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November 30, 2006
A sweaty day
I was very uncomfortable today, both outside--where it is 71 degrees and humid at 8pm--and in, where the heat was still on, because, of course, it's the last day of November. I guess that's why people were wearing turtleneck sweaters as well. I was hot from the time I got to the gym and couldn't stop sweating when (after working out and showering) I got to my office. Shockingly, it wasn't that bad inside the gym during my ellipticalling. I am reading yet another Jodi Picoult book and got to a very surprising/suspenseful part in the middle of the workout, so it pumped me up. See, reading can be an aerobic activity.
I lifted at lunch and thus had the same problem of being really hot again when I got back to my office. But I've found that if I drink a lot of water and just sit still, I will cool off. Eventually.
Okay, enough complaining--it is supposed to be very windy and rainy tomorrow afternoon when the cold front comes through, so I'm sure that will bring weather more to my liking!
Posted by becky at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 29, 2006
Sore legs
I actually like the fact that my legs are sore, but I think it's more from doing squats and lunges yesterday than running. It's probably a combination. I felt like my soreness contributed to my feeling sort of "out of synch" on my run today--kind of like each of my legs was going at a different pace. My kneecap seems to be the only thing bothering me now during runs (knock on wood) and it comes and goes. But without being able to establish a rhythm, the run really dragged. And there were a couple of hills in there that really kicked my butt. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to even be able to be getting back in shape. But the journey is tough.
I don't have much else to report today; everything is status quo. I lifted after work and the gym was emptier than usual because there was a Georgetown basketball game tonight. Matt's back from Boston and is falling asleep on the couch as I write this, so I think it's time for bed!
Posted by becky at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2006
Fake cold
The title of this entry has a dual meaning. First, it alludes to the fact that my cold symptoms seem to have disappeared except for a bit of a scratchy throat. Secondly, fake cold also refers to the morning and evening temperatures in late November when the high temperature is near 70. You think it's chilly, so you put on a long sleeve shirt to run in, but then you realize you are hot. Or, you put on a fleece vest to walk down to the bus and you end up being fine in just short sleeves and capri pants--you get the drift.
In any case, I had a mediocre run this morning. I ran from home and said goodbye to Matt who was leaving to catch a flight to Boston. I did a loop that is flat/slightly uphill for about 2 miles and then drops into Rock Creek Park and then goes back up a gradual but seemingly endless hill. I felt okay on the flat part, just some kneecap pain, and then good until I hit the uphill. I didn't have to stop or anything but I was barely moving and I was thinking that every car that passed me (there were a lot) noticed how slow I was! I'm sure all those people had many more important things to think about, so I won't flatter myself by thinking they noticed me.
I lifted during lunchtime because I met a friend tonight for a free concert at the Kennedy Center. There is actually a free concert pretty much every night at the Kennedy Center, but I've never taken advantage of it. Tonight it was a Paraguyan guitarist (the friend I was with was in the Peace Corps in Paraguay) who is also an adjunct professor (of guitar) at George Washington Univ. here in D.C. Random. She was very talented and it was relaxing to just zone out and hear some music. We went to dinner afterwards at a diner-ish place that I always like. It was a fun night and it didn't feel like a Tuesday--always a good sign!
Posted by becky at 9:36 PM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2006
I think I have a cold
I went to sleep before Matt last night and when he came in, I woke up and realized I was soaked in sweat. I changed my clothes and fell back to sleep but when I woke up for real in the morning, I felt like I might be coming down with a cold. I was going to run today, but I didn't feel like it (!) so I went to the gym to cross train instead in case I am getting a cold. I ellipticalled as usual and it was fine. I didn't feel too bad and I didn't feel that great, but I'll take it.
Everyone was back at work after the couple of days off for Thanksgiving and it was nice to have the hustle and bustle around me again. My throat hurt me a little bit during the day but I didn't feel any more sick than I did in the morning. I took a walk to get some lunch because it was pretty mild out (though not as warm as the forecasters had predicted because it never got that sunny).
Tonight I rushed through my lifting because I was finishing something at work and left later than usual. I was psyched to see that they finally replaced some of the old, 1980s Nautilus equipment with some new, modern stuff--in Hoya blue and gray, of course. I never would have predicted that MIT's gym would have been nicer than Georgetown's, but that is currently the case!
Posted by becky at 8:43 PM | Comments (1)
November 26, 2006
Day spent in the car
We tried to leave New York pretty early this morning, but it either wasn't early enough or everyone else had the same idea. Most of our trip was spent sitting in traffic and I felt like it took forever. I'm sure it felt even longer for Matt as he was the one doing the driving! As I usually do, I slept on and off for a lot of the trip. Matt listened to football on the radio most of the time so at least he was occupied.
I went running before we left and am glad I did because of all the time spent sitting, although the back of my knee is sore now and I think that the car ride contributed. I ran on the Leatherstocking Trail again this morning but in the reverse direction. I was in a rush and didn't have time to eat anything before heading out the door and I felt kind of weak throughout the run. Legwise things were okay but my kneecap was a little achy and my legs were sore from doing my lower body lifting yesterday.
