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December 31, 2004
Last (long) run of the year
I was supposed to run 15+ this morning but I got tired out by the hills at the end and only did 13 or so. I felt good when I finished, though, which made me happy. I felt really out of it for the first half hour running but luckily I brought my Gatorade with me and several gulps of that seemed to improve the way I felt. I decided to run around my parents' house instead of going to Rockefeller because I knew it would be hilly and I was kind of in a rush. None of it was particularly scenic, but I did get a few miles in on a nice (flat!) bike path that has been built since I moved away.
I wore shorts and a t-shirt this morning--it was already in the mid-40s--and one guy yelled to me, "Aren't you cold?" as I ran through town. I yelled back, "Nope, I'm hot!" and hoped it wasn't interpreted the wrong way :) I love being the only freak in shorts outside.
We are heading off to Manhattan now instead of Brooklyn for New Year's Eve tonight, just to have dinner and a bottle of wine with another couple. It should be nice and low-key, just the way I like it!
Posted by becky at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2004
A little running and a lot of culture
Global warming continues to cause unseasonably warm late December temps--I was just a little nippy running this morning in my shorts and t-shirt, and practically all the snow is gone. I was thinking of getting snow boots while I was home but this makes me not want them! I only ran for about 45 minutes today because I plan to do my long run tomorrow, being that Sat. is New Year's Day and we need to get back to Boston on the early side on Sunday. I felt pretty good on the hills though; my knee was behaving especially well today and I just hope that doesn't bode badly for tomorrow's run.
In the afternoon, my parents and Matt and I drove down to the Bronx to pick up my grandma and then met my sister in Manhattan at the newly renovated
Tomorrow afternoon we're heading to Brooklyn Heights for New Year's Eve, where I don't know if I'll have a wireless connection, but I will try to update before I leave!
Posted by becky at 8:19 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2004
Last night's excitement
It turned out the battery was dead in my parents' car, so Matt came to pick me up but by that time it was too late to stop at the gym. So we picked up a couple of movies at Blockbuster and decided just to stay in. We were in the middle of one of them (We Don't Live Here Anymore) when Matt's mom's boyfriend came to tell us he had to take her to the emergency room! She has had flu symptoms since Sat. and all of a sudden developed these awful stomach pains, so her doctor told her to go to the ER.
She's actually still in the hospital now, although feeling much better. She had some sort of electrolyte imbalance due to not eating much at all since Saturday, plus she doesn't eat ANY sodium anyway. She should be home tomorrow, but it has been scary. Let this be a lesson to everyone--especially all of us athletes!--to never neglect eating even when we don't feel so hot.
Anyway, we stayed up late worrying and watching a second movie (Collateral Damage) so I woke up pretty late and didn't go running until 10. I don't know my way around Matt's town as well as my own, obviously, so I was looking for someplace new to run. I decided to go down a street marked "private" when the guard waved me through. All the houses are huge and built right on the (Long Island) Sound, and they were amazing.
I cut through a country club's golf course after that and got completely stuck because it appeared that I was fenced in all around me! I didn't mind running extra on the golf course though because the snow had mostly melted and it was really pretty. I finally found a way out and luckily knew where I was, so the rest of the loop was something I had done many times. My knee was feeling pretty good, or at least started to about 30 minutes into the run. My calves were a bit sore from my hilly pickups yesterday, but otherwise I felt pretty good.
Later today I finally got to the gym, using my sister's membership again. I biked and then took my time lifting. It was nice and empty in there, just the way I like it.
I heard that it was going to be 60 degrees here in NY on New Year's Day. Of course this sort of unseasonable warmth freaks me out. It's easy in terms of running clothes, at least, but since I only packed for a few (cold) days I don't have the right stuff to wear for this brunch we are going to. Aargh! Global warming is out to get me!
Posted by becky at 5:08 PM | Comments (4)
December 28, 2004
Make your own workout
Tonight's workout back in Boston called for 4 x 400, all out. I wasn't looking forward to it so much anyway, but I figured I would try to do it on my own since I'm still in NY. I warmed up about 25 minutes and got to the track--and it was covered with snow. Not so deep, but not conducive to all out anything. So I decided to do some pickups instead, and incorporate hills (not a problem!) I did 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2 (minutes) or something like that. Just something to get my legs moving. It was really hard to push up the hills, but good for me, I think. My knee felt decent while running but the back of it was sore when I finished.
Tonight I planned to go to the gym on the way to Matt's house, but I just got in the car and it wouldn't start. Great. Hopefully my dad will be able to figure out what's going on when he gets home in a little while. But my lifting plans have again been foiled! I'll try to at least get a little time in with the weights tomorrow. At least I've been good for 51 weeks of the year!
