed, usually with minimal problems. I could wear shorts. I could leave the house. I wasn't crazy about how I looked. In fact, I was pretty unhappy with how much weight I gained. But I didn't linger on it.
Then, in graduate school, I started studying feminist theory, and thinking a lot about the ways women, in particular, are expected to look. The pressure that young girls feel to be thin, or pretty, or "perfect." The ways women pin their hopes and summer plans on fitting into the perfect pair of jeans, or bikini.
I thought of all the time and energy wasted on such a pointless thing. Imagine I had all the time back that I spent worrying about my clothes, my body. I could have been so much more productive. I could have experienced more life right then and there, instead of thinking I only deserved to live and be comfortable once I lost X pounds.
Think what would happen if every woman (and man) struggling with self-acceptance was able to trust that s/he was beautiful, and strong, and just fine. I read this blog post today, and it damn near broke my heart. A woman who has worked as hard as she has to get fit and strong has earned the right to wear running shorts, and look beautiful doing it. Shit, anyone should be able to. The idea that some people can wear some clothes, and others can't, is beyond upsetting to me. Who defines what beauty is?
Running has helped me with my own acceptance. Whereas before I'd wear shorts mostly out of necessity, I wear them now because I am proud of the muscles in my legs. A lot of hard work, sweat, and even tears have gone into those muscles. I've run in the rain. I've run in the snow. I've run during heat waves. I've run through shin splints, numbness, cracking joints, and other weird foot "things." I've run through heartbreak and depression. More than once, I've gotten up at 5:30 a.m. to run with a bunch of strangers.
Even so, I'm not perfect. I still have days where I feel like nothing fits right, or where I wonder how I gained all this weight. But those days are farther and farther apart. I can go months without feeling bad about my body.
Last week's heat wave was my most recent test. I was determined to keep up with running, despite the heat. I usually run in shorts, a jogging bra, and a tank top, but even the tank top was too much last week. Before now, I have never run in just a jogging bra. I feel vulnerable, and I'm self-conscious about my stomach. But, dammit, it was hotter than hell, and I wanted to run. So I took off my tank top. After all, it was so hot that no one else was out anyway. And the few people I came across just expressed disbelief that I was crazy enough to be running in the first place. No one told me to put a shirt back on. No one made fun of me.
And you know what? After a minute or so, I was so distracted by the sun and heat, that I couldn't even think about what I might have looked like.
I feel like, of all the runs I've done since last May, I earned those six miles.
I only wish I could have felt like this sooner in life. And that everyone else could feel the same.
As a teenager, I was always self-conscious of my legs. I hated wearing shorts, because even at my skinniest, I had huge leg muscles. Even on the hottest summer days, I'd usually be in jeans. In college, there would be days where I felt so fat, and so unattractive, that I couldn't even get dressed and go to class. Paralyzed, I'd put pajamas back on, and get back in bed.
I realize how ludicrous that sounds. I missed class because I felt "fat." And that was about 30 pounds ago.
Thirty pounds ago, I had disordered eating patterns. Thirty pounds ago, I couldn't even put on an outfit to leave the house.
After college, I realized that it was silly not to wear shorts, to be miserable because of something as superficial as clothing, or body shape. Especially when, by all accounts, I wasn't overweight. My legs were strong and healthy. There was nothing wrong with me. By then, I understood that bodies change. Mine had changed a lot. I had gained a good amount of weight -- I was probably at my heaviest when I first went back to graduate school. But I could get dressed, usually with minimal problems. I could wear shorts. I could leave the house. I wasn't crazy about how I looked. In fact, I was pretty unhappy with how much weight I gained. But I didn't linger on it.
Then, in graduate school, I started studying feminist theory, and thinking a lot about the ways women, in particular, are expected to look. The pressure that young girls feel to be thin, or pretty, or "perfect." The ways women pin their hopes and summer plans on fitting into the perfect pair of jeans, or bikini.