I don't know how I could be tired after sitting and sleeping all day, but I am! Hopefully the extra rest will catch up with me and contribute to a not-so-tiring work week!
Posted by becky at 8:52 PM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2006
An action-packed day
My day started out fairly relaxing because I got to sleep in a bit, but I feel like I've been going ever since. I met my parents at their fancy gym in the mid-morning and got in a good elliptical workout and a decent lifting workout. It's fun to people watch there because almost everyone walks around with a personal trainer and most people have clearly dressed for the gym--both very foreign concepts for me. My parents are totally not like that so it is always amusing to hang out with them there. They have been dedicated 5-6 time/week gymgoers for almost a year--I am very proud of them!
Matt went over to his grandparents' house and then to his dad's today, so I went home with my parents. We also picked my sister and her boyfriend up from the train station since they came up from the city. We had lunch at my parents' house (my grandmother joined us for a little while too, which was nice) and then took a family trip to the Apple store to see what was wrong with my mom's iPod. The mall was very crazy and the Apple store was especially crowded.
In the evening, all of us met Matt and his dad and his dad's girlfriend for dinner at a great restaurant, new for most of us. It was Portuguese and had some really interesting fish dishes. We had a nice time and then the "kids" (my sister and I and our respective significant others) hung out for another couple of hours at a wing place/biker bar that we like. I was too stuffed from dinner to really enjoy the wings, but it was great to hang out with them nonethelesss.
Posted by becky at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2006
'You make me feel inadequate'
I was almost finished with my (shortish) run this morning when I passed a guy on the road leading back to Matt's mom's house. I said good morning and he yelled out, "You make me feel inadequate!", I suppose because I am a female and I was moving a little bit faster than he was. He was obviously kidding around and I found it very amusing! Especially since I am still not running "normal" speed these days.
I ran less than I did yesterday (consecutive days) and besides some kneecap pain and tired legs, I felt pretty good. It was much warmer than yesterday but really windy. I did a route that kind of follows the shore, so that probably made my hair even crazier.
I got up really early to get in a workout before a planned shopping trip with Matt's mom. She goes every year early in the morning on "Black Friday," the day after Thanksgiving. We got out at about 8:15 am and there were already a lot of people in the stores. But we did really well--okay, I did! I got a bunch of stuff for work at Loehmann's, a discount store where you can find nice stuff if you dig around, and a couple of pairs of shoes at Lord & Taylor. Nice!
When we came home from our shopping spree, I read for a little while while ellipticalling and then Matt and I went to meet his sister to see Borat. All three of us loved the Borat character in Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Show so we have been waiting until we could all see it together. I have to say that I was pretty disappointed. It was just kind of silly and we had heard a lot of the jokes before, although there were definitely some funny parts that will probably be repeated later on tonight.
We (Matt and I and his family) are going to dinner in Manhattan tonight. I haven't done that in a long time so I am looking forward to it. Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 4:56 PM | Comments (1)
November 23, 2006
Thankful for the run and the company
I was worried about how my run would go this morning after sitting in the car for about 6 hours last night, but I am glad to say that it went very well! I was thinking about how I was thankful to be able to finally feel decent on a run again almost the whole time--I thought it was seasonally appropriate. I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle the hills on one of the loops I know from Matt's mom's house, but since I was making sure to take it slow, I was okay. I ran to and on part of the Leatherstocking Trail and since it was raining and chilly, I was especially careful on the wooden bridges that pepper much of the trail, but it was beautiful with all the leaves on the ground. I felt so good on the way back that I extended the loop a little bit with and out-and-back stretch of road that dead ends at the Long Island Sound. The water looked pretty despite the rain.
I lifted a bit and did my lower body stuff when I got back. I feel a little sore in my hamstring since I've been back and my back has been hurting since I woke up, probably meaning it was the way I was sitting in the car. The front of my knee has also been sore post-run which I'm attributing to a couple of big downhills and just general out-of-shape-ness. I iced it earlier in the day to be safe.
We went over to a family friend's house nearby for Thanksgiving in the early afternoon. There were several families there and it was a lot of fun--good food and good friends. We just got back and there are three Grey's Anatomy fans here (Matt's mom and sister and me) so I think we are going to watch together. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!
Posted by becky at 8:35 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2006
Yay for short weeks
This is the first time I've had a couple of consecutive days off since I started my job in July and I sure am looking forward to them! I am meeting Matt in Bethesda later this afternoon so we loaded the car at 6:30 this morning when I was ready to leave for the gym. I also snagged a ride down to the bus stop--nice! It was pretty windy and chilly so I was kind of glad today was not a running day. The gym was empty and I did my usual ellitpticalling, reading for about half of the workout. I stayed an extra few minutes to do a little bit more ab stuff than I usually do in the morning and some hamstring strengthening stuff. It turns out that I would have time to go to the gym again this afternoon, but I think I will skip it and get a manicure instead :) I always beat myself up over this stuff, but in the grand scheme of things, I might as well do what makes me happy, right?
