Ann- Strive With Things Impossible

A lucky meeting

Friday I did get in a 4 mile run, not much, but pretty good considering my limited time to run and how awful I was feeling. Saturday I had set up to meet one of my girls I coach for a long run, which I have to say I really dragged through. I did make the 10 miles, but I could not get enough air through all my congestion. I am glad I had the company, because it would have been very hard to force myself through on my own. Today I ended up doing the elliptical again, due to very cold and snowy weather, my cold still going strong and being able to watch the Austrlian Open men's tennis finals while working out. Another good thing about dragging myself through that 10 miler yesterday was that I bumped into an old running buddy of mine on the trail we were running on and we were able to set up a run next week. It turns out that she comes to my side of town on Monday afternoons and her junior high age daughter will be with her and willing to babysit while we run. I am hoping this works out and we can make it a regular thing until track season starts in March. Got to love when a running partner comes with a babysitter.

Sick again!

Tuesday Ryan came down with a cold, which I assume he got on the airplane coming back from Flordia. I ran 5.5 miles and lifted weights. Wednesday I did 35 minutes on the elliptical in the morning and attepted to run in the afternoon, but I only made it about 20 minutes since I was running through really deep snow in a blizzard and was starting to not feel good myself. That night I got hit pretty hard with Ryan's cold, so yesterday I tried to get what exercise I could inbetween taking care of a sick baby and trying to function myself. I did some ab exercises and stood on my balance board in the morning and forced myself through 40 minutes on the ellitpical during Ryan's one nap I could get him to lay down for in the afternoon. So far today I have not gotten anything done, but I am going to attept to run at lunch, since my husband is coming home, as long as the weather is not too horrible. Otherwise, I will attempt another nap time elliptical session.

Escaping the arrival of winter

It's been a while since I wrote, because my husband, Ryan and I all were in Flordia last week visiting a friend of mine. It was a lot of fun. I loved introducing Ryan to the ocean and swimming, which he loved. He smiled and kicked away in the water and never seemed scared or bored of swimming, which I thought was quite impressive (not to mention cute) for a 6 month old. It was a rather tiring week though, since we had the little guy in our room to sleep at night and the house was quite loud with the three of us, my friend, her husband, her 2.5 month old boy and 3 dogs! I did manage to do a decent amount of running, although I missed 2 days because I got an eye infection and could not see without my contacts (we finally got a pair of glasses which I am still wearing). I ended up running 35 miles for the week, which did include a great 10 mile long run (where I invented a loop and actually found my way home) and quite a few strides, even if it was less than I had hoped. The weather I returned to was not quite so running friendly. It had snowed a lot while we were gone and we drove home Sunday in freezing rain, so now everything is really icey. Yesterday I did 35 minutes on the elliptical in the morning and tried to run to the gym to lift with my husband when he got home from work. I did make it there, but I am not sure that you could call what I was doing running, since it was super icey, getting dark and my glasses kept bouncing and fogging up. Today I have a run scheduled (and a babysitter) during the afternoon, so hopefully I will do better with daylight.

Another 40+ mile week

Friday, when my husband got home from work, I complained that I was going to have to put a lot of miles in over the weekend, since I was behind in my mileage. He offered to push Ryan in the jogging stroller, so we could get a quick 3 miles in before it got completely dark, so we changed quickly and did that. Yesterday morning I met my girls for our long run. Only 1 girl showed up, I am assuming because it was cold, raining and still part of their Christmas break. I am glad the 1 girl showed up, since I was not feeling very motivated to run by myself in the rain without music for 10 miles. I was nervous about how I would feel for the first 2/3 of the run, but I ended up doing fine, although being glad not to run any faster than we did. The trail we were running on was flooded out at several points, which made for some amusing climbing and finding side routes along the way. I still feel like I should be able to run 10 miles and not even feel it, but at least I can run that far consistantly again. I ended up spending 2 hours walking with Ryan strapped to me later in the day, between wanting to go hiking (after the rain cleared up) and Ryan being fussy in the evening. I am glad I only need to get about 5 miles in today, because not only are my legs sore from yesterday, but I am exhausted because Ryan was up 3 times in the night and did not want to go back to sleep. I am heading out the door to run as soon as he wakes up and I feed him. That will give me 41 miles for the week and a 10 mile long run. Next week I am going to start adding in strides after some of my runs to start getting use to speed again. I would like to hit the track once or twice before my next race in early February, just to have some idea what pace to run the race at.