I thought of all the time and energy wasted on such a pointless thing. Imagine I had all the time back that I spent worrying about my clothes, my body. I could have been so much more productive. I could have experienced more life right then and there, instead of thinking I only deserved to live and be comfortable once I lost X pounds.
Think what would happen if every woman (and man) struggling with self-acceptance was able to trust that s/he was beautiful, and strong, and just fine. I read this blog post today, and it damn near broke my heart. A woman who has worked as hard as she has to get fit and strong has earned the right to wear running shorts, and look beautiful doing it. Shit, anyone should be able to. The idea that some people can wear some clothes, and others can't, is beyond upsetting to me. Who defines what beauty is?
Running has helped me with my own acceptance. Whereas before I'd wear shorts mostly out of necessity, I wear them now because I am proud of the muscles in my legs. A lot of hard work, sweat, and even tears have gone into those muscles. I've run in the rain. I've run in the snow. I've run during heat waves. I've run through shin splints, numbness, cracking joints, and other weird foot "things." I've run through heartbreak and depression. More than once, I've gotten up at 5:30 a.m. to run with a bunch of strangers.
Even so, I'm not perfect. I still have days where I feel like nothing fits right, or where I wonder how I gained all this weight. But those days are farther and farther apart. I can go months without feeling bad about my body.
Last week's heat wave was my most recent test. I was determined to keep up with running, despite the heat. I usually run in shorts, a jogging bra, and a tank top, but even the tank top was too much last week. Before now, I have never run in just a jogging bra. I feel vulnerable, and I'm self-conscious about my stomach. But, dammit, it was hotter than hell, and I wanted to run. So I took off my tank top. After all, it was so hot that no one else was out anyway. And the few people I came across just expressed disbelief that I was crazy enough to be running in the first place. No one told me to put a shirt back on. No one made fun of me.
And you know what? After a minute or so, I was so distracted by the sun and heat, that I couldn't even think about what I might have looked like.
I feel like, of all the runs I've done since last May, I earned those six miles.
I only wish I could have felt like this sooner in life. And that everyone else could feel the same.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Move/make: Week 14
Weight (as of Monday morning): 171.4 pounds.
Workouts:
Monday: Ran 20 minutes
Tuesday: Ran 20 minutes
Wednesday: Ran 40 minutes
Thursday: Does chasing a 2-year-old up and down inflatable slides and ladders for an hour count? It sure felt like it.
Friday: Biked 10 miles
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Hiked 30 minutes
Thoughts on food:
This last week was more of the same. But I went grocery shopping today, and am running a 5K on Wednesday, so I'm making a more conscious effort to eat healthier this week. The few times I went out to eat were healthy, though -- salads and healthy pizzas. I also finally cleaned out my fridge. Sometimes I get this mental food block, especially when there's nothing but expired eggs and wilting spinach in the fridge.
Overall reflections:
I know I wanted to get a variety of workouts in, but I since I decided to do a 5K this week, I've been focused on running. I wanted to make sure I could run a 5K without feeling too exhausted, and I think I'll be all right.
Overall, I'm feeling good. Last weekend was a whirlwind: I saw my best friend and her son, reconnected with an old friend on her birthday, had lunch with another friend, went to another friend's baby shower, went to Cave of the Mounds in Wisconsin, went for a bike ride in my hometown, and visited my grandparents. All in four days! I have a five-day weekend coming up that's promising to be similarly busy. I feel very lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life that I can spend time with. When my last relationship ended, I swore I'd do better at cultivating friendships. I'm happy I made good on that promise.
Goals:
For the rest of this week, I want to:
Workouts:
Monday: Ran 20 minutes
Tuesday: Ran 20 minutes
Wednesday: Ran 40 minutes
Thursday: Does chasing a 2-year-old up and down inflatable slides and ladders for an hour count? It sure felt like it.
Friday: Biked 10 miles
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Hiked 30 minutes
Thoughts on food:
This last week was more of the same. But I went grocery shopping today, and am running a 5K on Wednesday, so I'm making a more conscious effort to eat healthier this week. The few times I went out to eat were healthy, though -- salads and healthy pizzas. I also finally cleaned out my fridge. Sometimes I get this mental food block, especially when there's nothing but expired eggs and wilting spinach in the fridge.