We are headed up to New York tonight but are in no real rush as we expect a lot of traffic. I think it is supposed to rain along our route, too (it is already raining here). Hopefully it won't take too long or else I'm not sure my hamstring can handle it.
I wish I had a Thanksgiving race to look forward to tomorrow, but I am grateful that if all goes well I can at least do a regular run. Safe travels and holiday wishes to all!
Posted by becky at 2:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2006
Suitcases and holiday wishes
It's still two days before Thanksgiving but I feel like everyone is already leaving town. I saw a lot of suitcases and roller bags on my walk to the bus this morning and everyone who came into our office suite today wished us a Happy Thanksgiving. That's probably because most of them are taking the day off tomorrow! I will be at work but Matt and I will drive to New York sometime in the evening. So in terms of traffic, I guess it's good that people are getting a head start on the holiday!
I did a short run today (since this was my second consecutive day) and then biked. No major complaints on the run although a guy passed me like I was standing still and that was before I crawled up the last hill. I truly don't mind if I am slow right now as long as I am getting healthier, but I can't wait until hills don't feel like death anymore! I mean, they are always hard, but we runners know that's the sign of being in shape--when you can maintain your pace--or close to it--up a hill and then recover pretty quickly afterward.
I always read the Health section of the New York Times on Tuesdays and noticed the article describing the study that found that marathoners are at an increased risk of skin cancer. It was a fairly small-scale study and the researchers aren't sure whether the increased risk can be attributed to more UV exposure, suppression of immunity, or both, but it is still a good reminder to me to wear sunscreen, at least until I sweat it off. (I almost never remember to put it on.)
The gym was quieter than usual tonight with so many students headed out of town and it was lovely. Lifting was uneventful and now I am waiting for Matt to get home to start dinner. He better hurry as I am starving!
Posted by becky at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2006
A pretty good run and a nice dinner
Although my hamstring was sore afterwards, I felt pretty good during my run this morning, so I'm thinking of it as a good one. I did the "Becky loop" which I think I also did last Monday. Most of it is pretty scenic because it drops into the park, but I got caught for a couple of minutes across the road from the trail (on the road) and the traffic was so heavy that it took a few minutes to be able to cross. (You can run on the road but it's not safe because it is curvy/windy and a major route for people looking to avoid the main roads into downtown Washington in the morning.) I also almost stepped on a flare that must have been set up from an earlier accident--I turned a corner and smelled something burning but didn't notice it until I was almost on top of it! Ahh, how I have missed the joys of city running (really).
My hamstring didn't feel too tight until I got to work and had been sitting at my desk for awhile and got up to go to the bathroom. I am convinced that I need to strengthen my hamstring before it gets fully better, so I'm going to work on that for the next few weeks and see if it makes a difference. It's always a fine line between making my hamstrings stronger and making them sore.
Work was pretty quiet today so I had a chance to follow all the NCAA XC action online. I entered the Letsrun.com prediction contest about an hour before the races started and of course did horribly. I should rely only on intuition and not rankings. But I was impressed by Colorado on both the men's and women's side today, of course. They always seem to run a smart race at Nationals.
I lifted after work and then met Matt, his aunt, his cousin (her daughter) and her boyfriend at a restaurant downtown. Aunt Iris, a state senator in New Hampshire, was in town for a conference and she is always a lively dinner companion. Topics ranged from Barack Obama's chances in 2008 to Washington's shopping areas. We had a lot of fun and it was great to spend some low-key time with family just a few days before the always-stressful Thanksgiving holiday.
Posted by becky at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)
November 19, 2006
Wanting to be 'fast' again
Not that I was ever "fast," but sometimes I really miss being able to even have another gear or run a race. I guess I'm thinking about it now because I am sad that I won't be doing a turkey trot this year. We will be in Westchester so it's slim pickings anyway, but those little races are definitely one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. Not to sound all whiny, but considering my lingering hamstring issues, I feel like it is going to be months and months before I will start feeling like I'm in shape. I had targeted an early January return to the track, but it probably won't happen, meaning that a spring marathon will be virtually out of the question as well.
Enough complaining. Today was a pretty quiet day. I went to the gym in the morning to elliptical and lift a little bit. My legs were a little bit tired from the Mass. Ave. hill yesterday, but no major problems. After I was done working out, I stopped in Georgetown's shopping district (M Street) to do a little poking around in Ann Taylor Loft. I am into ATL now because they have a particular fit of pants that works well for me, especially now in my non-tip-top shape body.
Matt and I took a walk this afternoon and we both enjoy the cold weather so it was nice. We were very excited to pass by a new Dunkin' Donuts (they are few and far between in the District) that we had heard about but never seen. (It doesn't take much to impress us.)
I'm excited to see what happens in the NCAA Championships tomorrow! Everyone is predicting Sally Kipyego to win it, but I'm not sure. I don't know that much about her, except that she has international experience and beat Kassi Andersen by a lot at the regional. If Arianna Lambie has peaked well, I wouldn't be surprised to see her win it, or Rhodes Scholar Michelle Sikes since she seems to be a fierce competitor. We shall see!