Back to normal schedule

I miss having my husband around so that I could just get up and run in the morning. I am doing pretty good at getting runs in, but it takes a lot more planning and I am a mile or 2 behind what I wanted to be at today...I guess I will just have to run more this weekend. Monday I ran 6 miles and Tuesday 6.5 to the Y and lifted with my husband. Wednesday he returned to work, so I did the elliptical trainer at the Y in the morning and managed to run 5.5 miles in the afternoon when my mom babysat and I ran with my dad. Yesterday I ended up taking my day off. I had planned to run with Ryan in his jogging stroller to the nearby track during his nap time. I figured I could push him the mile there and back and leave him camped out in the stroller sleeping while I ran around the track since it was suppose to be almost 50 and sunny. This plan did not work so well, since while I was waiting for it to be time for his morning nap it started raining and kept raining all day. I did walk for a little over an hour with him in the morning before the rain while I waiting for it to be nap time and lifted weights in the evening. Today I called my parents and talked them into coming over so I could run with my dad, since my husband was to work during lunch and its rainy again. We got 5.5 miles in again, which is as much as I can talk my dad into doing. Tomorrow I have my first long run with the girls I coach at 9am. Hopefully I am in good enough shape now to not have trouble making 10 at their pace. I don't know if i mentioned it, but I timed my 5 mile run last Sunday and I did the route in 38:30, so I am running about 7:45s if that run was the same as the rest of my runs. I was just pleased to not find out that I was running something over 8 minute miles like I feared.

Waiting for the rain to stop...

Thursday I ran 6.5 miles in route to the Y to lift with my husband, who drove over with the little guy to meet me. Friday I took as an off day to running and did not even cross train (my body was feeling pretty beat up after my increased running over Christmas break and the last thing I want is to get injured at this point), just went for an hour long hike with my husband and Ryan in his carrier. Yesterday I ran another 10 mile long run, which felt much easier than the one I ran last week. It was very foggy when I set out and than the sun started to burn though the fog around mile 7 and it turned into a beautiful morning. I actually felt pretty good and although I am still enjoying leaving my watch at home, I know I could not have been too slow from what time I got back. After my run we headed over to my parents to celebrate a late Christmas with them, my brother and his wife and my grandparents. We got lots of nice things and Ryan made out like a little bandit with tons of toys and cute clothes. I have not run yet today, but am going to get out for an easy 5 miles. Right now I am sitting in my living room glaring at the cold rain and hoping it might clear up if I wait a little longer. Once I complete this run I will have run 42.5 miles this week and done a 10 mile long run. This is my first week of running over 40 miles since I got pregnant with Ryan. I think I am going to try and hold around 40+ miles for a little while and let myself adjust. I usually have run about 50-55 miles and do some cross training in a normal week, since I am training for 5k-10ks, so I can add in the rest of the miles as I get into running with the track girls more this spring. I don't know if I have mentioned on here that I was thinking about running a race this winter and I have finally decided which one I am going to do. I am running a local 5k on Super Bowl Sunday, which is the first sunday in February. Time to improve that 5k time from 10 weeks post partum.

Running everyday!

I have really been enjoying running over the holidays. It is so nice to know I have someone to watch Ryan so I can get out for a good run everyday. As long as I stick to my plan I will get over 40 miles for the first time since I was pregnant with Ryan this week! I ran 6 miles on Christmas morning before heading over to the in-laws for Ryan's first Christmas. He enjoyed the wrapping paper more than his presents, but even so he made the holiday fun like when you were a kid again. Yesterday I took an easy day and ran 4 miles with my husband and my dad and just had fun chatting with them. Today I ran 7.5 miles as soon as it got light. I ran a route that I have not done in quite a while, which involves a dirt road and a short trail...nice to get off the pavement even if just for a little while. Ryan is taking his afternoon nap right now, but we are going to head over to the Y in a little bit to take advantage of one of the few days there is childcare during the holidays and get some lifting in.