Overall reflections:
I know I wanted to get a variety of workouts in, but I since I decided to do a 5K this week, I've been focused on running. I wanted to make sure I could run a 5K without feeling too exhausted, and I think I'll be all right.
Overall, I'm feeling good. Last weekend was a whirlwind: I saw my best friend and her son, reconnected with an old friend on her birthday, had lunch with another friend, went to another friend's baby shower, went to Cave of the Mounds in Wisconsin, went for a bike ride in my hometown, and visited my grandparents. All in four days! I have a five-day weekend coming up that's promising to be similarly busy. I feel very lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life that I can spend time with. When my last relationship ended, I swore I'd do better at cultivating friendships. I'm happy I made good on that promise.
Goals:
For the rest of this week, I want to:
- Successfully run that Fourth of July 5K.
- Go for another long bike ride.
- Go to the gym at least once.
- Tackle two major things on my to-do list: Finish my CV and apply for jobs.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Move/make: Week 13
Today's weight (a couple of days late): 175.0 pounds.
Workouts:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Ran 37 minutes
Wednesday: Biked 15 miles
Thursday: Swam 40 minutes
Friday: Played frisbee 30 minutes
Saturday: Walked all over Madison all day
Sunday: Short run/walk, frisbee
Thoughts on food:
So, so bad. A lot of Diet Coke, Clif bars, and crackers and cheese. Some fruit, but not a lot. The fridge is a disaster I've been avoiding. I also went out to eat way too much (Chinese food, twice; pizza buffet, which was pretty awful; fried fish, twice; Thai food; ice cream).
So, pretty bad.
Overall reflections:
A combination of needing to buckle down with training for some upcoming races this July, and not having any money, will help with not eating out as much. I have a lunch date planned with a friend from my newspaper days this Friday, but other than that, things should be OK.
I made good on my goal of varying my workouts. My roommate and I have been playing frisbee, which has been fun. Swimming laps wore me out -- in a good way -- and I want to go back to the pool soon. The only thing I need to stick with is weight-training, something I'm notoriously bad about keeping up with. The upcoming heat wave this week will give me plenty of opportunity to hit the gym, though.
I also saw a neurologist yesterday. He poked my foot and leg with tiny needles. It was terrible.
Overall, I'm feeling good about these workouts, despite the crappy diet I've had.
Goals:
By this Sunday, I want to:
Workouts:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Ran 37 minutes
Wednesday: Biked 15 miles
Thursday: Swam 40 minutes
Friday: Played frisbee 30 minutes
Saturday: Walked all over Madison all day
Sunday: Short run/walk, frisbee
Thoughts on food:
So, so bad. A lot of Diet Coke, Clif bars, and crackers and cheese. Some fruit, but not a lot. The fridge is a disaster I've been avoiding. I also went out to eat way too much (Chinese food, twice; pizza buffet, which was pretty awful; fried fish, twice; Thai food; ice cream).
So, pretty bad.
Overall reflections:
A combination of needing to buckle down with training for some upcoming races this July, and not having any money, will help with not eating out as much. I have a lunch date planned with a friend from my newspaper days this Friday, but other than that, things should be OK.
I made good on my goal of varying my workouts. My roommate and I have been playing frisbee, which has been fun. Swimming laps wore me out -- in a good way -- and I want to go back to the pool soon. The only thing I need to stick with is weight-training, something I'm notoriously bad about keeping up with. The upcoming heat wave this week will give me plenty of opportunity to hit the gym, though.
I also saw a neurologist yesterday. He poked my foot and leg with tiny needles. It was terrible.
Overall, I'm feeling good about these workouts, despite the crappy diet I've had.
Goals:
By this Sunday, I want to:
- Only go out to eat twice
- Weight-train two separate times
- Go for one long bike ride
- Go for two 5K runs
- Swim or play frisbee again
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Move/make: Weeks 11 and 12
Today's weight: 172.3 pounds.
