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April 30, 2005
Reality check
I met up this morning with my new triathlete/water polo friend from the gym and two of her friends for a run by the river. As I mentioned yesterday, one of the friends is an accomplished marathoner from Australia who is in Boston doing a fellowship in medicine for a couple of years. The pace actually felt okay until about a half hour into the run, when all of a sudden my body was like, "OK, that's enough of that pace for today," (it was definitely quicker than I've been running, maybe 7:30 or so, but nothing too crazy) and I found myself falling off the pace. I didn't really mind that much though; I was glad that I was able to keep up for that long with no major aches and pains. So I kept the group in sight for almost the rest of the run (about another 30 minutes) but lost them when I got stuck at a light. In the end, it was a good effort, if not as long as I had wanted to run. But I have to remember that I'm still building back up.
I had parked at MIT to meet for the run, so I did a little bit of biking and some lifting when I got back. Then I realized I was hungry and went home hoping Matt had at least made some coffee for us, but he was enjoying a leisurely morning (well, almost afternoon by that point) in bed. Once I did eat I felt a lot better.
Today we've just been hanging out at home and doing work. Tonight we're going to a birthday dinner for one of my best friends from college--she's in town visiting her boyfriend. I haven't seen her in several months so I'm looking forward to it!
Posted by becky at 5:00 PM | Comments (0)
April 29, 2005
A (mostly) fun day
Even though it's not really late, Matt and I can't stop yawning! Neither one of us woke up super-early, so I don't know why we are so tired, but maybe it has to do with the long walk that we just took, from a sushi place that we like in Copley Square back to the car which was parked at Kendall Square (about an hour of walking, I'd say.) We decided to walk because it was a nice night and because I really wanted to find a place for an ice cream cone! It's weird, neither one of us know the Copley/Newbury Street area very well even though we've been here a while now, and we always feel like tourists when we're down there. It's kind of fun!
So that really didn't have anything to do with running or working out...but that's okay :) I did that this morning, just an easy run and I felt a little more like myself. However, it was very windy and I hate that. But I'll take a decent run over decent weather any day.
I decided not to do too much schoolwork today and get a pedicure instead. I was way overdue for one and it's been warm enough lately to wear flip-flops, so I treated myself. After that I was supposed to go to my grandparents' to say hi and drop off a book I want them to read, but just as I was leaving the nail place my grandfather called to say that my grandmother had cut her leg as they were leaving a friend's place and needed stiches. She has very thin skin and is strong as anything in every other way, but this kind of stuff happens to her every so often. I spoke to her tonight and she sounded okay, but the painkillers probably hadn't worn off yet!
So then I met Matt downtown for dinner and that brings me back to where I started! I'm going to go check the latest Penn Relays results. Cornell has a legitimate shot at the 4x800 championship tomorrow now that Tennessee is without Nicole Cook. That would be so awesome! I can't wait to see what happens.
Posted by becky at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)
April 28, 2005
April puddles
It wasn't raining this morning, but it did rain during the night, hence the puddles. My shoes are too clean though, so it was good to get them dirty! During my run today, I tried not to think about my pace so much (i.e. agonize over how slow I felt) and listen to my body more. I think it helped a little; I felt pretty good. I've also been foam rolling like a madwoman to try and get my IT band back to where it was before the achilles injury.
I got to sleep in a bit today, but I still feel tired. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow after getting another decent night's sleep. I was falling asleep in class and I hate that feeling. I know it all too well, unfortunately.
I swam after my class tonight and my arms felt heavy. Just wasn't getting into a good groove. But I felt good when I finished!
Tonight a friend from school is coming over and we're going to work on a group project and eat burritos. Things always look up when you add food!
Posted by becky at 7:23 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2005
April showers
It seems like it's been raining a lot lately, but I guess this weather is typical for April. I like rain, so I don't mind--it's just an observation. Anyway, there was no running in the rain for me today because I was at the gym. I read the June issue of Runner's World on the bike, but I didn't think too much of it. There is a story about a transsexual runner, which was definitely different, but the premise seemed obvious: once the male runner became a female runner, she was a lot slower. It's not a shock that the female hormones made such a difference (at least not to me.) Also, age was a factor.
Anyway.
This afternoon I did the elliptical and lifted. I really need to just stop talking about getting new lifting gloves and get them, because I have to take my rings off now to lift and that makes me nervous (case in point: I just realized that the rings were still in my purse and have been for hours now.) Other than that, lifting went well! I ran into the triathlete/water polo player I met last week and we're going to try to run this weekend. However, her running partner apparently just ran 3:03 at Boston, so I will probably do a couple of miles with them and the rest on my own! Hopefully when I get back into shape I can join them more often.
That's it for me--time to go face reality and so some work.