Posted by becky at 7:29 PM | Comments (0)
November 18, 2006
And I don't even like football
For someone who doesn't really like football, I sure watched a lot of it this afternoon. Matt's cousin is a big Ohio State fan and she and her boyfriend invited us over to watch the Ohio State-Michigan game. A bunch of people (including Matt) played some football beforehand, but I skipped that part. I didn't have any particular allegiance to one team or another but the crowd there was pretty much split, so it was a good time.
My own athletic endeavors took place in the morning, as usual. I did the same loop I did last Saturday but had more trouble with the gradual ascent up Mass. Ave. this time for some reason. The back of my knee felt good while I was running although it's been a little sore since I've been back. I biked for a bit on my trainer when I came home and I think all and all it was a pretty good workout.
I think we are going to watch a movie tonight and I am going to try to remember to make good use of my foam roller before I go to bed. I know, I lead such an exciting life that it's hard to keep track.
Posted by becky at 8:41 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2006
Back to November reality
It felt a lot more like normal November weather to me when I left our apartment this morning, although it still wasn't quite as chilly as the radio was reporting. I guess compared to 70 degrees it felt cool! I was only headed to the gym, though, so it didn't matter too much. Inside the gym it was hot as ever and I marveled at the people around me wearing long sleeves and sweatpants--I just don't know how they stand it. I ended up running a little late this morning so I didn't get to spend quite as much time on the elliptical as I wanted. I got into a good rhythm with my music and then my book so time actually passed pretty quickly.
I don't have much else to report. Things were pretty quiet at work, as I imagine they will be for the next few days before Thanksgiving. Matt just arrived home and now we are going to pick up a pizza. Happy NCAA XC Championships weekend!
Posted by becky at 7:32 PM | Comments (0)
November 16, 2006
Real feel: August
Everyone knew we were getting a big storm today to cool things off, but it was oppressively humid in the morning when I went for my run--the first time I have run consecutive days, actually. I checked the weather when I left and the Washington Post said that the temperature was 63 and the "real feel" was 58. Perhaps that was factoring in the wind, but not the humidity. It was like a summer day, I swear. It was hard to catch my breath and my arms were beaded up with sweat after about 10 minutes. Gross.
I was really worried about the consecutive days thing, but I've been running every other day for a few weeks now and I need to try and bump it up for my sanity. I did a lot of foam rolling last night on my hamstrings and calves and my calf was sore this morning during my run. It was up high, near the back of my knee so it kind of freaked me out. It seemed to work itself out, though, and I just had my usual post-run hamstring tightness--which still worries me, but I think it might just stop happening gradually as my hamstrings eventually get stronger.
I biked for a few minutes when I got home but I didn't really have much time before it was time to get ready to go to work. Boy, do I miss the days of grad school when there were days when I didn't have to be anywhere until the afternoon!
The rain started just as I got to work and got really bad just as I dashed off to the gym during my lunch hour to lift. My pants were soaked after the five-minute walk and my umbrella kept turning inside out. On the way back, the puddles were deep and unavoidable and I was just grateful that I had remembered to leave my work shoes in my office and walk to the gym in sneakers.
Tonight I went to a Dar Williams concert at one of my favorite venues with a few friends, one from grad school who I haven't seen since we've both been down here. I've seen Dar a bunch of times and it is always a good time. She was visibly suffering from a cold tonight, though, and it wasn't a knock-your-socks-off performance. But it was still a fun night.
Posted by becky at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)
November 15, 2006
Not such a great run
As a postscript to last night's entry, I'll say a word on the ED documentary I watched last night, Thin. It was a lot more disturbing than I anticipated, probably because it ends on a pretty depressing note. (If you haven't seen it, that doesn't ruin it--the whole thing is kind of a downer.) I've always been fascinated by eating disorders, or at least since I read The Best Little Girl in the World when I was in middle school. And now, of course, I'm especially sensitive to ED issues because they are so rampant in our sport. In any case, the documentary was extremely well done and illustrated the pain that ED patients--and their families--suffer and how long it lasts. But I didn't really get a sense of the way that the therapists/nutrionists/counselors, etc. really approached each patient because we only saw snapshots. Everything I've learned about EDs is that restriction, bingeing and purging are all symptoms of a larger psychological problem. The talk amongst the patients and staff in the treatment center that the documentary focuses seem to mostly talk about food and eating. I don't have anything monumental to say after watching the movie, but I've certainly been thinking about it all day and I think that says a lot in itself.
On a less serious note, I had a pretty crappy run today. That means the back of my knee was pinching a little bit at the beginning of the run and I was lethargic as well. Nothing seems to predict the way I will feel when I run these days--my knee always feels okay walking around. It might be that I started the run kind of uphill. Actually, it was kind of half uphill and half downhill and that might have been bad. I'm kind of tired of overanalyzing these things and going from euphoric feelings of "I actually feel normal!" on Monday to "Will I ever feel normal?" on Wednesday.
I was supposed to go to PT today but Barb was out sick and is booked for the rest of the week. I am not sure I am going to go next week either because of Thanksgiving. So I'll see how I do on my own for a couple of weeks, I guess.
