Run, Baby, Run….and bring your friends and family

Ok, so this week’s training is basically going to hell. Ironically, both Kim’s husband and my husband were sick on Wednesday, so no run….I made a few miles, sort of. I took the puppies for a two mile run in the morning. (At least they’re getting in shape. Too bad chunky puppy really detests running early and pulls the leash in the wrong direction every time.) I went to the gym in the afternoon for a quick three mile run on the treadmill and a little strength training before trick-or-treating. The Halloween part was very fun! We had about a hundred kids at our house, and my son ran from house to house, as he was so excited by the whole shebang.

Logbook Activity

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/31/2007
• Time: 03:30:00
• Distance: 5 miles

I needed a quick break from running, and a little fun in my workout. I popped in and took a “cardio, core and tone” class yesterday. Super fun! I can’t claim it was the hardest thing I’ve spent an hour doing, but my arms were a touch tired and my abs….oooof. And it was just plain fun! Jumping jacks, jabs, abs and quick feet drills. I took a day off today after looking back over the last week and realizing….I haven’t taken a day off in a while. Back to running with Kim tomorrow.

Logbook Activity

• Type: Strength Training
• Date: 10/29/2007
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

Logbook Activity

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 10/29/2007
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

Ok, so I was a little bummed when Kim told me she was going out of town, kind of unexpectedly. While I was very happy for her to have a little vacation and some time with her family, the idea of a 10 mile run all alone didn’t sound so great. I was at a friend’s Halloweeen party, talking to her friend, Heather, a woman I only see on occasion, but like a lot. She’s running the Seattle half-marathon. “Great,” I said jokingly. “Want to run 10 miles tomorrow morning.” “Actually, yes!” What are the odds of running into somebody (no pun intended) at a party who wants to run 10 miles in the 30 degree weather at 5:30 am? Yippee!! We had a good run, too. She had an even smaller window than me, so we went 9 miles and it felt great! Even threw some hills in there. We finished to a beautiful sunrise and I was off to spend the day at my nephew’s first birthday.

Logbook Activity

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/28/2007
• Time: 05:30:00
• Total Time: 1:27:00.00
• Distance: 9.1 miles
• Average Pace: 9:33.25/mile

In a non-Clint Eastwood way, I mean. And a non-”hey baby” way too. I just mean regular lucky. (Maybe that wasn’t such a good title after all.) Anyway, I have an amazing husband, fun and funny and challenging kids, great friends, and family I love and enjoy and a body that works. So I’m lucky. Hope you are too.

Logbook Activity

• Type: General Cardio
• Date: 10/27/2007
• Time: 10:00:00
• Total Time: 00:45:00.00

Logbook Activity

• Type: Strength Training
• Date: 10/27/2007
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 00:30:00.00

is what I get when I combine running with “tasks”. I came home, ran the puppies (one mile) then grabbed the stroller and ran to daycare (one and a bit miles) then ran home with the kids (one and a bit, a very heavy mile!). I didn’t quite make it up the hill with the 100 pounds of kid and stroller, but it was nice to be out again. Had to bundle up the kids in blankets and did get a few “crazy lady” looks again with the empty stroller. Off now to do some abs….

Logbook Activity

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/26/2007
• Time: 17:00:00

I’m an orthotic junkie. I love my orthotics like some people love shoes or clothes or cars. And I’m due for a new pair, as my feet changed shape a bit with two back-to-back pregnancies. I went for my eval and casting (to Biosports NW, who do a truly fabulous job) yesterday. I’m trained as a PT, so I’ve always had somebody around to do a quick cast and have never really had a full biomechanics eval. It was fascinating! First off, because watching Shari’s brain work is amazing. I’m pretty good at biomechanics, lots of courses and extra work and experience, and comparatively, I’ve got pretty small skills. Her brain just functions on a different level than the rest of us when it comes to this stuff. Secondly, because she taped me running, walking and squatting. I know where my strenghts and weaknesses lie and am getting stronger and more flexible, but to see my knees crash together in mid-stance from hip abductor weakness was, well, breathtaking and humbling. So I spent a good 20 minutes this morning on abdominal work, hip strength and quick muscle recruitment. And now I’m geeking out on PT stuff, so I think I’ll just stop there!

Logbook Activity

• Type: Strength Training
• Date: 10/25/2007
• Time: 09:30:00
• Total Time: 00:20:00.00

Kim and I tried to run this morning. Made it about a 1/2 mile before she, well, pretty much threw up. Poor sick runner! We walked home and called it a morning. While I did enjoy crawling back under the warm covers at 6am, I had to do something. So the puppies and I went for a jog. A quick mile around the loop in our neighborhood. They’re holding their own now, going up hills with me instead of being pulled by the leash. We finished the mile and I turned around to do a second…imagine 8 paws straight out, dug into the concrete, pulling back like “no way! we did one mile and that’s all you get!”. I did a second mile (a 9:20, I was so proud!) at the gym and then took my son swimming. He wore his goggles the whole time, including the showers before and after swimming. He did not actually put his face into the water. Not even once.

Logbook Activity

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/25/2007
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 00:20:00.00
• Distance: 2 miles
• Average Pace: 10:00/mile

….sounds better than staying home with a cranky, tired 3 year old, you know you’re in trouble. I tried Kim’s EZ8s class tonight. Ironically, it was endurance night there, so it was a walk/run/walk/run night with some stretching and hills. Pretty pleaseant once we got into it. The cranky 3 year old was apparently good all night, and tried (as always) to convince us he didn’t really need to go to bed.

Logbook Activity

• Type: Run
• Date: 10/24/2007
• Time: 18:30:00
• Distance: 4.5 miles