Posted by becky at 7:31 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2005
I miss track
I have a love-hate relationship with track workouts. When I can't do them, I feel awful about missing them and wish I could. When I'm doing them regularly, I worry all day about that night's workout. But I really do like to get to the track at least once a week to get that speed workout in and socialize. In DC, I had a really long streak of weeks when I did a Wednesday night workout. January 2000 until I got injured this summer. Once in awhile if I couldn't make the workout or it was canceled due to bad weather, I did it in the morning (often with Leilani!)
But this winter I didn't even make it through the whole season of indoor track before I got injured again. Almost, but not quite. Every week I keep thinking I'll be ready to attend my club's Tues. night workout, but deep down I know I feel out of shape and I need a little more time to get back to my old self. The good news is I think my achilles can handle the track. I'm just not sure the rest of me can!
So that's where I'm at today, just kind of feeling bummed that I'm still dragging on runs and not back at track with my friends. I was going to go to the gym today and cross-train, but I woke up too late and "had to" run instead. I only did about 5 miles, but the second half of it was so sloooow and I just didn't feel like myself.
After school, I went to visit my grandmother who was working today at a ritzy trunk sale in a ritzy hotel on Commonwealth Ave. The prices were outrageous!! I can't believe people spend thousands of dollars on one item...but it was fun to see her in action (she used to be a saleswoman at a fancy Newbury Street shop) and have her parade me around in front of all the rich ladies!
Then I walked over the bridge up to MIT and did a nice, hard swim for almost an hour. I did a "workout" just to keep myself focused, and the time passed a bit faster than usual.
And THEN tonight we picked up my bag from the airport!! Everything is in there, thankfully, and I am so happy to have my running underwear back :) A big whoo-hoo for that!
Posted by becky at 8:21 PM | Comments (1)
April 25, 2005
Miracles do happen
Matt got a call today from Delta Air Lines in Palm Beach, FL. Apparently, my lost luggage has been there for a month--it was tagged with the wrong passenger name and ended up there! (They called him because his cell phone was on the luggage tag.) Why it took them a month to figure it out, I don't know, but if all goes well, I'm getting my stuff back tomorrow!! I truly can't believe it (and probably won't until I see it) but I am so psyched to be getting my things back.
That was most of the excitement for the day. I ran in the morning and felt okay, just kind of slow as has been the norm lately. My IT band was sore, but not worse or different than it has been. I discovered some trails near Fresh Pond; nothing major but just a fun diversion. I think it rained last night because everything was all wet, but it was really sunny when I was out.
I did my usual after school biking and lifting routine, which was uneventful. I think I should start concentrating on doing some more back strengthening, because my back is often sore, especially after lifting. Mental note made.
Time to do some reading!
Posted by becky at 8:07 PM | Comments (5)
April 24, 2005
SUVs and puddles do not mix
I really do like running in the rain. It's weird, but I always have. Somehow it has a calming effect on me. It actually wasn't raining when I left this morning, but it picked up about halfway into my run. I was heading down to the river after passing through a particularly gritty section of Somerville, and all of a sudden a huge SUV appeared to go out of its way to go through a puddle and completely soak me. The water was in my mouth--ugh! I wrung myself out a little and was on my way, but it was really gross. I hate big cars.
Other than the splashing incident, the rest of the run was pretty good. I felt a teeny bit less out of shape today (it's like my legs can't keep up with my lungs) and my IT band wasn't too bad until I got tired near the end and my form suffered--my IT band issues are definitely related to biomechanics. Even when I was marathon training, it would bother me in the latter parts of long runs when my form got bad.
After I got back from running, I went with my parents and sister and (NY) grandma to the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in South Boston. We got into this whole discussion on the way there about how long it had been in existence, and when we got inside, we found out that it opened on the day I was born, June 12, 1977. Funny. The museum was really interesting. I don't always like museums because I get bored, but this one was fairly interactive and it was neat to hear my grandma's perspective because she obviously remembers Kennedy's campaign for President and all the history leading up to and including his assassination. My parents were teenagers when he was killed but they remember a lot, too.
I had just enough time for a quick swim when we got back from the museum, and then Matt and I went over to my (Boston) grandparents' for the second Passover seder. Tonight there were more people there, but we made sure to move it along because I did not do a stitch of schoolwork today and wanted to at least attempt to read a couple of articles for class tomorrow. Of course, when we were about to make our escape my grandmother reminded me about all the leftovers she had to pack up and give us to eat this week...not that I'm complaining!
(Running partner) Mary ran a huge PR at Big Sur today (super-tough course but I knew she would do it) and solidified her Boston qualifying time for next year. She'll be a few corrals ahead of me, but that will give us something to train together for next winter, if all goes well. Now she has to start focusing on her Ironman!
OK, it's late and I should go to bed. Happy last week of April!