We're going to either rent a movie or go see one tonight. I feel like I've been hibernating at school and now can catch up on all the fun stuff I've missed!
Posted by becky at 5:21 PM | Comments (1)
December 27, 2004
Getting used to the hills
The show we saw last night, Lone Star Love, was awesome! I had never heard of it, but my parents see practically everything on and off-Broadway that gets a decent review, so they bought tix for a date that they knew Matt and I would be around. It was a country music adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, and as crazy as that sounds, it worked. We were sitting smack in the middle of the first row (it was a small theater) and the cast was very into audience involvement. Not my usual cup of tea, but I played along and it was really a good time.
It was snowing when we left the theater last night, so I knew it would likely be snowy for my run this morning. We didn't end up getting too much here in NY but I guess Boston did. It was sunny enough when I ran so that the roads were all clear. Maybe I'm getting a little more used to the hills, because they didn't feel so bad today. Except for one, which I always crawl up--the only time I was able to really conquer it was after being at Cornell. My knee felt a little better today, but the back of it was sore when I was sleeping last night (I kept waking up and noticing it) so I don't really know what's going on.
I also ran about 3.5 miles tonight when I got home from a long day of shopping with my mom and sister and just felt really restless. I didn't bring my headlamp home to NY, though, and it is much darker around here than I'm used to in the city, so I don't think there will be many more after dark runs this week. I twisted my ankle getting out of the way of an oncoming car that didn't appear to notice my reflective vest, and then I stepped into a pothole I couldn't see when I was about 10 steps away from my driveway. Not worth a real injury. I would have gone to the gym to crosstrain and lift but my grandma was here for dinner and I didn't want to skip out. As expected, relaxation is winning out over lifting this week!
My parents and sister went out to see Meet the Fockers, which I saw with Matt on Friday, so I'm using this quiet time to catch up on email, laundry and reading. Gotta love being on vacation!
Posted by becky at 8:00 PM | Comments (1)
December 26, 2004
Running around town
It was nice to do a quick, relatively flat run today after the hills of Rockefeller yesterday! I stayed at Matt's mom's house so I did the only loop I ever do around there, which isn't too exciting, but at least I passed a few runners along the way. I ran only about 6 miles and then we rushed off to Matt's dad's house--about 15 minutes away--and then to a high school friend of Matt's who has since moved to Israel, become extremely religious and had a baby. He and his wife live quite differently than any of our other friends, that's for sure. I can't imagine living in Israel, let alone devoting my life to religion. But they seem happy.
OK, we're off to see an off Broadway play with my family. I got in a little lifting today at the little gym in Matt's mom's house, so that was good. More tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 4:46 PM | Comments (0)
December 25, 2004
Quiet Christmas run
I headed out to my favorite place to run in Westchester this morning, expecting it to be deserted on Christmas. Actually, there were a lot of families there enjoying the sunny (but cold) holiday--it was nice to see. I am continuing to build my long run back up, provided that my knee holds up. When I go there, I do generally the same loop but start at different places depending on how far I want to run that day. Today I ran for almost 2 hours, but I was consciously trying to go easy so I don't think I went all that far. The route was very hilly--as it always is--but somehow the hills on my shorter run yesterday seemed harder! My knee gave me some trouble, more like stiffness, that made me alter my stride a little which worried me a bit. I'm icing right now. The back of it is still stiff too, so I will continue to keep an eye on it.
We're heading over to Matt's mom's house now for a little "Jewish Christmas" celebration. Our tradition is usually going to the movies, so this is a new thing for us. I'm sure it will be entertaining!
Posted by becky at 2:32 PM | Comments (1)
December 24, 2004
Merry merry
Wow, I can't believe I didn't get to doing my blog today until now. I guess I had a somewhat busy day--I slept as late as I could, which was about 8, at which time my parents were yellling to each other from 3 feet away about things they were reading in the paper :) I did one of my usual hometown running routes and was again reminded of how hilly my town is. I think it was good for me, though. I've been saying I want to get back into hill shape and running hills is the best way!
Later on, after seeing my (NY) grandma for lunch and getting my nails done, I used my sister's New York Sports Club membership card to get into a local gym. I biked and lifted and since it was so empty, I got some free technique tips from one of the trainers. Nice!
I'm off to bed. Happy holidays!