Workouts (last week):
Monday: Biked 30 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Biked 5 miles, walked one hour
Saturday: Biked 3 miles, weights for 45 minutes (legs and abs)
Sunday: Off
Workouts (this week):
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Ran 35 minutes
Thursday: Ran 37 minutes
Friday: Ran 20 minutes
Saturday: Ran 37 minutes
Sunday: Off
Thoughts on food:
These last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I finished my job training last week, and started teaching this week. Because of that, I haven't eaten as well as I probably should be, but I've only gone out to eat once a week. I'm making sure I stay on top of grocery shopping.
Rather than focusing on cooking, which is clearly not happening, I think a more realistic goal for me is to make sure the snacks and small meals I eat throughout the day are healthy and filling -- veggie burgers, fresh fruit, a protein-filled breakfast. I'm happy to keep the no-eating-out rule, though. It's saving me money that I can spend on better groceries.
Overall reflections:
I stuck to about half of the goals I posted last time. I went grocery shopping, I finally saw a podiatrist, and I went to the gym and lifted weights.
I didn't work out as often as I wanted last week, but I more than made up for it this week. I got the green-light to start running again this Wednesday, and have gone for a run every day since then. I am so, so happy that I can do this. I still have another appointment with a neurologist (for a nerve conduction test, since it's a nerve problem in my foot), but my podiatrist said I can start running again as long as my foot doesn't get worse or start hurting (it's just been numb, but not painful).
I didn't fit in another long bike ride, so that's a goal for next week.
Between my last post and this one, I also quit my first teaching job, and am starting a job this Monday that is more in line with what I actually want as a career. It will allow me to stay in the town I live in, rather than driving all over northern Illinois. It pays just as well as the old one, and I won't have to work with little kids. I'm nervous, for a whole other slew of reasons, but I'm happy to leave that other, grueling job behind.
These last two weeks have been insane, but I'm feeling much better than I was before. I'm also starting to see a difference from working out. My muscles are stronger and more defined, and I have a lot more endurance. My weight seems to be steadily going down, too. The cross-training definitely helped. Going forward, I want to make sure I have more variety in my workouts, rather than just running or biking.
Goals:
I binged on running this week -- I was just so glad to be able to do it again. But now I have a job that gives me more free time during the day to hit the gym and the pool -- things I couldn't always do before.
Because of that, I want to do the following things next week, for some variety:
As for my long-term summer goals, I sat down and listed them all out here. That way, I can use this space for my short-term, week-to-week check-ins, and have a running list in one place of my overall goals for the summer.
Workouts (last week):
Monday: Biked 30 miles
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Biked 5 miles, walked one hour
Saturday: Biked 3 miles, weights for 45 minutes (legs and abs)
Sunday: Off
Workouts (this week):
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Ran 35 minutes
Thursday: Ran 37 minutes
Friday: Ran 20 minutes
Saturday: Ran 37 minutes
Sunday: Off
Thoughts on food:
These last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I finished my job training last week, and started teaching this week. Because of that, I haven't eaten as well as I probably should be, but I've only gone out to eat once a week. I'm making sure I stay on top of grocery shopping.
Rather than focusing on cooking, which is clearly not happening, I think a more realistic goal for me is to make sure the snacks and small meals I eat throughout the day are healthy and filling -- veggie burgers, fresh fruit, a protein-filled breakfast. I'm happy to keep the no-eating-out rule, though. It's saving me money that I can spend on better groceries.
Overall reflections:
I stuck to about half of the goals I posted last time. I went grocery shopping, I finally saw a podiatrist, and I went to the gym and lifted weights.
I didn't work out as often as I wanted last week, but I more than made up for it this week. I got the green-light to start running again this Wednesday, and have gone for a run every day since then. I am so, so happy that I can do this. I still have another appointment with a neurologist (for a nerve conduction test, since it's a nerve problem in my foot), but my podiatrist said I can start running again as long as my foot doesn't get worse or start hurting (it's just been numb, but not painful).