Posted by becky at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)
April 23, 2005
Cross-training and celebrating
My idea of going to bed on the early side last night didn't work out all that well because I kept waking up wondering when Matt would get home and then had a hard time falling back to sleep when he finally did come home around 2. (Well, a hard time for me, which means I was awake for about 15 minutes.) I just didn't feel all that well-rested when I woke up. Oh, well.
I was going to run a little and then bike, but I decided to just do a longer cross-training workout instead of trying to get some running in. I attacked the elliptical for awhile and then got on the bike for another hour (well, almost.) I was sweating so much that I had to wring out one of my towels--I sure was glad to have brought Gatorade with me. I felt pretty good for most of the workout, but I was starting to get a little low blood sugar towards the end, long after I had finished the Gatorade.
I did some work on a "group paper" this afternoon (my portion of it) while Matt was at school with the AdMITs again, and then it was time to go to my grandparents' for Passover. It was nice to see my parents and sister and my other grandma (who came up from New York with them) and just hang out. As usual, my grandmother cooked up a storm (although on Passover, everything kind of tastes the same--like matzah meal) and I am still feeling the heaviness of the matzah in my stomach! We ended up staying there pretty late, but it was fun.
Tomorrow is my running partner Mary's marathon--send her good vibes!
Posted by becky at 11:40 PM | Comments (2)
April 22, 2005
Passover Eve
Today was yet another one of those days that got away from me and yet I feel like I got barely anything accomplished. Well, anything academic, I should say. I had a hard time getting up because we didn't get home last night until nearly midnight and I stupidly watched my tape of The Apprentice after that. (It seemed like a good idea at the time.) Today was my light day and I did one of my "five mile" loops that I really hope is more than five miles or else I have REALLY gotten slow since returning to running. It's probably a combination of the two. Anyway, I felt decent but my achilles has been a little sore walking around today and I'm attributing it to a big downhill that occurred toward the end of the run. And of course I am still feeling out of shape, which is different for everyone, I'm sure--but equally frustrating.
I did half of a major cleanup job when I got back in anticipation of my family's arrival tomorrow. They may not even come to our apartment (they are staying in a hotel and we will spend a lot of time at my grandparents' for the Passover seders) but last time my mom commented on the dust on our TV. I haven't even gotten to the living room yet but I'm hoping to get to that tomorrow!
I finished up a take home mid-term for the evil class that had the in-class portion of the mid-term on Marathon Day, and then got a much-needed hair cut. I hardly ever get my hair cut because I am traumatized by the fact that everywhere I go, the hair cutter-person comments on the fact that I have SO MUCH HAIR. Yes, I do. And I've lived with it all my life, so I don't need anyone telling me about it! But this (new) person was nice and it was pretty affordable (I went into the suburbs to cheapen the price.) I feel so much lighter now--well, at least my head.
Matt was busy tonight with some events for the admitted MIT students (they really, truly call them AdMITs which I find hilarious) who are deciding whether or not to attend next year, so I planned to get some work done. Instead, I talked to my sister on IM and then proceeded to fall asleep while reading an article for a paper I have to do. I'm taking it as a sign that I should just go to bed and try to be more efficient (i.e. get up earlier!) tomorrow. Happy weekend/Passover, everyone!
Posted by becky at 8:08 PM | Comments (1)
April 21, 2005
Getting back to normal
I must be quick since we're getting ready to go out for dinner and to an MIT event. I ran for almost an hour this morning and my achilles and knee were both behaving pretty well. I still felt out of shape and out of rhythm, but things seem to be improving. The cooler weather was much to my liking as well.
Tonight I swam and tried to do a few hard sets. It definitely made the time go by faster, but I don't think there is that much variation in my "pace"! OK, that's the two-minute update!
Posted by becky at 7:14 PM | Comments (1)
April 20, 2005
Early summer
It was too hot for me today. It IS nice not to have to be dragging around sweaters and coats, etc., but hot and humid in April? I could do without that. Although I should be used to it as that was the norm in DC!
Continuing my trend of being disciplined, I cross-trained today. I felt really blah and had a humidity headache when I woke up, and didn't feel so great at the gym. Just kind of dragging, as I guess I would be on those sub-par runs I seem to have every so often. I split my time between the bike and the elliptical. I tried to start a new book while biking (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safron Foer) but couldn't really concentrate. The book's narrator is a neurotic ten-year-old boy whose father was killed during 9/11, so it's not exactly a light read! I biked in the afternoon before lifting and had to buy US Weekly to motivate myself!
I am getting worried about my job prospects for the summer. I had an interview today for a position at the NYC Dept. of Health, but the program I would be working on is in the South Bronx and my commute from Brooklyn would be close to 1.5 hours each way. Hopefully something else will come along, or else I'll be scooping ice cream! (Which, truthfully, I wouldn't even mind all that much, but our program requires that we do an internship and it's easier to do it in the summer than during the school year.) Anyway, that's all for now--I have tons of reading to do.
