Seattle Rock and Roll Training: Week #5

Monday - Ran 3 miles

I ran on the treadmill Monday afternoon at the hotel after we got back from Huntington Beach. Still not used to the treadmill and I couldn't find a TV program I really wanted to watch. It was an OK workout. Enjoyed sitting in the hot tub afterwards with Kara and Hailey.

Tuesday - Rest

We were in LAX a good part of the afternoon and traveling all day. SO TIRED!

Wednesday - Ran 6 miles

And we're back in Oregon. I was not going to try and run in the morning or the afternoon. The weather is awful again. I am missing Southern California. There is no sun in the forecast for at least nine days...yuk!

I ran at the gym on the treadmill and was excited to watch Worst Cooks in America on the Food network. Upped my speed a little bit changing between 6.0 and 6.5. I did the hills track so the incline kept going up and down. It was a good workout. Miss running outside, but it was nice to not have to get out first thing in the morning or at lunch time.

Thursday - Ran 3 miles and 10 minutes of stretching/abs

Nice to run outside again. Not nice running in the rain. Did my regular three mile route. Nice easy run. Eating healthier is a bit easier now that we're home. I didn't gain weight on the vacation, but I didn't lose any either. That's OK.

Some of the kids are sick and Kara is potty training. At least I don't have a whole lot to do until next week. Trying to just unpack and finish some of the "to-do" list stuff I didn't get to before we left for California.

Friday - Centergy 60 minutes

Love, love, love Centergy! I wish I could go every Friday, but all these trips is not allowing that. The stretching was totally what my body needed. The abs workouts were tough, but not pushing me over the edge. I felt so refreshed afterwards. When I ran my last marathon I did one to two workouts a week of weight training. I have done very little with this. My intention in joining the gym again was to go to Group Power since it meets so often. I'm wondering if I should make Centergy a once a week effort instead of Power. The stretching is good along with the core workouts. I have known too many runners who pull muscles doing weight training or aerobics. Power is pretty intense. I still would like to go but having a hard time scheduling it in. They also opened two more biking classes I would like to try. I can't really bike outside for awhile because we are having constant rain that is not letting up anytime soon.

Saturday - 12 miles! And some walking, stretching, abs, and playing with kids in the pool

So incredibly grateful the rain held off. I was running in mild rain on about Mile #9 and that was it. I decided I need to do more hills. I need to be comfortable with them. They are way more mental for me than physical. So I ran on Battlecreek all the way until it turns into Pringle. I was very tired by the end of it, but so glad I did it. I hardly walked the whole workout. I did stop at the Vista Roths for the bathroom and to refill up my water bottle. I loved running in the Wes Bennet and Battlecreek neighborhoods and along Battlecreek. The end of the route I was running up and down Commerical and on Liberty. I think I would change that a little. Liberty's sidewalks are crummy. All in all it went great. My body hurts and I am a little sore. I have been a little more fatigued than usual today. My hormones are a little off. I feel a little a more anxious and irritable than usual. I did manage to take Hailey and Derek swimming in the afternoon and had a good time. Everyone is still tired from vacation. Hailey is better, but Kara is still a little sick. I've also lost a whole pound since we came home from vacation. I am kind of wondering if the scale at the gym is a little off? I will recheck it again on Wednesday.

Seattle Rock and Roll Training: Week #4

Monday: Long Run: 11 miles & 10 minutes of stretching/abs

It's going to be a harder week to exercise (and eat good!) because we're headed to Disney tomorrow afternoon. But I started the week off right. Rather than chance it and try and do my long run on vacation (which never seems to happen) I did it this morning. I went to bed by 9:45 and got out the door by 5:12 AM. It snowed almost the whole entire time, but it was not sticking. It was pretty out and the fact it was so dead quiet made it pretty relaxing. I know some find it absolutely crazy to call a 11 mile run relaxing--but it was nice at times. I am doing so much better on hills--they were less of a struggle. I wanted to run on Robbins and then take Brentwood and get over the to Battlecreek neighborhood. But I somehow could not find Brentwood and the road was closed. And I felt like if I get kept going I would have been running along the I-5. The road was so dark--I didn't want to try and figure out where it turned off. I ended up back tracking and taking the Rees Hill neighborhood back--which worked out fine.

Tuesday - Ran 3 miles

Ok it's now Sunday that I am writing this and I'm in California so I have to think about on the beginning of last week which seems like eons ago. I ran in the rain before we left for Disney. Uneventful 3 mile run. It went fine.

Wednesday - Cross training

Lots and lots of walking. And holding Kara (and sometimes Derek). That was quite the workout.

Thursday - Ran 6 miles

I ran on the treadmill and the motel and watched the Ellen Show. Hate the treadmill and it was not easy. But glad I could complete it. Eating is not going as bad as I thought it would. I don't think I will go home having gained an extra five pounds. At least I hope not...

Friday - Ran 3 miles

Nice quick run on the treadmill. Felt good after a long morning. Rob and I also ran like crazy to get on the Tower of Terror. We ran like 7-10 minutes so probably was at least a half mile. More walking and carrying Kara at times. Got lots of weight training this week just carrying kids.

Saturday - Rest

A little bit of carrying kids and light walking, but for the most part a rest day. We went to Palm Springs and were in the car a good part of the day.