Posted by becky at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2004
I hate traffic
For some reason, I always underestimate the amount of cars that are going to be on the road when I drive somewhere. I left Boston around noon today, figuring I would get to my parents' house by 3:30 or so. Things were going pretty well until I got into Connecticut. From there, it was stop-and-go and I didn't get home until after 5. I don't know what I would have done without my iPod (and car adapter.)
I ran before I left, and I think my late night on Tues. finally caught up with me. I felt pretty awful. My knee wasn't bad, but I was lethargic and dragging. I had intended on doing around 10, but I wussed out after an hour. I didn't eat enough yesterday, either--I think waking up late threw my schedule off--so that could have contributed to my sub-par run. Whatever the reason, it wasn't pretty.
After sitting in the car all that time, I wanted to go for a little run or do something to get my legs moving again. But it was super-windy and pouring, and my dad convinced me to just forget the idea. In general, I don't usually change my mind about working out, but I figured it was probably good considering how tired I've been feeling. Reading everyone's blogs and realizing that I run and work out so little in comparison makes me a little paranoid sometimes. I need to remember to do what feels right! Since this week has been crazy and I won't really have access to a gym while I'm here, I'm going to do my best to take it easy for the next few days and start fresh next week. Those arm muscles shouldn't get TOO jello-y if I skip lifting for a few days :)
The back of my knee has been tight when I get up from sitting, and I need to keep an eye on it because that's how my major knee injury started last spring. I think it has to do with tight hamstrings, which the foam roller should help.
Safe travels to everyone heading home for the holidays!
Posted by becky at 8:49 PM | Comments (2)
December 22, 2004
What a relief
I ended up finishing my paper at about 3am last night (technically, this morning.) The last hour was really tough, but I just wanted to be done with it and not have it hanging over my head. Definitely not my life's best work, but I did the best I could under the last-minute circumstances. I handed it in during class today and now I'm done! Yay!
I let myself sleep until about 10:30 this morning because I didn't get to bed until so late. I expected to still feel really tired but I actually felt okay. I split my run in half by stopping at the gym and lifting in the middle. I don't like usually like to do that because I get too low-blood-sugarish but I bought a Gatorade at the gym and that seemed to help. My knee felt good but my butt has been pretty sore. I'm sure it's all IT band related.
I considered going for a quick swim tonight but my tiredness was catching up with me and I had a lot to do before leaving for NY tomorrow. My mom is worried about me driving alone and wants me to leave as early as possible to miss the heavier rain that apparently is forecast for later in the day. So I guess I won't get a chance to sneak in a quick lifting session like I had wanted to...this week will have to be my "down" week since I've been so busy and off my normal routine. I absolutely hate changing my routine around (especially when it means working out less, of course) but I am trying to learn how to be more flexible.
Oh, I almost forgot my daily weather mention! As Alison mentioned earlier in the week (or was it last week?) there's nothing like a day when the weather's in the teens to make 45 degrees feel positively tropical. Especially to me. With the snow all melting and puddly, it was very springy out today, and tomorrow should be the same. I'm okay with the "heat" because I know it's only temporary--we are (or at least NY is) in store for cooler temps again this weekend.
Wow, the tiredness is hitting me now. Hopefully my laundry will hurry up so I can get to bed!
Posted by becky at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2004
Down to the wire
As long as I can stay awake tonight and write my paper, I'll be done with the semester. Yay! I've stocked up on gummy candy to help the cause. :)
Just a quick update on today's running: I only did a short, pre-track run this morning but when I woke up and checked the weather, I couldn't believe that it was 8 DEGREES! It was painfully cold. It's supposed to be MUCH warmer the next few days, but it was a reminder of how cold it might get in the next couple of months. I also noticed that my little loop took about 1:30 longer than usual because of the snowy sidewalks that had turned to ice. I was being very careful!
Track tonight was interesting. The coach had everyone divide up into groups and do 14-18 200s. Not so much in terms of mileage, but they were timing us and we had to go every 20 seconds. It was tough but I'm happy to say that mine progressively got faster AND my knee wasn't really bothering me. I'm probably jinxing it to write that, but it might have been because I got a longer warmup than usual while our "group" jogged around waiting for the fastest guys to do their intervals. Oh yeah, and I just remembered I took 2 Advil before I left :)
Think happy paper-writing thoughts for me!
Posted by becky at 8:57 PM | Comments (1)
December 20, 2004
Did I say I liked the cold?