Posted by becky at 8:46 PM | Comments (1)
April 19, 2005
Feeling more like myself
Now that the Boston Marathon hype has died down and I am not constantly thinking about not being able to run it, I am feeling more upbeat. I am trying to focus on taking the next couple of months slowly to get my mileage back where I like it. Today was a step in that direction, which was excellent.
I swam in the morning and never really felt so hot. It was crowded in the pool and I just had a hard time finding a rhythm. Time seemed to be crawling by. But I made it about 50 minutes and figured that was a long enough time to be flailing around in there.
In the afternoon, I met Mary for a run. Her office isn't too far away from my gym at MIT so we just ran toward each other. Matt was hanging out outside enjoying the nice weather and knew we'd be running by, so we had a quick meet-up and then Mary and I continued our run. Generally I don't like running along the Charles because it is so crowded and windy, but I was so glad to have company that it didn't matter. Between my injury and Mary's travels, we haven't run together in weeks. It was really nice and I
(knock on wood ten times) felt a little more in shape than I have since getting back to running. My knee was twinge-y but overall I was very pleased.
During the run I tried to do a subtle spit and realized that I am sorely out of practice at spitting on the go. Instead of landing on the ground like it was supposed to, my wad of spit landed all over my arm. Lovely! I had to use my sports bra to wipe it off and it was SO gross. But it made for a good laugh, at least!
Tomorrow it is supposed to be 85 degrees or something. I might as well just wear a bathing suit all day long.
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (4)
April 18, 2005
Marathon Day
Not my marathon, of course. But you can't avoid being caught up in the hype of the Boston Marathon when you live here. Not for lack of trying on my part. It was a hard day for me, but it was harder for all the courageous runners out there battling warm temperatures and one of the harder courses I have ever experienced. So congrats to all who ran today! You guys rock. My own update will be quick today because everyone else's experiences (should) overshadow a normal day of exercise!
As for me, I ran about 5 miles in the morning and biked/lifted in the evening. My achilles felt okay and my IT band was experiencing its usual soreness. It was hot enough for sports bra running in the morning, so I knew then that the marathoners had a hard day in store.
I met a girl in the gym today who played water polo for Stanford and is now a triathlete. I'm excited because she wants company for running in the morning! I'm slow right now but it will be good to widen my running circle. That being said, let me go email her before I forget her address...
Posted by becky at 9:48 PM | Comments (1)
April 17, 2005
Quiet Sunday
I was very proud of myself for choosing to cross-train today and not to any running, because I felt a little niggle in my achilles last night when I was walking around. The gym won't be open tomorrow until the afternoon for Patriots Day, so I figured I should save my miles for tomorrow morning. I did an elliptical/bike combo and surprisingly time seemed to pass quickly. I would have liked to lift but I really didn't have enough time.
Later today a friend of mine (and occasional blog commentator) who is running tomorrow came over for awhile. I haven't seen her since my wedding almost a year ago and even then I barely got to catch up with her. We met through my DC track club in 2000 and quickly became running buddies and good friends. Then she moved to NYC for a couple of years and now is in grad school in Colorado, so I don't see her much. I know she's going to do great tomorrow, and the best part is that she has such a positive attitude! The two of us have been planning to run a marathon together for years and thought that this Boston would be the one--alas, it was not to be. But maybe in the fall.
I've been doing all right mentally this weekend so far but now I am getting a little depressed. Matt's aunt just called to wish me luck, not knowing about my change of plans, so that made me remember! I appreciate her calling anyway--hopefully the luck will last a year! Anyway, my mood will probably improve tonight as we are going to dinner with two of my best friends from Cornell (and their husbands) who are in town to spectate/volunteer.
Good luck to all Boston runner tomorrow--don't forget to adjust for the temperature and most importantly, HAVE FUN!
Posted by becky at 5:04 PM | Comments (1)
April 16, 2005
Those peppy and cheerful BAA volunteers
All I wanted to do was get in and out of the Boston Marathon Expo as quickly as possible this morning. I ran there from MIT, which took about 10 minutes, and then was greeted by many smiling, energetic BAA volunteers who wished me luck and told me where to go to get my number. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I picked up my number and went to exchange it for a deferral and the people at the deferral desk were harassing me about picking up my t-shirt. I told them it was fine, I did not want it (I just have a thing about not wearing shirts from races that I didn't run) and of course they looked at me like I had 2 heads. But it ended up okay; I did have to practically swear on a bible that I hadn't gotten my official number through a charity but did eventually get out of there unscathed. Phew!
On my way back over the bridge to MIT, I heard someone calling my name and it was one of the older guys from my old club in DC who is in town for the race. It will probably be that kind of weekend!