Even though I had a snack before I went to the gym tonight, I was starving and really didn't get much of a workout in before I had to leave to refuel. I think starting to run again, even a little bit, is making me a little bit more hungry--a problem I am happy to deal with, especially in light of the documentary last night!
Posted by becky at 8:36 PM | Comments (0)
November 14, 2006
Missing indoor track
Not that I am in any shape to do a workout right now, but I was still sad when I got the email from my old club in Somerville announcing the beginning of indoor track season. Although my various overuse injuries probably got worse because of indoor track season, it has always been my favorite and something I really miss about New England (indoor tracks are few and far between in the Washington area). Matt and I realize that we miss a lot about Boston, although I doubt that indoor track would even be in Matt's top 100 things he misses about Boston :)
I am hurrying through this entry because I am about to watch an HBO documentary on an eating disorder clinic--I've been looking forward to it for weeks. My workout this morning was on the elliptical and it was fine. And then I lifted this evening and that was good, too. OK, my show is on so that's it!
Posted by becky at 8:52 PM | Comments (0)
November 13, 2006
A better rainy run
I felt like I did a real run today, a small victory! Of course, my hamstring is sore, but it doesn't feel injured. I think that's just going to happen post-run for awhile. Since my runs are getting up to "normal" length, I ran from home today instead of going to the gym first so I could elliptical afterwards. It was a nice change and I don't have the problem of starting my run from the top of a hill like I do when I start from Georgetown.
I did a variation on what my old D.C. running partners used to call "The Becky Loop" even though it is not terribly exciting. It follows a main urban thoroughfare for about a mile and then turns into Rock Creek Park. I felt pretty good nearly the whole way except when I had to climb out of the park to get to the street and I was moving at a snail's pace. But I'm not too worried about that. It wasn't raining when I left my apartment and didn't look that threatening, so I didn't wear my hat. Of course, about halfway into the run, the skies opened up and it was just pouring. I didn't mind too much, because I've missed these kind of nature moments during my tenure cross training indoors. However, I was wearing a cotton long-sleeve t-shirt and that was an unfortunate choice as it held all the water.
I was in a good mood on the way to work (probably because of my decent run) and then I walked in to our suite to be greeted by a rush of hot air. For some reason, no one can figure out how to turn the radiator behind my cubicle off, and when it is below 60 degrees outside, it blasts hot air. I hate it. I felt like I was suffocating today and had a hard time being productive. Hopefully the facilities people will show up tomorrow (I called today but no one came.) Of course, it is supposed to be about 70 degrees tomorrow, so maybe it won't be a problem!
It was pretty hot in the gym as well, and I could tell by looking at people that I wasn't the only one who thought that. Yuck. I biked, lifted, and headed right out of there into the (relatively) cool air. It's actually a little chilly in my apartment right now and I am loving it!
Posted by becky at 9:16 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2006
Great day to be inside
Besides working out, I had a very relaxing, lazy day today. It was windy and rainy all day and perfect reading and napping weather. I went to the gym in the morning and worked hard on the elliptical and also did some abs and squats but was too hungry and sweaty to lift (I had planned to). I'm not feeling any ill effects of yesterday's run--my longest by about 7 minutes--just the usual hamstring soreness. I think that's as good as it's gonna get right now.
After the gym I decided to go grocery shopping since I was already out and I had an energy bar to tide me over. I thought that Whole Foods would be less crowded than it usually is when I go in the late afternoon, but I was very wrong. There was a line to get into the parking lot and tons of people inside. You'd think they were giving food away, when in reality, aside from the apple slices and cheese, it's quite the opposite!
I was pooped when I got home and I parked myseld on the couch to read the paper and finish my overachievers book. I fell asleep for about an hour somewhere in there and it was a very peaceful nap. We got home kind of late last night from that housewarming party, so maybe I was more tired than I thought.
We had an early dinner and I was feeling very awake from my nap so I just rode my trainer for a little while. It worked and here I am, back on the couch, reading until our favorite HBO show (The Wire) comes on. Here's to another week ahead...
Posted by becky at 8:10 PM | Comments (1)
November 11, 2006
Old neighborhood loop
It was great to have company on a run again this morning, especially someone who agrees that it was was way too hot for November today. Emily came over to my place from her house in Virginia (thanks!) and was excited to run in D.C. where she and I first started running together when she lived a block away back in 2000. I think we met at track. Anyway, we did our "old loop" that includes Rock Creek, a large uphill tour of the embassies on Mass. Ave and a nice downhill at the end.
Emily is in amazing shape considering she just had a baby in September. The pace seemed okay to me, although we were both huffing and puffing on one hill. At this point I don't really care how fast or slow I am running, because that can easily be improved. I just don't want to have any pain. And I didn't have too much today--it's just the lingering hamstring "pulling" feeling when I first start running. When I first got back to running, my hamstring would be super-tight when I finished, and that has gotten a lot better. Since I've been back today (I also biked for a bit when I got home) it's been noticeable, but not really painful, if that makes sense. I think the hills probably put a little more strain on my hamstrings than I intended.