Christmas Eve

Wednesday I cross trained like planned, doing 60 minutes on the elliptical trainer and lifting weights. Thursday I had to stop by a workout that another track coach has been hosting and has invited the distance girls to, so I could see how it fit into their training plan. I dropped Ryan off with my parents and ran the 4 miles to where they were meeting, talked to them for a bit and ran 4 miles back. So it was not straight, but I did get 8 miles in for the day. I figured I should take advantage of having someone watching Ryan and at least get a good run out of it. Friday I ran 5 miles in the afternoon, since my husband is now home for Christmas break. Yesterday I was planning to do my 10 mile long run, but the weather was horrible in the morning: cold, windy and raining. So I decided to wait until later in the day hoping for better weather, but we got a call with a chance to go to a Big Ten basketball game for free, but we had to leave in just over an hour to get there. I threw on my running clothes and did as quick a 5 mile run as I could with all of the wind and still had time for a quick shower. So today the weather is looking better and we don't have to be anywhere for Christmas Eve until 4pm, so I am going to get the 10 mile run in this morning. I am up with Ryan (and have been for quite a while), but my husband is still sleeping, so I am waiting until he gets up and I feed Ryan again and than I am off to finish out my running week. This will give me 38 miles and a 10 mile long run, which as sad as that is, is my best week of running since before Ryan was born.

5 miles for lunch

Yesterday I tried my first run during my husband's lunch hour. It was tight, but I was able to get a 5 mile run in by being changed when he arrived, meeting him at the door with Ryan, and getting handed him back as I walked in the door. It does not make for a very relaxing day, since I than spent the afternoon trying to get showered, changed, rehydrated and eat lunch between Ryan's feedings, changings and naps. I think it is something I am going to have to do for a while until it gets light enough in the mornings to go before my husband leaves for work. Today I ran with my dad for another 5 miles. I think tomorrow will be my cross training day, since I would have to run at lunch again and I have not had a day off running in 9 days. The only problem is it is suppose to be sunny and fairly warm tomorrow so I might now be able to handle doing the gym on a day like that. Last night my husband and I lifted and I decided I should max on the bench press, so I can see how far I am from goal number 3 (bench press my weight). I was able to do 115, which is what I weighed when in racing shape before Ryan, so I just need to drop these last few baby pounds or get a little stronger. I think this is going to be the first goal I achieve on my list. It is nice to have some areas of fitness getting back to normal, even if I would rather have it be my 5k time than my bench press. At least it helps me to believe the other areas will come with time.

Almost done calling it a "long run"

I did end up doing my "long run" yesterday, even though Ryan took a fairly long nap. My husband decided that he would run a little with me and push Ryan in his jogging stroller. So the three of us did a 3 mile out and back and than I continued on my own and since I don't have a 5.5 mile loop, I did my favorite 6 mile route and ended up with a 9 mile "long run". I also got in 5 miles this morning in almost 50 degree weather! So to sum up the week, I ended up with 33 miles, a 9 mile long run and 3 elliptical workouts. I am hoping to get in 37 miles next week, (which will tie my highest mileage since I got pregnant) along with a 10 mile long run (which also ties my longest long run since I got pregnant). It will be a little challenging since I need to get some desent length runs in during the week, but the next couple of weeks will be easier once I make it though this one, since my husband has quite a few days off for the holidays so I will have more chances to run.

Goals

I took Ryan for a walk in is stroller this morning and he feel asleep for his nap while we were walking. He has been asleep for over an hour since we got back all tucked up in his stroller, which has given me a very nice break. Yesterday I ran 5 miles on a very windy day. For the weekend I have 2 runs planned, a 5 mile run and an 8.5 mile "long run" (this will give me a total of 32.5 miles for the week, which would be a good increase of 4 miles from last week and a 1 mile longer long run). I measured out an 8.5 mile route, but have not decided which run I am going to do today and which one tomorrow. The weather looks similar and my husband can watch Ryan longer either day just as easily. It probably depends on how much longer Ryan sleeps, since I am planning on running as soon as he wakes up and I feed him. If it is getting too long since breakfast I will save the longer run for tomorrow, but if he wakes up soon I think it sounds nice to get my harder run done for the weekend. It probably seems funny that I am giving so much thought to what is only a 3.5 mile difference in my runs, but I am getting quite comfortable running 5 mile runs, but anything over 6 starts to really wear me out. I try not to let that get to me, just like a 32.5 mile week is tiring, when I use to run 50+ mile weeks as part of my normal life. As I keep telling myself, what is important is that I get to my goals, not that I do it at a particular time. So as long as I am progressing, that is what matters. Speaking of goals, I have set 3 goals for myself, which will make me feel like I am truly back in shape. Now these are long term goals, since unfortuantly I am far from them currently (but I could do all of these within a year before I got pregnant).
1) run a sub-18 5k (10/1- 2 months post partum: 20:54)
2) do 10 unassisted pull ups (12/13- 4.5 months post-partum: 2)
3) bench press my weight (12/12- 4.5 months post-partum: 85 pounds 10 times)
Obviously these are long term goals, since I am not even close to being able to do them at the moment, but it gives me something to work towards.