Anyway, when I got back to the gym I went in and biked for awhile while reading a really sad book that was assigned for one of my classes, but had I known about it I would have read it anyway. It's called All Souls and it is a memoir about growing up in South Boston in the 70s and 80s, when it was extremely violent. The author lost 3 of his brothers to either drugs, suicide or homicide. He is coming to speak in my class in a couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to it, but it'll probably be a sad session.
Later today I studied for an ill-timed test I have on Monday, Marathon Day and a holiday for almost everyone else in the surrounding area, and then swam a bit. Matt and I also took a walk around Fresh Pond since it was so nice out and he hadn't been there yet. Tonight we plan to go to a movie, something we haven't done in months!
Posted by becky at 7:34 PM | Comments (1)
April 15, 2005
Back to an old loop
I was glad to be able to do one of my old standby loops this morning since my achilles has been holding up well. It was really windy, though! You definitely forget about the elements when you've been cross-training inside for awhile. My achilles felt good; my IT band is a bit sore though. That happened to me coming back from my last injury and I need to start doing my foam rollering and stretches again. My achilles is actually a little sore now, although it wasn't after running, so I'm icing it just to be on the safe side.
Today was a one-workout day for me and I felt like I needed it. I did some work during the day, got my nails done and had dinner with my grandparents. Now we're just hanging out and may watch a movie. We would go see one but there isn't anything that we're especially interested in seeing.
I'm planning to mostly cross-train tomorrow, but I have to go to the Boston Marathon Expo to turn in my number and get a 2006 entry and that will require at least a little running since it is fairly close to the gym. I do not want to be there around all those motivated and excited people! So I'll go as early as possible when some of them will still be in bed...
Posted by becky at 8:04 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2005
A little less stress
After staying up until 1:30 am (late for me), my project partner, Crystal, and I finally finished our awesome cross country curriculum! I am so proud of the thought and creativity that went into it, and excited that it will actually be in use next year. I hope that someday, I get to use it too. I designed lesson plans for learning Jack Daniels' principles, designing a team slogan and t-shirt, the importance of keeping a training log and sports nutrition. (I had to buy Nancy Clark's book for the nutrition one, but I've wanted to for some time now.) Crystal's lesson plans were on biomechanics (she works at a running store), the history of women in sports, a team photo scavenger hunt and a discussion of a Runner's World article about the narrowing performance gap between women and men. Although this project was a lot of work, I'm so glad that we created something related to our love of running!
Crystal stayed over since we were working late and she lives in the 'burbs, so we went running in the morning too. I'm still easing back into everything so we did about 6 miles, but at a good clip. I'm happy to report that my achilles felt good--I just feel generally awkward when running right now and a bit out of shape. My decision not to run Boston was definitely the correct one. Hopefully I'll be able to keep moving (slowly) my mileage back up and get back to where I was not too long ago.
After my two three-hour classes in a row, I hit the pool for some swimming. I am shocked that it is becoming natural for me to breathe on both sides, but it is definitely still something I have to be aware of so I don't just fall back into my old, even more comfortable pattern. I was sore while swimming because I upped my bench press yesterday, inspired by Audrey and all you other strong women who have increased your weights recently.
Matt is out tonight and I am sick of doing work, so I am planning to catch up on emails and TV. Low-key and just the way I like it!
Posted by becky at 7:41 PM | Comments (3)
April 13, 2005
Quick boring update
Very busy today finishing my cross country curriculum! (And taking a test that I did not study the right way for.) My bike incident yesterday doesn't seem to have left any permanent achilles damage, but I biked today just in case. This afternoon I did a speed bike and lift session. Tomorrow I hope to be able to go for a run with my partner on this curriculum project! Until then...
Posted by becky at 5:50 PM | Comments (2)
April 12, 2005
Jumping off the bike, a dangerous activity
Last year when my popliteal tendonitis was just starting to feel better, I took my brand new bike for a spin and wrenched my knee literally stepping off a curb to walk my bike across a dangerous intersection. Today, I was pressed for time so I hopped on my bike to run an errand. I haven't ridden since getting it tuned up and raising the seat a bit--and quickly realized that my achilles is not strong enough yet to withstand jumping off the bike onto that foot. It really hurt. The sad part is I ran about 4 miles today with virtually no achilles pain and was feeling better than ever. (I also [stationary] biked after that and swam in the afternoon.)
I am icing right now and hoping that it just got a little inflamed and I didn't totally set myself back. I was going to run a little tomorrow but I'll just cross-train. A boring thought but I would like to be able to continue my foray back into the world of the running!
This is so typical of me. Well, I can't worry about it right now (too much anyway) because I have way too much to do. I thought I might be able to make my return to the track tonight, but it wasn't meant to be. At least it's icing/raining out so it wouldn't be all that much fun being out there anyway!
Posted by becky at 5:27 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2005
Last-minute swimming buddy
I was very excited last night when Mary sent me an email asking if I wanted to join her for an early-morning swim before she left on a work trip. I was dreading swimming all by myself AND I had an early meeting, so the plan was perfect!