I truly do feel better running when it's 50 degrees or below, but today I wasn't dressed properly for the little snowstorm we had. When I left it looked like it had stopped snowing, but these heavy flurries kept on coming. My core and legs were okay, but my gloves were soaked and my hands were killing me after about 20 minutes. I took off my gloves since I think they were making things worse and stuffed my balled-up hands into my sleeves for the rest of the run. I need to take a trip to either Marathon Sports or the store I love near my hometown when I go to NY at the end of the week to get some water-repellent gloves for snowy runs. When I'm cold when running, I always try to remember how I dressed for running at Cornell, but it was a long time ago now and my brain has been full of public health info (soon to be recycled and exchanged for other stuff!)
My IT band felt marginally better today. I've been doing a lot of sitting at the computer and my neck has been bothering me, too--I wonder if all the sitting is bothering my legs, too. Tomorrow's track workout should be a challenge with my tight IT band--it's a bunch of 200s on little rest. Not a workout I've done for a long time, but it should be good for turnover (if my knee feels all right) and we've done longer intervals the past couple of weeks. Plus I need a quickie workout as I will be returning here to finish a 10-page paper tomorrow night after track. And Matt is leaving for NY tomorrow (he has some interviews for summer jobs) so I'll be all by myself. Not looking forward to it so I hope at least track is enjoyable!
All right, one more hour of studying and then all I have to do is take the test tomorrow morning and (Audrey and) I will be done with BIOSTATISTICS!! Whoo-HOO! (I guess I should save the excitement for when I find out my grade, but...I'm thinking positively.)
Posted by becky at 10:22 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2004
What is it about those Newton hills?
I had a really terrible run today. My legs felt like they wouldn't move, which was compounded by the fact that my knee hurt more than it has in weeks, on top of terrible chafing because I wore tights that I should have said goodbye to long ago. As the title indicates, we ran on the Boston Marathon course--which I did not remember AT ALL from 2002--and I think part of my IT troubles were due to the rolling course. I've been doing a lot of flat stuff lately, not purposely but just because I have to go out of my way to find hills. Who has time to find hilly runs when you are working on a gazillion papers and studying for finals?
Anyway, sorry I sound negative but I'm just bummed about the run today and hoping that I will feel more like myself again soon. I am not one to be totally negative so I will report that I had dinner with my grandparents tonight and my grandfather was feeling pretty good! Tired, but I think that's to be expected. AND I got to go home with a whole Tupperware full of cookies to "help me study." Cool, whatever works!
Posted by becky at 9:27 PM | Comments (5)
December 18, 2004
No time to spare today
I woke up on the early side today--not quite as early as the alarm was set for because I was working until 1am last night--and went running for a little more than an hour. It was cold but sunny, which I like a lot. Since then I've been working on my various assignments and papers and feeling frustrated that I don't have time to lift today. (Plus the gym has weird hours because it's school break right now.) I know that a couple less days of getting that extra cross-training and lifting time won't kill me, but I usually am able to fit everything in and still get me work done, so when that doesn't happen I get upset. Alas, I must remember what is really important here! It will all be over soon...
Tonight we are meeting some Cornell friends for sushi! They live in NH but are venturing into Boston this afternoon. I have heard that this particular sushi place is better than the ones I have tried so far, so I'm hopeful. And hungry.
After dinner I'm going to come back here and do some work and get to bed at a decent hour so that I am not too tired for my long run tomorrow. My knee felt pretty good today but all this sitting is making my IT band tight, I think--I feel it when I get up from the desk. Hopefully it'll hold up tomorrow and I'll be able to get a good long run under my belt (not too long yet, but we'll get there.)
Posted by becky at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)
December 17, 2004
Things are looking up
At least in terms of my grandfather's health...he was sent home tonight because they figured out it was just a bladder infection he had and got him all back to normal, or at least almost. They have a nurse coming over a couple of times a day to give him antibiotic injections, but it sounds like he's really doing great. Matt and I plan to go over there and see them tomorrow or Sunday.
As for everything else, today was a pretty calm day. I ran for about 45 minutes, my usual Friday easy and short run, and it was nice and sunny and warm(ish). I spent the rest of the day working on a paper but didn't get as much done as I had hoped so here I am at the computer again.
I'm going to meet up with a group for a long run on Sunday on part of the Boston Marathon course, so instead of running long tomorrow, I'll switch my usual weekend schedule around. I'm looking forward to running with a group again!
Posted by becky at 8:39 PM | Comments (0)
December 16, 2004
Good run; bad news
Today was one of those good runs that balance out all the crappy ones you have--and for me, I've been feeling pretty crappy lately. Today I felt much more awake and like I was actually getting into a good rhythm, plus my knee was feeling good. (Maybe my knee liked the fact that I didn't try to squeeze in a workout yesterday?) It wasn't as cold out this morning as it was yesterday, and I felt comfortable after only a few minutes of running. I lifted and ellipticalled after school today and that was uneventful. The MIT gym is blissfully empty now that all the students are done with their finals and on their way out.