I didn't fit in another long bike ride, so that's a goal for next week.
Between my last post and this one, I also quit my first teaching job, and am starting a job this Monday that is more in line with what I actually want as a career. It will allow me to stay in the town I live in, rather than driving all over northern Illinois. It pays just as well as the old one, and I won't have to work with little kids. I'm nervous, for a whole other slew of reasons, but I'm happy to leave that other, grueling job behind.
These last two weeks have been insane, but I'm feeling much better than I was before. I'm also starting to see a difference from working out. My muscles are stronger and more defined, and I have a lot more endurance. My weight seems to be steadily going down, too. The cross-training definitely helped. Going forward, I want to make sure I have more variety in my workouts, rather than just running or biking.
Goals:
I binged on running this week -- I was just so glad to be able to do it again. But now I have a job that gives me more free time during the day to hit the gym and the pool -- things I couldn't always do before.
Because of that, I want to do the following things next week, for some variety:
- Go to the pool at least once
- Go to the gym and lift weights at least twice
- Go for a long (25-mile or more) bike ride
- Go for a run
As for my long-term summer goals, I sat down and listed them all out here. That way, I can use this space for my short-term, week-to-week check-ins, and have a running list in one place of my overall goals for the summer.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Move/make: Week 6
Today's weight: 176.4 pounds.
Workouts:
Monday: Bike 5 miles, walk 1.5 hours
Tuesday: Bike 3 miles, walk 1 hour
Wednesday: Bike 26 miles
Thursday: Off
Friday: Bike 12 miles
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
Thoughts on food:
I only went out to eat twice, which is one more time than my goal, but still better than before. My eating habits have been better overall, minus a junk-food binge yesterday that ended with food poisoning. Needless to say, I am cured of my junk-food cravings for now. I can't even think about food.
Overall reflections:
My foot is still numb. I got sick of staying off of it, and went for a couple of long walks at the beginning of the week. I plan on staying off of it until my doctor's appointment this coming Friday, though, since I really need it to get better before I don't have insurance. My summer job also requires me to be on my feet a lot. Hooray.
My long bike ride on Wednesday was incredible; I'm looking forward to more of those as soon as I'm feeling better. Reading Born to Run hasn't been helping my running restlessness, though. I see people running while out on my bike, and I get a pang. I've even been dreaming about running. I know it's already doing a number on my joints and foot, but I still miss the way it feels. I'm so desperate to fix my foot, I've been considering these abominations. These shoes bum me out whenever I see them on someone, but if they work, who knows?
Goals:
I ended up using my car quite a bit last week, because it rained off and on almost every day. I did get a long bike ride in, like I wanted to.
For this week, I just need to survive finals. My goals are to eat healthy, get a lot of rest, and go on at least a couple of shorter rides. But my focus now is writing papers, grading papers, and graduating (!).
Workouts:
Monday: Bike 5 miles, walk 1.5 hours
Tuesday: Bike 3 miles, walk 1 hour
Wednesday: Bike 26 miles
Thursday: Off
Friday: Bike 12 miles
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
Thoughts on food:
I only went out to eat twice, which is one more time than my goal, but still better than before. My eating habits have been better overall, minus a junk-food binge yesterday that ended with food poisoning. Needless to say, I am cured of my junk-food cravings for now. I can't even think about food.
Overall reflections:
My foot is still numb. I got sick of staying off of it, and went for a couple of long walks at the beginning of the week. I plan on staying off of it until my doctor's appointment this coming Friday, though, since I really need it to get better before I don't have insurance. My summer job also requires me to be on my feet a lot. Hooray.
My long bike ride on Wednesday was incredible; I'm looking forward to more of those as soon as I'm feeling better. Reading Born to Run hasn't been helping my running restlessness, though. I see people running while out on my bike, and I get a pang. I've even been dreaming about running. I know it's already doing a number on my joints and foot, but I still miss the way it feels. I'm so desperate to fix my foot, I've been considering these abominations. These shoes bum me out whenever I see them on someone, but if they work, who knows?