I managed to get up on time (with some difficulty) but as I reached into my bag for my wallet as I got to the pool, I sliced my finger on a razor I had in there--lovely. It wasn't a bad cut but it was bleeding a lot and I had to get band-aids from the pool guy, which cut down on the time I had left for my swim. It could have been worse.
The swim went by pretty quickly and Mary and I managed to chat a little between sets. I am really proud of myself for at least attempting to breathe on both sides now when I swim. Even though I am right-handed, whoever taught me to swim taught me to breathe only on the left side. It is super-awkward for me to breathe on the right, but I'm slowly getting smoother. Hopefully I'll stop swallowing half the pool each time I do my bilateral breathing laps.
My day at school really dragged, and I was grateful to have some time to bike a bit and lift this afternoon. The rest of my week will be pretty crazy, so I at least got one quality lifting session in so far. The downside was that the Yankees-Red Sox game was on TV at the gym and it seemed like every MIT student was clustered around watching the Yanks take a beating. But it's early in the season yet, so I'm not getting down on the Yankees just yet.
OK, back to work!
Posted by becky at 9:06 PM | Comments (2)
April 10, 2005
I need to chill
I think I ran too much in the past few days. My achilles is a tiny bit swollen and much more sore--not bad like it was, but it's a warning sign. Today I ran to the gym, lifted and ran back (a total of almost 50 minutes of running) and didn't notice that it was sore until I got back. Since then I've been icing a lot and I will be careful the next few days.
The rest of my day was pretty uneventful. I did some work, then Matt and I went for a little walk to enjoy the beautiful weather, and then I went for a swim. Now we're about to have dinner and I have a project to finish tonight. Should be fun! :)
Posted by becky at 6:51 PM | Comments (1)
April 9, 2005
Where does the time go?
Today has been one of those days when the time passes more quickly than you think it should. I got up before 8, but somehow didn't end up at the gym until after 8:30. After dropping all my stuff off in my locker, I ran about 5 miles. (Felt some soreness in my achilles/calf, but stretching helped and it wasn't worse than it's been on my past few runs.) When I stopped running to feed my meter, I couldn't believe it was already past 9:30. I guess I didn't start running until close to 9 but thought it was earlier. Anyway, I biked for awhile in the gym, and gave up on the idea of lifting too when I realized I wasn't going to get home until after 11.
I spent the afternoon working on a paper and I am feeling very antsy now that I'm done. But, I have a lot of work to do this weekend and I am forbidding myself from going to take that swim I really want to take in the hopes that if I can get a lot done today, I can get a chance to swim tomorrow. We'll see, though. We're also meeting friends for dinner tonight so I really don't have all that much time before that. It's just so nice and sunny out that I feel like a lazy bum sitting here! One more year of grad school, then I'll be free to spend my weekends the way I want to...
Posted by becky at 4:39 PM | Comments (2)
April 8, 2005
It's almost like I'm tapering
I keep thinking about how I wish I were running more now that I'm feeling better, but I do remember that I would be about to taper if I hadn't gotten injured, so I wouldn't be running all that much anyway. I knew it would be good to cross-train today after 3 days of doing a little running, so I met (running partner not blogger) Mary for a swim at 6:15am today. Boy, was it hard to get out of bed and into the water. But having company in the pool is really nice! She did a workout and I just did my usual laps, speeding up for some and slowing down for others. We swam for nearly an hour and it was a great workout--I felt a lot better than I did in the pool last night.
Since I got such an early start to the day (I can't believe that I used to run every day at that time), I got a lot of stuff around the house done and even some school work. I thought about going for a bike ride later in the afternoon, but I was falling asleep at the computer so I took a nap instead. I didn't really eat enough all day to justify working out a second time anyway. Later, I went to pick up some stuff from my grandparents and hung out with them for a bit. They were all dressed up and about to go to some event at their temple--they are so cute.
Tonight we'll probably stay in and maybe watch a movie. I still have some work to finish--I have a lot to do in the next week so I set daily goals for myself. Whether they will actually be acheived is another story. Anyway, happy weekend to all!
Posted by becky at 6:53 PM | Comments (1)
April 7, 2005
'Torrid' four-miler
I ran for the third consecutive day in a row today--a small victory but I need to back off and cross-train more so I don't re-injure myself. Anyway, today I even had company. I met up with my Education school buddy--we're working together on the coaching curriculum--and she didn't mind doing a shorter run. I figured I shouldn't bump it up more than 10 minutes a day right now. Her train from the suburbs was 35 minutes late and I didn't get her message until I was already at our meeting spot, but it was nice enough out that I didn't mind waiting.