Our snow melted =)

Tuesday I did not have anyone to watch Ryan for me while it was light, so I did 40 minutes on the elliptical and lifted weights. Wednesday I ran 5 miles, part with Ryan in his jogging stroller. My main problem with running with him in the jogging stroller is there seems to be something messed up about the front wheel and it veers to the left all the time. It makes my right shoulder get so sore from pull it back straight the whole run. I also lifted weights in the evening. Today I did 40 minutes on the elliptical again in the morning and ran 3 miles with my husband and Ryan in his jogging stroller in the evening. It was warm enough again that we could run in the dark without worrying about slipping on ice. I just wish they liked to run further since I don't feel comfortable running in the complete dark by myself. At least I got to run today, rather than more elliptical inside.

Third longest run!

I ended up running 5.5 miles again on Friday when I ran with my dad. We had wonderful weather over the weekend and I finally took advantage of it and having my husband around to babysit. I ran 5.5 on Saturday and went for a long walk with the little guy and my husband. Sunday I ran 7.5 miles and felt pretty good, but was so worn out afterward. I was feeling pretty wussy that 7.5 miles left we that tired and than I started looking back on my running logs and realized that I had built up my long runs after Ryan was born and had run one 8 mile and one 10 mile than I hurt my back in the car accident in mid september and got sick with this bug (which cross your fingers I think I am finally beating) for the last 6 weeks. So while I have run a lot of 5ish mile runs, 7.5 miles is the 3rd longest run I have run since before I got pregnant with Ryan (October 2005)! A little sad, but at least I felt like I had a reason to be tired and that I was finally getting my training going again. So last week I ran 28.5 miles and did 3 elliptical trainer workouts. I started this week off well doing an elliptical workout in the morning and a 6 mile run yesterday afternoon, when my parents dropped by and babysat for me.

Winter weather woes

Sunday the wind chill was arround zero and I was feeling pretty bad with this cold, so I just could not motivate myself to go outside and run. Instead I did 40 minutes on the elliptical and enjoyed an evening out with my husband. We hired a babysitter for the first time since Ryan has been born (we have left him with family, but thats it). It's funny what things make you feel old, but having one of the girls I coach over to babysit made me feel really strange. I think it is because of all the times I babysat for my college running coach and it is weird being on the other side. Monday I ran 5.5 miles with my dad while my mom watched Ryan. Tuesday and Wednesday I did the elliptical (70 minutes and 40 minutes) and lifted. The roads and sidewalks are still quite icy, which makes running in the dark after my husband gets home pretty much imposible. Yesterday I was suppose to take Ryan out in the jogging stroller to run with dad, but the wind chill was below zero, so that did not seem like a good idea. However, my dad offered to watch Ryan so I could run and I very much enjoyed my 6 mile run, even though I had to pick my way through some pretty icy patches. I just turned off my watch and enjoyed running outside. Today we are going to do our rescheduled run together and the weather is looking good, I actually see the sun!

Why do all middle aged men "forget" to use turn signals?

I had quite an adventure on my run Thursday afternoon. I was running along a sidewalk in front of a gas station and a middle aged man turned into the gas station without using his turn signal right at me. I tried to abruptly stop, but the rain was aparently turning to ice, since my feet slipped right out from underneath me. I landed on my butt right next to his car! I ended up being fine, although a bit bruised, but I was rather annoyed that he did not even roll down his window and ask if I was okay! Friday the icy rain continued and turned to snow, so I stayed inside for my workouts, doing 70 minutes on the elliptical and lifted weights. This morning I ran a longer route to the Y getting in 6.5 miles and than lifting with my husband who met me there with Ryan (who did his exercises too- working on standing at his favorite toy in the tot watch).