Goals:
I ended up using my car quite a bit last week, because it rained off and on almost every day. I did get a long bike ride in, like I wanted to.
For this week, I just need to survive finals. My goals are to eat healthy, get a lot of rest, and go on at least a couple of shorter rides. But my focus now is writing papers, grading papers, and graduating (!).
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Move/make: Week 5
Today's weight: 178.8 pounds.
Workouts:
Monday: Bike 7.5 miles
Tuesday: Bike 3 miles
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Bike 5.5 miles
Friday: Bike 2 miles
Saturday: Bike 20 miles
Sunday: Bike 10 miles
Thoughts on food:
I've eaten healthier since Thursday, including a vegetarian burrito and a seitan pita. I feel so much better. I've also discovered Clif bars (I usually eat Luna bars or Larabars). They've got more protein than the others, which I desperately need if I'm going to keep going on longer bike rides. I went out to eat a couple of times this week, twice with friends, and once by myself. This time of the semester always gets busy, though -- I need to make sure I'm making sandwiches to bring to campus.
Overall reflections:
After my mid-week reflections on Wednesday, I realized I needed to kick my butt into gear. I also went to the doctor on Friday and found out I can't run for at least two weeks. I wasn't expecting to feel as strongly as I did, but I really felt heartbroken -- running has been therapy for me. It's helped me through some dark times, and there's nothing that compares to it. I was also training for a 10K at the end of May. Because of my summer job, I won't be able to run many races, since I'll work every weekend. I'm worried that I may not get a race in before my job starts.
I decided to ride my bike more, though. My long ride yesterday was incredible -- I was worn out but not over-taxed. I wasn't even sore this morning. I've had a bike for as long as I can remember, but I've never really wanted to go on longer rides. I think I've always felt too out of shape. Thanks to running, though, those 20 miles weren't so hard. While I'm resting my foot, I'm going to keep riding. On off days, I'll go to the gym and lift weights -- something I need to do anyway.
Biking feels freeing in a different way than running does. I like running because you don't need anything other than a good pair of shoes. You can walk out your door and go as far as your legs can take you. It's empowering. Biking is nice because you don't feel stuck in a car -- I biked out to Target this morning to pick up some things I needed. It felt great. I wasn't crabby, like I've been feeling. I just felt ... happy. I wanted to keep riding, but I have work to do today.
Goals:
Don't use my car at all next week; bike to campus and to run errands. Try and squeeze in another 20-mile ride at some point next week. On my off days, hit the gym.
My long-term biking goal is to ride to my parent's house (35 miles one way) and back. I want to do this by the end of May.
Food-wise, only go out to eat once next week.
Workouts:
Monday: Bike 7.5 miles
Tuesday: Bike 3 miles
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Bike 5.5 miles
Friday: Bike 2 miles
Saturday: Bike 20 miles
Sunday: Bike 10 miles
Thoughts on food:
I've eaten healthier since Thursday, including a vegetarian burrito and a seitan pita. I feel so much better. I've also discovered Clif bars (I usually eat Luna bars or Larabars). They've got more protein than the others, which I desperately need if I'm going to keep going on longer bike rides. I went out to eat a couple of times this week, twice with friends, and once by myself. This time of the semester always gets busy, though -- I need to make sure I'm making sandwiches to bring to campus.
Overall reflections:
After my mid-week reflections on Wednesday, I realized I needed to kick my butt into gear. I also went to the doctor on Friday and found out I can't run for at least two weeks. I wasn't expecting to feel as strongly as I did, but I really felt heartbroken -- running has been therapy for me. It's helped me through some dark times, and there's nothing that compares to it. I was also training for a 10K at the end of May. Because of my summer job, I won't be able to run many races, since I'll work every weekend. I'm worried that I may not get a race in before my job starts.
