Weekend Update
Saturday:
Three cheers for me!
I finished the 5k with glory--all running and no walking.
The intensity with which I ran was all the more sweeter too. My legs wanted a break so bad but I just kept running. All the while I repeated a stolen mantra from
Finding Nemo to force myself to keep going.
Instead of Dory's "just keep
swimming, just keep
swimming..." I inserted
running.
"Just keep running, just keep running. What do we do? We run." lol
A silly little mantra but, hey, it kept me going.
I thought I did well and was quite proud of myself.
My time: 29:57.
Not too shabby for only a mere 2 weeks of training. I made a promise to myself to cut my time down at least a minute if not more by the next race which will be in September. (late Sept)
Sunday:
Being that my right leg was strained from running the 5k, I opted to work out at the gym instead and stay off my leg as much as possible.
I managed a good 45 min on the recline bike and also did some light weight training for my quads and hammies.
Yippee! Muscle tone is slowly re-emerging! Talk about some postive reinforcement!
Monday:
I repeated Sunday's regimen sans the weight training.
It was hella crowded at the Student Recreation Complex on campus. All these damn sorority and frat punks hogging up the machines. Nothing more irritating than having to wait for some chick who's only pretending to be lifting when in actually she's just trying hard to be noticed by guys. Damn hussy. That's what I hate about working out on campus.
2.2 miles
Great News!
Dre' finally got back to me via email with directions for the 5k tomorrow morning. Yay! So it looks like I will be getting my race on!
Only thing is that registration starts at 5:15 AM! Yeah, I don't know if AM is even in my vocabulary! haha It's gonna take a lot for me to drag my J-Lo booty outta bed. Naw, I'm just being a drama queen. I'm pretty excited right now about my first 5k so I'm sure getting up with the rez roosters shouldn't be much of a problemo.
I have a complaint tho.
The inside of my right calf(sp?) has been giving me hell for the last two days.
I happen to know I am an overpronator and I'm thinking that I'm not landing right or pushing off right with that leg.
In fact, it's stinging right now. After the run tomorrow, I may have to give the running a rest for a couple days and just get my burn on with the stationary bike. *sigh* That sucks but I guess things like that go along with the territory.
I'll definitely be smelling like a rez grandma with all the Ben-gay that I'll smear on my calf tomorrow. haha
Oh yeah. Managed to do 2.2 miles today. Didn't wanna over do it tonight.
I need to save some juice for tomorrow. Wish me luck!!
3.1 miles
Given that I was nursing a hangover all day today--I couldn't even focus on watching TV much less think about going for my run. And considering that I didn't run the other evening, I forced myself to get off my nice, comfy sofa and lace up my shoes.
Initially I wanted to run only 2.0 miles--maybe 2.5 at the most.
My pace was pretty slow throughout the entire run. I didn't start picking up the pace until my last 0.5 miles because I wasn't feeling any type of burn in my quads.
I pushed myself to do 3.0 miles instead because I was like 'oh, what the hell. just do it.'
The temperature was warm out. It had to be in the late 80's or low 90's.
I felt muggy and the warmness made me feel lethargic.
However, I am proud of myself up to this point.
I can run a 5k distance without much effort! My friend, Dre, has yet to get back to me on where the Salt River 5k will be held. I'd like to run it and see how well I do time-wise. There is another 5k scheduled for the 29th of Sept. by a campus organization I'm a part of. I'll train to beat my time then.
I like this whole training bit.
I was starting to slack off on my running because I had no goal to push for. I basically just ran whenever I wanted to and was not very consistent. Now, I have something to motivate me to run at least 4 times a week. Not to mention, I'm trying to go down 2 dress sizes. haha
I'm also looking into buying some new shoes. My current pair has logged approximately 250 miles so far. You are supposed to be replacing shoes at around the 300 mile mark right? Just curious.
I am also keeping in mind the 2004
Susan G. Koman RAce for the Cure 5k Race on Oct 10 in downtown Phoenix. Looks like I may have to start adjusting to running in the early morning. I don't know how the temperature will be then. Better safe than sorry.
4.0 miles again! hah!