Now for the not-so-good part(s) of my day: At lunchtime, my mom called to say that my grandfather wasn't doing all that well. I wasn't so shocked to hear it, because actually last night my grandmother called to say she had gotten home from the hospital okay and slipped in something about how nurses seemed concerned about a lower-than-normal heart rhythm. I was really worried, but she said my grandfather was still feeling okay. Anyway, today he wasn't feeling well, having some chest pain and trouble swallowing, and he also got the news that maybe the procedure he had didn't work and he would need a pacemaker. Tonight, my sister called to say he had developed a fever of 103 and the doctors couldn't figure out what was causing the infection. I just spoke to my grandmother and she seems calmer than I thought; I made sure that she knows we will come to the hospital tomorrow. I so wish I didn't have these papers to write and tests to study for or I would be over there right now.
And on a lighter note, tonight is the THREE HOUR FINALE of The Apprentice, but I just can't justify wasting that much time...
Posted by becky at 7:41 PM | Comments (3)
December 15, 2004
Hurry up and wait
I'm glad to report that I just got home from the hospital where I left my grandfather a little groggy but in good spirits. The procedure that he had was supposed to be "quick" and it ended up taking almost 6 hours because the doctors had trouble locating the arrhyhthmia (or something like that)--so it was a long day of waiting. I'm really glad I was there, though, because my grandmother was really worried the whole time and I could tell that having me and my parents there helped, at least a little.
As for exercise today, I just ran early this morning and didn't get my usual Wed. elliptical/lifting session in because I was doing more important things. This morning's run was COLD. I was expecting it, so it wasn't that bad, but I'm glad I wore as many clothes as I did. I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be from the workout last night, but my knee was aching for part of the run (it gets better as I continue, generally.) When I was about a half mile from home, I had to navigate over a huge flood due to a water main break at a major intersection (it made the news later.) The cops told me to be careful of ice but didn't seem fazed by my swim through the freezing cold water. Anyway, I was close to home but my toes were a little cold there for a while! Never fear, it is supposed to be cold tomorrow morning but then a positively balmy 48 later in the day tomorrow.
Now that my test is over, I "only" have a take-home final, two research papers and a statistics exam to go...whoo-hoo.
Posted by becky at 7:09 PM | Comments (2)
December 14, 2004
Dreaded 1,000s
I have never had a good workout that involved 1,000s. It must be a mental block, but tonight was no exception. I felt pretty good on my run this morning, but then I couldn't keep my eyes open all day and I was really cold, too, which is weird for me. Not to mention it WAS cold outside! (Even I will admit it.)
I "warmed up" outside and my lungs were burning. I like it in the 30s, but it was probably much colder than that tonight, especially with the windchill. It was nice to go inside for once! Our workout was 5x1,000 with the last 200 of each at our mile race pace. So basically just pick it up for the last lap. My knee was feeling okay until about the fourth lap of the first one, then it started tightening up. I kept up the prescribed pace for 4 (but L., the woman I pace with, was too fast for me tonight!) and then I found someone else for the last one which ended up a little slower overall but I was able to change gears more for the last 200. My lungs are really bothering me now and I can only imagine how they'll feel when I get outside in the morning.
L.'s husband asked me if I was limping tonight. My DC friends will agree that I do favor one leg over the other, but I thought I had stopped. I think it's especially pronounced on the indoor track because I am so conscious of my IT band on the turns. Anyway, it made me feel crappy when he said it, but I really do think I may forever favor my right leg.
Anyway, I have an exam in the morning so I must go cram!
Posted by becky at 9:17 PM | Comments (0)
December 13, 2004
Last dark Monday
I had a really hard time getting up this morning, but I just kept thinking to myself that since this is my last week of my early class on Mondays and Wednesdays, today was the final early Monday morning...at least for a few weeks. It was really dark again, but there were fewer dogs around Fresh Pond to freak me and my headlamp out. Phew.
I did my usual loop in the morning and then biked and lifted later on. None of it was too eventful. Except that they are cleaning the pool at MIT this week and I have this fear of drains, so all the vaccuuming was freaking me out. I tried not to look as I walked past. My knee felt better than yesterday on my run; I tried some new stretches last night so hopefully they loosened me up some.