We did a very simple loop involving Mass. Ave. and the Minuteman trail, but I felt like I was killing myself to keep up with her! I mentioned how out-of-shape I was feeling and she said, "I was pushing the pace because I felt like you were!" So we slowed down a bit but I definitely felt out of my comfort zone for most of it. She emailed me tonight that she was impressed by our "torrid" pace so maybe we were going faster than I thought we were :) Anyway, it was nice to have company and great that my achilles/calf area didn't bother me a whole lot. It's been sore after I run--walking around--but it's not getting worse and I'm going to continue to take it slowly.
I swam this evening after two 3-hour classes in row (and I forgot to have my coffee this morning--not a good idea.) I felt kind of blah and out of rhythm, and now my throat hurts. It might be allergies, actually--I've been sniffling a bit and so many people have them now that it's the season. I'd rather be allergic than have a cold, so we'll see.
I'm realizing now how much work I will have to do next weekend when all the Boston runners and spectators will be in town. It sucks! But hopefully I'll be productive next week and get some of it out of the way. Speaking of being productive, I should go do what I can before I fall asleep!
Posted by becky at 7:31 PM | Comments (0)
April 6, 2005
Run/bike/elliptical
I felt like I was competing in my own triathlon today. I rode the bike for about a half hour at which point a guy who had signed up bumped me off. Then, I ran along the river for a grand total of 20 straight minutes (I had to feed my meter anyway, so I figured I'd test it out), and felt pretty good! Definitely still favoring my bad leg, but the pain was negligible (knock on wood of course.) Then I came back to the gym and biked some more. Tonight I did the elliptical and lifted. They must be getting sick of me at the gym, especially with all the towels I use!
Matt had his stiches removed today and got checked out by the surgeon who operated on him--everything looks good, which is a relief. The doctor thinks that the appendicitis could have been caused by the extreme turbulence Matt experienced on his flight from China (10 of the 13 hours were turbulent.) Interesting but also disturbing...
Tonight is the season finale of one of my less junky shows--The West Wing. I like it especially because it makes me nostalgic for Washington (and yes, I know it's filmed mostly in LA.) I should probably do some reading but I'm sure I'll get sucked in to the tube instead!
Posted by becky at 8:57 PM | Comments (0)
April 5, 2005
The little things
You have to be grateful for the little things when you're feeling down and out because you can't join your club at their first outdoor workout of the season on a gorgeous night. So instead of dwelling on the fact that I'm sitting here wishing I was there and feeling lazy because I'm not, I'll think about the fact that I ran 2 miles today and it felt a lot more comfortable than it has recently! Whoo-hoo! Not completely pain-free but my achilles was just a little stiff and sore, and didn't (knock on wood) swell up again.
My achilles is actually stiffest when I wake up in the morning, so when I got to the gym I biked for a half hour to warm it up. Then, I ran a mile, pretty slowly, and was ecstatic that it didn't feel too bad. But I forced myself to stop and take a break--on the elliptical. I was not as into the elliptical today as I was yesterday, and it felt like the time was dragging by. But finally I was done with that and did one more mile. I was worried about how my foot would feel walking around today after that, but it was okay. Just sore in the upper achilles area.
I also got a good swim in today when I was done with my classes. The pool was cold, though. Even though I'm a hot person, I don't like getting into cold pools (or any body of water for that matter.) I tried to go in the smaller, warmer teaching pool but there was a class going on in there. Incidentally, there was a girl in the lane next to me doing the slowest form of pool running I have ever seen in my life. It looked like she was just floating there in the middle of the lane! When I do it, I try to use my muscles as much as possible and probably thrash around TOO much. But at least I feel like I'm getting a good workout.
Everyone's making plans to come to Boston for the Marathon, and while I'm happy to see some of my old running buddies, it makes me sad that things didn't turn out the way I had hoped for this year's race. I know everything will work out in the end, but these next couple of excitement-building weeks around here will be hard to get through.
Posted by becky at 6:59 PM | Comments (4)
April 4, 2005
2 x crosstraining
I biked this morning and my achilles felt better than it has in the past few days, which is good. The gym has this new towel policy where you can only pick up towels in two locations in the building whereas before you could get them in the actual workout area. So I can take 2 of them when I walk in, but any more than that (which I need because of my sweating) and I get questioned. Before, the towels were everywhere so no one noticed when I took one. It's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it's a new annoyance!
Anyway, I went back to the gym after class to lift, and I decided to hop on the elliptical for a bit. I felt really good and managed to hammer away without even listening to my iPod. Sometimes you just get in that zone. After that, I did a more extensive lifting session than I've had time for in more than a week.
Tonight I should be making a dent in the reading I have for all my classes, but instead I'm sitting here watching The Bachelor. I don't know why I get so sucked in. It's like I can't turn away even though I know it is so silly! Oh well, you gotta have some vices and I haven't been eating much candy lately so maybe reality television is replacing gummy bears...