This evening I had a lot of things on my mind when I first began my run. I've been letting the whole 'hanging out with friends' get in the way of my running. And I don't mean hanging out as in sitting on the sofa and watching movies.
Even though it was way late in the evening (10:40 pm to be exact), I went for my little run. I knew I shouldn't have been running that late at night with nothing like pepper spray to protect me but I would have felt guilty had I not run because that would have been the 4th day in a row that my running shoes haven't been hitting asphalt.
I was only intending on running 3 miles but I ended up running almost 4 miles again!
I was surprised at my endurance for the first 2 miles and I could do sprint intervals without feeling sluggish. Mile 3 was a little different and I had to slow down a bit and trot.
The weather was perfectly cool and not humid which is odd for a late August night in Phoenix. Usually by this time of year, it is still blazing hot outside and makes runs uncomfortable.
It's funny how during the course of my run, my mind keeps repeating the lyrics to the last song I had heard prior to getting outside. The other night I kept humming a song by Weezer and tonight it was a Five for Fighting song that the DJ in my head kept spinning. It seems to make my runs seem less monotonous. And it sure beats thinking about things that have been bugging me out lately.
My friend invited me to run a 5K at Salt River this weekend and it looks like I will be up to the challenge. It will be a little difficult given the fact that I've been training during the cool evenings and this little race will be starting at 7 am. By then, already a little too warm for comfort.
I managed to work on my abs after my run but feel I need to focus on working my quads for they're the first part of my body that feels fatigued after 30 min.
3 miles and I about pooped
I could only manage to do 3 miles today.
Give or take 1/10th.
By mile 2.5 I thought I was going to pass out.
More details later.
Wow! 4 miles!
I was quite surprised with my jog tonight.
I ran 4 miles without ever having to rely on my second wind kicking in.
For some odd reason, my run was almost effortless. However, by mile 3.2 my quads were burning. That sensation still could not overwhelm the so-called baby runner's high that I was experiencing.
I suppose I could have run the monumental 5 miles but I don't think it would be wise of me to push for such a distance given I haven't ran a distance past 3.6 miles all summer. I was caught off guard by the ease of my run tonight that I just wanted to run and run and run.
But I didn't.
Most of the ease was due to the fact that I had been jogging on the rez at an altitude of about 6K ft. Phoenix is about 2K ft. -- so go figure.
The Beginning of my Running Saga
I've decided to follow in the running shoes of
Deene and start my own running blog.
I think it will be motivating to see my progress as well as reaching personal goals.
Over the summer I did a lot of thinking.
Thinking about 10Ks, Half-Marathons, and even Marathons.
I found myself realizing that I hardly have anything to challenge myself for besides college. I needed something to focus on other than personal troubles, worries about my future, etc.
I needed something that I could look forward to doing everyday.
Something that would make me push my limits.
Something that I didn't think I could ever be capable of accomplishing.
In high school, that something for me was
running.
I wasn't on the cross-country team nor was I a member of the track team.
I began running to remedy a weight issue I thought I had.
I started with a 10.5 minute mile and at my best I thought I was flying at a 6.5 minute-mile.
It was great!
What was even better was the feeling of racing up and down the rocky, mountainous terrain of Kayenta--Mars-like country, and not feeling fatigued BUT invigorated.
Sure, my thighs burned as I chugged up hills, my calve muscles felt sure to rip in half, and the oxygen-debt was hard to handle at some moments.
Physical pain was bliss. It was my reminder of what I had achieved up to that point and what I could ultimately be capable of.
I'm going to take it slow now and train to run 10K distances before I move onto training for a half-marathon. I've signed up for a subscription to
Runner's World and have also bought a book on women's running. Hopefully they will prove to be handy instruments in my quest for challenge and fulfillment.
Tonight:
Being that I drove 5 hours from the Navajo rez to Tempe, AZ--I'm beat.
I binged on some delectable menudo and a green corn tamale for dinner. It was so filling that even after 4 hours later--I was still lying around my apartment with a full stomach.
Eventually, I forced myself to run 2.6 miles after a week-long hiatus from a regular schedule of running 3.5 miles a day.
It's a start.
And this time I am more serious.