Must go study! I am so boring these days. I really want to get out and see some things in Boston that I haven't yet during January!! Enough of this sitting around, staring at books all day :)
Posted by becky at 7:35 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2004
Not so hot
I ran for about an hour this morning and I just never felt like I got into a rhythm, plus my hip and knee (ITB of course) was bothering me. At one point I saw a woman in front of me who really didn't look like she was going that fast--and she had a huge fleece on--but I couldn't catch her. She probably was going faster than I thought...at least that's what I hope! It was actually a lot windier than I originally thought when I started running, so maybe she was more comfortable in her fleece than I was in my shorts and t-shirt! I could think of more excuses if I had the time, trust me :)
I was home studying--and napping--for most of the afternoon. Later, I drove to MIT to lift (and do a little bit of ellipticalling, but I had to cut that short because I was meeting Matt at an appointed time.) I was so frustrated trying to find a parking spot--I had to drive around for 20 minutes because there was a huge youth swim meet going on. Once I got inside, though, it was cool to be able to watch the meet going on below the gym area, which looks down onto the pool. I wasn't involved in sports when I was a kid, but watching stuff like that makes me excited to get my own kids into that some day. Especially if they are girls.
Matt went back to the library for more studying tonight, so I'm taking advantage of the quiet here! Have a good week, everyone!
Posted by becky at 7:56 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2004
Found some hills
Recently, I've driven to my friend's house near Cleveland Circle a few times--she is the one I was working on my presentation with. I noticed there are some nice hills around there (it's close to Boston College, where I know there are even more.) So today I decided to head over there and do some exploring. It was nice to go somewhere I hadn't run before, and the hills actually helped break it up. My knee was feeling pretty good, too. It was sore towards the end but better during the bulk of the running.
I couldn't believe that it was still drizzling this morning after raining for the past 24 hours, and the sun never even came out today as far as I could tell! Since I had a study day planned, this wasn't such a bad thing, though. We had a holiday party invite tonight but we're in, of course--one more weekend like this and then I'll have more time to be social. Actually, we did have dinner at my grandparents' tonight. We had delicious latkes and other Jewish food to celebrate Chanukah, it was really nice. And the best part is that we got to take the leftovers home!
Wednesday is my grandfather's heart procedure, so we're all a little nervous but I'm sure he's going to be fine. My parents are driving up Tuesday night and I'll join them at the hospital on Wed. after my exam is finished in the morning. I remember when he scheduled the procedure and Dec. 15 seemed so far away--but it's right around the corner now. Anyway, that will be weighing on my mind a little this week but I'm confident everything will turn out okay :)
Posted by becky at 9:14 PM | Comments (1)
December 10, 2004
My aching arms
It felt really good to get more than 5 hours of sleep last night. But my arms were really sore from lifting this morning on my run--I lifted a little heavier than usual yesterday, since I feel like I've been doing the same weights for quite some time now, and it was hard to hold my arms up in the "running position!" Luckily, I had a short, easy day scheduled today as I continue to take it eas(ier) on my body during these last couple of weeks of the semester. It was rainy but not cold (I cannot believe it's Dec. 10 and I've only worn tights a couple of times this season!) and my knee was decent, not great. It's very inconsistent even throughout a run; it seems to loosen up the most after 30 minutes.
I haven't been too productive today, but that's okay since I have the rest of the weekend to be. I made some appointments I've been meaning to make, did some errands and got my nails done :) Tonight we have a Chanukah party at a friend's house and tomorrow my grandma is making potato latkes for us also, so it's going to be Chanukah-overload. As they say, 'tis the season, right?
I was supposed to do a semi-long run with someone I met at track who lives near me tomorrow, but she just canceled. I'm bummed because I am just not good at running more than about 1:30 alone. I get bored. Soon a lot of running groups will be starting up their spring marathon training, which includes long runs, but these next feew weeks are tough to find company. Oh well, I'll do my best to enjoy it!
Posted by becky at 6:31 PM | Comments (1)
December 9, 2004
Sleep-running
Last night did end up being a really late night--I picked Matt up from his computer lab on the way home from dropping my presentation partner off at around 1:15am. Maybe not so late for some people, but very late for me! I decided to skip my first class--which I have never done--so I could get an extra hour of sleep, and it was probably a good decision.
I really felt like I was in a fog when I woke up and went running, but it got a little better as the run went on. My IT band was really sore today, and I'm not sure what would have made it any different. It also seemed to loosen up during the run. I only ran about 45 minutes and although it wasn't as pathetic of a pace as yesterday, my body was definitely feeling my lack of sleep in the past few nights. Yuck. Luckily I can sleep in a bit tomorrow.
I haven't been keeping up with blogs or emails for too long now. Hopefully this weekend I'll get some time to do those things! I am looking forward to Christmas break immensely...