Sunday - Ran 6 miles

I ran on the treadmill at the hotel and watchd two episodes of Storage Wars. Nice to watch something kind of mindless. I miss running outside. But this treadmill run went better. So glad I got all my workouts in even with being on vacation--never thought I could pull it off. Eating was better today too. I didn't really count calories yesterday and was pretty sure I was over. Oh well.

Seattle Rock and Roll Training: Week #3

Monday - Ran 3 miles & 10 minutes of stretching/abs

I'm going to register for Seattle Rock and Roll this week. I honestly don't know if we're at Week #2 or Week #3. The fifth and sixth grade teacher at Hailey's school is running it too so I am going to try catch him and ask him what week we're at. His wife seemed to be on top of his training schedule. The funny thing is they go to the same gym as me.

Running was difficult today because I have not run in a week. We also have 50 mph winds today and lost power already. I would not be surprised if it goes out again. It always does when we get this kind of wind. Running in the head wind was tiring. I did make it without stopping. I felt better once I hit the last mile. I need to eat better this week. I am starting to crave junk again. Funny how a few days off can change everything back to the way it was!

Tuesday - Ran 5 miles & 10 minutes of kickboxing

Got out the door at 6:20 AM and found snow on the ground. Wow--was not expecting that. All the sidewalks were clear. While the roads were slushy in some spots, it really wasn't that bad. I felt crummy the first two and a half miles. It's like I couldn't get my legs moving. I felt fatigued. Once I kept going through I settled into a groove and felt better. I can tell my body is not quite back to normal yet.

Wednesday - Ran 3 miles

I am now writing this on Saturday so I am trying to remember what I did earlier in the week. I went on the treadmills at the Courthouse because the weather was so crappy. It was one of my better treadmill runs in awhile. I also did 15 minutes of Crunch Ab Attack later in the morning.

Thursday - Ran 5 miles

We were in Seattle at a conference. Cheryl came too. We both went to the hotel exercise center. I ran 5 miles on the treadmill. It was super tough. I was hot and sweaty. It was a struggle. I am not quite used to running on a treadmill. Glad I could still get a workout in even with being away from home.

Friday - Rest

Probably gained a pound. Eating better than when I went to Chicago for the youth ministry conference, but still a struggle.

Saturday - Bike 40 minutes, Swim 20 minutes

Cross training day. I could not get to the gym until the afternoon when all the classes are over. So I rode the stationary bike on the rolling hills track. It was tough at time, but also a nice break from running. Swimming is still so awkward and difficult for me, but I want to continue doing it when I can. I hope to do more with swimming after the marathon. I can barely do a lap. I swim the kick board, practice arms and breathing and then try the front crawl. I am pretty self conscious because I can't really do it! I do want to keep trying.

Sunday - Ran 6 miles, 10 minutes of stretching and abs

Whatever crazy warm weather the Midwest seems to be getting, we are NOT getting. If anything we're colder than usual. It was supposed to be sunny today and at times it was. Most of my run I was in sleet and small hail. It felt colder as the run went on. Needless to say it went OK. I did enjoy running outside again after the last two runs being on treadmills. I ran through the Sumpter neighborhood, then by Christina's house, then on Commerical, and ending in the neighborhood by where Hailey takes swim lessons. It was good. I also got my bike today! Hailey and I rode around the parking lot until the hail started coming again and we got too cold. I feel so awkward on the bike almost like how I feel when I swim. I am hoping to go for a few more rides when we get back from Disney.

Tomorrow I am going to try and run my long run in the early morning hours. I know it's crazy and normally I wouldn't do it this early this time of year and on a Monday. It seems more stressful and more crazy to try and do it at Disneyland. I can't afford to not to do it as I have missed a whole week of running last week.

Marathon Training Week -- not sure where we're at

Monday - Rest

I am still sick and I have gotten worse so I am not running today. :( Hopefully the end of this is in sight. Today I am feel fatigued, have chills, slightly feverish and TIRED! Rob worked from home so I could sleep from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

Tuesday - Rest

I am better, but I am still sick. Still light headed and dizzy. Went out this morning to Bible Study but came home this afternoon exhausted. I have an appetite, but it's decreased. Not planning on running until later in the week.

My body still not feel recovered even after Tuesday. Wednesday I still felt dizzy and tired. I had to lead youth group at night. Plus Hailey was so excited to have a friend from school over. I could not swing exercise. Thursday was my birthday and I had full day again. At least the weather was beautiful and Derek & Kara could play outside a good part of it. On Friday I went to Centergy class and it was amazing. LOVE that class. The stretching was what I needed. The abs exercises were easy--I usually would really struggle with them. All this abs workout the last few weeks have made a tremendous difference. I did not run all weekend. Still busy and fatigued. I did lots of cleaning--tons of it. That was a workout. I was carrying my water bottle around the house because I was breaking a sweat. But looking forward to getting back into it next week.

I checked my weight on Friday and I was 0.3 pounds less than the week before. The only thing is I ate terrible on Saturday and Sunday, but it would be no surprise if I am over. I can't check my weight until next week Saturday anyway when I am back at the gym. I don't trust my scale at home--it's not accurate. So I am sure if I stay consistent all week it will be back down. The only issue is we're going to a conference later this week. Conferences always bring bad eating and less food choices. :(