Posted by becky at 9:22 PM | Comments (0)
April 3, 2005
Another quiet day
I definitely felt like it was earlier than the clock said it was when I woke up this morning--that's Daylight Savings Time for you. I had hoped to get to the gym when it opened at 9 but of course I didn't make it there as early as that. When I was on the way there I saw a lot of runners and got very nostalgic and less motivated to cross-train. But, I did what I had to.
US Weekly got me through about 20 minutes on the bike. I finished out the hour and then went to the elliptical for awhile. That was pretty boring, too. Again, I wished I was running.
During the day, I tried to do some reading for one of my classes but I kept falling asleep. I think it was a combination of the dry material and the fact that my body (and mind) are still tired from last week's events. I did muster up enough energy to go for a swim in the late afternoon, but it wasn't so great. There were a lot of cute little kids learning to swim, though.
OK, time to go do some work. And hopefully stay awake!
Posted by becky at 8:27 PM | Comments (0)
April 2, 2005
A quiet rainy day
The weather today wasn't quite as bad as they had predicted--naturally. In fact, instead of the torrential downpours I was expecting, the rain stopped by late afternoon. But it was one of those days where it seemed better to be inside. Which is where I was, most of the day!
In the morning, I went to swim and pool run (mostly swimming with some pool running to break it up.) The pool was very crowded because there was a diving meet going on and many lanes were taken up by that. I don't mind sharing a lane with one person, but when it gets to be more than that, I feel bad because people have to keep passing me. Most of the time I was just with one other guy. I never felt like I hit a rhythm during the swim, though, and it seemed endless. Even the pool running part went by faster, probably because I could watch the divers as a distraction! Anyway, it was not a very good workout. Maybe I was thinking too much about how this is the first weekend in a really long time that I haven't at least attempted a long run. Who knows?
Matt's mom came up for the day today so we hung out with her all afternoon, had a quick dinner and sent her off. I also picked up my bike and got a cleat fitting which should make it more comfortable for my achilles. The guy at the bike shop suggested that I get a new saddle, too, but I just can't justify spending any more money right now. Maybe this summer I will. A sore butt is okay with me...I definitely would like to get a bike trainer at some point as well, so that I can do some cross-training at home. But I won't even bring that up until I actually make some money!
Don't forget to change your clocks! I hope I don't.
Posted by becky at 8:40 PM | Comments (0)
April 1, 2005
Finally feeling like Spring
It was probably only in the 50s today, but the strong sun made it seem really warm. I was walking around in just my tank top this afternoon and enjoying myself despite my love of winter temps. Of course, the warmer weather meant everyone and their mother was out there jogging, but my achilles is feeling better so I'm trying to continue being patient. (Although when I drove by Marathon Sports in Cambridge tonight and saw that they had decorated the windows with Boston Marathon encouragement, I almost lost it.)
I didn't do all that much working out today, but I was fairly productive in other ways. I biked for a little more than an hour and then did some speedwalking on the treadmill just to see if I could. My achilles complained a little, but it wasn't too bad. I decided it would be nicer to walk around outside though, so I didn't stay on very long. I also made a conscious decision not to lift today because my shoulders and neck have been very sore, I think from swimming. On the bike, I finished Marla Runyan's book, No Finish Line: My Life as I See It, which I really enjoyed. I didn't know that much about Marla before but I think her determination is really inspiring. She has also dealt with a lot of injuries, which resonated with me. So thanks to Audrey for lending me the book!
After the gym, I got my Delta baggage claim form notarized and faxed it to the airline. It's supposed to take 10-14 weeks to process, meaning that I won't even be at my current address when and if they do decide to reimburse me. I'm not holding my breath.
I also took my bike in for a tune-up today. It's been awhile since I've taken it outside and I want to make sure everything is still in working order. I also want to get a proper fitting, because at the time when I bought it last July, I purposely kept the seat low because it felt better on the popliteal tendonitis I was dealing with then. I also never got a good cleat fitting and I am very concerned about how biking could worsen my achilles injury if I'm riding a bike that isn't fit properly. It's expensive but I've appealed to my parents for an early birthday present. Since I will be in NY this summer, we will all be able to go biking together (my sister got a bike last summer too) and I know they are excited about that. Wow, if Matt learned to ride a bike it would be an extended family affair!
Tonight I had an early dinner at my grandparents and then met Matt at a happy hour he was hosting for a club he is involved in. I basically went to make sure he came home with me! He had another long day but he's resting now and I'm sure he will be sleeping momentarily.
If anyone read today's Runner's World Brief Chat with Jen Toomey, maybe you noticed the shout out to my blog entry about Toomey's abs! I was shocked to see it but kind of excited. I mostly keep up this blog just for myself, but it helps to hear that other people enjoy it, too.
Happy Cherry Blossom/Daylight Savings Time weekend, everyone!
Posted by becky at 8:27 PM | Comments (22)