Posted by becky at 7:53 PM | Comments (2)
December 8, 2004
2 minute update
We had a little disk snafu and are reconstructing a presentation due tomorrow at a time when I really should be sleeping. Especially since my run this morning was pretty awful--I did not want to be out there so early and I felt like I was crawling. It wasn't pretty. I knew I would be tired, but it was BAD. Surprisingly, I felt better later on and biked a bit while reading a trashy magazine from October! Hey, I'll take what I can get.
More tomorrow....
Posted by becky at 9:28 PM | Comments (1)
December 7, 2004
Return of Mr. Heavy Breather
I'm actually surprised that my track workout went as smoothly as it did tonight, considering that I was feeling sluggish and tired (and wet! it's been raining all day) warming up. We did two sets of 1,000. 800. 600. 400 with the longer two repeats at 3K race pace or so and the shorter ones at mile pace. We did get faster on our second set, so I was happy. I've done a similar workout to this before and it is very hard to go from the 400 up to the second 1,000.
In general, the recoveries that the SRR coach gives us are a little longer than the recoveries my DCRRC coach gave us. I think it is helping me improve the quality of each interval, just that extra 200 meters or so.
The track was very crowded tonight and there was one guy doing a whole heavy breathing routine that reminded me of someone well-known on the DC running scene. I'm glad he was working hard, but he didn't have to let the whole world know. :) I'm so nice.
My IT band was behaving well on my run this morning (just 3 miles or so) but the tight track turns made it sore again, even after taking Advil before I left. I made sure to cool down the other way around the track.
Happy 1st night of Chanukah! Time to light the candles and open some presents!
Posted by becky at 9:26 PM | Comments (0)
December 6, 2004
Dogs' eyes and dark skies
Let me just put it out there for all of you who may not know this: I am not a dog fan. (Or cats, or any animals at all, really.) I just don't feel comfortable around them--and I have plenty of close friends who ARE dog or cat people, I'm just not and never will be. (This random fact will relate, see below.)
I was about to leave the apartment this morning for my run when I thought to check the weather. I had the (NY) Times home page up on my computer and it said it was 37 degrees in NYC, so I was shocked when Boston.com told me it was 27 here! I put my tights on--it was a good decision. It was very chilly out there!
I did my usual Fresh Pond loop, but it was darker than ever and when I got to Fresh Pond, I was really glad I had my headlamp on--there are only lights around part of the reservoir and it is quite dark (but safe) elswhere. Even before 6am, I always see plenty of people walking, running and walking their dogs. So I came around a corner and all of a sudden I realized that my light was shining in the eyes of a dog coming toward me and its eyes were GLOWING! That freaked me out and got me thinking that the dog knew I didn't like animals and was sending me an evil signal. Yes, it's really stupid and I never have thoughts like this, but I was fixated. And it only got worse when the experience was replicated with the 5 other dogs I saw before I got around the reservoir! But at least it kept my mind occupied.
Other than the "evil" dog incident, the run was pretty good. I do feel like I'm going slower because it's dark--basically, I have to--but soon Fresh Pond will be covered in snow and ice and it won't be a good idea to run there in the dark. My upper calf was a little tight; I've been noticing it lately and need to target it with the foam roller.
OK, this is my hour of indulgence before getting back to a paper I'm writing, so off I go!
Posted by becky at 7:02 PM | Comments (3)
December 5, 2004
Another windy Sunday
I'm a broken record with my complaints about the wind, but it was blowing me all over the place when I got near the river this morning! I think it's actually gotten worse over the past few hours because I hear it howling.
My legs were tired today; I'm not sure why, but an hour felt much longer. Sometimes you have those days. On a positive note, my IT band was behaving today. Except when I had to hurdle a little ankle-biter dog and twisted my knee a little bit. Can't people control their animals??
That's it for exercise for me today--I thought about running longer this morning because I knew I'd be pent up all day, but I have to learn to prioritize and that a few days of running and lifting less than I want to won't kill me--or actually, won't cause me to lose too much fitness. :) Anyway, at least that's what I hope. So off to the library with Matt and then to work with my friend on a group project--I guess I'll be using a lot of brain power, anyway!
Posted by becky at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)
December 4, 2004
Busy day; nice run
We had fun at the concert last night, but Ani only played for an hour, so it was a lot of driving for a mediocre show. If any of you are Ani fans, you know that she has tons of albums, so you never know what you're going to get! She did do one of my favorite more folky songs, but mostly new ones that I couldn't hear because the college kids in back of me were having loud conversations and laughing like hyenas. I think I'm getting too old for concerts! (Well, concerts in big venues, anyway.)