I decided to ride my bike more, though. My long ride yesterday was incredible -- I was worn out but not over-taxed. I wasn't even sore this morning. I've had a bike for as long as I can remember, but I've never really wanted to go on longer rides. I think I've always felt too out of shape. Thanks to running, though, those 20 miles weren't so hard. While I'm resting my foot, I'm going to keep riding. On off days, I'll go to the gym and lift weights -- something I need to do anyway.
Biking feels freeing in a different way than running does. I like running because you don't need anything other than a good pair of shoes. You can walk out your door and go as far as your legs can take you. It's empowering. Biking is nice because you don't feel stuck in a car -- I biked out to Target this morning to pick up some things I needed. It felt great. I wasn't crabby, like I've been feeling. I just felt ... happy. I wanted to keep riding, but I have work to do today.
Goals:
Don't use my car at all next week; bike to campus and to run errands. Try and squeeze in another 20-mile ride at some point next week. On my off days, hit the gym.
My long-term biking goal is to ride to my parent's house (35 miles one way) and back. I want to do this by the end of May.
Food-wise, only go out to eat once next week.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Move/make: Week 2
Today I'm at 177.6 pounds, so maybe last week wasn't so far off.
Workouts:
Monday: Ran 37 minutes
Tuesday: Biked six miles
Wednesday: Biked three miles, ran 27 minutes
Thursday: Walked one hour, biked 4.5 miles
Friday: Ran 20 minutes
Saturday: Ran a 5K in just under 35 minutes, about two minutes under my previous time
Sunday: Recovery day
Thoughts on food:
Except for a few snacks at school, I stuck with my goal of not going out to eat unless it was with someone. Though I went out for dinner four times this week, I was lucky enough to share food with some wonderful people, and I wouldn't trade that for anything -- especially since I don't get to see many of those friends as often as I'd like.
I've been getting better at not eating junk, though my long days with no lunch breaks are making it hard to avoid the vending machines on campus. I bought some healthier snacks that I can carry in my bag and eat in the short breaks I do get between teaching and tutoring. I feel better and happier when I have something decent to eat.
Overall reflections:
I tapered my runs this week so that I wouldn't be worn out for the race on Saturday. I've been very sore this week, but I feel good about the race on Saturday. I noticed I'm able to run faster than before, and I beat my old time by two minutes. I ran with one of my very good friends, and we've got plans to work up to a 10K over the summer.
I've continued to have more energy and have been feeling much happier overall. The end-of-semester crunch is happening -- and is doubly stressful because of the job hunt I also need to start. I want to make sure I continue running and biking, at the very least, because it keeps me calm.
As for my goals from last week, I ran a full 5K distance before my original goal of Thursday. I didn't do much cooking for myself, and I didn't make it to the gym.
Goals:
This week, I'd like to actually make it to the gym at least once, and work on weight-training. I also want to ride my bike to campus four days this week.
Workouts:
Monday: Ran 37 minutes
Tuesday: Biked six miles
Wednesday: Biked three miles, ran 27 minutes
Thursday: Walked one hour, biked 4.5 miles
Friday: Ran 20 minutes
Saturday: Ran a 5K in just under 35 minutes, about two minutes under my previous time
Sunday: Recovery day
Thoughts on food:
Except for a few snacks at school, I stuck with my goal of not going out to eat unless it was with someone. Though I went out for dinner four times this week, I was lucky enough to share food with some wonderful people, and I wouldn't trade that for anything -- especially since I don't get to see many of those friends as often as I'd like.
I've been getting better at not eating junk, though my long days with no lunch breaks are making it hard to avoid the vending machines on campus. I bought some healthier snacks that I can carry in my bag and eat in the short breaks I do get between teaching and tutoring. I feel better and happier when I have something decent to eat.
Overall reflections:
I tapered my runs this week so that I wouldn't be worn out for the race on Saturday. I've been very sore this week, but I feel good about the race on Saturday. I noticed I'm able to run faster than before, and I beat my old time by two minutes. I ran with one of my very good friends, and we've got plans to work up to a 10K over the summer.