Today has been pretty relaxing. I did some much-needed cleaning of the apartment this morning and then fell asleep on the couch while I was reading. Now we're getting ready to go up to Rockville to go to a discount running store that is great (I have recently thrown a bunch of stuff out because it smells bad right after being washed), to go to dinner and then a housewarming party. It is supposed to rain and then cool off from the 70s back to more fallish weather and I can't wait!
Posted by becky at 4:17 PM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2006
Slow "holiday" day
Many people in DC had the day off today because the federal and local governments were closed for Veterans' Day and it's typical for nonprofits to follow the federal schedule. But we have the Friday after Thanksgiving off instead and I would much rather have that! Plus, it was quiet today so I was able to finish some things I had been working on all week and--even more exciting--weekday parking rules were not in effect, so I could drive to work without guilt!
I was bad again about pressing the snooze bar this morning. When I finally realized that I was behind my usual schedule, I bolted out of bed and, because I was rushing, didn't end up getting to the gym too much later than I intended. I decided to take a second ellipticalling day in a row because I'm still a little worried after that bad run I had on Wednesday. I am feeling fine walking around and I'm taking that as a good sign, but I am planning to run with a friend tomorrow morning and I want to make the most of that. She is one of my favorite running partners but we haven't run together in ages since she's had two kids in the last 2.5 years and I've been away. She is now coming back from her second pregnancy so we are hoping that our paces will be similar.
In any case, ellipticalling was fine and I don't have anything much else to report. (I won't complain about how hot it was today.) Happy weekend!
Posted by becky at 7:17 PM | Comments (0)
November 9, 2006
Weather confusion
I have a hard time remembering that it is November when it is 70 degrees outside. Admittedly, I enjoyed the nice weather today, once the humidity dried up. Unfortunately I was inside 90% of the day, so most of the enjoyment was vicarious when I looked out the window and saw medical students basking in the sun. Those were the days, as a carefree student...hah! I am, of course, being sarcastic as I am never and will never be carefree.
So, back to the blog subject. I ellipticalled this morning and I was sweating a lot more than I have recently and felt like I was working harder even though I was doing the same thing I always do. Most likely, I was both hot from the walk to the bus and hot because the heat in the gym was on. My leg did not bother me on the elliptical and the only time I felt it was when it occasionally twinged walking around. Pretty good considering I had a crappy run yesterday.
My back is stil hurting a lot, despite foam rolling last night and trying to stretch. It hurts most to turn to my left, which I do a lot during the day because people always approach my cubicle from that side. But I think it's getting better.
I lifted at lunch and just avoided stuff that might bother my back. I actually do need to work on strengthening my back and this is a good reminder.
My enthusiasm for Grey's Anatomy has waned somewhat after they threw in a main-character-appendicitis storyline a few weeks ago and preyed on my neuroses. But Matt is still away so I suppose I will be a couch potato for the remainder of the night. (Not that I wouldn't watch OR be a couch potato if he were home. It's a good excuse though!)
Posted by becky at 8:46 PM | Comments (0)
November 8, 2006
Rotten rainy run
I was glad to hear it raining when I woke up because I had a run scheduled and it's been ages since I had a rainy run. Matt was up early as well because he was off to Tampa for a couple of days so it wasn't even that hard to get going. I felt okay when I started the run, just some stiffness in the hamstring and the usual twinge behind the knee. It was really coming down, and I think I started out a little too fast or something (hard to believe, but possible) and I ran out of energy about halfway through. I also had to either jump over puddles or run through rivers and that probably added to my fatigue. I am not very good--especially now--about jumping over things. I am very awkward. So I started thinking that maybe the puddle-jumping was bad for my knee/hamstring, then I realized how tired I was...and the run pretty much disintegrated into a unhappy shuffle.
I'm not going to agonize over it, as long as it doesn't happen again. I forgot to mention that I went to Barb yesterday and she did a lot of work on the hamstring, which is very sore today, so that could have possibly contributed to the yuckiness as well. Whatever it was, I biked a bit afterwards so I could 1) loosen up and 2) see if anything had happened with the Senate races in Virginia and Montana.
Everyone in my office was very excited about the outcome of last night's elections, and when Rumsfeld resigned, it was craziness. I am not particularly informed about politics, so I don't feel qualified to have strong opinions, but I do want to see the "war" end so I am happy with the sea change too!
I lifted a bit tonight but took it easy because my back started hurting me in the middle of the day for some strange reason. I'm sure it was something I did or tried to do. I will foam roll tonight and that usually helps.
I unexpectedly found out that another grad school friend was in town for work tonight, and I am really glad that we had time to grab dinner. I miss my Boston friends more than I expected. Luckily DC is the kind of place that everyone comes to for work and meetings and conferences!
Posted by becky at 9:46 PM | Comments (0)
November 7, 2006
Election day ellipticalling
I left before the polls opened this morning but I just got back in the nick of time to cast my vote before they closed. I wasn't even going to vote, actually, because the races here were mostly uncontested, but I guess it always matters just to get voter turnout up and all that. There are a couple of big races here in Virginia and Maryland so that's kind of all anyone is talking about right now. Matt majored in government but hasn't been that into politics in recent years, although I think we will likely watch the returns tonight!