Even though the show was short, I still didn't get home until midnight and then got caught up in a New Yorker article so I didn't go to sleep until about 1 (late for me!) My original intention was to be running by 8am this morning since I have so much to do, but I couldn't get up and pushed everything back an hour. It was a gorgeous day, in my opinion--chilly but sunny. I felt a lot better than yesterday and ran about 8 miles or so.
When I got back, I did work for a little while, then went to hang out with my grandparents for a little while, then it was time to go to a baby shower for a girl in our program who is due next month (!) On the way back from that, I stopped at the gym for a quick ellipticalling session and a little lifting since I can't go tomorrow, my usual weekend lifting day.
I am not running the relay tomorrow because I just don't have time. I need to work on a group project for a good chunk of the day, and because the relay starts so far away, it would be mid-afternoon by the time I got back. I felt bad backing out (although they did find a replacement) and I hardly ever decide not to run a race I have committed to, but I was really stressed out about it, to the point of tears, so I think it was the right thing to do. I'll be thinking of my team tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 8:23 PM | Comments (0)
December 3, 2004
Feeling kind of blah
I'm not really sure why I feel kind of tired and blah today. Despite my non-running day yesterday, my legs felt pretty stiff this morning, and the run just seemed to drag even though it wasn't that long. I think I might just be stressed out because I have a lot to do this weekend.
As for my run today, I took the Charles bike path as far as it goes (I think) on the Cambridge side of the river, then came back on the other side, plus some detours to add on mileage. I think it was around 10. I'm not planning on doing any other physical activity today since I'm going to an Ani Difranco concert tonight in Worcester MA with a friend from school and we have to leave pretty early to get a decent seat. (Plus Worcester itself is about an hour away.) But I haven't seen Ani in quite some time so it should be a good time.
Here's to hoping the blahs go away soon! Have a good weekend, everyone!
Posted by becky at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)
December 2, 2004
Double crosstraining day
I promised myself that I would crosstrain one day this week because I've run two or three weeks without a crosstraining day in there, and I'm definitely feeling a few niggles from my return to speedwork, etc. And my IT band deserves a day off from pounding the pavement, too.
I had to get to the gym exactly at the time it opened this morning (6am) to ensure that I would have enough time for ellipticalling before I had to be back home, in the shower and walking to the bus stop. I was surprised to see a whole crowd of people waiting outside for the poor early-shift students to unlock the doors!
I ellipticalled for a little more than an hour at as fast a "pace" as I could sustain and felt like it was a decent workout. I kind of went in cycles of being into it, bored, and then into it again. Then I did my ab routine with the medicine ball and bolted out of there. I made all the lights going home and made it in a personal best driving time! Whoo-hoo!
I swam tonight on my way home from school (my gym is on the bus route, so I can get off and then pick it up again when I'm done.) Boy were my arms tired! I hadn't swum in over a week, and it took a lot out of me. I had the whole pool to myself, surprisingly. I started fantasizing about having a lap pool in my house one day...
Tonight I have exciting plans to do some homework with a break for the finale of The Apprentice. And maybe ER. :) I'll put it in writing here that I think Ivana is going to be Donald Trump's next apprentice.
One thing I haven't mentioned is that I am doing a leg of a relay for my new club this weekend. It was a last minute decision and I'm totally regretting it for several reasons, the biggest one being that I have a group project to work on that day. Oh, well--more on that tomorrow!
Posted by becky at 6:26 PM | Comments (3)
December 1, 2004
This is December weather??
That's right, here I am again expressing my disbelief at how weird the weather is around here. It was pretty chilly last night when I came home from track, so I figured it was at least that temperature this morning and when I opened the balcony door, it felt cold. I mean, not tights weather or anything. But gloves.
I didn't even make it 5 minutes before I was pulling off my long-sleeve shirt and gloves with disgust of the damp, warm air that was all around me. My bad mood was compounded by the fact that my legs felt completely sore and dead--not a surprise, I guess. I felt like I was crawling, and I only ran 45 minutes or so. It was pretty ugly. Toward the end, it started raining and getting windy, and I thought to myself, Okay, the weather's changing now. But it never happened. Except for the rain, it was very mild out today.
(What am I going to talk about when I'm 80 if I talk about the weather now??)
During my break in classes today I did the elliptical and lifted. It was uneventful, except I bench pressed more than usual so that made me happy :)
I've been very hungry today so I am off to make what is hopefully a satisfying dinner!
Posted by becky at 6:57 PM | Comments (1)