I've continued to have more energy and have been feeling much happier overall. The end-of-semester crunch is happening -- and is doubly stressful because of the job hunt I also need to start. I want to make sure I continue running and biking, at the very least, because it keeps me calm.
As for my goals from last week, I ran a full 5K distance before my original goal of Thursday. I didn't do much cooking for myself, and I didn't make it to the gym.
Goals:
This week, I'd like to actually make it to the gym at least once, and work on weight-training. I also want to ride my bike to campus four days this week.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Move/make: Week 1
I weighed myself today -- I'm now at 175.2 pounds. I don't know if my weight a week ago was a fluke or not, as I haven't been in the habit of weighing myself for years, but I find it hard to believe I lost nine pounds. Either way, it's gone down, which is good, because I've been training hard for an upcoming 5K.
Workouts:
Ran 32 minutes on Monday
Biked three miles on Tuesday
Biked three miles and ran 32 minutes on Wednesday
Walked one hour and biked three miles on Thursday
Day off on Friday
Ran 32 minutes on Saturday
Ran 35 minutes today (Sunday)
Thoughts on food:
I ate out three days in a row with friends, but not eating meat forces me to make semi-healthy choices. I've learned that I really like seitan (made from wheat gluten). I try not to go out to eat by myself, and instead save that time/money for when I can make it something social. Spending time and sharing good food with friends makes me happy. It's nourishing in an entirely different, but no less important, way.
Overall reflections:
Thanks to a new running buddy, I've been running longer and more often than I ever have before. Before I quit running a couple of months ago, I was up to about 40 minutes of non-stop running. When I started running with my friend last week, we were only able to run 18 minutes. Now we've nearly doubled it, and our route includes about five minutes of steady incline. There's no way I would have made this much progress on my own. And, like sharing meals, I've found it's really comforting and inspiring to run with someone else.
I've also had a lot more energy. I visited my best friend and her nearly two-year-old son last week, and I chased him around the house for a while without feeling lazy or tired. I nap less, and I actually look forward to biking to campus every day. Running hasn't gotten easier to go out and do, but I have found that I start to hit my stride around 25 minutes or so, and it gets easier to finish the run.
Overall, I feel more at peace with myself.
Goals:
By this coming Thursday, I want to run a full 5K, to make sure I'm ready for my race on Saturday. I also need to get better at cooking for myself. I'd love to make it to the gym for weight training, but I think I'll just be glad to get up to speed for Saturday.
Workouts:
Ran 32 minutes on Monday
Biked three miles on Tuesday
Biked three miles and ran 32 minutes on Wednesday
Walked one hour and biked three miles on Thursday
Day off on Friday
Ran 32 minutes on Saturday
Ran 35 minutes today (Sunday)
Thoughts on food:
I ate out three days in a row with friends, but not eating meat forces me to make semi-healthy choices. I've learned that I really like seitan (made from wheat gluten). I try not to go out to eat by myself, and instead save that time/money for when I can make it something social. Spending time and sharing good food with friends makes me happy. It's nourishing in an entirely different, but no less important, way.
Overall reflections:
Thanks to a new running buddy, I've been running longer and more often than I ever have before. Before I quit running a couple of months ago, I was up to about 40 minutes of non-stop running. When I started running with my friend last week, we were only able to run 18 minutes. Now we've nearly doubled it, and our route includes about five minutes of steady incline. There's no way I would have made this much progress on my own. And, like sharing meals, I've found it's really comforting and inspiring to run with someone else.
I've also had a lot more energy. I visited my best friend and her nearly two-year-old son last week, and I chased him around the house for a while without feeling lazy or tired. I nap less, and I actually look forward to biking to campus every day. Running hasn't gotten easier to go out and do, but I have found that I start to hit my stride around 25 minutes or so, and it gets easier to finish the run.
Overall, I feel more at peace with myself.
Goals:
By this coming Thursday, I want to run a full 5K, to make sure I'm ready for my race on Saturday. I also need to get better at cooking for myself. I'd love to make it to the gym for weight training, but I think I'll just be glad to get up to speed for Saturday.
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