So today's workout was on the elliptical. I was on one machine for about 10 minutes when all of a sudden it froze. None of the buttons worked and the display was locked. Luckily there was another machine available right next to it. I'm actually surprised that they don't break like that more often, considering all the use they get. My workout was rather unremarkable and I read my new library book for about half of it. It's very interesting and reminds me of the way I was in high school: Alexandra Robbins' The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids. I recommend it to all you Type-A personalities. (Aren't all runners Type A?)
It was cool and rainy today but is supposed to be very warm--70s--for the next couple of days. I'm fine with warm weather in limited quantities, but I hate how one day can be 20 degrees warmer than the next! Grrr. Someday I'll live in place that conforms to my weather specifications.
I was a little less hungry today when I started lifting but ended up really running out of energy toward the end. I think I haven't been eating enough for lunch. Or maybe it's the fact that I finally ran out of my candy corn supply. But I hate that low energy feeling so I am going to try and figure that out.
Posted by becky at 8:26 PM | Comments (2)
November 6, 2006
Flat is boring but flat is good
I had that why-is-my-alarm-going-off/Monday morning feeling when I woke up this morning. While I don't miss the schoolwork in grad school, I do miss the fact that I was able to sleep in at least once a week. I did eventually stop pressing snooze and make my way down to the bus. I decided that I would just run out and back on the canal as Barb suggested last week, to keep it nice and flat. But to get down from Georgetown to the canal is a pretty steep drop, and I especially don't like to do it when I'm not warmed up. I made sure to take it really easy on the way down.
I was moving pretty well once I got on the canal (when I talk about speed these days, it's all relative) and then I looked down at my watch and realized I had stopped it at 6 minutes to cross the street and forgotten to restart it. I hate when that happens, especially now when the amount of time I can run is limited. So I ran out until the point I had estimated would be the turnaround and then came back on the Capital Crescent Trail (which is pretty much parallel to the canal at that point, so it is essentially an out and back.) It always takes me a few minutes to warm up, but I felt pretty decent. I felt my stride shortening as I crawled up the hill back to campus, and I noticed that making my hamstrings tighter. I should work on that once I'm back in hill-running shape.
I didn't have a whole lot of time to elliptical when I got back to the gym, but I did what I could. My hamstrings (more so the bad one) were pretty sore and the right one stayed sore most of the day. I am hypersensitive to the way the back of my knee feels and sometimes I think I am imagining things during the day when I get up from my desk. In any case, I had a few twinges here and there today but so far nothing major.
Lifting was not so productive today because I was hungry. In fact, I am still hungry because I am waiting for my chicken to be done in the oven and unfortunately it is taking forever because it was frozen. At this rate I will fall asleep before it's ready! (Audrey, I ended this post in an exclamation point just for you.)
Posted by becky at 8:44 PM | Comments (3)
November 5, 2006
Busy day
It seems like every marathon I don't run ends up having great weather. Someday I will be lucky enough to run a fall marathon that has temps in the 40s. It seems crazy to me that it was in the 70s at NYC last year...ah, well. I haven't had much of a chance to look through the results yet (except to check up on Deena and Lance) because I had a pretty busy day.
I got to the gym when it opened so that I would have time to do some ellipticalling before my friend Steph was due over for brunch--she was in town visiting for the weekend. I didn't get to work out all that long, but I worked pretty hard so I didn't feel too bad. My back and neck are sore from yoga, and my hamstring is a little sore too but not terrible. I haven't done enough stretching today but I am going to before I go to bed.
After brunch, Matt's cousin, Rachel, and I went shopping at a really big mall in Virginia. I didn't realize how big it was until today, because we went to every shoe store there on the hunt for boots for Rachel. I was shopping for work clothes and possibly jeans, but my waist size hasn't changed so everything fits all weird. I just want to be back to my normal shape!! But enough complaining. It was a fun day but tiring since we spent so many hours on our feet.
I went immediately to the grocery store after the mall and the lines were outrageous--I guess everyone goes to the store on Sunday night. In any case, I'm finally settling down to catch up on results and read the paper. I've been looking forward to it all day, especially since Matt already marked some sections for me that he'll know I'll want to read!
Posted by becky at 9:16 PM | Comments (1)
November 4, 2006
Cold but happy
Brrr! It was definitely chilly this morning when I left the house, especially since it was early. I'm not used to it and my chest and toes were the coldest. Thankfully I thought to bring gloves with me. T. was staying in our old neighborhood so we met in between, probably about a half-mile run for me. From there we went into Rock Creek Park and followed the bike path awhile and looped back through Georgetown and Dupont Circle. The pace was actually a little bit fast at first until we both mentioned it and remembered to slow down. My hamstring was behaving, although my knee was a little bit achy at first (cartilage). All in all it was one of the best runs I've had in awhile: good convos and fun to catch up with T., I didn't feel too bad and the pace (according to T.) wasn't that pokey. I'm not sure how far we ran, but I think a little bit further than I've done in past weeks.
I biked for about an hour when I got home, watching part of the movie Junebug. I'm not finished with it yet but I don't think it was the best kind of flick to watch while on the bike! Too much dialogue and not enough action. Oh, well, the time passed anyway.
Since I had gotten such an early start to the day, I decided to try a beginner yoga class around noon at this studio pretty close to my house. My boss goes there a lot and is very experienced at yoga, so she recommended this particular class. I was really nervous since I've never tried yoga before and I'm notorious for being all tense and contorted when stretching, but I have heard from many runners that it is good for injury prevention. I'll try anything at this point. All in all, I'd say I enjoyed it, but I had a hard time with the breathing and of course getting into a couple of the positions was difficult since my hamstring is still sore. (I just avoided the ones that felt weird.) The teacher was good about explaining stuff and was understanding about my injury. The "first time visitor" deal for this particular studio allows me to go to classes for the next two weeks, so I'll probably try again next weekend.
I took a nap this afternoon while Matt played football and then I met up with him and some other people at his cousin's apartment. They were having one last barbeque of the season so we hung out and watched football. Their apartment was cold because of the open door to the balcony, and I'm still cold! It will be a nice night to stay in and be warm.
Posted by becky at 7:31 PM | Comments (0)
November 3, 2006
Quiet Friday
It feels like way more than a year ago that I ran the (ING) New York City Marathon. Possibly because the weather forecast is so much more to my liking this year--cold--than last year, when it was hot and humid. In any case, I kind of wish I was going to be in NYC this weekend, but my sister is planning to represent for me at 96th and First Ave. If I remember correctly, I was still feeling pretty good at that point last year!
But no running for me today. I just ellipticalled, but I felt pretty good, as in, my hamstring was not tight. It's certainly sore where Barb abused it yesterday, though! I don't mind that and I enjoyed my easy Friday with no lifting or double workout, especially since my arms are pretty sore too.
Matt is out at a hockey game tonight so I am just relaxing and enjoying my US Weekly that came in the mail today. I'm meeting T. very early in the morning, so I'm doubly nervous: getting up at work time on a weekend and running with someone for the first time since I started running again. But he is a good person to test it with since he'll understand if I need to stop or slow down. Wish me luck and Happy ING NYCM Weekend!
Posted by becky at 8:32 PM | Comments (0)
November 2, 2006
My kind of weather
It got a lot more fall-like overnight and it was still kind of drizzly/foggy this morning when I left for the gym. Shorts and long-sleeve weather. I did have a run scheduled so I dropped my stuff off, stretched as well as I could and headed off. My hamstring behaved well today, actually. I didn't feel it much at all and I felt like my stride was approaching normal (for me). I did have some patellar pain, which isn't surprising due to my lack of cartilage issue, but I can handle that. I am now running between 30 and 40 minutes at a time and today was the first time I wanted to do more than 30, cardio-wise. I added on an extra little loop and finished feeling satisfied and really glad that my hamstring wasn't super-tight. I had woken up late this morning so I didn't have much time to elliptical afterwards, but I did what I could.
I had a PT appointment in the morning and Barb and I discussed my worries about my hamstring tightness leading to back-of-knee pain. Right now, when my hamstring is tight, I feel a kind of pinching in the back of the knee--not lots of pain but I don't want to feel it at all. She said I should keep my runs as flat as possible for the next few weeks, even if it is boring, and that combined with the stretching might push me a little further into the "healed" category rather than just "healing." She worked on my hamstring and it didn't feel too bad, but it has been sore ever since.
I thought that I'd be back in normal running shape by the time it was pants weather and that I would have gotten rid of the extra few pounds I'm carrying around that cause me to have to ignore most of my work wardrobe. It is so frustrating to put on a pair of pants that I know fit me a few month ago and realize that my hips don't fit normally in there anymore. This has never happened to me because I haven't taken an extended running layoff in probably about 10 years. I try not to think about it, but I am petrified that I will never get back to the way I was. Obviously I don't run to look a certain way, but I kind of took it for granted that my weight didn't really fluctuate.
That's my Thursday night rant. I don't have much more exciting news to report, other than an uneventful lifting session at lunchtime. I'm glad the week is almost over!
Posted by becky at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)
November 1, 2006
Sleeping in...a little
I didn't have to be at work until 9:30 today, so I decided to sleep a little bit longer and just ride my trainer at home. Unfortunately there weren't any good movies available On Demand, so I was stuck with the Today show. Some of the segments are okay, but it drives me nuts that they repeat the same local news and weather every 20 minutes! And the weather today was not worth talking about, in my opinion. It was just unseasonably warm and humid. Anyway, as for the biking, it was fine. If my butt didn't hurt me on the bike, I feel like I'd be able to work harder, but it's always a little bit uncomfortable, even when I'm wearing padded shorts.
I had a rather long training/orientation thing this morning so that made the rest of my day pretty busy. I did a little bit of ellipticalling and less lifting than usual tonight because my arms are sore. Other than that, things are pretty status quo for now. I continue to stretch as much as I can and if nothing else, I'm becoming flexible enough so that I might actually be able to try yoga!
Posted by becky at 9:30 PM | Comments (0)